Wire Cactus Potted Plant

Although I am creating life within me, I am absolutely terrible at keeping plants alive. I even got succulents because I thought they were supposed to be easy to care for. Um... nope. They all dried up and died! In an effort to save the plants, I’ve decided I’d better stick to fake plants from now on. So, I decided to make these little beauties! They’re actually really simple to make, so its pretty funny that I started working on them about a year ago (!!!) and never got around to finishing them. Since one of my 29 goals for this year is to finish what I started, it seems like an appropriate task to cross of my to do list! After all, it’s been on there for so long. So grab your supplies, and maybe a friend, and let’s get crafting! 

You will need:

Wire (similar here)
Styrofoam Cones (similar here)
Acrylic paint (similar here)
Ceramic pots (from the local craft store)
Aquarium rocks (here)
Small flowers (similar here)
Glue gun (similar here)
Wire cutters (here)
Long knife or small saw (similar here)

Directions:

1. Paint your ceramic pots in your choice of color and let dry. 
2. Take your styrofoam cone and place it inside your pot, starting with the smallest one. Mark where you need to cut. 
3. Using your knife or saw and a cutting mat, carefully cut the styrofoam cone in a straight line. Test that it fits, and adjust if necessary. Repeat for all 3 pots.

Directions: Small Cactus Plant

1. Take your wire and fold it in half. Cut the wire. Repeat so you have 4 parts. 
2. Fold your half wire loosely into a U shape and place into the styrofoam. Take another piece and do the same, crossing over the first piece of wire. 
3. Repeat for the remaining pieces. Adjust if necessary. 

Directions: Medium Cactus Plant

1. Take a long piece of wire and fold it in half. 
2. Turn the wire so the curve is at the top. Bend the wire up then down to create cactus arms. 
3. Take a new piece of wire. Fold it in half, and measure so that it covers the arm cactus. Trim. 
4. Place the arm cactus into the styrofoam, then add the loop you made to fit. 

Directions: Adding the Rocks

Once you are happy with the placement of your wires, you’re ready to add the rocks! 

1. Using your glue gun, add a small patch of hot glue in the center of your cactus. 
2. Cover your glue with a hefty handful of rocks. Press them into the glue gently. 
3. Give it a moment, then tilt the plant to get rid of any excess rocks that are not glued on. Repeat until your styrofoam is covered. 
4. Note: for the large cactus, I had to remove one side to create a hole big enough for my hand. Just make sure you remember to put it back before you cover the whole thing up :)
5. Add a few small flowers on your wire to dress up your cactus. 

Artwork can be found here and blocks DIY can be found here.

Love it! Here are some photos of the cacti in action at the Cinco de Mama party.

This plant is perfect for those of us who don't have a green thumb. You can make them as big or as small as you'd like, in any color you want. You could probably even use pipe cleaners if you wanted to! 

So, what do you think of this wire cactus? Perfect for your home, or do you prefer real plants? Let me know in the comments below!