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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

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May 15, 2012

How to age new garden pots

 

The topic of aging has been forefront in my mind these days since…well..ahem…I turned…forty… this past Friday.  And while it takes years, hopefully, to age oneself, it only takes a few hours to age new gardening pots.

I found this pin on Pinterest (are you following us on Pinterest? We’d sure love it if you would!) several weeks back and just love the look of these aged blue terra cotta pots.

How to age garden pots from At The Picket Fence

Source:Country Living

 

I knew that with some paint and a little elbow grease I could create some of my own.

How to age garden pots from At The Picket Fence

They may not be identical but I think they definitely look like they’ve seen some years in the garden, instead of a few weeks on the store shelf.

Here’s all it takes to create this same look yourself.

Materials:

Terra Cotta pots (new or old) in various sizes
spray paint and/or regular paint in the color of your choice (I just used some left over wall paint I had)
inexpensive foam craft brushes
sanding sponge
steel wool
hammer
exacto blade

DSC_0940

DSC_0944

 

Directions: (this couldn’t be easier)

Paint your pots, lighter on some heavier on others I painted the teal blue underneath some of the pots and the lighter color on top in layers. While paint is still slightly wet, take your sanding sponge and start to sand off the paint in areas that would normally receive wear.

DSC_0947

Do this along the rim and bottom of pot.  Also along any edges. For a more distressed look use the steel wool and heavily scrape off the pain along the surface. You can also use an exacto knife to chip off the paint. Take a hammer and lightly chip off some of the pot, revealing the terra cotta color underneath. Continue these steps until you get the look you want.

 

How to age garden pots from At The Picket Fence

That’s it!

How to age garden pots from At The Picket Fence

How to age garden pots from At The Picket Fence

One of the benefits of having Better Homes and Gardens out to our house was I got to keep all of these gorgeous potted herbs that they purchased for the photo shoot!

How to age garden pots from At The Picket Fence

They just happened to be some of our favorites!

herbs

I can’t wait to start enjoying our fresh herbs this year thanks to Better Homes and Gardens, and I’m so excited to be out working in the yard!

How to age garden pots from At The Picket Fence

What outdoor projects are you “itchin’ to get working on?

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51 Comments Filed Under: Crafts, Gardening, Good Ideas, Tutorials

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Previous Post: « Inspiration Friday No. 64 and Someone’s Turning 40!
Next Post: DIY Kitchen Cupboard turned Dartboard Cabinet »

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Comments

  1. Marsha says

    May 14, 2012 at 5:40 PM

    I like the idea of aging some of my flower pots and I’ve been wanting to do this for awhile Thanks for the helpful post!

    Reply
  2. Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions says

    May 14, 2012 at 6:54 PM

    They look great, Heather! I’ve aged some pots in my time. : ) I usually have done a white wash, so they get that calcified look to them. Of course, I would love when my terracotta pots would naturally do that, no paint required.

    Reply
  3. Debbie says

    May 14, 2012 at 9:06 PM

    Wonderful, Heather. I am pinning this! As for outside projects, I am planning a deck makeover, but I have some pressing inside projects and an adventure to complete first. But then, the deck is GOING DOWN…

    Reply
  4. Judy says

    May 14, 2012 at 9:07 PM

    I love the idea of aging flower pots. We spent all of Saturday getting our outdoors ready. I’ll be posting about it later in the week. I have to try this aging process. It really looks great.

    Reply
  5. Anne Lorys - Fiona and Twig says

    May 14, 2012 at 9:12 PM

    What a great tutorial! You gals amaze me, you can do anything!

    XO,
    Anne

    Reply
  6. Pam - @diy Design Fanatic says

    May 14, 2012 at 9:16 PM

    Your aged pots look great! I love the blue color. After building 4 more 4′ x 10′ raised beds this winter and planting veggies, there’s always something to do in the garden. This past weekend we bent some poplar twigs and made a makeshift trellis over our strawberry plants and covered it all with black bird netting, which you can hardly see. We also attached hoops on our raised beds. We are already harvesting romaine and head lettuce, peas and potatoes. Still need to work on painting the floor of our deck and decorating/planting on the patio below it.

    Reply
  7. Debra @ Common Ground says

    May 14, 2012 at 9:25 PM

    LOVE these, the shades of blue are gorgeous!!

    Reply
  8. ℳartina @ Northern Nesting says

    May 14, 2012 at 9:35 PM

    I love this idea Heather!! I have two terra cotta pots on my deck that I can’t wait to do this to!

    Reply
  9. Cindy says

    May 14, 2012 at 10:09 PM

    I love them all aged and chippy! They look perfect! I want to get some herbs started!

    Reply
  10. Janelle @ Emmaline says

    May 14, 2012 at 10:16 PM

    Happy Birthday! I turned forty in December, and I wasn’t too happy about it… But I’m trying my best to embrace it. Nice pots!! Janelle

    Reply
  11. Vivienne @ the V Spot says

    May 15, 2012 at 12:06 AM

    Love the pots. They look fab! (Score on getting to keep the herbs!) 😉

    Reply
  12. Helen's Decor says

    May 15, 2012 at 12:12 AM

    Heather, I had been thinking about cleaning my old clay pots…now, I’m leaving them as they are…they self painted!Ha!
    Your pots looks great! Hope you visit my blog to see what mine are looking like. Thanks, Helen

    Reply
  13. Debbiedoo's says

    May 15, 2012 at 1:18 AM

    Great post, and I love the aging process…that is ON the pots, not me!

    Reply
  14. Jessica Kielman says

    May 15, 2012 at 1:21 AM

    Love them! Totally going to age my pots…it so bothers me when they look too new. My entire herb garden is planted in the ground, but I may have to add some of these too!

    Jessica

    Reply
  15. Jane@Cottage at the Crossroads says

    May 15, 2012 at 2:13 AM

    Love your aged pots! I have a few that look too new to me. Great idea!

    Reply
  16. Kristin @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia says

    May 15, 2012 at 2:21 AM

    Love the pots, just gorgeous! I have been wanting to do this forever, you made it look so easy, now I have to try! Thanks for linking up and Happy Mothers Day (belated)
    XO
    Kristin

    Reply
  17. Sherry @ No Minimalist Here says

    May 15, 2012 at 2:32 AM

    Love the color of the pots, Heather!

    Reply
  18. Lynn @ UpCountry Olio says

    May 15, 2012 at 3:10 AM

    These are so great! I can’t wait to give it a try. Thanks for this fun idea!

    -Lynn

    Reply
  19. Linda @ it all started with paint says

    May 15, 2012 at 3:42 AM

    What a great idea! I love this so much that I’m pinning …

    … oh, and don’t worry about the age thingy. I’ve got 8 years on you (okay, almost nine. That birthday is closing in on me quickly …)

    🙂

    Linda

    Reply
    • Linda @ it all started with paint says

      May 15, 2012 at 7:34 PM

      Just returned from Home Depot with my way to orange new Terra pots. Llike Halloween neon orange! Can’t wait to paint and distress using your method …

      🙂

      Linda

      Reply
  20. Catie @ Catie's Corner says

    May 15, 2012 at 4:31 AM

    One word Heather, LOVE!!

    ~ Catie =)

    Reply
  21. Karena says

    May 15, 2012 at 4:54 AM

    Heather I love how your pots turned out. They look just perfectly aged!

    xoxo
    Karena
    Art by Karena

    Reply
  22. Stacey@A Sort Of Fairytale says

    May 15, 2012 at 4:16 AM

    great idea…thanks for sharing!! your pots look perfectly aged!

    Reply
  23. Tammy Henderson says

    May 15, 2012 at 5:38 PM

    Love these! I just bought some new herbs and need to pot them, just didn’t know in what….now I know what I want to do…thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  24. Holly says

    May 15, 2012 at 6:25 PM

    I love your new “old” garden pots….if only forty looked so good on my face…I just turned that “hard to swallow” number also.

    Reply
  25. Linda Young says

    May 15, 2012 at 6:58 PM

    Forty!, ah, you’re just a baby! Love the aged pots! I have some that aged and peeled and broke edges all by themselves too, but I’m going to try making some attractively “aged” ones like yours. I might try to fix up some crummy-looking plastic pots too! I love the herbs too, and in pots like yours, they will look good on the patio, for those of us who can’t have garden beds!

    Reply
  26. Serendipity. says

    May 15, 2012 at 9:17 PM

    I just read somewhere that aging new terra cotta pots takes 10 years off of your face! Oh wait…I didn’t read that, but now everyone else will! I love the colors. In the words of some creative lady who is (hopefully) older than me: “Age is just a number and mine’s Unlisted!” xo

    Reply
  27. Anonymous says

    May 15, 2012 at 10:00 PM

    Well done. Thank you 🙂

    ~Happy Birthday~

    Mike in Indy

    Reply
  28. { Kristen } says

    May 15, 2012 at 11:19 PM

    ooooooo, I love this!!!

    Reply
  29. Martha says

    May 16, 2012 at 2:23 AM

    Thanks for the lesson — I love old pots but sometimes they are hard to find — especially the big ones!

    Reply
  30. Beth @ Free Stylin' says

    May 16, 2012 at 1:11 PM

    These are so pretty! Can’t wait to try making one. 🙂

    Reply
  31. Laura/Pet Scribbles says

    May 16, 2012 at 3:55 PM

    These turned out GREAT! Definitely going to try this with some of my outdoor pots. Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply
  32. Val says

    May 16, 2012 at 5:43 PM

    Thank you for posting this I have so many pots that need to be beautified. LOVE this.

    Reply
  33. {northern cottage} says

    May 17, 2012 at 12:30 PM

    yummy pots – I’m sooo gonna do this….i have a potting table display I’m working on now & will post about it coming up. I wonder if you’ll be able to spy some painted pots in it – be on the look out! xo

    http://www.NorthernCottage.net

    Reply
  34. Dana @ Cooking At Cafe D says

    May 17, 2012 at 4:20 PM

    New follower…
    Followed you over from
    https://www.itallstartedwithpaint.com/2012/05/like-fine-wine.html

    All the best,
    Dana at Cooking at Cafe D

    Reply
  35. Addicted2HomeDecor says

    May 17, 2012 at 10:50 PM

    Love this idea…I inherited some old Terra Cotta pots when we purchased our home a few months ago. I’ve already planted flowers in them for the season but I am definitely going to do this project in the fall. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  36. Rena Designs says

    May 18, 2012 at 2:04 AM

    Loved the aged pot look, I have done your method and I have also taken dirt and rubbed into the paint. People say you can put yogurt on it to get a little mossy, haven’t tried that. I love to do mosaics on my pots too!

    Reply
  37. ~Kristin~ says

    May 18, 2012 at 2:06 PM

    Heather~ I love this tutorial! Book marking it and sending you a big thank you for sharing it!!!

    Reply
  38. Its So Very Cheri says

    May 19, 2012 at 11:18 AM

    Pots just look better aged don’t they. Love the new look.

    Cheri

    Reply
  39. Beverly Pennington says

    May 19, 2012 at 11:38 AM

    I love this! I just bought a few yesterday to transplant the ones the kids brought home from school – awesome looking!

    Reply
  40. Jenny says

    May 21, 2012 at 11:02 AM

    What a great look!! I’m definitely going to give this one a try! Great idea!!

    Reply
  41. Charlie atMatchMadeOnHudson says

    July 10, 2012 at 11:13 PM

    I’m a couple of months late here, but these turned out amazing! Just included the planters in a round-up of terra cotta pot makeovers 🙂

    Charlie @ Match Made On Hudson

    Reply
  42. Tricia says

    March 15, 2013 at 8:30 AM

    Thanks for the inspiration, Heather and Vanessa! These are so adorable that you inspired me to age some of my own pots. Age definitely looks better on my flower pots than it does on me!

    Reply
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Trackbacks

  1. Weekend Inspiration « soup, salad, & sunflowers says:
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    March 15, 2013 at 8:06 AM

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The first weekend in December seems like a good ti The first weekend in December seems like a good time for my annual gentle reminder about this month. I don’t know about you but, for me, December is a month of mixed emotions, ranging from joy-filled moments to ones that have me wanting to pull my hair out.

There are so many expectations and we put so much pressure on ourselves to create magical memories. And for years I have felt the added weight of wanting to make sure my family had opportunities throughout the month to grow in their relationship with Christ.

We celebrate advent and read all of the appropriate Baby Jesus books and encourage a spirit of generosity and heavily emphasize the real reason for the season.

But sweet friends, I want to remind you today that one month out of the year does not a strong relationship with the Lord make. December doesn’t define our faith in Christ.

For our families or for us.

There are 11 other months in the year. 11 other months to live out our faith in front of our children. 11 other months to pray with them. 11 other months to help them wrestle through their questions and add depth to their walk with the Lord. 11 other months to encourage them to have generous spirits.

Let’s stop putting so much pressure on this one month out of the year. Let’s be surprised at the ways we might be able to celebrate the baby in the manger without a dozen countdown calendars. Let’s give our kids some grace when they are focused more on gifts because…well…they’re kids after all.

And while we’re at it, let’s give ourselves some grace too.

Grace when we think we should feel all the warm fuzzy feelings about Christmas but we really just want to take a nap. Or have a good cry. 

Grace that reminds us that this month will soon be over and we will have a brand new year ahead of us.

A new year filled with big moments and little moments and everything in between.

A new year to draw even closer to our Savior.

My hope for you is that, as you head into this season, you will be given fresh perspective and that you will give yourself (and your family) permission to just ‘be’. ✨
✨ The first Sunday of Advent is upon us and this ✨ The first Sunday of Advent is upon us and this year I created a super simple centerpiece for my dining room that incorporates the candles we will use each of the four weeks leading up to Christmas. While we will only light one candle each week, I used more than four so that the centerpiece would look a bit more filled in. In keeping with my goal to embrace a softer approach to my decorating, this arrangement works perfectly and helps to keep our focus on the beauty and the meaning  of the Advent season. For more ideas like this, check out my previous Advent post! ✨

#advent #adventcandles #simplechristmas #wearethehomemakers
In this season of motherhood, my soul is feeling a In this season of motherhood, my soul is feeling a bit more tender. When Christmas rolls around and I no longer have wish lists that include Lego sets or dollhouses, I find that I want my home to reflect this craving for all things gentle.

So our hot cocoa station this year is much more simple and done in a neutral color palette that just subtly blends in with the rest of the decor. It still feels festive and is definitely still “user friendly” but it’s just a bit less…well…less.

And, that’s ok. It’s not that this area won’t ever again have bright colors (maybe even pops of red!) but, right now I’m happy to have things this way.

With all that is going on in the world right outside our door, my desire is for our home to truly feel like a respite. I want it to be where we come and let our guard down, our heart rates slow and to be flooded with a sense of peace in knowing that here is where we can just simply be. I want it to be a place of rest. Rest from the constant onslaught of news and information. Rest from the seemingly small struggles of school and jobs that can so often feel like big struggles.

And, most importantly, we rest in the comfort of knowing the One who is Sovereign over all and is the reason this month is so very special and sacred.

Many blessings to you dear friends as we kick off this wonderful season! ✨
Next week is first Sunday of Advent. And contrary Next week is first Sunday of Advent. And contrary to popular belief, the celebration of Advent is VERY different from just simply doing a ‘countdown to Christmas’. It’s not about having little drawers filled with candy or doors to open with prizes inside. Those things are so much fun and definitely help to build anticipation as you head closer and closer to the big day.

But Advent, from the latin word ‘adventus’ meaning ‘arrival’ or ‘appearance’ keeps the focus completely on celebrating the arrival of the King who came in the form of an infant.

This is one of our favorite family traditions and over the years I’ve figured out how to incorporate the Advent candles into my decor without using the traditional wreath. I hope this gives you some ideas and inspiration as we head into this sacred season. 🌲

#advent #adventdecoration #wearethehomemakers
Why do I start decorating before Thanksgiving? Bec Why do I start decorating before Thanksgiving? Because it’s the Saturday after and my house is almost completely ready to start the season! So I’m sitting with my coffee and just soaking it all up knowing that now I can focus on shopping, hosting and preparing our hearts for the start of Advent. The only thing left to do is get our fresh tree for the front room and then the decorating is done. 

Starting early is a gift I give to myself and I’m always grateful for it! 🌲

#simplechristmas #traditionalchristmas
“I would maintain that thanks are the highest fo “I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” ~ G.K. Chesterton

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours dear friends! 🍂
Christmas has arrived in the family room where I k Christmas has arrived in the family room where I keep things simple but festive! We’ll get a fresh tree after Thanksgiving which will go in our front room bay window but this slim faux tree with its colorful ornaments tides us over for now. Which room in your home gets the Christmas treatment first? Or do you just start doing a little at a time in each room? 🎄

*pillow covers are from @jshhomeessentials
I share this recipe every year because it’s JUST I share this recipe every year because it’s JUST.THAT.GOOD! 

And I have a confession ...I’d rather have cranberry sauce smothering the turkey on my plate than gravy any day!! And this, this right here? Well it’s the best (and easiest!) cranberry sauce ever!! I eat on crackers and sandwiches and sometimes just by the spoonful. It’s so yummy! And I’m just so very thankful for all of you that I’m going to leave the recipe right here instead of making you go to the blog to get it. I promise you won’t regret having this on your Thanksgiving menu but be warned...you may find yourself up in the middle of the night sneaking some helpings of this deliciousness. Or maybe that’s just me!

Ingredients:
2 pounds fresh or frozen cranberries
2 oranges
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup white wine.

Instructions:
Wash and pick over berries, removing any that are soft. Peel and dice oranges removing any seeds. Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a full boil. Reduce heat and continue cooking until cranberries pop open and mixture is thickening.
For best flavor, prepare and let stand for several days before using.

Gobble, gobble!! 🦃
How do I want people to feel when they walk throug How do I want people to feel when they walk through my front door? That’s always at the top of my mind when I’m decorating my entry for each season, particularly at Christmastime. 

✨I want them to feel like my home is greeting them with a smile.

✨I want them to feel like this is a place where care has been given to details (but not to the point of being too stuffy or too busy or too overwhelming). 

✨I want them to feel like there is peace here.

✨I want them to feel like they are welcome…because they are. 

My home is a reflection of my heart and my heart is a reflection of the ONE for whom I live and try to honor and praise all of my days, but especially at Christmas.

How do you want people to feel when they come into your home? 

#christmasentry #simplechristmas #simplicity #wearethehomemakers
This is not a criticism of those who are sharing t This is not a criticism of those who are sharing their great new Christmas finds but rather an encouragement to those of you who are feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all and trying to resist the temptation to purchase more items than you really need.

Several years ago I felt a conviction in my heart about how much time and money I was spending on trying to create a new look every Christmas. I was not being a good steward of my resources and I was far too easily swayed by the peer pressure in this area. And a funny thing happened when I smashed this idol that had taken up residence in my heart. I suddenly found renewed joy in decorating for the season. By keeping things simple and maybe only buying something like a new spool of velvet ribbon, I actually realized that I could be far more creative reusing and repurposing what I already had.

In the coming weeks your news feeds will be filled with temptations for MORE. Maybe, this year, you too can find the joy in LESS. 🌲

#simplechristmas #simplicity #wearethehomemakers
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