In the “Jar” post, I mentioned ordering an African violet for a relative who lost a loved one. It was actually a 2-part gift. Since she had plenty to deal with after their passing, I wanted to make the receipt of a plant easier for her, especially since she had never grown a violet before. So I created a kit that contained everything she would need to make her new arrival happy.
Her favorite color was burgundy and I had already chosen a pink violet with dark pink centers. I ventured to the nearest home improvement store in high hopes of finding a small burgundy pot suitable for an African violet. I struck out. There were some red porcelain pots, but I was starting to consider a project involving burgundy spray paint, and covering up a nice, glossy glaze seemed a bit wasteful. After perusing the shelf for a few minutes I found a small brown pot with a matte glaze. It was perfect.
Naturally, I wasn’t satisfied with simply painting the pot. It needed to be jazzed up a bit more. I started snooping thru my various paint supplies and found a bottle of Valspar Translucent Iridescent Glaze “Golden Opal Satin” and some vials of “Tiny Glass Marbles”. The marbles were going to need something to adhere them to the pot. Aha! I still had a bottle of Mod Podge lurking on the shelf.
After the pot was painted and the glaze was allowed to dry, I used painter’s tape to mark off 4 vertical stripes. The Mod Podge was applied with a small sponge brush and the tiny marbles were sprinkled on thick enough to provide full coverage on the stripes. They were used the same way one normally does glitter. Each stripe was allowed to dry before the next one was done. Once all the stripes were finished, the tape was removed and the entire outside surface of the pot was coated with Mod Podge. I wanted to make sure the marbles were completely affixed, plus the high-gloss decopodge seems to deepen the luster of iridescent and metallic paints.
In case you’re wondering, the inside of the pot wasn’t spray painted. The brown glaze looked fine with the new exterior, and I didn’t want to introduce any chemicals that might be harmful to the violet. To complete the kit, I included some of the same rock used in my violet jars and a small bag of soil. A bulb baster for watering was also included, but a small water can with a long narrow sprout would work fine for a violet in a pot. (Since I was trying to keep my shipping costs lower, I went with the baster.)
A plant in a personalized pot makes a great gift for many occasions. If time is an issue there is no need to involve painting of any kind. I had a miniature Phalaenopsis orchid in dire need of repotting, so I placed it in a blue and white striped porcelain planter. The two largest stripes were coated with decopodge and blue tiny marbles before the plant was placed in it.
For those who might be interested in decorating their own custom pots, the iridescent glaze may not be available anymore (or it’s just not carried at my local Lowes.) This summer I found a few bottles of it on the “oops” paint shelf with a clearance price. Metallic or iridescent craft paint could certainly be used on plastic, terracotta or matte glazed pots. I used spray paint as my base paint for smooth, easy coverage without any brush strokes. I would recommend doing so even if you’re using craft paint. A good, solid base coat can minimize the amount of paint applied by hand. Plus, you could have fun with it. Use a contrasting base and let the fancy paint be streaky so the base shows thru, or if you’re not afraid of paint on your hands, rub the metallic in for a mottled texture. I used that technique on the large pots pictured below. (I wanted them to look like the fancy glazed pottery planters found for $50 or more at nurseries. They are Better Homes and Gardens plastic planters from Wal-Mart sold for $25. They were already blue.)
I believe I found the tiny marbles at Michael’s, but I’ve had them a few years. I’m not 100% certain. I do know they were in the paper crafting and scrapbooking department. I found them with the glitter. Other options found in that dept. could be decals of inspirational words and phrases, or some of the funky stickers. If your recipient (or yourself) appreciates a bit of bling, flat-backed rhinestones or acrylic jewels are an option too.
The Project Queen
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