The new Merry Kitschmas collection is one of four holiday decor collections launching October 23, 2026, in stores and online, according to Michaels’ announcement. It brings together pink trees, crochet accessories and novelty ornaments. Apparently, subtle Christmas is somebody else’s assignment.

Merry Kitschmas is the colorful one

If your favorite ornaments have absolutely nothing in common except that you love them, this is the collection I’d start with. There’s room for the sentimental stuff and the ridiculous stuff on the same tree.

In Michaels’ collection photo, the colorful room has a pink house, little trees and bright ornaments piled into the scene. The fun is in the mix. You could borrow that idea for one shelf without committing your entire living room to a Christmas makeover.

Which Michaels Christmas collection fits your decorations?

• Merry Kitschmas: Pink trees, crochet and novelty ornaments. Start here if you want color and playful details.
• Bough & Berry: Red, white, greenery and plaid. This is the easiest match for a traditional Christmas box.
• Wrapped in Joy: Muted earth tones, wood, velvet and woven textures. Look here for a softer palette.
• Twilight Tidings: Jewel tones, metallics and mirrored ornaments. This is where I’d look for sparkle against a dark wall or deep green tree.

What does the $4.99 starting price cover?

Michaels says pieces across the holiday assortment start at $4.99. That’s an assortment starting price, not a quoted price for a pink Christmas tree. The announcement doesn’t give individual tree prices or sizes, so check the specific listing before planning around one.

The announced shopping date is October 23. Use the collection links above to browse, then select your store for pickup availability or check delivery for your address.

My first move would be to pull out the decorations I already own and pick one spot that needs something fun. A shelf. The entry table. That awkward corner that somehow becomes a storage area every December. Then shop for that spot before accidentally buying enough ornaments for a second tree.

For more seasonal finds, visit our Holiday Headquarters. I’ll be over here looking at the pink things.

There is no sprawling front lawn involved here. There is a very blue alien in a red chair.

The Home Depot gifted me the Stitch decoration and LED pumpkins for this project. The photos are mine.

A little balcony can still have a whole Halloween personality

The idea I pitched to Home Depot was simple: how cute can we make a tiny city balcony for Halloween? I wanted to show an actual apartment-sized space, because plenty of us love holiday decorating without having a yard that can accommodate an entire skeleton family.

In the finished setup, the orange pumpkins and black cat shapes give the railing its Halloween outline. The red chairs are still part of the scene, and Stitch gets his own ridiculous little moment beside the wall.

What I like about the view from below is that you can pick out the pumpkin faces and cat silhouettes before you can see all the smaller details. Up close, it is all about Stitch’s giant grin, mummy wraps and tiny candy bucket. The two views tell different parts of the story.

Stitch has apparently claimed a chair

If you saw my Stitch unboxing and porch-goose costume plans, this is what happened next. He is assembled, dressed as a mummy and surrounded by the colorful light string that makes him look like he has already started thinking about Christmas.

The Home Depot sent its 3 FT Animated LED Stitch for the project. His interchangeable Halloween and holiday costumes were part of the appeal for a small space: the same character can get a different outfit when the season changes.

I have already discussed my plans to treat him like a porch goose. Seeing him sitting there with his little pumpkin bucket has done absolutely nothing to discourage me.

The pumpkins make the Halloween part read from a distance

The other pieces Home Depot supplied were its Home Accents Holiday 10-inch plug-in LED Happy Jack-O-Lanterns. The orange pumpkins give the display that classic Halloween color, with the black railing and cat shapes around them.

This is the part of a small-space display I would think about first: what can you actually see from the angle where people will view it? A little face or shape can disappear behind a railing. The wider photos help show how much of the scene is visible from below, while the close-up gives Stitch his full main-character treatment.

These pieces are rated for indoor use

Home Depot labels both this Stitch and these LED pumpkins for indoor use only. My balcony photos do not change that rating. A covered porch does not make an indoor decoration outdoor-rated, so use these exact pieces indoors and choose outdoor-rated decorations for an exposed balcony.

Stitch does look quite comfortable in my chair.

Remento’s new photo ornament gives that commentary somewhere to live. Your picture goes on the front; a QR code on the back opens recorded memories on a phone. It costs $29.99, with no subscription required.

The detail that makes this interesting: you can invite several people to tell their side of the same moment. The wedding picture does not have to come with only the newlyweds’ version of events.

The voices play on your phone, not inside the ornament

Remento launched the ornament October 22. It is a 2.87-inch ceramic decoration with a red ribbon, not a tiny speaker. There are no batteries in it.

For the photo-based version, upload your picture and preview it before ordering. You can then record audio or video and invite others to contribute. Buyers and contributors create free accounts, but listeners need neither an app nor a login.

You can add recordings after the gift arrives, too. That makes it easier to give without first turning the family group chat into a deadline-management project.

The four-pack uses the same picture

One ornament is $29.99 plus $5.99 shipping per order: $35.98 before tax.

The current buy-three-get-one-free bundle is $89.97 plus shipping. All four ornaments use one photo, so this works for sharing a family memory across households. It is not a mix-and-match deal for four different pictures.

Before choosing the bundle, ask whether everyone would actually want the same photo. Four copies of a reunion picture make sense; four separate milestones need a different plan.

Check the recording version and privacy details

Existing Remento customers can also make an ornament from a story already in their account. That version plays one existing story and cannot collect additional recordings. Choose the photo-based option if inviting more voices is the point.

Anyone with the QR code or listening link can hear the recordings. Keep that in mind before adding something deeply personal. Remento lets you download copies, which is a sensible extra step for memories you would hate to lose.

Leave time for the personalized part

Remento currently ships only within the United States. Its page lists 6–9 business days and also advises allowing two weeks; Alaska, Hawaii and offshore destinations may take longer.

The company’s Christmas cutoff is December 14, 2026, for delivery by December 24. Confirm the estimate for your destination before ordering. Made-to-order ornaments are not ordinarily returnable or refundable; Remento says damaged arrivals qualify for a free replacement.

You can create an ornament at Remento or browse our other Christmas finds. Start with a picture people already have something to say about. The recording should be the easy part.

Lowe’s has a Holiday Engine kids workshop coming on Saturday, November 14, 2026, and its registration calendar lists October 10 as the signup opening date. That is today, so this is the part to check now even though the building happens next month.

What are the kids making?

The project is a wooden Holiday Engine with a festive train look. Lowe’s official photo shows a little decorated locomotive, complete with wheels and a purple roof. Basically, a holiday craft that gets to look like a train instead of another paper snowflake.

The event page lists a 10 a.m. workshop start. Choose your store in the registration flow to check its available appointment times before planning the outing.

How to sign up for the free workshop

Lowe’s lists monthly in-store kids workshops among its free MyLowe’s Rewards Kids Club benefits. A parent or guardian needs a MyLowe’s Rewards account and a Kids Profile for the child. Lowe’s says you can create that profile while registering.

1. Open the Holiday Engine registration page.
2. Select your participating store and check for an available time.
3. Sign in and complete the child’s registration, creating a Kids Profile if needed.
4. Keep your confirmation and check its arrival instructions.

The date on the calendar is the start of registration, rather than a promise that every store has an open spot. If your location is not showing availability yet, check the event page again instead of showing up without a reservation.

Put both dates on your calendar

There are two dates to remember: October 10 for signup and November 14 for the workshop. Mixing those up would be an extremely annoying way to miss a tiny train.

If your kid is already in holiday mode, this is a nice little plan to look into. The train does not build itself, which is rather the point.

It is: Can I make him outfits?

Home Depot’s 3 FT Animated LED Stitch is at my house right now, and somewhere between opening the enormous box, briefly staring at his completely detached head, and getting him put together, I realized what he actually is.

He is a Disney porch goose.

And now I want Thanksgiving Stitch. Barista Stitch. Emotional-support-goblin Stitch. This may have gotten out of hand before he was even fully assembled.

I did lose the magic for a second when Stitch’s head was just… sitting there

I need you to understand that opening this box is extremely funny.

Stitch does not arrive standing there looking adorable and waiting for his new life. You open the box and there are blue body parts packed into cardboard compartments, and then there is his giant head just hanging out separately like this is completely normal.

For a brief moment, the Disney magic was gone.

There is something about seeing Stitch’s enormous smiling head disconnected from the rest of Stitch that really forces you to confront the mechanics behind seasonal joy.

But the good news is that the actual assembly is much easier than the box makes it look. Home Depot estimates about 30 minutes for one-person assembly, and the pieces are designed to connect into the body rather than requiring some giant complicated construction project.

He already comes with Halloween and Christmas outfits

This is the part that sent me directly into porch-goose territory.

Home Depot says Stitch includes interchangeable Halloween and holiday costumes, and the instruction sheet literally shows separate setups for Stitch with Christmas Accessories and Stitch with Halloween Accessories.

So the manufacturer has already established the precedent: we dress Stitch for holidays now.

I am simply asking why we should stop at two.

Obviously I need to make him a tiny pilgrim outfit

Thanksgiving is the immediate problem.

I’m picturing a black felt pilgrim hat with a ridiculous little buckle, a white collar, and maybe a simple black cape-style piece that can sit over his body without interfering with the parts that move.

I do not think this needs to become a full historically accurate sewing project. Porch-goose rules apply here. The silhouette just has to read from across the room.

Then we move on.

• Tiny barista Stitch: little apron, maybe a tiny cup in his hand.
• Emotional-support goblin Stitch: honestly, he may already have the correct energy for this without accessories.
• Cowboy Stitch: tiny hat, bandana, done.
• Broncos Stitch: this feels inevitable in Colorado.
• Valentine Stitch: hearts everywhere. Zero restraint.
• Easter Stitch: bunny ears on top of Stitch ears would be objectively absurd.

At this point I’m less interested in “seasonal decor” and more interested in maintaining a wardrobe for a three-foot alien.

He moves, talks and lights up, too

This is not just a big static Stitch figure.

Home Depot lists him as a three-foot animated LED decoration with servo-powered head movement, five prerecorded Stitch phrases and interchangeable seasonal costumes. The retailer’s current product description also notes motion activation and a multicolor RGB LED light string.

As of October 10, Home Depot lists model 26SV25419 for $199. Price and local availability can change, so check the current listing before making a special trip.

One important detail: Home Depot lists this Stitch for indoor use. Mine is on my porch right now because apparently I have committed to the bit, but this is not me telling you he is a weatherproof outdoor animatronic. If you want yours on a porch, pay attention to the manufacturer’s indoor-use restriction and your setup.

The fact that I can keep changing him is what sold me on the whole idea

I love holiday decorations, but I especially love things that can become a running joke in the house instead of getting packed away after three weeks.

Stitch already has Halloween and Christmas covered. If I can figure out a tiny pilgrim hat, I have Thanksgiving. Then there is no reason he cannot become a barista in January or an emotional-support goblin whenever the situation calls for one.

Honestly, this might be the closest Disney has ever come to giving me a porch goose.

And now I fear I am going to have to make him a closet.

Check the current Home Depot listing for the 3 FT Animated LED Stitch here.

More Halloween: See the new Halloween decor we’re watching for 2026.

More oversized Home Depot nonsense I love: Home Depot also has a 6.5-foot app-controlled Santa for Christmas.

What you need

• Brown nail polish
• Yellow-green polish (or yellow or gold)
• White polish
• Black polish
• Orange polish
• A dotting tool, sewing-pin head or toothpick
• A small striping brush
• Clear top coat

How to paint owl nails

The step-by-step images below are AI-generated illustrations based on our original owl nail design. The original photo tutorial is included below.

1. Start with a brown nail. Paint the nail brown and let the base dry.

   

2. Make two big eye circles. Dot two yellow-green circles right next to each other. Yellow or gold polish works, too. Let them dry before adding the next layer.

   

3. Add the feather details. Use a thin brush and white polish to add tiny feather marks around the face and two little eyebrows.

   

4. Build the eyes. Add a smaller white circle inside each yellow-green one. Once those are dry, add a tiny black pupil to each eye.

   

5. Add the beak. Paint a small orange triangle just below and between the eyes.

   

6. Seal it. Let all the details dry, then gently finish with clear top coat.

   

Make them feel more like fall

Pair one owl accent nail with cream, rust, deep beet red or olive green. You keep the original little owl face without needing to hand-paint ten of them.

For more fall-tastic nails, check out these 60 Thanksgiving nail art ideas and our football nails.

These 25 ideas turn those favorites into little Christmas scenes. Use whichever ones your child likes; the elf does not care who the toys belong to.

Keep the setup simple

Start with doll accessories, clean socks, scrap paper, crayons and short pieces of ribbon. For a pretend salon, use paper props rather than real makeup or nail polish. The scene should be fun to find and easy to put away.

The official Elf site has an arrival-ideas collection that includes a mermaid scene and a hidden-message craft. The ideas below give you more ways to build a doll-and-craft theme without buying an entire prop collection.

25 doll, craft and dress-up elf ideas

1. A doll sleepover

Make beds from clean socks or folded washcloths. Sit your elf beside the dolls, with a paper pillow for each guest.

2. A pretend nail salon

Draw nail polish bottles on paper and set them beside your elf. Skip painting the actual doll or leaving open cosmetics.

3. A ribbon skirt

Tie a short scrap of ribbon loosely around the elf’s waist. Keep it easy to remove so the outfit is ready for the next scene.

4. A mermaid lagoon

Line an empty bowl with blue tissue paper and sit your elf above the pretend water. Add toy fish if you have them.

5. A bracelet boutique

Arrange a couple of bracelets on a small tray. Let the elf be the shopkeeper, with dolls lined up as customers.

6. A bow collection gone wild

Put a few hair bows around your elf on a table. One enormous bow is often enough to make the joke.

7. A doll tea party

Set out toy cups for the elf and dolls. Use paper treats instead of actual drinks that might spill.

8. A paper crown fitting

Cut a crown from scrap paper and fit it around the elf’s hat. Put the scissors away afterward.

9. A tiny fashion show

Lay out a few doll outfits and make a paper runway. Seat your elf at one end as the very serious judge.

10. A sticker masterpiece

Stick a few stickers to a sheet of paper and prop it beside the elf. Keep the stickers on the paper instead of the furniture.

11. A book-club meeting

Open a picture book with a favorite character and gather dolls around it. Your elf can sit in the middle as the reader.

12. A paper snowflake studio

Leave a finished snowflake and folded paper beside your elf. This can become a craft to do together in the morning.

13. A hairbrush microphone

Stand a toy hairbrush beside the elf like a microphone. Give the dolls front-row seats for the concert.

14. A toy-camera photo booth

Make a backdrop from wrapping-paper scraps and put a toy camera nearby. Use props you already have rather than buying a kit.

15. A washcloth spa day

Wrap your elf in a dry washcloth and set them in an empty bowl. A folded scrap of paper makes a tiny magazine.

16. A dance party

Put your elf and dolls in a circle beside a speaker that is switched off. Leave a note naming a song to play in the morning.

17. A craft-basket expedition

Sit the elf beside yarn, paper and a finished drawing. Keep needles, glue and sharp tools put away.

18. A dollhouse visit

Place your elf beside the dollhouse door or at the toy dining table. No dollhouse? Build a room from an open cardboard box.

19. A dress-up accessory swap

Give the elf a doll scarf or hat that fits loosely. Let a doll borrow a paper elf hat in return.

20. A friendship-card delivery

Fold a small card and draw a heart inside. Your elf can leave it beside a toy friend.

21. A soft-toy picnic

Spread a small cloth on the floor and add toy plates. Invite the stuffed animals along; no food required.

22. A drawing challenge

Leave a pencil and a note asking the kids to draw the elf. Put a blank page nearby so it is ready to go.

23. A pretend cupcake shop

Make cupcakes from crumpled paper tucked into liners. Arrange them on a toy plate beside the elf.

24. A ribbon gift-wrapping desk

Put your elf beside a tiny empty box and short ribbon scraps. Keep tape and scissors out of the scene once you finish.

25. A Christmas-tree decorating team

Put the elf and a doll beside a small paper tree with stickers. The kids can help finish it after breakfast.

Choose the scene your kid will recognize

A favorite doll at a tiny tea party can be more fun than a complicated setup made with toys your child never uses. Start with the favorites, repeat the good ones, and keep a sock sleeping bag handy for the tired nights.

Planning the next part? Check when your elf arrives and leaves, 30 easy, low-cost elf ideas, or current elf phone-call options.

More cute ideas from creative bloggers

The tiny scenes and printables are half the fun. Here are more ideas to browse from the bloggers who created them:

• Living Locurto’s tiny elf kissing booth — Amy’s printable booth makes an adorable little scene. Check her page for the current download details.
• Over the Big Moon’s quick elf ideas — Browse the glow-party and other little scenes.
• Elf-sized coloring pages at Kids Activities Blog — The little coloring sheets are designed by Amy of Living Locurto. Let the elf color alongside the kids.
• Your Modern Family’s funny elf ideas — Becky’s roundup has grown beyond the original boys list and includes ideas for boys and girls.
• Meaningful Mama’s kind elf ideas — Jodi’s collection takes the elf in a thoughtful direction with kind things to do for others.

The good news is that Bath & Body Works is actively leaning into reusable candle vessels now.

The slightly less fun news: some of the things people casually use empty candle jars for are things the brand specifically says not to do.

So before you turn one into a candy jar, makeup pot or tiny soup bowl — yes, people do this — here is what Bath & Body Works currently says.

What Bath & Body Works says you CAN use empty candle jars for

On its current reusable ceramic candle jars, Bath & Body Works suggests reusing the empty vessel as things like:

• A desk organizer for pens, clips and other little things that normally migrate across your desk.
• A catch-all for keys, coins or random tiny objects.
• A succulent planter.
• A craft-supply container for beads, buttons or other non-food items.

Honestly, this is why I keep jars. They look expensive enough that my brain refuses to believe they are trash.

And the planter idea is not new. Bath & Body Works was sharing candle-jar planter inspiration years ago, which is why we already have a whole Bath & Body Works candle jar planter post in the TTB archive.

Do not turn the new ceramic candle jars into food containers

This is the part worth knowing.

Bath & Body Works currently says its reusable ceramic candle jars are not food-safe.

The company also says they should not be reused for anything that touches skin, food or drink.

So the cute little jar that looks like it would be PERFECT for candy on your desk?

Use it for paper clips instead.

And I would not assume an older or different Bath & Body Works candle vessel is food-safe just because it looks like a normal jar. If the container is not specifically labeled for food contact, keep the reuse idea decorative or organizational.

Bath & Body Works also says not to use a knife or direct heat to remove leftover wax

There are approximately eleven billion candle-cleaning hacks online, and some of them get aggressive.

For its current ceramic candle jars, Bath & Body Works specifically says not to use a knife or other sharp object to remove leftover wax or wicks.

It also says not to use heat from a microwave, oven or stovetop to remove wax residue.

That is probably the most useful sentence in this entire post because I have absolutely seen “just put the jar in the oven” floating around the internet as if glass and ceramic have never cracked in the history of civilization.

Follow the instructions for the specific vessel you own rather than forcing out wax with sharp tools or extreme heat.

What I would actually do with the empty jars

I would keep this simple.

For a current reusable Bath & Body Works ceramic vessel: desk organizer, succulent, catch-all or craft storage.

For an older glass 3-wick jar: I would still stick to non-food uses unless the specific vessel is labeled for food contact.

And if you are saving twelve of them because you swear you are going to make a gorgeous matching planter wall one day?

I am not here to judge you. I am here to enable you responsibly.

Start with the original candle-jar planter idea, then maybe — maybe — we can finally clear out that cabinet.

What if the greenhouse was the winter hangout?

Plants around the edges. A chair. A blanket and some battery-powered lights. A little place to step outside when it’s cold and have a quiet moment. If you’re an adult who uses cannabis where it’s legal, yes, I mean that kind of gardening tent.

The idea is ridiculously cute. The details matter, though, because a plastic greenhouse is made to shelter plants, not to be a sealed smoking room.

First, make sure there’s room for an actual person

The little VEVOR greenhouse that sent me down this rabbit hole is listed at 76.8 inches long, 30.3 inches deep and 66.1 inches at its highest point. That’s roughly 6 feet 5 inches by 2 feet 6 inches on the ground. It could fit along a narrow balcony, but 30 inches of depth leaves very little space for a chair, plants and a person to get through the zipper door. It’s a plant nook with potential, not a tiny living room.

For a place to sit, I’d look for a wider footprint, enough headroom where the chair actually goes, a door you can open quickly, and windows or panels that open. Measure the balcony and the walking space you need to keep clear. Check your building’s rules and the structure’s anchoring requirements before putting anything on a balcony, especially somewhere windy or snowy.

The cozy part should stay open to outside air

This is the part where the fantasy picture needs a reality check: zipping yourself into a little plastic box full of smoke is not the goal. Research on secondhand cannabis smoke found substantially lower cannabinoid exposure under ventilated conditions than unventilated conditions. For this idea, I would treat the greenhouse like a windbreak with a roof — not a sealed room.

Think of the greenhouse as a wind break and a place for plants, with the door or large panels open while anyone is smoking. Keep smoke away from neighbors’ windows, doors and shared air intakes. If your building or local rules don’t allow smoking there, the cute tent doesn’t change that.

The greenhouses I’d actually look at for this

Okay, this is the part I wanted when I first had the idea. If the goal is plants + chair + cozy winter hangout, I would skip the super-skinny plant tents and look for enough floor space to make an actual little room — plus doors and windows you can throw open for cross-ventilation.

For the easiest version: an 8×6 pop-up with two doors

This Eagle Peak 8×6 pop-up greenhouse is much closer to what I mean. It gives you a 48-square-foot footprint, roll-up doors and mesh windows. That is enough room to put plants around the perimeter and still create a small chair-and-table zone in the middle. For an adult sesh setup, I would keep the doors and windows open rather than treating the cover like four walls.

For the dreamier hangout: go 8×12

If you have the yard or patio space, Eagle Peak’s 8×12 interchangeable-wall greenhouse is the version that starts feeling like an actual garden room. The 96-square-foot footprint gives you enough room for a real seating nook without sacrificing all the plant space, and the design uses doors at both ends with screened ventilation. This is the size where I start picturing a rug, a cute outdoor chair, a little side table and plants everywhere.

My sweet spot: for this exact idea, I think an 8×6 is the minimum that starts to feel fun instead of cramped, and 8×12 is where it becomes a legitimately cute plant-filled hangout.

Please skip the heater inside the plastic tent

I can already picture somebody adding a little propane heater, and no. ATSDR warns against portable propane heaters in enclosed spaces such as tents because of carbon monoxide exposure. An electric space heater is a poor fit for a cramped plastic greenhouse too: the U.S. Fire Administration says to keep anything that can burn at least three feet from heat sources, including space heaters. That’s hard to achieve in a tent that’s barely two and a half feet deep.

Go with layers, a blanket for sitting, and battery-powered lighting. Keep flames, hot ash and hot equipment away from the cover. Never block your exit just to make it prettier.

So, would I make one?

I love the look of a little plant-filled winter retreat. I’d use a greenhouse for the plants and the atmosphere, then choose a roomier, genuinely open-air setup if I wanted to sit outside. That gives me the cozy garden moment without pretending a zippered PE cover is a ventilated smoking lounge.

And honestly? A chair beside a greenhouse full of plants might be the better winter mood anyway.

Sources: VEVOR product dimensions; RTI on ventilation and secondhand cannabis smoke; ATSDR on carbon monoxide; U.S. Fire Administration heating safety; Eagle Peak 8×6; Eagle Peak 8×12 greenhouse guide.

Yes, the plague doctor mask pattern is still free

The original pieced and quilted plague doctor mask tutorial from suntree a-ok is still online. The creator links to a four-page printable pattern sized for US letter paper, with enough room to print it on A4 paper too. There is also a simplified version for anyone who wants to use one fabric instead of piecing together the patchwork outer shell.

Free does not mean easy, though. The creator says right up front that the pattern is not recommended for beginners. It assumes you can keep a consistent seam allowance, work with fusible interfacing, sew by hand and recognize when pieces should be joined right sides together.

What makes this pattern such a project

The mask begins as a geometric net. The tutorial walks through arranging the small fabric sections, adding interfacing, joining the patchworked outer pieces, adding batting and lining, and finishing the eye openings. The creator recommends making a paper or cardstock version first because head sizes vary and quilting can make the finished piece slightly smaller.

That precision is also the whole reason the finished mask looks so good. The beak has real structure, the patchwork makes every version different, and the round lenses turn it into something that feels halfway between a Halloween costume and wearable quilt art.

This is costume art, not protective equipment

The creator is candid about being unsure whether the design works as a protective mask. It has many seams, the lenses can fog, and it was shared as a sewing project rather than certified safety equipment. Treat the finished piece as dramatic costume art, not personal protective equipment.

If you are comfortable with precise sewing and want a project people will absolutely stop to stare at, this one earns its drama. If you are still getting friendly with your seam ripper, save the pattern for later or try the simplified single-fabric version first. Either way, the original tutorial deserves the click because the real magic is in seeing how all those strange little pieces become one spectacular mask.

Want a ready-made option after all that precise sewing? Our weird Halloween costumes roundup has the same extremely specific party energy without a four-page pattern.

Wall Blush just launched a Realtree wallpaper collection, and yes, one of the patterns is pink Realtree. Not pink flowers. Not a cute woodland print. Actual Realtree-style branches, bark, leaves, and camo sitting on a hot pink background.

It is weirdly adorable.

There are six Realtree wallpaper prints

Wall Blush says the new collection includes six Realtree options: Original, MAX 7, Edge, Edge Pink, APX, and Advantage.

So if bright pink camouflage is not the move for your house, there are plenty of actual woodland-looking choices too. The collection ranges from bark and branches to reeds, grasses, oak leaves, and classic outdoorsy camo.

The pink one is obviously the one I cannot stop looking at

There is something deeply funny and perfect about taking a pattern that normally disappears into the woods and putting it on a screaming pink wall.

I can see this in a teen bedroom, a ridiculous little powder room, a hunting-cabin-meets-Barbie situation, or honestly one single accent wall somewhere just because it would make everybody ask questions.

Wall Blush says the collaboration is available in its three wallpaper materials: Luxe Traditional, Peel & Stick, and Luxe Peel & Stick. The company also sells $2 samples so you can see the print and material in your own lighting before committing to an entire wall.

This is not fake camo made to look vaguely outdoorsy

This is an official Wall Blush x Realtree collaboration. Wall Blush’s own launch materials say the collection was built around six Realtree prints and specifically call out rooms like bedrooms, dens, cabins, and shared family spaces.

And I genuinely think the pink Edge print is the wildcard here. The brown-and-green versions make immediate sense. Pink Realtree wallpaper is the one that makes me want to redesign a room I was not planning to redesign.

You can see the official Realtree collection launch from Wall Blush here, and the brand’s main wallpaper shop is here.

Also: yes, we are trying to get samples because I need to see that pink camo in real life.

So yeah. I am very into this cookie cutter pumpkin carving hack.

Instead of drawing a complicated design and trying to carve every tiny corner, you use metal cookie cutters and a rubber mallet to punch simple Halloween shapes through the pumpkin.

It is ridiculously simple, the shapes come out clean, and kids can actually help choose the design and do part of the process instead of just watching an adult carve the whole thing.

How the cookie cutter pumpkin carving hack works

The basic idea is exactly what it sounds like.

An adult opens the pumpkin and scoops out the inside first. Then you place a metal cookie cutter against the outside of the pumpkin and tap it evenly with a rubber mallet until it cuts into the pumpkin wall.

Once the cutter has gone through far enough, push the cutter and pumpkin piece inward instead of trying to yank the cutter back out through the front. That is the part that makes the whole thing make sense.

Food Network uses the same basic cookie-cutter-and-rubber-mallet method, and HGTV recommends metal cookie cutters and careful adult supervision when kids help with the tapping.

What you need

• One pumpkin
• Metal cookie cutters
• A rubber mallet
• A pumpkin scoop or large spoon
• A pumpkin carving tool for any stubborn spots
• A battery-operated pumpkin light or LED tea light

I would go straight for Halloween shapes here. Bats. Ghosts. Stars. Moons. Pumpkins. Whatever your kid thinks looks cool.

How to carve a pumpkin with cookie cutters

1. Open and clean out the pumpkin. This is the adult part. Scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff, and scrape the inside wall a little thinner where you plan to put your shapes.
2. Choose a flat-ish spot. The cookie cutter will sit more evenly and be much easier to tap through.
3. Hold the metal cookie cutter against the pumpkin. Start with a simple shape like a bat, star, ghost, or moon.
4. Tap around the cutter with a rubber mallet. Do not just smash the middle. Tap around the whole cutter so it works its way through evenly.
5. Push the cutter through. Once it has cut through the pumpkin wall, push the cutter and the cut pumpkin piece inward. If the pumpkin is especially thick, an adult may need to finish a stubborn section with a pumpkin carving tool.
6. Repeat with the rest of your shapes. Leave a little space between them so the pumpkin does not get weak and crack.
7. Add a light. A battery-operated light makes all those little shapes glow and looks SO cute.

This is such a good pumpkin carving idea for kids

The part I love is that kids get to make actual design choices.

They can pick the cookie cutters. They can decide where the shapes go. And with an adult right there controlling the pumpkin and supervising the mallet, they can help with the tapping too.

This is obviously not a “hand a preschooler a hammer and wander away” situation. But compared with asking a little kid to help carve tiny eyeballs with a knife? This makes way more sense.

A few things that will make this easier

Use metal cookie cutters. Plastic ones are not made for this.

Keep the shapes simple. A bat or star is going to be much easier than a super detailed cutter with fifteen tiny points.

Thin the pumpkin wall a little from the inside. If your pumpkin is really thick, scraping a little extra flesh away behind the design area makes the cutter much easier to push through.

Do not crowd the shapes. Give each one some breathing room so the pumpkin stays sturdy.

And that is literally it.

No elaborate stencil. No trying to freehand a perfect jack-o’-lantern face. Just cookie cutters, a rubber mallet, and a pumpkin that somehow looks like you tried way harder than you did.

I am absolutely doing this one.

I found Christmas decorations already out at Lowe’s, and I took pictures because this is not a lone wreath someone put out early. We’re talking rows of Christmas trees, Santa, giant candy canes, and a whole little holiday character situation.

Apparently, we’re doing this now.

Here’s what was already out at Lowe’s

The display I photographed had green artificial trees and snow-flocked ones, plus trees lit up behind the bigger decorations. There were wreaths, nutcracker figures, a big Santa, and those red-and-white candy canes that make a normal shopping aisle look like the entrance to the North Pole.

And then there’s the front row of characters. A snowman in a little hat. A fuzzy white yeti. Tiny holiday people lined up underneath the candy canes. You can see exactly why I stopped to take pictures.

I’m not saying September needs a Santa. I am saying the little hat is making a persuasive argument.

Is Lowe’s Christmas stuff out everywhere?

These are my photos from one store in September 2026—not confirmation that every Lowe’s has finished setting up Christmas. If yours still looks different, that doesn’t mean you missed something.

You can browse Lowe’s Christmas decorations online and check your location before making a special trip. Lowe’s notes that prices, styles, promotions, and availability can vary. I’m not attaching prices to the pieces in these photos because I don’t have a clear, verified price for each one.

Can Halloween have a minute?

I love a flocked tree. I also feel like Halloween should at least get through the door before Santa starts moving furniture.

But if you’re the person who starts planning Christmas before the pumpkins are even carved, consider this your heads-up: there is already a very festive situation happening at Lowe’s.

And if you’re comparing holiday looks, At Home’s Christmas collections are another place to peek. Personally, I’m still staring at the candy canes.

If you’re already building your Christmas list, I’m also keeping tabs on the best Advent calendars for 2026, new Christmas finds, and the new Christmas candy and treats.

And the starting point is a sleeve from a sweater you’re done wearing. The tube is already there, so you can make the pumpkin with hand stitching instead of sewing a whole shape from scratch.

Heather Handmade’s sweater pumpkin tutorial explains the sleeve and embroidery-floss method. Ellen at Bellewood Cottage also walks through gathering the ends and adding the grooves. Their photos are helpful for seeing the stitches up close.

The sleeve does some of the work for you

Gather a sweater, scissors, polyester stuffing, a long hand-sewing needle, embroidery floss, and a short twig for the stem. Choose a needle with an eye that fits your thread.

Chunky knits show off their texture, but Heather notes that thick fabric can be harder to gather closed. If you’re deciding between two sweaters, check how easily the fabric bunches before cutting.

The cream-and-rust pair is a good excuse to mix textures. You can also keep both pumpkins the same color and let a cable knit sit next to a simpler ribbed sleeve.

From sleeve to little pumpkin

1. Cut a short tube. Lay the sleeve flat and cut a section roughly as tall as it is wide. Keep its sides joined. A wider sleeve gives you a bigger starting shape.
2. Close the bottom. Sew running stitches around one opening. Pull the thread to gather it, tuck the cut edge inward, then secure with stitches and a knot. Close any remaining gap.
3. Fill and close. Add stuffing, leaving room to gather the top. Repeat the gathering and secure it.
4. Make the sections. Anchor a fresh length of floss at the bottom. Pass the needle up through the center, take the thread down around the outside, then pass up through the center again. Tighten enough to make a groove. Repeat in new positions around the pumpkin, then knot securely.
5. Add the stem. Tuck a short twig into the gathered top. A little hot glue can hold it if needed; let it cool before handling.

The dashed line in the drawing shows the path through the middle. The solid line shows the thread outside. Those outside loops are what turn the stuffed shape into pumpkin sections.

These are decorations, so keep the loose stems and long needles away from small children. If your next closet rescue is a tee, try our braided T-shirt headband or no-sew tote.

Your sweater’s sleeves have officially retired to the mantel.

This version uses three fabric strips and a little hand stitching. No sewing machine. No mysterious five-strand braid that requires you to grow another hand.

Happy Family Art’s recycled T-shirt headband tutorial shows the sewn construction, including a strip wrapped over the join. We’re keeping the illustrated version plain so the braid gets all the attention.

A tiny supply pile. Excellent.

You’ll need a stretchy knit T-shirt, scissors, a needle and thread, plus a short fabric scrap to cover the join. A clip can hold the braid while you check the fit.

Keep it all one color for the lavender look, or try three colors from tees you’re ready to retire. Save the graphic-heavy favorite for our T-shirt and tank-top tote tutorial; braiding won’t preserve a big printed design.

Make the braid, then fit it

1. Cut three strips. Start around 2 inches wide. Use long, unbroken sections of knit fabric, leaving extra length for braiding and joining.
2. Secure one end. Stack the ends and stitch through all three. Braid by alternating the outer strips over the middle.
3. Check the fit. Hold the braid around your head where you’ll wear it. It should feel secure without pulling tight. Adjust before joining; different shirts stretch differently.
4. Close the loop. Stitch the ends together, catching every strip and keeping the join as flat as you can.
5. Hide the join. Wrap a short, roughly 2-inch-wide scrap around it, tuck the raw end under, and stitch the wrap closed.

The lavender tee gets a second life. Your hair gets an accessory. The rag pile will recover.

A no-sew tote gives it another job. An old tank top works, too, and already has the opening and straps. The shoulder sections become the handles, and knots close the bottom. No sewing machine needs to emerge from wherever you put it.

Heather Dessinger at Mommypotamus and Jamie Sanders at Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom both explain this method. Our illustrated companion focuses on the cuts and the bottom closure.

A tank top gets a head start

A pink daisy tank as a little tote? Yes, please. The neckline is already there, and the shoulder straps become the handles without cutting off any sleeves.

Choose a knit tank with broad straps and intact seams. Leave its neckline and armholes alone, turn it inside out, and start at step 2 below. You’ll use the same paired strips and extra gap-closing knots as the T-shirt version. The bottom ties use up some of the length, so a longer tank gives you more fabric to work with.

KMOM14’s tank-top tutorial on Cut Out + Keep shows the cut-and-tie approach with the fringe left outside. For the tucked-away finish illustrated here, tie while the tank is inside out and turn it back afterward, as in the T-shirt method above.

Pick the shirt before you pick up the scissors

Start with a knit tee or tank, fabric scissors, and washable chalk or a marker. Choose fabric with some substance; a very thin tee will make a very thin bag. Check that the graphic sits below the new opening and above the bottom knots.

If you still want to wear yours, our sleeveless crop-top guide is the other option. This version retires it from shirt duty.

The cuts make the handles. The knots make the bag.

1. Open up the T-shirt top. If you’re using a tank, skip to step 2. Smooth the tee flat, remove the sleeves, and enlarge the neck opening. Leave broad shoulder sections and their seams intact. Those are your handles.
2. Plan the bottom. Turn the shirt inside out so the finished knots will sit inside. Mark where the bag’s bottom should be, leaving fabric beneath that line for ties. Allow for the fabric stretching when filled.
3. Cut matching strips. Keep the front and back aligned. Cut upward from the bottom edge to your marked line, spacing the cuts roughly ¾ to 1 inch apart. Split the two outside strips at their side seams so each has a separate front and back tail.
4. Close it in two passes. Double-knot each front strip to the back strip directly behind it. Then tie a loose tail from one pair to a tail from the neighboring pair, continuing across to close the gaps between knots. Check both ends, too.
5. Turn it out and inspect it. Turn the bag right side out. Gently pull the bottom apart to look for gaps or loose ties before putting anything inside. Use the linked photo tutorials for a closer look at the knotting.

The drawing shows the layout, not a cutting pattern. Keep tiny loose items in a pouch, and start with a light load while you check how your particular fabric and knots behave.

The shirt may be done fitting you. It can still carry your stuff.

If you want the tote idea without turning one of your own shirts into a project, Gap made a ready-to-carry Hoodie Tote inspired by its sweatshirt. That is a separate shopping option; the knotted-shirt instructions above are still the make-it-yourself version.

This UFU beaded fairy garden stakes kit gives you the pieces to make colorful stakes with faceted toppers and dangling pendants. You choose the bead arrangement, assemble the stakes, and tuck them into a planter.

Plant jewelry. That is an entirely reasonable thing to spend an afternoon making.

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Image: UFU via Amazon. The pictured arrangements are the seller’s examples.

Start with the pot you want to dress up

The UFU photo above goes all in: pink, purple, blue, green, and warm-colored stakes crowded into a flower-filled pot. Each stake has its own color story, so the whole group looks collected instead of identical.

You can borrow that idea without copying every bead. Pick the spot first, then decide how much sparkle it needs:

• One little plant, one dramatic accessory. Put a single finished stake beside the foliage so its topper and hanging charm have room to show. A small pot does not need the entire royal treasury.
• A coordinated trio. Pull two colors from your planter or flowers, then repeat them across three stakes. Change the order of the beads so they look related without being twins.
• A tiny rainbow garden. Sort the included beads into color families and give each stake a different palette. Arrange them across several pots rather than putting everything in one.
• A plant-person gift. Make a stake in the recipient’s favorite available colors and pair it with a potted plant. The plant and pot are separate purchases, but the color choices make the gift feel considered.

Lay out your combinations before you start threading. That way, you can see whether you have enough of a favorite bead for the pattern you have in mind.

The kit handles the supply hunt

UFU lists threaded stainless-steel rods, nuts, large-hole plastic beads, glass toppers and pendants, and decorative charms. Those big colorful beads are plastic; the listing identifies the toppers and crystal pendants as glass.

Amazon offers multiple pack and rod-length options on the listing. Check the selected option and its contents before ordering, especially if you want enough stakes for a group craft night.

The seller’s assembly directions are straightforward: attach the topper, arrange the beads and charms on the rod, and secure them with the supplied nuts. Follow the instructions included with your specific kit for the hardware placement.

This is a project idea based on the listing, rather than a hands-on review. Outdoor durability has not been tested here. Amazon labels the kit for adults, so treat these as decorative stakes rather than play wands.

You can check the UFU kit’s current options and price on Amazon. For another crafty rabbit hole, our DIY wire craft ideas include more ways to dress up a garden.

The fern has been standing there in the same pot for years. Let it accessorize.

That couch is comfortable. It fits through the door. We are not starting a furniture emergency over a Pinterest board.

Start with the things around it instead. A blue pillow, a yellow throw, a little red lamp. Suddenly the beige is giving the colors somewhere to show off.

That’s the approach here: five dopamine decor color palettes you can try in one corner, using a mix of things you already have and small changes you actually want. No whole-house makeover required.

Pick the thing that gets to stay

Before choosing colors, choose your starting point. The couch. The wooden dresser. The rug you still love. Build around that piece instead of pretending you’re decorating an empty room.

Then give the colors different jobs: one you notice first, one that supports it, and a smaller accent. They don’t need equal space. Three equally loud colors can turn a reading corner into a very small argument.

Cobalt, butter yellow, and cherry red

Try this around a cream or oatmeal sofa: a cobalt pillow, a pale yellow throw, and a red lamp or picture frame. Keep the red to one small spot to start. It will still get noticed.

The yellow softens the combination; the blue gives it some weight. If the room starts feeling like a preschool, swap one solid-colored accessory for a stripe that includes cream. Same colors, a little more breathing room.

Plum, peach, and moss green

This is the softer route if neon pink isn’t your thing. Picture a deep plum cushion, a peach blanket, and a moss-green vase next to a wooden chair.

Let the peach take up more room if you want a lighter look. Use more plum if you’re after a cozy reading nook. A leafy plant can echo the green, but choose one that suits the light you actually have.

No plant needs to lose its life to a color scheme.

Teal, terracotta, and blush

Start this one in a bathroom or on an entry table. Teal towels, a terracotta pot, and a blush tray give you three distinct colors without touching a wall.

The clay color keeps the pink from feeling sugary. In a living room, try the same idea with a teal cushion and a pink throw beside an existing terracotta planter. Move things between rooms before buying more. Your new accent piece might already be holding keys by the front door.

Periwinkle, tomato red, and cream

A periwinkle desk organizer beside a tomato-red frame is a small change with a lot of personality. Leave the desktop mostly clear and let cream or off-white fill the background.

Keep the periwinkle on the blue-violet side and the red warm. Those are starting points, not a matching exam. Hold the actual objects next to each other and decide whether you like them together.

If the frame is the missing piece, TTB’s thrift-store painting project includes repainting an old frame. You can borrow that part of the project without redoing your entire gallery wall.

Forest green, bright pink, and ochre

Give the dark green the biggest role, then add a bright pink cushion and a smaller ochre detail. A green chair, pink pillow, and golden throw would do it.

Already have brown furniture? Try the accessories against it first. The wood can stay part of the room instead of becoming another thing you have to cover up. Start with one pink object; add another only if the first one leaves you wanting more.

Live with the little change before making the big one

These color names are inspiration, not exact paint matches. If you decide to paint, test real samples in your room first. Benjamin Moore recommends checking samples from morning to evening under natural and artificial light. That lovely blue on your phone doesn’t get the final vote.

For now, try one corner. Sit in it. Look at it with the lamps on. See whether you still want that bright pink pillow when it isn’t part of somebody else’s beautifully arranged picture.

You can have more color and keep your couch. It has already done the hard work of being comfortable.

Creator Itsmelaurenv shared the idea in this Facebook reel. We turned that idea into a simple illustrated companion so you can think through the shape before you make the first cut.

This is not a claim that we tested her exact alteration ourselves, and our illustration is not copied from her video. It is TTB’s own visual guide to a basic sleeveless crop-top version using the same general upcycling idea.

Start with the shirt you can bear to cut

You need a T-shirt and sharp fabric scissors. A flat work surface helps keep the layers lined up. Washable fabric chalk and a ruler are optional if you want a straighter crop line.

For a first attempt, choose a shirt you can afford to get wrong. The irreplaceable concert tee can sit this round out.

Keep the collar. Change the shape.

1. Remove the sleeves. Lay the shirt flat and trim around each sleeve opening while keeping the shoulder area and neckband intact.
2. Tidy the armholes. Take off small amounts and compare both sides as you go. Every extra cut makes the opening larger.
3. Choose your crop length. Check where you want the shirt to sit, take it off, smooth it flat, and mark a straight line below any artwork you want to keep.
4. Cut the bottom and check the fit. Cut across the marked line, then try the shirt on before deciding whether to shorten it further. You can always take more off.

Removing sleeves changes the arm openings; it does not add fabric across the chest. If the body of the tee is already too tight, this alteration will not magically make the whole shirt wider.

If you want to see the original inspiration before you cut, watch Itsmelaurenv’s reel on Facebook.

For the basic mechanics of upcycling a shirt, Craftsy also recommends working with a flat garment, marking cut lines, and trimming carefully around sleeves and hems.

More projects are in our crafts collection. But start with one shirt. The entire drawer has not volunteered.

This is the kind of kids’ craft that looks wildly more complicated than it is. The horn, ears, cheeks, flowers, and face are all simple pieces. Put them together and suddenly the plate has a full personality.

What do you need to make a paper plate unicorn?

• Two white paper plates
• Gold glitter paper
• Pink glitter paper
• Black permanent marker
• Glue
• Scissors
• Small faux flowers

The second plate is for the ears, so do not let anybody wander off with it and a slice of cake.

How do you make the unicorn plate?

1. Cut the horn. Cut a long triangle from the gold glitter paper. It can be skinny, chunky, slightly crooked, or whatever your particular unicorn demands.
2. Make the ears. Cut two pointed ear shapes from the second white paper plate, then cut two smaller matching shapes from the pink glitter paper.
3. Add the inner ears. Glue each pink piece inside a white ear.
4. Cut the cheeks. Cut two small circles from the pink glitter paper.
5. Arrange everything first. Place the ears and horn behind the top edge of the whole plate. Move them around until the face looks balanced, then glue them in place.

6. Build the flower crown. Set the faux flowers across the top of the plate before you glue anything. Once you like the mix of colors and sizes, glue them down around the base of the horn.
7. Practice the eyes. Draw the curved eyes and eyelashes on a scrap of paper first. The marker is permanent, and this is not the moment for an experimental eyebrow.
8. Finish the face. Draw the eyes on the plate, glue on the pink cheeks, and let everything dry completely.

The one part worth doing slowly

The eyes do most of the work. A simple curved line with three little lashes is enough to make the whole plate look sweet instead of mildly alarmed. Practice once, take a breath, and then commit.

Make it your unicorn

Use rainbow flowers, metallic paper, or completely different cheek colors. A tiny bow would be adorable. So would a wildly oversized horn. The basic shapes are forgiving, which is exactly what a kids’ craft should be.

If the unicorn phase has already spread beyond one paper plate, these DIY My Little Pony party ideas can keep the glitter situation going.

A paper plate has no business looking this pleased with itself. And yet.

This project and the original photos were submitted to Totally The Bomb by CourtneyLynne in 2018.