DIY Glitter Shoes With Varnish

Coat shoes with fine-grained glitter to achieve a smooth surface.

Designer glittered shoes can cost hundreds of dollars, which is a difficult expense to justify when you can create the shoes for a fraction of the retail cost. The ideal foundation for this project is an attractive shoe -- in terms of shape -- that has an unpleasant color or finish. Whether you repurpose a pair of shoes that you already own or score inexpensive new shoes that are lacking in the color department, you are on the verge of designer-inspired, sparkly shoe magic.

Things You'll Need

• Newspaper
• Printer or notebook paper
• Shoes
• Skin or lip balm
• Masking tape
• Paper cup
• Clear varnish, bottled
• Bristled paintbrush
• Fine-grain glitter
• Spray can of clear varnish or glitter sealant

Instructions

1. Lay newspaper on your work surface. Lay sheets of printer or notebook paper across the newspaper. The newspaper protects your work surface; the sheets of paper make it easy for you to collect and reapply glitter.

2. Remove the laces from your shoes if they have any. Stuff the shoes with crumpled newspaper to protect the interior. Apply skin or lip balm to any hardware on the shoe, like the eyes through which you insert shoe laces. The balm keeps adhesive from affixing to parts of the shoe that you want to remain bare. Cover any fabric trim or exposed portion of the shoe's interior with masking tape. Set the shoes on the paper.

3. Pour clear bottled varnish into a paper cup. Place the cup on the paper.

4. Dip a bristled paintbrush into the varnish. Apply adhesive to a tennis-ball-sized section of the shoe. The adhesive dries too fast to coat the entire shoe before applying glitter.

5. Sprinkle glitter over the part of the coated portion of the shoe. Apply the glitter generously to ensure you cover all of the exposed adhesive. Pick the shoe up. Tap it on the paper-covered work surface to knock loose glitter off the shoe.

6. Lift up the sheet of paper on which the excess glitter landed. Bring the edges of the paper together to force all of the glitter into a row in the center of the page. Pour the glitter back into its container. Lay the sheet of paper back on the newspaper.

7. Repeat the process to apply varnish and glitter to the rest of the shoe section-by-section.

8. Apply a light coat of spray varnish or glitter sealant to the shoes. Allow the shoes to dry overnight.

Tips & Warnings

• Apply balm only to hard, nonporous parts of a shoe from which you can wipe it without leaving stains behind. For example, do not apply the balm to fabric trim.

• Avoid varnishes intended for furniture or home renovation. Search the acrylic paint section of a craft store for varnish appropriate for this project.

• Dip the paintbrush into a cup of water to rinse varnish and excess glitter off the bristles.

• Wipe the balm off the shoe hardware with a paper towel.