Upcycle Old Shoes: Glitter Heels

If you're like me, the winter blues hit the hardest at this time of year.  Usually for me that means that my credit card takes that hardest hit around this time of year, but this year I'm determined to stick to a budget.  So, that means putting away that plastic and taking out the thinking cap!  This hopefully means more DIYs for you all!

I know glittered shoes have been done many times before, but I thought I'd show you my take on this simple project.  Here I am upcycling an old worn pair of heels and turning them into something I can proudly wear once the weather is a little less slushy.

These are a pair of neutral suede shoes, found at the thrift store 3-4 years ago.  Can you tell I loved these shoes?  Unfortunately due to the wear and tear, I haven't been able to wear them for a while.

       

Time to show these heels some love!

You will need:

1 pair of shoes

Masking tape

Glitter in the colour(s) of your choice

Adhesive (Like Modge Podge)

Something to cover your work space

1. Clean your shoes with the appropriate cleaner before hand, and make sure they are thoroughly dried before beginning.

2.  I started out doing a glittered toe cap.  To do this, tape off the front section of the toe with your masking tape.  Press tape down firmly to ensure clean lines.  I had intended to do a stripe of glitter, which is why there are two strips of tape, but I opted against it later on.

3. Apply a thin coat of adhesive to the area you wish to add glitter to, and then sprinkle a thin layer of glitter over the glue.  Tap off excess glitter, and let glue dry completely before adding a second or third coat.  How many coats you apply really depends on how thick your layers of glitter are, and how opaque you want the glitter to be.

5.  Remove the tape, and let your shoes dry overnight.

5. Once shoes are completely dry, shake out over covered work surface to remove excess glitter.  Also try shoes on and stomp around in them for a bit to shake out any glitter that would normally fall while walking.  At this point if you are planning to use a sealant, this would be the time to apply it.  However  do not personally like the look of a sealant, so I opted out of it.

And that's it!  This DIY is truly super simple, but definitely worth the work!  Hope some of you found this helpful!

Cheers to upcycling shoes and saving money!

- xoxo, Jayy