Handy Craft

I found some DIY treasures to share with you today and hope you love them as much as I did when I found them. I found 3 beauties from the same website by Reese Dixon. Do check her out if you like what you see.

Let’s get it on:)

This is originally a DIY for handmade Christmas ornaments but I saw this and thought this would be perfect to spruce any occassion and it is so easy!!! Just change the colours of the paper to fit your theme and voila! tres chic deco at your disposal. I wonder how it would like if I made it extra BIG! Another one to show mum and see if we can incorporate it in my wedding.

DIY Link: Paper Hearts

This is was such a find! Admittedly it does look like a lot of work but if one wants to customize and insert personality in a do (like a wedding, perhaps?) then a little elbow greasing never hurt anyone. Sigh, so inspiring! How cool is it when you tell your guest that you made the paper lights yourself?

DIY Link: Paper Mache Lights

I am still obsessed with headbands and am always on the look out for simple DIY’s that I can follow and then add my own embellishments where I see fit. I don’t know about you, but all I need is an indication of how to start and then from there I am roaring to go.

DIY Link: Laurel headband

When I saw this I instantly thought “have to bookmark this for future parties!”.  I love pretty things and I love pretty things that do not cost a bomb and can be made by hand and a little initiative.

DIY Link:Lanterns made our of coffee cans

Below is a post I found on how to make your very own Terranium and I found the article from this link: DIY Succulent Terrarium

How to put together a little succulent terrarium using a candleholder

I put together a succulent terrarium and it’s the cutest thing ever. As such, I had to share it with you ladies! They can be used as table centerpieces or perhaps favors if you have a small guestlist.

I had been seeing these little succulariums on Etsy where people are charging something like 30 bucks for them. I made mine for around $10! I found the candleholder at CB2 in San Francisco and thought it would make the perfect container: I was RIGHT!
The cast of characters:

Lowes had a great selection of succulents. I picked Graptoveria “Moonglow.” I nearly bought a bag of small rocks from their gardening section too until DH said “I can just pick up some rocks for you out along the road!” I love my thrifty, resourceful husband. 😀 If you use the same sort of succulent I did, you just need to water it once a week by using a spray bottle to spritz the dirt portion a bit. Less water is more for these little guys. Place it in an area that receives direct sunlight for several hours a day.

It will enjoy the sun on my kitchen window sill 😀

****end****

I found the article to be too short for my liking so I went in search for a more in depth tutorial and I found it!

If your interested click this link: The Terrarium Project

SoooOOOoo cuteeeEEEE!

I also found (by luck) how to care for one’s Terranium from here, link: Botany Factory. Do click on the link as she has a few gorgeous Terraniums for sale.

Succulent terrariums are nearly self sufficient ecosystems. Because succulent species are water-retaining plants that have adapted to arid climates, they need very little watering. They are easy to care for if you follow a few simple rules!

SUNLIGHT

Sunlight is the most important ingredient for success. Your terrarium will do best next to a window that gets plenty of INDIRECT light throughout the day. It will appreciate fresh, circulating air (an open window will do the trick). Face your terrarium toward the open window so that fresh air can circulate inside the vessel. Do not put your terrarium in a spot where it will bake all day in scorching sunlight- it needs plentiful indirect light.

WATERING

Your terrarium only needs to be watered once every few weeks with a light spray from a spray bottle, drops from a pipette or a slow trickle from a tepid faucet. It is better to under water your terrarium than to over water it. Remember, it has no drainage, so too much water is worse than too little. Let dry completely in between waterings. Succulents love to be ignored! You should use your judgment in administering water. If certain plants look thirstier than others (dry, crispy looking leaves are a telltale sign), they may need a few more droplets of water.

GENERAL UPKEEP

You can remove any dead leaves that have fallen from their mother plant to keep your terrarium looking sharp. If a plant starts to mold, remove it immediately so that the mold does not spread. The best method for leaf or plant removal is with long needle nose tweezers.

PLANT REPLENISHMENT

After a few months, certain plants may flourish at the expense of their neighbors. Survival of the fittest sometimes plays a role in the evolution of your terrarium, providing an interesting if not beautiful progression. Your terrarium will require some upkeep- if a plant dies, you can replace it with some extra moss or a new small succulent from your local garden store.

TROUBLESHOOTING

You will know if your plants are getting too much sun (and not enough water) if they start drying up, turning crispy or shriveling at the edges. If they are not getting enough light (and are getting too much water) the plants will mold and become bloated.