Painted Terra Cotta Pots

I really love terra cotta pots (especially these pictures here and here). I think I love them so much because they are like a blank canvas just waiting to be filled with something beautiful, whether that be with beautiful plants or altered physically to express your personal style.

Last weekend was absolutely beautiful, so I had to get out and do something. Home Depot was calling my name begging me to come buy some new plants and pots. I picked up an assortment of house plants along with a handful of different sized pots. I sat outside for a few hours painting and planting and it was absolutely wonderful to see the sun, especially after the extremely cold weather we have been having lately.

If you want to make your own, here is what you'll need:

- flat white primer spray paint (I used this one here. They carry it at home depot.)
- terra cotta pots
- craft paint in whatever color you'd like
- paint brushes in assorted sizes

The first thing you'll need to do is use the primer to prep the pots for painting. This step isn't absolutely necessary, but by doing this you'll have to make fewer coats with your craft paint. It took me 2-4 coats for each pot. I like to do thinner layers for a more even look, and this also helps minimize runs. Runs are not pretty.

Once you finish priming, you can decorate however you'd like. I like to free hand my designs, but if you want perfectly straight lines (and have an abundance of patience), you can use painters tape to tape off areas. I brought mine inside for this step, because it was starting to get a little chilly out as the sun was going down. I chose to go with a black and white theme for a uniform look. I ended up painting over the poor little blue pot because I decided that I wanted them all to match.

I really love how these turned out. I'm not sure that I'll keep all of them on the mantle, but for now, I like them. They bring a little life into my living room and to my giant mantle that has looked so sad and lonely lately. I hope you've enjoyed this post and I highly encourage you to go out and make your own. 

xo-Nancy