Small Shop Spotlight: ISLA & LILY + A Giveaway

One of life's biggest myths is that it isn't any fun to dress a boy.  I was certainly under that impression in 2012 when I was pregnant with my first boy.  And honestly, I think that was part of the reason I wanted a girl so badly!  Fast forward five years and I know better! 😉  I love dressing my boys and get almost as much pleasure out of buying their clothes as I do my own.  Sadly, Brantley's to the age of forming his own opinions about clothing (and wants all athletic apparel) but lucky for me, I have two more to dress!

I recently had the opportunity to work with Jessica from Isla & Lily on a custom order for Rhett.  I'm not exactly sure how I found Jessica and her small shop, but I've been following her on Instagram for some time now and I basically drool over everything she posts!  Isla & Lily is known for their adorable bows, but Jessica also makes a number of modern outfits for babies and tots - girls AND BOYS, including this super cute romper of Rhett's!

One of my favorite things about this romper is the fabric.  It's incredibly soft and stretchy and the best part - no snaps!  You may think that would make diaper changes more difficult, but because the fabric is so stretchy, it just slips right off!  Jessica was super accommodating to work with and very prompt in her responses to my {million} inquiries.  If only my budget would allow, I would have Jessica make Rhett a romper like this in every fabric and color!

I thought it would be fun to interview Jessica, in addition to showing off some of her creations.  And did I mention, there's a giveaway at the end of this post, so stay tuned!



An Interview with Jessica of Isla & Lily


How long have you been in business with your small shop, Isla & Lily?
We are actually celebrating our 4 year anniversary this month! We opened just two weeks after my oldest daughter, Isla, was born. We started off selling very different items than we do now so it's fun to see how we have evolved since then!

How did Isla & Lily get its name?
We started off as Isla Rose Boutique after my daughter but I never really loved the name. Being that I had a career in marketing prior to being a stay-at-home mom turned Etsy shop owner, I wanted something a little more catchy. Our dog who is my first baby is Lily and we just put their names together and it stuck! 

How did you learn to sew and what sparked your interest?
Being a stay at home mom I've had to learn to be very thrifty. I had a mild obsession with baby bows and clothing so I knew I just wanted to figure out how to make my daughter headbands. I learned how to hand sew a classic bow just by observing how the ones we liked were made. Then I developed my own process and sizing. As for clothing my mom taught me a basic stitch, then I started reading up how to sew with knit fabric and buying patterns. From there I became enamored with learning how to make new and fun items for them and for my customers! 


What do you enjoy most about owning a small shop?  Has anything surprised you?
Owning a small shop has been an amazing creative outlet for me and a way for my to contribute, on my own time, to my family. I would say what has surprised me most is how many amazing people I have connected with along the way and how many super loyal customers I have. It just makes me feel so grateful and blessed! 


How do most of your customers find you?
Instagram for sure! And a lot of the time through referrals.


What sets you apart from other small shops with similar items?
This is a tough one! I think there's room for everyone in this space and we all bring our own flare to the baby and child apparel and accessory arena. One thing I really try to do is connect with my customers. I've become "Insta friends" with so many and I know if we all lived close we would be real life friends. I don't just want to be a business I want to get to know my people. And it has shown, because when my husband was out of work for 6 months they all went out of their way to express their support and I had the most sales in 2 months than I usually had in 6 months! I was blown away and still get teary eyed about it because without their help we would have really struggled.

What has been your favorite item to make?
I LOVE making hoodies! We won't be wearing too many now that we live in Arizona but theres so many fun ways to put them together and they're my favorite to photograph or see my customers in! 

Where are you located?
We recently relocated from Olathe, Kansas (KC area) to Chandler, Arizona. I miss home so much so I'm really excited to be doing this collaboration with Sarah who we randomly found out we used to live in the same neighborhood a few years back! 

...

I scoured Isla & Lily's Instagram account and picked out fix of my favorite things.  How cute are these?!

And as promised, if you made it this far, there's a giveaway!  Enter via the Rafflecopter widget below!  And be sure to check out Isla & Lily on all of her social media outlets!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends Sunday, August 6th at 11:59 PM CST.  Winner will be selected by Rafflecopter and be notified by email. Winner will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. I will contact the sponsor (Isla & Lily) regarding your prize. My opinions are my own and were not influenced by any form of compensation.  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Bloglovin' are in no way associated with this giveaway.

Summer Ready with JORD

I just love this time of year.  Longer days.  Lots of sunshine.  The smell of charcoal mixed with sunscreen.  And most obviously summer break!  I have said it a million times and I'll say it a million more, I love getting to be a SAHM to my boys during the summers.  It's not something I wish for 12 months of the year, but 3 months?  Heck. yes.  So while I'm patiently impatiently counting the days until school is out (five after today!), I'm also making a mental to do list of all the things we want to do this summer because staying busy is key for me.  (And precisely why I couldn't be a SAHM in the wintertime...there is nothing to do!)

Lucky for me, JORD offered to send me one of their wood watches!  Remember when Craig got one a few months back?  Well, now it was my turn!  And perfect timing, because it's going to be a huge help in guaranteeing we transition from one activity to another on time this summer!  Because #threekidsainteasy

I chose the Dark Sandlewood and Slate wood watch from JORD's Frankie 35 series.  The watch was pretty online, but it's even more gorgeous in person!  My favorite part is the simple gray face with rose gold(ish) accents - both very trendy colors right now!  And like Craig's watch, mine is surprisingly lightweight because the band is made of all wood, which is even better for wearing around this summer!

 I had my watch pre-sized, though I made sure to order it loose enough to be comfortable while I'm sweating buckets in Kansas' summer heat.  It's the perfect addition to my "summer uniform" of shorts, tank tops, sandals, and sunglasses--just dainty enough to make a statement while still being ultra feminine.

Like they did in February, JORD is giving away $100 to one lucky reader but everyone who enters will win a $50 credit to use towards any watch once the contest ends!  To enter, follow this link and complete the very simple form.

The contest will close on May 21 at 11:59pm so you only have a few days!!

Both the $100 and the $50 codes will expire on 07/31/2017.

Best of luck, blog friends!

To browse JORD's men's watches, click here.

To browse JORD's women's watches, click here.

 

This post was sponsored by JORD, but all opinions are my own.

Luxury Wooden Watch

Stitch Fix #14 + A Mother's Day GIVEAWAY

It's been awhile, but today I'm sharing another Stitch Fix!  I received a fix in January, but I didn't love it, nor did I love my post-baby body, so it never made its way to the blog.  I kept a pair of jeans, but that was it, so nothing super exciting anyway.  At that point, I decided I was going to take a Stitch Fix break, but then Craig signed up and used my referral code, so that meant a $25 credit, which of course I couldn't let go to waste.  I scheduled a fix for the end of April and pinned my little heart out - lots of springy things, dresses, etc!  (See Pinterest board below!)  I also requested the same stylist my blog friends Liz and Desiree use--and love--and had high hopes that she would come through with an amazing fix!

So let's get to the goodies, shall we?!

Item #1
Daniel Rainn | Albado Crew Neck Blouse
Size: M | $58

First up is this floral print, sleeveless top.  I mentioned in my note to my stylist that I love the floral print trend right now and I was excited to see this in my box!  It's a tad big, but I prefer things loose and flowier-fitting, so that's something I can easily deal with.  I love that I can wear this to work (in hot or cold weather--just add a cardi!), but I can also throw it on with a pair of shorts to give it a more casual look.

Verdict: Kept! (And wore the very next day.)

Item #2
Abby & Gail | Craig Woven Hem Knit Top
Size: M | $34

At first glance, I loved this top!  Like I thought it was a keeper even before I tried it on!  I loved the muted colors, loved the ruffle at the bottom (especially loved that it covered my big hips), and loved the price ($34).  However, when making my final decisions, I just didn't feel like this top did anything for me and I decided to send it back.  These pictures almost make me regret that decision, but I will say, it looks better in the pictures than it did in real life.  And I didn't love it with shorts...which is what I would likely pair it with the most, so that solidified my decision.

Verdict: Returned

Item #3
Hailey 23 | Kodi Jersey Maxi Dress
Size: M | $78

I mentioned in my stylist note that I would like a dress or two, one being a maxi.  This cobalt-blue floral print was so pretty and the dress was amazingly soft (silky almost), but it made me feel frumpy in the boob area and just didn't seem to lay right on my chest.  And for $78, I needed to love it.

Verdict: Returned

Item #4

THML | Chana Embroidered Dress

Size: M | $74

And then there's this dress.   Love the colors, love the pattern, love the v-neck, love the flowiness of it.  I debated and debated.  I asked the hubs.  I posted a picture on IG stories.  I texted a few friends.  In fact, I checked out a whole two days later than I should have because I. just. couldn't. decide.  In the end I decided A) it was a tad large and B) $74 for a summer dress is a bit steep.  So as sad as it made me, I sent it back.  And now I miss it. :( :(

Verdict: Returned

Item #5
Tai | Eros Crystal Ear Jacket
Color: Turquoise | $34

And finally, these earrings.  There's nothing wrong with them, but they're earrings.  I was a little disappointed to know one of my five items was wasted on a pair of earrings (note to self: change that in my style profile/preferences!), but it is what it is.  I didn't even try them on and only took them out of the box for a photo.

Verdict: Returned

So there's my most recent, spring 2017 fix.  What do you think?  Should I have kept that dress?  Don't say yes..... 🙉

Also, shout out to my hair stylist, Ashley, for making my hair look so good in these photos!  Mental note to always schedule my hair appointments to coincide with my SF delivery days because, seriously, those beachy waves sure make a girl feel good! 😍



Anyway, I've teamed up with some blogger friends to give away a $150 Stitch Fix gift card in honor of Mother's Day!  You definitely don't have to be a mom to enter, but since we all have "mommy blogs" and you read them, you more than likely are!  The giveaway closes at 11:59 on Sunday, May 14th; the winner will be announced next Monday!

And if you happen to be new to Stitch Fix, do me a favor and use my referral code to help me earn a $25 shop credit!  Thanks, friends!

Be sure to check out the most recent fixes of these other bloggers!

Desiree // Macke Monologues

Kristin // Taz and Belly

Courtney // A + Life 

Liz // Chasin' Mason 

Whitney // Work it Mommy 

Emily // Emily Enchanted 

Jessi // Jessi Living Lovely 
Lacy // Perks of Being a Jap
Kerry // XO Kerry

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A JORD Wood Watch for my Valentine (with a Giveaway!)

It seems like Christmas was just yesterday, but alas January has nearly come and gone and the next holiday is already upon us - Valentine's Day.  Craig and I don't typically celebrate the hallmark holiday, but when JORD reached out to me and asked if I'd like to gift my husband a men's watch to be featured on my blog, I couldn't say no!  Besides, he works so hard every day to be able to provide for our family (yes I work full time, as well, but his salary > teacher salary) and I am very proud of him in his {not so new anymore} role as a manager, so it was nice to be able to use my blog to reward him!

As fun as it would have been to surprise him with a watch, I also wanted him to love it so I let him choose his favorite.  He chose the Dover Series Black & Koa watch.  The black is very classy, yet the natural koa gives it a casual look allowing him to wear it to work, to church, or while working in the garage on the weekends.  Additionally, the visible gears through the sapphire crystal glass makes this unique watch extra manly (aren't all guys curious about how things work?) and gives it a super cool look.  And because the watch is made of wood, it's surprisingly lightweight!

Using JORD's wrist sizer, I ordered the watch pre-sized to perfectly fit Craig's wrist.  Though I didn't customize the watch beyond its size, you can do so by engraving either the watch itself or adding a personalized engraved message to the cedar box the watch is packaged in.

So if you have a special Valentine in your life, check out JORD's line of men's watches here...or if, by chance, you are in the market for a new watch for yourself, you can find their women's watches here.  I'm eyeing one or two for myself. 😉

And now for the fun part!  JORD is giving away $100 to one lucky reader!  One person will win but everyone will receive a consolation code worth $25.00!  Entering this giveaway will take all of one minute (I promise) and let's be honest, I don't have that many followers so your chance of winning is 👌😉.  Enter by following this link HERE.
The contest will close on February 5 at 11:59pm. 
Both the $100 and the $25 codes will expire on 4/30/2017.

Luxury Wooden Watch

This post was sponsored by JORD, but all opinions--and my hunk of a model--are my own.  

P.S. Craig, happy early Valentine's Day!  I know we don't do gifts regularly, nor did I pay for this watch, but if I had, you deserve every bit of this gift and then some.  You are an amazing husband, father, friend, and employee.  Your co-workers are lucky to have you, as are the four of us at home.  Life gets crazy and I may not tell you often, but I appreciate you more than you know and I am lucky to have found my best friend to live life with.  Love you, honey!

My Christmas List + a HUGE Stitch Fix Giveaway

I always enjoy putting together my Christmas wishlist.  Perhaps it's just me, but I never seem to struggle with finding things I want! 😉  I also get lots of ideas from other bloggers' gift guides, so perhaps that's why I find these lists so much fun!  At any rate, I would not be sad to find a few of these things under our tree on Christmas morning.

Sperry Duck Boots - Confession: I had never heard of duck boots until just a few weeks ago when I saw them featured on a few blogs I follow!  And it was precisely then when I decided I need a pair!

BP Square Stud Earrings - Seriously two pair of earrings for under $10?!  I love the pink and gold, but at that price, I'll take all of the color combos!!

Dainty Silver Slide Bracelet - Not only is this an adorable bracelet, but it doubles as an essential oil diffuser!  Ummmm yes please!  My only wish is that the metal was gold instead of silver.

Johnny Apple Peeler - You know you're old when your Christmas list contains an apple peeler!  In all honesty, at only $20 I could buy one myself, but why when family is always asking for ideas!?

UV Nail Lamp - So my neighbor Ali has a UV nail lamp.  She is constantly giving all of us gel manis and not only does the polish last longer, but it looks so much better than regular nail polish (and there's no waiting for the polish to dry).  Her lamp was $100+, but this one with decent reviews is under $40!

xKCx Dad Hat - I have wanted one of these KC hats since last summer, and even tried to buy one on multiple occasions only to learn they were out of stock.  Need one of these ASAP.  (I also love the denim version...I will gladly take one of each please!)

Portable Charger - My phone is not even two years old, but it can't seem to make it through the day without charging two or three times!  I am intrigued by the Mophie case + battery pack, but I'm worried about giving up the protection of my Otterbox.  (Last time I went without an Otterbox I shattered my screen.)  This $13 portable charger seems to be a fine alternative and could easily be stored in my purse.

Veggetti Spiral Vegetable Slicer - Zoodles (zucchini noodles) are all the rage right and they sound like something right up my alley!  I really want to give them a try, but first, I need a veggie slicer!

Rib Knit Fringe Scarf - One can never have too many scarves!  I loooooove the fringe on this one and love its neutral color.

Classic Dianne Shirt Extender - When my friend and fellow blogger, Vanessa, posted about these last summer, I knew instantly I wanted one!  Unfortunately, the style I want (the off-white asymmetrical) is sold out, but perhaps they'll be restocked soon?

Nickle & Suede Earrings - I have a few pairs of leather earrings and I love them!  I love the texture/pattern of this pair, but I'd pretty much take any pair!

Stitch Fix Gift Cards - And finally, gift cards!!!  After taking a Stitch Fix break while pregnant (except for one maternity box), I'm ready to partake in this fun service again!  In fact, I already have a fix scheduled for January and I'm excited to shop normal clothes once again!  But of course, buying clothes is always more fun when you're spending someone else's money!

Speaking of, I'm giving away a pretty significant Stitch Fix gift card along with a handful of other bloggers!!  This would sure make for a fabulous Christmas gift and I'm slightly jealous I can't win it myself!!  Pretty sure it would make not only my Christmas, but my entire year!!  Enter via the Rafflecopter below and best of luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mug Love Reveal + A Giveaway

Time is flying and today is the day to share the mugs we received in the Mug Love Exchange announced in early September!  I was paired with Jamie of No Getting Off This Train and I'm so glad because both Jaime and her blog were new to me!  It's always fun "meeting" new bloggers!

Anyway, between spending a weekend in both Iowa and Wichita in mid to late September, I didn't have a ton of time to go shopping for Jaime's mug, so I did the next best thing - headed to Etsy.  I stumbled across this mug from this shop and it was soon delivered to my door.  I added a few fall touches and sent it Jaime's way!

From Jaime, I received a mug that was near perfect for me!  Nerdy?  Yep!  But fitting?  Absolutely!  (I'm a high school math teacher, if you weren't already aware!)  And the chocolates were definitely an added bonus!

Now it's your turn to link up and share your new mug!  Mugs are so fun and I can't wait to see what everyone got!

An InLinkz Link-up

And perhaps the best part of today's post--the other hosts and I are giving away a $50 gift card to Starbucks so that you can put those new mugs to good use!  However, the giveaway is open to every one, not just those who participated in the exchange!  The winner will be announced after the giveaway closes on October 16.  Enter via the Rafflecopter widget below!

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Jaime of No Getting of This Train

Jen of And Hattie Makes Three

Courtney of A + Life 

Whitney of Work it Mommy

Liz of Chasin' Mason

Sarah of Seeing All Sides

Lexi of A Blissful Haven

Amy of Keeping Up with the Smiths

Beth of Our Pretty Little Girls

Stephanie of Wife Mommy Me

Ten Recent Purchases + A Giveaway!

Do you ever have those weeks when you're excited to check the mail each day because of all your recent purchases?  Yep, that's my life lately!  Craig may or may not agree, but he's made his fair share of purchases lately, too, so I can't feel too sorry!  Here are a few things that have found their way into my house recently (or should be arriving soon)!

First up, this Fall is for Football reglan tee from Cents of Style.  Regularly priced $29.95, but I got it for a steal of a deal at $17.95 because of a weekend promo code.  You can customize the color of the writing and though I added a tee with gold writing to my cart, I ultimately decided on red writing (for Chiefs and KU) since I already have plenty of Iowa gear.  If you're unfamiliar with the website Cents of Style (as I was), check it out ASAP--I promise you won't be disappointed!  I may have also ordered an adorable scarf for an upcoming scarf exchange... ;)  P.S. Thanks Vanessa for passing along a great deal!

Next, a diffuser for essential oils.  I bought a few bottles of essential oils nearly a year and a half ago, but I have just recently started using them more regularly.  I use a mix of lavender/lemon/peppermint before bed each night and I love how it makes me feel, so I decided I wanted to diffuse it into the air.  Per the recommendation of a neighbor, I bought this one--and my only regret is not buying multiples to use throughout our house!

I received an email on Sunday informing me of a $20 credit to ThredUp.  If you've never heard of ThredUp, it's an online consignment website with tons and tons of clothing (all ages, all sizes), shoes, handbags, etc.  I  haven't purchased anything from there in a couple of years, but apparently I had a $20 credit waiting for me!  Since I couldn't let it go to waste, I found this maternity dress for $14.99 + about $5 for shipping!  And since I didn't want our credit card to be charged the less than $1 difference, I added a pair of 4T jeans for Brantley.  If you are interested in checking out the website, use my referral link!  By using it, you get $10 in credit and I get $10 for referring you!

Next are these Old Navy maternity boyfriend style jeans.  I have no idea if I will like them, as all of the boyfriend jeans I've tried in the past are no-gos, but they are cute on the model and I would love a pair of non-skinny jeans to get me through the rest of this pregnancy.

Next up, these InchBug Orbit labels.  If you recall, they were on my wishlist for Baby #3 back in July.  Well when a neighbor friend forwarded me an email with a 15% off back-to-school promo code, I couldn't pass up the opportunity!  I ordered dark blue labels for Brantley, green labels for Holden, and turquoise labels for Baby 3.0--that include his name!!!  Which I guess makes it official?!?!!  (And no, it is not Grant David like you see below.)

And then there's Target.  Back story: Fridays are jean days at work.  Though my dresses are actually a more comfortable option these days, it's nice to be able to throw on a pair of jeans, too!  But I have very few maternity tops to wear with jeans!  Nearly all of the tops I have were purchased 4+ years ago when I was pregnant with Brantley--and they are all so tight!  (One, because that was more of the style and two, because I've gained more weight at 29 weeks than I did in all 40 with Brantley!)  Anyway, two weeks ago, I was frustrated with my lack of "Friday" options.  I had a doctor's appointment that morning, so before heading to work, I stopped at Target and picked up this non-maternity, but flowy-styled top (one in stripes and one in gray)!  And I've been loving them ever since!

While at Target, I also came across this hoodie.  Again, non-maternity, but long/loose enough to fit my growing bump.  It's so, so soft and fits like a dream.  And I think it will make for a perfect post-baby-but-still-baby-belly transition top paired with leggings!  Trust me when I say you need this hoodie--it also comes in black, light gray, and burgundy!

Next up, Christmas jammies!  I found these stripped Christmas pajamas on Zulily a few weeks ago and couldn't order them fast enough!  And then I remembered I'd have a third child by then!  Oops!  The smallest size they come in is 12-months so I guess I'll be on the hunt for a striped pair of newborn jammies--or at least something to coordinate--in the meantime!  Let me know if you know of anything!

And finally, these leather earrings from A Pretty Pear.  They arrived last Friday and I couldn't be more in love!  They are not only adorable but lightweight and oh-so popular right now!  From left to right, I ordered the metallic gold in size medium, the rose gold in size long, the camo in size small, and the metallic bronze in the hoop shaped.

And now for the most exciting part--I have teamed up with the lovely ladies at A Pretty Pair and we're giving away a $25 shop credit to one lucky winner AND her friend!  Enter via this picture on Instagram!  Make sure you:

1) Like the photo

2) Follow both @sarahbsides and @a_pretty_pear on Instagram

3) Follow A Pretty Pear on Facebook

4) Leave an Instagram comment with your Facebook name so we can verify you've liked their Fb page

5) And finally, tag a friend (or multiples) for an extra entry!

The winner will be announced on Friday!

Disclaimer: I was gifted two pairs of earrings in exchange for a little social media promotion, but I can honestly say, I would pay the $16 for each pair of earrings I received!!!!