9. DIY “Uncle Sam” Paint Brushes

This is a whimsical, quirky craft that uses old (or cheap) paintbrushes to create little Uncle Sam characters for your tiered tray or mantle.

  • Materials: Paintbrushes with wooden handles, paint, cotton balls.
  • Steps:
    • Paint the handle red and white (the hat) and the metal ferrule blue.
    • Paint a face on the wooden part just above the bristles.
    • The bristles become the “beard”—you can even glue on cotton balls for extra fluff!