Painted Pots

Most of you readers are already skilled in the ways of spray paint. You can speak of its transforming power. You know of its magic to morph thrift store trash into shabby chic treasure.

I've spray-painted everything from free kitchen chairs...

To tacky urns...

To picture frames & shelves...

And now flower pots.

That was a faux-painted-brown garage sale find in a former life. Now a lovely cream.

That's right. I've found a way to incorporate toxic, earth-unfriendly spray paint with flowers, soil, and all things green. Please don't call the environmental police. 

I realized this Spring that I had only two pots in which to plant a few annuals. And when I started browsing my favorite discount stores for cheap pots, I stood aghast at the prices. Pots, even plastic ones, can be pricey.

So, I bought these white tacky ones from Big Lots for $3 each. And I corralled my other two big pots plus a few little terra cotta ones sitting around. I bought some blue spray paint for $1. I dug out some partial cans of black and off-white spray paint from the garage...

And went to work...

BEFORE:

AFTER:

The hardest part was keeping Cupcake away from the fumes and drying pots. I was only partially successful.

Ever my faithful sidekick, he assisted by scattering soil about the front porch and gobbling up fistfuls of dirt.

And in case you're wondering where my blue paint inspiration came from...

The French, of course! This bold blue always reminds me of France. Sigh.

My plastic beauties are no match for these gorgeous Euro-vignettes but it's the best I can do. 

THEIRS:

MINE:

{This blue looks WAY bright and garish in the photos. Yikes! It's not so day-glo in real life.}

And I'm hoping that as my flowers and foliage grow more and more lush, my painted and clustered pots will look more and more Frenchy. 

One could certainly go a step further and make the pots more authentic-looking by "aging" them with some goldish-brown paint rubbed along the edges. But, done is better than perfect. And to borrow from the Nester, "It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful."

If only I could invent a way to age vinyl siding...

....................................................................

I purchased these lovely flowers in the clearance corner of my local Wal-Mart's Garden Center. 87 cents for 6-packs of annuals! They just needed a little love and hydration. Voila! Pretty on a budget.