Minted. - Design Marketplace

designed by  ARTSY CANVAS GIRL DESIGNS | WEST PALM BEACH, FL LAUREN PACKARD |  CASS LOH |CHERAS, MALAYSIA

I've got a thing for design and photography, maybe you've noticed. I recently discovered Minted.com, a really unique website that gives independent artists a chance to be featured and have their work sold on a global platform.   It's actually pretty cool how it works; artists submit their work, the community votes on the best designs, and then Minted sells the winning pieces in the form of art, home decor, and stationary.

When I first visited Minted., I immediately typed "succulents" into the search bar and was pleasantly surprised to find three pages of succulent related art.  Here are some of my favorites:

Patterned Cactus

limited edition print by Maria Hilas Louie

Grey Velvet

by Heather M. Roberts

Morning Succulent

by Debra Butler

Little Terrarium Succulent Illustration

by Erin McManness

Succulent figure 1

by Stacey Meacham

Minted has so much to offer, you really need to check it out for yourself. Whether you are in the market for Minted's wedding invitations or some beautiful art for your home, you will find what you are looking for at Minted! 

As a special incentive to check them out, we are teaming up with Minted to give one of our readers a $50 credit to Minted.com! To enter this giveaway simply follow us on Instagram @needlesandleaves and @minted and tag 3 friends on our giveaway post! 

Seaside Succulents: A Garden Tour

First of all, I'm so excited to be back here posting on the blog!  So far, this year has been one of the busiest of my life and unfortunately blogging had to take a backseat. Now that summer break is here though, Krista and I are looking forward to getting our hands dirty and bringing you all sorts of succulent goodness. We were talking the other day about some of the blog posts we have planned and she mentioned that we have never featured our own gardens. As you may know, I keep most of my plants in containers because I like to move them around as the seasons change, keeping them in the most optimum conditions.  Krista, on the other hand, lives on the coast where her plants seem to do great planted in garden beds and stationary containers year round.  I thought it was a great idea to feature her garden, so I grabbed my camera and took a stroll around her home, snapping shots of some of my favorite arrangements. 

As you make your way towards Krista's entry door, you are greeted on either side by stunning planters bursting with colorful succulents in every shape and size. 

The muted colors of this Graptopetalum 'paraguayense' definitely take center stage!

I love the way this fuzzy Panda Plant (Kalanchoe 'tomentosa") adds texture to the garden.

The pointed leaves of this hot pink tipped Aeonium 'kiwi' compliment the thick round leaves of its neighboring Jelly Bean (Sedum 'rubrotinctum') plant. 

Graptoveria 'opalina' are a long time favorite of mine, with their striking thick leaves that can turn bright pink when exposed to extreme temperatures. 

As I made my way through the house en route to the backyard, I had to snap a couple photos in the dining room.  Krista's Geometric Terrarium from World Market and Concrete Geometric pot add a little modern flare in her otherwise beachy abode. 

In the backyard, Krista has tons of succulents in a variety of containers from terra-cotta pots to cinderblocks. Below are just a few of my favorites.  

The cinderblock garden looks amazing from above!

 I hope you enjoyed this little peak into Krista's seaside garden! If you have any questions leave them in the comments below, and don't forget to follow us on Instagram @needlesandleaves!

Arranging Succulents

Arranging succulents is one of my favorite things! I love watching it come together and then seeing the finished project.  A lot of the arrangements you see in stores have the plants clumped together by type. This is where I like to change it up by spreading the different plant types around throughout the arrangement. 

I start by choosing all the plants I want to use.  Sometimes I just grab some from my yard or I'll pick up some new ones at the store. I usually try to keep it to 4 or 5 of the same type of plants, with one bigger beauty for the middle! 

Fill up the container you are going to use with succulent soil about 3/4 of the way up. You will need to keep extra soil on the side to keep filling up the container as you add more plants. Place your biggest succulent in the middle. Dig a hole with your fingers and place the plant's roots and stem into the hole, then surround the plant underneath with soil. Try to keep the roots on all of the plants if you can, as this will help them begin to flourish in their new home quickly.  If you are planting cuttings be sure to let the ends callous over for a few days before planting them in soil. If you plant a fresh cutting in soil it may absorb too much moisture and rot.  

From there, start adding plants on either side of the middle plant. I think of it as a mirror and add the same plants on each side. Remember every time you add a plant, dig a little hole, place the plant and surround it with the extra soil. With succulents, this can be a bit trickier than it sounds. Try your hardest to handle the plant by the stem, not the leaves, to avoid unsightly scratches and markings.  In addition, when you add soil, take care not to get it on the plants.  If you accidentally pour soil on top of a plant, gently blow it off or use tweezers to remove it without scarring your plant. 

Try to fill in all of the empty space in your container so that no soil is showing. You can fill in the small spaces with smaller plants, which are always adorable! Sometimes it's difficult to create holes for smaller plants. In that case, try using a pencil to create smaller holes. 

I hope this tutorial helps you create a beautiful arrangement! If you have any questions you can leave a comment below or find us on Instagram under @needlesandleaves.