Fresh From the Studio

First up in our 20 Tropical Crafts is our newest batch of projects, and they're a a celebration of everything we love about summer. So, if you’re in the mood for energetic foliage, vibrant flowers, jungle friends, and thoughtful touches inspired by a sunny getaway, this is the perfect place to start!

Felt Monstera Adansonii Plant

Best for: Beginner felt makers, houseplant lovers, home décor

Bring the exotic beauty of one of today's most recognizable houseplants indoors with zero watering required. This beginner-friendly Felt Monstera Adansonii features those iconic fenestrated leaves, each stitched from two layers of felt with an integrated wire stem for realistic movement. Create a calming oasis with at least seven stems to fill a favorite pot or woven basket and enjoy a maintenance-free felt houseplant that brings the allure of the tropics to any sunny windowsill or empty shelf.

Cardstock Passion Flowers

Best for: Intermediate paper crafters, botanical enthusiasts

If you enjoy crafting intricate details, then this Cardstock Passion Flower is an excellent project to try. This craft features layered cardstock, subtle shaping, and, for our art enthusiasts, carefully blended color for a truly realistic finish. Its distinctive center offers a fun and rewarding challenge for our intermediate crafters. And when finished, display it on its own or incorporate it into a larger arrangement.

Felt Limes

Best for: Play kitchens, farmers markets, summer décor

Bright, zippy, and delightfully green, these Felt Limes add the perfect pop of color to your handmade felt food collection. Stitch both whole and sliced limes while practicing simple three-dimensional construction. Pair them with our felt lemons and oranges for a bright citrus display on a make-believe fruit stand.

Cardstock Tropical Card

Best for: Handmade greetings, tropical parties, beginner papercrafters

Say, Alo-hi with this cheerful Cardstock Tropical Card. Featuring bold leaves and bird of paradise, this beginner-friendly cardstock project is great for birthdays, thank-you notes, or tropical-themed celebrations. Better yet, take a walk on the wild side and let the design inspire matching invitations, place cards, or party décor for a beautifully coordinated event.

Felt Gecko

Best for: Stuffie collections, confident beginners, tropical décor

Cute, but mighty, our little Felt Gecko is overflowing with big personality. Tiny toes, playful spots, and gentle curves make this a fantastic project for practicing blanket stitching and strengthening your embroidery skills. Customize each one to create your own personal gecko group (or, glint) and park them on a bookshelf, tuck a few among your favorite houseplants, or let them explore with a few pals.  

Double-Sided Crepe Paper Hibiscus - Video Workshop

Best for: Advanced paper flower making, video workshop enthusiasts

Revel in the bold beauty of summer with this stunning Double-Sided Crepe Paper Hibiscus. Featured as a Member Make project, this video workshop walks you through shaping broad tropical leaves, building that eye-catching center, and using double-sided crepe paper for a beautifully realistic flower.

More Felt Tropical Friends & Treats

Some of the best tropical crafts aren’t flowers and plants at all. If you’re looking to make something with a bit more personality, this next crop of projects will surely fit the bill. These colorful creatures and treats make our top 20 Tropical Crafts list because they're a wonderful way to explore a little bit of everything while enjoying the wildlife and flavors of the islands.

Felt Toucan

Best for: Felt animal lovers, confident beginners, tropical décor

Every collection deserves a showstopper, and this adorable Felt Toucan certainly earns the title. An oversized citrus beak, movable legs, and layered felt details give this beginner-to-intermediate sewing project plenty of panache while remaining approachable. Perch it on a decorative branch, pair it with our Felt Gecko, or let it become the crown jewel of your own tropical felt collection.

Painted Paper Gecko

Best for: Kids' crafts, classrooms, tropical parties

Bright, simple, and oh-so-easy to customize, these Painted Paper Geckos are a fun beginner paper craft for makers of all ages. Decorate each gecko with paint pens, markers, crayons, or colored pencils to create your own exotic species. When you’re all finished, scatter them around a luau, classroom, or playroom for the perfect tropical touch.

Felt Pineapple

Best for: Pretend play, summer décor, beginner sewing

Few fruits give tropical vibes quite like a pineapple. This yummy-looking Felt Pineapple combines simple hand sewing with dimensional construction to create a playful piece that fits right in at a pretend farmers market stand, or a bright seasonal display. Pair it with our Felt Limes and other tropical bounty for a colorful fruit collection that's bursting with handmade charm.

More Tropical Paper Flowers

Nothing captures the beauty of the tropics like bold, colorful blooms. The dramatic paper flowers in our 20 Tropical Crafts list range from the sculptural to the delicate, but they all speak to the vibrant colors and rich landscapes that inspired their design. Create a single statement stem or build a breathtaking bouquet – either way, each will bring a little paradise to your craft room. 

Cardstock Anthurium Video Workshop

Best for: Intermediate paper flower makers, tropical home décor, modern arrangements

Unmistakably tropical, yet elegant, this Cardstock Anthurium proves that simplicity can be every bit as powerful as abundance. This video workshop dives into the use of texture and movement to build broad, architectural blooms. Display several together for a contemporary arrangement or pair them with larger tropical paper flowers for dramatic contrast.

Felt Tropical Flower Bouquet

Best for: Felt flower bouquets, home décor, confident beginners

Why choose just one tropical bloom when you can stitch an entire bouquet? This gorgeous Felt Tropical Flower Bouquet combines several colorful blossoms into one full arrangement. Add a dazzling pop of color to your home décor or walk it down the aisle with pride. This finished bouquet also makes a thoughtful handmade gift that never wilts or dries up.

Heavy Crepe Paper Bird of Paradise

Best for: Advanced makers, statement arrangements

Few flowers immediately command attention like the Bird of Paradise, and this heavy crepe-paper flower captures all its dramatic beauty. Bold color and distinctive shaping techniques make this an especially rewarding project for any experienced maker seeking a paper flower challenge. Display it as a single stem or pair it with lush tropical greenery for a striking focal point in your summer décor.

Tropical Paper Ginger Flower

Best for: tropical bouquets, botanical collections

Known for its elegant layered petals, the Tropical Paper Ginger Flower brings graceful movement and soft texture to paper flower arrangements. Its unique shape pairs beautifully with larger tropical blooms while introducing another layer of visual interest. Add several stems to a bouquet for a lush, garden-inspired display filled with color and dimension.

Crepe Paper Plumerias

Best for: Beginner paper flowers, leis, summer décor

Soft, cheerful, and instantly recognizable, crepe paper Plumerias capture the relaxing vibes and easy spirit of the islands. These beginner-friendly paper flowers come together quickly, making them perfect for tropical party décor, handmade leis, wreaths, or summer centerpieces. Mix several colors for a display that feels fresh, festive, and full of that aloha spirit.

Tropical Greenery & Plants

Flowers may get all the love, but tropical greenery serves as the lush backdrop that really allows them to shine. And as the unofficial spokesleaf for all things tropical, monstera makes quite a statement. These three DIY tropical plant crafts transform monstera’s iconic split foliage into wall art, wreaths, and eye-catching décor, offering plenty of ways to bring a little botanical style indoors.

Framed Crepe Paper Monstera Leaf

Best for: Tropical wall art, modern home décor, paper plant lovers

Turn the iconic monstera leaf into a piece of botanical wall art with this framed crepe paper project. Crepe paper’s texture and stretch help to recreate the monstera’s natural shape, while a simple frame offers a modern presentation. Hang it on its own for a subtle touch of greenery or create a small gallery of tropical paper leaves for a bolder botanical statement.

Paper Monstera Leaf Wreath

Best for: DIY tropical décor, summer entertaining, statement walls

Give your traditional wreath a tropical makeover with layers of bold paper monstera leaves. Arranged into a full circle of overlapping greenery, this project turns a familiar botanical shape into an eye-catching piece of tropical home décor. Hang your finished wreath on the front door to create the perfect tropical tone with the first ding of your bell. You can also use your wreath as part of a tropical party backdrop when you're ready to bring the jungle indoors.

Wire Monstera Leaves

Best for: DIY tropical leaves, tropical arrangements, year-round décor

If you love monstera’s bold, graphic shape, then these Wire Monstera Leaves offer a unique interpretation. Rather than recreating a traditional houseplant, this project uses copper wire to emphasize the leaf's distinctive outline, creating lightweight foliage with a modern, artistic feel. When finished, pop it into a fun frame to create easy artwork that works all year long.

Party Decor

Here is where we turn tropical inspiration into celebration. These tropical party decorations bring lush leaves, colorful flowers, and plenty of island-inspired personality to birthdays, showers, summer gatherings, and backyard parties. From an easy paper garland to statement décor, mix and match these DIY tropical party ideas to carry your theme from the craft room to the party table.

Tropical Leaf Paper Garland

Best for: Tropical party backdrops, summer gatherings, easy decorating

A few leafy strands of greenery can completely transform a party space. This Tropical Leaf Paper Garland combines bold paper foliage into a versatile party décor you can easily hang from a table, behind a dessert station, or use to frame a festive photo backdrop. Make several strands for a fuller jungle-inspired display, or weave them among colorful tropical paper flowers to add another layer of texture and visual interest.

Paper Flower Lei

Best for: Luau party crafts, wearable flowers, group crafting

Welcome guests to your tropical soiree with flowers they can wear! Our Paper Flower Lei turns colorful paper blooms into cheerful tropical attire that can double as décor. Make a collection in coordinating colors or make a rainbow pattern for guests to choose from. You can also hang your finished leis around the party room, or drape them along the party table for an extra pop of color.  

Paper Tropical Wreath

Best for: Tropical party décor, statement pieces, summer home décor

A well-made wreath can set the mood before guests even walk through the door. This verdant DIY Tropical Wreath layers tropical foliage and botanical details to create an eye-catching focal point that works beautifully as an entrance decoration. This wreath also works as a party backdrop or piece of summer home décor after the celebration ends.