We had so much fun making these pots as part of a crafty afternoon with friends! You can too! These DIY distressed herb pots are the perfect “make in an afternoon” craft to get ready for spring. With minimal supplies & minimal effort even a newbie crafter with little to no creativity can do this. Ha! Does this sound like you? Let’s get started!
Supplies Needed:
3 Clay Pots
Chalk Paint (white & gray)
Foam Brushes
Sandpaper
Tiny Letter Stamps
Stamping Pad
Potting Soil
3 different herb plants (found in the produce section of your local grocery store) – we used mint, basil and cilantro.
Step 1 – Paint Your Pots Gray
Your colors are honestly up to you. But we chose gray for our bottom coat. You could just as easily use black or another color entirely. Just keep in mind that this color is the one that will show through after distressing. This coat of paint doesn’t have to look pretty since you’re only going to paint over it.
Step 2 – Add Vaseline
This is the part that makes distressing a breeze! You’ve probably seen us distress this same way in several of our previous projects. Using your fingertip, just dab a little Vaseline on random spots over the outside of the pot, choosing a few areas along the edges. This doesn’t need to be an exact science, and definitely not too symmetrical. The more random the better!
Step 3 – Add the white paint
Ok this coat of paint is the one that counts. You may need two coats to achieve the color and look you want. Paint right over the Vaseline spots. We painted down inside the pot as well, at least a little bit, so that the color would look uniform from any angle (see photos).
Step 4 – Distress!
Once your paint is completely dry, it’s time to grab your sandpaper. Just rub the sandpaper all over your pot, paying a little extra attention to the spots where the Vaseline is. The paint should come off of those places fairly easily. Although you may have to use a little elbow grease.
Step 5 – Stamp!
We chose some plant appropriate words for our pots such as: grow, bloom, blossom, live, herbs. You can choose any words you want! Just place your stamp on the stamping ink pad and then place it directly onto your pot. It’s pretty straightforward!
Tip: We would suggest using some type of waterproof sealant on the inside of your pot, or simply lining it with plastic. The clay pots are pretty porous and the water soaks through. This created some water damage to our original paint jobs. While we love the look of the chalk paint, another type of paint may have different results. Let us know if you try something different and have better results!
Step 6 – Add plants
Fill your pot with soil, add in your selected herb plant, add more soil around it. I mean, listen. Six steps may look like a lot, but how simple are these steps?? So easy!
Now you have a beautiful touch of green and white to brighten up your home and add a touch of spring. There’s something about green, living things that really beautify a space. We hope you’ll gather your girlfriends, grab a cup of coffee and de-stress while you paint and distress the day away. Maybe if we keep adding green to our homes, spring will come faster? At least maybe it will feel that way.
