Welcome to Day 20, Tieksaholics! We've loved celebrating our Days of Tieksmas with our Tieks Anonymous family. Today, we want to know why you love Tieks the most. Share your answer in the comments of this post!

February is National Heart Month. Heart disease (including stroke) is the #1 killer of women, claiming 1 in 3 lives each year—more than all cancers combined. The symptoms of heart disease can also be different in women than men, and are often misunderstood. Amazingly though, heart disease is 80% preventable with a heart healthy lifestyle. That’s why it’s so important to take the time to learn the facts and take charge of your heart health.

According to the CDC, almost two-thirds of women who die suddenly of coronary heart disease have no previous symptoms. High blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, and smoking are key risk factors for heart disease, and about half of all Americans have at least one of these three risk factors. Luckily, there are several measures you can take to reduce your risk and detect any potential problems early on! These include regular exercise, a balanced diet, and routine checkups.

It's also important to be able to recognize symptoms of heart disease, and act quickly on early warning signs. Symptoms may include:

• Heart Attack: Chest pain or discomfort, upper back pain, indigestion, heartburn, nausea/vomiting, extreme fatigue, upper body discomfort, and shortness of breath.
• Arrhythmia: Fluttering feelings in the chest (palpitations).
• Heart Failure: Shortness of breath, fatigue, swelling of the feet/ankles/legs/abdomen.
• Stroke: Sudden weakness, paralysis (inability to move) or numbness of the face/arms/legs, especially on one side of the body. Other symptoms may include: confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech, difficulty seeing in one or both eyes, shortness of breath, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination, loss of consciousness, or sudden and severe headache.

Most of us know someone who has been affected by heart disease, be it a family member, friend, colleague, or even ourselves. Whatever your connection to the disease, there’s no time like the present to band together and educate ourselves and the women we love. Now that you know the importance of a heart-healthy lifestyle and detecting symptoms early on, we hope you’ll join us in spreading awareness and empowering the women in your life to take charge of their heart health!

To learn more about the stats, facts, risk factors, and symptoms, visit the links below.

Heart Disease Facts: https://www.cdc.gov/heartdiseasefacts

Women & Heart Disease: https://www.cdc.gov/women&heartdisease

In 2016 we saw more Tieks love shared on social media than ever before! Tieks Girls shared their Blue Prints pics from around the world using #tieks, and we were thrilled to see all the places they went.

If you were one of the thousands who shared your Blue Prints on social media in 2016, thank you, thank you, thank you! If you have yet to share, don't be shy—just tag your photos @tieks and use #tieks :)

Here are some of our favorite #tieks pictures from 2016:

From left to right starting at top left: @lunaticatlarge, @amytangerine, @@mailon_, @leannebarlow, @stylewichliz, @shay_isorena, @astylishsideproject, @alexandrianolan, @rosypoo, @mollyscottphoto, @sequinsandlipstick, @meghan_adele

We can't wait to see where your Blue Prints take you in 2017!

This past Friday, we hosted a holiday party for families from the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House at Tieks HQ!

Ronald McDonald House is an international charity organization with Chapters around the globe. They provide housing and support for families with children battling serious illnesses, allowing these families to stay close to their kids and help them heal faster. As they eloquently put it:

"Our Houses are built on the simple idea that nothing else should matter when a family is focused on the health of their child – not where they can afford to stay, where they will get their next meal or where they will lay their head at night to rest. We believe that when a child is hospitalized the love and support of family is as powerful as the strongest medicine prescribed."

For the last several years, the Tieks team has participated in an annual holiday toy drive to benefit families of the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House. This year, we decided to take the toy drive to a whole new level and also invite past and present families of our local RMH Chapter to celebrate the holidays with us!

Let us take you on a tour of the festivities...

We had all the toys from our toy drive piled high under the tree. 2016 was our biggest year yet, with over 200 toys donated!

We had a hot cocoa station complete with candy canes and mini marshmallows. There's nothing like a hot cup of hot chocolate to make it feel like the holidays!

The big event of the evening, however, was gingerbread decorating—and boy did the kids have fun with it! The Tieks team played Santa's helpers ;)

Of course, no holiday party would be complete without the chance to write a letter to Santa!

Finally, we set up our very own North Pole photo booth with a life-size sleigh to capture all the holiday joy and smiles at the event!

This happy face says it all!

We loved getting to help create happy holiday memories for these families and can't wait for next year!

Over the weekend we had a very exciting event—the limited launch of Champagne Tieks!

Our Champagne launch was designed to be an experience from start to finish, and nothing says limited edition like a surprise gift package! If you weren't lucky enough to snag a Champagne pair, here's a peek inside the box...

From the Tieks flower to the card, everything was specially crafted, and packaged to perfection.

IT'S ALL IN THE DETAILS

The Card

If you're a Tieks Girl you know that every pair comes with a hand-written thank you note from the Tieks team. We felt that Champagne deserved a card as special as the launch, so we had a card illustrated that embodied the spirit of our Champagne party!

We knew the card wouldn't be complete without a special message, so we penned this adorable poem to include on the inside!

The Flower & The Cookie

Of course, we couldn't have a limited edition launch without some limited edition goodies too!

We spent months perfecting a Champagne flower to include exclusively with Champagne Tieks. We think it turned out pretty gorgeous!

Finally, the cherry on top—our custom Tieks Champagne cookie. This adorable treat tastes as good as it looks, and is almost too cute to eat! "Almost" being the key word ;)

And there you have it. The Champagne Tieks launch was our biggest and most exciting yet. We can't wait to see where Champagne Blue Prints are made throughout the holidays and in 2017!

1. PEACOCK

What you’ll need: corset (ideally blue/green); tank top to match corset (optional); peacock feathers; hot glue gun; black skirt; black ostrich feathers (any black feathered boa will do); 

Instructions: Start by decorating a plain blue or green corset with peacock feathers using the hot glue gun. The more the better! Next, glue strips of black feathers onto your black skirt in a vertical direction. Only glue each strip or feather at the waistline of the skirt—leaving the strips loose will create gorgeous movement. Slip on the skirt, add the corset on top (tank optional underneath) and Tiek Blue Patent Tieks, and you’re ready to shake your tail feathers!

Featured Style: Tiek Blue Patent

2. POISON IVY

What you’ll need: green dress; ivy; 1.5 yards of green tulle; green ribbon (any); hot glue gun

Instructions: First, glue individual ivy leaves onto the top of the dress starting from the neckline and working your way down towards the waist. Overlap each leaf with the one above it to create a layered effect. If you have different sized ivy leaves to work with, glue the smallest ones towards the top, and use increasingly larger leaves as you work your way down. Once you’ve reached the waistline of your dress, turn your attention to the tulle. Measure out a strip of green ribbon big enough to tie into a bow around your waist, then ruche the tulle into four sections and use the glue gun to attach the point of each ruched section to the green ribbon. Decorate the skirt with more ivy branches and leaves to your liking. We covered the ribbon at the waistline with leaves, but that's optional. Slip on the dress, tie your tulle skirt around the waist, grab your Taupe Tieks, and you’re ready to go!

Featured Style: Taupe

3. MONARCH BUTTERFLY

What you’ll need: 3-4 yards of black cotton fabric (anything sturdy, not sheer); orange, yellow, and white acrylic paint; hand sewer or hot glue gun; malleable wire; little black dress

Instructions: Start by cutting your black fabric into at least 8 different wing shapes (think slightly lopsided hearts). You shouldn’t need a stencil for this part, you can just wing it ;) Paint a Monarch wing pattern on each cutout (Google Images is your friend!). We used orange as the base and added yellow for a dimensional effect. Once your wings are dry, wrap the edges of the fabric around your wire and secure it by either sewing or gluing them down. Clip the wires at the ends and you’re ready to put everything together! Grab your LBD and pin, sew, or glue each wing to the dress. You’ll need one wing for across the chest, and the rest will be attached at or slightly below the waist. Finish your look with Mustard Yellow Tieks and you’re ready to flutter your wings!

Featured Style: Mustard Yellow

4. LOVE POTION #9

What you’ll need: purple dress; 2 yards sheer purple fabric; 1 yard iridescent white fabric; malleable wire; clear rhinestones; black glitter (optional); hot glue gun; chain; cardboard

Instructions: First, cut your sheer purple fabric into petal shapes (8 recommended). The petals should be longer than the length from the waist to the hemline of the dress (so they can billow outwards once the wires are added). Wrap the edges of the fabric around wire and secure them using hot glue. Then attach one tip of the petal to the waistline of the dress and the other tip to the hemline of the dress. Repeat this step with each petal, moving your way around the skirt. Before attaching the last petal, scrunch and place the iridescent white fabric between the dress and the petals to create the liquid effect. Once all the petals are attached, decorate the dress with rhinestones (as desired). Print out a Love Potion #9 sign (make your own or click the link below to get ours) and glue it to the cardboard. We used a little black glitter to make the sign pop, but this step is optional. Last, use the hot glue gun to attach the chain to the sign, grab your Silver Screen Tieks, and voila—you’re ready to spread a little love!

Click here to download our Love Potion #9 Sign!

Featured Style: Silver Screen

5. QUEEN OF HEARTS

What you’ll need: black bustier; black tank top (optional); red skirt; ⅛ yard white satin fabric; 1-1.5 yards black satin fabric; black & white checkered ribbon; small piece of red felt; gold lace trim

Instructions: Begin by cutting and gluing a piece of your white satin fabric to the bustier to create a panel down the front. Then, add two strips of the ribbon to either side of the white panel. Cut a large heart out of the red felt, and add gold lace trim around the edges. Glue the heart onto the bustier so that the top of it extends slightly over the top of the bustier. We added a ruched ribbon detail to the top of the heart, but this step is optional. You’ll need to put on the bustier and skirt for the next step. Once you have both pieces on, wrap a piece of black satin fabric around your waist and attach it so it stops at the inner edge of the ribbon on the bustier. Attach strips of ribbon to the vertical edges of the black fabric from waist to hemline. Last, add a piece of gold lace trim where the skirt meets the bustier, extending to the outer edges of the ribbon strips. Top off the look with a few royal props and of course Ruby Red Tieks, and you’re ready to rule the night!

Featured Style: Ruby Red Patent

We're kicking off our new blog (The Blue Prints Blog - you’re on it!) with a dream vacation giveaway to the place we call home—Los Angeles. One grand prize winner and two runners up will win a trip for themselves and a guest to Santa Monica’s five-star oceanfront resort, Shutters on the Beach, complete with the kind of pampering every Tieks Girl deserves.

The grand prize winner (you!) will receive 2 round-trip tickets to LA and a 3-night stay in an ocean view room at Shutters (valued at over $1000/night) to experience the city in true Tieks Girl fashion. You and your guest will dine at one of LA’s finest restaurants, pamper yourselves at an elite spa, and explore the Santa Monica beach just steps from your room. Of course, you’ll be doing all this in a new pair of Tieks! Finally, no Santa Monica escape would be complete without a shopping spree at Santa Monica Place. What more could a girl ask for? Perhaps the chance to wine and dine with our founders, Dikla and Kfir Gavrieli? Consider it included!

What You’ll Win:

One grand prize winner will receive a 4-day, 3-night stay at Shutters on the Beach, 2 round-trip tickets to L.A., 2 one-hour spa treatments, a complimentary dinner for two, morning or afternoon bike rentals, a $300 gift card to Santa Monica Place, a $200 Tieks Gift Card, and dinner with Tieks founders, Dikla and Kfir Gavrieli.

Two runners up will win a 3-day, 2-night stay at Shutters on the Beach, a complimentary dinner for two, morning or afternoon bike rentals, a $150 gift card to Santa Monica Place and a $200 Tieks Gift Card.

Read below to learn more about the wonderful perks included in our kickoff giveaway and how to enter (it’s easy).

Ocean View Stay at Shutters on the Beach | Nothing sparkles quite like Shutters on the Beach. This elegant five-star beach retreat is just steps from the Pacific and the Santa Monica Pier. Shutters is home to the most luxurious ocean view guestrooms in LA, with a spa and fine dining restaurants to match. Luxury is tucked away in every corner of the resort, from the impeccable service to the innovative amenities that make you feel like you are in your very own beachside home.

Each morning, you’ll wake up to the sand and surf outside your window. You’ll be steps away from a Malibu to Manhattan Beach bike path, paddle tennis, volleyball, poolside lounging, al fresco dining, a beachside spa, or yoga on the sand. Work, play, or do nothing at all—it’s up to you!

Luxury Spa Experience | When you stay at Shutters, “ONE the Spa” is just a step away for a massage, body treatment or mani/pedi (or all of the above, of course). ONE is the only Santa Monica spa with products and luxury treatments designed by Red Flower and Omorovicza. When was the last time you did something for yourself that involved a fluffy robe, warm slippers and steam? We’re guessing too long!

Designer Beach Bikes | Explore Santa Monica and Venice attractions, just a short ride from Shutters, on customized Adeline Adeline bikes. Enjoy the city's sights while pedaling away under the California sun.

Seaside Dining | Enjoy a fabulous dinner at Shutters’ ocean view restaurant, One Pico. This Santa Monica restaurant is truly an unforgettable experience with a seasonal market menu. Winner of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, One Pico has a wine list even Californians admire. The fireplace and view of the Pacific Ocean are just two of the unique items you won’t find on any other menu.

Shopping Spree | Santa Monica Place is the new luxury shopping destination by the beach. Enjoy the open-air design and breathtaking views while you put your gift card to work at some of our favorite stores, from Aesop and L’Occitane to Barneys and Louis Vuitton.

Tieks Gift Card | Tieks are the most versatile ballet flats in the world, which means they’re perfect for beach getaways filled with sun, sand and shopping too! Enjoy a $200 Tieks Gift Card, and show off your new Tieks in comfort from Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills to the shores of Malibu. We can’t wait to see where your Blue Prints take you!

How To Enter:

In the comments section below, let us know why you love your Tieks or why you’d love to try your first pair! Yes, it’s that easy. One lucky grand prize winner and two runners up will be randomly selected. The email you use to enter your comment will be used to notify you if you win. Giveaway ends September 18, 2015. Good luck, Tieks girls! :)