
Here in Chicago, we are getting used to having super cold weather and then super warm weather a few days later. Interestingly enough, those nice days have been on the weekend.
The nice weather has been getting me in the mood for Spring. My current obsession is (or, will be) gardening. I mostly want to do it to grow vegetables hoping that if we grow them, D will eat them. I also was hoping it will teach D responsibility and he can watch everything grow.
I already have planter boxes (don’t worry, blog post soon!) so I wanted to do some terracotta pots. I hit up the Dollar Tree and they had them in packs of 2 for (yep, you guessed it) $1. They have bigger ones also but my Dollar Tree did not.
DIY Rustic Clay Pot Supplies:
- Clay pots (I got mine at the Dollar Tree)
- Acrylic paint
- Paint brush
- Varnish/water proof sealer
I took some acrylic paint and painted the bottom part white and the top part black. Don’t paint the whole thing. Just lightly paint it, not worrying about painting the whole thing.



Once it dried, I took some sandpaper and sanded down the white paint. You can sand it a lot or a little – it’s up to you. Then I did some of the black and every time I did some of the black, I came back to the white, which is what gave it that antiquey color. I instantly loved this look and I didn’t even mean to do it.
I then decided to add some letters – I’m going to spell out “GROW” with my pots for the deck. I did a cute one with a “J” for Kerry – the winner of my last contest! (J is the first letter of her new last name when she gets married next month!)
After adding the letter, I sanded it a little bit more. If you wait to sand the whole thing until after adding the letter, that color is going to get onto your pot, so remember that when you choose the order in which to sand.
Finally, I put 3 layers of varnish over it to make sure the weather will not hurt it once it finally can be used outside.


I’m going to do flowers in these for the deck. I also had D make one for the deck. He is super excited to pick out the flower to go in there.
Come on, Spring!