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I love making seasonal updates to the decor in my house, but I don’t want to spend a lot of money to do it. With the way that trends go in and out of style, and especially with items that are only on display for a few months out of the year, it seems wasteful to spend too much money on these types of updates.
Wherever I can, instead of buying totally new products I like to either make a seasonal update to something I already have {like redecorating a tiered tray} or I like to make things!
This super cute Paper Cactus craft is not only easy to make, but it’s so affordable. It only requires a few supplies- most of which you probably already have around the house- and doesn’t take long to make, either.
Of course, you’ll need a Cricut machine to make it too- so if you don’t have one, that can add quite a bit of cost. But if you’ve been thinking about getting a Cricut, this is just another in a HUGE list of items you can make with it!
I have a Cricut and use it ALL the time- check out some other ideas to make the most of your machine here or check out the crafts at the end of this post for more ideas!
What Cricut Machine do you need for this craft?
You can use either of the bigger machines- this won’t work with the brand-new Cricut Joy, but you can use your Cricut Explore Air 2 or your Cricut Maker.
I personally have the Cricut Explore Air 2, but my guest contributor used her Cricut Maker to create this project. The design you’ll need to make this will work with either machine though so you can use either one!
Where can I get the supplies needed?
All of the Cricut supplies can be purchased on their website! Check out the links below to get what you need to make this craft and more:
Cricut Maker or Cricut Explore Air 2
Cricut Fine Point Blade
Cricut Scoring Tool
Cricut Light Grip Mat
Cardstock Paper in light green, dark green, coral pink and cream
Other supplies can be found at your local craft store or online at Target or Amazon.
Do I need to pay for Cricut Design Space?
No! Cricut Design Space is free to use for your projects. However, I do recommend adding on the Access Membership so you can use the included thousands of images and fonts. But for this project, that’s not necessary.
{Sign up for the Annual or Monthly Access Membership here!}
Is this a project that’s good for beginners?
Absolutely! Just be sure to follow the directions and you should be all good. If you need help on something, leave your question in the comments!
What are some other Cricut crafts to make?
Check out the other crafts I’ve shared- a coffee tumbler, a tote bag, and a round-up of 10 great things to make with your Cricut with supplies already at home! Cricut also has a lot of free Cricut projects online!
Paper Cactus Cricut Craft
This paper cactus is made using a Cricut machine and will immediately update your home for summer!
Materials
- Torch Cactus template in Design Space, #M103661F
- Cardstock paper in light green, dark green, coral pink and cream colors
- Small terracotta pot (size 2”)
- Styrofoam ball or other filler to fit inside terracotta pot
- Clear hot glue sticks
- Glue stick
Tools
- Cricut Maker (or other Cricut cutting machine) with Fine Point Blade and Scoring tool
- Cricut Light Grip Mat
- Cricut Spatula
- Hot Glue Gun
Instructions
Instructions to Cut Three Paper Cacti (in varying sizes)
Gather supplies.
Uploading the Cactus Pattern
Open Cricut Design Space.
Click on the “+” sign to start a new project, opening up a blank canvas.
Click on the Images button from the toolbar.
Search “torch cactus” image (#M103661F) and then click on the image to insert the pattern on the canvas.
Resize grouping to double its original height (4.5” high).
Click on the shape button on the toolbar to insert a circle shape.
Resize the circle shape to match slightly smaller than the diameter of the top of the terracotta pot. In this case, the circle shape is sized to 2.125”.
Change the color of the lightest green pieces to pink and change the color of the circle shape to cream color. Move to the color sync tab to see all the pieces sorted by color.
Cutting
With the machine set to Cricut Maker {or Explore Air 2 if that's what you're using}, select “Make It” in Design Space.
Set material type to Cardstock, choosing the appropriate weight based on your paper
Place the first paper color onto the light grip mat.
Follow prompts for loading cardstock paper into Cricut Maker and cutting. When the cut is complete, unload the mat from the machine.
Remove the cut pieces from the cutting mat using a spatula tool.
Repeat for the remaining cacti pieces and papers.
Assembling the Paper Cactus
Fold the cactus pieces along the score lines.
Group the similar sized pieces together. They will create three separate cacti.
Start with the smallest sized cactus. Using a glue stick, glue the pieces together, sandwiching the prickly pieces between the other colors, alternating them as you go along.
Repeat with the other two sizes of cactus.
Assembling the Potted Paper Cactus
Place the styrofoam ball (or other filler material) inside the terracotta pot.
Cover the ball with the cream colored circle shape glueing in place.
Attach the prepared cactus pieces on top of the circle with hot glue and hold in place until glue sets.
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