A Special pair of Boots.....

Today I have a little Holiday Inspiration for you.  I made this adorable Paper Mache Santa Boot for my daughter, but also for this months challenge over at Elisabeth Bells World.  The challenge this month over there is to create ANY HOLIDAY themed card or craft.  Of course I chose my favorite holiday to make things for, and that would be Christmas.  

Just wait until I tell you what actually went into this adorable little boot.

Alright, are you ready to find out all the little details?

First thing is first, I needed a mold!!!  What better mold, than an actual boot?

Sooooo, that's what I did.

(My daughters favorite rain boots)

So I decided I would try to create a paper mache replica... I didn't want to ruin the boot, so the very first thing I did was wrap it well with plastic wrap.

Now the fun began.
I went through my scrap papers, and started to rip and tear them into different sized pieces.
Mod Podge, Water, and a painting sponge, and let the layering begin.

I can not even begin to tell you how many layers of paper are on this boot.  I kind of lost track after a while.  I would let it dry a bit, and add more.  Once I felt that the shape was firm enough to stand on it's own, I used my trusty scissors, and cut between the boot and the paper, down the back all the way to the heel of the boot.  I was then able to pull the real boot out.  Now what?
I had a nice boot shape, but it was split down the middle in the back.
TAPE!!!!  - just enough masking tape over the split to hold it back in place, and then it was time for MORE layers of paper, and Mod Podge.

I left this boot to dry REALLY REALLY good for about a month.
Then began planning my decorating.
Another layer of paper, this time pre-soaked (in water) thick red cardstock.
And carefully placing the layers this time, because I knew that the this would be the outer shell.
How the pieces were placed, would obviously show.

Once I was happy with the paper placement, I let it dry completely.
Once dry, I used a black spray paint, and coated the entire boot, inside and out.

I used a hair dryer to speed up a quick drying process, and then added a layer or clear Gesso with a sponge dauber, using a pouncing motion.  

Once the Gesso was dry, I began using a dauber to paint the boot with acrylic "Holiday Red" paint.

The reason for the black underneath of the red, is so that the boot had a more realistic look with areas of black slightly showing through, (as if the Santa boot might have soot on it) PLUS, I wanted the inside of the boot to be black.

Details, Details, Details.....

I've used this darling Santa stamp.  He is just one of the 5 Santa's that Elisabeth Bell did for Whiff of Joy to release.  And yes, I have them all except for one of them.
They are absolutely adorable.
And what a perfect option for this boot.

My Flowers are Dies from Cheery Lynn Designs.  I've used Poinsettia Flowers, (The Centers are topped with some Gold Stickles)...and Pine Branches.
The rest of the things I've used for decorating were just odds and ends that I had in my stash. (including the candy cane, which might have been cut a while back when I used to have a Cricut) What fun this has been creating this little boot.

I will put some small Christmas goodies into this boot, and give it to my daughter for Christmas.
No time like the present to start a new tradition.
And it was made using HER rain boot.  So, it's not "Just Any Boot", it actually is hers.

Who knows, I may even enter this one into our County Fair crafting competition this year.
I haven't decided yet, but.... Maybe... You never know... LOL

To think,.........it all started with a simple pair of my daughters favorite rubber rain boots
that she has outgrown.
She used to be obsessed with them! ;)

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this all the way to the end.

What can I say? Apparently I was in the mood for explaining everything. LOL

Challenges that I am entering:

• The ABC Challenge - "J" for Just As You Like (anything goes)
• Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Add Some Shimmer
• Polkadoodles Crafting Challenge - Use a Die Cut
• Simply Create Too Challenge - #112 Christmas in July
• Crafty Gals Corner - #77 Sparkle and Shine
• Love To Scrap - #80 Anything Goes
• Classic Design Team Open Challenge - Anything Goes
• The Crafty Addicts - #18 Anything Goes/Hobbies
• Little Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes