KnitPicky Beanies: Etsy shop feature & Giveaway!!

Yay! Another etsy shop to feature today... and this time it is my MOM'S!!! I am so excited to share with you this darling etsy shop, and my mom's amazing talent. Even if she weren't my own mom, I would still think her beanies were amazing! :) Introducing...KnitPicky Beanies!

My mom has been a crafter since I can remember. She has always loved embroidering, and has sold thousands of embroidery patterns over the past few years in quilt shops around the country. Just recently, she taught herself how to knit! Dare I say she has only been knitting for maybe, 6 months or a year now? She taught herself, and she is amazing at it! She knew that once {B} was born, the grandbabies were only going to keep coming, so it was time to start making some cute photo props of her own. Once she got a good collection going, she decided she needed to set up an etsy shop! Here are a few of my favorites:

                                                     The Bluebell Beanie: $22

             
                                                   Peppermint Collection: $20 ea

                                                          Dainty Daisy Beane: $25

                                                      Sweet Pea Beanie: $22

                                                           Little Boy Blue Beanie: $15

 As you can see, these are so beautiful, and I wish you could feel them! They are made with 100% Greek Cotton and they are so soft. These are perfect for these next few months of freezing cold weather! They also look great as photo props, and would make THE perfect Christmas gift for anyone you might know that has a little one!

Buy It: Head on over to KnitPicky Beanies and check out the rest of the collection! Also, take 10% off your order with code ncbaby until the end of the giveaway!

                                                           **WIN THIS BEANIE!!!**

Win IT! My mom has generously offered her darling Holiday beanie to one of my lucky readers! This beanie fits from 0-6 months.

ENTER TO WIN! There are TWO Mandatory Entries! All other entries are optional, but the more you complete, the better chance you have at winning! Leave one comment per entry.

1) Mandatory: Which KnitPicky Beanie is your favorite? Or what color schemes would you like to see?

2) Mandatory: Follow n.c. baby blog via GFC (or tell me if you already do)

  

3) Follow n.c. baby blog on facebook

4) Favorite KnitPicky Beanies on etsy! (2 entries)

5) Like KnitPicky Beanies on Facebook!

6) Pin any image from this post or from KnitPicky Beanies shop to Pinterest ( 1 entry for each pin, as many as you would like!)

6) Share this link on Facebook or Tweet about the giveaway ( you can do this once daily!)

7) Enter any other of my CURRENT giveaways ( 1 entry for each giveaway entered)

8) Subscribe to n.c. baby blog via email ( on right side of blog)

GOOD LUCK!!! Giveaway will close 12/8 at 11:59 pm EST. Giveaway is open to US only, unless you live out of country and are willing to pay extra postage. Winner will be picked the following day by Random.org and will be emailed and announced on the blog. Winner has 48 hours to confirm their prize, otherwise a new winner will be chosen. 

  

Dawn at KnitPicky Beanies provided the giveaway prize for my readers. I was not compensated in any way for this post. All opinions are 100 percent my own.

Little Miss Madelynn: Esty shop feature & giveaway!

I am so excited to be featuring this etsy shop today! Not only does it have a Holiday theme to it, perfect to get us excited for this time of year, but it is owned by one of my very best friends that I met while in med school in North Carolina! While living in NC, Ceri and I were pregnant with our babies at the same time! I had {B}, and she had a little girl, Madelynn, and I was lucky enough to babysit her for a little while when Ceri went back to work! Any way, hence comes the name Little Miss Madelynn (littlemissmadelynn) for her etsy shop!

LittleMissMadelynn features a variety of items. Currently, it is featuring many of Ceri's handmade Holiday items! From felt banners, to paper banners, to the most darling gift tags you have ever seen, Little Miss Madelynn gives you adorable items, at an extremely affordable price. These darling christmas gift tags are only $3, for 8 of them! You would buy these gift tags for double that price in the store! Not to mention, they are handmade and are so much cuter than anything you would find at the store. Give that gift of yours a special touch, with handmade gift tags from LittleMissMadelynn. Also make sure to check out the rosette gift tags, and ornament gift tags!

LittleMissMadelynn also currently has 2 different styles of banners, one of which I own and display in my own home during the Holidays. The "Believe" banner is the perfect touch to your Holiday decor! This ever popular bunting-style banner is strung along red ric rac and can be tied to curtain rods, shelves, railings, or wherever you would like to add extra christmas cheer. I always string mine along my large back doors, and I cannot tell you how many compliments I get on it! The JOY banner is made of the darling Stephanie Hunt paper, and is die cut and embellished with rhinestones to add another touch of christmas cheer to your home decor. I love the idea of a vertical banner, for those random spaces in your home that are hard to decorate!

Ceri is definitely open minded to custom orders, especially for the banners. In the past someone contacted her about doing a banner for a cowboy themed birthday party. It turned out darling! Feel free to contact her through her etsy shop if you are interested in a custom made banner. 

 LittleMissMadelynn has currently decked it's shop halls with Christmas items, but will be adding new items with the changing seasons and holidays. Spring and summer items will be added soon, so make sure to keep checking back for new handmade items from Little Miss Madelynn!

Win IT! Ceri has generously offered a $10 credit to her etsy shop LittleMissMadelynn! This is enough to get you a few cute sets of labels, or a great discount on a banner! * Items will be shipped in time for Christmas!*

ENTER TO WIN! There are TWO Mandatory Entries! All other entries are optional, but the more you complete, the better chance you have at winning! Leave one comment per entry.

1) Mandatory: What would you use your $10 credit towards at LittleMissMadelynn?

2) Mandatory: Follow n.c. baby blog via GFC (or tell me if you already do)

3) Follow n.c. baby blog on facebook

4) Favorite LittleMissMadelynn on Etsy! (2 entries)

5) Share this link on Facebook or Tweet about the giveaway ( you can do this once daily!)

6) Enter any other of my CURRENT giveaways ( 1 entry for each giveaway entered)

7) Subscribe to n.c. baby blog via email ( on right side of blog)

GOOD LUCK!!! Giveaway will close 12/2 at 11:59 pm EST. Giveaway is open worldwide but you are responsible for shipping for any charges above the $10 code. Winner will be picked the following day by Random.org and will be emailed and announced on the blog. Winner has 48 hours to confirm their prize, otherwise a new winner will be chosen. 

 

Ceri at LittleMissMadelynn provided the giveaway prize for my readers. I was not compensated in any way for this post. All opinions are 100 percent my own.

Juliet Dream Maternity Clothing: Review & Giveaway!

Finding outfits to wear when you are pregnant can be an absolute disaster. Not only are you getting bigger, everywhere, but you are FEELING bigger, and that is a hard pill to swallow! In my opinion, there is no better time to pamper yourself with new, beautiful clothing than when you are in full baby bloom!

Now, as I stated before, I am not one to go out and buy hundreds of dollars on maternity clothing that I will only wear for 6 months at a time. However, I am a believer in buying QUALITY clothing, and sometimes that means splurging a little bit, sometimes a bit more than you would like. Especially if you plan on having more than one pregnancy.

Juliet Dream carries designer maternity fashions, in luxury fabrics and award winning fits since 2001. Juliet Dream has been a favorite celebrity go-to for stars like Angelina Jolie, Jessica Alba, and Nicole Richie! They have also been featured in OK magazine, In Touch, Fit Pregnancy, American Baby, and more! Their line is proudly and exclusively made in the USA.

Juliet Dream sent me a top to review that I have been drooling over for awhile now, the Nora top in Fuchsia! This top is amazing. The fabric is breathable and flexible, perfect for your growing belly, made of Rayon and Spandex. It is fitted to flatter your darling pregnant figure, and tapers at the sleeves for a feminine touch. It's a go to piece that can be worn as is, under a vest, add a belt to it, the possibilities are endless! The Nora top retails $85, and while I feel like that is a little more on the expensive side for maternity clothing, if you are planning on having more than one pregnancy, in my opinion it would be a great investment piece for your maternity wardrobe. I have already worn in 3 times since I got it. I already know it's going to be a staple for me! It is so soft, and I have gotten so many compliments on it!

Juliet Dream offers other items as well, from baby clothing, to denim and dress pants, to nursing tops. You will surely be able to find many items on their website that you will fall in love with, and be so glad that you invested in so you can feel your best at this wonderful ( yet challenging) time in your life! Treat yourself to something special, and head on over to Juliet Dream today.

**You can currently get 25% OFF your total order when you add Juliet Dream on Facebook or Twitter and leave a post! Let them know n.c. baby blog sent you, and that you would like the special discount code emailed to you. **

Win it!  Juliet Dream has offered one of my readers one of my other favorite tops, the Ashbury Top in Teal! (RETAILS FOR $85!)

 ENTER TO WIN! There are TWO Mandatory Entries! All other entries are optional, but the more you complete, the better chance you have at winning! Leave one comment per entry.

1) Mandatory: Head on over to Juliet Dream and let me know what else you love!

2) Mandatory: Follow n.c. baby blog via GFC (or tell me if you already do)

3) Follow n.c. baby blog on facebook

4) Follow Juliet Dream on Facebook -remember to tell them you would like the discount code if you would like it!

5) Share this link on Facebook or Tweet about the giveaway, please leave link! ( you can do this once daily!)

6) Follow Juliet Dream on Twitter

7) Pin a picture of your favorite item from this giveaway or Juliet Dream's website to Pinterest! Leave the link to your pin!

8) Enter any other of my CURRENT giveaways ( 1 entry for each giveaway entered)

9) Subscribe to n.c. baby blog via email ( on right side of blog)

GOOD LUCK!!! Giveaway will close 11/24at 11:59 pm EST. Giveaway is open to U.S. and CANADA residents only. Winner will be picked the following day by Random.org and will be emailed and announced on the blog. Winner has 48 hours to confirm their prize, otherwise a new winner will be chosen. A BIG thank you to Juliet Dream for providing the review product and the giveaway prize!

Juliet Dream provided samples for my review.  No other compensation was recieved. All opinions are 100 percent my own.

Me2Roo Maternity Excercise Top: Review

If there is anything different about being pregnant this time around, it's the effort I am *trying* to put in to exercise on a regular basis. When I was pregnant with {B}, I was working full time and came home from work absolutely exhausted. I tried squeezing workouts in on the weekends, but in the end, I gained more weight than I would have liked. I feel like this time around, I don't have an excuse to not stay active! I chase around a toddler ( and sometimes at the end of the day, I count chasing him as my workout for the day...) but there is always time to fit 30 minutes of cardio or weights into my routine.

That being said, there is nothing more awful than wearing a sports bra that is too tight, a tank top that crawls up your tummy the entire time you jog, and yoga pants that are 2 sizes too small! In my opinion, that only makes us hormonal, larger-than-normal child-bearing women feel even bigger than we really are, and sometimes can really bring us down. Not to mention, its just plain uncomfortable!! In that unbearable 3rd trimester, finding workout clothing can be next to impossible, and Me2Roo is the answer to all of our problems!

In October 2010, Me2Roo was born. A collection of effortlessly chic and stylish activewear designed to transition and embrace the body through all stages of pregnancy was brought to  life by Maggie Zembruski. Maggie's belief in a "happy, healthy mommy = happy, healthy baby" was channeled through her clothing line to inspire women to exercise and feel positive about themselves and the changes their bodies experience before, during and after pregnancy.

Now, we haven't even talked about post-baby workouts! If you have ever had a baby, you know how difficult it is to put on those workout clothes 6 weeks postpartum and feel even slightly normal. Your baby weight is sticking out of every crevice and elastic band, and let's be honest, nobody wants to see that. And you don't want anyone to see any of that! It's an awkward time ( that luckily doesn't last forever), but a time that can be made much better for everyone by wearing the proper fitness clothing.

Me2Roo offers 5 different exercise tops and a few options for bottoms. When I was browsing through their collection the first time, I was giddy with excitement. I wanted ( and still want!) all of their styles. All of the pregnant women in their pictures look darling and for once I felt like I had a chance to look fashionable while I work out!

I was generously sent the Charlotte top to review in black and pink! The Charlotte top is amazing. The material is light-weight, but durable, and is made of Nylon and Spandex. The hemline features a drawstring for modifying the size of your growing, or shrinking belly! There is a built in bra for those big pregnancy or nursing sisters, so don't worry about needing a sports bra! And I loved the back of the top, which features a pop of sparkle in a flattering T shape! Seriously- the perfect pregnancy and post-pregnancy workout top. It hides anything you want to hide, gives you plenty of room to grow, and helps you look and feel fashionable at the same time! If you only buy one thing from Me2Roo, this would be the one that I recommend.

 

Buy It: Head on over to Me2Roo and check out the darling maternity fitness clothing that they have to offer. Tops range from $38-72 and are such a great investment for your healthy pregnancy!

Pink Blush Maternity: Review & Giveaway

I am SO excited for this first official maternity giveaway! So the second I found out I was pregnant, I of course jumped right online and started searching for trendy, affordable maternity clothing. With my first pregnancy, I was in complete denial about wearing maternity clothes. This time, I am all about staying comfortable, without looking like a frumpy stay at home mom. It's important to me to continue looking good through pregnancy, so fashion is important to me! With that being said, I am not one to run out and spend hundreds of dollars on maternity jeans and sweaters. So, I started at Pink Blush Maternity.

Pink Blush Maternity (formerly known as Sweet Pea) offers clothing for all seasons. From tops, to bottoms, skirts and dresses, they have you covered. They even have evening gowns for special events you may have to attend while you are pregnant.


I was able to review the Multi-Colored Zig-Zag Maternity Top! When I received it and took it out of the package, I was surprised at how soft and stretchy the fabric was! I immediately had to try it on, and ended up wearing it to an outing that night with my black leggings. I got tons of compliments on my cute shirt! The fit was perfect and so flattering. Didn't hug my love handles at all.  I normally wear a size small, but I get very busty when I am pregnant, so I decided to go up to a Medium and I was glad I did. I will be able to wear it much longer this way! My husband even commented on how nice I looked and asked where I got my shirt...normally he doesn't notice things like this!

Buy It:This shirt is on sale right now for only $33.99, so if you are in the market for cute preg tops, grab this one fast!

Win it!  Pink Blush Maternity has offered one of my readers a $25 gift certificate to use on their site!

ENTER TO WIN! There are TWO Mandatory Entries! All other entries are optional, but the more you complete, the better chance you have at winning! Leave one comment per entry.

1) Mandatory: Head on over to Pink Blush Maternity and tell me what you would use your $25 towards!

2) Mandatory: Follow n.c. baby blog via GFC (or tell me if you already do)

3) Follow n.c. baby blog on facebook

4) Follow Pink Blush Maternity on Facebook!

5) Share this link on Facebook or Tweet about the giveaway, please leave link! ( you can do this once daily!)

7) Pin a picture of your favorite item from this giveaway or Pink Blush Maternity's site to Pinterest! Leave the link to your pin!

8) Enter any other of my CURRENT giveaways ( 1 entry for each giveaway entered)

9) Subscribe to n.c. baby blog via email ( on right side of blog)

GOOD LUCK!!! Giveaway will close 11/10  at 11:59 pm EST. Giveaway is open to U.S. and CANADA residents only. Winner will be picked the following day by Random.org and will be emailed and announced on the blog. Winner has 48 hours to confirm their prize, otherwise a new winner will be chosen. A BIG thank you to Pink Blush Maternity for providing the review product and the giveaway prize!

Pink Blush Maternity provided samples for my review.  No other compensation was recieved. All opinions are 100 percent my own.

BIG NEWS @ n.c. baby blog, and a fun review!

I have been dying to let all of my readers know... we are expecting baby #2 at our house, and are beyond excited!!! I am now 15 weeks along, and feeling a lot better these days! We had a rough first trimester, so I apologize that it has been a little slow here in the blogging world. That being said, it's great to be back!

 

Do you realize what this means for us? We have some REALLY fun reviews and giveaways coming up! Maternity stuff, baby items, I just can't wait. And today I am really excited to start off this pregnancy right with a review from Hoplet House Boutique! 

Hoplet House was started by a mom named Jenny who has triplets! She realized soon after having her babies that price, convenience and value are the most important things when shopping for your children. A no hassle return policy, low prices, and convenience in purchasing. So Jenny started Hoplet House so that she could give to other moms what she also wants as a consumer.

Hoplet House specializes in high quality clothing and accessories for both mom and child. From hats, shirts, paci-clips, designer clothing, to nursery decor and more, you will for sure to be able to find something for you or your little one on their site! 

Did you see the shirt {B} is wearing in the first picture in this post? YES! From Hoplet House! Jenny graciously personalized this shirt for me so I could use it in the review, as well as use it to break the news to my family! It was the PERFECT way to tell my family, and I loved that it was personlized to {B}'s name. My parents flew in last week to come visit us at our new place in Iowa, and we went inside to the baggage claim to find them, and {B} was wearing this shirt. He ran up to my mom and instantly my mom looked at him, then looked at me, then read his shirt again, then went completely crazy and was so excited for us! It was such a fun way to tell my parents, and again I thank Jenny for the opportunity to review the Big Brother shirt from Hoplet House. You can also get Big or Little sister shirts, personalized for your child as well. These are priced at only $11.99, and if you spend over $50 on their site, you get free shipping! There are also a few other monogrammed items you can choose from! You will be happy with the quality of the shirt, and even more happy with the price!

 

So head on over to Hoplet House and enjoy browsing through all of their fun things! I highly recommend their site, and Jenny was so great to work with. If you are looking to announce a pregnancy, the personalized tees are a darling and inexpensive way to do that! I hope you have enjoyed learning all about Hoplet House!

Jenny @ Hoplet House provided samples for my review.  No other compensation was recieved. All opinions are 100 percent my own.

Rosie & Pepe- Shop feature & Giveaway!

I am excited to introduce to you another darling etsy shop that uses upcycled, vintage materials! Hollie Burgess contacted me to do a review for her shop, and I was super excited to be able to highlight her shop on my blog today. She even offered a giveaway, so stay tuned at the end for that!

I asked Hollie to give us a little background about herself and her shop, and here is what she had to say!

"I'm originally from England, but spent 8 years in Portugal before moving to New York to study fashion. After receiving my associates I moved down south to North Carolina to further my studies at Queens.

Rosie and Pepe had always been in my head, I nicknamed my Nana 'RosiePepe' after her two poodles, and she was the one that taught me how to sew and always made me and my younger brother clothes when we were children. It wasn't until my cousin had her first daughter, that while looking for baby clothes I realized I had all the skills to actually make something for her myself. Something really personal and one of a kind. After that, Rosie and Pepe was born.

I love to use vintage and upcycled fabrics - reduce, reuse, recycle is a big thing for me, I think it's an important and also a really cool way reuse garments and give them a new lease of life instead of ending up wasted in some textile landfill. It also guarantees the uniqueness of each piece since the fabrics I use are always limited in quantity, meaning no two items are ever the same. I also reuse buttons or source out vintage ones. 

I work from my dining room table and I am extremely lucky to have a supportive fiance who can over look the mess and the mayhem when I'm sewing. He also takes all of my pictures as well as providing honest non-fashion based opinions."

Also recently added to Rosie and Pepe is a vintage section, with items she has found and priced accordingly. She also has hand embroidered wall art!

What I love most about Hollie's shop, aside from the adorableness of it all, is that she prices things so you can actually afford them! So many times I have seen darling things on etsy, but wondered how shops even stay in business. Rosie and Pepe is adorable and affordable in every way. 

Head on over to Rosie and Pepe and check out her darling styles! From little man tie and vest onesies, to gorgeous hand-made jumpers for little girls, you will be sure to find something you love that is one of a kind!

Win IT! Hollie has generously offered a $15 credit to her etsy shop Rosie and Pepe!

ENTER TO WIN! There are TWO Mandatory Entries! All other entries are optional, but the more you complete, the better chance you have at winning! Leave one comment per entry.

1) Mandatory: What would you use your $15 credit towards at Rosie and Pepe?

2) Mandatory: Follow n.c. baby blog via GFC (or tell me if you already do)

3) Follow n.c. baby blog on facebook

4) Follow Rosie and Pepe on facebook!

5) Share this link on Facebook or Tweet about the giveaway ( you can do this once daily!)

6) Enter any other of my CURRENT giveaways ( 1 entry for each giveaway entered)

7) Subscribe to n.c. baby blog via email ( on right side of blog)

GOOD LUCK!!! Giveaway will close 10/21 at 11:59 pm EST. Giveaway is open worldwide but you are responsible for shipping for any charges above the $15 code. Winner will be picked the following day by Random.org and will be emailed and announced on the blog. Winner has 48 hours to confirm their prize, otherwise a new winner will be chosen. 

 Hollie at Rosie and Pepe provided the giveaway prize for my readers. I was not compensated in any way for this post. All opinions are 100 percent my own.