Since last Sunday's DIY Anthropologie-inspired plant pots were such a success (thank you for all your amazing supportive comments!), I've decided to throw in another project today. This one is slightly creepier (bugs and crawlies and everything) but I absolutely love how it's turned out! I was inspired by Brynne's (from The Gathered Home) gold insect DIY (see it here) which I came across last year. I thought it was absolutely genius! Unfortunately I live in a rented house so can't really paint the walls a dark feature shade which I feel these beautiful gilded bugs needed. So I did a little twist on her project and created these oxidised copper bugs instead!
What will you need for these green patina faux taxidermy bugs?
🐞 large plastic toy bugs (mine are from eBay here)🐞 dark grey spray paint (I used this one from Rust-Oleum's Painter's Touch range)
🐞 a selection of Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch small brush pots in Aqua, Bronze & Old Penny Bronze (see them here)
🐞 white acrylic paint (I got mine from Wilkos here)
🐞 taxidermy frames (mine are IKEA Ribba frames, £3.50 each - buy them here)
🐞 hot glue gun
🐞 a sponge, scissors & a little brush
And how to go about the project?
It's actually much easier then you think! Spray paint the bugs grey, wait until they're completely dry. Cut up your sponge into 4 pieces. First of all dab a fair bit of Bronze shade all over the bugs leaving just a few patches grey. The sponge will give it that uneven texture we're looking for to replicate the vintage feel. Next dab some Aqua on which helps you achieve the green patina finish. Finally use a little brush to shade the bug with Old Penny Bronze (the joints, antennas, legs, neck - do bugs even have necks?). Wait until it's all dry and your bugs are ready to go!To prep the frame I used the last piece of sponge to dab white acrylic paint all over the plywood insert. The white background makes the bugs really pop! To secure the bugs in the frames I used a hot glue gun - they would probably stay put as they were because the glass was pushing them down but this way I ensured they wouldn't slide down, just in case.
Some more DIY faux taxidermy inspiration
You could do loads of other DIY faux taxidermy project with these supplies. I'm thinking just regular plastic toys (you know the tiny horses and lions they sell at the Entertainer) would also look ace - perhaps spray painted black, gold or white and secured with a hot glue gun. Or even little lego men! I'm also thinking that for your make-up area you could spray paint a few old lipsticks, compacts or even hand cream tubs and they would look amazing in the IKEA Ribba frames.
Hope you're enjoyed this project and you're not too itchy because of all the bugs (does it happen to you too? I always start it itch absolutely everywhere when someone starts talking about beetles and crawlies, meh!).
