{Holiday Gift Giveaway #14} Sanita Clogs: Fashionable and Comfortable!

I had the craziest thing happen to me. My best friend, a CNA on her feet all day long, told me about these "magical shoes" she discovered. Her feet had been hurting for a long time, even in the best sneakers she could find.

One day someone told her about Sanita clogs, and she was desperate enough to give them a try even though they seemed pretty pricey at $100. She ended up being very impressed with them and pleased because her feet had stopped hurting since she had started wearing them. She even loved them so much that she bought a second pair! I was intrigued and absolutely loved the look of them so I was thinking about buying a pair eventually.

About a week later, I was given the opportunity to review a pair of clogs for Sanita, and I couldn't believe my luck! The exact same brand, exact same shoe that my friend had! To me, that meant that I could share my discoveries with you all much sooner than I had anticipated.

So let's find out a little bit about Sanita:

"At Sanita, we’ve been making cozy, comfortable clogs the Danish way since 1907. In fact, we were the first to make them. Our founder, Christen Andersen, not only created the first pair by hand, he also created our first distribution system: the basket of his bicycle."

Cool Fact: They could outsource their work, but they DON'T! Quality craftsmanship is not sacrificed to make it cheaper, so we pay a little more for that quality and comfort. The clogs are made in Europe. Find out more about the process of creating these shoes by watching this fascinating video on it at the Sanita website!

Sanita Clogs has an excellent selection with many styles, colors, and materials, and they carry clogs for men and kids as well as women! Check them out, I'm sure you'll find something you love!

My Thoughts:

Sanita clogs will kind of mold to your foot over time, but they are a little bit stiff at first, so I recommend not jumping into them and wearing them the entire day when you first receive them - especially if you have to do a lot of walking. I did that and it was a mistake, lol. I had a sore toe (just in one place), and was kind of discouraged, but then a couple of days later I went back and wore them again and they felt better. Now I can wear them anytime and I absolutely love the way they feel. And the way they look! I feel totally classy in these clogs - they go really well with jeans or slacks and make you feel like a million bucks. Plus they give you some height, which I really like - it gives me a confidence boost.

So I received the Original Professional Cabrio Clogs from Sanita Clogs to review:

I prefer the clogs with backs just because I'm the klutzy type of person who will surely end up kicking my clog halfway across the room on a slippery floor and embarrass myself to death... I haven't done this as an adult and I don't plan on it. ;-)

I find these shoes to be super comfortable (after the first wear as stated above). The inside is so well-made and cushy, and they are really easy to walk in. The Original line has a "specially designed sole that creates a subtle rocking motion that actually propels you forward." It's true! These really are the most comfortable clogs I've ever worn.

Here is a chart showing you why these shoes are so special - I love knowing all the details before buying, don't you?

There are rave reviews on Sanita clogs across the web and I've heard that many podiatrists say you can't get much better than Sanita (though I wouldn't want you to quote me on that - I'd recommend asking yours first). My feet didn't really hurt before I tried Sanita so I can't guarantee it will help your aching feet, but my trusted friend did say these clogs helped her. I would recommend asking around, maybe going to a store that carries Sanita clogs and try some on for yourself, maybe ask some of the customers you see there, etc.

I should mention that if you do buy a pair, pay attention to the sizing recommendation. According to the Sanita website, "Sanita clogs fit differently than traditional shoes. They should feel roomy not constrained. There should be a 1/4 inch (pinky finger's width) gap between the heel of your foot and the back of the clog. Your heel should lift in the back of the shoe." That sounds different, but amazingly enough they are very comfortable this way!

Care: Sanita says you only need a soft, dry cloth to buff away the scuff marks on the Cabrio leather, and I was amazed at how well it looked after following their advice! The leather is gorgeous, and now I'm even more impressed with these clogs.

What I LOVE: The style, the leather exterior, Sanita's selection of shoe shades (black, brown, bordeaux for the Original Professional), the way the shoe fits the contour of my foot, how easy they are to walk in.

What I don't like: I'm having to think very hard about this and can't come up with anything! I really like these shoes. :-)

Conclusion: I love my Sanita clogs and would definitely recommend them! I think they're worth their price of $100, and I'm planning on buying another pair at some point in the future. I would like to go to a store that sells Sanita clogs and see them all at once this time, though, rather than buying online. I'm sold on Sanita!

Gallery: Click pictures to enlarge.

One very lucky winner will win a pair of black Original Professional Clogs of their own!
Open to US only.

How To Enter (mandatory): Search for a store that carries Sanita Clogs near you! Leave the name of the store closest to you in a comment, and tell me if you think you might go check out their selection! Please leave your email address in your comment so I can let you know if you win!

Extra Entries (Optional) (Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry)
Get 1 extra entry for each: Add my button to your sidebar ♥ Become a Facebook Fan ♥ Follow my blog ♥ Subscribe to my blog by feed reader ♥ Subscribe to my blog by email ♥ Follow me on Twitter (@kindred_spirit) ♥ Tweet this giveaway (example below) ♥ Share this giveaway on Facebook

You can Copy/Paste this Sample Tweet:

#Giveaway - Win a pair of high-quality Sanita clogs valued at over $100! http://kindredspiritreviews.blogspot.com @kindred_spirit

Get 2 extra entries: Add my Giveaway Extravaganza Button to your sidebar. (Find it in my right sidebar)

3 extra entries: Blog about this giveaway with a link to this giveaway and to Sanita Clogs.

Bonus Entry: Answer this question in a comment: Which shoes do you like the best at the Sanita website?

Giveaway will be closed on December 5 at midnight and winner notified by email - good luck, everyone!

Disclaimer: The review product(s) were sent to me free of charge by the company or manufacturer. They did not require a review, but left it to me to review the shoes if I felt they were worth blogging about. They ARE! This review is 100% my own content and my own opinion.

If you have a moment, leave a comment -
It'll make me jump up and down for joy! :-)

Squeak Me Shoes Review {Giveaway Closed}

Baby shoes with squeakers are steadily increasing in popularity, and it's no wonder when there are companies like Squeak Me Shoes providing moms with everything they could want in a shoe for their baby or toddler - comfort, purpose, style, selection, and fun! I get so many compliments and questions on my daughter's squeaky shoes. Everyone wants a pair!

About Squeak Me Shoes:

Squeak Me Shoes^SM was conceived after my sister and her husband
returned home from China in February of 2007 with their beautiful new daughter. With a heart for adoption, they were thrilled to bring their little girl home to her forever family. An adorable one year old, she was soon turning heads with her wardrobe of squeaky shoes.

My own little girl was soon wearing her cousin’s hand-me-downs, and friends and strangers alike would always ask where they could find those cute little shoes. Realizing the enthusiastic demand for such a product, my family and I were proud to launch Squeak Me Shoes in the summer of 2008.

Cool Fact: A portion of Squeak Me Shoes' profits goes to the adoption process!

My Thoughts/Review:

Thanks to Squeak Me Shoes, I was provided with a pair of size 7 toddler shoes (Hot Pink Flower Strap) to review.

Comfort: These are the most comfortable sandal-style toddler shoes I've come across so far! This pair is made of a soft leather and is easily kept on the child's foot with a velcro strap. The sole is made of non-slip rubber and keeps my daughter safe and sturdy on potentially slippery surfaces.

Fun and Purpose: My daughter LOVES the squeakers in her shoes. She dances around the house in her shoes, enthralled with the fact that she is making that delightful squeaking noise! But the squeakers are not only fun for kids, they have a great purpose - they help us moms keep an "ear" out and give us a bit of a reprieve from watching our child's every move when we're out at the playground or in a store. I think every mom should have a pair of squeaky shoes for their child when they're first learning to walk, too. It's the most adorable thing ever to be able to hear your child's first steps as well as see them!

Style and Selection: Check out the attention to detail in the Hot Pink Flower Strap shoes - little cut-out hearts and lace edging line the shoe near the strap. And the flowers are SO adorable. I love the style and selection available - choosing from among the many shoes available is not easy. There are sandals, mary janes, and closed-toed shoes galore for girls and boys in sizes 6 months up to 3 years. I had many favorites and I'm sure you will, too!

Oh, and you can also find baby shoes for the college sports buff now in the Team Squeaks line - find out if a shoe representing your team is available here (I'm pretty sure it is). ;-)

♥♥ Giveaway! ♥♥

Guess what? Squeak Me Shoes is going to give one of my readers their own pair of Squeak Me shoes or Team Squeaks!
Giveaway open to US only.

How To Enter (mandatory): Visit Squeak Me Shoes, then come back to this post and leave a comment telling me which shoes you would choose if you won! Please leave your email address in your comment so I can let you know if you win!

Extra Entries (Optional) (Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry)

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• Tweet this giveaway and/or share on Facebook (+1 extra entry each) Copy/Paste this:
  

  Giveaway! Win a pair of baby/toddler @squeakmeshoes http://bit.ly/11cwcN @kindred_spirit
  

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Winner will be drawn on October 19 and notified by email - good luck, everyone!

See complete rules and disclaimers regarding giveaways here.

Thank you sooo much for sharing this post! :-)

Beibi Baby Shoes ♥ Review *Giveaway Closed*

Two months ago I reviewed a pair of wonderful toddler shoes from Wee Squeak - they were a huge success in our house! My daughter loved them so much she would bring them to me to put on her just so she could squeak proudly around the living room. :-)

Now Wee Squeak has a new line of baby shoes called Beibi Shoes. These non-squeaky shoes come in a variety of adorable styles and colors for boys and girls and are available in sizes 6-24 months. Check out some of my favorites:


Review:

I received a pair of Avery Light Pink Baby Shoes in size 18-24 months from Beibi Shoes to review.

We found these shoes to be soft and comfortable, perfect for growing little feet!

They slide on Emma's feet easily and stay on tight with a cute velcro closure. The soles of the shoes are made of a strong but flexible rubber with a non-slip tread that will keep babies who are learning to walk safe.

Our final impression is that these shoes are perfect for babies who are either not walking yet or are beginning walkers. I don't think they had quite the support that Emma needs as a regular walker/trotter/almost-runner, but I wouldn't hesitate to buy the Beibi shoes for smaller babies!

I'm thinking about buying a pair of the Hope Slippers - they are too cute and perfect for dressing up!

Giveaway!

Beibi Shoes is generously offering to give away a pair of Beibi shoes of winner's choice!

Mandatory Entry:

Visit Beibi Shoes and tell me what shoes you would choose if you won! Please either leave your email address in one of your entry comments or make sure it's in your Blogger profile!

Extra Entries (Optional) (Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry)

• Leave a comment (not just "good post" or something too easy) on any of my non-giveaway review posts from August (+1 extra entry each - limit 5)
• Add my blog to your Technorati Favorites/stumble this post (+1 extra entry each)
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• Tweet this giveaway/share on Facebook (+1 extra entry each) Copy/Paste this:
  

  You could win a pair of super cute Beibi baby shoes, your choice! Size 6-24 months available. :-) http://bit.ly/16ePxB

Winner will be drawn on September 1st and notified by email - good luck, everyone!

Disclosure/Disclaimer: Although Beibi Shoes sent me a pair of baby shoes for review and testing purposes, it does not affect the honesty of this post. This review is my own opinion and in my own words.

See complete rules and disclaimers regarding giveaways here.


Thank you sooo much for sharing this post! :-)

Wee Squeak Toddler Shoes Review and Giveaway

Are you ready to have a severe case of "gotta-have-it"? I'm excited to introduce you to this fun line of shoes for kids - Wee Squeak! Wee Squeak is so named because their shoes have a little squeaker hidden in the heel of the shoe. There's nothing cuter than seeing your proud little one take his or her wobbly steps with a squeak-squeak-squeak - believe me, I've seen it and it's adorable! That little that is my daughter's is even more endearing when you can hear each step as well as see them.

I've heard some parents say that it might get a bit annoying if you have to hear all the squeaking all the time, but I don't find it annoying at all - plus, as my daughter gets faster it'll be nice to know that she can't sneak off without me hearing her getaway attempt. ;-)

So not only are these shoes fun for kids and parents, they also come in many cute styles for boys and girls. You'll fine sandals, mary-janes, tennis shoes galore. They even have Wee Snap Sandals - you can change the flowers in a snap! (Bad pun, I know - but true!)

About Wee Squeak:

As parents of infants and toddlers, our inspiration for WeeSqueak shoes was watching our children in these shoes. We discovered these little gems while in China adopting our oldest daughter, Chloe. However, during the adopting of our youngest daughter, Ellie, we had the idea to bring some shoes back for our friend's children. Our company, WeeSqueak, was born! We are fun parents, with fun shoes for fun kids! Wee Squeak donates 5% of our profits to Half the Sky and to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Video Demonstration:

Conclusion:

We love these shoes! I would definitely buy another pair, or gift a pair. :-)

Giveaway!

Wee Squeak is giving away a pair of turquoise sandals in size 6!

♥ Mandatory Entry ♥

To enter to win, go to Wee Squeak, then come back here and leave the name of your favorite pair of shoes in a comment.

♥ Extra Entries (Optional) ♥

Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry

♥ Fill out my short survey and leave a comment telling me you did it! (+1 extra entry)
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♥ Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway (copy/paste this: Wee Squeak Giveaway by @kindred_spirit - Toddler shoes that squeak, who wouldn't love a pair for their little one? http://bit.ly/dJfZF) (+2 extra entries and if you tweet once a day you get one entry for every tweet)
♥ Leave a comment (not just "good post" or "cool" please) on any non-giveaway post at this blog from the month of May or June, then come back here and leave the title of the post in a comment! (+1 extra entry for each post you comment on - limit 5)

Winner will be drawn on June 29 and notified by email - good luck, everyone!

See complete rules and disclaimers regarding giveaways here.


Thank you sooo much for sharing this post! :-)

SoulBaby Cozy Baby Shoes Review

You may have heard about SoulBaby already if you're a follower of my blog - I'm running a giveaway for a pair of custom baby shoes from SoulBaby right now. Besides being super cute, you have the option of having them lined with bamboo fabric! Sweet! I wasn't able to post a review at the time of the giveaway because Nicole of SoulBaby was making my little Emma a special pair of shoes (lined with bamboo, of course!). Well I've received them and am ready to share with you my thoughts!

My first impressions: Super cute, soft, love the dots! These shoes are made of wool and lined with bamboo - I love the bamboo lining because it'll keep little feet comfy and warm in cold weather. In summer she can go without socks and I don't have to worry about stinky, sweaty feet. The sole is non-slip leather suede, very soft as well. Elastic beneath the bamboo fabric around the ankle holds the shoe in place - that means no more lost shoes! Yay!

I ordered these shoes a bit too big so that Emma can use them when the weather gets colder. SoulBaby shoes would make awesome slippers and would also be perfect for newly walking toddlers as well. Love these comfy shoes and the many fabric types and designs available at SoulBaby!

Get to know Nicole of SoulBaby:

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family!

Nicole: I am a stay at home mom who is hopelessly in love with her two little boys and handsome husband :) We live out in the country and love the peace and quiet it offers. We started our first garden a couple of weeks ago and what an adventure!...lol... hopefully things will grow! We have 6 horses, two dogs, two cats and countless other critters - all outside of course :)

Your baby booties/slippers are so cute! What inspires you?

I love creating - I have always loved art and finding a creative outlet that allows me to combine art with functionality is so much fun! My little guys needed shoes that fit their fat little feet and provided warmth and grip on our hardwood floors - the prototype process started and here we are today :)

When did you first learn to sew, and how you find time to sew?

My first experience with a sewing machine was in 7th grade Home Economics. I was horse crazy at the time, so while all the other girls were making dresses and pyjamas, I tackled a horse blanket for my rather large Thoroughbred horse...lol...it actually turned out pretty good!

What made you decide to start lining your slippers with bamboo?

Oh wow - where do I start - I absolutely fell in love with bamboo fabric at first sight...lol.. - its antibacterial and hypoallergenic properties, its sustainability and "greenness" of production, the fact that it is grown without pesticides or fertilizers, and of course its amazing softness and absorbency.

Do you have a day job or other hobbies that keep you busy?

A toddler and a 5 month old take up most of my time...lol.. I love cloth diapering, still love to ride horses and I am currently developing a line of purses, diaper bags and handbags to sell : )

Do you have any favorite designs in your shop?

I am loving the cord shoes lately - they are so much fun for summer - but in the end I am still a wool girl - I love the properties of wool even in the summertime :)

Tell us one little-known or interesting fact about you. :-)

I am a Canadian by birth and currently a married-in American...lol...

To find out more about SoulBaby and for a chance to win a custom pair of your own, check out my original SoulBaby giveaway post (ends 06/05/09).


Thank you sooo much for sharing this post! :-)