A few weeks back I posted about a Sustainable Moss Terrarium Class I’ll be teaching at the Craft Kitchen in Santa Ana, CA this coming Saturday afternoon from 3 til 6 pm. There are spots still available and you can sign up by visiting this page and scrolling down to January 28th. I’ll provide everything you’ll need to leave this workshop with two completed pieces.

Terrarium basics are essential and we’ll explore different methods of building a sustainable environment and properly maintaining them. We’ll also cover where to obtain readily available mosses and I’ll provide resources for more exotic varieties.

In my mind though the real fun lays in the creative planning and execution of these little worlds. We’ll begin planning your project with a slide show of inspiring images to get the gears moving. And then we’ll talk about design methods that approach the terrarium as a living diorama in miniature - capable of telling stories, creating mystery and capturing the imagination.

To that end we’ll:

• sculpt and bake fimo dough elements (like my sea creature below)
• learn how to easily etch glass containers for a layered effect (see the living room window in the second terrarium below)
• explore methods of altering your container lid to work with your chosen theme and
• rummage through my stash of vintage, plastic cake decorations that weather well in the hot house environment.

So if you live in the LA / Orange County area I encourage you to attend! It’s a simple craft which can be as elaborate or spare as you’d like and honestly requires no green thumb. Crafting in small groups is allot of fun, a great way to connect with other crafty souls in your area and the perfect way to be inspired to create.

This post contains essential information towards obtaining your Arts & Crafts merit badge. Leave a comment on this post or a question for the Grand Poobah below, or trackback from your own site.