
I’m always a little tardy to the party when it comes to trends, but after seeing the trash-to-terracotta trend on Instagram, I knew I had to try it myself.

I only had to watch 483,092 Instagram reels before I finally felt confident enough to try it. So, I figured I would provide written instructions for weirdos like me who find it hard to follow a video tutorial.
Here’s how I turned my thrift store trash-to-terracotta treasure!
Gather Your Materials
This is a simple project and doesn’t require many supplies. Thankfully, it was all stuff that I had on hand.
To turn your trash to terracotta, you will need:
- ugly/outdated vase or bowl
- acrylic paint (the cheap 50-cent kind)
- baking powder
- paint brush or sponge brush
- paper plate (to put paint on)
As you can see, these are very basic supplies. You can get everything you need from Wal-Mart or the dollar store. And those are my favorite kinds of projects!

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Mix Baking Powder & Paint
This step was the one that made me hesitant. With trial and error, I figured out that it was best to mix the paint and baking powder in a 2:1 ratio (more paint than baking powder, obviously).
You want enough baking powder in your paint that it gives it a grainy texture. If you add too much baking powder, the paint will be too dry and clumpy to spread.

Paint Your ‘Trash’
After you stir the baking powder into the paint, it’s time to paint your ‘trash’.
I used a sponge brush to paint my bowl, but you can use a regular paint brush too.
It took me 3 coats to achieve the finish that I wanted. I let it dry completely between each coat.


I am very happy with how my trash-to-terracotta project turned out.
This little bowl and stand was on the clearance rack at World Market for $3. I loved it, but the colors just did not match my decor.
Trash-to-terracotta projects are cheap and easy. While this one was my first, I doubt it will be my last!


