I have started posting some pics of my painted pots on a couple of other threads. But, I thought, who can keep track of all these threads (not me). SO, I decided to start a thread about containers and pots that people have painted, decorated, and about unique or lovely ones that people have found.
I'll start with some pics of my own.
Oh, I should say something about the painted pots. The first pic is of a mutli-colored strawberry pot. The pic does not show all the variations of pink, rose, beige, and soft orange.
This next one is layered blue and green on an embossed pot. The embossing made for a nice effect.
This message was edited Jul 8, 2006 12:05 PM
Oh, I should say something about the painted pots. The first pic is of a mutli-colored strawberry pot. The pic does not show all the variations of pink, rose, beige, and soft orange.
This next one is layered blue and green on an embossed pot. The embossing made for a nice effect.
Oops. Reposting myself; sorry.
Here is what I call my Gaudy Pot: as if the flower embossing were not enough, I just had to try stripes.
And another: sage green with purple streaks. It looks great when all the petunias are in bloom.
One of my half pots. Bright blue with copper trim and copper stars.
THey are all very pretty! I really love the "gaudy pot". (I guess you can tell my taste eh?)
Tam
PS: I think you are pretty close to me. NE Pa?
And, as this is quite enough from me, another half pot. Greenish background with mustard yellow rim and 'splatters' of the yellow and violet.
Oh good, I don't have to talk to myself!
Yes, we are pretty close. Really, we live in the upper corner of Hilltown, but our mailing address is Perkasie. Are you in Bucks Co, too?
Hey, as for your taste: well, I'm the one who created it, right?
Hi Sissystars! I am so glad you started this thread. I've been painting pots since 2003 and I paint them gaudy! I'd like to share some of my efforts on this thread. I'm not a great painter by any means but I really really enjoy the creative process. I buy plain clay pots and then go crazy with the Patio Paints. Here is an example of one of my pots. By the time I painted this one, I was beginning to experiment with multi-colored backgrounds. It's a small azelea pot that holds 3 succulents. This is a close up of the pot. I have yet to paint a matching saucer for it. I'll also post a photo of the pot with the plant in the next post.
Here is the photo of the pot with the plants. It's a small, cute container garden that I keep on my desk at work to admire.
I really like the combination of blue and copper also. I don't know what it is, but the combination just works so well. Here is my effort in blue and copper. I also painted the matching saucer. At this point I decided to try more abstract painting and I really like the result. I've got an aloe vera in this pot. It sits on my desk at work also. As you can see, I reversed the colors on the saucer, making the copper the background color. I'll also post the inside of the saucer, since it looks like the body of the pot. Let me know what you think.
Here is the inside of the saucer. Unfortunately, with the flash and the copper colored paint there is a glare, but you get the idea. I was really proud of my effort on this pair.
sissystars/schneeflocke - those are some great looking pots. loved the way you painted them.
Here is an embossed pot that I painted. As you can see, it is plenty gaudy too. The pedestal is copper and gold, and the lip at the top is painted copper. I used two colors of purple to attempt to get the grapes to "pop", and then I used a sparkle glaze (glitter) on the grapes only. This pot holds 4 varieties of succulents, all crassula variations. I keep this one on a south facing windowsill at home. On very sunny days when I know it won't rain I set it outside. That allows the succulents to get more variation in their color.
Herbie43: Thank you very much for the compliment. Do you have any painted pots to share with the thread?
Really neat pots, I am impressed! I painted some a few years ago and I really need to get back to doing them again. I had so much fun making them, I also found it very relaxing and therapeutic!
And there is nothing gaudy about your pots, everyone's taste is different, and colorful pots make the plants stand out even more!
And another one, I was playing with paints and stencils! :)
These are all great! How can schneeflocke say s/he is not artitistic?
Bec-No-Va: I tried some stencils when I first started playing with painting pots [I also use the Patio Paints], but I have found it very hard to use regular stencils on round surfaces. Are you cutting your own stencils, or do you have some other trick?
By the way, I found a place online to buy large sizes of the paints - at much less than the usual cost in crafts stores. Shall I track it down for anyone?
nah, i just use mostly 5 gallon and 2 gallon plastic containers for my vegetables.
Sissy, if I remember correctly I used tape to attach the stensils, very carefully...:) I got the regular 'ole stensil strips from Michael's or somewhere and did one side then the other. Slow process and I did some very small pots the same way ~ I am currently working on decorating my bedroom and am now into Black/White and since I am moving a lot of houseplants in there, I think I might paint some pots again, I work from home, and really need to do something else every now and then but sit in front of the PC! Yey, you have inspired me!
Sissystars: I'm a She 8-) Thank you for the kind words. I would love to see a clearer photo of your pink strawberry pot. I've thought about the splattered effect and will definitely try it. Your pots are an inspiration. Do you have any more to share with us?
Bec_No_Va: I love the stencils! I think I have the fleur-de-lils one! I have them but have never gotten up the nerve to actually use them. You tape them down. Another inspiration!
I do want to try more 2-color, tone on tone designs, but it seems every time I try that I get carried away and its ends up being colorful again. Might have something to do with the fact that I am essentially a succulent person and therefore most of the time they are green/gray/tan. I think a black and white striped or stenciled pot would look so chic and elegant! That's a good idea! I inherited my ex-manager's Gerbera Daisy and she just bought a yellow and black Mini Cooper Convertible, so this is what I repotted her Daisy into. The matching saucer is similar. I took the blue and copper pot design and adapted it to yellow and black. Any my ex-boss had the nerve to imply that wasn't her plant becaue it's blooming so well. LOL!
Herbie43: Maybe we can inspire you here. You can paint your gallon containers nice solid colors.
I recently purchased a couple of books on Illuminated Letters. I got really inspired by them. So now I am making a pot/saucer combination for my cousin with her initials and I am Illuminating them so they look like they come out of a book from the Middle Ages. I faux finished the background so that it looks like old parchment and then am drawing the letters of her initials so that it looks like some Monk painted them on. I am having a lot of fun with this one and am taking my time with it. Then I am going to put some baby spider plants in it from my big plant and give it to her. I think she will like it. I'll post it when its done, but it will be a while.
This is wonderful. And, I think I am the one to be inspired, here.
We should definitely get Herbie to break out the paints. In fact, Herbie, I'm fairly sure that there are craft paints specifically for plastic. All you need to do is start having fun. Neither my eyesight nor my steadiness-of-hand are what they used to be, so I just focus on the colors.
Shneeflocke and Bec-No-Va: what do you use for a protective surface? The stuff I used the first year - a spray on lacquer - was a flop outdoors. Now I am painting on an 'outdoor' coat and hoping it will stand up better. Of course, I do get to repaint the old ones, now. :-)
I love the yellow and black pot - and wish I could redecorate at least one room in white, yellow, and black. I have my eye on my daughter's room, but she claims I have to 'keep it' as is until she finishes college. 4 years; how can I hold out?
Thanks for the stencil tip; that makes sense. I think there is a spray-on temporary adhesive that can be used on stencils, too. Has anyone seen that or tried it?
Lastly: I'll try to get a closer pic of the rosy pot. I wish the silly plants were blooming better. I am doing some fairly plain pots right now for three little heuchera that I want to pot up until next year.
By the way, my name is Chris - in case you get worn out typing the screen name.
Oh wait. I meant to ask Schneeflocke about the pattern on the saucer. It looks, in the photo, as though there are decorative thingies among the paint spots. 'Thingies' meaning something like ... little stones, or sequins, or some such?
Chris, I'm Renee, much shorter, isn't it. I had to take a look at the saucer. I see what you are referencing to. No, it is all paint, but that was gold Patio Paint applied with the end of one of my paint brushes (Thank You One Stroke Painting). It sparkles very nicely in the light. BUT, I must tell you, I am seriously considering gluing some Austrian Crystals on the side of some pots after they are painted just to see if it would work. I have been gluing crystals on my flipflops and this idea is an extension from that project. Can't you just see something like this on a pot???! I use the Delta Dreamcoat brand Varnishes, they come in matte, satin or gloss finishes so you have a bunch of options. They also come in Interior or Interior/Exterior types. I don't like the spray on stuff, too chemically smellish. I put on minimum 2 coats after I'm done painting. I've had VERY good luck with these varnishes. ALSO: Before I forget: Don't forget to SIGN YOUR WORK! It could be worth $$$ 200 years from now 8-) I sign and date with the year each pot/saucer at completion. It helps me to keep track of what I did when and allows me to see my craft progression.
I call these my Bling Flops. I could call the pots my Bling Pots!!! LOL! I love it!
This message was edited Jul 9, 2006 12:59 PM
Chris, Renee, yes much shorter! :)
I am as y'all can imaging Becky! :) Anyway, I had to run upstairs, check on the paints, and of course they are all old and dried up, so me thinks a trip to craft store is in order. I am thinking B/W is the way to go, with some really bright red ones as well, I am going to paint my kitchen Cranberry red here in the distant future, just have to get up the nerve! Everything I have collected lately has been B/W so I am going to stick with the trend! :)
I have no idea what I coated them with, all I know is I used several layers of it! I painted it on! None of my pots are outdoors anyway, but I think I will start making pots for the tropical/perennials I have on my deck and need to take in for the winter!
The bling - flops are awesome! Why not bling - pots! :)
Hi Becky: How about black and white striped with cranberry colored flowers on the pot? Or you could do black/white, cranberry/white and cranberry/black. Stripes, stencils, spatter, dots or even solid color. All 3 colors would go together wonderfully. And putting a cranberry pot in the b/w room and a b/w pot in the kitchen. You would be doing a designer type tie-in from room to room. It sounds like you have great plans. Good luck with that and you will have to show us your handiwork. Don't forget to sign it :-)
Renee, I am liking those ideas, the C&S would look great in those colors (this is bad, "designer" pots for the C&S!! LOL), I want something that will show off the plants as well as be pretty and B/W stripes with Cranberry would be cool. I am planning a road trip to a pottery outlet further south and I could find loads there! It seems to be hard to find terracotta pots large enough to use as decorative pots due to the shape, but with Orchid pots they are large enough on the bottom to "house" the regular plastic pots inside!
Becky: post them when you create them! Here is another of my creations. This is an illuminated letter "R" in a saucer. I can't tell you two how hard it was for me to stop at blue and red. I simply used the Patio Paints black marker to get all of the detail. I could not have done that with a brush if my life depended on it.
Renee: Oh my lord - that is FABULOUS. But, how could you bring yourself to do such lovely work on the inside of the saucer?? And, of course, the sandals are great fun.
I have been collecting bits of ceramic pots and things from our yard for years. Our house is ancient and people used to just toss broken pottery into the dirt. I have a nice, if varied, collection of pieces and have been thinking about gluing them around a pot. I've also been eyeing some little stones at the craft store. What's next: how about decoupaging a pot? Isn't this fun?
Renee & Becky: I've used the Delta indoor/outdoor stuff. have to order more. Neither the local Michael's nor ...Sally Ann's? .. whatever it is, have the outdoor glaze. I also buy my paints online because i can get much larger bottles for less money.
Becky: I think the B/W and cranberry sounds beautiful. You could stencil or paint roses or peonies in the cranberry on top of the B/W stripes.
I have errands out the ears this week, When I finally pot up my new heuchera, I'll send photos.
Chris: It was my first attempt. I didn't know how it would turn out, so if it looked icky it wouldn't matter since the pot would be sitting on it. But I was really tickled as to how it turned out. I made it for this little gold pot that I "antiqued" with crackling medium and black antique finish. I am not going to antique the saucer since I like the look as it is, but antiquing would certainly make it look 'older'.
I have been thinking decoupage also! I think as long as you seal the pot inside and out really well with varnish it should work. And then cover the decoupage with more varnish. As long as it is waterproofed from both sides so as not to ruin the design. Just think of the possibilities!
Oh the mosaic idea would be really neat! You could make some really cool things that way. You could create pots that look like they came out of an archeological dig around the Meditteranean. You could make greek-key borders, or an aquatic design with fish/dolphins, or just colorful flowers. And if you don't like those ideas you could go with abstract instead. You could paint bits of pottery if you don't like the color of them.
schneeflocke,
Love that little pot. Very, very nice work. The plant is beautiful too. They compliment each other very nicely.
Gay
Renee, that's a lovely pot. I have not tried the antiquing, but as I am becoming a pot-decorating addict...what the heck!
And, what IS the plant? A succulent, but what is the name? It's so cool; I don't think I've ever seen anything like it.
I have some pots to photo and post. At least, once my house is cleared of this gang of fourteen year old boys. Sigh.
Chris
Chris: The succulent is a Fenestraria. They are from extremely arid areas. The light comes to the plant through the little 'windows' at the tip of the plant. Water it every couple of weeks or so and it is happy. I have been setting it outside when I am guaranteed a dry day. Since I have been doing that it is developing a pinkish tinge. It was green-green when I purchased it a Lowes this spring. In nature, they are buried in the dirt completely up to their tips with only the tips showing above ground. But that is tricky in a pot, and everything I've read has recommended that you keep it all above ground. Its a fun little plant.
For the antiquing, I first painted the pot with Patio Paint in Gold-a couple of coats to get a good opaque finish. Then I used the crackling mediums - first the clear base coat and then the clear crackling coat on top of that to create the crackle on the clear base coat. After that dries, I use a black antiquing liquid that I paint on and then wipe the excess off. You can also use colored paints to crackle, but I didn't know how that would work with Patio Paint. It is so much fun to experiment and even cooler when something new turns out to be really cool! 8-)
Gay, thank you for the compliment. Do you paint pots?
Renee
Ok. Some new pics! As I can only seem to do these one at a time, I'll post new items. I did take more pics of the rosy pot, as requested, and of the green & blue half pot with a flowering blue .... hmm.
Gay: I hope we will inspire you to join us!
SO: the set of crummy pots I started fussing with for my heuchera.
This purple/blue/beige streaked one also has silver lettering from stamps. The lettering does not seem to show up well on the photo. (It says, "Happy Plants.")
This one is just various blues and pinks streaked together.
And some more of the same.
