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    Envelope pillow case

    Brittany
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    Envelope pillow case

    How to make an envelope pillow case

    This envelope pillow case tutorial is one of the easiest ways to make a pillow case because you don’t need to do a zipper or buttons or anything fancy really. It’s SO SO easy! We decided to take this approach because of 1) time and 2) we were covering pillows that Lime Ricki already had and didn’t want to sew it completely close. Now they can take them off when they want to!


    Spoonflower sent us some of the fabric from our new patterns on our shop. I chose the cypress cotton canvas substrate because the pillows are meant for a commercial space and will get a lot of wear and tear, but if it’s for your home, you can choose like a poplin or something–just dpened on what you’re going for! They use these throw pillows on the chairs for the dressing rooms.

    This is a great way to add in color and pattern without too much commitment!

    Material needed: 

    • Fabric
    • Scissors 
    • Sewing Machine 
    • Thread
    • Sewing pins

    Cut your fabric:

    1. For this pillow case you will need 3 pieces of cut fabric, one for the front, and two for the back that will overlap! 
    2. First cut out your front panel. This piece will be the size of your pillow so if you have a square pillow that is 18 inches on each side you will cut out a square that is 18 inches on each side! You may want to have some extra fabric on the sides for seam allowance but our pillows were very soft and squishy so we made it the same size to fill it up!
    3. For the back panels you will cut them the same width of your front panel, but half the length, plus 5 inches. 

    For example:

    • Front panel (1): 18 inches wide 18 inches tall 
    • Back panels (2): 18 inches wide 14 inches tall 

    Now to put them together:

    1. Start by sewing a seam on the bottom of the top back panel and the top of the bottom back panel. 
    2. Fold your edge about ½ and inch and then fold it again and pin. 
    3. Sew!
    4. Now, with your two back panels having an edge sewn you can place it all together and pin!
    5. Place the front panel with the right side up in front of you, making sure it’s facing the way you want it to.
    6. Now place the back bottom panel right side down on top of the front panel lining up the bottom edge 
    7. Place the back top panel on top of your front panel and other back panel, right side down, and line it up at the top. It should overlap with the bottom back panel
    8. Pin all around the edges and sew each edge! 
    9. When it’s finished, you can do a zig zag stitch going off the edge of the fabric to make sure it doesn’t fray, but I did not because it’s all tucked into itself and I’m not too worried about fraying. 
    10. Cut off the excess fabric on the corners without cutting into the stitching, this will make the corners of your pillowcase nice and pointy. 
    11. Turn inside out and fill with your pillow!

    Look how cute they are in the Lime Ricki store!

    Now you can spice up any space with any fabric, you can welcome in spring with a fun floral! Share your work with us! Tag us with #LarsMakes or #LarsSews so we can see what you’ve made! We love to share our favorites on our Instagram stories! 

    Easter Crafts

    Brittany
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    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.

     

    Felted Easter Egg

    Brittany
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    Felted Easter Egg

    Felted Easter Egg

    Felt will always be such a fun material to work with as it can leave any craft feeling soft and whimsical. Decorating eggs is an Easter time must so today I’m writing about needle felting an Easter Egg! I was inspired by Lars’ new Clementine nursery collection, which perfectly translated to spring.

    The perk of needle felting is that you can choose any color or design as long as you have some felt for it! I think these are perfect for a little easter basket decor and could be used anywhere in your house. I hope you love them as much as I do!

    To make a Felted Easter Egg:

    Instructions on making a Felted Easter Egg:

    1. First, grab the foam egg securely and add a base layer of the color of your choice.
    2. Make a base layer by pulling a small portion of wool from my ball of wool roving, and pull it apart a few times to break it up. 
    3. Gently poke the fibers onto the egg, the wool will begin to imbed itself into the foam. 
    4. Poke the wool until it becomes flat and secure. This process takes time and patience!
    5. Once you cover the egg with a base then you can start to add the flowers!
    6. Pull out tiny bits of your colored wool and roll it between your fingers. (this helps the wool become a little more manageable)
    7. Place the colored wool where you want it, and gently poke the needle in (This is where your color will stay!)
    8. For flowers, use small bits of wool to slowly build up the petals. 
    9. For the flower stems, pull a strand of wool and twist and pull it to make a long string, then start poking the direction you want the stem to go while guiding the wool with your fingers.
    10. When you are done, trim the stray fibers that are frayed out, this helps the egg look neater! 

    Felted Easter Eggs

    I did some florals inspired by the Clementine collection as well as some mushrooms and a sweet Easter bunny. Do you have a favorite?

    We love how these turned out and want to see yours! 

    Tutorial and photos by Jessica Peterson

    Paper bag heart snowflakes

    Brittany
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    3
    Paper bag heart snowflakes

    Paper bag heart snowflakes

    What I love most about these heart snowflakes is that they are literally made of just paper bags. That’s it! It’s just knowing how to assemble that creates that beautiful shape. The impact is big especially for a Valentine’s Day celebration.

    Valentine's day snowflakesvalentine's day decorationvalentine's day decoration

    How to make Paper bag snowflakes

    This tutorial can be applied to all types of snowflakes but I’m going to teach you how to do them with hearts.

    Materials

    See above

    valentine's day decoration

    Instructions

    1. First take a piece of cardstock and trace the edge of the paper bag. Cut the cardstock to be the same size as your paper bag. This will be your template!
    2. On the piece of cardstock, start cutting the hearts and edges how you would like. Be careful not to cut too far into the middle of the template as that will cut off too much of the bag and it won’t hold its shape properly.
    3. Once you have the template ready, you can use it on the paper bags! Place the template on top of a paper bag and trace the edges with a pencil, then cut along the lines you drew!
    4. Cut out the hearts on about 7 paper bags, then you are ready to glue them together!
    5. Take a bag and put one line of hot glue straight down the middle (it doesn’t matter which side you put the glue on, just make sure you use the same side for each bag) then, place another bag directly on top of it, same side facing up, so they’re lined up.
    6. Continue this gluing pattern for all 7 bags
    7. Now, you can take the bottom bag and the top bag and open them up all the way so they meet in the middle and your snowflake takes shape! You will glue them together with another strip of hot glue just as you have the others.
    8. To string it up simply punch a hole in one of the edges and pull some matching string through! Now you have a cute snowflake for Valentine’s day!

    paper bag snowflake hearts

    I’d love to see how yours turn out! Tag your photos with #LarsLovesLove, our Valentine’s Day hashtag! 

    Valentine’s Day traditions

    Brittany
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    0
    Valentine’s Day traditions

    Valentine’s Day Traditions

    I’m going to venture to say that a part of the reason that Valentine’s Day has been hyped up so much, besides the history and symbolism of it all, is because after Christmas and New Year’s we need something to look forward to. It’s the height of winter, it’s pretty bleak and boring and gosh darn it, we need some red and pink in our lives!

    History of Valentine’s Day

    That said, there IS a long history to the holiday, which I find super fascinating. Valentine’s Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14th that has its origins in ancient Rome. The holiday was originally called Lupercalia, and it was celebrated as a fertility festival. As part of the festival, men would draw the names of women from a jar and pair up with them for the duration of the festival–(really hoping the women had a choice in the matter–anyone know?!).

    In the 5th century AD, Pope Gelasius declared February 14th as Saint Valentine’s Day, in honor of a martyr named Valentine who was believed to have been executed on that day. The Catholic Church recognizes several saints named Valentine, but the exact identity of the one honored on Valentine’s Day is unclear.

    Over time, Valentine’s Day evolved into a day to express love and affection between romantic partners. People began to exchange gifts, such as flowers and chocolates (two of my favorite things), and write love letters to their loved ones.

    Valentine’s Day tradition ideas

    As you know, I LOVE this holiday and we’ve been sharing ways to celebrate for years and years. Here are some of my favorite ways to celebrate love in all its forms that would make terrific traditions!

    My rules about traditions

    There aren’t “rules” per se, but I’m pretty insistent on not taking on anything that overwhelms you. Find traditions that work with your interests and time constraints, otherwise you’re setting yourself up for unmet expectations. I’ve been there and done that! Take these as ideas, not have-tos!

    Valentine’s Day advent calendar

    Ok! Let’s start! I say, why not get all the excitement out of every holiday as we can?! Why leave an advent calendar just for Christmas?! We made countdown for Valentine’s Day and I have to say–it’s a great way to build excitement!

    Valentine’s Day Cards

    A classic and simple way to express love is to write a card for Valentine’s Day. I’m talking like when you’re in elementary school–handing out cards. You can do store bought cards, of course, but there’s something lovely about making your own, or even just folding a piece of paper in a unique way. We have a ton of printable options and handmade ideas.

    Handmade Valentine’s Day Cards

    Making Valentine cards by hand is always my ultimate goal (now, do I actually do it??? that’s the real question…). Here are some ideas!

    Printable Valentine’s Day cards for teens and adults

    Printable Valentine’s Day cards for kids

    Valentine’s Day Giftables

    A simple card is great, but add on a little tiny gift to it and it becomes a gift-able, which is  that much better! These would be great for a neighbor or friend gift to hand out.

    Tootsie Pop Cherry Valentines

    More Valentine giftable ideas

    Friendship bracelets with hearts.

    Valentine’s Day Party Ideas

    A Valentine’s Day party, or Galentine’s Day, my favorite form of the Valentine’s Day party, is a great tradition idea. This year I’m wanting to do a Valentine exchange party where we all make some and hand them out.

     Valentine’s Day Party Decor

    A party themed around love is the best kind to throw. Here are some beautiful ideas to add to your event:

    Valentine’s Day food

    Valentine’s Day games

    Table top games are a fun idea for the event!

    Valentine’s Day Home Decor

    accordion heart wreath

    Valentine’s Day artwork

    An art print up on the wall gets you in the spirit of the season. Here are some favorites:

    Give a Valentine’s Day gift

    A gift for a loved one is a great idea. Chocolate and flowers is super traditional and in my mind a super win/win. BUT, use this wrapping of sweet cherries or truffles and it takes it up a notch 😉

    Valentine’s Day accessories

    If you’re not one to dress up all in red and pink on Valentine’s Day (and I ask you to reconsider), maybe a simple accessory is more your style. Here are some DIY projects to get you in the mood:

    wearing red and pink on Valentine's Day
    Me on Valentine’s Day last year

    DIY Valentine's Day heart collar pin

    Valentine’s Day box

    For the school-aged kids, a Valentine’s Day box is tradition (at least around these parts!). I love going over the top! Here are some ideas for you.

    Valentine’s Day tradition ideas from around the world

    In modern times, Valentine’s Day is a day for couples to express their love for one another. Many people give gifts, such as flowers, chocolates, and jewelry, to their partners. It is also common for couples to go out for a romantic dinner or take a trip together. Some people also choose to celebrate Valentine’s Day with their friends and family members.

    Valentine’s Day is also a popular time for proposals and weddings. Some people choose to propose or get married on Valentine’s Day to make the occasion even more special.

    Valentine’s Day is a holiday that is celebrated differently around the world. For example, in South Korea, it is common for women to give chocolate gifts to men, while in Japan, it is the opposite, where men give gifts to women.

    Valentine’s Day traditions from readers

    I asked our Instagram community for their traditions and you had a lot to say. Pretty much-you are all better people than me. I love these ideas! There were so many that I had to divide them up into themes.

    For the kids

    • “My kids always made their own Valentine’s. This was pre-Pinterest!”
    • “We make a poster for each family member and each write something we love about each other every day until the 14th” [a lot of people contributed something along these lines]
    • “Homemade sugar cookies with our names frosted on them!”
    • “A small box of chocolates for each person and a heart pizza with a rom com for dinner.” [pizza was a big theme for a lot of people!]
    • “A scavenger hunt with clues for a small Valentine gift basket at the end”
    • “Writing a little note to my kids in lipstick on the bathroom mirror”
    • “Fancy breakfast, kids wake to decorate table, love notes, balloons, new book and treats”
    • “My mother would make heart shaped chocolate lollipops and set them at our bed to surprise us”
    • “I felt like it was a dumb commercial holiday, but when my kids were tiny we started “lovefest”. I make them each a handmade Valentine. It sits by their plate at dinner. We go around the table and everyone says what they love about each person. My teenage boys act like they HATE it! But they get the sweetest embarrassed smiles through the whole thing.”

    For the partner or loved one

    • “My husband does at-home spa night for me and pretends to be a spa employee”
    • “We always celebrated my mom and I. A date, flowers, small gift, that sort of thing.”
    • “We do a fancy family dinner and candles and balloons and candy for all”
    • “We always celebrate it on groundhog’s day instead because we’re weird and it’s easier to find a sitter”
    • “Our Valentine’s date involves going together to pick out new cologne and perfume”
    • “We go to the ballet every year”
    • “Order Thai food and watch Princess Bride”
    • “As a kid and still, I always get a love note from my mom”
    • “Watching Notting Hill and slow dancing to our wedding song plus eating take out”
    • “No matter the day it falls on we take the day off and my husband I spend it together”

    Valentines Day Craft Roundup

    For others

    • “Send out a family Valentine’s Day letter instead of a Christmas card. Less hectic time of year.”
    • “I make handmade Valentines for my girlfriends. Usually a garland so they can decorate!”
    • “I like giving chocolate and a pretty card to girlfriends”
    • “I make little ornaments on cardstock with small bags of candy for friends”
    • “We wrap nice chocolate bars with Valentine wraps and hand them out to friends all day”Pink and blue house-shaped cookie boxes next to a green squiggly background and some heart-shaped cookies

    Valentine’s Meals

    • “Heart-shaped meatloaf”
    • “Breakfast for dinner! Pancakes with lots of toppings!”
    • “My mom used to make me brownies and cut them into hearts with cookie cutters”
    • “Artichokes and Cornish game hens for dinner. IDK why, but we did it once andkept it going.”
    • “Make heart-shaped pizza for dinner”
    • “Pink sauce pasta for dinner”

    Phew!!! Ok, that’s a LOT Of ideas! Remember, these ideas aren’t meant to overwhelm you. You don’t have to do any of them! Pick and choose what you want according to your interests and time constraints. What’s important is that you find something that works for you and is meaningful so it becomes a beautiful tradition.

    Let me know how it goes!

    Our top ten!

    Brittany
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    2
    Our top ten!

    Our top ten!

    I’m going to do it Letterman style by starting with our top ten and working our way down the list. Do you have any guesses what they could be? Any personal faves? Honestly, I wouldn’t have guessed any of them myself–ha! But you just don’t know!

    10. DIY Paper Sunflower

    In homage to Ukraine, we made some paper sunflowers as a reminder of the people’s strength and courage at such a difficult time.

    As you know, we love a good paper flower and had yet to do it, so it’s a great time to make the DIY paper sunflower. I had also done an Instagram Live with an amazing Ukrainian embroidery artist in Ukraine to learn how to do their iconic Ukrainian star. You can see that here. That was a real highlight for me this year.

    9. Papier Mache Vase

    We took a nod from former Lars contributor, Corrie Beth Hogg, for this one. I wanted a vase to match our new kitchen so we did a papier mache version. I love how it turned out!

    The wonderful thing about papier mache is that you can make it in whatever shape and style you want. Here’s how to make a papier mache vase!

    8. Are you scared of color? 

    I announced a new direction to Lars, after some internal discussions focusing on color. I’ve talked about the trend of society moving away from color and I realized there had been times in my life when I was Color Scared. Here’s the essay about being afraid of using color.

    I plan on addressing this more this year so stay tuned!

    7. DIY Paper Heart Wreath  

    2022 was a year of wreaths! We did one for every holiday including this DIY paper heart wreath. We made some ombre templates to go with it. You seemed to like it too!

    accordion heart wreath

    You can find the full paper heart wreath here. And see below for the top wreath of the year!

    6. How to celebrate your 40th birthday

    I turned 40 in June last year but we were right in the middle of a crazy project so I ended up postponing activities until September when I went on an amazing trip to France with my closest friends. It was incredible! I made this list to give more ideas about how to celebrate your 40th birthday.

    I was curious how other people celebrated their 40th birthdays so I did some research and shared it with you here.

    5. Paper palm wreath

    Our paper palm was one of the most popular projects from 2019 so we decided to turn it into a wreath. I think it would be perfect for spring time!

    You can find the full tutorial for the paper palm wreath here.

    4. Paper orchid

    The flower making bonanza continues with this beautiful paper orchid. Honestly, real life orchids are very tough for me to keep alive so this paper version is just what I needed!

    3. Shift here at Lars

    I talked about a shift we are making here at Lars and I shared a bit of it here. We’ve had even more changes internally that I need to discuss with you soon!

    2. How to thread a sewing machine

    We started a new series about how to use your sewing machine properly and this post “how to thread a sewing machine” was your favorite! We also did a video series on Instagram. You gotta check out this song. It’s perfect wouldn’t you say?!

    1. Three ways to fold a love letter

    Listen, I’m not saying that this isn’t a great post, but I have to admit how surprised I am by this being our number 1! Three ways to fold a love letter! I guess you are writing way more love letters than I ever imagined?! Ha!

    There they are! Our top ten from 2022. I love them all even though I’m surprised by some of them. Let me know what you think in the comments. And if there’s anything you’d like to see this year, let me know!

    Things to do during winter break

    Brittany
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    0
    Things to do during winter break

    Things to do during winter break

    I’m of the opinion that every good break deserves a bit of down time, family/friends time, and making time. I can’t help you much with the first two but I CAN and WILL help you with the latter. Making time is my jam! Here are some ideas of things to do during the winter break. Please leave me a comment with your ideas!

    Making intricate snowflakes

    If you’re in elementary school, start with the basics, but level it up once you’re in high school or college. The more intricate the better! We have some templates for these snowflakes here, but feel free to make your own. Hint: I’ve also seen Star Wars or Harry Potter themed snowflakes floating around the interwebs. Find your interest and get cutting!

    vertical snowflakes with hands

    Christmas Friendship Bracelets

    Friendship bracelets were a big part of my childhood and I’m a big believer in keeping up the tradition. You can put any friendship bracelet into a Christmas color theme, but we also have some candy cane, poinsettia friendship bracelets here. They’re a bit tricky, but you got this!

    Paper angels

    We made tons of mini paper angels for our tree this year, but try blowing it up and making a big one! They’ll take you throughout the winter season!

    Paper starburst ornaments

    These paper starburst ornaments are so pretty for a tree but also awesome as a garland or as a simple decoration. Learn how to make the paper starburst ornaments here.

    paper starburst ornament

    Paper Danish woven hearts

    To you and me these woven paper hearts might appear St. Valentine’s-y, and you certainly can get ahead of the game and make them for that, but they are made all winter time in Scandinavia. They’re such a lovely craft!

    Danish Christmas hearts

    Oversized paper star

    Speaking of getting ahead of the game, I love using winter break to work on Christmas projects for next year. These oversized paper stars are such a stunner and take a bit of time so it’s now or never!

    Oversized Paper Christmas Stars

    Hand in heart valentines

    Again, getting ahead of the game, now is a great time to work on some Valentines, like these hand in heart valentines, but they’d also be sweet to hand out to friends or neighbors during the break or as a great thank you note.

    hand and heart love tokens

    Paper Christmas cactus

    I have a couple of real Christmas cactuses and they are the best! But paper Christmas cactuses are even better–no watering needed! Here’s how to make a paper Christmas cactus.

    DIY paper Christmas cactus

    Ice lanterns

    If you live in a snowy climate, ice lanterns are a fun thing to try out! Here’s how to make them!

    Photo heirloom ornaments

    These are our most popular Christmas craft by far! I’ve been seeing readers make them all year round! Not only for Christmas but for birthdays or anniversaries. They’re just a hit all around! Here’s how to make these photo heirloom ornaments!

    family heirloom ornaments

    Nativity Set

    Our heirloom nativity set is also a big winner. They take quite a bit of time so a break would be a good time to do it!

    Midcentury painted heirloom nativity figures against a pink and red striped background.

    Make a piece of clothing

    My favorite winter breaks were those when I would come home from college and make a piece of clothing. This year we came out with our fabric collection and shared some of our favorite patterns. Here are some patterns to get your juices flowing!

    Clothespin dolls

    These winter clothespin dolls would be a fun kids and grown up activity. Make them look like your friends or family members!

    Clothespin People Ornaments

    Painted frames

    Dig into the close family times by creating some pretty frames to go with your family pictures. Here’s how to transform some dollar store frames into works of art.

    Quilt Hack

    You don’t have to be a huge quilter to make a quilt. Here’s our trick to making a quilt! Such a cozy way to celebrate the cold weather.

    Shaped pillows

    We made these fun shaped pillows to go on our studio sofa. You can pick your own shapes or make these ones.

    Paper Flowers

    You can’t just go to the nursery and grab some flowers right now, so make them! We have a ton of paper flower tutorials but this paper orchid is a favorite!

    Ok! That should be a good list to get your going for your winter break, but do let us know what you like to do. I always love to hear your comments! 

    Paper starburst ornaments

    Brittany
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    1
    Paper starburst ornaments

    Paper starburst ornament

    This year was the year of paper Christmas ornaments! First it was the paper angel, then the Christmas hearts and now the paper starburst ornaments. In all honesty, I wanted to do 12 days of paper ornaments, but clearly it wasn’t my year ;). But for sure, next year when I can prep more.

    paper ornament

    Colorful paper ornaments

    What I love about these ones is that they are SUPER simple to make yet so impactful with their fullness. Plus, add on the pretty cut out shapes (templates here) and it’s really so stunning. Of course, we had to put it into colorblock colors, but you could keep it all the same colors!

    Paper Starburst ornaments

    Materials (see above)paper starburst ornament

    Instructions

    1. Cut squares of 3″, 6 for each ornament (can be more can be less–have fun experimenting!)
    2. Fold the paper in half each way. Fold the paper on the diagonal each way.
    3. Now bring the corners together and bring the squares together along the diagonal.
    4. Create 5 more.
    5. Glue each square together to create a circle. Before you glue the whole thing together, insert a ribbon to hang as an ornament.

    Note: If you’d like to use the templates to create some visual interest, cut those first either on the craft cutting machine or by hand.

     

    Paper Starburst ornament video

    If you’d like some video instruction, hopefully this video helps!

     

    paper starburst ornamentpaper starburst ornamentpaper starburst ornament

    I’d love to see how yours turn out! Tag us with #LarsMakes or #HolidaysWithLars so we can see it!

    Christmas traditions

    Brittany
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    Christmas traditions

    Christmas traditions

    a list of christmas tradition ideas

    For me, Christmas is the icing on the cake at the end of each calendar year, especially now that I live in cold weather. Nothing gets me through the winter misery better than the lights, treats, trims on the tree, carols, cards…you name it. (In fact, you can read more about my obsession over at Scary Mommy!).

    I’m all about a Christmas tradition that has personal meaning, won’t break my back, and will be enjoyed by all. Now that I have kids, I want to make sure that it’s enjoyable and will be memorable though I won’t mention the meltdown I had the other day when trying to implement one tradition that I started this year.

    This list is meant to provide ideas for traditions that you might want to try out and is definitely not meant to add pressure! Pick and choose, adjust, do whatever you’d like!

    1. Christmas Crafting tradition

    As you might guess, I love me a good Christmas craft–from crafting with the kids to crafting some decor. Here are a few favorites!

    Christmas paper village

    This accordion paper village is one that you can put into your craft machine or cut by hand. It’s a simple and sweet way to add in some festivities to a mantle. Bonus: turn it into an event! Invite some friends over for holiday crafting!

    2. Christmas crafts for kids

    Now that I have kids I’m realizing the magic that comes with the holiday. There are, of course, an endless amount of things you can do with kids that can feel festive but these are some of our favorites.

    vertical snowflakes with hands

    Winter Snowflakes

    Paper snowflakes are such a classic winter tradition. We took it up a notch with these templates. But, of course, feel free to do your own! Bonus: Get some family over to make them together!

    Paper angel ornaments

    These paper angels can be used as ornaments or as decor. We made them in color block colors but they are also beautiful in all white!

    Christmas friendship bracelets

    These Christmas friendship bracelets might be a little more complicated for little hands, but they’re great for older kids and teenagers. They’d be a great gift too!

    3. Advent Calendars

    As you know, I love a good Christmas advent calendar. I think it’s one of the best ways to amplify the excitement of the season.

    In Denmark they have the tradition of lighting a candle on each of the four Sundays leading to Christmas. Typically, the four candles are arranged in a wreath of sorts (like this). We got a small table wreath from Trader Joe’s this year and I had already bought a gold metal stand with four candles so we are finally doing it in our own home!

    Other advents mark the countdown to Christmas starting with that first Sunday or on December 1st. Here are some of my favorites!

    kid's room decked out for the holidays

    Christmas book Advent

    I had seen this Christmas book advent calendar for awhile and decided to try it out this year. We picked out some new and some we already had and the boys love unwrapping the selected book each day. I’d say this is one we’ll continue with!

    children's christmas books

    Printable service advent

    This is a printable advent calendar from our shop filled with prompts to engage in one act of service.

    We have a ton more advent options in this post if you’d like to explore more!

    Gift wrapping

    As I was preparing this list of Christmas traditions, I was trying to think of some really unusual traditions that would knock your socks off, but then I went back to basics–the stuff we probably already do but maybe don’t consider it something special. As I thought more about it, traditions are oftentimes in those small moments! Gift wrapping is one of those small ones. We probably all wrap gifts, but do we consider a tradition? Let’s count it! Especially if we make a point of making a special moment. Maybe we find some unique wrapping paper, or ribbon, or method.

    Cardboard Gingerbread House Gift Box

    This is one of my favorite projects from the past–a cardboard gingerbread house gift box! A simple brown paper box and a white paint pen. So easy!

    Turn Wrapping paper into a gift bag

    You can turn any wrapping paper into a gift bag or another fun shape (like a shirt!). Here’s how!

    Ribbon Weaving Gift Wrap

    Woven Ribbon wrapping

    Here’s another fun wrapping idea–Take some beautiful ribbon and weave it to make beautiful patterns. Here’s the how to.

    Christmas smells

    Christmas conjures up pretty specific smells, doesn’t it! Can’t you smell them now?! Cinnamon, wassail, cloves, nutmeg, trees…

    Group shot

    Christmas orange pomanders

    The tradition of making Christmas oranges and cloves is one of my favorites. Plus, I love that beautiful pop of orange. Here’s how to make them!

    Setting a pretty Christmas table

    To me, this is another tradition that fits under the “I’m going to do it anyway” type of tradition that you don’t think too much about it. But the beauty in this tradition comes in the thoughtful details and the great company that make the memories. Here are some things to add to your table setting!

    Christmas poppers

    Christmas poppers

    A common tradition in the UK and Australia, these Christmas poppers are a nice pop of fun! We have some printable versions here!

    Christmas Song Bingo

    This printable Christmas Song Bingo has become a popular game in our shop! Here’s everything you need to know about it including the playlist!

    Swan a swimming tablescape-11

    Swans a Swimming centerpiece

    My brain reels about this one. Oh, to find the time to make an amazing centerpiece like this Seven Swans a Swimming again! If you are up for the challenge, here’s the how to!

    Holiday Napkin Folding

    Christmas napkin folding ideas

    OR, the simpler version of the gorgeous swan above is a napkin fold at each plate. Here are lots of napkin folding ideas for your Christmas table!

    Christmas Magic for the kids

    As you might imagine, Christmas traditions really exploded once I started having kids. It’s the MOST fun! And hectic and stressful…ha! Here are some ways that we are attempting to create it.

    kid's room decked out for the holidays

    Mini Christmas tree

    Paul has talked about having a Christmas tree in Jasper’s room for awhile and we finally did it! Plus, we decked it out. We even let him pick out his tree–so fun! More on this soon! We added in stockings, the book advent, and switched out pillows and artwork.

    Christmas tree ornaments

    While we’ve featured Christmas tree ornaments here and there over the years, this is the first year that I’ve really embraced my collection or lack thereof. I need to change that! I love the idea of collecting ornaments from places we go and making sure I treasure the ones given to me too.

    family heirloom ornaments

    Heirloom Christmas ornaments

    Our most popular ornament by far has been our heirloom Christmas ornaments. The tutorial is here!

    Paper candles

    In Denmark they are pretty unstressed about using real candles on real Christmas trees but living in a desert, I’m not so confident. These paper candles are the way to go! And fun for kids!

    Christmas Decor

    I have a thing for wreaths! If nothing else, I will have a wreath on my door! Here are some favorite Christmas wreaths!

    Poinsettia wreath

    Paper Poinsettia wreath

    We made these paper poinsettias out of paper! Here’s how!

    Dresden wreath

    A traditional Dresden wreath is PRICEY! So we made ours out of paper! Here’s how to make a Dresden wreath.

    Oversized Paper Christmas Stars

    Christmas paper star

    I wanted to do a nod to the traditional Swedish paper star and I love how it turned out! Here’s how to make the traditional Swedish paper star.

    Bottlebrush Trees

    Another simple yet impactful idea is our bottlebrush tree done in crepe paper done in rainbow colors of course!

    Christmas cards

    I LOVE sending out Christmas cards! Every single year! Even when we didn’t have kids and no one really wants to see just a couple! Ha! I typically send out a team card and a family card. Last year we went with these ones, and this year we used these ones!

    Christmas stocking

    This is another one of those traditions that I find obligatory and maybe not special enough to actually write down in a list, but it’s a big deal, takes a lot of time, and is so magical! We need to pat ourselves on the back for it all!

    Christmas stockings

    I loved these DIY stockings that I made for when there were just three of us. I need to do one more for Felix and then we’re cooking! Here’s how to make a Christmas stocking in fun patterns and colors!

    Bringing in your heritage

    A great way to add meaning to your holidays is to dig into your heritage. I love making it personal! Bring in the background!

    For me, this is digging into my Scandinavian roots. We made these Swedish inspired paper ornaments and I still put them on the tree every year!

    My Scandinavian Christmas

    In the early days of blogging, I did this My Scandinavian Christmas series where I had some friends in Denmark and Sweden contribute a project that meant something to them. There are some amazing projects in this series! Check them out here.

    Santa Lucia

    Santa Lucia is a big Swedish holiday that I love paying homage to. We made this printable crown a few years ago and I think it’s so so pretty. Here’s more about Santa Lucia and the Santa Lucia crown!

     

    Handmade gifts

    Gift giving is fun, but handmade gift giving is the ultimate. It can be much more sentimental and meaningful. I’m sure we don’t all have time to make handmade gifts for everyone, but a gift here and there is such a beautiful time well spent.

    Paper Christmas Cactus

    Corrie Beth Hogg made these Christmas cactus out of paper! It’s so so beautiful! We have templates and instructions here.

    DIY Paper Holly boughs

    Paper holly

    I love this holly made from crepe paper. It’s a beautiful gift topper or decoration for a handmade gift.

    Holiday Office Party

    Office parties are a fun tradition, even if the office is super small. We typically like to go to dinner or have an activity, but it’s so fun to decorate the office. Here are some ideas!

    Christmas Paper Office Decorations

    Office paper holiday decorations

    This is one of my favorite ideas! Use one ream of printer paper to make all sorts of decorations! Here’s the tutorial!

    Grand Entrance

    Whenever we’d come home for Christmas, my sister and I would take my parents staircase as a challenge for dressing up. It was such a fun tradition!

    Holly and berry garland

    Our favorite year was this holly and berry garland. You can find the tutorial here.

     

    Nativity

    Now that I have kids, I LOVE having some nativity sets that are more kid-friendly. I think it helps involve them in the story of Christmas. Here are some ideas to help them.

    Midcentury painted heirloom nativity figures against a pink and red striped background.

    Our heirloom nativity set is a modern day classic. I will forever love my set! Here’s how to make it!

    Nativity Paper dolls

    For Christmas Eve, I’m going to print these nativity paper dolls off and set them out for the kids. We’re planning on recreating the nativity so this will give little hands something to play with!

    Nativity clothespin dolls

    Alternatively, if you’re looking for a painted set that’s a more more simple than the full set, these nativity clothespin dolls are just the ticket. Such a sweet tradition.

    Nativity puppets

    But my favorite nativity for kids are our puppets. I bring these to  church with me when I teach the kids to sing Christmas songs and my kids love playing them too. If only they hadn’t lost my baby Jesus…Ha! I plan on keeping up this Christmas tradition until they won’t let me anymore!

    Ok! This is QUITE the list! But I’d love to hear yours as well! Leave me a comment!

    Thanksgiving table ideas for kids

    Brittany
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    Thanksgiving table ideas for kids

    Thanksgiving table ideas for kids

    I’m a big fan of the kid’s table for Thanksgiving and I love the idea of making it a celebration and a memorable experience. You can achieve this with some cute decorations, games, and activities. And guess what? We’ve got them all! Plus, I’ll include some jazzy accessories to go with it all.

    Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Table idea

    This printable Thanksgiving Day parade theme by far our most popular for Thanksgiving. While I think it would be super fun for any table for Thanksgiving, it’s a pretty appropriate one for the kid’s table. Especially if you watch the parade that morning too–how fun would that be?!

    Bonus tip: You can either print off the NYC skyline in advance and make it yourself OR you can have the kids cover boxes and make the DIY version like this one below.

    We even have a printable taxi for name cards, which you can also use for the adult table.

    Thanksgiving activities for kids

    The focus of Thanksgiving is the meal, so let’s focus on the table! This Thanksgiving printable coloring placemat is a fun and decorative idea that also provides some entertainment. Set out some colored pencils or markers and let the kids go wild!

    Thanksgiving printable placemat coloring page from The House That Lars Built

    We also have this turkey dinner printable coloring placemat. So cute!

    Thanksgiving games for kids

    After the meal, provide some of the games for kids–they’ll have a ball! We have printable Bingo cards, Mad Libs, and Would you Rather?.

    bingo games on a blue background. It's very colorful.

     

    Would you rather printable games on a pink background.

    Thanksgiving garlands

    A festive idea for the kid’s table is to add in a boatload of Thanksgiving inspired paper garlands. We even added in some “gobble gobble” signs at the chairs! Use your craft cutting machine to speed up the time!

    Paper bag turkey centerpiece

    A fun craft project to make with the kids is this paper bag turkey that you can fill with popcorn. I mean…too cute!

    Pie Crust decorations

    Let the kids add some food coloring to the pie crust! I love these plant-based food coloring variety packs too, which make it that much safer!

    Here are some fun ideas to add to your table:

    I’d love to hear what your ideas are for the kid’s table for Thanksgiving! What has worked for you? 

    Holiday decor guide

    Brittany
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    Holiday decor guide

    Holiday decor guide

    It appears that I’m not the only one to get into the holiday mood early. I’ve been spotting a lot of you on Instagram putting up your tree already. And I will admit that I’ve had mine out since August (for a shoot! But I didn’t put it away either…). We need something to help us celebrate the cold weather! Enter: holiday decor guide.

    We’re still relatively new in this house (does 2 years count?!) and I haven’t quite figured out how to decorate it yet since the first year I was 9 months pregnant and the second we were in Denmark visiting Paul’s family.

    But there’s no excuse for this year! So, here are some of my favorite holiday decorations for the home:

    Handmade Christmas decor ideas

    If you’re interested in doing some crafting in preparing for the holidays in addition to your holiday decor, here are some Christmas decor ideas to get you going!

    As well as some classic Christmas craft ideas

    And a beautiful Christmas table idea

    Don’t forget that we have our very own Shop with an assortment of Christmas ornaments.

    Let me know how you’re decorating for the holidays. I love gathering ideas!

    DIY Roman Shades

    Brittany
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    DIY Roman Shades

    How to Make Your Own DIY Roman Shades

    It turns out making your own DIY Roman shades isn’t as tricky as it seems. All you need are the materials listed above and a little bit of time and you’re all set. Here’s what to do:

    Cutting the Wood Pieces

    1. First, cut the 1” x 2” so it’s a little less than the window width. It should fit snugly inside the window.
    2. Now, cut the wooden dowels to match.

    Prepping your Fabric

    1. First things first: iron out your fabric so it’s nice and flat. What you don’t want are wrinkly Roman shades. Note: washing is optional, since you probably won’t be taking these babies down once they’re screwed into place.
    2. Next, cut the front and lining pieces down to size. Dimensions of the front fabric should be 3 inches wider and 5 inches longer than the window dimensions. The lining should be the same height as the front fabric and one inch shorter than the window width.

    Sewing your Fabric Pieces Together

    1. It’s time to sew the front and lining pieces together. For this, line up one long side of the two fabric pieces, right sides together.
    2. Next, sew it in place using a ½” seam allowance.
    3. Repeat steps 1-2 for the other side. Note that the lining is narrower than the front, so you’ll have to let the front fabric bunch a bit to line up both sides.
    4. Now smooth out the two pieces of fabric so the lining is centered on the front piece. You should have an inch of the front fabric on either side of the lining. 
    5. Next, pin the bottom all along the width and sew in place.
    6. Center the lining along the top edge, as you did in step 4 for the bottom. Now, fold the seam allowance so it faces out on either side and pin in place all along the length. 

    Dowel Measurements

    1. For this, you’ll need to do a little math (it’s simple, don’t worry)!
    2. First, decide how big the gaps between dowels will be. (It will vary depending on how tall the window is, but usually 8-12 inches works well–we used 12).
    3. Next, calculate the excess below the lowest dowel. This one should be ½ the distance between dowels plus 1 inch. So since we have 12 inch gaps, the excess should be 7 inches (half of 12=6+1=7).
    4. Finally, the top measurement. This doesn’t have to be quite as exact, but it just needs to be a bit bigger than the distance between dowels. (For us, that means bigger than 12 inches.
    5. Now, with the wrong side of the front fabric piece face up, draw in the first dowel’s placement. Remember, you’ll have a seam allowance and hem at the bottom, so add 3 inches to the bottom gap (2 ½ inch hem + ½” seam allowance). Our total is now 10 (7+3).
    6. At this point, you can go ahead and measure the placement of the other dowels, using the first dowel as a reference.

    Adding the Dowel Casing

    1. To make casings for your dowels, cut 2” strips that are the same width as the lining. Cut out one strip per dowel.
    2. Fold each strip in half, iron, and sew the open side length closed with a ¼” seam allowance.
    3. Next, cut your stitch witchery to the length of the strips. Cut one strip of stitch witchery for each strip.
    4. Now lay your stitch witchery in place where you marked the dowels, with the sewn strips lined up on top. Iron in place so the strips stick.
    5. After the strips are adhered, slide the dowels into place.
    6. Now you can take out the pins holding the side seam allowances in place. Clip the bottom corners and carefully flip the fabric pieces and dowels so the shade is right side out. If you need, use scissors to help turn the corners. Adjust and straighten everything and iron the seams so everything is nice and flat. 
    7. With the shade right side out, hem up the bottom (end with the finished seam) 2 ½”. Press and sew in place. If you don’t want your stitches to show on the front, you can hand stitch it in place or use a blind hem stitch on the machine.

    Measuring the Ring Placement

    1. You’ll add three rings to each dowel: one on each end, and one in the center.
    2. To calculate the placement, put the cord lock and pulley together so they overlap one screwhole. Measure from the cord lock base to the spot where the cord comes up through the pulley (Roughly 2 ½”).
    3. Now, mark 2 ½” in from the end of each dowel. A ring will go in each of these spots you’ve just marked.
    4. For the middle rings, simply measure halfway between each dowel and mark. If you have 4 dowels, you should now have 12 ring markings total.

    Sewing the Rings in Place

    1. Now hand sew the rings in place according to the markings. To do this, bind the thread around the dowel a few times without catching the front fabric piece with the needle. On the third or fourth time around, catch the front fabric piece in the needle. Then poke the needle back through to the back side, tie off your thread and trim.
    2. Repeat step 1 for each of the rings. Note: make sure the rings are all facing the same direction, with openings pointing downwards so the string can be threaded through seamlessly.

    Attaching the Roman Shades Hardware

    1. To attach the hardware for the roman shades, you’ll first need to mark where it needs to go. To do this, take the wooden board and line it up with the top row of rings you just sewed. Mark the placement of the rings on the board with a pencil.
    2. Now, take one of the three pulleys and line the right side of it up with the right ring marking on the board. Mark the two screw holes.
    3. Repeat step two for the middle pulley.
    4. Now for the far left side. This one will be a little different, since you’ll need both the cord lock and a pulley this time. For this, line up the cord lock with the left edge of the board with the straight edge on the inside (the diagonal edge should be on the outside, closest to the edge of the board). Mark the screw holes. 
    5. Next, line up the last pulley with the cord lock so they share a screw hole. Mark the pulley placement.
    6. All that’s left now is to drill pilot holes, then screw the pulleys in place where you marked them.
    7. In addition to the holes for the pulleys and cord lock, you’ll also want to drill two or three more holes all the way through the board. These will be used to screw the roman shades into place on the window.
    8. Now, with all hardware in place, it’s time to staple the board to the fabric. Measure up from the bottom of the shade and mark the window height. Line up the board with the window height markings, then wrap the excess over the board and staple in place. 

    Adding the Cording

    You’re almost done with your roman shades! Just a few more steps to go. Here’s what’s left:

    1. The last thing to do is to add the cording and tidy things up.
    2. To add the cording, feed the cording up through the rings in the far right row. Tip: to thread the cord through a bit easier, wrap a bit of tape around the end so it doesn’t fray.
    3. When you get to the pulley at the top, feed the cord through the right side and pop it out the opposite side. Repeat for the middle pulley. 
    4. When you get to the far left pulley and cord lock, thread the cord through the pulley as with the other two. Then thread it down the cord lock from the top and pull it through when it pops out the bottom. Pull the cord so there are a few feet of slack. Then clip the cord back by the first ring you started with and tie a knot to secure it to the ring.
    5. Repeat the same process for the remaining two cords. Note: there will be three separate slots to slip the cord through. Make sure each separate cord goes through a different slot, individually.
    6. Once all cords have been threaded through, trim them to the finished length you like. Now, thread them through the pull end, knot them all together, and hide the knot inside of the pull end.
    7. Pull the cord to test out your shades and make sure they’re working right and voila! Your roman shades are finished!

    More Inspiration

    Loved this roman shades tutorial and want more like it? Check out our other home renovation projects! Start with everything we did to our house in one year, and an exclusive studio tour. You also won’t want to miss our laundry room makeover with delta faucet, guest bedroom remodel, bathroom remodel, and new closet system. Oh, and if you haven’t seen it yet, be sure to check out my craft room in the living by design virtual showhouse! Looking to decorate your home? Stop by our shop and see what suits your fancy!

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