Super Duper Garden Clogs!!!!!

AS SEEN ON CRAFTSTER's BEST OF 2007

$6.00 garden clogs from Big Lots + Mr. X-ACTO = TOTALLY CUTE SHOES!



Materials:
cheap garden clogs
STENCIL of your liking
X-ACTO knife (or whichever brand you prefer)
Leather Punch - to make tiny holes
embellishments (completely optional, I used super glue and rhinestones)

First of all, you NEED an X-ACTO knife. Technically, you could use a large, clumsy, utility knife, but you won't get the cleanest cut, or have the best control. With the X-ACTO, you have to be sure to make SLOW, DELIBERATE CUTS, and be sure to go through to the other side (without slicing your finger). If you don't, you'll end up with ugly, messy lines that are a super pain-in-the-butt to fix later on in the process, and if you go too fast, you might lose an eye, or a finger - not good for the craft-inclined! On the detailed areas I left a little bit of the edges, and just made the basic cuts.. it's a LOT easier to "shave" the excess out once the major stuff is out of the way...
Secondly, for the flower, or whatever design you choose, make sure it's a stencil because you'll have the lines in between to keep the shoe together.. I'm sure there is a technical term for it, but whatever.. I'm just warning you so you don't get halfway through your design and realize you just cut through the whole darn thing and are now left with an awfully ugly, gaping hole. As Far as the design goes, bigger is definitely better, and fussy designs won't be easy. . take small circles for example, too difficult to cut out - that's why I opted for rhinestones instead...
To trace the stencil, I used a pencil (that totally rhymed - ha!), it's erasable, so if you don't like the placement of the design you can change it. Also, pencil markings won't rub off during handling and turning the shoe while you cut...

4-26-07: ETA-
Originally, I was inspired to make these shoes when I saw something similar in a book called Knitter's Lib. I liked their designs, but couldn't understand how they made the cute little holes to crochet in and out of . . . so, I read the book - (duh.) and found out that they used a leather punch - which I found at Michaels for $8.99. I'm working on another pair - super easy with the leather punch tool. yay!

This is an easy project, and very cheap. I only spent about an hour and a half on it and only $6.00 for the shoes! SWEET!!

OVERALL: I love them!! I free-handed the Mary Jane Cut-out and used a stencil for the flower part... super glued some red rhinestones into the center, and there ya have it... MUCH better than those YUPPY "CROCS" I see everywhere, and TOTALLY cuter... And yes, I bought 5 more pairs... gifts perhaps?

Other variations:

A pair I made for my daughter - - - - - - - and some green ones



and some I embroidered;



Super cute mary-jane clogs by callmeflower9 on Craftster.