If you are a parent, then every day is a spectacle of how fast your children grow up. One day they are little babies crawling on the floor, and the next thing you know they are playing around the house. That is why we have to take pictures of their early achievements, such as little feet, before they get too big. One such way is by bronzing their baby shoes.

The bronzing of baby shoes is therefore easy to achieve by any parent without the help of a professional. It does not only produce a lovingly created and personalized object, but the shoes can also be used as paperweights or for decorative purposes. In the next few paragraphs you will find the instructions how to bronze baby shoes, and some recommendations would be helpful to achieve the best result.

How to Bronze Baby Shoes

Bronzing of baby shoes makes it easier to preserve the memories for as many years as one deems possible. To carry out this project, basic raw materials and some time are needed. Here are the tips required to bronze your baby’s shoes:

Step 1. Cleaning

Cleaning of the shoes is a critical stage that must be completed before bronzing is begun. To clean the shoes, the use of a damp cloth to wipe off the dirt without soaking the shoes and dry the shoes using another cloth. Secondly use a rag soaked in denatured alcohol to clean any polish or wax as explained in the video above. Rub with vigour and then allow the shoes to dry to air.

Step 2. Plastering

After the shoes have dried you can put some plaster of paris into the shoes to make the shoes heavier. Add it in the structure and leave it for a couple of days before proceeding to the next phase.

Step 3. Making a Handle

As a way to get an even coat, you are going to desire a helpful handle to handle the shoes. Using a knife or box cutter, create a small hole where the sole of the school shoe is joined to the upper part of it. Next, pass some dental floss or wire through each shoe and turn it into a hook by twisting it.

Step 4. Positioning

Lace up and fasten the points that where the tongues of the shoes touch both sides of them. Position the parts in the manner you would like them to remain when finally assembled. Fix them using some adhesive like glue or even rubber cement to give them that firm position.

Step 5. Mixing the Metal

The liquid coating should be prepared in a plastic or glass container. Add some metallic powder of bronze to spar varnish that dries pretty fast. Mix until you notice that it is fine and ensure none is left in the bottom.

Step 6. Applying the Metal

Bring the first layer of the mixture starting from the top with the help of a camel hairbrush touching all the visible external and internal areas. Take each shoe at the handle you made in step three using your left hand if you are right handed or vice versa. If you have used plaster of paris, do paint the top and outsides.

The use of a hook can be applied in hanging the baby shoes in an area that has good air circulation to enhance drying of shoes. Allow them to dry out before adding more of the bronze into the mixture. This should take at least 10 minutes or longer, depending on how much time you have available to give to the question.

If there are some flaws as bald areas then it is recommended to apply at least one more layer. Essentially you want your finish to be even, smooth and glossy.

Step 7. Drying

After each new layer, make sure the shoes are allowed to dry. You can tell that bronzing is finished once both are glossy and coated fully. After this, let them dry thoroughly and your souvenir is ready! Voilà!

It is hoped that this article has shown that bronzing baby shoes is a simple project that can be done by anybody. By following these measures, you will ensure that your baby’s shoes last for as long as possible.

To Conclude

Spray painting your baby shoes is easy and as simple as ABC, an excellent way of preserving memories. Actually, it is not necessary to be an artist or possess any artistic ability to perform the task well.