You can add more charm to your home by creating DIY flower pots yourself. In today's article we will introduce you to Russel Brown and his art. He will tell us and show us, step by step, how we can make an unusual decoration with the ever-green succulent plants. The project is by Russel Brown and the photos are by Bethany Nauert.
What Russel in the clothing storeThe Warehouse in Echo Parkdiscovered that his two great passions were old books and the careless way of caring for evergreen plants. He felt like he had a green thumb because he was with thePlanthave absolutely nothing in common. This is how the idea of DIY flower pots came about - your own creation so that they can be optimized a little and given a new shape. Some would immediately scream “Sacrilege!” if they saw Russel cutting a hole in the book. However, he believes that he combines, aims and imagines design with aesthetics in a new way. You take something beautiful and make it even more beautiful. For those who deny it, it is important to know that Russel wrote the books aboutItunesbought where they are already stored in a digital format for eternity and it is his act to free the stories from their shells. Some people remain speechless!
The components
1 vintage book; 2-3 small succulent plants. Local railway depots or flower markets sell them for around 2 euros each. It is also important that the plants are not too heavy, otherwise the feat will not be maintained even with miniature succulents. For the DIY flower pots you need a little potting soil, a sharp knife or craft knife, a little real parchment or plastic material, colorless glue, dried moss and something to decorate the surface. The guiding principle is “being wide and flat” is better than “being high”!
Russell Brown's guide
- The night before, it is recommended to glue the loose bookbinding paper with a thin layer of glue so that the next day the pages of the book remain straight and help cut out. In the second step you will cut out a rectangle in the middle of the book. It will take you a little more time and you will have to decide how big you want the rectangle to be. The smaller “patio spots” look cuter and more beautiful. You can also let a little of the book's font show, it completes the feat. Use the metal ruler to measure the exact location of the rectangle and cut out a few sides. It will also be necessary to carefully separate the sealed with glue pages, cut them out, and tear them out and so on until there is a hole of about 3-4 centimeters.
Measure and cut out
- Don't worry if the hole isn't nice or clean, the pages are jagged or torn, only the top page is visible. Potting soil will fill this small patio. Start with the second page and leave the first for last. Your hands will have a better feel for cutting out the top side cleanly and centrally after cutting everything out. It's also the only side that really matters.
Insert real parchment or plastic material
- Now insert the real parchment or plastic material into the hole. This prevents watering of the rest of the book.
The planting
- If your book is very deep, you can place a layer of silica at the bottom. It will provide the succulents with drainage. These are plants that don't like a lot of water and so the roots of the succulents will welcome it if they are not in water all the time. If the book is normal size, you will not have room for pebbles or silica. But don't worry, the succulents will survive without drainage.
Plant larger plants in the corners
- Start with the main plant and plant it in the patio first. Cover the plant with soil. For the larger plants, it is recommended that you plant them in the corners until they are firmly rooted. You should tip the potting soil with a little pressure so that the succulents can stand upright. Pour water on it, it will moisten the soil and so you can spread it better.
Lay moss for a better look
- After planting the succulents in the right spot, scatter moss to the surface. It looks much nicer and you can't notice the corners and depressions, and besides, the moss provides a kind of support for the plants.
One more final line
- Cut the remaining real parchment around the moss so that it remains unnoticeable. If the human eye catches it, it will blind your false hope. Blow away any remaining soil from the book.
And the finished piece of art is there
- The succulents are watered once a week with a spray can. The succulents need a lot of sunlight, so you will want to place them near a window or outside in the warm seasons. While you water them, try not to wet the top side.
