13 May 2011

Nature in a Jar


Let's give it up for Friday because it's finally here!

This week I had a ball turning these glass
containers from blah to TADA!

With carefully selected rocks, twigs and plants,
I made some really cool covered terrariums.

I read that these "thrive on neglect". They make use of
whatever moisture is in the jar, allowing the plants to
survive. No constant watering needed. Yahoo!

I got to reuse some blah plastic containers
to collect my materials, too.

And if I may digress, can I show you
some springtime photos; a souvenir
of the day I went hunting & gathering?

You have to love all this spring time bounty!

Wish I could preserve fresh flowers inside a bottle.

Anyway, back to my project:

I used this blah jar.

And turned it into a TADA! terrarium.

I think this will find a good home on a desk
or bookshelf {near a sunny window}.

I just had to take a family portrait
of my handiwork.
Have a sweet weekend ya 'all!

12 May 2011

Into the Woods


A big thank you for visiting my blog today!
If you've been tuning in this week,
I've got my nose deep into making terrariums:

Yes, in every possible jar I could find.

And because I found these arched twigs...

Plus these interesting plants in the park nearby...

I could already envision the kind of terrarium this
blah pickle jar would be: a TADA! miniature forest!

I piled on the rocks, then the plants,
and then the twigs.

Check how the terrarium looks on all angles.
Make any adjustments and spray some water.

Add a cover {I used a glass dish meant to hold
a candle; it fit perfectly!}.

TADA! It's my little forest right in my living room.

11 May 2011

Glass Refuge


I'm trying my hand at making terrariums and I'm really
enjoying it. It serves so many purposes -- I'm learning
something new, I'm able to recycle jars and I get to
spend time outdoors as I gather stuff to put in my
glass containers. And at the end of the day,
I have a terrarium to dress up my home!

The flat sides of this blah jar makes it perfect
to use as a terrarium.

Add some freebies from nature.
Arrange them artistically.
Then finish off with spritzes of water.

Tiny, neglected toys -- animals, fairies and sure, robots --
can find a new home in the terrarium.

Make sure the terrarium looks pretty on all sides.

For visual interest, I used an upturned glass votive
holder as the dome of my terrarium.

No money was spent or animals hurt
in the making of this TADA! project. :-)


10 May 2011

Hunting & Gathering


Hello Lovelies!
I just made my own terrarium and
realized how easy the process was,
so I'm making a few more.

I also liked how I was able to use
a lot of stuff from my recycling bin:

Bottles and jars make splendid vessels.

Paper and plastic containers come
in handy when scavenging for
items to put inside the terrarium.

Plastic utensils for digging up sand, dirt & plants.
Chopsticks to help assemble things inside
the glass containers.

Now that we've got the tools, let's hunt and gather!

It's a good thing sunny skies and warm
temperatures are upon us.

The backyard, neighborhood park and
beach are great places to explore.
Just some of the things I found:

Twigs...

and rocks...

and tiny plants like ferns & moss.

And how about this cute soda bottle, huh?
I cleaned it inside and out & removed the
sticky label.

Fashion a funnel out of paper and slowly
pour in some sand and pebbles.

Add the plant and anchor the roots
in the sand & between the pebbles.
{Chopsticks come in handy for this!}

Add a generous spritz of water
from a spray bottle, allow to sit
overnight and replace the cover.

TADA! A handsome terrarium if I do say so myself!

09 May 2011

A Terrarium How-To


This week's post is something new I learned.
I found it so TADA! that I had to share.

Again we go back to my favorite store, Anthropologie,
where they had two workshops for Earth Day 2011.
The first was "Crafting with Cork" and
the other, "Terrarium How To".

Jojo Agatep was our terrarium-guru.
He has a background in the medical & insurance
field, but he decided to follow his passion of
combining nature and art.
And with jaw-dropping results!
Here are samples of his work:




Gorgeous right?!
Jojo is the creative arm of The Slug and the Squirrel,
a dreamy studio stationed in Philadelphia.
You can get these one-of-a-kind creations
through their shop or on Etsy.

But you can also make one of your own!

Here's what you'll need:

A clean glass vessel {a good way to turn old jars, bottles &
vases from blah to TADA!}, a cover to fit the vessel
opening and some river stones or garden rocks.

You'll also need small plants {with the roots intact}
and moss.

You may add sand, pebbles and drift wood {sourced
from the park or the beach}.

On the right are some of Jojo's tools of the trade,
but no need to invest in these. Reuse old household
items like spoons and screwdrivers.

Step 1: Think of composition and scale.
To add height to your terrarium,
use twigs or drift wood.

Jojo recommends holding the container in
one hand as you build, rather than
having it sit on a surface.

Step 2: Add the rocks, pebbles or sand.
Move around or push into place
with a pencil.

Step 3: Add the plants, tucking the roots
in between the rocks and wood with
the aid of long tweezers or a pencil.

Use the "less is more" principle here.

Step 4: Add water using a spray bottle.
Take it easy on the spritzing -- you
just want to add enough moisture,
not a pool of water.

Let this sit uncovered overnight.

Step 5: Once you are pleased with how
your terrarium looks, put on the lid.

Jojo makes a permanent seal by
attaching the lid to the vessel with
silicone glue similar to this; hot glue
is another alternative.

The beauty of closed terrariums like this one
is that they are a self-sustained environment.
They hardly need any watering or maintenance.

The workshop was hands-on so we got to
make our own and bring it home.
Here's the terrarium I made.
TADA!


06 May 2011

Roller Coaster


We made it to the end of the week and
I myself can't wait to start the weekend.

But before I do, here is a final idea
to turn old cork from blah to TADA!

Here are coasters my husband owned when he
was a bachelor. We still use them for everyday,
but when we have friends over, we break out
the leather ones or the ones made of glass
that we received as presents. {Not really
to show off, but when else would
we use them, right?}

I thought these coasters made of cork
were becoming too blah.

So with a needle and some yarn,
I turned them into TADA!

I think these are ready for sun-shiny weather
and outdoor meals.

Oh by the way, here's another TADA! idea
for blah wine corks:

Roll excess thread or yarn around each cork and
put these in a box. For current sewing projects,
use the end as a pin cushion. This keeps
needles sharp and also prevents accidents.

Happy weekend folks and to all the moms
out there -- HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!