Aging Terra-Cotta

Stir 1 cup of lime powder, a mineral available at garden centers, into 2 cups of water until it takes on a thick, gravy-like consistency. With a bristle brush, paint the solution onto pots, sparingly in some places and generously in others.

When the pot is completely coated and still wet, spray some spots with water from a spray bottle on the "stream" setting to let some of the lime solution run off.

Allow the pot to dry, then sand in a random pattern with medium-grit sandpaper (about 150 grit) until you are satisfied with the gently mottled surface.