Edison Rex

Terrarize Your Neighborhood (Or, a Sweet & Simple Terrarium How-To)

  

O, terrariums, how do I love thee? Quite a bit, and until recently, only from afar.

This summer I decided it was time to stop coveting each and every succulent-filled Ball jar I came across on the web, and make my own no-fuss, budget-and-kid-friendly terrariums. My self-imposed ground rules for this project were simple: I would keep it free and local by only using things I found around my home or neighborhood. Plus I wanted to have some fun--a little mini-adventure for Aurora and I. So we packed Thommy in his stroller, left Dennis to savor some rare alone time, and hit the pavement.

 
We had a great time exploring our little corner of the world for treasures to bring home. It brought our attention to tiny things--specks of moss under some brush, an oddly shaped stone--that we don't tend to notice in everyday life.

Here are the essentials you'll need to make your own terrarium:

1. Inspiration: We'd borrowed some books from the library, but the web is also a great resource for terrariums (I'll be sharing some of my faves here tomorrow).

2. Containers: Take a peek in your recycle bin and cabinets for some great glass. We raided our pantry for Ball jars, baby food jars, even old wide-mouth glass vases.

3. Sand: We had playground sand in our garage. Check! Though I'm sure we would have found a sandy, gravelly alternative in our travels.

4. Moss, plants, sticks, and whatever inspires you. While foraging our neighborhood we found an abundance of interesting mosses, tree barks, pine cones, rocks. I also had some tiny seashells I'd brought home from traveling, and a jade cutting that a coworker had gifted me (thanks, Johanna!). Miniature animals are a great addition, too.

 
 
Once we'd gathered everything we needed, the rest was simple:

1. Pour a half inch to an inch of sand into the bottom of our glass containers.

2. Layer with moss, and place any plants securely in the sand and moss, too.

3. Add any trinkets, shells, rocks, twigs, bark, etc. that strike your fancy. Tweezers are perfect for placing things in small terrariums.

4. Spritz your creation with water every few weeks to keep mosses green. Leave the top off your container, too. But don't fret if, over time, your terrariums fade. They're not meant to be permanent, though ours have been greening our kitchen for months. Enjoy!

 
 
 
After my first taste of terrarium glory, I'm tempted to go a little more luxe with my next ecosystem-in-a-jar project. But there's something about these home-made, neighborhood grown pieces that I love. It's not just the greenery--they're infused with adventure and lady-bonding. And they are still thriving, which shows me that creating terrarium beauties isn't rocket science. So if you've been coveting them, too--get out there, and make your own! And if you do--by all means, please post links to some pictures!

xo, Maeg

Guest Star Marisa Filippone: Design a Gorgeous Nursery on a Budget

 

Meet my sweet friend Marisa. She's an artist, designer, mama & stepmama with a knack for interior design. I loved the nursery she and her husband put together for their new baby, Forest, so I asked her to share the space with us. Visit Marisa on her blog, Bikes and Birds.

 

Hello! My name is Marisa Filippone, soon to be Marisa Abeles, I just married my sweetie on August 27th! We have a little boy, Forest who was born on February 20th. He's growing so fast and is now crawling, loving bananas, and smiling at everyone. I also have a 10-year-old stepson, Ulysses, who adores his little brother and loves swimming and dance parties.

Professionally, I am an art director at an agency in Springfield, MA. But right now, I'm working part-time so I can focus on being a full-time mom. Maeg and I met while I was pregnant at Twist Fair where she was selling her lovely goods. We became fast friends and our boys are slowing getting to know eachother. I'm so honored that Maeg asked me to participate on these guest posts! Lately, my creativity is used in ways to keep a baby happy and a mama sane. But I love decorating our home...even though I'm now in the beginning stages of learning how to baby-proof...ahhh! I spent a lot of time thinking about what I wanted to do with Forest's nursery (way before he was born!) and thought I'd share that process with all of you. Thanks for reading!

Forest's room was a bit of a challenge because of it's size and limited light. Plus we were on a limited budget which is a quick way to learn how to be creative. It has a slanted ceiling on one size and only one window that is mostly shaded by a large pine tree. I knew that I didn't want a bright light source in his room since I hoped his room would be a place where he can nap and relax (that is a whole other post though!). Ethan, my hubby, found a large branch in the woods by our house, attached it to the ceiling and covered it in white lights. This is the perfect solution for this room and the nice thing now is when I change Forest he loves looking up at the lights.

 
The color on the wall is a light olive green shade from Benjamin Moore. I love that it doesn't scream "baby" but still suits the nursery perfectly. I covered the wall that has the window with a removable decal by Amy Ruppel. To me this is what really pulled the room together, it's a great focal point and really pulls you into the space. These decals are also wonderful because they are not permanent. I didn't have to spend hours painting a mural then hours removing it.

The interesting thing about the space now too is that it suits his name. We weren't settled on Forest before he was born, it was on the list but he wasn't named until about 3 days after his birth. And now when I go in there, it's just like a baby forest...so sweet to me.

 

Here are some tips I've learned over the years:

1. Use a high-quality paint. It costs a bit more but it goes on smoother and is less work. I'm a huge fan of Benjamin Moore.

2. Shop second-hand. Most of the things we have were found at tag sales, off of Craigslist, or from friends/family.

3. Don't settle. A lot of times I have ideas on how I want a space to turn out then will rush into finishing that space. But it takes time. Sometimes that one piece of furniture that you need just appears. This is what happened with our changing table/dresser. Ethan found it on the side of the road, gave it a quick refinish and it's perfect for the room...and it was free! To me pieces like this is what gives a space character.

4. Frame all art. Unfortunately we can't afford original art in our house so I tend to buy prints or even use postcards from artists I love. I always frame them, which gives them a finished quality at a price point I can afford right now.