Easter Egg Ferris Wheel

Instructions

1. Creating the wheel axel: Cut the 3″ ball exactly in half using the serrated knife.  Using the wire cutters, cut the wood dowel to about 10″ and insert the end into the center of the rounded side of the one-half ball.  Now thread the 2.5″ ball onto the dowel next to the half ball’s flat side. Insert the dowel into the center of the flat side of the other half ball.  The two 3″ half balls should be sandwiching the 2.5″ ball.  Glue this assembly to the center of the wood dowel, pressing them together firmly where they meet on the dowel. 
2. Glue the ends of eight wooden craft sticks evenly spaced onto the inside flat edge of one of the 3″ half balls for the Ferris wheel “spokes.” Repeat with another eight sticks on the flat side of the opposite 3″ half ball, make sure that the spokes on each side line up exactly with those on the opposite wheel.  Now cut 16 craft sticks to about 4″ long and glue them to the outside ends of the spokes, overlapping the ends of each crossbar.  Continue connecting one spoke to the next, creating the wheel, as shown.  Repeat on the opposite side.  Spray paint the entire wheel assembly and the 8″ disc bright green following the instructions on the can.  Be sure to hold the can 12″ away, using 2 or 3 light coats to achieve your shade, letting each coat dry before applying the next. Let dry completely.
3. Cut the cone exactly in half lengthwise, from narrow end to wide end.  Spray paint the two half cones and the two 1.5″ balls fuchsia and let dry.  Glue a 1.5″ ball to the top of each half cone (these are the stands for the wheel).  Cut two 1.5″ circles from the green craft foam sheet.  Cut small ¼” holes in each center.  Slide these two “washers” onto both sides of the wheel.  Do not glue in place.  These will help the wheel turn more smoothly. Attach the when to the stand by sliding the 1.5″ ball from the top of each cone onto the dowel on both sides of the wheel.  Do not glue in place.  Glue the bottom of the cones onto the 8″ disc using low-temp glue.
4. Creating the egg chairs: Stand a narrow egg end up.  Place the serrated knife at the top of the egg about ¼” to the right or left side of the top of the egg.  From here, cut straight down, vertically into the egg about halfway, and remove the blade.  Now cut in from the side of the egg, horizontally, meeting the first cut you made and cutting out the “L” shaped seat.  Repeat to create eight chairs—paint two chairs yellow, two green, two pink, and two purple.  Let dry.  Cover the seats of the chairs with a coat of glitter glue.  Let dry.  Outline the edge of the seats with purple fabric paint and let dry.  Embellish the chairs with scrap paper, stickers, or paint to make them your own.
5. Use the scrap piece of wood dowel to pilot a hole straight through the center of the side of each egg, just behind the seat.  Cut eight 3″ lengths of wire.  Thread the wire through each egg and place the egg on the wheel with the wires resting on top of the pair of spokes, up against the crossbar, as shown.  Hold in place and trim the wire so that it barely comes over each spoke’s edge.  Add a small dab of low-temp glue to the edge of the wire and spoke and place on a button to each end to hold in place.  Glue 2 or 3 stacked buttons to the bottom of each chair.  This will add weight, keeping the chairs upright as they turn on the wheel.  Glue a large button on the back of each chair and a smaller button on the seat of each chair.  This will also add weight and help keep the chair balanced as it turns.
6. Pin lengths of boa around the 3″ half ball on each side of the wheel and the edge of the disc base.  To hide the ends of the craft sticks, glue a pom pom to the end of each spoke.