Every month, we celebrate the season with DIY decorations and craft ideas you can make at home. Here you can download and print templates from Better Homes & Gardens magazine to create custom home accents and tabletop accessories.
March 2024: Cardstock Strawberries
Bree Goldman, Project: Kim Hutchison, Styling: Jessica Thomas
Decorate your Easter table with these cheerful strawberries and enjoy your craft for the rest of the season. Trace and cut out the template on pink and red cardstock. Stack the paper strips and use brads to secure them. Decorate as you like. Don't forget to fill it with small candies to surprise and delight your guests. Hop on!
December 2023: Holiday Gift Toppers
kelsey hansen
Although the materials and techniques are simple, this handmade gift topper, which doubles as an ornament and an encore, is anything but basic. Using the template as a guide, fold, cut, and create amazing toppers using foil, cardboard, pipe cleaners, paper, and pine cones.
November 2023: Autumn Leaves Craft
kelsey hansen
Fall is fleeting, but this leafy arrangement will last for years. Our easy craft uses canvas, wax, pencil rubs, and even coffee filters to preserve all of those gorgeous fall colors. Here you can find templates with different leaf shapes. Or you can scour your backyard for real leaves and turn them into your own templates.
October 2023: Halloween Crafts
carson downing
Conjure up whimsical scenes of frighteningly fun gatherings with retro-inspired decorations and sweets. We scoured his archives from the 1930s, 40s, and 50s to find his favorite Halloween party motifs, recipes, and ideas. Featuring cartoon-like graphics and a sweeter-than-scary charm, jack-o-lanterns, ghosts, black cats, witches, and owls create a nostalgic yet stylish atmosphere that's perfect for boos. .
May 2023: DIY Pet Bed
carson downing
A stylish cat bed is a great design way to incorporate your feline friend into your living space. But luxury items often come with a hefty price tag. This simple DIY pet bed is much cheaper and looks just as good. It's also an easy way to create a hideout for kittens who don't want to hide.
April 2023: Easter template
carson downing
Combine the most popular Easter classics, bunnies and brunch, with punchy decorations for a merry celebration. String marbled paper butterflies together to create the perfect garland for a brunch backdrop, or create your own bunny using toothpicks and paper cutouts to insert into sweet treats. Or, using patterned cardboard he makes 3D egg ornaments. Whether you go all out or stick to a few Easter DIY projects, you're sure to grab the attention of your guests.
January/February 2023: Valentine's Day Card
kelsey hansen
Transport yourself back to your childhood with easy DIY cards that recreate classic childhood crafts like weaving, string art, and collage. Make a heart-shaped sweater using cardboard, a loom, and your favorite yarn. Or you can create embroidery with flowers and shapes inspired by Valentine's Day. We'll also show you how to make simple collage cards by cutting out letters and shapes from thin translucent parchment. Choose your favorite style or try all three and gift it to your loved one.
December 2022: Paper Poinsettia
carson downing
Think beyond a red poinsettia wrapped in foil. This holiday classic has been remade in crepe paper. This material mimics the bracts of a poinsettia so well that it's hard to tell that these tree decorations aren't real. Follow the folding template (once you get the hang of it, you'll be folding it in no time), add a little glass glitter to the center, and attach it to the tree using florist wire wrapped in tape.
Bring a poinsettia theme to your decor with homemade paper poinsettias. Use as an accent for tinsel garlands, gift toppers, and wreath ornaments. At the end of the season, wrap them loosely in tissue paper and store them in a waterproof box so they'll last until your next few vacations.
November 2022: DIY napkin rings
kelsey hansen
Enhance the fun of setting your table with stylish napkin rings made from paper, clay, or thread. These simple DIY projects bring color and texture to your fall party or Thanksgiving celebration. Download free templates for cork paper leaf napkin rings and painted and waxed paper leaf napkin rings. Then follow the instructions on page 122 of the November 2022 issue of Better Homes & Gardens to complete this DIY table decoration.
October 2022: Pumpkin Stencil
kelsey hansen
Carved pumpkins greet visitors during the fall. Our free pumpkin stencils include houseplant designs, honeycomb and bee shapes, etched autumn phrases, and late flowers such as sunflowers.
To make carved pumpkins last longer, soak them in a solution of 1 part vinegar to 10 parts water before cutting. Leave the top and stem intact, but cut a hole in the bottom or back of the pumpkin to clean it and add lighting.