Nothing says summer like collecting fireflies in a repurposed mason jar to create a blinking, enchanting torch. The mission: Capture nature in a bottle. “We blend creativity with nature through the art of the terrarium, and teach others how they can do the same. Plus, we supply everything you need to make your own,” Rees says.
If you like collecting fireflies…Try making a live terrarium
The Ome TikTok account offers breathtaking terrarium inspiration, and answers such pressing questions as: how long do they last (potentially a lifetime), and which plant cuttings to use (mood moss, tamarisk moss, peacock spike moss, and more).
Step 1: Choose your container—look for a clean piece of glass ideally with some sort of lid or cap.
Step 2: Arrange your drainage layer—substrate, plants, and moss, so as to recreate the structure of a real ecosystem. For newbies, “substrate” is your soil mix. Rees likes to use a mix of coco coir, worm casts, and orchid bark, which balances water retention, nutrition, and aeration. The moss can go on top of the substrate layer alongside the plants or on top of any hardscape elements like rock or wood.
Step 3: The most common mistake people make is to overwater the terrarium—be sparing. Water your terrarium only if it looks like it’s beginning to dry. “The way it works basically is that in a sealed environment, water, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and nutrients are cycled so you shouldn’t have to water once you’ve reached an equilibrium,” Rees elaborates. Case in point: His oldest untouched terrarium is 5 years old. When you do water, use a fine mist spray bottle filled with distilled or rainwater if possible.
Step 4: Try, and try again. Don’t worry if your first terrarium is a fail—it often takes a few tries to get the balance right.
If you like rock painting…Try making customizable rock art
Check out this beginner-friendly how-to video from Rock Painting Guide that explains the paint pouring technique step-by-step. On her TikTok account, Marisa DeRosa of mddesigns16 not only shows her over 380,000 followers how she creates psychedelic, tie-dye painted rocks—she also crowdsources ideas for inspirational quotes to adorn each one.
“Sunsets are proof that endings are beautiful.”
“One day at a time.”
“Not all who wander are lost.”
The writing, however, comes after the rock painting. DeRosa often uses a paint-pour painting technique with acrylic paints. As she told one user, her preferred paint brands are Artist’s Loft, Liquitex, DecoArt, and Craft Smart.