HAPPY NEW YEAR, Ped fans! Everyone here at Ped HQ hopes your 2014 is off to a fantastic start! Thanks to longtime Ped fan, Peggy R., ours certainly is!

Peggy’s Tale of the Sole is simply beyond wonderful to us—it’s like a giant hug sprinkled with sugar! Here is what she sent:

In 1998, I got my first pair of shoes from Ped, a pair of Giraudon oxfords, and I was immediately hooked on wearing cool shoes! Whenever we were in Seattle, we headed to Pioneer Square to visit Ped and, hopefully, make a purchase. There was just something about wearing great shoes that made me smile and feel so good! Once Dayna opened Ped online, it was hard to pass up the incredible styles. So…. I have a lot of fabulous shoes, handbags, and treasures from Ped!

Peggy’s first catalog from Ped! (We’re so flattered she kept it.)

I decided this fall to document my Ped collection on a daily basis. The challenge was to wear a different pair of shoes or something that I had purchased from Ped for the entire month of December. I called it “The 31 days of Ped.”

The first 12 days of Peggy’s “31 Days of Ped.”

Being a nurse, the workdays were a bit of a challenge—lots of Trippen, a few Cydwoq, and sometimes just my beautiful Antipast socks. Many of my coworkers, as well as patients and their family members, commented on my shoes. I’ve shared Ped with a lot of people!

Days 13-23 of Peggy’s “31 Days of Ped.”

On my off days, it was easier to wear my boots, heels and—thanks to the warm December we had in Sacramento—even a few of my sandals. And every day I smiled!

The final eight days of Peggy’s “31 Days of Ped.”

Dayna and I have had many conversations on the phone over the years. She knows what styles I’ll like and what shoes will fit my feet. I appreciate Ped’s quality and the incredible customer service—but mostly, I like knowing where to get the most fabulous shoes! Dayna has said to me, “Fashion starts with the feet.” And I believe it’s true! Thanks Ped for making me smile!

Oh, Peggy!!! Your smile can’t be any brighter than ours after reading your Tale of the Sole! THANK YOU for starting our new year off with a big burst of Ped love!

We’re delighted to give Peggy $100 in Ped credit as a small token of our HUGE appreciation!

Do you have a Tale of the Sole? Tell us—and show us (we LOVE pictures!!!)—what happened to you while wearing something from Ped, and you, too, might be the recipient of $100 in Ped credit. We’d love to share your sole-ful story on the blog, so let us know what in the world you’ve been doing in your Ped!

Ped fans, you may not think of us as a “one-stop shop,” but if you have daughters, mothers, aunts, sisters, or simply female friends you want to make smile this season, we’re confident of the pleasing power of Ped presents! Here are just a few ideas to brighten your favorite gals’ holidays:

When you’re mystified by your recipient’s size, there’s no need to scratch your head. Simply give her something toasty to wrap around her neck, like Ben Alder’s Edinburgh Scarf:

Such stripe-tastic fun, this soft scarf is knit from the finest Scottish new wool! One size makes everyone look stylish! We’re in love with this smashing Blue/Lemon/Fuchsia version, but Ped also offers the Edinburgh in three other great color combinations!

Word to the wise gift giver: Ben Alder also knits wonderful striped gloves!

Make her fingers festive and protect them from frostbite! If purple and green don’t float her boat, perhaps Ben Alder’s other color combos will make her heart set sail.

As long as we’re keeping the extremities warm, let’s make sure the tootsies stay toasty! Socks can make a sensational present, especially when they come from Antipast:

Everything Antipast designs is like a party for your toes, but we are especially crazy about the Winter Skier Socks. They are so clever! Beneath a snowy sky of polka dots, a tiny skier whooshes down a mountain of stripes!

We also have a new kid on the sock block: Bonne Maison! Why not give your gal the gift of a garden walk with Bonne Maison’s Autumn Flower Knee High:

This carmine version makes our hearts sing, but perhaps the honey or aged green options are more in tune with your gal.

If you want to up the ante with heating things up, a Sophie Digard work of wearable art is an excellent way to express your affection.

Sophie’s hand-crocheted Cercle Pop Scarf, for instance, is guaranteed to thrill! When she’s not wearing this stunner, your lucky recipient may opt to keep it out where she can simply look at it!

Another gift every woman welcomes is a fantastic bag. Cydwoq offers beautiful ways to help her haul it all through the day!

We just got in two new versions of Cydwoq’s terrific Leather Market Sack! Isn’t this navy and rust argyle pattern to die for? (We’re adding it to our own wish list!) The olive herringbone option is equally gorgeous!

Of course, if you really want to “wow” her, something sparkly from Jamie Joseph is just the thing!

The gold and diamond treatment of Jamie Joseph’s 14kt Gold Organic Circle Necklace is a sure-fire way to kiss holiday doldrums and winter blues goodbye!

As always, there are more goodies at Ped’s main site, so let your stylish thoughts count as you spread the love!

By the way, if you want to make absolutely sure the women in your life will like their gifts, invite them to browse the Ped site and click “add to favorites” for whatever strikes their fancy. Once they’ve finished making selections, they can share the list with you via email. That way the pressure’s off, and happiness is on!

(Psst, the Sweet Treat this week, Sophie Digard’s Velvet Lune Scarf,  would make a fabulous gift, too, even if it’s just to deserving you! Simply click “be sweet to your feet” at the bottom of the box on the left at Ped’s main site. When you land at the Velvet Lune Scarf’s page, just pop it in your shopping bag to get 20% off!)

It’s that time of year, Ped fans, when your inbox starts to overflow with invitations to holiday shindigs. No doubt, your favorite LBD will get a workout, night after sparkly night! But what to put on your feet to make sure you’re still standing comfortably after all those hours of socializing while quaffing eggnog, wassail, and champagne?

Ped to the rescue with a few festive ways to keep your dogs from howling at the moon!

Chie Mihara knows all about letting your inner girly girl out to shine without sacrificing your soles (and arches and toes). One of the prettiest shoes of the season is the Chie Mihara Kitaro:

Ooooh, we adore the textured gold leather trim with the blue suede heel and brown suede toe! What a way to add color and sparkle to a little black dress!

Colorful suede also makes the Accessoire Doisneu a welcome guest at any party:

Gorgeous and soooooo comfortable! This beauty’s suede-covered platform slopes from 1.75″ in back to .75″ up front, making the pitch a delightful 1″! And the stylized rosette is beyond chic! (We adore the “grenat” (garnet) version pictured here, but the Doisneau also comes in amethyst.)

Another flower-adorned shoe that will have you shining is Chie Mihara’s Karta:

This glittery oxford is tied up and ready for cocktails! (We also offer the Karta in a red that’s as pretty as a poinsettia.)

If you’re looking for something sparkly but a little airier, you’re guaranteed to wow in Cydwoq’s Gaudi:

Hi ho, silver! In this gorgeous sandal, you’ll turn every head in the room. (And those behind you can swoon over the design on the etched heel!)

Perhaps you like your metallics a little more low-key. If so, say hello to Cydwoq’s understated yet oh-so chic Fluid:

The Fluid is perfect for when you need to go straight from work out for evening drinks—it makes the transition in the most fluid and stylish way!

Another work-to-play knockout is Cydwoq’s strap-a-licious Young:

The Young is so very sexy but in a socially acceptable way! (Make sure you click “Views” to see the saucy corset-like closure in back.)

The same closure adds even more fuel to the fiery hotness of Cydwoq’s Knee, which is ideal if you want to party in a dressy ankle boot:

Isn’t that burnt-out paisley leather breathtaking? The Knee is guaranteed to make you the modern and edgy belle of the ball!

For you Ped fans whose style is more funky than femme, consider rocking the holiday cocktails in Cydwoq’s Love Ankle Boot:

We love the idea of wearing an LBD with this black and red badass beauty! You’ll light hearts on fire! (Where you can roast some chestnuts…)

As usual, there are more ways to make your feet festive over at Ped’s main site (don’t miss Cydwoq’s Skate and Rotate, which we showed you a few posts back).

‘Tis the season to take your tootsies out on the town!

Know what wows us these days? The myriad techniques Italian tanneries use to transform already-beautiful leather into artistic canvases that make shoe and bag designs POP! From twice-dyeing to embossing to hand painting, these methods yield leathers that elicit “oohs” and “aahs” from everyone who sees them.

Cydwoq’s Rafi Balouzian is particularly adept at picking eye-opening leathers for his unusual designs, a skill he’s passed on to his son Ari, who makes shoes for Cliff Dweller. Let’s take a look at some of their gorgeous finds!

Hands down (feet down?), the best way to sparkle and shine at your upcoming holiday parties is to wear Cydwoq’s Skate:

Drink in the way the embossed paisley pattern shimmers in red and gold against the black matte background! We’re sure your favorite LBD is chic, but it’s going to look truly spectacular with the Skate!

Another festive head-turner is Cydwoq’s Rotate:

The design itself is fluid work of art, but it becomes a masterpiece when crafted from this stunning multicolored marbled leather!

Also impressive is how Italian tanners have mastered replicating rare animal hides, like python and alligator, without touching those endangered species. Check out the Cydwoq Range to see what we mean:

We love how the sienna and ocher details enhance the persuasiveness of the embossed scaly midsection of this outstanding oxford!

Another convincing copy is the faux ostrich leather of the Cydwoq Mountain:

The vintage feel of these mid-calf beauties is enhanced by the “ostrich” leather, which calls to mind the romance of a different era.

Cydwoq also use the spectacular leathers it finds to make wonderful bags. The same Picasso leather used for the stunning Larkspur shoe can found in this edition of the Olive bag:

The increased “real estate” of the bag really shows off the jaw-dropping beauty of the leather! (Also, note the stoppers on the bottom, which will help protect the leather when you set the Olive down.)

At Cliff Dweller, Ari Balouzian’s specialty is designing modern versions of classic styles, which he often constructs in unexpected leathers. A perfect example is the Cliff Dweller Canoe:

Here Ari updates the classic deck shoe/loafer hybrid and makes it in a modern blue leather that’s hatched for visual and textural interest.

But perhaps the prettiest shoe yet from Cliff Dweller is the swoon-worthy Yoga:

Let’s face it, ballet flats are a dime a dozen, but the Yoga, crafted in this spectacular floral leather that’s perfectly complemented by the crisscross elastic lacing, is truly one in a million! Talk about a gorgeous shoe!

As usual, there are more specialty leathers to make you (and your fans) wake up and take notice over at Ped’s main site! Let your feet and eyes take pleasure in the leather!

(In case you’re wondering, this week’s Sweet Treat is the Trippen Drama Boot! Zip up with flair for 20% off when you click “be sweet to your feet” at the bottom of the box on the left of most Ped pages. No code needed—when you click through from “be sweet to your feet,” the discount is automatic when you add the Drama to your shopping bag! Yep, the treat just got a little bit sweeter.)

Ped fans, we enjoy every Tales of the Sole you generously share, but we especially relish the stories that let us vicariously satisfy our wanderlust.

So we’re grateful to Carolyn H. whose recent submission has everyone at Ped HQ daydreaming about traveling to Amsterdam, Portugal, and—on the homefront—Montana! Here’s her entertaining show-and-tell:

This summer I travelled alone to Amsterdam and then met up with an old friend in Portugal. The mountainous Alfama region, where we rented an apartment, was built about a thousand years ago.  The narrow and winding streets and staircases of worn stone that traversed the hills were laid out to protect the castle by baffling invading armies. They baffled me, too. Every day I went out to purchase apricots, dates, bread, cheese and vino verde, and everyday I got lost. Being lost In Alfama meant wandering sometimes for hours, up and down, and up and down the steep hills and stairs.

“Walking around Lisbon in my Cydwoq sandals with a bagful of apricots, dates, bread and butter, and vino verde.”

Fortunately, because I live in Seattle and have had a lifetime of hill climbing, I was okay. And because I have a broken-in pair of Cydwoq sandals from Ped, my feet were happy with every step. Not only that, but I looked great, and everywhere I went, someone would ask where I got my sandals.

Apparently, Carolyn’s Cydwoq-enhanced adventures didn’t end when she got home because she also sent us this great photo:

“Leaving for my Montana road trip with my cool new car, my cool new Montana boyfriend, and my still cool old Cydwoq sandals!”

So fun! And is it just us or does Carolyn’s new Montana boyfriend bear a striking resemblance to Anthony Bourdain?

Although sandal season is only a memory until next year for most of us (but not for all—hello, Ped fans who live in the Southern Hemisphere!), Cydwoq’s shoes and boots are just as walkable and comfortable as Carolyn’s fabulous sandals. To thank Carolyn for taking us along on her trips, we’re delighted to give her $100 in Ped credit!

Do you have a Tale of the Sole? Tell us—and show us (we LOVE pictures!!!)—what happened to you while wearing something from Ped, and you, too, might be the recipient of $100 in Ped credit. We’d love to share your sole-ful story on the blog, so let us know what in the world you’ve been doing in your Ped!

(And speaking of Cydwoq, this week’s Sweet Treat is the go-everywhere Cydwoq Stamp Bag! Simply click “be sweet to your feet” at the bottom of the box on the left of most Ped pages to reach the Stamp Bag, where you will find the magic code that will bring a welcome 20% off at checkout!)