DIY Earth-Wise Owls Recycled Craft Project

This DIY owl craft project is made from recycled cardboard and a kitchen spoon. Use items from your recycle bin and create your own little owl family.

You can also make owls and penguins from pinecones.

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DIY Owls Made From Cardboard Boxes

I first found this project in a magazine article when I was around 7 years old (a long time ago!) when owls were all the rage in crafts and decor. And now they’re popular again, probably spurred on by the popularity of Harry Potter books.

I’ve noticed lots of owls on Etsy and Pinterest recently and decided to create a really easy version that both kids and adults can make. Just make sure an adult handles the heated glue dispenser (if you use one).

The materials are all household items, making it entirely recycled with the exception of the glue.

Once you’ve mastered the basic owl, you can go on to embellish it to look like any type of owl you like. But for starters, we’ll do the sweet and simple owls.

Overview of Steps

1. Cut out the cardboard strips (see sizes listed in Materials list below) and wings.

2. Peel off one paper side of the box to expose the corrugated section inside.

3. Roll up each piece of cardboard to get a nice rounded roll before applying glue.

4. Apply a line of glue down the inside middle length of each cardboard piece, roll up snugly, hold closed with elastic bands while glue is drying.

5. Make beak.

6. Glue pieces together.

Related: DIY Garden Junk Owl, Cat, & More

Materials

• 2-3 Corrugated cardboard boxes  (12″x18″x18″) – “corrugated” is the wavy layer in between the outer and inner paper walls of the box.
  For this project you will peel off one layer of paper, leaving one other layer plus the corrugated middle.

From the cardboard boxes cut out the cardboard pieces listed below for Mama and Baby:

Mama Owl (8″ tall) Materials

• Body: (1) 4″ x 140″ strip of cardboard (you can use several shorter pieces—at least 16″ long—and join them if needed)
• Head: (2) 4″ x 45″ strips of cardboard  – these form the cylinders for each of the eyes
• Beak wrapper: (1) 4″ x 6″ piece of cardboard
• Wings: (2) 4″ x 7″ piece of cardboard – cut to form wing shapes (see below)
• Eyes: (2) Black buttons (1 1/2″ in diameter)
• Beak: (1) Silver cereal spoon with 4″ handle or a bit shorter

Baby Owl (4″ tall) Materials – This is for ONE baby owl

• Body: (1) 2″ x 45″ strip of cardboard (you can use several shorter pieces—at least 6″ long—and join them if needed)
• Head:  (2) 2″ x 20″ strip sof cardboard
• Beak wrapper: (1) 2″ x 3 1/2″ piece of cardboard
• Wings (2) 2″ x 3 1/2″ piece of cardboard – cut to form wing shapes (see below)
• (2) Black buttons (1 1/2″ in diameter)
• (1) Tiny spoon with 2″ handle or a bit shorter (I broke mine off with pliers to get the right length)

TIP: You can also use sheets of cardboard to convert grass lawn into new garden beds.

Tools and Glue

• Adhesive / glue that works on cardboard. I used a heated glue dispenser and it worked really well. [See it at Amazon]
• Ruler, pencil, scissors, elastics.

Steps

Please read all of the steps first – there’s some tips you’ll want to know ahead of time.

1. Cut open one corner of each cardboard box so the cardboard lays flat. Cut out the cardboard strips (see sizes listed in Materials list above).

And cut out the wings: first cut the rectangular sizes listed, then place the two pieces wrong sides together (corrugated cardboard facing out), and cut out wing shapes like the one in my wonderful illustration (right).

2. Peel off the PRINTED side of the cardboard. If there is no printed side, just peel whichever side you want.

If the sides don’t peel off completely, just score the ridges of the corrugated cardboard with the tip of your scissors. The uneven texture will look good. Trust me.

I demonstrated this with big pieces of cardboard, but yours will already be cut to size: this makes it easier to peel them.

3. Before you start gluing and assembling your owl, take the time to roll up each piece of cardboard and form nice rounded cylinders with the cardboard. This will make it easier for the next step.

You’ve just pre-rolled the cardboard strips, now you want to open them flat, one at a time, and apply the glue.

4. Apply a line of glue down the middle center length of each cardboard piece, working in manageable sections. Roll up the cardboard snugly, hold closed with elastic bands while glue is drying. I’m using a tube of silicone in the photo but I found a heated glue dispenser works faster.

Here’s another nature project idea: DIY Thrift Shop Bug House

5. Make the beak.

• Bend the spoon where the handle meets the spoon head. You’ll want almost a 90 degree angle (see image below).
• Be sure your spoon handle is no longer than the depth of the beak cardboard piece. You don’t want it sticking out the back of the owl’s head!
• Pre-roll your beak cardboard so it will form a nice shape when you glue it.
• Apply glue to the length of the spoon handle and fasten to one inside end of the cardboard piece. Roll it up snugly.

• Hold in place with elastic band while the glue is drying.
• This shows how the beak looks from the side:

6. Next glue the rolled beak piece onto the body. I added mine where the cardboard roll ended on the body (to hide it).

• Glue eye rolls to body and beak.
• Glue on button eyes in center of head cylinders.
• Glue on wings, tucking top end just under sides of eye cylinders and have corrugated cardboard facing out. Secure to body with glue midway down inside of wing.
• Allow to dry.

You’re done!

More Ideas For Decorating Your Owl

This is the simple version of the owl. If you want to embellish yours further, look up images of various types of owls and see what you like.

• You could add head feathers or ears, wire feet, or decorate it for Halloween with a little witch hat!
• Dress them up in hats and mitts and place them on a winter wreath.
• Hang several from a mobile.
• Make giant, open wings to make your owl in flight.

Here they are wearing red mittens in the snow:

Owl Decor Ideas

• Hang them on a door wreath.
• Give them seasonal accessories like hats, mitts, sweaters.
• Make them in more sizes – from giant to tiny.
• Or hang a little toy mouse from its beak: the horrors!

These babies are out of the nest for the first time.

For more see 14 Owl-Inspired Garden Art & Craft Projects.

~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛