It’s all about succulents and terrariums today! I’m a succulent lover (who isn’t?) and I’m constantly drooling over terrariums all over Pinterest and Instagram. In fact, I’m surprised I haven’t given them a whirl in the workshop yet! But the time has finally come and I’ll tell you, I pretty much had the best time ever. I’ve partnered with Growing Home, who create beautiful terrariums and share DIY succulent projects, tips, and tricks (Twitter/Instagram), and I’m going to show you three ways to personalize your DIY terrarium to match your decor! And yes, there’s gold, copper, and more gold.
Bonus–terrariums would be adorable holiday gifts—think about how you could personalize one for your friend, co-worker, sister, or teacher! So hey, if you know me, you all know what you’re getting for Christmas. 😉
Basic Materials
There are tons of tutorials for creating terrariums online, so I’m posting a simplified version here, but check out my Pinterest board for more inspiration and some great how-to’s. In a nutshell, you’ll need rocks or pebbles, sphagnum moss or bark, a container (I love glass!), proper soil, succulents, and decorations.
Generally, the order of your terrarium will be (from bottom to top):
- Rocks (you can find basic colors at your craft store or go to the pet store to find a rainbow of options!)
- Sphagnum moss (to keep the soil from slipping through the rocks)
- Soil
- Succulents
- Moss, bark, or rocks
- Decorations (be creative! They could be anything from your standard gnome to costume jewelry, travel trinkets, kid’s toys, anything that fits your decor)
#1: Globe Terrarium
Add white rocks, gold decorations, and a gold base to create a clean, modern terrarium. The color of your rock changes the entire look and feel of your container (see #2 to see what I’m talking about)!
Materials
- White rock
- Liquid Leafing in Classic Gold
- Paintbrush
- Plumbing accessory, Home Depot (the item linked is similar to the one I found in store)
- Mini antlers or decorations
- Depending on the size of your container, you’ll want to have 3-6 plants. To create a modern feel, add white rock as the bottom and top layer.
- I went to Home Depot for inspiration and came across these plumbing thingies. Ha! Ok, so the technical name is “ABS flush bushing.” Yeah, I have no idea. But what I do know is that it fits the base of my glass globe perfectly! Another option for a base could be a simple wood plaque found at a craft store that you could stain for a modern rustic look.
- Apply liquid leafing to the plumbing piece. Liquid leafing dries very quickly and has a beautiful sheen.
- Finished piece with one coat of leafing.
- Add liquid leafing to your favorite decoration.
- I scored these cuties at Hobby Lobby–they’re actually a mini ornament for mini trees. Antler awesomeness all the way.
#2: Hanging Terrarium
Add gold rock and a touch of neon pink in the form of a decoration or hanging ribbon for a glam terrarium. The hanging container is so versatile–you can hang it, use an ornament hanger or wall hook to display it, or leave as is.
Materials
- Gold rock, Joann
- Glam decorations (I included a few ideas in the pic below); I painted mini mushrooms, Hobby Lobby (floral department)
- Acrylic paint, neon pink and white
- Ribbon, neon pink, or gold ornament hanger (both from Michaels)
- Paintbrush
Similar to the globe terrarium, add (gold) rock as the bottom and top layer. Then add a few small pieces of dark green moss on the top rock layer as an accent.
I love the contrast of the gold with the soil and moss! For a pop of girly neon pink, paint the mushroom and add white dots to it. Insert into top layer of rock.
I love the ornament holder! It’s adorable and would be great to put in your work cube.
#3: Footed Terrarium
I love the shape of this container—it lends itself to being a pretty, unique addition for any spot in your home. I added a coppery tone to the bottom and around the edge and used moss for the top layer to create a dark, moody feel.
Materials
- White rock
- Decorations (I used the same mini mushrooms as in #2)
- Acrylic paint or glass paint, copper and white
- Paintbrush
- Add white rocks as the bottom layer only and then add a thin layer of bark–the caramel colors highlight the copper tones on the container nicely.
- Paint the “foot” of the container copper–you’ll need several coats if using acrylic paint. takes several hours to dry. Glass paint would dry quickly.
- Using a fine-tipped paintbrush, paint the edge of the container.
- Paint one of the mini mushrooms copper and add white dots to it.
Instead of layering the top with rock as the previous two terrariums, add a layer of moss. I used a few different colors–green, white, and pink. The copper looks really pretty with the dark, moody moss.
We made it!! These were really fun to make and I’m ready to make another batch! I hope your brain is spinning with ideas to create your own DIY terrarium! Let me know if you have any questions–I’m here to help! xo
*This post was created in partnership with Growing Home. All opinions are always my own and I never write about items I don’t love!
