Tiny Living Terrarium Necklace Tutorial

Created by: Summer Melaas

Designer Tips

Add about 1/2" of soil, a small amount of moss, then sedum or other tiny succulents to a glass bottle charm. Total dirt/moss should be about 3/4". Mist very lightly as needed to maintain; do not overwater.
Cut roughly 12" of wire. Wrap wire around the bottle approx. 3 times. Wrap wire one more time half way so that both wires are on opposite sides of the bottle. Make loops with each one of these wires for your chain. Continue to wrap the wire 2 more times and secure wire around both the existing loops before you cut off the excess wire.
If desired, use bronze wire and crystal or gemstone beads to wire wrap a beaded chain section to add to the necklace chain.
Use jump rings (or your beaded chain section) to attach the loops on the bottle to the chain. (See Jewelry Basics 101 PDF for step-by-step instructions on making wire loops and the best way to open and close jump rings.)
If desired, stamp a small metal tag using instructions in our Metal Stamping 101 (PDF). Wording suggestions for your tiny wearable garden: Grow, Inspire, Breathe, Reap what you sow, Plant dreams, Bloom, You're Beautiful, Be Still, Relax, Bounty, Gratitude, Wonder, Flourish, Dream, Hope, or Plant now, harvest later.
Gold-fill chain and phosphor bronze wire are excellent materials for a living necklace like this, as neither have a plating to wear off.
Phosphor bronze wire will naturally oxidize and darken over time. It also has superb spring qualities, high fatigue resistance, excellent formability and solderability, and high corrosion resistance.

Suggested Supplies

1 10-pack [use 1] #30-187-5022 Bottle Charm, Glass Jar, Glass, 50x22mm
1 spool [use 12-24"] #46-402-53 Artistic Wire Phosphor Bronze Jewelry Wire, 22ga, 15yd - Bare Bronze
1 ten-pack [use 1] #88-102-12-0 Vintaj Natural Brass Blank, Rectangle Tag, 17x5mm
2 feet #40-693-14 1/20, 14kt Gold-Filled Drawn Cable Chain Spool, Footage
or
2 feet #40-090-16-4 Gold Plated Drawn Flat Cable Chain, 2.1mm
or other approximately 2mm plated chain of your choice
1 10-pack [use 2 pieces] #37-391-550 14kt Gold-Filled Jump Ring, Round, 5mm
or
1 ounce [use 2 pieces] #37-136-2 Yellow Plated Jump Ring, Round, 5mm
Optional: 1 strand #21-883-017 Rhyolite Gemstone Beads, Round, 3mm
Optional: 1 strand #21-884-530 Golden Pietersite Gemstone Beads, Round, 4mm
Optional: 1 strand #21-884-549 4mm Round Tigereye Gemstone Beads
Optional: 1 strand #21-884-591 4mm Round Verdite Gemstone Beads
Optional: 1 strand #21-402 2-3mm Gemstone Faceted Cube Beads -- (these are super sweet!)
If using the tiny cubes, you may need a bit thinner gauge of wire for them. 24ga phosphor bronze works well with the sizes we've tested so far.