do-it-yourself shoe makeovers

I was asked to be a friend’s maid of honor last summer – she had given me the color she wanted me to wear, but had otherwise given me free rein to choose my own accessories.

Which was fine….

Except that she was getting married in the middle of a famer’s field, at least a half-mile walk out.

In knee-high grass.

In August.

I needed a comfortable pair of shoes, that looked feminine, matched my deep rust colored dress, covered my toes, wouldn’t sink into the soft field and would stay on securely.

After walking around several shoes stores with a blank look on my face – I had a brainstorm!

I found a cute pair of white, eyelet fabric espadrilles.  They’re comfortable, won’t fall off & looked feminine.

But… they’re white.  I’m not the bride, and besides – we’re in a field!

I still liked them, so I bought them, took them home & contemplated…  I’m a fiber artist, speciallizing in making art quilts, and I end up painting quite a bit of my own fabric.  I looked at my paint containers, and then at the color of my dress & came up with this:

Voila – the acrylic fabric paint worked beautifully!  Unfortunately, the ribbon that came with the shoes was sadly lacking.

Plain white 3/4″ matte ribbon – not that inspiring…

I found some much more interesting pink-shading-to-orange striped ribbon and threaded it through…

Shoes that fit my criteria, fit me, and looked very cute… even if you couldn’t see them in the grass