Make your own dreamy leather sandals!
- Words by Peppermint
It’s no secret we’re big fans of The Shoe Camaraderie here at Peppermint. Run by our very own office manager Lisa, we were lucky enough to be the first people to try out her super-relaxed, super-awesome shoemaking workshop – and we’re all still banging on about how amazing it was. With dates coming up here in Brisbane, around Australia and even in New Zealand, we thought we’d share a few snaps from the day we each made a pair of butter-soft sandals with own fair hands.
First up, we each chose our fave shade of sustainably-sourced leather and our dream sandal style. BUT HOW CAN YOU CHOOSE A FAVOURITE CHILD?!
Lisa had beautiful little bags all ready for each of us, containing everything we needed to get our shoemaker on.
May the cutting and gluing commence! Nerve-wracking but oh-so-fun (and all scraps are either kept or donated to other makers, depending on the size and what they can be used for). Hurrah!
Lisa was always on-hand to serve up wisdom (and delightful refreshments) throughout the day. As she says, “The day’s all about slowing down, taking the time to connect with others through a shared experience and walking away feeling uplifted – and proud of your new, thoughtfully made footwear.”
The Shoe Camaraderie essential: delicious locally-sourced lunch and good ol’ chats.
The Shoe Camaraderie non-essential – a small, mischievous hound.
As things started to take shape we couldn’t believe we were actually MAKING SHOES.
Did we mention it was SUPER FUN?!
And that the fun was too much for one participant?
We ended the day with that great feeling you get when you’ve achieved something tangible – we totally made some shoes!
The experience reminded us of the simple pleasure of slow, mindful creation. By making our own shoes, we were connected to them, and grateful for them, in a way we wouldn’t have been had we just bought them from a cheap and cheerful retailer. If you fancy living this dream, head to The Shoe Camaraderie website to find out about imminent workshops in Brisbane (this weekend!), Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland. We’re biased, yes, but we can’t rave about it enough. We love The Shoe Camaraderie!
JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
Brighten up your inbox with our not-too-frequent emails featuring Peppermint-related news, events, competitions and more!
explore
More articles
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…. Which means we are officially entering party season. Work parties, friend-dos, family get-togethers and then we’re straight into New Year festivities. If you’re lucky enough, you might be staring down the barrel…
Look, I don’t want to make anyone panic but IT’S DECEMBER!!! If you’re planning to give homemade gifts, you’re going to have to act fast. …
Furred, feathered, fishy, scaled… The pets we choose are as diverse as our personalities. (And apparently, quite often we resemble each other.) But they all…
When you hang a painting on a wall, the story stays put. But when you wear a beautifully made garment that may as well be…
Hang out with us on Instagram
“We love that we can bring a hint of imagination and whimsy into everyday life by making ordinary objects fun. We’ve learned to appreciate the little wins and to take a moment for each step we achieve.”
Disillusioned by the realities of fast fashion, design grads Emily May and Sidonie Moore ditched clothing for a business that finds fun in the everyday. Enter @TheNonsenseMaker: a collection of unique homewares, fun wall art, greeting cards and more that breathe life into Emily’s illustrations: “I love the idea of taking real-world objects and changing your perspective in a way that brings magic and whimsy into everyday life!”
In issue 64’s feature ‘It all makes sense’, we chat to the Naarm/Melbourne-based duo about their sustainability philosophy, TV re-runs and their commitment to local makers. At stockists now!
Photos: @MeAndMyGirl
#PeppermintMagazine #TheNonsenseMaker #LocalMakers #SustainableCraft
Any New Year’s resolutions on your list? We love this from @OtterBeeStitching - “be brave enough to suck at something new”.
There’s no points for perfection, but you’ll get a trophy for trying. If nothing else this year, take the leap and try something new.
#OtterBeeStitching #Embroidery #BeBrave #TrySomethingNew #EmbroideryArt
Sunday serving suggestion ☀️
Gorgeous photos from @JolieFemmeStore - who make sweet garments from vintage bedsheets.
#PeppermintMagazine #SlowSunday #SwitchOff #Unplug #ReadAMagazine
A toast to the old you 🥂
We wholeheartedly love this post from the brilliant @EmilyOnLife:
“2026: Reinvent, burn it down, let it go (whatever it is). Year of the Snake it up. Exercise your boundaries, exercise your body, take one teeny step every day towards a life that feels better to be in.
But don’t you dare shit on your old self while you do it.
Hold yourself with reverence and tenderness and respect, because you got you this far. You did your very best with the information and tools you had at the time. You scraped yourself together, you made it work, you survived what felt impossible to survive: again and again and again.
You are perpetually in the process of becoming, whether you can feel it or not, whether or not you add it to your 2026 to-do list.“
Some very wise words from @Damon.Gameau to take us into 2026 🙌🏼
⭐️ We made it!!! ⭐️
Happy New Year, friends. To those who smashed their goals and achieved their dreams, and to those who are crawling over the finish line hoping to never speak of this year again (and everyone else in between): we made it. However you got here is enough. Be proud.
It’s been a tough year for many of us in small business, so here’s to a better year in 2026. We’re forever grateful for all your support and are jumping for joy to still be here bringing you creativity, kindness and community.
We’re also excited to be leaping into the NY with our special release sewing pattern – the Waratah Wrap Dress!
How great are our fabulous models: @Melt.Stitches, @KatieMakesADress and @Tricky.Pockets - and also our incredible Sewing Manager @Laura_The_Maker! 🙌🏼
Ok 2026: let’s do this. 💪🏼
#PeppermintWaratahWrapDress #PeppermintPatterns #SewingPattern #MeMade #WrapDress #WrapDressPattern
