Average But Inspired

Inspiring creativity at home.

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Dollar Store Easter Bunny Decor

Since the beginning of time, I have been a sucker for a good makeover.

All of my Barbies got makeovers when I was little.  Some of my favorite TV shows have involved makeovers (think What Not To Wear and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (DON’T JUDGE – they always got me when they moved that bus!)).  And I love a good makeover for myself at the Bobbi Brown counter every once in awhile.

So how excited do you think I was when I spotted an ugly cardboard bunny decoration at Dollar Tree that I knew could be made adorably happy and springy with a little TLC?  Goodbye weird bunny displaying an image of another bunny holding an egg almost as large as itself, as well as the lie that “[s]pring is here . . . ” (it is not here.  In fact, it may never be coming to Chicago.  LIES!).  Hello cuteness!

Turn a dollar store Easter decoration into an adorable piece of decor for your spring home! Get the full tutorial at averageinspired.com.
Loved this makeover!  It was super easy and super inexpensive.  And it adds a dose of happiness to my back door.  Hippity Hoppity!
Turn a dollar store Easter decoration into an adorable piece of decor for your spring home! Get the full tutorial at averageinspired.com.
 Supplies Needed for Dollar Store Easter Bunny Decor
  • Cardboard bunny from Dollar Tree
  • Small piece of cardboard for your carrot (I used part of a shipping box rescued from the recycling bin)
  • 2 pieces of 12″ x 12″ scrapbook paper (1 for the body of the bunny; 1 for the carrot)
  • Spray adhesive
  • Wood shims
  • Wood glue
  • Acrylic paint (two colors – one for wood background; one for text), and brush
  • Ribbon
  • Hot glue
  • Scissors or x-acto knife
  • Optional: Green felt (for carrot top); Twine or ribbon (for a bow at bunny’s neck); Cotton ball or pom pom (for bunny’s tail); Paint tips (for easy text painting)
Now, here’s how I did this!
STEP ONE

Spray your bunny and the scrapbook paper with spray adhesive.  Adhere the bunny to the paper and press down all over to ensure a good bond.

STEP TWO

Cut around the bunny with your x-acto knife or scissors.

STEP THREE
Draw a carrot shape on your cardboard.  (Fix it over and over again until it doesn’t look totally deformed, as shown in the photo below.)  Repeat steps two and three to decorate your carrot.
STEP FOUR
Take two of the wood shims and place them parallel to one another, vertically on your table.  Place some wood glue at the bottom and begin to affix your other shims perpendicular to those lying on the table.  Glue shims all the way to the top.
STEP FIVE
Once your wood shim backdrop has dried (it might take a couple of hours), paint it however you like.  I used watered-down acrylic paint for a more unfinished look.
STEP SIX
Once the paint has dried, determine the placement of your bunny and carrot (but don’t glue them yet).  Then, write your text in pencil, wherever you like.
STEP SEVEN
Now, paint over your text with acrylic paint.  I used acrylic paint bottle tips, which made painting the text really easy.  Then I went over that painted writing with a small paintbrush to give it a flatter and broader look.
STEP EIGHT
Affix your bunny and carrot to your wood background.  Add any decorative elements you like (for example, a ribbon at the bunny’s neck and a cotton ball or pom pom at the tail).  Glue your ribbon at the top of the wood background for hanging.
Turn a dollar store Easter decoration into an adorable piece of decor for your spring home! Get the full tutorial at averageinspired.com.
Cute, right?
I feel like this makeover would get Clinton and Stacy’s stamp of approval.  What do you think?  Turn a dollar store Easter decoration into an adorable piece of decor for your spring home! Get the full tutorial at averageinspired.com.
– Bre

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Comments

    • Hi! Thank you! Yes, I think the original is pretty much hideous so anything would’ve been an improvement! Hahaha! Have a great weekend. 🙂

    • Jill! Thank you! I just linked up. I can’t believe you stopped by my little blog . . . thank you so much! Have a great weekend. 🙂

  6. This is really cute. I love that you used shims for the background – I picked some up by mistake thinking they were all even and was having trouble figuring out how to use them… I like that they are uneven and still look great.. Thanks for sharing.. Cathy

    Reply

    • Hi Cathy! Thank you! Yeah, it is kind of a bummer that they’re all uneven, but if you alternate the thick side and the thin side, it works out pretty well for a rustic, imperfect look. I hope you have fun making whatever you’re planning. Thanks for stopping by!

  8. So clever to recover a Dollar Store bunny with pretty craft paper. Love the idea and would love to share it on my weekly roundup (with link back).

    Reply

  11. Very cute. I saw those bunnies at the Dollar Tree would never have thought about covering them . thanks for sharing this wonderful project.

    Kim ~ This Ole Mom

    Reply

    • Hi, Kim! Thank you!! Yeah the bunnies aren’t much to look at – I almost walked right by them. Thanks for commenting and have a wonderful day. 🙂

  12. Great transformation! Love it!

    We would love for you to come and link up with us at Your Designs This Time, Mondays 8:00am EST. htttp://www.elizabethjoandesigns.com

    Reply

  14. Even tho I have that same ugly bunny hanging from my shutter shelf I want to make what you did. I did trace the bunny for a template to make others in my own way. Good thing we’ll be going to town tomorrow so I can get some shims or maybe I’ll see if we have enuf boards from pallets to make this. Would love to have hubs cut out a couple of those bigger bunnies. I just love making Easter things, finally had to take a good look at living room and decided to tone things down a bit, maybe a bit much, lol.
    Have fun making Easter things, enjoy. Sorry it’s not Springy weather there for you yet. We live in Western CO but at least we don’t have snow.

    Reply

    • Hi there! Yes, this bunny has a really good shape, don’t you think? I love that you traced him to make additional ones. I just bought several but I should have traced them. Good thinking! Have fun making your Easter decorations and I’m glad you don’t have any snow! 🙂

    • Hi Katie! Oh my goodness! Thank you! That is so cool!!! (Can you tell that I’m excited by all the exclamation points I’m using?). Thanks so much, Katie!

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