Are you looking for a fun spring or Easter craft? This week we have such a fun, hands on project to try. A re-purposed thrift store bunny with a weathered stone look.We promise that once you try this technique, you will be looking for more objects in your home that you can transform!

Last week Steph and I spent a little time looking for some spring inspiration. We are both so ready for spring! It seems like winter has just dragged on. Is that ringing a bell with you?

We found a little inspiration at one of our favorite stores, Pottery Barn. Their rustic, weathered artisan vases got our creative juices flowing. Upon returning home we knew we wanted to recreate this look, but in a different way.

Our vision was to recreate this look on a thrift store bunny to get a weathered stone finish.

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stone inspiration

The rustic, vintage feel of the Pottery Barn vases create a sense of history. A relaxed, lived in look that we love! We knew that creating this weathered stone look on a bunny would be amazing.

completed bunnies with a stone look

We came across this post and tutorial from Lucy at Craftberry Bush. We were so inspired by her technique using plaster of paris and sand to create a weathered and vintage looking vase. We immediately gathered our supplies to create our own weathered and worn piece.

Weathered Stone Look

weathered stone look on a vase

We followed Lucy’s tutorial on a glass vase just like she did. This weathered and rustic vase was our practice piece.  Clearly, we were thrilled with the results!

After following Lucy’s tutorial,  we decided to try this on a ceramic bunny.

Don’t miss our video tutorial of this transformation of a thrift store bunny into a weathered stone look.

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Supplies we used: Re-Purpose Thrift Store Bunny with a Weathered Stone Look

Supplies we used for a Weathered Stone Look:

supplies needed
thrifted bunny before

This is our bunny that we re-purposed into a weathered stone look. To recreate this look, start scavenging thrift stores for a piece you can transform. You will want to find a piece without a lot of detail. This will make it so much easier to work with.

Creating a Weathered Stone Look: Step 1 Preparing the plaster

adding sand to plaster of paris
adding water to plaster of paris and sand mixture

It is important to mix the plaster in small batches,  it dries very quickly. With this in mind, it is best to start with about 1/2 C. of plaster and about 1T. fine sand.

Pour the plaster and sand into a container, anything that is disposable will do. We used an ice cream bucket. Slowly add cold water. Mix it to the consistency of a thin frosting.

We discovered if the water was warm or even room temperature the plaster hardened quicker. Once it hardens it’s impossible to work with and it had to be thrown out.

To keep the water cool, we just added ice cubes to the water container. This worked perfectly.

Another note: We used “Perfect Plaster” for our projects, because we had leftovers from a scouting project. If you have plaster of paris, that will work as well. Any crafting plaster will work.

stirring plaster of paris and sand mixture

Continue stirring the plaster until it looks like a creamy spreadable frosting. In the beginning, I added too much water, thinking it was just too thick. However, stirring tends to thin it a bit. You will have to play with it to get the feel for the right amount of water. I’m sure different humidity levels will also make a difference.

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Creating a Weathered Stone Look: Step 2 Applying the Plaster

adding plaster of paris onto thrifted bunny
adding plaster of paris onto thrifted bunny

This is a hands on project! It will get a little messy, there is no way around it. Begin by spreading on the plaster mixture, then smooth it around with your fingers.

applying plaster of paris and sand mixture onto thrifted bunny
applying plaster of paris and sand mixture onto thrifted bunny

Continue adding plaster over the entire bunny. When the plaster begins to dry, but is still a bit moist, press and smooth out the plaster.

applying plaster of paris and sand mixture onto thrifted bunny
applying plaster of paris and sand mixture onto thrifted bunny

When the plaster starts to feel dry add a second layer of plaster over the entire surface.

applying plaster of paris and sand mixture onto thrifted bunny

Once the entire bunny is covered with a second coat of plaster, smooth out the plaster. I did this by dipping my hands in water and rubbing them over the entire surface. Before the finial step of painting, the plaster needs to be completely dry. We let ours dry overnight.

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Creating a Weathered Stone Look: Step 3 Applying Paint

The paint colors you choose to use is totally up to you. I decided I wanted my weathered stone bunny to look more like granite.

I choose to use 3 different grey paints, a light, medium and dark grey. I also used a soft white and a mossy green.

When we painted the vase, we used more tans and browns with a mossy green as well.

painting over the layer of plaster with grey paint
adding texture with a wadded up coffee filter

Using the lightest grey paint, cover the entire surface. I applied the paint with a paint brush, then I took a damp coffee filter and dabbed off some of the paint. As a result some of the white of the plaster was exposed. This helped add to the weathered and worn look I desired.

dabbing on medium grey paint to add more texture
dabbing on medium grey paint to add more texture

Once the base coat was covering the entire bunny I added the medium grey paint, dabbing it randomly on the bunny.

dabbing on medium grey paint to add more texture
dabbing on medium grey paint to add more texture

In the cracks and crevices I applied a dark charcoal grey paint. I used an old brush and pushed the color into the crevices, then with the damp coffee filter blended, feathered and softened the color.

dabbing on medium grey paint to add more texture
adding mossy green coloring to the lower crevices of the bunny

I wanted the bunny to look like it had been out in the weather and have a mossy look. I dabbed on a mossy green paint around the feet and lower edge of the bunny and softened it with a damp coffee filter. The damp coffee filter will help to feather and blend the paint.

adding white highlights
adding white highlights

The final painting step is to add the highlights.  Dab on the white paint and blend again with the damp coffee filter to soften and blend the colors.

paint adds texture

Layering the paint on the bunny in this way creates depth. It’s amazing how much it really looks like a real weathered stone.

completed bunnies with a stone look
completed bunnies with a stone look
completed bunnies with a stone look

What do you think of our re-purposed thrift store bunny? Do you love this faux weathered stone look? It was super fun to make and made me feel like I was a sculptor.

We hope you found some inspiration for your home today.

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pinterest image adding a stone look to a thrifted bunny

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I have always had a passion for transforming spaces and creating organized, functional homes. Even as a child, I loved rearranging furniture and decorating my childhood home. In fact my dad would comment he was afraid to come home from work and sit, for fear the furniture would be rearranged. I enjoy the challenge of turning ordinary items into extraordinary pieces, whether it’s a piece of furniture or an entire room. My creativity and attention to detail drive me to find unique ways to breathe new life into any space.

As a wife (to a supportive and patient husband, Steve), mother of three, and grandmother of five, I balance my love for home improvement with family life. I enjoy spending time outdoors, hiking, and exploring nature. I also frequent yard sales, thrift stores, and vintage markets, always on the lookout for my next project.

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2 Comments

  1. Roma Robinson says:

    So cool, I did last year, but I added some paint(chalk paint) to my stucko mix, it turned out great, when I sanded it down I add few other colors as I keep sanding. Love different ideas!! Thanks

    Reply
    1. Michelle Dickson says:

      Thank you Roma. I love you idea too. I’d love to try it out. Have a wonderful day!

      Reply

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