Nature in a Glass Bubble (Or Bowl)

I love standup comedy. One comedian I like, Mike Birbiglia, has a joke that I think we can all relate to. He was describing how teeny-tiny his New York apartment was, and how one night he saw a mouse in his apartment. Mike leans over to the mouse and says, "Hey little guy -- where are you going to sleep?"

Tiny-ass apartments can be tough places for humans to live, and a lot of people don't want to subject an animal to such cramped quarters. Still, I know people (myself included) who manage to keep animal companions quite comfortably. But if you still have doubts, what about this option?

LA At Home (a home and design blog from the LA Times), brings us the "Fishcondo." It's so cute! I'd get it if it weren't for the fact that Fancy and Bubo would make a meal out of whatever unlucky fishy took up residence there. The Fishcondo is designed by Teddy Luong, who is a student at Carleton University's School of Industrial design; Teddy won Unica's "Build a Better" contest. The condos are almost 8" cubed, and are stackable in case you want to build your own aquatic housing development. And, of course, they're on sale at Unica Home for $25.00.

But let's say you're not ready to make the leap to being the President of the Fish HOA. What about a ridiculously easy to care (and good-looking) for plant?

Remodelista's got some great tips for a DIY terrarium. Terrariums are more like works of art than simple houseplants. They can be any size you choose, and stay within whatever container you've chosen for it. There are glass vases and bubbles specifically meant for terrariums, but just about any clear container will do, so get creative! Clean off a glass baby food or jelly jar if you're short on cash. After you've got your container, all you need are a few rocks and some dirt, and some kind of green. You could use mosses, grasses, or other small plants. Even the smallest, simplest plant looks elegant if you put some thought into your terrarium's arrangement.

Once you're done you've got a tiny forest in a glass -- a little piece of nature that you can bring inside your TAA, no matter how small your place is.