let's get some shoes.

So I had these shoes. They fit perfectly, were a great height of heel, and were the only pair of super cute brown shoes I've found. UNFORTUNATELY, one of the buttons on the side that held the trendy cross strap in place popped off. This happened over a year ago, and finally, today, I got around to fixing them.

First, I had to find new buttons to sew on. It is right about now I wish I had a camera and pictures to show you each painful step of this process... but I don't.

I found these really vintage cute buttons that were made out of brown leather (just like my shoes!) and lo and behold, there were two of them in a giant sea of unmatched buttons! Fate!!!

So, with my dream buttons in hand, I got down to business on the first shoe. After about 15 minutes (yes. that long), I felt really good about the sewed up little strap and button. They loooked great! better than the original! I walked into the other room to show dad.
me: "Hey dad, look, I fixed my shoe!"
dad: "Looks great (looking at the computer)"
me: "Thanks! Now I just gotta go do the other one"
dad: "Or you could just leave it like that... no one would notice the difference"
(ummmm... yes they would)

So, one down, one to go. Easy peasy. Well, the old buttons were held on with a metal ring, so I got out the scissors and cut the metal (cheap metal! no wonder they broke). I begin to sew the other button on, when all of the sudden, the little leather hoop that I was working with cracks and falls off! DAMN YOU VINTAGE LEATHER BUTTON!!!

So, I look for another pair of brown buttons I could use. None can even compare to the ones I had originally picked. And, I can't find a match.

Now, how to make this old, crumbling leather button work? I see a safety pin to my right - hmm, the ring at the end will be perfect. I'll just cut it off and drive it in to the button and vwa-la.

I go out to dad's garage and get the wire clippers, cut the safety pin, get some needle nose plyers and a hammer and center the newly made button ring over the button. Several uncoordinated swings later, I have a cute leather (crumbly) old button with a newly fashioned ring! sweet.

Now, to soldifiy the ring in place, I need glue. Krazy glue. I find some, and of course, the spout is hardened from the last time it was used. Off with the old head, and one straigtened paperclip and a lot of shoving later, I have a new hole! Unfortunately, the glue is old, and is the consistency of slightly warmed tar; and in the efforts of squishing the goo out the paperclip-made-hole, I shove my nail through the glue container. krazy glue everywhere. damn.

grab paperclip, damage control. Somehow, through all this, I nimbly glued my metal ring to the leather button. I also got glue all over my fingers, fumes in my eye, and a little glue on my upper lip (I don't know how).

But, now my button is drying, and the giant glue mess is all cleaned up, and after 15 minutes of sewing, I am sure I will have a brand new pair of shoes to wear!!!

Industry... meet fashion.

Now, onto converting a pair of too-short jeans into shorts, and using the scraps to fix up some other paire of holey jeans.

I don't think I'll ever throw clothes away again.