Nursing Bra Express - cotton nursing bra

Nursing Bra Express

I am assuming most of you are like me and absolutely hate the time when you need to buy a new bra. It is such a pain to find a bra that will do the job well, be comfortable and easy to care for(when it comes to washing vs dry cleaning). I find it even harder to shop for a nursing bra. Most likely you are going to be shopping for one while you are pregnant and after that your body changes so much anyway that you can't even fit into the ones you just got! That happened to me. I had bought 4 new bras and after Corbin was born-none of them fit!

When Kristina told me about Nursing Bra Express, I thought we should try them out immediately! They sent me a cotton nursing bra by QT Intimates and a sleep nursing bra by La Leche League International (to be reviewed next week). My first impression of them was "Yay! New clean bras!" Haha. I instantly loved the color of the soft pink sleep bra. Since I had a boy, it was nice to have the little bit of girly for myself. The cotton bra made me really nervous at first because A. It has no underwire. Every bra I have ever owned has had the underwire-even my old nursing bras and B. It was not padded. I prefer a little padding just in case there is a little leakage and the nursing pads don't quite cut it. It turned out ok!

A little about Nursing Bra Express:

"Our mission at Nursing Bra Express is not only to provide nursing moms with the best breastfeeding products on the planet, but also to keep our nursing (or soon-to-be nursing) moms happy and satisfied with her purchases! We greatly appreciate your business and our customers always come first!"

What I love about them is that they have a large selection of brands and sizes-including plus size as well as great customer service. They have a generous return/exchange policy and their prices are great. If you aren't sure what size you need, they have tips on how to measure yourself to get an appropriate fit. They also offer breastfeeding tips, advice and anything else you would need for nursing your little one. Along with the great advice and nursing bras, they also sell nursing tanks, sleepwear, postpartum shapewear and accessories for breastfeeding.

Did you know you should wait until after your baby is born before buying a nursing bra? Here is why!

The Molded Cotton Nursing Bra by QT Intimates is a nude color but also comes in black, pink and white. It is a cotton material making it breathable and comfortable. 

The larger sizes come with a slightly wider strap making it much more comfortable for your back. 

I was nervous at first because I normally wear an underwire bra that is lightly padded. This one had neither but was none the less very comfortable. Since it is molded it didn't need the underwire because it was supportive enough without one. 

There is a light padding along the underside of the cup which also helped with the lack of underwire for me.

 As for the nursing clasps-they were easy to undo and reclasp with one hand. They also had a nice quiet click-seems silly unless that click wakes your sleeping babe up who knows that noise to mean dinner! I do like how this bra has a full "arch" over the breast once the clasp is undone. I found that with my other bras that didn't have this, they tended to stretch out quickly and caused drooping with the material. I have had no issues with that with this bra. 

 The only issue I had with the bra was the back where you hook it. There is a small section that has a different type of stitching and that did cause me to have some redness where it rubbed against my back. I just adjusted the c-hooks and that seems to help. 

Another odd thing for me was when I wear reusable nursing pads-the outline shows through the bra and my shirt if I am not also wearing a nursing tank. Not a big deal but kind of awkward if you are out in public and your 3 year old comments on it because you forgot to throw on your nursing tank. :)

Overall I found this bra extremely comfortable and easy to use. It does say to hand wash in warm water-however I have thrown it in the wash with some other delicates on a light cycle and hung it up to dry with no issues. I liked that this bra was so comfortable and light weight. It is nice to wear on a warm day! 

This bra retails for 22.00 and you can buy it HERE.

Be on the look out next week for our review of the Sleep bra and a little giveaway as well!

MommyMilk Creations Breast Milk Pendants

Today marks the last day of World Breastfeeding Week and I have a really unique breastfeeding product to share with you! I was given the opportunity to review a Breast Milk Bead Pendant from MommyMilk Creations. Allicia is the mama who makes these, and her trademarked Breast Milk Beads are made from your actual breast milk and then are embedded within a pendant so that you have a way to commemorate your breastfeeding relationship. I will admit that when I first heard about Breast Milk Beads they sounded a little strange to me, but the longer I breastfed Ava the more I understood why a breastfeeding mama would want one. The breastfeeding relationship is such a unique one, and it is a huge part of my life. I am so happy to have a little piece of that immortalized in a necklace to remind me of the time I have spent nursing my baby.

The necklace arrived in this cute packaging, and I was so excited to open it and see how my custom necklace turned out! When you order a MommyMilk necklace there are a lot of options you can choose. You can pick out the style of bead you want, the setting you would like it in, the chain it comes on, and the word or name that you would like on it.

For my necklace I chose to have my breast milk turned into the cute little baby hand beads. I picked out the hand-stamped copper bezel to have the beads set in, and asked for Ava's name to be on it. The ordering process for the necklace was really easy: once you place your Etsy order, you receive instructions from MommyMilk with how to send your breastmilk. You only need to send a very small amount, so even a mama who doesn't usually pump can easily hand express the amount. One thing to remember when ordering a Breast Milk Bead necklace is that MommyMilk has a very long turn around time for these at the moment. She has so many orders that turn around is between 10 and 20 weeks right now. For me this was worth waiting for, but if you have a special occasion you want to order one for, make sure you calculate enough lead time.

I am in love with this necklace! It is such a special way to have my breastfeeding relationship remembered. The beads are really well made and the whole necklace looks really fabulous. I am sure that I will be ordering another necklace someday while nursing my second child!

Sodee Naturals

Sodee Naturals Body Care

In honor of Moms who need a little pampering, I'd love to share with you: Sodee Naturals. These are amazing products that make you feel wonderful and leave your skin and hair smooth. I love that they are all natural and the company really tries to keep packaging to a minimum. They were wonderful to work with and were extremely helpful with any questions that I had. 

I ordered the Grand Sample Box and was sent a few extras as well. I was so excited to get to try out so many things. I usually don't splurge on myself so I was so excited that all of these were for me me me! 

These are the shampoo and conditioning bars. I have never used a bar shampoo before so it took a little bit to get used to. You'll want to make sure you put them on a rack or container that they can dry on easily. I got the Amla Hair Builder Shampoo and the Pomegranate conditioning bar. They both smell like Pomegranate and were delightful! I loved how they made my hair feel especially with hard water! They are good for 50-70 uses. 

Here is the Egg White Soap for your face. I don't really have a regular face routine but I do now. I love how this made my face feel and it helps to reduce the pore size on your face. I did have a little trouble at first because it recommends keeping it on for about 5 minutes. That gets a little tricky with 3 kids running around so I just changed my routine at little bit and started using it at night. I love that I finally found something that I can pamper myself with a little bit!

I have really dry skin and it drives me crazy when my face gets dry. I got to try this Facial lotion. It starts out thicker but then starts to thin out and is really easy to rub in. They have 3 facial lotions to choose from: 24 hour moisture, normal to dry skin and Oily skin. This has really helped with my dry skin and feels so delicate going on. I love that it is just lightly scented and not over powering. 

Body Butter. I love this Body Butter. It is so thick and creamy and works wonders on my dry knees and elbows. I chose Sweet Pink Grapefruit and the scent was light and wonderful. Now that I am expecting #4 I am also starting to use it on my belly to help with stretch marks. It contains shea butter and cocoa butter. I am going to need to get more soon!

I was also sent this sample pack for eczema. I haven't had a chance to use it yet as I want to try it out on Lincoln's arms. We are waiting for a few things to clear up on his skin before we test it out. I will post an update as soon as we do though!

And last but not least...Stainbuster soap. This works great on cloth diapers! It also works really well on clothing. We will be busting out our newborn baby clothes soon and I have been told it works great to get those stains out that pop up after storage. (Think milk stains that show up around the collar) I'll let you know how it works for those. As for cloth diapers, you just wet the diaper and then rub the dry bar onto the stains. I found that doing the initial rinse and then pulling out the diapers before the hot wash is a great time to apply the stainbusting soap. You can also run them through a full wash and as you get ready to hang them up, see what still needs a little staining help and then apply it. You can let it sit on your diaper until your next wash. 

I have loved everything that Sodee Naturals has sent me. Each item is so unique and lets Mommy have some special things of her own! I think my favorite item has been the Egg White face wash but I really have loved it all. You can get any or all of these products HERE. Sodee Naturals also has boxed sets which allows you to get a discount and you still get to pick the scents that you like. You can also check out their BLOG for upcoming sales and other great information! 

They currently have a sale running until the end of May where you can get 30% off all products! Just use code Mom. That is such a great day! Hurry though...it ends tomorrow!

Diva Cup!!

Even though Mother's Day is over, I thought I'd share a little about my experience with a product that has made my life as a mom (and just a woman in general) a whole lot easier-the Diva Cup.  Now, for those of you who have never heard of the Diva Cup, it's a menstrual cup that takes the place of tampons and pads.  And I absolutely love it.

Back in college, one of my roommates who studied abroad for a semester, came back and told us about the Diva Cup she had used while she was out of the country.  I thought she was nuts.  A cup that you have to stick up there that holds everything?  So gross!!  However, the more questions I asked, the less crazy she sounded.  She had explained that it was a lot more sanitary than it sounded, you didn't need to worry about buying "feminine products" at all, and it saves a lot of garbage and waste.  All of those things sounded good to me, so a few months and a lot of online research later, I decided to go ahead and try it out.  Initially, it seemed expensive, at almost $40, but I figured that if it saved me from having to buy tampons every month, I'd make the money back in just a few months.  That was almost 6 years ago, and I haven't bought tampons since.  The Diva Cup is said to last a year or two and to check it often for signs of wear.  I had my first one for almost 4 years with no wear and tear at all--the only reason I got rid of it was that I had a baby and moved up to Size 2 (they come in 2 sizes-Size 1, for women under 30 who have never had a child, and Size 2, for women over 30 OR who have had a child).

Now, I will admit that the Diva Cup has a little bit of a learning curve. I didn't have much trouble getting the hang of it, but I've talked to some people that it's taken a few months to get it right.  The biggest problem is getting it in correctly.  I always just fold my cup into quarters (well, in half and then in half again).  In my opinion, it helps to get it wet ahead of time so it goes in easier.  But it basically just sits pretty low in your vagina-your muscles hold it in place.  In the directions, it says you can tell that its in correctly when you can turn it in a circle using the little stem.  I'm never really able to do that, but I can usually tell that it's in correctly when I can pull it down gently and it doesn't move (now, obviously, if I pulled harder, it would come out, but I just pull gently enough to know that it's expanded to its full shape).

So, how does it work?  Basically, once you have the Diva Cup in place, it just collects all the blood, and you dump it into the toilet, rinse/wash it out, and put it back in.  Easy!  No garbage, no mess (honestly!!), and no waste.  And the blood in the cup is actually not as gross as it sounds.  In my opinion, it's actually much less disgusting than seeing it on a pad.  And you never have to worry about the pain of pulling out a dry-ish tampon again.  Plus, you don't need to worry about forgetting tampons/pads while you're out! 

To wash it, they have a special "Diva Wash," but I just use plain, old soap.  My sister thinks that's disgusting, but I've never had any kind of problem with it.  And if you're worried about it, you can just buy the special wash.  I just do a quick wash every time I take it out.  Between periods, I sterilize it by boiling it for 5-10 minutes and keeping it in the bag that it comes in to keep it clean.

The question I'm asked most often is what to do if you're in a public restroom.  And quite honestly, I rarely need to empty it while I'm in a public restroom--one of the best things about using the Diva Cup is that you only need to change it 2-3 times a day, depending on your flow!!  Even on my heaviest days, I only need to change it 3 times a day, and the rest of the week, I just empty it when I get up in the morning and before I go to bed. So, usually, I can time it so I never need to empty it while I'm out and about.  But if you do, I just skip the wash.  I just wipe it out with a little toilet paper and stick it back in, making sure to do a really good wash the next time I empty it.  It's that easy!  

So, does it leak?  Honestly, I think I've only had my Diva Cup leak twice in the nearly 6 years I've used it, and both times were my own fault.  Once was because I had a pretty heavy flow and forgot to empty it in the afternoon.  And the other time, it didn't open up completely when I put it in, so it leaked.  But both times I could tell there was a leak right away, so I was able to fix it before it became a problem.  Now, I know a lot of people have some trouble in the beginning, but if you stick with it and figure out the best way to insert it, it's definitely worth it!!

Overall, I am in love with the Diva Cup and would never, ever go back to tampons and pads again!!  I love how much money I save, how much garbage I'm keeping out of the landfills, and I love how easy it is (once you get the hang of it).  I, quite honestly, would never use anything besides a menstrual cup again.  The Diva Cup isn't the only menstrual cup on the market-I've also heard of the Lunette and the Mooncup, but have never tried either out.  

Have any of you ever tried a menstrual cup?  What is the best or worst part about using one?  If you have any questions, please let me know!!  I'm not an expert, but will help if I can!

**The review and opinions above are completely my own.  I did not receive anything for the review, except the hope that maybe a few of you will try out a menstrual cup!!**

Post-Birth Bath's for Mama

With mothers in mind this month, I am posting this for all of our new mothers out there! I know a handful of women that have either just given birth, or are waiting very impatiently to meet their little one. After birth care for the mother is not something that I was told much about when I had my baby. After the marathon of pregnancy and the forty yard dash of childbirth, your body needs some healing. One of the most helpful ways of promoting healing after the many atrocities of a vaginal birth is a 10-20 minute bath with some bath teas. Below are some simple recipes to reduce the aggravation, help circulation and keep you clean. These teas are not for drinking! But a nice cup of chamomile would be soothing to drink while soaking in these wonderfully fragrant concoctions. Keeping the water level low in these baths helps to keep the mixture more potent. For the first week do these baths 1-3 times a day if you can manage between the hourly feedings and changings!

Lavender Infusion

-4 cups of lavender tea: 3 tablespoons of lavender flowers to each cup of boiling water. Steep for 5-10 minutes and strain. Add 2 tablespoons of sea salt to the tea, dissolving well. Allow it to cool slightly, and then poor into the bath. The water should be on the hotter side, but not uncomfortable. I made a large batch of this and kept it in the fridge.

-Add a drop of tea tree oil or patchouli oil to the surface of the water and mix before getting in the bath.

Rosemary Infusion 

-4oz of these mixed herbs: rosemary, sage and garlic and 4 cups water  made in to a tea and strained just like the lavender tea.

-2 TBSP sea salt (sea salt is recommended over table salt)

Calendula and Comfrey Root Infusion (my favorite)

-4oz of these mixed herbs: chamomile flower , calendula, lavender and rose petals in 4 cups water made into a tea and strained just like the lavender tea. Pick and choose which of these herbs you want and have available to you. I used dried comfrey root from the local health store, lavendar flowers, and a drop or two of calendula oil straight in to the bath.

-2 TBSP sea salt (sea salt is recommended over table salt)

Again, please don't drink these teas. Some of these ingredients aren't good for consumption. Make yourself a cup of normal tea or a hot toddy and enjoy the wonder of what you have survived! I hope you had the happiest of Mother's Days and know how wonderful you are for turning yourself inside-out to birth and nurture this new human. 

Schmidt's Natural Deodorant

Another great product for today's active mother from Schmidts Beauty

"Schmidt's Deodorant is made from a signature blend of all natural ingredients that really works. Our product effectively neutralizes underarm odor and absorbs wetness without the use of harmful chemicals."

With the wonderful and warm spring that we have had in Oregon, I've been able to really give this product a try. Our garden is booming and Coral is loving our trips to the park so I have been lucky to have Schmidt's natural deodorant on hand. At the end of each day I have been so pleased that I don't have much of an odor at all!

I have been looking into natural deodorants for a while since I don't want to expose myself to the chemicals that are in conventional products. I have been happy and not-so-happy with a few different natural stick deodorants that come in plastic tubes. When I found Schmidt's, I was interested in trying to "think outside the plastic" as the say and use their baking soda based product that comes in glass.

The glass jar of deodorant comes with this handy little spatula that helps scoop the paste out with. Take a pea size lump and smooth over your underarms. It feels grainy at first but the shea butter in it smooths it out. You can see the amount I put on my hand below and once it's rubbed in, it just has a light powdery surface.

I got to try three varieties: Ylang-Ylang + Calendula, Cedarwood + Juniper and Unscented. I really liked both scents and Schmidt's has just added two new varieties so check them out!

They have generously offered two deordorants to our readers so enter the raffle below and check out their Facebook page. Let them know we sent you!

raffle will run from 5/10-5/17

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Lilla Rose Flexi Clip

With Mother's Day coming up this Sunday, I have a special Just For Mama review and giveaway for you this evening! Paula Miller is a Lilla Rose consultant and was generous enough to send me one to review and will be giving away a Lilla Rose hair piece to one of our readers.

If you haven't heard of it before, the Flexi Clip is a hair clip made of two pieces that are connected together so that you don't lose half of your clip! The flexible decorative top can curve around the hair you are styling and then you slide the connected pin underneath your style and slide it into the loop of the top piece. Each clip has three notches to catch so you have a few size options within the one clip.

The size clip you need depends on how fine or thick your hair is, and how long your hair is. For me, since I have really fine hair I could use one of three sizes. The clip I got to review is an extra small which fits my hair for a half up style, half up twist style, or a pony tail. I am fairly certain that the mini size would have also worked for a smaller half up style since my hair is so fine. The small size is what I would need to get for my hair type and length if I wanted to do a french twist style. The picture below is the half up twist style that I learned from the Lilla Rose style video page! I have had a lot of success with this clip. In the past, other hair clips tend to just slide out of my hair, but the Flexi Clip is grippy enough that it stays put all day. I did find that there was a little bit of a learning curve with it, but once I figured out the best way to get it in place it has worked great.

Lilla Rose has really helpful sizing videos on their site that you can view to figure out what size you might need. Click here to view it and find your Flexi Clip size! I have really enjoyed using the Flexi Clip. It is a great way to add a little bit of elegance to a quick hairdo without getting too fussy about it. I am not one to spend a lot of time on my hair and the Flexi Clip is an awesome addition to my hair solutions. Paula has offered to give away a Flexi Clip or Lilla Rose item of choice (up to $16 value) to one of our readers! Enter in the form below. Paula also has a new customer special to offer to our readers: a Buy 3, Get 1 Free special for NEW Lilla Rose customers (those who have never created accounts and ordered before). All you have to do is order three items from her website and then email her with the item number of your choice for the free item (up to $16 in value). 

"Must be over 18 years of age and a U.S. citizen to enter.  There are several ways to enter the giveaway, however participants are limited to one (1) of each entry per person and one (1) person per household. A participant may not use additional email addresses to enter more than once. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited."

If you live outside the US, Canada, or Mexico, you can still order great Lilla Rose hair jewelry. Just e-mail the item #’s and names to the sponsor of this giveaway, Independent Consultant Paula Miller at lrpaulamiller@yahoo.com. She will calculate shipping costs, PayPal you an invoice, and ship your items directly to you!

If you have questions, you can reach her at lrpaulamiller@yahoo.com. Look for more specials on her Facebook or Twitter pages, and by signing up for her newsletter.

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Party In My Pants - Cloth Pad Review & Giveaway

I hit the jackpot while reviewing cloth pads from Party In My Pants. Holy Moly. Buckle up and get ready!

I was given the opportunity to pick out two pads, size and fabric, to review. And let me tell you it was a HARD decision, but, thanks to Party In My Pants, it was hard really only because of the fabrics...

Before I go on, the Party In My Pants website is jam-packed with incredible information. There's your typical FAQ section, which is just loaded with great questions and answers. If you're new to cloth pads, particularly Party In My Pants, they have a PIMP Prescription section - answer a few questions about your cycle and allow the experts to determine which pads would be the pest for you! And last, but not even close to least, the pad selection page - wow, the choices of size!

I ended up choosing a Medium pad and an Overnight pad.

For the Overnight pad (on the left) I chose a flannel fabric, Bazaar. And for my Medium pad (right), I chose Hootenanny, in cotton.

Each pad is backed with a breathable nylon, leak-proof shield. Each also has a nickle-free snap (watch out for this if you happen to use straight out of the dryer - ouch!)

 Each also has a tag on the back to let you know which size is which.

The very first thing I noticed when my Party In My Pants package arrived (after I chowed down on the delicious piece of chocolate they sent!) was how incredibly thin the cloth pads were.

Here is a picture of Randumosity cloth pads (the dark blue on top) that I reviewed, compared to Party In My Pants pads (the orange on the bottom)

Incredibly thin, right?! So then I got very worried...how was this going to hold back that?? That lovely time of the month came shortly after my package arrived, and it was time to see just how well these pads worked.

Floored. That about sums up my reaction to Party In My Pants pads.

I couldn't believe how discreet they were. I almost forgot I was wearing them. With other cloth pads I own (not only the ones above), there's no hiding them. I know they're there. If my clothes are even the slightest snug fitting, everyone else knows they're there...but Party In My Pants pads are ridiculously thin.

Of course, they're quiet compared to disposable pads. But even the snap was quiet compared to plastic snaps.

There was no shifting of the pads - again, another common problem. They stayed put and were fully able to do their job.

So, how well did they work? Usually, with cloth pads or disposable, I need to get up in the middle of the night to change them. I held my breath and gave the Party In My Pants Overnight Pad a full night. Not a single leak. I was amazed, and sold. Before I could tell hubby, 'good morning', I told him "I need to buy a ton of these..."

The Medium pad worked equally as well and, just like the overnight pad, blew my mind with how discreet, yet powerful, it was.

As a personal preference, I liked the flannel fabric over the cotton. It felt more comfortable (softer) to me. But, both performed equally as well.

If you are wanting to try cloth pads from Party In My Pants, simply fill out the following form for the chance to win a $25 gift certificate:
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Disclaimer: I was given 2 cloth pads from Party In My Pants for review. All opinions are my own, and you may have a different experience. Party In My Pants is offering the giveaway of a $25 gift certificate.

ChicoBag - Review

With Earth Day coming up, there is a lot of focus on reducing, reusing and recycling. I have challenged myself to do much better at reducing the amount of plastic used by our family and brought into our home, namely in the form of grocery bags. I have a ton of reusable bags, but my husband absolutely refuses to use them (he thinks it makes the cashiers mad, haha!) I just plain forget. I keep them in the van. I get to the store. Corral the kids. Get in the store. And then remember the bags.

I was so excited when I discovered ChicoBags. There is so much to love about these bags, particularly the one I received to review. I was lucky enough to receive the Vita Contemporary Agave Flower bag and it blew my expectations out of the water.

 

I actually got excited about using my reusable bags again after receiving the ChicoBag and getting a ton of compliments on it while I was shopping.

The opened size was much bigger than I anticipated.

 

And, the closed size, much smaller!

The amount the bag can hold is incredible. I have started using this bag for lightweight items (bread, hamburger and hot dog buns, tortilla shells, chips, etc...)

ChicoBag's Vita line (and many others) can hold up to 40 pounds! I have had many cheaper cloth bags rip on me mid-parking lot, but not the Vita bag! To test this out, I loaded this bag up with library books for my kiddos without a hitch!

One of my favorite aspects of ChicoBag's is that they have a small pouch (depending on the line you purchase from, the pouch is either sewn into the seam of the bag, or doubles as a pocket) that the bag fits right into. Inserting and removing the bag is incredibly easy.

The bags are machine washable (be sure to wash on cold and air dry!) 

It would be crazy of me not to mention the awesome colors and prints in all the bags, but specifically the Contemporary Collection. 

Finally, there is a carabiner attached to the bag so you can always have the bags handy.

The only thing I didn't like, the material of the bags made the shoulder bag slip off my shoulder a lot. When the two straps were touching, it would make one slip. One would stay on my shoulder, but I'd lose the second. I'm curious if the Sling rePETe line would have this problem since there is only one strap, and considering how cross body bags lay on your shoulder.

This one little "con" didn't stop me from using the bag. I honestly have received so many compliments on the bag. Cashiers talk about how they've never seen one so small, so pretty, so convenient, etc.... And all I can say is, "Right?!"

In summary, I've used a lot of reusable bags, and have always had a lot of complaints, ranging from cheap material, too small, too big (so that you overload it and then can't carry it), and on and on.... ChicoBag removes all these complaints. You can tell that a lot of thought went into the design and production of ChicoBags.

If you are interested in purchasing your own fashionable reusable bag, the amazing folks at ChicoBag have offered a generous 25% discount with the code cbbcda25 (please note, this discount is only good for the Fashion Category bags). This code is good through April 30, 2012.

Do you have reusable bags sitting around that aren't getting used?  ChicoBag has an incredible Repurposing Program where you can send in your unused or torn up bags and ChicoBag will find a new home for them, or a new purpose by making the bags into totes, handbags, rugs, and more!

You can find ChicoBag on the following Social Networks:
ChicoBag (on Facebook)
ChicoBag (on Twitter)

Disclaimer: I received for review a Vita Contemporary Agave Flower Ba. All opinions are honest and my own.

Ruthie Truthie: TRUTHlets

Back story: When I was in college, in the middle of Tennessee, through mutual friends, I met a girl named Stephanie. I graduated and moved back home to Virginia, where I met this amazing man. He & I got married, and a few months later, moved to Raleigh, NC where he would start attending seminary to work on his M.Div. We found a church we loved and joined the new members class. Sitting in the first class, we watched people enter the room. In came a couple, I just KNEW that I went to MTSU with them. It had been a couple years, and we had all changed a little, but I KNEW it was Stephanie and Josh (who I also had met at MTSU). They sat down in front of us and I was speechless. We had to go around the room and give a little info about ourselves. My jaw hit the floor as they said they went to MTSU. When I said it, they both spun around and some "wow's" were exchanged! So random and so neat to have our paths cross again. They moved a couple years later to help with a church plant in Florida, but while they were in NC, Stephanie started creating and selling some amazing creations.

Fast forward to now: Stephanie has started Ruthie Truthie (formerly ETC....Cards) and is making TRUTHlets like crazy!

So, what is a TRUTHlet? A super soft, handmade cloth bracelet with your favorite scripture (or quote) printed on it.

The bracelets close with 1-2 buttons and an elastic loop.

The TRUTHlets easily wrap around your wrist and allow your favorite verses to literally be at arm's reach.Stephanie also makes gorgeous Bible covers that can be customized to your specific desires.


Another awesome feature of Ruthie Truthie is the Adoption Fundraising Package.If you are adopting, you can purchase 25 TRUTHlets with a personal message at a discounted rate to resell them to put the funds towards your adoption. Stephanie also suggests using fabric that is representative of your child's culture to add a personal connection for those supporting you!

You can also keep up to date with Stephanie's creations on her Facebook page - be sure to let her know that CDA sent you!

Disclaimer: I received a TRUTHlet free in a giveaway. All opinions are my own.