One-of-a-Kind Decoupaged Kicks & Showgirl Pages

This is a HoT Flash Weekly Update, brought to you by the team at Handcrafted Over Tea. (Week of November 3, 2025)

Slow making, bold choices, and a dash of showtime—here’s what we brewed up this week at Handcrafted over Tea.

Connie: Fabric-Decoupaged Tennis Shoes (a.k.a. My Zambezi Chitenga Kicks)

I’ve always found decoupage easy… until I tried it with fabric on canvas tennis shoes.

My beloved Zambezi Chitenga cotton was thicker than ideal, so adhering it with Mod Podge took patience (and a lot of smoothing). Cutting pieces to fit curved panels was a “snip–test–snip” marathon.

I planned to embroider the uncovered sections, but the canvas wouldn’t let a proper needle through—so I threaded embroidery floss through the shoe’s existing stitches around the tongue for a subtle custom detail.

It took hours, it was harder than I imagined, and I’m tickled with the outcome. No one—absolutely no one—has shoes like mine.

Lesson learned: next time I’ll choose lighter-weight fabric for easier adhesion and fewer swear words.

Quick how-to (what I’ll do next time):

1. Clean shoe surface 

2. Rough cut lightweight fabric (pre-wash to soften)

3. Brush on thin Mod Podge layer

4. Lay fabric, smooth from center out (use a silicone tool)

5. Trim in place

6. Seal with two thin top coats, drying between. 

   
   

   Pro tip: Snip relief cuts along curves so the fabric lays flat; work in small panels instead of one big piece.

“So many new crafts to explore, so few years left to do them—I better get a move on!”

Last, but not least, a few sources of inspiration for me this week:

• Start a collage from a photo 

• Trace leaf patterns from shadows

• A funny Southern take on Jane Austen

Addie: The Life of a Showgirl (Swiftie Junk Journal Spread)

As the resident Swiftie, I had to make a journal page celebrating The Life of a Showgirl at our last HoT Flash session. Think stage-lights energy meets scrapbook nostalgia: ticket stubs, glitter-kissed borders, lyric snippets, and a tiny flip-up for “backstage” thoughts. It’s part memory-keeping, part mood board, and totally permission to play.

What I used: one bold focal photo, washi + ribbon tabs, metallic gel-pen accents, a mini envelope for secret notes, and a simple color trio (pink–black–gold).

Candice: Pen & Prairie

I’m brewing something new: the Low Prairie Writers Circle at The Ferns.

This is an in-person writers circle for writers ~of all levels~ who can gather with us in Bellville.

Our host, The Ferns Guesthouse, will let us use spaces on the property for our meetups.

We are also partnering with The Story Peddler, Bellville's indie bookstore, to bring writers together.

Writers can join us twice per month:

• every 1st Saturday (10am–12pm), and

• every 3rd Tuesday (6–8pm).

Bring your writing gear and a story itch!

See the events page on Facebook, from our partner The Ville. ✨🍵

HoT Notes & Prompts to Play With for Cozy Crafts at Home

• Decoupage, but smarter: Test two fabric weights on a scrap of canvas first. Time your dry, sand lightly between coats for a leathery finish.

• Shadow sketching: Tape a leaf to the window at golden hour and trace the cast shadow—instant organic pattern for stencils or embroidery.

• Showgirl spread: Pick one lyric as your page title, add a mini envelope for “backstage secrets,” and finish with a foil sticker as your “spotlight.”

Tools We Loved This Week, all in one place

• Mod Podge (matte), silicone spreader, fine scissors, craft knife

• Lightweight cottons for easier adhesion (or pre-wash thicker fabrics to soften)

• Embroidery floss for through-the-seam detailing (when canvas says “nope”)

• Gel pens + washi + photo corners for fast junk-journal layers

Show & Tell

Did YOU make something this week? Were you inspired by this week’s updates?

Tag us with #HandcraftedOverTea or #HoTFlash so we can applaud your stitches, swatches, and spreads.

If you’re coloring along with our Art Remix pages, we’d love to feature your work in an upcoming community roundup.

Until next brew—keep it cozy, curious, and handcrafted. ✨🍵

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