I remember when I was growing up, my parents had a window full of hanging plants that I used to help them take care of. There was something so fun about watching them grow and how they would bring so much visual interest to a room. I wanted to recreate this for my home, so here's a fun way to make an easy and beautiful hanging planter that I wanted to share with you. To create a beautiful way to display these plants, today we’re creating these dipped, marbled planters…

You’ll need:

For marbling:
-nail polish (we alternated between 4 different colors – 2 per pot)
-large shallow disposable container, tub, or bucket  
-room temperature water
-a stick like a skewer or toothpick
-white plastic plant pots
-clear matte finishing spray

For hanging the planters:
-hanging rope (550 cord in gray)
-drill
-3’ gold embroidery ring

For planting:
-potting mix
-plants of your choice

I used to love marbling paper as a kid, so we're going to apply the same technique to the bottom of these simple white containers to hold your potted plants. These can be purchased at a local home improvement store for under $5 each.

Here’s how:

1. Fill disposable container with room temperature water. (You need to use room temperature water to slow down the hardening process of the polish)

2. Gently pour the nail polish onto the water (pour as closely to the water as possible – if you start pouring too high the nail polish will sink to the bottom) and work slowly. The polish should float and continue with alternating colors.

3. Use a stick to create your design in the polish. Start in the center and move out – you will have to do this quickly so the polish doesn’t harden. And don’t worry about being too scientific about it, the looser, the better.

4. Submerge the white plastic pot in water and then pull it out. If there are gaps or you want more marbling you can repeat the process. Let it dry for at least 30 minutes. You can use nail polish remover to remove any nail polish on the sections you don’t like and start over if it got messed up.

5. Once dry spray with a clear matte finishing spray.

To add rope to the planters, you’ll need:
-Hanging rope
-drill
-550 cord in gray

Using the materials for hanging the planters, then:

1. Drill multiple holes at the bottom for drainage.

2. Drill 4 holes near the top rim an equal distance apart from each other. It will need to be big enough for the cord to string through.

3. Cut 2 cords to the same desired length. I cut mine to 4 feet so that once folded, you have 2 feet in length for the planter to hang (You can make it longer or shorter depending on the length desired).

4. Fold the cords in half and loop them through the gold embroidery ring

5. String each end of the cords (you’ll have 4 in total) into the holes of the pot and secure with a double knot.

Now it’s time to add your plants with potting mix and plants of your choice.

Depending on if you’ll be keeping them inside or outside, choose plants based on location as well as the amount of sunlight you’ll get in the area you plan to hang them. 

And then:

1. Release the plants from their existing containers and loosen the roots.

2. Fill your new pot with potting mix. Miracle-Gro® Moisture Control Potting Mix protects against over and under watering (which I am often guilty of).

3. Then incorporate the plant into the potting mix.

Depending on your climate, they can be kept indoors or outside. Just be sure to check the specific type of plant and their sun requirements.You can keep these inside year-round in the kitchen or living room in any area with indirect sun to bring a touch of your garden inside!

*This post is brought to you in collaboration with Miracle-Gro. All content, ideas, and words are my own. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that allow me to create new and special content like this for Oh Joy.

{Photos by Casey Brodley and crafts/styling by Julia Wester for Oh Joy}