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!
Loved this makeover! It was super easy and super inexpensive. And it adds a dose of happiness to my back door. Hippity Hoppity!
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.
Cute, right?
I feel like this makeover would get Clinton and Stacy’s stamp of approval. What do you think? 
– Bre
That is absolutely adorable!! I wish I could see something like the bunny and turn it into something so amazing!!
Love you to made a Dollar Store find into your own Easter artwork! Too cute
Really cute. It looks so much better than the original.
I LOVE this, Bre! That little bunny hanging is too cute! Would love for you to link up to The Creative Connection! http://www.createcraftlove.com/2014/03/creative-connection-10.html
This is adorable! Shims are great for so many things and I love how you used them here. Great job 🙂
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
So adorable! I love dollar store upcycles! 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
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).
This is so pretty! What a great transformation! Happy spring! Thanks so much for linking up at Thursday STYLE 🙂
Super cute project! What a lovely idea! Thanks for sharing tutorial!
Would love to have you visit me sometime 🙂
Hope you have a wonderful day and week!
Hugs from Portugal,
Ana Love Craft
http://www.lovecraft2012.blogspot.com
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
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
I love how you made over that bunny. You did a great job. I just wanted to let you know that I am linking to this post on 4/1 at http://www.simply-creative-living.com if you don’t mind.
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,… Read more »
This is really adorable! Thank you for sharing at our link it or lump it party!
Amy @ Delineate Your Dwelling
Bre, this is adorable! Great job! You’re being featured tonight on Thursday S.T.Y.L.E. for the most clicked link! Thanks for linking up with us:)