Marbled Flowerpots with New FolkArt Marbling

Thanks to Plaid Crafts for sponsoring today’s post; all opinions are my own.

Spring is finally here…even though it doesn’t feel like it at all here in Maryland! I’m starting to dream about planting my garden and playing outside with the boys. With 8 inches of snow on the ground and more falling as I type, I can’t plant my herbs and flowers just yet, but I can definitely bring a little bit of spring inside. I decided to create some bright and fun flowerpots using a brand new product, FolkArt Marbling, and I’m loving how cheery they make the house feel…take a look!

You’ll need:

Terracotta flowerpot
Mod Podge Gloss Clear Acrylic Spray Sealer or FolkArt® Clearcote Glaze
FolkArt® Acrylic or Multi-Surface paint
FolkArt® Marbling Paint Set
Paintbrush {I used Plaid’s 1 1/2″ basecoat brush}
Painters tape
Disposable gloves {optional}

Step 1: Spray the inside of the pot with a clear acrylic sealer.

This is actually a very important step, because if you don’t seal the inside, moisture and water from your plant can seep through the walls of the pot and blister the painted finish. I’ve had countless flowerpots get ruined over the years because I didn’t know this trick. Make sure your pot is clean and dry before applying the sealer.

Step 2: Paint the outside of your flowerpot with your favorite color of  FolkArt Acrylic paint.

I chose three colors that made me think of spring: Baby Pink, Lemonade, and Patina. I gave each pot two coats of paint, letting them dry completely in between coats. I also painted the walls on the inside so that I’d see color instead of terracotta anywhere that wasn’t covered with dirt.

Step 3: Apply painter’s tape to the rim of your pot.

Make sure your base coat is completely dry first. You can feel free to tape off more or less of the pot if you prefer. I wanted to have a solid colored rim and a marbled base, so I taped mine as shown below.

Step 4: Choose 3 or 4 colors for your marbling!

The 10 piece FolkArt Marbling set includes one of each available color: White, Yellow, Orange, Hot Pink, Red, Sour Apple, Green, Aqua, Blue and Black. For my Patina pot, I chose Sour Apple, Aqua, Green, and White because I loved the color combination. You can use as few or as many colors to marble as you like, but I personally recommend 3-5 for the best results.

I’ve done other marbling projects before, but they’ve always involved either mixing smelly chemicals or at the very least mixing paint colors with a marbling medium. With FolkArt Marbling Paint, there’s no mixing or preparation required; simply pour on the paint and create beautiful marbled effects! The water-based and non-toxic formula is ready to use right out of the bottle. These paints are perfect for creating marbled effects on wood, paper mache, paper, canvas, metal, terracotta, and more…marbling has literally never been easier!

Step 5: Pour your FolkArt Marbling colors directly onto the bottom of your pot.

You’ll want to cover your work surface {I used a plastic bag} and turn your flowerpot upside down on top of it. It’s best if you DO NOT SHAKE the paint before applying it. If you do, you’ll cause bubbles to form, like the ones you see in my photo because I did not read the directions first. Learn from my mistakes. No shaking, no bubbles.
You can squeeze the paint on in any pattern you like…stripes, swirls, or just totally random like mine.

Step 6: Gently tilt the pot to cover it with the marbling paint. 

If you have disposable gloves, now would be an awesome time to put them on. Or, if you are stuck inside in a snowstorm without them like me, you can have pretty marbled hands. Hold the pot by the taped rim and slowly move it all around to allow the paint to fully cover the entire area. As you move the pot, tilt it at different angles so the paint will mix and swirl, creating a unique marbled effect. If you like, you can also use a toothpick, wooden skewer, or even a plastic fork to add additional swirls or patterns yourself. If the amount of paint you originally applied doesn’t fully cover the pot, just pour more of each color onto the bottom and repeat this step.

Step 7: Remove the painter’s tape and apply a coat of clear spray sealer.

Usually, it’s best to remove tape while the paint is still wet, but in this case, since the pot is upside down while drying, removing the tape early will cause your marbling effect to bleed onto the rim. Wait until the paint is dry to the touch, then take off the tape. The amount of drying time will depend on how much paint you applied; it could be as little as one hour or as long as 24 hours. Touch up any areas on the rim where the marbling colors may have gotten through, then spray the entire pot with your clear spray sealer.

Once the sealer is dry, all that’s left to do is add your plant! I am notoriously terrible with potted plants, so I chose a succulent in the hopes that it might last at least a week before I kill it. This pot, like all projects made with FolkArt Marbling, is intended for indoor use, but it could be used outdoors if you apply a FolkArt Outdoor Sealer.

No matter what you’re making, you’ll want to remember that all projects created using FolkArt Marbling Paints must be sealed. Project surfaces can be spray sealed using FolkArt Acrylic Lacquers (Matte, Satin, or Gloss Finishes), Mod Podge Spray Sealers, or brushed with FolkArt Artists’ Varnish (Satin or Gloss).

I am loving the way this project turned out, and it’s so fun to create! I enjoy seeing all the possible color combinations as well as the unique marbled designs. I like turning the pot around and looking at how different it is from every angle.

The FolkArt Marbling Set, which includes all 10 colors, is available exclusively at Plaid Online. You can also purchase each color individually at Plaid Online.

What are you waiting for? Grab yourself a set of these fun paints and start creating! The boys were watching me do this project and now they want to marble everything in the house. It’s lots of fun to do with kids, and you can marble things like monogram letters, pencil holders, canvases, and more. Happy creating!

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Marbled Flowerpot with FolkArt Marbling

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