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Grow a Cactus Garden from Socks

Turn your old socks into a no-fuss cactus garden.

Average Rating:	1 2 3 4 5
Participant Age:	7 to 12
Approximate Cost:	Under $10
Duration:	1 to 60 minutes, Over an hour
Difficulty:	1 2 3 4 5
Physical Challenge:	1 2 3 4 5

Construction paper
Craft glue
Flower pot
Plastic-foam ball
Googly eyes
Green paint
Pebbles (enough to fill pot)
Plastic grocery bags (optional)
Rubber band
Old sock (green ones save a step)
Toothpicks

Make the cactus shape
Push a plastic-foam ball into the toe of a sock. (The sock should fit snugly around the ball.) For a tall cactus, add plastic bags or other stuffing after the foam ball. Wrap a rubber band around the sock to keep everything tightly in place.

Paint the sock green

You can skip this step if you use a green sock!

You may need a few coats to completely cover it.

Add pebbles
After the paint has dried, place the sock in a flower pot, then fill the pot with pebbles.

Add eyes and spikes
Glue on googly eyes. Then break toothpicks in half. Press the pointed ends into the sock until it is covered with "spines."

Decorate the cactus spikes
Cut flower shapes from construction paper. Stick them on a few of the toothpick spines, as shown.

Craft by Michele Reyzer. Originally appeared in the August 2010 issue of Ranger Rick magazine.

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