Dalmatian and Hydrant Clay Pot Fountain

Steps:

1. To make the hydrant: Turn the 6-inch cylinder pot upside down and set the other 6-inch cylinder pot right side up on top of it so the bottoms are touching.

2. Using a drill with a 1/2-inch drill bit, drill a hole through the center of the 6-inch plastic saucer and the 4-inch plastic saucer.

Figure B

3. Glue the rim of the 4-inch saucer to the bottom of the 6-inch saucer. Place them on top of the pot "tower" you are creating, but do not glue in place.

4. Using a container fountain kit: Locate the nozzle (if there are options, use the waterbell nozzle). Place that on top and push through the holes you have drilled in the saucers. Caulk around the hole where the nozzle is placed.

Figure D

5. Thread the 1/2-inch-wide fountain hose down through the drainage holes in the 6-inch cylinder pots.

6. Attach the top end of the hose to the nozzle and replace the plastic saucers on top of the cylinder pots.

7. Attach the other end of the hose to the pump unit included in the kit and place underneath the upside down cylinder pot.

8. Place the whole thing into a 12-inch plastic saucer to hold the water.

Figure E

9. Create the two valves on either side of the hydrant using two 3-inch saucers and one 1-1/2-inch split wooden ball for each side. Glue the two saucers lip-to-lip and the split ball to one end. Repeat for the other valve.

Figure F

10. Glue the valves in place on both sides of the top cylinder pot about 1 to 2 inches from the top. Hold in place with blue tape until the glue dries.

11. Once the glue dries, prime the small plastic saucers with brown spray primer and allow to dry.

Figure G

12. Paint the entire piece in red acrylic paint, except the nozzle protruding from the top. You also may want to leave the large 12-inch plastic saucer natural.

13. Paint a strip of black acrylic paint around the center of the valves and around the larger plastic saucer at the top of the hydrant.

14. Paint inch-wide brown vertical stripes around the cylinder pots to suggest dimension on the hydrant.

15. Use a brown antiquing medium to add some depth and "weather" the piece. Brush on the medium and wipe off the desired amount with a damp cloth.

16. Seal with several coats of polyurethane to withstand the constant water stream.

17. Add decorative river rock and/or artificial greenery into the 12-inch plastic saucer to lift the bottom of the hydrant to allow water to flow underneath. Add water to the large saucer, making sure it is enough to cover the top of the pump unit. You will have to add water daily if it is run continuously.

18. Plug in the fountain and adjust the pressure of the flow by following the directions included in the fountain kit.

Figure H

19. To make the Dalmatian: Turn the 6-inch standard pot upside down and glue a 2-inch standard pot upside down on the top for a neck.

Figure I

20. Glue the 4-inch azalea pot upside down and at a slight angle on the neck and touching the side of the 6-inch pot.

Figure L

21. Attach the two 1-inch split wooden balls in place on top of the head.

22. Glue the wooden apple at the top end of the overturned 4-inch azalea pot for the nose.

23. Cut two approximately 6-inch-long elongated diamond shapes out of the white craft foam for ears. Decide where you want to place the fold in the ear to make it appear to flop. Staple to hold the fold in place. Cut a small slit at the base of the ears to create tabs to attach to head.

24. Glue the ears in place behind the eyes, folding back the tabs you created.

Figure M

25. Cut out a small rectangle (rounded on one end) of red foam to create a tongue. Glue in place sticking out of the drainage hole of the head pot .

26. Use painter's caulk around the ears and tongue to smooth out the creases where they attach.

27. After the glue dries, paint the entire dog with white acrylic paint. Add spots in black in groups of threes, all different sizes. Also paint around one eye and one ear in black.

Figure N

28. Paint the bottom half of each eye with a blue iris and a black pupil. Add a black outline and white highlight spot to the eyes.

29. Paint the tongue red with a black line down the center.

30. Use tan antiquing medium to add depth by painting on and wiping off the desired amount. Seal with polyurethane.

Tips: You may want to add a collar from the red foam or a real dog collar and tag. Also, you can "chain" the dog to the hydrant using old jewelry or purchased chain.