From Blah Navy to Too Cute Pink Pumps! Happy Shoesday, Y’all!

Have you ever been shoe shopping in a hurry? You find the perfect pair of pumps in the currently set budget AND they fit! You finally look down at your feet after wearing them a time or two dozen you realize that these suckers aren’t the basic black pumps you thought. They’re stinkin’ navy!

I’d like to say that this has only happened to me once but that would be a lie. So, noticing this particular pair of navy blue pumps sitting in my closet that I love the style of but never wear because of the color, I decided to mix things up a bit and go pink. Not just any pink… Legally Blonde Pink. Yeah! ‘Cause what’s more useful than navy blue pumps? Well, not pink ones but I’ll be rocking them anyway!

So – do you have a pair of real leather shoes that you want to revamp? Maybe you want an off the wall color that isn’t readily available? Well then this tute is just for you!

For this project you’ll need: real leather shoes, masking tape, pen, paper, scissors, leather spray paint (I used Melatonian Nu-Life in the color Rose) and a crayon if your shoes are scuffed.

STEP 1: This is by far the most important step. The better you tape your shoes off, the better they are going to look in the end… Be sure to cover up any buckles, heels and soles – including the bottom of your shoe. You don’t want to be that girl with who OBVIOUSLY spray painted her shoes every time you cross your legs and pull your feet up off the floor!

Trace your shoe onto a sheet of paper. It doesn’t need to be perfect, just the basic shape. If you shoes are sling backs, like mine, sandals, or open toes, use tape to attach, being mindful to follow the sole’s curves. If you’re shoes are closed, go ahead and pop your paper in to keep from spraying the inside bottoms, but don’t worry about taping it in… You may need to trim your paper up a bit from your original cut out to make it work.

STEP 2: Spray paint your shoes with a very light coat. Allow to dry about 30 minutes.

If you have nasty scuffs on your shoes, never fear! After your first coat, use a crayon close to the color you are spraying. Go over the suede-like area to seal it up.

Continue spraying, (coloring if necessary), and allowing your shoes to dry fully between.

STEP 3: Let you shoes sit, at least overnight. Tear off that masking tape and use fingernail polish remover and a cotton swab to remove any over spray.

WARNING!!! I have learned the hard way – DO NOT use plain old spray paint from the  hardware store on real leather. It cracks and peels and ruins the leather. You can find specialty leather spray paint at shoe repair shops or on Ebay. If you want to use the brand I did, search for Melatonian Nu Life (click the free shipping because some of the vendors will really screw you on that). On Ebay  you can get a can for around $8 shipped!