April 7, 2016

How To: Decoupage Flower Pots

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New to the medium of decoupage, I ventured out and got my first bottle of Mod Podge to start exploring the art -- now I am officially addicted and want to decoupage EVERYTHING! The warm sunny weather in San Diego this past weekend inspired me to plant some new plants and give the pots I put them in a bit of flair. I decided to decoupage some Terracotta plant holders with materials I had around the house. It was very easy and very fun -- read on to learn how to make your own decoupage flower pots!




Materials you will need:
  • Terracotta pots
  • Mod Podge - You can make your own by taking 3 parts white glue to one part water. Add 2 tablespoons of varnish for shine. Mod Podge isn't expensive, and it comes in a wide range of styles from matte to glitter. There is also an "outdoor" Mod Podge, so if you are going to put your pots outside, you may want to use that variety.
  • Whatever materials you want to decoupage onto your flowerpot. I used a napkin with a print I liked, the packets that the flower seeds came in, and some pretty paper. You can also use postcards, magazines, newspaper, etc.
  • Scissors
  • Paints
  • A "sponge" type brush


1) First, cut your paper, or whatever material you are using, into small squares. I did this as I went along because you will need to fill in with odd shapes and sizes. Put some Mod Podge or glue mixture on each piece and then affix it to your flowerpot.


2) Continue cutting and gluing your paper on the pot until it is covered. If you are using a napkin, take care because it will tear easily.


3) Once you have covered the surface, take your sponge brush and cover the entire pot with Mod Podge or glue mixture. One coat is fine, but the bottle says you can do several coats if you desire. Just allow 15-20 minutes in between coats.


4) Once the flower pot is dry, you can paint the rim of the flowerpot in a matching color, or leave it as is. Below, you can see the flower pot that I decoupaged using a napkin with a fun print (on the right).

The decoupage possibilities are endless! So next time you have some magazines lying around, postcards, or almost pretty material, try your hand at these decoupage flower pots, which would also make great teacher gifts with a lovely plant!

Below, you can see the flower pot I decoupaged with the packets that the flower seeds came in!

This post was written by Petite Planet craft contributor, Lisa Lopez.

14 comments:

Savvy Sassy Moms said...

Beautiful!! Just founf your blog and I LOVE IT! I am so doing this project with my daughter - she loves "art projects"
Andrea

Petite Planet said...

Thanks so much for stopping by, Andrea! This would be a wonderful mother/daughter art project! Have a great time!

Unknown said...

Can you decoupage on plastic pots? I'm thinking of a kids class project and worried about breaking. Any thoughts?

Petite Planet said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Petite Planet said...

Hi Deborah - Lisa Lopez, Petite Planet's resident crafter said that yes, you can indeed decoupage on plastic pots using Mod Podge and following the instructions in the post. Enjoy!

Anonymous said...

I want to decoupage a large outdoor patio terra cotta pot for a teacher's gift. Is there a product that will help protect the decoupage from the weather?

Petite Planet said...

I found this article on weather-proofing decoupage:

http://www.theartfulcrafter.com/decoupage-forty-three.html

However, I don't believe the last two products mentioned are eco-friendly... and therefore I wouldn't personally recommend them!

Unknown said...

I recently did this for a teacher using student photos . I did about 3 coats of modge podge It dried clear and looked fabulous, the next day I sprayed it with a clear lacquer sealant. The next day I planted a plant in it. Later that evening I watered it and the next day all the modge podge strokes reappeared! It is now all cloudy and streaky! Do you have any idea what went wrong? WS it the lacquer? Did the watering absorb thorough the clay and re activate the modge podge? I have enough photos to make another one but I need to figure out what I did wrong. Thanks!

Petite Planet said...

HI Margaret- sorry for your troubles! Crafter Lisa said "My pots have a separate little pot inside -- I wouldn't plant directly in pot because with consistent watering it may cause problems. The pots are just for decor."
Perhaps the water did re-activate the modge podge somehow...

artesanias bonitas said...

hi! I cover the inside of the pot with "brea" (I don't know the English word, it's the sticky black paint used to make the streets I think). Once it's dried you make decoupage.... good luck...

suebow said...

I know what I can do with all the pieces of wallpaper I have collected .Thanks for the inspiration
x

Anonymous said...

This is such a fun project. I would suggest that you paint the upper rim of the planter first so that you don't have to be as careful before the paper is applied. Your planters are absolutely lovely!

Unknown said...

I love this I now know how to decoupage 😃😃 brilliant

StampingByTheWater said...

I have always loved using Mod Podge and never knew I was actually doing 'decoupage'!!! I absolutely LOVE these flower pots!! I mean...the COLORS you chose were so cheerful! Great job!! TYFS 😘💕