Transform An Old Egg Carton & Cardboard Into The Cutest Fall Patio Décor
When the sunlight wanes and temperature drops, homeowners swap out their summer décor for the fall trimmings. Farewell, cheerful flowers, bright colors, and beach vibes; hello, autumn tones, foliage, and gourds. What's more, with the holidays on the horizon, it's time to start thinking about the home décor must-haves for your fall gatherings, too. Thankfully, sprucing up your home for fall doesn't mean spending a fortune. With basic art supplies, an egg carton, cardboard, and paper, you can quickly put together a cute wreath that's perfect for a wall, door, or patio.
In an instructional video posted to TikTok, @peyton.gregerson walks through the steps to make a fall-themed wreath using materials in your recycle bin. What we like most about this craft — aside from it being eco-friendly and simple — is that you can customize the wreath to fit your theme and aesthetic. This way, even if everyone on your block does the same craft, each person can end up with their own unique décor.
The first step is to cut the base of the wreath out of some cardboard. You can trace around a pot lid or a large dinner plate for precision, or do this freehand. Since the wreath will be covered with paper, you don't need a perfect circle. Next, tear up paper, such as packing paper, to decorate the wreath. While brown packing paper or a paper bag can give the wreath a more rustic look, you also could use orange tissue paper or pages from old books for a similar effect.
Embellishing your DIY cardboard wreath
Depending on the look you're going for, you can crumple the paper, roll them into tubes or cones, or loosely fold them. Rolling or folding them will give the wreath a tidier and uniform appearance, while crumpling looks more organic. Next, hot glue the paper onto the wreath; pack the pieces together closely to give the wreath a full look. Try not to press them down flat during the gluing process, and make sure the cardboard is completely hidden by the paper.
@peyton.gregerson How to recreate: Items you need: – cardboard (box) – packing paper (misc paper) – egg carton – paint – scissors – hot glue *I made this up from items I already had – I encourage you to sub out anything you already have lying around instead buying these exact items 1. Cut out a wreath shape from cardboard 2. Tear up/crumble any type of paper you have lying around (mine was from a package) 3. Hot glue the pieces close together so it's packed tight 4. Embellish however you'd like. I made mushrooms out of an old egg carton (cut out the center points for the top of the mushrooms & rolled up random pieces to make the stems) The idea of this is to be ✨imperfect✨ and bring out your inner child! Think "what's something only my mom would think is cute & save for years" Tell me what you have lying around, and I'll create a Christmas craft for you!! #sustainability #diychristmasdecor #christmaswreath #trashtotreasure
The fun part comes next. Decorate the wreath however you'd like, whether by making your own embellishments or with store-bought additions. Egg cartons are perfect for repurposing into genius DIY projects like this one. For example, as @peyton.gregerson did, you could cut the pointed sections of an egg carton and paint them to look like mushroom caps, and use the smaller pieces of the carton as mushroom stems. Or, if you have leftover cardboard, you could paint and cut out orange, yellow, and red autumn leaves to glue onto the wreath. Craft stores sell seasonal picks and stems – tiny pumpkins, leaves, or berries — that can be tucked among the paper.
Since the wreath is made of paper, if you hang it outside, be sure to choose a spot where it'll be protected from mist and rain, like a patio or a covered porch. It can also be used inside, of course, added next to an entryway table, or perhaps to decorate a fall-themed mantel, either by hanging it above or propped against the wall alongside cozy candles. Poke a small hole in the cardboard and thread twine through the hole as a hanger.