Purple Shoes

I think I need to apologize for this post. I was really tired and rambling on when I wrote it. Sorry! 

I needed shoes to wear to my cousin's wedding next weekend. I found one pair of dark pink wedges that went nicely with the dress I'm going to wear, but with their 4 1/2 inch heels, I couldn't see myself wearing them ever again (I was close to six feet in them and pink isn't really my color anyway). I thought of wearing my vintage-looking brown leather heels, but decided to do something to some shimmery black ballet flats I had instead. 

The original color. I got these at Target last fall for a really good price They look dusty and tired in this photo, but, other than the underneath edges, they actually didn't look bad in real life.

I came across this tutorial and, oh my lands, I loved those shoes so much that I decided to buy glitter as soon as the shops opened the next morning. However, as I was setting something on my desk a few moments later, I noticed some small bottles of acrylic craft paint (opens in pdf) that I've had for a while and recalled this tutorial I'd seen in my shoe re-vamping searches. Well, that decided it. I had the paint--in the perfect purple shade (Pansy), to boot--and I was procrastinating making the wedding gift (napkins), so painted shoes I would try post haste!

Sorry there's only one foot. I'd already started painting the other shoe before I realized I should get a 'Before' shot with them on my feet.

I cut in the edges next to the sole and the top first, then put on a first coat--easy peasy. The second coat, especially next to the edges, went on even more easily than the first. And, that was it. Two coats of paint--one thin (primer) and one thick (finish coat), and they looked brand new. A third coat might make them slightly more perfect-looking, but I highly doubt anyone will be looking at my wide feet intently enough to determine that there's a slight thinnish (not even really noticeable) spot in the color on one of them. Even if they did notice it, it's not like they're going to think, "Wow, Serena must have painted those shoes and not done a very good job. Tsk tsk."

Purple! The color coordinates perfectly with the dress I'm going to wear.

To say I am pleased with the way these turned out would be understating it. I love 'em! I was also rather happy when my husband looked at them closely and asked how I'd cut in the edges so well. As a house painter, he knows a good cut in line. ;) To answer his question, I used a 3/8" angle brush. It was perfect for the job, and did just fine covering the large spaces, too.

A side view.

So I ended up with the perfect shoes, that are more comfortable, wearable, and a much better color for me.

The "Casual Pose"
I apologize for showcasing my bony, veiny, flip-flop-tanned feet.

And, since I already had the shoes and the paint, they didn't cost me a penny. Woo-hoo to that!

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Blogger is messing with me right now and doing all sorts of weird things, so I apologize for weird formatting and anything else, including the fact that I tried to schedule this for Monday and it published it under Monday's date but posted it immediately.