Calling all our green thumb friends – we’ve got a little spring DIY project for you!

Who doesn’t love a good terrarium?   Green thumb magic is not required, just a little love.  Terrariums are the perfect way to bring a little bit of the outdoor life inside. And you know that’s our specialty.  They are super easy to make and the best part is they don’t require a whole lot of watering. Once you start you’ll want to make a million! So grab your girlfriends and bring some life into your home!

What you will need:

A terrarium or pot of your choice.

Some cute succulent or cacti plants of your choice.  Our top picks are donkey’s tail, perle von Nurnberg, and crassula baby’s necklace.  Succulents and cacti are great because they don’t require a whole lot of watering, just a lot of sunlight which we are in no shortage of here in San Diego.

Planting material such as rocks and soil.

A spoon. We just used a spoon from our kitchen to place the plants in place.

A syringe. We use this to water our plants to get directly to the roots and because our plants are so small in this case they don’t need much water.

Gloves. Potting cacti sans gloves is no bueno. We recommend nitrile coated gloves.

Colored sand (optional). This adds a little extra something to your terrarium or potted plant. You can also use small decorative rocks or moss.

Step One:

Add your base layer. This can be rocks, sand or gravel. This layer is for drainage. Depending on how big or small your container is you will want at least a half an inch to an inch of this material.

Step Two:

Add your soil. We like to use the spoon for this step. You can play around with the amount of soil here, however you want to make sure that the roots are all surrounded by soil. That is very important!

Step Three:

Add your succulents. This is the fun part! We like to make little holes in the soil before placing them. Add your plants as desired, packing the soil around them tightly. Use the gloves with cacti in this step!

Step Four:

Add your sand. This is an optional step, of course, but we like to add a little color to our terrariums. We use the spoon for this step and cover the soil with the sand.

Step Five:

Water your plant. Using the syringe, We like to take a small amount of water (again depending on your pot size) and water the base of the plant.

And voila… you’ve made your own terrarium! If you used succulents and cacti as we did, you’ll want to place your terrarium or potted plant in a very sunny place in your home or office. Succulents and cacti LOVE the sun! We like to keep ours on our desks in the office next to a window!

We hope this Spring turtorial inspires you to bring a little life into your home!

If you’re looking for some cute pots check out our Teak Bowls perfect for this little project!

A big thank you to Pigment, in North Park for all the materials you’ve seen in this tutorial including the plants, the soil, and the sand.

Happy planting!

Love, The Sisters

We are thrilled to be able to showcase amazing finds and pay homage to local artists and entrepreneurs who captivate and enlighten our senses.  Beyond our artisanal home décor, we’ve sourced one of the most gifted local jewelry designers and carry her handmade, natural stone beauties in our store.  A feast for your eyes.  Your soul.  Meet the real gem, Kim Egel.

What is your skill? What were you trained in?

I earned my Masters in Clinical Psychology because I’ve always been and remain to be a huge believer in the power of self awareness.  My interest in psychology continues to help me understand my truth and allows me to help others uncover theirs.  After I was licensed as a therapist I felt a huge call toward so many untapped creative interests. I started getting involved with photography and designing t-shirts, which I sold in San Diego boutiques. Those two areas were the gateway for getting my hands involved with jewelry design.

What do you do now?

I am a licensed therapist and run a coaching business in Cardiff focused on the mind, the body, and overall wellness.  I write a blog for my coaching business and find that the concepts that I base my jewelry brand around, go eye to eye with the concepts that I base my coaching business around. They totally connect in my mind.  As a jewelry designer I use natural stones as my medium. I believe that stones carry an energy that affects wellness, can help the wearer cultivate intentions and can provide motivation for what we want to manifest.  All of these concepts synergized helped me create my brand.

What’s your current obsession?

I’m really into traveling to places where I can be active, get into the water and be surrounded with good food, kind people and interesting decor. I’m currently digging tribal electronica music after my latest trip to Tulum. (Feel free to follow my Tulum Vibes playlist on Spotify to get in on some of this vibe.)

Where did you gather your sense of style?

It started off with my mom.  She would always have a red lip and everyday, without fail, was super accessorized with unique jewelry and clothes. What used to embarrass me, because some of her pieces and dress where really different than the norm is now such an inspiration. 

What’s your go-to piece that every women should/need to own?

I love my Lariat Necklace.  It can be worn at the beach or out for dinner.  I love pieces that can transition super effortlessly. 

Any tips on defining or discovering your true self or sense of style?

I think it’s important to notice the things that you gravitate towards and how they make you feel.  I’ve always thought that how you put yourself together is a powerful and creative way to express yourself.

Where do you shop for clothes?

I’m a fan of Nordstrom Rack.  I like the hunt. I also love the site Revolve. They have a huge brand selection, there shipping is super speedy and the returns are easy. I love revolve; It’s my “go to.”

What’s your home style like? What is a must for you to have in your home? What are your favorite design mags or blogs?

In terms of my home style, I went for a clean, simple and beach zen vibe when I redecorated recently.  It’s all about the theme and color palette.  With help from a friend I finally learned how to create a more cohesive space, which I’m enjoying.  For me, it’s all about creating a feeling in your home.  I think candles, tropical foliage, good tunes, dim lighting, and calm and neutral colors create the zen feeling I want at home right now. As far as design mags, I love Dwell.

Lightning Round:

Coffee or Tea: COFFEE. I’m a huge french press girl. I love the darker blends. If I’m in Cardiff and I’m feeling like something sweet,  I love grabbing a California mocha from Pipes.

Lipstick or chapstick: GLOSS. Lancome Juicy Tubes. Color: PURE or Marshmallow Electro 

Heels or flats: CUTE FLATS. Mellow heels, still comfortable, but cute.

Red wine or white: WHITE. I’m oddly, in a white wine phase right now, which is weird because I was strictly a red wine drinker for years. Currently, I’m loving a chilled buttery chardonnay. Yum.

Beach or mountains: BEACH. Blacks beach is amazing for solitude. I love Grandview in Leucadia. I have good friends that live near that break so that’s a regular beach spot for me.

Hike or stroll: HIKE. I love hiking down to Blacks Beach and getting in a solid beach run. I love cruising La Jolla Shores Beach, the cove for snorkeling and it’s beautiful to cruise around Sunset Cliffs. Running on the beaches of north county is like meditation to me, especially when it’s low tide. Total Zen.

Kim is the cat’s silky pajamas and we’re blessed to know her.  If you’re already super fans like us, her jewelry is available for purchase at our store.  Come visit us!

Love, The Sisters

You may already know about these fabulous bloggers…but these days we find ourselves frequenting them on the regular for design inspiration.  If you haven’t stumbled across these creative do-er’s then get your lil butts to their design mecca’s and check them out.

• Brittney Makes:  For project tutorials, and color overload!

• New Darlings:  For a freakishly adorable husband and wife duo with mad mid century modern style, and MAJOR hair envy.  (Christina, your hair is to dye for!!!!)

• House of Hipsters:  For “down to earth, I can actually achieve this look” design inspiration! Love it!

• My Scandinavian Home:  For everything you wish your home was.