When St. Patrick’s Day approaches, my family celebrates by adding in a little Irish to our day.
Whether participating in a Parade, enjoying corned beef and cabbage, or simply wearing green, we like many other families, (whether Irish or Not) tap into the spirit of the holiday.
Of course, one of the well-known symbols for St. Patrick’s Day is the Shamrock.
Not only does this 3 leaf clover have a religious significance through the Holy Trinity but according to Smithsonian Magazine, St. Patrick’s Day corresponds with warm weather since the clover leaves are beginning to sprout in Ireland’s spring weather.
I thought it would be fun to make our very own Shamrock Craft out of upcycled materials that could be worn as a necklace to add green to an outfit or to be used to decorate for St. Patrick’s Day.
This idea became an Egg Carton Shamrock Craft.
If you would like to recreate this activity with your family, here is what you will need:
– Egg Carton
– Green Fuzzy Sticks (AKA Pipe Cleaners)
– Glue
– Paint Brush
– Hole Punch
– Safety Scissors
– Container for paint
– Paper Towel or Newspaper
Optional: White Ribbon.
Directions:
To get started, first have your child paint the egg-shaped areas of the Egg Carton with the Green Acrylic Paint. Then allow the paint to dry, this usually takes about an hour to completely set on the surface.
Tip: Most of the items for this activity can be located at a dollar store or craft store.
Next, cut the 12 sections of the egg shapes out. Then, select 3 and cut them into bowl shapes by removing the jagged edges. These will be the leaves of the Egg Carton Shamrock.
Next up, take a hole punch and place 2 holes in the sides of each leaf shape.
Then take the green fuzzy stick, fold it in half, and create a small loop by twisting it at the top.
Allow this loop to stick out of the first leaf and weave the remaining fuzzy stick through the holes in the other leaves.
To connect the pieces, twist the bottom part to look like a stem.
Then, add a dab of glue between each of the sections, and press together.
Tip: To set the Shamrock Craft, lay the bottle of glue on top and allow the craft to dry.
Once the glue is dry, a ribbon can be put through the loop to turn it into a necklace or used to hang it in your home.
Not only is this craft easy to put together, but it gives us an opportunity to upcyle.
I hope your family also enjoys this activity and adding a little Irish to your family’s St. Patrick’s Day.
Carlee @ FLL
Looking for other ways to upcycle Egg Cartons this Spring?
Egg Cartons are a great item to use for crafting. When painting, the sections can be used to separate out different colors of paint (first check for small holes). In addition, they make it easy to sort out and store small crafting items like beads and buttons.
If you are ready to start a garden, egg cartons can be transformed into mini greenhouses. To begin, poke small holes into the bottom, add a layer of soil inside, and add seeds. Then, spray with a water bottle and close the top. Within 5 to 7 days, you should find sprouts that can be transplanted to a larger container or to a garden in the ground.
Eggs Cartons can also be turned into a Spring Flowers. Simply cut out the egg shape and push a pipe cleaner through the bottom. You then have a craft that looks like a tulip. Plus, you can use acrylic paints or markers to decorate it.
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