(This post contains affiliate links, which means I will receive a few cents from any purchase made when you click through the link. You literally have the opportunity to give me your "two cents!" Thank you for your support!)
Halloween is coming up fast (OK, so maybe it just passed, but you can pin this one to Pinterest for next year!), and if you're looking for a little something to add that special touch of creeptastic horror to your decor (or maybe just something to keep the kids busy) then The Ever {Cr}After has a project for you!
Watch out, because here come the Egg Crate Spiders!
Don't let the cuteness fool you - these little critters are malicious!
These are such fun to make, and super easy, too. Ready to get started? Here we go!
SUPPLY LIST
- Paper Egg Crate
- Utility Knife or Old Parring Knife
- Scissors
- Fuzzy Pipe Cleaners
- Paints (we used acrylics for quick, bright color, but temperas will work, too)
- Small (7mm) Googly Eyes (+ glue, if they are not self-stick)
- Metallic Silver Fine-Tipped Permanent Marker
CONSTRUCTION
Carefully cut apart your empty egg crate. (Hopefully, you've already safely stored those eggs - that would be a different sort of Halloween nightmare!) Use a box cutter or an old knife to perform this task. Unless you want weirdly mangled-looking spiders, then the scissors will do just fine!
After the separation, you will have a bunch of these little ditties.
Now you can grab those scissors and use them to make four small cuts around a bottom arch. Place these cuts on one side, then on the side directly opposite. These will house the spider's legs.
Get that newspaper out and paint those lil' buggers! Make sure that paintbrush is dried off well with a paper towel between water dousings, otherwise your spiders will take forever to dry!
Originally, we painted the spiders first, then cut out the leg slots. I think you would be fine to cut the slots first and then paint, especially if you are prepping these for a class party or something.
Line up four pipe cleaners side-by-side and put a couple of twists in the center. Then spread the legs apart.
For this example, I used full-length pipe cleaners, making for a giant, Daddy Long Legs sort of spider. When we had made our original painted spiders, I cut the pipe cleaners down, which allows them to fit on household decor better. So feel free to make these legs as long or as short as you want, depending on how you plan to use them!
Next up, take those spindly spider legs and shove each leg into a leg slot. When you are done, it'll look like this from below.
And like this from above!
Bend the legs up and then down until you get something that looks like.....
....THIS!! AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
Whew! Were you scared, too? I told you they are spooooky!!!
Anyway, as you can see, I did not paint this example spider, so I took a permanent marker and drew a little face on. Miss Priss informs me that it needs eyelashes. I just can't do anything right!
These spiders are so fun, and you do not have to paint them. Because egg crate paper is so porous, you could just as easily give the kids some washable markers and have them color the cups before adding those legs!
Whichever coloring method you use, you now want to add the googly eyes, and then use that metallic permanent marker to add a mouth, nose or whatever other facial features your little critter desires.
And when you are done, you'll have a whole ARMY of.....
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To find more DIY and crafting ideas, head over to The Ever {Cr}After page!
