diy . . . aging clay pots with paint

I adore the look of aged terra cotta pots.

I have a small collection of them that I've gathered over the years from one of my favorite shoppes that my mom, sister, and I visit every year on our annual trip to Solvang.

I buy them from a charming garden and gift shoppe that's nestled in the beautiful historic town of Los Olivos, California . . . J. Woeste.

design sponge

I bought this lemon cypress (and pots) there last November. If you follow me, then you probably recognize it from my December and January posts. Since buying it, I've transplanted it into a larger, taller aged terra cotta pot . . . and it's doing well. I think it's grown about 3-inches since last November.

I recently discovered (and purchased) a Greek Basil Topiary tree. I'm over-the-top in love with it . . . and knew that I needed to find a beautifully aged pot for it. A large one, that is.

Although I have several aged pots, they're all on the smaller side . . . and I've had a hard time finding larger aged ones, locally. So, I thought I would try 'aging' one myself, using chalkboard paint.

I fell in love with this clay pot for it's curved rim, stepped sides, and tapered bottom. It's quite pretty.

Disclaimer . . . I didn't research, or study, any diy tutorials for this . . . I just looked at my aged pots . . . and then gave it a go myself.

After I decided what colors I wanted to use, I stopped by my local craft store and bought all the supplies I needed for less than $5!

Supplies

.     .     .    .     .

brush

sponge

chalkboard paint
*I bought grey and taupe.

.     .     .    .     .

Ok, here's where I'm not too great on diy tutorials.

Let me explain my thinking here . . . 

Painting is an art. It's free form, and everyone interprets it differently. 

Even if I gave you a step-by-step-by-step-by-step on how to age a clay pot using paint, yours is still going to look different than mine . . . and it should.

So in this 'diy tutorial' I'll share why I chose to use chalkboard paint, and what kinds of finishes using a paint brush and sponge make on clay pots. 

I hope that my photos and diy help you 'age' your clay pots just how YOU envision them.  

And my best advice . . . have fun with it! There's no right or wrong here.

.     .     .     .     .     .     .

Ok, let's start . . .
I chose to use chalkboard paint for its versatility and matte finish, which I really like.

I mixed equal amounts grey and taupe to make the color seen below.  

If you like a 'mossy' finish, then you might want to add green paint to your mix.

The texture seen in this photo was made by using a paint brush, 

and then I used the sponge to 'feather out' the edges to make it look more smooth and natural.

I used a sponge to create this appearance and texture.

Using a sponge is a great way to add more paint, giving it a more rich, 'calcified' look.

Here is a photo of the paint brush AND sponge technique 'feathered out' and dry.

Using a sponge, I added white paint to create brighter, 'calcified' looking areas to the pot.

'Feather out' the white paint using the sponge for a more natural look.

 

I hope this diy gives you the confidence to try 'aging' your clay pots.

Since painting mine, I've already seen changes in the colors . . . making it look even more natural.

I love simple and fun diy's like this one!

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