DIY CACTUS JEWELRY HOLDER

I have been going through a serious cactus phase lately. If it has a cactus on it, I want to buy it. If I can incorporate a cactus into any of my DIYs, I'm doing it. I had been wanting to make a ring/jewelry holder for a while because I am 100% guilty of taking my rings off and putting them in dangerous places aka anywhere near a drain. While brainstorming, I had a lightbulb moment and realized that I could totally turn this into a project that would feed my cactus addiction, but also be completely functional. The best kind of DIY!

Materials:
OVEN BAKE CLAY
PAINT PEN
SMALL POT OR JAR
SAND

Start with some oven bake clay. I'm using green for a classic look but any color will do.

Roll a block of clay into a large ball, then divide it into 3 sections - one larger piece for the trunk and 2 smaller pieces for the arms. 

Roll the larger piece of clay in your hands to form the trunk shape. Try to keep it thinner and slightly rounded at the top and wider at the bottom. 

Repeat this proccess with the 2 smaller pieces, forming them into the arm shape by bending them slightly.

Position one of the arms against the trunk section and start to incorporate the clay from each piece into the other. Smooth the clay out with your fingers and try to get rid of any bumps.

Repeat this step with the other arm and then bake according to package instructions. Allow to cool.

Use a paint pen (or paint and a small brush) to draw needles.

Fill a pot or jar with sand. I made this DIY marbled pot last year - you can find the tutorial on my Youtube channel. 

Push the finished cactus into the sand and use it to hold rings, bracelets, or just display it as a cute decor item! You can watch a full video tutorial here.