Refresh your rubber boots

Do you have a pair of old rubber boots that lack some lustre? Spruce them up with a fresh coat of paint and your own design!

To get started, you'll need:

• A pair of boots
• Spray paint that specifically states that it sticks to plastics or rubber
• A stencil for your design (you can cut your own—just use paper or cardboard, and scissors or a utility blade). If you want to use more than one colour in your design, make sure you'll be able to cover the parts for other colours when you're spraying.

Start with a base coat of paint to the entire boot. Make sure to get the paint in any crevices. Let the first coat dry and add a second coat, following the directions for multiple coats on your paint can.

Let the paint dry until it doesn't feel sticky to the touch before proceeding to the next step.

Tape your stencil to the boot. Make sure that the stencil is flush against the boot, or your design won't come out clearly.

To make sure the rest of the boot doesn't get sprayed by accident, it's a good idea to cover it with a sheet of plastic. Start by cutting a hole in a plastic drop sheet that fits around your stencil.

Select the first colour you want to put on your boot. Cover the areas you don't want in that colour with a shield, then spray the exposed areas.

Use tape to secure the plastic drop sheet to the stencil, being careful not to cover any of your design.

Repeat the process for each colour in your design, covering the areas you don't want painted that colour.

Once the paint has had a few hours to dry, peel off your stencil.

You now have a painted boot to wear around your garden, or out and about on rainy days.

If your boot didn't turn out as you'd hoped, you can always start again with a new base coat, or repurpose the boots as charming planters for small plants.