DIY plastic plants
I can't justify spending $10-30 for a single plastic plant when I can make a bunch for a fraction of the cost. I had everything at home already except some of the plants and air drying clay. The majority of this stuff you can buy once and use it for tons of different projects. Keeping an eye out for sales will significantly help the bank account.
Plants $5-30 (find sales, I got all of mine for $12)
Minwax Polycrylic- $6-15 (depending on size, it lasts awhile)
"Make it stone" spray paint- $7
Air drying clay- $8
Hot glue gun- unknown $
Glue sticks- unknown $
Step 1.) Form air drying clay to make a base for your selected plant. Place plant stem into wet clay to form a hole for the plant to fit in. (IMPORTANT) Make sure the hole is big enough for the stem after drying and make sure the base can support the weight of the plant. You can put more than one plant stem in a base to give it a great end result. Let it completely dry.
Step 2.) Spray paint the clay with the color and/or paint you wish. I could have made it with a ton of detail and different paint, but I was in a rush and decided to just use a single coat of textured rock spray paint, it works. Let it completely dry.
Step 3.) Apply 2 coats of Minwax Polycrylic sealer. Let it dry approximately 4-6 hours between coats. Let it air out until the chemical smell is gone before placing it into the enclosure with occupant.
Step 4.) Place plastic plants back into their holes and apply liberal amounts of hot glue to the top, inside, and underside of the clay base to ensure a good solid hold.
Looking back I could have made them look much more realistic, but I'm really happy with the way they turned out. It didn't take much time at all to do and they were really cheap. I now have the satisfaction of knowing I made the cage decor versus just buying it at a pet shop.
Thanks for looking!
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