As Valentine’s Day approaches, do you hunt for creative ways to gift your loved ones? For fans of modern design, an air plant terrarium is an unexpected, fun choice. Give it a “heart day” twist with a few simple additions that make a sweet statement in pastel hues. Not only is this DIY project easy to create, it can live on well past Valentine’s Day. Read on for all the details…
Project Supplies
A few simple, affordable supplies take this project to the next level. Plus, you can customize your terrarium with the favorite colors and motifs of your loved one.
Here’s what you’ll need to get started:
- a glass bubble terrarium
- an air plant
- origami paper in the pattern of your choice
- cardboard or cardstock (optional)
- craft sand
- minerals and other small decorative objects
- scissors
- a pen or pencil
- glue (optional)
Step by Step
Step 1: Cut a heart from the origami paper. To make this step a snap, you can print and cut out a template that you find online, which will create a stencil. Trace the heart onto the back of the origami paper and cut it out. You may wish to trace and cut out a cardboard or cardstock heart and glue the origami paper heart to it for extra reinforcement.
Step 2: Add colorful sand to the bottom of your terrarium. Below we see peach and aqua sand in glass bowls. You can purchase craft sand in a variety of colors, or you can color the sand yourself using this process. Pastel hues will create a trendy look. Plus, they’re perfect for Valentine’s Day! Think about the soft colors of candy conversation hearts…
Step 3: Place a paper heart at the back of the terrarium. The colorful heart will be the perfect Valentine’s Day backdrop for your air plant.
Step 4: Add your air plant, as well as the minerals and objects of your choice. Rose quartz and marble make great additions to this terrarium. You might try visiting a flooring store and asking if you can purchase (or have) little marble tiles that have fallen from the larger sheets of tile. Think small squares and hexagons! Geo objects and beads are other interesting ideas for this project.
Step 5: Style your terrarium. Make sure the air plant takes center stage. Play around with different color combinations of sand and minerals/objects until you have a finished product that you love.
Here are a few more snapshots of the crafty fun…
A Valentine’s Day Gift
What makes this gift special is its handmade nature. You could even make a whole batch of these terrariums for friends and loved ones, as the glass globes aren’t as pricey as you might think.
Valentine’s Day is about love of all kinds, so this gift is perfect for celebrating the holiday with a group of friends. Or make one for yourself to add a bit of festivity to your home! Plus, the air plant will remind you that spring is on the way…
Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more great Decoist DIY projects in 2016!
