Evergreen terrariums

I've made a few live terrariums in the past and blogged about them here. However as low maintenance as they're supposed to be I found my haphazard manner of watering is just not compatible with live plants. So, I started to look for alternatives with a similar look but using no live plants or messy soil. 

As luck would have it, I found some 'moss ribbon' from this fancy ribbon and paper shop Papier D'Amour. Even better was that they were having a pop up sale down the street for all their Christmas stuff so I bought a few more things than expected. I love it when life falls into place like that.

In a fit of inspiration the other night I was able to put all my bits and bobs I had made and collected and finally made my artificial terrariums. They're a bit whimsical and are perfect for display on your office desk or around the house. They never fail to make me smile.

If you'd like to make your own, all you need is:

- glass jar (cup, fish bowl, old coffee container)

- ribbon moss

- rocks (smaller white pebbles work best)

- polymer clay (I used the baking one)

- pins (sewing or bobby)

- acrylic paint

- clear sealer

- fake leaves

Now I know its a long list but you don't really have to use all of it, just scrounge around the house and garden, it's amazing how you can re-use items. 

Method:

1. Make sure you jar is clean and dry. If there is sticky residue from the label just soak it in boiling water for a few minutes then scrape it off. I cheated as used some glue dissolvant.

2. Place 1-2cm of rocks in the bottom (depending on how high your glass jar is)

3. Cut an appropriate piece of moss ribbon, pull around the edges to get the appropriate shape (Note: I find moss ribbon can shed a lot of green flakes, keep this so you can glue them onto rocks for a moss covered rock look).

4. Make your figurines from polymer clay and bake per packet instructions. Remember to place your pin into the bottom of the figurine so it will stay in place in the moss ribbon. 

5. Once cool, paint them and once dry, apply a layer of clear sealer. You don't really need to do this but I like the shine it gives.

Before clear sealer - matte.

After clear sealer - shiny!

6. Arrange display, you made need some long tweezers if you have a really tall jar but there's not limit to the scenes you create.