Upcycle any terra-cotta pot using a basic household material – Tin Foil! This project is really easy as you can see in my video here, it can be done in an afternoon (bonus: you could even do this with your kids). It is also a very forgiving project and has a very small amount of materials, which I listed below.

Materials:

• Aluminum Foil
• Decoupage
• Terra-cotta pot
• Sponge brush (or something similar)
• Antiquing wax (optional)
• Disposable gloves (optional)
• Something to protect your work space (optional)

Material Links are included at the bottom of the blog post

After you have gathered your materials, I do recommend putting something down to protect your workspace. Decoupage is very messy! I personally am very fancy, and chose to use a cardboard box I had from an Amazon delivery. Now, the fun begins!

Start by tearing small-ish pieces of tin foil strips, depending on the size of your pot, you may choose smaller, or larger strips. I used pieces that were approximately 2-4 inches for my pot. Although some were smaller and larger throughout the project. You can see the different variations in [my video tutorial]. After you have your pieces torn up, you simply need to crumble them up (like into a ball), and then un-crumble them. The goal here is to create texture in the tin foil.

After you have all of your tin foil textured and in pieces, you may want to chose to put your disposable gloves on now, as this gets a little sticky. You are going to take one piece at a time, and apply a layer of decoupage to one side of the tin foil using the foam brush (the shiny side, or matte side is fine, and completely up to your personal preference). You don’t want it dripping off, but you also want to make sure that it sticks to the pot. Make sure that you get all of the edges with the decoupage.

Then, stick the first piece of tin foil to your terra-cotta pot, and smooth out any large bubbles. You want the texture, but you don’t want any parts with a large goop of decoupage or air underneath, and you don’t want the edges to peel up.

After the first piece is secure, you’re going to take your next piece of tin foil, cover one side with your decoupage and layer it onto the pot (it should overlap the prior piece, at the end, you will want to make sure that the entire pot is covered). Smooth out any bubbles of this piece, and make sure that all the edges are stuck down to the pot.

Repeat this process, until the entire pot is covered, including 1-2 inches on the inside rim of the pot (the part you will see even when there is dirt and a plant inside). After the entire terra-cotta pot is covered in the tin foil, you are going to paint a layer of decoupage over the entire thing, paying attention to any parts that may peel up, and any edges (such as on the inside rim of the pot or where pieces of tinfoil meet).

*Follow the instructions on the specific decoupage you are using for dry time, but it should be for around 30 -60 minutes for the first layer to dry.

Once the first layer of decoupage dries, paint another coat around the outside, at least one more time, if not twice more. Depending on how thick of a layer you put on the first coat.

After the final layer of decoupage dries, the optional antiquing part is next. Take an old paint brush, or your sponge brush and dip it into the antiquing wax, getting a small amount of wax on your brush (you can wipe off any excess on the rim of the jar.)  Dap or wipe small amounts of the wax at a time onto the pot, making sure to get into the texture of the tinfoil, and wipe of excess with a paper towel. (you only want a very very light layer on the pot, and this dries very fast!)

Once you are satisfied with the look of your pot, let the antiquing wax dry completely, and then I recommend to do one more light layer of decoupage, to completely seal in your pot.

This is also a great opportunity to fix any errors, or peeling tinfoil, like I had when I made mine. Oops! Great news, if you mess anything up too bad, you can just patch it with another strip of tinfoil, and seal it up with your decoupage. No harm no foul.

Once it all completely dry, the only thing left to do, is put a plant in your new pot, so it can be PlantedinPots!