Author Archives: Molly Grove

DIY How To: Hanging Terrariums

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Some people just get plants, and those people are not me. I call myself a black thumb because I tend to kill them, and by tend to, I mean always. But besides the toll that this has had on my career in house sitting, my black thumb has more significantly hindered me from making my own terrariums. But no more!

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Here is me going for it. As far as directions go, it is all very simple. Use some water, sand and moss as a base layer and then place one or two plants inside. Have fun with your placements and make sure to mix up the different type of plants. When you buy your plants or succulents, ask how much water to use, but I just put a bit of water in the bottom in order to get the soil and moss wet. Most likely it seems good enough to just spritz the plants every couple of weeks and keep them in sunlight. But again, black thumb.

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 Supplies:

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Not in the mood for DIY or don’t feel like testing out your green thumb? Check out Take to the Sea [http://taketothesee.tumblr.com], a local Toronto pair that makes beautiful terrariums of all shapes and sizes. Their terrariums will blow you away, so make sure to check them out either way, and get some inspiration!

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Easy Spring Craft: Melted Crayon Wall Art

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melted-crayon-collage

This easy and inexpensive artwork makes a bright addition to a wall or a great gift for a friend. And it only took about 45 minutes to do!

Materials:
- Old newspaper
- Canvas
- Crayons
- Hot glue gun
- Hair dryer

Before you get going, make sure to put down some old newspapers on your floor to protect from Crayon splatter.

I started by laying out all of my Crayons in the order of the rainbow (just remember your good old friend ROY G BIV) and gluing them onto the canvas. Feel free to get creative with your colours, order, and shape! For example, I have seen this craft done in multiple shades of one colour like blue or green, or in the shape of a heart melting outwards. You could even take the Crayons out of their wrappers for a more natural look. Beware that the glue dries fast, so get those Crayons on there quickly!

Now you’re ready to blow dry the Crayons, melting the wax into a cool design—but again, beware of the splatter! Lean your canvas against something and be careful where you’re aiming the hot air (you don’t want Crayon all over the walls or your shirt!). Technique hint: Focus the hair dryer on just a few Crayons at a time, and don’t be afraid to go over each section more than once so that the Crayons are melted down to your desired length.

And there you have it! Just like that, your craft is Instagram-ready!

Tips for Writing Snail Mail

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I have never met someone who doesn’t love getting real mail. The best way for you to get that fuzzy feeling for yourself? Sending it off to someone else first.

Top 5 Tips for writing snail mail:

1.    Handwrite It.
If you are going to type it out, you might as well just email it. There is a certain personability and beauty behind a handwritten letter, whether your writing tends to be more stylish or more like chicken scratch.

2.    Pick Specific People.
Don’t try to write a letter to everybody you know; instead, focus on people who you don’t need to speak with every day but with whom you feel a friendship you would like to maintain. It is also helpful to pick people who you feel will write back so that you do not get discouraged.

3.   Ask Questions & Tell Stories.
Even though you won’t be able to get an immediate reply like you are probably used to, this encourages them to write back and starts a conversation. Also, feel free to tell them about a moment in your life along with the common go to’s, like how you are and big life events. This is where letter writing can allow you to reflect on your day or week and pick out beautiful moments or moments of struggle. I also think that I tend to realize what issues are truly worth sharing and what I just tend to talk about with friends who are nearby in order to complain.

4.   Don’t Rush It.
Pick a time when you can relax and write the letter, maybe over a coffee in your favorite café or curled up in a chair with your cat or when you are normally bored on a train ride home. If you can’t think of what to write, take a break and come back to it an hour or a day later when your thoughts are  more focused and settled.  You can also collect quotes from a book you’re reading, or pretty tokens that cross your path, like a autumn leaf or a tiny charm, to include in the letter as you go. 

5.   Use Pretty Paper.
This doesn’t mean spending a lot of money, but having pretty paper and envelopes always encourages me to continue writing others even when I am not getting responses. It tends to just add to the feeling of beauty for yourself and the receiver. There are a ton of little stationary stores around: here are our top picks. You can also decorate paper yourself if you are feeling extra creative. 

Follow Molly on Twitter @mollyalice99