I was inspired to do some nails in the colors of my new Tieks Ballet Flats. :) I used OPI Can't Find My Czechbook, and Zoya Matte Velvet in Loredana. I also used striping tape to make the diagonal lines. I really love how they turned out, the colors go so well together, and I love the shiny/matte look of them.

✯ Purchased By Me ✯

*Check out this updated Tieks post.

I have lusted after Tieks ballet flats for a good 2+ years now.... I've heard great things about them, and that aqua colored sole always spoke to me. (If you've ever seen pictures of my apartment, the theme is black, white, and aqua!)

Thought I would share a few of my newest purchases... non polish related, lol. :-p

First up... my gorgeous Guess Trixia Uptown satchel. I saw this People Style Watch magazine and I started stalking the Guess website until they listed it. Luckily I got an email the day they added new spring items. And... the color I wanted was on sale. (Normally it's $128). Plus I got a 15% off + free shipping coupon, since I was a new customer. I saved $47 total off my pretty new bag. I don't normally like spending so much on a purse, but I really love this one. It's nice and roomy too (16 x 11).



The last time I bought Bose headphones was back in 2009. I got a pair of the original Bose ear buds on eBay. I started using them a lot after my job relocated in 2011 and I started taking the train to work. (45min -1 hour commute both ways). I usually ride in the quiet car in the mornings and I can listen to music on my Bose ear buds without disturbing anyone else, like normal ear buds do. But sadly... 5 years later the sound decided to go in the right side... so it was time for a new pair.


I got the Bose IE2 earbuds. They've definitely improved the design since the original ones came out. Now the silicone buds actually STAY ON the headphones itself... the originals it would sometimes slip off and you'd lose one. Now there's a little tab on each one to prevent that from happening. Also I really like the new StayHear tips even though they look like weird little elf ears, lol. They are really comfortable. The original Bose ear buds would slip out of your ears if you exercised, got sweaty or even just tipped your head funny. The StayHear tips actually don't budge. :-) I just hope they last me 5 years like the last pair did because they are not cheap... though you can find them on sale for $60-70.

Last but not least, I got a new pair of Easy Spirit e360 Reinvent sneakers. I have another gray/lavender pair, but I wanted black so I could wear it more without them looking dirty. I got these on sale for $50. I don't know if I can properly explain how comfortable these sneakers are... if you're ever in a shoe store and see them. Try them on, trust me! They are made out of that extremely lightweight rubber/foam that Croc's are made of. You literally feel like there's nothing on your feet when you put them on. The upper is a sock/spandex lining, so it's snug to the foot, like a custom fit. I can't rave about these enough, they are unlike any other sneaker I've ever worn. I just love them.


 

 

I hate the original Croc's. I think they are so ugly! My Dad bought a pair of knock off Croc's and he wears them in public, lol. In the Philippines when my husband and I would walk past the Croc's store I would cringe.

But.... lately, I've been having some foot issues. My left heel has been bothering me for awhile. I have really high arches and I think it may be plantar fasciitis. I also get a lot of charley horse cramps in my calves. I do a lot of walking with commuting to work and this year with these new aches & pains my Havaiana's flip flops just aren't doing it. And I cannot wear sneakers or shoes in warm weather, I just can't!

So I looked online and did a little research and discovered... Croc's has some really cute style's now. They even sell high heels! All of the reviews say their shoes are really comfortable. So I gave in and went to the Croc's side. I ordered the Adrina Flip Flop. In Aqua/Celery. I got them on Zappos.com.


I've been wearing them for almost a month and they are so comfortable. Plus I love the tread on the bottom of them, it's more like sneaker tread. I've noticed the pain in my left heel has decreased significantly even though it hasn't disappeared.


I just ordered another pair of the Adrina Flip flops on Amazon.com today. I got the Magenta/Purple ones. Can't wait to get them, I really do love them!


(I do use Amazon Associates, but not because I've made any money- because I haven't! lol! But I like that I can show a picture/link with a product when I'm blogging. Plus I do recommend Amazon.com for their low prices. That or Ebay!)  


 

I've been looking for a pair of plain comfortable ballet flats for 2 years now. I've gotten a few pairs that were very stiff and gave me blisters. I saw these ones featured on The Pioneer Woman's blog and decided to take a chance on them. 

They are called The City Flat, by Gap. I first ordered a pair of plain black ones. I do a lot of walking now that I'm commuting on the train to work every day. I didn't get one blister the whole day I wore these. They are very light and flexible, perfect for warmer weather. They are also 100% leather.

The only thing you will need is a pair of very slim gel inserts by Dr. Scholl's, etc. (I have Dr. Scholl's for her); because you will feel the pavement on your heels every step you take. With the gel inserts it gave me better impact support. I loved the shoe so much, I ordered it in pewter too. (Still waiting for it to arrive!) Gap sells the shoe in a bunch of different colors.

Black

Pewter

I also ordered this plum metallic purse that was on clearance at Gap. Excited for it to arrive!


















(Nope, not getting paid to recommend these products! I just wanted to share them, because I love them!)

Purple is my favorite color! (Along with Pink, Aqua & Black.)

My glasses are purplish:

My customized Converse have purple in them:


I have a lot of purple clothing:


Purple Jewelry, almost all of it came from the Philippines.


I wore purple on my wedding day. (F.B.'s barong was light purple.)


I had a silky soft purple pashmina in case it got chilly in the evening on our wedding day:


My wonderful in-laws & sister in law who put our wedding together included purple in our wedding decor- even our wedding invitations had purple on them.

I ordered some cute workout clothes yesterday from Old Navy. I really want to go hiking/walking in the park 2x's a week for extra exercise and wanted something cute but more comfortable than jeans to wear. I've already got a pair of purple & gray Adidas sneakers I've never worn in my closet too. Both items were only $15.00! Can't beat that! And the hoodie is adorable, I love the flower design on it! If I had extra $$$ I would have gotten the other colors too.

Women's Graphic French Terry Hoodie
Women's Active Drawstring Pants

I had to take Sugar to the vet again last Saturday. She's been on her antibiotics and the metacam for nearly 2 weeks now. Her eye infection is completely gone but she started to develop a scab on her swollen paw. Which made me start thinking she's had an abscess this whole time instead of a sprain. So the vet saw her and confirmed what I thought, that it was an abscess. He was able to drain it for her and told me to keep it clean with peroxide twice a day. She's also to stay on the SMZ-TMP antibiotic for 2 more weeks. Another week into the antibiotic and her paw is starting to look like a hand again after almost 2 months! Though, I've noticed two more abscesses appearing. So it seems this whole time Sugar did not have a sprained paw, she had a really bad infection that was spreading due to the abscesses. Blech. Poor girl, at least we know what it is now. And the vet was so happy to see her eye looking better and to figure out that the lumps were not suspected tumors after all!

I mailed F.B.'s late valentines/anniversary package last week. Only thing is... I forgot to include the mix c.d. I made him... it was still in my car's c.d. player after testing it to make sure it was okay! Arrgh! I feel so bad about that. It's so expensive to send express packages to the Philippines. (I don't send it any other way except express because then we can track the package's progress.) He said it arrived on Friday in the Philippines when he checked the tracking number, so he should have his package sometime next week. I also included ring guards for his sister Lady. (She got engaged last month!) and a pretty thank you gift necklace for his mom. Besides some stuff for him. Our 5th Anniversary is coming up next month so I guess I'll send another card and include his mix c.d. in that!

I've started looking for plane tickets back to the Philippines. I am thinking of leaving either the week before or the week after Thanksgiving this year. So far I haven't found a good deal yet or a good flight so I'll keep looking.

My old black & white converse sneakers fell apart. I only had them a little over a year. For some reason the one shoe had a defect and my little black stripe kept trying to fall off. I kept super gluing it down, but one day when I got home I discovered it had torn off in a much larger piece somewhere and I couldn't fix it. So sad... has that ever happened to anyone else that owned Converse sneakers?

Discover card kept sending me emails and letters about using my credit card. "Why haven't you used your card?" "If you don't use it, you can cancel it." So I finally just went ahead and put a new pair of Converse sneakers on my Discover card from Zappos.com. I looked on Ebay first for a good deal but they were all going for over $40, so I just ordered them for $45 on Zappos.com brand new plus free shipping! I just got the same color to replace my old ones.

I try to make sure I use a credit card a month, even for a small purchase so the banks know I'm using my cards. I've been a little behind with that though lately trying to get my big balance from last years trip paid off by spring... I guess Discover card felt forgotten, lol.

I recently ordered and received 'The First Queen of England: The Myth of "Bloody Mary"' By, Linda Porter. I don't really have any historical biographies about Mary Tudor, except for The Children of Henry VIII By, Alison Weir, but that is also about Elizabeth I, Edward VI & the Lady Jane Grey. So far the book is interesting, though I think I still prefer the way Alison Weir writes.

I've also modified my workout routine to 3 days of the week to 20 minutes of running/walking. I have to lose 10 pounds by November and for my wedding in December. I would like to be back at 130 and I am 140 right now. My cousin is getting married in November and I am supposed to be one of her bridesmaids and whatever dress I buy or get made I am most likely going to wear for my own wedding in December. She wants dark purple and she said we could all pick a style that suits us, so that makes me happy.