Tag: succulent

Color Block Hanging Succulents

Written by Jenna on July 3, 2014. Posted in DIY. 2 Comments on Color Block Hanging Succulents

I love a quick, wham bam thank you ma’ma kinda DIY project! Yes, I love the gratification of a big ole’ DIY challenge that takes brains + braun (hello honeycomb shelves), but at the same time something simple is just as satisfying (& takes a whole lot less time).

Now that our baby girl has arrivedand I have no free time to do anything, my mind is all for easy + fast… I’m in git er’ done mode. I could never give up DIYing, even if I had 8 kids (which will never happen), so instead of tackling something difficult & timely, I’m going for simple. My latest & greatest – Color Block Hanging Succulents…

Just to be honest and not have you think I am wonder woman, I worked on this project before the baby arrived, then snapped the final pictures for the post yesterday. Over the last few days, I really have tried to just sit back, rest, and relax – well for the most part.

So on to this really cool & super easy creation… When I was shopping at Lowe’s for supplies for a few projects last month, I had to hit the succulent / plant section. Succulents are my favorite this time of year – Spring & Summer – and I love planting smaller and larger sized succulents in pots, cups, or anything that is container-like. Last years Spring mantel is a great example of a succulent display using all different style containers.

While loading up on different sized succulents at Lowe’s, I found a a pre-made wicker-style hanging basket filled with about 4 different style succulents. How much better does it get than already made?!

I immediately the hanging baskets would look great in the kitchen at the large window that overlooks the backyard. I knew I would enjoy them immensely while doing dishes at the sink or prepping dinner.

But of course I had to jazz them up…

I first figured out where the baskets would best be placed to hang from the ceiling. I made a mark, installed an anchor, then a hook.

Here comes the easy DIY idea to customize and make them one-of-a-kind, unique pieces.

Using paint that I had on-hand (I had the hardest time choosing the color) and a firm crafting brush, I painted the bottom 1/3 of the wicker / stick basket. In the end I chose to use plain white and a popping citron green hue (Valspar Olive Tree, which matches the front door).

I could have used tape to make sure the line was straight around, but instead I simply “eyed it”. I added the paint on thick so it got into all the nooks & crannies.

Within minutes, I made my way around the entire edge and to dry, I hung them by the hooks. And that’s it. Down & Dirty easy DIY!

Here’s the result…

So fun, right?! I love how they look and in just 2 weeks they have grown a lot. I guess they love the light that filtrates through the large window.

Gosh, I just can not get enough of succulents!

Do you love easy DIY creations? Would you rather start projects from scratch or do you like ‘jazzing’ up something pre-made?

Disclosure: I am part of the Loweâ€™s Creative Team and was provided with a Loweâ€™s gift card to purchase items for my project. I was also compensated for my time to use the products. No one told me what to create, what to buy, how to use the product, or what to write. All opinions are 100% mine!

Create Your Own Succulent Arrangement

Written by Jenna on May 25, 2012. Posted in DIY. 10 Comments on Create Your Own Succulent Arrangement

I’m a sucker for succulents, but have always been hesitant to get them because I don’t have a green thumb and most arrangements are pretty pricey (keep on reading and you’ll see)!

Recently, on my quest to bring the outdoors in, I finally got the courage and set out on search for a pretty succulent arrangement, and couldn’t believe how much they cost. Similar to terrarium arrangements, most are $30+ and that’s certainly not in my budget, especially since I haven’t had success in the past with keeping plants living for long.

If you remember back not too long ago, my gal blogger pal, Brittany of Pretty Handy Girl, shared a tutorial on how to make your own terrarium and save big bucks, and now I’ll show you How-To Make Your Own Succulent Arrangement for less than $15.

Let’s get started…

Thanks to my FB community for pointing me in the right direction, I purchased my succulents at Lowe’s (I didn’t even realize that they carried succulents). I looked for succulents that paired well together giving some variation in height and color. I also got one larger succulent to “anchor” the arrangement.

For the box, I used a wood planter that the Mister actually made a few weeks ago using pallet planks. If anyone’s interested, I’ll share a tutorial on that soon – let me know.

Knowing the size of the box, I chose four different succulent plants and placed them in the box to see how best they should be arranged before adding the soil.

Once I figured out the best layout, I removed the succulents from the box and lined the box with a plastic garbage bag. If you are making a similar arrangement, lining the planter isn’t a must, but since this pallet box is made of wood and wasn’t perfect at the corners, I felt it best to line the interior so water and soil wouldn’t seep out the corners.

I left about 2″ of exposed wood at the top, so once the soil was added it would thoroughly cover the liner. I wanted to see my pretty flowers, not the liner 🙂

I then added the soil leaving about 1″ of exposed wood at the top.

Next came the beautiful succulents, which I recommend starting with the largest one first. Like with all plants, I was sure to gently separate the roots before planting.

The arrangement looked alittle messy once it was complete… but just wait!

It was time to add the small rocks which are almost always seen in those pricey succulent arrangements. I picked these up for about $3 and only used half the bag.

I carefully placed a thin layer on top of the soil so only the succulents would show through.

Once the rocks were put in place, the succulent arrange was complete…

…And sits beautifully on my front porch.

Want to learn more on caring for a succulent? Check out this awesome article on growing healthy succulents. I learned quite a few good tips to keep my new succulent arrangement strong and healthy!

Let’s break it down to see how much I saved…

(4) succulent plants were: $2.98 each

(1) Bag of rocks that I used half of: $3.00 /2 (for half) = $1.50

Wood Planter Box: Free – made from an old pallet

So the grand total to create this beautiful Succulent Arrangement was around $13. Not bad, right?!

Check out this arrangement that I just found online for $68. I like mine way better! What do you think? Make it or Buy it??

Succulent arrangements are fun to make any time of year, but since they truly love the sun, Spring and Summer is a great time of year to create one of your own.

Do you have succulents in your home? Have you ever made your own succulent arrangement? Would you rather make (and save) or buy?