How To Make No-Sew Pencil Pouches For Back To School

Jul 28, 2022

Believe it or not, back to school season is almost here. To keep those warm-weather summer vibes going, we decided to make the quickest and easiest pencil pouch DIY featuring the coolest summer print fabrics. Keep the party going while cracking open your kiddo's textbooks with these cute and simple pencil pouches. While you're at it, mix and match patterns — the more the merrier! And don't worry about the pencil pouch getting dirty on the inside; the oilcloth lining will help keep your fabric clean from those pesky ink stains.

DIY Pencil Pouch

Materials:

fabric
oilcloth
VELCRO® sticky back for fabrics
fabric glue
pencil
scissors
ruler

Instructions:

1. Measure and cut a 15 x 12-inch piece of fabric.

2. Measure and cut a 15 x 10-inch piece of oilcloth.

3. Lay the two pieces on top of each other with the back sides touching and the oilcloth directly in the middle of the fabric.

4. Add a line of fabric glue on the top and bottom in between the oilcloth and fabric and press it down.

5. Next, add a line of fabric glue on top of the oilcloth, fold over the flaps of fabric and press down.

6. Then add a small strip of fabric glue on the top and bottom of the piece and fold it over about an inch and press.

7. Add a strip of fabric glue about five inches long on both sides starting at the bottom. Then fold it up, leaving a couple inches of fabric for the top flap.

8. Cut a piece of VELCRO® the width of the top flap.

9. Peel the adhesive off and press it onto the top flap.

10. Peel off the other side of the adhesive, fold the flap over and press.

11. Allow the adhesive to set for about ten minutes, then pull the flap open.

That's it! The pattern of the oilcloth is a fun surprise in the inside of your pouch. You can totally use these pouches for your phone, notebooks, lipsticks, whatever! The possibilities are endless.

DIY Production + Styling: Brittany Griffin

Photography: Chris Andre

Design: Rosee Canfield

Follow us on Pinterest for more DIY ideas and tag us with your pencil pouches on Instagram!

This article has been updated from a previous post.

These Taylor Swift-Inspired Fuzzy Dice Are A Cute & Cuddly Valentine's DIY

If you know me, you know how much I love Taylor Swift. Something about hearing music written by someone while they experience the same life stages feels so personal, and there's a good chance that almost every emotion I feel can be summed up by a Taylor Swift song. In short: I just love her.

Taylor frequently drops merchandise when a holiday rolls around and for Valentine's Dayin 2022, she released a collection inspired by her 2019 album Lover. I fell in love with a pair of fuzzy dice inspired by her hit song "Cruel Summer," and apparently so did everyone else because the next time I visited the website, they were sold out! So, I decided to make a simplified version of them with my sewing machine for a fun V-Day activity and to add some extra pink to my space. Check out our online sewing class to brush up on your skills and keep reading for a low stakes tutorial on how to make your own!

Here's how to make your own Taylor Swift "Cruel Summer"-inspired dice for Valentine's Day.

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

Chloe Williams/Brit + Co

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:

Chloe Williams/Brit + Co

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.

Chloe Williams/Brit + Co

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.

Chloe Williams/Brit + Co

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.

Chloe Williams/Brit + Co

Pin your felt to the center of a fleece square.

Chloe Williams/Brit + Co

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

Chloe Williams/Brit + Co

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.

Chloe Williams/Brit + Co

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.

Chloe Williams/Brit + Co

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.

Chloe Williams/Brit + Co

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!

Chloe Williams/Brit + Co

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!

Chloe Williams/Brit + Co

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

Chloe Williams/Brit + Co

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.)

Chloe Williams/Brit + Co

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.

Chloe Williams/Brit + Co

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

Chloe Williams/Brit + Co

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.

Chloe Williams/Brit + Co

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.

Chloe Williams/Brit + Co

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.

Chloe Williams/Brit + Co

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

Chloe Williams/Brit + Co

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.

Chloe Williams/Brit + Co

Voilà!

Chloe Williams/Brit + Co

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

Chloe Williams/Brit + Co

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

Chloe Williams/Brit + Co

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

Loving these Taylor Swift fuzzy dice? Follow us on Pinterest and TikTok for more entertainment inspo, and don't forget to check out The Latest On Taylor Swift And Travis Kelce's Relationship!

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.

'Babygirl' Is Finally Streaming Next Month, So You Can Watch It Alone Like Nicole Kidman Suggested

Nicole Kidman is, as the kids say, mothering. She's giving fans plenty of movies and TV shows to pick from while we wait for the next seasons of Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers — A Family Affair, Expats, The Perfect Couple (and the AMC intro, of course). Her steamy drama Babygirl, which hit theaters on Christmas Day 2024, is mixing work and pleasure. Pour yourself a glass of wine for this one, folks.

Scroll down to learn more about Nicole Kidman's Babygirl — including when you can stream it on Max.

Where can you stream Babygirl?

A24

Babygirl will be streaming on Max starting April 25, 2025. That means you can watch THAT milk scene as many times as you want.

What is the plot of Babygirl?

A24

Babygirl Plot

In Babygirl, Nicole Kidman plays powerful CEO Romy, who's struggling to hold her perfect persona together. Her marriage to Jacob has never provided with much pleasure, despite the fact he's caring and artistic. But when Romy immediately feels drawn to a young intern named Samuel, the two begin a torrid affair.

Filming scenes with Harris Dickinson got so intense, Kidman said she literally had to take breaks. “There were times when we were shooting where I was like, ‘I don’t want to orgasm any more,'” she told the Sun. “Don’t come near me. I hate doing this. I don’t care if I am never touched again in my life!”

But the fact the movie was made by women empowered Kidman — and gave her a sense of freedom. "Doing this subject matter in the hands of the woman that wrote the script, that's directing it and is a really great actress herself — we became one in a weird way, which I'd never had with a director before," Kidman says in a statement. "When you're working with a woman on this subject matter, you can share everything with each other.”

"I really decided in the beginning, I want to make a sexual film, just as sexual as all these films that I've always admired so much," adds writer-director-producer Halina Reijn, "but now I'm going to do it completely through female eyes. What does that mean and what does that look like?”

A24

In our Brit + Co exclusive, Nicole Kidman revealed she "spent a lot of time in bed" with Harris while filming. (TBH, a job that requires you to hang out in bed sounds like a pretty good job to me).

"As soon as he walked in, I was like, 'Oh good, here's somebody who's gonna play with me," she says. "We spent a lot of time in bed. Hours would go by, and it was like you would step out of there and you would say, 'What just happened?'"

"From the moment [Samuel] sees her, he's attracted to her. He realizes there's someone at the height of their power," Harris adds. "There was an element of mystique that needed to be there for the exploration of the relationship."

When is the Babygirl release date?

A24

Babygirl Release Date

Babygirl made its premiere at the Venice Film Festival, and then opened in theaters on December 25, 2024.

Who's in the Babygirl cast?

A24

Babygirl Cast

The cast of Babygirl includes Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson, Sophie Wilde, and Antonio Banderas.

What has Nicole Kidman said about making Babygirl?

Amy Sussman/Getty Images

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Nicole Kidman revealed Babygirl is the most "exposing" film she's done because she's “made some films that are pretty exposing, but not like this.”

“It left me ragged," she says. "At some point I was like, I don’t want to be touched. I don’t want to do this anymore, but at the same time I was compelled to do it...This is something you do and hide in your home videos. It is not a thing that normally is going to be seen by the world.”

“I felt very exposed as an actor, as a woman, as a human being,” she continues. “I had to go in and go out like, I need to put my protection back on. What have I just done? Where did I go? What did I do?”

What does babygirl energy mean?

A24

"Babygirl" is a term of endearment that's usually applied to a man (you've probably heard it describe Pedro Pascal or Paul Mescal). When someone is giving babygirl energy, they're kind, cute, and disarming. And considering Babygirl plays with power dynamics, we might just find ourselves guessing who the "babygirl" in question is up until the very end.

Watch The 'Babygirl' Trailer Here!

A24

There were SO many moments in the Babygirl trailer that made our jaws drop here:

The thumb in the mouth
The pink skirt moment
NICOLE CRAWLING ON ALL FOURS?!

Yeah, this is one you won't wanna watch with your parents, friends. 🥵 And even Nicole agrees! At the December 2 Gotham Awards, when People asked who moviegoers should bring to the theater with them, "Whoever you want to, but you can also watch it alone." Tea.

Are you looking forward to seeing Nicole Kidman onscreen again? We might have to wait until December to see Babygirl, but there are plenty of incredible Fall Movies coming our way.

This post has been updated.

nicole kidman pop culture entertainment nsfw movie

18 Affordable Target Lamps Shoppers Are Loving (Starting At Just $10)

Lighting can make or break a space. Overhead lights are convenient to switch on but can feel too harsh, while the right mix of lighting can create a warm, inviting aesthetic. The secret? Layering — think floor lamps, table lamps, sconces, and more. To help you achieve that cozy, designer-worthy look, we’ve rounded up 18 affordable Target finds that look way more expensive than they are!

Target's "rich-looking" lamp collection will brighten up your space

FLOOR LAMPS

Target

Wavy Shade Collection with Ceramic Base Floor Lamp

With its playful wavy shade and three-way light setting, this floor lamp lets you customize the brightness to suit any moment—whether you're reading, catching up with friends, or settling in for a movie night.

Target

Gooseneck Floor Lamp with Natural Shade

This gooseneck floor lamp, featuring a rattan shade, looks so elegant and natural and offers adjustable lighting.

Target

Traditional Oil Rubbed Swing Arm Floor Lamp

This bronze floor lamp features a classic swing-arm design, so you can direct light wherever you need it most, such as in your workspace or living area.

Target

Cantilever Drop Pendant Swing Arm Floor Lamp

I've owned Target's most popular floor lamp for about a decade and it still looks and works as well as it did back then. It's a keeper!

Target

Oak Wood Tripod Floor Lamp

This oak wood tripod lamp looks great in your modern space with natural decor.

Table + Desk Lamps

Target

Threshold x Studio McGee Woven Table Lamp

This charming design lamp designed with Studio McGee has adorable scalloped edges and looks sweet on a nightstand or desk.

Target

Threshold x Studio McGee Task Lamp

This retro metal task lamp features a flexible neck to focus the light where you need it the most.

Target

Mini Printed Ceramic Base Table Lamp with Pleated Shade

Love the blue Pollock-like print on this ceramic mini lamp. It's great for teen and dorm rooms!

Hearth & Hand with Magnolia Brass Accent Table Lamp with Plaid Shade

Plaid is always in style in Magnolia's design playbook. This accent table lamp is a stylish addition to your office or side table.

Target

Assembled Ceramic Table Lamp

This blue and white abstract pattern adds a bit of texture to your overall design. Pair two on each side of your bed.

Target

Hearth & Hand with Magnolia Fluted Ceramic Table Lamp with Marble Base

This fluted design is very hot right now and looks elegant solo or in pairs.

Target

Threshold x Studio McGee Round Faux Wood Lamp Base

Give your living space some mood lighting while also adding a cute decorative pattern with a checkered shade.

Target

Farmhouse Ceramic Urn Pot Table Lamp

Go for organic vibes with this modern cement table lamp.

Target

Hearth & Hand with Magnolia Fluted Metal Rechargeable Library Table Lamp

Give your bookshelf a dose of classic elegance with Magnolia's fluted rechargeable library lamp.

SCONCES

Target

Hearth & Hand Magnolia Milk Glass Striped Wall Sconce

Milk glass is always in style for any vintage-inspired decor. These would look great in a kitchen for a modern-retro vibe.

Hearth & Hand with Magnolia Fluted Ceramic Sconce

Here's the fluted lamp in a sconce variety. Matching lamp styles is actually a great way to create cohesion in your design.

Target

Threshold x Studio McGee Metal Sconce Wall Light

Add metallic appeal to your home with this Studio McGee sconce that gives off a warm golden hue.

Target

Threshold x Studio McGee Wall Sconce with Plaid Shade

An affordable sconce with a unique shade is a great way to add personality to your space while saving space too!

Subscribe to our newsletter for more home decor ideas!

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

studio mcgee lighting home decor trends diy magnolia home decor

Monica Barbaro & Andrew Garfield's Latest Outing Could Confirm They're Dating

Andrew Garfield's relationship status is always a swoon-worthy topic. Whether he's gushing about how Emma Stone is like a shot of caffeine, he's getting flustered talking to Chicken Shop Date's Amelia Dimoldenberg, or he's kissing Demi Moore on the hand, this man is always making me blush. But it looks like he might not be single anymore if some recent outings with Monica Barbaro are any indication — including a post-Oscars party!

While neither Andrew nor Monica have spoken on the relationship rumors, a People source confirmed "they've been really lowkey and have been spending time together quietly"...and Monica shared a pretty funny moment with Amelia on the Oscars red carpet.

Here's what we know about those Andrew Garfield & Monica Barbaro relationship rumors.

March 16, 2025 — Andrew Garfield & Monica Barbaro are seen grocery shopping.

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by curators of pop culture (@deuxmoi)

This duo definitely fanned the flames of those couple rumors when they were spotted grocery shopping in Malibu. A very realistic, domestic, and relatable Sunday! I also went grocery shopping this day, so it looks like we were on the same page ;).

Andrew wore a white tee and jeans while Monica looks cozy in a white tank and green cardigan. Both wore baseball caps. "I like that they are humble and buy the same TP as me," one Instagram user commented. Same.

March 2, 2025 — Andrew Garfield & Monica Barbaro attend an Oscar afterparty together.

Every thing I hoped and waited for
Andrew Garfield and Monica barbaro leaving the after party together pic.twitter.com/MPwqeLyE7m
— Linny (@murderesselinny) March 3, 2025

After the Oscars on March 2, Monica Barbaro and Andrew Garfield left the Vanity Fair after party together...and showed up to Beyoncé and Jay-Z's after party. No big deal! Monica wore a strapless gown with gorgeous teardrop jewel detail while Andrew looks dapper in a deep gray suit.

They also happened to arrive at the Oscars red carpet at the same time...and Monica was sitting in Andrew's eye line the whole night. What a coincidence!

February 2025 — Monica Barbaro & Andrew Garfield attend Jonathan Bailey's play.

Andrew Garfield and Monica Barbaro went to see Jonathan Bailey’s play. 🎥 pic.twitter.com/vL7EBwsw4d
— Film Crave (@_filmcrave) February 20, 2025

The two went viral on February 20 when they showed up to Jonathan Bailey's Richard II at the Bridge Theatre, and I'm obsessed with how locked in he is on their conversation. This man is an attentive listener if I've ever seen one!

January 2025 — Andrew Garfield & Monica Barbaro are photographed together.

monica barbaro with andrew garfield, eddie redmayne, and lynn hirschberg at w magazine’s best performances party pic.twitter.com/vbBeCvtzao
— ‎ ☆ (@livebarbs) January 6, 2025

Andrew and Monica were first seen together at W magazine's Best Performances party, alongside Eddie Redmayne and W's editor-at-large Lynn Hirschberg, in LA. They were already getting cozy!

What do you think about Andrew Garfield & Monica Barbaro? I'm personally obsessed. Stay tuned for the latest news on this low-key couple! And check out Zoë Kravitz & Noah Centineo Fuel Dating Rumors After Leaving Another Party Together because Andrew & Monica weren't the only ones hanging this month 👀.

This post has been updated.

celebrity couples pop culture dating celebrity

20 Blue Zone Diet Recipes That Give Your Meals A Healthy Kick

The blue zone diet is undeniably one of the best ways of eating for overall health and longevity. It draws culinary inspiration from the top blue zones around the world (Ikaria, Greece, Okinawa, Japan, Sardinia, Italy, Loma Linda, California, and the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica), where people tend to live longer (over 100 years!), often free of any heart disease, obesity, cancer, or diabetes.

Originally outlined by National Geographic Explorer and Fellow Dan Buettner, the blue zone diet is 95% plant-based, with beans, legumes, sweet potatoes, yams, fruits, leafy greens, beets, nuts, and seeds being the #1 priority. High-quality olive oiland whole grains like brown rice and barley are also a huge part of the diet. Blue zone diet recipes widely limit eggs, dairy, meat, added sugar, and processed foods.

The blue zone diet can be a helpful tool to guide your eating habits toward healthier, more beneficial choices for a longer life. These 20 blue zone diet recipes highlight whole foods, veggies, and fruits to make each meal work for you!

Heyday Beans

Chickpea Curry

This flavorful curry recipe loads up on lots of chickpeas to better suit the blue zone diet. Swap the basmati for brown rice, and you'll be set! (via Heyday Beans for Brit + Co)

Midjourney

Niçoise Salad

This dish is packed with so much goodness. From the bed of greens to the heart veggie toppings like olives, tomatoes, green beans, onion, and more, each bite is different from the next, which makes mealtime (especially with the blue zone diet) fun! (via Brit + Co)

Antoni Shkraba / PEXELS

Hummus + Veggies

Hummus is super easy to make at home, and it'd guaranteed to be healthy when you know exactly what you're putting into it. This recipe features a nice amount of lemon juice for taste and freshness. Serve with lotsa veg, as per the blue zone diet. (via Brit + Co)

Two Spoons

Spring Mix Salad + Lemon Tofu

Salads make some of the best blue zone diet recipes (remember that 95% plant-based rule?), but just because they're salads doesn't mean they have to be boring. This one earns some good zest from baked tofu, homemade dressing, and crunchy veggies. (via Two Spoons for Brit + Co)

Brit + Co

Zucchini Fries

These veggie-laden fries actually taste like what you'd get in the drive-thru. So, if you're searching for blue zone diet recipes that'll fulfill your fast food cravings, this is it. Serve with a homemade sauce to amp up the vibes. (via Brit + Co)

The Real Food Dietitians

Greek Cucumber Salad

Greek and Mediterranean food often qualify for the diet since they're fresh and full of healthy goods. This Greek salad combines juicy cukes, tomatoes, onions, and chickpeas for a refreshing blue zone bite. (via The Real Food Dietitians)

The Edgy Veg

Oyster Mushroom Shawarma

Since blue zone diet recipes tend to limit actual meat, it's crucial to find ones that emulate the meaty, smoky flavors of the chicken, beef, and fish you might be missing. In this dish, oyster mushrooms form a very complex forkful with the help of a homemade marinade. (via The Edgy Veg)

Give Recipe

This post has been updated.

mediterranean diet vegan food healthy recipes recipes