Nothing a little paint can't fix...

Oh, my, have I been having some fun lately.  

It all started when I came across this very comfortable pair of white leather loafers at the end-of-summer sale at Marshall's.  I already had a pair of comfortable white leather loafers and walked away.

It wasn't until I was driving home that I thought, But, what if I PAINTED them?

The next time I had a free moment I googled "shoe painting" and sure 'nuf--there's quite a world out there of which I was unaware!!

I clicked on a You Tube video and as I watched this woman paint a shoe I was HOOKED!  

I didn't need to go further so can only recommend this book, Sassy Feet, by Margot Silk Forrest and Destiny Carter.  (You'll love their You Tube "how-to" video and the website, www.sassyfeet.com.)  I ordered the paint and the brushes they recommended and couldn't wait to begin!

I LOVE shoes!!  I really do.  I love shopping for them, wearing them, looking at them and even giving them away when I'm ready to say goodbye to them. I have shoes for all occasions, boots for all weather conditions, sandals for hot summer days and slippers for snug winter nights.  It's a wonderful world of shoes out there--and, it just got more colorful for me!!

I decided to start with a pair of leather cowboy boots in a rather odd hue of green.  Yes, green.  (I know, what was I thinking?)  Meet the "before" green boots.

I should point out that the blue painter's tape that I precisely placed where the sole meets the upper boot is totally unnecessary.  It was even a hindrance.  So, note to self:  Trust the fan brush.  It works precisely enough that one doesn't need to waste time taping.

You'll see that I have a couple plastic containers on the table.  I keep one with water--this is an acrylic paint--and one to use as a palette of sorts.  If you make a mistake, no problem, just moisten a cloth and wipe away.  And, if you get interrupted and need to put your brush aside, place it in the container with water to keep it from drying out.

If you decide to jump into this I hope you will read the book for yourself to understand the process and all the possibilities, but if you just want the Toby Short-Cut Version, continue reading.

Prepping the leather is simple--a cotton ball or a rag with rubbing alcohol to wipe over the leather.  For synthetic materials use fingernail polish remover.  And, that's it for the prep work.

I ordered both pearlized paint and basic primary paint colors.  As an artist who has worked with both oil and acrylic paints, I figured I could just about mix any color I wanted with the basic colors of red, blue, yellow, black and white.  I was right. If you are a beginner painter without mixing experience you might want to order the exact color you want instead of trying to mix it.

I decided to color block my boots using the pearlized paint.  Ooh-la-la!  From green to glam!! Another Note to Self:  It doesn't take long for the coats to dry but don't be in a hurry to apply another coat before the first one is completely dry.  I kinda rushed it on this pair and had to do a few minor repairs when I wore them the first time and the creased the toe.  So, now I give the paint plenty of time to dry and have had zero problems/repairs.

My first color block--PINK!

Pink toes, orange-rust heels and upper front and coral upper back!

I dusted the toes and heels with the orange-rust to give them added pizazz!

For my next amazing effort, I decided to paint a pair of shoes and boots for my granddaughter, Bella, who just turned 7 years old.  I bought a pair of black ballet flats and a pair of black boots, both comprised of man-made materials.

I was surprised at how differently the same pearlized paint looked on this synthetic material as opposed to my leather cowboy boots.  It was an entirely different color but still fun and colorful.















For the ballet flats I custom mixed a periwinkle color and used two different shades to emphasize the style changes in the shoe.  I liked the color so much, I found a black pair of leather flats in my closet to paint periwinkle, too!

I decided to pick up a pair of taller leather cowboy boots at a consignment store ($15) for my next color block effort and loved the result!!

Original red-brown color.

I also dusted the toes and heels with a pewter color to break up the expanse of turquoise.

From above, they look fabulous with jeans!

You can see that I'm having waaaaayyyyy too much fun with all of this!  Here's my last "before" and "after"-- another pair of leather cowboy boots from the consignment store purchased last spring for $5.  

This time I wanted to pick up some of my favorite colors from a wool shawl that I often wear.

This required a little color-mixing luck and saavy to get just the hues I wanted, but I am delighted with the results.

Instead of the pearlized paints I used the basic primary colors and you can see the lovely results!

The finishing touch, by the way, (and this will make you smile) is a coat (or two or three) of Pledge with FUTURE Shine Premium Floor Finish!  No, really!  Not only does it seal the paint but it protects the paint job.  (And, yes, Sassy Feet sells it in very affordable small amounts.)

I have had to put my paints away for now--but only because I have other artistic pursuits to complete prior to my first Holiday Boutique with four other women artists the first week of December at The Boardwalk Gallery in Windsor, 115 N. 5th Street.

For more information on that please go to: www.tobybakerart.com

So, if you're a shoeaholic like I am and have lots of comfortable shoes that you don't wear very often because you have too many black flats or the color has gotten weary, I hope you'll consider a fantasy flight with a little shoe paint!!