Don't Toss Old Egg Cartons — Turn Them Into Teacup Vases For Adorable DIY Decor

Most spaces could benefit from a decorative accent and a bit of whimsy. If your home is feeling a bit drab but your budget is tight, buying new decor may be out of reach. Luckily, with this DIY you won't have to spend a cent to create a charming decoration, ideal for adding your custom touches. Many egg cartons are made of sturdy molded pulp cardboard. Rather than throwing that versatile paper product in the trash or compost, you can turn egg cartons into the cutest home decor. The unique cup shape of this food packaging is perfect for crafting miniature teacup vases. The empty cartons also come in handy when crafting a matching saucer, completing your vase decoration and allowing it to sit flat. A bit of glue and paint transforms plain cardboard into bright, colorful teacup decor.

Depending on what you have on hand, the handle of your teacup could be made from a piece of jute, a pipe cleaner, or a trimmed section of egg carton cardboard. Since these vases are made primarily of paper, they won't be able to hold any real flowers with water. However, this decor will look stunning as a unique way to pot artificial plants or colorful tissue paper blooms. To keep this project budget-friendly, consider trimming tiny stems and flowers from artificial flowers in your craft supplies. Accents like lace or ribbon are perfect for tailoring this decor to your space and style.

To transform old egg cartons into a charming DIY vase, use a pair of scissors to cut out the individual cups from your egg cartons. Carefully trim around the edges of each cup, creating a smooth, even or beveled rim by cutting them at a slight outward angle. Once you're satisfied with the shape, craft a handle to hot glue onto the side. Cut a piece of twine, jute, or cardboard that is long enough to form a cute, curved teacup grip. Now, rip up small pieces of the egg carton material. With white glue, create a sort of decoupage to stick the carton bits over the handle so it matches your cup. You can also smooth and shape your cup to perfection with the same treatment. If you opt for pipe cleaners, leaving the colorful, fuzzy handle as-is gives this DIY a fun look.

To allow the teacup to stand on its own as a display piece, Zad Crafts on YouTube cut a round piece of regular cardboard for the saucer. They then covered it with more bits of glue-covered torn egg carton so it matches the teacup. You can then paint the set however you like. Using a small brush to add delicate flowers makes this vase more closely resemble a real, vintage teacup, but solid colors also have a nice aesthetic. Finally, glue the egg carton teacup onto its saucer and add your faux flowers or other decorations. This small accessory looks enchanting on a bookshelf, mantel, or as a pop of color on an otherwise uninspiring end table. If you make several teacup vases, you could set them on a a vintage tray for a gorgeous display.