It’s a simple question, really: How do you feel about buttered toast? On your shoes? Sounds messy, right? Well, I promise it’s not. It’s pretty awesome, actually. Buttered toast not quite your thing? How about a killer bunny? Or a doe-eyed monkey face? Personally, I’m after the buttered toast. Read on if I’ve managed to successfully pique your interest – I want to introduce you to Monica of Monica Moses Designs. She adorns (and adores) china flats.
Facebook: Monica Moses (It’s mostly tattoos though, although I will add some shoe and hair pretty photos soon.)
Art Medium: Shoes with hand crafted felt appliqués
ALBH: How did you get into adorning china flats?
MMD: I have always loved Mary Janes and I wanted to customize them. At first I only made them for myself and to give to friends and it morphed into an etsy account and now selling with A Little Bit Hippy.
ALBH: How hard was it learning how to put the patches together and get them to stay on shoe well enough to survive normal wear?
MMD: The medium was not hard to learn. I just figured it out as I went along.
ALBH: What kind of materials do you use in your projects?
MMD: I used pre-made Chinese style mary janes and make the appliqués out of felt and thread, sometimes buttons and googley eyes.
ALBH: How should your shoes be cared for? Any advice you want us to pass on?
MMD: Wear them as you would any shoes, but you might want to avoid mud puddles, unless you are going for that antiqued look.
ALBH: Do you make a variety of items or do you have a pretty standard design motif?
MMD: I sure do have a variety… My designs include, but are not limited to, vampires, frankies, nautical stars, flowers, buttered toast, skulls with bows, flowers, monkeys, flying pumpkins, anchors, sacred hearts, roses, cherries, killer bunnies, cupcakes, robots, and mushrooms.
ALBH: What’s your long term goal as an artist?
MMD: My long term goal would be to decorate everybodys tootsies north, south, east, and west of the Mason Dixon line.
ALBH: What does the word “Hippy” mean to you?
MMD: What does hippie mean to me? Having large hips.
ALBH: Do you have advice you’d like to pass along to other artists?
MMD: Advice for other artists: Don’t make a TLC show.
ALBH: What do you find to be your most recurring inspiration?
MMD: My inspiration is anything cute or scary, especially if I can put those two together.
ALBH: How about your “typical” day – what’s that like?
MMD: I tattoo all day and I make goodies all night. Sometimes I eat and sleep.
In addition to these super cute shoes, we also brought in some of Monica’s other goodies. So come take a look before it’s all gone on August 30th!!
