DIY Succulent Fairy Garden

DIY succulent fairy gardenWith summer just around the corner, our kids need activities to keep them busy. This activity has painting, planting and fairy magic all rolled into one. Plus, this is a great planter for those of you who are green thumb challenged, because succulents are easier to keep alive than other plants.

Get all the details on Momtastic here.

Stuck On These DIY Planters For Valentine’s Day

DIY valentines day planter-cactus-austin-love-wall-i-love-you-so-much

We took a girls trip to Austin in November (hope to have a recap soon). As we researched the city, and all the fun things to do, the highly popular Austin murals popped up. We never made it to the Welcome to Austin wall, but we did run into the “I love you so much wall.” Just like everyone around us, we stopped to pose for a photo, or two (or 10).

With the month of love (or heartbreak…depending on your situation) upon us, we thought it would be fun to give our mom a small memento to remember “love” wall from the trip. Mom’s have the healing touch, so it seems fitting that we give our mom an aloe plant in a DIY planter inspired by the famous Austin wall.

We know this year is less about succulents and cactus, and more about the sloth. But, who can resist a cactus pun around Valentine’s Day? It’s a plant most people can keep alive (for at least half a year), and it’s an affordable gift to give friends and family.

Materials:

  • Terra cotta pots
  • Acrylic paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Cactus or succulent
  • Vinyl

Directions:

Paint the terra cotta pot. Add the words from your favorite mural (or use the Austin one, too), or think of your favorite cactus puns. You can use paint markers, or paint and a paintbrush. Another idea is to use vinyl to decorate the terra cotta pot, just like we did for the “Stuck On You” planter. We used our Silhouette cutting machine. For some extra personalization, glue wallet size photos and hearts on mini wood skewers, and stick in the pot. Finally, spray the pots with sealant to prevent water from damaging it.

DIY valentines day planter-cactus-austin-love-wall-i-love-you-so-much

DIY valentines day planter-cactus-austin-love-wall-i-love-you-so-much-stuck-on-you
DIY valentines day planter-cactus-austin-love-wall-i-love-you-so-much

DIY valentines day planter-cactus-austin-love-wall-i-love-you-so-much-stuck-on-you

Happy Valentine’s Day!

DIY Pumpkin Succulent Planter

pumpkin-succulent-planters

Our love for succulents has never faded. We love them, year-round! So, recently when we took a trip to find pumpkins at a garden center and saw pumpkin planters with succulents, we were head-over-heels in love. We made our own versions of the pumpkin planter {we bought the one with the skeleton}. This no-carve Halloween arrangement can be made for friends and family this Halloween and Thanksgiving season, and when pumpkin season is over, transfer the arrangement to a more festive winter holiday base.

halloween-fall-pumpkin-succulent-planter

Materials:

  • Mini pumpkins, faux or real
  • Succulents, mini
  • Hot glue
  • Skulls and other fairy-size decorations
  • Moss, Spanish Moss
  • Glitter hairspray

Directions:

Step 1: Gather supplies.

pumpkin-plants-succulent-moss

Step 2: Glue a handful Spanish Moss to the top of the pumpkin.

pumpkin-glue

pumpkin-planter-with-moss

Step 3: Insert the small succulents into the moss. Use a little hot glue if you have to keep them in place.

pumpkin-planter-succulent

Step 4: Add any other types of moss and mini stems to the top of the pumpkin. Finally, glue a skull or fairy-garden accessory on top.

succulent-planter-skull-pumpkin

Step 5: Spray hair glitter on the arrangement. This can be wiped off later, but the sparkle is so cute!

glitter-spray-pumpkin

You’re done. To keep the succulents alive, spray them with water.

succulent-planters-pumpkin-arrangements-skull

pumpkin-succulent-planter-halloween

succulent-pumpkin-planter

pumpkin-succulent-planter

succulent-planter-pumpkin-halloween-centerpiece-diy

DIY Watercolor Mug and Planter

dig-water color-planeter-succulent-pink-turquoise-mug-white-gold-

 This photo hooked me.

The idea was brilliant. The cost was minimal.  The ingredients were already in a drawer upstairs. The impact was bold. Within 10 minutes of seeing the photos, Jessica and her daughter were dipping mugs in their favorite nail polish colors.

Instead of using it as a mug, Gabriella opted for a succulent planter. And, with that, she is the proud 4-year-old owner of this adorable, trendy succulent planter!

succulent-pink-aqua-planter-mug-water color-nail polish

Warning: this looks easy, and it is; however the nail polish is totally fickle and it took us several tries to get it right {we dipped dispensable products just to see how it worked}. And, the nail polish hardens almost immediately, so you have to drop and dip – quick, quick, quick!

You’ll Need:

  • White ceramic mug. You can find them for $1 at Wal-mart
  • Deep container you want to throw away or use for paint only
  • Nail Polish
  • Warm Water
  • Gold Leaf Paint
  • Pink Aquarium rocks
  • Succulent
  • Dirt and Rocks

How to Make It:

  • Fill the bowl with warm water.
  • Add a drop of nail polish to the water, and it should spread.  You can use a toothpick to help create a ‘swirl’ your looking for. For us, sometimes the nail polish spread like it was supposed to, and other times, the drop sank to the bottom of the bowl. It’s hit or miss.
  • If you want to use an additional color, drain the water, and repeat the steps.
  • If you mess up, or there’s s spot you don’t like, just use a cotton swab or pad soaked with Nail Polish remover to remove the nail polish from the mug.
  • Pat dry with a paper towel and let dry for 2 hours.
  • If you want a gold handle, add painter’s tape on the mug around the handle, and paint the handle gold with Gold Leaf Paint.

To make the mug a planter, add dirt and rocks to the cup, insert the succulent and top it off with pink rocks.

succulent-planter-mug-pink-aqua-rocks-gold-water color

pink-aqua-white-mug-rocks-succulent-planter-gold-water color

{photos via j. sorelle}

DIY Succulent Planter to Celebrate Happy May Day

diy succulent_mayday_jsorelle On May 1, countries around the world celebrate a traditional springtime festival called May Day. In honor of May Day, and blooming buds and bright colors, I created a DIY Succulent gift to hang from my neighbor’s front door. I bought one for myself. I’m hoping I can keep it alive – I don’t have the best track record with indoor plants.

You’ll Need:
a small can {I used an old corn can}
a piece of fabric
modge podge
a drill
rope or twine

How To:
Remove the wrapper from the can.
Cut a small piece of fabric you can add to the can, leaving some space on the bottom for cutting with a sharp razor.
Apply Modge Podge all around the can.
Add the fabric to the can.
Once dry, use a sharp razor to carefully cut the extra fabric on the bottom of the can.
Apply Modge Podge to the entire outside of the can on top of the fabric to seal it.
Use a drill to drill two holes on the sides of the can for the rope, and one hole on the bottom for adequate drainage.
Add twine or rope into the holes and tie a knot on the inside so it stays in place.
Add porous soil and the succulent.

celebrated in many countries as a traditional springtime festival

celebrated in many countries as a traditional springtime festival

diy succulent_mayday_jsorelle

diy succulent_mayday_jsorelle

celebrated in many countries as a traditional springtime festival

celebrated in many countries as a traditional springtime festival

celebrated in many countries as a traditional springtime festival

celebrated in many countries as a traditional springtime festival

{images via j. sorelle}