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!

Thankful Thursday {and it's actually thursday this time}

Happy Thankful Thursday 

{and last day of February}

to you!

Today I am thankful...

that tomorrow is March 1st

{the start of a new month and new adventures}

for a great weekend

sleeping in

resting

surprise lunch dates with my mom

time spent with my sweet friend michelle

group phone calls

dollar theater adventures

movie popcorn

vanilla coke

late night trips to Farrell's in brea

life giving conversations

english breakfast tea lattes

my sweet friend steph visiting from san fransico

coffee dates

beautiful spring weather

the sound of wind blowing through pine trees

the smell of freshly mowed grass

finding out i'll be staffing the santa Monica summer project this june

planning summer trips to Idaho

the many endearing faces of my niece

dinner out with cousins

eating peanut butter straight out of the jar

keeping my room clean for a week and a half

{a milestone to be sure}

waking up in the morning and skyping with my roommate margo

that margo is coming home in 6 days
20 days until South Africa

impromptu naps on the couch

getting my car back

{after 2 long months}
that she is alive and well and is currently sitting outside my apartment

dreaming about what's next

planning for the future

falling deeper in love with my passions

how much the Lord persues after us

God's tender but firm voice

john 6:25-59

for the freedom found in Christ

What are you thankful for today?...

Thankful Thursday {Friday}

Happy Thankful Thursday  Friday to you!

Life has been busy as of late and I'm afraid I don't even know what day of the week it is.

 I'm also afraid illness has struck.

On Valentines Day I found out I have shingles.

{so lovely}

and a couple days ago I turned into a 

tea drinking, sore throat, congested, snotty, fuzzy brained mess.

Needless to say I've been a bit of a grumpy pants

{sorry to any of those it has affected}

so this post could not come at a better time.

I'm in need of some reminding of all the the blessings

the Lord has provided.

Today I am thankful for

tea & honey

our comfy couch

medicine

new doctors 

great books

having my own bedroom,

being able to make this space my own

journaling

sweet roommates who take care of me

that in 12 days my other half will be moving back from Florida

nesting & decorating

family dinners

{and the leftovers that come with them}

my tiny garden

picking out flowers at the flower mart

flower arranging

fresh flowers in the apartment

the smell of stock

trips to Lowe's garden center

birthday celebrations

my baby niece holding me and telling me she loves me

giving my niece lessons in gardening

and watching her learn

a successful women's retreat

the snow covered hills around Irvine

facebook messages from friends I haven't seen in a while

candle light

&

twinkle lights

being made aware of areas in my life that need growth

good conversations

getting to know people better

opportunities to be creative

building a portfolio

that in 26 days I will be boarding a plane to South Africa

that tomorrow is Saturday

What are you thankful for today?...

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.

Trying to be Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday to you!

As much as I would love to pretend that everything in life is peachy and perfect

I'm afraid I have to be honest.

I've been having a hard time being thankful as of late.

More so I've been having a hard time,

remembering God's faithfulness.

I'm currently struggling.

It's been hard watching those around me move on with their lives

while I feel like I'm stuck, stagnant and going no where.

I'm struggling to fight off thoughts that

I am not good enough

I am not desirable

I am not worth it

I am unwanted, unloved and unworthy.

It sounds so silly as I write this,

but unfortunately it's my reality and it's ugly.

Needless to say I haven't really been in the 

"thankful" mood the past few weeks.

All the more reason to sit and think about all of the Lord's provisions.

He is faithful,

whether I "feel" it or not.

So today I am thankful for

great books

time alone reading in the park

soccer games

letters from Hawaii

the ability to run

apples and peanut butter

gmail chatting

learning how to love from my sweet niece

weddings

 designing wedding flowers

dancing

getting to wear a bridesmaid dress more than once

these two lovely ladies who have greatly impacted my life

and relationship with the Lord

traveling

snugly couch conversations

giving terrarium building lessons

getting to know my friends husband more

babies being born

spending time in Utah with my dear friend Christina

being in the mountains

snowfall

cold weather

really great hot chocolate

adventure

exploring

snowshoeing!

spending time with my family

a dad who takes care of my car troubles

(even when thousands of miles away)

a brother who has allowed me to use his car for the past few weeks

while I don't have one

catching up with friends I haven't talked to in ages

planning reunion weekends with college friends

my sweet roommates

decorating our cozy apartment

watching my front porch garden grow

Downton Abbey

trips to the zoo

learning how to pray

learning about my passions

sweet times with the girls I disciple

I know that today,

I am truly thankful that there is purpose in all things.

That no matter what season of life I am in,

God's purpose is great and His faithfulness will be unveiled. 

What are you thankful for today?...

You Know You're a Horticulturist When You...

... take a trip to the amazing San Diego Zoo

and you daydream about exploring forests and jungles

drool over lush, green ferns

swoon over the large array of phenomenal blooms

and come home only to realize

your camera roll is filled with more photos of landscapes and plants

than animals.

Yep.

Just another successful day in the life of

a nerdy horticulturist.

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!

It's Friday. But I'm Still Thankful.

A very happy Thankful Thursday Friday to you!

My brain has turned to mush after a week and a half of staff meetings

and I didn't realize yesterday was Thursday.

My bad.

Despite the business of life there is a great deal to be thankful for.

Today I am thankful for...

trips to places I have never been

crossing state lines

spending time with great people

eating delicious food

running my first half marathon

{despite getting really sick the day before the race}

and of course for these two guys who also ran 

the lights, the sounds and the great atmosphere of the race

 ice cold chocolate milk at the finish line

that God has blessed me with the ability to run

for my wonderful cheer squad shouting, yelling

and high fiving me as I ran my way through Vegas...

making new friends

coming home to my sweet roommates

trying new things

face timing with my niece

surviving a dreaded trip to the dentist

making big decisions

learning to be refreshed in the Lord

God's continual 

faithfulness & grace

recognizing areas in my life I need to grow in

learning more about the people I work with

Christmas brunches

baking blueberry muffins from scratch

cozy evenings on the couch

little compliments that make me smile

sweet text messages from dear friends

planning out the flowers for a wedding this coming weekend

free peppermint lattes

great books

crafting

dinners at the Priest household

getting Christmas cards in the mail

 evening runs through neighborhoods twinkling with Christmas lights

a roommate who cooks me dinner

celebrating this cutie patooties birthday

surprise trips home

driving in the rain

Christmas music on the radio

sisters who let me borrow their clothes

seeing my dad while he was back on the mainland 

for a very short day and half

And I am so very thankful that in 3 days 

I will be hoping on a plane

and heading on over to Salt Lake City.

Let the adventures begin!

What are you thankful for today?...

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday to you!

It hasn't been a very pretty week.

But among all the difficulties,

 hurt and chaos that this world throws at us

there is a God who loves us and pours out blessing after blessing.

So today I am thankful for...

a delicious Thanksgiving dinner

and all the hands that cooked, baked and prepared it

facetiming with my dad 

spending an entire day doing yard work

postcards from Hawaii

babysitting my baby niece

spending time with my siblings

making terrariums

spending time outside

rain and the crispness of fall

leaves changing colors

rock walls covered with maidenhair ferns

hiking and adventuring with friends

climbing up waterfalls

grabbing coffee with friends

friends who really care about me

who notice when things aren't right

who ask questions, listen and speak truth into my life

that in 17 days I'll be in Salt Lake City

and in 26 days I will be picking up my roommate from the airport 

{she's been away for 6 months}

evening runs through neighborhoods all lit up with Christmas lights

my Christmas Pandora station

that it's officially Christmas season

the fact that I can now curl up on the couch,

 watch Christmas movies

and feel no shame

{I'm currently watching elf as I write this post}

What are some things from the past week

that you are thankful for?...

Thankful Thursday {Happy Thanksgiving}

Happy Thanksgiving 

to you Dear Friend!

I am thankful that tonight as I

walked into my parents house,

I was greeted by two very sweet and adorable puppies.

That as I made the trek down the hall to my bedroom

I was tripping over my nieces toys.

I am thankful for giggling, cuddling and sweet kisses 

from her as she was getting ready for bed.

It is currently 1am and I'm

laying in bed in the room I grew up in.

 I love that I can hear my brother's upstairs

{very loudly} 
playing Halo 4 together.

I am so very thankful for home,

to be home.

 As I lay here,
 there is an abundance of things to be thankful for.

None of which I deserve.

And yet God continues to pour out His blessings.

So right now, 

I am thankful for...

snail mail from North Carolina

plane tickets to Utah

surprise packages on my front porch

new running shoes

paper chain countdowns

midnight room rearranging

coming home from back to back to back conferences

and sleeping for 15 hours straight.

spending time with intern friends

sharing a hotel room for 5 days 

with this awesome girl...

catching up with friends

dreaming about the next year and getting excited

being able to watch God work

God's faithfulness

and His perfect plan

face timing with my dad while he is living in Hawaii

{I know, tough life right?...}

getting pictures from my dad of all the cool plants

 {and moss}

he gets to see while in Oahu

people inviting me over to help them garden

baking pumpkin pies from scratch

having a full time job

{that I love}

 and getting a paycheck

being able to pay for groceries

my bike

my car

my bed

my apartment

my roommates

our front porch where my small garden is starting to germinate

I'm thankful for each of the ways that God is growing me

and teaching me.

I am thankful for the times of pain and suffering.

Because my Hope in Christ grows stronger

and His faithfulness and love become more apparent.

It's in those times

  I get to know Him more intimately.

I am thankful for how He has and continues 

to shape me into the woman that He has created me to be.

I am so thankful that I am His.

What are you Thankful for on this beautiful 

Thanksgiving Day?...

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday 
Dear Friends!

And happy first day of November,

what a great way to kick start this month of Thanksgiving.

I honestly feel like it's been a year since my last Thankful Thursday.

Ok maybe not a whole year,

but it's been a very long 2 weeks.

This past weekend we took around 90 college students 

up into the mountains for fall retreat.

It's all pretty much a big blur.

But it happened,

and God did work.

And these past couple weeks through my
 exhaustion, stress, crabbiness, sensitivity, 

and occasional {or frequent} bad attitude.

God still continued to be faithful

and there is a vast amount to be thankful for.

{and gosh, I deserve none of it}

Today I am thankful for...

A God who changes lives

{who changed my life}

a God who loves me beyond all comprehension

an incredible weekend 

spent with incredible students
trying new things

my growing affection for each of my teammates

the Lords not so subtle reminders that I'm not superhuman

days off 

time spent alone

 gardening

sleep

coffee

 BOTH of my freshman Bible studies
have I mentioned how much I love my job?...

wednesday morning discipleship with these 2 ladies

the mountains

crisp autumn air

clouds

my journal

gmail chatting with far away friends

a clean room

my simmering apple cider scented candle
fresh san luis sourdough bread

great friends that let me borrow their cornhole set

{time spent with my roommate Erin

sipping pumpkin spice latte's from the coffee bean

and carving our bottom of the barrel, 
last pick pumpkins from Trader Joe's}

my car 

crafting

learning to be more independent

running holes into my running shoes

learning to pray bold prayers

new flannel

paintings from Paris

planning an epic trip to southern Utah

being excited for my future

grabbing coffee with friends from church

That there is an amazing God,

who desires to be in relationship with me

and has promised to remain and walk through this life with me.

What are you thankful for today?...