Miniature Worlds

I've made a few simple experimental terrariums in the last few weeks.  Last week I had my first one on one 'build your own terrarium' workshop with a lady colleague of mine.  She really enjoyed it, maybe just as much if not more than I did.  It was a nice, relaxed afternoon with plenty of chatting and laughing in between.  She took home two of her first terrariums; a closed and an open terrarium.  She sent me a photo of her open terrarium after she's added an ornament she had at her home.

I  experimented on available plants I can use in my creations.  While doing so I came across a few miniature gardens in pots and was captivated by the broken pot projects that are plastered all over You Tube.  I like the idea of creating a scene, a story; something that means something to me.  So I channelled the ideas I have for my closed terrariums and used them to create my first three broken pot projects.

I had to buy new pots and then break them, sounds stupid but I learnt that the Italian made pots are better or stronger.  I want my miniature world to last, I believe it's worth getting a new pot plus I'm sure it is clean.  I never bothered to research how to break them to get the shape I want.  I had to glue or put grout in the bigger pot as it broke way further than I wanted it to break.  I think I've learnt a bit about breaking pots now, I know I'll do a better job next time.  I must say they are a pleasure to look at.  By the way, watching my mother's way of gardening all those years I helped her in her garden, I have become one of those gardeners who talk to their plants, they do respond very well!

The broken pots are really like mini-worlds, I just love them.  I am currently on the look out for a bigger pot I could use; only this time I am hoping to find a give-away one rather than buy a new one.  Good quality pots can be a bit pricey and I wouldn't have the heart to break a new big and expensive pot.  So keeping my fingers crossed.   

Below are a few shots I took while making my first broken pot mini-world.

Step1:   Breaking the pot, as you can see I made a mess out of it.  It was never my intention to break the pot halfway but I had no idea how to do it.  It just doesn't give you a good base/foundation when you only have half of the base.

Step 2.  So I had to sit it on something to create a full base...glad I found one sitting around...I used a premium potting mix for my planting medium and a few pebbles at the bottom to help with drainage.











Step 3.  Before I started planting, I wanted to use an ornament so I took a few of the dead flower branches from our golden cane palms and created a hut or log cabin.  My first hot glue gun job for a very long time, I couldn't control the amount of glue coming out.   Either I didn't have enough lighting to see what I was doing or it's simply the fact that I'm almost half blind and working under a dull light didn't help.

Step 4.  I chose a few little plants from the garden and small ferns from the garden centre and planted them where I wanted them to go

 

Step 5:  The end product; my first mini-world.  Looking back I realize now that I should have glued the base to the pot.

Moss would have made this mini-world look more lush and it should be achievable  but being an open mini-garden, moss would require too much time in trying to establish it.  I have plants dying each time I have to go away for a few days simply because there's no one reliable enough to water them.  Hence the reason I thought terrariums are the way to go as they can go without care for long period of time.  But I just fell in loved with the broken pots and  I know with a bit of consideration of the types of plants I use, they too can do without much care if left for a few days.

Why my Bottled Dreams?

I left everything that meant a lot to me almost three years ago now in order to start a new life across the ditch.  After having lived alone for several years after divorce, I met my Aussie husband and came to join him in Mackay.  It's always a struggle at the start. When you're in your golden years you have set ways and even more so when you've been alone for years.  But when you also have to leave your family  (good kids and a newborn grand daughter  most especially), awesome friends and your home country behind; it can double the anguish as I found out.

Transitioning from an urban (cosmopolitan) to a smaller city (a very quiet one in my opinion) lifestyle where I cannot get a job (in fact where jobs are being culled by the hundreds in most industries) came as the icing of my bitter cake.  It means learning the ways of the people, the services available; difference in local regulations,  establishing new connections and friendships, getting use to or getting to know neighbours.  Put together they can prove exhausting and can make one's experience either a tad better or much worse. It took a while for me to recover from all of these on my own and longer to recover from missing my children and most especially my only grandchild, my parents, brothers and friends.

Volunteering helped me in a big way by providing a support system, at the same time giving some sense of belonging and of self-worth from being able to help and support those who are most in need.  As much as I was open-minded and resolute in making this place my new home; there is no denying how hard it was to give up or push aside my passion for travel and adventure. 

The economic downturn in this area made it harder for some of us migrants to find full-time regular employments.  Without the wonderful people from the non-profit organisation I volunteered at who vouched for me, I'd still be jobless today I reckon.  Working in an industry that's close to my heart and where I can make a contribution to the next generation is my greatest motivation.  Even if it does not offer me enough hours to justify travel pursuits like I was used to in my previous employment.

Working and studying part-time allows me enough time on the side to be a housewife and still have some time to pursue other interests.  I'm lucky and grateful that I now have re-married to a guy who treats me as his equal and who encourages my creative streak in his own way.

I enjoyed a pretty well balanced social life and active private life across the ditch; one I unfortunately do not have here.  I miss the noise, the non-stop chatter, the laughter, the singing, the praying and the sound of little children that is so normal to my family.  Surprisingly enough I am enjoying the simple life and the peace and quiet I have here.  I guess one good thing is being able to indulge in tropical gardening.  It takes most of my time these days;  my therapy, my life-saver.  I am very grateful hubby and I have this to share..  There are still times I miss the nights out and social gatherings with my friends. I always will, not for the activities but for the awesome company of good and loyal friends. 

When I got here my husband had an established but almost bare small backyard.  We dreamed about transforming it into something greener.  A lot easier said than done especially without a budget.  Two years later on a shoe string budget and with a lot of give-away plants from a couple of lady friends (with beautiful tropical, oasis-like gardens); we now have a much greener backyard.  

So what does my long spill got to do with my Bottled Dreams?  Not much really except my "my Bottled Dreams" was born out of my frustrations of not having more space in the garden as well as not having enough adventure to keep me on my toes!  One night I googled dwarf varieties of fruit-bearing trees I could grow in pots as we do not have fruit-bearing trees apart from a couple (a lemon tree and a Sesbania grandiflora or katuray tree in my dialect) I planted in pots last year.  We now have a few more pots of dwarf trees in our backyard.  Aside from dwarf trees I also came across terrariums that night, a childhood passion that faded with the years......I made a few attempts making them when I was in grade school (not proper ones of course).

Seeing pictures of them online took me back to my childhood days, my mom's garden especially.   Well the next morning, I made my first terrarium with a bit of  groundcover  plants and moss growing from the shaded area in our garden.   I realised I could actually create my dreams or re-create memories of experiences I had inside these little bottles!   That was more than two months ago, my bottled dreams are looking established now.  I guess I can say I'm hooked on terrariums!

Tramping - my first Terrarium

I tried my hands on making figurines simply because my containers are small and I know it's hard to find the right sizes of ornaments and figurines I want to have everything inside the bottles proportional.  In the above photo without scrutinizing the figure's face; it looks okay or acceptable.  Working with air dry terracotta and trying to make an inch tall figure was a real challenge for me.  If one looks closer though, it will show how bad it is...but for now I'm happy!  Practice they say makes perfect!  Looking forward to more of my Bottled Dreams come true, I am indeed!