Upcycle plain terra cotta to make a super quick and easy cute planter. Use any combination of colors you want to match your style or decor.
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Don’t blink y’all, because this one is quick.
It’s also easy and cute, so if you need a crafty fix for your weekend, here you go!
Disclaimer
But before we jump in, I’ve got to give credit to the designer because this planter project wasn’t my idea.
A few weeks ago we were talking about them in The Creative’s Corner. We shared projects and ideas and one of our members contributed this one.
So that week during our Facebook LIVE segment, I demonstrated how to make them. The entire video took only 13 minutes. Of course, that included some chit-chat as well BUT…the point is that these are super quick!
For that first planter I gave it a faux patina finish,
but for this one I decided on a warm summery blend of bright colors.
We’re really just dressing up plain terra cotta pots. Is there an end to the ways you can dress these things up?
I just love them. They’re like basic crafting supplies, in my opinion.
On to the Easy Tutorial
So grab yourself a terra cotta pot of your choice – any size will do.
You’re also going to need some cheesecloth, craft glue, 4-6 craft paints, and a sea sponge – wadded paper towel will work fine too if you don’t already have a sponge.
Start by smearing a good coating of craft glue over the pot. Easy enough, right?
Next, cut a piece of cheesecloth and wrap it around the pot, single layer, pressing it down into the glue. Don’t worry about small wrinkles and folds – those are good. You just want to avoid bulky piles that stick up off the pot.
When the pot is covered, trim any extra cheesecloth from the sides and bottom.
And don’t worry if you have spaces that aren’t completely covered. You really want a few of those.
Paint
Do you love paint with me? 🙂
Decide which color combinations you want and squirt a little of each onto a paper plate or piece of craft paper (wax paper works great too).
After the glue is dry, you’re ready to add the paints. Start with a base color. For this one I chose white. I started with a deep brown for the patina version.
With a damp sponge, go over the entire pot, lightly dotting on the paint. You won’t get full coverage – just a light splotchy coating. Don’t forget to dot along the top edge and down inside the rim a little too.
Next, add a second color. It won’t look particularly charming at this point, but be patient…
Add another color –
and continue dotting on new colors until you’ve used all the colors you chose.
After the paint dries, pop in a plant and you’re done!
Super Quick. Super Easy. And I think they’re super fun to make too.
If you enjoyed this post, you may also like Textured Fall Acorn Flower Pot.
Live Creatively,
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Carole West says
This is so fun, love the idea and that it’s super easy. Sitting here thinking this could be a good workshop for Fall. Something a little different, may have to ponder that … So would you say this pot would be better for indoors than outside?
Karen says
Hi Carole,
I loved this idea when I heard about it – it is really fast and easy.
Yes, they really are better suited for indoor use. You could spray them with a poly sealer so they would hold up for outdoors, but that would also seal off the natural breathability of these pots. I keep mine in the kitchen window where they’re easy to water and get plenty of light.