A friend of mine was looking for a new home for her beloved rocking horse. A cute little wooden horse that she’d bought for her children who have now outgrown him. She needed space so baby Dobbin needed a new family.

She sent me his photo and asked if I’d like to be his new mummy … I jumped at the chance.

BEFORE

As soon as I saw his lovely long legs and sturdy neck, I knew he was no ordinary rocking horse. There was a zebra in there desperate to show his true stripes!

It took me a couple of weeks to collate the ideas in my head, actually I’m not sure if I really had a definite idea until I started painting. But being the closet zebra I knew he was, I began with a head to tail coat of Annie Sloan Old White; bright enough to be fresh but tinted enough to look natural. I painted his saddle, tail and little tufty mane in Autentico Nearly Black which gave a lovely velvety finish.

BLACK AND WHITE

He didn’t really start to come alive until I gave him his zebra decoupage face; I “rocked” him up with some co-ordinating, but random, blank and white patterns.

Just looking at his gorgeous stripy face, I knew I wanted to keep him forever … He would be our Vintage Rocks Mascot.

GORGEOUS STRIPES

I added our logo on one side of his rocker

VINTAGE ROCKS LOGO

and our web address with some freestyle, hand painted, Indian ink mehndi style design on his rocker.

MEHNDI DESIGN

AND HE IS COMPLETE …

AFTER

Now, all he needs is a name!

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