I am in love with the Tipsy Pots project and all its variations (have you seen the one with the bird bath on top?). I really want to add one to my yard, but haven’t had the chance yet. Now that Florida’s hot, steamy, rainy summer weather is here, I’ll probably have to put the project off until fall, but I still couldn’t stop thinking about ways to make this project happen. And the idea for Tabletop Tipsy Pots was born! This easy project took me about 30 minutes and cost less than $10 – check it out!

Tabletop Tipsy Pots

Approx. Time: 30 minutes

Materials:

• 2.5″ Terra Cotta Pots: 5 @ .69 = $3.45
• 3.5″ Terra Cotta Saucer: 1 @.89 = $0.89
• 18″ Plant Prop: 1 @ .69 = $0.69
• Decorative Stones, approx $1.00
• Small Plants of your choice, 4 total
• Potting Soil as needed
• Hot Glue Gun

Step 1: Apply a liberal amount of hot glue to the entire inside bottom of the saucer. Press the circular part of the plant prop into place, with one edge against the edge of the saucer so the upright part of the prop is as centered as possible. Thread the hole of the first pot down onto the prop and settle it on the saucer. It will be tipped slightly to the side. Allow a minute or two for the glue to set.

Step Two: Apply more hot glue to the saucer and glue decorative stones in place.

Step Three: Add stones to the first pot, gluing them in place if you like. Thread the second pot onto the plant prop and settle it as shown. Apply a thin bead of glue where the first pot meets the second to hold it in place.

Step Four: Add more stones to the first pot until the second pot feels firmly settled, and hot glue them into place Now you’re ready for plants!

• These pots are small, so you’ll need to find small plants to suit them. I ended up buying larger pots that clearly had several small plants (Gomphrena) rooted into them, ahd separating them. Another easy solution would be to use plants in 6-pack cells. If you have time and patience, these would also be a good size for staring herbs from seed. Be creative!

Add a few stones into the bottom of the second pot, and then add your first plant. If necessary, add some potting soil to fill the pot. Then, gently settle the third pot into place on the rim of the second, and repeat the process.

Step Five: Continue with the final two pots and plants. When you’re done, you can choose to trim the plant prop a bit if it’s sticking up too high for your taste. (This ended up being tricky for me, and involved digging out a pair of bolt cutters – those plant props are very strong!) Leave at least a few inches sticking up to help you carry the planter when you move it, though.

And that’s it! The weight of the rocks in the saucer and bottom pot should make the whole thing pretty sturdy, although of course you’ll want to keep it out of reach of small children and pets. If you’re keeping it inside, you might want to place it on a protective surface before watering.

The possible options for dressing up this project are endless. Use your imagination and paint the pots, or add charms or decorations, or use fun colors of rocks (just be sure to use rocks that are heavy enough to provide enough weight to keep the whole thing stable). This would make a great gift, of course, but I can also see them being decorations at wedding or baby showers, since the cost (well under $10 each) is really reasonable.

Do you love the idea of Tabletop Tipsy Pots? How will you use them? Tell us about the plants you’ll choose and how you’ll personalize the project in the comments below!