Ugh, yesterday was an everything fail.

When Little Evan and I got downstairs in the morning, I realized no one put the leftovers away from dinner the night before (which was the chili I thought was going to be terrible but was actually really good). So I disposed of it properly and responsibly in the appropriate container put the pot next to the dog’s water so he could finish it off and I wouldn’t have to scrape it all into the trash. Then I went about my important morning business of checking email/reading morning tweets/starting in on my reader. 20 minutes of total silence later I realized TOTAL SILENCE was probably a bad sign and went to look for Little Evan.

I found him standing next to the baby gate, using his foam hockey stick to reach over, scoop the chili out of the pot and then licking it off the stick.

TOTAL MOM FAIL.

The rest of the day went…pretty much the same. With more shouting. And less chili. And NO NAPS.

So I apologize for not posting any giveaway winners OR pictures of the 3rd floor renovation yesterday. I promise I will have at least a few pics up soon, even though they won’t be of a totally finished and decorated bedroom. And the new playroom/nursery? Well, I’ll be lucky if that’s done before Baby Girl is 2, let alone before she’s born. WHY did I think I could get all this done in 48 hours!?

Anyways, I have TWO winners to announce!

The winner of the Peggy Ann Design matching pom-pom pins is…

#15 Desiree! She is a fellow Patriots fan & a local, real-life, in person friend so I’m super happy for her! Desiree, I sent Hannah your email so hopefully she’ll be contacting you soon so you can tell her what colors you want.

And pssst – for those who didn’t win, Hannah is having a sale so be SURE to check out her store again!

The winner of the aPearantly Sew giveaway is…

#38 Nicci @ Changing the Universe!! Congrats! I emailed Alison your info so she should be contacting you soon. Good luck choosing something from her shop though, she added a WHOLE bunch of new items (including Christmasy things!) this week, so it’s even harder than it was when I first posted the giveaway!

Remember, the last three giveaways (Gussy, my Phoebe Mouse and Hugs & Kisses Designs) are still open so get in your entry soon!

Bet you didn’t know a bebehblog week had EIGHT days in it. But I absolutely positively could not hold any kind of handmade giveaway without bringing you something from the lovely and talented Becca from Hugs & Kisses Designs. I have absolutely no idea how I wandered over to her corner of the internet but I stalk read her blog every day and love seeing her pretty face pop up in my Twitter. She has an adorable son named Cayden who is almost the same age as Little Evan so I think of them as growing up together…even thought they’ve never actually met. And neither have Becca and I. And there’s no plans for that to happen any time soon. Ahem.

But how can you not feel like BFF’s with someone who sends you this?

I literally made a "squeeee!!!" sound when I opened it

I once commented on Becca’s blog that this fabric she uses is my absolute favorite, because it matches my hummingbird tattoo. Obviously she READS her comments and has a fabulous memory, since when she said she was going to make me something special she went straight for this stuff!

She even used the fabric for the inside pockets, so I get to look at it every time I have to grab a diaper.

Because that’s what this is: a beautiful handmade diaper bag. At first I thought it was going to be a little small but after jamming a whole day’s worth of snacks, two sippies, my day planner, my keys, my wallet, three diapers, a wipes case, a toddler-size change of clothes AND my DSLR in there, I can assure you it is LARGE.

Adjustable strap? LOVE. It goes over the handle on my stroller or over my shoulder, or across my body when I'm hauling the baby around too.

But besides the brand new diaper bags available NOW from Hugs & Kisses, Becca also makes a ton of other beautiful fabric items from paci clips to clutches to wet bags. Personally though, these are my favorite:

Custom silhouettes of your kids?!?! AWESOME. (She also does pets!!)

Custom prints of your wedding date or your children’s birthdays?!!?!?! So cute as a gift or for yourself! And for the record, I take 100% of the credit for those wedding date prints. I asked her to make one for me for my friend Erin’s bridal shower and now they’re in the shop!

And because she rocks, Becca is offering one lucky reader a $25 credit to Hugs & Kisses Designs!

To enter, just visit Hugs & Kisses (either here on Etsy or here on Big Cartel – Becca is switching over to BC so she’s got stuff in both shops) and leave a comment telling me what item you like best!

Giveaway open until November 8th, winner will be chosen using Random.org and notified via email so make sure you use a real one when you comment.

You should also check her out on her blog and The Twitter, because she’s wonderful, her kid is cute and she’s adding new stuff to her shop all the time.

Disclaimer bit: Becca sent me the diaper bag free of charge to photograph and review, but also because she likes me. For the record though, I’ve purchased from her shop before and plan to again as soon as I can get Little Evan to sit still long enough to take a good profile shot. I NEED one of those silhouettes!!

THAT’S IT! ALL MY GIVEAWAYS ARE UP! You can enter as many of them as you want!

Day 1 is open until November 1st! Allora Handmade (Closing this one tonight!!)
Day 2 is open until November 2nd! Uff Da Designs
Day 3 is open until November 3rd! Taradara
Day 4 is open until November 4th! Peggy Ann Design
Day 5 is open until November 5th! aPearantly Sew
Day 6 is open until November 6th! Gussy
Day 7 is open until November 7th! A knit Phoebe Mouse…by ME!

There are no super-nice things to say about the person who made the item for today’s giveaway, since that person is me. I CAN, however, say a ton of nice things about my friend Megan. Megan taught me to knit, encouraged me to stick with it when I was frustrated and was unbelievably patient when it came to helping me undo my mistakes.

Megan taught me to knit almost exactly 1 year ago and this scarf is the first thing I ever finished. I thought it was the greatest knitting project ever. (Also, Little Evan totally wore those jammies last night. Time to go jammie shopping.)

And in March of this past year, one of Megan’s dreams came true and she opened a yarn store here in Connecticut.

Megan’s Shop: Mothers of Purl Yarns

As a gift for Baby Girl, Megan gave me what might just be the most adorable knitting pattern ever: Phoebe’s Sweater. Not only is it a knitting pattern for a little girl’s sweater, a stuffed mouse, a dress for the mouse and a mouse-sized sweater, it also has a very sweet, beautifully illustrated story about how Phoebe Mouse’s mom knits her a new sweater while she waits for her new baby to come, so even if you DON’T knit it’s a lovely children’s book. To go with the book Megan gave me enough yarn to knit 2 Phoebe Mouses (Mice? Meeses?) with instructions to give one away to you lovely people. And so I did.

Hi, I'm Phoebe

And then because I love knitting, I also made each Phoebe a mouse-sized jacket out of beautiful red tweed.

Your Phoebe will have gold buttons. It's embarrassing how long I stood in the button aisle picking out exactly the right ones for a MOUSE DOLL SWEATER.

But Phoebe really is cuter if you have the book (plus, if you do happen to knit you can make MORE dresses, in different colors! Or the little girl sized sweater!). So I bought a second one from Megan to give away.

You may win everything you see here! Besides the throw pillow. I bought that at Walmart. But you do get the jacket.

The book is even signed by the author and the illustrator. I can't be the ONLY person obsessed with signed books, right?

And in case you think this kind of thing is cute, your Phoebe Mouse will have been hugged by Baby Girl's Phoebe Mouse.

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post. THAT’S IT.

Tell me who you would give the mouse to (you can say you would keep her)! Tell me what you had for dinner last night. Tell me that even though I’m 32 weeks pregnant today I don’t need to freak out yet about having ANOTHER baby.

Giveaway open until November 7th, winner will be chosen using Random.org and notified via email so make sure you use a real one when you comment. I’m willing to send Phoebe and her book anywhere, so giveaway is open to EVERYONE.

Disclaimer bit: Megan gave me three balls of yarn and 1 copy of Phoebe’s Sweater so I could make a mouse for my baby and a mouse for you. Little Evan ruined the first book with…I don’t even know what. Something sticky. Plus I still need  a copy of the pattern to make Baby Girl a child-size sweater. So I bought the book I’m giving away. Plus I put in many many hours of knitting time when I should have been playing with my kid, so the giveaway is literally priceless. How’s that for the most unclear disclosure statement ever?

Day 1 is open until November 1st! Allora Handmade
Day 2 is open until November 2nd! Uff Da Designs
Day 3 is open until November 3rd! Taradara
Day 4 is open until November 4th! Peggy Ann Design
Day 5 is open until November 5th! aPearantly Sew
Day 6 is open until November 6th! Gussy

Yah, it’s Saturday! Let’s keep the weekend easy!

Do you like pretty things? Like these?

Ruffles

I met the adorable and charming Gussy (given name Maggie, but I’m not even going to pretend I’ve ever called her that) at The Creative Connection and after two days of stalking her and hanging around her booth she gave me a zipped pouch, probably so I would go away.

And because I am a super nice person, I’m going to give it to you.

ME = SUPER. NICE. PERSON.

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post. THAT’S IT.

Tell me what you’re doing this weekend. Tell me your favorite Halloween candy. Tell me what Gussy item you like. Tell me my hair looks pretty. Tell me YOUR hair looks pretty.

Giveaway open until November 6th, winner will be chosen using Random.org and notified via email so make sure you use a real one when you comment. I’m mailing pouch my own self and am willing to send it anywhere, so giveaway is open to EVERYONE.

I also highly recommend Gussy’s blog, Twitter and Facebook. And your free tip of the day: If you sign up for her newsletter, she sends out discount codes.

Disclaimer bit: This post is not sponsored or endorsed by Gussy, although I did ask her if she would be mad that I’m giving away a gift. (For the record, she said no). Consider it my thank you for putting up with my eight zillion Creative Connection posts.

Day 1 is open until November 1st! Allora Handmade
Day 2 is open until November 2nd! Uff Da Designs
Day 3 is open until November 3rd! Taradara
Day 4 is open until November 4th! Peggy Ann Design
Day 5 is open until November 5th! aPearantly Sew

How’s that for perhaps the cutest shop name and logo ever in the history of handmade shops? Alison makes adorable wristlets, bags, hair pins and more out of bright interesting fabrics and sells them in her online shop, aPearantly Sew.

Alison found me via Twitter (which is another reason everyone should tweet – awesome people like Alison!) and offered to participate in my giveaway week. After exchanging a dozen or more emails, I can assure you she is just as cute as her product – and clearly very talented, to find time to make stuff with TWO boys only 18 months (to the day!) apart. She is also happy to answer frantic questions about double strollers from those of us who are obsessed with such things. So I like her.

I liked her even more after she sent me this:

Do those colors look familiar? That's because they're ALL AROUND YOU. Alison says it wasn't intentional but she totally made this wrislet with my blog colors!

The attention to detail is fantastic - don't you love the matching lining?

And although it’s a great little bag for coupons or make-up or a pencil case, I prefer to use it when I’m pretending I DON’T regularly carry poop-filled diapers around with me for several hours.

iPhone, keys, driver's license and credit cards - everything I need for a babyfree shopping trip!

That's with all the stuff in it, including my giant keys! It even has a handy wrist strap for carrying, which makes me feel classy.

And to help you feel just as classy, Alison is offering one of my readers a $20 shop credit! (For the record, that will totally get you one of these wristlets.)

All you have to do to enter is visit aPearantly Sew and leave a comment on this post telling me which item is your favorite! And yes, you can totally say “all of them”, because that would be my answer.

Alison is also rather new to the blogging world, so I know she would love if you checked out her blog or followed her on Twitter too. Although all her blog does is make me jealous I can’t sew worth crap.

Giveaway will be open until November 5th, winner will be chosen using Random.org and notified via email, so make sure you use a real email address when you comment.

Disclaimer bit: Alison sent me my wristlet for free so I could review it honestly and take pictures. No other compensation was received and her gift did not influence my opinions in any way. Neither did her patience in talking to me about double strollers.

Day 1 is open until November 1st! Allora Handmade
Day 2 is open until November 2nd! Uff Da Designs
Day 3 is open until November 3rd! Taradara
Day 4 is open until November 4th! Peggy Ann Design