If sweaters are the best part of winter, sandals are the best part of summer. Just as you're putting away your fuzzy favorites until next fall, your heart yearns for the next to barefoot feeling of wearing a great new pair of sandals.

An old favorite has returned to the scene -- the famous Dr. Scholl adjustable sandal that first became popular a generation ago. But there's a twist on this old favorite: what's new for this season is customized versions of these ultra simple shoes. Boutiques offer them for over $100 a pair, but if you buy knock-off sandals at the discount store and invest an hour or two, you can create your own for less than $10 a pair!

The simple styling and the fact that there is so little surface to cover make these sandals a breeze to embellish. It also helps that they easily un-fasten, so that access to the inside of the strap is easy.

The knock-off versions, like the ones shown here, substitute a hard rubber for the traditional wood sole. Many people find this a more comfortable alternative, but whether the sole is wood or rubber, the techniques for decorating the shoes are the same. And it's up to you how much of the shoe you want to decorate. You can do just the top strap, or you can also decorate either the top of the sole or the sides of it, or both.

Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Embroidered: Purchase sandals with fabric top straps. You are most likely to see them in blue jean denim, which makes a great background for some simple embroidered flowers. Use any color of floss you like, and use a full strand so your work will show up. Whip stitch all around the edges, and then fill in with simple daisies with French knot centers. A sharp needle with a large eye works best to go through all of the layers.

Painted: Stripes are everywhere this season, and they provide a simple motif for shoes. Paint the sides of the wooden or rubber soles in stripes, and then mix patterns by painting the tops straps in coordinating polka dots.

Whether your sandals are made of wood or rubber, first sand the soles thoroughly before painting. Just use a piece of coarse sandpaper. Then, choose several colors of acrylic craft paint that go well together. Use a flat brush, about ½" wide. Using a flat brush (use it the "flat" way) makes it easy to keep the edges of your stripes straight. Be sure to let stripes dry before painting the next stripe, so that the colors don't smear.

Once you've painted the sides of the soles, move on too the straps. They are made of leather or vinyl, and again, sand these, too, before painting. Choose one of the stripe colors for the background color, and use the flat brush, working out to the strap's edges to get a clean finish. You may need to apply two or more coats to cover well. When the color is dry, uses a round brush and another stripe color to paint polka dots on the straps.

If you like, paint all or part of the flat part of the sole as well. When all the painted areas are dry, spray them with a coat or two of clear acrylic finish to seal.