Garden Topiary Back
Supplies: one 1-1/2” Styrofoam ball one 3-1/2” twig from outside 1” ball of air drying clay a sprinkling of florist moss 1-1/2” flower pot (from the craft store or any comparable size cap or lid from a found item) white glue paint brushes craft paints to finish flower pot:      1- Verdigris: dark gray, light blue-green, copper      2- Antique Gold: dark brown, metallic gold      3- Terra-cotta: dark orange, red-brown
Step 1- paint the outside of the flower pot in the finish you've chosen (see the end of these instructions for paint finish how-to’s.) Let pot dry. Step 2- take the twig and gently push it halfway through the center of the styrofoam ball. Pull it out again and coat the stick with white glue. Put it back into the hole you just made and let dry. Step 3- Once the paint on the flower pot is dry, coat the inside of the pot with white glue. Next, place the ball of air drying clay into the pot and tamp down to fill the base of the pot to just below the rim of the pot. Take the dry twig and styrofoam ball and gently push the free end of the stick halfway into the clay, centering the twig in the middle of the pot. Pull the twig and styrofoam ball back out, coat the end of the twig with white glue and gently put back into the air drying clay. Let the project dry completely. Step 4- Once the clay and glue have completely dried, coat the styrofoam ball in white glue before rolling it in a cup or bowl filled with the loose landscaping foam. You may have to hand glue any bare spots on the ball that didn't pick up the foam. Stand the topiary upright and coat the exposed clay inside the pot with white glue and gently cover with florist moss. Let dry.	Optional: You can decorate your topiary with a variety of “fruits” and “flowers” made from colored beads, small dried-flower buds, balled polymer clay, rosebud ribbons, etc. The possibilities are endless! Paint Finishes: 1- Verdigris: Paint the outside and all visible parts of the pot dark gray and let dry. After that dries, dry-brush on the light blue-green by dipping the brush in the light blue-green paint, wiping the excess onto a paper towel and lightly brushing over the base coat, leaving some of the base coat showing through. Finish with a lighter dry-brush here and there of copper. 2- Antique Gold:  Paint the outside and all visible parts of the pot dark brown and let dry. After that dries, dry-brush on the metallic gold by dipping the brush in the paint, wiping the excess onto a paper towel and lightly brushing over the base coat, leaving some of the base coat showing through. 3- Terra-cotta: Paint the outside and all visible parts of the pot dark orange and let dry. After that dries, dry-brush on the red-brown by dipping the brush in the paint, wiping the excess onto a paper towel and lightly brushing over the base-coat, leaving some of the base coat showing through. You can even dry brush on a little mossy green paint to simulate the moss that grows on a flower pot left outdoors.