{12 Days of Giveaways} Day 1: June & January

Happy December---and welcome to my 12 days of giveaways!!

From today until Christmas I will be individually featuring 12 different brands I've fallen in love with over the last few years---and I'm so excited about this!!! I love giving gifts, and I truly feel I have partnered with 12 amazing shops to make my inaugural year of these huge December giveaways kick off with a bang.

So, what does this mean? I'll be highlighting each of the 12 companies and their products on my Instagram and blog---and will also host an amazing and truly generous giveaway with each brand as well. This is my way to give back to my Instagram and blog followers; a way to thank you guys for listening, reading, giving advice and providing solace. I decided to start blogging again because I truly enjoy writing---not for the free swag and not to make a job out of it. I figure if my writing can resonate with at least one person and make that one person feel a tiny bit better, I'll consider my blog a success. So as we go into the holiday season, I just want to say a very grateful and appreciative t h a n k  y o u for being here. I'm thankful for each and every one of you.

Let's get started!

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When Sydney was about three months old, I was introduced to a whole new world of small shops, including a colorful brand called Little Hip Squeaks. I instantly fell in love with their bright fun pieces and placed an order right away---for the cutest and softest headbands ever.

 Omg, look how little she was. #sixmonthsold #ineedanother #jordanareyoureadingthis

Right?? So adorable---and so perfect for my sweet little bald baby. Since the days of my hairless child grabbing her tiny little feet, Little Hip Squeaks rebranded themselves to June & January (J&J) to give themselves the opportunity to move in directions with bigger product lines, larger sizes and collaborations with other companies outside the baby space---and they've killed it. Under the amazing leadership of Amy Richardson, J&J has grown exponentially to include apparel (i.e., tees, pants, skirts, dresses, etc.), accessories (including the beloved knotted headbands, beanies, bonnets and bow clips), gifts (such as bibs, blankets and hooded towels) and most importantly an incredibly large and loyal customer following. Because of Amy's team of hardworking employees and Amy's steadfast dedication to remain present amongst her customers (they even have a Facebook fan group, where Amy posts, comments and responds to her customers regularly), June & January has evolved into an even more fun and playful company that's made its serious mark on the kid fashion world.

Swing Dresses (from left to right): Onyx Stripe, Grapefruit, Violet, Poppy

Knee-High Socks (from top to bottom): Soft Mint Stripe, Marigold Stripe

Tights: Onyx Stripe

Now that Sydney has a head full of hair, we've expanded our J&J collection of headbands to include their swing dresses, jumpers, socks and tights. Perhaps one of my favorite qualities about J&J pieces is that they're easy to wash. In the small shop world it's not uncommon for articles of clothing to be dry clean only, delicate wash cycle, hand wash, spot treatment, etc., and we've definitely had a few casualties lost to other people helping me with Sydney's laundry. While J&J's pieces are not pre-washed, they do cut their fabrics generously to allow for expected shrinking--which is awesome--and you can wash regularly (although they prefer cold water to keep colors looking their brightest after multiple washes). I love J&J because it's so easy to put on your kiddos---they literally just slip over kids' heads. There are no tags because there are no front and backs to their pieces, which Jordan loves (he's been known to put clothes on Sydney backwards despite tags, lol), and their fabrics are so soft. J&J pieces are also always of the most comfortable style, which I don't think needs any explaining when it comes to kids clothes (or adults, as I type this in flannel pj pants and a fleece hoodie . . . I know, right? Jordan's a lucky man).

Poppy Swing Dress //  Marigold Stripe Knee-High Socks //  Free Babes Sailor Bow //  Hunter Boots

If you haven't tried June & January out for yourself, I highly recommend. They have a  Facebook B/S/T group you can check out for gently used pieces, and they are also having a launch this Friday evening, 12/2 at 9:00 PM EST. But also, and best of all--duh, a certain someone you may know is  hosting a giveaway on my Instagram page -- check it out! And for an extra chance to win, please comment below with your favorite J&J color---and be sure to leave your Instagram handle, so I know you've entered in both places!

From the incredible leadership down to their bright and colorful pieces, June & January is one of our most favorite shops that we've loved for years. Amy and team, congratulations on creating such a successful and cheerful brand; we can't wait to see what the future holds for you!

xoxo,

Sarah & Sydney