Friday, October 31, 2014

DIY Recycled Terrarium

Do you craft with cork?  While I love making cardboard crafts, lately I've been trying to push myself a bit and try out new materials.  Last weekend I picked up these funny shaped cork plugs at our local Art Scrap store because they reminded me of mushrooms.  So I painted them, gave a couple to Chuck to play with, and placed one inside a lovely DIY Terrarium made from recycled materials.  


Make a Terrarium from Recycled Materials!

how to make a terrarium from recycled materials- great kids craft

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I love the idea of creating small, beautiful, magical worlds.  This would certainly be a wonderful fall craft for kids.  Oooh, wouldn't they look lovely as kid-made Thanksgiving centerpieces too?  

Ok!  Let's put on our fairy wings and let's get making!


Materials Needed

  • Disposable Plastic Cup
  • Plastic Lid (Mine came from a nuts container.  But a paper plate or cereal box would work well too!)
  • Hot Glue
  • Pen
  • Scissors (These work great on felt!)
  • Felt
  • Pom Poms
  • Cork (I used a Patron one) 
  • Craft Paint
  • Paint Brushes
  • Acorn Capes
  • Styrofoam Block
  • Toothpicks

Let's Make a Terrarium from Recycled Materials!

paint cork stoppers to look like mushrooms

Paint your mushrooms!  To protect your paint job, stick toothpicks inside the mushrooms' bottoms and stand them in a styrofoam block.  Now you can paint the mushrooms without touching them.

(Love red and white mushrooms too ? Check out my nifty Ikea DIY Toadstool Stool hack!)


glue felt on base of terrarium, glue in pom poms too

Trace your cup or lid onto your felt.  Then, cut the circle out.  Hot glue it into your lid.  Then, hot glue some pom poms into your acorn caps to make cute puffy acorns.


place your mushrooms and acorns in place and then glue

Play around with placement of your mushrooms and acorns.  Then, glue everything down.


glue on cup to finish your DIY Recycled Terrarium

Now glue your lid down too!

And voila!  Now you have your very own tiny terrarium, complete with a magical mushroom and puffy acorns!

how to make a DIY recycled mushroom terrarium- kids craft


(I'm trying harder to style my photos better, so I placed the terrarium next to my colorful rocks... because they feel magical to me too.  Not sure if that worked... but oh well.  If you like the rocks, see how it easy it is to make your own colorful rocks over here.)


And that's all for today!
Happy Friday!  Happy Halloween!  And happy creating, friends!
See you next week!


Psst- Here are some other fun crafts made from recycled materials!



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