10 Crafts to celebrate Earth Day

Brittany

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April 17, 2023

10 Crafts to celebrate Earth Day

Eco-friendly Cardboard crafts for Earth Day

Some of my favorite crafts are those that either recycle old materials or can be recycled. It just feels better to be resourceful and get some mileage out of items that we tend to collect and throw away! Cardboard is one of my favorite mediums for this so here are some of my favorite cardboard projects. They would be great to do with kids too!

1. Cardboard Cactus Crafts for Earth Day

These cardboard cactus plants are a great way to celebrate Earth Day. All you do is cut out simple shapes from any size cardboard box and stick them in a pot. Great decor AND reusing stuff you already have! Here’s a link for the cardboard cactus tutorial.

2. Cardboard art sculpture craft

We had originally made a mobile as an art piece and then reused the pieces to create this geometric sculpture. It’s a great way to use smaller scraps of paper and cardboard while also turning it into something that you’d actually want to keep around on display.

3. Viking ship made from cardboard

Sure, I made this viking ship out of cardboard for my son for Halloween, BUT it would also be a great toy for every day. Just grab a couple of boxes from the bin and start cutting! The kids can even join in on painting it.

4. Decorative cardboard vases

I was so inspired by that blue and white tablecloth that we made a number of blue and white vases out of cardboard to go with it. They would be fun for a dinner party or as a simple decoration in a vignette. OR, you can make these 2D flat vases, below, to also do the job.

5. Egg Carton vases for Earth Day

While we’re on the subject of vases, here’s a great way to reuse egg cartons! I love the texture that the egg containers create. They’re super cool for a fresh, modern vibe.

6. Cardboard sun for Earth Day

Jasper and I made this sun out of cardboard when he was 3 and we had a ball! It’s a great way to teach kids about earth day and get busy together!

7. Learn how to press flowers for Earth Day

A beautiful way to celebrate Mother Nature is to learn how to press flowers. This blog post shares 3 ways to press flowers. It’s a great hobby to learn!

8. Make your own beeswax lunch sack for Earth Day

Make something you can re-use over and over again. We made these cute color-blocked lunch sacks with beeswax pouches intended to use over plastic bags.

9. Eco-friendly Friendship bracelet rug for Earth Day

Turn fabric scraps into a friendship bracelet inspired rag rug. This was one of my earliest projects on the blog and one of my favorites to this day!

10. Celebrate nature for Earth Day with paper flowers

One way to celebrate Earth Day is to pay homage to the beauty that Mother Earth provides. Flowers are probably my favorite thing on earth. we have a host of paper flower tutorials that will bring the celebration indoors!

Paper hydrangeas

These gorgeous water-colored hydrangeas are made from coffee filters! Use what you have!

Paper pansies

These adorable paper pansies or johnny jump ups are too cute. Here’s how to make them!

If you’re really wanting to learn how to get into the flower spirit, we have a course on how to draw your favorite flowers. It would be a great way to celebrate! Sign up for the course here.

As we celebrate Earth Day, it’s important to remember that small actions can make a big impact. These 10 eco-friendly crafts demonstrate how we can repurpose and upcycle everyday items to create something beautiful while reducing waste. Whether it’s turning old cardboard into a home decoration or celebrating mother earth in flowers, we can show our love for the planet in creative ways. So let’s get crafting and make a difference one DIY project at a time! Remember, “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.” – Robert Swan

7 books about floral arranging

Brittany

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April 12, 2023

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Drought tolerant cottage garden

Brittany

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February 28, 2023

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Drought tolerant cottage garden

Understatement of the year, but you may have noticed by now how flowers play an important role in my life. I’ve always been drawn to them. I still can’t believe they are real! There are so many in so many colors and variations. Flowers also played a huge role in the story of our renovation for the show. We used flowers on the staircase and even included our birth month flowers. The rose was especially meaningful as it represents the birth flower of Patty Sessions, who we honored throughout the house.

Inspiration for the garden

I connected with Monrovia Plants, whose plants I’ve always admired when I’ve visited nurseries. They always have a beautiful selection of options. I shared my vision for what I wanted knowing that I couldn’t do a full garden makeover in the short amount of time that we had to shoot the show.

I’m really inspired by a number of garden styles and was looking to blend a few together. I listed Claus Dalby’s style

And knowing that I wanted to go in a drought-tolerant direction, I included Piet Oudolf as an inspiration because his style is more natural and I think drought tolerant plants typically take on this style of garden.

I also included Miranda Brooks’ lovely English style into the mix.

I’m hugely inspired by all three and wanted to see what Monrovia recommended.

Too much grass

When we bought our home the landscape was wall-to-wall grass and a tree here and there. While I cannot complain (we feel so lucky to have a home of our own), our dream yard includes flower gardens filled with color, raised beds for gardening, places to play and socialize.

But yards don’t come cheap. So, like most people, we’re approaching our yard renovations in phases. For this first phase, we wanted to add color and interest to our previously all-grass landscape and highlight the walkway to the front door. My one day plan is to go to town with more drought-tolerant landscaping.

Utah in a drought

Utah is the second driest state in America and is experiencing an unprecedented drought (though the amount of snow this year is encouraging–let’s hope for more!). With this first project–and all future yard renovation phases–we want to create a landscape that works for where we live while still adding curb appeal.

Drought tolerant plants

Because of this, we worked with Monrovia to select drought-tolerant plants. For nearly 100 years, Monrovia have been pioneers and craftsmen in the art of plants. Their company started in Southern California, another region with a limited water supply, and have expanded throughout the United States.

When considering our yard, I approached it like I would any room design: What color palette, textures and interests do we want?

Monrovia took my direction and supplied me with some beautiful recommendations for our zone here in Provo, Utah: 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a and 6b.

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Shade loving drought tolerant plants

One of Monrovia’s experts gave me a list of shade loving drought tolerant plants to choose from based on the style I was going for. You can see the list of shade loving drought tolerant plants here. I focused the areas on our front, which is north facing so they’re mostly all shade flowers.

FloralBerry® Rosé St. John’s Wort
lilla smoke bush
Green Tower Boxwood (you will want some kind of evergreen structure in all the perennials)
Jurassic Stegosaurus Holly Fern
Any of the dark-leaved Heuchera – recommend Grande Amethyst or Black
Autumn Fern

Sun loving drought tolerant plants

But there are some parts that get some sun and they gave me this list to choose from. Here are some of the ones we chose:

Any Daylily that has Skye in the name.
Brakelights Red Yucca
FloralBerry St. Johns Wort – any of the colors (you will love these!)
Any lavender
Any Harlequin Penstemon
Any Grace N’ Grit Rose
Any Nitty Gritty Rose
Any color Giga Pincushion Flower
Any fountain grass
Any gaura

Planning where to plant

Not surprisingly by now, Pat is a wiz in the garden so I consulted with her on what to do. I love flowers and hope to go into gardening more, but admittedly, it is not that season for me in life. Thankfully, Pat knows her stuff. From the list she recommended some based on height and position and colors.

I wanted flowers planted along the pathway leading to the front door as well as the sides of the front door. Of course, there’s much more I want to do to it, but that’s all I could do for the time we had.

Staggered stepping stones

Pat had the great idea to stagger the lined stepping stones so it would provide more walkway and more interest. Such a good plan.

Installing the plants

Once the flowers arrived from Glover Nurseries here in Utah, it was go time! We had given ourselves plenty of time do install the garden, but immediately hit a hurdle (literally)–the rocks. We are near a canyon called Rock Canyon, and it’s completely accurate to the area. It was SO rocky! It took so much time to just dig the holes to plant them!

We got the necessary peat moss and soil to give the plants the greatest chance to thrive. We started digging holes and realized that this was going to take so much longer than we anticipated so we immediately needed to get help. Friends and neighbors came to lend a hand and I will be forever grateful.

We also had to work on the garden at the same time as the exterior because we were running up against the clock to the final shoot.

Here’s Kiersten and Evelyn who gave so much time to this–THANK YOU!

Cottage style drought tolerant plants

And this was a few weeks after planting.

The experts at Monrovia gave us flower recommendations for flowers that would bloom through every season and it was truly the biggest miracle. There was something blooming at each time.

I did choose a couple of hydrangeas that actually bloom in Utah’s dry climate because I love the look so much.

While I’d prefer a true English or Danish style garden, I felt like I had to do something about the amount of water used, hence the drought tolerant choices. It’s a little step for now, but hoping to take it throughout the garden.

I’m in LOVE with how it turned out and can’t wait to see it take shape once spring comes in a few weeks. Hoping that a lot of it survives with the crazy snowstorms we’ve been getting here.

Let me know what you think!

BLOOM Inspired Style

Brittany

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May 18, 2022

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BLOOM Lifestyle Photos

Here are a few of our favorite photos from the BLOOM lifestyle shoot:

We had to work in a quilted jacket somehow. I’m in love with this one!

The floral embroidery on that blue dress is just exquisite! I knew we needed it as soon as I saw it.

I’m loving the retro vibes of this shot.

Don’t you just love those pink pom poms paired with the pink phone?

Those tiny purple and blue flowers? Are you kidding me?! So gorgeous.

Secret garden fabric paired with secret garden phone case? A match made in heaven, especially with that lovely gold bracelet.

BLOOM Inspired Style

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for. Don’t you just love the idea of a wardrobe refresh to match your new phone case? Here are all the beautiful blouses and dresses we used:

And here are the BLOOM inspired accessories:

More Inspiration

Make sure to check out this post featuring our newest Casetify collection! And if you haven’t seen it yet, head over to our Casetify honest review to see how these phone cases have held up for team Lars! Also, check out our first Casetify collection here. Love our phone case designs? You’ll probably be interested in our Casetify inspired crafts, like these nesting Easter eggs, or our painted mini pumpkins.

Retro Florals Backdrop

Brittany

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May 16, 2022

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Floral Backdrops from the Archives

We love our floral backdrops! This isn’t the first time we’ve dabbled in a floral backdrop. Remember our peonies, hibiscus/tropical leaves, daisies, tulips and poppies? Well, we though it was high time to revisit backdrops, this time in the form of my favorite phone case of all time: Retro Florals!

Retro Florals Backdrop

The best thing about this backdrop, besides being absolutely adorable, is that it’s incredibly quick and easy. It’s the perfect backdrop for a spring birthday, baby or bridal shower, or just because you’re in need of some extra color. Just grab your cricut maker (or a pair of scissors), some paper and something to stick it to the wall and you’re all set!

How to Make a Retro Florals Backdrop

First, download the Retro Florals Backdrop template found here.
Next, upload your template into the cricut design space. If you don’t have a cricut maker, you can just print the template out and use scissors to cut them out.
Now all you have to do is get cutting! Cut out as many as you need to fill your wall, in a variety of colors. If you’re stumped on colors, you can use our photos (and phone case!) as a guide.
To stick them to the wall, use either tape that won’t remove the paint or poster putty. Tip: We would recommend putting the design on the wall as you go. That way you can keep track of what colors you need to cut out next.
When you’re happy with the amount of retro florals you’ve added to your wall, you can stand back and admire. You’re done!

Casetify-Inspired Fabrics

The fun doesn’t stop with this backdrop. You may have noticed the dress we made out of custom retro florals fabric! Well, we have a whole host of other fabrics for you to choose from that are largely inspired by our Casetify collections. Click here to peruse the options!

More Inspiration

Need more colorful crafts to fill your home this spring? You’ll probably love our new papier-mâché vase! Interested in more paper flower projects? Head to this post, where we’ve compiled all of our paper flower tutorials. Wanting to start a garden of real flowers this year? Head over to Lars’ Gardening Essentials for some tips!

Lars’ Gardening Essentials

Brittany

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May 13, 2022

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Lars and Gardens

If you’ve been following along for a while now, you’ll know I love gardens. I mean, anything that’s compatible with flowers is a big yes for me. Years ago, I described my dream gardens in this post. It’s a great place to start if you need a little help deciding on what types of plants to fill your garden with.

Tips for Beginners (or anyone, really!)

Speaking of tips on growing a garden, if you need some, see this post on how to grow a garden even when you think you can’t. I wouldn’t consider myself a pro, but you can see what I did to the front yard garden of our little rental (serious nostalgia here! I love our new house, but that little rental will always have a special place in my heart. And the garden turned out so lovely)!

Another post that can steer you in the right direction if you’re in need of a little garden inspiration is this post on how to plant a rainbow container garden. I go through plants of every color of the rainbow! It’s a lovely and easy way to add some color to your garden.

Oh, and if you need a few more gardening tips, as well as basic tools? See this post! It’s amazing how helpful a few basic tools can be in creating your dream garden. And speaking of tools and other essentials, you won’t want to miss this garden apron tutorial.

Other Garden Inspiration

Interested in our other garden content? You might want to check out this garden transformation we did with Troy Bilt! Honestly, the before photos are unrecognizable. Also see this post, where we compiled the inspiration for our new house! And last year, we did a roundup of planters and pots for you to peruse. And don’t forget our shop! Inspire yourself with floral and garden-centric art like this or this.

Lars’ Gardening Essentials

And for your convenience, here are some other Lars’ gardening essentials. From gloves to planters, you’ll be set for spring with a variety of tools. Whether you’ve got a pumpkin patch in your backyard, a few pots on your front porch, or some herbs on your windowsill, there’s something for every gardener (or wannabe) out there!

Papier-mâché Vase

Brittany

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May 9, 2022

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How to make a papier-mâché vase

Corrie Beth has been making the most amazing papier-mâché projects for years. We are honestly some of her biggest fans. Her creations are so gorgeous, we wanted to try our hand at making our own! Lucky for us, papier-mâché is one of the most versatile materials around. It can be transformed into almost anything, if you’re creative enough to think up how. We love how much a simple vase can add to your home decor. It’s simple and so effective.

Here’s how to make your own:

Prepping your cardboard

Get out your cardboard and scissors! Here’s what to do:

First you’ll want to download, print and cut out the papier-mâché vase template found here.
With your templates ready to go, you can now trace and cut out the shapes provided. You’ll also need to cut out two additional rectangles in the following dimensions: 21.75″ x 4.5″ and 2″ x 10″. Tip: It’s helpful to cut out the rectangle pieces so the cardboard fluting (the bumpy middle section) is parallel to the short width. This makes shaping the rectangles much easier.
You should now have five shapes cut out: three “c” shapes, and two rectangles (one small and one large).

Constructing your understructure

First, gently shape each piece.
For the “c” shapes, bring the two edges together so they form a subtle cone shape. Secure with hot glue.
Next, for the rectangles, bring the short edges together to make cylinders. Secure with hot glue. Note: For each piece, shape as you go by bending every centimeter or so in the desired direction.
Now hot glue the individual pieces together, using the diagram in the template as a reference.
Once everything is glued and the glue is cool, cover the entire thing in a layer of masking tape. This will make the surface nicer when you start to attach the papier-mâché.

Making the paste

To make your paste, add 1 part flour to 2 parts water. Stir with a spoon and try to get out as many lumps as possible.
Next, heat mixture for 40 seconds in the microwave, then stir again.
Repeat the process a couple more times until the paste has thickened a bit. It should still be fairly runny and smooth when you’re done. If it’s thickened into a lumpy mess, you’ve heated it too much.

Applying the papier-mâché

For the papier-mâché, tear up some newspaper or newsprint into narrow strips. I would recommend tearing up all the paper ahead of time so you don’t have to tear it with sticky hands.
Next, fully coat each strip in the paste, then start applying them to the cardboard structure. Continue until the entire vase is coated thoroughly.
Note: It works best if you apply the strips in a random formation, criss-crossing as you go. This helps them hold better when dry.
Last, let your papier-mâché dry out completely for a few days!

Decorating your vase

To decorate, simply paint your vase with acrylic paint. If you’d like, use our photos as a reference to paint it like we did! We drew out the design in pencil, then painted it in, but do whatever method you’d like. You can also skip the pencil if you’d rather.

Styling your vase

This papier-mâché vase pairs perfectly with many of our paper flowers! Make a bouquet and put it on your mantlepiece, kitchen table, or desk. I love that it stays bright and beautiful for months–you don’t have to worry about paper flowers dying, or the vase tipping over and water spilling out. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go make five more.

What are you going to do with your vase? Let us know in the comments!

More Inspiration

Here are some paper flowers to go with your lovely new vase: Poppies, peonies, and posies, summer paper wedding bouquet, paper flower bouquet. We also have our new paper orchids and sunflowers!

Looking for more easy DIY crafts this spring? Try these other papier-mâché projects! Oversized paper mache flower, family costume reveal, and paper mache pineapple tray.

Things To Do For Mom

Brittany

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April 28, 2022

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Give her breakfast in bed

Breakfast in bed is the classic Mother’s Day gift! But this year you can make it even more unique by cutting out fruit in the shape of flowers. It’s a simple way even the little kids can feel like they’re contributing to help make mom feel special. To get you started, give her a hot cup of tea in this speckled loopy mug from our shop, or add a twisted candle in a flower candle holder.

Here are some more supplies to help prep for the perfect breakfast in bed:

Make dinner

Growing up, my dad would make dinner for my mom every Mother’s Day. Most of the time, he did a pretty spectacular job (though I still remember the time he forgot the cheese in the lasagna). Don’t worry, if you’re not feeling confident enough in your cooking to take on a whole meal yourself (I understand, I really do–I’m the queen of not knowing how to cook), enlist the help of siblings and friends and make a day of it! There’s also no shame in a few store-prepared elements to your meal (Harmon’s and Trader Joe’s are my favorites).

If your mom loves to cook, some great gifts we mentioned in our Mother’s Day gift guide this year are our recipe cards and this adorable new checkerboard apron!

Here are some other great kitchen supplies to make the dinner extra special and beautiful:

Give her a beautiful card

A Mother’s Day card can never go wrong. It’s simple, but something every mother loves. Luckily for you, we have a whole host of Mother’s Day cards and stationary like this Scandinavian one to get you started!

Something handmade

What mom doesn’t love a handmade gift from their child? Head straight to our blog for tons of great DIY projects that double as great Mother’s Day gifts! For example, try these photo transfer dolls, or this beautiful clay necklace. This lovely embroidered brooch is another great option your mom can wear. For the kids, check out this post with tons of great Mother’s Day ideas kids can help with!

Flowers

Of course we couldn’t forget flowers. You know we love flowers, here at The House that Lars Built. Why not make some paper flowers for your mom this year? Some of my favorites are peonies, foxgloves, and hollyhocks. It’s a bouquet that stays looking fresh long after Mother’s Day!

No time to make a bouquet? Here are some lovely flower-centric options to try:

Go on a mom date

Take her out to her favorite restaurant, go get manis/pedis, get massages or do a full spa day, get a yummy treat, go on a walk amidst the blossoms, the options are endless. The one thing we know is that she’ll love getting to spend some quality time with you.

Here are some spa items you could incorporate into an at-home spa day:

Clean for her

Every mom appreciates a little help with the cleaning. Growing up, I remember asking my mom what she wanted for birthdays and she’d always mention cleaning. We can all relate! No matter how on top of the chores you are, it’s nice to take a break and let someone else take care of it for a change. The best part about this is that all ages of children can do a little something to help. Your mother deserves it!

Oh, and to top off your cleaning, why not light a deliciously scented candle? Mmmm, I love a good candle, and I bet your mom does, too.

More Gift Ideas

Still stumped? Check out our 2022 Mother’s Day gift guide!

Our New Casetify Collection: BLOOM

Brittany

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April 25, 2022

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Our History with Casetify

If you’ve been following along, you’ll know all about our debut Casetify collection, which launched last fall. Since then, we haven’t been able to get enough! We painted mini pumpkins inspired by the collection, which was such a fun DIY twist on the phone cases. The retro florals featured in that collection also snuck its way into our new spring tablescape! After some time passed and we became familiar with our new phone cases, we also released a Casetify honest review, which you can read here.

Our New Casetify Collection: BLOOM

We couldn’t help but give you a little teaser along the way to get you excited about our launch. Remember those nesting Easter eggs? Well keep those in mind as you scroll through the phone case options–a few of them just might look familiar. Here’s the link to our full collection of brand new phone cases!

My Bloom Magazine Inspiration

This new collection leans fully into spring and the myriad of beautiful flowers in bloom. Hence the name, Bloom. But the name wasn’t only inspired by beautiful blooming flowers. When I was a kid, I made a magazine called Bloom! Can you believe it?! It’s like I knew what would follow, so many years before phone cases were even on the brain. This magazine was thorough, too–it included ads, recipes, advice, the whole nine yards.

Here are some highlights of the magazine, because they’re too good not to share:

If you couldn’t read that, it says “the claw. A softener, a loosener, an everything.” Amazing.

Needless to say, I’ve been thinking about flowers and gardens long enough that it was about time for a phone collection featuring them.

Garet’s Inspiration Behind the Collection

Garet, our designer, worked night and day to design this magnificent flower garden of a collection. Her connection to painting and, specifically, flowers, goes way back as well. She’s named after her grandmother, Margaret. At Margaret’s funeral, they had peonies in honor of her since she loved them so much. Hence, this jaw-droppingly lovely peony was born.

The story goes on. Garet’s aunt, who took care of Margaret before she died, taught Garet to paint–especially flowers. Garet’s aunt instilled a love of painting flowers in Garet from the time she was young and it has, shall we say bloomed? Ever since.

Some of our Favorites

Here are some of our favorite cases:

Look familiar? You may be thinking of the Easter dress we made out of the secret garden print!

But florals aren’t the only options in this versatile collection. We also have some bold, geometric prints that are lovely as well.

I especially love the tumbling blocks! The best part is all of the customizable options Casetify offers. I can’t get enough of that neon yellow with the pink and red tumbling block!

Casetify Discount Code

For followers of The House that Lars Built, Casetify is offering a 15% discount at checkout with code THTLB15.

If you get one of our cell phone cases, tag us with #Larsforcasetify. We would love to see them!

Easter Outfits 2022

Brittany

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April 15, 2022

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Our Custom Fabric

First of all, let’s talk about our custom fabric! Designed by our talented designer, Garet, these repeat patterns lean fully into the florals that are so appropriate for this season. Stay tuned for the official release of our phone cases featuring many of the same patterns and much more! Consider this Easter outfits project an Easter egg for what is to come–it’s going to be GOOD.

Fabric Choices for the Easter Outfits

For the Easter outfits, we decided to go with our Secret Garden print for Brittany’s dress, Block Print in Cream for Felix’s jumpsuit, Block Print in Daffodil for Jasper’s, and Block Print in Periwinkle for Paul’s tie. Since we didn’t have much time before Easter, we took a major gamble and ordered the full amount of fabric before ordering a sample first. To our delight, the fabric was even more beautiful in person than we’d hoped!

Here’s the low down on each outfit:

TIP: Don’t forget to pre-wash your fabric!

Brittany’s Dress

Oo la la, this dress turned out absolutely fabulous! We adored the combination of that secret garden print and the flowy tiers of the dress. I mean, what more could you ask for from an Easter dress than pretty florals and a pattern that’s whimsical enough to make you feel like you’ve been transported to the set of Pride and Prejudice? It’s so lovely it makes me want to sew five more! I could honestly gush all day about that secret garden print. The colors blend in such a lovely way at a distance, and up close the details are stunning. Garet really outdid herself on this one!

For the pattern, we went with Friday Pattern Company’s Wilder Gown. It paired perfectly with the secret garden print. The result was honestly jaw-dropping–so beautiful!

How to make your own version of Brittany’s Easter dress

Start by heading over to our Spoonflower design shop and ordering our Secret Garden print! Follow the guidelines on the dress pattern for yardage requirements. We’d recommend a light cotton poplin for this breezy piece.
Next, purchase and download the Wilder Gown PDF (or purchase the print version, if you prefer. We chose the PDF because we could instantly download and get sewing).
Now all you have to do is print and assemble your pattern, following the instructions on the pattern.
Just follow the step by step instructions on the pattern to make your dress and you’re done!

Paul’s Tie

Paul’s Easter outfit was simple: a tie. He loves skinny ties, so that’s what we went with! It’s surprising how easy it is to make, and looks so classy when it’s done. To make it even easier on you, we have a PDF tie pattern you can use. We loved that periwinkle blue block print pattern. It’s delicate and refined while still having that touch of masculinity when in tie form! Here are the steps to making your husband his own Easter tie:

How to make your own version of Paul’s Easter tie

Prepping the fabric and pattern

First, download the template for our tie, found here.
Next, follow the instructions included in the PDF and make your tie!

Jasper and Felix’s Jumpsuits

Last on our list of Easter outfits were Jasper and Felix’s jumpsuits. We used this lovely Etsy pattern! It was clear Jasper’s outfit needed to be at least a little bold, so we went with a beautiful golden color. For Felix’s, we chose a more delicate cream and periwinkle. The subtle block print was the perfect little detail for both the boys’ outfits. Words cannot describe how adorable these two boys look in their new Easter outfits!

How to make your own version of Jasper and Felix’s Easter outfits

Download this Etsy pattern.
Print out the PDF and follow the instructions for assembly. (Don’t forget the buttons or snaps! We used buttons).
Done!

What do you think our our fresh new Easter outfits?! Are you going to join the fun and make your own? Even after Easter’s come and gone these would all still make perfect spring and summer outfits. Leave your thoughts in the comments!

More Inspiration

Loved this post on our Easter outfits? You’ll probably love this other Easter content. Try these Easter Activities for Kids, or our roundup of Easter Crafts. Our Ukrainian Easter Coloring Pages are another great way to keep kids busy this spring. Also see our Nesting Easter Eggs for the sweetest little Easter decoration. And don’t forget about our DIY Easter Basket and our Easter Basket Choose Your Own Adventure!

Nesting Easter Eggs

Brittany

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April 4, 2022

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History of Nesting Dolls

Obviously, these nesting Easter eggs are inspired by the original nesting dolls. Though nesting dolls are popular for their connection to Russia, their origins actually date back all the way to ancient China! In our holiday nesting dolls post, we explain a bit more about their fascinating history. If you’d like to read even more about the history of nesting dolls, check out this post here!

We especially love the symbolism nesting dolls carry of creation and new life. After all, the The first Russian dolls were referred to as “Matroyshka,” which comes from the Latin root “mater,” or mother. Easter being a religious holiday centered around Christ and His resurrection, creation and new life feel like fitting connotations.

Our Nesting Easter Eggs

For our nesting Easter eggs, we went all in with a floral theme. Oh, and here’s the best part: this a major sneak peak announcement!! Consider it an “Easter egg” (ha!) for coming attractions, because the floral motifs on our nesting Easter eggs are based on our brand new Casetify collection! More details soon to come on the new collection. The timing is so perfect with our new Casetify collection, we just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to use those lovely new florals. We love that flowers, like nesting dolls, are also indicative of new life. A floral theme just made perfect sense!

All that said, here’s how to make a nesting Easter egg.

How to Make a Nesting Easter Egg

The wonderful thing about this tutorial is how simple it is! Just a few steps. If you want to paint your eggs with flowers but need some guidance, see our Learn to Draw: Flowers course.

First, lightly pencil in a floral design of your choosing. You can use our eggs as a reference if you’re stumped coming up with your own designs (It’s hard to pass up those lovely new Casetify designs, in my opinion!), or see our Learn to Draw: Flowers course. If you’d like, you can also paint the background color of each before penciling in your design. Use whatever technique is easiest for you!
Next, start painting in your design. I found it helpful to start with the larger blocks of color first, then move in to the smaller details and thin line work.
Continue painting in the details until your design feels resolved.
To keep the paint looking nice and shiny for years to come, finish up with a spray coat of mod podge.

See how easy? The nice thing about these nesting Easter eggs is that you can make them as simple or complex as you’d like. Just have fun with it!

More Inspiration

Loved this tutorial on nesting Easter eggs? Well we have LOTS more Easter content where that came from. These adorable Easter egg columns are another fun way to decorate easter eggs. Looking for more Easter egg variations? Try this honeycomb Easter egg tutorial, or learn how to decorate Easter eggs with dried flowers. Also check out this DIY pom pom egg tree or our popular Easter egg wreath. And don’t forget about our brand new Easter items: rope Easter basket, Easter basket choose your own adventure, and Palm Leaf Wreath. Also, here’s a link to all the Easter projects on our blog, and here’s one for our Easter shop.

Thank With Google

I also want to mention that I’m excited to be one of Google’s paid early testers for their Thank with Google pilot program! Thank with Google is an experimental feature that allows you to purchase a virtual sticker and directly show your support and appreciation for content on my website.

Our loyal community can now feel more connected and engaged because you have the ability to thank me directly and share a personal message when you send a paid sticker. You get to choose and select from a variety of different stickers that translate into direct revenue so we can have some added support as we continue to produce quality design and DIY content. I love that I can read through your messages and see what you love or appreciate about specific posts!

You can find the Thank with Google feature on my site as a button at the top and bottom of this and all blog posts. If you try it out, let me know what you think! I am so grateful for those of you who have been following along for a long time and those who are brand new– thank you for all the support!

Easter Basket Choose Your Own Adventure

Brittany

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March 22, 2022

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Easter Basket Choose Your Own Adventure

When I’m stumped and can’t decide what direction to go with Easter baskets, one thing that helps me is picking a theme. Last year, we dedicated this Activity Filled Easter Baskets post to helping you pick some different themes for your Easter basket. Have a budding chef in your home? What about a gardener or artist? With your theme in mind, here are the steps to this Easter basket choose your own adventure:

Step 1: Pick an Easter Basket!

The first step in our Easter basket choose your own adventure is picking the perfect basket. This can be tricky! There are so many options to sift through. Well, we’ve already done the sifting. Here are our picks:

DIY Easter Baskets

Rope Easter Basket. This one is a brand new Easter basket released just yesterday! We’d love to see what you do with it!
Woven Paper Easter Basket. Another great option, this one is so quick, easy, and equally pretty.
Dip-Dyed Easter Basket. This is a general tutorial on dip-dying, so we’d recommend consulting our list below for options to purchase. Then dip dye to your heart’s content!

Easter Baskets to Purchase

Here are some more options if you’re not interested in making your own Easter basket this year:

Oh, and don’t forget about the Easter grass and other accessories. Here are some amazing options we love:

Step 2: Something To Wear

Who doesn’t want to gift their child with an adorable Easter outfit? You can cater it to their interests, as well as the theme of your Easter basket. Little chef? Think apron. Budding gardener? Maybe something flower-themed would do the trick.

Here are some adorable items from our shop your kiddos will love:

Bunny Rabbit Enamel Pin, Bunny Shaped Hair Clip, Bunny Hair Clip Kit, Wavy Headband, Colorful Hair Ties, Flower Bead Hair Ties, Easter Bunny Baby Bonnet, Sunglasses, Children’s Crown, Daisy Earring, Daisy Earrings 2, and Flower and Pearl Earrings.

And here are some other ideas!

Step 3: Books and Activities

Next step on our Easter basket choose your own adventure are books and activities. Books are a great way to avoid giving your child a sugar rush and also giving them hours of entertainment. Cater the book to your Easter basket theme and you’re all set!

Here are some options from our shop we think will be instant hits:

Springtime Activity Kit, Springtime Printable Activity Pack and Honeycomb Easter Eggs.

And here are a few other options:

Step 4: Toy

We couldn’t leave toys off our Easter basket choose your own adventure! What child doesn’t love toys? What about Easter themed toys? Even better. If you’re on a mission to craft the perfect themed Easter basket, we have tons of suggestions for you.

From our shop we have some great options: the Floppy Bunny Plush Doll, Easter Bunny Stuffed Animal, Garden Game, Color Pencils, and Building Blocks.

Here are more options if you’re interested:

Step 5: Treat

Last but not least on our Easter basket choose your own adventure are treats. Of course, just because you’re trying to vary the options in this Easter basket choose your own adventure doesn’t mean you can’t include some classic Easter treats in your basket. The Paper Carrot Treat Box from our shop is the perfect thing to stuff with goodies and include in your easter basket.

Here are some adorable and tasty treats we love!

More Inspiration

Looking for more Easter inspiration? Check out our Easter shop for many more ideas to get you in the mood! Also see our past blog posts featuring Easter content here.