Monthly Archives: February 2026

Easy Moss Crafts for a Beautiful Easter

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Easter is on April 5th this year, 2026. Although it is still 2 months away, I recently thought about some Easter creations. I made them with plants and moss a few years ago.

You can use sheet moss, Spanish moss, reindeer moss, mood moss, sphagnum moss, or faux moss. In my examples below, I used two or three types of natural live moss.

Easter Moss Wreath with Grape Vine Bunny Ears

Round Metal 12″ Wreath Frame
Natural Moss (different types)
Natural Grape Vine Twig Garland
Green florist wire
Ribbon

Making this wreath was rather easy. It does make a mess though because the moss will scatter bits here and there. I made them in my greenhouse. The moss was live natural moss I had in my stock. Moss can be kept in cardboard boxes in a cold environment, like an unheated garage. Some florists keep moss in their florist coolers. The wire wreath frame was in my stock from prior years of making holiday wreaths. I also had some florist wire from before. And the grape vine twig as well. At first, I didn’t know how to make the bunny ears, and the grape vine came to mind. Attaching the moss with the florist wire by just repeat wrapping is simple. The grape vine was bendable to I attached it to the wire frame as well.

I attempted to make bunny ears by using coat wire hangers and bending them into the bunny ear shapes. It worked too but was more time consuming. I preferred the grape vine ears instead.

I also like the look of just a simple natural moss wreath. There are actually several different types of mosses used in the wreath made shown above. Moss gives me a feeling of just enjoying nature. It is earthy, has an almost like soil smell, and pliable. If the moss needed a little moisture, just lightly spray it with a water bottle sprayer. Outdoors it lasts for months if not indefinitely. The moss on the one in the photo above was a combination. It included mood moss, which is wavy looking, and sheet moss. Sheet moss pulls apart in pieces. It works well to wrap a piece or section of it around the metal wreath frame. Then using florist wire, I just wrapped the florist wire around the tops. The florist wire, which was green, disappears as it gets pushed into the moss somewhat.

Square Wreath with Bunny in the Center

Square Double Rail Metal Frame
Natural Moss (different types)
Faux flowers
Green florist wire
Raffia ribbon
Cardboard (used either an empty cereal or beer box)

This one was made on a square wreath frame. In the center, I made a bunny. I cut a bunny shape using cardboard and used glue gun glue to glue moss over the bunny shape. It was rather easy and then I attached it in the center. The yellow flowers are faux material. It came out rather cute. The bow was made with natural raffia ribbon.

Next, is a bunny cut out project fun and simple to do with kids.

Bunny Sticks with Moss

Sheet moss
Glue gun with glue sticks (or other type of glue)
Raffia ribbon
Cardboard (used either an empty cereal or beer box)
Popsicle sticks
Green spray paint

Another crafty bunny idea was these moss bunny cutouts. I thought how this is an easy and fun project to do with kids. First, I cut the bunny shapes out using cardboard. I found that beer cases, like Budweiser beer boxes really worked well. It was easy to cut shapes with that type of cardboard. Or you can use empty cereal boxes. Wooden Popsicle sticks were used as the stick part. Then these can be inserted into things like potted plants or whatever. Again, I had natural raffia ribbon on hand to make the bow for the bunny’s neck area.

That year I decided to make kits with all the components to sell. I had spray painted the bunny cutouts with green spray paint. This helped to hide the print of the cereal box. I left the other side bare. It was a very easy and fun craft to do with kids. Use your imagination. Add eyes or a bunny tail!

The next project is hanging glass globes.

Hanging Glass Globes with Succulents and Bunny Figurines

Natural moss (recommend any type except Spanish or Faux Mosses)
Hanging Glass Globe
Decorative small bunny figurines
Faux decorative Easter eggs
Live plants (hens and chicks, jades, donkey tails, echeveria, or other succulents)
Potting soil (small amount recommended)
Activated horticulture charcoal (optional)
Glue gun with glue sticks (optional)
Round wooden craft like disk (size of a quarter, optional)

Before you start, be sure your decorative bunny figurine fits into the hole of the glass globe. Succulents can live in natural moss. The roots will naturally grow into the moss and the bit of potting soil below it. The activated horticulture charcoal, which is infused with oxygen, helps absorb odors. It is an optional item. If you don’t have any, don’t worry too much about it. But if you decide to use the charcoal, place a little bit of it over the well-draining potting mix before the moss layer.

The round wooden disks I mentioned in the items list are the size of a quarter coin. I used them to glue my bunnies onto. This helps stabilize them. I used some glue gun glue to attach it to a disk. Then I inserted it into the hanging glass globe. I do not recommend dry mosses that tend to rot which is what I feel Spanish moss does. Spanish moss may be green or light tan brown and it looks stringy. When it gets wet, it tends to stay too wet for the succulent plants. I prefer the other types of natural living mosses like sheet moss, mood moss, or others noted above.

The moss is the next step, tucking it around the bunny and onto the potting soil. Then comes adding the tiny succulent plants. Most of these were cuttings or really small hens and chick plants (Sempervivums). If you think the plant won’t stay in place, add a tiny dab of glue gun glue underneath. This will help secure it.

In this example next, I acquired tiny little bunny decor. So cute!

Are these little, tiny bunnies adorable or what? It made the project so cute. The nice aspect of these hanging glass globes is they function like mini terrariums. The succulent plant will grow very slowly. Once you are done with the Easter decorating season, you can remove all if you wish.

Add items you have on hand. Perhaps you have some nice stones or twigs to add. A pretty ribbon to hang it with or twine. You are only limited by your imagination. These make adorable gifts for your Easter dinner hostess. Every once in a while, add a tiny bit of moisture to the moss and let it dry between. You do not need to water it often. Only enough for the tiny root hairs of the small succulent plants. I’m talking less than a shot glass of water. Less is more with smaller hanging glass globes. I do not recommend spraying the moss with mists of water, it will only get the glass stained. The idea is minimal damp moss at times. If you wet it too much, things will rot.

Sometimes maneuvering my fingers into the globes was difficult. Tweezers or long bamboo like sticks can help. Use them to position items as needed. Once completed, hang them in indirect sunlight inside the home and away from super cold drafts. Remember, when including live plants, glass vessels are like mini environments. The open hole allows for air, and you will lightly water the moss at times. Don’t overdo the watering. If you happen to put too much water in there, carefully tip your glass globe to drain it out. Allow the moss to completely dry between watering cycles. Succulents can go for weeks without water.

The next project is making a centerpiece with live perennial plants.

In the background, you can see a terrarium fishbowl. Just like the hanging glass globes, the base components are important. Use the potting mix (well-draining types), activated horticulture charcoal, and live moss. A drainage layer, like pea gravel is beneficial as well below all of that. You can see I put a live orchard in the glass fishbowl terrarium. The pea gravel is important when using larger plants to allow for drainage in the vessel you use.

The last project shown is a big silver bowl with two plants. One is a Helleborus perennial. You start to see these at nurseries and stores during Easter time. Also commonly available are tulips. I just tucked each of these live plants into the silver bowl in their original growing nursery pots. Then, I used moss to cover that up. Then the fun part is just adding your own Easter decoration. By the way, the perennial (common name is lenten rose) takes partial to full shade and flowers March thru April. The leaves are evergreen and will stay green outdoors. They are one of the earliest perennials to bloom. They are also deer resistant.

Hopefully this post inspired you for the Easter season to come. Go get your supplies now so you can enjoy making them before the season arrives.

Cathy Testa
Date of this post: 2/10/2026

Cathy had a small business focused on container gardening. Today she and her husband are retired. They like to go camping so camping topics are being added to this blog site. Also, Cathy likes making holiday decor and is sharing some of her creations here as well. Some with plants and some without! Thank you for visiting.

Memorable Container Garden Designs to Revisit

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Here’s ten container gardens which I fell in love with and why from my past creations. I plan to show 10 at a time over the next months. Why? Because I will be deleting the photos from my database soon and it is a way to savor the memories!

Hanging Baskets with a Mix of Houseplants

One year, I created many hanging baskets with various houseplants for sale. The reason was the houseplants were gorgeous. Additionally, the hanging baskets had a drain hole with a removable plug. It is so important to have drainage for your plants so these hanging baskets would work well. The plants were also extremely healthy and I thought, “Why not?” I sold quite a few of them. Each had a different mix of houseplants. Houseplants have their own unique sets of challenges. To help reduce them, start with healthy plants, which these were. Look the leaves over and make sure there are no discolorations or signs of insect damage. Houseplants like warm temperatures during the day and cool at night. They would be fine hung outdoors in the summer in these hangers in the right spot. Most houseplants enjoy bright indirect light and do not take direct sun too well. Having them in hanging baskets allowed placement in the home or outdoors in summer. In the summer outdoors, use caution so it is not in full sun where it would burn the leaves. It is imperative to allow water to drain out of the pot, and in this case, a hanging basket. These had a removable plug. This allowed proper drainage. Otherwise, I would not have used hangers for these plants. Hopefully the plants continued to thrive for the customers who purchased them.

Balcony Spiller Plant on a High-Rise

This plant impressed me immensely. First, it tolerated the full sun conditions of a high-rise balcony, and it grew so fast and full. It would make my plant-based mind mouth water! I started with a small plant and it grew very long, spilling over the edge of square planters. This is why I refer to them as “spillers.” I wrote all about this plant in a prior post. It really had other amazing features like it is easy to take a cutting to root for more plants. The red blooms appeared all summer. The plant did not get any insect damage and was drought tolerant. Read the post below if you wish to learn more. The post has some more photos too. Click below for more detailed information.

Trailing Red Small Daisy Flowers that can Take it Rough

Blue Planter Box with Blue Wall and Canna Lily

One year a lady in my town was building and selling wooden garden planters. I had to have one and situated it on my deck. I stained the planter box and attached trellis wall with an aqua-blue colored stain. Then started to plant it with a mix of sun lovers. The tall canna lilies were stunning and grew to the top of the wall. Below in the base wooden square planter were succulents, flowering summer annuals, and lots of color. I blogged about this planter too. Here’s the post. It shows the progression of growth of the plants from start to later in the summer season. It also identifies all the plants. Click below for more.

My Aqua Blue Planter

Wedding Pots with Euphorbia ‘Diamond Frost’

I remember Euphorbia ‘Diamond Frost’ being super popular one year. It has delicate white flowers. They are suitable for a wedding theme. These were used in wedding pots I rented to a customer one year. The client asked for blue pots and abundant flowers. I worked hard on these tending to them all summer and delivering them for the outdoor wedding. I wrote a blog post about them below. The nice thing about the white blooming plant is it can stand alone. It can also be used in combinations. Either way, it still looks lovely. Click the prior post link below for details about Euphorbia and the accompanying plants in these blue planters and pots.

Wasabi Coleus with Vivid Lime Green Coloring is a Top Performer

A Tapestry of Succulents and Hens-n-Chicks

This has got to be one of my all-time favorite creations. It was a square cement like colored planter on a high-rise balcony. I was thrilled to fill it with various small hen-n-chick plants (Sempervivums). I also used other unique succulents and dripping down spillers. I felt it was “magazine worthy” to be honest. I know I took a boat load of photos of this planter and the accompanying ones. I’m surprised I don’t have a post about them on this website, but I’ll research that more later. You can see I used small gravel to top dress the soil around the plants. This offered a more finished look. I placed Donkey’s Tail (Sedum morganianum) in two of the corners. This way, it would drip down over the edges of the square planter. By mid-summer, these plants were double in size! Some larger Echeveria plants were included (they look like rosettes). In the center is a stunning Aeonium (plum colored). All of these succulents were in top-notch condition upon planting them. The planter was seen from inside too. This offered a nice touch for admiring the plants all summer long. After the season was over, I removed many of them to continue propagating them.

Barrels with Rubber Plant (Ficus elastica)

For years I planted two barrels in front of a package store in my town. One year, I used Rubber Trees. Why not I thought, they are an easy-care plant and have huge leaves and they should not be over-watered. Being watered infrequently is beneficial. The store owners sometimes found it challenging to find time for watering. But what really surprised me was how large they grew in one season! I stuffed some small houseplant ferns around the corners. The rubber plants were showstoppers. They grew wide and full. This particular Ficus had darker leaves and red tips which made it more striking. I was able to remove these plants and keep them a few more years longer inside my greenhouse.

Round galvanized pots

This one is more about the pots than the plants. I just loved these pots and had to have them. I placed some Agave babies in the three small pots. I also put a few succulents (Echeverias and a Hen-n-Chick) in the larger round pot. Each had a simple pre-drilled single drain hole in the bottom (a must). I took this particular photo on the deck next to my greenhouse one day. These ended up being moved to my large deck against my house. I didn’t sell them and still own those pots today. The agave plants outgrew them of course and were moved into larger pots later.

Round Urban Pot with More Succulents

This was one of the accompanying planters on the high-rise. I filled them that year with succulents, agave, and other heat lovers. As with the square planter noted above, I topped dress them with gravel or stone. It gave a nice, finished look plus it helps reduce splashing of water when watering or during rain falls. These plants thrived in a rough environment of heat and strong sun outdoors. Granted some succulents actually like less sun but these performed very well. Succulents like well-draining soil. They need good air circulation, and it would get breezy or very windy here. Some prefer bright indirect light, while others thrive in full sun. A moderate temperature is also ideal. They can handle extreme heat, which they did handle in these urban cement styled planters. Also, the outdoor location provided sun for half the day and shade for half. It was perfect because the shade gave them rest from the intense heat. The plant in the background with rounded shaped leaves is a Silver Dollar Jade (Crassula arborescens).

Thank you for visiting. Stay tuned for more features!

Cathy Testa
Date of this post: 2/7/2026

Cathy had a small business focused on container gardening. Today she and her husband are retired. They like to go camping now thus camping locations have been added to this blog in addition to plant stories.

Oceanfront Camping at Moorings RV Resort in Belfast, Maine

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If you haven’t visited the town of Belfast in Maine, you are missing out. My sister discovered it over 10 years ago and quickly decided to settle there. At the time, I don’t think it was all that well-known, but the secret is out now.

The town of Belfast is a community driven place with a charming Main Street and many historic looking buildings. While it is small, it seems to have a lot happening from parades to arts to harbor festivals. They even have a curling club! And a wonderful farmers market.

We picked this area for a camping adventure in 2024 during July. I wanted to be near the ocean and started browsing various options. My sister suggested a place called Moorings Oceanfront RV Resort.

OCEAN VIEWS

When it came to ocean views, this campground did not disappoint! I was so excited to see this view. I took a photo before I even got out of our truck. It was a beautiful day when we arrived.

Moorings Oceanfront RV Resort is located at 191 Searsport Avenue, Belfast, Maine. We selected a premium pull through site on a corner. It was site number 9. We liked it. You not only have a great view of the ocean, but this spot also has a nice corner lawn area. Like most campgrounds, it has a picnic table and fire pit provided. I believe all the sites here are full hook-ups too.

There is a little beach area at this campground, but I would not call it a “swimming beach.” You can go in but it was a little wavy and mucky at the time we were there. It was a good access to go kayaking if you had your own kayaks with you. One day, I watched a couple put their kayaks in and go on an adventure. I wished we had our kayaks with us too.

The beach not being really a beach to hang out didn’t matter to me. I was absolutely in love with the ocean views. It just made me feel happy sitting there and staring out at the beautiful water and sky views. We scored a nice hot week of full sun weather, which made the environment even better.

The first row of campers are the more luxurious spots. In front of that row is a lawn area. You can walk there and sit on a nice large hanging swing. Just meditate while looking at a view like this. There was another sitting area tucked in a corner with a large tree for shade. The land facing of this drops down so you must go to the beach access to reach level ground there.

Because our first camper was small, we put a lot items outdoors. You can see we liked having extras. This spot was perfect for us. Take note, there is a Moorings II, but this is Moorings. They are different. As far as amenities, this place does not have a big list. The only amenity you need is the ocean views. Its proximity to the quaint town of Belfast is another plus. For us, it was a hit.

The campground staff escorted us to our site, which was a nice touch. They have a small store and a big dumpster for your trash drop-offs. The place is well kept, clean, quiet, and friendly. But it does not have a pool or other things you find at other RV resorts. It is smaller which is nice as it did not feel crowded or overwhelming. Peaceful evenings and mornings every day. The views of the night sky were spectacular in the evenings with all the stars.

FARMERS MARKET NEARBY

After settling into our campsite, we spent a few days visiting my sister, Lisa and her husband, Jeff. We were sure to go to the Belfast indoor Farmers Market for fresh supplies for our camper meals. She and Jeff gave us the grand tour. It was a really happening market with lots of goodies. I picked up fresh herbs and other things like local maple syrup and cheeses. There were many talented crafters and artists as well. They also have a farmer market outdoors in the summer months I believe.

BREWERIES, PUBS, FOOD

The other fun part about the small town of Belfast is there are some nice little shops, breweries (my husband and Jeff loved that) and a couple restaurants. Here we are at a brewery, and it has semi-outdoor seating by water views. It was fun. And they had wine too – another bonus for me. I cannot recall the name of this spot, but it was fun to visit, sit and chat.

These places are tucked here and there in Belfast. Since we had our local Belfast escorts with us, Lisa and Jeff, we didn’t have any trouble finding them. We especially like Rollies for burgers and hot wings and a fun pub atmosphere. It is located at 37 Main Street. It has that laid back feel and friendly patrons.

My favorite lunch place is Darby’s Restaurant and Pub. It’s located at 155 High Street in town, right off the Main Street. Darby’s is cozy. One day, when we stopped in there again for a drink, I met a fellow from the Belfast Curling Club. He was probably shocked I even knew they had a Curling Club. This restaurant is small and the food is delicious. I think it is worth a stop at least once while in Belfast.

We picked up my sister and Jeff at their house. Then we adventured Main Street in Belfast for the farmers market and lunch spots mentioned above. Lisa pointed out flowers she had out front her house that she said I gave her the starter plant. Ah yes, the beautiful Filipendula perennial. The common name is queen-of-the-prairie. The fluffy rose-colored flowers are dreamy. Her stand of them is outstanding. This is a very tall plant, reaching 4-6 feet high on sturdy stems. The flowers bloom from July to August, and the flowers are so delicate looking. I also like the big compound shaped leaves.

It is not too far of a walk from my sister’s house to a bridge (I believe it is called the Armistice Bridge). This bridge leads to a local shipyard. I often think, gosh she is living a dream! I feel like the area is something out of a movie. An unexpected town with little features one would not expect at first glance.

One morning, my husband and I went fishing on the bridge and that was fun. As usual, he and I didn’t catch anything. We are not sharp fishers. But we did meet people who would stop by to chat. Very friendly people in this area. There is a walking trail not too far from the end of this bridge on the shipyard end. It is an easy walk from the shipyard to Main Street via a Harbor Walk path.

Just being around water views, good food, and nice people was enough for us on this camping trip. A bonus was spending time with my sister and her husband. As I’ve mentioned before, we like to adventure when we camp and check out local areas. This worked out perfectly for us.

BLUES MUSIC FESTIVAL

There are lots of things you can find to do in this part of Maine. Rockland is not too far away. Rockland has a blues fest every summer. We timed the trip to take a drive and hang out at the fest one day. But there is much more to do. You can get lobsters to cook at the camp. You can also find a beach to get a tan. There are hiking and biking trails. You just need to go out there to adventure. Rockland has a few nice museums and if you are not a camper, we recommend the LimeRock Inn. Before we became campers, we stayed there for the blues fest. It is not too far of a walk to the fest and a very nice inn.

Us at the North Atlantic Blues Fest in Rockland, Maine. You can see our tans were getting dark and we were enjoying the beautiful views by the fest as well. After the fest, we drove back to Belfast. We looked at the stars from our campsite. We sat by the fire. It was a very good trip.

Other notable towns not too far from Belfast are Camden and Rockport. Camden has nice touristy shops and other things to do, and Rockport is on the way to Rockland. You can also go visit Mt. Battie.

And here is my sis, Lisa with her husband Jeff. She has very pretty flowers in her gardens. You can see beebalm (Monarda) perennial red blooms on tall stems behind her. I remember once Lisa saying she just sticks plants in the ground and lets them do what they do. She seems very successful with this gardening method! I took horticulture courses, so that comment made me laugh that day, but I loved that she said it. Monarda blooms from June to July and the bees love them. Her plants looked very healthy and happy.

By the way, Lisa and Jeff volunteer to host a local radio show called WBFY once a week on Tuesdays. Listen in sometimes. They offer a creative mix of music. I enjoy tuning in every Tuesday to hear their voices as well as their selection of tunes.

Cathy Testa
Date of this post: 2/5/2026