Well hello! I hope you're doing wonderful today. I am feeling perkier since the weather is starting to cool down and it doesn't feel like I'm entering an oven every time I step outside. I know usually it's the opposite, people get a bit down with colder weather, but I LOVE it. This is my favorite time of the year. The leaves are changing into beautiful colors in all different tones, falling a little bit every time the wind blows, which just creates a magical feeling. Does anyone else feel it or am I alone?
I can bake and drink pumpkin spice lattes (big fan of Dunkin Donuts) and wear all my cozy sweaters, long pants, scarves, and closed toe shoes...and who doesn't love a denim jacket. But back to the shoes...I wanted some that were very festive and perfect for this season, I just wasn't sure what I wanted them to look like.
Then while grocery shopping, it hit me, candy corn is back. It's every where and it is the perfect inspiration for some tennis shoes. Now I know a lot of you have mixed feelings about candy corn. Do you like to eat it, hate it, or only like to decorate with it? Me, myself, I do like candy corn. I remember my mom, every season, would put out this glass pumpkin on the kitchen table filled with peanuts and candy corn (she's a big salty/sweet combo person) and when I was younger I didn't care for it as much, but now that I'm older I seem to like it much more. It's a tradition that I really like and look forward to every year.
To honor that tradition and affection for candy corn, I decided to make some candy corn inspired shoes. It's really simple and easy, doesn't cost a whole lot, and makes a big statement. All pictures of the steps are posted below!
Here's what you need:
- Pair of plain white tennis shoes (I got mine from Walmart)
- Fabric Paint in orange and yellow
- Paint brush (one regular, one sponge)
- Little glass of water
- Candy corn for inspiration and to snack on
- Decide how you want to divide up the sections. How much orange, yellow, and white? I looked at some candy corn and decided I needed a little yellow, a bit more orange, and barely any white. Then mark with some pencil lines on the rubber sole where you want to start the next color, creating a guide for yourself. The pencil can be easily erased when you're finished.
- Next paint on your yellow with a regular paint brush. Make sure to get it nice and solid, but you can always do a second coat later on if you find that you've missed some spots.
- When you get to your mark, where you want to transition take your paint brush and fade it over the line. I wanted my colors to fade into each other since these are candy corn inspired, rather than having a solid line. So you just want to spread out a little paint thinly.
- Do the same thing with the orange paint and thinly spread/fade it into the yellow. Then with a dry circle sponge brush, using up and down motions, blend the colors more together.
- Paint the rest of your orange section and then comes the tricker part...
- To blend the orange into the white (which will just be the shoe) use your sponge brush, make sure it is COMPLETELY clean, dip it in water and dab it over the section where the paint will fade. With the shoe wet, this will help the paint to blend and fade more evenly and nicer. Use the same method of spreading thinly the paint into the wet section of the shoe. You can use the same damp clean sponge brush to dab and encourage fading more if needed.
- Let dry and enjoy your shoes!
I think these turned out marvelously. I love how fun and whimsical they are and will be great for this month and holiday! I can't wait to wear them out, I think I'll wear them first with my vintage inspired Halloween shirt, gold fleck earrings, and a pumpkin scrunchie.
This is a great D.I.Y that you can put your own spin on. You could do color block with candy corn colors, polka dots, solid lines, the possibilities are endless. So turn on your creative side and get to painting. Make some beautiful shoes, and leave a comment and pictures below if you do!
"Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them." Ephesians 4:29
