Marie Antoinette

They are finished at last!

As soon as I heard about Kick Off Your Heels, a fundraiser for The Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, California, I knew I wanted to participate.  Not only because this center treats and educates women, and does major research for heart disease with women exclusively, but because I personally have a bum ticker.

You could say this is a fundraiser that is near and dear to my heart!

While in my 40's my doctors discovered that I was having mini-strokes because of a hole in my heart.  Thanks to modern advancements I didn't have to have my chest cracked open.  The doctor was able to insert a titanium umbrella into a one inch incision in an artery in my leg and I was up and walking within a couple hours.  

Easiest surgery I've ever had! (and I've had plenty!)

Thank you for modern research!

 I had an idea for the shoes but wasn't sure how to pull it off.  I decided to go wherever the shoes led me. I started with a pair I found at a thrift store. I worried about ripping the shoes by taking off the buckles so they stayed put.

I started with a a few layers of white acrylic fabric paint . . .

. . . and then painted over it with some Mod Podge and LOTS of fine GLITTER.

 Glitter ended up EVERYWHERE even though I attempted to do the glittering in a plastic wash tub. I'm sure I will be finding glitter in my studio for years to come.

Even Mister, the cat, got glittered!

This is his hind end covered in glitter.

His fur is suppose to be pure black.

It's his own fault - he thought my little tub looked inviting so he crawled in with the shoes when I wasn't looking! *rolls eyes*

I decided I needed the glitter under control so I sealed it all in with two layers of Mod Podge.  Great stuff that Mod Podge!

Next I made flowers of glittered ribbon and stitched them to the outsides of the shoes and then glued some lovely round mirrors to the buckles.

The mirrors needed a little something so I glued a clear plastic flower to each and then added a bit of color to the shoes by "filling" them in with some satiny burgundy fabric.

I decided I was done and proceeded with my first photo shoot and when I looked at the photos I decided. . .

. . .I HATED THEM!

I ABSOLUTELY HATED THEM!

I was so disgusted, I was ready to throw them in the trash!!!

Instead, I put them in the glitter tub and put them out of sight.

A week later I pulled them out and proceeded to see what I could do to save them.

First I removed the disco balls, and then I toned down the burgundy with some silver mesh.  I added more sequins around the bottom edge and voilà -

I like them now!

I hope someone else will like them too and bid top dollar for them.

I decided they should be called:

"Marie Antoinette"

because of a comment from my daughter.  She walked into my studio and said the shoes reminded her of the French aristocracy. I decided that yes, these are shoes fit for a Queen - especially, a Queen like Marie Antoinette who had no idea what was going on around her, just as so many of us have no idea of the effects of heart disease racing through our society!

Take some time and find out more about women and heart disease by clicking here.

Then go to the studio and create some great shoes to donate to Kick Off Your Heels.  You still have a couple of days before the deadline, so don't delay!!!