New kicks for Clementine

Now I know why, as the saying goes, "cobbler's children have no shoes." Its because kids shoes are a bear to make! I was inspired months ago by this article in Craft magazine* giving directions for handmade leather baby slippers. At the time I wasn't inspired enough to make them, but now that Vivian has a new "sister" on the way**, I figured its time. Definitely one of the most fun projects ever, though as is typical of me and my creative process, I'm only 90% satisfied with the outcome. Atypically, though, I will save you the enumeration of the flaws in the final product and just let you decide for yourselves.

I made the shoes of olive-colored pigskin as it was light and pliable enough to be comfy on the foot. Olive wasn't my first choice, but it was either that, bronze, or glossy black hair-on goat, which I thought might be a little too much of a design statement. Needless to say, I used scraps from my leather inventory.

I was inspired by my favorite shoe company, Camper, which makes a line of shoes called "'twins" that aren't like twins at all, but more like sisters (like eyebrows, no?). In the same vein, these shoes are sisters, not twins. Accents in orange and cobalt cowhide. TCowhide was way too thick for these babies, so I spent a tedious number of hours skiving (shaving) it down to a thinner sheet. Oy. Lastly, I used craft foam for padding, waxed linen thread, and snap closures.

The finishing touch is my personal gogovivi logo stamped into the insole.

This little irony isn't lost on me: I'm married to a honcho at (what may be) the world's largest shoe manufacturer, but I'm at home cobbling out a pair of baby shoes by hand. Whatever gets you through the day, right?

*If you're crafty and haven't visited Craft magazine, its time.

**No its not ours. But since you are wondering, my BFF Julie is due in April with her first. No name chosen yet, but I'm hoping for Clementine.