How to Make a Advent Calendar Sweater

1. Add your matcha powder.

Rocky's Matcha Oishi Ceremonial Blend Matcha

The perfect matcha latte undoubtedly starts with the right matcha powder. There are several different grades of matcha: ceremonial, premium, and culinary. Ceremonial grade matcha powder is typically more expensive, but it provides the best sweet, smooth, and umami-rich flavor.

365 by Whole Foods Market Organic Matcha Powder

Premium grade matcha powder is slightly less sweet than ceremonial grade, but can be a great option if you consume matcha on the daily. It's also great for baking projects!

Jade Leaf Organic Culinary Matcha

Culinary grade matcha powder is widely known as the more budget-friendly option. It’s noticeably more bitter and you’ll notice that its color is less vibrant than ceremonial grade matcha powder.

To get started on your matcha, you'll want to sift 1-2 teaspoons of matcha powder into your matcha bowl. Sifting it through a fine mesh sieve ensures less clumps and better flavor.

2. Kettle

Great Jones x Fellow EKG Pro Kettle

To make matcha, you’ll need to heat up some water so that the powder mixes perfectly. The exact temperature of water is important there, though, so having a good kettle on-hand will make the process super easy.

We love this kettle from Great Jones x Fellow because it's aesthetically-pleasing, yet super functional. You can fine-tune the exact temperature using an easy dial, set timers, and pour with precision, thanks to the pour-over spout.

Café Kitsuné x Printworks Matcha Tools

Some matcha purists insist on preheating their matcha bowls before adding any powder. You can do this by filling it with hot water and letting it sit for about a minute, discarding the water after.

To prep your matcha powder in the matcha bowl, you’ll want your water to be around 175°F – just below boiling. You don’t need too much of it. Pour just enough to cover the powder.

Next, mix the matcha and water together with your whisk for about 15-20 seconds, using a zig-zag motion until the matcha is fully dissolved and frothy.

3. Use a matcha bowl + whisk.

Ren Vois Blush Marble Matcha Table Set

A reliable matcha bowl and whisk set is crucial for preparing matcha the right way. Using these traditional tools ensures that your matcha powder is evenly mixed and doesn't come out clumpy.

DAVIDsTEA Bamboo Matcha Whisk

Plus, using a quality bamboo whisk gives your matcha that smooth, frothy texture you love and naturally aerates a bit of the bitterness out for a seamless sip.

4. Add your sweetener of choice.

Jordan's Skinny Mixes Sugar-Free Pistachio Syrup

After you’ve mixed your matcha is where the fun really kicks in. You can pair the matcha mixture with your favorite flavors, using syrups, purees, or natural sweeteners to jazz it up. Simply add your matcha to your desired amount of sweetener and gently mix to incorporate the flavors.

365 by Whole Foods Market Organic Grade A Dark Maple Syrup

Other matcha lovers concoct their own syrups and purees, like strawberry, blueberry, and peach.

Using natural sweeteners like honey, agave, or maple syrup is also a stunning way to add some sweetness to your matcha latte!

5. Pour your milk.

Minor Figures Organic Barista Oat Milk

Matcha lattes are typically served with milk for added creaminess and to break some of the natural bitterness from the powder. Generally, anywhere from 1 to 1 1 ½ cups of milk is the perfect ratio.

The HomeFlow Co.Handheld Milk Frother

You can easily sip your homemade matcha iced or hot. For a hot drink, you can use a milk steamer, or for the less fancy, microwave it for a few minutes in a mug and froth with a handheld electric whisk.

Trader Joe's Organic Unsweetened Almond Beverage

Our favorite milks for matcha lattes include Minor Figures' Organic Barista Oat Milk, Trader Joe's Organic Unsweetened Almond Beverage, and Forager Project’s Organic Cashew Milk. Occasionally, we’ll add a tiny splash of Chobani Vanilla Dairy Creamerfor extra sweetness if we don’t have other sweeteners on-hand.

6. Serve in a cute glass!

Anthropologie Icon Juice Glass

A matcha latte truly isn’t complete without a cute cup or mug! In addition to mason jars and weck jars, these are the most adorable options we want in our kitchen ASAP.

Wavy Drinking Glasses

These glasses are full of personality. You'll be hosting an at-home cafe in no time!

Bluepolar Glass Tumbler

This glass is perfect for on-the-go matcha moments since it comes with a secure lid to prevent slips and spills.

Supplies For Your Own "Cruel Summer" Taylor Swift Fuzzy Dice:

• Sewing machine
• Pink fleece fabric
• Pink thread
• Pink felt
• Scissors
• Blue rope/cord (I took mine off a loofah)
• Needle + pins
• A copy of Lover to listen to while you sew ;)
• Poly-Fil Stuffing (not pictured)
• Ruler (optional)
• Glue gun + glue gun sticks (optional, use it to touch up your seams if you need)

Instructions:

Start by marking your fleece with the measurements for your squares. Since the size of the dice on Taylor's official website was listed as 3.5", I marked them just above 3.5" so I could leave room for a hem. You'll need 12 squares total.

Next, cut out your squares. I used the first square as a template for the others, then went back in and cleaned up the edges where necessary.

The first image I made was a sun, and I started by drawing a circle on my felt. I used the rim of my thread spool to make sure I had a perfect circle but you can also free hand if you want the circle to be a different size.

Pin your felt to the center of a fleece square.

Sew the circle to the fleece using a regular straight stitch.

Next, move your sewing machine from a straight stitch to a zigzag stitch and decrease your stitch length to a lower number like 0 or 1. This will allow your art to have more of a filled-in border, instead of a messier, chevron finish.

Go back over the rim of your circle with the zigzag stitch to give it that embroidered look. I did this with the fabric right side up, then I did it again with the fabric flipped upside down just to be extra thorough.

After your circle is complete, it's time for the sun rays! Use the same zigzag stitch and 0 stitch length to move from the circle outward. This is where you'll want to add another element: stitch width.

To give the sun rays their triangular shape, adjust your stitch width as you move out from the heart of the sun. While the stitch length ensures your sewing won't have empty spaces, the width will let you move from a wider sunbeam base to a thinner point. I just decreased the width every few stitches as I went along.

Your finished sun will look something like this! I went back in with a needle to clean up loose threads by hand. I waited to trim them until I had threaded them to the back so that the front image had a more polished look.

Repeat the above steps for your devil and angel hearts. There are only a few differences between these and the sun; you'll cut the felt into hearts instead of circles, and to fill in the horns and the wings, I used a straight stitch to give it a colored-in look, reserving the zigzag stitching for the borders.

I know the original dice had "Cruel Summer" lyrics stitched onto these squares, but I ended up leaving them off. It makes the design more minimal and easier to work with.

One thing to note about this step: beware of bunched fabric! Filling in the angel wings brought the edges of the squares in a bit, but I wasn't too upset about it. I think flaws give a craft some personality!

The "Lover" stitching got a little more complicated than the images. I first traced the word with my pen so that I would have some guide as to what the word should look like. Move the stitch width back down to one of the lower settings.

Then instead of just moving the fabric in a circle like I did for the sun, I moved it all around to follow the word I had written in marker. Repeat this a few times until you're satisfied with the thickness. I definitely tried this step a couple different times so don't worry if you don't get it on the first go!

For my final embroidered square, I did a simple "TS," which of course stands for "Taylor Swift."

Before you can sew your squares together, line the edges up and pin them. I used my ruler to mark how far I wanted my hem to go (I did 1/4" at every edge) for a sewing guideline.

I pinned the squares one at a time, checking at each step that they were pinned the right way (especially after I sewed two together incorrectly and had to pick out the stitches. Oops.)

Arrange the images in a similar way to the official dice, or change it up however you'd like! I chose to arrange the squares so that there was a blank in between the images.

Pin and sew your remaining three squares around the middle square so that you end up with a cross.

I continued pinning and sewing the edges to one another until I had an inside-out cube. Here's a tutorial to help you better understand which edges should be sewn together.

I did one square at a time, making sure to focus on the corners and going back in to tighten them up once I was done. You only want one gap, which is where you'll flip the cube inside out and then stuff it.

Once you have a cube, flip the fabric inside out. I used my pen to make sure all the corners and edges were good to go.

Next, stuff your cube with whatever filling you prefer. I didn't stuff it super full because I didn't want it to have a rounded look when I was done.

Ta-da! A little wonky but very cute :)

When you have both dice, cut a small hole in the top for your cord. Knot the ends and stuff them into the holes, then use your needle and thread to attach the cord and the fleece together.

Voilà!

They're soft, fuzzy, and pink. What could be better than that?!

If you don't want to hang these in your car, they also make excellent Valentine's (or Galentine's) decor.

If you need me, I'll be blasting "Cruel Summer" for the rest of the month.

Solar Eclipses generally send out chaotic, unpredictable energy, making it an unstable time for setting intentions or calling things in. Instead, focus on reflection and evaluating your current processes. The best way to work with this energy is by observing what needs to shift, releasing attachments to outdated ambitions, and allowing space for what is to come.

To honor this eclipse, try a candle meditation, but remember that this is not for manifesting. Light a red or gold candle as a symbolic act of making peace with the past while igniting the inner fire that will propel you forward. As you focus on the flame, visualize shedding the weight of old cycles, embracing personal growth, and building clarity on what lies ahead. This practice will align you with the upcoming wave of ambition without the risk of rushing into impulsive decisions.

This eclipse also signals a revelation period. Over the next six months, new information regarding your goals, ambitions, and direction will surface. Keep a journal or document what percolates your consciousness, and revisit it in late September 2025. What emerges now is worth holding onto, as it will embed in your subconscious, subtly guiding your success.

The most notable moment during this eclipse is its supportive sextile with Pluto, which provides an extra boost for transformation and openness to change. However, with Mercury retrograde in play, careful planning is essential. While this energy calls for forward movement, the retrograde influence urges you to be mindful of old habits or outdated goals that could resurface. Conscious awareness, focused determination, and attention to detail will ensure success.

Which signs will experience growth and opportunity during the Solar Eclipse?

The signs most impacted are Aries, Libra, Capricorn, and Cancer, as well as those with placements between 4-14 degrees in any sign.

How The Solar Eclipse Will Impact Each Sign:

Aries (March 21 – April 19)

This solar eclipse marks a profound personal reset. A fresh start in your identity, goals, and self-expression is unfolding, guiding you toward newfound confidence. You are stepping into a bolder version of yourself—ready to take charge and embrace new beginnings. Over the next six months, expect a transformation in presenting yourself to the world and pursuing your dreams.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20)

This eclipse activates your inner world, signaling a rebirth in your spiritual journey. Pay attention to intuitive nudges and hidden insights that surface now. A deep sense of renewal is emerging, but before leaping into action, allow yourself space to rest, reflect, and integrate new wisdom.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20)

New beginnings in your social life and aspirations take center stage. A shift in friendships, networking opportunities, or collaborations could set the stage for long-term success. Whether stepping into a new community or powering up your future goals, trust the process and let things unfold organically.

Cancer (June 22 – July 22)

Your career and public life are under the spotlight. This eclipse could bring a fresh opportunity, a shift in professional direction, or a newfound sense of purpose. However, with Mercury retrograde in motion, be patient when signing contracts or making long-term commitments — clarity will come soon.

Leo (July 23 – August 22)

A fresh start in education, travel, or personal beliefs is within reach. You may feel the pull toward expanding your horizons, whether through a new study, an international opportunity, or a personal philosophy shift. This is an exciting time, but let ideas marinate before launching something new.

Virgo (August 23 – September 22)

Shared resources, emotional depth, and financial matters are in focus. This eclipse encourages transformation in navigating intimacy, investments, or joint ventures. Be mindful of financial decisions or contracts during Mercury retrograde, ensuring everything aligns with your long-term security.

Libra (September 23 – October 22)

A significant relationship cycle is beginning. Whether in love or business, new connections are forming, and existing relationships are evolving. However, with Mercury still retrograde, give things time to unfold before making long-term commitments—what you truly desire will become clearer in the coming months.

Scorpio (October 23 - November 21)

A fresh start in work, wellness, and daily habits is on the horizon. Whether it's a new job, a refined health routine, or a shift in priorities, this eclipse invites you to take charge of your daily life. Allow space for adjustments, as the retrograde influence suggests fine-tuning before fully committing.

Sagittarius (November 21 – December 21)

Creativity, romance, and self-expression are taking center stage. This eclipse signals the beginning of an exciting new chapter in love or personal projects. Since Mercury retrograde is in motion, avoid rushing into new endeavors—let inspiration flow naturally before making major leaps.

Capricorn (December 21 – January 19)

A fresh start in home life, emotional well-being, or family matters is emerging. Whether it’s a relocation, a new family dynamic, or a deeper emotional reset, this eclipse brings clarity to your personal foundations. Take your time before making major household decisions, as Mercury retrograde asks for careful planning.

Aquarius (January 20 – February 19)

Your confidence in communication is growing, and this eclipse opens new doors for sharing your voice. A new project, writing endeavor, or community connection may emerge, but with Mercury retrograde still in motion, be mindful of timing. Gather your thoughts and refine your message before making big announcements.

Pisces (February 20 – March 21)

This eclipse elevates your self-worth, finances, and overall security. A fresh start in money matters and personal value systems is in the works. However, with Mercury retrograde in the mix, avoid impulsive investments or major purchases—wait for more clarity before making financial commitments.

Approach This Solar Eclipse With Awareness

This Solar Eclipse marks a cosmic reset, offering the chance to understand your core priorities, ambition, transformation, and new possibilities. Instead of manifesting, focus on reflection, releasing the past, and preparing for what’s next.

New insights will emerge in the coming months, shedding light on your goals' direction. Check in with your journal or reflect on what has been stirring in your consciousness now, then revisit it in late September 2025. By then, the pieces of the puzzle will be clearer, and your subconscious will have already laid the foundation for success.