When spring fever hits home like a T-Rex, make a Jurassic-themed hanging spring decoration or Easter countdown craft using repurposed plastic eggs.
This craft only takes an hour or two on a lazy afternoon, and not only helps upcycle those plastic eggs that accumulate each year, it incorporates a little nature crafting into the mix.
Paint seven plastic eggs to look like prehistoric dinosaur eggs, rocks, or in other desired shades. Use acrylic or craft paint, or help kids to spray paint them. Do this first, so the eggs can dry while you’re working on the rest of the craft.
Next, head outside and find a sturdy piece of tree limb or twigs and tie seven pieces of rope, hemp cord, ribbon, or raffia on it at varying lengths.
Run one of the pieces of rope through the top half of a plastic egg. Tie a knot to hold the top half up, while leaving a piece long enough to run through the bottom half. Tie a second knot on the outside of the bottom half to hold it up. Do this with all seven pieces of rope. Most plastic eggs already have a small hole at both ends. If not, use a small screwdriver or drill bit to make a hole large enough to thread the rope through.
Fill the bottom half with floral moss or dried flowers or other “landscape,” and add a small plastic dinosaur charm or figure, like the ones found at craft, party, or toy stores. Adhere these with tacky craft glue or a glue gun. Now when the egg opens, it will reveal a little prehistoric scene.
To finish things off, hang ribbons, cord, leaves, feathers, dried flowers, vines, or other items to from the limb to give it a more filled-out look. When you have the look you want, tie one long piece of rope to each end of the stick for hanging.
Hang these in a window for decoration, or if you’re using them for a countdown, hang them in an easy to reach place for kids. Starting one week before Easter, open up one egg for each day until Easter; pop the eggs closed again when it’s time to put up the spring decorations. These can be used again next year if you use artificial leaves and flowers. If you use real flowers for on the limb, tie them on gently with a string, so you can replace them easily with new ones each year.
If dinosaurs aren’t your thing, try a different theme: aliens, flowers, tikis, or even LEGO figures. We’re made a dragon-themed countdown to go with the dinosaurs that includes little beads, jewel embellishments, and other little dragon’s hoard items.
No matter what theme you choose, make it an excuse to get outside and wander around your backyard and neighborhood, well before any egg hunts begin.
