Egg Carton Ornament

Another upcycled/recycled craft kit I'm trying to assemble on no budget! I make our kits and instructions trying to make sure I don't assume kids have any supplies at home, so if you have a good craft stash, go wild!

You can make this as simple or as fancy as you like. I saw a museum doing a demonstration with a fancier version with rhinestones and little packages hanging instead of a bell. You can also google for vintage ones from the 60s/70s that went all out and look almost Victorian.

Supplies

-egg carton

-scissors

-glue

-cord/thin ribbon

-bell

-sequins

-markers

optional:

-paperclips are really helpful

-paint

-beads

Step 1: Cutting Out the Cups

A lot of the shape will depend on what type of egg cartons you have handy!

I usually get my eggs at Aldi, their egg carton cups aren't great, so these are the raised bits between the egg cups.

Step 2: Attaching a Bell

Attach a bell to the bottom.

Put a cord through the loop in the bell and fold it in half.

Pull both ends of the cord through the hole in the cup.

Slip on a bead and tie a knot to hold your dangly bell in place.

Trim the ends close to the knot.

Step 3: Adding a Loop for Hanging

Adding a cord to the top is almost the same, but without a bell.

Fold cord in half, string both ends through the hole in the other cup, add a bead, tie a knot. Trim the ends close to the knot.

Step 4: Gluing

To put them together, add glue to the four flat petal bits of one side.

Line them up with the flat pieces from the other half and squish together.

Paperclips can help keep them together while they dry.

Step 5: Decorating

You can start decorating it with markers or sequins while it dries.

Give it an hour or so before taking off the paper clips.

Add any final decorations.

Hang and enjoy!

Step 6: Other Possibilities!

*If you have paint at home you can paint the egg carton pieces. You probably want to do that first. But doing contrasting inside/outside would look great. A lot of the old ones I've seem were painted gold.

*If you have textured trim, I've seen that used to trim the edges of the cuts and it really adds a finished look.

*If you have a better pair of scissors or good utility knife, you can cut the openings wider and at more of an angle for a more delicate look.

Disclaimer, I don't actually really celebrate Christmas and just wasn't feeling bright and sparkly while making this demo.

So I ended up trying to go as full Gorey as I could with what I had on hand and turning it into a Halloween ornament. (Putting the bell and sequins towards another kids craft kit.)

If you want to go that route:

Paint the inside silver.

Paint the outside black.

Dry brushed a dark silver over the surface.

Trace a dime to get small circles to make two full and two crescent moons. Paint them in a brighter silver.

Paint bright silver stars over the darker patches.

Use black to outline anywhere without enough contrast and make a bat against the full moons.

Dry brush highlights in brighter silver.

Run the cord all the way through the ornament. Start with a bead suspended from a long cord, fold it. Run it through the bottom, carefully loading it with beads all through the center, and thread the doubled cord through the hole in the top. Add a large hole bead, fold over the ends to make a loop, tie a knot, tuck the ends under the top bead.