Old toys are a wonderful choice for craft transformations. Often, with a little bit of restyling, they can be made over into expensive-looking home decor. Deconstruct a toy Wonder Horse and recycle it into an art piece for your office, library or living room. The body of the horse is covered with a layer of torn book pages, giving it an old world sophistication. If you don’t already have a Wonder Horse, or similar bouncy horse, they can be found very inexpensively at local yard sales. Still can’t find one? Ask around. You may be surprised how many of your friends have these gathering dust in their garages.
Things You Will Need:
Old Wonder Horse
Tools for removing hardware
Newspaper
Decoupage medium
Sponge brush
Old book
Brown acrylic paint
Clear spray sealer
Paper towel
Step 1
Take apart your Wonder Horse. The horse is attached with springs, and has dowels that run through the body. Your horse may also have reins and/or other attached parts. Everything needs to be removed.
Step 2
Cut scraps of newspaper that are slightly bigger than the holes left from the removal of the dowels. Wad up the scraps, then unfold and lay flat. This will soften the stiffness of the newspaper, allowing it to be manipulated more easily. Using a decoupage medium, apply the newspaper over the holes. Don’t worry about wrinkles, they will blend in when covered by the book pages. Allow the medium to dry.
Step 3
Tear out lots of book pages from an old book. Rip each page into approximately eight squares. Rip a large pile to start with. Rip more as needed. Note: Old book pages are often soft enough that they do not require wadding up before using.
Step 4
Thin your decoupage medium with water. Using a sponge brush, apply decoupage medium to a small area on the horse. Place a book page square on the decoupage medium and smooth with another layer of medium. Use your fingers to mold the paper around bumps and crevices. Do not worry about wrinkles, it will all blend in. Continue to add book pages, overlapping as you go, until the entire horse has been covered. Allow the medium to dry thoroughly.
Step 5
Thin brown acrylic paint with water until it is an inky consistency. Working in small areas at a time, brush the mixture on the horse and immediately wipe off with a paper towel. This is aging the book page surface. Continue until the entire horse has been stained.
Step 6
Spray a clear sealer on the horse to finish.
Old maps or letters will also create a nice old world surface.
