As I pondered workshops that are on theme for Halloween, I landed on a terrarium workshop with spooky elements in it. After looking online at little plastic knick-knacks, that just didn't feel right. A plastic skull or tombstone just doesn't fit our nature-loving vibe.

So in the interest of keeping it natural (and a little macabre), in lieu of a knick-knack, we will be incorporating a real animal skull as the "death" element in our Life and Death Terrarium Workshop.

The "life" element will be plants, of course, but also creepy crawlies. In this case, the creepy crawlies will be springtails and isopods. Springtails are tiny insects that eat mold and fungus. Because mold is a common issue in terrariums, springtails add to the health of the terrarium. Isopods (AKA roly polies) are crustaceans that feed on decaying organic matter, such as leaves. So the creepy crawlies are the cleanup crew (as they often are!).

In this workshop, we'll start by making our own terrarium potting mix. Then you'll select from elements like branches, bark, stones, and crystals to create a mini world in your terrarium. We'll discuss design considerations as we incorporate a real animal skull, moss, and plants before we add in the bugs.

This terrarium workshop is perfect for beginner and intermediate terrarium builders. My own interest in terrariums has gone from nil, to casual interest, to now being very interested in both technique and design. If you've taken a terrarium class here in the past, this one will go into more depth with both.

Each student leaves with a terrarium worth the price of the ticket! Get your tickets here.