a Merry Xmas

...where did Coco get her idea for a logo from I wonder?...





BE CREATIVE:
...and how, with a little time and elbow grease, you can transform some old metal into wonderful Xmas presents:

If, like me, you have a bucket somewhere, full of old and recovered, pulled and rusting shoes, and though you'd never want them back on your horse, you just can't bear to part with them, look no further than a Xmas present solution.


NOTE: Steve has plundered this 'pot' a few times looking for a quick-fix so Henry can have shoes on both feet in an emergency, so having some available is a good idea, so? don't use all the 'best' shoes for this gift soloution.

The idea began when a friend Gorgeous Paul (yes, the same GP who designed the Tom&Henry tops for M&S, and author of Opulent Scrawls: 'how to live life gorgeously'), asked me for one of Tom & Henry's shoes...it got me thinking...because GP wouldn't want an old rusty shoe, with bent nails still in it and caked in Essex mud would he?  definitely not!

Then I asked myself, what could I do to the shoes to make them nice enough for GP to allow them in his abode?

Paint them. So here we go:

First, de-nail the old shoes with pliers, you can knock them from underneath and unless the shoes are very rusty, they should loosen and pop out easily, alternatively have your farrier do it. If, like this single shoe here, they are in there for good, just twist the nails off at the surface (they are quite soft), and grind them flat.

Then get a stiff wire brush and clean the loose surface of decay, mud and rust off, out of the grooves and nail holes, the better you do this job, the better the surface of the finished product will be, and for Paul, it'd have to be perfect.

Then, once they're clean, using a little wire, make a hook, thread it through a nail hole, and hang the shoes up, where they will eventually stay to dry.

Spray a fine coat as instructed on the can, of primer suitable for cars. 2 coats will be fine, allow plenty of time to dry between coats, do it in a well ventilated area, preferably outside. 

IMPORTANT SAFETY TIP FROM JOHN:
Wear a mask too, you dont want paint in your lungs, true story.
 

Once the base coat is dry, spray your chosen top colour onto the shoes, remember these gifts are likely to be kept indoors, so do a neat job.  

The sky is the limit since car spray comes in lots of colours, fluorescent and metallic too! Here Lemmy is 'helping' making sure I do a neat job.

I made a 'washing line' in my yard, and hung them there, outdoors, so very well ventilated. wear something old and gloves are a good idea too.

I used metallic colours for mine, since it's so 'on-trend' for this season: gold, silver and bronze.  Plus I did a neon orange one too for fun...looks great too!

 

Add a top coat of lacquer if necessary, 'bobs your uncle', recycle, reuse and redecorate, everyone will love them!








 




If you're feeling very creative you can even over-paint them with a design or someones name, or use a metallic pen if a paintbrush is too tricky, you can get them in any art shop. Thread a ribbon through a nail hole for hanging too.

Once dry, I will wrap them in tissue, and tie it off with a ribbon.

Tuesday's blog will have an update, and there'll be photos to show you how they turned out, I promise you a treat, and a guest appearance too.



Merry Holidays Everyone, safe riding.