Clay Pot Crafts

 Make a Bell for the Porch

Clay pot crafts are a cute way to make home decorations.  In clay pot crafts, clay pots can be turned into a variety of decorative items that appeal to gardeners.  Usually the craftsman starts with new vessels.  Pots are often decorated with paint and tied with rope or cord to create things.

  Clay pot craft vessels can be purchased in many different sizes, from the smallest ones no more than 2 inches in diameter to the enormous ones over a foot wide.  For a starter project, start with smaller pots.  The beginner should also choose clay pot crafts that do not use too many pots in an overly elaborate design.

  An example of a good craft for someone new to clay pot crafts is to make a bell out of two clay pots.  Buy a pot that is about five or six inches in diameter and another that is very small.  You will use the small one as the bell clapper.  You will also need a decorative cord, two large wooden beads, and paint in the desired color.  You may also want to purchase some adhesive jewelry to decorate the bell.  The bell is a nice decoration for the front porch.

  Cut the cord two feet (60 cm) long.  Fold the end over 3 inches (8 cm) and tie an overhand knot, forming a loop.  This loop is used to hang the bell from a hook or nail.  Now turn the larger clay pot over.  Pass the loose end of the cord through the hole in the pot.  Place the pot on its side and slide one of the large wooden beads down the cord until it is about 10 inches (25 cm) from the loose end.  Now tie the cord around the bead so that the bead does not slide from its position on the cord.  If you've done this correctly, you can lift the pot by the loop.  In clay pot crafts, the beads should be large enough to prevent the cord from passing through the hole in the bottom of the pot.

  At the loose end of the cord, you will attach the small pot in the same way.  Slide the small pot up the cord to make it easier to tie the other large wooden bead to the end of the cord.  Now, when you lift the entire arrangement by the loop, the smaller pot should hang freely inside the larger pot, making a nice sound when it hits against the larger pot.

  Decorate the outside of the larger pot with paint as desired.  You may want to paint it with black and white patches for a Holstein cow theme.  You can also decorate the top of the bell with silk or dried flowers and greenery and a bow.

  For a variation of this craft, make three bells and hang them from a horizontal piece of driftwood or another interesting piece of natural wood.  When making hanging clay pot crafts, always make sure the beads are large enough and tied tightly in place, because the clay pots will break if they fall to the ground.

  Other clay pot crafts include making a large doll or scarecrow from nested, strung, and painted pots.  The doll can sit in a chair or on a front porch step.  Paint his face to look like a scarecrow, pumpkin, gnome, or child.  Clay pot crafts are especially suitable for outdoor display.