Wild Creations

WILD

IDEAS

This book here, the one that you’re reading, was the initial Wild Idea. I thought, how do I get my publishers to let me make a book filled with DIY projects that my friends in the plant community and I would be excited about? So, I jotted down a few concepts, sent them over to my publishers, and you know what… they totally decided to pass on it. They thought it would never work. OK, clearly I’m kidding. You’re reading the book, so obviously they were into the idea. Really into it. With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting so many of us across the world, I wanted to have some ideas in this book that would encourage those stuck at home to get inspired and creative. If you’re anything like me, finding ways to refresh my living space brings me joy. So when I can find ways to refresh my surroundings that involve introducing greenery, it’s euphoric. Biophilic design is moving the world into the future, so ideas that help merge indoor and outdoor are extremely vital. In this chapter of the book, you will find DIY projects that are close to my heart, some that will turn your home into a jungle without using living things, and some that will truly bring out your inner child. But I guarantee, all will get your hands dirty!

While we might not all have the same artistic talents or access to materials, I tried my very best to make sure these projects could be created by everyone, from all across the world. Many of these projects can be done alone, but some will require you to ask for a little help. For me, there’s nothing more fulfilling than working on these projects with family or, if and when possible, friends. Each project breaks down what materials you’ll need and, more importantly, how long each project should take you, making it easier for you to manage. Enjoy!

LIVING ART: HOW TO MAKE A WALL MOUNTED PLANT

PROJECT TIME

1 HOUR

So many people today are looking for creative ways of blurring the line between indoors and outdoors. For me it’s always about what plants would thrive in the light provided in the areas I would like to place them while still showcasing my own individuality and style. As an interior and plant stylist, there is real artistry in creating the ideal gallery wall. Of course, this all starts with selecting the right art. And in doing so, it’s important to make sure you have a good mix of sizes and shapes when it comes to framing, and, of course, dimensions to make things stand out.

The best gallery walls I’ve seen have all had one thing in common: variety. They speak about who the individuals are that live in the space, yet also create a bit of a wow factor. I’ve always been in search of the wow and finding ways to sneak in a bit of greenery and tie in plant life to your gallery wall can take you there. Listen, with the amount of plants I have in my home, believe me, I know how quickly you can run out of floor space. But if you have the light and the time to care for more plant friends, why limit yourself to horizontal space only? When possible, go vertical! In my first book, I used this idea with the plant hammock above my bed. Not only are you finding more room to display your love for plants but you’re also creating living art. So I wanted to share with you how to make a smaller piece of living art by creating a wall-mounted plant.

If you’re a plant lover like me, you might have seen a mounted staghorn fern in your visits to plant stores. But have you ever considered how to create and style your own mounted plant? Well if so, today I’ll show you how to create that living art and how to make your gallery wall feel a bit more alive.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

A mountable plant: a staghorn fern (Platycerium bifurcatum), Philodendron, or Hoya are good choices.

Preserved sheet moss (Hypnum cupressiforme) and reindeer moss (Cladonia rangiferina)—the amount you’ll need will depend on the size of your plant and the wooden board you use, but for the one in the photos I used an 11 x 8in (28 x 20cm) piece of sheet moss and a few handfuls of reindeer moss.

Wooden board—I used some reclaimed wood slabs, but a new cut of wood from a home improvement store, a plaque, or a piece of driftwood would work just as well. Just understand that the larger the piece of wood you start with, the more room you will give your plant to grow without having to remount it.

Twine or fishing line, approx. 36in (90cm)

Large sawtooth picture hanger, to support at least 20lb (9.1kg)

2 x ½in (1.2cm) nails for picture hanger

Approx. 8–14 x 1in (2.5cm) nails (depending on size of board and plant)

Sharp scissors

Tape

Pencil

Hammer

Bowl of water

Possibly a friend to help!

1 Nail the picture hanger into the back center of the board. Cover the hanger with tape so that it doesn’t scratch your work surface. Trust me, I’ve learned the hard way. Then flip the board over and place the potted plant on the front, and decide where you want to position it. Use a pencil to draw a circle where you’ll be mounting your plant.

2 Take some of the reindeer moss and place it over the circle you’ve drawn on your board until it’s covered. Now that you have the correct amount that you’ll need, remove it from the board and place it in a small bowl full of water. Set it to the side.

3 Hammer 8–14 of the 1in (2.5cm) nails (depending on the size of your plant) into the board around your circle, about a ½in (1.2cm) wider than the widest part of the plant pot. Angle the nails slightly outward and upward toward the edge of the board.

4 Place a layer of damp moss between the nails. Build it so it’s thinner at the top and thicker at the bottom. Remove the plant from its pot, loosen the roots, and remove some of the excess soil.

5 Place the plant firmly on the board and, picturing how much you’ll need to cover the soil of your plant, cut pieces of the sheet moss, wet them, and then wrap them around the soil, pressing and shaping the moss and soil between the nails.

6 Have a second pair of hands to hold the plant in place while you secure it. Cut a 36in (90cm) piece of fishing line or twine and tie it to a nail, leaving a 3in (7.5cm) tail—you’ll use this to tie off the string when you’re done securing the plant.

7 Pull the line tightly across the plant, hook it around a nail, and cross over to another nail, pulling the line taut to secure the plant. Keep going until you’ve hooked each nail once or twice and the plant feels secure.

I used fishing line for this staghorn so you can see what the plant should look like when it’s secured. Trim the excess line and hang it up!

STYLING INSPIRATION

When it comes to styling your living art, the idea is to surround this 3D work of art with 2D pieces so that it stands out, not only in terms of its presence but also spatially. In most cases, your mounted plant will be the statement piece on your gallery wall, begging for all the attention. And believe me, it’ll get it. So, finding the perfect balance of art to go around it is important. Have fun!

8 Water your plant immediately after mounting. Follow the care instructions for your specific plant, and keep in mind that mounted plants dry out faster than potted plants. As a general rule of green thumb (see what I did there?), mounted plants do well in bright, indirect light with watering every one to two weeks. When it comes to watering a mounted plant, there are two ways to keep your living art thriving. One, mist at the root ball (moss pouch) once a week. Two, soak the entire plant, including the wooden board, in a sink or tub of lukewarm water for about 10–15 minutes once a week, making sure the root ball and foliage are submerged. Don’t forget to let it dry before placing it back on your wall. For more care tips on staghorn ferns, see p.228.

THE GATHERED CANDLE WITH KSM CANDLE CO.

PROJECT TIME

45 MINUTES

What is it about bringing candles into a space that can truly make it feel like a home? Maybe it’s being able to watch as that burning wick warms up the space or the aroma tints the air. While NASA has done studies on how plants can add oxygen to a home and clean the air, and even with over 200 plants in our home, the sense of clean air definitely comes from the candles and incense we burn throughout. They create a calming aroma that moves like a creeping fog from room to room. I don’t know about you, but I find myself being drawn to the flame. Maybe it’s because I’m a fire sign or the fact that there is something so mesmerizing about watching a flame dance around in the space, swayed by the indoor air. Burning candles in the home doesn’t just help to add a fresh smell to a room, they can also help to trigger a memory, or ease the stress of the day.

When thinking about creating the perfect vibe in my home, I thought why not make my own candle with a scent that reflected everything about my idea of home. So I reached out to my friend Letta Moore, who owns KSM Candle Co., a candle-making company here in Baltimore, to help me craft the perfect scent. Letta’s vision wasn’t to create just another candle company, it was to create a company where people could get together and share their passion for creating. That mission statement shines through if you’re one of the many that have attended her candle-making workshops. That idea of making a place where people could come together lit a spark in me, that lit the wick to burn the candle of my own idea of home. With home being the place that we all gather together with those we love, I needed the scent of the candle to create a memory of home for me. And with my home being about bringing the outdoors in, I wanted a floral candle that could enhance the blooms of the flowering plants inside throughout spring and summer. Letta pulled together some floral scents for me to pick from and the perfect combination was a mix of magnolia, hibiscus, and honeysuckle. Letta put her professional nose to it and agreed. Once we had the scent, I knew exactly what we needed to call the candle… Gathered. Not only does it represent gathering in the home with your loved ones, but also the gathering of thoughts when one is alone, or gathering the contents to make an idea come to life.

So we wanted to share with you how to make your own Gathered candle at home. Most of the things you’ll need to make this candle can easily be found online, but you can also find it all at ksmcandleco.com and you can find Letta on Instagram at @ksmcandleco.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Approx. 16oz (450g) soy wax flakes

½fl oz (15ml) mixture of magnolia, hibiscus, and honeysuckle fragrance oil, or your own special chosen scents

Vessel (old Mason jars are great)—please make sure the vessel can be used for a candle. No wood and no plastic. Ceramic, cement, and tin should all be sealed with a fire-resistant sealer before use.

Wick, at least double the height of the vessel (if you are using soy wax, soy-coated wicks are best)

Double-sided wick sticker or glue to fasten wick to the bottom of the vessel

Something to hold the wick in place—this could be a number of things, such as a clothespin (clothes peg), stick, or a chopstick

Microwave-safe container to melt the wax in—if you don’t have a microwave to melt the wax, you can use the double boiler method: place the wax flakes in a glass bowl or metal pan that you won’t use again for food and heat over a pan of simmering water until melted.

1 Pour the wax flakes into a microwave-safe bowl. Choose something you don’t plan to use for food again. An old Tupperware container with a missing lid works great.

2 Microwave the wax for 30–60 second intervals until completely liquid, stirring between each melting session. Don’t forget that the contents will be hot, so use proper caution. That’s just a nice way of saying Don’t use your hands.

While the wax is melting, you can prepare your jar for pouring (see steps 3 and 4).

3 Remove one side of the double-sided wick sticker and place on the bottom of the wick (the metal side), or use glue here.

4 Remove the other side of the sticker and center it inside and on the bottom of your jar, making sure to press down firmly so it’s nice and stuck.

Wrap the wick tightly around the clothespin, stick, or chopstick, while gently pressing the coil in place for 10 seconds. Your natural body heat will help hold the coil in place so that it doesn’t unravel when you let it go.

5 Once the wax is fully melted, it will be translucent. If not, place it back in the microwave for an additional 20 seconds. Take the wax out of the microwave, add the scent oils, and stir for 2 minutes.

6 Pour the wax slowly and carefully into your container.

Allow your candle to solidify at room temperature on an even surface for about 20 minutes or until solid.

7 Once your candle is completely solid, take a sharp pair of scissors and trim the wick to ¼in (5mm).

CANDLE BURNING TIPS

Before I worked with Letta on this project, I wasn’t aware that candles form a memory. A memory? Exactly. What?! Basically, every time you use them they