Keep An Old Egg Carton To DIY The Cutest Teacup Vase

Even a single cute piece of home decor can go a long way toward elevating the look and feel of a space. But if you are trying to save money or simply enjoy making things with your own two hands, a DIY project may be far more satisfying than buying a mass-produced product. One easy, adorable project involves converting an old cardboard egg carton into a miniature teacup that can serve as a charming vase.

For this DIY — courtesy of YouTuber Zad Crafts — you'll need an egg carton, jute twine, hot glue, school glue, and cardboard. You will also need scissors, a hot glue gun, and a small paintbrush. Begin by cutting out one of the cups from the carton and carefully trimming down the sides so that its shape resembles the body of a teacup. The next step is to cut about 3 inches worth of twine, slightly fraying each end, and affixing it to the cardboard teacup to serve as the handle's form. Starting at the rim of the cup, press one end of the twine firmly into a small dot of hot glue; curve the remaining twine around and glue it to the bottom portion of the cup to complete the handle. 

Next, using the school glue and paintbrush, you'll essentially decoupage the entire teacup — twine handle and all — with tiny shreds of the deconstructed carton, to create a durable cup. To form the saucer for the teacup, cut a cardboard circle with a 3-inch diameter. Add a pipe of hot glue around the edge and affix twine to the glue to create a rim before decoupaging the saucer like you did the cup. Once complete, you'll have a lovely carton-turned-vase.

Once the teacup is finished, you can leave it as its natural carton color — which may range from gray to brown — or you could paint it for a more interesting and cohesive decorative accent. Since the cup and saucer are made from layers of cardboard, remember not to overly saturate it with paint. Applying one thin coat of paint at a time, versus globs of paint, can prevent the cardboard from getting mushy. Once it's painted a solid base color, you could also add some dainty dots to the cup or paint some simple petal flowers.

If you're keen to use the teacup to display plants, it's important to only place tiny plants with soil that isn't too wet, due to the cardboard material. A miniature succulent could be a good option — try one of these tiny succulents to improve your health and focus — or you could opt for a few tiny sprigs of artificial plants, pressed into a small block of styrofoam. 

The simplicity of this decor will fit nicely into a variety of spots in your home, like an entryway table or shelf, a bedside table, or on a living room coffee table. Or, if you need a place to store push pins and paper clips, keep your home office organized with this egg carton hack. You could even craft several of these teacups and saucers, then put them in your child's room for a cute decoration that they can also play with. Looking for more inspiration? Here's an easy and unique egg carton DIY that keeps on giving.