Use masking tape to cover any areas you don’t want to paint, then apply undercoat and chalkboard paint mix.
Make your own chalkboard paint to decorate the pots that you want to place on your balcony or in your courtyard or vegetable patch.
What you’ll need
• Clean unglazed ceramic pots, such as terra-cotta
• Clear waterproof sealer
• Acrylic undercoat
• Acrylic paint in the color of your choice
• Superfine white grout powder
• Paint container and stirrer
• Paintbrush and masking tape
• Chalk sticks
1 Prepare the pots by cleaning them thoroughly if they’ve been used before. Make sure they are completely dry. Paint the inside of each pot with clear waterproof sealer. This will prevent moisture from the soil leaching through the ceramic and causing the paint to lift off.
2 Cut masking tape into short lengths, about 4–5 cm (1 1/2–2 in) long, and apply them around the rim of the pot, overlapping the ends.
3 Paint the outside of the pot with undercoat and allow to dry completely.
4 Put 1/2 cup (125 ml) of colored paint in a container and add 1 tablespoon of grout powder. Mix well to ensure the grout is evenly distributed through the paint. Use immediately.
5 Paint the outside of the pot with the chalkboard paint mix and allow to dry. Repeat once or twice until you have an even, opaque covering.
6 When the paint is completely dry, carefully remove the masking tape. Plant the vegetable of your choice and write the name with chalk on the painted pot. You might need to refresh the chalk label regularly if you need to be reminded what’s growing in the pot. Simply wipe the pot clean with a soft cloth and rewrite the name whenever it starts to fade.
Use masking tape to cover any areas you don’t want to paint, then apply undercoat and chalkboard paint mix.
TIP
Half a cup of paint will be enough for several pots, depending on their size. Once the chalkboard paint is mixed, it doesn’t store well, so plan to do lots of pots at the same time and use it all up.