A "Succulent" Cup of Tea - Photo Tutorial

I've not been doing all that much cardmaking or stamping lately, but I have been creative. This week's project a cute little "cup of tea".

My friend, Robin, was celebrating her Birthday this weekend and I wanted to make her something special. My daughter and I made a trip to TJ Max for inspiration and I found the cutest little polka dotted teacup and saucer. It came in 3 colors, green, red and blue. Since I know green is the color of growth, I chose that. The small Robin (yes, I picked that because my friend's name is Robin) was found at our local Ace Hardware store.

You can see the little Robin with it's redbreast on the saucer.

Supplies you will need :

Pot

Small statues, shiny rocks or pebbles, word stones, marbles, etc.

About 4 or 5 small cactus or succulents (without thorns... MY FAVORITE!)

Cactus Potting Soil: It IS important to use this with succulents because they like to drain and not sit with wet roots

Pitcher of water

A small bowl or pot to mix the soil and water together

A small container or spoon to help add dirt to the "tight" areas.

Open and pour 3 to 4 cups of cactus soil into your mixing pot. Add a cup of water and mix around with your hands.

The soil should feel damp but NOT muddy. Allow the soil to continue soaking up the water while you gather your succulents.

I've chosen several different leaf sizes, colors, and sizes of plants. That will add interest to your finished pot. You can put the ones that tend to stand tall in the middle and those that one day will trail over the edge around the outside edges of the pot. Remember to mix up the colors and leaf types for interest.

Begin adding soil to your pot of choice. I'll put soil in about halfway, then measure using the succulents existing pot to determine proper depth. You want your cactus to sit in the dirt at the same depth it was in its small pot.

Continue adding your plants around the edges filling in soil as you go. Remember to leave some room for your stones or statues.

As the space gets a little tighter, change from your hands to a shot glass or spoon so you can ensure all the roots are covered and pressed in firmly. When you are finished, you can use either a damp towel to brush off any accumulated dirt that doesn't belong. Add your focal piece and....

VOILA!!

A BEAUTIFUL GIFT FOR MY SWEET FRIEND, ROBIN!!

There you have it, simple, fun, and easy to maintain. I hope you give it a try and if you do, show me YOUR creation. I'd LOVE to see!