Plant Terrarium - Tutorial

I have been seeing them everywhere but could not get myself to buy them because they are pretty and expensive.

Anywho, I decided to try making one for my friend Allin and myself:

What I used:

• 1/2 gallon Ball canning jar or a glass bowl that you deem pretty
• a hand full of pretty pebbles
• some moss
• a couple hands full of potting soil
• plants 
• optional: decoration (pebbles, statues of fairies or gnomes, etc..)

Some advise on choosing plants:
As always in gardening, one should group plants together that like the same climate, i.e. don't mix fern with cacti. Also, when planting these, bare in mind that succulents prefer dry climates while a terrarium tends to hold moisture, i.e. shoot for tropical plants.

Here's how I did it:



So, start with a clean glass container.

I used a canning jar. I love their homegrown look.

The pretty cognac glass on top is for my friend Allin, who is napping on my couch; a little thank you for her helping me with the two girlies while my man is traveling. 

There are multiple ways to create a drainage barrier but I preferred the pebble-moss combo for aesthetic reasons.

Then, fill pebbles in; about an inch high.

Next, spread out the moss and layer it on top of the pebbles.

Now, add planting soil.

Then plant and water the little guys. Using a watering can with a long nose is a good idea.

I only wanted to create a small centerpiece and so stayed with one plant; I used a polka dot plant which are supposed to work really great for this kind of planting. 

Finally, decorate (which I didn't). DONE!


Keep  caring for your new plant(s) with trimming and watering.


"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

Making Gifts - The Resolution

One thing that I wanted to do for this year's Christmas, is giving more handmade gifts.

However, I was thinking that I cannot start doing so inDecember, so I will be sharing some of my gift ideas and the how-to's over the next months.

Here are some gift ideas:

• Fingerless mittens 
• Kid's clothes
• Tic Tac Toe game for kids
• Memory game for kids
• Busy book for kids
• Shirts with reverse applique 
• Poncho Wrap
• Purse

Stay tuned....

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

March 2012 - Harvest Tally

It is spring and nature truely has returned and with it all animals are in love. On most days, our girlies now get visited by a ferrel mallard duck boy, who swims in our pond and eats our food. We assume he is feeding his broody girl. It is said that waterfowl and in particular ducks breed for life. Isn't that soo cute?!

And all sorts of other feathered friends have decided that our garden is a fun place to hang out in and we love watching them. 

While I believe they are coming because we created this habitat for them (where debris is allowed to compost with lots of straw to sneak for nest building, not to mention all that free food), Roberto believes that they come because the goddess of nature has arrived. 

Yes, a few weeks ago, our little girlie, Demetra, was born at our home, scoring a 10 on the APGAR with no interventions and no tears for mom. Thanks to Jeanne and Nerissa with Whole Hearts Midwifery, who were wonderful during the whole process! Needless to say, that all eyes are on her these day and not much gets done. BTW: Demetra is an ancient Greek name of the goddess of agriculture, crops and motherly love. While the name is not much known in the US, it is not an uncommon name in Europe.

As for the garden: Slow beginning of the year but it is sprouting everywhere and small little seedlings have been transplanted already. Our peach trees and the blueberry bushes already are full with fruit. Ahh, cannot wait...!

Anywho, here is the harvest tally for March 2012:

1 lbs of carrots

5 lbs of chard

3 lbs of spinach

A total 9 lbs of produce and 59 duck and 61 chicken eggs. 

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis