I came across this DIY technique on Pinterest and finally made time to try it out for myself. I love the look of clay vases but they can cost more than what I’d like to pay for one and I often can’t find the color or silhouette that I’m looking for. So, I figured I’d try creating my own. I am going to share the simple process of my DIY faux clay vase creation and some helpful tips I picked up along the way.
Supplies
You only need a few basic supplies. The most important item you need is a vase, of course. You can find some basic ones at dollar tree, but I wanted to find some with a little more character, so I went to Goodwill to see what I could find. To my surprise, I found four unique vases and only spent $16 total!
Other supplies include paint brushes, baking powder and acrylic craft paint. I decided to use a neutral color palette to better replicate the clay look. Like me, you probably already have baking powder in your pantry. I purchased the brushes and craft paint from Michaels.
The Process
Mix paint and baking powder together in a bowl.
Tip #1: Add baking powder a little bit at a time. I got a little heavy handed the first round and ended up with a very thick mixture. You can tell that the burnt orange vase has a lot more texture to it because of that.
Tip#2: If you plan to mix colors, make sure you mix plenty at once. You don’t want to run out, have to mix more and then potentially have inconsistent color mixtures.
Apply the paint mixture to the vase.
Tip#3: Use thin brush strokes. This will allow the paint to dry quicker. The quicker it dries, the sooner you can apply the next coat of paint. I ended up applying 2 to 3 coats of paint.
Tip #4: Use a bigger brush for the larger vases. This will allow you apply paint more efficiently without multiple smaller brush strokes.
Lastly, make sure the vase is completely covered. Let it air dry over night. Done.
Yep, that’s it. It’s really that simple. And I ended up with these beautiful up-cycled vases. Plus, there’s just something very therapeutic about applying paint to something. I may have stumbled upon a new hobby. Next time you’re at a garage sale or thrift store, grab a few vases and try it out yourself!
