Florentine Easter Eggs $0

Gather up some plastic Easter eggs. (I used all of our cheap eggs that never stayed shut, because eggs that don't stay shut aren't worth owning, especially if you have a dog that eats the chocolate that falls out of them.) Find some paper you like. I had a huge stash of Florentine paper my aunt brought me back from Italy, but you could also use scrapbook paper, tissue paper (plain or patterned), etc. Rip or cut your paper into tiny pieces (I prefer the look of the ripped paper). Paint the pieces right on the eggs with Mod Podge (or watered down glue) in a single layer, not overlapping your pieces. Let dry. Repeat. Continue until you don't see any plastic. My eggs only required two layers. I made 30 eggs in less than two hours.

(If your paper is thick, just let the glue really soak into it and it will form to the egg eventually. If you are using tissue paper it will form quickly.)

Store in egg cartons. Display in glass hurricanes, on trays, on the tops of candlesticks, under a cloche, wherever!

Beautiful, safe for kids to play with/drop, and your non-closing eggs are sealed for life. Win-win-win.

Egg Cup for Greg's Collar Stays $6

I love this bright orange egg cup. I bought it for $6 at Pome before they closed. I think it is for serving soft-boiled or poached eggs but I use it to hold Greg's collar stays. I got the idea from my dad, who stores his collar stays in his bronzed baby shoe. It would also be a cute spare change or wedding ring holder.

Vintage Backrest Pillow from Tank Top $3

 

 

Mother-Daughter project! RE bought this tank at Plato's Closet for $3. We snipped the lacy bib off of the tank and then hand-sewed it to her backrest pillow. Just the right color and sparkle for her vintage bedroom!

Christmas Salt Shakers $0

My mother-in-law gave me these shakers when she cleaned out her craft room. My sister Suz sent me an Etsy purchase called "Lot of 100 Vintage Christmas Smalls" that was basically a gallon-sized Ziploc bag full of Christmas trinkets. I decided to put green marbles in one shaker and red things in the other. They hung out together on my kitchen table all December. Cute.

I might do this for every holiday. Little robin eggs and feathers for Easter, red + white + blue things for July 4, black + orange things for Halloween, acorns and nuts for Thanksgiving...the possibilities are endless.

Footed Dishes from Mismatched China <$2

Martha Stewart shows you how to make your own footed dishes from flea market and mismatched dishes you already own here. Use them as soap dishes, food servers, jewelry/coin holders, catch-alls, etc.

Super easy, and besides the dishes all you need is E6000 craft glue. (Or a glue that says it works with ceramics.)

I glued them plate-side down on a towel at night and by morning they were cured!

I didn't pay more than $1 for any piece, and I am bonkers for that gold-rimmed plate.