Craft: Upgrade your Flip-Flops! (LONG)

It may be the dog days of summer for me here in Florida, but I know in other climates the weather may already be starting to cool while folks get ready for back to school.

I don't know about you, but my flip-flops are looking a little tired after a long summer of hard duty. They've had all this time to conform to my high arches, and they're oh-so-comfy! However, the thongs are looking just a bit dingy and worn.

In these hard economic times, I don't want to waste a perfectly good pair of shoes! So, I'm giving my flip-flops an upgrade with some scraps, ribbon, buttons, and a few beads leftover from other projects.

All you do is glue, wrap, tie or sew on your embellishments, and voila! For instance, I took a pair of gray dollar store flip flops, some gray satin ribbon, and two pretty maracasite-and-"pearl" buttons. I glued (I used household Liquid Nails) one end of the ribbon at the base of the thong and started wrapping the ribbon around until I got to the toe piece. Another dab of glue, and I continued wrapping all the way to the other side, securing with another dab of glue. Then I sewed the pretty buttons at the toe while I watched TV that night. Those ugly gray flip-flops are now pretty enough to wear on a hot summer evening when DH takes me out. Amazing.

See the green flip-flops above? I did much the same with my pink flip flops to make them into bedroom "slippers" to match my favorite pink bathrobe. (Yeah, I like pink. Shocking, isn't it?) For this project, I had leftover fat quarters (1/4 yards of fabric, usually found by the millions for about a dollar in the back of Jo-Ann's) from a quilting project. I took my rotary cutter and the pinking blade, cutting 1"x6" strips. Again, while I watched TV, I tied them on the thong until it couldn't hold one more, alternating colors and patterns. They're surprisingly comfortable!

I may be pagan, but I'm not a skyclad person. Sorry, there are just too many hazards like sticks, ant nests, and other things for my feet to feel comfy walking around bare in my backyard. So, a special pair of enhanced flip flops are next on my list to make! Now I won't have to worry and still feel as if I have a special pair of flip-flops for our next outdoor ritual.

What could be more pagan than re-purposing/recycling those worn and tacky flip-flops into something you'd be proud to wear? Go green and enjoy what's left of the warm weather!