Things that I like:
– Plants
– The color green
– Centerpieces
– Small creatures, preferably ones that require a minimum of care (we’ve got our hands full over here)
Things that I do not like:
– Keeping plants alive, because I kill them. Always.
I know, I know: on the scale of Difficult Things To Kill, terrariums are fairly high up. I don’t care; I promise you, if I own a for-real terrarium, I will kill it.
And that will make me feel terrariable. (Had to.)
The other day, at the mall, I spotted a gorgeous bell jar filled with various mini potted fake plants. But it cost somewhere in the land of $100, all-in, and I thought: no no no. I can do that way cheaper.
And so I did.
Here’s what you’ll need:
1. A clear vase of some sort, preferably one with a wide, flat bottom. I found this one at T.J. Maxx on my last trip; they’ve got lots of beautiful glassware like this in the home section. I prefer clear vases for this type of project, but you can also use a lightly tinted version if you want to add extra color to your table.
2. Pebbles or beads (try gathering small stones from your yard).
3. Faux moss (a variety of colors looks nice).
4. A couple of small faux plants.
5. Something weird (we’ll get to this part later).
Now, here’s what you do:
1. First, fill the base of your jar with your pebbles (about 2″).
2. Add your plants, and then fill in the surrounding area with moss, making sure to tuck the moss into any gaps to create a lush look. I used a couple of different colors and something that looked vaguely like dried mushrooms, and it all seemed to come together pretty nicely. (It’s tough to screw this one up.)
3. Add your weird thing (I went for a tiny rubber dinosaur that I dug out of my crafting box). This is an important step, so don’t skip it.
See? Important.
Ta da! Pretty and unkillable. That’s my kind of home decor.
Pictured: Vase from TJ Maxx; craft-store faux plants; my own rubber dinosaur button.
