This year, I planned my first adult birthday party. As more and more of my friends became eligible for vaccines, I knew that it would be possible for us to safely gather by my March 26th birthday. I also had goals for this fiesta; I wanted to support Black-Owned Businesses and celebrate myself. I found Green Door Garden which is a Black-owned plant shop that hosted terrarium bar parties. I also knew that I needed to get a strawberry crunch cheesecake from Archdale Bakery.
The Terrarium Bar
Everyone had such a wonderful time making terrariums. We got to be creative, and I inspired my friends to be plant parents. I chose a succulent, and I named it, "Larry the Libra." All of my plants have astronomy-themed names.
I also got the opportunity to talk with the shop owner, Latifah who told me more about the origins of Green Door Garden. It was inspiring to hear how she grew from an e-commerce business to a storefront. Latifah was very patient with explaining plant care and terrarium designs to my guests. The beautiful weather and the excitement of supporting a small business made everyone a little forgetful about which plants did what. The terrarium bar has several options for plants, designs, and glass, but you are also free to bring your own glass as I did.
When it comes to finding glass containers for your terrarium, you can thrift interesting pieces from thrift stores. Latifah explained how air plants can be misted with water once a week or stored in the bathrooms to keep them watered. Plants that don't need to be watered often are great for busy college kids like my friends who want to develop their green thumbs. My experiences with plants haven't been the greatest, but I have been able to keep my lone prickly pear (Pisces) alive for the past five months. I thought it was time to step it up and subscribe to Green Door's monthly plant subscription. They have a variety of options such as "pet-friendly", "easy-care", and even "low-light" subscription boxes.
The Dress
Months ago, I was rolling fabric at work, and I found this beautiful plush fabric. I had to have it for myself. I originally wanted to make a two-piece, but then I opted for a tight "booty dress" because I wanted an angelic look. I shadow traced an outfit to get the outline for the dress, but I cut it too tight, and it made me look awful. I couldn't even slip the dress back over my head, so I had to cut myself out of it. Luckily for me, there was enough fabric to add a side panel with a zipper. I didn't want to make straps from the same material, so I cut some knit scraps and braided them together to make sturdy straps. I made the dress in less than two hours, and I was so tired that I didn't feel like changing the thread. However, the silver thread made a cute contrast with the fabric. I'm someone who's big on small details, so the contrast excited me.
23 and Still Wonderfully Me
I loved taking the time to celebrate myself for a day. I tried to be low-waste and support small businesses with everything that I did. I felt like I had created a day that brought out the best in me and my peer group. I started the day working at Reconsidered Goods. Then I hung out with my friends. They came to the plant shop as complete strangers, and everyone left connected to each other in some way. It helped me realize my passion for creating community within groups of strangers by bringing them together for a mutual cause (even if the cause is me!) I am excited about being 23 because I know it will bring me closer to my purpose.
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