18-year-old makes shoes

Tag : cartoon slippers
At 16, she started selling her creations to friends and strangerswho requested drawings on their shoes. These days, she starts witha basic white Walmart shoe and sells the finished shoes onlinenationwide under the name Aloha!Alice for $35 a pair, plus $5shipping. She's also branched out into rubber slippers for $15,baby shoes for $25 and canvas tote bags for $25.
She said she's received many requests for shoes from the UnitedKingdom but is hesitant to leap into international sales because ofsizing issues.
Otherwise, custom designs are worked out on a sheet of paper andapproved by the purchaser before being committed to a shoe'ssurface. There's no room for error because she pays for the shoesupfront and can't afford to absorb the cost of mistakes.
If there's something she can't draw, she'll direct individuals tosketches suited to her innocent, childlike style. Her work wouldappeal most to those seeking an alternative to slick, mass-marketedproducts, or simply something colorful to suit their personality.
"I like making people happy," she said. "That's why I like makingthe shoes, because everyone wants to have their own pair of shoesthat matches them."