Terra Cotta Pot Cow

Materials:

4" azalea clay pot (head)
6.5" azalea clay pot (body)
four 2" standard clay pots (feet)
1-1/4" standard clay pot (head support)
6cm clay saucer (nose)
two 1" wooden craft pots (eyes)
two 1" wooden craft balls (eyes)
3mm white craft foam (ears)
wooden micro 5/8" x 9/16" flower pot (tail)
pair of false eyelashes
raffia
leather strips
32mm craft bell
outdoor adhesive or construction adhesive
craft paint brushes
painter's tape
stapler
one brass paper fastener
painter's caulk
6" piece of thin plywood
scissors
hand saw
acrylic paint: black, white, ivory, tan, pink, periwinkle blue
antiquing medium
gloss varnish polyurethane

1. Place the four 2-inch standard pots upside down, making a 6-inch square. Glue the 6-inch square piece of thin plywood to the pots with one corner touching each of the four overturned pots (figure A).

2. Turn the 6-1/2-inch azalea pot upside down and glue the lip to the top of the four small overturned pots, creating the legs and body (figure B).

3. Glue the 1-1/4-inch clay pot on top of the 6-1/2-inch pot towards the front. This is a "neck" to provide support for the head (figure C).

4. Glue the 4-inch azalea pot in place for the head, at approximately a 45-degree angle. Glue, then rest the inside top of the 4-inch pot to the 1-inch neck pot (figure D). You may need to hold the head in place with tape until the glue sets.

5. Glue the 6cm saucer to the nose, using tape to hold in place until glue dries (figure E).

6. Create the eyes by gluing the 1-inch wooden craft balls into the 1-inch wooden flower pots (figure F). Then glue the eyes in place directly on top and right in front of the lip of the 4-inch pot (figure G).

7. Create the ears from 3mm craft foam. Draw a teardrop shape about 3 inches long and 1-1/2 inch wide (figure H). Cut a 1/2-inch slit at the bottom to create tabs for gluing. Fold the ears in half and staple near the fold to create a subtle buckle in the ear. Also bend down the tip of the ear and staple to create another buckle (figure I).

8. Glue ears to the head by using the tabs created by the small cut make at the base of each ear. Separate and flatten tabs backwards and glue in place behind the eyes, use tape to hold in place until glue dries (figure J).

9. Create a tail by stringing several strands of raffia into the micro wooden flower pot. You may need to make the hole bigger. Tie a knot 1 to 2 inches from the end and trim to form a raffia tassel. Attach to the back of the cow by gluing the lip of the micro pot to the cow (figure K).

10. To make a smoother appearance, use painter's caulk to seal up the lines created by attaching pots together. You can also caulk around the ear tabs to make the back of the head smoother. Allow the glue and caulk to dry thoroughly before painting.

11. Basecoat the entire cow with ivory acrylic paint. You will need two coats.

12. Randomly paint Holstein shapes in black all over the cow, except for the inner ears, nose and eyeballs (figure L).

13. If you wish, you can use watered-down tan paint to outline the spots and create depth or highlights.

14. Paint the inside of the ears and nose pink, and the inside of the nostrils tan.

15. To paint the eyeball, first divide it in half with a black line to create an eyelid. Paint the bottom half white. Create a partial circle of periwinkle blue to represent the iris of the eye. Make a large black pupil. Use the end of a paintbrush to make a white highlighted spot (figure M).

16. To create additional depth and blur the stark contrast of the black and ivory, use the antiquing medium over the entire cow, excluding the eyes (figure N).

17. Use the gloss varnish on eyeballs to make them stand out. For additional protection and a high-gloss finish, cover the entire cow with the gloss varnish. Let all paint and varnish dry.

18. Create the cowbell. Measure a leather strap to the desired length of the necklace and cut. Attach the bell to the center of the strap. Poke holes close to the ends of the strap for the paper fastener. Place the bell necklace around the cow’s neck and use the paper fastener to keep it in place (figure O).

19. Press eyelashes in place across the center line of the eyeball. Use glue applied with a toothpick to hold in place.

Tips: Create other table accessories for a fun party theme. Try smaller versions of the cow for party favors or place markers (figure P). Make candlesticks from pots and paint them with Holstein spots. Make charger plates from large saucers and paint with spots as well. The limitations are endless and inexpensive.