Vintage Etsy Update: Sparkly 1950's Party Dresses

Today's update is this beautiful pair of 1950's sparkly party dresses. Aren't they just gorgeous?!

Left: Blue and Green Sequined Pleated Party Dress
Right: Purple and Blue Sequined Sweetheart Layered Party Dress

DIY Toadstool Terrarium necklace Tutorial

Today I have a special treat for you. One of my closest friends Alyssa, sells fun and funky handmade jewelry and is starting to sell these magical little DIY terrarium kits. When she sent me this magical tutorial I couldn't wait to share it with you all! These necklaces make the perfect Christmas gift and are so easy to make and ship to loved ones! Alyssa sells the little bottles in her shop. She also sells Toadstool Terrarium Necklace Kits with everything you'll need to make these little beauties! $10 for a single kit and $20 for a set of three. These would make the perfect DIY craft party activity to do with your friends! Hop on over and check out her wonderful etsy shop and pick up some goodies to give as gifts this Christmas!

You will need:
Moss (available in large bags at craft stores and florists. But you only need a tiny clump)
Plastic bottle with removable base
Shells, sea glass or other tiny natural items
Red and White polymer clay
Clasps and Jump rings
Tiny rocks or pebbles
Narrow ribbon
Glue (clear drying and flexible is best, I use Tacky)
Scissors
Pushpin or needle
Pen or Pencil
Tweezers (for placing tiny stuff)
Tin foil (folded to make a tiny tray)
Oven (preheated to 275 degrees Fahrenheit)

1. Apply a thin layer of glue to the base of the bottle.

2. Arrange pebbles onto glue, making sure no pebbles hang off the edge.

3. Trim tiny clumps of moss and apply glue to them. Place moss onto pebbles. Make sure the clumps stay put! Glue on other tiny natural items such as shells. Important: Keep a small space clear in the center of the base, so the toadstools can be glued firmly to the rocks. Set base aside to allow glue to dry.

4. Meanwhile, knead clay in your hand until is is smooth and pliable. Shape small pieces of white clay into stems (make the base of the stem wide, and the tip pointy). Shape red clay into toadstool caps. Get creative! Make them flat, tall and conical, or round and domed. Make some really tiny ones too, so you can fit more than one mushroom into your bottle.

5. If desired, add white dots to decorate the caps. Scratch your pushpin across a clump of white clay and get a speck of white clay to cling to the point of the pin. Poke the point into the red cap. The white speck will stick. When it looks evenly covered with white specks, use your fingertip to smooth down the white specks and erase the pinholes.

6. Use your pen or pencil to stab a hole into the underside of the cap. Wiggle the stem into cap. Important: try putting the toadstool into the bottle to make sure it fits! Put finished toadstool onto your foil tray, and carefully set the tray on your oven’s middle rack. Bake tiny mushrooms for no more than 7 minutes and large mushrooms for no more than 10 minutes. Careful! Toadstools will be hot coming out of the oven.

7. Once toadstools have mostly cooled, apply glue to the base of the stem, and stick it to the pebble-covered base between the moss and shells. Try gently fitting the bottle over the toadstools to see if you like the arrangement. Allow to dry completely, then place bottle over base. The bottle will hold the base on with friction, so you don’t need to glue it. Cut ribbon to desired length, thread through ring on top of bottle, and tie a clasp and ring to the ends. Or just tie a cute bow behind your neck.

Voila! You just made your own toadstool terrarium necklace.