Woman in Real Life

Our featured material for June's #12monthsofdiy challenge is spray paint. I had so many spray paint projects to do in the house that I'm actually presenting two of them on the blog today. Check out my fun and feminine berry pink table too!

In preparing our outdoor spaces for summer, my husband and I have spray painted eight chairs and three tables over the past two weeks! (Note to self: don't wait until all the furnishings have deteriorated at once to do touch-ups.) Spray painting is so easy and quick that I confess I got a little addicted. So when I saw this pathetic scene, I had to do something...

This is our back deck after a long, cold winter. That sad looking terra cotta pot houses our fresh herbs in warm weather. As you can see, we never bothered to remove the dead herbs or store the pot indoors over the winter. With our patio furniture all pretty and refreshed, I decided to spray paint the terra cotta pot to match the colour scheme in our yard, which is aqua blue and lime green, with touches of sunny yellow. I find winter so dreary that summer to me is all about warmth and cheery colour!


I gave the large planter pot a good washing and left it in the sun to dry. Then it was over to the garage, which has seen its fair share of fumes and paint dust over these two weeks (as have I). I did one quick coat of spray paint inside the terra cotta pot, focusing mainly on the top portion, since the inside will be filled with soil.


I then applied two coats of Rustoleum Painter's Touch 2x Ultra Cover Paint and Primer in satin aqua to the exterior of the pot. I think it's a lovely, bright yet calming shade of blue.


Like any amateur diy'er worth her salt, I had done some research into terra cotta spray painting on the 'net. I discovered that people frequently experienced paint bubbling when they didn't seal the paint to protect from water. I applied two coats of Rustoleum Painter's Touch 2x semi-gloss clear spray, which "seals, protects and revitalizes." I can't tell you for sure whether it works or not, as the pot hasn't been outside for long. I'll be sure to provide an update down the road.


To add more interest to this rather speedy project, I brought in one of the other colours we've used recently in the yard. (I'll have to do a whole-yard reveal soon!) I adore this sunny yellow colour from Fusion Mineral Paint's Tones for Tots Natural Nursery line. It's called Little Star, and, unlike the spray paint, you don't need to wear a mask while applying it. It hardly has any smell at all and it's zero VOC, which means it's safe to use around little ones and you can do your project right at the kitchen table!


Fusion was kind enough to send me the beautiful paint, along with these super cute and sturdy nautical stencils, perfect for summer.


With a rather limited "flat" area on the planter pot, I chose the smaller ship's wheel stencil. I tried taping the stencil to the pot, but it didn't help because the surface was too uneven. I found holding the stencil firmly in place was the only way to go.


With limited stencilling experience under my belt, I watched this helpful video on the Fusion website. The key is to offload lots of the paint before stencilling, so there is very little paint on the brush. This helps avoid seepage underneath the stencil. Holding the stencil in place firmly is also key. Use the end of the brush to swirl or dab paint over the open areas of the stencil.

I was only going to put two of the ship wheels on my terra cotta pot...and then I did four...and then I started filling in more between those four. I wanted to practice my stencilling skills. Plus I liked the look of the wheels going around the pot.


Once the pot was finished, my husband made a remark about our plants soaking up paint chemicals. Of course that stuck in my head. So I found a plastic planter that fit perfectly inside the terra cotta pot and we planted our herbs in there instead. I figure that will also help to preserve the painted pot by reducing its exposure to moisture from watering the herbs.


I also painted a terra cotta saucer in Fusion Little Star because I like the contrast of the yellow tray and the blue pot. The spray-painted pot is now out on the deck between our two spray-painted Muskoka-style aluminum chairs. I think the refreshed pot is so much cheerier than the original, don't you? I wish I could say the same for my poor herbs - a cold wind did a number on our basil and oregano and they are currently in recovery. I may have to switch out the picture when they are better...

By the way, I looked at large coloured planters in the store, thinking it might just be easier to buy one. They were around $50!

Have you ever painted a terra cotta pot? Did you get any paint bubbling from moisture? Have you done any spray paint projects recently?

If you are inspired to paint a terra cotta (or even plastic) planter, here is a handy pinnable collage to use as a reminder:


Now it's time to see the rest of the DIY spray paint project ideas from my talented Canadian blogging friends!