Decorative Clay Pots – A Green Way To Quench Your Thirst

by spycute

The hottest month of the summer is yet to come, but people in the tropical countries like India are already bracing up for the season and the scorching heat. Very soon, electronic home appliances markets will be abuzz with the new launching and lucrative discount deals of various brands producing refrigerators. And who knows, you will be one of the first ones to grab one of these deals to enjoy a cool and comfortable summer ahead. But, why not try a different option this time? Buy yourself a big clay pot or “matka”, as they call it in India, and enjoy a chilled drink each time you fill thirsty.

Drinking water from an earthen pot is a healthy way to beat the summer heat. The water stored in a clay pot has a refreshing flavor and gets cooled to as much as 14-15 degree Celsius within a few hours. The water, in fact, is just at the “right temperature” in a clay pot – neither too warm for a summer sip, nor too chilled like refrigerated water, which is infamous for causing instant throat infections.

Wondering how does a clay pot cool water in it? Now this is very basic science. Like any earthenware, a clay pot is porous in nature. It has no coating on its outer surface whatsoever. So, when water is poured into it, the inner walls absorbs some amount of water and moisten the outer surface. This moisture when evaporates uses up the inner heat of the earthen pot, and consequently, brings down the overall temperature of the container. This effect works as long as the pores on the clay pot are kept clean and moist. For this, you just need to cleanse your pot on a regular basis, and you have a perfect chiller for your home. And the good thing is, this chiller does not increase your electricity bill either.

So, as you go green to quench your thirst this summer, use some creativity to make your clay pot look beautiful and befitting for your gorgeous home decor. Earthen pots available in the market come in various shapes and sizes. While a small pot may be easier to handle, a larger matka is always preferable for storing more water in summer days because you never know when your taps run dry. But nowadays, earthen pots are also available with small taps fitted to their sides and little above the bases. Go for this variety as they are really easy to use.

Now, once you have got yourself an earthen pot, take out your paint brushes and colors and start painting it. At first, hand-polish the outer surface of the pot with a piece of sand paper, and color it with enamel paint. Then, after the paint dries thoroughly, put on the base color and leave it to dry. Now, draw the pattern of your choice around the clay pot with a pencil or a piece of chalk. Once done with it, fill the designs with different colors, leave it to air dry. Finally, put a coat of varnish paint to give it a shining finish. But be careful with the last step – an overdose of varnish paint, can clog your pot pores for good. So, just go in for a single coat, and your decorative clay pot is ready.

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How to Decorate Flower Pots

by thegreenpages

Add color to your garden, patio or indoor space with simple flower pot crafts. Flower pots are functional blank canvases, encouraging a wide range of creativity. You can paint, decoupage, stamp and embellish as part of your flowers pot crafts. Come up with your own flower pot craft projects with these ideas.

How to Decorate Clay Pots by Heidi Borchers & Tiffany Windsor

Painting

After purchasing a flower pot, sand the pot down before painting. You should also seal the inside of the flower pot with an oil-based polyurethane to protect your painted design from water penetration.

If you are painting flower pots for outdoor placement, use a paint specifically designed for outdoor use. DecoArt Patio Paint is water and weather-resistant and adapts well to changing temperatures. Outdoor paints also mean your flower pot will be easy to clean.

Try painting sections of the flower pot in different colors. Use painter’s tape to mark off the top lip of the pot and paint a coordinating color. Or, create several bands around the flower pot with the painter’s tape and create stripes on your flower pot.

Bright colors work well in gardens. To select a color scheme, look at design or craft resources on colors like Paper Crafter’s Color Companion by C&T Publishing.

Paint two to three coats of each color on your flower pot. If you want to add a design to your flower pot, paint the background a nice, muted color such as light yellow.

Use stencils to paint words or shapes onto your flower pot. You can also use this technique to label the contents of the flower pots decoratively, such as “Basil” or “Chives.”

Use a sponge to paint your flower pots. Paint all over in one or two colors, or create bursts of colors with a round sponge that look very much like flowers. You can also cut a normal kitchen sponge into a shape such a heart or star.

Decoupage

Cut out words and images from scrapbook papers, magazines and even junk mail to decoupage your flower pot. Create a theme by selecting similar words or images, for example Spring.

Tissue paper is a great material to decoupage flower pots. You can use one color or a variety of coordinating colors for a fun, semi-transparent look. Crinkle the tissue paper in your hands and tear into pieces. Use a foam brush to apply decoupage glue (such as Mod Podge) to your flower pot. Smooth tissue paper pieces over flower pot in a random pattern. Cover with another coat of decoupage glue.

For fun, add a coat or accents of glitter or sparkle, such as with Tulip 3D Sparkle Paint.

For outdoor placement, you will need to cover your decoupage work with a coat of UV-resistant acrylic coating, like those made by Krylon.

Embellishment

Yarn- Wrap yarn or twine tightly around the lip of your flower pot, gluing as you go. Yarn-wrapping creates an interesting textured look.

Buttons- Flat buttons are a fun way to decorate flower pots. Paint flowers on your pot and glue buttons as the centers the flowers. Add a line of buttons around the top of the flower pot. Randomly glue buttons all over the flower pot.

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