Hot Mama Handbags Feature, Review, + Giveaway! {CLOSED}

It has been a while since I've featured a shop around here. I purposefully took a break to slow things down around here and around home for a bit. I've got some fun giveaways coming up just in time for the holidays. If you'd like me to feature your goods contact me!

I have adored Maranda's creations for quite a while now. She makes fashionable + functional purses, totes, clutches + more that are offered in her shop Hot Mama Handbags. She knows just how important multiple pockets are for mama's to keep sippy cups separate from pocket books. Her bags are beautiful and aren't just for mama's looking for a great diaper bag. I've been searching for that perfect bag where size + practicality meet style. It's harder than you'd think. 

If I could get any bag it would be the Medium Morning Glory Bag. Gorgeous! Here is a little bit more about Maranda, her family and Hot Mama Handbags.

Where are you located + are you from there originally?  A Montana native by way of California, I share a quiet rural setting with my high school sweetheart hubby, our two boys and our menagerie of horses, dogs and cats.

How did you come up with your shop name? I originally started making car organizers, nursing covers, burp clothes which led me to my official shop name of Baby Ever After. Your baby becomes your own little fairy tale. Hot Mama Handbags is my unofficial shop name and the name of my line of bags and accessories. Every women, mommy or not, should love the bag she's carrying. It should be fun and express her own personality. I was bored with the boring black diaper bags and started stitching up my own and well, here I am now!  Every woman is a hot mama!

How long have you had your shop? I've had my Etsy shop for about 1 1/2 years but have been creating items for mommy and baby for over 2 years.

What inspires you? I'm inspired by gorgeous, colorful, fun fabrics.  It's my pure bliss to create something that other women can use and love!

What is your favorite item in your shop? It's hard to decide which item is my favorite. It depends on the season, what I'm doing that day, my mood, is it sunny or snowing outside?  My all time favorites are the Emma Bags, the Keychain Fob-never drop your keys again, and the Large Clutch with detachable strap.

Do you have any other jobs or hobbies? When I'm not actually creating,I'm usually thinking about it. When not in my studio,  I'm home with my boys, baking, dancing, and singing (usually all at the same time and of course with 2 little helpers). We live in beautiful Montana and love to hike, ski and otherwise explore our natural surrounding.

Share an interesting fact about yourself. I once (that's right only once) ran a marathon. That's 26.2 miles!

What do you hope your future holds? I love to live in the moment of each day tucking away those precious moments with my kids, take mental snapshots of their antics and simply pray they will grow to be kind, loving, successful men. I hope to one day to watch them with their own children and am forever thankful for the opportunity given to me now to create something that another woman can enjoy. And it would be really fun to one day go skydiving! :)

~~~~~~~~~

Shandell's Review

Maranda graciously sent me this clutch with a matching keychain for review. I always do a review with my features to be sure I'm sharing quality products with you. When I received the set in the mail, even my husband was impressed with how well made it was. I was showing it off to my mom and she was surprised it was handmade...her work is THAT good!

I received the clutch about a month ago and have been using it almost daily ever since. I put it to use right away.

I took it to dinner with my wallet, cell phone, keys (adorned with the matching keychain of course), + lip gloss.

I take it to church every Sunday with my journal, wallet, cell phone, lip gloss + pen. I just grab it out of our diaper bag that stays with Malakai in the nursery and I've got everything I need for service.

I've also taken it on a run to the grocery store with Malakai in tow. I packed it full with my wallet (which is the fairly large), a diaper, plastic wipes case, my cell, keys + of course my shopping list + coupons. If I didn't carry such a large wallet, I could have fit another diaper.

{morning in church, run to the grocery store, zipped + empty}

At risk of stating the obvious, I love this clutch + keychain set. If you don't prefer to carry a clutch it would make a great gift, so be sure to check out Maranda's shop and pick up a set. 

Giveaway!

Maranda is giving away the same clutch + keychain set to one lucky reader of Breaking New Ground! 

For your chance to win, leave a comment on this post relevant to the following entry requirements. Be sure that your email address is easily accessible in your blogger profile or leave it at the end of each entry comment. example: shanleann1 at gmail dot com (to avoid spam + such). Be sure to leave one comment for each entry. 

Mandatory entry: 

Head on over to Hot Mama Handbags, and tell me what you'd put on your holiday wish list or what you'd buy for a friend. 

Extra entries:

(you must complete the mandatory entry before the extras)

~ Tweet the following: "@ShanLeAnn has a new #giveaway! Head over to Breaking New Ground for the goods http://bit.ly/bOqJdO {ends 11.22.10}" 

(following me on twitter isn't part of this entry but it might be fun!)

or

Facebook the following: "New Giveaway at Breaking New Ground! http://bit.ly/bOqJdO Click to enter {ends 11.22.10}

(only one entry, even if you share on both twitter + facebook)

~ Like Hot Mama Handbags on Facebook.

~ Publicly follow Breaking New Ground through Google Friend Connect. 

This giveaway will end November 22nd, 2010 at 11:00 pm PST. Winner will be announced + notified on November 23rd, 2010. Winner will be selected at random via random.org and will have 48 hours to respond in order to claim the prize or it will be awarded to an alternate. 

Open to U.S. residents only. All comments will be verified. Comments subject to removal without notification based on their relevance to contest. All comments will be verified. So, please be sure to follow instructions carefully. 

Questions? As always click on the "email me" button to send me a message. Please do not leave a comment here that isn't intended to be an entry into the giveaway. However, feel free to include additional comments within your entry if you want to leave some love for Hot Mama Handbags.

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this review. All opinions are my own. Click for additional disclosures and PR policies.

Best of luck!