Clay Pot Crafts:
Make a Bell for the Porch
Clay pot crafts are a cute way to make home decorations. In clay pot
crafts, clay flower pots can be crafted into a variety of decorative
things that appeal to gardeners. Usually, the crafter begins with new
pots. The pots are often decorated with paint as well as being tied
together with rope or cord to create things.
Pots for clay pot crafts can be purchased in many different sizes, from
tiny ones not more than 2 inches in diameter, to huge ones over a foot
across. For a beginning project, start with smaller pots. The beginner
should also choose clay pot crafts that don't use too many pots in too
elaborate a design.
An example of a good craft for someone new at clay pot crafts is to make
a bell from two clay pots. Buy one pot that is about five or six inches
in diameter, and another that is very small. You will use the small one
as the clapper for the bell. You will also need some decorative cord,
two large wooden beads, and paint in desired colors. You may also wish
to purchase some glue-on jewels to decorate the bell. The bell makes a
nice decoration for a front porch.
Cut the cord two feet (60 cm.) long. Fold the end over 3 inches (8 cm.)
and tie in an overhand knot, making a loop. This loop is for hanging the
bell from a hook or a nail. Now turn the larger clay pot upside-down.
Pass the loose end of the cord down through the hole in the pot. Lay the
pot on its side and slide one of the large wooden beads up the cord
until it is about 10 inches (25 cm.) from the loose end. Now tie the
cord around the bead so that the bead cannot slip from its position on
the cord. If you have done this correctly, you can lift the pot by the
loop. In clay pot crafts, the beads must be large enough to stop the
cord from going through the hole in the bottom of the pot.
On the loose end of the cord, you are going to attach the small pot in
the same way. Slide the small pot up the cord to make it easier to tie
the other large wooden bead on the end of the cord. Now when you lift
the entire arrangement by the loop, the smaller pot should hang freely
inside the larger pot, making a pleasant sound when it claps against the
larger pot.
Decorate the outside of the larger pot with paint as desired. You may
like to paint it in black and white patches for a Holstein cow theme.
You may also like to decorate the top of the bell with silk or dried
flowers and greenery and a ribbon bow.
For a variation on this craft, make three of the bells and hang them
from a horizontal piece of driftwood or other interesting piece of
natural wood. When making hanging clay pot crafts, always make sure the
beads are large enough and are tied tightly in place, because the clay
pots will break if they fall to the ground.
Other clay pot crafts include making a large doll or scarecrow of nested
pots strung together and painted. The doll can sit on a chair or a step
of the front porch. Paint his face to look like a scarecrow, a
jack-o-lantern, a gnome, or a child. Clay pot crafts are especially
suited to being displayed outside.
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