Turn clear iced tea and coffee cups into pretty gift containers.
The shape of clear plastic cups makes them perfect receptacles for numerous things: fresh flowers, candies, or colored pencils to name a few. Using simple decorations like fabric, ribbon, and paint, you can turn these cups into gift holders just in time for Mother’s Day.
Fabric Flowerpot
What you’ll need: Two different fabrics that you feel look nice together, coordinating ribbon, scissors, a hot-glue gun, and a small plant.
How to make your flowerpot:
Cut a square of fabric large enough to cover the sides of your cup. Lay the fabric on a surface with the pattern facing down and place the cup in the center. Pull up one edge of the fabric and tuck it inside the cup, using a dab of hot glue to keep it in place.
Continue pulling the fabric up and around the edge of the cup, gluing each section in place, until the entire cup is covered.
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Next cut a narrow length of your second fabric about one to two inches wide and long enough to span the center of the cup. Glue in place.
Tie ribbon around the cup, positioning it in the middle of your narrow strip of fabric as a finishing touch and set a small plant inside.
Spa Day Surprise
What you’ll need: Paint and brushes, ribbon, scissors, and beauty supplies.
How to make your spa day container:
Start by painting your cup. Place small amounts of paint colors on a paper plate. There are endless possibilities for colors and patterns that can be painted on your cup. I chose to make yellow and purple stripes inspired by the packaging of a honey and lavender sheet mask that was part of my gift, but you might choose polka dots, hearts, letters to spell MOM, even all the colors of the rainbow. (Note: If you use acrylic paint, cover surfaces and wear a smock or clothes you don’t mind getting paint on before you begin.)
Apply your first color and let it dry completely before adding the next one. Rinse brushes in water between each color and when you are all done with painting.
When your pattern is finished and the paint is completely dry, add ribbon around the top of the cup and fill it with small spa-day items like sheet masks, emery boards, nail polish, lip balm or whatever Mom likes best!
June preview: Save a shoebox for a summer craft!
Share your creations with us! Send pictures to gbrook@pipeline.com
Marie Heuston, in addition to everything else, is the Parent Coordinator at Red Hook’s PS 676
