Handmade Peter Rabbit Napkin Rings Using Upcycled Materials
I cannot wait to share these charming, upcycled Peter Rabbit napkin rings I created for our dining room table! If you love The Tale of Peter Rabbit and enjoy crafting with repurposed materials, this project will be a big hit at your Easter or spring gathering.
Why Upcycling Matters in Home Decor
Our generation is unfortunately one where waste is plentiful. In my opinion, my grandparents' generation, however, were the original upcyclers—finding creative ways to reuse what they had instead of throwing things away. Inspired by their resourcefulness and seeing our trash output was high, I started looking at everyday items with fresh eyes, wondering, what could this become?
As my blog evolved, so did my perspective on home decorating. I realized that beautiful decor doesn’t have to come from a store—it can come from what we already have on hand, the discards most deem as trash. Plus, don't you want a unique home? I know I do. It's how these adorable handmade napkin rings came to life, using cardboard, toilet paper rolls, and a little creativity!
A Nostalgic Nod to Peter Rabbit
Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of Peter Rabbit has been a favorite of mine since childhood. I had the boxed set of Peter Rabbit and Friends and cherished every beautifully illustrated story. My love for Peter Rabbit deepened when my parents traveled to England on a business trip and brought me back a Wedgewood Peter Rabbit tea set—a treasured keepsake that still sits in my china cabinet today.
With Peter Rabbit’s story now in the public domain, I knew I wanted to incorporate those charming illustrations into my spring and Easter table setting. These vintage-inspired napkin rings feel like they belong in a countryside cottage, adding a touch of nostalgia and whimsy to any tablescape.
How to Make DIY Peter Rabbit Napkin Rings
Materials:
- Color Printer – To print the vintage Peter Rabbit illustrations.
- Cardboard – A sustainable and readily available crafting material.
- Toilet Paper Rolls – Who doesn’t have these? They’re perfect for upcycling.
- Scissors
- Waverly’s Celery Chalk Paint – Chosen for its fresh, spring-inspired hue.
- Stencil – I love reusing my stencils for multiple projects!
- Apple Barrel’s White Craft Paint – Complements the soft green and adds a springtime feel.
- Small Paint Brush – Allows myself more control when painting details.
- Stencil Brush – Rounded bristles are perfect for crisp, clean stencil patterns.
- Gold Rub N Buff – My go-to for adding an elegant, aged look.
- Waverly Antique Wax – Helps give the napkin rings a vintage patina.
- Trim Molding – Made from Crayola clay for a budget-friendly touch.
- Crayola Clay – Found at Walmart for only $3—such an affordable and versatile material!
- Titebond Wood Glue – Provides a strong hold for long-lasting results.
- Glue Gun & Hot Glue Sticks – A staple for any crafter!
- Elmer’s Glue Stick – Works beautifully for paper applications.
- Mod Podge – A must-have for sealing and protecting paper prints.
- Peter Rabbit and Friends Printout – The star of this project!
Instructions:
- Trace circles onto cardboard, I used a small ornament box I had sitting in the craft room when this idea struck
- Cut out cardboard circles
- Cut the toilet paper roll into 3 evenly spaced pieces
- Hot glue three circles together on top of one another, press firmly
- Paint the round with paint of your choice, I would recommend chalk paint since it has great coverage
- Paint the toilet paper piece
- Create clay trim with mold, apply wood glue to the sides of the round and press the trim lightly into the cardboard sides
- Paint clay, I painted the clay celery initially, then added gold rub-n-buff to the raised areas, and went back in with antiquing wax to the entire clay strips around the cardboard round
- Stipple white craft paint using stencil to the top of the cardboard round
- Stencil the same image onto the toilet paper roll
- Cut out image you prefer to use and apply a good glue stick to the back of the image, center it onto the round
- Apply Mod Podge to the top of the stenciled image and printed image once it is dry
- Apply antique wax if desired for an aged look
- Hot glue the toilet paper strip to the back of the round to create a slot holder for your napkins
Notes:
- My photos do not follow all of my instructions in order since as I worked on multiple napkin rings, I figured out the best ways to work on this project. Sometimes this is a learning experience for me too.
- Apply the Mod Podge to the napkin ring round before you add antiquing wax, you will be able to pull it back easier than if pulling it off paper or cardboard. As you can see, I was a little heavy handed with the first DIY napkin ring I made.
- I should have printed the images onto paper napkin or tissue paper so the edges of the paper did not show on the top, I will try this next time. You can use the water method for cutting your images out this way. If you are not familiar with this method, click the link for a how to.
Styling Your Easter or Spring Tablescape
These handmade napkin rings can be styled in various ways to match your personal decor aesthetic! For my spring table setting, I used neutral colors with a black charger plate, black and white striped ribbon tied around our silverware, and a round woven placemat under my charger plate. This combination gave my table what I like to think as a cozy and charming look.
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| A little heavy handed with the antiquing wax, be sure to apply mod podge before wax to pull it back |
If you prefer a softer, more traditional Easter setting, here are some ideas:
Layer Soft Linens: Use a mix of vintage-inspired floral napkins or simple pastel hues.
Add Fresh Flowers: A bouquet of tulips or daffodils will complement the natural, cottagecore feel.
Mix in Vintage Pieces: If you have Peter Rabbit dishes or any heirloom tableware, this is the perfect time to use them!
Incorporate More DIY Elements: Handmade place cards, an upcycled table runner, or painted mason jar vases can add to the charm.
These napkin rings will be a conversation starter at any Easter brunch or springtime gathering—all while showcasing your creativity and commitment to sustainability!
A Creative Journey with Upcycling
One of the most rewarding aspects of upcycling for me is transforming something destined for the trash into a cherished, functional piece. This isn’t my first trash-to-treasure project, and it certainly won’t be my last!
Some of my favorite upcycling past projects include:
Little Easter Lamb – An adorable Easter decoration made entirely from discarded materials.
DIY Easter Basket – Created from a nursery plastic planter pot, proving that anything can be upcycled!
Wall Hanging DIY - Wall art created from a vintage Coca Cola tv tray
Old Map Use - Love the look of old rolled up maps in your decor, then this one is for you
Tin Can Craft - tin cans are one of my most favorite things to upcycle! See how they become planters
These days, even my friends and family are setting aside their recyclables, asking, Can you make something out of this? And the answer is usually, Yes!
If you’re passionate about budget-friendly home decor and giving new life to everyday objects, you’re in the right place. I love hearing from readers who are inspired to try their own DIY upcycled projects—so if you make these Peter Rabbit napkin rings, please share your creations with me!
Let’s keep crafting, upcycling, and creating a beautiful home without breaking the bank.
Happy crafting, and Happy Easter! 🐰🌸
Cara
