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Raised Stencil Flower Pots

Adding a raised stencil is a creative way to jazz up an otherwise plain flower pot. Terra-cotta flower pots are great for stenciling because they're porous and absorb paint like a sponge. You can use a variety of different acrylic paints, sponges and stencils for your own personalized effect.

Raised stencils add a unique 3D effect

Using Basics acrylics. Sponge paint terra-cotta flower pot. Don't forget to paint the inside and bottom.
Cut stencil from sheet & tape to flower pot. Make sure that the stencil lays flat.
Smooth Stencil Paste over stencil.
Remove all the tape except for a small piece at the top. Slowly lift the stencil from the bottom.

Let the stencil dry at least 24 hours before painting.
Place the stencil back over the raised stencil before painting.
Seal entire flower pot with 2 coats of waterproof sealer.
 Basics acrylics blue, orange and black.
Pansy purple and spring green patio paint. Patio paint is waterproof and easily cleans up with soap and water. However, you'll need to seal your raised stencil. Fushia, yellow and black patio paint.
Supplies Used

Terra-cotta flower pots come in a variety of sizes.

Basics Acrylics paint
Krylon Sealer
Stencil Paste

Bugs stencil
Texture Magic dimensional paint.
Patio Paint

How to apply a raised stencil to a flower pot

Terra –cotta flower pots are fun to paint.  They come in a variety of different sizes and are fairly inexpensive. You can buy them at craft or home improvement stores. I've even been lucky enough to find them at yard sales.  It seems like everyone has a few hiding in their garage. Just giving them a coat of new paint is an easy way to brighten an otherwise boring flower pot.

Terra-cotta (clay) is porous and must be sealed inside and out. Otherwise the water will seep in and the paint will start flaking.  Choose a flower pot that's large enough to display the raised stencil. The stencil needs to lay as flat as possible, though it will curve somewhat. Also choosing a simply stencil without a lot of detail works better. It allows the stencil paste to cover and fill the entire stencil without leaving gaps.

I tried a couple different types of paint and sealer for this project.  Here's what worked:

Once again, I found that Basics acrylics works great. This is a very versatile acrylic paint that can be used for many different crafts. It goes on smooth and soaks into the terra-cotta. Basics acrylics is not waterproof so it has to be sealed.

FolkArt and DecoArt Patio paints are also a good choice for painting terra-cotta. They're designed for outdoor use and easily clean up with soap and water. I especially like the range of bright colors that patio paints come in.

Since stencil paste and dimensional paint is not waterproof I sealed the flower pots with 2-3 coats of waterproof sealer inside and out. Both spray on and a brush on waterproof sealer will work. However, I personally liked the spray on sealer better because it was easier to use and it got into all of the small spaces of the raised stencil.

The Wildwood Cottage is a web site that provides tips and techniques, ideas and inspiration for unique art projects and crafts.

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