Clay pots aren't just for growing your plants anymore. With some creativity and craft supplies, they can be transformed into fun home and garden decorations.

Clay pots, also referred to as terra cotta planters, make wonderful containers for outdoor potted plants or houseplants indoors. Terra cotta planters are made from a natural clay, usually orange, or a red and brown mix of colors. They are formed into a variety of shapes and then heated to high temperatures, which makes the clay rigid and strong. They are porous, which helps prevent overwatering and makes them an excellent choice for most plants. They come in a wide variety of sizes and are affordable.

These flower pot containers have become increasingly popular to use for all kinds of craft projects. They can be painted, decoupaged, used for making mosaics plus many other options. Creative and endless ideas can be found on the internet, many with how-to tutorials. They can be decorated to fit the colors and theme of a room or holiday. Fall is a favorite time of year to create seasonal decorations using pots. Scarecrows are a familiar sight to see as fall approaches. Scarecrows were originally made to help farmers protect their fields from hungry birds that ravaged their crops. Today, they add whimsy to home gardens and are cute decorations for the home.

To make a clay-pot scarecrow, you will need:

• Clay pot, size of your choice. I used a 6-inch pot.
• Paint and brushes. I used a creamy tan color. Also black, green, pink, dark red and white.
• For the hat, I used one store bought and constructed the other using craft supplies including burlap.
• For the hair, I used raffia and jute twine. For curly hair, wind either material around a thin dowel in a single layer, put in water for a minute, place on a pan, then dry on the lowest setting (170 degrees) in the oven. Twine will take about 30 minutes to be totally dry. Raffia will take about 10 minutes. Keep a close eye on the oven while drying.
• You will also need frayed fabric, fake flowers, glue, wire, wire cutters and scissors.

Paint the pot with several coats to get full coverage. I would recommend placing the pot upside down before penciling on the facial features and then paint using colors of your choice. (The bottom will be the top of his head). White, green, and black were used for the eyes, dark red for the nose, pink for the cheeks, and black for the mouth. Next, gather about 20 to 30 pieces of raffia or jute cut in about 10-inch lengths. Gather in the middle using wire. Spread them around the top to represent the hair. Glue to the bottom of pot, which is the top of the head. Glue on the hat. Tear a strip of fall-printed fabric for a hat band. Arrange and glue on flowers, a fall-color leaf, acorn, or other items of your choice. Cut a piece of fabric in a somewhat triangle shape, tie, and glue around rim of the pot to make the scarf.

These make the perfect centerpieces for the fall table along with pumpkins and other decorations. If you paint them orange, turn them upside-down to make a pumpkin. Add a dowel or twig for a stem. Stack painted pots beneath the scarecrow face to represent his body. The scarecrow pot can be set onto a post and placed into the garden or he can greet your guests by the front door. They can be transformed into delightful decor for everyday and seasonal use with a bit of imagination. Look to the internet for some inspiration. Gather up your friends and get crafting together for some fall fun!