Yes, we know it's a little early to be thinking about presents, but this year we want to make a lot of gifts so we need to start early. And if it's going to be plants, then you have to give them some time to grow:
I like to give handmade gifts but I'm not great at DIY stuff and often lose my mojo long before it's gift-giving season. So this year I'm starting early and sticking with something I'm good at (and that other people seem to appreciate): plants.
If you already have some succulents then this is really easy. If you don't, see if anyone you know does. If you don't know anyone, then stay tuned for our Le Swap happening in November where I will be bringing some succulents, or stop by a place like the California Cactus Center and pick up some of our favorite succulents. If you don't have a place near you, oder some online.
Here's how I will be starting my gifts early:
1) Follow our How To: Propagate Succulents Post to make babies from your current plants. Oftentimes this is as easy as breaking off a piece of the plant and sticking it in dirt. Sometimes you want to put it in water first. This is very easy.
2)Find a container to put your plants into. You can reuse old containers or buy fancy new ones. I will be repurposing things from around my house. Make sure there is drainage in the bottom of the pot, succulents don't like soggy roots.
3) Fill the container with soil made for succulents or a soil that isn't too dense and certainly doesn't resemble clay.
4) Now fill your containers with your succulent babies. You can plant them pretty close to one another, they like to be squished, but keep in mind that you're planting this early so that they can grow and fill up the pot!
Here's one I made a long time ago (it's from my house tour):
Need more inspiration? These posts have great combinations of succulents that will get your creative juices flowing:
Look! Really Small Succulent Garden
Succulents at the Getty
10 Best Succulents
Cacti and Succulents for Interiors
10 No-Fail Decor Tricks & Tips for Small Spaces
Beth's Romantic & Retro Residence
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Shaw's Original Fir...
How to Make Easy 3-Ingredient Energy Bars at Home
How To Cook Tender, Chewy Wheat Berries on the Stovetop
I needed this post just so I could fill in the holes between my existing succulents! Thanks!
I love these guys, they're so graphic designy! Does anyone have an inexpensive source in nyc? I need to get some soil, too.
My boyfriend has close to 100 different cacti and succulents in our house. They are his 'children' and in my opinion add so much to the decor of the house (for instance - http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3204/2954247631_54ec86da5d.jpg). It's unfortunate that I kill just about everything green but luckily enough, he manages the plants and I arrange them around the house according to climate and their needs and of course, design. It's a fair trade off in my my opinion ;)
Pictures of his "children" can be seen here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/letsgetdecadent/sets/72157608341670447/
A few friends of mine who are not known for their green thumbs recently moved. I made terrariums out of succulents in enclosed containers. So far they're working out great!
Great!! I was looking for some easy maintenance indoor plants!
I'm doing succulents for gifts too!
I just started making these salvaged steel table top stands too!
Check em out
http://etrine.com/2008/09/24/craft-time/
http://etrine.com/2008/09/30/more-table-top-plant-stands/
http://etrine.com/for-sale/
"Seymour, FEED ME!!!"
I'd like advice from anyone who has actually planted succulents as tightly as those in the last picture. Do they live? Do they continue to look that good? Do they shade each other out?
And, how come my kalanchoe doesn't have those vivid pink margins? LOL variety I'm sure, but I'm "green" with envy.
I'd love to have a garden as vast as nekro's bf but I'm filling up the sunny places pretty fast. Although who knows, maybe if it fills up too fast, I will have the heart to give away some of my succulents. I'm at such a stage where I just want to keep them all, but I imagine some of those agaves will eventually start poking me as space fills in...
whytepheonix--In a word: no. They will live like that for quite some time, but they will start to grow bigger, and some might get kind of gangly. Your kalanchoe doesn't have the pink margins like the one in the photo because (1) you don't have the same variety, or (2) your plant isn't getting enough sun exposure.