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    DIY Dried Flower Turkey Gourds

    Brittany
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    1
    DIY Dried Flower Turkey Gourds

    DIY Dried Flower Turkey Gourds

    We have a really simple but beautiful DIY for you today—dried floral arrangements for your Thanksgiving Dinner. These are reminiscent of our gorgeous dried flower pumpkin DIY from a few weeks back, and just like that project, you can re-use these in the years to come! Once again, we used the beautiful preserved flower choices from Terrain and they were perfect! 

    Unlike fresh flower arrangements (which we also love, naturally), these dried floral turkey gourds don’t need water to keep them looking great. This arrangement also isn’t specific to Halloween or Thanksgiving—you can keep it up all through autumn (and maybe winter too, if you’re already dreading the cold months and need something to remind you of slightly warmer days).

    Dried Flowers

    Did you know people used to think dried flowers represented bad luck? The tradition goes that dried flowers no longer have a “soul,” or “chi,” so they bring bad luck to your home. While we don’t quite follow this line of thinking, make sure to keep your dried flowers in a dry, temperature-controlled place to keep them from accumulating mold, mildew, or dust.

    Where to Display Them

    We like to put our dried flower arrangements as the table centerpiece, but how amazing would they look on a mantle? You could even put them in a windowsill so your neighbors can enjoy the autumn bounty.

    Making the Dried Floral Turkey Gourds

    Materials

    • Dried flowers (see above for exact links!)
    • gourds
    • glue gun
    • cardboard
    • spray paint

    Instructions

    1. Cut out a piece of cardboard that fits behind the gourd. It should be a in a semi circle.
    2. Identify the center of the cardboard and start gluing the pieces starting from the outside and to the middl of the cardboard.
    3. Try different patterns with the florals for a unique pattern.
    4. For more depth and fullness, try different layers of cardboard in front of the other.

    To display

    • Pin the cardboard into the back of the gourd. To separate out sprays with different layers, try using a sponge in between each layer.
    • If it’s a centerpiece, make sure you glue the back of the cardboard too.

    Let us know if you make them by tagging us with #LarsMakes or #LarsGivesThanks

    If you liked this project, I have a feeling that you’ll also like the following:

    DIY succulent monogram pumpkins
    Friendsgiving Tablescape
    Origami Cornucopia

    When Life Hands You Lemons care package and tablescape with Spoonflower

    Brittany
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    0
    When Life Hands You Lemons care package and tablescape with Spoonflower

    My favorite Mother’s Day inspired Spoonflower patterns

    I spent a good amount of time going through the Spoonflower Marketplace, which is thousands and thousands of independent artists and great designs. Yes, it took awhile, but I came upon some really beautiful options and had a hard time narrowing it down. I saved my favorites in this collection on their site.

    Which ones are your favorites???

    There are a lot of good ones, right?! I was going for a springy, floraly vibe that also felt refined and could be used throughout the year. Here were some alternative options I was eyeing:

    Citrus fabric tablecloth with Spoonflower

    Ultimately, I ended up going for this Multi Citrus Grove Toile by Danika Herrick. It has the right touch of deGournay with its chinoiserie feel. Plus, I always love some good citrus–it makes everything feel instantly refreshing.blue and orange table ideaCustom Home Decor Options

    Perhaps you remember when I redid my bedroom in all Spoonflower? Right–so not only can you order fabric by the yard, but you can order things for your home to be made in the fabric of your choice and it’s all sewn right here in the United States. For my bedroom it was the wallpaper, duvet, pillow cases, curtains, and this time around I ordered a tablecloth for the Party-For-Mom that I will be throwing. I paired it with this Indian print inspired marigold print by Andrea Lauren because I loved the contrast of the yellow to the blue in the main selection and decided to use them for the cloth napkins.Indian block print napkins

    Visualizing the process

    What I find useful in their new home decor option is the ability to see them on a variety of products. You can do that by selecting Home Decor in the “Also available in” section to view all of the different home decor products and then it automatically shows you how it will look.

    And the marigold:

    Because of that, I was able to visualize what it would really be like. And it was going to be GOOD!

    Pattern on pattern advice:

    Pairing a pattern on pattern can be tricky, but there are a few ways to make sure it works:

    1. Identify the colors of the palette. The first pattern I worked with has a lot going on but I drew out the main colors: blue, yellow, orange, and green.
    2. Along the same lines, draw out the colors that you’d like to highlight more. If there’s a color in the fabric that you don’t necessarily love, don’t highlight it! On the flipside, if you like a color more than another, bring that color out more.
    3. The two fabrics should be of different scale. The first pattern has a very large scale so I knew I needed to go smaller on the second.blue and orange table idea

    Citrus tablescape

    To go with our Mother’s Day party, we created a centerpiece of citrus–grapefruit, lemons, and oranges, to sit atop the tablecloth. We matched with with some yellow plates, blue bowls, and goblets to tie it in with our beautiful fabric. Plus the pretty chargers that add some depth. And a dash of flowers to keep it fresh!

    Mother’s Day Care Packages

    Because we are keeping friends and family at arm’s length right now, we have been brainstorming DIY ideas of how to share uplifting moments with our loved ones near and far. We decided to make a tote from Spoonflower’s Linen Cotton Canvas –it’s the perfect thing to fill up with goodies and send along to someone who needed a dose of joy. A handpicked, handmade gift for someone you love can be the best surprise!oranges table idea

    To match the amazing fabric, we made our gift bag lemon themed! You know, the classic, “When life gives you lemons”. With everything life is throwing at us lately, let’s just say we have been making A LOT of metaphorical lemonade. We filled our gift bag with lots of lemon themed hand soap, lotion, candles, and more. Everything our loved ones need to make this extra hand washing fun!

    When Life Hands you Lemons Care Package

    Additionally, I wanted to create a care package to send along to my mom as Mother’s Day approaches. Social distancing could have interrupted the celebration of such a special holiday, but instead it turned into something that lets us show our love for our mothers in a new way. After turning the beautiful fabric from Spoonflower into a tote (the tutorial is now available in the Lars shop!), I wanted to fill it with goodies that were fun and practical. So, candy was a must (der!), as well as hand sanitizer and other necessities. Paul and Jasper joined in as well to create a tote-turned-gift-basket for Paul’s mom too to send to her in Denmark.

    Follow these simple steps to make your own gift tote bag:

    DIY Tote bag

    (inspired by the famous Baggu tote!))

    Materials:

    Instructions:

    Step 1: Print off our tote bag template found here

    Step 2: Cut your bag pieces out of the fabric using the pattern, making sure to note which part of the fabric you want to highlight on your bag and which direction it will face when complete

    Step 3: Starting with the main bag piece — face right sides together

    Step 4: Sew the sides with a single stitch (and finish off the edges with a zag zag stitch if desired)

    Step 5: Pull the edges of the notched part of the cut fabric, on the bottom of the bag, together to form the flat bottom of the bag. Sew a single stitch straight across these edges you have pulled together

    Step 6: Turn your main bag piece right side out to prep for future steps. Now to move on to the handle straps!

    Step 7: Take one of the cut handle strap pieces and fold the long edges in a quarter of an inch. Use your fingernail to crease the canvas fabric fold well.

    Step 8: Once both long sides are creased, fold the entire strap in half so both folded edges meet

    Step 9: Pin and sew a single stitch down both long sides of the strap. This will flatten the strap and make both edges look the same.

    Step 10: Repeat steps 7-9 for the second handle strap. Next for the shoulder strap!

    Step 11: Repeat steps 7-9 for the shoulder strap — to repeat, crease in the long sides a quarter of an inch, then fold the entire strap in half so both folded edges meet. Sew a single stitch down both long edges of the shoulder strap.

    Step 12: Now you will attach all straps to the main bag piece — to do this, make sure your bag piece turned right side out

    Step 13: Position the handle straps in the center on the bag opening, on either side, facing down towards the bottom of the bag with the short edges aligned with the top opening edge of the bag. Pin them in place and sew them on.

    Step 14: Attach an end of the shoulder strap piece to both edges of the bag, with the strap facing down just like you did with the handle straps, and sew them in place.

    Step 15: All straps should now be sewn on the outside of the bag, facing downwards, so they when folded up inside the bag to face up the seam will not show. You are almost done!

    Step 16: Take your facing pieces, on both pieces, crease one long edge in a quarter of an inch.

    Step 17:  Face both pieces right side together and sew both short edges

    Step 18: Place the sewn facing pieces around the opening of the bag, over the edge of all the straps. Make sure the creased edge is facing down and the un-creased edge is aligned with the top opening edge of the bag.

    Step 19: Sew a single stitch around the top opening edge of the bag, attached the facing pieces to the bag

    Step 20: Turn the facing piece to the inside of the bag, making the straps fold upwards and the seams will all be hidden inside

    Step 21: Turn the bag back inside out for the final step – Sew around the bottom creased edge of the facing pieces to keep that inside edge from fraying.

    Step 22: Your bag is finished! Turn it back right side out to admire your work!

    Send a Mother’s Day care package

    What a wonderful way to send love when you can’t visit in person! Plus, who doesn’t love surprise presents in the mail? We think that, in lieu of a visit, sending gifts for Mother’s Day can be the next best thing! orange and yellow tableorange tablescape

    Mother's Day table ideaDIY Baggu bag templatehow to sew a baggu toteWe’d love to see your Mother’s Day party-for-ones or care packages. Tag us with #LarsLovesMamas so we can see them! 

    Discount for Lars readers

    Lars readers can get 15% off with code LARSTABLE15 for all Table Linens and Tea Towels.

    This post is sponsored by Spoonflower, who we love for their many home decor and fabric options. We love working with sponsors who allow us to create awesome new content for you!

    Spring Tablescape with Retro Florals

    Brittany
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    1
    Spring Tablescape with Retro Florals

    Our New Spring Tablescape

    Tablecloth

    There are so many components of our new spring tablescape that we’re absolutely over the moon about! Let me start by talking about the tablecloth. For past tablescapes, our go-to has been Spoonflower, of course. This time was no different, except that instead of using someone else’s design, we used our very own retro florals! If you haven’t heard yet, we have a whole library of designs to choose from, many of which are based off our popular Casetify phone case designs. It turns out retro florals looks amazing in more ways than just a phone case!

    Tableware

    As we mentioned earlier, our tableware came from the one and only Year & Day. Wow, are we in love. It’s absolutely perfect for this season and goes amazingly well with the retro florals tablecloth. We opted for blush pink plates, bowls, and napkins, as well as classic gold flatware. Can you say dreamy? Oh, and perfectly unpredictable and unique with our custom tablecloth twist.

    Other Decorations

    We also couldn’t help but use our handy cricut to cut out some simple retro floral designs! We scattered them on the table and attached them to straws to use in little vases by Year & Day. Oh, and don’t forget the colored candles and candlesticks!

    More Inspiration

    Liked this tablescape and more ideas? We think you’ll also love these other tablescapes! If you want something plant-themed and springy, we’d recommend When Life Hands You Lemons, Easter runner tablescape, rainbow flower tablescape, and Paper Plant Tablescape. Then there are these tablescapes that are appropriate at any time of the year: Bauhaus inspired tablescape and Chanel Inspired tablescape. Oh, and these Thanksgiving tablescapes, which are festive for Thanksgiving but also lovely long before November, too!

     

     

    Easter Crafts

    Brittany
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    0
    Easter Crafts

    Our Favorite Easter Crafts

    We have so many Easter crafts that we’re just thrilled to share with you this year. Many of them are brand new, too! Need a new Easter Basket? We’re here for you. How about a fresh spring wreath? We’ve also got you covered in that department. Without further ado, here’s the list of our favorite Easter crafts!

    Wreaths

    I love a good wreath. And spring wreaths are some of my favorites! They’re a must have when talking about Easter crafts. This year we have a brand new Palm Leaf Wreath you’re sure to love. It’s delicate, colorful, and festive. Just the thing to celebrate Palm Sunday, Easter and spring all in one go! If you’re feeling more into eggs, try our ever popular Easter egg wreath, or this sweet Honeycomb Easter wreath. Both are lovely and sure to put a little spring in your step. Also, you can’t go wrong with a simple floral theme. This Daffodil Wreath is very appropriate for the season, as is this Lemon Wreath!

    A floral Easter wreath hanging on a pink wall next to a white door. A wooden mushroom is also on the porch.

    Easter Baskets

    You can’t have Easter crafts without Easter baskets! And we have a brand new one for you to try this year. It’s our DIY Easter Basket, and the best part is that it doesn’t require any sewing. Another clever no-sew Easter basket is this Paper Easter basket. Just download, print, cut and assemble, it’s that easy! If you want to sew an adorable bag that doubles as an Easter basket and will be around for years to come, try this carrot shoulder bag! The bonus is it packs up easily and is equally cute.

    If you’re looking for inspiration on what to fill your basket with, look no further than this Easter Basket choose your own adventure. We help guide you through the steps to picking your perfect Easter basket, along with everything to put inside it, like this Paper carrot treat box, carrot surprise balls, or this DIY stuffed bunny. You can also make some of these Danish Easter letters to tuck inside.

    Easter Egg ideas

    As it so happens, we have a lot of Easter crafts that have to do with eggs. Are you really that surprised? I mean, what’s Easter without at least one little nod to an egg or two. Just yesterday, we release the most lovely nesting Easter eggs! We love the little twist on original nesting dolls. Also try these Easter egg columns, which are a lovely way to decorate your home this Easter. Don’t forget about these Honeycomb Easter eggs, either! Make them into a wreath or decorate with the individual eggs. Either way they’re lovely!

    Another fun variation on decorating Easter eggs are these dried flowers on Easter eggs, as well as our Pysanky Easter eggs (here’s the E-book of the Pysanky eggs, the profits of which will be donated to the Ukrainian relief effort). If you’re into more decorating, try our DIY pom pom Easter eggs! Or if you’re having a party, you’ll definitely want to take a look at our Easter egg name tags, Easter egg cupcake toppers, and Easter egg runner.

    Felted Easter Eggs

    New this year is a tutorial from Jessica Peterson all about felted Easter eggs. They’re a new classic! All the supplies are listed here! 

    For Kids

    If you have kids, you’ll love these Easter-themed toys, accessories, and activities. First stop: these fun bunny party hats. Having a new baby this spring? You won’t want to miss these adorable DIY Baby bonnets! Or these Easter bunny twist ties.

    Need a craft to do with your kids to keep them busy and happy? You’ll love these Easter Egg coloring pages, the profits of which will be donated to the Ukrainian relief effort. Then there’s our DIY stuffed bunny, which is a sweet little Easter toy. Plop it in your child’s Easter basket and you’re all set!

     

    Easter printables

    A great way to get crafty is with some printables, and we’ve got some great ones!

    These Easter egg coloring pages featuring pysanky are great for older kids.

    Along with our chick and bunny paper dolls and matching color pages.

    Paper crowns

    One thing is for sure, if I had a little girl, I’d be making a paper crown floral crown.

    And we’ve got a few to choose from! These pretty blue, red, pink, and white flower crowns.

    This printable spring crown.A printable flower crown in purple, yellow, pink, white red, and blue being held up by two hands.

    And another handmade paper flower crown perfect for spring.

    Easter paper flowers

    While we’re on the topic of paper flowers, these Easter lilies are a favorite of mine. I think I’m going to try and make them again this year.

    Easter Egg Column People

    A new favorite of mine are these adorable Easter column people. I think they’d make a great tablescape!

    painted Easter egg columns perched on colorful books against a yellow and pink background.

     

    DIY Easter Basket

    Brittany
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    0
    DIY Easter Basket

    History of Easter Baskets

    Easter baskets have become an iconic element of Easter. But did you know they’re not just a fun, modern tradition for kids? It turns out the Easter basket has roots dating back to ancient times. The Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and fertility, Eostre, was often portrayed holding a woven basked during spring celebrations. Hence, the Easter basket. Early medieval Catholics also used the basket, along with the idea of fertility, in their Easter celebrations. Traditionally, to celebrate the end of Lent (the 40 days leading up to Easter), they would bring baskets filled with symbolic treats to the church where the priests would bless them.

    If you weren’t aware, many of the items we put in our Easter baskets are symbols of fertility (bunnies, eggs, and the basket, primarily). Across the world, many different cultures view the egg as associated with rebirth and new life, including Ancient Egyptians, Asians, Greeks, and Christians. Here’s the full article explaining a brief history of Easter baskets.

    Our DIY Easter Basket

    Our DIY Easter basket references this no-sew Easter basket we made years ago. We thought it could use a little sprucing up, so we decided to make an alternate version. We thought it was a fun twist (ha!) on the original.

    How to Make Your Own DIY Easter Basket

    Here’s how to make your own DIY Easter basket:

    Prepping the Rope

    1. First, cut some long strips of fabric that are roughly 2″-3″ wide. We used pink and white fabric (muslin gauze works well for this if you have it). You’ll need quite a few strips if you plan on making a full sized Easter basket. If you’d like, you can also make a mini version, which requires less fabric.
    2. Next, take one white and one pink piece of fabric and hot glue the two together at the very top. The nice thing is you can use whatever colors you’d like, so have fun! Don’t feel like you have to use the pink and white like we did. This basket is totally customizable.
    3. Then, tape the pieces to the table and begin twisting the two together to make a rope. Use our step photos as a reference for this to make sure you twist them the right direction!
    4. When you get to the end of a strip, overlap a new strip of the same color by an inch or so and twist it in with the rest of the rope strand.
    5. Continue until the rope is as long as you’d like.

    Prepping the Handle

    The handle is a similar process to the rope, with a few slight differences.

    1. For the handle, cut a piece of thick gauge wire as long as you’d like the handle to be.
    2. Now, nestle one end of the wire in between the two pieces of fabric you’re going to twist into rope. Secure with hot glue, then tape onto a table or other secure surface.
    3. Start twisting the two pieces of fabric together using the same method above, only this time make sure the wire is wrapped into the middle as you go.
    4. Once you reach the end of the wire, secure with some hot glue and cut off the excess fabric.

    Assembling the Basket

    1. To assemble your Easter basket, coil the rope around itself, securing with hot glue as you go. Continue until the diameter of the base is as wide as you’d like.
    2. Next, start coiling the rope into a gradual stack to make the sides of the basket.
    3. Continue until it’s as tall as you’d like, then cut off the excess rope and secure the end with hot glue.
    4. To attach the handle, decide where you want the handle to go and secure with a dab of hot glue on each side.
    5. Done!

    Now all that’s left to do is fill your Easter basket. We have tons of ideas in our Easter shop, and stay tuned, because tomorrow we’ll be releasing a post where we talk all about what to put in your Easter basket!

    More Inspiration

    Looking for more Easter crafts? Try this super easy paper Easter basket! Want even more? Check out all of our Easter blog content here. Also see our Easter shop and this post for lots of ideas of things to put in your Easter basket!

    Summer Paper Flower Wedding Bouquet Kit

    Brittany
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    2
    Summer Paper Flower Wedding Bouquet Kit

    A couple years ago, we posted a number of DIY paper flower wedding bouquets. Some of our past ones include this colorful Cinco de Mayo bouquet, a stunning white peony bouquet, and the royal wedding inspired bouquet. It was time for another wedding bouquet, as well as a kit! That’s right, you can buy all the materials in one place–our shop!

    close up of a paper bouquet made of dahlias, roses, shamrocks, Mexican jasmine, and foliage.

    Wedding flowers are usually HUGELY expensive. They are gorgeous and undoubtedly worth the money if you can afford it. HOWEVER, not everyone has the cash for lavish floral decor, accessories, and bouquets. Then, at the end of the big day, most of the flowers get tossed and the ones you keep fade away much too quickly. I have even heard brides talk about coming home from a honeymoon to wilting flowers and feeling all the wedding and honeymoon hype slump down into post-wedding blues. How sad!

    close up of a paper bouquet made of dahlias, roses, shamrocks, Mexican jasmine, and foliage.A bride in a white dress against a pink background holds a paper bouquet made of dahlias, roses, shamrocks, Mexican jasmine, and foliage.

    But why not make something that will be just as beautiful and will last so much longer? Our paper flower wedding bouquet kit is unique, breathtaking, and won’t wilt. Honestly, if you keep it away from water and out of flames, this baby should last forever!

    close up of a paper bouquet made of dahlias, roses, shamrocks, Mexican jasmine, and foliage.

    Make Your Own Paper Wedding Bouquet

    We have the perfect paper wedding bouquet kit ready for anyone who wants to make their own flowers. To help you get started, we gathered the materials for you (including a lovely ribbon to tie everything together!) so that there’s one less thing to think about as you plan your wedding.

    close up of a paper bouquet made of dahlias, roses, shamrocks, Mexican jasmine, and foliage.

    We understand that it’s not easy to find the right materials in the correct colors and amounts. It turns out that lots of these materials (I’m looking at you, crepe paper) only come in bulk! Getting started and gathering the materials is probably the hardest part, so we took care of that for you! By buying our kit, you’ll save a lot of time, headache, and money, as well as templates and instructional videos.

    A bride in a white dress against a pink background holds a paper bouquet made of dahlias, roses, shamrocks, Mexican jasmine, and foliage.

    If you’re not confident about how your paper flower wedding bouquet will turn out, ask a friend and/or family member for help and have a bouquet-making party! The point is, enjoy your time planning while making something meaningful for your special day. This bouquet will become such a meaningful memento of your wedding and the memory of making it will be even more meaningful!

    Look for this kit in our shop to make your own, and tag us with #LarsPaperFlowers

     

    Mother’s Day Breakfast in Bed

    Brittany
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    2
    Mother’s Day Breakfast in Bed

    Mother’s Day Breakfast in Bed

    For our Mother’s Day breakfast in bed, we decided to go with something classic and gave it a little twist to make it extra cute for mom. This Mother’s Day breakfast in bed is so simple, but so adorable. Think edible arrangement in bed. Here’s how to recreate it:

    Tray

    To make your Mother’s Day breakfast in bed extra comfy for mom, you’ll want one of these handy trays. We went with a simple white Amazon edition. It was perfect with the colorful fruit and other components, like our retro floral fabric we turned into a bedspread!

    Dishes

    A vase and plate or bowl make a lovely addition to your breakfast in bed arrangement. We chose a simple white vase and pink plate we had on hand, but you can also see this post for many more options that would be beautiful as well!

    Napkins

    We chose our DIY napkins using natural ingredients for this breakfast in bed. We loved the bold colors in contrast with the fruit and that retro floral bedspread.

    Flower fruit

    The real stars (or flowers) of the show were the cookie cutters, which we used to cut out various types of fruit into flowers and arranged them. This part is fun–get creative and make your own edible arrangement for mom. Here’s how you can recreate these edible arrangements:

    1. First, cut out wide, flat slices of fruit (wide enough for various sizes of the flower cookie cutters to fit on).
    2. Cut out various sizes of the cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, and pineapple. We found that the watermelon and pineapple worked best for the larger cookie cutters, while the honeydew and cantaloupe were ideal for the smaller ones.
    3. Next, cut a length of 18 gauge wire that’s slightly longer than a straw. Slide it through the straw and stick a large fruit flower onto the tip. The flower should sit nicely on top of the straw now.
    4. Cut a small piece of wire and use to attach a smaller flower onto the center of the big flower.
    5. Make as many as you’d like for the arrangement!

    Other food ideas

    We went with a very fruit-centric breakfast with edible arrangements, grapes and strawberries (these didn’t work with the cookie cutters but are nonetheless delicious). But we also included some delicious cherry turnovers so mom could indulge. Get creative and add anything to your breakfast you think your mother would like!

    What are you going to do for your Mother’s Day breakfast in bed? Let us know in the comments!

    Ukrainian Paper Sunflower

    Brittany
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    0
    Ukrainian Paper Sunflower

    Ukrainian Sunflowers

    The sunflower is Ukraine’s national flower. This beautiful flower has a long history with Ukraine, it turns out! Aside from sunflower seeds being a popular snack, Ukraine and Russia are some of the world’s largest suppliers of sunflower oil. Then there’s its historic message of peace, like in 1996 when it was used to celebrate Ukraine giving up nuclear weapons. Currently, as well, it’s become a bright beacon of hope and peace amidst all the turmoil and we want to do our best to show support. It seemed only fitting to make a Ukrainian paper sunflower in honor of the Ukrainian people. If you’re interested, click here to read the full article about Ukraine’s history with sunflowers.

    Ukrainian Paper Sunflower

    Here’s how to make your own Ukrainian paper sunflower:

    Prepping the Paper

    1. First, download the paper sunflower template found here.
    2. Next, cut out the template pieces in crepe paper. We used about 30 yellow petals, 7 green back pieces, and between 2 and 4 green leaves of varying sizes per flower.
    3. Cut each side of the leaves separately. Make sure to cut out the leaves so the grain of the crepe paper angles up slightly on each side (like the veins on the leaves).

    Making the Center

    1. To make the center of your paper sunflower, cut some long strips of crepe paper that are roughly 1″ wide. We used green, pale yellow, and orange.
    2. Cut slits in the strips to make a fringe.
    3. Securing with hot glue, wrap the fringe tightly around the top of a piece of floral wire. Make sure the wire is thick enough to hold the weight of the heavy sunflower blossom. Start with green, then move to yellow, then orange.
    4. Continue wrapping and gluing the fringe until it’s as thick as you’d like. Also, make sure the orange layer is set a bit higher than the rest.
    5. When the center is as thick as you’d like, fluff the orange fringe so it splays out a bit.
    6. Now, gently paint a gradient of green to yellow on the center you just made. See step photos for reference. Alternate option: You can use black or brown for the center, too, if you’d like! The center of most sunflowers varies in color.

    Assembling the Sunflower

    Now you’re ready to add the petals and back greenery to your paper sunflower!

    1. Gently shape the petals (see step photos for reference), then glue one around the center. We spaced them roughly 1/4-1/2″ apart.
    2. Next, add in a second row, this time staggering the petals behind the first row.
    3. Now you can add the back pieces. For this, shape the green pieces according to the step photos, then hot glue them around the stem. They should fan evenly around the back.

    Leaves and Stem

    The last steps of your paper sunflower are the leaves and stem!

    1. For the stem, cut a piece of crepe paper that’s roughly the length of your wire piece and 2-3″ wide, depending on how big your sunflower is.
    2. Securing with hot glue, wrap the crepe paper strip around the wire stem to thicken it.
    3. Next, start at the top just overlapping the back greenery of the sunflower. Wind floral tape all the way down to cover up the crepe paper.
    4. For the leaves, glue the two sides together, making sure the grain angles up slightly on each side to mimic the leaves’ veins.
    5. Now flip the leaves over and hot glue a thin piece of floral wire to the back. Make sure the floral wire extends a few inches past the stem of the leaves. Once the hot glue is dry, you can shape the leaves however you’d like.
    6. To attach the leaves to the stem, simply wrap floral tape around the wire.

    Styling Your Paper Sunflowers

    We varied the length of our sunflower stems, then arranged them in a pretty vase. We love how they turned out! They would make a bright addition to any room. Set them on a table, counter, mantlepiece, or side table. We also think they’d be a lovely accent for a bathroom or home office.

     

    More Ways to Support Ukraine

    We’re trying to do our part to support Ukraine. One way is through our shop! We currently have three art pieces in our shop made specifically to support Ukraine. We’re donating all the profits to the Ukrainian war effort. Special thanks to Amanda Jane Jones, who donated this print. Another special thanks to Nathalie Lètè, who donated this one and this one.

    More Inspiration

    Loved this paper sunflower tutorial and want more paper flower tutorials? Step right this way. We recently came out with this paper orchid tutorial we think you’ll love. Also, try our DIY Paper Hollyhocks, or these Poppies, Peonies, and Posies. Have a spring or summer wedding coming up? Here, here and here are some beautiful bouquets to choose from. You can also check out this holiday flower roundup if you’re interested!

     

     

    DIY Grocery Store Flower Bouquet

    Brittany
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    0
    DIY Grocery Store Flower Bouquet

    I love making grocery store flower bouquets. Before I learned a few simple flower-arranging tips, though, I used to buy pre-made bouquets from grocery stores, trim the ends, and dunk them into a vase as is. It looked decent and there’s nothing wrong with doing that, of course! But learning how to arrange flowers properly helped make a simple flower arrangement look like a professionally made bouquet.

    A bouquet made of eucalyptus leaves, chamomile, roses, and hydrangeas against a pink wall with a mint green jewelry box in the background.

    Buying a beautiful floral arrangement usually costs an arm and a leg. You can make a beautiful bouquet of your own with a fraction of that cost with flowers from a grocery store! Follow the step-by-step tutorial below to learn the tips and tricks.

    Detail shot of eucalyptus leaves, chamomile, roses, and hydrangeas against a pink wall with a mint green jewelry box in the background.

    Make Your Own Grocery Store Flower Bouquet

    When you’re buying flowers for a bouquet, consider a color scheme that you want to design around and look for a variety of shapes and textures.

    Detail shot of eucalyptus leaves, chamomile, roses, and hydrangeas against a pink wall with a mint green jewelry box in the background.

    There are four basic categories to look for when making a bouquet. First choose larger blooms that will be focal points (like hydrangeas, roses, peonies, zinnias, tulips etc.). Second, line flowers (like goldenrod, calla lilies, or other flowers that form a strong visual line) or accent flowers (spray roses, carnations, eryngium, etc.). Third, get filler flowers (like chamomile, wax flower, or baby’s breath). Fourth and finally, choose greenery or foliage for your bouquet.

    Choosing a vase for your arrangement is too-often overlooked. Whether you want something colorful or subdued, putting some thought into your vessel will elevate your bouquet. I put together a list of some of my current favorite vases here, or DIY a paper mâché or recycled egg carton vase with these tutorials!

    Instructions

    A person using a knife to trim the bottom of a stem next to some roses and a vase on a picnic table.A person removes rose leaves from a stem. In the background are rose petals, greenery, and a purple and white vase on a picnic table.A person arranges eucalyptus branches in a purple and white vase.A person arranges bright orange spray roses in a purple and white vase full of eucalyptus branches.A person places hydrangeas in a bouquet of eucalyptus and roses in a purple and white vase.A person places chamomile blossoms in a bouquet of eucalyptus, roses, and hydrangeas in a purple and white vase.

    1. Prepare all your flowers and foliage by trimming off the ends with a sharp, clean knife or some clean flower pruners. Take all the leaves off the bottom of the stems. You don’t want leaves to sit in the water, because then they’ll rot!
    2. Your flowers should have come with a little packet of flower food. Pour this, along with some water, into a vase.
    3. First place your foliage in the vase. Think about the ways that foliage can frame flowers or provide a more neutral backdrop for them. I’m arranging with willow eucalyptus, which has long, elegant leaves, so I’m also considering how they drape. Hold a few branches back to add in at the end.
    4. Next place your line flowers or accent flowers. I used spray roses here.
    5. Arrange the focal flowers in the vase. The stems from your foliage and accent flowers will form a sort of lattice that makes it easier to get your focal flowers right where you want them.
    6. When you arrange your focal flowers, think about how tall you want them and what direction you want them to face. If they’re too long, trim the stems a little bit at a time, because you can all ways take away more stem but you can’t make them grow taller!
    7. Arrange your fill flowers around the focal and line/accent flowers.
    8. Add in any foliage you held back.
    9. Place your bouquet somewhere in your home that you’ll see it often so that you really enjoy it! To keep it fresh for as long as possible, pick the flowers up and trim an inch off the stems every few days. When you do this, make sure there’s plenty of water and it’s clean.

    Arranging flowers is a skill that comes in handy all the time, especially if you love having fresh flowers around as much as I do! I would love to see your bouquets at #LarsFlowerMonth

    beautiful bouquet made from grocery store flowers

    My tragic front door story and fall porch reveal!

    Brittany
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    3
    My tragic front door story and fall porch reveal!

    Painting your front door the wrong color

    I know what you’re asking–how did this even happen? First, we all make mistakes. Second, here was my reasoning. “I plan on limewashing over the brick of my house sooner than later so I though, oh, I’ll paint the door a color I like now so I don’t have to repaint it again. I think I can handle the sure-to-be mismatch of the door color of the brick.” Sounds smart enough, right?

    WRONG!

    I couldn’t. Not even one day. Here’s the thing, oftentimes as you’re painting and it looks bad, it’s USUALLY not so bad when you finish it. But this time, it was just SO SO SO SO bad. Like it was making me vomit, bad. Here’s another shot to get the full effect of the radioactive slime.

    Can you imagine?!

    The inspiration behind my front door

    Some of you are wondering how I even got to this point. I hear you. Well, it started out with wanting some sort of sage green like this one below that I’ve been super inspired by lately.

    And then I remembered this lighter shade of chair from Terrain, kind of like kicking it up a notch. While I think I nailed the right color, it was DEFINITELY not the right color for the door combined with the house. Again, I knew that, I just didn’t know that I really wouldn’t be able to live with it so much.

    The safest way to choose a door color

    I quickly got new samples and decided not to experiment much and go for a safety color. Something dark with brick is ALWAYS the way to go if you don’t want to spend time on it. But, I decided to try something with a bit of green and a bit of blue. The paint store could only do one of the three samples I brought it so thankfully they took the decision fatigue away from me and I LOVE how it turned out. I’m not always one for the safer choice, but sometimes you just got to I guess.

    How to do a lovely front fall porch

    I added on a new fall wreath from Terrain, some new pots and urns and a plethora of bounteous mums and pumpkins (I think I was the first in line to buy pumpkins this year!) in exquisite colors and I’m in LOVE!

    fall porch decor

    I had always wanted a porch where I could go full stop on a pots and planters. I went to gradschool in Georgetown in Washington, DC, perhaps the capital of fall displays, and it was always on my brain.

    Start with a wreath

    I know many of you are Team No Wreath, but to me, it’s all about the right kind of wreath and this one is beyond words. It’s metal and has the loveliest details. I got it from Terrain.

    beautiful fall wreath

    Pumpkin topiaries on urns

    I had always wanted to do some pumpkin topiaries and this was the year for sure because I got these cast iron urns from Terrain that were perfect for it. I got some flat pumpkins, took off the stems, and stacked them on top.

    pumpkin topiary

    Fall blanket weather

    Our mail box has the perfect nook to hang a blanket when friends come over and we sit outside. Perfect for COVID measures 😉

    cozy fall blanket

    pumpkin and mum display front porch

    The key to this look was the many layers and colors of the pumpkins, mums, and pots. I also made them more or less symmetrical on either side so that they felt even.

    Pots

    I got a few of my very favorite pots from Bergs, a Danish brand that has the loveliest details. You can find them here. I also love the warmer toned ones here.

    How to get the look:

    blanket, wreath, urn, pot

    I’d love to hear what you’re doing with your fall porch this year and your true thoughts about my front door (or do I dare?!).

    How to Celebrate Your 40th Birthday

    Brittany
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    0
    How to Celebrate Your 40th Birthday

    My 40th Birthday Plans

    Leading up to my 40th birthday, I had lots of plans. Specifically, I wanted a big Europe trip to celebrate! But we are in up to our necks in behind-the-scenes projects here at The House that Lars Built, which means a trip to Europe just wasn’t in the cards. At least for now. Maybe in the fall? I’ll keep you all posted. There’s noting wrong with a belated birthday trip, after all!

    I’m not the only one turning 40 here, though! Despite my lack of exciting birthday plans for now, all my friends are also soon-to-be or already over the hill, which means I’ve attended some great 40th birthday celebrations in the past year. I couldn’t just not share those ideas with all of you! So today I’m giving you the lowdown on all the things my friends did for their 40th birthdays, plus a few extra ideas.

    How to Celebrate Your 40th Birthday

    Birthday Trip

    Birthday trips are a classic way to celebrate a big milestone birthday like your 40th! (hence, my hopes to make it to Europe this year). But if you can’t make it internationally and still want a weekend getaway, try something closer! It’s amazing what a quick trip to somewhere new can do. And of course it’s always better with friends or family to come along for the fun.

    For your enjoyment, here are some photos from our most recent trip to Denmark (and I promise to post more once I make it back to Europe for my birthday trip)!

    Karaoke

    So I don’t know if you were aware, but there’s something about 40-year-olds and karaoke that is just magical. I’ve been to a handful of karaoke parties to celebrate the big 40 and I have to say that a bunch of moms singing karaoke are a different breed of unparalleled fun. What are you waiting for?! Warm up those vocal chords and get ready to sing yourself into your 40’s!

    Spa Day

    A birthday classic for a girls day out especially, a spa day can be the perfect, relaxing way to usher in the 40’s with some self care. Pamper yourself; you deserve it! Go for a mani/pedi, massage, the whole nine yards. We promise you won’t regret it!

    Here are some spa essentials to get you going:

    In-person Parties

    Post COVID lockdowns, it feels that much more triumphant to have a party IN PERSON with people you love! So even though parties aren’t unique to a 40th birthday, there’s a reason we have parties for every birthday. It’s a classic way to celebrate that never really gets old!

    Speaking of parties, we have some great party decorations for your to peruse in our shop! Check out our birthday suites, and all of our birthday content here!

    Lemon-themed bunting swoops across a pink backdrop. In the foreground, straw toppers, invitations, and lemon-slice party hats sit in front of a white-frosted cake with lemon and lemon blossom cake toppers.

    Learn a New Skill

    Your 40th birthday is such a milestone that it can be great motivation to learn a new skill or take on a new hobby you’ve been wanting to try! It’s never too late, and 40 seems like the perfect time to try. Turn it into a party and invite someone to teach you and your girlfriends how to knit, cook something fun and fancy, or even make a punch needle rug! The options are endless. What do you want to learn how to do?

    Movie Night

    Movies are a classic way to celebrate anything special, so why not your 40th birthday? Go out to the theater with the gals (maybe even rent it out if you’re feeling ambitious!), or take the party home and have a marathon of your favorite series! Personally, I’ll be watching Bridgerton. What are your favorites? Send the recommendations my way! I’m always game for a fun new show.

    Game Night

    The options are endless with this one! Just because it’s your 40th birthday doesn’t mean you can’t have a simple game night. So many categories of games. Are you more of a board game or card game person? Or do you prefer a combo of both? If you’re like Paul, you’ll be hanging around those old classic arcade games all night. Whatever gets you most excited is what you should do!

    Here are some game night options to get you started:

    More Inspiration

    We have plenty of ideas to get you started on 40th birthday decor! It starts with our five birthday suites: animal menagerie, garden party, lemon, rainbow, and floral. Click here to see the rest of our birthday shop! Also, don’t forget to check out our past birthday blog content, like our Flower Lane birthday crowns, twisted birthday candles, or DIY birthday felt pennants.

    A flat lay of twisted birthday candles and confetti on an orange background.

    Hopefully we gave you some good ideas to get you started planning your 40th, if you haven’t had it already. And now we need to know: what did you/are you doing to celebrate your 40th? Let us know in the comments!

    DIY Paper Honeycomb Ornaments

    Brittany
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    3
    DIY Paper Honeycomb Ornaments

    We love the mid-century modern vibe of paper ornaments, and the jewel-toned colors complement any Christmas tree. We especially like that they’re non-breakable—if you have a toddler in your house, you understand.

    Plus everyone loves a handmade ornament. They are sweet and sentimental, just like Christmas should be. Though these DIY paper ornaments are quite the level up from popsicle stick reindeers and laminated school photos, ha!

    How to Make your DIY Paper Honeycomb Ornaments

    These DIY paper honeycomb ornaments are easy to make, you’ll get the hang of it super quick. And like all of our paper crafts, you can reuse them next year! Just make sure to store them in a box where they won’t get crushed by heavier objects.

    Materials:

    DIY paper honeycomb ornaments

    Instructions:

    Read all instructions before beginning your project!
    1. Download our ornament templates here
    2. Use your cutting machine or scissors to cut out 66 pieces for each ornament.
    3. Once all of your pieces are cut, you will start glueing them together.
    4. Carefully place 2 thin lines of super glue separate from each other, and perpendicular to the flat edge of the shape. Take care not to spread the glue anywhere else. Your line of glue does not need to go all the way to both edges of the paper, start and end in a little bit to avoid glue spilling over the edges.
    5. Place the next shape on top of the one with glue, carefully lining up all the edges.
    6. On top of this new piece, carefully place one line a super glue, in the middle of where you placed the 2 lines on the last piece.
    7. Place a next pieces on top of top of that, again aligning all edges.
    8. Repeat steps 4-7, alternating between 1 line of glue and 2 until all of your cut shapes are stacked on top of each other.
    9. Now you will seal the flat edges of your ornaments shapes together using bookbinding glue or any other flexible glue.
    10. While holding the shapes together tightly, use a small paintbrush with a flat edge to spread flexible glue along the entire flat edge of your stack of paper shapes.
    11. Before the flexible glue has dried, use it to attach a ribbon to the flat edge, on the side you want as the top of your ornament. This is what you will use to hang it up later.
    12. Let your work sit until all of the glue is completely dry. Now it is time to open your ornament!
    13. Starting at one side, start to carefully open the individual shapes in your stack, carefully unsticking any edges where the super glue might have spilled over if needed.
    14. Your paper shapes should open up to form your ornament, meeting on the opposite side. You’ll see the ribbon is now tucked in in the center of the ornament.
    15. Carefully align and glue together the 2 sides that meet when the ornament is open. Ta da!

    Extra Tips

    Here are some extra notes that will help you avoid mistakes your first time around!

    If you are having a hard time opening your ornaments that is most likely because glue spilled over the edges and is in places it shouldn’t be. That is why it is important to take care to make your lines of super glue as thin and straight as possible. And avoid glueing all the way to the edge of your paper. Just take your time!

    You may experiment with where you place your lines of glue to achieve different end looks – as long as you use the same pattern for one entire ornament. These lines of glue effect where the “honeycomb” effect shows up on finished ornaments. For all of the shapes included in our templates, I still used 2 lines of glue alternating with 1 line between them.

    DIY paper honeycomb ornaments

    More Paper Ornament Ideas

    Need more DIY ornament ideas? Check out our tutorial for printable retro ornaments, paper candle ornaments, or a head to toe Swedish Christmas tree.

    If you’re not in the mood for a DIY, browse through our whimsical Christmas ornament selection, introduced in this post from a few weeks ago.

    Paper Ornaments Available For Purchase

     

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