Create your own Celtic pot of gold

Hands-on time: about 1 1/2 hours
Skill: Moderate
Cost estimate: $15 (depending on how many paint colours you use)

Materials & Tools

• Terra-cotta planter (available at garden centres and dollar stores)
• A soft fibre 2cm paintbrush
• Pébéo Porcelaine 150 Filler Undercoat
• Porcelaine 150 by Pébéo, white 43, gold 44, malachite green 26, peridot green 30, amazonite green 29 and amber 36
• Crackling medium (only phase 2 is necessary for this project) Vitrea 160 by Pébéo
• Stir sticks and paint tray
• Gold Sculpey or Fimo polymer clay
• A rolling pin and a kitchen knife
• Plastic mold for soap or plaster mold of a Celtic symbol
• Clear silicon glue
• Sprouts, earth, plants, decorative grass, moss grapevine ball, decorative wire (optional)
• A hairdryer

Invite a little Irish luck in by creating your own pot of gold. An ordinary terra-cotta planter is given Old World charm with an aged crackle-leather finish. This textured finish is achieved by combining a crackle medium and layering shamrock greens, amber and gold porcelain paints. The planter is then ornamented with a Celtic symbol made of gold polymer clay.

For the first few painting steps, use a hairdryer between each medium and colour application to speed up the drying time. Using a hairdryer will also deepen the crackling effect.

Following these steps in order is crucial to achieving the textured effect. Apply the Filler Undercoat Porcelaine 150 to the exterior of the planter and dry it with the hairdryer. Apply a white basecoat of Porcelaine 150 and dry. Apply a coat of gold Porcelaine 150 and dry. Apply a coat of crackling medium (phase 2) Vitrea 160 and dry. You'll see the crackling effect right away. Add more crackling medium if desired and dry.

Put the three green, amber and gold Porcelaine 150 paints in a paint tray. Apply the colours to the body of the planter only. The rim remains gold. Using a criss-cross motion, lightly apply each colour around the planter, one at a time, layering each colour over the last, leaving exposed areas of each colour.

For the finishing touch, randomly and lightly apply some gold paint around the planter by barely skimming the surface with a dry paintbrush.

Once completed, let the planter set for 24 hours. Place the planter in an oven and bake according to the porcelain paint directions.

With clean hands, knead clay to create your Celtic ornament until it is soft and smooth, then roll to flatten with a rolling pin. Cut to size needed using a knife. Press some clay into the mold, then gently remove it. Or, make a design in the clay shape using clay tools. Place and press the clay shape onto the exterior of the planter so that it takes on a curved shape. Place the clay symbol onto a baking tray and bake according to manufacturer's directions.

Once cool, lay the planter on its side, apply clear silicone glue to the back of the ornament, centre it and press into place. Let it set for a few hours.

Fill the planter with some soil, plants of your choice, and decorate it with a grapevine moss ball and branches. Add a shamrock-shape sprig made of decorative green wire and ornamental grass for extra luck!

Variations

• The clay symbol can be replaced with a family crest design, a trinity knot or a basic shamrock shape.
• The same technique can be used on a plain ceramic tile to make a trivet or wall plaque.
• Keep your little Leprechauns busy; have them paint their own little pots of gold with acrylic paints. They can fill them with various green candies. They can also be filled with earth, and then add grass seeds or sprouts, to create a Shea Pet type of decoration.
• Plain rocks can be painted in shimmering gold and be used to decorate around a centerpiece. For a dinner party, paint the guests' names on golden rocks or on small gold pots and use them instead of ordinary place cards.
• Use green or rainbow colours of glass paints to transform beer mugs and glasses into St.Patrick's day relics.