Bag Of All Trades (Giveaway)

This post and giveaway is sponsored by Lily Jade. Thank you, Lily Jade!

Watching my cousin’s pregnancy has really been a trip. My last pregnancy was less than three years ago, but it’s amazing how many things I’ve managed to push out of my head. Leah will comment about the things she’s experiencing and I’ll be like, “Oh, I forgot about that!” Like that feeling where your stomach feels like it might tear open when you sneeze? I’d blocked that! Pregnancy is so magical.

Of course, there are all sorts of fun things that have come with her pregnancy. I’m having a blast planning her baby shower. Oh, and the shopping for the tiny baby things – Annabel and I were squealing over little onesies and jeans the other day! I’ve given Leah and Ted lots of advice on things to register for, but I kept a few things off my list because I knew I wanted to give those items myself – things I knew Leah would never treat herself to.

Leah is going to be a working mom, so I knew she needed to have a bag that was appropriate for both the office and baby schlepping. I hated switching between my work purse and my baby bag when I was working in an office – I can’t tell you how many times I forgot my wallet, or diapers, or a change of clothes! I also wanted her to have a bag that would last for years, not something she’d throw in the closet after a year. I knew a Lily Jade bag was exactly what she needed, because I am a huge fan of my own Lily Jade bag.

I honestly didn’t plan on getting another diaper bag with James. I told myself I was going to make do with the purses I already had – normal-sized purses! LOL what was I thinking? I just really, really didn’t want a diaper bag that looked like a diaper bag. I wanted something elegant, and when I saw a Lily Jade bag (a friend’s sister had one), I practically drooled all over it. The materials are gorgeous.

The Madeline bag in black canvas.

But the reason I really love these bags is how versatile they are. Each purse has a removable, washable inner bag that has a zillion different pockets to keep everything organized. This is AWESOME for baby stuff – it has a changing pad and a pocket large enough to keep a bottle or sippy upright, plus a place for wipes, diapers, toys, pacifiers, you name it! You can hand that bag over to whoever is with the baby and they’ll have everything they’ll need.

Now that James is almost out of diapers (I can’t believe it), I don’t carry around much stuff for him anymore. My Lily Jade bag has functioned as my camera bag/computer bag/snack holder/overnight bag/bag of all trades. The multiple pockets on the inner bag are fantastic for organizing all of my different photography accessories!

The bag is holding my computer, a charger, my camera, two lenses (one is wrapped in the changing pad), an extra battery, several memory cards, and an external flash.

You can also wear the purses like a typical shoulder bag, as a cross-body bag, or as a backpack.

I never thought I’d wear it as a backpack, but when I’m wrestling with James and Rigby and Annabel and all of their stuff, it’s nice to have my own bag secure on my back.

These bags make great gifts for expecting moms (or for Valentine’s Day!). I gave Leah the Madeline Bag in green (her favorite color!) for Christmas, and she is already using it even though she won’t have baby stuff in it until next month.

Annabel wanted to show off her Princess Sofia purse.

Do you want a Lily Jade bag? All of their bags are on sale with $5 flat rate domestic shipping. Plus, I am giving one away! Look at these beauties:

*This giveaway is open in the US and Canada. (If you have won a Lily Jade bag in the last year, you are ineligible to win.) The winner gets to choose a bag! SO AWESOME. Enter via the Rafflecopter widget below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lily Jade is a company that seeks to support women. Check them out on Instagram where they do great things like give away a bag each month to a deserving adoptive mom.

Good luck, everyone!!!