Thanks to everyone to who came out for the Anthropologie Mother’s Day event last Thursday! It was so much fun to watch your crafting skills blow mine out of the water, and I’m glad the project allowed for some creative expression.
The original craft event called for “Dip-Dyed” pots, which turned out take too long to dry, given our 2 hour event. So we improvised, and the craft event was dubbed “Choose You Own Adventure in Terracotta Pot Painting”. For those of you interested in making your own painted pots at home, here’s what you’ll need:
1. Terracotta planter
2. Semi-gloss or stain paint (we used interior paint)
3. Rubber bands in different widths (at least 1/4″in thick) and/or thin painters tape (we used this Martha Stewart pattern tape)
4. Sponge paint brushes
Step One: “Mask” your pot with rubber bands or painters tape where you want the terracotta material to show. You could apply random strips of tape vertically at different angles, or one rubber band placed unevenly near the base of the pot, for a dip-dyed look. If you’re using painters tape, be sure to press down hard.
Step Two: Paint the areas above, under or in between the rubber band or painters tape. This is where you can use your creativity! Many of our participants used two colors, others created an “ombre” look by mixing white paint with pastel paint. The rubber bands make for great organic patterns, and the painters tape creates a cool, abstract look.
Step Three: Wait 5 minutes for the paint to dry a bit, then add a second coat. We want the paint to have a thick, contrasting texture to the terracotta pots. This is why we chose a gloss paint!
Step Four: Wait for the paint to dry completely before removing the tape or rubber band. Run an exact-o knife along the edged of your rubber band or masking tape. Snip the rubber band with scissors, and remove the tape slowly. If there are jagged edges, trim them with an exact-o knife or press them into the terra-cotta pot.
That’s it! I would recommend spraying the pot with a matte finish, but it isn’t necessary. Fill your pot with whatever your heart desires; we filled ours with indoor violets.
Thanks again for Anthropoloie at 50th and France for hosting a lovely evening. Hopefully we’ll have the opportunity to do it again, soon.
Images: My super high tech iPhone.
