The Mint Julep Review + GIVEAWAY [OVER] + What's In My Bag

This giveaway is now OVER. Congrats Katie H.! You won a $25 gift certificate to The Mint Julep! I have already emailed you! Also- a big THANK YOU for everyone who entered! More giveaways to come! Get your lucky rabbit's foot/feet ready.

Guys! I'm super duper excited about my brand new giveaway today! I'm giving one lucky Coffee and Cashmere reader a gift certificate to The Mint Julep!

The Mint Julep is an awesome online clothing store that has tons of amazing clothes. They offer dresses, tops, bottoms, shoes, maternity, jewelry, and PURSES. The latter being my weakness. I can't stress this enough: I love a great bag. I've shunned away from cheaper made purses as I've gotten older and usually only go for genuine leather. I know. PETA, animal lovers, whateves, sorry, not sorry.

So, when I saw this gorgeous suede leather bag, I knew she had to be mine. This is such a beautiful purse. The suede is very soft and makes the bag extremely slouchy for the perfect grab and go look. And the gold chain makes it both classic and edgy at the same time! The chain is pretty long, which is perfect if you'd like to wear this bag cross body. But I ran the chain back through one of the side hoops to make it a double chain shoulder bag. That way it makes it super comfy to carry.

And since all I carry with me at the moment is the biggest diaper bag ever, this purse is perfect for short outings. I can easily stuff one or two cloth diapers, a changing pad, wipes, and my wallet in it!

Okay, so, what's in my bag??

- HOBO "Lauren" Wallet 

- Vulli Sophie the Giraffe Teether 

- BumGenius 4.0 Cloth Diaper "Twilight" 

- Wubbanub Paci Mary Meyer "Oatmeal Bunny"

- Michael Kors changing pad (came with one of my diaper bags)

(I did have wipes in the bag, but I forgot to pull them out for the photo) #mombrain

And now for the giveaway! One winner will receive a $25 gift certificate to pick out whatever their little heart desires over at The Mint Julep!

For your chance to win, just log into the Rafflecopter below (or make a new Rafflecopter account), and follow the directions for each entry. Please make sure to actually do what's required for each entry. If you just click enter and not do what it's asking, I'll know. If you are unsure how to do one, skip it and contact me. I go back and check to make sure the winner actually did what was required. I will not let cheaters win. DON'T CHEAT. Meh.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is now OVER. Congrats Katie H.! You won a $25 gift certificate to The Mint Julep!

This giveaway will end Sunday, September 27th, 2015. One winner will be picked at random via Rafflecopter. The winner will receive a $25 gift certificate to The Mint Julep. The winner will be announced on coffeeandcashmere.com and will also be notified via email. The winner will have ONE week to respond to the email to claim their prize. If the winner never responds, a second winner will be picked at random.

A great big THANK YOU to The Mint Julep for sending me such a chic purse and for teaming up with me on this giveaway! Ohandplusalso- is it totally bad that every time I type "The Mint Julep" I crave the actual drink? Gah. It's been so long since I've had an alcoholic bev. I'm going to try to breastfeed JB until he is two, so, only a year and a half left until I can have some booze!! Hey-oh!!

Congrats to Rachel B. for winning my last great giveaway.

American Girl Girl of the Year: Grace Thomas

If you've been an avid reader of my blog for some time now, you'd know our love for American Girl dolls by reading this, this, this, and this. I've been on board the AG train since I was 8 years old. I pawned over Kirsten for a year before Santa finally brought her to me.

And now I get to share that love with my mini me. Adrienne is just starting to really love playing with American Girl dolls. She will dress them in different clothes, style their hair, and then make up magical adventures that they all go on together. She also loves it when her dolls look like her. So when American Girl debuted their newest Girl of the Year, Grace Thomas, Adrienne squealed. Grace Thomas looks almost identical to Adrienne.

Grace has gorgeous long brown hair with side swiped bang. She has big blue eyes and tiny freckles adorning her face. She comes dressed in an Eiffel Tower shirt, a pink skirt with a black bow on the front, and grey boots with bows on the sides. She even comes with a tiny charm bracelet that she can wear! Adorable.

Thank you American Girl for creating so many wonderful childhood memories.

American Girl Grace Thomas c/o American Girl.

My 1st Years

I have a soft spot for stuffed animals. So does Adrienne. And now that we have JB, he will, of course, be destined to love stuffed animals as well. A few years ago I bought Adrienne a tan Jellycat bunny.

She still sleeps with him every night.

Since JB was born, I've wanted to give him his own Jellycat bunny. One he could tote around by it's floppy ears and go on adventures with. So, when My 1st Years contacted me about reviewing one of their personalized items, I just knew I had to go with a monogrammed Jellycat bunny!

My 1st Years specializes in bringing you the sweetest baby and children's personalized gifts. They have gorgeous blankets, clothing, and keepsakes. And all of their items are sent in a gorgeous blue box with white bow. No wrapping required! 

Be sure to check out My 1st Years on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Lavazza Coffee

If you know me, you will know that I have a serious love affair with coffee. Like, we need each other to survive. I mean, we have a regular coffee pot, a Keurig, and a french press sitting out on the kitchen counter all the time. That's a serious coffee addiction, my friends.

Since my love of coffee is forever, I've teamed up with Lavazza to taste test some of their most delicious coffee flavors. Lavazza is an Italian based coffee company that has been grinding out black magic since the late 1800's. This coffee company specializes in drip coffee, whole bean espresso, espresso pods, and now, single-serve capsule machines. 

I've been a big Lavazza fangirl for a long while now. No other company can beat their rich taste. My absolute favorite of Lavazza's is their Gran Selezione. It's a dark roast blend, and boy, this coffee to die for. It's so thick and aromatic. I just add two teaspoons of creamer plus a little pinch of sugar, and good-bye you guys. DEAD.

Okay, I'm not really dead, I'm pretty much the opposite of that. I'm totally awake. Did I mention this coffee also gives you a nice burst of energy? Because it does. So, cheers to you, Lavazza. Thanks for keeping this mommy happy and focused.

Be sure to check out Lavazza on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for even more coffee love.

Winsome Words Wednesday and a WINNER

Print found HERE.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congrats Christina K.! You have won your very own Raina Hampton original! I will be contacting you shortly! Thanks to everyone who entered and showed love for this great giveaway. Stay tuned for another exciting contest!

Pottery on Etsy

Our little family has really gotten into reading labels. We try to eat organic, we use sulfate free shampoo, and every light bulb in our house is a swirly. So, when I was trying to think of Christmas presents for William, the first idea was one of those old fashioned shaver bowls. You know.

That's where Pottery on Etsy came into play. I literally scoured Etsy for hours looking for the perfect shave bowl. And then I found it. A rustic clay bowl with a matching brush thingy.

Pottery on Etsy's owner, Sheila, was a doll to work with. She is the mastermind behind all of the pottery creations, like her new birdhouses.

But let me get back to the point of this post. William adores his shave bowl. He uses it every single morning. I bought a round soap bar to go with it. He just lathers the soap up with the brush. And voila, it makes a super thick shaving creme, without all the nasty ingredients that the store bought shaving cremes have in them. And plus, it's good for the environment. No aerosol and no metal bottles to throw away. Win slash win.

Be sure to check out Pottery on Etsy and buy a shaver bowl for your main man. Oh and THIS plate and cup set is too legit. My birthday is coming up! Hint, hint.

Raina Hampton Art Giveaway [OVER]

This giveaway is now over! Congrats Christina K.! You have won your very own Raina Hampton original! Thanks to everyone who entered and showed love for this great giveaway. 

I'm bringing you guys a brand new giveaway today! I'm super excited to team up with an extraordinarily talented artist named Raina Hampton. 

Raina is a mom to four beautiful kids by day and a painting machine by night. And, boy, does she churn out some gorgeous pieces. Being raised in the south, Raina's art is a mix of everything found in nature. From birds, to fields of cotton, to stunning fall-kissed trees, everything she creates is eye-catching. Her medium is usually acrylics on homemade canvases that her husband puts together. And these canvases are super thick. They make for an incredible pop on any wall. 

I'm so lucky that my home is graced with not one, but two Raina Hampton originals! The first is my all time favorite. Adrienne fell in love with it as soon as she saw it, too. She even said that the little birds were us. #swoon.

The second painting is the incredible abstract one below. He's a pretty big guy, at 24x24 inches, and the colors are super vibrant.

Raina's passion for painting shows in every piece she creates. Her work makes people smile. And now I'm excited to say that one lucky Coffee and Cashmere reader will be beaming. We are giving away a Raina Hampton original! The winner will receive a 6x6 inch bird painting.

For your chance to win, just log into the Rafflecopter below (or make a new Rafflecopter account), and follow the directions for each entry. Please make sure to actually do what's required for each entry. If you just click enter and not do what it's asking, I'll know. If you are unsure how to do one, skip it and contact me. I can't stress this enough. I go back and check to make sure the winner actually did what was required. I will not let cheaters win. DON'T CHEAT. Meh.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is now over! Congrats Christina K.! You have won your very own Raina Hampton original! Thanks to everyone who entered and showed love for this great giveaway. 

This giveaway will end Monday, March 3rd, 2013. One winner will be picked at random via Rafflecopter. The winner will receive a bird painting on a 6x6 inch canvas from Raina Hampton. The winner will be announced on coffeeandcashmere.com and will also be notified via email. The winner will have ONE week to respond to the email to claim their prize. If a winner never responds, a second winner will be picked at random.

A big thank you to Raina Hampton for creating such beautiful works of art.

Congrats to Elizabeth C. for winning my last great giveaway!

Piggy Hates Panda

Adrienne loves ballet. She can jeté and pirouette like a pro. And she doesn't even take dance. I'm thinking I need to enroll her pretty soon, because my short lived stay at Ms. Jackson's ballet school is resulting in little to no help with this subject. What can I say? I was a three-year-old ballet school drop out.

A few weeks ago, Piggy Hates Panda, a fantastic handmade doll shop, sent Adrienne a beautiful ballerina that looks just like her. Another thing that Adrienne digs? Matchy-matchy stuff. She loves for her and her dolls to be mirror images.

Piggy Hates Panda's dollies are so amazing. Their hand-applied and embroidered details are just as swoon-worthy. Each doll is made with the most durable materials, making them even baby safe.

Piggy Hates Panda also makes customizable dollies. If you want a purple-haired cheerleader, I'm sure they could whip up the cutest dollie with pom poms. These huggable little friends will make so many children happy. They even have little man dolls for the man boy in your life.

The little ballerina Adrienne received has grey leg-warmers and a pink tutu that can be taken off. Another three-year-old perk. My kid loves to take off and re-dress her babies. At least she loves fashion?

Be sure to check out Piggy Hates Panda on Facebook and Twitter for even more magical fluff!

BabyBeau

|| SHOP || FACEBOOK || TWITTER || PINTEREST ||

When I found out I was pregnant with Adrienne, the first thing I bought myself was a diaper bag. I searched high and low for the perfect one, not wanting to settle on some el-cheapo plastic carrier. After all, I was creating a baby inside my uterus, I deserved a nice diaper bag. 

I really wanted one that transformed nicely from holding bottles and baby wipes to being a regular handbag. Why spend a good bit of money for a baby bag when it didn't convert? Lame. I ended up buying a Michael Kors black patent leather diaper bag. The thing was/is gorgeous. It even had the changing pad cover. Although, I was constantly worried about Adrienne pooping on it, because, well, who poops on Michael Kors? 

Anyidontmissblowouts, I have fallen completely in love with BabyBeau. This company just gets it. They offer gorgeous leather diaper bags that transform into luxury handbags after all the baby business is over. These diaper carriers don't even look like they should carry dirty nappies. They look effortlessly chic and classic, things every new mother wants. Because nighttime feedings and nipple butter aren't.  

My two favorite BabyBeau bags are the Ellie (pictured above) and the Eden (pictured below). I mean do these two guys look like traditional diaper bags? No way, José. The Ellie is made from cow leather and is perfect for modern moms on the go. The Eden's buffalo leather screams vintage for a more boho mommy feel. Both have enough room for days. So, go ahead and pack all twenty pacifiers. 

The best part about these bags are their removable organizer pouches. It's like a bag in a bag! You can keep all of your baby needs in it, and then easily take it out to convert to a regular handbag. Hello date night.

Each BabyBeau diaper bag includes a beautifully patterned organizer, changing pad, thermal bottle holder, zippered pouch, and a dust bag. ::swoon:: 

This post was sponsored by BabyBeau. Be sure to always take a quick minute and check out all of my wonderful sponsors. I only work with companies I'm compassionate about. BabyBeau is one of them.