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How to fold an origami cactus

Three simple parts glued together: a long strip bent up at both ends for the arms, a tall strip for the trunk, and a small pot with a rim.

You need: 2 square sheets, green on one side, 1 brown or orange square half as wide, and glue. Medium, 14 steps, about 10 minutes.

Steps

  1. Arms: fold in half. Start with the arms. Fold the bottom edge up to the top edge.
  2. Arms: in half again. Fold the top edge down to the bottom edge.
  3. Arms: make a strip. Fold in half once more, top edge down to the bottom edge, to make a long thin strip.
  4. Arms: bend them up. Fold each end up on a slant, starting on the bottom edge a little less than halfway from the middle to each end, so both ends stand straight up.
  5. Arms: round the tips. Fold the two top corners of each arm behind, just a little.
  6. Trunk: new sheet. Now the trunk. Take the second green square, white side up.
  7. Trunk: fold in half. Fold the right edge over to the left edge.
  8. Trunk: in half again. Fold the left edge over to the right edge, to make a tall strip.
  9. Trunk: round the top. Fold the two top corners behind, just a little.
  10. Pot: new sheet. Last, the pot. Take the small brown or orange square, white side up.
  11. Pot: fold in half. Fold the bottom edge up to the top edge.
  12. Pot: fold the rim. Fold a narrow strip at the top edge down. This is the pot's rim.
  13. Pot: taper it. Fold the sides behind on a slant, from the bottom corners of the rim to a point a little in from each bottom corner.
  14. Glue it together. Glue the arms behind the trunk, a little above the middle. Then glue the trunk behind the pot, so its bottom end is hidden.

Prickly!

Draw lines down the trunk and arms, and add a few little spikes.

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