Last spring… yes. I did just say that? I was looking over my friend Carol’s blog, The Red Painted Cottage and she had a very fun post where she visited Magnolia Market. The one owned by Joanna and Chip Gaines, the hosts of The Fixer Upper.
As I was looking through her lovely tour my eye spotted something near the window. It was a decoration made from egg cartons.
Well you know the hoarder in me just jumped for joy! Finally I had found something useless to repurpose! And so began my adventure to collect as many egg cartons as I could in order to make this project which you are about to see. Today I am going to show you how make easy fall flowers using egg cartons.
If you follow me at all, you have seen my attempts with Paper Rolls made into hearts and other strange things.
I cut them, separating each egg holder shell like this.
This is how they look when separated. This is fine because I wanted a natural look, no symmetry or perfection needed here.
Once they were cut, I grabbed some acrylic paint mixed in whatever colors I had, this is not chemistry after all, and had fun painting them. Did I get a bit carried away?
I then took each one and poked a hole in it using a screwdriver because it was handy. You can use something more refined, like a knife or a scissor.
Then placing three, one on top of the other I pulled twine through them.
Here is a better photo. You can see that they are not placed all evenly but are twisted so that the edges stick out.
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The egg shells that were on the edge were really half shells. They were painted to look like leaves and I inserted them upside down, like this. And some I just put on the bottom right side up.
Finally I tied each string to a piece of wood and I was done.
Here you can see how pretty it looks hanging up against the wall with the morning sun coming in through the window.
Each egg shell is twisted so that it looks like petals of a flower.
I mixed the paints to mimic the colors of fall, warm reds and cooper.
Why it looks like a vine of flowers climbing down my wall.
And so it hangs on my wall. I tried hanging it in front of a window, it looked nice but the photo was horrible so I’m going to spare you that.
I love how each flower is unique. And they can be painted any color at all to reflect your mood or the season.
Thanks to Carol of The Red Painted Cottage who gave me the inspiration for this project. I liked her post so much that the idea stayed with me for two seasons and was finally able to realize my vision. I have to admit it came out a lot better then I expected.
Well, all of my hoarding has really paid off, don’t you think? I made this beautiful wall hanging… and I was friendly to the environment by repurposing these egg cartons in a constructive way.
And so I have shown you how to make easy fall flowers using egg cartons. It was a super easy project with lots of impact. Do you hoard anything or am I the only strange one?
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Related:
My Irrational Obsession with Paper Rolls
Mary, these egg carton flowers are so pretty! I like the different colors you painted them and the way you arranged them. I really like the branch you strung them up on. Very pretty dear friend, very pretty!!
Keri they look nothing like the magnolia store but that’s ok. Sometimes we use another idea as a springboard for something that is uniquely ours and that is how I feel about these flowers. Thanks.
You’re the only strange one Mary ;). lol
I’m the opposite of a hoarder. I don’t keep anything that’s not nailed down.
Your choice of paint colors is perfect, and you are truly the rock star of repurposing! They look lovely!
xxx
Haha Doreen, I will gladly take your things off your hands. No need to take them to goodwill just bring them over.
You never cease to amaze me Mary. Each flower is different just like Mother Nature and it looks soooooo, sooo very pretty against the wall. Beautiful job, I can’t believe it’s egg cartons.
And it is better than plastic, right. Because last time I got scolded for using plastic and rightly so! Thank you Michelle.
Pinned and Shared!
Thank you Carol. I’m over the moon with the way they turned out.
so simple yet so effective, I’d love to have a go with my egg boxes, if I start now maybe I’ll have enough next spring 🙂
I was buying those big ones that hold 30 eggs at a time, so I guess I kinda cheated.
Wow Mary! This turned out so beautiful! I really need some eggs now!
Eggs so we can bake goodies and then we use the cartons. It’s a win win!
Mary, what a fun idea to use those egg cartons and make such a beautiful wall hanging or window decor for fall! I really like the warm fall colours, they have a lovely glow! Now to start eating more eggs and collecting those egg cartons!
I’m on a secret mission Katrin to get everyone to eat more eggs. 😉
They turned out very nice. I buy my eggs at a big box store so they come in “bulk” – 3 dozen at a time. The containers are some type of pressed foam. My son asked me to save them so he could use them as sound barrier insulation for his workroom. Right now I am just collecting – we shall see how well it actually works. 🙂
Krista that is a great repurpose for the pressed foam. You should post something about that when your son finishes his project.
These look great Mary! I love how they turned out. A fun way to repurpose egg cartons. I like the different colors, and how they hang down your wall. I only have the styrofoam egg cartons, I wonder if I can find the cardboard kind, I will have to put this on my list of things to try. Thanks for sharing Mary!
Linda thank you. I had so much fun with this project, playing around with the colors and trying to figure out how to place them on the twine.
Oh how nice! Looks like a fun and easy-to-do project. I’ll think of this next time I get those cardboard egg cartons for sure.
Marissa it’s an easy project with lots of whimsical impact.
This is pretty awesome Mary! These egg carton flowers look fantastic on the wall. Pinning! Such a creative idea!
Thank you Ilka. I can see you doing something like this, because I know you do lots of paper mache things.
Adorable idea. Love the way your flowers turned out.
Those are different Mary, and I do like them as a wall hanging. You know what the texture reminds me of ? Vintage paper mache. I never would have thought of this. Were you already saving the egg cartons? I’m saving toilet paper rolls…not sure what to do with them yet. LOL
Florence I make garlands with toilet paper rolls and I’ve also made a heart for Valentine’s day. I keep it on display all year round. Reusing any type of paper is good.
I love your wall hanging. The flowers you made are the best as they will never die. It looks so pretty, like a sculpture.
Debra thank you for that compliment. I love looking at them.
Oh, no, Mary, you are not the only strange hoarder!!!! lol!!!!
I also keep a lot of odd things and actually have some egg cartons waiting. But I also have a box full of egg shells!!! They are clean and ready to be used for a fake mosaic!!!!
Your flowers turned out very beautiful and I like the way you even used the corners as leaves!!! Well done!!!!
Thank you Marie-Anne. I had been collecting them for months, ever since I saw the idea in Carol’s post. I’m glad to hear that I’m not the only one. But we are doing right because in the end we make beauty!
Mary, You did an outstanding job on these. Magnolia Market AKA Fixer Upper, would be so proud of you!
Thanks Carol for giving me the idea. I never would have come up with this without your inspirational post.
This faux flower vine is ADORABLE, Mary! Pinning to share 🙂 Don’t you just love when something inspires us and we just can’t let it go!
This was not letting go… there was no way I was going to forget about it with all those egg cartons taking up so much space. Haha!
Well I want you just to look at this!!! Dang…girl you aced this project. So stinking cute. Amazing what you can do with a dang old egg carton! Hugs and blessings, Cindy
Cindy I think of it as a challenge to see what I can come up with when looking at ordinary objects. And it is holding up amazingly well.
What a cute idea! I’ve got bunches of old egg cartons saved around the house and now I have something cute to do with them. Love it.
Μαίρη μου είχα σκεφτεί άλλα πράγματα με τα χαρτόνια των αυγών αλλά γιρλάντα ούτε που μου είχε περάσει απο το μυαλό! Ωραία η ιδέα σου!
That is so cute! I love using egg cartons for crafting and they’re just perfect for making flowers! Last year I made poinsettias out of them with my daughter’s elementary school class, and they just loved it! You can see that tutorial of mine here if you’re intersted! 🙂 Lisa
Mary, I had to go back and check out the Magnolia Farms post, I didn’t even remember seeing the egg carton flowers in the post! You have such an eye for seeing things that the normal person doesn’t. Love that.
And these turned out so lovely! The colors reflect the sun and these strands of twine seem to dance with the flowers. I bet they look great over the window too!
How creative and fun! I need to start saving egg cartons!
Its that eye of mine for the unusual that gets me into trouble Nikki. I had actually put them over the window but when I tried to photograph them it looked terrible. So for practical purposes it is on the wall next to the window…. for now.
How fun these are, Mary! They would also make a terrific wreath!
Now you’re giving me more ideas. Maybe I can try that for Christmas. Thanks for the idea Julie.
Super-cute! The first pics in the step-by-step process looked a little weird . . . like . . . how is this going to turn out? Then, when I got to the pics of the finished product, it is such an attractive fall decoration. I love it when anybody can turn trash into beauty. Great job!
Thanks Carol. I always try to look at a new project as a challenge to see what everyday object I can repurpose and I guess it doesn’t get any more basic than this.
These are so neat! I love garland and banners and these are really cool. Off to pin…
And they have a bit of red in them 😉
Lovely flowers Mary! I made egg carton flowers one Easter with my class and they absolutely loved it! Egg carton is suitable for so many activities – I just love using it!
They are really easy to work with and I had so much fun doing this and adding the different colors together.
Love these flowers Mary, so simple but they look fab strung up – gorgeous mix of colours x
If I hoard anything, I guess it’s tea and yarn. I wish I had room to do more hoarding after reading your posts! Love your egg carton flowers. Have a fun week!
Very cute, love this fall craft project.
Mary, these are awesome! I always love the way you incorporate natural elements in your DIYs xo
What a great idea to use eggshell cartons to make flowers. Love this idea!
This was one of the simplest ideas I ever made and it had a huge impact. I placed it in the hallway so whoever walked up to our house could see it straight away.
This is so pretty! I would have never guessed that you created this out of egg cartons. I love the texture that it has, and the natural look of the flowers. Love it!
Great things come from humble beginnings! Haha!!
These are gorgeous and I love how they look hanging against the wall! Thank you for sharing at Celebrate It!