Kitschy and Quick Terrariums with DIY Succulents Made From Foam

Like everyone else these days I am a full fledged terrarium obsessed plant lady.  However, one can only afford so many succulents and air plants.  Did I mention the part about my thumb being a little brown?  All things considered I decided to try my hand at making some DIY succulent plants.

Not just any DIY cactus cuties, kitschy foam ones that sparkle in the sun with glitter.  Now that is my kind of terrarium!  PLUS these babies are quick and easy.  Like we are talking a 5 minute craft kinda project.

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Did you catch this episode of DIY This With Jennifer Perkins about plants you can’t kill (because they are felt).  Yup learn how to make your own handmade felt succulents.  It’s all about the cutting and the gluing, just like when using foam.

SUPPLIES

• Craft foam
• Fiskars thick punches (diamond shape)
• Fiskars paper crimper
• Hot glue and glue gun
• Pompoms
• Pinking shears
• Glass globe
• Hot pink aquarium gravel

Punch several diamonds out using the diamond shape craft punch.  The handy thing about these paper punches is that they are intended for paper, but the ones marked “thick” work great on this kids craft foam.  You can always just cut out shapes with scissors too.  I’ve also used this same punch to make DIY pineapple planters.

After you have several diamonds cut some in half so that they are triangles.  To give the DIY succulents an ever more realistic look run them through a paper crimping tool.  Also, trim the edges of the plant leaves with pinking shears.  They will look like a kitschy version of a Zebra Haworthia or Fairy’s Washboard Plant.

To make these craft foam leaves into a realistic faux succulent it is all about the glue and the fold.  This is the back side of several of crafty cactus.  Different craft punches make different plants.  Using hot glue pinch the base of the triangles together and fold.  Continue folding, gluing and attaching until your succulents take shape.

Remember these are kitschy cactus.  We are using craft foam (some with glitter) after all.  Go ahead and add a pompom to the center of your handmade succulents for good measure.  Not only does a pompom make every craft project better in this case it can cover the center where all the parts are glued together.  Decorative and functional!

Fill your terrarium with gravel.  Remember these are faux succulents so you don’t need dirt or water.  I opted for hot pink aquarium gravel because, le duh’.  Nestle your handmade foam succulent in and add a fun figurine like this tiger.

Have you ever tried making your own faux succulents?  It is a lot easier than it looks.  I started with felt succulents and thought the same ideas must work for craft foam.  I was right!  Plus it’s a plant you can’t kill and you are not limited the colors of nature!  Forget natural, these are kitschy terrariums remember.  Viva le’ glitter and pompoms on plants!

Want more plant ideas?  Keep reading!

Crafty Cardboard Cactus DIY – Foam is not the only way to make a faux succulent.  Try cardboard for a full blown DIY cactus.  While you’re at it check out these painted cactus rocks too!

Convert a Cake Stand Into a Terrarium – Adorable cake stands like this one from OhJoy! for Target is easily turned into a DIY terrarium.

Tie-Dye T-Shirts Turned Hanging Basket – Use old T-shirts to make a 3 tiered hanging basket for plants this summer.

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Posted April 23, 2018 & filed under Crafts, Home Décor Crafts, Paper Crafts.