Turn Paper Cups & Cardboard Scraps Into Stunning Hanging Décor

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A hanging décor piece can instantly transform a room. Whether you decide to turn an old tomato can into the cutest hanging planter or mount a stunning chandelier to your ceiling, pendant-style accents almost always make a statement. The only downside is that they can be pretty pricey. Luckily, you can create your own budget-friendly hanging décor with affordable items — some of which you may already have. Use paint to decorate some paper cups to your liking, then string rope through the center of each cup to hang them from a cardboard ring wrapped in twine. The scrap cardboard could come from anywhere — think delivery boxes and shelf-stable food packaging.

To complete this DIY project, all you need are some paper cups, a large piece of scrap cardboard, and some thin rope or yarn. Small paper cups, such as these three-ounce Moumoulife Disposable Paper Coffee Cups, are ideal. A pack of 100 costs about $6. Choosing spray paint over brush-on paint will make it easier to transform all of your cups in one go. To decorate the cups, you can hand paint patterns or use some Yhliua Border Pattern Stencils. To add even more visual appeal, purchase some embellishments — a pack of Tkdujh Mixed Flatback Gems costs just $7 and gives you many colors and styles to play with. You'll also need a hot glue gun, a large needle, and some beads.

To start, spray-paint nine paper cups in your desired color. After the painted cups have dried to the touch, you can add your patterns and embellishments. Allow the hot glue to dry, then thread the needle with a long piece of thin rope or yarn and push it through the center of the base of a cup. Thread on four or five beads and knot the string to keep them in place. Repeat until all the cups have strings attached. Next, cut a 2-inch-thick ring out of the large piece of scrap cardboard and wrap it tightly in the yarn or thin rope until it's completely hidden. Sew the cups onto the ring, staggering the lengths they hang at. When you're done, use more string to create a loop at the top of the ring and hang your new mobile in your home. It's the perfect way to decorate your walls without using framed art.

When you use cardboard scraps to DIY this cute decoration, you have a craft that's super versatile and allows for nearly endless customization. You can arrange the decorated cups in any pattern you prefer, paint them with bespoke designs, or select bold-colored twine to hang the cups or cover the cardboard ring. When you're done with assembly, you get to decide where you want to hang your new DIY décor. It would look stunning in a bedroom or living room in need of a little more personality. This is also a colorful, playful decoration for a child's room. You may even want to get your little ones involved by having them paint the paper cups. There are so many ways to make this project your own.