Shine on you crazy diamond, pt. 2

Remember those green glittered shoes? These? I ended up returning them (and sold the other shoes I bought that day. It was fail all around). I just couldn't make the sizing work, and for St. Patrick's Day-esque shoes, I wasn't really willing to make it work.

I really wanted something in green glitter though, so I decided I was going to try to make them myself with a pair of shoes I got on clearance at Target awhile ago. Armed with some really good tips from the D.I.Y. thread in the Louboutin subforum of the Purse forum, I stopped by JoAnn Fabrics and picked up some green glitter and tacky glue. Then to a hardware store for some tape to tape off the parts I didn't want to get glitter on.

I taped off the bottom and inside of the shoes in preparation, like many had recommended before starting.


First I used tacky glue that I applied with a spatula. It was really time consuming and kind of messy. I ended up going out and getting tacky glue that had a built in brush attached to it. This was so much quicker and easier, not to mention way less waste/mess.

All said and done, it took maybe an hour for both (probably 45 minutes for the first shoe, and 15 for the second which I completed maybe a month later after I unlazied enough to finish them).

Lessons learned? I didn't tape off the second shoe. For dyeing shoes, I think it's totally appropriate and necessary, but for glue and glitter I realized I didn't need to -- the glitter got everywhere anyhow. If I decide to do another pair of glittered shoes, I would definitely get a mix of fine AND chunky glitter. I think it would lay better and have a better textured look. This looks a little clumpy to me.

The ladies in the D.I.Y. thread swear by Gem Tac, but I couldn't find it in-store. Perhaps next time, as I hear it's really nice and easy to work with. I did like the Aleene's tacky glue with the brush, though.

These shoes aren't nearly as fabulous as the originals, but I had fun doing them and I saved an embarrassing amount of money by doing them myself. Next up in D.I.Y.? Probably dyeing a nude pair of shoes black to make them more everyday. When I get brave enough, I want to work with crystals.

Shine on you crazy diamond

I've been trying to abstain, really. Unfortunately (for me), someone posted on one of my shoe boards about a pair she was returning that was (kind of) my size. I called post-haste to a handy sales associate in the shoe department and inquired about the insole measurement.

After being told the insole was "9.5" (which is typically what I need), I asked the sales associate to hold the pair so I could come try them on. She assured me they "probably" wouldn't be sold if I came in the next day to try them on. That wasn't good enough for me, so I hustled downtown in rush hour traffic (AND rain) to try them on.

The shoes in question are maybe too tight, I'm still deciding if I can stretch them sufficiently (the toe box is incredibly narrow) so instead I offer you these. Yeah there are no words, so I'll just let you look at the picture.

Jerome C. Rousseau Aizza in Green Glitter

Fit is big. These are a 37.5 and I can't tell if they are a half-size or full-size too big for me. I love these so much that if I cannot find a smaller size, I may just stuff them to bits. Either that, or I am seriously considering DIY-ing once I find the perfect shape and glitter to use. I need more green glitter in my life.