Botanical Clay Pots How-To

Add an organic touch to your Thanksgiving tablescape with these clay pots, which can house everything from centerpieces to votive candles.

By Naomi Demañana

Published on October 18, 2021

terracotta pot centerpieces — Photo: Nico Schinco

To deck out your table for Turkey Day, add botanical accents to plain terra-cotta pots, and they'll blossom into an elegant, one-of-a-kind display. To make your own, all you will need are silicone baking molds (designed to make fondant details on cakes), white air-dry clay, and craft adhesive—plus a few planters, of course! Looking for more elevated Thanksgiving crafts? Give our Handmade Cornucopia or Embroidered Leaf Place Cards a try.

Styling by Naomi Demañana

What You'll Need

Materials

Modeling clay (Das Modeling Clay)
Craft adhesive (E6000 Permanent Craft Adhesive)
Molds (Prima Redesign Décor Molds, 5" by 8")
Terra-cotta plant pots (similar to shown) (D'vine Dev Terra-Cotta Plant Pots)
Terra-cotta succulent planter pot (similar to shown) (Lowes 6.5" x 5.6" Terra-Cotta Planter)

Instructions

Gather terra-cotta pots with simple, clean lines—smaller ones to hold votives, and larger vessels for flower arrangements.
Press air-dry clay into the silicone molds, scraping off any excess with a plastic knife so the clay is flush with each mold.
After a couple of minutes, while the clay is still wet, gently flex the mold and pull out the accent—use a toothpick to help wiggle out any stubborn edges. With the vase on its side, attach the embellishment with craft glue, curving it to the surface. Let harden completely overnight. If using the pot to hold flowers, line it with a vase or plastic bag to prevent leaks.