A crafty mum-of-two has put her painting skills to great use to create a royal carriage for her own little princess.
Heather Greenwood, 23, has completely transformed a kiddie car using stickers and left-over paint – and reckons it cost her a grand total of £20 to complete.
The Douglas-based mum is no stranger to upcycling projects, often creating art using sticks she finds alongside children Rory, 6, and Mila, 1.
When she came across a Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Car, which was being given away for free, she saw an opportunity to create a bespoke surprise present for her daughter’s Christmas.
The social sciences student said: “When I got the car it was covered in spiders, spider webs and beetles.
“I was out the front of my flats bleaching it all and was actually close to giving up, but my neighbour said I had to keep going, especially since I had cleaned most of it by this point.
“I already had the Frenchic paint from other crafts that I had done, so I think in all it cost me about £20 for the stickers I put on it as well.
“My daughter absolutely loves anything princess-like so it seemed the perfect theme, and I can’t wait for her to see it on Christmas day.
“I just really want to show my kids and others that you can make something out of nothing.
“My son Rory loves to get involved and we have pieces of art we have made hanging around the house he gets so excited and proud when he sees it.”
As well as being a purse-friendly option for Heather, her crafting and upcycling also acts as a means of relaxation and escape from mental health issues.
Around five years ago she was studying painting and decorating at college but didn’t continue in that career path.
“Now though I am using those skills I learned and turning them into a positive, and when I am painting or doing my crafts it is my total escape from it all,” she said.
Heather’s handy work has now caught the attention of people across the country after her upcycle was shared on a DIY Facebook page.
Heather added: “It has been mental the amount of people who have shared the pictures of the car and said they want to do the same thing.
“I bet lots of kids will be getting their own cars for Christmas this year.
“The makers of the paint have also asked to use my images to show off what their product can be used for, which is just amazing. I love doing my crafts and it is great getting to do it alongside my kids too.”
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