If you’re a shoe-a-holic (guilty as charged), you’ll know how heart-breaking it is to suffer damage to your precious soles. But there are ways you can upcycle old shoes so that you do justice to their beauty while preventing waste. Here are some ideas.
Creative Terrarium
Flat shoes like pumps can become quirky and fun indoor pots for small plants such as cacti. For something bigger, consider turning boots into planters. Here is an easy shoe tutorial. Place your boots out in the garden or at the front door to charm your guests.
Stiletto Jewellery Storage
The shape of a stiletto shoe is perfect storage for your bling. You can stack rings on the heel and place bracelets or necklaces inside the shoe so that they’re easily located when you’re looking for something shiny. They will also look attractive, making the jewellery shoe a fun décor item.
Practical Home Pieces
If you have some shoes that are particularly stunning and decorative, you want them to be on display even if they can’t be on your feet. Fill them with cement and use them as door stoppers or bookends – definitely a way to give some dazzle to your bookshelf.
Photo Displays
Instead of using photo albums or frames for your holiday snaps, clip the photographs to your shoes so that they become interesting ways to show off your favourite images. An easy way to attach the photos to your shoes is with the use of washing line pegs or paper clips. If you want to add length to the photo display, glue wire onto the clip then attach this wire to the inside of the shoe. Voilà – a photo stand in a shoe!
Upcycling for Extra Wear
If you still want to squeeze some wear out of shoes that have been scuffed or damaged (or you’re just bored with their current state), there are some creative things you can do to give them a facelift, such as:
1. Just Add Laces
Your high heels can be given a really cool update with the use of laces or ribbons. Use long pieces that you can tie around your ankle for a touch of glamour. Here is a super-easy video showing you how to create ribbon lace-up heels.
2. Bling it Up
If your heels have been scratched a little, you can update them with a touch of glamour. You can do this by gluing diamonds, rhinestones or beads along the outside of the heel and a bit above it. This conceals the damage to the shoe while giving you a brand new pair.
3. Cover it Up!
With the use of material you can wrap your shoes, giving them a stylish new lease on life. Plus, this makes good use of old fabric you have lying around. Here is a tutorial for how to create fabric-fabulous shoes.
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