If you're a parent, you know how quickly kids grow up. One day they are small and helpless and the next they are crawling around the house. This is why it’s vital to preserve early memories such as the little feet before the children begin to grown significantly. One of them is bronzing baby shoes which were favored by many people as form of preserving baby shoes.

The process of bronzing baby shoes is easy to be done and parents can do it easily at home. It does not only make the slipper of sentimental value, but the shoes can be used as paper weights or even as ornaments. In the next sections, we will describe the process of bronzing baby shoes in detail and give some useful tips on how to make the process perfect.

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

It is important to wash the shoes well before you begin the bronzing process to get a perfect look of the shoes you want. Wipe them clean with a soft damp cloth to clean them then with another soft cloth to dry them. Then, apply denatured alcohol on a rag then wipe off any polish or wax on the floor. Massage gently and allow the shoes to dry to the natural look.

Step 2. Plastering

If you want to add weight to the shoes, pour a some plaster of paris in the shoes after they have dried. Introduce it indoors then you should wait for couple of days before proceeding to the next level.

Step 3. Making a Handle

To ensure an even coating, there must be a convenient handle by which to grasp the shoes. In the soles create a small incision with the help of a knife or something like a box cutter. Then they slid the some form of dental floss or wire through each shoe and twisted it to make a loop as will be used for suspension.

Step 4. Positioning

Tie up the laces and see to it that the two flaps of the opposite tongue of both shoes touch both extremities of them. Place the parts in the manner exactly as you wish them to be kept. To secure them you can use some glue or rubber cement to fix them.

Step 5. Mixing the Metal

Prepare the liquid coating in a plastic or glass container. Stir together some of metallic powder of bronze and spar varnish that dries rapidly. Mix it until the composition becomes homogenous and be sure no solid particles are visible on the bottom.

Step 6. Applying the Metal

Using a camel hairbrush, apply the first layer of the mixture to any exterior and interior surfaces that may be viewed at first glance beginning from upwards. Grasp each shoe by the handle made in Step 3 by your left hand if you are using the right hand or the other way round. If you have used plaster of paris, do paint the top and outsides.

It is also important to hang your baby shoes to dry e.g. hanging on a hook, in a well-ventilated area. It should then be allowed to dry as far as possible before there is more bronze applied to it. This should take at least 10minutes or even more.

In the event that one or several layers did not hide some flaw such as bald areas then apply at least one more layer of the compound. Your objective is to apply a fine, smooth and shiny surface.

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

In many cases, the bronzing of your baby’s shoes is easy and very straightforward process. It doesn’t matter whether you have artistic abilities and some level of proficiency in the arts to do it right.