Transform ordinary egg cartons into enchanting egg carton fairies with this fun and creative upcycled craft! Perfect for kids crafts, fairy garden decorations, or whimsical playtime, these eco-friendly fairies are as delightful to make as they are to display.
With a few simple supplies, you can bring these tiny fairies to life by decorating them with colourful paints, delicate wings, and unique accessories. Each fairy takes on its own personality, making this a wonderful craft for kids and adults alike.
Whether they perch on a shelf, join a fairy garden, or become part of a magical storytime adventure as DIY toys, these tiny treasures are sure to spread joy!
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How to Make Egg Carton Fairies
Create your own whimsical egg carton fairies with this fun and easy craft! Kids and adults will love recycling materials into adorable little characters.
Author: Debbie Chapman
Materials:
- Free Printable Egg Carton Fairies Template
- Pipe cleaners
- Yarn
- Wooden bead(s)
- Egg carton
- Acrylic paint
- Elmer’s white school glue
- Fine tipped black marker
- Glitter cardstock
Equipment:
Check Out The Video Tutorial:
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Instructions:
Step 1: Find what you need
Gather your supplies and materials.
Step 2: Make the fairy’s dress
Cut one “cone” shaped section from an egg carton.
Trim the edges to make a neat looking dress for the fairy.
Paint the egg carton section with acrylic paint in whatever colour you’d like the fairy’s dress to be. Allow to dry.
Step 3: Make the head
Fold a skin tone pipe cleaner in half and separate the ends to make a “V” shape.
Cut 18 strands of yarn so each piece is 6 inches long. Line the ends up and place them in a pile.
Place the center of the yarn bundle in-between the center fold of the pipe cleaners. Pull the yarn ends up and twist the pipe cleaner together several times below the bundle, keeping it in place.
Slide the wooden bead onto both pipe cleaner ends and pull it to the top, so the yarn looks like hair coming from the bead head.
Step 4: Create the body
Cut another pipe cleaner in half and fold one of these pieces in half.
Place the center fold of the pipe cleaner between the pipe cleaners coming down from the bead.
Twist the longer pipe cleaners around it several times, creating the arms and legs of the fairy.
Step 5: Attach the fairy’s dress
Poke a hole in the small top part of the painted egg carton section (if it doesn’t have one already).
Slide the fairy’s pipe cleaner legs down through the hole. This creates the fairy’s dress.
Bend the pipe cleaner arms and legs however you’d like them. Fold the edges of the pipe cleaners over to make hands and feet.
Step 6: Add a face
Add a dot of white school glue to the front of the wooden bead. Spread the glue with your finger or a paint brush to create a very thin layer of glue across the bead.
(Once the glue is dry, this allows you to draw a face on the wood without the marker bleeding.)
Once the glue is dry, use a fine point black marker to draw a face on your fairy. We made eyes with little eyelashes and a small smile.
Then use a pink marker to add rosy cheeks.
Step 7: Create fairy wings
Print and cut our free egg carton fairies template (find the link in the materials list above).
Use the template to cut wings from glitter cardstock or craft foam.
Bend the wings slightly and add a thin line of hot glue to the center of them. Attach the wings to the center back of the egg carton dress.
Your egg carton fairy is complete!
Be sure to make your fairy some friends to keep her company!
Helpful Tips:
This is a fantastic eco-friendly craft! Encourage upcycling and creative reuse by using up yarn, fabric, and decorative paper from the scraps bin. It’s a great way to teach kids about sustainability and reducing waste.
If you don’t have all the materials listed in our tutorial, get creative with substitutions! Try using ribbons, tissue paper, or even tiny artificial flowers to decorate your fairies. There’s no limit to how whimsical and unique they can be! (Read more ideas below!)
Get our free printable egg carton fairies template:
The link and picture below will take you to our free, printable wing template for the egg carton fairies! The PDF file will open in a new window. Then simply print the pattern on 8.5 x 11 (letter size) printer paper or cardstock.
>>> Egg Carton Fairies Wing Template <<<
What type of bead do I need for my egg carton fairy craft?
We used a 7/8 inch wooden bead for the fairy’s head, but any similar-sized bead will work!
If you don’t have wooden beads, try using a plastic bubblegum bead, a styrofoam ball, or even a pom pom. You’ll have to adjust how you connect the fairy, but all of these options will work well.
You can also make your own beads using polymer clay. If crafting from clay, be sure to make a slightly larger hole so it can easily be threaded onto the fairy’s body.
How big are these egg carton fairies?
Our egg carton fairies stand about 5 inches tall, but you can customize their size by adjusting the lengths of the arms, legs, and dress.
Want a larger fairy? Try stacking and gluing multiple egg carton sections together to create a longer fairy dress!
What are some other ways to decorate my egg carton fairy?
There are endless ways to personalize your fairies! Here are some fun decorating ideas to make them truly magical:
- Add glitter or sequins for a sparkling fairy dress.
- Make a tiny fabric skirt to layer over the egg carton.
- Glue miniature beads onto the dress for extra detail.
- Create a flower fairy by shaping flower petals from egg cartons or adding tiny faux flowers.
- Give your fairy a unique hairstyle by using embroidery floss, thread, or twine.
- Make miniature jewelry from paper clips, beads, or metallic embroidery floss.
Each fairy can have its own theme — whether it’s a woodland fairy, garden fairy, or a winter fairy, you can make an entire enchanted collection!
These DIY egg carton fairies are the perfect blend of creativity and sustainability, turning everyday materials into something truly magical. Whether you display them on a bookshelf, in a fairy garden, or use them as whimsical playtime companions, each handcrafted fairy brings a unique charm.
So gather your materials, spark your imagination, and let the magic begin! Create a whole fairy kingdom and enjoy every enchanting moment of this delightful upcycled craft!
Here’s even more easy whimsical craft ideas:
Coffee Filter Butterflies
Pom Pom Dragons
Beaded Pipe Cleaner Dragonflies
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Low-Mess Crafts for Kids Book
72 cute and fun crafts that kids and parents alike can enjoy. All with as little mess as possible!
Where to buy:
You can purchase Low-Mess Crafts for Kids from Amazon, or wherever books are sold:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books-A-Million | Indiebound | Amazon Canada
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