I’m going to show you how to make these adorable ladybug painted rocks, which you can keep outside in your garden. But first, there’s a back story about this super easy craft for kids I first made almost a decade ago. These are super cute garden rocks that you’ll be able to leave outside in the elements!
Back in 2006 I started working for a company called Kaboose. They had actually purchased the website owned by a woman I had known since 1997. She had a site called Kid’s Domain. We were webmasters back in the day, long before blogs were around. She sold her website to a company in Canada. They renamed it Kaboose and hired me to revamp some of Grace’s older projects that didn’t have photos. They liked my work enough to hire me to create new kid’s crafts for their site.
A few years later, Kaboose was sold to Disney. I remained as a freelance crafter and their resident craft expert for quite a while, until Disney made the decision to stop producing content for Kaboose. Some time later Spoonful was born and by that time I had created over 500 projects for them! Most of the Kaboose projects were moved to the new Spoonful site and not long after I started working for them again. It was short lived though as about a year later Disney closed the doors at Spoonful and that was that. I had a great run with them and made MANY projects for their sites.
Ladybug Painted Rocks
One of those projects were actually these exact ladybug rocks that are now over at Parenting.com. I made them sometime around 2007 or 2008. Over the years these ladybug painted rocks have made their rounds on the Internet. but when Kaboose and Spoonful disappeared, Parenting was the only one left with my project. The ones I made for them were similar to the ones I’m going to show you today. The ones I have on this blog do not use googly eyes because they will be kept outside and glue will eventually break down due to the weather. The other differences include using outdoor paint and the ones I made before had a little line going up their backs. Other than that they are pretty much the same!
I’ll tell you how to make them in the video below!
There are affiliate links in this post. That means if you buy something from that link, I will earn a small commission, but it won’t cost you anything additional.
Things you will need:
- Patio Paint in colors of your choice (I used Larkspur Blue, Petunia Purple, Fiesta Yellow, Fuchsia, Citrus Green and Salmon)
- Smooth rocks, preferably oval or round in shape
- Paintbrush
- Toothpick
- Outdoor sealer, Outdoor Mod Podge or Patio Paint Clear Coat
Watch the video for the instructions:
There! Wasn’t that fun!? I have my ladybugs in the flower boxes outside of my studio. Hopefully no one walks off with them! (Update: people did walk off with them!) Worse case scenario? I have to make more. And that’s not so bad. :) There are over 250 easy crafts for kids here so don’t leave without bookmarking some first. :)
SCROLL DOWN FOR THE PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS CRAFT
MORE GARDEN CRAFT IDEAS:
Using the same concept, these rock garden markers are a great way to label your plants!
This watering can appears to be pouring crystals and you can make one for your garden! Video tutorial available!
Learn how to make your own fairy garden! I made mine to occupy a dead spot where nothing would grow.
Another great painted rock idea are these Jawa Rocks! Great for Star War fans of all sorts. You can display them on your shelf, as a paper weight for your desk, or outside hidden throughout the yard.
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- Patio Paint in colors of your choice (I used Larkspur Blue, Petunia Purple, Fiesta Yellow, Fuchsia, Citrus Green and Salmon)
- Smooth rocks, preferably oval or round in shape
- Paintbrush
- Toothpick
- Outdoor sealer or Patio Paint Clear Coat
- Wash and dry your rocks.
- Paint with colorful Patio Paint, don't paint the bottoms if these will be sitting in the soil.
- Paint on a black head and let dry.
- Use the handle end of a paintbrush to dot on ladybug spots with black paint.
- Use the handle end of a paintbrush to dot on white eyes. LET DRY COMPLETELY!
- Cut the tip off of a toothpick. Dip in black paint and dot onto white eyes.
- When completely dry, paint ladybugs with a coat of Patio Paint Clear Coat or outdoor formula sealer like Mod Podge.
This project was originally published on this blog on Jun 11, 2016
Amanda Formaro
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Hi Amanda I am from new Zealand and living at our holiday park retired but still refired. I love your night and cheery lady bugs and have a daily walk and find heaps of lovely shaped rocks smooth edges and will start making them soon .will buy some test pot paints to use. I do craft for operation Christmas child and would like some ideas to make for the shoe boxes that get sent to other nations to bless the kiddies .i have been decorating flip flops with the colourful water balloons so cool to do and will be a hit with the kids .i love your crafts blessing from nz
Love the balloon flip flops, so nice of you to do! :)
Love your crafts
Thank you Shirley! :)
Love them! Great idea, thanks for sharing.
These are so cute! I didn’t know DecoArt had a “patio” line of paint. I know my local store doesn’t carry it, but I’m already planning a big craft store run while on vacation and I’ll have to keep an eye out for it!
Can you use regular acrylic paint and then coat with the outdoor mod podge?
I have not tried that so I don’t know how well it would hold up. If you try it, let me know how it does when the season ends!
I love these little guys and do remember the original posts when my daughter was 6 or 7. Now, my step-daughter has blessed us with a granddaughter & I hope at almost 3 years old she’ll be able to help create these.
Side question though about the patio paint… will it work on a plastic rain barrel? My daughter is an artist and I’ve asked her to beautify my rain barrel with her artwork. I hope this paint would do the job.
Thank you for sharing your creativity!
Hi Kelly! Well it’s possible. I would suggest roughing up the rain barrel plastic with sandpaper first, so that the paint has something to grab on to. Then when finished give it a few coats of outdoor sealer!
Very cute.
Thank you, Jessey!
I love these lady bugs. Can’t wait to paint some
It has been a long time since I was a Girl Scout Troop Leader but your ideas are great. I wish I had know about this then. of course I am 60 years old now and my daughters are younger than you. Sucks when you cannot go back and do a “Do Over”. Thanks.
Oh my goodness, adorable! My kids would love making these! :) Lisa
I love ladybugs and love crafting as well. I did the painted rocks and I also painted the ladybugs on my nails. Both were a big hit.
How cute, Liz! :)
Omg. I used to work for an after school program and one of my favorites sites to use was kaboose. I was wondering what happened to this site and you answered my question! Thanks for this post!
These are so darn cute! Ladybugs are my “thing” too. I make mini- gardens in pots as gifts and everyone I make, I hide a ladybug somewhere.
These are perfect crafts for when I watch the neighbors kids. Would make great paperweights for the girls at the office too! Who doesn’t want bright and cheery?
Keep up the great work and thanks for sharing!