Last Minute Handmade Gift Idea- Moss Terrarium

Did you forget Aunt Sally or Great-Auntie Stella? No problem! This quick, easy, and almost FREE Christmas gift is great for a last minute gift. It's also not a bad idea to make a few extra gifts for someone you may have forgotten, but don't recall or someone decides to bring their neighbor along to your holiday festivities. You all know during the holidays you can never tell what could happen especially with those out of town relatives who tend to do the craziest things. Have fun and happy creating! Put a little handmade in someone's life this holiday season!




Terrariums are easy and VERY inexpensive since all of your materials other than the container can be found in nature. I found the tall apothecary jar at a local thrift store for $1 and the other is just a small canning jar I had around the house.

To create a terrarium you will need the following materials:
1. jar
2. small pebbles (just enough to cover the bottom of the jar)
3. soil
4. moss

First, make sure your jar is clean and dry. Loosely place the pebbles in the bottom of the jar, careful not to chunk them in and break something. Make sure your pebbles cover the bottom of the jar, but aren't layered too thick. Next, place about an 1/2"-1" of soil on top of the pebbles. All that is left to do now is to place your moss on top of the the soil. You can layer your moss and tuck smaller pieces into the cracks of the larger pieces. Just experiment with it and decide how you like it. You can also add small things like tiny ferns, just pick one by the root and stick it in a crack around the moss so it's in the soil. You can also add cute miniatures if you can find some or have any on hand. These give the terrariums a sweet little feel.






Caring for your terrarium- Ok you don't have to have a green thumb to keep this a live. Simply water once every week or so with a SMALL amount of water such as a 1/2 tea spoon full. Place the lid on and watch it thrive. If there is a lot of condensation on the inside of the jar then it's probably to damp. Take the top off and let it breathe a little until some of the condensation has gone away. A little condensation is a great thing, it means your terrarium is happy! Have fun with this and ENJOY!

Great Gifts All For Under $10

It seems like every time we turn around we are hearing of another financial crisis effecting someone we know. Just today my fiance and I went to pick up his pay check (he works at a lumber mill) and upon arriving we noticed the parking lot was almost empty. It turns out they laid a lot of people off. Thank God, he wasn't one. But on Dec. 17 they will close his part until Jan. 7. Everyone is pinching pennies and trying to get by. I have gathered some items from Etsy that make great gifts and are under $10.



This fun and funky little necklace is great for the teenage girl on your list or those who like to have a little fun. This brightly colored rainbow pendant is situated nicely on a strand of white seed beads. This and more great buys can be found in the Etsy shop of cjsdesigns and only cost $2.25!



This is a darling little set of magnets. They are done in Amy Butler fabrics, which are so popular right now and they come in this precious little tin. These will cost you only $6.00 and ca be found in the Etsy shop of redbirdroaddesign.



Got a baby on your list? The Etsy shop of hippillow is for you! She has some adorable onesies appliqued with cute hippos as well as the cutest hippo pillows I have ever seen. The hippilow onesie shown above is a size 9 months and will cost you only $4.00! Nothing in her shop is priced above $6.00. Amazing? I think so.



Any dad, son, father-in-law, uncle and so on will love these. They are indeed for the child at heart. These vroom vroom cufflinks are the perfect gift for any guy on your list. They would coordinate great with a white, blue, or yellow button down. These are only $8.50 and can be found in the Etsy shop of baublesnbows.




Key lime pie and a candle? I must be in Heaven. Everyone loves a great smelling candle! AuntieDis on Etsy is filled with some great candles. This is her key lime pie jar candle which cost only $8.00. Stick this fab candle in a great gift bag, write your giftee's name, sign yours and you are good to go!


I hope this reaches someone who needs it most. I think most of us can all agree that while some of us or someone we know may be having a hard time there is always someone out there much worse than we are. We should be thankful for what we do have and the things that matter most; our family, our health, and our friends. I wish each of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May you all be blessed.