diy | concrete planter

I've finally discovered the reason tupperware was created.. concrete planters! ok I jest, but seriously those little plastic containers seem to be multiplying in my cupboards...
I made this planter a month ago, popped it into the cupboard to dry (away from the curious paws of my cat) and low and behold I completely forgot about it- duh! when I was hunting for a step ladder I unearthed it once again (much to my delight!)

before I started this project I spoke to my pops (the authority on all things concrete) for a few tips. I'm sure you can make this with just a simple old bag of cement mix and water but my dad said I may as well do it properly... and this meant adding sand!
to make up my mix I used a ratio of 2 parts dry cement mix to 3 parts sand (and water of course.) as a general rule of thumb the more cement mix you add the paler the end result will be. if you want a very light grey finish just add 3 parts each.
to make my planter I filled a plastic mixing bowl with the wet concrete mix and gave it a good tap to bring any air bubbles to the surface. then I took a small round tupperware container and plunged it into the wet mix. I placed mine off centre (as shown above) as I though it would make for a more interesting finish. you'll find that the smaller container wants to float up so you'll need to weigh it down, I balanced a book across mine to keep it in place as it dried.

the concrete will take a good 3-4 days to become solid, after this you should be able to remove it from the containers easily. concrete expands with heat so if you're having trouble heat the container with a hair dryer and give it a good thump to loosen.
if like me you leave it to dry out for weeks you'll find it naturally lightens up and becomes paler.

give any rough edges a light sand with sandpaper and plant your succulents! I didn't add any draining holes in mine as I never add much water to these plants.

I'm a little besotted with mine, I love how clean and industrial it looks. after my trip to stockholm I'm determined to de-clutter and add some more minimal influences into my home!
I also made some concrete candles (that were also stashed in my cupboard) that I'll share with you soon.
are you a fan of concrete home accessories too?
back soon
caroline x