Bolstered by the recent popularity of handmade and homemade crafts, terrariums are hotter now than they’ve been anytime since the 1970s — and terrarium designers are using everything from handblown containers to gemstones to take the humble art form into new heights.

Little worlds of plants, stones and trinkets artfully arranged in glass containers, today’s terrariums can be as tiny as a votive-holder or as big as a punch bowl. Succulent plants might nestle inside a recycled canning jar, or a custom-blown glass orb might hold a variety of tropical plants. Many modern terrariums feature luxurious-looking sand, pebbles, shells and crystals.

“They’re popular for the same reason movies are popular,” says Kat Geiger, a terrarium artist who recently relocated from the East Bay to Reno. “Each one is its own little imaginary escape.”

Geiger’s favorite materials include tropical plants such as hypoestus (polka-dot plant) and fittonia (nerve plant) in handblown glass containers made specially for her. Her planting substrates include moisture control potting soil, often atop a layer of small pebbles and charcoal. And she often includes moss in her creations, and plenty of it.

“I love moss — it’s lush, it’s green, it can be tropical,” Geiger says. “It’s like a vacation in a bottle.”

She’s been making terrariums since 2001 and says she sold more in 2011 than ever. Her work is for sale at www.greenunderglass.etsy.com, and also at Bay Area gift shops, including Urban Indigo in Oakland, A Priori in Berkeley and Paxton Gate in San Francisco.

Terrarium enthusiasts say the resurgence fits perfectly with many themes that consumers find attractive these days: handmade gifts, natural materials, and cost- and space-saving indulgences.

“Everybody wants a bit of nature in their homes, and terrariums are an easy and beautiful way to do that,” says Amy Bryant Aiello, co-author of “Terrarium Craft: Create 50 Magical, Miniature Worlds” (Timber Press, $18.95), published late last year.

At her store, Artemisia, in Portland, Ore., customers can drop in and build their own terrariums using the materials on hand, including colored sands, a variety of mosses and lichens, shells, feathers and stones. The store also holds regular terrarium workshops, and sells do-it-yourself kits online (www.artemisiaon28th.com).

Bay Area stores, including Urban Indigo in Oakland (www.urbanindigo.com), ACME Party Box in Palo Alto (www.acmepartybox.com) and at Studio Choo/Prairie Collective in San Francisco (www.studiochoo.com), also periodically have terrarium workshops. Golden Nursery in San Mateo (www.goldennursery.com) plans to add a terrarium crafting station to its shop in the next month or two.

Whereas Geiger favors lush tropical terrariums with plants that like humid conditions — and glass containers with small openings nearly guarantee humidity — other designers offer tips for creating “dry” terrariums featuring succulent plants.

Aiello and her co-author, Kate Bryant, show readers how to make dry terrariums that showcase succulents planted primarily in sand rather than soil. A few carefully strewed pebbles and other objects in a nice container and — voilà! — a terrarium that doesn’t need humid conditions. It will only need water once every three or four weeks, right at the roots, Aiello says.

Tropical, moisture-loving plants will need watering more often, perhaps once a week or once every two weeks, depending on how well the container traps humidity. With a smaller-mouthed container, watering can be less frequent than for wide-mouthed bowls.

Because glass containers magnify the effects of sunlight, terrariums should be kept out of direct sun. Those with succulents do well in bright, indirect light, while some terrarium dwellers will like darker conditions.

Terrarium kits from Aiello’s store start at $30. Geiger’s smallest creations in handblown glass containers cost $44 at retail stores and can cost more than $120 for larger sizes.

But creating a terrarium doesn’t have to be an expensive undertaking. If your own cupboards don’t already contain an empty jam jar to use as a container, designers recommend searching local thrift shops, where you’re nearly certain to find glassware that is terrarium-worthy.

Personal mementos are another inexpensive way to dress up terrariums.

One of the creations in Aiello and Bryant’s book includes a pair of golden candleholders shaped like deer, for example. Some people place objects they’ve collected, such as bird nests, old coins, figurines or small toys, into their terrariums.

“Little tiny pieces of driftwood are really sweet,” says Alethea Harampolis, co-owner with Jill Rizzo of Studio Choo. Harampolis and Rizzo do flowers for events, terrariums and more at their San Francisco store, Prairie Collective. Harampolis also likes using gemstones and pieces of metal.

“Or you can make a little desert scene,” she says. “Whatever you can imagine, you can make.”

Contact Sue McAllister at 408-920-5833, or follow her at Twitter.com/suemcal.