How to Make Dorothy's Ruby Slippers

So you want to be dress up as Dorothy from Wizard of Oz? That's easy! All you need is a white blouse, a blue dress and Toto. But what about the ruby slippers? If sparkly shoes are not in this season, you can make a pair yourself with just a little patience and a lot of glitter.

The original ruby slippers made for Judy Garland in the Wizard of Oz (1939) were dyed red and then covered with organza, decorated with burgundy sequins, and then two bejeweled red leather bows were added.

The original ruby slippers via Smithsonian National Museum        

Since sewing sequin is pretty time consuming, simple glitter would do the trick. 

You will need:
- a pair of pumps or ballet flats (if they are red, that's a plus)
- loose glitter
- craft glue or Mod Podge
- glitter glue
- a few paint brushes you're not too attached to
- hairspray
- disposable cups
- a stiff red ribbon
- a glue gun
- scissors
- red rhinestones in different sizes
- needle and thread

STEP 1
Clear a working space for yourself and make sure to cover it with cooking parchment or some disposable paper. Glitter has a tendency to get everywhere. I made these shoes a week ago and there's still bits of glitter I find in my bedroom and on my balcony.

STEP 2
Fill one disposable cup with a bit of glue and the other one with loose glitter. I don't usually like to use anything disposable, but this method will help you avoid contaminating your glue with glitter and will let you collect any loose bits of glitter afterwards.

STEP 3
Using a paint brush, cover a section of your shoe with a thick layer of craft glue.Sprinkle loose glitter over that section. Shake it off. I have seen some tutorials where people mixed the glitter and the glue and then covered the shoe with the mixture, but it didn't work for me. The glitter got too lumpy and wouldn't spread.       

   
STEP 4
Repeat this process over the entire outer area on both shoes. Avoid the inside of the shoe (you don't want to feel glitter between your toes) and the heel. Leave to dry over night.

STEP 5
See if your shoes still need some coverage in places. Cover those sparsely glittered areas with more glue and glitter. Now with a paint brush cover the heels of the shoes with glitter glue. I prefer this to covering them with glitter as glitter glue gives a smoother shinier finish and you can avoid sending bits of glitter flying everywhere when you click your heels together. Leave to dry overnight.

STEP 6
Cover the entire outer area of the shoes with glitter glue. This will help keep any loose glitter in place. Give the heels another layer of glitter glue. Leave to dry.

STEP 7
In the meantime, make the bows. Cut your ribbons into two strips, approximately 6cm each. Using needle and thread make them into bows. With the glue gun, attach smaller rhinestones all over the bows. Aim for as much coverage as you can get gluing the rhinestones close to each other and making sure to put some in every nook and cranny. Attach a larger rhinestone to the middle of the bow with the glue gun.

I took these pictures after a full night of partying, so some of the rhinestones were lost on the dance floor 

STEP 8
Once the glue on your shoes is completely dry, give them a nice even spritz with the hair spray. I had a real problem with loose glitter, so I had to spray them four times before I was confident that I would not leave a glitter trail behind me as I walk.

STEP 9
Once your shoes are completely dry and no loose glitter is left behind when you shake them, attach the bows to the front of the shoes with the glue gun.

Now put on a pair of bobby socks and you're ready to follow the yellow brick road!   

Beauty Tips from the 1940s

I found these wonderful beauty tips in Teen-Age Diary Secrets comic book from 1949. I love old comic books, and I will be posting a lot more of them here in the future. Romance comics were a particularly popular genre after WWII. Some of the earlier stuff can be pretty racy. Those oriented towards a female readership often carry articles about beauty, personal daintiness and social graces. Some are interesting, some are entertaining, and some are unintentionally hilarious. This post is about tips that are actually some what useful today. 

The advice on nails is pretty good. My nails are a little on the boxy side and I have used this technique to slim them down and give them an illusion of length (sorry, no pictures at present. I haven't got any nail polish right now).     

Most of us have used a hair band at least at some point in our life, but it seems that in the 40s this was something of a novelty. Though, I would not recommend using an actual rubber band. It can damage your hair. Also, I have never been a "barber at heart" and so cannot say much about this hair cutting technique. Please let me know if you have used a razor and what were the results.    

These days it seems more common to pick out a lipstick based on your skin tone. But next time I'm buying one, I will definitely think more about the lighting. As per this tip, something like this would be appropriate for evening wear:

NARS semi matte fuchsia

While this would be more suitable for daytime ware:

Yves Saint Laurent Orange Indie

How to Make a Wonderful Vintage "Float"

I love a good root beer float or a cream soda float. There's just something about the foamy, bubbly goodness that makes you feel like you're a bobby-soxer on a "date" with Cary Grant. I don't have access to my kitchen at the moment, so I had to pull some pictures from the internet.

My own recipe is very simple. You will need:

1. Fentimans Curiosity Cola

source

I always go for Curiosity Cola. It's not as sweet as some other sodas out there and has a nice slightly flora taste. And the bottle is super vintage-y.  

2. Organic Finnish ice cream Jymy 

source

Any good quality ice cream would do, but I'm a fan of this Finnish brand.  . 

3. A soda glass 

Make sure it's a tall glass. You don't want to lose any of that sweet-sweet foam. I have this old Coca-Cola glass I got from McDonald's. 

4. Fun paper straws

source

Paper straws come in many cute patterns. They do have one serious flaw, though, they do get soggy. But, by golly, they are so fun! 

The Process: 

1. Fill about two-thirds of your glass with soda. 

2. Plop a nice big scoop of ice cream into the glass. It will start foaming - don't fret. That's why you have such a tall glass. 

3. Once the foam has settled a little, add a bit more soda. 

4. Now put in those straws and share it with your sweetheart
.   

DIY Decorative Floral Hair Comb

I'm still in a very spring-y mood, which means - you guessed it - more flowers! After looking at all these lovely botanical photo spreads like this one and this one, I felt that I needed something new and floral for my jewelry box.

This is my DIY tutorial on how to make a lovely little blossomy hair comb.

You will need:
A small decorative comb - from Glitter
Resin flower flatbacks - from Green Papaya
Super glue (make sure its the kind that works on plastic)

Step 1: 

Figure out how many flowers you will need. I originally went with four, but ended up suing five. Just align them along the winds of the comb and see how many you can fit in there. 

Step 2: 

Put some super glue on the back of your flowers and attach it to the comb one by one. Then leave it to dry. 

Step 3:
Ta-da! The comb is ready. Add it to your French twist or Edwardian tuck for maximum gorgeousness.

Speaking of flowers, I have recently discovered Fentimans Rose Lemonade. And it is now my drink of choice. It's a lovely ginger-flavored soda with just a hint of rose. Perfect for spring picnics.  

    

How to Turn Buttons into Earrings

I often find myself buying cute buttons without actually knowing what I am going to do with them. Well, last night I had an epiphany - I could turn them into earrings. Not only would that expand my own collection of jewelry, but I would be able to stock up on presents for all my jewelry loving friends. 

Here is my quick and easy tutorial that will help you turn your buttons into tiny pieces of delight.
   

You will need:
Buttons
Wire cutters
Super glue (Don't use a glue gun, it's difficult to apply the glue and it can get a bit messy)
Toothpicks
Earring posts and backings (available from any crafts store)

Note: When working with super glues, make sure the room is well-ventilated; and mind your figures and surfaces. Always follow the instructions on the tube.

Step 1:

Take the wire cutters and cut off the back of the button as close to the base as you can. 

Step 2: 

Put a bit of glue on a piece of cardboard and with a toothpick apply it to the flat part of the earring post. 

Step 3: 

Press the post onto the back of the button. Apply some pressure to make sure it sticks. 

Step 4: 

Repeat the same process with your second button and then leave them to dry over night.

In the morning you will have a whole assortment of new pretty earring to wear.