How to Make a Bee Terra Cotta Candy Dish
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DIY Honey Bee Clay Pot Candy Dish
Bees and bee themed crafts are a fun activity for people of all ages. There are many aspects of bee life that can be admired. It is no wonder that bee crafts are such a hit. In this article we are exploring how to make a bee themed terra cotta candy dish. Only a few materials are required and most are easy to find at local craft shops or garden centers.
Designing Your Bee Candy Dish
On of the most interesting aspects of this project is the adaptability. The options are endless. You can choose to use a different shape or size glass bowl for the “bowl part”. But, be sure that the base of the glass can sit firmly on the bottom of the clay pot.
Also, keep in mind that a glass that is too large on the top with a too small or narrow base will make your project top heavy and unstable. This could lead to breakage of the whole endeavor.
When choosing the glass bowl to use, another thing to consider is the size of the opening at the top of the bowl. It does not need to be overly large but you need to be able to get a hand in there to access the goodies.
Color or Theme Choices
My honey bee terra cotta candy dish is using colors in the yellow and black family. Even though honey bees are not necessarily yellow and black, that is the color combination that says “BEE” to most people.
I wanted a softer variation so choose the paint color “lemongrass” for the base. Black and a different shade of yellow was used for the bee bodies. My goal was to have a soft washed look for my project.
Feel free to go bold with your color combination. This will make your project stand out more but if you go very bright – it will also make the striations in the clay pot more obvious.
And, this method works for any themed terra cotta candy dish or fish bowl dish -if you want to call it that. Red and white for Valentines day, orange and black for Thanksgiving, white and pastels for Easter… get the picture?
Honey Bee Terra Cotta Candy Dish Instructions
Materials Needed:
- 6” terra cotta clay pot
- 3.3” terra cotta saucer – try to find locally unless you want alot
- 1 ¾” wooden ball
- 5.6” glass vase with large top
- Clear glue
- Paints – various (acrylic – posci paint pens)
- Fine tip Sharpie black
- Acrylic spray matte
Time needed: 1 day.
Step by step instructions to make a bee themed terra cotta candy dish.
- Paint the base coat on pot
Using a color of your choice ( I used Lemongrass Spray Paint), coat the inside and outside of the clay pot well. Let dry and apply a second coat.
Spray paint is easier – you don’t have to paint the inside of the pot but it makes for a nicer finished project. Pay special attention to painting the bottom of the pot as this will be visible when you are done.
- Paint the small saucer
Using the same paint (or different color if desired) paint the entire surface of the saucer – inside and out. I like to spray on 2 coats with a bit of drying time in between.
- Prepare the wooden ball
If the wooden ball you are using has a hole through it (a bead), you may use some wood filler to fill up the hole – but you don’t have to.
If you do, let the filler dry and sand off the excess. You may have to repeat this twice if you want a completely invisible patch – mine shows a bit. Paint the wooden ball well in the color of your choice. - Glue ball to bottom of saucer
The small saucer will become the lid of our terra cotta candy dish. Turn it upside down and using your clear glue – attach the ball to what would normally be the bottom of the saucer. Let dry for several hours.
- Decorate the clay pot base
The base coat is dry. Now is the time to decorate the clay pot as you wish. Remember, the finished product will be upside down (compared to normal flower pot use).
Don’t overthink this process – just do what looks nice to you. If you are a great artist, that’s fantastic but you don’t have to be. - Decorate the lid
The little saucer with ball is our top and it should fit nicely on the rim of your glass vase. Use paint markers or brush on paint to add any desired designs to your top.
- Spray the terra cotta with sealer
Once your designs have dried, spray the outside (or visible) parts of the terra cotta pieces with matte acrylic sealer. A light coat is fine as this craft will be used inside-don’t spray to heavily. Let dry.
- Attach glass bowl to base
With the clay pot upside down, use clear glue to attach the bottom of the glass base to the terra cotta pot base. This will need to dry for several hours.
- Assemble and enjoy
Once all the glue has dried. It’s time to fill your glass bowl with your favorite candy and top it off with your saucer lid. Now doesn’t that look great!
Tips for Clay Pot Bee Candy Dish Construction
This project is widely variable with any combination of sizes and colors. For safety, be sure your base is large enough to hold the glass vase on top.
Check the size of your saucer and bowl. I used a 6″ pot but a 6″ saucer would have been way too big for my lid. That’s why I had to go down in size so my saucer would fit securely on my bowl rim.
When spraying the sealer on your project, use very light coats. Otherwise, the fine sharpie marker you use to outline your bees will run like mine did and make you unhappy.
Bee Design Advice
Perhaps you are not an artist – neither am I though I do admire folks with that gift. For this project a simple bee is fine. This is what I did.
Draw an oval, add 2 small round circles for wings (one on each side-with a little comma to show movement), add 2 antenna, a small black oval for head area, a pointy stinger and a few stripes.
- use a pencil to rough in design
- yellow posci paint marker to color in bee body – let dry
- regular tip black sharpie to outline bee body, trace antenna, color in head and stinger – add dotted lines if desired
- use a black posci paint marker to add a couple of bold stripes
Note: If you don’t let it dry thoroughly, that darn sharpie marker will run.
Other Bee Projects to Enjoy
Bumble bees, honey bees and other pollinators are great inspirations for our crafting experience. Whether you are making beeswax candles with eggshells, creating seashell tealights or crafting some painted bee rocks for the garden – there are many buzzing ideas to try.
Final Notes on Making a Bee Themed Candy Dish
I hope you enjoy getting your creative juices flowing and making this bee themed terra cotta candy dish for yourself or as a gift.
Any bee lover will be delighted.
