Linden & Lilah: feature, review + GIVEAWAY!

Hi friends...I'm so excited to introduce you to our latest featured handmade shop. Linden & Lilah is run by Amanda, a former college classmate of mine who I have reconnected with through social media over the last few years. Her son and Desmond are nearly the exact same age and have a lot in common.

Now for my favorite part of featuring artists and crafters, getting to know more about them and their creative process!

Where are you located + are you from there originally? 

I am currently located in Everett, WA. I am originally from California but I've also lived in Minnesota and Oregon. Washington has been my home for the past 9 years and once you've lived in Seattle, it's hard to imagine living anywhere else! 

How did you come up with your shop name? 

Linden & Lilah are the names of my children. 


How long have you had your shop?  

I started working on L&L a year ago. My Etsy shop has only been open since October 2014. 

What inspires you?
Imperfection! I struggle with perfectionism and often have let my fear of failing hold me back. What I love about L&L is that the beauty of hand carving and individually stamping each item, I can't have perfection. It forces me to embrace imperfection and makes me love each variation. 

What is your favorite item in your shop? 

Currently my favorite item is the organic dijon feather dress. It is a special item because it's the only dress I've made and it is just so pretty!  

Do you have any other jobs or hobbies? 

My main job is being a wife and mother, that takes up most of my time! I dabble in blogging, I love cooking and since having children, I have loved throwing fun parties.
Share an interesting fact about yourself. 

I am fascinated with child birth and someday when I am finished having babies of my own I would love to be certified as a doula and childbirth educator. 

What do you hope your future holds?
My hopes for L&L- We are in the process of listing our first home for sale and I dream of a space in our next home where I can have a dedicated studio to work in. Currently I draw and carve my stamps on my dining table after the kids have gone to bed. 

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Shandell's Review

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Amanda sent us an arrows onesie in pomegranate. This onesie is perfection for my little Aurelia. The color is a coral variation, which is one of my favorites for baby girl right now. If you recall from our nursery and baby shower for her, we had chosen an arrow theme inspired by Psalm 127: 3, 4 so this onesie was the perfect choice for our little girl. 

The fabric is soft and comfortable, the print is sturdy but not rough, and the design is really professional. Every time Aurelia wears this onesie we get a lot of compliments and inquires as to where it came from (I should start carrying business cards for Linden & Lilah!).

I would definitely recommend snagging any of these precious clothes from Linden & Lilah for your favorite little ones or parents-to-be! 

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GIVEAWAY!

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Amanda has generously offered one reader of Breaking New Ground one already made onesie of their choice from Linden & Lilah. Just follow the directions in the Rafflecopter entry form below and be sure to verify your entries!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This contest begins Monday April 6th and is open until midnight Sunday April 12th. A winner will be chosen at random by Rafflecopter. The winner will be announced here and notified by email at the address associated with their Rafflecopter entries. The winner will have 48 hours to reply to the email to claim their prize or an alternate will be chose.

Interested in seeing your product featured here, see the PR + Disclosures tab and contact Breaking New Ground by email to be considered. Disclosure: I received no compensation for this review. All opinions are my own.This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with, Facebook.  Click for additional disclosures and PR policies.

Questions, concerns, comments unrelated to the nature of this giveaway can be left on other generic posts or emailed to Breaking New Ground. 

b.lovely photography

Back in December I featured b.lovely photography. Later that month we were honored with the privilege of having her photograph our family. She was so patient and kind even though the boys were acting out like kids usually do when you need them to sit still. Her sneak peeks shortly after knocked me off my feet and when I received the rest this past week I was honestly in tears over how beautiful they turned out. The photos capture our family so perfectly that I feel like this collection is such a precious gift that we will enjoy for years to come. 

You can view her portfolio on her website and keep up with her most current sessions on facebook.

Here is a collection of some of our favorites...

Freshly Picked: A giveaway!

It's finally here! Your chance to win an adorable pair of Freshly Picked moccasins for your favorite little person!

If you're new to Freshly Picked you've definitely been missing out. They have the cutest leather moccasins for newborns on up to older kiddos. They've come out with lots of new styles and colors and all of them are absolutely precious. I had a hard time choosing for our little gal but I just had to stick with her signature color, coral.

Coral is a color that can definitely be up to interpretations. Some would liken it to orange or red, while others still would say it's closer to pink or peach. I'd say FP's version is definitely on the peach side, which I love because that is our other favorite color for little miss Aurelia.

It won't be long before Aurelia will be running around in these pretty little things, but until then they make a fabulous addition to her coral + peach nursery decor.

Okay- 

so by now you must be ready to find out how you can win a pair! 

Just follow the rules on the entry form below and you're entered to win. 

The more entry methods you complete, the better chance you have of winning...

a Rafflecopter giveaway


This contest begins Monday February 16th, 2015 and is open until midnight Sunday February 22nd. A winner will be chosen at random by Rafflecopter. The winner will be announced here and notified by email at the address associated with their Rafflecopter entries. The winner will have 48 hours to reply to the email to claim their prize or an alternate will be chose.

Interested in seeing your product featured here, see the PR + Disclosures tab and contact Breaking New Ground by email to be considered. Disclosure: I received no compensation for this review. All opinions are my own.This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with, Facebook.  Click for additional disclosures and PR policies.

Questions, concerns, comments unrelated to the nature of this giveaway can be left on other generic posts or emailed to Breaking New Ground. 

featured artist: b.lovely photography

Friends- remember that amazing giveaway a while back featuring Amy of Life Love Oils? Well, her family is full of amazing talent and her sister Breanne is no exception. Click on over to b.lovely photography to check out her portfolio of gorgeous images. I just love how she captures families in their natural state.

Lucky for all you locals she is in town, but for a limited time. She is currently running a special, so do yourself a favor and contact her at blovely.breanne@gmail.com for more information, including her exclusive pricing and to schedule a session before she's back on the other side of the country. 

We have a session with her after Christmas, once all the craziness is behind us but we are still on vacation. I can't wait to share our photos with you once she's done!

SwimZip Giveaway!

If you haven't yet heard of SwimZip, head over to my feature + review post to learn a little more, and then come on back to enter this awesome giveaway!

Betsy at SwimZip is generously offering 1 reader of Breaking New Ground a $20 SwimZip gift card! 

This will be one of the quickest and easiest giveaways you've ever entered, so no excuses! Get clicking on the entry form below and I'll announce a winner next week!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This contest begins Tuesday July 22nd and is open until midnight Monday July 28th. A winner will be chosen at random by Rafflecopter. The winner will be announced here and notified by email at the address associated with their Rafflecopter entries. The winner will have 48 hours to reply to the email to claim their prize or an alternate will be chose.

Interested in seeing your product featured here, see the PR + Disclosures tab and contact Breaking New Ground by email to be considered. Disclosure: I received no compensation for this post. All opinions are my own.This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with, Facebook.  Click for additional disclosures and PR policies.

Questions, concerns, comments unrelated to the nature of this giveaway can be left on other generic posts or emailed to Breaking New Ground. 

Swim Zip Feature + Review

If you caught the episode of Shark Tank that I mentioned a few months back when I reviewed Freshly Picked, you'll likely remember another company that was featured that night, SwimZip. They make amazing UV protectant swimwear for the whole family and the tops all feature a zipper.

In creator, Betsy Johnson's words-

SwimZip is the UPF 50+ clothing brand people trust to keep themselves and their children sun safe. We feature our signature full zipper down the front of our rash guard shirts- they are so easy to put on and take off! Our swimsuits, swimwear, bathing suits and accessories are made with the best materials to our unmatched standards. SwimZip styles are one-of-a-kind, and we include a number of innovative design features. 

Head over to their about page for more about Betsy and how she started up SwimZip. 

SwimZip's clothing has been featured in a number of places, including the Today show. Everyone has rave reviews and I'm right there with them! Not only are their designs adorable, but the swimwear is functional.

We took his adorable set that SwimZip sent for a test run out in our backyard recently. Malakai is the ULTIMATE test of any type of clothing when it comes to comfort. He is very picky about what he will wear. Normally I can't get him in any shirts with buttons, zippers or collars. I had myself psyched up to talk him into putting on a shirt with a zipper, but he put his SwimZip top on with no hesitations and played without once complaining. I was totally shocked!

Goodness sakes, doesn't he look cute (and way too grown up) in the Surfer Dude set that SwimZip sent over?

{he has been so camera shy lately!}

I've struggled in the past with getting rash guards on my kiddos. My boys have been blessed with rather large noggins, so pulling something tight fitting over their head was always a chore. It's even worse trying to get them off when wet! When Malakai was still a baby we even had to cut the back of one of his swim shirts so we could get his head through! Zippered rash guards are genius! Malakai was able to get the shirt on and off by himself the first try!

This is a 5T set and is generously sized, but fits well. Unless he has a massive growth spurt I could see him wearing this next summer as well. Kai was able to move freely and comfortably even after the suit was wet. It didn't stick to him or become heavy after getting saturated like other suits do.

As I mentioned, after getting thoroughly drenched he was able to get the entire outfit off himself, no trouble. I wish I could say the same for Desmond. He tried to get his top off alone at first (he's in the "I'll do it myself" stage) but he could barely peel it off his belly. Once I got his arms out, we got pretty tuck at the head. It was difficult because of the tight fit, but also because it was sticking to his wet skin. It took us longer to get Desmond's rash guard off than it did for Malakai to get completely undressed and into the tub! I even tried taking photos to document my struggle with Desmond, but it was impossible to do both.

I adore SwimZip for their ease of use and the peace of mind with the UV protection they provide. I also can't get over all the adorable choices they offer. I think the Hang Ten set is perfect for Desmond and I would love to get the Ruffle Me Pretty suit for little sister next summer!

And now for the exciting news that I'm sure some of you are hoping for... Breaking New Ground will be hosting a SwimZip giveaway! Be sure to check back here next week!

Welcome new readers + Freshly Picked Moccasins Winner!

I had intended to pick a winner of the Freshly Picked giveaway first thing this morning, but unfortunately I was busy with sick kiddos, once again. Both boys are struggling with ear infections (still), so we could use some (more) prayers!

Freshly Picked Moccasins: a feature, review, + GIVEAWAY! {CLOSED}

I've loved all of the amazing shops and individuals I've been able to feature over the years but this is the most exciting one yet! Freshly Picked Moccasins is HUGE and getting bigger by the minute. I love their start up story (which I'll share below) and have enjoyed following their success for a while now. I'm just tickled to be able to review their moccasins for you and to give a pair away!

Big Dandy Designs Feature, Review, + GIVEAWAY!

Elizabeth of Big Dandy Designs is one my nearest and dearest friends. She is like a sister to me and I'm so excited to share her gorgeous artwork with you today! Read on to learn more about her and her creative process. 

Where are you located and where are you from?

I am originally from Veneta Oregon ( a tiny town you might miss on your way to the coast) and am now settled not too far away in an even tinier town called Alvadore. I tried the city and it just didn't impress me. Too much noise and not enough room for a garden.

{red radishes}

How did you come up with your shop name?

I had been tossing around ideas but as I was listening to my girls compare summer scrapes and bruises one morning I heard my youngest say "look at this big dandy!" I liked how it reflected the coolness and enormity of what she was talking about and thought it fit how I feel about what I do.

How long have you had your shop?

I technically opened in 2008 but really didn't have inventory or a direction. I sold originals exclusively and as my day time job changed I didn't have time to paint regularly. This February bumped up production and now sell archival prints which are far more affordable. 

{Pink Peony}

What inspires you?

I guess you could say I have two main styles I am drawn to:

The whimsy side is inspired by nature. Almost all of my artwork is of what plants and flowers grown in my own yard and garden.

The Arts and Crafts movement is also a very large part of the work I do. My husband and I have remodeled many homes over the years finally building our dream Bungalow home. 

What is your favorite item in your shop?

I guess it changes from season to season. Right now I am in love with the pine cones. They are from a picture I took of a tree on my last trip to Sunriver Oregon. Every painting from nature has a story for me and bring up great memories. 

{Pine Cones}

Do you have any other jobs or hobbies?

If I could, I would do everything! I love gardening, outdoor activities, reading, knitting, crafting, baking, decorating...the list could go on! But, I still have one child in school, a contractor husband whom I help on jobs whenever he needs me and a small hobby farm to keep up with. I'm a busy lady so I have to schedule what I call Big Dandy Days and treat it like a full time job. 

Share an interesting fact about yourself.

Hm, I am obsessed with documentaries and podcasts. Right now I am hooked on Ted Talks and anything to do with food though I indulge in an episode of What Not to Wear every once in a while. 

What do you hope your future holds?

I would love to be in several juried shows each year and, with a bit more practice, selling my work in oils as well. 

{Dahlias}

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Shandell's Review

I may be a tad bit obsessed with Liz's paintings. The first time I realized her artistic ability was when she handed out cards at church on Mother's Day and I saw her initials in the corner. When I asked she casually said that she did make them. I proceeded to tell everyone I came across that morning. If she wasn't going to brag, I was going to do it for her! I currently have a little bit of Big Dandy Designs in nearly every room of my house. I was pretty thrilled to get a few pieces to review for you all. 

{Ginko}

Big Dandy Designs' prints are printed with Epson Ultra Chrome pigment inks on Archival Velvet Fine Art Paper, which looks and feels just like the original watercolor! The paper and ink are made to keep each piece bright and clear for up to 200 years! 

{apple blossoms}

I love the varied styles she creates and the rich contrasts. My favorite thing about all her paintings is that she has such an eye for color, I never tire of looking at her work. 

{fall leaves}

Now that you see for yourself that Liz is immensely talented,  I'd encourage you to head on over to her blog, Bramblefield to read about the goings on at their place. She's crafty, she can cook, garden, and raise sheep! I honestly don't know if there's anything she can't do! Head over to her blog for all sorts of inspiration and the occasional free printable! 

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Giveaway!

Liz is generously offering a $20 shop credit to Big Dandy Designs. This means you get to pick out your favorite piece for your home + she'll send them your way. 

BONUS- if this giveaway reaches 20 entrants she is throwing in a 2nd prize of a $10 shop credit. That means if you share this post and it gets enough entrants (not 20 entries, but 20 individual people entering the giveaway) you could have twice the chances of winning. So please be sure to share this giveaway on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, word of mouth and any other way you see fit to make sure we get to those 20 entrants. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Need help using the Rafflecopter widget? See my post for a tutorial here. 

UPDATE- if you are browsing on an iPad please verify that your comment went through, it should show up immediately. Feel free to message me by email or on Facebook should you have any trouble while I work to fix this issue. Thanks!

This giveaway begins on Friday January 10th, 2014 and will end by Friday January 17th, 12:00am PT. Contest open to US residents only. 

A winner will be chosen at random by Rafflecopter, the winner will be announced shortly after the contest ends and notified by email. . 

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this review. All opinions are my own.This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with, Facebook.  Click for additional disclosures and PR policies.

Can't wait for the giveaway? Check out the current sale going on at Big Dandy Designs…