How to Dye Fabric Shoes and Sandals

I needed a pair of sandals. After a fair bit of shopping I found a pair of wedges that fit (this is harder to do since I have to shop in the kid’s department) but are the wrong color. However the price was cheap enough that I thought I’d try my hand at dying a pair of the white shoes black and other pair brown – the colors I wanted.

I’ve dyed 100% cotton fabric shoes. I’ve also dyed suede shoes using this exact suede dye with great success. (Disclosure: I am including affiliate links for your convenience.) Dying these sandals will be a bit more challenging because they are a cotton and synthetic fabric blend and all of the fabric dyes I’ve used up until now require 100% natural fiber fabric.

 Can you dye polyester fabric and synthetic fibers? Yes you can! Here’s how.

 

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How to Dye Cotton Blend Shoes

How to Buy the Correct Size Backpack and Friday Favorites 594

Many parents are buying school supplies before their children start school (a few schools have already started!) It's much easier to tote that stuff back and forth to school, or anywhere really, in a backpack. 

 I almost always use my old college backpack instead of giant purse to hold our stuff. I almost always end up with a backache and at least one migraine during the trip too. I thought that is just the way it is when wearing backpack and after some research, I realized I couldn't be more wrong!

Once I learned to look for certain strap configurations, where the backpack sits on your back, and the proper size for my height (bigger and tiny small is not always better) I bought a backpack that hasn't given me issues and wrote a guide so you know what to look for too. You can read my comfortable book bag backpack buying guide 7 Tips for Buying a Comfortable Backpack here.

 

Let's get this party started! Time to link up your favorite projects, recipes, and posts! 

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Let's Party!

Time to link up and share your fantastic craft and DIY projects, recipes, tutorials, and ideas! I can't wait to see what you have in store for us this week!

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And if you love all of this week's favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week's linky party!

Friday Favorites Linky Party 437

Let's Party!

Time to link up and share your fantastic craft and DIY projects, recipes, tutorials, and ideas! I can't wait to see what you have in store for us this week!

Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Maisy at Becoming Alice - FB | G+ | Pin

Sheree at Stage Presents - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst

Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Amy at A Day of Small Things - Pin

Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!

You can show your love for this week's favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!

And if you love all of this week's favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week's linky party!

Friday Favorites Linky Party 436

Let's Party!

Time to link up and share your fantastic craft and DIY projects, recipes, tutorials, and ideas! I can't wait to see what you have in store for us this week!

Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Maisy at Becoming Alice - FB | G+ | Pin

Sheree at Stage Presents - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst

Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Amy at A Day of Small Things - Pin

Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!

You can show your love for this week's favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!

And if you love all of this week's favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week's linky party!

36 of the Best Zero Waste Lunch Bags for Back to School

I'm on a bit of Zero Waste kick lately. Well, more like Trying to Reduce Our Household Trash Each Week Without Living Like Little House on the Prairie Because Electricity and Indoor Plumbing Are Fantastic but that is too much to write over and over in one blog post.

Specifically, I'm looking for low waste lunch bags and container ideas.

I'm finding it is better for me to pack a dairy free lunch, dinner, or snack to better deal with my food allergy when I'm on the go. I like to travel as light as I can (especially if I'm at an event and have to cart stuff with me all day,) I don't want my food to dry out before lunch (which means cloth snack bags are out) and as much as I love my glass food containers they are too heavy and impractical.

All of that and it must be attractive without looking like something a preschooler would carry.

Pin this post for reference and to share with your friends!

Back to School Target Giveaway!

I'm not sure why it is but I always think of Back to School season as The New Year rather than the January 1st. Maybe it is the left turn at Albuquerque carefree summer fun takes to cooler weather and staying indoors. Most likely it is because it is time to shop for everything needed to start the new school year and all of the new possibilities it brings.

Also, there are some killer sales on fall clothes and house hold items you can take advantage of even if you don't have kids going back to school and have a need. But there is one thing you need to take advantage of those sales and do you know what that is?

MONEY.

And I want to give it to you!

  Enter for your chance to win a $100 gift card in our Target Back to School Giveaway!

How to Decorate a School or Gym Locker

My tween niece asked me for some design help. Even though it is the middle of summer, she is already looking ahead and planning on how she will decorate her first school locker. I remember how much planning I put into designing and decorating my school lockers to make sure everything was just. right. So I poked around for locker decorating ideas and came up with LLZ by LockerLookz. (I am including affiliate links for your convenience.)

LLZ is the original brand of high fashion locker decorations developed by two moms who started making decorations for their daughters, and later their friends, with the highest quality products.

How to Decorate a Gym Locker with LLZ by LockerLookz

11 PVC Plastic Free Shoes for Back to School

When I buy a plastic item, I check for the recycling number 3 which stands for PVC (polyvinyl chloride.) If the item is made from PVC, I don’t buy it.

It is unlikely that I will lick my shoes and inject PVC. If I do I think my problems are bigger than ingesting PVC plastic! However, I might if I handle those PVC shoes by putting them in the closet and then inadvertently put my finger in my mouth or eat an apple or something. Then I’m transfer PVC particles from the shoe to my hands to that apple and right into me.

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It’s just easier to avoid buying shoes made with PVC. Fortunately, many companies make PVC free shoes. I was happy to find that many of these shoes are already in my closet including my husband's favorite brand of running shoes!

1. Adidas (learn more about them here) Their sandals the have EVA (Ethylene-vinyl acetate), rubber outsoles; their sneakers have molded EVA insoles and midsoles. I personally have a pair and love them. (Disclosure: I am including affiliate links in this pot for your convenience)