One of my passions (and goals) for this blogging platform is supporting other women and their businesses and brands. I have met and become friends with so many awesome ladies and it makes this blogging journey so worth it.
I recently discovered an Ohio based skincare company called Elle Landon. Elle Landon skincare products are essential oil based and only use the simplest of ingredients. I’m a huge believer in eliminating toxins that go into our body and when I find skincare that only uses the simplest of ingredients I’m a happy camper.
At first I was skeptical about using a face oil, especially with my postpartum skin, but this luxury oil has far exceeded my expectations. It leaves my face feeling hydrated, healthy, and has cleared up some of that postpartum nonsense. And the best part is that I feel safe using it on my face – it’s made with only safe, simply ingredients. Plus, the essential oils make it smell delightful.
As I get older, I’ve come to realize the importance of taking care of your body. It’s important to exercise, eat clean, take care of your mental health, but it’s equally important to take care of your skin. Our skin is the biggest barrier against infection, and it’s so important to keep it hydrated and moisturized.
I’m so glad I was introduced to Elle Landon products. I love that the face oil is super hydrating and brightening. It can be used morning and night as a moisturizer, under the eye area to nourish and decrease puffiness, or lightly tapped over makeup to add a dewy finish.
Head to their website to learn more about their various products and story!
Sláinte,
Shannon
Please note: This item was gifted, but I have been using the product for a few weeks and all opinions are my own.
Last year Rob and I began the tradition of picking apples at a local apple orchard. I was nine months pregnant when we went last year (no joke, Lilly was born about two weeks later!!).
We both come from close knit families with strong family traditions and it’s been a priority for Rob and I that we start creating our own family traditions. It’s important to us that we continue these traditions and share them with our sweet girl.
If you want to pick apples in Northwest Ohio, the famous MacQueen’s Orchard is where you want to go. MacQueen’s Orchard is a local family farm that has been around for over 55 years. Apple pickers can enjoy the orchard’s state of the art cider mill, pick apples, and enjoy warm apple cider with homemade donuts. It is truly a gem of Northwest Ohio and a great place to bring your family and friends.
Exploring the orchard this year was so much fun (and much more comfortable for me). The temperatures were actually a lot chillier than we anticipated, but the cool air made it feel a lot more like fall. L was absolutely fascinated with picking apples and tried to eat all the apples we gave her (with two teeth you aren’t going to get very far eating one).
One of the greatest joys of parenting is watching her experience new things. L is such a curious child and we love watching her process all these new experiences. We love watching her learn and grow every single day. What an honor and a blessing for Rob and me. We are certainly enjoying and cherishing these sweet memories.
Tell me your favorite fall family traditions in the comments below!!
You guys know how much I love supporting local businesses, so I was thrilled when Angela from Pineapples and Parties reached out to do a giveaway!
Pineapples and Parties is a local event planning and decorating business that specializes in attention to detail. From weddings to showers to parties and fundraisers, Angela does it all!
She also provides budget analysis, day-of coordination, event design, gift baskets, favors, florals, full event planning, guest list creation, holiday decorating, partial event planning, timelines, to-do lists, and vendor selections.
Pineapples and Parties celebrated their ONE year anniversary this summer! In celebration, I’m partnering with Angela to give TWO of our followers a Pineapples and Parties t-shirt, tote bag, and a $50 gift card to Pineapples and Parties for a future event!
Head to my Instagram for the giveaway details and to enter! (For those that live out of town, you can still enter to win and Angela will work remotely to help you plan an event!)
By now you guys should know how much I love all things nautical, particularly coastal Ohio. Through my love for our Great Lakes, I have fallen in love with some awesome, awesome brands.
One of my first “Instagram” (and now real life) friends is a local artist who paints the most gorgeous scenes of coastal Ohio and farmland Ohio. Michelle Brunner of Michelle Brunner Art is a local artist who shares my love for all things blue and white and coastal. Her artwork is colorful, impressionistic, and thought provoking. I am in awe of her talent, ability to find the beauty in our state, and her kind, warm soul. I am so honored to have a few of her original paintings hanging in our home.
Another favorite brand that I’ve come to absolutely adore is Erie and Anchor. A lifestyle brand designed for anyone who loves to live and play on Lake Erie, Erie and Anchor offers cozy sweatshirts, lightweight tees, canvas totes, baby gear, baseball hats, and wine tumblers. Launching just over a year ago, Erie and Anchor is committed to supporting the Great Lakes. For every purchase made, 5% of earnings are donated back to Lake Erie to help support water quality and research. The family based company is passionate about ensuring the lake will still be a place of enjoyment and relaxation for decades to come. I’m so proud to support their top notch product and beautiful mission.
I’m so thrilled to be partnering with these two Ohio based influencers for a fun Labor Day giveaway!! Head to my Instagram for all the details!
Giveaway ends at 9/2 at 11:59pm EST. Winner will be announced via Instagram on 9/3.
Please Note: US residents only. This giveaway is in no way sponsored, administered or endorsed by Instagram. By entering you are confirming you are at least 18 years of age, release Instagram of responsibility, and agree to Instagram’s terms of use. Void where prohibited by law.
This
week is the official kick off to summer and I’m so pumped to be partnering with
TWO of my favorite brands for a giveaway!!
I’ve partnered with Erie and Anchor to give away one of their adorable baseball hats and with Anchors Aweigh Supply Co. to give away one of their beautiful Turkish towels!
Erie and Anchor is a local, family owned business that sells unique nautical apparel and gifts. From cozy sweatshirts, to lightweight tees, to canvas totes, baseball hats, and wine tumblers – Erie and Anchor has something for everyone!
Plus,
for every purchase made, 5% of earnings are donated back to Lake Erie to
help support water quality and research. The family based company is
passionate about ensuring the lake will still be a place of enjoyment and
relaxation for decades to come.
Anchors Aweigh Supply Co. is a Turkish-American business that sells luxe seaside inspired essentials. They sell high quality, handmade beach towels, bath and kitchen towels, bathrobes, and more! If you like stripes, you will love the patterns of these products.
Not only do I LOVE the look and quality of the products, but I also love that all of their products are 100% Turkish cotton, free from harmful chemicals (a win for this mama!). All of the items are handmade by Turkish women using safe and ethical working conditions. The owner has real relationships with the women who make the towels and I absolutely love that. Such a fantastic business model!
I love supporting other women and their businesses and I’m so honored to be partnering with these two brands. I highly recommend checking out both companies and treating yourself to something special!
Now for the fun giveaway! To enter all you have to do is head to my Instagram and follow the steps below!
1.
Like the picture
2.
Follow me (@shannonsolt), @erieandanchor, and @anchorsaweighsupplyco
3.
Tag 3 friends in the comments
4. For bonus entries, share in your Instagram
stories!
It’s
that simple! Good luck!
Giveaway
will close on Sunday, June 23 at 11:59pm EST and the winner will be announced
on Monday, June 24.
Please
Note: US residents only. This giveaway is in no way sponsored, administered or
endorsed by Instagram. By entering you are confirming you are at least 18 years
of age, release Instagram of responsibility, and agree to Instagram’s terms of
use. Void where prohibited by law.
There is nothing I love more than finding original and
unique pieces for the home. And if
finding these pieces means making new friends along the way, then I’m a happy
lady! My friend Kate (we found each other on Instagram!!) paints the MOST
beautiful watercolor botanicals and acrylic landscapes. She opened an Etsy shop where she sells
prints of her artwork and I’m obsessed!!
For spring, she did an entire collection of lemons! If you
know me, you know how much I love lemons.
(For my birthday I usually request a lemon cake and when I was pregnant
I craved everything lemon. The lemon ice
you get to eat during labor was heavenly).
Her lemon watercolors are so cute! They are the perfect addition to a
kitchen, sunroom, dining room, or just about anywhere in your home.
I recently framed the “Melanie Lemon Trio” and it looks so
good in our kitchen! I love knowing that so much love, thought, and talent was
put into creating the original piece. If
you head to Kate’s Etsy shop you will see that each original lemon painting is
named after its buyer and then made available in print form. You can even commission your own signature
lemon to add to the series!
I’m so excited to be partnering with Kate to give away one
of her prints to one of my blog readers and Instagram followers! This would be
the perfect gift for next weekend’s Mother’s Day celebrations! Entering the
giveaway is so easy. Head to my Instagram to enter to win a
print for yourself or your mama!
You guys know how much I love everything nautical and New
England, so I’m thrilled to be partnering with Eastland Shoes to showcase some
of their spring and summer styles! Founded in Freeport, Maine in 1955, Eastland
is known for their timeless footwear.
Family-owned for three generations, the company prides itself on quality
craftsmanship and classic styles.
Drawing inspiration from the Maine terrain, Eastland offers a full line
of camp moccasins, boat shoes, boots, oxfords, and loafers.
The Patricia
Penny Loafer Driving Moccasin is one of my favorite Eastland styles. They are the perfect shoe for walks by the
water, shopping at the local boutiques in my town, gardening, and carrying a
six month old around all day. Being
constantly on-the-go, I need to make sure my shoes are comfortable, durable, slip-resistant,
and stylish. The Eastland loafer
moccasins are just perfect for my busy schedule!
As soon as I saw the Patricia Penny Loafer in light blue I
knew I had to have them! You all know how much I love blue and white and this
pretty sky blue color fits right in with my aesthetic. I love pairing them with white jeans and a
white tee. I can’t wait to wear them
with my white shorts in just a few short weeks!
Thank you to Eastland Shoes for sponsoring this post. Shop
their selection of women’s and men’s shoes by clicking here! And be sure to
follow them on social media!
Erie and Anchor
is an Ohio based company that sells unique nautical products. It’s a lifestyle brand designed for anyone
who loves to live and play on Lake Erie.
From cozy sweatshirts, to lightweight tees, to canvas totes, baseball
hats, and wine tumblers – Erie and Anchor has something for everyone!
Launching just over a year ago, Erie and Anchor is committed to
supporting the Great Lakes. For every
purchase made, 5% of earnings are donated back to Lake Erie to help support
water quality and research. The family
based company is passionate about ensuring the lake will still be a place of
enjoyment and relaxation for decades to come.
I had the opportunity to visit Lake Erie recently and let me
tell you, the Erie and Anchor sweatshirts are amazing for the beach!! With
temperatures only in the mid-50s and a strong wind coming off the lake, the Erie
and Anchor sweatshirts kept me warm and cozy while I relaxed and enjoyed being
close to the water.
The unisex sweatshirts come in a variety of colors, styles,
and logos. I think my favorite one is
the navy
hoodie with the anchor logo (who’s surprised!), but the kelly green
hoodie and grey crewneck
with the crosswind logo are close seconds! I love the fit of these sweatshirts –
I am wearing a size small in the grey and navy, but chose a medium for the Kelly
green because I wanted one that was slightly oversize.
In addition to the sweatshirts, I am obsessed with the baseball hat!
This hat is offered in white and navy and the white goes with everything! I’ve
been wearing it on repeat these days, especially when the baby life doesn’t
allow time for me to wash my hair.
I can’t say enough good things about this brand. The quality of their products is outstanding,
the styles are current and flattering, and they are a dream to work with. I highly recommend checking them out and
supporting this Ohio brand! Plus, if you use the code NORTHCOAST at checkout,
you can receive FREE SHIPPING!
This is a great opportunity to purchase some locally made
Ohio products, support a family business, and give back to Lake Erie!
Nothing gets me more than nautical baby items. And when it’s locally made, it’s even
better!!
Erie and Anchor
is an Ohio based company that sells unique nautical products. It’s a lifestyle brand designed for anyone who
loves to live and play on Lake Erie.
From cozy sweatshirts, to lightweight tees, to canvas totes, baseball
hats, and wine tumblers – Erie and Anchor has something for everyone!
Launching just over a year ago, Erie and Anchor is committed to
supporting the Great Lakes. For every
purchase made, 5% of earnings are donated back to Lake Erie to help support
water quality and research. The family
based company is passionate about ensuring the lake will still be a place of
enjoyment and relaxation for decades to come.
One of my favorite products that they sell is the Erie and Anchor
Deluxe Baby Box! It’s PERFECT for anyone who loves all things nautical. The
box contains an organic anchor blanket, a sweet onesie with the Erie and Anchor
logo, a wooden anchor teether, and a navy organic cotton binkie clip (boy) or
nautical striped headband (girl).
L and I had the best time trying out each of the products in
the box! The blanket is so soft and
durable. It’s the perfect size for a
baby but also big enough that she can still use it as she grows. We also love the wooden anchor teether! Baby girl is already starting to teeth so
it’s the perfect toy for her right now.
And how adorable does she look in the cute onesie and
matching bow! Definitely makes me ready for warmer weather and trips to the
beach! L is just now wearing 3-6 month clothes and she has plenty of room to
grow into this onesie over the next few months.
I’m so thrilled to be partnering with Erie and Anchor to offer all my readers and social media followers FREE SHIPPING on any Erie and Anchor purchase with code NORTHCOAST. This is a great opportunity to purchase some locally made Ohio products, support a family business, and give back to Lake Erie!
I hope you all enjoyed a joyous holiday season filled with family,
friends, lots of laughter, good food, and too much wine.
Many people create goals or resolutions at the start of each year. I’ve never really been one to get into making new year resolutions so unlike most bloggers, I don’t have any resolutions to share. However, I do have dreams and aspirations for this little blog of mine [I’m still here too] and one of those ideas is to inspire others in any way that I can. Whether it be through fashion, home décor, or sharing my experience as a new mama, I hope to connect with a community of like-minded creatives and spread a little more positivity throughout the world.
One of my favorite topics to talk about as of late is how
life has changed (for the better!) as a new mama. One topic that has been on my heart for the
last couple of weeks is maternity leave.
For those of you unfamiliar, I have been working for the past five years
at a local non-profit that provides services to individuals with autism. I oversee the marketing, which in non-profit
language translates into all the traditional marketing, social media, graphic
design, and public relations. I love the
work I do and the mission of the organization.
That being said, I also love being a mama! I’m due to return to work next week and I’m
completely devastated about having to leave my baby girl. In all honesty I’ve
really been struggling with having to leave L (if anyone even asks me about my
leave I tend to burst into tears). Although I’ve been fortunate enough to have 12
full weeks off, I feel very strongly that the maternity leave in our country is
completely unrealistic. Leaving a
newborn after just three months is far too early. A baby changes SO fast and it’s so unfair
that a mother (and father) must return to work so quickly and miss out on so
many developmental changes. I fully
advocate for at least one year of maternity leave for all mothers in order to
be able to care for and bond with their baby.
Unfortunately, we don’t have the option for me to be a stay
at home mom at this stage in our life.
The past few weeks, and this week in particular, I’m having to really
find ways to be at peace with going back to work. I’m sure other new mamas have similar
feelings about returning to work after spending so many precious moments with
their babies, so I’ve compiled a few ways in which I’m coping in the hopes that
other new mamas will find ways to feel a little more at peace about having to
return to work.
Support System – Having a strong support system has been a game changer for me. I am one that has always worn my feelings on my sleeve and it helps me so much to be able to talk about and voice my insecurities, worries, and fears. I’m so blessed to have such an understanding, patient, and loving husband. He is my rock and if it weren’t for him, I’d be a complete hot mess. [I rocked a Dad bod before being a dad, now I’m a real hunk] It also helps that our families live in the same city as us and have been tremendously helpful these past few months. A few family members will even be helping us out and watching L, and that makes a huge difference in putting my mind at ease!
Yoga – I’ve been
practicing yoga for almost three years now.
I started yoga as a way to harness my anxiety and it has become a way of
life. The mind, body, and spiritual
balance is just incredible and I’m grateful for each time I step onto my
mat. I was able to continue my practice
into the third trimester of my pregnancy.
However, it did become increasingly difficult towards the end of
pregnancy and it’s taken nine weeks postpartum to finally get back on the
mat. I’m making a point to do at least a
twenty-minute practice each morning to help center myself and ease my anxiety
of returning to work. So far it’s
helping and enabling me to think a little more clearly and positively.
Something New –
Now this may sound superficial, but one of the ways that is helping me to get
back to work is knowing that I have a new outfit and new handbag for the first
day. I know this sounds so silly, but
having something to look forward to on a day that I know is going to be
insanely difficult actually helps spur some excitement. I also printed out a bunch of pictures of L
that I’m bringing to the office to hang up all around my desk. It’s the little things that count here people.
Being Present Now
– The last way in which I’m trying not to let my anxieties and worry get the
best of me is by being present now. With
all the social media and distractions nowadays it’s increasingly difficult for
people to be present in their own lives. I’m making a point to get off my phone
and completely focus on her when she’s awake and ready to play or cuddle. (She’s of course napping as I write
this). I’m committed to enjoying
every.single.moment with my sweet L. By
being completely present, I can put my mind at ease that I’ve done everything
humanely possible to make the best of this next week and enjoy all the baby
cuddles, smiles, and giggles.
I would love to hear suggestions from all you mamas (and
dads!) about how you have transitioned back into work after being on maternity
leave. Hopefully some of the ways in
which I am coping will inspire some of you and make the transition just a
little bit easier.
As always, thanks for stopping by A Dash of Solt!
Slainte,
Shannon [and Rob too!]
p.s. These pictures were taken at Maumee Bay State Park – a local gem of Northwest Ohio with access to Erie Beach (one of my favorite places to take pictures and get my water fix!)
A Dash of Solt 