DIY: Geometric painted teapot

I don't often 'do' guest blog posts on here, in fact I'm not sure if I ever have! But as I am keen to share more DIY projects with you I thought it might be nice to get some fellow crafty folk to pop by and let us know what they've been making recently. If you are interested in submitting a DIY project or would like to discuss, just drop me a line! I don't accept guest posts from companies requesting links put throughout the post, so please only fellow bloggers / crafters who want to share their passion for crafty things!

My first guest is in fact a lovely friend of mine, who I met about 15 years ago at Art College in Belfast. Colleen is a children's book illustrator and has published two books, Under the Silvery Moon and Little Friend. She loves a good old rummage at a flea market, and her and her hubby are regulars at the local auction houses, picking up some fabulous bargains for their lovely home which I am hugely jealous of! :)

I'll hand over to Colleen for her how-to on this lovely hand painted geometric teapot...

I’m a passionate crafter who only ever feels content when I have at least one crafty project on the go.  Recently I was inspired by an old plain white teapot that was given to me by a lovely friend who also understands my weakness for tea! And this white pot was just crying out for a little something extra, so I thought why not paint it.

I knew I wanted to use a simple repeat pattern that could be printed onto the surface quite easily so I decided to go for a geometric design using triangles, which by happy coincidence would also limit the risk of me making too many mistakes!

To get started I needed some porcelain paint and sponges.  I opted for Marabu porcelain paint, which costs approx £1.69 per 15ml pot and comes in a wide range of colours. For the sponges I simply popped to my nearest chemist and bought some triangular make-up sponges for 99p.


 After having a play around with designs and colours on paper first I took the plunge and started printing my paint onto the teapot. The Marabu paint dries very quickly so if a mistake is made you need to remove the paint straight away so you can start again.  The lovely thing about working with paint and sponge is that the paint never really goes on completely opaque with the effect more faded in parts.  For me this only added to the finished look.

After leaving to dry for four hours I had a hand-painted teapot that cost next to nothing to decorate and has a modern retro appeal. There is something so satisfying about transforming something plain into a unique and stylish accessory for your home.  This teapot has retired from tea brewing for now and instead proudly displays beautiful fresh flowers around my home.

Such an effective project that was so easy to make and has sparked off lots of ideas for gifts for family and friends. You could make your own candle holders, painted tea-cups or plates using glass or porcelain paint and of course the design possibilities are endless.  Check your cupboards - you may already have something in need of a little makeover!

Thanks Colleen! 

xxx