So, I have wanted a pair of yellow Salt Water sandals forever and ever and ever. 
Sigh...
Someday.  Perhaps.  
Until that day, I was severely lacking in the yellow sandal department.  Tragic, I know.
I fell in super like with this funky braided pair at Target this spring, but here is the deal, I have brown, turquoise, and coral sandals already.  The elusive yellow haunted me.

In the back of my mind I thought... hello, paint them.
So I bought the brown pair.

Totally normal, right?
My first thought was spray paint, but that seemed questionable.
Then I remembered the post about leather paint at Lil Blue Boo.

All giddy I ordered a bottle of yellow, certain that I would have a brand new pair by the weekend.
The weekend of March 23rd.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHA.
Two months later I finally have a pair of sunny sandals.

It's an easy enough project.
A kindergarten worksheet and some painters tape to cover the soles.
Some leather paint.
Seriously.  Not hard.

The paint even comes with it's own little brush.  Awesome, right?

Unless you are Goldilocks and the sandals are your three bears.
The yellow was REALLY NEON.  Like whoa.  Which is so great if I wanted neon sandals.
So great.  But I didn't.
Perhaps another coat would make them less neon-y.
Then another.
Then another.
Four coats in, they were still neontastic.

So I caved, ordered a bottle of mustard.
Which is super brown mustardy.
Which would be perfect if I wanted brown mustard sandals.
Three coats of mustard and they were more brown than yellow.
Sort of how they started.
Rad.

THEY WERE NOT GOING TO DEFEAT ME.

A little mixy-mix of the neon and the brown mustard, two more coats and sunshine shined down on the I-probably-should-have-just-thrown-down-for-the-Salt-Waters-in-the-first-place sandals.
It became a joke in the house.  The sandals that would never end, were now JUST RIGHT.

But seriously.  They are so happy, so sunny, so cute.  Worth all of the drama.  All of the jokes.
I might still want Salt Waters.  But I do love these.

How cute would they be in red....


22 Comments

  1. these are soo cute! I wish I had a pair!!

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  2. what the what?!?! I've never even heard of leather paint! That's awesome!!! Thanks for continuing to expand my world, friend. Super cute feet are yours this summer!

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  3. I think they look great. Red would be so cool, too.

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  4. Brilliant! They look really great! I had no idea anything like leather paint existed.

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  5. these are adorable! so glad you finally got the color you wanted :)

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  6. leather paint? whaaaaat?
    Brilliant!

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  7. adorbs. love them. my friend just spray painted her daughter's shoes from target. she sprayed them an antique gold. they look awesome.

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  8. LOOOVE the way they turned out! The title of the post made me giggle a bit....they're truly one of a kind and so happy! XO

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  9. whoa. rad.
    don't you wear my same size?
    i might try and steal next time we go to sonic.

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  10. Leather paint...this opens up a whole new world of possibilities for my shoe collection! Thanks ;)

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  11. Love it! I had no idea you could paint leather, and I never would have thought about sandals. So cool!

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  12. I didn't know leather paint existed! You're so smart, Julie! These sandals are perfect and SO Cute! Awesome! :-)

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  13. Cute! I have those in dark brown and wear them all the time. They do hurt my feet after prolonged wear (sigh - nothing can beat the arch in Rainbows!) but I love them. You're so crafty! They look awesome and summery :)

    Kristina

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  14. just wow. i love.

    ps. what if i told you i passed up red saltwaters for my girl for $5 at a consignment sale?? because i did. for shame! if only i knew back in march that i'd be in love with them in may!

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  15. Just have to admit I read this post twice before I realized you weren't using actual mustard. Cute shoes! I don't have anything yellow in my wardrobe so maybe I should spice things up a bit!

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  16. I just googled "painting saltwater sandals" and come up with this post, and am excited to try it! Have they lasted well? Did the paint wear/scratch off? I would love to know if you don't mind emailing me back. Thanks!!

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  17. I just googled "painting saltwater sandals" and come up with this post, and am excited to try it! Have they lasted well? Did the paint wear/scratch off? I would love to know if you don't mind emailing me back. Thanks!!

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    Replies
    1. I'm still wearing them and they are still a happy sunny yellow. And I wear them A LOT!

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