The Complete Beginner’s Guide To Bronzing Baby Shoes

Ever heard of bronzing baby shoe for keepsake purposes? Keep on reading and you will find out why this idea is so cool!

Getting to see kids grow up is one of the most exciting privileges of parenthood but along with that is a certain sadness wherein they will never be that small ever again.

Luckily, innovations have surfaced as a way of preserving our just how small your child used to be such as bronzing baby shoes or using plaster. As a result of this, many couples and families have turned to keepsakes to immortalize their kid’s childhood like keeping little bits of clothing, shoes, hats, mittens, toys and whatever else.

Your baby's first steps happen only once. Preserve that memory perpetually. #BronzeBabyShoes #keepsake #BabyDotDot

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But besides keeping things that have sentimental value, there are also ways of immortalizing things. This includes bronzing baby shoes wherein you are reminded of just how tiny your child used to be and turn things such as shoes into trinkets that you can proudly put on display around your house.

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Bronze Baby Shoes

In the past, one of the most common ways on immortalizing a child’s size was by making plaster replicas of their hands or feet. But these are more often than not, breakable and irreparable when damaged; some parents also prefer immortalizing an actual piece of clothing that has been used by their children.

Hence comes another way that parents use to immortalize memories, by putting clothing items in large picture frames where they would eventually weather, crack, discolor, and degrade in quality. After that comes in the newest way of immortalizing memories by bronzing baby shoes.

What Are Bronze Baby Shoes?

Bronzing baby shoes is a sure-fire way to immortalize keepsakes forever in a way where you are keeping an actual item that holds sentimental value and that was used by your baby. Bronzing baby shoes also ensure that the item is sturdy and will not weather over time.

Bronzed baby shoes are also very aesthetically pleasing and can be displayed anywhere around the home regardless of what your home decorating theme might be. The actual process of bronzing baby shoes is done very carefully by using a thin layer of metal (or bronze in this case) over any item, more commonly shoes.

Bronzing baby shoes can be done professionally or through DIY methods but regardless of the material of the shoes, they can be immortalized. More often than not, parents opt to have both shoes bronzed together as a lasting memory, keepsake, and possible glimpse into the past for further generations.

How Much Does It Cost?

Any keepsake that allows you to reminisce a moment of the past whenever you look at it will be invaluable and priceless which is why more and more people are opting for bronzing baby shoes.

Because of the wide array of people that are leaning more and more towards this service, an extensive and competitive price market for bronzed baby shoes has emerged with some services going from approximately $30 and with some going for as much as $100 or higher.

Many companies have even released DIY bronzing kits which allow people to take charge and bronze their baby’s shoes on their own at home.

This is a handy option for those that may not want to spend too much on professional services or for those who have attached so much sentimental value for an item that they are not willing to take the risk of it getting lost in the mail.

Shipping and handling costs will vary depending on the professional you enlist to bronze your baby’s shoes for you.

Why Is The Range Of Cost So Wide?

The sturdiness and durability of bronze go without question even when mixed with other metals as the finished product is merely for display, and regardless of what is used, a bronzed baby shoe will still be encased and preserved as an everlasting keepsake.

Thickness is also not part of the criteria in price as a particular layer will need to be applied to maintain the original shape of the shoe.

The difference in price is mostly from professional experience where more professionals may be more sought after than others and hence may charge a bit more for the 100% guarantee of satisfaction for your product.

How Bronzing Baby Shoe Is Done?

When it comes to anything that has sentimental value, especially those things belonging to your children, it is only natural that you get a bit worried about the whole process.

Well, for those it may benefit and for those who are greatly relieved by knowing how a particular process is done, here is a list of steps most commonly taken in the process of bronzing baby shoes:

As most baby shoes are often soft, applying a layer of bronze would damage its shape, and there is no do over’s when it comes to bronze. Hence the first step will always be applying a special resin to the shoes to stiffen them enough that it can handle the weight of the bronze.
After this special resin is applied, the professional will have a window before it dries to form the actual shoe and any shoe laces. Placing shoe laces or any ribbons in a shoe allows the bronzing process to take on specific curves and features that any show may have.
After the show laces, ribbons or whatever loose pieces of material in the shoe are properly formed, the shoe is recoated to ensure that the integrity of all areas is kept intact for plating.
The shoes will then be transferred onto a plating rack to ensure that all corners are covered equally and that there are no traces of marks on the shoe where a professional would have otherwise held it in place.
After plating, the shoes will be left on the rack for a minimum of three hours to ensure that the bronze has settled and dried entirely and is fused onto the shoes.
When the integrity of the newly plated and dried bronze is confirmed, the shoes will be removed from the rack and polished to even out any uneven edges, drips, and to improve the smoothness and luster of the bronze.
After the shoes are polished down to the best abilities of the professional, another protective coating is used to ensure that the bronze and its polished smoothness are maintained without any scratches.
Once the last protective coating is done being applied, the shoes will be done and ready to ship unless you have opted to have them mounted on a plate. Shoes can be mounted flat on a plate or slightly elevated at the heel to be fully visible at all angles. Some people prefer not to have any mounting at all to appreciate the shoes in their fullness and not miss out on any details that may be hidden by mounting.

And there you have it, the process on how baby shoes are bronzed. You can find the whole process in the video below. Does this seem simple or complicated to you? Because remember, there are DIY kits available at any local craft store so you can have the option of doing this yourself.

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DIY Baby Shoe Bronzing Kits

If you are handicraft savvy and are confident enough to bronze baby shoes yourself, then you might want to check out some DIY kits so you can do the bronzing on your own at home. The advantages of a DIY bronzing kit include:

Adjusting the shoe and its parts (laces and etc.) to your exact specifications and not having to rely on a professional’s ability to follow exact and specific instructions.
A DIY kit lasts, and you will be able to keep all your materials for bronzing other shoes in the future as a DIY kit will have enough for more than one pair of shoes.

Here’s an example of a DIY baby shoe bronzing kit, what it contains, and the instructions and steps you need to take to do it all yourself.

Just remember that all the materials provided in this baby shoe bronzing kit, and in many kits will be able to bronze not just one pair of baby shoes but as much as you possibly can until the constituents run out.

Professionals may offer a lower rate as compared to this because you will be paying for just one pair of baby shoes and hence the materials used for just one pair as opposed to the amount provided for you in a DIY kit.

Is Baby Shoe Bronzing Too Expensive For You?

Cost effectiveness is a very important thing to consider in today’s society, especially with all the recent economy changes. Bronzing baby shoes is a timeless classic that will last a lifetime, but some people just don’t have the money to invest in it.

Don’t worry; there are cheaper alternatives that you can opt for and even do yourself, such as this idea used on this website.

Remember that even with bronzing baby shoes; the bronzed shoe was covered with a special coating to protect it from scratches and to maintain its integrity.

Well, with a simpler and much cheaper option such as that stated above, your shoe can have the effect of bronzing without actually bronzing it, and as long as it is covered in a protective material, it will be immortalized just as a bronzed baby shoe would.

Who Can Bronze Baby Shoes In My Area?

Though many different companies bronze baby shoes, you would want one of the best to handle your sentimental treasure. Here are examples of some baby shoe bronzing companies around the world that can do a great service for you.

American Bronzing Company

The American Bronzing Company, have withstood the tests of time and have been in operation since before shoe bronzing even attained great popularity. This company has been open since 1934, and its professionals offer only the best services for your keepsakes.

With the American Bronzing company you are fully assured that your sentimental treasure will be immortalized in only the best way possible. American Bronzing Company can fulfill international order too.

British Baby Shoe Bronzing Co.

If anyone knows something about maintaining classic heirlooms, it’s the British. As one of the most well-known countries in the world for maintaining ancient replicas, the UK has gained a reputation for impeccable standards in the field of shoe bronzing as well.

The British Baby Shoe Bronzing company made up of a select team of individuals that are not only exceptionally skilled in their trade but that also love what they do, this company has been making immortalized treasures for years.

Impressionable Kids

If you are in Australia or are willing to handle the shipping costs, Impressionable Kids is a fantastic company that doesn’t just offer bronzed baby shoes but uses different materials as well such as nickel and even pure 24 karat gold.

Besides that, Impressionable Kids also encases not only shoes but nearly anything you can think of such as cord clamps, pacifiers, and they even make classic hand and foot impressions.

Everyone wants to keep memories from the past and especially if those memories are of children who grow up so fast. Bronzed baby shoes, whether done professionally, on your own or improvised, are worth it.