Old Bunny With New Look

by Susan K Mullins

4 Materials

1 Hour

Easy

I recently purchased an old ceramic bunny at a thrift store. I knew it was old, because the eggs in the bunny’s basket were tiny, old, glass Christmas bulbs. I know this because I have some of the old bulbs that were used on dad’s Christmas tree when he was a little boy. The bulbs were used to look like Easter eggs. Someone had painted the old bunny silver. He was not a pretty Easter bunny.

I carefully removed the delicate, glass bulbs from his basket. The basket also contained tiny Easter grass. I wanted to preserve as much of it as possible. I have never seen such tiny blades of Easter grass.

I used a soft, damp cloth to remove any dust or dirt from the old fellow.

I gathered my paint and brushes along with a cup of water for rinsing my brushes and a paper towel to dry the brushes.

I mixed brown and white paint to get the desired color for the bunny’s base coat. I used the mixture to create a lighter brown, so I could add in flicks of dark brown for a more realistic fur appearance.

I had to move the bunnies eggs (bulbs) and grass, so my assistant (my kitty) Silvey wouldn’t take them. So, that is why they are no longer in the pictures. I painted the entire bunny the brown mixed color.

Due to the fact, that I wanted to finish and post my project, I used a heat gun to dry the paint faster. Now the fun part, giving the old fellow life.

Next, I began adding details to the bunny.

I painted his eyes blue, added pink to his ears, nose and mouth and painted his basket gold with hints of dark brown. I also painted his basket straps gold, the base green with daisies and I added white to his belly and tail. I added flicks of dark brown to his fur coat over the primer mixture I used first. To enhance his face, I added black whiskers and eyelashes.

After the old fellow was all dressed in his new Easter clothes, with his new basket, I used the heat gun to dry the paint. Next, I used Gorilla Adhesive to glue the bulbs in his basket.

I wanted the glue to dry quickly too, so I used the heat gun. Not a good idea! The glue started smoking. Shhh...don’t tell my sleeping hubby...LOL. I stopped before any damaged was done. All is well. It will have to dry overnight.

Mr. Old Bunny with a new look now has a place on the table beside my Easter basket I used when I was a little girl (my mom kept everything). What a treasure, right! He also has a friend on the other side. She too, is from a thrift store.