Its back to school preparation time, and this month’s 12 Months Of DIY project is using vinyl, which is a perfect fit for me! I have learned to use vinyl over the past year or two using it with my Cricut machine and I have slowly got a bit more adventurous with my projects. Heat transfer vinyl is available in various colors and finishes, but this metallic gold from Expressions Vinyl is one of my favorites.

I have been slowly gathering shoes, clothes, and supplies for back to school, and including myself in the gathering as well. I found an adorable pair of basic grey shoes and wanted to add some simple designs to create my own personalized shoes.

SHOE UPGRADE – Personalized Shoes

Personalized Shoes don’t have to be crazy. A simple set of arrows add a little bling and sparkle.

To make your own personalized shoes, or any item for that matter, this is how I made mine.

Materials Needed:

Something to apply vinyl to – shoes, shirt, backpack, etc.
Heat Transfer Vinyl – I used the gold metallic sheets from Expressions Vinyl.
Cricut Explore & accessories (optional) – directions will assume you are using this.
*Optional – Scissors or Die Cut machine if not using a cricut)

Directions:

This metallic vinyl is a bit more tricky to apply. Here is what you will need to know.

Choose the shape to cut out using Cricut Design Space and size it according to where it is to be applied.
Make sure to select mirror image for iron on products.
Put the vinyl with the clear plastic coating touching the mat, so the grey backing is what you will see.
Remove the excess material around your shape (this is called weeding). Don’t forget the tiny cutouts inside the arrows or inside any letters. Keep the clear plastic on your design and place where it looks best.
Preheat the fabric for 3 seconds with an iron or heat press.
Apply medium pressure at 275°F for 15 seconds
Let the design cool before peeling the clear covering.

Tip: if ironing onto shoes, or something small where an iron or heat press wont work, try a mini iron! If you don’t want to purchase another tool, you could try a flat iron (for hair) or the cricut spatula tool with a blow drier.