Winter, children, and just plain old accidents can take a real toll on pottery and ceramics. It's awfully sad when one of our treasures is found broken. But don't let that be the end and stop trashing broken clay pots and ceramic plates! We have great ideas to help those unwanted and once trashed broken pieces become wanted and needed items to adorn your home.
Items needed: safety goggles, hammer, cloth bag or 2 plastic bags, and a hard surface you aren't scared to scratch up
How to safely break up your pottery
Place your broken clay pottery or ceramic piece in the cloth bag or plastic bags. We recommend double-bagging if you use plastic since plastic bags can be punctured easily. Find a hard surface (ground, picnic table, etc.) that you won't mind using a hammer on. Make sure you are using your safety goggles or glasses. Place the bag of pottery on the surface and lightly tap the pottery with the hammer so that it chips away. You should try to make your chips about 1 square inch each. But don't be a perfectionist. Unequal sizes and irregular shapes are beautiful. Now that your pottery or ceramic is just a bag full of broken pieces, you are ready to get creative.
Planter Drainage
Plants need drainage. So how do we solve the problem of planters without drainage holes? Well, this one is easy. Just place those broken pottery shards in the bottom of the pot and fill the rest with soil. Depending on the size of the planter, the pottery shards should fill it to about 2 inches in depth.
Decorative Soil Cover
Many succulents and stemmed plants have bad habits of leaving the soil bare. However, a quick fix to this bare soil is to place your broken pottery shards right on top of the soil. Create a layer just thick enough so that you can't see the soil. By placing the layer of broken pottery shards, weeds will have a tougher time growing and watering your plant will be made much easier because you won't have to worry about splashing the soil.
Mosaic Art
Colorful pottery shards and ceramic pieces are perfect for making beautiful mosaics. Consider creating a stunning mosaic on boring mirror frames, tables, large pots, and vases. For easy-to-follow directions on how to make a mosaic please follow these helpful instructions from e-How: Mosaic Art Directions.
Sea Shells to Pottery Shards
Want a new look for that old seashell lamp? Well look no further than your broken pottery shards! Take out the seashells and fill up the lamp with colorful pottery shards.
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