Headband Giveaway: Lemons and Blueberries!

I've never been trendy. Well, let me clarify. Outside of those oh-so-attractive mall bangs that I rocked in 1992, I don't tend to follow trends. I think colored denim looks good on all of you, but I don't see myself buying it anytime soon. The only reason I ever even attempted leggings was because it occurred to me that they might be comfortable. (If someone would have told me that wearing them felt like pajamas, I'd have been the first to sport them. ) I have sensory issues, and I'm a big huge hippie lean to the bohemian side. The only reason I'll buy clothes is if they are more comfortable than something I have. Clearly, I'm not too interested in fashion.

But accessories? I love them. I can't pull off very big earrings and bracelets drive me bonkers but I love small earrings and necklaces. My favorite accessory, though, is headbands. I have bought headbands from everywhere from Walgreens to small businesses. I'm picky about them.

One day, I got an itch for a new headband and started poking around Etsy. I saw the cutest shop called Lemons and Blueberries that had headbands....and pillows and nursing covers and fabric flowers and painted plates and even some adorable felt crowns. And it was all cute. I started chatting with Elena, who I could tell from our conversations has a kind heart.

Here's a little blurb from Elena herself:


Hullo there, all! My name is Elena, owner and creator at Lemons and Blueberries. I'm a twenty-something young woman, highly interested in serving God with my hobbies and time; Lemons and Blueberries is an industrious way for me to do this and have an awesome creative outlet at once. I've learned much over the years and is excited about growing and expanding my business, but my main goal is to glorify God and I'm constantly striving to make much of Him in my life. When I'm not creating items for the shop, you can find me reading vintage mystery novels, drinking homemade kombucha, laughing/talking with my family, working as a post-pardem doula, a caretaker for a special needs little boy, traveling wherever I can, and rearranging furniture. One of the things that I find most encouraging is from 2 Corinthians 4, "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

Sweet, right? She's so kind, in fact, that she wants to give away a headband to one of my readers. I got the opportunity to review a couple of her headbands first. The first day I wore one to work, I got six compliments on it by lunch. (You can see it HERE.) It's snug but not tight, and well-made. The other one I got was just like the one she'll be sending to one of you, a five-strand, beautifully made headband. And trust me, you'll want it. I love it. It's a brand new item, and here's a peek...

I'm actually wearing this one as I type and I love it. If you want to be my headband twin, you need to go check out her shop, then leave me a comment below telling me your favorite item there. Your comment must either be linked to your email or include your email to be entered. I'll choose a winner one week from today, on Monday, May 7.

Good luck, and namaste'!

**I was not paid to do this giveaway; however, I was given headbands to review. The opinions are all mine and 100% genuine!

Hump Day Giveaway

In case you are wondering, G does have a nursery. It's actually cute, if I do say so myself. Granted, it wasn't finished until, oh, I don't know, four months after he was born? But it's complete. And one of these days, I'll take some photos and post about it.

One of my favorite things about it is a print that one of my favorite bloggers, Kristen, made for me. I was ridiculously picky a tiny bit particular and she re-did it until the colors were perfect. And was gracious and funny in the e-mails to boot.

I'd show you a photo of it, all cute and framed on top of his bookshelf...but I don't know how to blur certain details that I'd rather not post. I know it's probably super easy, and feel free to tell me how to do that.

For the time being, I'll show you a similar masterpiece by KLaw (as she's known to her bloggy followers).

Cute, right? I know.

But she's multi-talented. She's expanded to other things besides birthday prints.

She does adorable thank you notes, also known as  those things that I totally should have sent out after L's birthday party. Whoops.

and these fantastic prints (how perfect would this be for G? Well, with the right name, obviously. An "Olivia" print would look funny on his wall. And God knows B would nix anything purple. Heck, the man won't allow his boys to have a toy kitchen. But I digress.)

But yeah. She's great. And folks, I have some good news for you.

One of you is going to win a set of notecards or a custom print. Oh. Didn't I mention she can customize anything? Yeah. Got a theme? She's on it. Just a color or an idea? KLaw will hook you up.

And? All the money from her items goes directly into a college fund for her adorable son. I love that.

Here's the deal. You have to first "like" her Facebook page .

Leave me a comment telling me that's done, and then you can get an extra entry for

a.) checking out her shop and leaving another comment telling me what you'd design/choose if you win

b.) tweeting about it (hit me up at @namastebyday ) or blogging about it

Leave me a comment for either of those.

Also, if you head over to her shop, she'll give you 10% off with the coupon code "Namaste."  Buying anything from her shop will get you an extra entry as well.

I'll choose a winner on Sunday evening (but the discount will last until Friday, April 15). Good luck!

February Highlighted Etsy Shop: Swiss Peas!

I have a confession to make.

I'm addicted to buying diaper bags.

I have another confession to make.

Until now, I have sucked at picking them out.

I cannot count on two hands the number of diaper bags that I have bought since I was pregnant with L. Big bags, small bags, purses-turned-diaper bags, boring black bags, red bags, well, you get the picture.

They are always too big. Or too small. Or they don't have enough structure. Or they have too much structure and don't give.

I love them when I buy them, and then end up hating them and stuffing them in the closet. B hates when I come home with another bag, because he knows that hoping for one with a longer life span is futile.

Last month, I began yet another search for the perfect diaper bag, and B rolled his eyes. However, when he saw this one that I found at Swiss Peas on Etsy, he admitted that it was very "Gina."


It's handmade. And brown. With trees! Not too big, not too small.

I contacted Susan, the shop owner, and she agreed to letting me review it. She answered my e-mails back immediately and I could tell from our conversations that she is warm and sweet.

I thought it was too good to be true. And then it came (very quickly, I might add) in the mail.

It it well-made, the perfect size, and after using it, I love it so much that I agreed to getting rid of the rest of those stuffed-in-the-back-of-the-closet diaper bags.

Needless to say, B loves Susan and Swiss Peas too.

An etsy seller who is kind, makes good products, and technically helped our marriage? Can't beat that.

Lucky for you, Susan has other great products for sale, and at very reasonable prices.

She has everything from baby shoes....



to reusable shopping bags (a girl after my own heart)...



and she just opened her shop, so go show her some love.

Namaste.

Reduce, reuse, recycle...and look cute doing it.

It may or may not surprise you that I am a recycling FREAK. No, really. I recycle everything...toilet paper tubes, tiny pieces of scrap paper, etc., etc. When we went to the lake last summer, I begged my husband to let me put the beer bottles and soda cans in the back of his brand new car so that we could recycle them (he didn't let me). I always tell B that a full recycling bin is a happy recycling bin. No, really. I am that cheesy and ridiculous about recycling.

So when I found Resonates on Etsy a few weeks ago, I went gaga over their necklaces. They are recycled out of nickels and dimes! I just had to make them my showcased Etsy shop this month. Their necklaces are so stinkin' cute! AND...look at the adorable namaste necklace they sent me!

(I got mine in slate, though.)

These necklaces are really well-made, and so comfortable that I fell asleep with mine on and didn't even realize it. This is huge due to my sensory issues.

So I just wanted to give this little shop a shout-out and encourage you to head on over and see what they have to offer.

They do custom stuff....

and lots of random pretty pieces....
and I'd be willing to bet that if they don't have exactly what you are looking for, they could make it for you. Every conversation I've had with them has been positive.


Head on over and check them out and tell them I sent you.

Namaste!