How green is your thumb? Do you like bringing a little of the outdoors inside with houseplants? Potted plants are a great way to dress up any room, windowsill, or patio. But while the plants add life and color, the pots themselves are often overlooked. Add some personality to your little terracotta tubs with paint. There are tons of ways you can paint your pots—and feel free to try any that strike your fancy—but two techniques that stand out lately are color blocking and drip-drying.

 

For this project, you’ll need: terracotta pots (or any ceramic pot), masking tape or painter’s tape, and paint, either acrylic or spray, in any colors you like. As you can see, you’ve got lots of options here!

 

First, decide how you’d like your pot to look. If you want it to have a base color, start by painting the whole thing in the color of your choice and letting it dry. For those who prefer the natural terracotta to show through, jump right into whichever technique you’re trying.

 

Photo via Dellie

If you’re going to color block, start by wrapping tape around the pot at your desired height. Next, grab your paint (be it on a brush or in a can) and paint the half you want to be colored. Spray painters should aim for about two to three coats. If you’re using a paintbrush, you can also freehand the line around for a more rustic look.

 

Photo via The Proper Pinwheel

If straight lines aren’t your thing and you’re ready to drip some paint, flip that pot over! Once it’s upside down, pour a bit of paint around the sides on the “top” (what’s technically the bottom) and start swirling your pot around on its edges so the paint spreads closer to the edge and eventually runs over the sides. Try to do this over something like tinfoil or plastic—paper will stick to any dried paint that reaches the bottom and give you a hard time.

Photo via The Lovely Cupboard

Let your pots dry and then load them up with your favorite plants (cacti, succulents, flowers, etc). To weatherproof these, spray with a clear sealant and then set them up outside.

 

Et voila! Your pots are as pretty as the plants they hold. Which style do you prefer? Do you have any other favorite ways to jazz up your planters?

When I was a kid, one of my favorite things to do was visit the “duck pond” with my uncle. We’d bring a loaf of bread to this big pond by a playground and feed the ducks and watch them swim around. I was fascinated with all the ducks swimming around, from the gorgeous green-headed mallards to the brand new baby ducklings trailing their mothers. Watching them always meant that warm days were ahead, and so were many afternoons spent at the playground and duck pond.

 

These little pebble ducks are a perfect project for my four-year-old self and anyone ready to welcome the next batch of baby ducks and warm spring days ahead.

 

First, take advantage of these warm, lovely days by going for a walk to collect some pebbles or small rocks. When you get inside, give them a good scrubbing in some warm soapy water. Once they’re totally dry, you’re ready to paint! Grab some acrylic paint and create your little duckies. You can use whatever colors you like, but one classic combination is a white mama duck and yellow babies. For younger children working on this, or a just more minimalist look to your project, paint each rock a solid color so it acts as the whole body (like in the first picture). If you’re feeling more ambitious, you can draw a complete duck on each rock, as seen in the second picture. Once the paint has dried, go back in and add the face details with markers (black eyes and an orange beak).

Photo: Inner Child Fun

Photo: Babble

How cute is these little guys? And they don’t even need breadcrumbs! The ducks are truly adorable, but you can choose any animal you like! This project is extremely versatile and just waiting for your creativity to take over!

 

Do you have any childhood memories that automatically remind you of spring? Other than ducks, what animals would you try with this project?

Who’s ready to decorate some Easter eggs for this weekend?

 

The tradition of dyeing them with food coloring is certainly pretty and fun to do, but there’s nothing wrong with getting a little creative and trying some unique ways to adorn your little hardboiled canvases. We’ve been showcasing some fresh and fuss-free ideas to try this year. You can check out our post on permanent marker Easter eggs here.

 

Another super fun and simple technique? Using temporary tattoos! All you need are your hardboiled eggs (shells on), temporary tattoos, and a damp sponge. You can buy some designs that appeal to you or if you’re feeling ambitious, you can print graphics of your own choosing on temporary tattoo paper and cut them out (Country Living provides this link to purchase temporary tattoo paper). It takes a bit of patience to ensure you press the tattoo flatly on the egg—just hold it down with your damp washcloth for about thirty seconds. It transposes onto an eggshell the same way it does onto skin.

 

This is also perfect if you’re looking to maximize decoration and minimize cleanup.  It’s quick, easy, inexpensive, and looks impressive! Now that’s a winning combination. There are plenty of tattoos of butterflies and flowers to be found if you want to stick with images of spring, but feel free to pick out any tattoos you like. Maybe put a couple tattoos on the same egg to create a little scene.

 

Do you have any tips for mess-free, creative Easter egg decorations? Do you still prefer classic dyed eggs?

 

Photo: Country Living

Photo: Ramblings of a Formerly Rock’n’Roll Mum

Hi Scribblers!

Did you enjoy your first day of Spring? I love spring, the chirping birds, the warmer weather, the budding flowers. Flowers have always brought a smile to my face. There is just something so wonderful about the sweet and pleasant scents and beautiful colors, don’t you agree?

This spring, spend time with your kids and teach them about the different flowers. Take a walk in the park, a trip to the botanical gardens or just stroll around through your backyard!

To celebrate the new season and embrace the joy of flower power, make a fun Flower Power wall hanging!

This craft is super simple with the sm’ART foam Magic Garden kit and colorful popsicle sticks!

Simply decorate a solid color piece of foam with the foam cut-out letters. The letters from this kit have a sticky sticker back. Just peel off the back and stick in place!

Embellish with the cut-out flowers and/or butterfly pieces (also stickers!)

Add a few flower pieces to the ends of popsicle sticks. The flower pieces are actually three pieces in one. You can pop up the inner pieces and swap out with other colors to create a more decorative flower.

Use a hole punch to add two small holes the the top left and right corners.

Place one end of a pipe cleaner through each of the holes and twist the ends to secure.

Use Tacky Glue to glue the popsicle sticks to the back of the craft.

Hang up and enjoy!!

Happy Spring!