"Vintage" Baby Shoe Tutorial and More!!!

"NEW"SHOE......
see note below

"Old Shoe"

This is a great project for those who need vintage looking baby shoes
for their projects, but cannot find, afford, or want to buy the real thing..
So here is a *new baby shoe.

*NOTE ADDED
This is not a new from the store new.
It is a new from a garage sale shoe.
Can also be found at thrift stores.
50 cents to $1.50 usually.

The ones with the little holes in the toe are the best,
because they are most like the old style ones.

Supplies you will need:

a baby shoe, *dark brown, goldish, and light tan paints,
scruffy brush, sanding pad, and a rag.
*colors I used: burnt umber, golden, or teddy bear brown, dessert sand.
Oh, I also used a little black.

First step is to sand the shoe.

I do it a bit all over, and sand more on the areas that would naturally wear
(toes, edges, and heel, a bit)

Put out some of your brown paint and brush it on an area of shoe.
I usually wet my brush first, then blot it off, then dip in paint.
You should have a bit of water on the brush, but not too much.
If the paint runs it is too thin.

(DO SMALL AREAS AT A TIME AS THE PAINT DRIES FAST)

Put the paint on an area,
then wipe off most of it with the rag.
I use a pouncing/wiping motion on it.
Do this to the whole shoe, including the tongue.

This provides the darkening of the sanded areas and threads and looks worn.

Sometimes, to make them look even more worn and realistic,
I will kind of mush and bend the shoe around in my hands for awhile.
It leaves little creases and folds that fill in more with paint.
(You can do this at any time in the process,
but at the beginning would be the best.)

After you have done the whole shoe in the brown,
do the goldish brown color in places.
NOTE let the coats dry between colors for a few minutes.

Same thing, put it on in small areas, and blot it off.
A blotting motion instead of wiping makes it look more real.

Then I do the same with the tannish color.
Then go back and put a bit of extra brown where needed.
(in creases, and sanded areas)
I did use a bit of thinned down black here and there, but
this stop is optional.

I also do a thin wash of brown all around the top edges,
and inside.
(if you are doing a nest or pin cushion this step is not necessary)

Of course we want our shoelaces to look aged too.
I used one shoelace for both these shoes.
I just cut it in half, and cut the ends off.
You will need to play to get them to go with your shoe color.
So for mine I:

thinned down tiny bits of the paints i used.
dipped them in and squeeze them out, 1 color at a time.
(I did not soak it in all three colors.
Just dip part of the lace in a color, another part in a dif. color)
In some areas I just used the brush and spread some paint in different areas.
If it got too dark, or a color i did not like,
i just dipped it in water and worked on it some more.

When you are finished, lace them through the shoes while they are still wet.
fray the ends, then wad them up in your fingers.
They will not stay this way, but will dry sort of wrinkled up
like old ones really would be.

If needed, do a little touch up on the laces to give them that final old look.

And here are the finished shoes.
And here is what you can do with them when you are done.

Put a bird nest in them!!!


Don't miss out.

Go to this post to find out about entering!




Remember, the first one always takes the longest.
After that you will have a system that works for you,
and will be the look you want.
Just play and have fun,
and, instead of spending $6 or $8 on vintage shoes,
you can get a pair for 1.00 and a bit of work.
(remember, mass producing is the best use of your time,
so do several at once.)

Hope you have enjoyed the tutorial.
If you do a project using this method,
I would love to post your finished project.
(and of course if you have any questions, just ask.)=0)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is another tip for you:
Think outside the box when it comes to sandpaper.

I got all these sanding pads, and emery boards
at a garage sale. $1.50 for a whole bag full!
(this is only part of them)
They are beauty supplies! And they work just the
same as the sanding pad you pay $1.00 a piece
for at the hardware or craft store.
And they even come in different grits.
( you might even check the price new at the beauty supply)



and a question:

I got these shoes.
They are vintage, and have been polished a lot of times.
Would you leave them as is?
Or 'antique' them, just a bit?
And here is my project from yesterday!
I added a bow to the top, and another tiny tea bag rose at the bottom.
finished??

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