My favorite canvas? Shoes, of course!

Over this summer I've discovered that I actually really love to paint... on shoes that is. I love the new life you can give to an old pair of kicks with a few tubes of paint! I've revamped several pairs of shoes by painting new colors, prints, and images onto the canvas sections.

These cowboy boots has a canvas section that I painted using acrylic paint. I love the summery feel of these shoes!        

I've also found that you can repaint old scuffed up pumps as long as you sand the shoe gently before painting on the surface. This works best with faux leather and other man-made materials.

If you want to try this at home there are several tips I would recommend following:
1) Clean your shoes so that the paint sticks the best.
2) Use acrylic paint, it adheres nicely to canvas and covers very evenly with little effort.
3) Plan your design! Spontaneity is wonderful, but it really helps if you have a general idea of what colors and designs you want to use to prevent mistakes.
4) Painters tape can be used to create straight lines and clean edges.
5) Invest in ScotchGard and spray your shoes when they are finished to help protect the paint for weather.

Have fun! If you have ever hand-painted shoes, I'd love to see pictures! Attach a link in the comments or email me! Happy creating!