Make an Earthenware Vase with Dixie Dirt

Give a painted vase the look of aged earthenware with the addition of Dixie Dirt! Follow my tips for the best results.

white earthenware vase with pink flowers

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Do you like the look of earthenware pots and vases? They have been popping up everywhere on social media and you might have even seen them in stores like Arhaus, Anthropologie and even Pottery Barn.

What do all these vases and pots and lamp bases have in common? They're all forms of clay or ceramics with a grungy, distressed finish. Basically these earthenware vessels look like they've been dug out of the ground after 100 years. They are aged, textured and interesting to look at! They're beautiful!

Everyone is making earthenware vessels! There's a trend going around on Instagram where creatives are making their own pottery pieces look aged with paint and actual dirt - like going out into their backyard, grabbing some dirt and rubbing it into the vase.

Using real dirt doesn't appeal to me, but I found a great product by Dixie Belle called Dixie Dirt! You can buy it directly from Dixie Bell or find it on Amazon. You can easily and effortlessly create distressed, aged earthenware vessels using Dixie Dirt, getting the dirt into any little nooks and crannies of your pottery!

A look back

You might remember this DIY when I found the ugliest vase at the thrift store and gave it a pretty update using just paint and baking powder. It was a great makeover, but I was ready to neutral-ify the blue painted vase! I think I just made up a word lol. The blue painted vase was cute, but I was ready for something neutral that could work in any room, any season, and go with all my home decor pieces. Here's how I did it.

Create an earthenware vase using Dixie Dirt

You could do this technique with any vessel that you paint, including glass vases! You will be amazed at how much they resemble aged pieces with just a little bit of paint and dirt.

Supplies

vase or vessel
paint (chalk, acrylic, house paint)
baking powder
Dixie Dirt
furniture paste wax
brush
rag

You'll want to start with a vessel that you've painted with this easy textured paint technique. I used white chalk paint that I had on hand and clear wax. You could also go dark and moody by using black and/or brown paint and dark furniture wax! It all depends on how you want your earthenware vase to look.

You can see how much texture we've been able to add to this smooth vase by using the baking powder/paint technique.

Let the painted vase dry. I like to speed this part up by using a heat gun for crafts. You could also simply use a blow dryer.

Dixie Dirt is a product made by Dixie Belle Paint Company. It's available in different colors, but I'm using the Ash, which is the lightest of the dixie dirt colors available and more of a gray than brown.

You can use this product on painted furniture as well as decorative pieces to easily add an aged and distressed look. It's a fine powder and looks like dried clay. Give it a gentle mix to break up any chunks. If you've ever used Bare Minerals, it kind of reminds me of that - makeup for your DIY projects!

Dixie dirt is applied to paste wax which is what helps it adhere. Brush on (or use a rag) a coat of wax onto your vase and let it sit for a few minutes until it gets tacky.

Dip a brush into the dixie dirt and brush it on to the vase. Really work it into any cracks and the dips and valleys made with the textured paint. It will settle into all that texture and look perfectly aged in just minutes!

If you find the dirt is not sticking to your vase, you probably let the wax get too hard and need to apply more wax. Just rub on a little more wax but don't wait as long this time before applying the dixie dirt.

Once you're happy with the aged look you've created, you can gently buff the vase with a lint free rag to remove any excess dirt and really work it into the piece. This will create a permanent finish and seal the dirt into the piece. If you want your piece darker, add more dirt. If you've gone a little too heavy and it's getting too dark and you want to lighten it up, rub vase with a rag that has a little wax on it to remove some of the dirt.

I love how easy this is! I was able to create the look of a 100 year old vessel in just a few minutes. It has this great texture, cracks and bumps and the earthy color created with the dixie dirt.

Use your vase anywhere in your home. Here I've filled it with dried Golden Raintree seed pods for a pop of color.

earthenware vase on woven tray, ironstone

I would love to know if you are excited to try to make your own earthenware vases and vessels using this quick technique! Drop me a comment below and feel free to send me a picture of your DIY earthenware vase!

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