DIY Faux Cement Bookends

I recently got some of the new FolkArt® Painted Finishes and have been dying to try the concrete finish. I love how concrete looks in decor, but have no idea how to create something with real cement! So this simple-to-use faux finish is perfect! I had an idea to create some faux cement bookends, and I love how easy they were to make and how cute they turned out!

Supplies:
FloraCraft Styrofoam cubes
FloraCraft Smooth Finish
Spatula/putty knife
Cardboard letters
FolkArt Light Concrete Painted Finish
Craft paint
Paint brushes

I used a foam cube as the base of the bookend. I just learned about this FloraCraft Smooth Finish, which fills the cracks of the foam to make a smooth surface you can embellish in SO MANY ways. It’s a game-changer!

I applied two coats of the Smooth Finish to the cube using a putty knife.

After the Smooth Finish dried completely, I was ready to apply the concrete finish!

I dabbed the concrete finish on the cube. You can see in the picture that it has a grit to it, which makes it nearly impossible to mess up, since bumps and cracks are what make it look like real cement!

Next, I applied the concrete finish to the cardboard using the same method as the cube.

Then, I glued the letter to the cube.

I wanted it to look like one piece of cement, so I used the concrete finish to fill in the seams between the letter and the cube.

Last of all, I add a pop of color to the bottom of the cube. I just taped, painted, and let dry.

How cool is that texture from the concrete finish?!

My books have never looked cuter! Happy crafting!

ox. Sam