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Use a clever painting technique to turn an old plastic pot into a little work of art. Once done, the pot will look as if it has been covered with plywood. Add jute ribbon, a small succulent and some pebbles, and a pot that was previously ready to be thrown out, has received a new lease on life.
The same principle could also be used to upcycle large plastic pots to turn them into useful garden décor items.
Recycled Craft: Faux Wooden Flower Pot
Materials:
- plastic flower pot
- a few sheets of old newspapers
- 2mm wide natural jute ribbon
- Modge Podge
- white acrylic paint
- Dala bronze antique rub
- bronze Ink Glimmer Mist
- black, brown, dark blue and red felt-tip pens
- quick-drying gloss spray varnish
- standard paintbrush
- fan-shaped paintbrush
- standard scissors
- two small plastic containers
- soil, succulent and small white pebbles
Instructions:
1. Cover the outer sides of the pot with newspaper:
Regular acrylic paint won’t stick to the plastic pot, so you will first have to turn the pot into a workable canvas. Cut the newspaper into small strips. Use the paintbrush and Modge Podge to adhere the strips to the pot. Do not cover the bottom or the inside of the pot, but make sure to cover the top edge of the pot too. Allow to dry thoroughly. Note: You can use a hairdryer to speed up the drying process.
2. Paint the newspaper layer with a thin coat of white acrylic paint and allow to dry.
3. Now start creating the faux wood grain effect:
a. In one of the small containers, mix white paint with the bronze ink glimmer mist. Use the fan-shaped paintbrush to add small uneven lines all around the pot. The lines must all run in the same direction. Allow to dry.
b. Use the black felt-tip pen to draw small lines all around the pot, again making sure that the lines follow the same direction as the first ones.
c. Repeat step3b with the brown, blue and red pens.
d. In the second small container, mix white paint with the bronze antique rub. Use the fan-shaped paintbrush again to add more small uneven lines all around the pot. Allow to dry.
e. Add a few final lines with the paint and ink glimmer mist mix. Allow to dry thoroughly before proceeding with the next step.
Note: The idea is to upcycle an old pot into a useful garden decor item. If you do not have the same ink and rub, don’t rush out to the craft store. Try and find something similar from your craft stash. You might end up with a slightly darker colored plywood effect, which is fine.
4. Spray the outside of the pot with the varnish and allow to dry.
5. Cut four pieces of jute ribbon that are of the same length. Wrap them tightly around the top of the pot and first make a knot, and then a bow. Add a drop of glue to the bow so that it won’t come undone.
6. Add soil, a succulent and a few small white pebbles to finish it off.
Where would you use this easy homemade flower pot?
Benetta Strydom
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I would make this plant pot. It’s some work 2 do but it’s great looking. I’ve decorated other plastic containers 4 plants + they’ve turned out great! My only problem is I can’t use varnish cause I have asthma + would get very sick. Sincerely, Diana Valle.