
Grab an old flower pot, good craft glue (NOT hot glue), modeling clay, clear gloss spray paint, white gloss spray paint, and some pink acrylic paint. (Or whatever color you choose.)
Making the Clay Roses:
![]() |
No comments about my desperate need for a manicure, OK? |
1. Knead your modeling clay until it’s nice and pliable.
2. Pinch off a small piece of clay and flatten it into a long, thin piece.
3. Start rolling at one end, sort of pinching at the bottom as you go along. That’s the center of your rose.
4. Pinch off another piece of clay and flatten it into a long oval shape to make more petals..
5. Begin overlapping where the last piece of clay ended, wrapping more “petals” as you see fit.
6. As you create more petals, you will be pinching at the bottom of your rose and will end up with a clay “stem”
Once you’ve made your rose, it’s time to Bake It.
1. Cut the excess clay “stem” off of the bottom of your rose.
2. Score the bottom of the rose. The score marks help to create a stronger hold when gluing to your flower pot.
3. Put your roses on an oven safe plate and bake according to package directions.
When your roses are done baking (doesn’t that sound funny?) you can start gluing them to your flower pot. I propped mine on its side and glued a few at a time, allowing them to dry before turning the pot and doing a few more.
When all the roses are glued where you want them, take the pot outside for a few good coats of glossy white spray paint.
No matter what I am painting, I always start with it upside down… you get all the nooks and crannies that way. |
Once my pot was painted white, I wanted a hint of color.
1. I added a small drop of red to some pearl acrylic paint.
2. Mix it up (it doesn’t have to be perfectly blended.)
3. You aren’t painting, so much as swiping at the roses with the pink paint. Flip the pot upside down, balanced on an empty can of spray paint, or something that will elevate it a little. You want to work very quickly, because…
4. You are going to liberally spray the wet roses with a clear gloss spray.
Step #4 is the part of the project where you need to throw all the spray-painting rules you ever learned right out the window. You are going to spray clear gloss on wet paint… you are going to spray on big, thick globs of it… not several light coats.
The more the colors run, the more they are thick, shiny and look like glazed ceramic. If you are a regular reader, you’ve seen me use this technique before. It will need to sit for quite a while to really “cure.”
I’m happy with how it turned out. I popped some cilantro in there and it sits on my kitchen window sill.
This is cute enough to give as a gift and easy enough to do for no reason at all. And isn’t that why we like crafts? Not because they are necessary, but because they let us create.
Cute!! I wonder if I can train the kids to make those flowers?
Yeah, I think Connie should get her kids to start making those flowers in bulk and then selling them to me. 🙂
Very cute! Just Pinned it 🙂
Love it – as always!!
That is really cute and seems easy enough that I couldn’t screw it up!
It is very lovely indeed!
But if I make one, and plant cilantro in it (which I LOVE btw) will you PROMISE to come over here often and keep the cilantro ALIVE for me????
😉
Love it!
I love working with clay! This is so cute! Can’t wait to meet you at Haven!
This is so cute. I like this one even better than the other one. Manicure? Huh? I am sending you a picture of who really needs a manicure.
So beautiful
Thanks
Hugs
SueAnn
Amazing very cute
That is flippin gorgeous! I really like making the paper and felt flowers… maybe I’ll try these? The end product is def worth it! Mmm… LOVE IT! Thanks for a great tut =)
I think you have created a monster…I am so going to do this! I see the possibilities with so much more in my head!!! Thanks for sharing!
Wow you did a ton of work! it is so cute.
So pretty! I love it!
Vivienne, this is great! I love everything with 3D-look.
Vivienne,
This is an amazing project. I also love the wit and passion you exude in the blog posts. I’m a DIY fan myself and want to make it one of the themes for my online magazine http://www.ofwitandwill.com. I will be visiting your blog often and link to your crafty projects.
Suzy
Great post.
Hi, I love YOUR CRAFTS!! i DID THE ROSE POT AND HAVE A PROBLEM. i DID EVERYTHING AS INSTRUCTED, USED THE SAME SPRAY PAINTS, CLAY, GLUE, ETC. wHEN i SPRAYED THE CLEAR SPRAY THE WHITE PAINT WENT ALL CRACKLY. rEMEMBER HOW WE USED TO TRY TO GET THAT LOOK? wELL i JUST DID IT WITHOUT TRYING AND i DON’T WANT IT. wHAT DID i DO WRONG? i CAN STILL USE IT BUT i WANT THAT SLICK, SHINY, PORCELAIN LOOK. pLEASE HELP! aMANDA
Hi Amanda,
It might be that your white paint was not fully dried when you sprayed the clear.