Easter Crafts

Brittany

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March 15, 2023

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!

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.

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!

Christmas traditions

Brittany

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December 19, 2022

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Christmas traditions

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.

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!

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!

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!

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…

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

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!

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!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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!

Holiday decor guide

Brittany

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November 4, 2022

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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 Corn Wreath

Brittany

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September 5, 2022

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Crepe Paper Corn

I’ve always loved fall corn wreaths. They’re such a classic decoration, and so lovely. Well, naturally, we couldn’t help it but try out a new crepe paper take on a classic corn wreath! Based on our popular Easter egg wreath, we replaced easter eggs and greenery with colorful corn and husks. Then we revamped the color palette to your classic corn colorway and gave the husks a metallic glint with some gold and copper crepe paper.

Here’s all you need to make your very own DIY corn wreath:

How to Make a DIY Corn Wreath

Making your own DIY corn wreath is surprisingly simple. Here’s what to do:

Prepping Your Cardboard

Start by prepping your cardboard. Using the corn template found here, cut out as much corn as you want for the size of your wreath form. Our wreath form was 16” in diameter, and we used roughly 30 corn cobs of varying sizes.
Now, tape each of your cardboard pieces into a cylindrical roll with a cone-shaped top.

Prepping Your Crepe Paper

Now it’s time to cut out the crepe paper for your corn cobs and husks.

To prep for wrapping the cobs, cut long, thin strips about ¾” to 1” wide of each color of crepe paper (except the metallic, save that for the husks). Cut your strips against the grain.
For the husks, use the template found here to cut out three husks per cob, using the metallic crepe paper. Make sure to cut the husks parallel to the grain to mimic the striations on real corn husks.
Since the metallic crepe paper is one-sided, you’ll need to glue two pieces together so the back side doesn’t show.
Now, once the husks are double-sided, shape the husks by gently pulling them out, width wise. Curve and shape them with your hands so they look like real corn husks.

Assembling Your DIY Corn Wreath

Now you can start assembling your corn!

First, wrap each corn lengthwise, from end to end, with the crepe paper. Use a variety of colors and make sure the ends are at the bottom (the side without the cone). Secure with hot glue.
Now, add the corn husks by shaping them to the body of the corn cob. Secure with hot glue.
Once all the cobs are covered, you’re ready to add the corn to the wreath form! For this, simply arrange the corn on the wreath form until it’s as full as you’d like. We alternated colors of husks and corn for an allover effect of color.
Done!

Styling your DIY Corn Wreath

As always, there are many ways to style a wreath. Of course you can hang it on your door as a classic fall wreath, but don’t feel limited! There are plenty of doors inside that you could hang a wreath on, as well as walls that could use a little extra love. You can even get creative and use the corn as a centerpiece come Thanksgiving, or a garland.

We would love to see what you do with your corn wreaths! Let us know in the comments!

More Inspiration

Looking for more fall crafts? Right this way. Here’s another lovely fall wreath made with baby’s breath! Also try this color blocked thread wreath or this lovely lemon wreath. And don’t miss this fall porch reveal!

Fourth of July Wreath

Brittany

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June 27, 2022

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Custom Gradient Accordion Stars

I’m in love with the accordion stars on this Fourth of July Wreath! They manage to look delicate, lovely, and festive all at the same time. Don’t get me wrong, the traditional red white and blue of the Fourth of July are nice. But I love the way the gradient softens the colors into cotton candy hues of pinks, reds and blues. Oh, and I’m also in love with how simple this wreath is to make!

Here’s how to do it:

How to Make a Fourth of July Wreath

Constructing the Stars

First, download, print and cut out the accordion gradient templates found here.
Next, fold each strip back and forth to make the accordion folds. Make each fold roughly ¼ inch thick.
Now, connect the two ends of the accordion strip so you have one continuous circle.
Next, flatten the circle out like a fan, points facing out to make the stars.
Now, bring the center of the star together nice and tight and secure with hot glue. For extra security, glue a paper circle onto the back of the star’s center.

Assembling the Wreath

For the wreath form, cut a piece of wire that’s a little bigger than you’d like your wreath to be. Then wrap the excess around itself to secure.
Next, hot glue the stars onto the wreath form until it’s as full as you’d like.
Now, add the silver strips wherever you’d like for extra fullness.
Done!

More Inspiration

Looking for more festive, Fourth of July crafts? Check out this comprehensive guide of festive Fourth of July projects!

What are you doing for the Fourth of July? Let us know in the comments!

All Our Paper Flower Tutorials

Brittany

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May 11, 2022

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Blooms for Bouquets

There are so many things you can do with paper flowers, but you need to make them first! Mix and match these flowers for bouquets or let them stand alone. Either way, you can’t go wrong!

Find paper flower tutorials here: Sunflowers, Parrot Tulips, Peonies, Poppies, Morning Glory, Hydrangeas, Eden Rose, Daffodil, Paper Flower Bells, and Narcissus.

Lots of flowers have stamens, and here you can make your own floral stamens for paper flowers.

Bouquets

I’m a big fan of paper wedding bouquets because they are long-lasting reminders of your big day. There’s no wilting here! I have loved making paper flower tutorials for all these bouquets.

Find tutorials here: Spring Wedding Bouquet, White Peony Bouquet, Royal Wedding Inspired Bouquet, and Cinco de Mayo Inspired Bouquet.

Paper Flower Accessories

Flowers add delicacy and magic to your fanciest events, but I’m all for wearing them in between big parties, too! These paper flower crowns and this corsage will have you searching for events because they’re so fun to wear! You can find paper flower tutorials for the accessories below.

Find tutorials here: Shamrock Flowe r Crown, Paper Flower Bridal Hairpiece, Flower Girl Crown, Spring Paper Flower Crown, Paper Flower Corsage, Paper Flower Graduation Tassel, and Paper Poppy Pin.

Home Decor Flowers

Wreaths

When I started adding paper flower wreaths to my doors, I made a huge discovery. Coming home to something beautiful makes a big difference! So add paper flower wreaths to your doors and start feeling OVERJOYED when you get to your home. I promise, it works for me!

Wreath tutorials here: Daffodil Wreath, Lemon and Blossom Wreath, Wallpaper Floral Wreath, Rainbow Flower Wreath, Paper Poinsettia Wreath, Palm Leaf Wreath and Pink Paper Blossom Wreath.

Chandeliers and Mobiles

I absolutely love what chandeliers and mobiles do to fill the empty space in a room. And come on, they look adorable. So do yourself a favor and hang one over your new baby’s crib! It will surely give you and baby some much needed delight amidst the lack of sleep.

Mobile tutorials here: Paper Maidenhair Fern Mobile, Paper Flower Chandelier, Scandinavian Paper Mobile and Midsummer Dala Horse Mobile.

Centerpieces

Another way I love to incorporate flowers is through centerpieces. Because isn’t having company over the perfect excuse to make something with paper flowers?

Centerpiece tutorials here: Paper Flower Branch Candelabra, Spring Tulip Centerpiece, Rainbow Paper Flower Tablescape

Potted Paper Flowers

I love me a good potted paper plant. These little beauties are the perfect addition to any room, so what are you waiting for?

Find tutorials here: Paper Orchids, Paper Foxgloves, Easter Lily, Christmas Cactus, Medinilla Plant, Pansies, Hollyhocks, Paper Flower Bells and more Paper House Plants.

Parties!

Cakes

Another impeccable excuse to incorporate some flowers, do yourself (and your guests) a favor! If I had to guess, I’d say these flower-centric party decorations will do the trick perfectly.

Cake topper tutorials here: Floral Number Birthday Cake Topper, Paper Flower and Kumquat Cake Decoration, Midsummer Pole Cake Topper and 3D Paper Flower Gift Toppers.

Backdrops

Backdrop tutorials here: Crepe Paper Peony Backdrop, Tropical Leaf and Hibiscus Backdrop, Paper Daisy Backdrop, Paper Tulip Backdrop and Paper Poppy Backdrop.

Garlands

Isn’t spring the perfect time for a floral garland? Well, for your convenience, we have some lovely options that transition right into summer, too!

Garland tutorials here: Paper Flower Garland and Summer Flower Garland.

And don’t forget this Daisy Party Hat tutorial!

Holiday

Holidays are the perfect time to get making a few flower-centric decorations. To help you out, here are our favorites:

Valentines Day

Wear this Valentine Flower Wreath on your head or decorate your door with it. Either way, you’ll be feeling festive and ready for the spring blooms that will pop up not too long after Valentines Day with this wreath!

Halloween

Chrysanthemum Mom and Kid Costume

Hannukah

Paper Flower Menorah

Christmas

This Christmas you can make holly large or small, as well as these really exciting poinsettia blooms.

Poinsettia, Crepe Paper Holly, Giant Paper Holly Decoration and Amaryllis.

More From Our Shop!

Find more floral Lars materials on our shop. Here’s our Flowers Coloring Book, this sticker sheet, a whole collection of floral art prints, and more!

Our Learn To Draw Flowers Course

And don’t forget about our learn to draw flowers course! It’s the perfect companion piece to all these paper flower tutorials. And the great thing is, if you don’t have all the materials handy to make the tutorials right now, you can learn to draw them first! By the time your materials come in the mail, you’ll be a pro at drawing flowers and will be all ready to start making them.

Palm Leaf Wreath

Brittany

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March 28, 2022

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History of Palm Leaves

Last year, we wrote a post where we explained a bit about palm leaves and their significance this time of year. You can read all about it here! Long story short, palm leaves have long been associated with triumph and victory. Often depicted on coins and important buildings, palm leaves traditionally greeted kings and conquerors as they rode home after success in battle. Followers of Christ also greeted Him with palm leaves on what has become Palm Sunday, the Sunday before His resurrection.

Our Palm Leaf Wreath

For our palm leaf wreath, we shrunk the size of the original palm leaves a bit, shortened the stems, and attached them to a wreath form with some hot glue. It’s as simple as that! This lovely, colorful wreath is festive for Palm Sunday and Easter. But we love that it also doubles as a delicate and beautiful wreath all spring long!

How to Make A Palm Leaf Wreath

Making a palm leaf wreath is simple. Here’s how to do it:

Prepping the Leaves

First, download the large and small leaf templates found here and here.
Next, upload the template into the cricut design space. Make sure to add score lines (use our template as a reference), as this makes folding much easier!
Using the cricut maker, cut out as many leaves and stems as you’d like for the wreath, varying the size and paper color as you go.
If you don’t have a cricut maker, print out the template. Cut out with scissors, using the template as a guide with each leaf/stem. Add scoring lines by lightly going over the top of the paper with a craft knife, using a ruler for straight lines.

Constructing the Leaves

To construct your palm leaves, follow the instructions in our original tutorial. Note the differences:

We used colored cardstock rather than spray-painted butcher paper to skip a step.
For the stem, we made it much shorter and didn’t use a dowel.

Assembling the wreath

To assemble your wreath, first make a wire wreath form (or buy one premade). To make a wire wreath form, cut the length of wire you’d like, shape it into a circle, and secure with gaffer’s tape or another strong tape.
If desired, wrap a layer of crepe paper around the wire so it’s covered.
Next, simply hot glue the leaves to the wreath form.
Alternate the colors and sizes until the wreath is as full as you’d like.
The last finishing touch is to add some dried flowers and grasses from Terrain. We love the touch of beautiful wildness they add! Our choices were similar to this golden, blue-green, and this and this pink.

We would love to see what you do with your palm leaf wreaths!

More Inspiration

Looking for more spring and Easter inspiration? Try our popular Easter egg wreath here, or this spring daffodil wreath. Also try this springy lemon wreath! If you’d like more Easter ideas, check out this sweet new Easter basket, or this post with endless ideas of what to fill your Easter basket with. Also check out our Easter shop here, and all Easter blog content here!

St. Patrick’s Day Wreath

Brittany

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March 2, 2022

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St. Patrick’s Day Wreath

Remember our accordion Valentine’s Day wreath? You loved it so much we decided to make a St. Patrick’s Day wreath based on it! This little beauty features the same delicate gradients, this time in hues of green. Of course, hearts scream Valentine’s Day, so we opted for four leaf clovers instead. Gotta give you some luck, right?

Shamrocks vs. Four Leaf Clovers

Speaking of four leaf clovers, we want to make sure we addressed some of the comments we received in response to our St. Patrick’s Day bracelets last week. In a few past posts, we have mistakenly called four leaf clovers shamrocks. Here’s a little clarification: Shamrocks have three leaves. This has religious roots–each leaf represents a member of the holy trinity. On the other hand, a four leaf clover has four leaves and is not considered a shamrock. They are considered lucky, though! That’s because four leaf clovers are more rarely found in nature. Shamrocks, with three leaves, are the more common default. Here’s an article that talks about the difference if you’re interested.

Our apologies for mixing up the two!

How to Make a St. Patrick’s Day Wreath

All formalities aside, here’s how to make this beautiful St. Patrick’s wreath!

Prepping the Paper

First, download the wreath template found here.
Print and cut out the templates. We printed ten of each page of the pdf, but you can print as many as desired.

Making the Four Leaf Clovers

To make the accordion four leaf clovers, fold each gradient into small accordion folds, roughly 1/4-1/2 inch. Do the same for the stems.
Once that’s done, fold each gradient in half and glue where they meet. They should now look like hearts.
To assemble the leaves, glue four of the gradient hearts together. If you want to make shamrocks instead, you can use three instead of four.
Last, add the stem to the center of the bottom and secure with a dab of hot glue.

Assembling your St. Patrick’s Day Wreath

To assemble your St. Patrick’s Day wreath, make a wreath form out of the thick gauge wire, taping it to secure. Make it however large or small you’d like.
To attach the four leaf clovers, simply hot glue them onto the wire wreath form.
Keep going until the wreath is as full as you’d like.
Add a pretty ribbon of your choosing to the wreath and voilá! You’re done!

More Inspiration

Did you love this tutorial on how to make a St. Patrick’s Day wreath? You might also be interested in our Valentine’s Day variation, found here. If you’re looking for other St. Patrick’s Day ideas, check out these sweet St. Patrick’s Day beaded bracelets and avoid being pinched. Also try this St. Patrick’s Day crown, or these kid-friendly coloring pages! And if you’re in need of a new spring craft, try our DIY Paper Orchids!

DIY Paper Heart Wreath

Brittany

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January 31, 2022

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DIY Paper Heart Wreath

To me, Valentine’s Day demands decorations that are beautiful and easy to make at the same time. We’re all back from the holidays, which means we don’t have as much down time as the blessed Christmas break gave us. This DIY paper accordion wreath is the perfect solution! Made with custom gradients that fold into hearts, it’s straightforward to make and the result is a lovely wreath of accordion gradients to get you in the mood for love day. I know I get so tired of seeing all the shades of brown, so this wreath is a breath of fresh air. Gentle pinks to welcome me in after a long day? Yes please! If you’re like me, tired of looking at all that brown outside, try this adorable wreath for a change.

How to Make a DIY Paper Heart Wreath

Without further ado, here’s how to make your very own DIY paper heart wreath.

Prepping the Hearts

First, print off three copies of the pdf of our paper heart gradient printable found here. You should end up with 45 pieces of paper, each with a different gradient on it.
Next, cut out each gradient.
Start with one of the flat edges of the gradient and fold a thin strip in along the flat edge, roughly 1/4 inch wide.
Continue stacking the folds back and forth, making an accordion fold as you go.
Keep going until you reach the other flat edge. You should now have a long, thin strip of paper about a 1/4 inch wide.
Now, fold the stack in half.
To complete your heart, hot glue the center together along the flat edge.
When the glue is dry, pull the paper gently apart to reveal the heart shape.

Prepping Your Wire Wreath Form

To prep the wreath form, cut a long, narrow strip of pale pink crepe paper (about an inch thick).
Now, wrap the crepe paper around your wire wreath form, securing with hot glue as you go.
Continue until the entire wire wreath form is covered in a layer of crepe paper. Add an extra layer if you’d like it to be a little thicker.

Assembling Your DIY Paper Heart Wreath

Now you’re ready to assemble your DIY paper heart wreath!

Using your hot glue gun, place a dab of glue on each heart and press onto the crepe paper-covered wreath form.
Continue until the wreath is completely covered and as full as you’d like. For our wreath, we ended up using only 35 of the 45 hearts, but if you’d like, you can always make it a bit more full and add in all the hearts. And you can always add a fancy ribbon, like we did.
Voilà! You’re done with your beautiful DIY paper heart wreath!

Styling Your Wreath

As you probably already know from past wreaths we’ve made, you don’t have to limit your wreath decorating to the front door. Yes, any door is a great place for a wreath, but it’s not your only option. Have a blank spot of wall handy? Fill in the gap with your heart wreath! Outdoor, indoor, against a window, in an area of the house that’s a little sparse on decorations, there are so many options.

We would love to see what you do with your beautiful DIY paper heart wreath!

More Inspiration

Loved this tutorial on how to make a DIY paper heart wreath? You’ll probably love our other Valentine’s Day content! You can craft to your heart’s content with these lovely DIY valentines. Speaking of valentines, check out this post and our shop for endless options of adorable printable valentines. Need a box to put your valentines in? Our DIY painted valentine box is a spectacular option that doubles as a tissue box when you’re done with valentines. Oh, and if you’re looking for gifts for that special someone, you’ll definitely want to check out our Valentine’s Day gift guides for men and women. And here are some great Valentine’s Day activities!

Top ten of 2022

Brittany

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January 2, 2022

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Top ten 2022

It’s always so fun to see what you respond to–whether it’s a DIY project for Valentine’s Day or an essay that I’m super impassioned about. I love to review the top ones so I can keep it in mind for the upcoming year. SO, in true David Letterman style, I’m sharing our top ten blog posts starting with number 10.

10. DIY Ukranian paper sunflower

The situation in Ukraine continues to be distressing and heartbreaking. We joined the ranks of those wanting to do something but not knowing exactly what to do. So, we decided a paper sunflower tutorial was in order to pay homage to their beloved flower. Hopefully it can bring sunshine to those who are affected. We are with you!

9. Papier mache vase

We were inspired by the work of Corrie Beth Hogg, a former Lars contributor, on this one. She can take cardboard boxes and turn them into something magical. We made our papier mache vase inspired by our new studio kitchen, which we haven’t yet revealed. Stay tuned for that VERY soon!

8. Are you scared of color?

This year I talked a lot about people are afraid to use color even though it’s so needed for the soul. I wrote this essay called “Are you scared of color?” and you guys responded to it so hard! Stay tuned for more on this topic!

7. Paper heart wreath

We made a lot of wreaths in 2022 and our paper heart wreath was one of the top ones! I love it too! You can find the tutorial here.

6. How to celebrate your 40th birthday

This year I turned 40 (still can’t believe it other than my body feels like it’s falling apart) and I know I’m now alone in wanting to do something epic for the big event. In fact, you guys gave some super awesome ideas and I compiled them into one list called “how to celebrate your 40th birthday“. I ended up getting to go to France with my dearest friends and I’ll be sharing more about it

5. Palm leaf wreath

Our palm leaf tutorial is one of our most successful posts of all time so we thought we’d show you how to turn the leaves into a project, hence the palm leaf wreath. I love it so much! It’s sitting on our wreath wall in our shipping room and brings so much happiness.

4. Paper orchid

We’ve been doing paper flowers on Lars since the beginning yet we haven’t even scratched the surface with the variety of paper flowers we’re hoping to tackle. I don’t know about you but orchids are one of the toughest flowers to keep alive so a paper orchid is much more my style. Here’s how to make a paper orchid!

3. A shift here at Lars

With all the talk of color, or lack thereof, I was feeling the itch to really start addressing the issues. We have slowly been incorporating it into our posts, but 2023 will be the start of even more. Read more about our shift here at Lars here.

2. How to thread your sewing machine

If it’s not an essay bearing my soul like the previous post, it’s a super practical post on “How to thread your sewing machine” because really, it always comes down to the basics, huh?!

Three ways to fold love letters

And finally our number one post of 2022, how to fold love letters! This is what I mean when I say that I can never anticipate what your favorite projects will be! Ha! We’ve got three different techniques on how to fold a love letter on this post.

Ok! There they are. Our top 10 projects and essays. On one hand, I totally get it. On the other hand, who even knows?! I will add in that these posts had more time to simmer versus our more recent projects so maybe time will prove otherwise!

Let me know what your favorite project was from 2022 in the comments!

Christmas Decor Ideas

Brittany

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December 13, 2021

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Christmas Advent Calendars

To start off our list of favorite Christmas decor ideas, we had to include advent calendars! I love advent calendars, which is probably why we have so many to choose from at The House that Lars Built. Seriously, take your pick: we have such a wide variety that I’m sure one will suit your fancy! The thing I love about advent calendars is that they serve multiple purposes: A gorgeous and seasonal decoration to brighten your spirits, and a built-in count-down to Christmas! Oh, and the bonus of an occasional treat box.

Here’s a list of some of our favorite advents we’ve made over the years:

Garlands

Another tried and true Christmas decor idea we love is the garland! Besides sharing a name with the one and only Judy Garland, these sweet Christmas decorations are way to bring instant cheer and warmth to this cold season. We have a wide variety of garlands we’ve made over the years, ranging from paper to real fruit. One thing we love about garlands is that they’re so versatile! You can drape them in front of the mantle, use them to create a table centerpiece, hang them on the bannister, or drape them on the Christmas tree, just to name a few options.

Here are our favorite seasonal Christmas garlands:

Cranberry Garland
Christmas Bulb Advent Calendar. The bonus is that this one doubles as an advent calendar!
Oversized Holly and Berry Garland
Wood Bead Garland
Head to Toe Swedish Christmas with Cricut

Wreaths

We couldn’t leave wreaths out of this list of Christmas decor ideas. Wreaths are such a classic Christmas decoration and we have plenty for you to choose from! We’re especially excited about our new Paper Poinsettia Wreath, which we just revealed last week.

Here’s the list of some of our wreath favorites:

Ornaments and Tree Decorations

Here at The House that Lars Built, we love ornaments! Really, though, you could consider it an obsession. But can you blame us?! Besides being such a classic Christmas decor element, Christmas Ornaments are such a fun decoration and an easy way to make your home feel cozy, festive, and seasonal! It’s hard to pick my favorite, honestly. There are so many lovely options to choose from on this list, you can’t go wrong!

Here are some of our favorite Christmas tree ornaments:

If you’re not feeling in the mood to get crafting and want a quick option to decorate your tree as Christmas gets closer, we’re here for you. As always, we have some beautiful new ornaments this year in the shop! Click here to see the options.

Cake and Table Toppers

Okay, now if you’re like me and you like to have a cozy gathering or two during the holiday season, then these cake and table toppers are must-haves! There’s just something about decorating your food to look festive that makes eating it so much more appropriate for the holidays.

Here are our go-to cake and table toppers:

And if you’re feeling in the mood for a little seasonal piñata to add to your party, we have just the thing for you:

Peppermint Pig Piñata

Other Decorations

We’ve also compiled these other whimsical, fun and festive Christmas decor ideas for you to peruse. They cover a wide range of options, and we’re sure there’s something for you here!

What did you think? We’re excited to see which Christmas decor ideas you decided to go with!

More Inspiration

If you had fun looking through our Christmas decor ideas, you’ll probably love our 2021 gift guides! Christmas Decorations Gift Guide, Best Gifts for Crafters, Christmas Gifts for Women, Christmas Gifts for Men, and Christmas Gifts for Kids.

Paper Poinsettia Wreath

Brittany

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December 3, 2021

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Paper Poinsettia Wreath

If you’ve been following our tutorials for a while, you might notice that the flowers on this poinsettia wreath look familiar. Right you are! We originally released a tutorial back in 2017, showing you how to make some paper poinsettia flowers, but then we got thinking: what if we turned those flowers into a wreath?! And the paper poinsettia wreath was born.

A winter floral wreath is a breath of fresh air from all the pine-centric wreaths, if you ask me. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good pine bough wreath, but I’m always looking for a way to sneak some flowers in. Can you blame me? The poinsettias are such a perfect way to make a wreath that feels seasonal and festive, but that’s fun, colorful, and whimsical at the same time.

Don’t Have a Wreath Form?

Don’t worry! If you’re looking for wreath form alternatives you can simply buy heavy gauge wire (see the link to it in the materials list above) and coil it into a few circles, securing with floral tape or something similar. This makes a DIY wreath form that’s sturdy enough to last in any size you like.

Paper Poinsettia Wreath Instructions

Here’s how to make your very own paper poinsettia wreath!

Prepping the flowers

Using our Paper Poinsettia Flowers tutorial, assemble your flowers. You will need roughly ten large flowers. Note: when we made our poinsettia wreath flowers, we left out the leaves that are included in the original tutorial.
Next, make five or six smaller flowers, using the same steps above. The difference is that you’ll only use the two small petals in the template, not the two large ones.

Assembling the wreath

Once all your poinsettias are made, you’re ready to assemble your wreath!

Resting the stem of the poinsettia against the wreath form so the flower faces towards the front, wrap the extra wire stem around it. Then secure in place with some hot glue.
Continue this process all the way around the wreath until it’s full. Alternate with the small and large poinsettias so you have some size variation. Depending on the size of your wreath form and how bushy you want your wreath, you may need more or less flowers than we used for ours.

You’re all done!

How to style your paper poinsettia wreath

This beautiful paper poinsettia wreath can be styled in so many ways! You can put it on your front door, but you can also hang it on any other door in your house. You can also hang it on your wall in the living room, kitchen, or any other room, really. Wreaths are really versatile, so if you don’t have very many indoor plants, this can be such a great addition, especially if you have a blank stretch of wall that needs a little love.

The best thing is you don’t have to water them and they’ll last a long time! If you’re like me and you’re constantly forgetting about your houseplants, paper flowers are the perfect solution. And if you’ve ever dealt with the needles dropping off of a pine bough wreath, you’ll love this paper poinsettia wreath.

We would love to see what you do with your paper poinsettia wreaths!

More inspiration

If you loved this tutorial on how to make a paper poinsettia wreath, you’ll probably love these other paper flower and seasonal decorations tutorials, too: DIY paper hollyhocks, paper pansies, poppies and peonies and posies, crepe paper Christmas tree topper, paper mushroom wreath, and pink paper blossom wreath.