Independence Day is a wonderful time to have a party and you will have a hit if you make this delightful centerpiece for your table, kitchen or anywhere around the house. This sparkling decoration arouses the patriotism in all of us.

Make a whimsical centerpiece from materials you have around the house.
    3 rolls bathroom tissue (white)
    1 roll bathroom tissue (pink)
    Red masking tape
    Poster board (blue and pink)
    Scissors
    Small American flag
    1 (14 inch by 7 inch) piece of blue felt
    Small foil star stickers (optional)
    Glue gun
    Small sponge
    Pink paint
    Puff paints or markers (black and red)
    Cotton balls

Evenly space red tape around a roll of white tissue to make vertically striped pant legs. Cut a piece of blue poster board in the shape of feet and glue it to the underside of the roll, allowing the feet to show.

Make the torso from a second roll of white tissue.

To make a jacket, cut a piece of blue felt almost large enough to wrap around the roll, but leave a 1-inch gap down the center for the jacket buttons. Fold back the top corners of the jacket to look like a lapel and glue the jacket to the tissue roll. Cut stars from the blue felt or use foil star stickers for the jacket buttons and glue them in place. Cut hands from the pink poster board and arms from the blue poster board, adding 1 inch to the top of each arm to create a flap. Glue the flag to one hand and glue the hands to the arms. Bend down the 1-inch flap at the top of each arm and use these flaps to glue the arms onto the top of the roll of tissue. Glue the torso to the legs.

Make the head from the roll of pink tissue. Very lightly sponge paint pink cheeks. Use black puff paint for the eyes and red for the mouth. Generously glue cotton balls to the head for hair, beard and eyebrows. Glue the head to the torso.Cut a circle of blue poster board 2 inches larger than the roll of tissue for the hat brim and glue to the top of the head. Use the last roll of white tissue for the hat. Evenly space vertical stripes of red tape around the top 2/3 of the roll. Make a hat band from a strip of blue felt cut wide enough to cover the bottom third and long enough to wrap around the roll. Carefully cut three stars in the front of the hatband, to allow the white tissue to show through. Glue the hatband around the tissue roll, with the seam in the back, and glue the hat on top of the head.