DIY

Turning clay strawberry pots into outdoor decor

Submitted by Andy and Donna Wahrenbrock

» ON A LAZY SPRING DAY OF BACKYARD CHORES A FEW YEARS AGO AT OUR LAS PALMAS NEIGHBORHOOD HOME, AN EMPTY CLAY STRAWBERRY POT WAS IN MY WAY. So I de-

cided to paint it. Then another and another, as you can see. The general idea was for a patio motif that caught one’s eye. Subsequently, I thought a remote light disc I had seen at Costco might make a fun atmosphere for evening entertainment.

For those so inclined, the process is easy. I scuff the surface with medium sandpaper and then apply a coat of Kilz primer sealer. I then paint the inside with a couple of coats of quality spray paint. For the outside, either Rust-oleum brush-on paint or spray. A tip for the openings when using spray paint for the exterior is to inflate a party balloon inside the pot to block overspray. The side openings can be covered with masking tape.

Although more colorful than traditional paper luminaries, they fade after a couple of years in the Bakersfield climate. A repaint is easy. The downside is we still have to go to the market to get strawberries.

— Andy and Donna Wahrenbrock Andy Wahrenbrock turned his empty clay strawberry pots into fun nighttime outdoor decor.

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