hearts & crafts: ombré pantone inspired pots.

i have been slightly obsessed with all things 'pantone' lately (like these mugs and these cell phone cases for example), and have been trying to work out a diy project to satisfy my craving. after walking past the flats of herbs we picked up from my nonno's place for the 100th time this weekend, i decided what i was going to make. here's my nod to pantone inspired pots.

how we do: ombré pantone inspired pots

we knew we needed at least 3 pots to hold all the herbs my nonno had grown for us, so determine what it is you will be putting into your pots, and then figure out what size you need. terra cotta was cheap and i love the classic 'flower pot' shape, so we scooped up 3, 12" pots. 

i also wanted to incorporate ombré colouring (the graduation of a shade or tone) into this project, as it keeps things simple and clean, but still colourful and bright. because these would be staying outside, we chose indoor/outdoor spray paint in shades of blue that would dry with a glossy finish as opposed to matte. you will also need a can of white spray paint for the band at the bottom of the pot (we used glossy for this as well) painter's tape, and something to spray over. i used a large leaf bag that i cut open and laid out on the grass.

once you have your shit together, you can get down and dirty! start by painting about 5" of white along the bottom of the pot, and the bottom itself. allow each coat to dry "to the touch" in between, which takes around 10 mins. basically, by the time you finish the white on your last pot, the first pot is ready for another coat. i needed three coats of white before it was completely covered. leave your pots to dry upside down overnight, so the paint can cure and doesn't peel away when you pull off the tape you are going to apply in the next step.

*side note: the pooch does not know what spray paint is, and will try to sit underneath you while you work. it may have been a good idea to put her inside. but look at her! come on now.

the next day, your pots should be dry and  you can tape them off. i made sure to place the tape about 2" from the bottom of the pot, to leave a thick enough band. you want to make sure you have the same coverage of paint the whole way around, so adjust the height you are taping off to ensure it's even. taping a straight line onto a round pot that narrows down, isn't the easiest, but if you get it straight even 3/4 of the way around, you're lookin' good. wrap a plastic bag over the base, and tape it to the pot. now you can paint the colour onto the rest of the pot. it's the same process as the white, three even coats allowed to dry in between. once the last coat was dry to the touch, i removed the bag and tape.

 please!?! i am so happy with this little diddy, i only use the back door to get in the house now. they lined up beautifully on our back porch, and when i reached my little hand out to snip some basil for my caprese salad last night, i couldn't help but smile. they are bright, fresh and practical--what more could you ask for in a herb garden?