It's no secret that when you're feeling inspired you ought to keep going! Yesterday I blogged about the fake aquarium (post-party craft-conversion) I made for my house which my eldest daughter calls 'Sea World.' After making the original one, I made three more, in a variety of styles, shapes and sizes, and there's another one in the planning, waiting for the rain to stop long enough for me to go outside. Since people seem to be enjoying this quirky new craft obsession of mine, I thought I'd show you how Fairy Land turned out.The bubble-bowl (which was originally one of several candle-vases I used for my wedding reception) includes soil from the garden, topped with native violet planted in a nest-like ring around a purple quartz stone. A little fairy doll (broken out of a music-box (naughty Lotti!)) reaches out to a glittery bird who guards the shiny rock. Some silver and pink beads are scattered around the perimeter of the bowl to add some magical shine, and the whole thing happily sits on the bathroom counter in diffuse light, living contentedly off steam and an occasional spritz.
In my photo, dirt is still visible on some of the leaves (click to enlarge) which is a shame, and the quartz rock is not as shiny as it is in real life, but still; you get the idea. The children think it is wonderful, but of course, being glass, I'm always trying to keep them away... for an older child however, I think this would be a great project for a primary-schooler, a gorgeous gift for any occasion, a perfect table centrepiece, even a place-setting if made tiny enough to sit upon a dinner plate. Of course the best thing about DIY terrarium craft is that it can be forever tweaked to include materials on hand; be it the plant life in your garden or the ephemera in your craft box.
It could also be tweaked into a memory jar (such as the one I made a birthday party memory jar after Mimi's mermaid party last year), where you fill a pickling jar with soil and plants and then add the items of your party or holiday around it.
My number one tip is to 'tell a story' when you assemble the parts to make a whole. Decide whether you're making a Sea World, Fairy Land, Spooky Place (you'll see soon enough), or simply a decoration for your dining table, and then do your best to select a vase, plant, soil/sand, and decorations that work well together to enhance that miniature world... go on... get outside and get your fingers muddy!
