Specimens

Elliot and I decided to make some terrariums, so last week we headed out to our local plant store and picked out some nice specimens.  It took us a whole week to gather the supplies (giant jars and dinos from Target, everything else besides plants from Downtown Home & Garden), and we put them together this morning.  I really struggle with houseplants because I am fickle with a short attention span, but I have great hope for these because I read online that most terrariums fail due to over watering.  Well, they clearly haven't met me.  (Husband chuckles)

The dinos were originally intended for a paludarium in Elliot's room, but he wanted them in the kitchen, and actually I quite like them.  Elliot and my husband (do I ever say his name?  his name is Scott) ran to Target for one more dino and a smaller jar for his room.  I would show you a photo of that one, but its rest time, and of course, one does not interrupt rest time.

Science is so cool, why did my teachers have to make it so dang boring?

This one is my favorite.  I love the way that guy looks like he's eating the plant.  Scott says this one doesn't eat plants.  I say only boys care about such details.

I keep forgetting to tell you, a local friend of mine started a blog, and she is super sweet as well as the queen of crochet.  Check it out...here.

Update: These jars are the 2 gallon Heritage Collection at Target (by Anchor Hocking) for $12.99.  They are around 13" tall.  They are in the kitchen department, and there are many others there that would also work.  I chose these because they looked vintage, instead of looking like they were "trying to look vintage, but not quite."

Comments

[amy]

Love it- saw yr coolness on flickr! We are so going to do this!

[fanja]

what a great project, i love the dinosaurs touch. yep, i do agree with 'only boys care about such details'.

[Niki]

I remember making terrariums as a kid. They were always so cool to look at, and I would pretend I was inside exploring a jungle. This is perfect for my Bean to try. Thanks for the reminder!

[sally]

These are so great! We're finally going to make some for Big J's bday party next month!

[mslil65]

These are great! Having just been to Target, I spotted the dinos. Where might I find the glass jars? Not sure of they're in the kitchen section or in that funky little section with the decorative stuff near all the frames.

[OTJenH]

I love that you used the glass jars for this project. I enjoy these jars so much in the kitchen, I never would have thought of them for a terrarium! And the dinosaurs are just perfect.

Question: Did you use 1-gallon or 2-gallon sized jars for your terrariums? I would love to make these with my son. We are putting together a nature/science table right now. I agree with you about science being suprisingly fun. Who knew?

[Katie]

LOVE those terrariums...the dinosaurs are just too cool. And if they fail due to overwatering? Perfect. I killed all my kitchen herbs over the past few months, but my cactus is still going strong.

[sue]

Courtney--I love this idea! What a great way to get ready for spring! I'm so tired of this snow. And the dinosaurs in there--that's too cute. I bet Elliot loves it!

[Allison]

What a great idea for a crafty-ish project to do with a boy. I have a girl and a boy and I think I am pretty set for enjoying many craft things with my daughter, but I'm certainly going to start a list of boy stuff to do, this is number one. (He is only 12 months, so I've plenty of time to prepare!)

[Dawn]

Love the dinos and plants! I sympathize with you about the watering thing, I spent about an hour trying to rescue three neglected houseplants today.

[sarah]

How funny that I just read your post after I put my 5 year old to bed hugging a dino book??? He would LOVE this!!! I have 2 fishbowls left over from a sceince fair experiment gone awry... I wonder if I could re-purpose them for this? Do they need to have a top?

[h&b]

oh, I so want to do this - thanks for the inspire !

And so what if the meateater doesn't eat plants - he looks cool ! :)

[robinette]

Those are really cute...my boys will love this project. Thaks for the inspiration! I've had similar jars sitting on a shelf in my basement and was out of ideas for them.

These are brilliant! I too have had the neglected houseplant syndrome and this could be a perfect way to get out of a rut! Thanks!

[Heather]

oop.that was me...

[kellyt]

Love your idea! My son and I were actually on our way to the hardware store to get some seeds because his "class project" seeds were a dud (much to his chagrin). I think he would love these; plus, after the fun wears off, I can use the jars for flour, sugar, etc.

[bethany]

great project.

[sUsAn]

Cool project! I love the dinos! This would be fun to do with the misc. toys I find throughout the house! I have a LARGE pickle jar I've saved for a couple years that might be a perfect terrarium jar. Thanks for the inspiration!

[Paper Dolls for Boys]

Thanks for the Target tip, not a bad price. Can't wait to try my hand (a hand that has no green thumb) at this! Tracey

[Melissa A]

Great idea! I can't wait to try it!

[emily]

How ironic- I just got back from our local sweet shop where I loaded up on empty candy jars. Tomorrow is recycling day, and they had about twenty big jars up for grabs. Admittedly they're plastic, but a really classic design similar to your glass ones. My daughter and I were brimming with ideas the whole walk home. In fact we stopped at the pond to dip out a jar of frog spawn for one of them and are planning an: earth, air, water collection of jars. Caterpillar coccoons in the air one and a wood-louse/earthworm colony in the earth jar.

Love the dinosaurs, though. My next one is a gnome garden with ferns, violets, and moss with hiding elves and gnomes.

[Eren]

We made terrariums this week too! Ours however do not have dinos...that would up the coolness factor big time in our house.

[robyn]

love these!
due to having a small outside garden, and loving plants, i have loads in the house.
afew of these would not go astray!!
also would make great b'day gifts!
love

[sarah london]

This is too cool for words, can't wait to show my boys in the morning, 3 guesses what we'll be doing on the weekend! Love it!

[Jodi Renshaw]

What a great idea. I am going to get right on this project as soon as we move into our new place. What fun these are!

[JoAnna]

We are so on to this project this week. Early Spring is so perfect too! Thanks!

[Ericka B Traven]

I just bought some glass from the Heritage Collection. Now I want to go back and get more to put plants in.

[mrs.french]

I really think I could devastate a terranium, so I will spare the little plants. However, the jars I would like for doodads that are in no shape or form alive.

[Melissa]

Such a pretty scene. I especially love the angry dinosaur!

[Jessica]

These are GREAT! I love the dinos! And, yeah, only boys care about those things.

Random question, in the first terrarium in this post, there's a purple-leafed plant in the jar. I bought one years ago and couldn't kill it...until my husband did. Do you know what the name of that plant is? I've been looking for another one since! :-)

[heleen]

What a super idea! This looks great, I love the dinosaur!

[lynne]

MAN! I love these!! I might have to go out to target tomorrow and track those jars down. A row of these would be just the thing for our dining room table.

Yours look fantastic!

[Alicia]

Love these. If it keeps raining here, we may have to do some indoor gardening, too.

[Wendy]

Oh, I love the dinosaurs in there. Maybe you could hang a pterodactyl from the lid of the one with the meat eater, like he's going for him. That would be an excellent science lesson. I don't think boys are the only ones to notice that; my daughter would be all over it.

They teach much cooler stuff in school now a days. When she was in Kindergarten she learned the following words... nocturnal, carnivore, herbivore, omnivore and oviparous.

[Ariella]

Martha Stewart has some great resources for details on terrariums. I have her Gardening cd rom, which has a video about fern terrariums, and below is a terrarium with succulents.
http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.3a0656639de62ad593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=b6aaf3babe5d7110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&rsc=type_1&video_id=0&autonomy_kw=terrarium

[Ariella]

Martha Stewart has some great resources for details on terrariums. I have her Gardening cd rom, which has a video about fern terrariums, and below is a terrarium with succulents.
http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.3a0656639de62ad593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=b6aaf3babe5d7110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&rsc=type_1&video_id=0&autonomy_kw=terrarium

[Lasso the Moon]

I love these! And I totally echo your sentiments about science in school. I hated it! And when my mom started homeschooling my siblings, I was shocked (and a little jealous) about how much fun they were having in the subject. (not to mention history, and even grammar!)
anna

[Lei]

Wow, I really love those! What great idea with the dinos.

[Beth]

I just posted a comment on your MamaVoice post....found it through a link given me by a friend. So now I'm just now looking at today's post.

What a great, fun, lovely idea - the terrariums!

[Miss Fruitfly]

This a great project for someone who can't grow a plant the regular way. Thanks for posting this.

[Lori]

these turned out amazing! you are going to motivate me to get my big jar out and actually finish one! ;^)

[milk and cake]

those look awesome! i can't wait to make one. i even made my shopping list already!

[Sonya]

But, how do the plants breathe?

[Lucybug33]

Do they have to be glass? will it work with Plastic (I have 2 or 3, which is why i ask, so i don't have to buy) a terrarium herb garden might be cool

[Tiff@Three Peas]

I have always wanted terrariums! Love the dinos. They are a classic touch! I will have to go to Target this weekend. You made it sound so easy to do!

[melissa s.]

I love terrariums and my 4-year-old son is big into dinosaurs right now. What a great idea to mix the two! I'm adding this to our projects list, thanks!

[Sara]

Cool project. My mom used to order these egg shaped terrariums to make as gifts for people.

You're wrong about dinosaurs and boys, btw. My daughter can tell you whether any dinosaur is a carnivore or herbivore.

[clare]

Those are super!My little boys are going to have some fun this weekend ( so am I).They might have to live on the kitchen table but I'll bet the boys will stay still long enough to eat their breakfast if they have these to look at.Thanks for the inspiration.I might have to dig out that issue of Martha Kids.Clare

[Michelle]

Did you see your pix:

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/planttherapy/planttherapy-at-plant-roundup-047861

[Melissa]

The dinos are the perfect touch!