The Art of Darkness

Cemeterrarium

April 21st, 2010 by Cobwebs

CemeterrariumI’ve mentioned cemetery-themed terraria on the site previously, but I love this extra-miniature example by Etsy seller LBrandt. It uses moss for the greenery and is housed in a hanging glass drop. The shop also sells miniature headstones and even a teeny little grim reaper for your terrarium-decorating pleasure.

I’m not sure how much the seller charges (the shop is temporarily closed), but it would be reasonably easy to do a DIY version inexpensively.

Moss is easy to maintain (there are instructions for creating a moss terrarium here, here, and about a zillion other places on the Web), and it’s great for very small containers. You could also try air plants (like those used in this terrarium-in-a-light-bulb tutorial) or miniature ferns.

In addition to the glass drop used here, you could also try laboratory flasks, canning jars, or even the big glass “decorate it yourself” ornaments sold at craft stores. If you want a slightly larger container, brandy snifters, goldfish bowls, and lidded glass kitchen canisters are all possibilities.

Miniature headstones are available from some dollhouse suppliers, although if you’re doing a particular teeny design it might be easier to make them yourself out of Sculpy or polymer clay. Add a few rocks (dabbing them with diluted yogurt will encourage the moss to grow all over them) or other appropriately somber-looking decorations, and you’ve got a little pocket of gloom perfect for your desk or windowsill.

I think a little twisty-looking bonsai tree on mossy ground would look especially nice surrounded by tombstones.

(via Haute Macabre)

Posted in Paint It Black | 3 Comments »

3 Responses

  1. xJane Says:

    Loving the Bonsai-with-death still life (still death?) at the etsy seller’s site.

  2. David Says:

    I can’t believe I still don’t have a terrarium. Or ten.

    Anyways, I should try to make a cemetary-themed one, they’re gorgeous!

    or even better; make one using earth and plants taken from an actual cemetary. Now THAT would be creepy.

  3. Kat Says:

    I love it. I’ve slowly been getting into terrariums and just purchased an absolutely GIANT filtering flask (it’s honestly over a foot tall) this weekend at the local flea market. I’m plotting to quite carefully turn it into a terrarium and place some sort of grotesque item of mythology in it to display it as a “captured specimen.” I just haven’t decided what.

    I’d do Death, but that’d kind of feel like ripping off these all too awesome little terrariums.