Egg Carton Flowers

I love being able to repurpose or up-cycle, especially when I am making crafts, partially for environmental reasons, partially for frugality. These egg carton flowers really come out beautifully and can be a great craft project for older kids wanting to make something for Mother’s Day or a birthday or even as part of a costume.

I also think that this craft can result in a product sophisticated enough to be appreciated by adults. I have previously used these flowers for decorating gifts (as opposed to using ribbons or bows) and making picture frames. Today however, I will be making a flower crown because sometimes I like to play dress-up too.

What you need:

• cardboard egg cartons

• craft glue/hot glue gun

• scissors

• acrylic paint (optional).

Step One: save a few of your cardboard egg cartons. This may require eating lots of eggs. I recommend making frittatas and/or citrus curd.

Step Two: remove egg carton lid; using crafting scissors cut the bottom of the egg carton down the middle, and then across so that you have separated the carton “cups”.

Step Three: cut the cups down all four sides so that you have four “petals” attached to the base. Feel free the trim the “petals” as much as you like to achieve a more petal-like shape. All egg cartons are slightly different so some might require more trimming than others.

Step Four: take three of your petal cups and using a hot glue-gun or craft glue, glue together two of the cups so that the petals are alternating and not on top of each-other. Fold the third cup in on itself so it resembles a rosebud and glue it the center of the top cup. Repeat until you have your desired amount of roses.

Step Five: paint flowers using acrylic paint. (optional) Let dry then use in your desired application.

For Flower Crown

What you need: egg carton flowers, twine/string, scissors, hot glue gun.

Step One: twist together two pipe cleaners so that you have one long pipe cleaner roughly the circumference of your head.

Step Two: wrap thick string or twine around the pipe cleaners so that they are completely covered; tie together the two ends to make a circle.

Step Three: using hot glue, adhere the flowers to the wrapped pipe cleaner circle. Feel free to add painted egg carton leaves and/or ribbons for embellishment.