Ped fans, there are only a few more hours to use code “SUMMER SIZZLE” to save 20% on all full-price Ped goods! At the stroke of midnight PST tonight, things cool off! So get your sizzle on, sisters!

Staying connected is so much easier than it used to be, Ped fans! Remember the days before email and smartphones, when the big deal was peel-and-stick postage stamps? Ancient history! These days whether you like to Tweet, Pin, share your status, browse through photos, or simply send an email (or perhaps all of the above, you tech-savvy sisters), it’s a cinch to socialize, and Ped is ready to hobnob and chitchat!

Below are just a few of the ways you can keep abreast of all things Ped—including flash sales and weekly specials— so you won’t miss a stylish step!

1. Facebook

Lots of you have “liked” Ped on Facebook, but there’s a secret you may not know: Even when you “like” a page, it doesn’t mean it will show up in your Newsfeed. Crazy, huh? (Facebook even picks which of your friends’ posts you get to see based on how you’ve interacted!)

What to do? Here’s what: Both “Like” and “Follow” Ped. (See the image below for which boxes to click). Next hover your cursor over the “Liked” box  and make sure  “Get Notifications” is checked. That way even if a Ped post doesn’t appear in your Newsfeed, you’ll still be notified when there’s something fresh to see on the Ped page! Never miss a Sweet Treat again!

2. Pinterest

Whenever we need a break or a jump start for creativity, we like getting lost among the lovely images on Pinterest. It’s another place where we announce specials and update the weekly Sweet Treat, so if Pinterest is your preferred Internet distraction, come follow us!

3. Twitter

If you like to keep your networking short and sweet (only 14o characters, ma’am), we also Tweet on Twitter @PedShoes. Follow us, and little blasts of Ped goodness will come your way.

4. Instagram

We’re a little late to the picture party, but we’ve finally arrived on Instagram! Want to see more of Ella, Lulu, the world around Ped HQ, and Dayna’s travels? Then follow the photos at “pedshoes”:

5. tumblr.

We enjoy tumbling with tumblr because people post and re-post such fascinating things, plus the layout is big and beautiful! It’s yet another hub where you can follow Ped to find out what’s new!

6. Google+

Are you a renegade and firmly believe G+ will still be the next big thing? Well, Ped Shoes is also on the outpost and ready to be added to your circles:

Know of another site where we should park Ped, so you can come and visit? Let us know! We’ve also recently added links to Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Email to all of Ped’s pages and posts, so you can share and share alike! So many ways to be social these days! (Now, who’s making the cocktails?)

The other day I was chatting with a Ped customer on the phone, and she was curious about my background. So I thought I’d write a little about myself and how Ped came to be.

I grew up in California, not far from Ped HQ. At an early age, I developed a passion for art and fashion, and my father, a savvy entrepreneur, gave me an appreciation for business. I majored in fine art at UC Berkeley and then studied merchandising at the San Francisco Fashion Institute. I went off to New York for a year, where I worked  for clothing designer J. Morgan Puett (and met lifelong friend Kimmy). In 1993  I moved to Seattle, Wa. and opened my own store, Ardour, a clothing boutique that specialized in up-and-coming independent designers.

Here I am at Ardour in 1993 with my dad—truly my mentor and business inspiration—and my step-mom, Angela, who also has taught me so many things! (Check out my '90s do!)

It offered an ideal way for me to combine all my interests! Ardour quickly gained a huge following, which encouraged me to open Ped as a companion shoe store across the street in 1998. Ardour and Ped became Seattle destinations for fashion-conscious women and were featured in Lucky Magazine, InStyle, and Harper’s Bazaar, among other places. Ped became so  popular that I eventually moved it into the Ardour space.

On the left, a holiday party at Ped in 2002, and on the right, Ella as a puppy atop Ped's jewelry display case, also in 2002.

In 2001, I launched www.pedshoes.com, with the help of a tech-guru. We watched as the Internet took off, carrying Ped right along with it. Because I wanted Ped to reach as many people as possible, I decided to pour our energy into the expanding online market, and in 2006, I closed the Seattle store, relocated to California, and went totally cyber!

As Ped fans know, I continue to take great pride in offering lesser-known independent designers, who emphasize hands-on craftsmanship and a commitment to social and environmental responsibility. I love discovering unusual and beautifully made things to add to Ped. Everything Ped carries is something I truly believe in and would wear myself—and, trust me, I am a stickler for detail!

But life isn’t all about work! I also enjoy great food (have I mentioned what an amazing chef my husband is?), good wine, traveling,

The hub and I having fun on a ski trip to Switzerland. (That's the Matterhorn behind us!)

gardening,

We're currently in the process of landscaping our backyard. It's coming along!

spending time with family and friends, and taking walks with Ella, our golden retriever, and Lulu, our mini dachshund.

Chief Canine Officer Lulu thinks I should step away from the desk and take her for a walk!

I also believe in giving back, so every year I donate a portion of Ped’s sales to non-profit animal welfare organizations, the American Cancer Society, the American Red Cross, and Vitamin Angels.

There you have it—me in a nutshell!