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Halloween Recycled Crafts with Egg Cartons
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How to Make Halloween Egg Carton Portraits

Turn recycled egg cartons into spooky Halloween portraits with paint, glue, and a little imagination! Make fun Halloween characters and then frame them for a fun DIY Halloween decoration.
Active Time20 minutes
Drying Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Yield: 1 egg carton Halloween portrait
Author: Debbie Chapman
Cost: $2

Equipment

Materials

Instructions

Step 1: Find what you need

  • Gather your supplies and materials.
    Halloween Egg Carton Portraits Supplies

Step 2: Cut an egg carton

  • Cut an egg carton, removing one of the cup parts. You can use scissors or a craft knife.
    Halloween Egg Carton Portraits
  • Trim the cup part down, creating a “bowl” shape with even edges.
    Halloween Egg Carton Portraits

Step 3: Paint the egg carton

  • Paint the egg carton with your character's base colour. Our jack-o-lantern is, of course, orange.
    Allow to dry and add a second coat, if necessary.
    Halloween Egg Carton Portraits
  • Use a fine tip paintbrush and black paint to add the jack-o-lantern's features. Start with the mouth, placing it on the side of the carton.
    Halloween Egg Carton Portraits
  • Fill in the mouth with black paint, and then add the eyes on the opposite side of the egg cup. Finally, paint the triangle nose on the "top" of the carton.
    Halloween Egg Carton Portraits

Step 4: Make a picture frame

  • Cut a piece of black cardstock to 3-1/2 inches square. Then use a white (or silver) paint pen to decorate the frame.
    We outlined the paper and then drew small lines the opposite way, going all the way around.
    Halloween Egg Carton Portraits
  • Then for the background of the portrait, cut a piece of glitter scrapbook paper to 2-3/4 inches square.
    Halloween Egg Carton Portraits
  • Use hot glue, or tacky glue, to attach and center it inside the "frame".
    Halloween Egg Carton Portraits

Step 5: Attach the character to the frame

  • Add a thin line of hot glue to the back of the jack-o-lantern.
    Halloween Egg Carton Portraits
  • Center your Halloween character and attach it to the background.
    Halloween Egg Carton Portraits
  • Cut a piece of green cardstock or construction paper into a long triangle with curved sides. This will be the pumpkin's stem.
    Halloween Egg Carton Portraits
  • Glue the stem at the top of the jack-o-lantern. Curve the top of it to the side, if you'd like.
    Halloween Egg Carton Portraits
  • Your Halloween egg carton portrait is complete!
    Halloween Egg Carton Portraits
  • Now have fun making more boo-tiful portraits for your gallery wall. You can get creative with different colours and cut frames in different sizes and shapes!
    Halloween Egg Carton Portraits

Notes

Looking for more fun egg carton crafts? Here's a few of our favourites:
Egg Carton Animal Portraits
Egg Carton Fairies
Tea Cup Mother's Day Card