Make it Megan

Making a hāpai lei for my cousin’s baby shower 🤍

Hāpai lei are traditionally left open rather than closed around the neck, representing a clear path for baby’s arrival.

One of my favorite ways to make clay flowers look more realistic is through subtle color variation 🌺

I started by mixing one custom red as my main color, then pulled off just small amounts of that same base and adjusted one slightly brighter and one slightly deeper.

Most of the flowers stay in the original color, with just a few of the lighter and darker variations mixed in. That small shift in tone adds dimension and keeps the finished heilala from looking too flat or perfectly uniform — more like real flowers.

A little 60-second reset 🤍💜
White carnations + purple mums, made in real time.

A kahoa heilala with pikake mixed in 🌺 I’m still regretting that I didn’t film the process… guess I’ll just have to make another one 😩😂

Out of town, no lei supplies, and somehow I still ended up making one 😂🌺

My niece had a birthday party while we were in Idaho, so I grabbed some roses from Albertsons, found some floss at the Airbnb, and made it work.

Make with what you have 🤍

A kahoa heilala set ❤️

And to answer the question before you ask 😂 these heilala beads were gifted to me and brought over from New Zealand. No, I don’t know where to buy them 😭

But if you do know where to find them, PLEASE let me know 😂

Happy Wednesday 🌺

A little lei-making palette cleanser for your feed.

Gilmore Girls Holidays was announced TODAY… so obviously we’re entering our Stars Hollow holiday era. ☕️❄️🎄

And perfect timing because the new 2026 Gilmore Girls Christmas in Stars Hollow Advent Calendar just arrived!

I’ve bought the Gilmore Girls advent calendars the past two years, but this year’s is completely different — a pop-up Stars Hollow scene, Christmas tree, lights + 25 ornaments. Come unbox it with me. ✨

Who else is ready for the holidays in Stars Hollow?

From the first flower to the final stitch 🤍 Making my nephew’s baby blessing kahoa from start to finish.

I love getting to make pieces like this for my own family — something handmade for such a special day, and something that will always be part of the memories from it.

A little calm for your scroll 🤍
Part 3 of making this lei, one flower at a time. Sometimes I think the process is the best part.