How to Make an Egg Carton Butterfly Suncatcher

1. 1

   Step 1: Gather the Egg Carton Butterfly Supplies

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   Lay everything out before you start, so little hands are not waiting. You need a cardboard egg carton, white school glue, paint and brushes, a pipe cleaner, craft sticks and a pack of colored acetate sheets. Add rhinestones, googly eyes, scissors, craft tweezers and a hot glue gun. Cover the table first. Paint and glue get everywhere with young helpers.

   Tip:

   Pulp egg cartons take paint best. Foam cartons will not hold the glue.

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   Used in this stepcolored acetate sheetsElmer's washable school glue

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2. 2

   Step 2: Cut a Block of Four Cups From the Egg Carton

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   Cut a square block of four joined cups out of the carton, two across and two down. Leave the cardboard between the cups in place so the block holds together. These four cups become the four wings of the butterfly. Trim off any ragged edges around the outside so the wing shape looks neat.

   Tip:

   One dozen-size carton gives you three butterflies, enough for siblings or cousins.

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3. 3

   Step 3: Cut a Window in Each Egg Carton Cup

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   Turn the block upside down. Push the scissor tip into the bottom of one cup, then cut out a square or round window. Make it fairly large, since this is where the colored light will shine through. Repeat on all four cups. This part is for a grown-up. Egg carton is tough and the scissors can slip.

   Tip:

   A craft knife on a cutting mat gives cleaner windows, if you have one.

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4. 4

   Step 4: Paint the Egg Carton Butterfly Wings

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   Paint the whole block, inside and out, in any color you like. Ms. Campbell uses purple, and her little helper mixes in pink. Load the brush well, because egg carton soaks up paint. Get into the corners between the cups. Let it dry before decorating, about 20 minutes for acrylic. Set it on a paper plate while it dries.

   Tip:

   Two thin coats cover better than one thick one and dry faster.

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   Used in this stepacrylic craft paint setkids paint brushes set

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5. 5

   Step 5: Glue Rhinestones Onto the Egg Carton Wings

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   Squeeze small dots of white glue on the painted wings. Press a rhinestone onto each dot. Hearts, stars, flowers and round gems all work. This is a good job for small fingers, and craft tweezers help with tiny gems. Cover the outside of the cups as much or as little as you like, then let the glue set.

   Tip:

   A cotton swab dipped in glue makes neat dots for little ones.

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   Used in this stepElmer's washable school glueflat back rhinestones for craftscraft tweezers

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6. 6

   Step 6: Hot Glue a Craft Stick Body to the Butterfly

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   Turn the butterfly over. Run a line of hot glue down the middle, between the two pairs of cups, and press a craft stick into it. Leave the end of the stick hanging below the wings as a handle. The stick is the butterfly's body and lets you hold it up to the sun. Paint the stick to match if you like.

   Tip:

   Hot glue is a grown-up job. Hold the stick until the glue cools, about 30 seconds.

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   Used in this stepjumbo craft sticksmini hot glue gun with glue sticks

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7. 7

   Step 7: Fill the Egg Carton Windows With Colored Acetate

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   Cut squares of colored acetate a little bigger than each window. Add a thin line of glue around the window inside the cup. Press an acetate square over it with tweezers so it lies flat and covers the hole. Mix the colors: orange, yellow, red, blue. Hold it up to the light to check every window is covered.

   Tip:

   Glue the acetate on the inside so the cut edges stay hidden.

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   Used in this stepcolored acetate sheetscraft tweezersElmer's washable school glue

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8. 8

   Step 8: Add Pipe Cleaner Antennae to the Egg Carton Butterfly

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   Fold a yellow pipe cleaner in half and curl the two ends into little hooks. Put a dot of hot glue at the top of the craft stick, between the top two wings, and press the fold of the pipe cleaner into it. Hold it a few seconds so the antennae stand up straight. Bend them out into a V once the glue sets.

   Tip:

   Wrap the pipe cleaner around a pencil to get springy curled tips.

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   Used in this steppipe cleaners chenille stemsmini hot glue gun with glue sticks

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9. 9

   Step 9: Stick Googly Eyes on the Egg Carton Butterfly

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   Put a tiny dot of glue on the top of the stick, right under the antennae. Use tweezers to set two googly eyes in place. Self-adhesive eyes make it even easier for kids. That is the last step. Take your butterfly into the sunshine and watch the colored light it casts on the floor or a wall.

   Tip:

   Hang it in a south-facing window for the brightest colors.

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   Used in this stepself adhesive googly eyescraft tweezers

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Keep going

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