“I’m in the mood to help you, dude / You ain’t never had a friend like me.” – Aladdin

It is no secret that we love Disney in this house. I met Disney-lover Karina Arevalo while looking for custom Disney sneakers for my oldest before a trip to the house of Mouse. Arevalo is the artist and designer behind This Momma Doodles, which focuses on hand painted Disney-inspired sneakers.

“My most favorite shoe design is Ariel and Flounder because she is my favorite Disney Princess,” shared Arevalo. “However, my most popular design is Woody and Buzz. It is my best seller and it is so fun to recreate the design, even though not every pair of shoes is exactly the same. They are very unique and fun.” The doodling mom opened up shop in August 2018. “I was inspired by another one of my favorite shops, Litto Chic, and I collaborated with the shop to make a pair of shoes to match her release of Sally and Jack-inspired skirted leos,” she recalled. “I named my shop ‘This Momma Doodles’ because I have always liked to doodle and draw and also, I love Disney! So, I decided to hand paint shoes inspired some of our favorite characters.” I asked Arevalo to name her favorite Disney movie and she offered Aladdin, “but that may change now that Toy Story 4 was released.”

The This Momma Doodles canvas sneakers are fully functional, wearable works of art. Arevalo uses high-quality acrylic paints and seals each pair for long-lasting wear. “What makes This Momma Doodles unique is the time taken to hand paint each shoe,” she explained. “Aside from the designs I create, I love to make the shoe design as magical as possible for the customer. I personalize the shoes and add glow in the dark options, glitter and gems. The shoes each customer orders are one of a kind and no one will have the same pair. Even if I paint the same design ten times, it is always unique and different.” Her favorite part of the painting process is “adding the extra details, like a child’s name and gems to make the shoes dazzle.”

Arevalo freehand paints and decorates sneakers for Disney fans of all ages, both young and young at heart. “I usually find my inspiration from new Disney movie releases and most popular characters. I have had such high demand, I had to briefly close shop, but I have had to find a way to balance staying busy but remaining open for new orders.” She is also working on adding new items, like t-shirts and hats, to the This Momma Doodles shop soon. Put on your mouse ears and join the This Momma Doodles Facebook group here or follow the shop on Instagram here to see photos of previous designs and request your own custom pair before heading to the parks. Plus, use the code MAGIC10 to save on your next purchase. Thanks Karina!

“The opportunity to play a little part in others lives and special events is my absolute favorite part of what I do,” Rachel Martin exclaimed. “I would like to think my customer service is top notch and makes the shop stand out. All of my customers are treated like family and every time I send something on its way, I say a little prayer for happiness and health, no matter what it is.”

Martin is the crafty mastermind behind Bug’s Beautiful Creations based in Huber Heights, Ohio. Bug’s Beautiful Creations focuses primarily on vinyl projects, painted signs, t-shirt designs, sublimation, digital and printed projects (like party invitations), and bows. Martin found her start, however, in crochet. “I started out almost seven years ago with one single crochet baby blanket I made as a gift. I posted it on my personal profile and saw the potential,” she recalled. “As a stay at home mom of eight babies at the time (now there are ten, plus one grandchild as well), I needed some kind of supplemental income. Why not make it by doing something I enjoyed? My very first paying customer actually lives in Michigan, although neither of us can figure out how she found my little brand new shop, she quickly became a friend. Since then, I have gained customers from New Zealand to Europe.” Martin selected the shop name “Bug’s Beautiful Creations” in honor of her late father. “Bug was the nickname my father had given me in infancy, and after losing him in 2010, I wanted to incorporate his memory in my day to day projects.”

The shop quickly expanded beyond Martin’s crocheted designs. “I went from creating items for my customers all the way to now providing supplies for other makers in the industry,” she said proudly. “I started a VIP group with almost 1,700 members so far for my own creations, a business page – where it all began – with almost 3,100 followers, and now a supply group, which is still in its infancy.” A “Jane” of all trades, Martin finds design inspiration all over. “My children, the music I listen to, and the things that happen in my daily life are among the best inspirations I get,” she shared. “Plus, a lot of my customers bring me ideas for their own events and needs as well.” Her favorite creation is a crocheted dress she designed for a fundraiser. “I named the dress ‘The Rainbow Creation’ and it is one of a kind. I almost hated giving it up, but the dress went to a great cause,” she laughed. Fans of the shop tend to gravitate towards Martin’s birth stats plush elephants and military duty station boards. “Many of the members of my family are enlisted in the military, so I love to do anything pertaining to that.”

Martin is regularly working on adding new creations to the online shop. “This summer, I have expanded my sublimation options and my ‘back to school’ bows. As a teacher, summer is great for me to really grow other aspects of my business and then start preparing for the super busy back to school and winter holiday shopping seasons!” Join the Bug’s Beautiful Creations VIP Group here for sneak peaks and use the code “BugsCreatesAgain” to save 20% on your next purchase. Thanks Rachel!