Upcycled Toy Horse into a Garden Sculpture

I saw this large toy horse at the thrift shop and instantly fell in love with it.  I just had to get it and do something with it. The mane and tail were typically matted. Red nail polish and other stains decorated it. 

It's such a large horse, about 22" tall and long.  Where to put it was how I came up with the idea... outside.  

I thought of removing the nail polish and stains, but plastic can melt. Painting the horse was necessary. 

There really is no salvaging matted synthetic successfully...

So I lathered it with plaster of paris. Mane and tail. I ran the substance completely through, squeezing and reapplying it. Then I formed the base where I wanted the mane to flow onto the body. 

After allowing the plaster to dry, I applied indoor/outdoor caulk. Like decorating a cake, but with a caulk gun, I made a flowing mane and tail. 

After placing the caulk where it appeared realistic ... or artistic :)
I smoothed out some of the unnatural areas of blobs. 

Then waited for it to dry. 

And waited. 

Until finally the next day, the caulk was dry. 

I spray painted a base coat of Krylon, a plastic adhering paint, in espresso color. My constant plaster application and formation did scour the body a bit too, so the shiny finish of original paint dulled making paint adhere easily.

Lightly spraying and getting into all of the grooves and crevices. 

Then a second coat a bit later. 

Finally for the finishing up, I used indoor/outdoor Rust-Oleum Oil Rubbed Bronze paint for a cast iron look. 

(I was NOT a paid advertiser or affiliate for this product.  It was a product choice of my own .) 

Now the pretty thing looks like a bronze statue! 

The toy horse is certainly a grown up now. "Thinking outside of the toy box"  ;) 

Who would have thought under this paint is a toy?  

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