Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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How To Use Ceramic Paint

Sorry to anyone looking for Weekly Crafty posts on Tuesdays, it seems that they’ve shifted to Thursdays for the past two weeks! Since my hands are still recovering from staple pulling, more wallpaper peeling, and more painting (we’re doing our stair risers today so we can hopefully install the runner this weekend and have that post for you on Monday), I wanted to pick something fun & easy for this week’s crafty little endeavor. And here’s where I ended up: with a big ol’ hand-painted planter full of succulents and colorful cacti.

Ceramic Paint Final

You know I like sharing house plants that we’re adding/loving/killing every once in a while (like this and this), and this project all started when I found some glass/ceramic paint on clearance at JoAnn for $1.97…

Ceramic Paint

I don’t think I’ve ever used specifically formulated glass or ceramic paint, so a maiden voyage like this is thrilling for a gal like me (seriously, it falls somewhere between finding a five dollar bill in my coat pocket and a new episode of The Walking Dead on my DVR). At first I gave a few other project ideas some consideration – like painting mugs, a vase, or some ceramic candlesticks – and then I saw this amazing planter and said “boom, I’m going planter.” Just like that. Out loud and everything.

The reason for a planter was two-fold. Clara had showed some interest in the colorful cacti at Home Depot the last time we walked by, and I’d been meaning to grab her one or two so we could care for them together. The second reason was that about a week ago I was going through our serving bowls and noticed there were some big winners we use all the time, and one shallow bowl that we hardly touched. But when I saw that inspiration planter, I realized the shape of my poor abandoned bowl was similar. And it was nice and big (around 17″ wide) so I thought it would make for a sweet centerpiece at the kitchen table when it was all said and done.

Ceramic Paint2

So Clara and I took a trip to Home Depot, where we got a little carried away. We stared at everything, discussed their merits and shortcomings (“I like this one because it’s extra pokey!” “I like this one because it’s yellow like a lemon!”) and ended up grabbing 10 plants. Five of them were colorful cacti and the other five were smaller/cheaper succulents to fill things in. All told, it was around $30 in plants (I told you we got carried away) so I’m pretty dang invested in this project now – but Clara is so excited. Begging: please share your cactus care tips if you have any! I don’t want to kill these guys.

Ceramic Paint6

As we were checking out the cashier sweetly told me to mix some sand into the soil when I potted them because they like that and dropped the fact that they actually sell Cactus Sand for a few bucks if I don’t have sand on hand to mix. After embracing her with tears in my eyes thanking her profusely, Clara and I grabbed a bag (when you put $30 into plants, $3 for the dirt they like best felt like a nice insurance policy for a black thumb like me).

Once home with our haul, the first step was ceramic painting, which had me torn. If I wanted to be literal about it, I could paint the entire outside of the bowl like the one that inspired me, but I liked the idea of some white with a fun slice of blue around those colorful cacti, so I decided to paint the inner lip of the planter with my teal ceramic paint. The best of both worlds. Kinda like Two Face. Except less gruesome and eye-ball-y.

Applying the paint inside the lip was easy enough…

Ceramic Paint3

I just followed the instructions: wiping down the part I was going to paint with alcohol, letting it dry, and painting a nice even coat with a small craft brush. I did my best to keep the line around the lip of the bowl even, and since the paint was really slow to dry, if I messed up and got a blob up on the lip, just wiping it with a paper towel left me with a nice clean edge once again. The paint was non-toxic so I could have done it with Clara (I did it right in front of her) but she said “call me when it’s time to touch the dirt!” Funny kid.

Oh and the reason I didn’t bother painting the entire inside of the bowl was because I figured I’d rather conserve my paint for another project instead of using it on a large part of the planter that wouldn’t be seen once the dirt was added.

Ceramic Paint4

To cure the paint on ceramic and glass surfaces, you can either let it air dry for a while, or you can speed things up by baking it in the oven. Although this was a serving dish, it was only microwave and dishwasher safe – not oven safe – so I skipped that step and just opted for the air drying approach. After a few days it was no longer tacky, so I decided the lip could continue to cure even after the pot was in use and Clara and I could commence the much anticipated Adding Of The Dirt.

Ceramic Paint5

The plants were spikey so we had to be careful, but she had a lot of fun dumping cups of dirt into the bowl and digging little holes for me to drop the plants into.

Ceramic Paint 7

Now every night at dinner Clara and I talk about our favorite plants (they all have names) and check to make sure nothing’s giving up on us. So far, so good! Maybe the bean will grow up to be a botanist. Or a paleontologist. The dirt was definitely her favorite part…

Ceramic Paint Final

In the end, this project only took about thirty minutes to gather my supplies, and another twenty spent painting that lip, followed by around 15 minutes to pot things with Clara in our special cactus sand, but I hope it’s a kitchen centerpiece that lasts for years and makes us smile. I actually really like the bright pot + succulents thing, so I’m thinking I might make a bunch more as holiday gifts and even some little ones for the neighbors (one small cactus and a little brightly painted pot should only be around $7 total – and I can try stripes and dots and a dipped bottom, etc).

Is anyone else out there painting ceramic or glass items? Or planting something inside to add a little life to the house as we head into the colder months? How about homemade holiday gift ideas? I’m flirting with the concept of trying to DIY all of them this year, but it might lead to final-hour hyperventilation, so I’m not sure yet.

Psst – Can’t shake the crafty? Check out nearly 50 other craft projects here.

Comments

  1. Laura says

    I hope your cacti last longer than ours! I bought a colorful one similar to those you bought and it lasted almost 6 months before it died on me. I followed the planting and light instructions to a T. Would love for an update later in their lives :-)

    ~Laura

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh no! Will keep you posted for sure. It has only been a few days but these guys seem happy in their kitchen spot (it gets sun but not too much). I’m planning only to add water (with the help of my splashy assistant) when the dirt is dry dry dry (one person said once a month isn’t even a bad call) so I think my hurdle will be resisting the whole over-watering thing. Here’s hoping…

      xo
      s

    • Hillary says

      I definitely bought one of those plants last month (the very bottom right one in your last picture) to plant in a teacup that was my great-grandma’s so I could see it on a daily basis next to my kitchen sink. I actually have a pretty green-ish thumb and I definitely killed it by over-watering. The leaves (?) got soggy and then would fall off layer by layer until the whole thing went kaput. I think the lack of watering they require freaked me out! So resist the urge (unlike me!) and hopefully yours will have a happily ever after…

    • Elisa says

      I’m somewhat hit or miss on indoor plants. But I do have a few succulents that are totally thriving. Two are on a bathroom windowsill, two on my kitchen windowsill. The second secret it to forget about them, a lot. Hah. It’s pretty easy to over water a cactus or succulent! So put it somewhere you’ll forget it, like your powder room, hah!

    • Arely says

      Maybe that’s what I’m doing to mine? Overwatering? We water them once a week or so, but at first my husband was just spraying them, and they’ve been shriveling since we got them.. Totally dieing one leaf at a time :( They are planted in regular potting soil but also in one of those special bowls that have a second compartment for water to drain into and then be absorbed if necessary? If anyone knows how I can save the poor things, do let me know… i’d really appreciate it!!

    • a says

      Arely,

      succulents/cacti like very dry, gritty soil. Succulents/cacti do NOT like “normal” potting soil. They retain moisture in their plump leaves and stems and when they get too much water they become too heavy and burst/break off OR become waterlogged and rot. If leaves fall off your succulent you can let them dry out on a bed of pebbles and they will eventually start to sprout roots and become new plants.

      I actually plant mine outside in well-drained pea gravel/rock garden where they thrive. I bring the tender ones in before the first frost, but some are even considered perennials able to withstand zone 5 winters.

      I don’t have the best lighting conditions for them inside so they tend to get leggy trying to reach for the sun, but they still make it through the winters and enjoy being outside again in the summers.

      I got into building terrariums last winter and discovered the secret to planting in containers without drainage holes is using “horticultural charcoal” layered at the bottom of the soil to absorb excess moisture. One thing I learned about terrariums is that they work best with plants that like humid environments–a succulent would rot and die off quickly–because having a lid on the terrarium keeps things moist and creates a little atmosphere.

      So, all those pretty examples you see on Pinterest of combinations of moss and succulents in a charming glass container? Those are just for show and will quickly die off if left together since they require different watering habits. My terrariums are still going strong since last January and I MAYBE misted them 2 or 3 times in the last 11 months since they retain their moisture so well.

      So, if you truly are gardening-challenged, I would recommend a LIDDED terrarium as a way to enjoy a tiny garden with minimal need for interference.

      (I also played around with non-lidded terrariums, but found they dried out faster, struggled more, and were more likely to have plants trying to creep out of the opening)

    • Melanie P says

      Oh I love the idea of using a teacup! I have my Great Grandmother’s China and want to do this right away!! Thanks for the idea!

    • Liz E. says

      Just a tip for most plants (but especially so with cacti, succulents, and other low-water plants): they need a pot that drains. Some containers are super cute for planting, but if there’s no drainage hole the water will just collect in the bottom and stagnate. This leads to root rot and eventual plant death. Some try to get around this by putting layer of small rocks/pebbles in the bottom, but this honestly only makes it worse as the water collects there and has no place to go. If you have a plant in a non-draining container (like a bowl or a teacup) be careful to only water in small quantities–the goal would be to give the plant(s) just enough water to feed them without soaking the soil too much. You can also buy a ceramic bit for a drill and make drainage holes, but that can be tricky and possibly break the glass (sometimes no matter how extremely careful you are) so take heed with a family heirloom! Non-draining containers aren’t going to kill plants 100% of the time, but they do require extra care to not soak the soil too much.

      Just my two cents :) the cacti are adorable Sherry!

    • Arely says

      Just wanted to say thanks for the tips. I guess I’ll have to move the little guys out of that soil… Wish me luck ;)
      Also, thanks to Sherry and John for making this space available for us readers to “talk” to you and each other :)

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Aw thanks for asking Rachael! I’m still dealing with that pesky all-day sickness stuff, so I’m waiting to pass that hurdle (it’s lasting longer than the 16/17 week mark, which is when it ended with Clara, but I’m keeping the faith that relief is just around the corner. All is going well at checkups though (so grateful!) and Clara is so excited about being a big sister. Life is good.

      xo
      s

    • Melly says

      I’ve meant to ask how you’re feeling as well. I too had all day nausea with both pregnancies and it lasted a couple of weeks longer with the second. Hope it passes for you very soon!

  6. Liz O says

    I really like this! I have a similar sized clear glass bowl and it might be fun to experiment with it.. We have a Joann opening up around the corner (i’m still not sure if this is a good thing!) so I will have to check out the glass paint!

    Thanks for the idea! I think my 4 yo might also be excited about the dirt.

    Reply

  7. Steph says

    Good luck with your party platter of succulents! They’re all very colourful and cute. Maybe even throw in some gravel over the dirt? As long as they get lots of direct sun, though, they’ll be happy.

    Reply

  8. Marie says

    Great little gift! I’ll be stealing this little personal touch for my babe’s daycare teacher’s! Over at the just the bees knees…she made a little note that said, “thanks for helping me grow” Together!!! This will be perfect!!!

    Reply

  9. Heather says

    Love this! Especially how well the colors pop (blue, red, yellow)… Clara certainly has her parents eye for color!

    PS – I think the link to your inspiration is not working correctly.

    Reply

  10. Julie says

    Very cute! I love the blue with the reds and greens.

    And yes, be VERY careful of watering! Water only when the soil seems dry about one inch down. The plumper, fatter plants (like the cacti) needs somewhat less water than the thinner plants, like your little hen and chicks. They also need a lot of light. You can watch the hens and chicks for signs that they aren’t getting enough light. If they start stretching upwards and getting a lot of space in between the layers, they need more light. (I now have a sempurvium similar to your hen and chick that is about 7 inches tall because it did NOT get nearly enough light.)

    Reply

  11. Janelle @ Two Cups of Happy says

    I didn’t know this paint existed, but now that I know it does my mind is brimming with ideas! I may make a pattern on a ceramic vase for my sister’s birthday coming up. I’m thinking irregular colourful blotches, kind of like watercolour.

    Reply

  12. Anela says

    I think that cute pop of blue is perfect! I never would’ve thought to paint the inside like that. Fingers crossed they stay all pokey for ya!

    Reply

  13. rachael says

    PRETTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a great idea!!! It’s also probably a good idea that you didn’t paint the entire inside b/c I’m wondering if the paint would leech into the soil and kill the plants. Anyways, I’m pinning this! Are you guys just leaving it on the kitchen table as a centerpiece?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      That’s what I wondered too! It said non-toxic on the paint but I wondered if adding soil and watering it would degrade the paint into the dirt or something strange. As for the centerpiece thing, it’s just sitting on the kitchen table, which is cute because we get to chat about it over dinner and Clara checks in to make sure nothing’s giving up the ghost.

      xo
      s

  15. Tracey Bradshaw says

    My cacti seriously thrive on neglect – the worst thing you can do is over water them. I bought a heap of small cacti and succulents at a yardsale for $1.00 each, to replant into a number of upcycled containers – i put them on my workbench (outdoors undercover) and forgot about them for 3 months over winter (winter is pretty mild here) – i watered them at the end of winter (end of August Downunder) and once again since and they are growing and very healthy. Which reminds me – it’s about time I replanted them like I intended to, almost 6 months ago!

    Reply

  16. Nancy W says

    What a cute idea! I actually have a very similar shallow white bowl I never use. I think I got it at Ikea a few years ago? Maybe I’ll give this project a go.

    Reply

  17. JustMe says

    I love the color combo together! Such a sweet idea to do with Clara. Hubby bought me a cactus for Valentine’s Day one year (long story), that was about 4 inches high. Within 6 years, it hit our 7-foot ceilings! Hopefully yours don’t grow quite so well!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Holy cow, that’s the epitome of a green thumb right there. I managed to keep a little red cactus alive for years in grade school, mostly I think by completely forgetting about it, so I think my challenge here is going to be to resist the urge to over-water, and not to let my “water all the plants!” mom near it since she likes to…. show a lot of love… in the form of water (and food if you’re human).

      xo
      s

  18. Elise says

    Succulent freak here!

    If you guys are paying attention to them every night you should be fine- you’ll catch little problems early- like seeing some wilting, withering or rotting. (burning is also a problem, but since it’s the winter you shouldn’t have this issue) Then you can adjust the watering/sun/warmth of the guys accordingly. Less watering is better, which is always so frustrating with these guys- I want to love them to death (and sometimes do!)

    Anyways, enough rambling- actual advice: since it’s the winter, they’ll be going dormant. Gradually wean them off of water until you are watering them thoroughly once every week and a half/two weeks in the depth of winter. Some people go down to only once a month, but I get antsy if I do it that drastically. Keep them in as bright a spot as you can without risking chilling them(i.e. not too close to a cold window). Then in the spring you can ramp the watering up, add some cactus fertilizer to the mix, and put them in a sunny spot (remember that plants can get sunburnt too, so always make changes in sun/heat gradually!)

    Not sure if you can see my email or not, but give me a holler if you ever need any advice :)

    Reply

    • Elise says

      Oh my gosh I just can’t shut up… Since your bowl doesn’t have drainage, you will have to be super careful about over watering. (Although, it should be said that Home Depot probably watered them pretty frequently since they had drainage in their nursery pots.) I don’t want to tell you to dig them up again, but usually you would want to layer the soil in pots with no drainage- big gravel or styrofoam peanuts for this bottom later. (not the kind of packing peanuts that decompose in water though)

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I would totally do that! Thanks Elise! I wondered that when I put them in. Clara loves playing in the dirt so much she’d love a re-planting session, so thanks for the tips! I shall call you The Succulent Whisperer.

      xo
      s

    • Elise says

      Hehe, no problem! Enjoy those colorful dudes! Don’t be discouraged if some of those colorful ones die off though- they are grafted on and can have problems of their own.

      Rock on.

    • pat says

      Elise has lots of great tips. I agree that drainage is important. You may want too get a ceramic drill bit and put in some holes at the bottom of the serving bowl.

    • Debbie says

      I don’t water my cactus in winter either and not often in the summer. I forget about them most of the time.

    • Elise says

      Just occurred to me that I was so excited to ramble about plants that I didn’t mention my blog, which has some relevant posts that go into more detail about layering soil and other succulent care stuff :)

      sparrowsoup.blogspot.com

    • harma says

      yes yes- replant with styrofoam packing peanuts. They are going sort of dormant right now until Spring: water maybe once a month, then in Spring start increasing like twice/month and in summer weekly? Find the sunniest spot you have. Might not get enough sun on table in middle of a room. In general they don’t like being moved around a lot. These are highly cultivated so don’t fret if one of them dies. Just get a replacement and carry on : ))

    • Kati says

      A layer of bits of shattered brick in the bottom will also do for the drainage. Oh, and if the upper colourful part of the cactus dies, the base may still live on, so don’t throw them away right away.

  19. rachel says

    I’ve been wanting to do a succulent garden for years now. Fighting the urge to go to Home Deport RIGHT NOW and buying all the succulents! Must resist!

    Okay maybe not. Just one or five won’t hurt anyone.

    Reply

  20. Lisa @ Double Door Ranch says

    “Call me when its time to touch the dirt!” Bahahaha that girl is cooler than the rest of us combined.

    I’m wild about this project! I DIY-ed most of my Christmas gifts last year and something like this might be a great way to carry that in to this year!

    Reply

  21. Wendy @ New Moms Talk says

    My first reaction to this was, “No! Not cacti!” We removed a greenhouse that was filled with cacti and dead desert flowers left by the previous home owners. Despite using gloves and being in layers, I had a few spiney encounters that left me ouch-ing away.

    Once internal ouch-ies went away, I remembered that somewhere, in a box, I picked up a punch bowl and glasses from a thrift store with the hopes of planting succulents in them one day.

    We’ll either plant them in a little grove of trees (with a toddler-sized table and chairs) or on the sunroom for a dash of fun to balance out my hub’s bike gear that resides on the other half of the sunroom!

    Reply

  22. Mikey says

    Love the blue rim. You’re a smart cookie, conserving the paint like that (I usually think of these things after the fact!)

    I, too, am a notorious plant killer. I thought cacti would be safe. Nope. The bonus is that my two very neglected (and dead) cacti plants still look cute. Maybe I mummified them.

    Reply

    • Elaine says

      I had a cactus I thought was dead from lack of water, I left it at home when I went to college and my mother forgot about it. I decided to water it just to see what and IT CAME BACK! Plants are much more likely to recover from a drought than over watering.

  24. Maddie says

    LOVE! I think I need to jump on the succulent bandwagon…yours is so adorable! Love the holiday gifting idea too, so smart/cute.

    Reply

  25. Rachel says

    I LOVE succulents! Seriously. Obsessed. I have some in a terrarium that I planted with cactus soil and rocks. Make sure you have some rocks at the bottom to help with drainage! I water them about every 2 weeks and they are going strong :)

    Reply

    • Cassie says

      Hahaha, this cracked me up! Being an Arizonan I was going to comment and say it’ll be the easiest plant ever because they’re so low maintenance. Like everyone else said, don’t over water!

      p.s. it rained here a couple days ago… I’ll let you know when we get it again ;)

  29. Nicole L says

    Good luck with the cacti! I can not keep those things alive (indoors) – I have 15 year old Christmas cacti, but the cute little ones I kill within months.

    Reply

    • a says

      Beautiful! My in-laws have an AMAZING huge, old Christmas Cactus that flowers like clockwork.

      My aloe plant I brought home with me from my grandma’s condo in Florida 5 years ago (she brought the first plant to FL with her when she retired 30 years ago) is currently flowering and the leaves are over 4 feet across! The flower stalk is almost as tall!

  30. Meredith says

    So cute! My husband was gifted some cacti by a co-worker (I guess he can be a little prickly at work) and they have survived for years with minimal care. Good luck! Also wanted to mention that if Clara loves dirt you should take a road trip to Gloucester (I know, random) when she’s a little older. I used to work for an organization that does archaeology with the pubic all the time. Both the owners have young kids and are just fabulous. Lot’s of scooping, shaking, digging, and discovering.

    https://www.facebook.com/TheFairfieldFoundation.

    Speaking of history, I think you guys should do some historic home crashing, especially because your home is such a traditional style. I remember some people didn’t think your blue door was in keeping with the style of the house, so it might be fun to show off some of the bright, popping colors that really are in historic homes (hello bright yellow at Monticello and bold greens and blues in Williamsburg).

    http://www.google.com/search?q=monticello+yellow&client=safari&rls=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=Nq17UrazNObhygHR74DYDQ&ved=0CDEQsAQ&biw=1330&bih=570

    http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/do/revolutionary-city/tour-the-city/governors-palace/ (photo number 2)

    Boy am I chatty this morning.

    Reply

  32. Megan says

    I can’t say anything on the cacti, but we inherited a bowl of succulents with our house five years ago. We have left them outside and have NEVER done anything with them. They thrive all on their own, just getting whatever rain we get (central KS).

    Reply

  33. Julianne says

    What a sweet way to add some brightness & colour for the winter. I love this idea & am going to give it a try. I kinda have a brown thumb and hear cacti are harder to kill! ;0)

    Reply

  34. SheLikesToTravel says

    Hi Sherry – Like the others, I will say watering too often will get you in trouble. I remember I “watered” my cactus once a month with 1 Tablespoon of water and they instantly died. It was too much. I find they deal great with neglect. I have some out on my covered patio (I live in AZ) and never water them and they are doing great.

    Reply

  35. Stacey says

    You and I are much alike in terms of non-skillz, Sherry! I can’t sew and I’m on my 5th parsley plant in 2 years! And I’ve been known to kill cacti! Wishing you better luck with yours! (Apparently talking to your plants helps them grow but I think whispering “Please don’t die, please don’t die!” scared mine to death!)

    Reply

  36. Stevie says

    I have a cactus (named Clarence) that has been alive for going on 4 years now! I just water him when he’s looking peaky (maybe every 2-3 weeks?) with super dry dirt. I wish you had told us the names, only because I’m a plant-naming person myself! :D Adorable craft, and Clara is so cute with the dirt loving, ha!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Clarence is THE BEST! Ours have hilarious names, picked out by Clara and inspired by some of her favorite characters/movies. There’s my personal favorite: Walter (a character from The Muppets movie) and Kevin and Bros (her take on Kevin and Buzz from Home Alone) and Elmo (self explanatory) and Barney (another obvious one). So far we’ve only named the colorful cacti though, so the green ones remain nameless. Although Clara called the one in the middle “big daddy one” this morning…

      xo
      s

  37. Kellie says

    I don’t know if someone already told you this but you only need to water them 1-2/month and make sure they get lots of sun. Succulents do not do well with over watering…coming from experience.

    Reply

  39. Kacee k says

    So cute sherry!! Love it :)

    I read above in the comments that you are atill feeling sick. I am sorry to hear that. I, too, was much more sick my second pregnancy. I lost about twenty pounds in the first and second trimesters. Anyways I tried a lot of things to help. Some things worked for a few days but I was happy when I got some relief. Have you tried vitamin b and ginger? My doc gave me oodles of samples of b-nexa. That seems to work better for me than the prescription stuff that everyone takes that didn’t work for me.

    Hang in there! It’s all worth it in the end :). I am sure tons of people are giving you advice and suggestions, so I will leave mine to just the one. But feel free to drop me a line if you want more or want to just to chat with someone who’s been there. :)
    K

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Thanks so much for the info Kacee! I was just reading about B-nexa so I’ll have to try that! I’ve tried ginger everything and B vitamins and magnesium and sea bands and all sorts of other things (prego pops, etc) but so far it just seems to be a reflex. As in, it doesn’t matter what’s in my body, it just happens. I’m really trying to focus on the good stuff (there’s a healthy baby in there! and Clara couldn’t be more excited!) so it’s a really exciting time, even with the added bathroom visits :)

      xo
      s

    • Sarah says

      I hear that croissants come back nicely. One of my friends survived on them while pregnant. If you can’t stop it, might as well make it as comfortable as possible!

  40. Audrey says

    What is it about kids and cactus? My youngest (who is 14 now), is always wanting to buy more and more. We had an adorable frog planter, but that cactus didn’t last long at all. all the ones we have outside are still going strong!!! (4 in total)

    Reply

  41. Nora Rose says

    I’m obsessed with succulents, but the perennial outdoor kind like hens and chicks, seddum, etc. You can get pint size containers for $5-10 at garden centers and split them into tons of small potted plants. And they grow like weeds so you can split again and again. Mine come back year after year outdoor in pots which is great because I never remember to water them. They aren’t as colorful as the catci but you could definitely do a cool painted design with them too! Seddum also does flower in the fall too!

    Reply

  42. Larissa Allen says

    Some gravel at the bottom of your bowl for the much needed drainage of soil would have been your best bet. I would even suggest going back and repotting to include that if you want these guys for the long haul. After that plunk them back in and think desert, flash flood and DRY out between floods, do not over water! Occasionally misting heavily with spray bottle to get the dust off and enjoy. They do sell cactus food I am not prone to using but it may be fun for Clara to feed her prickly friends. Good luck on your beautiful addition!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I love that! I have to group it with something else. Maybe our anniversary every month or Clara can pick a date and we can always remember to do it on that day!

      xo
      s

  44. Maria says

    So cute! I love the blue with the colors of the cacti.

    Personally, cacti are my arch enemy ever since my older sister (who usually was/is the sweetest and most responsible person) squished my poor four-year-old hand around a cactus…Ouch! Twenty-four years later I still can’t stand cacti!

    Yours are cute to look at through my screen though ;)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Ouch! One of John’s sisters tried to make her other sister eat hamster poop by telling her it was a chocolate Tic-Tac. To this day she hates hamsters and Tic-Tacs. Sisters sure can ruin stuff for ya, huh?!

      xo
      s

  45. Megan @ The Brick Bungalow says

    Cute! My brother gave me two cacti 6 years ago when we bought our house. I put them in a tiny cake pan, placed it in our kitchen window and water it maybe once a month, if that. They haven’t grown much but they also haven’t died. Earlier this year, I did a very similar shopping trip with my 4 year old daughter (“oh this one is pretty! I want it because its pink and pink is my favorite color!”) and let her pick out her pot (“I want this purple one, I love purple, it’s my favorite color!”). It lived on our front porch all summer, barly getting any water, and grew an inch (it was maybe 3″ to start). Ignoring them seems to work. Definitely do not overwater. And good luck!!

    Reply

  46. em says

    This is very pretty, but I am dissappointed you did not include the names of your cacti in the post! (The names that you and Clara gave them, of course, not their official botanical names.)

    I think I’ll copy this project as watering the cacti once a week seems like a perfect “chore” for a three year old.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Haha! I spilled those beans in the comments a little while back (after someone told me about their cactus named Clarence). They’re some pretty awesome names if I do say so. Walter is my favorite…

      xo
      s

  47. Stevi Clark says

    Such a cute idea. I love this series.

    I have killed many a houseplant, but I have had a lot of luck with cacti and succulents so I thought I’d share a tip or two. First off, putting a couple handfuls of pea sized gravel in the bottom of the planter is a big help. It adds extra drainage and keeps the roots from sitting in standing water (which leads to root rot and then death). Also, succulents need lots of sun. I’ve had a lot of luck putting mine near a window that gets a couple hours of direct sunlight. Last tip, let the soil completely dry out before watering again, and then only water enough to just barely moisten the soil.

    Good luck!

    Reply

  48. Lauren says

    How did your succulents and colorful cacti from the “What Up, Succa?” post do? Did they not make it? :( I have trouble with house plants in our current home due to the lack of well placed lighting. But I love that project, and I am hoping to have better lighting luck in our next home.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Alas, almost all of our house plants died while we were on our book tour last year. Since it was spread out from October to January I tried to keep up with things, but everything seemed to say “nah, we’re out.”

      xo
      s

  49. Nicole says

    I’ve never commented, but I love you guys and don’t want you to lose those pretty succulents!!!!!!!

    Per my professional horticulturist/gardener boyfriend –
    -are there holes in the bottom? EVERY plant needs drainage or the roots can drown, even if you’re watering very infrequently! He says that eventually not having drainage will most certainly kill the plants; when I asked ballpark how long, he said “a while” … (?!)

    Apparently some people are fine doing it anyway, here are a few links:
    Apparently no drainage might work this way? http://thechicsite.com/2013/09/21/no-drainage-no-problem/
    Here is some advice as well: http://blog.anniesannuals.com/2011/12/09/succulent-container-madness/

    -Also, bf says to wait until the soil dries out completely before watering them. Depending on the soil/humidity this might be once a month?? The woman at Annie’s Annual’s (link above) apparently uses a spray bottle for her succulents without drainage.

    Reply

  50. Cara says

    If you do make more, I’d recommend a layer of gravel or the like on the bottom. Cacti and succulents hate to have their feet wet. Also, you could try watering them with a spray bottle. The mist helps avoid overwatering.

    Reply

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