This Might Be the Easiest Stool DIY Ever

A couple weeks ago I ran into a shoe store in the Mission that had cinder block stools all around the space. The tops of the cinder blocks were covered in speckled rug padding, and my mind immediately went to DIY project (obvs)! The ones in the shop were very cool, but to add Brit + Co flair we needed to include color, pattern and overall pizazz. These stools are incredibly easy to make. With only four steps you can create custom stools for your outdoor patio, mud room or shoe store (hehe). Check out how we made them below!

Concrete_Block_Stool_040

Materials + Tools:

– cinder blocks

– spray paint

– rope

– foam sheet

– fabric

– glue gun

Instructions:

1. Spray paint your cinder blocks in any color or pattern.

2. Cut a piece of foam that measures 33 x 8 inches and a piece of fabric that measures about 40 x 20 inches.

3. Wrap the fabric around the foam as if you were wrapping a present. Use the hot glue gun to secure the fabric in place.

4. Fold the foam in half and tie it onto the cinder blocks using rope.

Grab your favorite color spray paint and start spraying. For color blocked cinder blocks, section off the cinder block with painter’s tape, and then spray each section a different color.

Cut a piece of foam that measures 33 x 8 inches, and then cut a piece of fabric that measures about 40 x 20 inches long. Now wrap your fabric around the foam sheet as if you were wrapping a present. Use the hot glue to hold the fabric in place.

Just like a present, we cut a little extra to make sure that the fabric had some room to overlap.

Apply a line of hot glue at the edge of the foam, and press the top and bottom sections of fabric together. Fold in the corners, and secure the flap with hot glue.

Fold the foam cushion in half, and place it on top of the cinder blocks. Let’s be real — it’s concrete, so you are going to want a double layer of cushion under your booty.

Notice those grooves in the picture above? Those are going to help hold the rope in place. Wrap the rope around twice, and tie a knot underneath the stool.

These stools were so easy to make and extremely cheap! We bought four cinder blocks for $9.

We think these stools are great for an outdoor garden or as a place to pop a squat in your mud room. Make one for each of your kiddos, and let them get involved by choosing their favorite colors and patterns.

We were so excited to have Terri in town to sneak a guest appearance in our little cafe shoot. She brought us up to date on all of Seattle’s latest gossip :)

What other DIYs have you done with cinder blocks? Share your projects with us in the comments below!

Audiences loved the way Greta Gerwig's Little Women brought all four March sisters to life, and Netflix's Anne with an E became so popular that when the show was canceled after season 3, 1.7 million fans signed a petition to revive the series. It all just proves that classic adaptations can make the original story even more powerful.

And the newest movie based on a book is going to be one we think about forever — and not just because of its cast. Emerald Fennell (who you'll recognize from The Crown and her work as writer & director on Satburn) is adapting Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights and Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi are leading the cast!

The book, published in 1847, continues to grip readers, and it's become the blueprint for moody complexity — just like Emerald Fennell's Promising Young Woman, which won the Oscar for Best Screenplay thanks to its scathing look at sexual assault. Well, the Em's are coming together for this new adaptation.

Here's everything we know about Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights — and your first look at the movie.

Here's Your First Look At 'Wuthering Heights'

The first look at Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights is getting some seriously mixed reactions. The photo features a close-up image of someone (maybe Margot Robbie's) with their fingers and a few blades of grass in their mouth.

"CAN NOT WAIT," one Instagram user said, along with a couple fire emojis. But the intimate (and somewhat shocking) image also has some users asking, "what in the saltburn?"

Is Wuthering Heights going to be in theaters?

Focus Features

It appears director Emerald Fennell and producer Margot Robbie are pushing for a theatrical release, which is why they've reportedly turned down a Netflix offer of $150 million.

Despite the fact Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said theatrical releases are "just not our business," and the company has stuck to at-home streaming instead, they did break that pattern for Knives Out: Glass Onion in 2022. The movie appeared in around 600 theaters the day before Thanksgiving, but left a week later ahead of its December 23 debut on the streamer.

Co-CEO Reed Hastings told The Hollywood Reporter that keeping the movie in theaters could have made Netflix more money, but later said they just wanted to "break through the noise" and get movie lovers excited for the film to come to Netflix.

All that to be said, Margot Robbie (whose Barbie made over $1 billion worldwide) and Emerald Fennell (whose Promising Young Woman nabbed her an Oscar win and two other nominations) know how to capture the imaginations of movie lovers everywhere. And it could definitely be in their favor to stick to a theatrical release. Stay tuned for official news on where you can watch Wuthering Heights!

Who's in the new Wuthering Heights movie?

Frazer Harrison/Monica Schipper/Getty Images

Wuthering Heights Cast

The Wuthering Heights movie will be led by Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie as Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw, respectively. Margot will also produce with her production company LuckyChap, which worked behind the scenes on Emerald Fennell's Saltburn and Promising Young Woman.

While some fans were initially excited about the casting, others were concerned about the fact that in the book, Heathcliff is described as "dark skinned." He also tells Nelly that, "I wish I had light hair and a fair skin, and was dressed, and behaved as well, and had a chance of being as rich as he will be!" Um, it looks like Jacob Elordi definitely has fair skin to me.

"Heathcliff is described as a dark-skinned brown man in the book and a major plot point is that he was subjected to racist abuse by his adopted family," one tweet (which has over 8 million views) says. "But yeah sure Jacob Elordi is perfect!"

Another says, "Film studios will say 'We are committed to diverse casting' and then cast Jacob Elordi to play Heathcliff, one of the more famous people of color in literature, whose race is crucial to both his character and the story."

Check back here to see who will play characters like Edgar Linton, Nelly Dean, Isabella Linton, and Lockwood.

When is Wuthering Heights coming out?

Warner Bros. Pictures

Wuthering Heights Release Date

Wuthering Heights will premiere on February 14, 2026. Happy Valentine's Day!

What is Wuthering Heights about?

Amazon

Wuthering Heights Plot

Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights follows the Earnshaws and the Lintons, who are living in the Yorkshire Moors in the 1880s. Their lives change forever when the Earnshaws take in Heathcliff. Like any good dramatic novel, passion lies beneath proper connections, marriages, and societal expectations — and despite Catherine and Heathcliffe's feelings for each other, they have to choose between security and love.

Check out 16 New Movies Based On Books To Add To Your Watchlist to inspire your next movie night!

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

This post has been updated.

Amid Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni's legal battle, their It Ends With Us costars have stayed relatively quiet, but on February 17, Brandon Sklenar (who played Atlas opposite Blake's Lily and Justin's Ryle) was straight-up asked if he's Team Blake or Team Justin. The question shocked me a little, TBH, given the internet's discussion around whether the PR for the movie trivialized its themes of domestic violence, but Brandon handled the q like a champ.

Here's what Brandon Sklenar said about being Team Blake Lively or Team Justin Baldoni amid the It Ends With Us legal battle.

Brandon Sklenar wants audiences to "remember why we made" 'It Ends With Us.'

In a conversation ahead of 1923 season 2, which drops on Paramount+ February 23, Brandon revealed that he just wants "people to remember why we made the movie in the first place and what it stands for, and just keeping the focus on that."

The film follows Lily Bloom, who finds herself in the middle of a very complex and dangerous relationship. "That movie meant so much to me, and I have someone very, very close to me in my life who's gone through what Lily's going through for a long time and I've been on the front lines helping her navigate that space," Brandon continues. "Me doing that film gave her the strength to change her life...It's unfortunate that things get taken away from what the ethos of [the movie] is and gets convoluted, and I just want to remind people of why that thing exists in the first place."

But is he Team Blake or Team Justin? "I'm Team It Ends With Us," Brandon tells CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King.

And it's not the first time Brandon Sklenar has spoken up.

This isn't the first time Brandon Sklenar has spoken on the feud between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. After Blake's legal team published a story in the New York Times in December 2024, alleging that Justin has sexually harassed her and orchestrated a smear campaign against her, the 1923 actor shared the link on his Instagram story on December 23, telling his followers, "For the love of god read this," alongside a red heart and Blake Lively's Instagram handle.

Brandon also took to his Instagram stories after the movie premiered in August 2024, saying "What may or may not have happened behind the scenes does not and hopefully should not detract from what our intentions were in making this film."

"There isn't a single person involved in the making of this film that was not aware of the responsibility we had in making this," he continues, adding that "villifying" the women involved in bringing the story to life "detracts what this film is about."

"Colleen and the women of this cast stand for hope, perseverance, and for women choosing a better life for themselves," he says.

Check out what Brandon Sklenar had to say about an It Starts With Us movie, and read the latest news on his new rowing biopic, The Olympian.

Any Hunger Games fan will agree that one of the best parts about Catching Fire is that it offers a whole new look at Haymitch Abernathy's character. The mentor (played by Woody Harrelson in the film franchise) won the 2nd Quarter Quell, and the brief mention of his Games totally captured fans' attention, leading to fan art, fanfiction, and even some viral short films. Well, we're finally getting the full story thanks to a brand new Haymitch Hunger Games book, just in time for spring 2025!

Here's everything we know about Sunrise On The Reaping, coming March 2025.

Who's narrating the audiobook?

Cam McLeod/Paramount

It was confirmed on February 3 that Yellowstone actor Jefferson White will narrate the Sunrise on the Reaping audiobook.

“It's an honor to be a small part of a world I’ve loved for so long — Suzanne Collins is a genius and it's equal parts exhilarating and terrifying to be back in Panem," he told People.

See The Official 'Sunrise On The Reaping' Cover

Amazon

The Sunrise on the Reaping cover was unveiled the morning of October 16 and it's just as beautiful as we hoped! It continues the tradition from the other books of a bold background color with gold and white accents, and I'll admit I was surprised when I first saw the snake and the mockingjay. The snake is obviously a nod to President Snow, and we know that both Lucy Gray Baird and Katniss Everdeen are two songbirds the President was never able to shake. Will Haymitch Abernathy become one as well?

In the original books, Haymitch starts out as an angry man with no friends or family who always has a drink in his hand, but by the end of Mockingjay, he's a wise, caring father figure for Katniss — and I'm betting Sunrise on the Reaping will show us plenty of those character traits as he has to make his way through the Hunger Games.

One detail on the cover that concerns me is the fact the snake and the songbird are connected, and that a sun sits between them. David Levithan, Scholastic's vice president, publisher, and editorial director told TODAY that just like the other covers, this one features "one of the central themes of the series: how conflicting forces can be connected by their common nature, the songbird and the snake springing from the same source."

When is Sunrise on the Reaping coming out?

Lionsgate

Sunrise on the Reaping will hit stores on March 18, 2025.

What is the Sunrise on the Reaping going to be about?

Scholastic/Instagram

The new Hunger Games book is called Sunrise on the Reaping. According to the official announcement, the story will take place 24 years before The Hunger Games, starting on the morning of the 50th Games' reaping. While fans had hoped the story would chronicle Haymitch's victory, it wasn't confirmed until October 16. Read the full synopsis below:

"As the day dawns on the 50th annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes. Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves. When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight ... and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena."

Can you preorder Sunrise on the Reaping?

Murray Close/Lionsgate

Yes, you can pre-order the book now!

What happened in Haymitch's Hunger Games?

Lionsgate

As a Quarter Quell, the 50th Hunger Games had a twist. Just like the 75th Hunger Games pulled the tributes from the existing victors, the 50th required double the tributes, meaning Haymitch (who was 16 years old at the time) was one of 48 tributes, not 24.

The arena was a breathtaking landscape with a forest, snow-capped mountains, and beautiful flowers. But Haymitch quickly realized the beauty was a trap, and that everything in the arena was poisonous. He was able to outsmart the rest of the competitors, but after he used the forcefield against the other remaining tribute to secure his victory (a move that offended the Capitol), President Snow retaliated by killing his family and his girlfriend.

Is Sunrise on the Reaping about Haymitch?

Murray Close/Lionsgate

Yes, Sunrise on the Reaping is about Haymitch Abernathy and his win during the 50th Hunger Games.

Check out The 27 Most-Anticipated New Books Debuting In 2024 for more titles coming soon!

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

This post has been updated.

Get ready for a week of powerful transformation and aligned action, beautiful! This week's tarot reading emphasizes the interconnectedness of your mind, body, and spirit, guiding you to tap into your inner wisdom and create a life that truly lights you up. Let's dive into your tarot reading and discover how you can embrace your full potential and manifest your dreams!

Scroll down to see your weekly tarot reading for February 18, 2025!

1. Nine of Pentacles

Physical Health: The Nine of Pentacles suggests your physical health is strongly tied to your mental well-being. Stress, anxiety, and worry can manifest physically as digestive issues, sleep disturbances, muscle tension, and difficulty absorbing nutrients. Prioritize your mental health to support your physical body. Slow down, create space for rest, and allow your body to restore its energy.

2. Four of Cups

Mental Health: The Four of Cups encourages you to release the need to control outcomes and surrender to a higher plan. Trying to force things to happen a certain way also leads to stress and anxiety. Instead, tap into your intuition and allow your emotions to guide you. If something feels good, pursue it. Ask yourself: What would bring me joy and peace? Engage in activities that light you up. This is a time to pause, listen to your inner voice, and trust that there's an easier way forward.

3. King of Swords

Emotional Well-being: The King of Swords empowers you to trust your intuition and act on your feelings. You have the wisdom and experience to make decisions for yourself. If something excites you, go for it! Don't overthink it. This is a time for movement and action after a period of stillness. For some, this may also be a week to address and heal any lingering emotional heaviness. Feel your feelings, process them in a healthy way, and move forward with strength and clarity.

Watch Your Full Weekly Tarot Reading For February 18 Here!

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Ultimately, this week is about integrating your mind, body, and spirit. Listen to your intuition, honor your emotions, and take aligned action to create a fulfilling human experience.

Looking for more astrology advice & horoscopes? Be sure to sign up for our newsletter so you never miss a thing!

Nicole Kidman is still at the top of her game, and she's not slowing down. After projects like Expats, Babygirl, A Family Affair, and The Perfect Couple, the iconic AMC spokeswoman returns for a "twisted" new thriller, titled Holland, from the director of Sebastian Stan's Fresh. While it might not have the same cannibalistic turn of events that Fresh gave us, it's going to be just as "wildly unpredictable." I'm so sat!

Here's everything we know about Nicole Kidman's new movie Holland, coming to Prime Video in March.

What is the film Holland about?

Prime Video

Holland Plot

In Holland, Nancy Vandergroot (Nicole Kidman) leads the perfect life in Holland, Michigan as a teacher and homemaker alongside her husband (Matthew Macfadyen) and their son (Jude Hill). But when Nancy and her coworker (Gael García Bernal) pick up on a secret, everything changes — and they realize their lives were never so perfect after all.

"There's an odd sort of offbeat humor about it that we're hoping people get and enjoy," director Mimi Cave tells People, and TBH the whole thing is totally reminding me of all the secrets in Little Fires Everywhere.

Is the movie Holland out yet?

Prime Video

Holland Release Date

We can't watch Holland just yet, but it drops on Prime Video March 27, 2025, so we won't have to wait long! The movie will make its premiere at the SXSW festival on March 9.

Who's in the cast?

Prime Video

Holland Cast

Holland stars Nicole Kidman, Matthew Macfadyen, Jude Hill, and Gael García Bernal.

For director Mimi Cave, Nicole was the perfect leading lady, and her role in To Die For was a good reference point for the character of Nancy. "She plays this incredibly undertone comedic lead and I knew she had that in her, but maybe just hasn't, you know, been in a role [like that] in a while," Mimi tells People. "She is so funny, so deeply funny."

Where was Holland filmed?

Prime Video

Nicole Kidman's Holland filmed partly at Windmill Island (which is on location in Holland, Michigan), but the majority of the movie was filmed in Clarksville, Tennessee (via Wood TV 8).

Nicole Kidman/Instagram

Nicole shared a look at filming Holland when she posted this snowy photo to her Instagram story. "Springtime snowfall in Holland, Michigan!" she says.

Are you excited to see Nicole Kidman's new movie? Check out the latest news on Big Little Lies season 3 because Shailene Woodley promises "it's coming!"