DIY Terrarium Tutorial: Reuse, Recycle & Regenerate

its the perfect tuesday
for a little dose of terrariums

i've got a huge thing for terrariums

they're adorable and pretty stinking cool
and they make my heart flutter all over the place

 you can find them just about anywhere now
i found these in a clothing boutique on pier 39 in san francisco for $20
{which is a bit steep if you ask me...}

i also have a mini obsession with glass jars
they're just so nifty

maybe its because you can use them for anything

{drinking, crafting, q-tip holding...literally anything}

and sometimes it's that olive jar, jam jar, or pasta sauce jar sitting in your recycle

that will make the perfect terrarium

 no need to spend your life savings on a crate and barrel apothecary jar

{though i wouldn't mind owning one or two of those...}

when you can just reuse use what you already have

 i also have this soft spot in my heart for reject plants

you know
the ones that sit on the clearance racks in garden sections

waiting for their imminent death
they're just so sad

i always do a quick walk by just in case i can save a plant or two

and bring them back to health
and sometimes a terrarium is the perfect place
for a helpless plant to regenerate and make its comeback
and on occasion there will be a very sweet guy working in the garden department 
who will just give you clearanced plants for free
{a smile may increase your chances}

so here's a little DIY terrarium tutorial for those of you
 that like to reuse, recycle and don't want to break the bank

my materials

olive jar, pasta sauce jar, baby food jar, kerr jar, all from the recycle {$0}
irish moss Sagina subulata purchased with a home depot gift card {$0}
a rescued zebra plant Hawthornia fasciata {$0}
a rescued echeveria hybrid Echeveria 'Perle von Nurnberg' {$0}
soil from a potted plant in yard {$0}
rocks from yard {$0}
bark and twigs collected from yard {$0}

the moss terrarium

1. begin by placing a layer of rocks in your container

2. add a layer of soil

3. remove moss from container and break up rootball

4. place moss in container and press down gently to nest it into the top of the layer of soil

5. add rocks, bark, twigs, or figurines for embellishment

{if desired}

6. water enough so things are moist but do not saturate 

7. place lid on container

{lid will need to be removed occasionally for air flow}

8. enjoy your creation!

the succulent terrarium

1. place layer of rocks then a layer of soil

2. remove succulent from container break up root ball

3. place succulent{s} in soil

4. use a spoon to add soil around the succulent

5. add embellishments 

{i added some moss and bark}

6. water but do not put a lid on the container

{succulents need air circulation}

7. soak up the cuteness!

follow same steps for these smaller plantings

for $0

i recycled 4 glass jars

saved two succulents

 made 4 terrariums

and had an absolute blast doing it

terrariums are perfect for table tops

bookshelves

window sills

and make great gifts

{housewarming, get well, birthday, just because...}

i'm currently keeping these little guys all to myself though

as they've now made their new home on the dresser in my bedroom

A Ferny & Flowery Friday

ok, so what girl hasn't thought about her wedding day

at least a tiny bit?...

well, the ever so tiny thoughts i've had about my wedding

involve being outside somewhere

in creation

surrounded by all the people i love the most

there's no where else i could imagine that moment in my life taking place

somewhere in the mountains or the woods 

where there's not much need for decorating 

because trees, ferns, and moss are in abundance

and get the job done

{obviously i've hardly thought about this}

there's something about those mossy, earthy tones

that do something to my heart

that stir up some serious passion in my soul

that send inspiration

flying all over the place in my mind

{via}

this week all i wanted to do was be outside

maybe it was the rain

everything was so lush and fresh and inviting

{albeit i wasn't entirely used to the drop in temperature}

but it was inviting none the less

and as i admired all the green around me

 inspiration struck

i wanted to create something from those mossy tones i love so much

flowers fit for that wedding in the woods

i've thought about only a tiny bit

i chose two types of simple, white flowers

and a variety of greens 

including jasmine, juniper, citrus leaves, ferns

that were cut fresh from the yard

put em all together

and this is what came about...

bouquet wrapped in lace (bottom layer) and burlap (top layer)
pinned with pearl tear drop pins

boutonniere: sword & maidenhair fern, juniper, moss and twig.

i love being inspired

i guess it really doesn't take much for me though

typically i just have to walk outside

well, until the next inspiration hits

{which im guessing won't be too long from now}

have a happy weekend!

Flower Friday

Happy Friday!

so lets talk flowers shall we

i love them

{swoon}

i love everything about them

from their colors, fragrance, beauty

to their science, chemistry and genetic make up

{just a little nerdy i know}

how each one is unique and different

how they can brighten up a room

or a day

how they can add elements of personal touch to an event

reflect someones personality

make people smile

and bring joy

there's a flower for every occasion

but my absolute favorite occasion for flowers...

 weddings

flowers for weddings are romantic

joyful

whimsical

lovely

playful

i love getting to create arrangements that are personal

that reflect the relationship between the bride and groom

and capture their personalities

my favorite part about doing weddings flowers

is watching the brides face as she sees her bouquet for the first time

pure joy

i love the way i feel when i get to create and play with flowers

and as i am currently building my portfolio

i get to play with them

a lot

this week inspiration hit

and i ran with it

i decided to play with some different textures

and colors

it was a blast

here's what i got my hands on

{white hydrangea}

{white and purple matsumoto aster}

orange spray roses

{i like that they have multiple flowers per stem}

{pink snapdragons}

{i threw in a couple sprigs of lavender leaves

to give a little bit of fragrance}

and here's what happened

a colorful brides bouquet 

wrapped and tied with sheer cream fabric

and a boutonniere for him

made with lavender sprigs

spray rose and aster

all tied and knotted in twine

stay tuned 

cause there are more flower friday's to come

next week i head to beautiful Huntington Beach

to do a fun tropical beach wedding

this flower girl's pretty excited

happy weekend!

DIY SucculentTerrarium Tutorial

I love Terrariums.
I love the oohhss and  aahhss I hear when people glance at them.
I love the wide eyes kids get as they inspect
 the tiny, magical, enclosed garden.
I love the smiles they bring people.
I love that they can spruce up a bookshelf, coffee table, desk
or even add that perfect touch to a windowsill.
And I love that I can bring my oh so favorite outdoors indoors.

Another thing I love?
How incredibly easy they are to make.
Here is a little tutorial on how to make your very own succulent terrarium.

Materials:
any glass jar
{found mine in the cupboard}
potting soil and assorted Aloe plants
{great prices and selection at my local Wal Mart}
rocks and twigs
{from around my apartment complex)
moss
paintbrush
big bowl
spoon

{1} place a layer of rocks at the bottom of your glass container,

this helps with drainage.

{2}cover rocks with a layer of your potting soil,

as much or as little as you desire.

{3} remove your succulents from their containers,

break up the root ball and get rid of excess soil.

{I actually split my larger Aloe plant into three}

{4} Use your finger, a spoon, etc. 

to dig and make spaces in the soil for your plants.

{5} place plants in desired locations.

{6} after plants are placed in the container,

add more soil to cover any exposed roots 

and to help secure the plants in place.

{7} When you're plants are planted and you're done adding your soil,

use a small brush to brush of excess soil that may be stuck in the plants crevices. 

{8}now it's time to add those personal touches!

add twigs, moss, rocks or whatever tickles your fancy to give your terrarium some character.

{9} enjoy your new little, bitty garden

{10} enjoy your new little, bitty garden.

Happy terrarium building to you!

Anticipation.

1.5 days till my favorite flower holiday.

I've been swooning over all the beautiful

{but extremely over priced}

flower arrangements lately.

And I can't wait to make a few of my own

with these gorgeous blooms I found today.

The anticipation in killing me.

Brittany and Adam's Winter Wedding

Happy New Years to you!

It's my first blog post of 2013

and I can't think of a better way to kick start the new year

than with a dose of wedding flowers.

 I met Brittany and Adam almost 2 years ago,

they're students in our Cru movement at UCI.

I have had the privilege of discipling Brittany for the past year and a half

and it has been so wonderful getting to know her 

and her heart for the Lord.

She is probably the most gentle, sincere and compassionate person I know

and it has been so neat to walk alongside her and Adam 

as they begin this new adventure.

It was this past December they tied the knot,

and it was so fun to be a part of their wedding day.

I absolutely love getting to work with brides,

creating arrangements with personal touches

 that reflect their style and personalities.

Brittany's choice of colors and flowers 

matched the wet, wintery wedding day perfectly.

Brittany's bouquet was overflowing with gorgeous

stems of white Hydrangea and Vendela roses

and accented with antique blue Hydrangea and sprigs of babies breath.

All wrapped in burlap and lace.

For her bridesmaids she wanted contrast,

she wanted their blue to pop.

And pop it did.

Their bouquets were filled with Vendela roses,

babies breath and stems of bright blue Hydrangea.

They were all wrapped in burlap and lace and tied up with 

a blue ribbon.

The men all wore a Vendela rose and babies breath boutonniere

while the moms and grandmothers all carried a single,

long stemmed white rose.

Getting to do the flowers for 

this beautiful, winter wedding was 

pure joy.

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Clements,

thanks for letting me be a part of your special day!