Blog
Dopamine Dressing
The latest fashion catch phrase I’ve heard about is “Dopamine Dressing.” It’s all about feel good, mood lifting fashion that is bright, happy, fun and even frothy. This can be in clothing, footwear and accessories. There’s no better time than summer to embrace this look and I certainly believe a lot of my sandal designs are a great example of dopamine dressing. I have designs in bright happy red, yellow and even Granny Smith green. Check them out above and below but if you prefer your clothing to be the dopamine part of your look then I also have several...
My Summer Dress Finds – January 2022
Being a Summer lover and a sandal maker, I’m always on the lookout for summer dresses. In fact, I’m very much a ‘dress girl’ and I grew up with my Mum making beautiful dresses for me. I would go to bed listening to the hum of my Mum’s sewing machine and when I’d wake up in the morning there’d be a new dress hanging on my door knob. These days my Mum refuses to make dresses for me. She thinks I’m too extravagant and she thinks I have too many dresses. Anyhow, I need new dresses all the time to...
Calzolaio (Sandal Maker)
Creatore di sandali is Italian for Sandal Maker. The word Calzolaio is also often used. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever know I would end up being a Sandal Designer and Sandal Maker. I call it my mid-life creative detour or my mid-life career detour. It all happened by a chance encounter after studying and holidaying in Italy. But to make it happen I had to take the risk by jumping on a plane alone, working for no pay in Italy and then investing in my own start-up business. So, for anyone who has a dream, I hope...
Yellow Must-Have Sandals
Do you really need a pair of yellow sandals? Well, I know there’s a big difference between need and want but I’m a sandal designer, so of course I’m going to say yes because I do have a yellow design in my range currently. When something is trending and we see it often enough then eventually we want it too. Yellow sandals and bags were certainly popular this past Summer in Europe and so of course they’re going to be popular this Summer in the Southern Hemisphere. My yellow design is called Lisa and it’s in luscious bright yellow suede...
Caring For Your Swarovski Crystal Sandals
Your Ankalia Sandals are timeless classic beauties and they are designed and made to stand the test of time. To ensure the Swarovski crystals remain in beautiful condition over a long period of time and to prevent scratches, chips or other damage, please follow these guidelines: Always pack and store your sandals in the cloth bag included with your purchase to avoid scratches. Polish your Swarovski crystals frequently with a soft, lint free cloth to maintain the original lustrous finish. Avoid packing or storing your sandals with other hard surfaces and avoid any other contact with hard objects that can...
International Gratitude Day
Yesterday was International Gratitude Day. As a Sandal Artisan and since launching Ankalia the things I’m grateful for have probably changed a lot, compared to what they may have been in previous years. First of all, I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity given to me by ‘Papa” and his sons in Italy. If it wasn’t for them, I would never have become a Sandal Artisan. Secondly, I’m grateful for the people that have helped me along the way with Ankalia. Probably number one here is my web developer Rox at Ascend7. Rox goes above and beyond with everything he does...
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