Friday, January 22, 2010
FAQ....Basic Care for Your Terrariums!
How do I take care of my terrarium?
Caring for most of our terrariums is super simple, in a nutshell, you don't. Some terrariums may need watering every few weeks. If something dramatic and mysterious happens feel free to email us!
Where should I keep my terrarium?
When you are deciding where to keep you terrarium, find a place with bright but indirect sunlight. If you must keep it in a place without much light, you may way to put it outside in the shade for a few days every couple of weeks to refresh it. Whatever you do, do not put it in direct sunlight. This will fry it within a few hours.
What about water?
As you are enjoying your terrarium, you will notice condensation on the glass. This is good, it confirms the sustainability of your little ecosystem. If the walls of your terrarium are dry, you may want to open the top and give it a few spritzes of distilled water to keep it moist. If you like taking the top off and poking around in there, you may have to do this more often. Do your best to use distilled water, as the calcium and chlorine can build up and harm the moss. However tap water is better than no water at all, so use your best judgment(you probably can get away with tap water every now and again).
Some terrariums need more attention.
If you own one of our terrariums with a silver coaster base, it will dry out secretly from the bottom, never showing sighs of distress until it is too late. Making an effort to give it a bit of water every two weeks will keep it healthy. Hold the terrarium at 45 degree angle over a sink, trickle distilled water down the side of the glass into the crevice between the glass and the silver lip. It won't need much ( maybe 2 ounces) and be sure to use distilled water!
Oops! I totally poured a whole cup of water into my terrarium!
In case of an accidental flood, don't be afraid to tilt your terrarium to pour out the access water. Then leave the top off allowing for the excess to evaporate ( a coupla days topless usually does the trick.)
Something turned brown, is it dead?
Most likely, no. Plants in your terrarium go through phases as a natural part of their life cycle. If some plant or leaf in your terrarium has turned brown and you don't like it, feel free to remove it with scissors or tweezers. Some mosses may turn brown as a part of their life cycle, and will do so regardless of the moisture level. If some dramatic change occurs in your terrarium, feel free to email us a picture, and ask us about it, we would love to hear from you!
Write us an email, send us a picture, ask us a question!
Tamara's email is : theclaspofisi@gmail.com
Catherine's email is: Robotroadkill@gmail.com
Caring for most of our terrariums is super simple, in a nutshell, you don't. Some terrariums may need watering every few weeks. If something dramatic and mysterious happens feel free to email us!
Where should I keep my terrarium?
When you are deciding where to keep you terrarium, find a place with bright but indirect sunlight. If you must keep it in a place without much light, you may way to put it outside in the shade for a few days every couple of weeks to refresh it. Whatever you do, do not put it in direct sunlight. This will fry it within a few hours.
What about water?
As you are enjoying your terrarium, you will notice condensation on the glass. This is good, it confirms the sustainability of your little ecosystem. If the walls of your terrarium are dry, you may want to open the top and give it a few spritzes of distilled water to keep it moist. If you like taking the top off and poking around in there, you may have to do this more often. Do your best to use distilled water, as the calcium and chlorine can build up and harm the moss. However tap water is better than no water at all, so use your best judgment(you probably can get away with tap water every now and again).
Some terrariums need more attention.
If you own one of our terrariums with a silver coaster base, it will dry out secretly from the bottom, never showing sighs of distress until it is too late. Making an effort to give it a bit of water every two weeks will keep it healthy. Hold the terrarium at 45 degree angle over a sink, trickle distilled water down the side of the glass into the crevice between the glass and the silver lip. It won't need much ( maybe 2 ounces) and be sure to use distilled water!
Oops! I totally poured a whole cup of water into my terrarium!
In case of an accidental flood, don't be afraid to tilt your terrarium to pour out the access water. Then leave the top off allowing for the excess to evaporate ( a coupla days topless usually does the trick.)
Something turned brown, is it dead?
Most likely, no. Plants in your terrarium go through phases as a natural part of their life cycle. If some plant or leaf in your terrarium has turned brown and you don't like it, feel free to remove it with scissors or tweezers. Some mosses may turn brown as a part of their life cycle, and will do so regardless of the moisture level. If some dramatic change occurs in your terrarium, feel free to email us a picture, and ask us about it, we would love to hear from you!
Write us an email, send us a picture, ask us a question!
Tamara's email is : theclaspofisi@gmail.com
Catherine's email is: Robotroadkill@gmail.com
Uninvited guests, to weed or to wed?
Tamara and I have so so much fun making our terrariums. We occasionally get to volley over the fate of a particular unidentified seedling that came with the moss we harvest, and the very best surprise is what happens after we plant a terrarium. In the weeks after every tiny little specimen was meticulously considered, these little volunteers often become the stars of the show, sometimes they crowd unattractively or just don't seem to contribute. Almost always an unexpected element grows and completes the array in a way we could not anticipate.
That is why we loved finding this post Artist Keiko Narahashi posted explaining her similar experiences. Here is a pictures of one particular volunteer and a little quote about it:
That is why we loved finding this post Artist Keiko Narahashi posted explaining her similar experiences. Here is a pictures of one particular volunteer and a little quote about it:
If you do own one of our terrariums, or you have made one of your own, in time you might get to experience these volunteers yourself. The fun part is getting to choose which guests you keep and which you show the door!The thing about a terrarium is that it is an enclosed ecosystem that goes through its own life cycles. I collect plants, moss, rocks, etc, from the woods for my terrariums, so along with those specimen come all manner of invisible (to my eye) life forms. At first, I was repulsed by the creatures that would hatch or crawl out of the dirt, the little pellets they produced, the mold, and the general decay. I was frustrated by the transformations in these enclosed environments that I had carefully designed and spent an inordinate amount of time trying to “manage” the undesirable elements. Luckily, for these elements, my innate laziness won out and I started letting them alone.
Since then, I have discovered that everything has a life cycle, including mold. I have learned that a pill bug can live for a year (I still can’t figure out what it eats). I have learned to stop imposing my sense of order and prettiness where it doesn’t belong.
And, every once in a while, something entirely unexpected happens. Like this.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Who is Hurry and Leaf?
Hurry&Leaf is a collaborative union of two long time best friends Tamara Cervenka and Catherine Brooks. They met many many years ago when Tamara was transplanted to Catherine's hometown (Richmond, VA) and after having been best friends for 13 years these two ladies, in rare form, are actually living in the same city again. Their shared passion for art, gardening, and anything beautiful but bizarre is finally bearing fruit, which you can see and buy in local boutiques and online at http://www.hurryandleaf.etsy.com. Their Hurry&Leaf shop will also often feature artworks made by Isobel Milena ( the pseudonym they show their art together under.)
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