This Easter, we’re taking inspiration from the garden, so a moss covered bunny sounded like a wonderful addition to our decorating plans.
Having seen these bunnies on Pinterest several times, I decided on a DIY version, and am thrilled with the result! It takes a little bit of time, but if you enjoy a good craft project, consider giving this one a try.
(And for more spring and Easter ideas, take a peek at our garden-inspired tablescape, door decor, and springtime centerpieces.)
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Materials
The form is made from Dollar Tree punch bowls, a little craft foam, and cardboard (for the ears). Then it’s covered in preserved moss, which was applied with hot glue. A ribbon completed the look.
To make one, you’ll need:
- 2 large punch bowls (Dollar Tree)
- 2 smaller punch bowls (Dollar Tree)
- Small piece of foam (Dollar Tree or Amazon)
- Stiff cardboard for the ears (I cut mine from a shipping box)
- Preserved moss (I used seven bags that were 172 cubic inches each, ordered from JoAnn, which was the most expensive part. Since JoAnn is going out of business, you may be able to get their moss at a discount, otherwise, check Michael’s, Hobby Lobby, Walmart, etc.)
- Hot glue/ gun
This Instagram video of the bunny being made is super helpful. I’ve also included detailed instructions below.
Form the Body and Head
With your materials ready, start by gluing the punch bowls together to form the body and head.
For the body, place one of the large bowls right side up on your work surface and add a strip of hot glue (or Gorilla Glue) all the way around the rim. Invert the second large bowl directly on top of it, aligning the rims and pressing down so the glue connects them. Placing a weight of some sort on top (like a heavy book) helps ensure a solid bond while the glue cures.
Repeat this process with the two smaller bowls to create the bunny head.
I used Gorilla Glue for this step and left the forms to bond overnight, but they will set up a lot faster than that. If you use hot glue, the pieces will be ready in minutes. It bonds materials really fast.
Once the body and head are ready, it’s time to glue them together. Using your glue gun, squeeze a strip of hot glue onto the bottom of the head form and, centering it on top of the larger form, press down to bond. (See the video for clarification.) Again, I added a weight to ensure a tight connection and left it overnight, but it’s not necessary.
Next, glue your small piece of foam on top of the head form, directly in the center. You’ll use this piece for attaching the ears. A small semi-circle of craft foam is perfect. Since my piece of foam was square, I rounded the edges down with a utility knife.
Craft the Bunny Ears
Once your foam is glued on, it’s time to make the ears. You can fashion them from stiff cardboard, which is what I did, or you can get pre-made ears from the Dollar Tree. The following instructions are for using cardboard. If you want to use pre-made ears, check out this video for instructions.
To make them from cardboard, you can sketch a pair of ears onto the cardboard and cut them out. Or, you can download a template, cut it out, and trace around it onto your cardboard. I added a small tab to the bottom of the ears when cutting them out. These were inserted into the foam piece to help hold the ears in place. (You can also just glob a bunch of glue on the bottom of the ear to attach it, if preferred.)
With the ears ready, cut notches into either side of your foam piece. Test fit the ear tab to be sure it fits in the notch before applying the glue.
Then dab some hot glue into the notches and insert the ears, holding them in place till the glue sets up. This may take a few minutes, so be patient!
Apply the Moss
Now your bunny form is ready for moss. If desired, you can paint the form green before applying the moss. This can help disguise any gaps in the moss following application. I didn’t do this, but if you’re concerned about open spots, go for it!
With your glue gun ready, start adding moss. There’s no “right way” to do this, but to make it a bit easier, I went through each bag of moss, removing big clumps of dirt from the backsides. This made the moss more even when I applied it.
It was also pretty dirty, so having newspaper down on my work surface helped with cleanup.
Another tip is to be careful when applying the moss to the form with the hot glue. I think I burned myself at least half a dozen times, as the glue can seep through the moss when you press down on it (ouch!).
In terms of time needed to cover the form completely, I did this over a few days. I wasn’t in a hurry, so I added moss till I got tired of it, then I’d pick back up the next day. All told, it was probably 2-3 hours, which included picking the dirt clods out of the moss and cleaning up as I went.
I can be slow, so it probably won’t take others as long!
The Final Touch
Once my bunny was covered in moss – and looking pretty darn cute – I added a satiny green ribbon for the final touch. (And yes, that is my scary craft/storage room in the background.)
He was treated to a lovely porcelain bowl for his seat in the living room. It was a fun project and I think he looks adorable! He’s definitely ready to greet everyone this Easter and makes a wonderful addition to our holiday decor.