pretty much everything has a story doesn’t it …
this story goes back to around 2009 …
Mr Magpie … who I must say is SO very supportive and encouraging of my creativity …
was exiting a major highway … he saw this lonely shoe and made a second loop back to the exit about 3-4 miles to rescue it from the side of the road
… imagine my surprise and delight …
kind of felt like Cinderella…except I have never worn a heel like that … ever … 😉
I have altered shoes before with a couple of examples here and here … back in the day I even did dried flower arrangements in little children’s shoes …
the minute I saw this high heeled number … I thought “mermaid slipper” …
maybe it was the cork platform heel …
what is the one thing a mermaid might long for … legs ?
I have been most distracted lately by our collection of seashells … it led me to making mandalas the other day and finally!!! … after all this time …
I got the clear chaulk out and got busy transforming my special shoe …
almost complete …
I painted the inside of the shoe after I glued on the shells … a little silly … what can I say I got excited …
Lumiere Pearl Turquoise gave a nice shimmer …
I knew it needed words …
mermaid thoughts …
what WOULD a mermaid do with a shoe anyway …
in my excitement I showed Mr M the finished slipper and boy did we have a laugh … when he read the quote out loud …
speaks to the “soul”
it hit us … yes … the SOLE!
the shells were all collected from Florida beaches … Sanibel Island mostly … a small black shark’s tooth from our dear friend Carol’s brother Joe along with some tiny pieces of sponge …
creating my mermaid’s slipper was like a mini vacation …
everything melted away …
I forgot to drink water …
I forgot to … well you know …
it was perfect escape and very satisfying …
wish you could feel the weight of the shoe layered with seashells!
“Come walk with me
Along the sea
Where dusk sits on the land
And search with me
For shells are free,
And treasures hide in the sand.” ~Unknown
sjöjungfru… sirena … zeemeermin … havfrue … syrena … sirène … Meerjungfrau
Magpie's Nest ~*~ Patty Szymkowicz 
ooooooo it’s fabulous!!!!!! and such an endearing story to go with it….will you make a purse now?? i LOVE this, patty….and of course, you have found just the PERFECT words to accesorize your slipper….such a wonderful treat for us shell lovers….swoooon!
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What a nice story and a beautiful slipper!
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Oh Patty! Mr. Magpie really is a dear to think of you with your creativity and find this shoe to bring it to you. Yes; a bit like Cinderella 🙂 Oh; I love what you did with altering it to be a Mermaid shoe – the shells are perfect on it; I just adore it! The saying is great with it, too! Thanks so much for sharing this! xxoo Marilyn
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oh my!!! does he have a brother?? I am in the market ya know!!! LOL!
no !! seriously he is the best!! and so is your mermaid slipper!! I love it and the play on soul! have a really great weekend! xoxox
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It is spectacular!!! You need a glass display case to keep it in! You must get one so it won’t get dusty and will have proper respect! I love the entire thing…the paint on the inside and the shells.
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A-MA-ZING.
I’m speechless.
xo
Gaye
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Magical!
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I love the quote and the double meaning! ha! Would be totally cool to stick it into a bottle like a ship’s model! With a little bit of beach sand. :)) Would keep you from having to dust it! (bottle and jars are easier to wipe off)
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First of all, Mr. Magpie deserves the Blogger Mate of the Year award!
And this is really wonderful and so creative. I may have to steal this idea, if for no other reason than to use up all the Myrtle Beach shells that sit in jars on my too crowded art-room shelves!
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Oh Patty what a fabulous slipper!!! A mermaid would love to find something so gorgeous!!!
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Wow, Patty, the shoe is sooo beautiful and your are soooo creative.
Have a nice weekend
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It is so beautiful! I love everything to do with mermaids and make mermaid pegdolls as well as fairies and angels. I am really enjoying following your blog.
Re Nathalie’s comment I made a private beach in a jar for a Magic Box swap and put in it sand (obviously) with small shells, seaglass and a pearl button from a mermaid’s purse.
Anne
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Oh wow what a great idea and wonderful work Patty.
This is unbelievbale and absolutely special. Great for catwalk 🙂
Have a lovely weekend my dear friend.
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Lovely story…Of course, I wondered where the mate to the shoe resides…certainly not so elegantly embossed!
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You really give me the shivers Patty…. look what I wrote on my blog today There must be a little (but strong) connection between us somehow – you really are my soulsister dear!!! I’m sure now!
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Das ist der Wahnsinn!!! Absolutly stunning my dear 🙂 I wish you a happy weekend Patty. Hugs Alexandra
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Well when “Prada” or some of these other shoe designers find this on the web they will go bonkers for it!! The inside looks like the inside coating of my albalone shells …really great…and these shells look so pretty on the shoe…..gorgeous. I think this would be enough for the mermaid to cut off the fins and start wearing shoes ,,,don´t you?
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i Love it! i get the feeling you’re perfect for each other! 🙂 sole mates? (snort)
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So gorgeous Patty, and I love the quote and the sparkle in your sole/soul!
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Ha ha how amazing. It’s such a pitty it was on it’s own though. Your hubby is such a sweet heart. Thanks for your e-mail. I don’t know why my message box wouldn’t work but it’s nice that you took the time to mail me anyway. Thank you. I just LOVE beachcombing, it’s the best bit of staying on a beach.
Have a good weekend.
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Wow, what fun you had Patty, and Mr M too. I can’t believe he actually brought this home for you, what a gem he is. He obviously knows you will alter anything 🙂
Love the color you painted the “sole” and the words, beautiful 🙂
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What a team you and your hubby are…great mermaid slipper!!!!
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This is just too cute! And the soul(sole), how funny!
Hugs, Ashlyn
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what a work! I love the text inside.
and I’m a great fan of Mr Magpie. 🙂
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What a man!!! fabulous Patty and ii looks like the inside of a mother of pearl shell, what a beautiful color that paint is….had a giggle about the ‘sole’ jenxo
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Wow! Absolutely gorgeous… If I was a mermaid, I’d want feet just so I could wear shoes like this. This my favorite altered shoe… ever. I’ve never been much for altered shoes… but you won me over with this one!
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I would say Mr. Magpie is a definite keeper!! Any man that even recognizes the fact that an abandoned shoe might have creative merit is special, but then to turn around and go out of his way to collect it? You have a national treasure in him!! The shoe ain’t half bad either!!
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Patti,
Your mandala and your shoe…just beautiful and loads of fun at the same time. I got my WONDERFUL pendant today. I just LOVE it to pieces. Thank you so much for sending me “Love.” I will wear it with pride. I didn’t know it was small! Just incredble tiny work you did. I adore how it was wrapped…it was all too cute for words. The little box is a keeper for sure!
Big hugs, kind and dear person!!!
Suz
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that’s so cool and pretty! I ALWAYS see random single shoes on the road…and I wonder what the story is…I mean, really, they seem to be everywhere!! Do people throw their shoes out the car windows?
Well, this shoe found a better life for sure! Happy weekend! xo natalea
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Oh Patty, your work with shells is stunning. I love the shoe. The shell work, paint, words, etc all work together perfectly. You must have a fun working on this!
Hugs from ME
Linda
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Mr. Magpie knows how to please his Cinderella. Or maybe he was thinking “free art fodder.” Whatever, he went over and above to treat you to this “slipper.” To have you turn it from an ugly duckling into a swan (am I mixing fairy tale metaphors here?) must have made him proud. I laughed, too, when I read SOUL. I was thinking the same thing. Great minds and all! Happy weekend, dear friend.
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I had a delicious walk on the beach night before last and the voice of the sea really does speak to the soul. The sky was so beautiful that night and the birds were so playful. I love walking on the beach just before and after sunset . . . oh, really anytime is a good time to walk on the beach. xoxoxo
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what a wonderful wonderful piece this is Patty! and your story only adds to it – from the finding of it and u-turn to pick it up to the pun about souls and soles ….. too sweet 🙂
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I smiled when I read about your husband. My DH does that too (well, maybe he wouldn’t turn the car around) but he comes with things he’s about to throw away and asks, with a slightly confused look on his face, if I can use it in any way. Isn’t that sweet? 😀 Absolutely LOVE your sjöjungfu shoe! 🙂
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JJJ is a Treasure just as your little Mermaid Shoe is! I Love what you’ve done with the shells and the quote on the inside of the shoe is just Great!
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Patty, your artwork is glorious! I love seeing your new pieces and the shoe is unique and magnificent!
Wish you a nice weekend my dear friend
Hugs
MARTINA 🙂
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Wonderful wonderful shoe and delightful story to go with it! You and Mr Magpie are definitely soul mates (*groan*) – sorry, I bet you’ve said them all already.
Jo
x
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I’m a little late to the party, but soooo happy that I stopped in to see this enchanting creation, Patty! You are, indeed, a mermaid’s Fairy Godmother!!! It’s stunning in every way, and what a clever saying!!! You, Sweet Patty, are an inspiration! Hugs, Terri xoxo
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So beautiful!
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OH MY!!! This is STUNNING!!! Patty! You’ve breathed life into this old shoe…genius!!! hugs steph
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Whoa !!
Such creative piece !
I really like this little Mermaid Shoe.
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Well – ain’t you something! Love this shoe. Love the story even more!! I laughed, I cried. I didn’t really cry… I stumbled on your blog from Two Dresses. I’m so glad that I did. I get the being so wrapped up in what you are creating that you don’t stop – not for anything!
cheers,
Kathy
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You are something else! I love this! So creative and it really turned out well! Super. I would never have imagined. 🙂
I received the amazing goodies you sent. I just love the heart you felted. So very cool. And the little nest is perfect. I cannot wait to use it. Thanks so much for the pretty little package. It sure made me a happy girl. You’re a doll!
xx,
Autumn
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What a creative sole – oops soul you are Patty!
If the shoe fits….. !!!
Every girl loves a mermaid story and even more when there’s a Cinderella as well – magical.
Does Mr M get royalties as a spotter of possible “objets d’art” !!
On more than one occasion he’s been the spark of your creativity – are there more from whence he came – pray tell!
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This is stunning! And so timely – I have to create a couple of mermaid-themed skinny pages this month, and I have been looking for inspiration this afternoon. Then I decided to catch up on blogs, and here was your beautiful mermaid shoe!
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That is so wonderful! 🙂
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OFF
THE
CHARTS
SPECIAL.
amazing.
fantastic.
magnificent.
delightful.
and a million more adjectives…
But the icing on the cake is definitely the rescue that occurred to bring this home to Cinderella. The same little Cinderella who had been busy ALL DAY long cleaning, cleaning, and more cleaning! Just like the rest of us little love-to-create-cinderella’s!!!!
Adding this to my FAVORITE posts…! And BTW I bet some chick whose feet were killing her after walking in these purposely threw the thing out the window just so she’d never be tempted to wear them again…!
xoxoxoxoxoxo {extras for such an inspiring post}
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I just love your mermaid slipper – you clever clever lady! 🙂 Awesome art and what a wonderful imagination! 🙂
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Wow you are truly are an artist ! This is such a great piece ! Its truly beautiful
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I am speechless…This is just stunning! 🙂
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Wow, you see me mouth opened, how cool. Such a wonderful altered shoe.
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I am completely SMITTEN with the mermaid shoe!!! Wow! Just a really really cool altered art piece! I am constantly amazed with the imaginative art that you create, Patty…but this one is even more special, with that story behind it! I love how you get “lost” in the act of creating…I do that too…forgetting everything else, but the art at hand. I love being in that “art zone”. Congratulations on this piece! It is truly special!
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Very creative…!!
I have worked on shoes before, making them a shrine…this one is enchanting!!
It has “Sole-Soul” indeed!!
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PS I have linked your blog to mine if it is okay with you.
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