My most recent DIY project was the transformation of a simple garden pot. An annoying one to have around, the clay from this pot makes the dirt suck dry faster than usual, leading to a long string of very sad and thirsty plants. After failing yet again to water this one often enough, I was about to give up on growing in it, and had banished it to the storage closet. One of my favorite places to get design inspiration is from Anthropologie. A sucker for boho, I love the designs on fabric, dishes and all things for the home. A designer for the brand, Molly Hatch, just created a great book full of how-to’s on designing, shaping and transforming clay into beautiful household objects. After devouring her book cover to cover and learning tons of new techniques, I was inspired to transform my sad, forgotten clay pot into something great. I started by washing the clay pot and making sure it was dry. This clay holds water once it’s wet, so I had to wait a while before it was fully dry. Inspired by Molly’s book, I decided to use a technique called Tape Resist. It’s super simple and the only thought you have to put into it is which colors you want to use.   The darker color should be used last, or else you’ll have a hard time painting over it. I used thick paint so that wasn’t a problem. I wanted to go with green and light green, so I painted the dark green first, as a solid layer.   Once the bottom layer was dry, I added simple scotch tape over every part I wanted to remain dark green. With a sturdy brush, I painted the light green on all over the pot, and let it dry. Take the tape off…and voila! Beautiful stripes! Painting this pot was not only for aesthetic purposes; it actually helps to return function to the plant holder. By covering the clay with thick paint, it makes it less porous and susceptible to drying out. Now I can safely repot my rosemary! If you’d like to read Molly Hatch’s new book, New Ceramic Surface Design, and learn awesome techniques for designing on clay, you can find out more here.

**Disclaimer: I received this book as a review copy. I was not compensated monetarily for this or any other post on Aquaberry Bliss and, as always, opinions are my own.**

Photos: Elizabeth Adan, photo of picture in Molly Hatch’s book.

By Elizabeth Adan Elizabeth Adan is a Freelance Writer, Publicist and Brand Ambassador. Aquaberry Bliss is a unique outdoor lifestyle site dedicated to expanding your world and inspiring your creativity. When Elizabeth isn’t traveling, you’ll find her writing, hiking or gardening. Find Elizabeth on Twitter @stillaporcupine and on LinkedIn.