Embroidery Hoop DIY Terrarium Globe

Published May 6, 2017 | Updated March 23, 2022 | By: Lydia | 284 Comments

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Gorilla Glue Company. All opinions are 100% mine.

Do you ever come up with a project you want to make but really don’t know how you will create it? That was the case with this terrarium globe. I bought embroidery hoops forever ago with the intention of making some type of globe shelf accessory but they have been sitting in my “crafts to do” box for quite awhile (along with so many other craft supplies that I may need to find a “crafts to do” ROOM!)

A fun make and take craft we did with Darice at SNAP conference last month filled in the missing link of using wire to create a “bowl” for my terrarium globe… it worked perfectly. Of course I filled it with succulents… I mean are you surprised?! 😉 (If you’d like a reminder of my infatuation with succulents you can start with my succulent monogram here). Anyway, I’m pretty much obsessed… if it was Christmas time my tree would be covered in terrarium globes of all shapes and sizes haha!

Follow along for this easy tutorial to create your own copper terrarium globe.

Embroidery Hoop DIY Terrarium Globe

Supplies

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2 sets of 5″ or 6″ embroidery hoops
Clear Gorilla Glue®
Dazzling Metallics Bright Copper paint
Foam paint brush
Wax or parchment paper
Glue gun
Gorilla Glue Hot Glue Sticks
Copper craft wire (about 20 gauge)
Spanish moss (I get this from the dollar store)
Faux succulents

Directions

Remove the inner hoops from the embroidery hoop sets. Set aside 1 of the outer hoops (you will only need 1 outer and 2 inner hoops).
Apply a small drop of Clear Gorilla Glue to the inside of one of the small hoops and another directly across (if the circle was a clock you’re applying the drops of glue to 12 and 6 o’clock). Clear Gorilla Clue doesn’t foam or expand so it will be completely undetectable in the terrarium globe “joints”.
Line up the second small hoop perpendicular to the glued one and slide it inside of the glued hoop so that the contact points of the 2 hoops overlap at the glued spots.
Clamp both glued spots (chip clips worked like a charm!) and allow glue to cure for 2 hours.
Remove clamps and apply a drop of glue to the outside of the hoops at the points where the hoops meet.
Slightly unscrew the threaded screw on the outer hoop and place it around the 2 glued hoops at the mid point so that there is equal distance between all 3 hoops.
Gently tighten the screw once secure over the other 2 hoops and get out your industrial clamps (aka chip clips) and clamp at 2 points of intersection.
Allow to cure for 2 hours and remove clips.
Heat Gorilla Glue Hot Glue sticks in a glue gun. Lay down wax or parchment paper on your work surface and apply a good sized “puddle” of hot glue to the paper and immediately press the base of the terrarium globe into the middle of the puddle (this will act as the stand in a minute).
Continue to hold the terrarium globe in place on top of the hot glue stand and cover the top of the base with more hot glue to strengthen the stand. Hold in place until the hot glue has hardened.
Paint the terrarium globe with 2 coats of copper paint, allowing to dry fully between each coat.
Wrap and secure copper wire around the base of the succulent terrarium globe (almost half way up from the bottom) to create a “bowl” for the moss.
Stuff moss into the base of the terrarium globe and insert succulents. Add Clear Gorilla Glue to the stems of the succulents to keep them secure in the moss, since it dries perfectly clear you won’t be able to see it at all.