Snugabell giveaway

From the fiery age of twelve, Wendy has designed, cut, sewn, and created clothes for herself, inspired by her mother, who made clothes for her and her sisters.  Wendy has always been particular about the way fabric feels, and with her keen eye for color and sense of style, it just made sense for her to start sharing her creations with the world.  Today, she does just that through Snugabell, where she first presented us with this idea that a hands-free pumping bra can not only be practical, but stylish and fun as well.  She can’t help it; creative people just won’t be satisfied with merely functional.  Get to know Wendy a bit better by reading on, and discover the Toni Dress; maternity, nursing, pumping and beyond, this beauty may just be your new favorite garment.  Enter for your chance to win one below.  

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TLB: Wendy, you have superb taste in fashion..  Has this always been the case or was it something you developed over time?

Wendy:  Wow.  Superb?  Not sure about that, but I’ll take it!  My mom sewed a lot of my sisters’ and my clothes growing up.  I was always pretty particular about fabric, colour and style, even from a young age.  I remember standing at my closet (albeit a very small closet) each school day “wondering what to wear”.  I was not allowed to use my mom’s sewing machine until I took Home Ec in Grade 8, at 12 years old.  After that I spent a lot of the money earned at my first job buying fabric and patterns and sewing my own clothes for hours and hours on the weekend.  So long story short, I think I was born with it.  Every person in my family is creative.

TLB:  
Are either of your girls showing interest in fashion yet, themselves?

Wendy:  
Antonia, my eldest (she just turned eight years old in November) both loves clothes and shopping for them.  What I enjoy the most is watching her draw and colour people and then ‘dressing’ them in original outfits.  They are always quite detailed and her work is apparently very advanced for her age.  She is a true artist in that she has to be inspired to produce her best work.  One of my sisters is an artist, so I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree!

TLB:  Tell us about the Toni line; inspiration, fabric choice, and design details.

Wendy:  When I had my girls, I didn’t buy much, if any, maternity or nursing clothing.  I did have some maternity clothing given to me by friends, and honestly, as soon as I gave birth, I couldn’t WAIT to give it away.  I *hated* the unsightly maternity panels that are commonly found on jeans and skirts.  I also disliked the “industrial-feeling” nursing bras (that seemed to be the norm at that time, especially for women that need a supportive bra like me) that were cut in a way that wasn’t compatible with the necklines of many of my favourite tops, so I switched to nursing camis with my second baby.  But honestly, the camis didn’t give me the support that I needed (but it was better than wearing that “armour”).

When it came time to diversify our product line, I was inspired to create clothing that works for maternity, nursing AND hands-free pumping that could also be worn after your child weaned (and that you WANTED to wear after your child weaned because it was gorgeous!).  We chose the modal fabric, which is essentially a rayon made from beechwood fibre, because it is luxurious, easy-care and lightweight (as we know how pregnant and nursing mamas tend to feel on the warm side).  The wrap panels are the cornerstone of the design, providing discreet nursing access as well as support for hands-free pumping all while flattering mom’s’ figure!

TLB:  When you were a new mother, what would make you feel pretty?

Wendy:  
Having a shower.  😉

TLB:  Moms are busy and may neglect themselves, happy to have their children just so.  What are some of your favorite fashion and beauty tips for moms?  After getting the kids ready, what can she do to look stunning in minutes?

Wendy:  Every woman has that outfit that she always gets compliments on – wear that and wear it often.  As for a five-minute makeover, I don’t leave the house without undereye concealer, blush and lip balm.  If I have five more minutes, a little bit of eyeliner and mascara and I’m golden.  My hair is naturally wavy/curly, so I kind of let it do its own thing.  If your hair tends to misbehave, grab your favourite hat and go for it!  And the easiest thing to don to look gorgeous is a smile!

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Wendy is giving away a stunning Toni™ Dress in Flame Red that you may just have to try on for your Valentine this year !

Retail value $86.00

The Toni Dress is designed for all stages of a busy mom or mom-to-be’s life – from pregnancy to nursing and beyond weaning. It even works for hands-free pumping! You can wear the Toni Dress with a jean jacket and boots for an everyday look or add some heels and fabulous jewelry and you’re out on the town for the evening.  When you wear the Toni Dress – you feel A-MAZE-ING. You know those garments that once you put them on, you are constantly stroking the fabric? Uh-huh, THAT’S the Toni Dress. It will quickly become one of THE favourite pieces in your closet.

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Currently Leakies can find this and other Toni “bump, breast & beyond™” maternity, nursing and hands-free pumping clothing on the Snugabell website at:  http://www.snugabell.com/products/toni-top.

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Good luck to everyone!  Please use the widget below to be entered.  The giveaway is open from February 11, 2013 through February 14, 2013.  A big thanks to Wendy and Snugabell for their ongoing support of TLB and all breastfeeding women; please be sure to visit their Facebook page  or follow them on twitter  (@snugabell) and thank them for their support of TLB and this giveaway opportunity.

This giveaway is open to international entries.

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Comments

  1. My ideal Valentine date would be dinner and movie. Cliched, but it works!

  2. Jessie Whitfield says

    Wow! I would love that!

  3. Jennifer Stone says

    This may sound lame, but an ideal date with my Valentine would actually be an evening in rather than an evening out! We would relax with a meal and then cuddle and watch a movie or talk. Going out is great, but I feel like we have a more meaningful evening when it is just us!

  4. My ideal date with my Valentine? Chocolate covered strawberries, a nice bottle of bubbly, and no little toddler feet running in to disturb the moment.

  5. My ideal Valentine date this year would involve a sushi dinner and a movie while our little guy gets watched by gma 🙂

  6. A nice quiet home cooked meal at home and watching movies all night 🙂

  7. My ideal date would be in Annecy, France having dinner on the beach looking at the mountains. 🙂 You said ideal, right? Not very darn likely, but on the top of my list for things I could wish up.

  8. I’d like to have a night alone with my husband for my ideal valentines date.

  9. My ideal Valentine’s date…. A day at the park with our little, followed by a massage during nap time and fun family dinner after. Then out to the ice cream bar with just the hubz! Love isn’t just for your husband, we like to spend a day of love with our little too 🙂

  10. My ideal date would be a nice quiet dinner out- doesnt have to be fancy. Just some alone time with my hubby!

  11. I have 4 valentines. 3 kiddos and my hubby! Ideal “date” is a good family DVD and some popcorn!

  12. I could definitely use a dress like this. For social functions or date night! Love it!

  13. A nice quiet dinner ALONE with my husband….lol

  14. Sleep. Unadulterated sleep.

  15. I’d love to feel stunning on Valentine’s Day, throughout the rest of my pregnancy, whilst nursing and beyond! I only have a few maternity items and they all will double as nursing wear. I haven’t gained much weight but at 18 weeks I feel like I look kinda dumpy all the time, and of course, money is tight so I’m not able to buy much in the way of maternity clothing.
    We’re not a big fan of crowds, so we are planning on either a double date with my in-laws for Valentine’s Day at a favorite little restaurant out in the country near their house or making a lovely meal together at home with a few slices of divine olive oil chocolate cake taken out from our local chocolatier.

  16. Christine Bailey says

    Honestly staying home with my husband, cooking together and watching a movie!

  17. just a quite dinner and some alone time would be great, love my little one but sometimes i feel like she doesn’t want any siblings!

  18. This is genius!

  19. Ideal date with my Valentine… a couples massage, family dinner, and then some quiet alone time after baby girl goes to bed. <3

  20. At this point anything that didn’t make me puke . My HG is starting to set in , hoping its not as bad as last time :-/ but I do love a bouquet of roses <3 and a nice walk on the beach

  21. My ideal valentines date would be a romantic dinner under the stars and tiny white lights, and walking along the river.

  22. Kathleen schissler says

    A perfect date would be ANY date! It sure is tough with 4 kids under 7 (especially an EBF newborn!) to get quality time as a couple.

  23. Jessica van Beets says

    A wonderful date would be a quite dinner without being rushed. Then home movie night.

  24. Now that I’m a new mom, my ideal date this year is a night at home with my SO and our 2 month old son! This BFing mama can’t stray too far from him!

  25. Courtney Gipson says

    Curled up on the couch! We had our first baby 10 days ago and I miss the alone time.

  26. My idea date with the hubby is going out for Sushi and then going to either a drive in movie theater or to a winery.

  27. Flowers, Chocolate and a candle lit dinner made by my husband. Probably the crab cakes he just got me to remind me of home. All while the LO is sleeping of course. 🙂

  28. My ideal is a nice supper then come home and curl in the bed and watch movies.

  29. Good nursing and maternity wear is so hard to ind!

  30. Ideal Valentine’s Date? I would have to go with a quiet, baby free evening enjoying a glass of wine (or 2) in the hot tub with my wonderful husband.

  31. Honestly, at this point I would take a dinner out anywhere with only hubby and I. Our free babysitter (Grandma) moved out of state the week after I had baby #2, so we have been having “family dates” since then. Baby won’t take a bottle for more than 1 feeding in a row, so dinner would be all we would have time for 🙂

  32. My ideal Valentine’s date (on a reasonable budget) would be walking downtown, grabbing some yummy ingredients, and settling in at home to fix dinner together and spending the evening reminiscing.

  33. Cooked me dinner and rented a new movie, with dark chocolate for dessert. Keeping it simple. 🙂

  34. Katelyn McKim says

    My ideal Valentine…would be for my husband to even remember valentines 🙂 To take me out or even to just say I love you.

  35. Honestly…my ideal Valentine’s Day date is just spending an evening kids free with my husband at an awesome Mexican Restaurant and not on our farm 🙂 Every woman loves an excuse to get dolled up and get out of the boots and poop covered jeans!!

  36. Amazing! I know some working mums who would have loved a dress like this! It’s hard to find dressier clothes to nurse or pump in!

  37. My ideal date is a night out without our three kids, and a glass of wine. Both of those are luxuries that I haven’t been able to enjoy since before getting pregnant with baby #3!

  38. I’m waiting for baby number 2 to be born, so this year’s ideal Valentine would be to be snuggling and bonding with our new addition.

  39. Sushi, a good beer, no kids… and Daddy of course!

  40. Rayos Muniz says

    My ideal Valentines date would be going out of town for the day and night with my honey while my babies stay with grandma. Holding hands, shopping, lunch, a movie, swimming at the motel, dinner, drinks jacuzzi at motel and lots of love he he…

  41. Jessica Damron says

    Snuggled up on the couch watching a movie 🙂

  42. Any date! My husband doesn’t believe in Valentines Day, so I usually have to rely on my dear old Dad to send me a box of flowers and chocolates!

  43. Hubby and I just were talking about this yesterday. Sleep, even if I have to wake up to pump, sleep. Lol

  44. Sonya Morris says

    Dinner at home & my husband cleans up! 🙂

  45. I would love to go to an orchestra…Just found out we are having baby #2 🙂

  46. a big hug from my kids, a sweet I love you from my husband. and with a 6 month old who breastfeeds all night long, a good night’s sleep 😉

  47. Pamela Signor says

    I’d love to just have my husband at home & not overseas!

  48. Dinner with my two favorite men 🙂

  49. rebecca kiefer says

    Dinner out with my sweetie!

  50. I’d love to have an evening at home with my DH – ordering in so neither of us has to cook or clean – getting to watch a *whole* movie without being interrupted, and some alone time together. Or maybe a couples massage!

  51. Any nice sized chunk of alone time with my fantastic hub would be lovely!

  52. Lindsay Leisner says

    Ideal date would be a fun day skiing and then a nice dinner and hot tubbing after dinner!

  53. Dinner, champagne, and Texas country music and dancing would be my ideal Valentine’s!

  54. Bethany Eskro says

    I would love to spend an entire day with my husband doing the types of things that are easy to do before you have kids– walking around, browsing around boutiques, eating ice cream, etc.

  55. A nice quiet evening for us and 4 kids sleeping peacefully!

  56. Just a nice meal out with my husband and the peace of mind knowing that the babies are in good hands.

  57. A night out dancing with my husband, a candle lit dinner and the most chocolate dessert I can imagine…then come home to my monkeyboy and the 3 of us cuddle together till we fall asleep 🙂

  58. My ideal date would be dinner at my favorite vegetarian restaurant, and then a romantic stroll downtown to look at the shops and stars!

  59. Ideal date would be a quiet night with a meal made for us 🙂

  60. Ideal date would probably be staying home, or going out for Indian food.

  61. As a mom of 3, my ideal date would be getting the munchkins to bed at a good time. Getting take out from our favorite Thai restaurant and watching a movie with my husband.

  62. Kelley Andrea says

    Some quiet alone time with my hubby! Dinner + snuggles without baby cries interrupting 🙂

  63. We have a two-month-old, so I think my ideal romantic date would involve my husband and I eating a lovely dinner at the same time, rather than in shifts! Would love to win this dress and have a good excuse to have Grandma watch the baby while we went to a beautiful restaurant and show.

  64. My ideal Valentine’s date would be going out for supper, then going for a walk by the waterfront in Kelowna BC, surrounded by mountains.

  65. My ideal Valentine’s date would simply be to have my husband home for it! I think he’s been gone for the past 3 ones since he’s in the military. Oh well. Pretending he is here, going beer tasting would be great!

  66. low key dinner and a rented movie and a good night’s sleep. once our baby sleeps through the night a few times, it’ll be valentines day every day 😛

  67. A chance to catch dinner and a movie without the baby.

  68. My ideal valentine date would be his and her massages followed by fooooooooooood.

  69. I just love to stay up late with my honey after we get all the kids in bed, we snuggle on the couch!

  70. Some alone time with my hubby without having to worry about the baby is all I ask for in a Valentine’s date. 🙂

  71. Dinner and a movie here too! We try to get out and see movies, but often have to skip “the dinner” part.

  72. Surf and turf and chocolate covered strawberries… or some variation of those two things. All I care about is the food!

  73. Misty Henry says

    kids in bed and us adults just sitting on the couch. thats it. i’m simple!

  74. Cynthia Longley Richards says

    My ideal Valentine’s Day? A night out with my hubby…. we barely get out since he works nights! He’s even working the V’day. Oh well, ideal would be a weekend getaway to a warm beach!

  75. Corrie Beecher says

    My idea valentine date would be dinner on the beach at sunset with my husband and daughter (while wearing this dress )!

  76. Jessica Young says

    My ideal Valentine’s date would be a cheap hotel with a giant jacuzzi tub in the room and some peace and quiet for half the night with just the spouse. I don’t think I could go all night without baby. 🙂

  77. my ideal valentine’s date would be a spa day. I could use some pampering.

  78. My ideal Valentines Day is a box of good Belgian chocolates and a night alone with my husband, little one being watched by Grandma.

  79. Noora Baroody says

    I love this dress!

  80. My ideal Valentine’s date would be dinner in, a movie and foot massage. Then snuggles with him and baby! 🙂

  81. a nice relaxing evening with the hunny without a bunch of stress would be great

  82. My husband asked what I wanted for vday. I told him “to not change a diaper”.

  83. Eating sushi at our favorite place even though I only eat the cooked kind 😉 followed by cuddling and chatting while my husbands mom watches our 8 month old.

  84. My ideal date would be a couple of hours of uninterrupted snuggles with my partner and all you can eat sushi.

  85. My ideal date would be having Nana watch our twins, and visiting our favorite happy hour followed by a concert or a night spent exploring the city. Ah, a girl can dream!

  86. My ideal Valentine’s Day date would be going to a new restaurant. This will be our first year going without either one of our kids. Just being together, talking, and reconnecting as a couple would be wonderful.

  87. We like to get takeaway and have a date night at home- I hate going out to restaurants on Valentine’s day as they’re all packed with crowds of people- not at all romantic in my opinion!

  88. An evening in…takeout after kid’s bedtime with my husband! And lots of chocolate!

  89. Would have to be an awesome vegan dinner and dessert followed by an amazing concert from Tom Petty or Steve Nicks.

  90. Going for an early morning walk! Always been our favorite. We need to find a babysitter who can come over from 6-7am while our little one is sleeping! HA!

  91. Nice dinner with lots of wine, followed by a play. Lucky me those are our exact plans this year!

  92. I LOVE red! Awesome dress!

  93. Francesca McC says

    Dinner together with red wine! And we’re celebrating tonight! 🙂

  94. Family date with my husband and 1 year old! 🙂

  95. dinner and movie – always works
    Thank you for hosting this giveaway

    Louis
    pumuckler {at} gmail {dot} com

  96. We don’t celebrate Valentine’s day b/c we don’t believe any one day should be more romantic than the other, but we do celebrate our anniversary which happens to fall 3 days after. We love to wine taste (or alcohol taste. We’ve done beer tasting w/ Budwieser, vodka tasting w/ Grand Traverse Bay, B wine tasting w/ several different wineries.) So we’re wine tasting at a local winery that ships in their grapes since thy’re in the middle of downtown. Right now they have their ports available 🙂 And then we’ll do dinner at a little italian resteraunt on the other side of town. The best part about all of this? My mom is watching our 20 month old son 😀

  97. An evening without kids and a full night’s sleep!

  98. My ideal valentines date would be a nice home-cooked meal followed by chocolate covered strawberries and snuggling afterwards.

  99. My ideal valentines date…. Dinner with the hubby, no dishes or cleaning to do and a full nights sleep 🙂

  100. Maggie Martin says

    A nice dinner without kids, climbing, crawling, yelling, talking, nursing, generally needing me/him. I can’t even remeber the last time that happened. Them maybe snuggling and watching a movie together or reading a book together. Then go to bed and sleep for 12 hours without waking up from kids needing us and not waking up at 6 or 7 to get up with the kids. Lol

  101. Ideal date…dinner out with my husband with enough left over for leftovers….I’m always hungry now that i’m pregnant lol leftovers are best if I didn’t have to dirty a dish to make it

  102. Sara Hughes says

    Ideal Valentines day date-pizza, bottle of wine, a good movie and no kids. Also roses. Last year the hubby forgot about Valentines day and actually pulled flowers from the model house garden and delivered them to me, roots and all. It was a little devastating. Now it’s one of our funniest memories (as long as it never happens again).

  103. My ideal date… hmm… it’s been so long, it’s hard to fathom! I guess dinner out at a great restaurant (we love Italian food) and then a movie, all by ourselves… no kids!

  104. My ideal V-date would be a romantic dinner at home followed by a whole body massage from the hubby 🙂

  105. For Valentines, I want to combine some time in and some time out. Going to see a musical or a movie, but making sure to take time at home for massages, cooking, snuggling, and more.

  106. Gina Demaree says

    A nice dinner out followed by a quiet evening at home. Throw in a couple glasses of wine and it’s a night!

  107. Kristi Hooke says

    Dinner and a movie completely 100% planned by him!

  108. My ideal date with my Valentine would be to curl up with him and our 6month baby girl and have a family movie night. 🙂

  109. Honestly, I would love to just have hubby take over my cleaning and taking care of the children duties. That is so romantic!
    email subscriber to both at Gkeeper333 at yahoo dot com

  110. Dinner followed up by an outdoor concert

  111. OMG I love that dress you wouldnt even know from the first photo that you could nurse in it!

  112. Well, my Valentine this year is my baby, so I think an ideal “date” would be something delicious for dinner for me, and mommy’s milk straight from the tap for him. Maybe an early evening stroll, weather permitting. 🙂

  113. Ideal date is alone time with my husband

  114. My ideal date would be to have the baby fall asleep early (and the other five older kids) and and eat ice cream and play a game together…and then to have the baby stay sleeping for a while longer 🙂

  115. Ideal date at this point (with a 6 month old) would probably be a couples massage followed by champagne and ice cream (I’m dairy free right while breastfeeding so this part will have to remain a dream!!). I think I just miss alone time with my hubbie…

  116. Ruth’s Chris steakhouse…and maybe a full night’s sleep!

  117. Dinner at home with the hubby

  118. Champagne followed by a full night’s sleep!

  119. A nice steak with all the trimmings at home while watching a movie with my guys!

  120. Couples day at the spa followed by a romantic dinner

  121. My ideal date with the love this year would be spending it snuggling our new babies. C’mon labor!

  122. An evening of thrifting together and then a vegan meal. Planned for this weekend, yay!! 🙂

  123. A nice dinner with no kid then watching a movie on the couch.

  124. My ideal date would be having dinner at a cozy restaurant followed by a couples massage and going to bed early!

  125. something low-key, out to eat at a favorite restaurant!

  126. Going out to dinner ALONE and getting to spend some alone time walking and talking around the park.

  127. Elizabeth Wisniewski says

    My ideal date would be a nice meal and a cup of fancy coffee with my husband 🙂

  128. Delaney Starks says

    My ideal date would actually be spent at home, snuggled up on the couch watching movies and making dinner together

  129. sherry moore says

    A couple of hours alone without the baby would be an ideal date.

  130. Ideal Valentine’s day would be one whole day where all 5 of my children get along and act sweet to each other!

  131. A really nice dinner with my husband. Or a trip to Hawaii. 🙂

  132. Natasha Rodriguez says

    The Hubby and I dinner and a movie 🙂

  133. Tasting menu for two at the tiny East Village restaurant where my husband and I first knew we were in love… and a small box of Champagne truffles from Teuscher wouldn’t hurt! 🙂

  134. A perfect date would be going to a nice restaurant and getting to choose anything on the menu regardless of price, have appetizers and dessert and not talk business or kids!

  135. Just quiet time without any kids!

  136. A night away with my husband would be my ideal Valentine’s date. Maybe a little bed and breakfast in a cute town and a nice dinner out.

  137. My ideal date is a quiet night out and my Hubby taking care of the baby for the rest of the evening! ha!

  138. Sarah Ayers says

    some 1:1 time with the hubby, nothing fancy required

  139. rebecca williams says

    A dinner out just my husband and I

  140. My ideal date would be a picnic on the beach, and watching the sunset 🙂

  141. He cookes me dinner and prepares it whole with a dessert which includes fruits, chocolate and whipped cream, maybe ice cream. And I get to choose some yarn…or I get some yarn:-) And we eat it somewhere outside, maybe in a garden or by the sea.

  142. A quiet night in, with dinner at home (with no one screaming at the table), and a movie on the couch. Maybe even getting a full night sleep that night!

  143. well… with a newborn, an ideal date would be a LONG night’s sleep .. followed by.. just about anything. Dinner, TV, lounging on the couch, running errands TOGETHER! haha.