Altered Shoe Blog Hop with ColourArte

Hey there ColourArte-ists!  So glad you stopped by today, because you are in for some real fun!  The ColourArte design team is having an Altered Shoe Blog Hop, so believe me when I say, there is going to be some interesting things to see along the way, I am sure.  If you want to start the hop at the beginning, please click here at the ColourArte blog.

There will be prizes to win from each blog, so be sure to read all the details at the end of my post.

I love birds and flowers and gardens, so, here is my pair of altered shoes, complete with birds, nests, flowers, wings and feathers.  

They started life like this.  Not bad, a nice suede canvas to work with.

Scrub the Radiant Gels Guatemalan Green dimensional paint into the suede on each shoe and allow to dry.  Give the shoes a second coat with Silks African Jade acrylic glaze.

Scrub Fire Opal Silks Acrylic Glaze onto the platform portion of each shoe (left shoe), then cover that with Wine & Roses Silks (right shoe).

Paint the heels with two coats of the Silks Wine & Roses.  In the picture below, it may appear there are two different colors on each shoe, but it is how the light was reflected.  I think these paints are awesome they way they change.  So beautiful.

Add gold metal diamond-shaped studs around the platform.

Glue black trim around the top edge of the shoes.

Die cut two sets of wings from gold handmade paper, and two sets of silver handmade paper.  Emboss with matching embossing folder.  Layer two sets, beginning with the gold paper, then silver, then gold.  Save the second set for another project.   Hit the high spots on each gold wing layer with a light wash of Silks Wine & Roses, just leaving a hint of color.  Glue each set of wings to the heel portion.

I used verdigris hinges to cover the join of the feathers, some jewelry leaves.

I added a decorative metal strip, a filigree metal piece, thread the chain through a metal bead and adhered it so I could get this nice dangly effect.

Die cut two antique handles from grunge paper and emboss with matching embossing folder.  Scrub Silks Bolivian Blue and Kiwi on the grunge paper handles.  Hit the high spots with Cosmic Copper ink pad.

Die cut two bird branches  and two extra birds from grunge paper.  Cover each with white gesso.  Color branch with Silks Cinnamon Brown, Birds with Silks Azurite, a mix of Silks Sunflower and Cinnamon Brown to the beaks, and a mix of Silks Sunflower and Nutmeg for the legs.  Adhere to the outside of the shoes.

A tiny bird's nest and feathers were added over the grunge paper antique handle, with a tiny bird sitting in the nest.

I used some print scrapbook paper inside the shoe to cover the insole.  Some excelsior, fabric flowers, and berry vines were also added inside the shoe.  I wanted it to look like a little garden fit for birds.

Just a few closeups.  I really love how these turned out.  

ColourArte Supplies Used:

Radiant Gels Dimensional Paint:  Guatemalan Green
Silks Acrylic Glaze: Bolivian Blue, Kiwi, Fire Opal, Wine & Roses, African Jade, Cinnamon Brown, Azurite, Sunflower, Nutmeg

Other supplies used:
Pair of Platform High Heel Shoes
Sizzix dies:  Antique Handles, Layered Wings, Bird Branch
Gold and Silver handmade paper
Grunge Paper (Ranger)
Brilliance Cosmic Copper ink pad (Tsukineko)
irResistible Tuxedo Black Pico Embellisher (bird's eyes) (Tsukineko)
Tiny bird's nests (Prima)
Gold metal diamond shaped studs (my stash)
Feathers, metal jewelry, hinges, and chain (my stash)

So now, here are all the details for you to have a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to the ColourArte Store.

• Leave a comment here on my blog
• Follow my blog (if you don't already)
• Leave a comment on the ColourArte blog

One winner will be chosen randomly from my blog and will be announced here, on my blog, on Friday, 7 August.

And now, here is a complete list of the design team blog hop stops to make it easier for you to play along.

1. Altered Shoes Steampunk by Terri Sproul 

2. Les péripéties de Talkis: Blog Hop ColourArte by Cindy Brown

3. Kasia Bogatko

4. Magda Polakow

5. Yvonne Yam

6. Mona Pendleton

7. Shilpa

8. Studio A B See

9. Marti {Pezadoodle}

10. Combat boots with Rita!

11. Tetiana Komarova

12. Barbara Rankin

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you enjoy the hop and get some fun inspiration from it.  Most importantly, have fun, and good luck!

Barbara