Recycled Glitter Shoes

Let's face it, girls. Most of us all have one big addiction that can be summed up in one big word:

shoes

There never seems to be enough to suit our needs or enough space to keep our collection. The perfect outfit is not completed until there are matching shoes to go with it, so I've come up with a little solution: the recycled glitter shoe. 

I decided to try my hand at recycling some old heels after running across a link to Aisha Voya's "Geeky Glitter Shoe" Etsy Shop on a pinterest board. Shoes here can be ordered in a variety of geeky styles, colors, and designs--and if your freehand isn't so great, I'd highly recommend you skip the crafting and jump on your Etsy account as the stenciling, artwork, and overall quality is amazing if you're in the market for a new pair of shoes.

However, as I'm trying to downsize the shoe collection, I decided to recycle an old icky pair. After a trip to my local Jo-Ann Fabrics and a quick loot through my closet I was able to come up with the supplies and my own design for my recycled glitter shoes.

What You'll Need:
A make-over worthy pair of shoes, your choice of glitter (or paint), a stencil or a design idea, mod podge, a paintbrush, and some varnish.

 


Step 1:
Mix your glitter and mod podge. The amount of glitter you add depends on the amount of glitter you want so use your best judgement. Use the paintbrush to apply this to your shoes. You'll want to give this a while to dry (or break out a hair dryer if you're impatient) and apply another 1-2 coats. (Ignore the red in the photo--I learned about the stenciling process the hard way.)


 Step 2: 
Add your design. If you don't have a design feel free to skip this step. Plain glitter shoes often look great and are a big hit with the Dorothy costumes at Halloween.

If you decide to add a logo or design, there are a few ways to do this. If you're comfortable painting freehand you can use some acrylic or leather paint to sketch your own design or symbol onto the shoe. If your design is basic enough to tape down a stencil and paint over the top (either with standard paints or more glitter-mod podge mixture), this is another good option. I took my chances with freehand as the Cobra Commander didn't provide much simplicity in his logo.

Step 3: 
Once your design has dried, go ahead and apply the varnish to the shoes. This leaves a nice sheen on the shoe and keeps you from leaving a trail of glitter wherever you step.  I used two coats.

Be careful when applying the varnish not to be too heavy handed with the brush. If the liquid clumps for whatever reason you'll have streaking or white clumping on the shoes.

Step 4: Hit the town--or grab another pair of shoes. Knowing is half the battle!

 

Super Mario Perler Bead Bank

What resolutions did you make for the New Year?

We've all got the old standbys: work out more, get that promotion, save some money. While I can't guarantee you'll get much exercise out of the Mario Coin Bank (maybe some extra hand-eye coordination with those tiny beads), it's a cute way to start the year off saving or even teach your children the value of a penny saved.

A girlfriend of mine got me interested in the Perler Bead Crafts, but I soon got a bit bored with the two-dimensional designs. This three-dimensional bank cost me less than $10.00 to make complete with beads, template, glue, parchment and plenty of supplies left over for more crafts. All of these supplies can be found at your local Wal-mart or craft store or even purchased directly from EK Success Brands website.

Step 1: 

Typically Perler beads are bought in bulk, so you're going to want to separate your supply into the colors you need. For this project, I primarily used yellow, black, and white.

Step 2: 

Lay your beads out in the pattern indicated below. I have enlarged the photo to make the template easier to follow. You will need four sides in this pattern. Your fifth side should be a solid color. Your sixth side should have an empty row in the center. 

Step 3: 

Place the parchment paper over the beads and iron gently, passing over every 10-15 seconds. Once finished ironing, be sure not to remove the parchment paper until the beads have completely cooled--this may ruin the design.

Step 4: Glue all six sides together. It is easiest to glue each "?" side to the solid base first and then glue the slotted piece on top.

Step 5: Start saving! And be sure to share the pictures of your finished products!