Dinosaur Nests for Ghost Archipelago.

   Knowing that we'll need some dinosaur nests for one of the scenarios in the Ghost Archipelago core rulebook, I deiced to devote some time to making some.
    To begin with, I  bought three craft birds nests that are approximately 3” across from my FLCS.

     With those in hand, I cut down 3 CDs, and then cut some foam core to fit on them.  I glued the first one (upper right in photo below) before I realized I wanted the nest to sit down more in the foam core, so they'd appear as if they were in depressions, rather than be tall and stick up; so I had to carve a hole in that one after the fact.  The other two I was able to cut a hole in the center of the foam core before I glued them to their CD bases.

 After gluing the foam core to the CD's I ran some Mod Podge around the exposed edges of the foam core.  When, dry, I primed the bases black.
      I then started gluing the nests to the bases when the primer was dry.

      These are the eggs I planned to use.  I've had these for forever (they were actually buried away with our Easter decorations), but thought they'd be ideal for dino eggs.   Best of all, I wouldn't have to paint them! 

       When the bases were all glued and the glue was dry,  I added an area of churned up mud on one side of each nest, figuring there would be a path where the mama dinosaur moved back and forth dragging the nest materials.     I used some texture paint I had, and sprinkled a little sand in it.

 I glued some fake fern fronds and sphagnum moss to the nests in an attempt to make them look a little less bird nest-y.  When dry, I base coated the bases with some brown paint.

   I then drybrushed the mud area, and flocked the bases.  Afterwards, I glued on an assortment of vegetation.   I decided to not glue the eggs in, so they could actually be removed during a game.

     I'm really pleased with how these turned out!  They're a little big, but I don't think unbelievably so; particularly when considering some of the big dinosaurs in Ghost Archipelago like the Monarch!