With Christmas just around the corner, it’s absolutely time to start creating some fun Christmas gifts.
These potted succulents are the perfect gift for so many reasons. They’re so much fun to make, they look so sweet and let’s face it, a bit more greenery in our lives is a good thing.
I’ve made a collection of ten pots, mainly as Christmas gifts but with a few left over they’re the perfect birthday present or hostess thank you. What a nice alternative to a bunch of flowers. Beautiful, long lasting and very low maintenance, what’s not to love?
You’ll need:
Terracotta Pots and Dishes
Ornamental Sealer
Outdoor Paint Selection of Colours – I used Porters Paint, who can resist their gorgeous sample jars?
Spray Can of Clear Varnish
Mod Podge
Paint Brushes
Pencil
Eraser
Black Permanent Marker
Painters Tape
Sandpaper Grit P120
Potting Mix
Small Pebbly Rocks
Succulent Cuttings
Cardboard or Newspaper to protect your work surface
First things first. You’ll need to seal your pots. I used Crommelin. A spray bottle costs about $10 for 750 ml. Once treated with sealer, inside and out, your pot won’t absorb water, preserving your painted surface.
Before applying sealer, make sure your pots are clean and dry. Apply three coats inside and out. This stuff is runny, so once you spray your pots, use a slightly damp cloth to even out the solution. Let it dry for about 30 minutes between coats.
To give the sealer enough time to do its thing, wait 48 hours before applying undercoat.
With 48 hours to spare, round up some succulent cuttings from friends, family and neighbours. They’re everywhere at the moment, so this should be easy. Here’s a great guide on How to Plant Cut Succulents.
After 48 hours you can completely undercoat your pots and dishes. Once dry, sand them lightly, then wipe down to remove any dust.
Pot One
Apply two coats of base colour, sanding lightly after the first coat. I used Porters Paint, Irish Linen. Using a pencil, lightly sketch your design, if you make a mistake, it’s ok, use an eraser and start again. Once you’re 100% happy with your sketch, go over it with a permanent marker. Let the ink dry completely, then use a small paint brush to apply a light coat of Mod Podge over your design. This will really seal it up and give it longevity. Allow the Mod Podge to dry before spraying your entire pot with clear varnish. This will give your pot a beautifully smooth, shiny finish.
Pot Two
Select two colours for this pretty flower pot. Apply two coats of your base colour over the entire pot, inside and out, sanding lightly after the first coat (I used Irish Linen). Use painters tape to achieve a perfect edge. Tape your pot on an angle, on opposing sides. With your contrasting colour, paint two coats within the taped area. I used Baby Doll from the Porters Paint range.
Remove tape once dry. You’ll end up with a cute geometric half pink, half cream pot. Finish with a spray of clear varnish.
Pot Three
As with Pot Two, select two colours for this pot. Apply two coats of your base colour over the entire pot, inside and out (I used Chintz Grey). Sand lightly after first coat.
Using painters tape, tape two stripes around the pot to give a painting edge. Using your accent colour, paint inside the taped area (I used Irish Linen). Once completely dry, remove the painters tape and you’ll have a lovely cream loop around your pot. With a black permanent marker draw rainbows all the way around the pot, within the cream loop. Allow the marker time to completely dry, then lightly paint with Mod Podge to completely seal the pattern. Finish with a spray of clear varnish.
Pot Four
Apply two coats of light paint to the bottom half of your pot (I used Irish Linen), sanding lightly after first coat.
Use painters tape to provide a line for your patterned drawing. Start with the bottom line. Once you’ve completed your pattern, remove tape from the first line and proceed up your pot until you have three patterned levels. Tape over highest pattern line to create an edge and paint the upper part of your pot (I did mine in Baby Doll). Allow the marker about 15 minutes to completely dry, then lightly paint over pattern with Mod Podge to completely seal. Finish with a spray of clear varnish over entire pot
A few things I learnt along the way:
- Don’t let your paint get too thick near the painters tape, this will create a ridge between colours. If you do get a ridge, you can carefully shave it back with a sharp knife. You can see a small ridge in some of the photos above. The photos accentuate this, it’s not really as visible in real life.
- Don’t spray your varnish too thick, you’ll end up with drips and some yellowing.
- If drawing a design, keep it simple. Drawing on an angle is tricky.
- I made a mistake on one of my pots so I used it as a practice pot for black marker designs. I then sanded it back and started again – remember that everything can be fixed with a fresh coat of paint.
Yay – you now have four lovely pots. Once they’re completely dry, go ahead and plant your sweet little succulents and watch them settle into their new flower pot before giving them to someone special.
