Summer nights are lasting longer which makes more time to be fireside. Whether you have a fancy fireplace, a monster outdoor pit or a trendy patio fire pit table, everyone enjoys that warm glow on a summer night. Of course one of the main perks of a pit is the snacks that come along with it. My personal favorite is a banana boat but you really can’t beat a toasty marshmallow, especially paired with chocolate and graham crackers for s’mores (cue The Sandlot quotes!).
The trouble with toasting up the perfect mallow is finding the perfect stick; luckily you can get some pretty fancy telescoping marshmallow sticks for a great price on Amazon or at your local sporting goods store. Although this creates a new problem, storing your skewers, which of course is how this project came to be! We needed some easy storage for the skewers, especially to keep in one place for the kiddos so no one gets poked by accident! I could have just used a plain terra cotta pot with sand inside but we all know that was not going to happen.
I started by spray painting the pot with outdoor spray paint, I chose yellow but you can go with any color. Once the paint is thoroughly dried you can transfer the image onto your pot (or feel free to sketch out your own design). Simply trace the attached image (or your design) onto tracing paper with a pencil. Next, tape the tracing paper onto the pot where you would like to place the design. Now take a thin tip Sharpie marker and trace back over your pencil lines, this will transfer the image onto your pot. Once you have your design on the pot; paint your heart out!! Depending on what color you used as a base you may need more than one coat of paint (especially white). To make them look nice and toasty use a couple shades of brown and shade them in, using white when needed to blend. I also added some pink for the tongue and some rosy cheeks on the design.
Once you are happy with your painted design let it dry completely. Now you will want to use a paint on sealer on both the inside and outside of the pot. I used Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch Clear Gloss but any similar will work just fine, so long as it dries clear. This will keep it safe from outdoor elements and looking cute by the fire for years to come. I used play sand in the pot for a few reasons, firstly because it makes it easy to position the skewers so it looks cute and is easy to grab them individually. It will also help to keep them a little cleaner and bug free, as well as weighing down the pot a bit so it doesn’t topple over. Remember, if your pot has a drainage hole, you will need to plug it. You can skip the sand if you want but I like how it works with the project. Now your Fireside Skewers Caddy is ready to rock! Time to relax outdoors and show it off!
What you need:
8 inch Terra Cotta pot
1 Can outdoor spray paint (color of choice)
Acrylic paints (various colors)
Paint brushes
Marshmallow pattern (below)
Tracing paper
Pencil
Thin tip Sharpie marker
Tape
Clear paint sealer
4 lbs. Play sand (optional)
What to do:
Spray paint your pot (be sure to follow instructions on can), let dry
Trace marshmallow design (below) onto tracing paper using a pencil
Tape design onto pot
Use a thin tip Sharpie and trace back over your pencil lines, transferring the design onto the pot
Use acrylic paints to paint design, let dry
Brush on clear paint sealer, let dry
Plug drain hole (if necessary) and add play sand ½ way full
Add marshmallow sticks and light the fire!!
