Are you ready to make the cutest toothbrush holder out there? I recently saw this in a magazine and thought… I can totally make that! Don’t you love it when that happens?
This little guy will keep your toothbrushes neat, tidy and off the counter… until the next time you need to brush those pearly whites! The best part is that he’ll look adorable while doing it! Ready to get started?
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What you need:
One adorable Elephant
! Ok it doesn’t have to be an elephant… just make sure that whatever you pick has enough room for your toothbrush!
Easy to clean paint! Unless you want your furry friend (OK elephants have skin, not fur, but skinny friend has a different meaning!) to hang out au natural… in his birthday suit… his skin sweater… you get the idea! We wanted to make sure our paint was super easy to scrub (since it is in the bathroom) so we forgo the spray paint and used Pro Classic paint by Sherwin Williams which is super easy to clean.
Now you need a power drill, a drill bit large enough to hold a toothbrush and a paint brush.
That’s it! Only four things… easiest project ever!
I looked around a bit before picking my elephant… there are PLENTY of options but I wanted a fun, playful elephant with soft lines. A lot of the elephant statues are very tribal or natural looking (which is perfectly fine) but it wasn’t what I envisioned… yes I’m a visionary now! I ended up picking this little guy from amazon… it only took three days for him to arrive!
Once he got here I wasted no time getting started! Step one is to paint! Make sure to do light layers… lots of little coats so the paint does not run and dries smooth! Plus elephants have lots of WRINKLES… using light coats ensures those wrinkles don’t fill up with paint and are still visible in the final coat.
The first several layers may look like a dalmatian (spotty in places) but that’s okay… as the layers go on the paint will start to look solid and beautiful (trust me)!
Once he’s painted (and dry!) it’s time to drill your holes! Mark each spot with a bit of tape… then go slowly! If you drill too fast the little elephant might break… remember the saying “the straw that broke the camel’s elephant’s back?”. That’s EXACTLY what we don’t want! Use a small drill bit first to mark the hole… then go back with your larger drill bit to make the final opening.
Once the holes are finalized you will need to touch up your paint… sand any rough areas first and then go to town. Just remember patience is a virtue (that I clearly don’t have!) and while light layers take forever they look beautiful in the end!
Now your elephant/racoon/whale/hippo is finished! Proudly march him into your bathroom and place your toothbrushes inside… You can’t wait to brush your teeth tomorrow can you? It’s OK, give them a brush now… I won’t tell anyone!
P.S. I would like to mention that this was the first project I have EVER EVER EVER resisted the urge to glitter. It was horrible, I won’t go into the excruciating details but rest assured my hubby talked me out of it. He had a valid point… while I LOVE glitter, it would be horrible in my teeth *shutter*.
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I want one! It is so cute!
Thanks Rachel! I love how it turned out… And it was so easy, the painting was the longest part!
This is adorable! Hmm, I think I need to find a wooden dinosaur or dragon or something to paint to hold boys’ toothbrushes now. Thanks for the tip on the right paint to use.
This would be perfect for a kids bathroom… I don’t have kids so I decided to make one for myself! Haha I’m just a big kid at heart anyways! I’m sure your boys would love a big fire-breathing dragon! Make sure to send pictures if you make one! I had to think about the paint for a minute… I didn’t want to worry about washing it off when it gets toothpaste on it! Pro Classic works for trim and kitchen cabinets so it will be easy to keep clean!
Oh Betsy! He is adorable! What a great project. And did you know that elephants with their trunks in the air are supposed to bring good luck? I have no idea where I learned that. Just one of those bits of trivia you pick up and remember. Maybe this fella will bring you dental luck! Hugs!-Sue
Thanks Sue! I absolutely love how he turned out! You know I think I’ve heard that about elephants 🙂 either way I love the little guy!
Great work as always. I half exepcted to see some arms and legs on the green toothbrush while the other brushes look on in shock. A real “What horror!” kind of moment. Now, having 2 young kids of my own and knowing how dirty they get, this one really hits home for me. Thanks again for the laugh.
What a cute tooth brush holder! This would go perfectly in my guest bath with the safari theme.