Capricious Creativity: Barefoot Sandals - DIY "How to"

Remember when I decided to make the "shoes" for myself and my bridesmaids? Well, I made the demo set's and then mailed them all around the country to my girls so they could figure out which ones they wanted for their fabulous feet.

UPDATE: I actually wrote this ages ago (like October!) and for some reason, never posted it! Whoopsidaisies!

A few months later... I've got everyone's choice... and only 1 set of measurements. I had a couple of girls tell me "my foot's a size 9". ummm... Great. I can go BUY them shoes, but I can't make them!!! Click HERE to be reminded of how surprising it is that I have figured out how to make these in the first place.

Well, I have to start somewhere, so one set of measurements it is! Thus began my Saturday... and now begins my first attempt at how to DIY!!

Note: This makes the grand total of TWO pairs of these I have made. There may be better ways to do this, and I know there are better ways to photograph and explain this... but you aren't on Martha's blog, you're on mine... so bear with me! If you have any questions for clarification - just ask! (All photos courtesy of me!)

Start with a fixed end, a la use a crimping bead. See how it looks like I'm using fishing wire? Its actually not, I used "stretch magic" because I wanted these to have a little give to 'em.

Continue adding beads in whatever pattern you like until you have a large loop that is twice the circumference of the ankle this is being fitted for. Add a clasp to the other end and you've essentially made a big ol necklace. Its the next step that makes it a shoe!
(Contrary to the picture, this doesn't have to be done need an apple keyboard. Though in my house, you are never that far from an apple keyboard. ) :)

Next up, you are beading a single line with a toe loop at the end. I always started with the toe loop because its just easier that way.
Notice JUST below the big dark blue bead is a crimping bead. When I had enough tiny white beads for the toe loop, I crimped it off so that it was done and I didn't have to worry about it anymore. Plus, then I can put it on my foot and figure out how long the top part is/needs to be. Hint: Always use little bitty beads for the toe loop - much higher comfort quotient!
Continue beading the straight line that will run up the top of your foot until you have the desired length. (I think this length is the most crucial to get right.) Just because I thought it looked nice, somewhere in the middle of each top line, I added a much larger bead to stand out. End this line wiht a crimping bead - DON'T CRIMP IT YET - just string it on.

So now you have a big 'ol loop, and a small loop at the end of the straight line of beads. Put the loop on your ankle with the clasp towards the back. Find the beads that will be at the front of your ankle. This is where the top line will intersect and be hooked to the loop. Lightly stretch the beads apart so you have space take the tail end of the straight line, loop it around, and back through the crimping bead.
Now crimp that bead and everything should be connected!

And this is what the finished product will look like.

Ta-da!

Ok - so my instructions sound confusing when typed! Just take it step by step and it really is pretty simple.

UPDATE: So as it turns out, its a zillion times easier to make one with the foot actually there with you. This ended up being the only pair I made by measurements. The remaining four I made within a month of the wedding, and the last pair being finished after the rehearsal dinner. While I had originally given them several options of style choices, I realized that I needed the foot in front of me, and this was the simplest style. So while each one was unique in beading etc, they were all this style. Rae captured such a cute shot of them all and it was even featured on Weddingbee.com's Gallery Photo of the Day!

Anyone else find that the actual DIY is much more simple than explaining it?!

Capricious Creativity: Barefoot Sandals

Anyone who knows me does not connect DIY with me. Creative? Sure. I can make duct tape do anything! Innovative? Sure. Give me a couple of random ingredients and I can make a costume, a centerpiece, or fix broken gizmos! Attention to detail? .....ummmm.... notsomuch. Actually, its not that I don't pay attention to the details, its just that "close enough" is pretty much my motto. Meticulous? ....heheheh....I'm sorry....hahhhahh!!!... yeah notsomuch me.

So with that in mind, imagine my friend's reactions when I said I was going to make my barefoot sandals... and theirs!!

After deciding that I wanted to wear barefoot sandals, and that the girls should be able to join me I started looking at the options available. There were some beautiful options! Some are cheaper than others, but I realized that I wanted to be able to personalize them for each girl. So why would I pay for the "shoes" and then pay for the materials to customize them? Enter my first wedding DIY!!

This one will be somewhat lacking in details because my camera and I had not yet entwined when it came to creating. (That and I wasn't so sure I would be successful!)

So I came up with 3 design options... which I made up as I went. So really, this is a DIY tease, since I have no designs , sketches, or pictures to post.....yet. Each of my girls has very different size feet - from a teeny tiny 5 1/2 to an 11! Different feet mean different shoes look good. So I sent the ones I made to each of them to try on and choose which style they want. When I make their "shoes" I herby pledge to take more detailed pictures and post instructions!
Images courtesy of me! ...hmm.. courtesy doesn't quite seem to be the right word considering the bad lighting, messy background, and lack of quality. ... Images my fault!Anyone else surprised a few with their DIY?

Shoe Envy

So about once a day (give or take) I read someone's blog about their beloved bridal shoes. Or the one's they are selecting from, or the one's that someone found a great deal on on Ebay or Zappos. Some of them really make me wonder how much people actually like them, or if its just because of the name or the fact that it looks like it just stepped off the set of Sex and the City. I am not a fashionista. Most days, I'm in blue jeans and whatever shirt looked fun for the day... usually with coordinating flip flops. And by coordinating, I mean I have my "dressy" black leather, or normal fabric blue or brown, and one pair with silver sparkles.

I have some fancy shoes (fancy looking - not fancy Christian Louboutin). The shoes I feel are worth it for investing more than $40 in are limited to running shoes and my black boots. The winter is when I am most likely to be found in closed to shoes (though still often in flip flops - it is Florida) and then its boots. With a dress - boots. Skirt - boots. Jeans - boots. My $120 boots are by far the most expensive shoes I own.

Quick antidote about shoe "worth". I have (still have - still wear) a pair of fun black heels that I bought for $30 at Bass Outlet in 2000. These shoes were my one pair of black heels all through high school, and through my first few years of college. My first years of college included a lot of dressin business-y for class (business fancy or bathing suit cover up straight from pool - there was no in between - odd school), and going out clubbing at night. So for the most part, I wore them every day. And never treated them nicely. I was a freak at that school for not being a fashionista obsessed with name brands. I actually went with a friend of mine to get her new $500 Manolo Bhalnik (i'm guessing thats spelled wrong) shoes fixed 5 times in 3 months! OMG how she laughed at me when I looked at the box and asked her how to pronounce "that name". "ooohhh. got it. blah-nick. ma-no-lo blah-nick." (not kidding- that's what I said). $500 for her fancy shoes that she had to have repaired every 6 weeks, or $30 for my shoes that I had been wearing for 4 years at that point.... hmmm.... better investment? Mind you, they are still my main black heels, and they now need a $10 re-sole - not a bad $30 investment. Man that antidote was nowhere near as quick as when I tell it in person! (Maybe I really do talk too fast.)

So because of these bridal shoe posts, I have seen some FUN SHOES!! (Don't get me started on the fact that I would NEVER pay these prices, but still...) Here are some of my favorites (images from Zappos, Blue Fly, and Bellisima Bridal Shoes):








And my all-time-if-i-won-the-lottery-then-maybe-favorites (which I found on The Bride's Cafe):

So - I am loving some of the fun designs! One problem - I WILL BE BAREFOOT!! So while, I am not envious of having to wear the shoes, I am envious of the pretty pictures! Like these! (which I nabbed off of Polka Dot Bride):

Green by Amy Squires Photography

Blue by Amy Carroll Photography

Red by Millie Holoman Photography

Pink by Olivia Leigh Photography

Yellow by Next Exit Photography

and

Rainbow by Laura Kay Photography

SO I have come up with a compromise. Barefoot Sandals!! Like these pretty little fancies from Jewels by Michele:


:) I am a happy and not-so-shoe-envious bride-to-be now!