How to Make a Sand Temple

After I posted this picture last week

A LOT of people wanted to know how I made it. For my entry in the craft linkup I will divulge my secrets.
Several summers ago (you can tell it was several summers ago because that is Boba Fett on my lap)I read an article in Family Fun magazine about building sandcastles. I gleaned a few tips.

One was to not try to build UP your structure but to start with a massive pile of wet sand and carve it out.

The other was some basic tools, along with the usual bucket and shovel when we head to the beach I bring drinking straws, toothpicks, a melon baller and an offset spatula. An offset spatula looks like this
You can find them in the cake making sections of the craft store or in most kitchen stores.

So, I made a pile of wet sand using the shovel and buckets and pat it firmly. This is why you need a LOT of sand because when it is wet and compact it takes up less space. Once you have a really big pile you can start carving.
I knew that I wanted to make a sand temple so I spent some time looking at a picture of the Salt Lake Temple before I went to the beach. I chose the Salt Lake temple because it's design is unique and it is fairly simple construction, a cube with pyramids on top. You can even bring a picture along with you.
Then I carved out a rectangular cube and then carved out the towers with the offset spatula. Once I had the general shape of the temple I carved out the details using the offset spatula, the melon baller and the toothpick. When I was satisfied with the temple I used the drinking straw to blow off any sand that was out of place. Finally I found a gold-fish cracker bit off part of the tail stuck it on a toothpick and crowned the spire.Really, that hard part was keeping the kids away from it while they were trying to "help."

"Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally."