Upcycled Life: Faux succulents made from egg cartons

Paper egg cartons are a great material for crafting. They are easy to cut and take paint well.

While egg cartons are thick enough to hold their shape, they are still flexible enough to be lightly molded, and the textured surface adds well to the organic look of these faux succulents.

Start by cutting the cups apart with scissors and trim the sides into four petals.

Continue cutting each cup into the same shape a little smaller each time until you have five to seven. Use the scraps to cut about four more unattached petals that will go on the outside edge.

Paint all the cut pieces. When they are dry, put a little glue in the bottom of the largest cup and place the next largest shape into it. Continue until all of the pieces are assembled.

Finish by gluing the extra petals around the outside edge to fill out the succulent.

I used a piece of an egg carton inside of a small pot to glue a small grouping of faux succulents to hold it in place.

Katie Patterson Larson is the director and founder of Art Salvage. Art Salvage keeps usable materials out of the waste stream and makes them accessible and affordable. For more information, visit artsalvagespokane.com.