As Seen on the Today Show: Seven Ways to DIY Your Fourth of July

Need some last-minute Fourth of July ideas for this upcoming Independence Day? If you’re throwing a BBQ or looking for something red, white and blue to wear this holiday, we’ve got a bunch of quick and easy projects that will win you a spirit award. This morning I joined the hosts of the TODAY Show to teach them seven DIY projects that perfectly rep the USA.

Patriotic String Lights:

Jonathan Fong of eHow)

Fireworks Placemats and Table Runner:

Crafty Morning and House of Burke)

Cake Poppers:

She Knows)

S’mores on a Stick:

Whimsical Creations)

Fourth of Jul-ice Pops:

The Little Kitchen)

Stars and Stripes Tank Top:

Brit + Co)

American Flag Jean Shorts:

Brit + Co)

‘Round these parts, Easter DIYs are our bread and butter. Yesterday, I shared some of my favorite un-egg-spected (and easy!) Easter DIYs with my friends over at the TODAY Show. Scroll on for the DL on all the DIYs that were featured in the segment. Now, hop to it!

PSA: All puns in this article were 100% intended.

Sharpie Tie-Dye Easter Eggs

That’s right. We’re using Sharpies to tie dye. It’s one of my all-time favorite hacks, and you probably can find almost all of the materials for these (besides the egg!) in your junk drawer.

Materials + Tools: (makes 1 egg)

Instructions:

  1. Cover your hard-boiled egg in Sharpie marker. Don’t be afraid to use tons of colors!
  2. Pour nail polish remover into a small container, dip a Q-tip into the container, and dab it onto your egg. The solution will blend the colors.
  3. Set aside and allow them to fully dry. You’re done!

Check out the full Sharpie Tie-Dye Egg tutorial!

Baker’s Twine Easter Eggs

Wanna skip the mess? Try this baker’s twine DIY instead. Bonus: Using wooden eggs means you can keep these year after year.

Materials + Tools:

Instructions:

  1. Spray the bottom of your egg with spray adhesive.
  2. Starting at the base, wrap the twine around the egg.
  3. Once you reach the middle, coat the top of the egg with spray adhesive.
  4. Keep wrapping until you reach the top of the egg, then secure the end of the twine with a drop of school glue. Cut the excess twine. Voilà!

Find the full tutorial over at So Much Better With Age. (Photo via So Much Better With Age)

Temporary Tattoo Easter Eggs

Turns out, it’s just as easy to put temporary tattoos on eggs as it is on your skin! Ink up your eggs with this easy breezy DIY hack.

Materials + Tools

Instructions:

  1. Remove the clear plastic sheet from the temporary tattoo, then carefully press the exposed tattoo to your egg.
  2. Slowly cover the tattoo sheet with a wet paper towel, then hold firmly in place for 30-60 seconds.
  3. Carefully remove the paper towel and tattoo sheet — the tattoo should be fully transferred to the egg. Let dry.

Check out the full Tattoo’d Egg tutorial for more info!

Cacti Easter Eggs

Not that I’m playing favorites, but this might be my favorite Easter DIY yet. I totally got back to my Texas roots with this charming cactus egg.

Materials + Tools (makes 1 egg):

Instructions:

  1. To create your dye, mix together boiling water, green food coloring, and vinegar in a heat-safe cup or bowl.
  2. Drop your egg into the dye with a spoon. The longer you leave the egg in, the darker the color will be.
  3. Remove egg from the dye and let it dry completely.
  4. With your fine-tip pen, draw on cacti needles and flourishes.
  5. Glue pink tissue paper to the egg’s top to create cactus flowers. Let the glue dry completely.
  6. Add a handful of plant pebbles to the terracotta pot, then top with your cactus egg. Ta-da!

The full tutorial can be found over at Delia Creates. (Photo via Delia Creates)

Glow-in-the-Dark Easter Egg

How sweet are these little light-up critters? Up-level your Easter egg hunt with these darling glow-in-the-dark bugs.

Materials + Tools (makes 1 egg):

Instructions:

  1. Turn on the LED tea light and place in your plastic egg.
  2. Create legs and antennae from pipe cleaners, then glue them to your egg with a hot glue gun.
  3. Add sticker or googly eyes. You’re done!

Peek at the full tutorial over at Apartment Therapy. (Photo via Apartment Therapy)

Paper Plate Bunny Baskets

Made with paper plates, this bunny basket is easy as pie. Grab your pom-poms and get gluing!

Materials + Tools (makes 1 basket):

  • 2 white paper plates
  • scissors
  • 2 googly eyes
  • 1 light pink + 2 white pom-poms
  • hot glue + glue gun
  • 1 piece of light pink construction paper
  • hole punch
  • 24-inch pink ribbon
  • Easter candy to fill (Psst: Make sure it’s thin enough to fit in the basket pocket!)

Instructions:

  1. To create the back, cut one paper plate in half. Set aside for now.
  2. Onto the front side! Start by hot gluing googly eyes onto the back of a whole paper plate.
  3. Next, glue the 3 pom-poms to create the nose.
  4. For the cheeks, cut and glue small circles of pink construction paper.
  5. Cut bunny ears out of your leftover half-plate, then glue pink paper to the insides.
  6. Glue each ear to the back of your front plate, then let dry.
  7. Glue front and back plates to one another along the rims, then let dry.
  8. To make a handle, use a hole punch to make a hole on either side of the bunny basket, then thread through your ribbon. Keep ribbon in place by making a knot at each end.
  9. Fill with candy. That’s it!

Inspired by The Best Ideas for Kids. (Photo via The Best Ideas for Kids)

Upcycled Fruit Carton Easter Baskets

Skip the wicker and make your Easter baskets with upcycled fruit cartons. Add some trusty pipe cleaners, pom-poms, and crinkle paper, and you’ve got a winner.

Materials + Tools (makes 1 basket):

Instructions:

  1. To make the basket handle, poke the end of a pipe cleaner through the outer side of the carton, then bend inward. Arch the long end of the pipe cleaner over the top of the basket, then poke through the outside of the opposite side. Bend the remaining piece of pipe cleaner inward. If your pipe cleaner comes loose, you can secure it in place using floral wire.  
  2. Hot glue mini pom-poms around the top of the carton.
  3. Fill the carton with crinkle paper and Easter treats, such as dyed eggs and marshmallow bunnies. Voilà!

Full tutorial can be found at DIY Real. (Photo via DIY Real)

And there you have it, enough fun projects to keep you and the kiddos “hoppy” all Easter weekend long.

Need some more eggy inspo? Follow us on Pinterest for more Easter DIY action!

Emily in Paris season 4 was the buzziest season yet, and for good reason. Emily's in Rome, Camille was never pregnant, and Gabriel's hair went from très hot to tragique. In addition to the viral response to Gabriel's new hair, season 4 left me pretty sad because after four years of waiting for Emily and Gabriel to get together, they almost immediately break up — and actor Lucas Bravo is just as confused as we are.

Carole Bethuel/Netflix

“The ‘sexy chef’ was very much part of me in Season 1 and we grew apart season after season because of the choices he makes and because of the direction they make him take,” Lucas Bravo told IndieWire while promoting Mélanie Laurent’s Freedom. “As they made him kind of unaware of his surroundings, of the dynamic, always victimizing and always being completely lost in translation and oblivious to anything that is happening around him and being manipulated by everyone, it kind of became not fun for me to shoot or to see a character I love so much and brought me so much, being slowly turned into guacamole. I really grew apart from him.”

Honestly it makes me really sad that a character we all love so much is becoming unrecognizable. But at the same time, it makes me feel a little bit better, because we're not the only ones who feel like Gabriel has changed. And while Lucas has done what he can to bring those early-series aspects of Gabriel back, he says "there is only so much I can do in the limits of a script.”

Netflix

“I tried for seasons to bring nuances but we don’t have much liberty on set," he continues. “It makes me question if I want to be part of Season 5…because my contract ends at Season 4. I really want to see if Gabriel gets back to his fun, cheeky, playful, alive self. Because three seasons playing melancholic, sad, depressed, and lost is not fun anymore. It’s a comedy, everybody is having fun around me, everybody is jumping around, and I’m just slowly sinking into god knows what.”

Say what now?! If Lucas Bravo leaves Emily in Paris, I truly don't know what I'd do. Gabriel is my favorite character on the show! (Or at least, early Gabriel was.) Seeing him move from 30, flirty, and thriving to someone who's consistently in the middle of an existential crisis doesn't make sense within the world of the show. And even though Lucas thinks the show has a "lack of risk," he still loves everyone involved.

“I love the show. It started everything for me. I love the show and the people in it," he says. "With saying that, I feel like I am not being nice or grateful, but when you love something you want it to be…you want the best version of it. I’m not going to lie, I’ve been frustrated with the direction by character is taking. But we’ll see where it goes. The show is not over.”

Just like the show's iconic costumes are all about expression and fun, here's hoping Emily in Paris is able to bring some life back into our favorite chef. Because if not, it sounds like we could be nearing the end of the show's most popular would-they-won't-they relationship. Fix this Netflix, I beg you!

What do you think of Lucas Bravo's dilemma? Do you miss season 1 Gabriel? Let us know in the comments and check out the latest Emily in Paris season 5 news.

Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie created reality TV gold when The Simple Life debuted in 2003. Their antics were outlandish, but we couldn't help repeating their iconic phrases like "That's hot" or "Sanasa" during random moments in our own lives.

It's no secret the two didn't really act that way, but their 'characters' left a huge mark on a generation of millennials. "I knew what I was doing but the whole world didn’t, so it was kind of frustrating to me to be perceived in that way because it’s not who I am at all," Paris told People.

Even though she may have felt judged, it seems that Paris Hilton realizes how many people actually loved The Simple Life because she and Nicole Richie are teaming up to film a reunion special that'll debut on Peacock as we speak! Here's everything we know so far!

When did speculations about 'The Simple Life' reboot begin?

NBCUniversal Media

Peacock first shared a video clip on Instagram that hinted something special involving Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie is coming in May. A nostalgic TV set with a black and white screen can be seen while our favorite duo's voices can be hearing saying, "Sanasa, Sanasa."

Peacock captioned the post, "New Era. Same Besties. Coming soon to Peacock," and fans could barely contain their excitement. Even celebs like Naomi Campbell and Katy Perry commented on these hot vibes.

Bravo

Then Paris Hilton took to her own Instagram to share more about what fans could expect. She said, "As some of you may know, we are doing a reunion special to celebrate 20 years of our show The Simple Life and it's been so much fun."

Actress Selma Blair shared how much she's looking forward to this by commenting that she's "living for this."

So are we!

What was 'The Simple Life' about?

The Simple Life/20th Century Fox

The Simple Life showed Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie as they basically traded their wealthy lifestyles for 'everyday' living. Cameras followed them from fast food jobs to dealing with getting out of sticky situations they'd supposedly never experienced. Needless to say, it was hilarious, iconic, and instant reality TV gold.

How long was 'The Simple Life' on air?

Peter Kramer/Getty Images

The Simple Life was on air from 2003 to 2007 with five successful seasons. It seemed like it wasn't going to be hit at first, but it defied expectations. By how much you ask?

According to reporting from The Cut, somewhere around 13 million viewers tuned in to watch Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie's oddball take on daily life. That's a pretty huge deal if you ask us!

When will 'Paris & Nicole: The Encore' debut?

Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Paris & Nicole: The Encore will premiere on Peacock December 12! The two were previously seen at a Sonic drive-thru yesterday so it can be assumed filming is underway (via People)!

Sporting partial Sonic uniforms, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie added accent pieces that match their signature flairs. Paris wore a pair of reflective sunglasses, silver sequin heels, and added a pink flip phone to front of her blue apron. Nicole wore gold hoops and a pair of slingback pumps alongside her hotdog mascot costume. That's hot (dog).

How does Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie feel about reuniting for a reunion special?

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Paris Hilton has expressed how much she loves to be sharing the screen with Nicole Richie again. "I'm so excited to be doing this with Nicole on Peacock. Nicole has been my best friend since we're 2 years old, every memory that I have is with her," (via E! News).

Nicole also posted a few throwback moments from The Simple Life on her Instagram, but the most notable one is the video mashup of them singing "Sanasa, Sanasa" over and over. "20 years ago, not only did we become television stars… we became song writers. Happy Anniversary Sill @parishilton#TheSimpleLife#sannnasaaaaa" she wrote in the caption.

What have Paris and Nicole said about their reunion special?

Peacock

Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie sat down with W Magazine to let the world know the Paris & Nicole: The Encore show is on its way! Not only that, but fans can expect to see an Opera version of the show they fell in love with two decades ago. Paris said, "The idea of the opera was unexpected" while Nicole chimed in with, "What people need, even though they don't know it yet, is for 'Sanasa' to be an opera.'"

The two besties came up with the idea via a series of texts that started off as ideas between them. Nicole said everything "came up organically" for the two and we can only imagine the memories this brought up for them. OG influencer Paris even talked about how The Simple Life was an "important show in pop culture history" and we couldn't agree more!

Nicole truly wants people to enjoy themselves while watching Paris & Nicole: The Encore and "find the same joy" she had while filming it. According to Paris, she feels what they have is "magic" because "there's just so much history behind it."

It's not every day that you can get to have fun with your best friend while coming up with long-lasting memories that contribute to pop culture, but Paris and Nicole have always danced to the beat of their own drums. Now we'll get to see them in action again!

Watch The Trailer For 'Paris & Nicole: The Encore'

www.youtube.com

- YouTube

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This post has been updated.

Friendsgiving season is coming folks! And if you have one on the books, but have no idea what to cook, we have you covered. From deliciously cheesy veggies to a healthy take on everyone's favorite spuds, we're rounding-up easy recipes to make that won't weigh heavy on your pocketbook. Take a look through to see the yummy ensembles you should be whipping up!

Brit + Co

Drop Biscuits

Because everyone needs a carb to soup all those juicy drippings on your plate. This 'The Final Table' winning recipe does the job.

Brit + Co

Smashed Brussel Sprouts

Not crazy about veggies? These greens will change your mind. Topped with cheese, chives, and a nice crisp topping, they're extra yummy (and keto-friendly!)

Brit + Co

Cacio e Pepe Chickpeas

Sure this one is a bit non-traditional, but your vegetarian friends will love it. Plus they make the perfect topping to nearly any dish (who needs croutons when you have these anyways?!).

Brit + Co

Roasted Broccoli

Puts some greens on your plate with this holy-grail recipe. Trust us: It's sooo easy!

Brit + Co

Instant Pot Butternut Squash Polenta

Dust off the ole' Instant Pot will this delectable fall polenta. Filled with butternut squash and lots of parmesan you (and your besties!) will quickly fall in *love*.

Brit + Co

Roasted Sweet Potato

Just when you thought you knew how to roast sweet potatoes, this recipe came along. And boy are we taking notes!

Brit + Co

Slow Cooker Mulled Wine

Be the friend that brings the booze. This autumn-themed mulled wine drink will warm everyone's spirits.

Brit + Co

Fall Quinoa Salad

If you're designated salad duty, take a twist on it by packing it full-on quinia, pomegranate, and a tangy dressing. Yum!

Brit + Co

Cheesy Pasta Bake

When the temperatures drop, your friends will be extra thankful for this soul-warming, cheesy pasta.

Brit + Co

Spinach + Mushroom Gnocchi Casserole

No time? No worries! This freezer-friendly pasta bake complete with pillowy gnocchi, creamy mushrooms and spinach is super easy to create ahead of time, without taking away from any day-of deliciousness.

Brit + Co

Cheddar, Jalapeno, and Chive Biscuits

Upgrade your biscuits with "addicting" flavors of cheddar, chives, and jalapeños. Pro tip: Double the batch to ensure you have more than one for everyone!

Brit + Co

Keto Cheese Ball

Your hostess will thank you extra for showing up with an app to tide guests over until the main meal is served. Packed with yummy baked potato fixings, it's got an extra "kick" to make it comparable to store bought options. Plus it's keto-friendly... you can't go wrong with that!

Brit + Co

Cheesy Keto Asparagus

Keep the keto ideas coming, am I right?! Make this popular Pinterest vegetable dish loaded with garlic and extra cheese. Yes please!

Brit + Co

Yogurt Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

Pack a 'lil extra protein into your mashed spuds (with the bonus of making them extra creamy!). Who knew yogurt would soon become your go-to secret ingredient?

Brit + Co

Pumpkin Spice Toffee

And let's not forget about the sweets! Make a batch of this pumpkin spice-flavored treat as a great take-home option for overstuffed guests! (Just be sure to save some extra for yourself!)

Follow us on Pinterest for more tasty Thanksgiving recipes!

This post has been updated.