"you are not a drop in the ocean, you are the entire ocean in a drop."

- Rumi

grab the complete EGG CARTON MERMAID DOLL project PDF + Printable pack here:

Egg Carton Mermaid Doll Project Plan + Template

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A photo of an egg carton, a paper tube, two round trays of paint with various colors, and the printable Egg Carton Mermaid Dolls template, shown on pink background.

Materials:

mermaid templates
recycled egg carton (you will use the cup section and the lid for your tail)
1 small paper tube (TP roll size)
acrylic paint
paint palette
brushes
hot glue gun
small gold jingle bells
twine
sharp scissors

1. Dissect your egg carton making individual cups. You want to trim the egg sections into a soft curved "fish scale" shape. The center line of the egg cup should be running down the center of the cup.

A close up image of 2 cups cut from an Egg Carton shown side by side, on pink background.

When you attach your egg cups you want the center seam to line up (see below).

A diagonal stack of 7 individual egg carton cups attached to a mermaid's tail shape cut from cereal box. This will become our mermaids body from the waist down. Shown on white background.

2. Choose your color palette. We liked the idea of choosing different shades of the same color (pinks, greens, greys, purples). 3. Start painting your cups. Alternate between light, middle, and darker tones. Once your cartons have dried you will stack them and glue them together with hot glue. 4. Slice a horizontal line in the center of your top egg carton with a utility knife blade or a pair of sharp scissors. Your mermaid's torso will fit inside this opening. You might need to trim the waist slightly to get a perfect fit.

a 3 photo horizontal grid of process photos in various stages of making the Egg Carton Mermaid Dolls. Each image shown on pink and peach colored background.

5. Print out your mermaid templates on thick card stock. Cut out one of the mermaid shapes. If you do not have card stock simply trim your mermaid shape and trace it onto an empty paper tube. You want the mermaid body to be sturdy so that it can handle rough and tumble play time.

A 3 photo horizontal grid showing the process of cutting and tracing the mermaid's upper body shape. Shown on pink background.

6. Cut out and paint your torso shape and don't forget to cut out and paint a tail fin! You can cut a tail fin out of your egg carton lid (you can see an example of this if you scroll up to the unpainted tail picture) or recycle an old painting (like we did with this red haired siren). 7. Cut a simple bikini top out of printed paper or gift wrap and attach it with glue.

A 3 photo horizontal grid shows the process of coloring the mermaid's hair and designing a bikini top. This mermaid's hair was given a fiery orange color and colorfully patterned bikini top. Shown on pink background.

8. Once your mermaid is fully painted, dressed, and dried you will slide her into the opening that you cut earlier. Fully secure her in place with a dab of hot glue on the front and back, closing your egg carton around the waist like a clam shell. 9. Glue your tail inside of the base of your bottom egg carton.