After coding my grandmother's flag in TurtleStitch, I wanted to keep crafting. I decided to create a paper diorama of Washington, DC - with soaring fireworks and the monuments ablaze with the light of a spectacular Fourth of July show.
This year, the fireworks over the National Mall are supposed to run a full 40 minutes, twice the usual 20-minute display, for twice the viewing pleasure. A fitting way to mark the nation's 250th anniversary. With the heat wave we have been experiencing in the DC area, it is unlikely I will be venturing out to see them in person. But in years past we have gone to see the festivities, and we always had a fantastic time watching the beauty of the fireworks light up the sky over the monuments. Those memories were very much on my mind as I made this.
The Diorama
Four of the scenes feature the iconic landmarks of Washington, DC - the Washington Monument, the Reflecting Pool, the White House, the Jefferson Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Capitol. Each scene adds another layer to the cityscape, so that as you look through the diorama the monuments seem to recede into the distance, just as they do in real life along the National Mall.
The fifth and final scene is the fireworks themselves - bursting and soaring over the DC sky in all their glory, the grand finale of the whole display.
The five scenes are held together with eight tabs that slide into the sides of each panel, locking everything into place and creating a freestanding, three-dimensional display. No glue needed - just the satisfying click of each tab sliding home.
Making the Diorama
I designed each scene myself using Silhouette software, then cut them with my Silhouette Cameo on Neenah 65 lb White Gold metallic cardstock from Office Depot. The metallic finish catches the light beautifully and gives the monuments a luminous quality that plain white cardstock simply would not. A piece of colorful foil cardstock was added to the front of the first scene and the back of the last scene for a pop of interest and contrast.
A word of advice if you want to make your own: use a new blade and enable overcut in your Silhouette settings. The scenes have intricate details - the monuments, the fireworks bursts, the fine edges of the skyline and a dull blade or missing overcut will leave pieces only partially cut and frustrate you no end. A fresh blade makes all the difference.
A Celebration in Paper
There is something fitting about marking America's 250th birthday with something handmade. The TurtleStitch flags were made with code. This diorama was made with paper, a craft knife, and a lot of careful cutting. Different tools, same impulse - to make something with your hands that says: this moment matters.
🇺🇸 Happy 250th Birthday America! 🇺🇸
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