Happy Friday: Homemade Toddler Treads

By Collin | Owner

Jan 10, 2014 @ 5:59 PM MST

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Sent from reader, Minde:

I am always looking for a way to save a buck and make do with what we have. When my daughter started walking, I discovered many of the shoes I had bought her were smooth on the bottoms and were very slippy. Instead of buying new shoes I began searching for a way to fix the ones she had. I ended up finding some no-slip carpet backing underneath an area rug. I snipped a couple small pieces off, glued them onto the bottom of her shoes, and voila! The problem was fixed. Her shoes were no longer slippy and it didn’t cost me a penny.

I submitted my tip to Parents magazine and they decided to publish it! This is my daughter, Molly, showing off her shoes in the magazine!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Do you have a funny, “Hip”, or unique photo to share?! Email us at happyfriday@hip2save(dot)online. Every Friday, I will post one photo, submitted by you and/or another Hip2Save reader, that gives us a glimpse into your frugal lifestyle or simply makes us smile. If your photo is published on Hip2Save, we’ll email you a $10 Amazon e-card!

Join The Discussion

onlinements 58

rn30032 January 10, 2014 at 6:02 pm MST

Awesome!!! great money saving tip!!

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Ashley January 10, 2014 at 6:06 pm MST

Awwwe! What a cutie! And great idea! Hi from you neighbors in Blairsville, PA 😀

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minde January 10, 2014 at 6:30 pm MST

thank you! I used to live in Indiana, PA 🙂

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Naomi January 10, 2014 at 7:12 pm MST

So funny! I used to live in Boswell, PA, and my family is still there, with grandparents in Somerset!

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Tracy January 10, 2014 at 9:52 pm MST

I saw the word “slippy” and thought she must be from Western PA. I was raised in Piitsburgh

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Esther January 10, 2014 at 6:56 pm MST

Nice to see something positive from Johnstown!!! Great idea. Hi from Windber! (grew up by Armagh and took dance lessons behind the “new mall” in Indiana. But you are probably too young to know that reference!

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Barbi January 10, 2014 at 7:28 pm MST

Wooo-Hooooo Johnstown! I live there too!

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minde January 10, 2014 at 7:37 pm MST

lol, who knew there were so many of us here!

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Renee January 10, 2014 at 11:44 pm MST

Hey! Me too! What a small world

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minde January 10, 2014 at 7:37 pm MST

thank you! I lived in Indiana for a few years but only new of 1 mall 🙂 Windber is super close to me though! Cool to see some locals here!

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Esther January 10, 2014 at 8:40 pm MST

Where TJMAXX is now was the Regency Mall. Smelled like old cigar smoke from the smoke shop. Then they built the current mall. My parents still refer to it as the “new mall”

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Naomi January 11, 2014 at 7:07 pm MST

That’s awesome! I live in homer city! 20 minutes from Indiana!! I’m 25 & know what the “old” mall is! :-)! If you wanna call it a mall! haha Indiana needs some new store & what do we get 2 new pet stores?!!?! Not a Victoria Secret or something useful!! :-)! lol :-)! Awesome seeing other people from close to me!! And to clarify I say slippery!! :-)! & I was born & raised here however, my family says “slippy” & it drives me crazy!! :-)!

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Jen January 11, 2014 at 9:36 pm MST

It’s indeed a small world and I love seeing all the people from around here! I live in Northern Cambria which is a half hour either way from Johnstown or Indiana. Ah the good old Regency Mall in Indiana. I remember Montgomery Ward being there as well.

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k January 10, 2014 at 6:08 pm MST

That’s a great idea! Especially since its good for babies to wear soft soled shoes, and it’s hard to find non slip ones

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Pharmchick January 10, 2014 at 6:14 pm MST

She is so cute!!

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Rebecca Ann January 10, 2014 at 6:15 pm MST

This is awesome – and I knew she was from Pennsylvania because she said “slippy”!!!!

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JS January 10, 2014 at 6:19 pm MST

Lol me too born and raised pa I live in SC now but still a northern girl at heart.

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RB January 10, 2014 at 6:19 pm MST

Haha. …I also grew up in western PA, and picked that out 🙂

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JA January 10, 2014 at 6:20 pm MST

I know, I love it! Happy to see someone “local.”

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minde January 10, 2014 at 6:29 pm MST

Haha! I didn’t even realize that was a Pennsylvania word. I thought everyone used it! At least I didn’t say “Younze” right?

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Erin January 10, 2014 at 9:16 pm MST

I’m from western PA, and I didn’t pick up on it, either.

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Tracy January 10, 2014 at 10:02 pm MST

I totally thought she’s from Western PA. I grew up in Pittsburgh and had no idea the real word was slippery until college. Also did not realize most people do not call it pop. After living is a few places I find it all pretty funny. Yinz must think we sound funny n at.

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Des January 10, 2014 at 7:46 pm MST

I saw that too, immediately thought a PA Hip2Saver lol I’m from California, PA and now I’m in Gibsonia, PA but pittsburgese is part of my vocabulary.

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Jessica January 10, 2014 at 8:25 pm MST

I loved reading this and immediately knew this was from near where I grew up when I read “slippy.” I’m a Washington, PA native stuck in Texas.

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Daisy January 10, 2014 at 6:16 pm MST

Great idea !!!!

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Debbie January 10, 2014 at 6:21 pm MST

This is brilliant. And what a beautiful and excited cutie!

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Karen January 10, 2014 at 6:29 pm MST

I saw it in my magazine! Great idea!

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Rose January 10, 2014 at 6:29 pm MST

Adorable Baby Girl!

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Sarah January 10, 2014 at 6:29 pm MST

Haha western Pa here too! Never heard “slippy” until I moved here!

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Deeanna January 10, 2014 at 6:29 pm MST

Yes for my best friend!!! What can I say my son had an ADORABLE girlfriend!!!

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Tia January 10, 2014 at 6:33 pm MST

The tip is great, but look at that face!!!

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minde January 10, 2014 at 6:35 pm MST

thanks so much everyone!! she’s my beautiful girl 🙂
Your kind words mean so much!

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Bev January 10, 2014 at 6:38 pm MST

I knew I had seen this picture *somewhere* today, and then I read the whole story! How fun for you and your family to have your idea printed in a great magazine!

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Rebecca January 10, 2014 at 6:41 pm MST

I too saw this in the magazine just yesterday! Smart momma for thinking of it & adorable little girl!

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tilla ham January 10, 2014 at 6:45 pm MST

there is a product called moleskin a couple of bucks at any drug store, you can cut it to put on bottom of shoes so you don’t slip. My daughter and her fellow dance ladies use it on the tips of their pointe shoes

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Tammy January 10, 2014 at 6:50 pm MST

Great tip! Thanks for sharing and that little sweetie pie is adorable!

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Johanna January 10, 2014 at 6:51 pm MST

Instead of carpet tape, you can also use silicone caulk for the bottom of the shoes and on the carpet~instead of the tape~ it’s really cheap too!

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Bonnie January 10, 2014 at 7:19 pm MST

Puffy paint works great, too!

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Erin January 10, 2014 at 8:54 pm MST

That’s what I was going to suggest. Love the idea of silicone caulk, though. I don’t know about anyone else, but I ALWAYS seem to have a half-used tube lying around!

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Stacy January 10, 2014 at 11:15 pm MST

We use the silicon on feetsie pjs also. When you buy them used usually the traction is all gone. Just use silicon and your good to go. Ours have lasted for months even going through the washer.

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krystal January 10, 2014 at 7:04 pm MST

You may also be able to put a couple dots of caulk on the soles. I read in Martha Stewart to put in on the bottoms of rugs for slipping. It may work but I have never tried it.

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Lindsay January 10, 2014 at 7:17 pm MST

I use dots of puff paint. Easy, cheap, and you can even do cute design. I use itshoes on pjs and shoes!

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minde January 10, 2014 at 8:56 pm MST

that’s a great idea too! I like that you can make it look pretty. Only thing I wasn’t crazy about with this idea was the look.

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Carmen January 10, 2014 at 7:22 pm MST

How cool your idea was published! And she’s such a little cutie!!!

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KD January 10, 2014 at 7:23 pm MST

I thought I’m the only one to get so excited to see the name “Johnstown, PA” here.
Hi from Altoona!

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Jen January 10, 2014 at 7:32 pm MST

I saw this in Parents magazine first and recognized the picture. Awesome!

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Zosia January 10, 2014 at 7:40 pm MST

Cute sweetie!

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mary January 10, 2014 at 7:51 pm MST

Here are two Huggies Rewards codes(1 time use only)

CSPPF-CFTTR-PRFSP

RKGZB-XCXNM-STKCP

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Rlene January 10, 2014 at 8:25 pm MST

thanks for the huggies code! 🙂

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ihearthip January 10, 2014 at 8:01 pm MST

She’s so cute! That was a great idea

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Corinne January 10, 2014 at 8:06 pm MST

Just like a lot of you, I have a local connection too and had to post a onlinement. I lived in Johnstown for about 9 years and recently moved to NC. I did a double take when I saw “Johnstown!!” Great tip Minde! Thanks for sharing.

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steph January 10, 2014 at 8:15 pm MST

What a great idea:-) Thanks for sharing, Mindy!

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Mel January 10, 2014 at 8:36 pm MST

You can also buy some “grip stop” that go on the bottoms of slippers at JoAnn Fabrics or probably other fabric stores. It is $15/yard but you can buy as little as 4.5 inches.

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Rachel January 10, 2014 at 9:23 pm MST

Puffy paint works to or chaulk I saw a rug thing at dollar tree

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Lisa P January 10, 2014 at 9:24 pm MST

Also excited to see Johnstown as well. I am in Johnstown!

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Amy Stotts January 11, 2014 at 3:28 am MST

Awwww, I want to grab up Molly and HUG her! She’s PRECIOUS! Great idea on the shoes…I’ll pass it on when I can!

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Luda B January 11, 2014 at 4:05 am MST

I am ‘fixing’ shoes of my 75 years old mom, she is always afraid to fall, thank you for sharing! 🙂

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Moriah January 11, 2014 at 9:36 am MST

Wow in got pediped for a gift and it was leather but my daughter would
Slip on it all the time. I love See Kai Tun though. This is
A great idea!!

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