In case you didn’t notice, it’s sunflower season. Sunshine. Brilliance. Gorgeous yellow petals everywhere. Summer is the perfect time of year to embrace these blooming beauties in all their radiant glory. Some people consider it their go-to symbol of choice — and why not? It’s reflective of all things positive, strong, and joyous. It’s an instant mood-booster, and you can bet it will bring that same big energy to your home.

If you’re thinking of giving your living space a warm-weather update, you can’t do much better than sunflowers. These natural suncatchers brim with color and good cheer, and they can also inspire a better state of mind at a single glance. It makes sense to incorporate the sunflower into your home however possible — and it happens to fit in beautifully virtually everywhere, from the kitchen to the office to the bedroom. Here are some fun craft ideas you might consider if you’re in the mood to give your creative muscles a workout.

Sunflower Craft Ideas for the Home

1. Make a Welcome Basket
2. Create a Seasonal Crown
3. Make Sunny Summer Gifts
4. Create Homemade Gift Tags
5. Pressed Sunflower Wall Art

Welcome baskets can serve as alternatives to wreaths, or they can be suspended from a doorknob to add a little festive cheer to an entryway. For this project, you’ll need a medium-size wicker hanging basket, a bunch of sunflowers, and some greenery. Alternately, grab a sunflower bouquet like The Sonny and use that as your filler — it will simplify this part of the process considerably, plus it’s so artfully composed that you can be sure the end result will look fabulous!

Wrap the basket with a gold burlap bow to create subtle contrast with the basket and to complement the naturally golden undertone of the sunflowers. Add the sprigs of greenery, then fluff the flowers to lend the basket a full appearance. You can suspend the basket anywhere, such as a doorknob or a hook on the front door.

Whether the kids want to make something thoughtful for the neighbors or you just want to create something you can give as a quick thank you, consider a single-flower vase with a sunflower tucked inside. For this, use a vintage-style bottle in an amber color — old olive oil bottles work well — and fill them with fresh water. Wrap a thin yellow ribbon around the neck, tie it into a knot, and drop the sunflower in the water.

As an alternative, you can use a sleek, clear vase instead. Add some yellow food coloring to the water, then mix it gently so that the color disperses evenly. Using a thin string of burlap, tie a knot around the neck for an earthy finishing touch. Place a sunflower inside the water for a truly vibrant finishing touch. Alternately, you can set a few of these on the windowsill in the kitchen to pep things up for the season.

Whether the kids want to make something thoughtful for the neighbors or you just want to create something you can give as a quick thank you, consider a single-flower vase with a sunflower tucked inside. For this, use a vintage-style bottle in an amber color — old olive oil bottles work well — and fill them with fresh water. Wrap a thin yellow ribbon around the neck, tie it into a knot, and drop the sunflower in the water.

As an alternative, you can use a sleek, clear vase instead. Add some yellow food coloring to the water, then mix it gently so that the color disperses evenly. Using a thin string of burlap, tie a knot around the neck for an earthy finishing touch. Place a sunflower inside the water for a truly vibrant finishing touch. Alternately, you can set a few of these on the windowsill in the kitchen to pep things up for the season.

Summer is full of good excuses for gift-giving. Maybe it’s someone’s birthday, or maybe you’re attending a housewarming or wishing someone well on their anniversary, wedding day, or graduation. Whatever the exciting occasion, it’s a good enough excuse to roll up your sleeves and create a homemade floral gift tag. To make yours with sunflowers, you’ll need a few fresh blooms, plus twine and hot glue. Have fun mixing things up by incorporating a couple of other stems of your favorite flowers for contrast.

To begin, trim the stems to your preferred size, then secure the stems together using a piece of cut twine. Wind it around several times until you’ve got yourself a sturdy miniature bundle. Tie the twine in a secure knot. Add a bit of hot glue to your gift tag, then press the miniature arrangement directly on top. Wait for the flowers to cure, then fish some twine through the gift tag’s opening and tie it to your gift. This is an easy way to dress up packages that are wrapped in plain wrapping paper or anything that could use a splash of extra color.

It’s always a sad day when you have to bid adieu to your flowers. When you’ve got a bouquet as gorgeous as The Seasonal Bloom hanging around brightening things up, it just doesn’t seem right to part ways with it if you can help it. Truth is, you can help it — simply by preserving the flowers! While it may seem like a complex activity, it’s actually easy to accomplish. All you need are your flowers and a microwave.

Trim the stems as much as you’d like, keeping in mind that it’s best to prepare the flowers before drying actually begins. Set them on a sheet of white paper, then fold that paper over the flowers so that you have a “sandwich” of sorts. Place this folded paper within a folded paper towel, then place this in the microwave with a heavy glass or bowl on top. Microwave on high for 20 to 30 seconds at a time, stopping to check on their dryness level. It shouldn’t take long before they’re perfectly dry. Finish by placing your newly pressed and dried flowers in the frame of your choice.

Sunflowers bring incredible joy and color to your world. Have some fun making artistic magic with these vibrant accents and keep the lively cheer going all summer long.