Sitting Easter Chick

This adorable little chirper is a great addition to an Easter centerpiece or holiday table. Once the holiday is over, you can display him in a toddler or child's room year round.

Materials:

• STYROFOAM Brand Foam:
  • Cone, 9" x 4"
  • Ball, 3"
  • Egg, 2-1/2"
• Pre-mixed latex spackling
• Acrylic paints: orange; yellow
• Craft foam, 2mm thick: yellow, 9" x 11"; orange scrap
• Yellow down feathers
• Black half-round beads, 6mm, two
• Sheer wire-edged ribbon, color of choice, 1/2" x 1/2 yd.
• Ribbon flower, color of choice, 1/2" across
• Wooden dowel, 1/4", 12" length
• Pink powdered cosmetic blush
• Serrated knife
• Candle stub or paraffin
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Wooden skewers, three
• Fine-grain sandpaper
• Kitchen utensils: 1/2 c. measuring cup; teaspoon; small bowl
• Paintbrushes: medium flat; stiff bristle
• Disposable palette
• Water basin
• Paper towels
• Cotton-tip swab
• Scissors
• Craft knife
• Low-temp glue gun and glue sticks
• Thick, white craft glue

For pattern, click here. (pdf)

Steps:

1. Wax serrated knife with candle stub or paraffin. Cut small slice from bottom of foam ball (head). Cut foam egg in half lengthwise. Cut two small wedges from narrow end of each egg half, making three "claws" on each foot.
    
2. Mark a line around foam cone 4-1/2" from base; cut cone on line. Note: Lower section will be chick's body; reserve upper section for another project. Tightly twist and glue head to top of body.
    
3. Use craft knife to cut dowel in half (legs); set aside. Insert wooden skewers into bottom of each foot and body.
    
4. In small bowl, mix 1/2 c. spackling with a few teaspoons water to consistency of smooth yogurt. Holding skewer, use paintbrush to apply thin, even layer of spackling over entire surface of chick. Place skewer in heavy glass or jar; let dry. Lightly sand spackling. Apply second coat of spackling and let dry; sand very smooth.
    
5. Holding skewer, use flat brush to paint chick yellow and legs orange. Use bristle brush to paint feet orange. Place skewers in heavy glass or jar; let dry.
    
6. Cut patterns from craft foam as indicated. Glue bottom edge of tail to bottom back of body. Glue top of wings around chick's neck, reversing one wing as shown in photo.
    
7. Use craft knife to score center of beak along dotted line shown on pattern; do not cut all the way through. Fold beak in half. Glue beak and bead eyes to face. Use cotton-tip swab to apply blush to cheeks.
    
8. Glue one end of legs into feet. Use sharp pencil point to poke holes on either side of body for legs, 1/2" above base. Glue legs into holes. Position feet and legs as desired; let dry.
    
9. Glue feathers to head, neck, and tops of legs. Tie ribbon into bow around neck. Glue flower to center of bow.

®™ Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") or an affiliated company of Dow. For more project ideas, please see styrofoamstyle.com.