Instructions

1. Watch the video. Follow along with the video tutorial for a step-by-step walkthrough of how to make your own egg carton flowers.
2. Cut Apart the Egg Carton. Cut six individual cups from a cardboard egg carton. These will become the poinsettia flowers. Trim away any excess cardboard around each egg cup. Then shape the top edge into four gently rounded flower petals. Don’t worry about making the petals perfectly even or symmetrical.
3. Make a Hole for the Twine. Turn each egg carton flower upside down. Because the finished flowers will hang downward, the bottom of the original egg cup will become the top of the ornament. Use a Cricut weeding tool, an awl, a thick embroidery needle, or another pointed craft tool to carefully poke a hole through the center. Gently twist the tool to widen the opening. The hole should be large enough for a piece of twine to slide through without tearing the cardboard.
4. Cut the Poinsettia Leaves. Use the curved outer edge of the egg carton lid to create the leaves. Cut a simple pointed leaf shape directly along the edge of the lid. Cut 12 leaves total.
5. Paint the Flowers Red. Use a flat paintbrush and red acrylic craft paint to cover the inside and outside of each egg carton flower. Because egg cartons are made from absorbent cardboard, you may notice a few areas where the natural cardboard color shows through after the paint dries. Add a second coat or touch up those spots as needed.
6. Paint the Leaves Green. Paint both sides of the egg carton leaves with green acrylic craft paint. Some of the leaves may need two coats of paint, especially if they were cut from an area of the egg carton with printed text. Allow the first coat to dry before adding additional paint where needed. Set all the flowers and leaves aside until they are completely dry.
7. Paint the Wood Bead Centers. To make the centers of the flowers, slide small wood beads onto a bamboo skewer. Add a tiny dab of hot glue to each skewer before sliding on the bead. This will hold the bead securely while you paint it without permanently attaching it. Paint each wood bead with metallic gold craft paint. Once the paint has dried, gently twist each bead. The small dot of hot glue should release from the bamboo skewer.
8. Add Gold Accents to the Petals. Pour out a small amount of metallic gold paint. Cut a small piece from a clean dish sponge or use a makeup sponge from the dollar store. Lightly dip the sponge into the paint, dab away the excess, and gently pounce a tiny amount of gold around the edges of each red flower petal. The goal is not to cover the petals in gold. You just want a subtle metallic highlight along the edges. Allow the gold paint to dry.
9. Prep the Twine. Cut a piece of twine longer than you think you will need. You can always shorten the ornament hanger later. Wrap a small piece of masking tape around one end of the twine several times. Cut the taped end at an angle to create a stiff, pointed tip. Give the end a little twist, and it should slide easily through the hole in the top of the egg carton flower.
10. Add the Twine and Wood Beads. Pull the twine through the flower and thread one painted gold wood bead onto the end. Tie a simple square knot underneath the bead and trim away the excess twine. Add a generous dab of hot glue over the knot, and press the bead into the center of the flower. The hot glue will secure both the knot and the wood bead inside the poinsettia.
11. Add the Leaves. Hot glue two green leaves near the top of each flower. Be careful not to cover or glue down the twine hanger. Position both leaves slightly off-center instead of placing one on either side. This allows more of the red flower to show and gives each poinsettia a more natural, slightly asymmetrical look. Repeat until all the flowers have two leaves.