Apr. 22--CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Kim Quillen blames her love of shoes on a childhood spent in ugly corrective shoes.

She loves nothing better than to wiggle her toes in a pretty pair of open-toed summer lovelies and admits the closet in her Ravenswood home may have more space devoted to shoes than to clothes.

Quillen has a new way to stock her closet these days -- a line of sandals of her own design called Convertibles that allow her to switch out the decorative tops with a pop of a snap.

"Pop the top and go," is the catchphrase for the sandals, whose first modest shipment to retailers was due in the country this week.

It's been a whirlwind project for Quillen, 47, married mother of two and interior designer who says she's always looking for a project.

It was out-and-out shoe lust that inspired her new business.

Quillen, her husband, Fred, and their daughter, Teagan, were visiting potential colleges a year and a half ago, a trip that took them to Florida. Quillen and her daughter shopped for Teagan's prom dress at the same time and Quillen found a pair of sandals she loved. Pricetag: $480. She didn't buy them.

"But I couldn't get those shoes out of my head," she remembered.

On the drive back, her husband commented, "Well, who would pay that much for a pair of shoes, anyway?"

A while later, Quillen had an inspiration.

"I said, 'I've got a great idea!' They'd pay that much if they could change the tops of them."

And Fred responded, "That is a good idea."

(It was unclear at press time whether Fred regrets that remark or not. Just kidding -- Quillen says he's a big supporter.)

Quillen threw herself into the idea, scouring the Internet to see if anyone was doing exactly her idea (they weren't), consulting with Charleston attorney Monika Hussell to see if she should try to patent the idea (decision: no), and searching for a team to help her carry the idea out. Her research quickly led her to another shoe designer, Lisa Robbins, in Rock Hill, S.C., who would become her partner.

"You know how things sometimes just fall into place?" Quillen said.

Quillen got to work on some prototypes, working with everything from gemstones to seashells and high-quality silk flowers, and hand-sewing toppers together. She and Robbins set out to meet people in the shoe business who could steer them in the right direction, from shoe makers to agents. She hired Charles Ryan Associates to create a professional logo to showcase her Convertibles idea -- and the team there created a colorful pink and green design showing a woman driving in a convertible with shoes in the backseat.

The process was on a fast track from the beginning, a combination of the encouragement Quillen got from everyone who saw the idea to the timing -- clothing and shoe markets are scheduled for certain times of the year.

She and Robbins were tucked into a corner of the Atlanta Fashion Mart this past January, but Quillen had applied her designer's eye to their booth and it caught plenty of attention with the 10 pairs of shoes they had to show.

"We made quite a stir with the shoe people," she said. And they came away with orders, especially encouraging in these economic times. "Buyers aren't taking chances."

Quillen pays attention to every detail, including high-quality packaging and even the names for her shoe toppers. Seashells are Life's a Beach. A cream silk flower is It's Only Natural and bright coral flowers are Maui Wowie. Turquoise stones are Tealin' Fine and rhinestones are It's a Bling Thing.

Eventually, the line will include a range of heel sizes and a range of prices, including a high-end Italian shoe.

The first line is a flat sandal with a thong toe and T-strap construction that will retail for $85 and include two pairs of snap-on tops. Customers may purchase additional tops.

Life since January has been a whirlwind for Quillen, who has traveled to China to meet with a manufacturer and look for materials.

"We've learned a lot of expensive lessons," she noted. She and Robbins have established a limited liability company, K&L Designs, LLC, and worked out their duties.

"I'm totally left brain. She's got the business end," Quillen said. Because Robbins has a full-time day job, Quillen has done much of the travel work.

"This is all happening so fast," Quillen acknowledged. "I get no sleep because of the time difference with China."

She credits the Rhonda Byrne book, "The Secret," for encouraging her to harness her energy and apply it to life's goals.

"I wanted to find an outlet for my creativity," Quillen said.

She'd love to see her shoes sold in exclusive boutiques as well as big department stores such as Nordstrom's. She's hoping for a nod from a major magazine -- Oprah Winfrey's "O" is top on the list.

Financially, her first goal is this: "I want to make enough to pay off my mortgage."

For more information on Convertibles, e-mail Quillen at ...@convertiblesfootwear.com.

Quillen hopes to make them available locally soon.

Contact writer Monica Orosz at monica@dailymail.com or 304-348-4830.