DIY Paint Drip Planter Pot

 Did you melt colourful crayons over a candle flame and drip it onto pots, candles, jars and bottles as a child?

(To make this project, click HERE)

Well, this 'Paint Drip Planter Pot' is reminiscent of that, except we are using acrylic liquid paints for the project.

The visual outcome is similar without the 3D crayon texture. 

It has a flat colourful surface.

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 You Will Need:

Protective gloves

An apron or old clothes.

A plastic pot that has a matt texture (not shiny) in whatever size you choose

Bottled Golden Liquid acrylic paints in your choice of colours

A tarpaulin

Spray sealer in clear gloss

A plant to place in your completed pot

To Make:

Set up your work area with the tarpaulin to protect the ground or tabletop.

Put on your gloves and apron.

(You'll need them as this is a very messy paint project).

Begin running one colour of the paint in drips and patterns on the pot.

I used the nib on the paint bottle to move the paint around.

I left small areas of the matt black pot showing through the paint.

You can blow onto the paint gently to move it around if you wish.

Keep adding layers of different coloured paint, turning as you go by carefully holding the pot rim.

(HINT: This is the point where I thought 'Darn should have had a drip tray or moveable plastic sheet under the drips so I could have also created a paint drip mini canvas with the leftover paint!')

When you are happy with the effect, set aside to dry overnight.

The next day, spray with two coats, allowing dry time in between as per paint can instructions.

Place your plant inside the pot.

And put it in your garden or on your deck or patio.

(I eventually put mine inside on the office window sill so I would enjoy it while I was working).

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How To DIY A Birdcage Planter

I know!

This is a 'been there done that - everyone has blogged about it before' kinda thing.

But alas I have always wanted to make one of my own.

So here it is.

My version of a 'Birdcage Planter'.

I have had this ornamental birdcage for years, but it was always used to display a large candle inside.

Then it ended up in the garden with a pretty aqua pot inside that never got planted with anything.

It's currently mid-winter in New Zealand, so it's tricky to find a lot of colour in the form of annuals.

And also something that will withstand colder temperatures.

But the Garden Centre had beautiful miniature cyclamens flowering in all sorts of gorgeous colours.

And I already had some Variegated Trandescandia plants (also known as Inch plants) ready to pot.

So I selected cyclamens that would compliment the burgundy-purple tones.

Tradescantia is a trailing, soft, hairless ground cover.

I remember my mother had a potplant of this variegated form when I was a child.  

The green form is considered a noxious weed now in New Zealand, as it grows a root from the smallest of nodes touching the ground, and it is found in a lot of the native bush here.

To Make:

The first thing to do is put a hanging basket liner into the bottom of the birdcage.

The bonus of this cage is it has a flip top with a catch, which made the task of placing the coconut fibre liner inside very easy.

Fill the liner with a quality potting mix.

Arrange and plant the plants inside.

I placed the cyclamens on a slight angle

 so the flowers and leaves peeped out the cage sides.

Place it in the garden or hang it if preferred.

I love it!

What a pretty upcycle of the birdcage.

Plus it is a big tick off the 'I want to do that list'!

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Visit my 'Saatchi Art & Photography' store HERE

Original art store HERE

#birdcageplanter #diygardenplanters #trandescantia #cyclamens

Pull-Apart Cheese, Onion and Spinach Scones

Cheese!

And lots of it!

These cheesy scones are terrific for a special occasion brunch or lunch with freshly brewed coffee or a cup of your favourite tea.

They are rich and decadent.

A little costly to make, but so very worth it!

They are best eaten hot, straight from the oven.

Served simply with pure butter.

You will need:

1 cup of chopped frozen cut-leaf spinach

Half a white onion finely diced

2 cups of tasty grated cheese plus 1/2 a cup to garnish

4 cups of self-raising flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 and 3/4 cup cream

125g (4.40 ounces) melted butter

1 cup plain acidophilus yoghurt

To make:

In a large mixing bowl, mix the cream and the yoghurt together.

Then the onion and the 2 cups of grated cheese.

Add the melted butter.

Mix.

Fold in the sifted flour, baking powder and paprika and mix to a dough.

 

Using clean floured hands, form 9 large scones

 and place them on a baking paper lining tray.

Leave a small gap between them.

Sprinkle the extra portion of cheese on top of all the scones.

Bake at 190 Celsius (374 Fahrenheit) for 30 to 40 minutes until golden.

Pull scones apart.

Serve hot with butter.

The yield is nine large scones.

For the printable recipe visit HERE.

Grab a cuppa, and visit

 my Fine Art America gift store

:)

 

#scones #savouryscones 

Japanese Kanji Symbol LOVE Painted Rock

At the moment I am working on my biggest creative project yet. 

It includes art, photography, and poetry.

All intertwined with the Japanese Geisha.

As a child, my mother had an adoration for all things Japanese, so this is the inspiration for this art rock.

It features the word LOVE but is presented using the Japanese Kanji symbol.

A simple technique anyone can recreate.

But note it is not a quick process.

You need a few days to create it if you are not freestyling the image.

And please do note the image I'm sharing is in the reverse aspect for the process I'm sharing here.

You can use whatever size rock you want by simply resizing the mirrored image to fit the face of the rock.

The rock size I have used for this tutorial is 16 x 13 centimetres (6 1/2 x 5 inches).  

The idea of the reverse stencil is to create a guide for those who don't have the confidence to freehand sketch in pencil first.

It gives an excellent guideline to then paint or sharpie pen in the colour of your choice, the detail of the image once the stencil process is completed.

To Create:

Print the image to the size required.

Clean your rock.

If you wet wash it, leave it for 24 hours to fully dry.

Using masking tape (or painter's tape) tape the front face to create a clean edge when you paint it.

Apply one coat of quality primer.

Leave 24 hours to dry or (tip) use a hair dryer to quicken the drying process.

Apply one coat of white paint.

 Dry.

Now you are ready to transfer the image to the rock.

Print the image to the correct size for your chosen rock.

Cut the image out.

Coat the image side quickly with Modpodge (available in craft stores) then 

position the image face down on the face of the rock.

Press into place, while gently smoothing and pressing out air pockets.

Leave 24 hours to dry.

Then wet the image with a sponge in warm water.

Carefully rub the wet paper away as shown.

Continue until no paper shows and you are left with the image on the rock. Touch up with white paint any defects on the white part of the rock.

Dry with a hairdryer or leave for 24 hours.

Now you can use a fine point sharpie pen or liquid acrylic paint to define the stencilled image outline.

I used 'Golden High Flow Acrylic' in Naphthol Red Light.

(Flow acrylics are available from your art supply stockist)

Dry with a hairdryer once detailed.

Spray coat with a sealer if going outdoors, or as I have done,  Mod Podge for indoors.

Dry with a hairdryer.

Put the painted rock on a plate stand for indoors and add it to your vignette.

Display in your inside decor or outside in a protected position as on a covered deck, or if sealed with a spray sealer outside in the garden. 

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Visit my 'Saatchi Art & Photography' store HERE

Original art store HERE

For the latest posts JOIN :)

#paintedrocks #rockcraft #japaneseart