DIY Plush Dog Rocker (Restoration Hardware Hack)

Restoration Hardware has the cutest cuddle plush rockers and given Stella’s affinity with stuffed animals (every time she sees one its “oh! oh! oh!” while she reaches for it then the biggest hugs, accompanied by “awwwwws” and tons of kisses right on their nozzles) I knew she would be so thrilled to have one the the dog ones. But. They’re $150 and I don’t spend that kind of money on toys. In fact, I’ve barely ever spent any money on toys, they’ve almost all been gifts!

So, knowing it would be beloved and the simplicity of them would match our house much better than the plush rocking horses I’ve seen elsewhere (usually with plenty cowboy flair) I decided that making our own was the way to go!

She’s still pretty small on it but I’m actually planning on saving it for Christmas and hopefully she can use it for several years so she’ll grow into it. She absolutely loves the dog and I love that he’s a plain black lab because black really does match our house! I’m all about toys looking good in the home :)

click through to learn how to make your own for only 1/3 the RH price!

Using a thrifted rocking horse, that I found on KSL classifieds for $5, and an already stiff plush from Melissa and Doug, this project was a synch! It took only a couple hours (besides wait time for the stain to dry) and is so customizable to fit your decor/little one’s style.

I’m so excited that I already have a head start on Christmas and am practically done with Stella’s gifts altogether. Even more exciting? This rocker only cost 1/3 the price of the Restoration Hardware one. That’s right, I spent around $50 to make this large, fluffy, dog rocker that Stella will hopefully love for years to come!

There’s multiple other plushes you could get to use for this project. Another option would be to find a large soft plush and build your own framing to go within it. I decided to go the simplest route possible here and my version will hold up to 40 lbs successfully. Plus, I think it’s a good stand in for the high-end RH toys I’d love to have but just cannot justify.

Want to make your own cuddle plush knockoff? Head on over to ehow, right here, and find the tutorial with lots of step by step pictures and the simple tools needed. Take a rainy afternoon to whip one up for the kiddos or get on top of Christmas too!