DIY Terrarium

I’ve been seeing a lot of posts about crystal gardens online lately and thought about taking a crack at making one myself. I’ve always loved plants and small terrariums so I wanted to combine the two to make a whimsical garden. This is my first attempt and I know there will be more to come. I’ll list out the supplies that I used below!

What you’ll need:

• Small glue gun
• Assorted moss (AcMoore’s or Michaels has a great selection)
• One large crystal (Home Goods has great deals sometimes, check the clearance isles, or if a local shop sells them support their local business)
• Assorted filler items, such as smaller crystals, seashells etc.
• Glas terrarium (use the 50% off coupon from AcMoore’s for a good deal)
• Base/Platform to lift your crystal (if desired)

First step, you want to visualize where you want the large centerpiece crystal to be. With the type of terrarium I picked, the decision was already made as I had limited space. Make sure your crystal will fit in the opening before you buy it, or vice versa.

Glue in your platform, I got creative and used a cap off of an old spray paint can. Don’t worry too much about it showing right now because it will later be covered by the moss. Which brings me to the next step, adding moss. Getting moss with various colors adds dimension, both bright and dark greens. You can even get the kind that looks like green spanish moss but for this one I stuck with one kind.

As you add your moss, make sure to go around your base evenly and not focus on one specific spot. If you can manage to get your glue gun in, keep gluing lines around the base and apply the moss there so that it will stick and cover it up well. Depending on what other items you add, put them in as you are adding more layers, for this one I used more crystals and sea shells. (Both of which have memories related to them so this was a meaningful piece for me)

The next step is to add your crystal. I secured mine with glue again. While I hated putting glue on it, I dont’ want it to fall off and break, and luckily hot glue isn’t permanent. If you do however want a permanent seal you can use super glue, just be careful. (The last time I used it I glued my hand to a napkin and my shoe to the floor)

Depending on the shape of your crystal you’ll want to continue to add more moss. My piece had a large back that just looked like concrete. While I know it wasn’t, it just didn’t look all that appealing as the front side did. I didn’t glue anymore once the base was covered and just kept pressing moss into place around the terrarium.

Once you have all of the moss and additional items in place, VOILA! You’re done. You just need to find a great place to put it. On a sunny shelf, on a bedside table or even a work station to add some whimsy while you work. I of course did place mine on my work desk for some positive vibes while I make art.

I hope this little tutorial helps you make something amazing. You’re more than welcome to share your results in the comments below!