Plastic Pumpkin Bucket Planter

Welcome to Day 2 of Endlessly Inspired’s 31 Days of Halloween! If you missed Day 1, you can check it out here!

I am totally in love with today’s tutorial. I have a thing for making over plastic pumpkin buckets {like this one, which is still one of my favorite things I’ve ever done}.

Although this bad boy is coming in a close second.

Today, I took a plain old orange plastic bucket — I got mine for $1 at Walmart, but I see them for even less than that all the time at Goodwill — hit it with some stone-look spray paint and made a crazy cute jack-o-lantern planter. 

Seriously, how cute is he?!? I love that the mums look like a giant yellow afro. He’s the cutest, and I want to hug him.

First, remove the handle. Most of them are thin enough that you can just cut them with scissors. Then flip him over and drill a few drainage holes in the bottom. I recommend doing this whether you’re just setting a plant inside or actually planting it in there. You don’t want to end up with a big soggy mess in there. Eww.

Next, hit him up with some spray primer. I always use Kilz, it’s my favorite. 

Now, bust out your stone-look spray paint. There are all sorts of different kinds out there, but I used Valspar Stone in Manhattan Mist. This stuff is so, so cool. Not only does it give a variegated look to whatever you spray, but it’s also textured, so it even feels like stone. I am walking around my house like a lunatic now, trying to figure out what I can turn into stone. My kids better not make me mad…

Once your stone layers are completely dry, hit it with a clear sealer that’s meant for the textured spray. I used Valspar Clear Stone, but just get whatever is recommended on your stone paint. It’s really important to use this if you’re going to be using your planter outside, because otherwise, if it gets wet, the stone paint is just going to slough off and you’re going to be left with a hot mess.

Either set your plant inside or plant it, like I did, and your cute little stone planter is all done!

I only made one at first, but I think he needs a buddy, so I’m going to make him a partner to sit on the other side of the door. 

If you missed the previous 31 Days of Halloween Posts, you can view them all here!

 

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