It seems summer is the patriotic season here in the US with Memorial Day kicking off the summer, Independence Day in July, and Labor Day at summers close. Though I'm not very patriotic myself, like most vintage loving ladies I have no problem celebrating the victory in WWII. If there was one war that had to be fought it seems WWII deserves the title, with horrible ideas that truly needed to be crushed. Fashion certainly turned to celebrate the war's end with patriotic prints and all things red, white, and blue. One of the most collected WWII related fashion accessories is the V for victory brooch. See some vintage examples below (from a simple search on Pinterest)...
As I wear 1940's fashions all the time I thought it was high time I acquire a V for victory brooch myself, but you all know I am crafty by nature so I figured I'd DIY a little something. I spotted these great little wooden letters at my local Joanns and knew they would be just the right size for a brooch!
To make a victory brooch yourself you will need:
-Wooden V from a craft or hobby shop
-Pin back
-Glue (e6000)
-Acrylic paints (and I snagged a clear sealer too for a nice finish)
-Paintbrushes
-Rhinestones (optional)
I sketched out my basic design, super simple red, white, and blue stripes. I pained the second V all white.
Make sure to keep those nice sharp lines down the sides of the V as well. I left the V to dry between coats and did three coats in the end as the wood is pretty porous by nature.
After each V had dried, I topped the paints with a thin layer of clear gloss sealant.
For the white V I added rows of clear white flat backed rhinestones with tiny dabs of e6000. I usually use a (sacrificed) pin for doing tiny detail work with glue.
Once everything is dried once more, glue on a pin back of some sort!
Then you're suddenly finished! Wear your V for victory pin with your 40's duds for an authentically optimistic look! Great for a day at a WWII reenactment or event, or any day you feel extra patriotic!
Just don't forget Labor Day is about the Labor Movement. :-) Gun nuts and frothing-at-the-mouth, rabid patriotic folk like to claim it's about veterans. When in fact, that holiday is called Veteran's Day OR Memorial Day.
ReplyDeleteMinor peeve.
But they're cute little brooches! They look really retro.
-- Tegan
Thank you Tegan! Labor Day may be about Laborers, but people still use it as an excuse to grill hotdogs and play with the left over sparklers :) Veterans Day is November 11th (yes I had to look that up) and I assume is primarily to celebrate living veterans, where as Memorial day is to commemorate veterans who died during their service. Something like that, I'm no great historian!
DeleteBianca you are right about the difference between Memorial day and Veterans day and as someone who has spent time around many veterans I will add they HATE when people make a big deal about them on Memorial day as they are still obviously living. It is seen as taking away from the respect due the fallen soldiers.
DeleteOh I love the rhinestone one! I also think that it is important commemorate the sacrifice made by those that served, the ones who returned and the ones who did not. I shudder to think what would have become of the world had we not won.
ReplyDeleteThanks Harlow! Also I agree wholeheartedly.
DeleteThis is officially brilliant. What a clever, beautiful (and super easy) DIY jewelry project, Bianca. I'm off-the-charts in love with it and will never look at plain wooden letters in a craft or dollar store the same way again. Thank you for sharing this awesomely creative idea with us.
ReplyDeletexoxo ♥ Jessica
Thank you Jessica! It took me a while to find the right size of little wooden letters, Michaels had letters that were either just too big or too tiny, but Joanns had the perfect size!
DeleteThese are great! Wounderful tutorial. I have a couple V for victory pins in my collection and I love wearing them with my 40s outfits and will modern clothing too.
ReplyDelete-Emily
Thank you Emily!
DeleteWhat an awesome DIY!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteI can't wait to make one!!
ReplyDelete