Magical Red Glitterlites

Angelus Direct Glitterlites are Gina Mama’s “sole” mates!!  Giltterlites can make your Birkenstocks gorgeous and glamorous.  For a little less than $5.00, glitterlites can completely transform any of your Birkenstocks, even that old worn out pair in the back of your closet.  All you need is a little creativity and imagination.   What are Glitterlites?  Well....you are just going to have to keep on reading to find out.

In a previous blog, Birkenstock Diva, I showed you how I completely transformed a pair of pink rivet Birkenstocks.  

Remember these?

Birkenstock Pink Rivet Gizehs (before)

They turned into this:

Before, during, after the coloring process

Pink Rivet Gizehs Colored Purple (after)

Well, guess what?  I had another pair of pink Gizehs, just like the ones above.  Since I like all of my Birkenstocks to be unique, it took me few months to decide how I wanted to customize them.

Call me crazy, but this time, I took on the task of making ALL of the changes myself.  I  removed the soles and resoled them myself — at home!   I applied the same steps, as I outlined in the Birkenstock Diva blog, to remove the soles.  However, this time, I took extra precaution to prevent the toe post from melting.  If the toe post melted, my back up plan was to send them to Michelangelo at Custom Made Birkenstocks for a total recraft.  With a lot patience and a bit of luck, the toe posts did not melt! 

After the soles were removed, I used Tarrago color cream to stain the uppers.  By staining the leather prior to adhering on new soles, I was able to apply the color uniformly.  This meant no gaps of pink peeking through where the footbed and sole connect.

Once the stain was dry, I carefully colored the white toe post black.  I tried paint, but the paint chipped off.  I tossed the paint aside and pulled out my secret weapon, a Mr. Sharpie.  Mr. Sharpie worked like a champ and easily colored the white toe post black, to match the new black soles.

Mr. Sharpie pens

The final step was to glue on the black soles to the footbed.  I used Barge All Purpose Cement Glue to adhere the soles to the footbed. ​

Barge All Purpose Cement Glue

Clamps and rubber bands were used to apply pressure and help with adhesion.  I let the glue dry for 24 hours and then I removed all the apparatuses.

The Gizehs looked so beautiful in red.  The red made the rivets “pop”.  Now, you would think that I would be satisfied just with this gorgeous red.  But, I was not!!  Something was missing. ​

Pink Gizehs stained red (pre giltterites)

The red was too dull and too matte for my liking.  I needed some pizazz.  But, what was missing?!  Sparkle, shine, and shimmer…THAT was what these babies needed.

Where would I find a bottle of pizazz that included sparkle, shine, and shimmer?  Allow me to introduce you to Giltterlites in Ruby Red. ​

Ruby Red Glitterlites. Photo from Angelus Direct

This bottle contains one fluid ounce of pure magic.  A bottle of Ruby Red Angelus Direct Glitterlites can turn any boring, dull pair of shoes into something charismatic.  When I say Ruby Red, imagine Dorothy’s shoes from the Wizard of OZ.

We are not in Kansas anymore after applying Ruby Red Glitterlites to Birkenstocks.  The red glitterlites transform any Birkenstock into something elegant and artistic.  Think the Land of Oz magical.  Ruby Red Glitterlites encompass all that greatness and uniqueness, into a little, one ounce bottle of leather paint.

My Birkenstocks went from this:

Red rivet Gizehs before Glitterlites

to this:

I love the Ruby Red Glitterlites so much that I used the same bottle of paint, to  transform two other pairs of Birkenstocks!

The pair of Arizonas below was recrafted by Michelangelo at Custom Made Birkenstocks.  I had purchased them on Poshmark for $20.  I initially thought that I wanted the Arizonas to be black with black glitterlites.  But, that was not satisfying enough for me.  I decided to aim for that Stardust look that Birkenstock created a few years back.  Only I wanted red “stardust” on black, something that Birkenstock has yet to produce (hint, hint).

This is what I created:

Customized Arizonas with red Glitterlites

I love these and get numerous compliments every time that I wear them!!  Interestingly, the final product turned out to be a mix between the Stardust effect and the new Iride Red that Birkenstock has released for Fall/Winter 2018.

Photo from Birkenstock of Stardust

Birkenstock Iride Strong Red

Finally....my “Piece de Resistance”...are my brown Temaras.  I bought the Temaras in black and really loved the look and the feel of the crisscross straps.  I loved them so much, that I could not live without the brown ones too…..but, I never wore the brown.  They were a little too dull for Gina Mama.

So, what’s a Birkenstock Diva to do?!  Pull out some red leather paint and the bottle red glitterlites — that’s what!

For this customization, I followed the steps that I outlined in my blog, Bespoke Birkenstock.  I primed the Temaras with one layer of white paint.  Then I added two coats of chili pepper red paint from Angelus Direct.   Finally, I applied three coats of Ruby Red glitterlites.  And the final result were these spectacular Ruby Red Sparkly Temaras!!!   ​

When I wear these Temaras, or any of my other customized Birkenstocks with red glitterlites, I feel like I am walking in a magical land.  Like Dorothy, walking in the Land of Oz, in her Ruby Red slippers.

There is something to be said about having a unique pair Birkenstocks.  Birkenstocks that no one else has and that no one else can get.  It kind of makes me feel like a Diva.

But, I am no Diva at all.  I am just a hard working woman/mom/wife with a creative edge.  If my head gets too far up in the clouds with my artistic side, all I have to do is click my heels together three times and say, “there is no place like home”.   This will transport me right back to reality.  Right back home.

There is no place like home.  And there is nothing like wearing a pair of customized Birkenstocks.

NOTE: For more suggestions on how to customize or paint Birkenstocks, click here.