STYROFOAM brand foam crafts

Something Fishy

Three brightly colored tropical fish decorated in tissue paper are a fun summertime or pool party centerpiece.
   Completion Time - 
2-4 hours
   Designer - 
Jean Kievlan and Julie McGuffee

Materials

STYROFOAM Brand Foam
  • 2- 5" Eggs
  • 1- 7" Egg
  • 6- 1" Balls
  • 3- 1-1/2" Balls
  • 1- 8" x 2" Disc
  • 2- 6" x 2" Discs
Other Materials
  • 1- 12mm Wiggle Eyes, pair
  • 2- 10mm Wiggle Eyes, pair
  • 3- Red Chenille Stems
  • 3-16" Pieces of 16 Gauge Wire
  • 3-1/8" Wood Dowels (16", 14" and 11")
  • Tissue Paper
  • (Red, Orange, Turquoise, Lime, Fuchsia, Lavender,
  • Pink, Yellow, Dark Blue)
  • Decorative Edge Scissors (Zig-Zag or Scallop)

Tools

  • Thick white Glue
  • Spray paint (foam safe):
  • (Sunflower Yellow, Cornflower Blue, Navy Blue)
  • Toothpicks

Instructions

Create these fanciful fish to decorate your next pool party orto add a tropical flair to any outdoor event!
  • 1. Spray balls and one large and one small disc CornflowerBlue. Spray remaining disc Navy Blue. Spray eggs SunflowerYellow. Let dry thoroughly.
  • 2. Short Fringe: Cut across folded tissue paper 7" from thetop. Fold this section in half to 3 1/2" wide. With decorativescissors, on the unfolded edge, cut 1/2" strips to makefringe. Repeat procedure with two or three other colors. LongFringe: Cut a 16" piece from folded tissue paper for the tail.Fold in half to 8" wide. Cut 1/2" fringe strips on theunfolded end. Repeat with another color.
  • 3. Glue fringe on egg starting at the wide part of the egg,about 1/3 of the way from the end. Apply glue around egg.Position fold of fringe over glue, then wrap folded end oftissue around egg, pressing into glue. Repeat procedure withanother color of fringe offsetting fold about 1/2" from thefirst. Continue gluing fringe around egg until just the top1/3 of the egg is showing.
  • 4. Gather fringe for tail and twist folded end. Poke a hole atthe bottom of the egg with a pencil, squirt glue in hole, theninsert folded end of fringe in hole. Let glue dry.
  • 5. Cut a 6" piece of chenille. Coil into a tight circle, thenfold in half. Poke a slit at the front of the fish, theninsert chenille mouth. Glue large wiggle eyes on big fish andsmaller eyes on remaining fish. Bend the bottom 2" of the wirein a "L" shape. Insert small end of wire into fish above mouth(you can secure with a little glue, if desired). Glue ballbubbles on wire. Insert one end of dowels into bottom of fish,then the other end into the foam discs.