Matching Leather Avarcas Sandals for Mums & Kids

Have you heard of avarcas sandals? Well, even if it doesn't ring a bell, I'm sure you've seen them around.

Lil Pumpkin and I are no strangers to going matchy-matchy for our clothes or footwear and got our first 2 pairs of avarcas recently from a local shop, Verano. We read up more on their rich history and found out that they are actually

"... a style of Spanish leather sandals that originated in Menorca, a Balearic island nestled in the Mediterranean Sea. In the isolation of the Spanish Civil War during the 1940s, the strong and flexible sandals were made by farmers from natural leather and recycled tyres to navigate the archipelago and its steep, rocky terrain. In the 1960s, craftsmen began to commercialise avarcas, and since then, avarcas have grown to be favoured by locals and visitors alike."

Avarcas sandals are pretty perfect as semi-casual footwear when you're not in the mood to wear feet-killing heels, can't bear to squash your toes in ballet flats, yet don't want to be too sloppy in flip-flops. 

I like that they are extremely versatile too and are not only comfortable to wear from day to night, but stylish enough as well. The neutral colours go well with everything and its minimal profile elevates any outfit. Even the printed and bright pairs complements a simple outfit e.g a plain white tee and jeans combo can highlight their pop and quirk!

The first time I slipped on my avarcas I was blown away by how comfortable they are!!

The calf leather used is so buttery-soft and doesn't cut into my feet at all even after long hours of shopping, walking, running errands, chasing after Lil Pumpkin etc. I hate when that happens!

They are water-resistant {but obviously don't go walking in the pool with them!!} and can last longer than sandals with a synthetic or cork sole.. so gives pretty good mileage.

I've been told that they mold to your foot-bed after repeated wear and get even more comfortable with age too!

Verano means "summer" in Spanish. The lovely owners, Weiling {who also happens to be Lark & Peony's designer - Junie's, friend.. what a small world!} and Lin Hui, chose it for their shop's name as a kind of fusion between the origins of the avarcas sandals from Spain, as well as the endless summer here in Singapore. 

Avarcas from Verano are made with flexible and durable molded rubber soles in the traditional style, as well as a lightweight foam sole. They work with a family business in Menorca, Spain that hand-makes their avarcas with traditional methods and tools in a more laborious process - stitching the sole with thick waxed thread and a punch needle.

Verano has avarcas sandals in a variety of styles and colours. However, all the inner soles and top lining are made of leather. Even if the top layer is faux snakeskin, fabric or glitter, the inner part is still made of authentic, buttery-soft calf leather.

Taking into consideration the craftsmanship and quality materials used, Verano's adult range goes for S$84, and kids range costs S$64.

Lil Pumpkin is pretty fond of her new sandals too. The kids' styles have leather ankle straps with velcro closures to keep the sandals snug, yet makes it easy for the kids to easily take them on and off themselves. And like the adult versions, the rubber soles have deep ridges in them for added traction on smooth or wet surfaces. 

The avarcas are so chic, and in a way, provide a safer alternative to hard, plastic shoes or rubber clogs that are popular nowadays but have no comfortable in-soles and can potentially present a heightened risk of escalator entrapment especially to kids.

Verano carry European sizes 20 to 30 {U.S. 2.5 to 11.5} for girls and sizes 34 to 40 {U.S. 5.5 to 8.5} for ladies. Their cutting is much wider than traditional avarcas sandals that cater to the European foot. Asian feet tend to be a bit wider, and they have adapted their sandals for a better fit.

The leather sandals stretch, so I suggest taking your usual size or even going a size down. Also, I think because they are handmade, there may be be a little discrepancy in the sizing.

I'm wearing size 39 for both sandals but I find that the pink Horsehair Sangria is a teensy bit smaller than Box Calf {Ink}. Nothing too uncomfortable but if after getting your Avarcas you find that it doesn't suit your feet size, just holler out to the shop and I'm sure they can work something out for you.

Verano's avarcas sandals are currently stocked at PriviKids {Suntec City, Waterway Point & Changi City Point} and Excluniqueeee {Marina Square} so pop by to try out their sizes and cut. You can also buy directly from Verano's website since they have an online promo {see below for details}! They offer free shipping to Singapore addresses and deliver in 1-3 days. A men's collection is coming up soon so you can look out for that for the dads too. Matchy-matchy fun for the whole family? haha

Promo: If you refer a friend, they get 10% off their first purchase and you get S$10 store credit for every friend you refer too! ( ᐛ )و Plus, they randomly give away one of these cuties below with their online orders!! #iwantplease

A photo posted by Verano Singapore (@hello.verano) on Jul 24, 2016 at 10:25pm PDT

P.S. Check out my tips on how to work the matchy-matchy mini me fashion trend here.

Disclosure: This is a review for Verano Singapore. All opinions are my own.

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Happy Mother's Day 2015! ♥ + Win The Incredible Book Eating Boy Family Show Tickets

Mother's Day was pretty simple this year. Actually, most of our celebrations are rather muted nowadays haha. I don't care much for grand plans, big parties or lavish spending.. as long as I get to spend the time with my beloved family, I'm happy :)

It started off as a pretty "normal" Sunday. I knew we'd be out for most of the day so woke up early to do some work. Then the boy woke up about 2 hours later, prepared Lil Pumpkin's morning milk, kissed me good bye and left for work.

Lil Pumpkin got out of bed not long after and was such a sweetie - smiling so brightly and wishing me good morning. She must have remembered that it was Mother's Day :)

After her morning ritual, we folded clothes together while catching up on my Chinese drama shows. I did the boy and my own pile, while Lil Pumpkin is great at folding her own clothes with her own mini folding board {see her in action here}. That seriously was one of my best buys ever!!

Then we got ready to go out and wore our new matching "stained glass" 3D Rosella dresses from Glitter Glam with our bling-bling Pazzion ballarina shoes.  No better day to go matchy-matchy than on Mother's Day!! :P

My mother-in-law came to pick us up around noon for our family lunch at Paradise Dynasty at One KM, near the boy's clinic. We had an early Mother's Day dinner with my parents the night before and were going out to celebrate with my in-laws on Mother's Day itself. Oh my goodness it was so packed! I think it was the most crowded restaurant in the whole mall :P

Paradise Dynasty serves both northern and southern Chinese cuisine, with an innovative touch. Their specialty is the Eight-Flavoured Xiao Long Bao, which are little dumplings with soup inside made in 8 different flavours {original, crab roe, cheese, garlic, herbal, ma la, foie gras and black truffle}.

This is the foie gras Xiao Long Bao, which tasted delicious but sadly, I didn't really taste much foie gras in. 

Lil Pumpkin likes to eat Xiao Long Bao. I think she finds it interesting to have soup "hidden" inside that little dumpling haha. 

Paradise Dynasty kind of reminded me of Din Tai Fung but the portions are more decent. We ate Xiao Long Baos, the silky handmade La Mian, egg fried rice, sweet and sour pork. squid in vinegar, drunken ginger chicken etc.

Was so full but it was such a satisfying meal. The boy, his mum and brother are all very busy people so it was nice to be able to sit down, have a meal together and catch up.

We went to Suntec City after lunch and Lil Pumpkin scooted around outside for a while. She just got a new scooter last Friday for her birthday {more on that later!} and has been asking us to bring her scooting every day since. Her birthday is only tomorrow {12 May} but we let her open it earlier.. ah well, gotta live a little, you know? :P

It's so fun to watch her whizz by and I'm thinking of getting one myself so that we can go scooting together! That would make our weekly walk to her swim classes even faster! I reckon it's easier than mastering a bike??

Yes, yes, I'm one of those "weird" people that don't know how to cycle :P

Lil Pumpkin gave me a a carnation flower and portrait of me she drew in school. I was actually looking forward to her annual Mother's Day class party {see past N1. N2 and K1 celebrations} but for some reason, we didn't have one this year! Was kinda disappointed as I wanted to see her sing and perform with her friends...

Love the heart cut-out and intricate paper weaving here!! Lil Pumpkin said that she specially chose pink because I like pink *grins*

Does this look like me? :) Sorry can't get a good photo of it but yes, she drew the eyes and mouth too, as well as purple eyees (^^)v I'm glad that she sees me as a sweet young thing with 2 ponytails rather than a naggy old witch, which I'm sure I sound like sometimes!

She wanted to take a shot of me and the boy too :)

Happy family!! ^^ I'm really so blessed to have these two in my life and wouldn't trade it for the world.

As for the boy's present? Well,, he paid for and gave me 1.5 hours to "feel" & find the whole collection for the new Lego x Simpsons series hehe #itsthelittlethingsthatcount

The new minifigs came out about 4 days ago but I haven't had time to check them out until Sunday.
We went to Toys R' Us and I saw that they weren't on the usual shelf space so I asked a sales assistant if they had any. Didn't have much hope really... as the release had been highly anticipated and on the first day, most places were already wiped clean.

Lo and behold! She went into the storeroom and got me a new box!!! Wheeee! So happy and I might have done a fist pump #winning

Haven't opened all the packs yet but since I've been "feeling" and collecting for the past 4 {??} series, I'm pretty sure I've the whole set. Quite good at picking out the correct minifigs from the blind packs haha.

My fingers and hands are so sore now!! (>-<)"

Ended the day doing groceries at Giant and we saw the Coca-Cola roadshow to get our own personalised coke cans. It was the last day! The boy was quite keen to do it so we bought 60 cans of Coke Zero to personalise 4 cans {you've to spend S$10 to personalise 1 can}- 1 for each of us plus his bro.

Turned out pretty nice... the more I see it, the more I like it too heh.

Thank you for calling me your Mummy, and for giving me the privilege to celebrate this special day with you, dear Lil Pumpkin. Sometimes I feel like such a failure as a mum, but thank you for always looking up to me and making me feel like I'm the greatest. I can't promise you, but I will try my hardest to not nag as much and to keep my youthful, happy spirit.. just as the way you see me ♥

Thank you as well to my own dear mother and mother-in-law for all that you have done, and for shaping me to be the mother than I am today as well. Both of you are my role models and my inspiration to persevere despite the parenting struggles, give it my all and raise happy, healthy children ♥

Wishing all the amazing mums a Happy Mother's Day once again!

****

May is a very exciting time for us as we are all May babies! To celebrate, special prizes are up for grabs for the last 3 weeks of May just for my blog readers and friends :) 1 giveaway per week! Don't miss it!

For this week, I've ONE The Incredible Book Eating Boy Family Performance Tickets Package {worth S$232} to give away!! It includes 4 x Category 1 tickets {best seats!!} to the opening show on Thursday, 22 May 2015, 4.30pm at School of the Arts Singapore {SOTA}.

"Henry loves books. But Henry does not like to read book, he likes to chew them. Big books, picture books, reference books… the more he eats, the smarter he gets.

Just as he is on his way to being the smartest in the world, he realises his knowledge is jumbled up and he can’t digest it! Find out how Henry, with a little help from his parents, eventually found a way to enjoy books without using his teeth. A captivating story that encourages reading, finding success through hard work, and not taking the easy way out."

This is recommended for kids aged 3 and up, and running time is 1 hour {no interval}. Check out this stage adaptation of Oliver Jeffers' best-selling book via ABA Productions website. There are only 5 performances from 22 - 24 May 2015.

Giveaway Method: Random Draw

1. Be a Sakura Haruka Facebook page fan

2. Subscribe to my upcoming newsletter. Make sure the email add you used to subscribe is working as I'll be using that to contact the winner. Remember to confirm the subscription and check your junk folder in case the confirmation email goes there.

3. Like & Share this Facebook photo and tag 3 friends. Make sure your post is public!

4. Leave me a blog comment telling me what you want most for Mother's Day + FB name you used to like the page + name you used to subscribe to the newsletter. For those unsure of how to comment, choose "Name/URL" option then add your name and comment.

Bonus entry:
1. Follow me on Instagram {@AiSakuraHaruka}
2. Repost this Facebook photo on IG & tag @ASakuraHaruka #ASHxABAshowgiveaway

ONE random winner will be chosen. Just complete all 4 simple steps + bonus entry {if you like}!

Details:
* Open to Singapore residents only.
* Ends Friday, 15 May 2015 2359hrs {Singapore time} 
* Incomplete or inappropriate entries will be deemed invalid and will not be included.
* Winners will be announced by Saturday 16 May 2015 on this blog post and notified via email with further instructions on how to collect prize. Winners have 1 day to reply, or the prize will be redrawn.
* Tickets only valid for performance on Fri 22 May 2015, 4.30pm at SOTA Drama Theatre, 1 Zubir Said Road.
* No refunds or changes to show time or date.
* Prize tickets cannot be exchanged for cash value or resold.
* Everyone must have own ticket for admission, including infants in arms.
* Sakura Haruka is not responsible for any prizes lost, damaged or misplaced in delivery.

* Disclosure: The Incredible Book Eating Boy Performance Tickets was provided by ABA Productions for giveaway.

UPDATE: The giveaway has ended. The winner is Veron TG. Stay tuned for more blog giveaways on Sakura Haruka! Check out my current readers promos too. Thanks for your support!

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Pazzion Matchy-Matchy Mother-Daughter Shoes

Recently we went down to Pazzion to check out their matchy-matchy mother-daughter shoes. We've matching slippers, sandals and sneakers.. but not really dressy shoes.

New shoe designs came in for the upcoming Mother's Day {next Sunday by the way!} and I liked the Almond Perfect Ballerina for me, and matching Almond Lovely Baby Flat for Lil Pumpkin.

I thought that they matched the modern cheongsam with gold polka dots and her pending party dress with gold polka dots {still looking for a nice one!} that we're going to wear for her birthday party perfectly :P

The shoes feature laser cut lambskin leather with intricate detailing of lustrous crystals and diamantes covering the entire silhouette. So bling bling!! The crystals and beads are individually strung and sewn on as well so seem rather sturdy, compared to those that are just glued to shoes.

There's also an extra cushioned insole for padded comfort. Lil Pumpkin's pair comes with an elastic strap to keep the shoes secure, especially useful for younger kids, but if you don't like it, you can cut it away too. The straps give it a sweet Mary Jane look though :)

I wanted to keep Lil Pumpkin's pair until her birthday but she insisted on wearing them out the day after we got them with her pretty cheongsam haha.. Not a bad look actually! The light tan almond colour makes it really easy to match anything.

The shoes needed some breaking in though and at the end of the day, Lil Pumpkin had blisters at the back of her ankles :( It's kinda inevitable with new shoes, but I should have put on plasters for her first to prevent them. I heard applying deodorant or Vaseline helps to create a barrier and reduce friction with the shoes to prevent blisters too. Anyone tried this method?

The shop's website shows mostly the latest collection for the kids range, but there are really many options for dazzling matchy-matchy mother-daughter shoes at the physical Pazzion stores!

Lil Pumpkin was very excited and kept trying on shoes {such a girly-girl!} and I was very tempted to choose other designs but in the end we did walk away with the pairs I initially wanted.

The other shoes that caught my eye are these red ones with a bejeweled heart which I thought were perfect for Chinese New Year haha and these nude ones with a simple rose {my fave flower!} at the vamp for casual day outs.

Lil Pumpkin liked the pink, of course, flats with butterfly embellished with glittering gems. 

Pazzion stores look very elegant, and one tends to forget that its a homegrown label especially since you can find them in so many countries like Japan, Mauritius, South Korea, Thailand, even Turkey and Russia. 

Born in 2001, Pazzion caters to the modern, sophisticated trend-setter with an uncompromising standard for taste and quality. They offer a wide range of footwear from casual sandals to classic heels to ensure that any lady will find the perfect shoe for any occasion. I posted about our new shoes on Instagram and Facebook and found that actually, quite a number of my friends like and wear Pazzion shoes too!

If you're thinking of pampering yourself or a mum you know this Mother's Day, support local and consider getting a pair of matchy-matchy mother-daughter shoes from Pazzion :) Prices start from S$79 for ladies {size Euporean 34 - 41} and S$69 for girls {aged 18 months - 7 years old}. It's on the higher end, but I guess it's because all their footwear are crafted from genuine calf leather or lambskin, so would definitely last longer and be more comfortable than those made from synthetic leather, and also feature a lot of crystals, diamentes and exquisite bead-work.

Check out where their shops are located or shop online on Pazzion's website. Free delivery to all Singapore addresses and international shipping available. Also, look out for Pazzion's Facebook Mother's Day giveaway below, starting next week!

P.S. If you like going matchy-matchy with your kids but aren't sure how, see my tips on how to work the matchy-matchy mini-me trend and some of our matchy-matchy outfits here.

* Disclosure: This is a review for Pazzion shoes. All opinions are my own.

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