Make a Bell for the Porch
Clay pot crafts are a cute way to make home decorations.
In clay pot crafts, clay flower pots can be crafted into a
variety of decorative things that appeal to gardeners.
Usually, the crafter begins with new pots. The pots are
often decorated with paint as well as being tied together
with rope or cord to create things.
Pots for clay pot crafts can be purchased in many different
sizes, from tiny ones not more than 2 inches in diameter, to
huge ones over a foot across. For a beginning project, start
with smaller pots. The beginner should also choose clay pot
crafts that don't use too many pots in too elaborate a
design.
An example of a good craft for someone new at clay pot
crafts is to make a bell from two clay pots. Buy one pot
that is about five or six inches in diameter, and another
that is very small. You will use the small one as the
clapper for the bell. You will also need some decorative
cord, two large wooden beads, and paint in desired colors.
You may also wish to purchase some glue-on jewels to
decorate the bell. The bell makes a nice decoration for a
front porch.
Cut the cord two feet (60 cm.) long. Fold the end over 3
inches (8 cm.) and tie in an overhand knot, making a loop.
This loop is for hanging the bell from a hook or a nail. Now
turn the larger clay pot upside-down. Pass the loose end of
the cord down through the hole in the pot. Lay the pot on
its side and slide one of the large wooden beads up 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 cannot slip
from its position on the cord. If you have done this
correctly, you can lift the pot by the loop. In clay pot
crafts, the beads must be large enough to stop the cord from
going through the hole in the bottom of the pot.
On the loose end of the cord, you are going to 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 on 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 pleasant sound when it claps against
the larger pot.
Decorate the outside of the larger pot with paint as
desired. You may like to paint it in black and white patches
for a Holstein cow theme. You may also like to decorate the
top of the bell with silk or dried flowers and greenery and
a ribbon bow.
For a variation on this craft, make three of the bells and
hang them from a horizontal piece of driftwood or other
interesting piece of natural wood. When making hanging clay
pot crafts, always make sure the beads are large enough and
are 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 of nested pots strung together and painted. The
doll can sit on a chair or a step of the front porch. Paint
his face to look like a scarecrow, a jack-o-lantern, a
gnome, or a child. Clay pot crafts are especially suited to
being displayed outside. |