Terrariums

Yesterday, a few friends and I got together to make some terrariums.  It was my first time, and I'm always amazed at the ideas that other ladies get to make your house or apartment or whatever a 'home'.  I am, believe it or not, really not that way.  If my husband didn't like to buy decorations and stuff, we would probably sleep on a mattress on a floor with bare walls.

Their ideas were pretty advanced in the 'theme' terrarium department, and I wish I had some pictures of the ones they made.  One was a 'graveyard' theme complete with some creepy looking succulents and a tombstone.  At least mine incorporated some of the tiny buildings I collect.  Normally they are used for bonsai, but I can assume this small pavilion is equally at home in a terrarium as well.  So what do you need to make one?  It's actually pretty cheap.

I took about 25 pictures of this, an used the first one.  As usual.

This terrarium is made with a small fishbowl from the Dollar Tree.  It was actually made in the USA, which was surprising from DT.  Fill it with some regular potting soil mixed with sand, rocks from outside (also sold at craft stores for some reason), decorative moss, and small succulent plants.  I bought the little building from an Asian decor store down the street, but they also sell them at Powell's Home and Garden store on Hawthorne.  All this stuff here is sold in small flower shops around Portland.

When I was done with this one, they decided I should probably make one in one of their wine glasses, also from the dollar store.  The wine glass is pretty enormous, I'm guessing you would probably drink maybe a pina colada out of it instead of actual wine.

I need a manicure pretty desperately.

This one I find to be a bit awkward...It's hard to photograph but pretty cute in person.  This was the easiest to transport of the two;  I wedged it into the cup holder in our Hyundai and that kept it pretty secure.  That's an aloe plant in there, but I'm wondering how long it will last before it outgrows the mini environment it's in.  All in all, a good Saturday/Sunday activity I wouldn't have really thought of, but which turned out fairly worthwhile.