One of the best things about living in New Jersey is the beaches. There is no better place to spend the afternoon. Where I live there are two types of beaches. There are the ones with all of the attractions: boardwalks, games, rides and countless places to eat. Then, there are the off-the-beaten-path beaches- the ones that are serene, natural, and untouched. The common traits to almost all of the beaches are the large protective sand dunes. These dunes are essential in protecting the beaches from erosion. While serving their purpose, they're also one of the more interesting and beautiful parts of the beach.
I wanted to create a terrarium that would bring a little bit of the "beach" into my home. This next project does just that. I used air plants to mimic the look of natural beach grasses. I also added sea glass, a few seashells and even a tiny message in a bottle! Keep reading to see how I made this fun and decorative beach dune terrarium.
- Glass Apothecary Jar
- Coarse Decorative Sand
- Miniature Wood Fence
- Tim Holtz mini glass vials
- Homemade 'aged' wood stain
- Air Plants
- Decorative sea glass, netting, shells etc.
Start by staining or painting your fence. I used a homemade stain that is one of my favorites for creating an aged look on wood. You can find out how to make it here, from one of my previous posts. It's also probably a good choice for using in a terrarium since it's totally non toxic.
I followed that up by quickly rubbing light gray paint over the wood and then wiping it off. This gives a slight hint of extra color the stain doesn't provide. You basically are recreating a gray patina on the wood and rust on the wire.
After the stain and paint dry add your sand, shells and air plants.
This next part is so cool. You're going to make a mini message in a bottle. I love these mini corked vials by Tim Holtz and Ranger Ink. Simply roll up a small piece of scrap paper and put it in the bottle. You may even write a secret message ;)
Finally you want to add all of the little extras. I wrap jute around the top to secure the fish netting. I also added a few pieces of jewelry charms.
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