This quirky little garden project began with a plain old cement rabbit from a local garden store—and ended in one of my favorite creations yet: a hip jackalope garden display that brings personality and humor to any outdoor space.
Materials I Used
- Concrete rabbit ornament – from local nursery
- Apoxie Sculpt – for antlers
- Acrylic paint – Blick & Michaels (colors used: warm brown, black, white)
- 3D fabric paint – for texture details
- Plastic novelty sunglasses – Etsy
How to Build a Jackalope Garden Display (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Base Clean & Prime
Clean your cement rabbit thoroughly. I used a stiff brush to remove dirt, then gave it a rinse and let it dry in the sun. A layer of white gesso helped the paint stick better.
Step 2: Build the Antlers
Using Apoxie Sculpt, I formed two simple antlers—kind of like big branching Y’s. Let them cure fully overnight, then lightly sanded the surface for better paint adhesion.
Step 3: Paint & Detail
Paint the rabbit in your desired color scheme. I went with desert tones—brown body, soft white chest, and black outlines for pop. Once dry, I added 3D puff paint for extra texture along the fur lines and ears.
Step 4: Accessorize
The finishing touch was a pair of novelty sunglasses I picked up from Etsy. I hot-glued these right onto the snout for max cool factor.
Why I Made This
I was going through a tough time mentally when I began this project. Sculpting the antlers and painting slowly over a few days felt like a form of meditative healing. Giving a bunny antlers and calling it a jackalope somehow gave me a laugh I really needed—and now it brings that joy to everyone who sees it in my front yard.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking to combine playfulness, art, and a little bit of desert folklore into one project, the jackalope garden display is it. Whether you’re gifting it, auctioning it, or just sprucing up your own yard, this DIY jackalope will absolutely steal the show.