Wonderfully Whimsical Carousel Horse
Turn a child's toy horse into a beautiful work of art with this Wonderful Whimsical Carousel Horse. DIY painting ideas can help you breathe new life into old or discarded items. The blues in this piece make it a true standout. Recycled craft ideas don't have to look trashy or unprofessional. This project shows that you can create something classy and sophisticated with items found in your basement or out by a dumpster. Don't be afraid to test out a new skill or use an unexpected color for this project - it's important to show off your originality and really make a statement. Everyone loves a carousel. Who would believe that, in another lifetime, my lovely Carousel Horse was a beat up child's bouncing toy & a broken floor lamp? Thanks to Krylon paints & a few other items, I was able to create a one of a kind conversation piece for my home. The base stands more than 6 ft tall & the horse is about 36 inches nose to tail tip.
Primary TechniquePainting
Materials:
- Child's toy bouncing horse
- Recycled floor lamp
- 6 plastic discs
- 2 cans Krylon Fusion for plastic - white
- Can Krylon Fusion for plastic - clear gloss
- Folkart acrylic enamels & brushes
- Drill w/hole saw & drill bit
- Large nut & bolt
- Paintable sealing caulk
- Solar lit garden globe
- Ribbon & trim
Instructions:
- To prepare the horse and base, I removed the horse and wooden handles from the metal framework. After giving him a good bath, I popped small plastic discs into the openings left from the framework and handles. These are normally used to cover the holes left behind after blowing insulation into a house and are available at home improvement stores. I sealed & smoothed the area around the disks with a paintable caulking material. I drilled holes slightly larger than the diameter of the floor lamp pole, one as far to the front as possible on the top of the saddle and one underneath so he will stay at the desired angle on the pole. To prepare the base & pole I removed the lamp fixture and wiring from a heavy floor lamp. I drilled a hole through the side of the pole at the desired height, inserted a large bolt through the hole and secured it with the nut. This allows me to slide the horse on & off of the pole but won't allow him to slip too far down the pole.
- I used the pole (covered with paper & tape) to support the horse while I coated it several times with the Krylon Fusion for plastic. I was amazed by how easily the white paint covered the original dark color.
- Following the design impressed into the plastic, I painted the saddle using my FolkArt enamel paints. I painted the one stroke flowers using the same FolkArt enamels.
- The reins are a piece of scalloped fabric trim & the ribbon trim is glued around the top of the pole. The stake on the solar lit garden globe is merely inserted in the opening in the top of the pole so it can be removed. Left in the sun during the day, it gives off a soft glow after dark.