How To Make Charming French Country Easter Place Holders

Will you be hosting Easter dinner or brunch? Are you like me and prefer setting the table ahead of time? I like to remove the "so where shall we sit" question as everyone gathers to the table by having assigned seating. Assigned or not, it's always nice to add a little something extra to each place setting to make guests feel welcome. This year I made charming budget-friendly French Country Easter Place Holders with Ray Dunn inspired Easter egg name cards.

How To Make Charming French Country Place Holders

The possibilities for filling the mini flower pots are endless. Set a chocolate Easter bunny or colorful jelly beans inside for guests to enjoy after dinner. Plant a succulent, pretty hyacinth, or add votive candles for guests to take home.

But these pretty pedestal name cards don't have to be used just for Easter. I plan on using mine often for family dinners. The fun is coming up with new ideas after storing the eggs until next Easter.

If you know someone getting married, these would make such pretty wedding place cards and/or guest favors.

The list is endless how these painted mini terracotta pots with saucers and wood pedestal bases could be used.

I'll fill the saucers with Easter M & M's like the one below when I set the table.

There will be eight of us for Easter dinner but unfortunately, I only had six pedestal chalkboards in my stash. Two painted terracotta flower pots and saucers will be without pedestal bases which are perfect for our grandchildren's place settings. They will less likely get knocked over then.

What you'll need to make them...

Did I mention that everything you need to make these French Country place holders can be found at the dollar store?

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience so you can see what products I used or recommend to make this project. See my full disclosure policy.

I'll find another use for the chalkboards later. They are leftover from our daughter's wedding three years ago so I'm happy to finally give them another purpose.

Materials List

Mini Terracotta Flower Pots and Saucers
Pedestal Chalkboard Stands (base only)
White Plastic Decorating Easter Eggs
E6000 Glue
Clear Packing Tape
Laser Printer
Scissors
Mod Podge
Upper Canada Chalk Paint
Raw Silk Chalk Paint
Clear Chalk Paint Wax
Easter Grass or Moss
Easter Candy (optional)

Here's how I did it...

Pedestal base assembly

First, remove the chalkboards from the pedestal bases. Glue the mini terracotta saucers onto the center of the pedestal bases with E6000 glue and set aside.

Paint Mini Terracotta Flower Pots

While the glue cures is a good time to paint the mini terracotta flower pots. First I gave them two coats of Upper Canada green chalk paint that I had on hand but you could use craft paint as well. The porous terracotta absorbed the paint quickly and they were dry to the touch in mere minutes. It didn't take long to have all eight pots finished.

To add the pretty French Country look we'll be dry brushing white paint over the green paint. I used white Raw Silk chalk paint that I had on hand but white craft paint would be fine too.

Dip just the tips of an inexpensive chip brush into the paint and offload the excess onto a paper towel so very little paint is left on the brush. With little pressure on the brush, swipe across the painted flower pots in long random brush strokes. You want the green to be visible underneath.

Paint pedestal bases

Once the glue has cured on the bases, paint the wooden pedestals and flower pot saucers with the same white paint used to dry brush the flower pots. While waiting for the paint to dry we'll move on to the Easter eggs nameplates.

How to make clear decals for the Easter eggs

Would you believe the Ray Dunn inspired typography on the eggs are actually DIY decals? I had been itching to try a new to me image transfer technique using packing tape. They are so quick and easy to make and now I want to go around the house and decal all our glass containers!

Step 1:

I went over to PicMonkey to create a graphic with everyone's name. I sized the graphic for letter size 850 x 1100 paper and used the Amatic font sized at 150 pt. I couldn't decide whether to label the eggs in black ink or a similar green to the flower pots so I made each name in both.

Next, print the graphic on regular bond paper using a laser printer ONLY. Let the ink dry for a few minutes before moving on to the next step.

Step 2:

Place packing tape over the names and overlap the tape slightly on each row of tape. Rub a credit card or brayer over the tape for a tight bond to the paper. Cut out each name close to the letters. I decided to use the black ones.

Step 3:

Fill a small bowl with warm water and soak your tape covered labels for a few minutes. With your fingers rub the paper away from the back of the tape. Tada, now you have clear decals!

Lay the decals tape side up to dry on a paper towel.

Step 4:

Brush Mod Podge on white plastic Easter eggs from the dollar store. You could use hard boiled eggs but I wouldn't suggest blown eggs because they may be too delicate for the pressure to rub on the decals.

Place the clear decal over the Mod Podge and rub with your finger to get a good bond with the egg.

Step 5:

Once dry, brush a coat of Mod Podge over the decal and let dry. Repeat another coat of Mod Podge if necessary.

Pedestal flower pot place holder assembly

Now that the painted flower pots are dry, glue them onto the center of the saucers with E6000 glue.

Once the glue is totally cured, protect the paint on the place holders with clear wax and buff to a matte finish.

When setting your Easter table, fill the flower pots with Easter grass or moss. Add your Ray Dunn inspired Easter egg place cards in the French Country Easter place holders and fill the saucers with Easter treats.

So what do you think? Would you make these French Country pedestal flower pots for your Easter table or use them for another purpose?

Here are a couple more ideas to dress up your Easter table. I made this Whimsical Easter Centerpiece with fun chair spindle carrots and speckled colored eggs. I always have these Spring Burlap Cutlery Holders on our Easter Table. They are also wonderful to have on a buffet table.

For more Easter OR Spring inspiration visit my Spring|Easter page.

If you have any questions about this makeover, please leave them in the comment section below or press the Contact Me button at the top of the blog to drop me an email. I love hearing from you!

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