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Thursday, October 18, 2012

Shoe Intervention

I am really stuck in my ways when it comes to what I wear. I am also really lucky that the “kinda-hippie-lazy-Bohemian” style comes back in to popularity every few years.

When it comes to shoes I really get stuck. I do not like to be uncomfortable. I will wear a pair of shoes well past their prime because they still feel good. Back in the day it was not unusual for my husband/friend/sister to run an intervention and demand I buy a new pair of shoes.

I am also cheap. Oh, and I don’t usually follow a fad. Hmm… that it? yup.

Well, I did this one time. I wanted a pair of Toms so bad. Than it took me a year to justify the price tag on these little canvas flats. Finally I did buckle and buy a pair. Justifiably I used Christmas money. I reasoned with myself that I was technically buying two pairs of shoes and earning Karma credit points in the meantime. Then they turned out to not be my most comfortable pair of shoes. That would be these hideous beasts:

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Love ‘em. Wear these babies like everyday I am required by weather to wear socks. I did end up wearing  my not so comfortable Toms to death. Like toe sticking out the top, death. See:

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Then I remember that one of the blog-moms I follow did a brilliant re-vamp of her worn out Toms. So over to Cheri. I headed to this post that you must absolutely check out. Cheri is brilliantly talented and bright and kind. I have been following her as long as I have had this dang blog up. She is worthy of a peek.

This is what I did following her direction… ready?

I gathered my supplies:

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Took me a few stops to find these adhesive sheets and I am so glad I had a coupon ‘cuz these little shits are pricey! I am in my office and as I have stated more than a dozen times I am not photographer, so just deal with the bad light and crappy color representation. K?

Then I set up my “workstation”:

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Ha! I just felt like crafting in the pit of hell I refer to as my “desk”. The toilet in the first floor bathroom is clean so shut up.

Not all of my desk looks like crap. Remember these:

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They survived the move and I love them so much that I gave them a permanent home on top of my desk’s hutch. *sigh*

I’m off track. Again. Anyway… I began by applying the adhesive sheet across the stitched line and smoothing it as flat as I could manage.

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Then trimmed it up a bit which glued up my scissors for the rest of their life.

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I peeled off the paper backing and was ready to apply my tacky fabric. Putting the fabric down was simple and being the professional I am I missed a step in the photos. Then out of nowhere my flash decides to go off and you get an illuminated pic of the next step:

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You have to put in the pleats and secure them down, too. For this the tutorial I was following used little bits of the adhesive sheet. I have way less patience and whipped out my other friends:

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The liquid counterpart of the sheets and some good ol’ Fray Check for the edges (which dries clear, no worries).

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After only ten months of wear these shoes were headed for the trash. If I failed with this project they were just a time suck and still trash. It ended up that I really kinda like the new spin which will give them a few more months to live on my stinky feet.

Take that shoe shopping! To the rest of the tacky clothes in my closet: you have a new friend. Be nice.