Google Home Mini Foam Flower Stand

Google home minis already look nice, but I wanted to test my new USB Foam Cutter by making a Styrofoam stand for mine. I gave mine 5 red petals but with practice you can modify this build as you please. My experience with the arts is limited to the one mandatory class I took a long time ago in third grade and one in college. That means that if I can do this, you can too.

So, let's get started!

For this project you will only need:

- a Styrofoam block big enough for your Google Home Mini

-glue (I tried Styrofoam glue but it took too long so I used hot glue instead)

-foam cutter(link to my USB Foam Cutter instructions)

-Google Home Mini

-Paints and brushes (I used red and yellow acrylics)

Measure and mark your Mini's circumference on the center of the foam block you're using. Remember to make sure your block is thick enough for the hollow. After you mark it, cut the block in half. Use the USB Foam Cutter to cut the hollow out at an angle. Do this on the other side and place the two together to verify that your Mini can fit snugly. Cut a notch on the back side of the stand for the power cable. Also verify with the cable to make sure it is secure.

The reason we need a thick block is because Styrofoam doesn't bend, it just breaks. Even though these petals will be thin, we need the thickness to give them depth. Practice making petal curves with smaller scrap pieces before attempting on the main project. Look at how I made the curves for mine as inspiration. Make one curve for each half of the base. Make the curves with a single cut and save the foam, it will be important later.

Make a triangular cut on the curved surface you made to make two petals from each side. Again rely on scrap foam for practice. Next, trim down your petals and make them as curvy, pointy, and thin as you like. Don't worry if the Styrofoam looks deformed wherever you cut it (you did just melt it after all) as the paint will cover it up. Do this for both sides and put them together again to make sure it looks nice.

So that your Google Mini Flower has five instead of four petals, use one of the pieces we cut out from the curves of the first four petals and cut it in half. Now, cut one of those halves into a petal shape to fit your existing flower's theme. Using foam glue or hot glue, stick the two halves together and stick your fifth petal on the front. Again, I tried many different glues and was wary of using hot glue because, well, it's hot and would melt the Styrofoam. It cools down very quickly though and the chemicals in the other glues dissolved the foam anyways so it was the best option.

If you don't like the cubey look of the stand on the bottom and are going for something more natural, cut the corners, literally. It will give your stand a more rounded look, just be careful to not cut any of the petals you so intricately made. Paint your Google's new stand until your heart is happy and presto!