Do you have a few clay pots around the house or that you’ve rescued from garage sales? Or maybe you bought one too many for your garden at the hardware store? In this week’s Finish Friday video, Amy demonstrates how to make those clay pots extra special by aging and decorating them. 

See how Amy makes her terracotta pots look straight out of a vintage store by watching this week’s Finish Friday video:

What You Need for Aging Terracotta Pots

To age your own terracotta pots like Amy does in the video, you’ll need items from these items:

• Antiquing Glaze
• Matte Sealer
• 1.5” flat paint chip brushes
• Terracotta pots
• Toscana Milk Paint in Strasbourg White
• Mixing bowl
• Spoon or stir stick
• Natural sea sponge

You’ll also need to know Amy’s techniques, which make all the difference! (Make sure to watch the video if you want to get the full tutorial.)

How to Properly Age and Decorate Plant Pots

Prior to applying the sealer and antiquing glaze to your pots, you’ll paint them first with Toscana Milk Paint. In a mixing bowl, mix up your Toscana Milk Paint powder with room temperature tap water first, using a 1:1 ratio: one part water, one part paint.

Pro tip: Amy suggests adding a little water at a time while mixing with a spoon to get out the grit. Then, you can add more water bit by bit to thin out the consistency a little. Also remember that Amy Howard at Home’s line of milk paint doesn’t have chemicals like other products, which means you should be constantly stirring your mixed milk paint.

Applying Milk Paint to Your Pots

Now that your paint and tools are ready, you can decide how you’d like to paint your pots. In this week’s video, Amy demonstrates two different ways of painting: using a natural sea sponge, and using a flat paint chip brush that comes in the Age Your Terracotta Pot Bundle. If you choose to apply paint with the natural sea sponge, be sure to dampen it with water first so it’s pliable. Dip the underside of the sponge into your paint and blot it onto your pot.

If you choose to paint with a chip brush, apply your paint using quick, even strokes. Amy points out that with a brush, you may be able to see the brushstrokes, which you don’t with the natural sea sponge. However, both methods of painting will work if you use the right technique. Once your pot is completely painted, the milk paint will only take about 10 minutes to dry — just one of the great things about them. They’re organic, with no VOCs, and you can mix them to create your own colors.

Using Antiquing Glaze

Once your painted pots are dry, you’re ready to glaze. Pour a small amount in a mixing bowl. Keep a separate mixing bowl of tap water nearby. You’ll need this bowl of water to clean off your natural sea sponge between applications.

Soak your sea sponge in the glaze, wring it out, and dab it onto the surface of your pot. Some paint will come off on the sponge, which is okay! Rinse your sponge in the bowl of water so that you don’t transfer paint back into your bowl of glaze. Apply your glaze to the entire pot fairly quickly and let it saturate for a few minutes. For your second coat of glaze, use a little more pressure to lift off more paint and make it look even more textured and aged. If you take off too much, or you’re applying more than one paint color, you can apply more Toscana Milk Paint and repeat the process.

Amy also demonstrates how to add a unique design to your painted and antiqued pot — a technique you’ll definitely want to learn! And with a reusable, adhesive stencil from  A Makers’ Studio, Amy’s sister company, you can easily customize your pots even further.

Finishing With a Sealer

After you’re happy with how your pot looks, it’s time to finish it off with a sealer. Using Matte Sealer will protect your pot from getting wet, either from the weather or when you water your plants and flowers.

To seal your pot properly, pour a small amount of Matte Sealer into a mixing bowl. Load up a clean chip brush with sealer and apply it quickly to the inside and outside of your pot. The sealer looks white, but it will dry down to a matte finish in about 10 minutes. Once dry to the touch, your pot is ready to go!

Create a Beautiful Space With Aged Terracotta

With summer fast approaching, now is the perfect time to add beautiful pots of flowers or herbs to your home. You might create these aged clay pots to add to your kitchen windowsill as Amy does, display them outside on your back patio, or add them to your front porch. And the great thing about terracotta is, the older it gets, the more beautiful it looks.

Want more projects like this one? Catch next week’s Finish Friday for more insight into Amy’s projects, tips, and tricks! Follow and “Like” our Facebook page so you don’t miss out. Finish Friday goes live every Friday at 12 noon Central.