Can you Believe this Stunning DIY Faux Gilded Insect Taxidermy was done with a Tweens plastic bug collection!

I had some fun on the weekend doing a little DIY painting giant plastic bugs gold! I am redoing a Tween girls bedroom and she is a nature lover. She had a set of giant plastic bugs she did not want to part with so I came up with the idea of repurposing them into wall art in the form of Faux Taxidermy.

A trip to the craft store for wooden plaques, paint and a hot glue gun is all I needed to turn her treasures into a work of art!

DIY Gilded Insect Faux Taxidermy

Materials Needed:

• Large plastic insects 
• Spray primer and gold metallic spray paint
• Wooden plaques – various sizes/shapes
• Fine grit sandpaper
• Primer
• Paint colour of your choice for plaques
• Liquid gold leaf
• Hot glue gun
• Command hanging strips

Step 1. Shop: If you don’t already have a collection of large plastic insects, head out to your local toy store. With insects in hand head to your local craft store and layout your wooden plaques and insects. This might seem strange to do in the store but your bugs will be different sizes and you want to ensure a good mix of sizes and shapes.

Step 2. Prime & Paint Bugs: Layout bugs, prime both sides and allow to dry thoroughly. ( note: It is important to ensure your primer says it will bond to plastic). I primed and painted both sides with 2 coats of primer and 2 coats of Gold metallic spray paint. Leave over night to dry completely. 

Step 3. Prime and Paint Plagues: Prime and paint the plaques with 2 coats of paint of your choice. Leave over night to dry completely.

Step 4. Mount the Gilded Insects: Touch up any imperfections on your insects with liquid gold leaf, allow to dry and mount your gilded insects to the plaques using hot glue. Hold the insects in place while the hot glue drys to ensure they are firmly attached.

Step 5. Finalize layout: I finalized my layout before attaching the gilded insects to the wall because I used command adhesives and once they are in place they are not easily moved.   

 

Step 6. Hang and enjoy!

 

Stunning – AND I did it with a tweens collection of plastic insects and paint!

I loved getting to use my creativity to make something they will cherish out of stuff people had given away.

I bet you will never look at a pile of plastic toys the same again.

Are you now a up-cycle believer now?