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    7 Fascinator hat ideas

    Brittany
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    0
    7 Fascinator hat ideas

    How to make a fascinator hat

    It’s my personal belief that you should need a fascinator at some point in your life even if you are not on the invite list of the royal coronation. We make our own invite-list here! Fascinators are great for bringing the spice to a wedding, Royal Ascot, Kentucky Derby watch party, Easter tradition, and who even knows what else!

    If you’re new around here, do you remember this? It’s one of my favorite life moments! My husband and I went to the royal wedding of Kate and William in London in 2011. I wore a paper rose fascinator hat–people loved it apparently!

    We have made several different types of fascinators over the years and my favorites are those that take simple materials and make them extraordinary–that’s the power of paper!

    Materials:

    • Cardstock paper in the colors of your choice
    • Scissors
    • Glue gun
    • Headband
    • Feathers
    • Ribbon or other decorative embellishments

    Step 1: Choose your paper colors

    Before you begin crafting your fascinator, you’ll want to choose your paper colors. Consider the occasion you’ll be wearing your hat for and choose colors that complement your outfit. For example, if you’re attending a wedding, you might choose soft pastel colors or metallic shades. If you’re attending the Kentucky Derby, you might choose bold, bright colors or classic black and white.

    Step 2: Cut out your paper shapes

    Once you’ve chosen your paper colors, it’s time to start cutting out your shapes. You’ll want to create a base for your fascinator by cutting out a large circle or oval shape from your cardstock paper. This will be the foundation of your hat.

    Next, cut out smaller shapes in different colors and sizes to layer on top of your base. These can be flowers, leaves, or any other decorative shapes you like. You can experiment with different shapes and sizes to create a unique and eye-catching design.

    Step 3: Glue your paper shapes together

    Using a glue gun, start layering your paper shapes onto your base. Begin with your larger shapes and work your way towards the smaller ones. Make sure to glue each layer securely to the one beneath it.

    Step 4: Attach your fascinator to a headband

    Once your paper shapes are securely glued together, it’s time to attach your fascinator to a headband. Use your glue gun to attach the base of your fascinator to the headband. Make sure to hold the fascinator in place until the glue has dried and the hat is securely attached to the headband.

    Step 5: Add feathers and other decorative embellishments

    To add some extra flair to your fascinator, consider adding feathers or other decorative embellishments. You can use your glue gun to attach feathers to the back of your hat, or use ribbon or other embellishments to add some extra sparkle and shine.

    And there you have it! Your very own DIY paper fascinator hat, perfect for any special occasion. Not only is this hat easy to make, but it’s also customizable and can be made to match any outfit or theme. So why not give it a try and create your own unique and stylish fascinator hat today?

    7 Paper fascinator ideas

    This paper fan fascinator is a CINCH to make and so impactful! I love how it turned out!

    Three DIY Paper Fascinators

    Paper Plate fascinator

    Can you believe this fascinator is made from a paper plate?! It’s so so good! Learn how to make it here.

    Three DIY Paper Fascinators

    Remember Princess Beatrice’s from Harry and Meghan’s wedding? Iconic. Here’s our version in paper!

    Three DIY Paper Fascinators

    Here’s the paper rose flower hat I wore at the royal wedding. You can learn how I made it here!

    Using paper to make a fascinator

    Of course, we love to get creative over here. I love how these strips of paper turned into a beautiful head topper. You can see the instructions over here.

    Paper Flower Fascinator hat

    You can never go wrong with flowers! Bunch a few of them up for a floral display.

    Custom hat with paper ribbon

    For this one, we customized the hat base with fabric and then topped it with a paper ribbon. Keeps it sturdy! Here’s how to make it!3 DIY Derby Hat ideas

    Fascinators to buy

    If you don’t want to DIY one, I rounded up some favorites here. They range in price points so there’s something for everyone.

    And there you have it! Your very own DIY paper fascinator hat, perfect for any special occasion. Not only is this hat easy to make, but it’s also customizable and can be made to match any outfit or theme. So why not give it a try and create your own unique and stylish fascinator hat today?

     

    Let me know how you’re celebrating with your fascinator. Would love to see it!

    Ways to Repurpose Scarves

    Brittany
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    0
    Ways to Repurpose Scarves

    Repurpose Your Scarves Three Ways

    Today we’ll be showing you three ways to repurpose your old scarves: throw pillow, scrunchie, and headband. First up? a throw pillow. 

    Throw Pillow

    Making a throw pillow just made sense, since the dimensions of many scarves are about the same as the dimensions needed to make a pillowcase for a 20” throw pillow. The scarves we started with were roughly 18” square. That was perfect for a 20” throw pillow since generally you want your pillowcase to be a few inches smaller than the dimensions of your pillow insert for maximum fullness. 

    How to Make a Throw Pillow From Scarves

    1. First, take two scarves and line them up, right sides together.
    2. Now, sew all the way around the perimeter of your square with a ¼” seam allowance. Leave a gap that’s almost the length of one side of your square so you can flip it right side out after. Make sure to backstitch at the beginning and end.
    3. Next, iron the opening down along the seam allowance. This will make sewing it together easier later.
    4. Now flip your pillowcase right side out and stuff your insert inside.
    5. Last, pin the opening and sew it closed using your sewing machine. For this, it helps to stuff the pillow down so you have a little room to work with as you sew.
    6. All that’s left is to adjust the insert and make sure it’s evenly distributed inside the pillowcase. Done!

    Scrunchie

    Next we’re making a scrunchie. This is such a simple little project that doubles as the perfect accessory! Here’s what to do:

    How to Make a Scrunchie From Scarves

    1. Cut a piece of fabric that’s 4” x 30”. Also cut a piece of elastic that fits loosely on your wrist, plus a few inches. Ours was around 8”.
    2. Next, finish the 4” ends with a zig zag. Then fold and iron both ends over about ¼”, wrong sides together.
    3. Now fold the fabric together lengthwise, pin and sew along the raw edge.
    4. After it’s sewn, flip it right side out with a safety pin. 
    5. Then feed the elastic through, again with a safety pin. 
    6. Once the elastic is in, tie the elastic ends together in a knot.
    7. Now layer one end of the fabric over the other and sew down the width to secure in place.
    8. Done!

    Headband

    Last but not least, here’s a simple headband tutorial! It’s so simple, but looks lovely when finished. Like the scrunchie, it’s a great accessory, especially if you’re in need of a little pop of color. The great thing about this headband is that it’s almost the same as the scrunchie with a few variations. Here’s how to make your own:

    How to Make a Headband From Scarves

    1. First, pick a headband to use as your understructure. Then cut a piece of fabric that’s 4x the headband width and roughly 55” (give or take a little depending on how full you want it).
    2. Next, follow scrunchie steps 2-4.
    3. Once your fabric casing is flipped right side out, you can feed the headband through one end.
    4. Secure that end with hot glue, then feed the headband all the way through the casing so it’s scrunched up evenly. Make sure the seam is on the bottom of the headband so it doesn’t show when you’re wearing it.
    5. Now, just secure the other end with a dab of hot glue and you’re done!

    More Inspiration

    Loved this post on ways to repurpose scarves? If you’re looking for more sewing hacks, try our Sewing Basics series! You might also love this tote to drawstring backpack hack. Also, see some of our recent blog projects like this DIY Fanny Pack, DIY Pencil Case, or Casetify Inspired Fabric Projects. 

    Kid-Friendly Craft Roundup

    Brittany
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    0
    Kid-Friendly Craft Roundup

    I love summer, but sometimes it can be hard to find activities you can do with your kids when all they have is unscheduled time! I’m always in Mom mode, but when I specifically want to make a craft with Jasper, I’m looking for projects where he’ll actually be engaged and it won’t be so complicated it stresses me out. That’s why I have compiled a list of some of our best kid-friendly crafts here at Lars. 

    For the Youngest Crafters

    When I’m looking to craft with younger kids, I want to find activities where they feel like they’re doing it all on their own. That means prepping as much as I can beforehand so their little fingers can grab whatever they want without having to say “don’t touch that!” or “wait a sec!” because getting messy is part of the fun.

    Our DIY Mattise Felt Board is great for the kids that are too little to cut or paint; it’s completely interactive and looks amazing hanging up on the wall. Win-win!

    Matisse Felt Board

    We also have this Josef Albers version of our felt board, so no matter your style you and your kiddos can design beautiful, colorful felt wall hangings.

    Jasper playing with an Albers-inspired felt board in a colorful room

    Looking for something a little more kid friendly where they can get their hands dirty? Why not try our DIY Block Printing using a potato. All you need is a few paint supplies and a couple of cut potatoes to create colorful, abstract art. In our tutorial, we use our stamp on fabric, but you could easily substitute that out with any paper you have at your disposal. If paint isn’t for you, then our clay necklace might be up your street. Using a polymer clay that can be baked, kids roll different sized balls that will later be strung on some embroidery floss. This could even work for keychains or figurines, so there is no limit to what your kids can make!

    Using potatoes and paint to stamp fabric.Brittany is wearing a white blouse and a rainbow colored clay necklace. She's standing against a green wall.

    Playing Dress Up

    Halloween only comes once a year, but imaginative dress-up games are fun year-round. Having a costume box can allow children to act out any fantasy that pops into their heads! One of our favorite kid-friendly crafts are these Printable Animal Masks. Choose from our panda, elephant or giraffe template (for free here) to pretend you’re on a trip to the zoo. Not into animals? These Pipe Cleaner Crowns are sure to wow even the noblest of royalty. All you need are some pipe cleaners, gems, and pom poms; with an adult’s help, kids can choose colors, accessories, and any design they’d like to twist their crowns into. This would be a great addition to any dress-up box or for when your kids have watched Frozen for the 89th time and believe they’re Princess Elsa. 

    Little boy wears giraffe mask.

    For Older Crafters

    Friendship bracelets are one of my favorite memories of summer camp. I’ve been seeing a lot of these showing up on my Instagram feed lately (including the “Can you start this for me” meme). Although they take a little more patience,  the payoff is totally worth it! To help you along, we have a step-by-step Youtube video to help. Since you only need embroidery floss, these kid-friendly craft bracelets are completely customizable; for more advanced crafters, string beads or add a key ring to make a funky keychain. 

    Friendship bracelets with hearts.

    These hair clips are not only cute but also useful. Made from clay and attached to alligator clips, this is a perfect craft for birthday parties where an activity ends up being part of the goody bag. Kids can combine different colors and shapes for their own unique clip. Hot tip: just don’t forget to roll out the clay the same length as your clips!

    Woman with brown hair models hair clips.

    This next craft may be a little more advanced, but by breaking down the steps, you and your kids will be able to divide and conquer our Lunch Sack Honeycomb Fans! Whether it’s decorating for a party or creating a colorful bedroom installation, these look much more complicated than they are. 

    Vibrant multi-color fans hang from ceiling.

    Using white paper lunch sacks, draw any basic petal shape that you can have your kids trace and cut. If they’re old enough, you can also have them assemble these fans using a glue gun. To get the vibrant color, spray paint outside and enjoy!

    Fun for the Family 

    One of my favorite crafts Lars has done is our Heirloom Ornaments with its corresponding e-book. In this kid-friendly craft, you will be guided on how to transfer family images onto fabric and straight to your tree for the holidays. Think of all the fun you’ll have looking through old photos and reminiscing about memories the whole family has shared—or maybe some before you had kids. Remember that? This will be your literal family tree you’ll get to enjoy year after year!

    A plush embroidered doll on a blue background surrounded with colorful toys.Family Photo Heirloom Ornament

    For more kid-friendly crafts, check out our 78 creative activities to do at home and our art course for children where they can learn to draw flowers! Don’t forget to share your creations with us at #LarsMakes. Happy crafting!

    Holiday hair do Part 2: Chignon braid bun

    Brittany
    -
    6
    Holiday hair do Part 2: Chignon braid bun
    As you prepare for some holiday celebrations, I thought some beautiful braided tutorials would be nice so here’s part 2 of 2 of the holiday hair do series (see part 1 here). This chignon braid bun is what Jessie created at the BHLDN shoot from earlier this year and I LOVE how it turned out. I think it’s just the right amount of formality and fun. See below for the full tutorial.

    tutorial photography by Trisha Zemp
    Photography by Jessica Peterson 
    Hair by Jessie McArthur
    Styling by Brittany Jepsen



    MIDDLE PARTED CHIGNON BRAID BUN: 

    1. Part the hair down the middle and connect to the backs of the ears
    2. French braid the hair from the part the end each side and use elastic to secure
    3. Pull the rest of the hair on the back of the head into a ponytail and secure with elastic
    4. Loosen the ponytail
    5. Flip the hair through to make a “topsy tail”
    6. Back comb the ponytail and then roll it up to the head making a chignon bun
    7. Bobby pin the bun in place
    8.Take the two side braids and place them over the top of the bun and secure in place with bobby pins

    Holiday Hair Do Part 1: Frozen braid

    Brittany
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    3
    Holiday Hair Do Part 1: Frozen braid
    Frozen-inspired braid tutorial
    Remember the collaboration I did with BHLDN a few months back? The balloon arch? Ring a bell? Well, Jessie McArthur who did the hair on our lovely ladies, provided the tutorials on how to re-create the hair. I thought it would be perfect for the upcoming holidays. A few months back I showed how to do the crown braid, and today I’m showing the Frozen-inspired braid that our model Anna wore (her name was ANNA for real!). 
    Frozen-inspired braid tutorial

    Photography by Trisha Zemp 
    Above photo by Jessica Peterson
    Hair by Jessie McArthur
    Art directed and styled by Brittany Jepsen

    Frozen-inspired braid tutorial

    “FROZEN” BRAID
    1. Part the hair on the side
    2. Begin the braid adding in hair only from the top of head (one sided braid)
    3. Bring the hair across the back of the head keeping it close to the face
    4. Finish the braid tight to the end of the hair and tie off with hair elastic
    5. Slide the elastic down to end of hair
    6. Loosen the braid by pulling the individual pieces to create a fuller look
    7. Bobby pin the braid in place to keep it secure

    Voila! 

    Crown braid tutorial

    Brittany
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    3
    Crown braid tutorial
    We’re gearing up for our big Midsummer party on Saturday and we have SO much to do. There will be lots of handmade elements sprinkled throughout the garden so we’re getting our craft on big time! It’s turned into more of an effort than my wedding!
    Some of you have expressed interested in learning the braided hair styles that we did for the Flamingo Pop shoot with BHLDN and I thought Midsummer was the perfect time to try them out. Jessie M, who created the styles, graciously provided the tutorials so you can recreate them yourself. Midsummer or not, they are perfect for getting the hair out of your way and looking adorable at the same time.
    Click below for full crown braid tutorial!
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    Crown twist tutorial

    Brittany
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    3
    Crown twist tutorial

    I know you’ve been sitting on the edge of your seats until I released the very deep dark secret on my now daily crown twist and now the day has finally arrived. Hallelujah chorus. Ok, so the real story is this: I had really short hair just a couple of years ago. We’re talking pixie. It was about the time that crown braids nearly exploded on the Internet. AND I was living in Scandinavia, which seems like it would be the most natural place in the world to do a crown braid. Needless to say, I was heartbroken that I couldn’t join in on the trend. I’ve been patiently awaiting the day that I could finally follow suit but in the mean time I needed to get my hair up in some sort of crown contraption. Last year, I figured out this little method which somewhat mimicked it. It first started with twists along both sides of the head and ended with a bun in the back. Now it’s become a full crown twist. Baby steps.

    I suppose my crown twist has become a bit of a trademark (read: I do it every day) and some people have been asking how to do it themselves, thinking it must be fancy and long-winded. GUYS. The secret is that it’s a lazy man’s crown braid! It takes less than one minute! I promise! I don’t spend time on my hair at all and rest assured, if I ever show something that I actually make on the blog, it’s probably not a time suck. I just can’t handle spending time on most things.

    SO, I present to you, the 1 minute crown twist that will change your life. Drumroll please…

    And for those of you who don’t want to watch a minute long video, try these steps below.
    Click below for full tutorial!
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