| As I watched the Wizard of Oz at five,
I was always amazed by the shoes that Judy Garland wore. Also, I
could never figure out why the witch wanted them so bad. At the end
of the movie, I finally realized how powerful they were. That they
could transport this little girl back to Kansas. I was always amazed
by them, and like any kid, I wanted a pair for myself.
At age 12, I was still in love with the
magic of the Wizard of Oz, and I still wanted a pair of Ruby Slippersnow
more then ever. One day I was in a used clothing store, and came
across a pair of shoes that I thought would make good Ruby Slippers.
Boy, was I wrong. They came out putrid, and are now located in the
back of my closet in a cardboard box. I pull them out and compare
them to my final pair sometimes, and realize how far I have come.
When I was 12, I started research on the
slippers that has never ceased! I found many friends and with their
pictures and information, I was able to craft a great pair of Ruby Slippers
for my collection. I now have a scrapbook with over 250 pictures
of the slippers, and it is still growing.
Thank God for Rhys Thomas and his wonderful
book. That book has given me so much information, it is unbelievable.
The pictures, the slipper pattern, and especially all the information about
their mystery and scandal.
With the help of my best slipper friend
John Henson, I was able to acquire an actual pair of size 6B shoes from
1939. He and also my other great friend, Chip Batko, helped me craft
my beautiful slippers. I would like to thank them for all of their
help in making the magic of OZ come to my home.
Currently, I have my slippers displayed
in a case in a room with the rest of my OZ collectibles. Everyone
loves them, and is amazed when I say that I made them. I have tried
to capture the real look of the slippers, and I believe I have done it.
Thanks for visiting my page, and please
enjoy the rest of the club page, after all "Follow the Yellow Brick Road!"
Eric Decker |
