DLTK's Crafts for Kids
Butterfly Egg Carton and Coffee Filter Craft

Instructions:

• Cover your work space with newspaper or paper towel.  Newspaper might color your project when you get it wet, so pick a piece without too much ink on it.
• Draw lines or squiggles with marker on your coffee filter.  Don't use too many different colours or you'll end up with a muddy brown when they mix.
• Repeat with the second coffee filter, trying to keep the colors similar

• Fill a bowl with water and use a small brush to splatter drops onto your coffee filters.
   
  OR
   
  Use a spritz bottle to lightly spray water on your coffee filter.
• Don't go too crazy -- you can always add more water.  Splash a bit then watch the colours blend together, then add more water if you need.  The water "creeps" across the filter quite slowly.  If you put too much water on, you'll get puddles of color and big patches of white.
• Set aside your coffee filters to dry.

• Cut two attached cups from the egg carton.  This will likely require adult assistance and can be done before craft time.
• Paint the outside of the egg carton cups a color that looks nice with your decorated coffee filters.  This will be the body of the butterfly.
• Set aside to dry.
• Note:  Use what you have, but we usually use acrylic paint.  It's usually available inexpensively at our local Dollar Store.  It dries very fast.  If you get it on fabric, wash IMMEDIATELY -- it will come out when it's still wet but it is permanent once it dries.

• Once everything is dry, scrunch the edge of each coffee filter and tape or staple together to form the wings.

• Slide the wings in between the egg carton cups.
• You can add a dab of glue to hold them in but ours seemed to stay without any help.

• Optional:  Poke two holes in the top of one egg carton.  Thread the pipecleaner through these holes and curve the ends to make antenna
• Optional:  glue wiggly eyes or cheerios onto the front of the face (or you can add a couple eyes with black marker