Whether for inside or out: at the flick of a wrist, you can transform ordinary clay pots into highly decorative characters for the house or garden. edding decomarkers are available to provide just the right colour. 
 
Gardens stocked with dwarf-like figurines in pointed caps have now got competition. This season, it’s a case of “Farewell garden gnomes, here come the flowerpot men!”, as characters made from clay pots prove an absolute must on balconies and window ledges this year. Painted in different colours using edding deco markers, embellished with modelling clay and joined together in all sorts of different ways, ordinary clay pots can quickly become eye-catching creations, or even offer a more practical side. It does not matter whether these cheerful characters end up being used for flowers, as candle holders or as plant pots: one thing’s for sure: your neighbours will certainly be wide-eyed!

Take several clay pots in various sizes, some raffia, some wood glue or a glue gun and, of course, the decomarkers from edding, available in 12 different colours, and simply turn your ideas into reality. Why not, for instance, create your very own flowerpot herb man? As his name suggests – his head contains nothing but herbs, and he can be made in no time at all.

To make the head and body, you will need 3 large clay pots, whilst for the arms and to provide spacing you will need a total of five small pots. Step 1: add an undercoat to the outside of one of the pots (this will be the base), and do the same on the inside of a second (the head). Next, take two mini pots for each of the arms and thread them onto some raffia. If you knot the raffia in several places, this will stop the pots slipping onto one another. Now, assemble the body from the individual parts. Simply pull the pieces of raffia through the hole of the “upper body” and bind a strip of card to secure the raffia. Next, using the wood glue or glue gun, glue on the head of the pot. Thread a mini pot onto the raffia protruding from the hole of the “upper body” - serving to separate it from the base. Finally, thread on the base pot and, once again, secure the raffia using a knotted strip of card. And there you have it - your very own artistic creation! Now, it’s time for the finer details: draw on the face and clothing using the low-odour decomarkers, and plant herbs or sow seeds accordingly. And by the way: if you are going to put your flowerpot men outside, we recommend you also use silicone adhesive as well as a top coat of varnish. This will ensure your pots continue to look decorative whatever the weather.

And if you start going potty about pots, it won’t be long before your secret is out: for, once you’ve got the knack, there are still more countless possible designs to make all kinds of flowerpot people. Aluminium wire can be bent at the flick of a wrist to create a wing for a flowerpot angel, or pipe cleaners and small wooden balls can be used to make the antenna of a beetle. And, of course, with your trusty decomarkers from edding at your side at all times. To set just the right tone. These clever markers are particularly highly suited to natural surfaces – such as wood – and have a special water-based ink. Which means there is nothing to stop children having fun with art and craft. The decomarkers are available in two different stroke widths.