"if the shoe fits"...

…”wear it,” right?! okay, but what if they are less than desirable? enter the most rad do it yourself project (i think); super easy & too cute not to share!

a few weeks back, i was watching a disney channel program with monkey & happened to notice one of the little actresses with a really cool pair of hi-top sneakers on. they were very colorful & appeared to have some sort of comic strippy type design. hmm…i could fashion something like that with a pair of old flats. i hit the ole google to see if there were any other crafters out there with the same thought. of course, there was! awesome! (because i really needed a clue in to a good & effective sealer for said project)

materials:

a pair of misfit flats or heels begging for love

comic books

awesome scissors

mod podge (washable or disposable plate/dish for glue. i used a moe’s kid’s cup top…i only had a million of them)

sponge brushes

nail file/buffer

clear acrylic spray sealant

patience!

if you don’t own any comic books or refuse to go at your personal stash with scissors, then you’ll need to visit your local comic book store (best place ever!) other than offering a huge array (if you’re looking for a specific character), most stores will have a pretty decent selection of comics costing next to nothing. this is where i headed…2 books, 2 dollars…sold. if some of you are wondering if i picked up an extra ‘wonder woman’ or two…i did, but not to cut. it just kinda felt sacrilege to me…ha!

so you have your shoes to makeover & comics picked out? it’s time to get creative. make sure your surface area (shoe) is free & clear of any dust, dirt, etc. flip through your comics & tear out pages that “speak” to you. for instance, i chose a color & a black & white to work with. i went through the black & white comic & cut out pictures here & there to set as my basic all over backdrop for the shoe. there’s absolutely no rhyme or reason; the thing that i love most about this upcycle. it doesn’t have to be precise…at all. everything will need to be cut into smaller strips, triangles, squares, etc. anyway. so if you find any words that you like: pow, bam, wobash!, set those to the side for now.

starting around the edges of the shoes, take your brush dipped in mod podge & glue on your pieces; working your way in, saving the seams & toes for last. they tend to be a little trickier. also, when working around twists & turns, you may find cutting smaller pieces works best. it’s like putting together a puzzle. once both shoes are covered, let them air dry for about 24 hours. if you’ve missed a spot or two, it’s quite alright. you can go back & cover them later.

next, i took out my color comic book & looked for fun words & pictures to glue onto the existing black & white. but, no rules! you may have other artsy ideas for your new walkabouts. (p.s. it’s time to grab those words or whatevers that you set aside) when my pieces were set to my liking & a few slivers were filled in, i went over both shoes again with mod podge; for an all-over finish.

hang on, we're almost done!

again, let them air dry. 24 hours, or to the point where they are not tacky to the touch. take your nail file/buffer to gently wipe away any glue buildup or rough areas. this will also add a nice shine to the overall appearance, & lead to the final step…the sealant! (yes, more waiting, but worth it!)

i thought that they came out great & i can’t wait to wear them! with any project, i usually start searching for other things to create, add to, or cover up. it’s fun…& it keeps me out of trouble.