Nature Lover's Palm Pot

Clay pot crafts like this Nature Lover's Palm Pot make a wonderful gift for a loved one's housewarming party.  Decorate a simple terra cotta pot and plant a love palm or your favorite flowers and present it as a gift that's sure to keep on giving!  This is a fun and easy project that lends itself well to creativity and imagination. 

Materials:

• Small plastic flower pot
• Acrylic paint in the following two colors: true red and pale gold
• White water-based primer
• Water-based varnish
• 10/32” paint brush
• Fan-shaped paint brush
• Pencil
• Black waterproof bullet point permanent marker
• Few sheets of old newspapers to protect the working area
• Love palm (Chamaedorea elegans)
• Potting soil
• Small white decorative garden pebbles

Instructions:

1. Clean the pot thoroughly and leave to dry overnight.
    
2. Turn the pot upside down on a sheet of newspaper. Using the 10/32” paint brush, paint the whole outside and the bottom of the pot with the water-based primer. Let it dry thoroughly.
    
3. Paint the whole outside and the bottom of the pot with the true red paint.
   
   
    
4. Let it dry thoroughly and apply a second coat of true red paint and leave to dry thoroughly.
    
5. Use the pencil to transfer the given design to the pot.
   
   
    
6. Now trace over the pencil lines with the black permanent marker. Color all the hearts with the marker.
   
   
    
7. Use the marker to add a border pattern to the top of the pot.
   
   
    
8. Using the fan-shaped paint brush, give the outside of the pot a wash with the pale gold-colored acrylic paint. Remember not to use too much paint when using a fan-shaped brush, as this will lose the fan-shaped effect remove excess paint by dabbing it onto a sheet of newspaper before starting to paint.
   
   
    
9. Turn the bucket upside down on a sheet of newspaper and paint the whole outside of the pot with the water-based varnish. Leave the pot to dry thoroughly.
    
10. Add the plant and the decorative pebbles.