Lately, most of my days have been spent in doors because of the chilly Georgia weather we've been experiencing. While wrapped in a my favorite bulky sweater, I love grabbing my sketchpad letting inspiration take me on a wild goose chase. For example, the other day I got lost in my sketchpad by drawing an old recliner. Yes, a recliner. Nothing special about it. It's one that has been sitting in my in-laws basement, yet there was something so liberating as I sketched out the outline of its dark red corduroy covering and colored in the shadows falling across all the indents of the cushions. After I finished the drawing - which was rather rough for the most part as I haven't sketched in a rather long time (aside from the constant doodling I like to do when I take notes or journal) - I extended my sketch pad in front of me and put my pencil down in satisfaction. The arms were a little misshapen and the shadowing could be a little cleaner, but I was happy with my crooked red chair. Not necessarily from the drawing itself but the freedom that came with drawing...for the sake of drawing. No restrictions. No holding back. Running a handmade shop and creating art for a living is a dream come true, but sometimes it's nice to just be and do something creative outside of that. For me that creativity on that particular cold, rainy day had to do with a pencil and a blank sheet of paper. I call it the liberation of inspiration even if it has to do with a drawing of a crooked red chair.

Shayna and I are getting super stoked to fly to NYC on Friday night.  I grew up in CT, so I'm quite familiar with the city that never sleeps, but it will be Shayna's first time visiting!!!  I can't wait to show her around, as much as our time will allow.

We are going to be attending LuLu*s NYFW Style Studio blogger party in Chelsea at 404 NYC!  The event is based around following the LuLu*s style map throughout the evening, on your way to finding your personal style.  Find out more details about the event and how you can attend, just click here.

At Blowfish, we think personal style is just another form of self expression, so we can't wait to see all the outfits, meet all the guests, and show everyone our new styles from Spring and Fall '13 collections!  We will be giving out fun goodie bags to all who stop by our table, and hosting a super fun I SPY campaign, so even our fans at home can enter to win a free pair of shoes!  We will be announcing 25 winners on 2/11/13, and you could be one of them.

Here are the details on how to enter:

Aside from making sure to follow us this weekend in NYC at #nyfwbfstyle, we could also really use your help in deciding what to wear!  Shayna and I each picked our favorite shoe from the Spring '13 collection to wear and styled up 2 outfits each.  Look below and comment with which outfit you think we should rock at LuLu*s NYFW Style Studio (updates at #nyfwstylestudio) on 2/9 at 404NYC.

Lindsey styled up the ILLI wedges with a orange skinnies & an oversized top for her first look.  For her second look, she paired the ILLI with a mauve colored high low skirt, grey tights, and gold accessories.  Which is your favorite, #1 or #2?  Comment below!

Shayna styled up the quite smoking slipper with a black high-low dress and chambray top in her first look.  In her second look, she paired the flats with knee socks, leather shorts and a white studded blouse.  What's your favorite, #1 or #2?  Comment below!

Help us decide what to wear this weekend in NYC for LuLu*s #NYFWSTYLESTUDIO event by commenting below!  Follow us for updates all weekend at #NYFWBFSTYLE and enter to win our I SPY contest with #BFSTYLEFIND!

We'll have a full review when we return next week, so stay tuned!

xoxo, 

Lindsey

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 Last Friday was Have Fun at Work Day!  We all ordered up our favorite new spring style and played dress up at work in our new shoes!  Usually by the time Friday rolls around, the energy to pick out nice outfits is lacking and we revert to jeans and tshirts, but we were also excited about our shoes that we dressed up!  It made the day go by much faster, and now we all have new shoes and pictures!  It was so much fun bonding with the ladies and hearing from our designers about what they are working on for fall!  

Take a look at some of the pictures we took below!  (More coming soon!)

Did you do anything fun at work last Friday?  What new Spring styles are you crushing on?  Check out all the new spring styles here.

Hello lovelies! I’ll be appearing on the blog from time to time… you might remember me from here and if not then have a read! I run ecommerce and marketing here at Blowfish Shoes, I have a tumblr here but we thought every now and then you may want to hear from me… so ‘ello luvs!

So some of you know I’m a born and bred Londoner, I moved to the US almost 5 years ago to work for Blowfish. Even to this day everyone at the office mimics my accent… and some people still struggle to understand my accent if I speak well fast! (They don’t know I do it on purpose to make myself giggle. Well they know now! Hehe)

I was pondering about what to write for my first blog post for you guys, and I thought, since some of you love all things English, I’d write about the top 5 things I miss about home. 

1. THE TUBE! Living in LA means driving and I love my car, but I do love the tube even more, quick, reliable, I can get from A to B in about 20mins from my flat in London. 

Here are some snaps from when I was home a few months ago:

Tube instagrams from my trip in August 2012

2. FISH & CHIPS! The real kind, not the pretend kind, the chippy kind. (Chippy/Chippie is UK slang for a chip shop, or a place that sells fish and chips!) Doused in salt and vinegar. Oh man I’m drooling.  

Taken at Rock and Sole Plaice in London, #yumnation Check them out here. 

3. FOOTBALL! Or as you guys may like to call it (Soccer) everyone is mainly into American Football here, as well as basketball, and there are a small amount of people into soccer but boy I miss watching games on TV. The time difference, and just generally being miles away from home makes it hard to keep up. (Go ARSENAL!!!!!! <3) Luckily LA has a good soccer following because of Beckham at Galaxy, so I get a little taste of home if I go to their games, which I did manage to this past summer.

Taken at Home Depot Center, Carson, CA

4. T O P S H O P! Wow. How I took Topshop for granted when I was at home. I totally miss   shopping in Europe. Luckily there have been some GREAT developments in our fun world. Online shopping has shaped the way we shop and almost every brand has a website that ships internationally. Your own style can be developed anywhere you are.  I miss walking into the huge Flagship shop in Oxford Street though, but luckily I can shop online www.topshop.com 

5. Everyone understanding me all the time and not having to think before I speak! Hahahaha! It’s not a big deal, and of course I totally respect Americans have their own words for things! I have found my own lingo changing…

Trash / garbage  

(I used to say rubbish!)

Queue up 

(Line up, or stand in line)

Soda 

(I still say fizzy drinks to mean anything carbonated, if I say “soda” I feel very Americanized!)

Dude 

(I NEVER EVER SAID DUDE. This is a result of California living)

Bits & Bobs (This is an English phrase)

(I said this to Shayna once in the office, it’s English for “stuff” and she was so baffled she just laughed her head off.. teehee)

That’s all from me this month! Cheers guys, be chatting to ya all soon!

- K xoxo