If you’ve been hanging around Cottage on Bunker Hill for a while, you know that I believe there’s always something worth making. Not because you have to, and not because your home isn’t already lovely, but because there’s something really satisfying about looking at something on your wall or your table and thinking, I made that.
Looking for simple DIY projects for every season?
A crafter’s year includes nature-inspired projects for each season: spring wreaths and moss wall art, summer terrariums and pressed flower coasters, fall felt garlands and clay ghosts, and winter dried orange wreaths and snowflake wall art. Each project is budget-smart, beginner-friendly, and uses easy-to-find materials.
Over the years, I’ve shared a lot of DIY projects here: wreaths, wall art, botanical crafts, seasonal decor, and what I’ve noticed is that my crafting naturally follows the rhythm of the year. Spring pulls me toward fresh, nature-inspired projects. Summer is when the garden takes over, and I start pressing flowers and filling vases. Fall is honestly my favorite crafting season (don’t tell the others). And winter is all about cozy, slow-down projects that make the house feel warm and lived-in.
So I thought it would be fun to pull together a little guide: a year’s worth of DIY projects, one season at a time, to give you a starting point no matter when you’re reading this. Whether you’re looking for a spring weekend project or already thinking ahead to fall, there’s something here for you. And the best part? Every single one of these is budget-smart, beginner-friendly, and uses materials you can find at any craft store (or already have on hand).
Let’s make something.
Welcome! I’m Jennifer, and I’ve been sharing my home’s journey since 2019, always with a focus on budget-smart and achievable style. If you love the charm of New England but need it to work for real life, you’re in the right place. I break down my projects to help you create a home that tells your story, without the overwhelm.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means we receive a small commission if you purchase through our links. See our disclaimer page for more information.
Spring: Fresh Starts and Nature-Inspired Makes
There’s a particular kind of energy that hits in early spring in New England. That first warm afternoon when you just need to do something with your hands. These four projects are my go-to recommendations for channeling that feeling, and none of them require anything fancy.
Forsythia Spring Wreath
We’re starting with a Blog Hall of Fame pick. This forsythia and pussy willow wreath has been one of the most-loved projects on the blog since I first shared it back in 2020. The secret weapon is the DIY bird’s nest tucked into the bottom, made from Spanish moss and spray adhesive — it looks so realistic that people always ask where I bought it. Spoiler: you didn’t.
DIY Moss Wall Art
This one is for anyone who has ever been scrolling online and fallen in love with framed moss art, and then immediately closed the tab when they saw the price tag.
I made a set of three for a fraction of that cost using wood panels, preserved moss, and a hot glue gun. I made these a few years ago and still love them-and they look the same.
One note: don’t hang these in direct sunlight, or it will fade your moss.
Springtime Branches with Paper Blossoms
This is one of those projects where the reaction is always, “Wait, those aren’t real?” Simple paper, a glue gun, and some branches, either faux willow or from the yard, and suddenly your house looks like spring actually showed up. Great for those of us in New England who know that the calendar and the weather are rarely in agreement.
Natural Bird’s Nest
If you want a simple, charming centerpiece for your Easter table or spring mantel, this little nest is it. A straw wreath form gets loosened and layered with twigs, guinea hen feathers, bunny tail grass, and reindeer moss.
Then filled with wooden eggs. It’s rustic, it’s sweet, and it costs next to nothing to put together.
Summer: Slow Down and Make Something Good
Summer at the cottage is all about being outside as much as possible and then coming in and making something that brings a little of that outside energy in with you. These four projects are perfect for the season, whether you’re leaning into the garden, the beach, or just a slow afternoon with a glue gun.
DIY Coastal Mermaid Wreath
This one is for anyone who wants a summer front door that says “I love the beach” without saying it with a plastic crab. A wooden mermaid figure nestles into the bottom of a grapevine wreath, surrounded by a lush mix of real eucalyptus and faux trailing greenery, topped off with a large starfish. It’s coastal and elevated the kind of wreath that makes people stop and ask where you bought it.
Pressed Flower Tile Coasters
Summer is peak pressed flower season, and these coasters are one of my favorite ways to use them. Real pressed flowers get sealed onto natural travertine tiles for a result that looks like something you’d find at an artisan market for $40 a set. They also make a really thoughtful handmade gift, just saying.
I used these tiles, but had to order them from the Home Depot (they are only 73¢ each)
DIY Air Plant Terrariums
If you want to add something living and interesting to your home this summer without committing to a high-maintenance plant, air plant terrariums are the answer. I walk you through four different project ideas, plus a full care guide so yours actually survive past August.
No soil, no fuss, just a little glass vessel and a lot of charm.
DIY Garden Girl Scarecrow
Full disclosure: she scares absolutely no one. But she is delightful. Built on a scrap wood frame and a tomato cage, this garden girl gets dressed in a long-sleeved shirt, a floral apron, gardening gloves, a floppy straw hat, and a tutu underneath, because why not? I make a new version every year by switching up her colors, which means she’s endlessly customizable and always fresh. She’s basically the most fashionable thing in my garden!
Fall: Cozy, Whimsical & a Little Bit Witchy
Fall is my favorite crafting season, I said what I said. There’s something about the combination of cooler air, dimmer light, and the general permission to make your home feel a little moody and magical that just brings out my best DIY energy. These four projects lean into that feeling without going full plastic skeleton!
Mossy Witch Hat Topiaries
This is one of those projects where the transformation is genuinely satisfying. You start with cheap tinsel witch hats from the dollar section, strip off the tinsel, and recover the forms with preserved moss or jute twine. Add some natural branch stems, a terracotta base, a little Spanish moss, a few dried flowers, and suddenly you have something that looks like it came out of a storybook cottage. Sophisticated, budget-smart, and completely unique!
Clay Ghosts with Flowers
If your Halloween aesthetic leans more “romantic and botanical” than “scary,” these are your people. Air-dry clay gets shaped into gentle little ghost figures and embedded with delicate dried flower petals. Think garden-grown blooms in terracotta, white, and black tones.
A glossy sealer finish gives them the look of ceramic pottery. They’re the kind of thing you put on your mantel, and someone always says, “Where did you get those?”
DIY Ghost Canvas Art
Three steps, a dark canvas, some joint compound, and a couple of cardboard templates and you end up with dimensional, textured ghost wall art that looks moody and intentional rather than like a Halloween store clearance rack. The “dip and wipe” technique creates a really nice sculptural effect that photographs beautifully on a mantel or gallery wall.
Neutral Felt Leaf Garland
Not everyone wants orange and red everything in October, and this garland is for those people. Ten shades of brown and gray felt cut into leaf shapes and strung on chunky jute rope.
The result is high-texture, earthy, and it works with basically any decorating style. Drape it across a mantel, a dining table, or a bookcase, and it quietly says “fall is here” without screaming it.
Winter: Cozy Projects For The Quietest Season
Winter is when I slow down and actually enjoy the process of making something. There’s no garden to tend, nowhere to be, just a glue gun, and an afternoon. These four projects cover everything from Thanksgiving through the new year, and every single one of them leans into that cozy, natural, budget-smart aesthetic that just feels right when it’s cold outside.
Homemade Dried Orange Wreath
This one might be my favorite kind of DIY. The kind where the main ingredient costs almost nothing and the result looks like something from a boutique holiday shop.
Thinly sliced oranges get dried low and slow in the oven and then layered onto a simple bamboo hoop with hot glue. The result is warm, fragrant, and works beautifully for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. Nature did most of the work here.
Large Snowflake Wall Art
Pottery Barn had a driftwood snowflake sign that was gorgeous and also very much not in my budget so naturally, I made my own!
A wood plank panel gets a wash of white chalk paint (just enough to let the wood grain show through for that rustic texture), and then small precut branches and twigs get hot-glued on in a snowflake pattern. It’s wintery without being specifically Christmas, which means it earns its wall space from December all the way through February.
Christmas Village Houses
If you’ve ever wanted a charming little Christmas village but couldn’t justify the price tag, this project is for you. Unfinished wooden birdhouses get decorated and arranged into the coziest little holiday scene.
The kind that looks like it belongs under a glass cloche or on a mantel with some bottle brush trees tucked in. Totally customizable, completely budget-smart, and honestly really fun to make.
Luxe-for-Less DIY Orchid Arrangement Planter
When January hits, and suddenly you’re desperate for something living and beautiful in the house. A simple planter gets transformed into something that looks like a high-end floral arrangement.
Faux orchids nestled in with moss and natural elements for a look that costs a fraction of what you see in high-end catalogs would charge. It’s the perfect antidote to post-holiday decorating fatigue!
There you have it! A full year of making, one season at a time. Whether you’re reading this in the middle of a snowy January, looking for something to do with your hands, or it’s a warm July afternoon and you’ve got a pile of pressed flowers waiting for a project, I hope something here sparked a little inspiration.
The best part about this list is that none of these projects require a big budget, a craft room, or any special skills. Just a little time and the willingness to try. Bookmark this post, come back to it whenever you need a starting point, and if you make something, I’d love to see it! You can always share it with me over on Instagram or submit it to the Reader’s Spotlight. Send a photo to me at jennifer@cottageonbunkerhill.com
Now go make something beautiful!
xo, Jennifer
my crafting must-haves
shop my amazon store
Love projects like this? Don’t miss out! Join my newsletter family for more cozy, budget-friendly DIY ideas delivered right to your inbox. You’ll get exclusive tips, early access to tutorials, and all the inspiration you need to make your home feel handmade and heartfelt.
