faux lavender plant
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DIY Lavender Knockoff

ByCloches & Lavender

Today I’m sharing a DIY lavender knockoff and besides this easy craft I’m sharing a great new craft. I can’t wait for you to read about it so stay through this post.

Here the premise, find something of inspiration when looking in stores or catalogs. Next, come up with a way to create the piece for less money. Who doesn’t like to save money I especially do?

Terrie has so much talent with her DIY’s I hope you love her project!

How This Idea of Making a Imitation Plant Project Begins

My inspiration comes from this piece I had bought from Antique Farmhouse. This lavender knockoff is especially easy to make because faux lavender is easy to find.

Lavender knockoff

For the most part, I enjoy French décor in our home. So then, I began to apply a dry brushing technique to the basket.

Supplies Need:

  • fake lavender
  • 6″ flowerpot or a basket
  • Styrofoam
  • low temperature glue gun and glue

How to Make This Easy Idea with Faux Flowers

So, then looking at my faux lavender I immediately decide I can make this and for less money. And this how I came up with my plan to make a knockoff lavender in a flowerpot!

showing my supplies for this craft

In the meantime, I knew I didn’t have a basket to use, but that was okay because I came up with another option.  Because I have painted flowerpots in my office/craft room is the solution.

flowerpot for the knockoff project

Here I begin by gluing a piece of Styrofoam to the bottom. By the way when gluing Styrofoam using the low temperature setting is important. This is important because very hot glue breaks down the foam. After adding the piece of foam to the pot for my craft I hold it in place to set.

pot with Styrofoam inside

Now, begin cutting the lavender into separate pieces with a wire cutter.  The next step is to add the stems to the pot one at a time to create the look of real lavender. As a rule, odd number work best when decorating. So, five pieces of lavender is all I need for my knockoff craft idea.

wire cutter and cut lavender branches
lavender knockoff stems getting added to the pot

Making Fake Dirt to Add a Realistic Look to My Plant

Here is when I decided to make dirt that looks real to add to my craft project. I did look on Google for instructions on how to make real looking dirt and found a few, however none had exact measurements.

First, I add the kitty litter to fill the gap around my Styrofoam.

the lavender, in the Styrofoam and kitty litter filling in the bowl

After the gaps are filled, I add non clumping kitty litter and Elmer’s glue to a paper bowl. 

Making the dirt, here’s what’s needed.

  • Plastic container
  • Elmer’s glue
  • Non clumping kitty litter, very important to be non clumping
  • burnt umber craft paint
  • black craft paint
  • 2 paint stirrers or plastic spoons

Unfortunately, there’s no exact steps with this process, as I mention above the directions weren’t clear cut. I have mixed glazes and paint and felt confident I would achieve what I need to make the dirt. 

It’s especially important is to use enough glue and kitty litter to keep it the soil pliable. Next, add a decent amount of glue to your container and sprinkle in some kitty litter and mix well.

showing Elme's glue, brown craft paint and stick to mix

Add a decent amount of burnt umber paint to the container and a few drops of black craft paint.

After this is well combined it will look like dirt. Incidentally I find adding the few drops of black paint gives it a more realistic look.  It’s particularly important the kitty litter gets wet enough to move around.  

showing the black and brown paint

Adding the Paint to the Kitty Litter to Add the Soil Look

showing the paint, kitty litter and glue combined in a container
close up of dirt mixture

Here use small popsicle sticks to spread the mixture carefully around my plant. After covering well, I let it dry.  It dried pretty fast about one hour.

showing the lavender knockoff putt together

Now I begin to bend the branches of my DIY lavender knockoff outwards in spots on the outer edge to have a more realistic feel. 

Placing my DIY knockoff on a wine barrel from Ital adds a rustic touch.  Dishes add to the realistic look of this plant. A crown was adding an elegant French touch under the cloche.

showing the lavender knockoff up close sitting inside a crown
craft project inside a large cloche sitting on a wine barrel

For the money of kitty litter and Elmer’s glue I have to say I LOVE this project and the end result.  This fake soil is truly amazing, and I will make this again.

When I created my piece above with the Florentine plaques HERE. This post is a big transformation.

craft project on the floor on a wine barrel inside a large metal cloche. Under pictures and a cow head

Lastly, I hope you enjoyed this DIY lavender knockoff and get inspiration to try your hand at making one of your own home.

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39 Comments

  2. I love your faux lavender, Cindy! It looks so realistic! And WOW on that faux dirt! Who knew you could make it! So creative! Great Job!

    Reply

  4. Cindy Your cloche is so cute how you have it styled. I love lavender as well. I could of used your tutorial on faux dirt when I made my lemon tree. Yours turned out great. Great job. Thanks for joining me on this fun knock off challenge

    Reply

  6. What a great idea on how to create your faux “dirt”! I will be using that idea in my future! I have shared this over at Chloe’s Crafters FB group!!

    Reply

  7. Beautiful! Your dirt is genius. I am totally going to try this since I can’t keep real plants alive. Awesome tip!

    Reply

  8. Love how you made the dirt. That is so great. Love this it looks so pretty.
    Hugs,
    Kris

    Reply
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  22. Cindy, I love what you’ve done with your lavender and that cloche is COOL! Thanks for linking up with SYS last week. Happy to feature your post in this week’s Share Your Style #257, thank you!!! <3

    Happy creating,
    Barb 🙂

    Reply
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