TWHS Reviews Françoise Weeks Botanical Couture

I have just died and gone to shoe heaven...

Françoise Weeks just became my official Shoe Fairy. After discovering her botanical jewels, she created this stunning botanical shoe for my bridal tea!!!!

The Oregon florist extraordinaire has a green thumb beyond anyone I have ever seen. Weeks' artistry is in such demand that she offers workshops to teach others how to create their own works of art.

But her designs are not limited to vases or oasis floral foam. My shoe is part of her Botanical Couture Collection, a crafting of moss, orchids, chicks succulents and leaf-wrapped heel, molded onto the shape of a high heel shoe; genius!



Aside from tea parties, Botanical Couture designs will make perfect centerpieces for wedding receptions, garden parties and birthday bashes. And for those whose weakness is handbags, she designs those, too!

After my bridal tea, I want to treasure my shoe by literally putting it on a pedestal, on a shelf in my office. When I asked how I would be able to preserve it, Weeks advises on spritzing every day. But due to the fact that it's made from botanical material that does not have a constant water source, that means that there is a limited lifespan.

As Weeks told me, "My creations are something to be enjoyed in the moment - just like food and good wine!"

We Have A Winner!

Meredith M. of Bethesda, MD is the winner of the Jollys Garden Clogs!

Congrats, Meredith!

Wedding Essentials

From the big day to the honeymoon, don't leave home without these essentials:

Pretty Enough For A Walk Down The Aisle

What does a bride get when she slips into a 4-3/4" heel, draped with lace overlay, satin and tulle embellishment?

A pretty way to step into marriage.
Chinese Laundry Shoes, Hot Line Peep-Toe Platform Pumps Women's Shoes

Happiness Is...

~ A season that gifts us with blossoms:
Tea Beyond Blooming Teapot Duo Assorted Tea Gift Set

~ A chance to win THREE Pairs of Christian Louboutins

~ Garden parties

~ Comfort for the bride:
Bridal Blue Killer Kushionz - Single Pack

~ Easter bonnets

The Bold and The Beautiful

Tangerine Tango may reign supreme this season, but pink still has power.

Especially when it is poured onto this gold-toned, suede 100mm stiletto, whose cascading fringe puts the tease in T-straps.


B Brian Atwood Luciana Suede Fringe Sandals

Fantasy Heels

Footwear that meets the future; these calfskin stilettos are not for the faint of heart!

Needle-thin, 125mm stilettos strike a balance with 25mm, island platforms.


PACO RABANNE - 125MM PEARLIZED LEATHER SANDALS

WIN THIS: A Pair of Jollys Garden Clogs

Now that the official start of the gardening season has arrived, you will find me blogging in the garden. And while I thrive off the seduction of a 130mm stiletto, garden soil is not the best stage for digging my heels into.

The folks at Jollys Garden Shoes shipped me a pair of their garden clogs for review, which instantly brightened up my budding blossoms! The forecast calls for a sunny disposition for frolicking in flowers, and now you have a chance to win a pair of your choice!

Available in classic solid colors, fashion and new picture prints, both the shoes and clogs are waterproof footwear for toiling around in soil and mud.

They may look like Dutch wooden shoes, but they are surprisingly comfortable, thanks to the composition of 100% CFC-free polyurethane foam. But they had me at the footbed; the pretty plaid insoles are made of a replaceable orthopedic natural cork.



To enter, you must do the following:

~ Follow me on Twitter

~ Tweet the following:
@wellheeled is giving me a chance to add instant color to my garden with Jollys Garden Clogs! http://ow.ly/9LXMV

A random winner will be selected Tuesday, March 27. Good luck!

The Open-Toed Sandal Pledge

Image Courtesy of tome213

The Open Toed Sandal Pledge

As a member of the Cute Girl Sisterhood, I pledge to follow the Rules when wearing sandals and other open-toe shoes:

I promise to always wear sandals that fit. My toes will not hang over and touch the ground, nor will my heels spill over the backs. And the sides and tops of my feet will not pudge out between the straps.

I will go polish-free or vow to keep the polish fresh, intact and chip-free.
I will not cheat and just touch up my big toe.

I will sand down any mounds of skin before they turn hard and yellow.
I will shave the hairs off my big toe.

I won't wear pantyhose even if my misinformed girlfriend, coworker, mother, sister tells me the toe seam really will stay under my toes if I tuck it there.

If a strap breaks, I won't duct-tape, pin, glue or tuck it back into place hoping it will stay put. I will get my shoe fixed or toss it.

I will not live in corn denial; rather I will lean on my good friend Dr.Scholl's if my feet need him.

I will resist the urge to buy jelly shoes at Payless for the low, low price of $4.99 even if my feet are small enough to fit into the kids' sizes. This is out of concern for my safety, and the safety of others. No one can walk properly when standing in a pool of sweat and I would hate to take someone down with me as I fall and break my ankle.

I will take my toe ring off toward the end of the day if my toes swell and begin to look like Vienna sausages.

I will be brutally honest with my girlfriend/sister/coworker when she asks me if her feet are too ugly to wear sandals. Someone has to tell her that her toes are as long as my fingers and no sandal makes creepy feet look good.

I will promise if I wear flip flops that I will ensure that they actually flip and flop, making the correct noise while walking and I will swear NOT to slide or drag my feet while wearing them.

I will promise to go to my local nail salon at least once per season and have a real pedicure (they are about $25 or $30 and worth EVERY penny).

I will promise to throw away any white/off-white sandals that show signs of wear... nothing is tackier than dirty white sandals.

Happiness Is...

~ Having spring in your step:
Leather and cork sandals

~ A wayward butterfly's arrival into the garden

~ Bistro dining

~ Eva Cassidy's quote:
And the songbirds keep singing. Like they know the score and I love you, I love you, I love you. Like never before.

~ Quenching your thirst for lemonade:
Godinger Charlestown Glass Beverage Dispenser with Spout

Magnificent Metallics

Raise your Stiletto Intellectual cred when you don these 100mm metallic heels, accented with laser cut ankle straps.

BCBGMAXAZRIA Phoenix T Strap Sandals

Mint To Be

The shade of mint is everywhere this spring, and these 4.3" high heels tie it all up in pretty, sideswept bows.
Valentino Garavani Side Bow Sandals

TWHS Reviews Head Over Heels Night Shirt From Trendy Treasures Online

PJ Salvage Head Over Heels Night Shirt from Trendy Treasures Online

Some prefer to count sheep before bed, I prefer to count high heels: one Blahnik, two Blahnik, three Blahnik... ~Qiana Markham

We women can dream, can't we? So naturally when Trendy Treasures Online shipped me the PJ Salvage Head Over Heels Thermal Night Shirt for review, I clicked my 130mm heels in glee.

Made from a divinely comfortable velour thermal fabric that's crafted of a waffle-textured, cotton/poly blend (67% cotton, 33% polyester), the henley neckline and long sleeves with banded cuffs convert it into stylish loungewear.

And the shoes, glorious shoes! Contrasting pastel peep-toe pumps, mules and animal prints make for a canvas of high heel expression.


Perfect for the shoe addict in your life, it's comfortable enough for slumber, yet appropriate work attire for blogging in heels!

Happiness Is...

~ Bringing new meaning to the term foot jewelry:
Shoe Lover Pink Jewelry Box with Mirror and Tray - 5L x 7H in.

~ A "charming" way to shine

~ New shoes in Easter hues

~ Champagne and Diamonds

~ Spring bearing gifts of 60 degree weather

Mirror, Mirror, On My Heel

This black leather peep-toe is dressed up with buckle and gold-tone detailing. A 4¼" wooden heel is coated with a mirror finish.


Paloma - Black

TWHS Reviews Shea Moisture Elixir & Curl-Enhancing Smoothie

On this International Women's Day, I celebrate the fact that just as our body is our temple, our hair is our crowning glory...

Being a "natural" woman for the past six years, I shook my head - where natural coils perch - at the flurry of headlines amazed at Viola Davis' bold red carpet look. Fashion insiders who were truly living up to their credentials would know that her natural hair is not a fashion trend, but a lifestyle for a growing number of women of color choosing to wear their hair natural versus chemically relaxed. If anything, the headlines should have applauded Davis for being the first in Hollywood to take the steps on the red carpet, where the perception of beauty equates to long silky locks.

When I was contacted by the reps of Walgreens to sample their line of Shea Moisture products - Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie and Shea Moisture Raw Shea Reconstructive Elixir for natural hair, I was interested. I have been faithfully using another hair product line since the holidays, and wanted to see how it stacked up.

My first compliment is for the ingredients. If a product is going to be marketed for natural hair, it HAS to made from natural ingredients, which these are. It has no parabens, phthalates, paraffin, gluten, propylene glycol, mineral oil, synthetic fragrance, animal testing, PABA, synthetic color, DEA, or animal ingredients. The scent is truly divine, and will make you feel like you're island hopping!

It is thick in consistency, so I knew to be light-handed with its application. But unlike my other curl enhancer, I wasn't quite sure how to dress it for drying. After researching other naturalista's reviews, the consensus was to do either 2-twist twist-outs or bantu knots, which I never do with my wash-and-go regimen. So I applied the smoothie to my washed, wet-from-the shower hair in sections, forming bantu knots to dry overnight.

Bad idea. The next morning I had a headful of defined curls and coils, but the elixir did nothing to bring shine when I applied it! Oy. Going back to my regimen, I rewashed my hair with my clarity shampoo and leave-in conditioner, but this time I applied the Shea Moisture smoothie in sections and let it air dry as is. After applying the elixir, this the end result:



My opinion is that it does define your natural curls, but I still feel the end result is not what I would like in appearance. It could be the fact that it doesn't work well with the other haircare's line of shampoo and conditioner (which, by the way, I don't have dryness issues with).

The good news is the cost: Shea Moisture Smoothie's 12 oz jar is only $9.99, versus the other line's 14 oz jar which costs $22.00. The elixir's 4 oz bottle is $9.99, and the other line's 8 oz bottle of moisture milk is $16.00.

TWHS Talks Shoes and Marriage Views With Housewife Bliss

Coryanne Ettiene of Housewife Bliss

There is much truth in the saying, "Only take advice from someone who's done what you want to do". Unfortunately, when it comes to a happy marriage, there is an obvious void of qualified wisdom around me.

Thank goodness for my interactions in the Twitterverse- the virtual cocktail party- where I have connected with an international base of sisterpreneurs. And one in particular is giving her insight into the wonderful world of matrimony.

Coryanne Ettiene is the entertaining maven behind Housewife Bliss, the one-stop destination of kitchen living for the modern woman and founder of The Wifestyle Conference (I simply love her branding!).

Here is my Q&A with the delightfully domesticated Coryanne:

TWHS: Seeing the closest I have come to saying "I do" was for three proposals, one previous engagement and most recently, the cutest satin peep-toes. How long have you and your husband been married?

HB: Alex and I have been married for 12 years this July, after a whirlwind, 3-month courtship....it was the wildest thing I have ever done, and it still shocks me to this day that we eloped.

TWHS: What is the secret ingredient that has kept you together, after all these years?

HB: I am not sure we have a secret ingredient, but what we do have is mutual respect for one another, a deep love that sparked the moment we met, and a bundle of chemistry that has made the last 12 years feel like on long honeymoon.

TWHS: How would you finish this sentence in one word?

Marriage is ______________.

HB: A journey.

TWHS: Do tell why you chose that definition...

HB: Marriage is a journey that you embark on together, similar to a maze, it requires commitment, partnership, communication and the passion to see it through. But also like a maze, it is meant to be fun and wildly adventurous.

Marriage is different for different people; for me, marriage is about partnership and the understanding that to be in a marriage you have to be united, together and on the same path -- if you have those then the journey is fun, adventurous and filled with happiness that can only come when you share something amazing.

TWHS: If marriage was a pair of shoes, which style would it be, along with their details?

HB: Fabulous question, and one that I wish I had the answer to. Like an outfit, marriage requires unique shoes to complete it. Sometimes you need stilettos for the sexy moments in a marriage, hiking boots for those rocky paths, and ballet flats for the every day moments that come with marriage.

TWHS: How has marriage defined the woman you are?

HB: I like to think that rather than define me, I helped to define the wife I have become. If anything, being married has taught me how to love and be loved, and taught me how to nurture not only from the heart but from the soul.

TWHS: What advice would you give me, a woman about to step into the shoes of a wife for the first time?

HB: Leap with your heart, not your head....and to understand that the journey is a long one, choose your battles well, and never forget the sexy new girlfriend you once were.

TWHS: In closing, what is your view on those who say that marriage is an outdated institution?

HB: The best thing I ever did was say 'I Do', but I know my sentiments are not shared by others and for that I can only respect the path they takes towards finding true love -- regardless if they seal the deal on the dotted line or not.

Happiness Is...

~ Taking bold strides in bright heels:

RUTHIE DAVIS - 130MM PATENT MULTICOLOR PEEP TOE PUMPS

~ Apothecary jars dressed in jelly beans

~ The Embrace of spring teas

~ Turner Classic Movies giving us definition of what glamour means

~ Pretty little gloves for tea

The Bride Wore Booties

How fabulous would it be to see these satin booties peeking from under the voluminous hem of lace and tulle of a bride's gown? I would have loved to see tiny Swarovski crystals sprinkled at the bottom of each cutout on the vamp.

The hidden back zipper and acrylic, 95 mm heels still add to their allure.

Giuseppe Zanotti Cutout High Heel Booties