The Three Amigos: A Gorgeous Cacti Plant Display

Ok, I know it's been a couple of weeks since my last post. It doesn't mean that I've taken a break from being crafty!! I've added several more creations to my collection of arts and crafts - which will all be revealed soon!

I think "The Three Amigos" project has been one of my most challenging to date. Not because it was difficult to complete, but I didn't have a clear direction as to how it would work out in my head!

I was given three small terracotta pots for my birthday just gone. They looked cute and suitable for growing herbs. Each pot also had a painted black space, allowing one to write the name of the planted herb in chalk. However, something was off with the colour - they were a light blue (the kind of blue that is used to paint the inside of a pool), that clashed with the place where I was going to display them, my kitchen.

Inside of pot: Original colour - "pool blue".

All three pots: Primed with gesso paint, black area kept unpainted.



I did look into buying paint that would be suitable for painting a terracotta surface. In the end, I decided to keep using my acrylic-based paints as the pots would be inside and not exposed to the outside elements. I had to prime each pot with several coats of gesso as the terracotta kept on "sucking up" (absorbing) the paint.

I then decided to use "Brilliant Alizarin" (a crimson colour), to compliment my kitchen's colour scheme (browns, silvers, whites, slate). Each pot was painted with several coats. Nevertheless, once I was done, I felt the colour looked flat and faded. I then mixed into the crimson colour, Derivan Matisse's acrylic paint medium, "Iridescent". After another coat or two, the pots looked more lively.

(NB: I didn't worry about painting the inside, as this won't be seen in the end.)

Before: Pots painted with "Brilliant Alizarin" only.

After: Pot painted with "Brilliant Alizarin" + Iridescent medium.

Seeing as the pots were going to be used as herb planters, I thought I would paint green grass on the back and front of each.

Front

Back

 

The green turned out black, and I was just so disappointed with the result. I even tried sprucing up the front black area with a border of silver paint.

Front: Silver border.

One word: Disaster!

I had a lot of my friends and family say it wasn't too bad. I kept on shuddering every time I saw them - I knew something was wrong. I guess the premise that they were also going to be used as herb planters was also not sitting well with me. 

Back to the drawing (or shall we say "Crafting") board!

I decided to use my acrylic Metallic Silver colour and paint over the entire surface of each pot, including the mini-blackboard at the front.

Silver Pot: Needed to use several coats of Metallic Silver paint to cover the crimson colour!

I also wanted to feature a couple of red lady beetles on each pot. I wanted to make them look 3D like. I used pebbles (or "Glass Nuggets") that I had from a previous project, primed them with gesso paint, and once dried painted them red and dabbed black spots on top!

Glass Nuggets/ Pebbles

 Pebbles: Painted with gesso.

Pebbles: Painted crimson .

I then stuck the pebbles onto the front of each pot with my glue gun.

Three pots: Almost there!

I painted on black antennas and black swirly, curly vines on the back for completeness.

I then went out to my local Bunnings Hardware Store, and found some awesome Cactus Plants! This was what I was missing! I was so excited to have three different-looking plants, that would need low maintenance and water and lots of sun (as they were to be placed under my kitchen skylight).

I also was thrilled to find some small terracotta plates to put underneath my pots.

Terracotta plates

Terracotta plates: Painted with gesso.

Once finished, I varnished all surfaces with a gloss. I also applied felt to the bottom of each terracotta plate, to prevent scratches on my caesar stone bench tops!!

Here's the finished product:

 

 The Three Amigos: Home at last!



The Three Amigos

From a disaster, it is amazing what one can achieve.

Crafty Rach xo