Friday, March 23, 2012

March DIY Club - Terrariums!

Last night was our monthly DIY club and I have to say that this craft was one of my favorites! Our project this month was terrariums! I think I really liked it because it brought on a nostalgia of summer with the smells of soil and sand, the varying shades of green in all the various plants - a sign of life and existance, of thriving and flourishing! I have Spring fever in a bad way so this event was just what I needed to remind me that it is now here. Officially! 

Everyone was in charge of bringing their own supplies, which included:
-rocks
-plants
-glass container
-decorative items (miniature deer, rabbits, owls etc..)
-sand
-charcoal
(soil and sphagnum moss were provided by Nicole)

Rounding up these items was just as fun as making them, as I got to dig in my garden and pull up some of my very own succulents that have been neglected during the long winter months! For the other items, I got to stroll the isles full of plants and supplies at the nursery. I may have even teared up at the faint smell of fertilizer with the anticipation of warmer weather and blue skies! If I am ever having a bad day, I can always find healing and happiness in the garden department at Home Depot or my local nursery!

(I forgot my camera, so crappy phone photos will have to do!) 
We had a great turnout with about 15 women! So many tiny plants and pretty glass containers!


Nicole getting dirt under her nails! 




Karisa trying to place her plants just right!




Meet my new friend, Megan! She made multiple terrariums...all of which were totally fab! She gets to take them home to all four of her daughters, whom I'm quite sure will love them! She has a cute blog - please be sure to check it out!


The terrariums ranged from tropical to desert. I loved seeing all the different varieties!


Amy shows off her desert scene with all the sand layers and brightly colored cacti! 


ME! I did more of a high desert scene. My container was a trifle dish with a lid and it worked perfectly! I liked the idea of a lid because it works as a greenhouse and you rarely have to water it. The plants will just keep recycling the moisture in the container. 


 I was so excited to get it home and see it on my dining table! I loved how it turned out and what a difference it has made in the room! 



As you can see by the layers, there is a bit of a science to it. The layers shown are: (bottom to top) 
1) 1.5" of rock for drainage
 2) thin layer of charcoal for filtering moisture
3) 1" sphagnum moss to hold moisture in and to keep soil from sinking into the rocks 
4) 3" of soil for root growth
5) plants 

If you are interested in making your own terrarium, check out these great sites for a how-to, maintenance and list of supplies:

 There are a lot of different ways of making a terrarium, depending on if you are using a closed container -vs- an open container so make sure you do your your homework! 



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