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| Please ignore the chipped toenail polish! |
This
weekend has been one of transforming shoes. First, I wanted to make some bat
bows and add them to some black flip-flops. I’ve included a picture with my
supplies but I’m not very good at a step-by-step progress because I sort of
just wing it. Bwa ha ha… pun intended! Get it! Get it! Um, *clears throat*
moving on.
I
bought some fabric glue but honestly I really didn’t need to use it. I ended
out cutting felt into some batwing-shaped designs. I didn’t have a pattern. And
this was my third design with the first two just looking a bit too
ordinary-bow-like for me. I hand stitched the bows together and then stitched
them onto the flip-flops. I personally love Columbia flip-flops because they have
a bit more support than regular ol’ beach flip-flops and they have a running
shoe type sole.
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| Transformed Dr. Martens Bessie sandals |
The
second item on my shoe transformation list was a pair of “gladiator-inspired”
Dr. Martens Bessie sandals that I purchased last fall. I was hoping for a sale since the
original price at $180ish; I waited too long and missed my size in black.
Instead for under $50 I could buy the Oxblood which I thought would be a bit
more red but looked much more brown…sigh. I planned to do a little DIY magic
but it’s taken me this long to get my act together.
I
ordered Angelus leather preparer/deglazer, leather paints in Passion Purple and
black, and high gloss acrylic finisher from Dharma Trading Co. On their site they
have a how-to video for preparing the shoes. I watched it and then gave it a
go. I wasn’t so sure about adding the bat stamps because it wasn’t easy to
stamp the shoes evenly. But after adding the acrylic finisher, I was pretty
pleased.
Both shoes are gorgeous! I am definitely going to follow your bat DIY ideas if ever I get flipflops. It has been so cold here in Finland I wore my winter boots last week! :O
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteIt was almost 100 here yesterday. I wish the weather were a bit more moderate. Consistantly cold doesn't sound too good but maybe a day or two of a chill might be nice.
Cute! :D I love the bat bows.
ReplyDeleteYour blog inspires me while simultaneously acting as a reminder to stop fussing and do something about it :) Thanks for that.
DeleteYay! I'm so happy to hear that! Sharing and inspiration are the goals of the blog. :D
DeleteYou have inspired me again! I have a pair of linen zip-up wedge shoes that I got at Target on clearance for practically nothing. Love the shoes, but discovered that the linen color isn't my favorite (and I don't really have anything to wear them with.) With the motivation that this post provides, I think I will break out my paints and see what I can do to these shoes. They're cloth, so no specialized leather supplies are necessary (I hope). I'll let ya know how it turns out.
ReplyDeleteCool! Linen should be somewhat easy to paint! Can't wait to see the new versions :D
DeleteI really like the purple sandals. I am looking for new sandals as well, still don't know which kind I want to choose.
ReplyDeleteI've had success with Fly London but I am brutal on sandals with my commute. After a year or so, my soles are shot.
DeleteWho knew there was such a thing as leather paint? I generally just dye my shoes or boots plain black, but this information offers up so many possibilities. Thanks for that useful info! **runs to closet to see what shoes could use a makeover** ;)
ReplyDeleteI intentional left out the first step of me spray painting them last year and how the paint immediately cracked... ah, the fun part of DIY is trial and error :p
DeleteGreat updates to otherwise mundane shoes! Well, the fushia ones weren't exactly mundane, but they're wonderful now! :-) I've been itching to fiddle with some of mine, sounds like a now is a good time to do it.
ReplyDeleteDo it! Let me know how it turns out.
DeleteThe flip-flops are really just garden/quick errands shoes but I needed to do something to them and I've been wanting to make the bat bows I always see on Pinterest or Etsy.
I also thank you for the leather paint info, I had no idea it existed. I have a ridiculous number of boots. I wonder if I could pinstripe a pair, or wrap some tentacles....I see a craft day coming!
ReplyDeleteOkay that sounds amazing! I'm not sure I could be that crafty at freehand tentacles but I can't wait to see your attempt!
DeleteAmazing work! They are both wonderful but that second pair!!!!! Oh wowwwww!
ReplyDeleteThanks. I think they turned out pretty snazzy :)
DeleteOh my! All these shoes are fabulous, well done!
ReplyDeleteYour shoes are amazing! I never dared to make any changes to shoes but you make me think I could do it!
ReplyDeleteYou can!
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