Crocheting Mommy to Colton

Why am I saddened by this?

2010-12-27T20:01:00.000-05:00

So an old friend of mine just announced her engagement via Facebook and I should be happy for her. I am and I'm not. I miss her as a friend and I think I'm saddened by the loss of our friendship and the fact that I can't share her happiness with her. Yeah we are FB friends but we used to be REAL friends from about 9th grade to even after I graduated college, about 6-7 years. We had a falling out a few years ago and got "back in touch" via FB but it's not the same. I miss her and our mutual friends, who inevitably went with her when the relationship ended.

I'm happy she found someone, as this was one of her life fears, to never find someone to love. For that I'm happy. I'm deeply saddened by the loss of our friendship and that fact that my personal love life is not the greatest right now.

I guess it makes me jealous to see all these people having what I want and should have at the moment. My life is one big story right now and I'm not prepared to delve into that.

I'm just sad. I miss my friend and wish things could be like they were before.

Baking and Murder: Nothing Better

2010-11-11T23:54:00.011-05:00

Joanne Fluke is the author of "fluffy" murder mysteries. I discovered her series when I borrowed Zach's mom's library card to get some books on Cd for my many drives to and from Ohio. I got a book on Cd called CreamPuff Murders by Joanne Fluke. It had the picture of a cartoon drawing creampuff on the front and I thought "what the heck".

The best part, in my opinion, is that within each book are 10 recipes. The heroine owns a bake shop, that is about all I will divulge, and she is constantly baking something, when she's not stumbling upon dead bodies. They all sound so good, the recipes that is. There are 13 books in this series and approx 130 recipes.

You can contact Joanne through her website Murder She Baked. Love the title of the website since I used to watch Murder She Wrote all the time with my mom. I did contact Joanne actually, to ask her if there were any plans for a cookbook in the future. A place to put all of her recipes from her books. I did this out of pure laziness, I don't want to hunt down all 13 books and write the recipes down. LOL

I would get them online but she only puts up one full recipe a month on her website and the rest are in the books. Suprisingly she answered my email within 24 hours and told me that she actually has part 1 of the cookbook coming out in October of 2011. Of course there are too many recipes for only 1 cookbook. I can't wait. I'm sure though that I will have most of the recipes by then, b/c even though I am lazy I am determined. :)

She also told me that her husband is her main guinea pig for her recipes and graciously tries them all. I would gladly volunteer as taste tester, but you probably would have to roll me away like Veruca Salt at the end of the year. :)

I love to bake. I am not one for regular cooking, I hate making breakfast and pretty much suck at dinner; but baking is a hobby of mine. I would love to open a bakery based on these recipes, I think that would be fun.

I wanted to share my favorite recipes from her books: Happy reading and Happy Baking

Boggles

4 sticks butter, melted
2 c brown sugar
2 c white sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
4 eggs, beaten
2 tsp vanilla
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
4 c flour
3 c sweetened dried cranberries
3 c rolled oats

Preheat oven to 350.

Add sugars to the melted butter, stir together and let cool.

Add eggs, baking powder, baking soda, salt and vanilla.

Add flour and mix well. Add cranberries and oats and mix together.

Dough will be very stiff. Drop by teaspoonful onto a greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then move to a wire rack.

Yield 10-12 dozen, depending on size.

Cream Puff Shells
1 cup of water
1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) UNSALTED butter
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup flour, packed down
4 eggs, room temperature

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. On medium heat in a small pot or sauce pan, pour in water.

Chop butter into pieces and put into water. Let it melt.

Add salt and sugar. Bring to a boil.

In a bowl, mix flour and baking powder.

Once water mixture is boiling, turn heat down to low and dump in flour/baking powder mixture. Stir quickly for about 30 seconds–mixture will form a dough ball.

Remove from heat and let the dough cool for about 20 minutes on the counter. Once dough is cool, break one egg and mix it into the dough until smooth.
Repeat with remaining eggs, one at a time until mixture has a smooth, taffy-like consistency–about 3-5 minutes with mixer. Don’t over mix.

For mini-cream puffs: drop a teaspoon of batter per puff on to the parchment-lined cookie sheet. You can fit 12-15 per sheet–don’t crowd them. Cook them for about 25-40 minutes depending on size; when you take them out of the oven, pierce the sides with sharp knife to prevent collapses.

If you’d like to make large puffs, cook them for about 55 minutes.
Let the puff shells cool away from drafts.
Yield 25-50 mini puffs or 10-14 large ones.

When they are cool, cut the top 1/3 off and remove any stringy dough. Fill with filling of your choice. The creampuff shells you can fill with any filling you want: vanilla pudding, chocolate pudding, pie filling (cherry, blueberry, apple)

Chocolate Chip Crunch Cookies
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 beaten eggs
2 cups corn flakes
2 1/2 cups flour
2 cups chocolate chips

Melt butter, add the sugars, and mix.

Add soda, salt, vanilla and eggs. Mix well.

Crush the corn flakes with your fingers. (I measure mine, put them in a baggie, and squeeze them -- it's more fun than a stress ball.) Add the crushed corn flakes, flour, and chocolate chips, mixing thoroughly after each addition.

Place walnut-sized scoops of dough on a greased cookie sheet, 12 to a standard-sized sheet. Flatten them slightly with a floured or greased fork in a crisscross pattern.

Bake at 375 degrees F. for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Remove the cookies to a wire rack to complete cooling. (The rack makes them crunchy.)

Peanut Butter Melts

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method ------

1 cup melted butter
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tbs molasses - coat spoon with non stick cooking spray
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup peanut butter -- (either smooth or crunchy- your choice)
2 beaten eggs -- (just whip them up with a fork)
2 1/2 cups flour -- (no need to sift)

Preheat oven to 375°F, rack in the middle position

Microwave the butter in a microwave-safe mixing bowl to melt it.

Add the sugar, vanilla, and molasses.

Stir until it's blended, then add the baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.

Measure out the peanut butter. (I spray the inside of my measuring cup with Pam so it won't stick.) Add it to the bowl and mix it in.

Pour in the beaten eggs and stir. Then add the flour, and mix until all the ingredients are thoroughly blended.

Form the dough into walnut-sized balls and arrange them on a greased cookie sheet, 12 to a standard sheet. (If the dough is too sticky to form into balls, chill it for a few minutes and try again.)

Flatten the balls with a fork in a crisscross pattern. (If the fork sticks, either spray it with Pam or dip it in flour.)

Bake at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn golden. Cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Mini Cheeseburger Cookies I don't have the recipe for this particular cookie but I know it's made with store bought cookies and you make homemade butter-cream icing that you color. I think these little cookies would be so much fun at a child's birthday part.

Updates: Colton's walking, his 1st Bday photos, we moved!!!!

2010-11-11T22:57:00.013-05:00

I realize it has been a LONG time since I blogged. Has it been a ride or what? Colton had his 1st birthday party, Sept 21. It was dinosaur themed. I baked the cake all by myself, I think I did a wonderful job if I'm not bragging too much. :)

We have since moved to Pennsylvania from Florida to be closer to my fiance's family. I love it up here. The fall was beautiful and it already snowed (just flurries but still cool) on Nov 6. I can't wait for the first real snowfall that blankets everything. I have never experienced winter like this. Florida only has 2 seasons, warm and HOT! LOL

I am still working in the NICU, and love it. I have been battling some depression issues, but that is another post all it's own. I let the store lapse for a while, I feel bad about that, but I'm finally getting my excitement and gusto back enough to reopen it sometime in December. I am in the process of getting a few auctions up and running for my reopening.

Back to the task at hand, Colton's Bday photos. Gammy got him a puppy pillow pet, which he always carries around and barks at, it's so funny. Mam and Pap got him a mini 4 wheeler (his "nunn nunn" as he calls it) and he lost interest in ALL other toys at that point. Even the one mommy and daddy got him, a My Pal Scout dog. I love that thing more than he does, but I think he will like it at he gets older and can interact with it more. You program it to say the child's name, I was shocked Colton's was actually on the list of names it says, and you program their favorite color, food, animal (coyote for Colton).

He had his first real taste of cake, he was so hesitant at first, not sure what was going on, but he didn't really want to touch it. I had to give him a little taste before he would dig in. LOL
Uncle Ben was ready with a damp rag b/c he hates when Colton gets dirty. Just wait uncle Ben, children are messy!

We had a great time and I'm so glad we did a theme and had a real party instead of saying "he's too young, he wont remember anyway". We all remember and have pics for memories down the road.

More on Colton - he is walking now all by himself. He started taking 2-4 steps by himself about 2 weeks ago and now has progressed to toddling around the whole house multiple times a day. There are sometimes he still finds crawling faster, but man has he gotten so much better in such a short time. He talks up a storm. He can say at least 15 words and understands many more. His favorite right now is "Up". I hate the word "Up" now, he overuses it. Everything is UP. He's still cute though, even if he is trying sometimes. He can point to at least 10 body parts from his big toe to his eyes. I love it. The ped said he is very advanced for his age and is doing things (mentally) an 18 month old does. I think that is wonderful. I am so proud of my little guy.

Zach is painting vehicles again. Currently working on a Jeep for his cousin and has a few other jobs lined up as well. He really does love it, even if it's hard work. I will have to chronicle his work on this jeep in another post from beginning to end when he is finished.

Gotta go crochet and watch a movie. See ya later!!!!

Birthday Pics

My Plan

2010-05-17T12:01:00.004-04:00

So the Grand Opening went off and did ok. I am thinking that less premade items and more customs is the way to go. So from now on, once the stock in the store dwindles (I hope), I will only be stocking about 2 premade items and 2-3 customs and some YYMH slots. I think the customs are a better idea since people can tailor them to the size and style they want. With the premade items you might like a colorway but it might not be the right style or size you want. So from now on customs are going to be the majority of stock in the store. I am moving the 2nd week in June from FL to OH so I hope to stock in June but I am unsure right now.
My plan is to stock at least once a month.

I have a few premade items up in the store right now. A beautiful small skirty, some soakers and a cute pair of medium shorties. You should def go check it out. I also have a YYMH slot available right now.

Grand Opening Tomorrow!!!

2010-05-13T22:28:00.003-04:00

I am super excited that my Grand Opening is tomorrow. I have a couple finished products up for sale. I also have 2 semi custom slots on Norbert colorway, it's a mix of blue, green, brown, and cream, very boyish or gender neutral. I was going to dye some girly yarn for another custom but I just couldn't get it to turn out the way I wanted it so instead I have opted for a YYMH slot. If you have any yarn you need made into woolies, I am your woman. I also have a FFS lotto on a large soaker on Merino yarn dyed by me. It is a mix of blue and purple with silver trim. Go check out the store, enter my lotto and maybe I will see you tomorrow night for my Grand Opening at 9pm Est. See Ya!!!

Ewe Wool Love It, I hope so!

2010-05-10T21:10:00.007-04:00

The store I mentioned in my last blog has become a reality and is set to open this coming Friday, May 14. I am super excited. I have been crocheting for 6 years now and decided to put that knowledge to good use. I absolutely love the layout of my store which was done by Dragon Fly Graphics on Hyena Cart. You should check out my store Here.

I have about 8 things up so far, some premade items and some semi customs items for sale this Friday. I also have a Free For Shipping (FFS) lottery going on. Enter and if you win you only pay shipping. Sounds good right? You should definitely enter.

I also have a Facebook page for my store, go become a Fan, or better yet "Like" me since they changed that. ;) Once I get 120 fans I will do another FFS giveaway, most likely a custom giveaway.

Why is wool so great as a diaper cover? Because:

It is breathable and helps regulate temperature
It's naturally antibacterial
It's a natural product

Here are some pictures of my work and most of these items area available for purchase this coming Friday. Go check out my store, become a Facebook Fan, and maybe Ewe Wool Love It too!

Sorry to have been gone so long

2010-04-13T07:36:00.010-04:00

A lot has happened since my last post. My fiance, son and I are moving to West Virginia. In fact, I have a job interview at a hospital there this coming Friday. We leave tomorrow to make the road trip to see his family and do my interview.

Since my last post I have started crocheting my own wool diaper covers and I am opening a store in May. I'm super excited. My Hyena Cart store is Ewe Wool Love It - nice play on words huh? The site doesn't look great right now as I have someone doing graphics on it, it will look better near the opeing I promise.

I have done some testers who have all loved my stuff. I am in the process of creating stock for the store for the grand opening. I think I am going to shoot for my grand opening on May 14, which is my mother's birthday. Right now I have done everything but skirties, I am going to try my hand at those in the next couple of days.

A few facts about wool -

It's breathable and helps regulate baby's temp

Can be either crochet or knit

Is used as a cover over fitted diapers or prefolds

Once lanolized it repells liquid back to the diaper while also absorbing a little bit of it

All natural

Only needs to be relanolized when soiled or every 2-3 weeks.

Oh so cute!!!!

Here are a few picture of my work

Cutiepoops Diapers

2010-01-03T12:39:00.022-05:00

Today I am going to review Cutiepoops diapers. A WAHM who makes pocket diapers, AIOs, and one size diapers. The thing I love about these diapers is their fit, their customization (you pick the fabric), and the price ($10.95/each). The one size are $15.95/each because they are made to last longer size wise.

They have 131 fabrics to choose from and they are all so adorable. They come with your choice of velcro or snaps. I chose velcro because I feel you can get a better fit with velcro. Some people don't like it because it wears out and starts to pill after a while. I also love their sizing. My son is still in a small and he is around 16lbs. Their size chart states that smalls run from 8-20lbs and I feel like he still has some time left in them.

I bought 3 pocket diapers and wish I had bought the AIOs because I don't care for stuffing diapers that much, but they are easy to use. With AIOs being the same price I would recommend purchasing those.

I also love the fact they are made by a WAHM and not some major chain company. It seems more personal. Like you are helping someone take care of their family by buying their product, not just stuffing some CEOs pocket.

Now on to what I don't like about them. I know they are custom and I love that, but that means that your order takes anywhere from 4-6 weeks to reach you. Mine took about 4 weeks and when you are waiting on fluffy mail, that is a lifetime. Also, these are not nightime diapers for us. They last about 2-3 hours max for my little guy, then they start to wick on the upper part by his belly button. We have had a few leaks with them. We just combat that problem by changing him every 2-2.5 hours. He might need more absorbancy since boys pee in the front, that is something I can try to see if it will help.

I think the pros of these diapers far outwiegh the cons and I would recommend them to anyone. Here is a cute action shot of my LO in his Cutiepoops.

Rita's Rump Pocket Diapers

2009-12-28T22:56:00.013-05:00

Let me preface this by saying I love these diapers. They are a One Size flannel pocket fitted diaper. Flannel is cheap, I made mine from some receiving blankets I had from my baby showers. I had so many. I made the first one and it seemed so big, so I modified the pattern to be smaller. I wish I had not done that because the original pattern fits my son very nicely and will grow with him. This was one of the first diapers I attempted so, you live you learn. I just received some more flannel blankets today and plan to turn those into diapers also.

Flannel, I have noticed, does not snappi well so I have to use pins on these diapers. That is fine since I love my pins. They also require a cover since they are not waterproof. We use Thirsties duo covers and LOVE LOVE them but that is another post. If we are just at home then sometimes I don't put a cover on them and they do fine. The only flaw I can find about these diapers is that the flannel around the pocket frays after a few washes. It's not a problem with the pattern just the type of fabric, flannel tends to fray.

I usually cover a tri-folded microfiber towel with the same print flannel as the insert for the pocket. I really can't find anything not to really love about these diapers. They are easy to sew, customizable, truly one-size, and the pattern is free. What could be better than that?

The picture above shows how they work as a one size diaper. You just fold down the front to the rise you need and pin. Simple as pie.

Here are a few pictures of the first diapers I made with this pattern and how it fit my son.

They are very trim

I love the way they fit him.

The elastic hold so well too so there are no gaps at the legs.

Reviewing my own cloth diapers

2009-12-19T19:55:00.006-05:00

I tried making a few different types of diapers and loved fitted pocket diapers. They require a cover and have to be stuffed with either a prefold or microfiber insert. I love these diapers. I made the pattern on my own and they have a welt pocket opening. The only thing I need to modify, in my opinion, is the rise. I think it's going to be a little short after a while. My intention was to make them a one size fitted diaper, but sadly they are not going to be until I modify my pattern. They should fit Colton for a few more pounds at least. They can be snappied or pinned, I like both ways. I have become very fond of diaper pins lately.

I have made about 20 of this style of diaper but for some reason only have pictures of a few on my little guy. They are versatile in that I can get just about a perfect fit because they don't have snaps or velcro. I can stuff them with as much absorbency as I need, but most times I just use one microfiber insert. I have used a few of them at home without a cover and they last about 2 hours without feeling damp. Most times I use a cover anyway just for added peace of mind.

This is one of the first ones of this style I made and the pocket opening is a little different. It opens at the top on the backside. I found out quickly I didn't really like that style because it seemed to wear out faster and didn't easily allow for elastic at the back around the waist.

These are two Christmas ones I made recently - They have the welt pocket and elastic at the waist. I like this style much better.

A few more reviews that I will have on here shortly are: Thirsties Duo Wrap covers, Bagshot Row Bamboo, Kissaluvs fitted diapers, Babyland one size pocket diaper (from ebay), Cutiepoops pocket diapers, Happy Hienys, Nickibaby One size diaper pattern, and Rita's Rump Pocket diaper pattern. Stay Tuned!

First things first, disposables

2009-12-19T19:46:00.004-05:00

I know this blog is about cloth diapering, but since we used disposables for the first 8 weeks of my son's life it only seemed fair to review those also. You might be suprised with what brand we actually ended up liking. Here is the list and reviews of the ones we tried.

Pampers Swaddlers - These diapers were soft and fit well but we had leaks in them a lot of the time. Especially if he was side sleeping. Urine would leak everywhere in his co sleeper. We also had one instance of poop leakage that went through his diaper, his onesie, and my pants.

Huggies - These were not as soft as Pampers but they fit well. These leaked urine more than the Pampers. Really didn't like these at all.

Luvs - We actually didn't have that many leaks in the Luvs. Out of the first 3, they were my favorite. They fit well and only leaked a couple of times.

Our favorite was
Parent's Choice from Walmart - These NEVER leaked, even when he slept on his side. They are not as soft has other brands, a little stiff, but I loved them. They run small so he was in a size 2 when he was only about 12lbs. I also love the price. Ninety two diapers for $14 beats the leading brands anyday. I would definitely recommend these diapers to any disposable diaper family.

My real business and passion is cloth and that is the purpose of this blog so I will get back to it.

Quite a while, shameless pics of my little one.

2009-12-19T19:17:00.007-05:00

It's been quite a while since I posted on here. A lot has happened since then. I had a baby boy, Colton Riley, who was 8lbs 14oz on Sept 21, 2009. He will be 13 weeks on Monday so how time flies. I had a bout with post partum depression and that is a major reason things came to a halt on the blog writing front. I am in the process of writing a blog post about my PPD but I'm slow with it because it's kinda hard to write about. Takes a lot of emotional energy but I will get there eventually.

I am doing much better, thank you for asking. :) I go back to work Tuesday and I'm not really ready too but that is another story. I have some pics of my little one. Probably a long post. We didn't start cloth diapering till he was about 9 weeks old. I had a c-section and it was too tough then we went out of state for 6 weeks. I will be doing diaper reviews of brand name diapers and my own.

Birth -

2 weeks

3 weeks

6 weeks - Halloween, love this picture

7 weeks

My family - Thanksgiving 9 weeks

9 weeks

10 weeks with Koda puppy

11 weeks - Christmas Ooga Booga I made

11 weeks

Today - almost 13 weeks

It's our due date!!! What I've been doing to keep busy

2009-09-16T13:47:00.011-04:00

So today is our due date. I don't think little Colton got the message. He seems cozy in his home. Zach and I are going to Outback as a kind of last date night and to celebrate our due date. I have been using the time waiting for him to sew more diapers. I have been a sewing fool. Five diapers in 2 days.

I had been making fitted diapers where the absorbent layers are sewn in and then I would add a snap in soaker. They tended to be bulky and I decided to try my hand at pocket fitted diapers again. They still need a cover like a fitted diaper, but you stuff the pocket and it decreases drying time and they seem less bulky. I made 3 with the pocket opening in the back and 2 with a "welt" pocket opening. The second type of pocket is a little more hidden and I hope it will hold up better with washing than the regular pocket diaper type.

So bamboo velour and fleece are pretty expensive but I have found cotton velour on Fabric.com for $6.95/yard. It's not as soft as bamboo but it's still pretty nice. I keep tweaking my pattern and changing things. I am hoping to finally perfect it and produce multiple diapers, maybe for sale one day. I think it will be easier to make when I have an established pattern.

Here is what I have been working on the past few days. I need to take my sewing machine in for repair because it keeps sticking and screwing up my stitches. It's ok for now.

Pocket with opening in the upper back part of the diaper - no elastic in the back part, only on the legs

Welt Pockets - allows me to put elastic in the back so there is no gaping and "plumber butt" LOL.

Welt pocket without a flap

Welt pocket with a flap to cover the opening

My next project is a one size pocket diaper with PUL from the Nykibaby pattern. It has a lot of snaps and is able to be adjusted. I can't wait to try my hand at that. I will def let you know how that turns out.

Winners For Giveaway Announced

2009-09-16T13:43:00.003-04:00

I have chosen the winners for the Uprinting.com Wall hanging giveaway using Random.org

The winners are:

Comment # 1 - babygiggles04 said...
The picture I would like to have printed is one of my 4 children. I got a nikon D-40 and have taken wonderful pictures of the kids.
September 2, 2009 7:39 AM

Comment # 3 - Lewru said...
I started following your blog, too!
September 3, 2009 9:37 AM

The winners will be notified via email from Uprinting by Sept 18 with instructions on how to claim their prize. Thanks to everyone who entered and Congrats to the winners. More giveaways to come in the near future. Stay tuned.

Finally bought snap pliers (had a little mishap)

2009-09-05T10:49:00.013-04:00

I finally bought Kam Snap Pliers. They look a little daunting but they really aren't. I have been using velcro on all my diapers and it is nice for adjustability but a pain in the rear to sew. Mine seem to always end up crooked. I have seen a lot of diapers with snaps and even have a few I bought. Kam Snaps offers a complete starter set for $30 with free shipping. They have super fast shipping too, it only took 2 days to reach me. I got them yesterday in the mail and started right away on a diaper cover I was waiting to sew. I made this the same way I made the John Deere one. It is a cotton print on the outside that I got for $1 at Walmart, fleece (hidden) with an extra fleece soaker, and teal flannel next to the baby's skin. I have to say it's my best sewing job to date. The wings actually match each other. LOL!

In case you are interested Kam Snaps is giving away a complete starter set. Entries are only $1/apiece and you can enter as many times as you like. The money collected will go to fund rescue efforts for dogs. You can find more info here.

I watched the tutorial Kam Snaps has on youtube and felt confident to start placing the snaps on my diaper. The tutorial shows you how to change the dyes for different sizes and how to apply the snaps to your fabric. I started on the front of the print, only placing them on the outside so they were hidden on the inside and won't rub against Colton. Needless to say after getting two snaps in place, I realized I did it WRONG. Oh my goodness. They were backwards and would not have worked that way. Since the fabric I had gotten was only an 18 X 21, thus only enough material for one diaper, I thought I had totally screwed up. With some effort and "rabbit chewing" I managed to break the two snaps and get them off the diaper, without ripping my fabric. That was a sight to see, me chewing off snaps. Glad I was home by myself. Needless to say, after that I carefully placed the snaps on the correct way. I applied the snaps to the wings after sewing. I would have been so bummed if I had ruined that fabric. Once you get the hang of it, it's pretty easy. Rest assured I will never make that mistake again.

Only 1.5 more weeks till my due date. We will be using disposables till his circumcision heals and the meconium is gone. Don't want to ruin my cloth diapers. The vaseline that is needed on a healing circumcision makes cloth diapers repelent instead of absorbant. I kinda hate that I can't start using my cloth right away. I also have some fabrics coming. So far I have only been using fleece and flannel. I have some knit stretchy prints coming as well as cotton velour for the inside. I also have PUL (polyurethane laminate) that came the other day. All I need now is suedecloth for my inners from Joann's who always seems to have a sale on it. Can't wait till everything arrives. I think my next post will be about the types of fabric used in making cloth diapers. I know most of my family and Zach's don't know much about them so that might be helpful. I will have to do more research and put together a list.

Here is the finished product and I must say, they hold pretty tight. I have heard from other moms that as babies get older they tend to take their own diapers off if it's only velcro. That can become messy pretty quickly. I am hoping the snaps will eliminate that problem, or at least make him work for it.

Inside - I love the teal color it matched so perfectly.

Adjustable with 6 snap settings on the front.

Used the Mama Bird pattern size Little - should fit 10-20lbs.

GIVEAWAY: Large Format Poster

2009-09-02T05:41:00.009-04:00

Do you have a picture that you would love to have blown up and hung on your wall? Well, now you can.
Largeformatposters.com is giving a way a 24 X 24 wall graphic to 2 readers of Cloth Diapering Mommy to Be blog. These posters use an adhesive fabric to adhere to your wall but can be peeled off and moved with no damage.
In addition to 2 of my readers winning, I get one too! The contest ends hopefully after our baby is here so a pic of him is what I am going to choose to have blown up. If he's not here by then, I will choose this 3D US pic.

---Enter to Win----

(Required) For one entry, leave a comment describing the picture that you would choose to have printed. You must do this entry before doing any extras.

---Extra Entries---

(Make sure you leave a separate comment for EACH extra entry.)

- Be a follower of Cloth Diapering Mommy to Be blog.

- Blog about and link back to this giveaway. Leave a link to your post in the comments.

- Go to Twitter: @uprinting and leave a tweet - come back and post that you left a tweet and leave your email or twitter ID.

- Become a fan of Uprinting on facebook: www.facebook.com/UPrinting. come back and post that you became a fan.

---Details----

Giveaway ends Monday, September 15 at 11:59 pm EST.

- Winner will be chosen by random.org.

- Rules for each entry must be followed valid.

- Giveaway is open to US/Canada residents only.

Ground shipping of prize is free, but there is a $5 handling fee that must be paid by the winner.

Large Format Posters observes the right to not print obscene of offensive material.

- All designs submitted in the form of a giveaway may be used by Large Format Posters for online marketing and promotional uses. The designs will be used solely as examples and not be printed or commercially distributed.

Please make sure that your email is linked to your account, or that you leave it in your comments!

Good Luck!!!

I love this diaper

2009-08-31T22:28:00.008-04:00

I planned on using this fabric to make a diaper cover with PUL on the inside. After learning to make the cover with fleece (like in the Dragon Diaper Cover) I felt I didn't need to spend the money on PUL just yet. I eventually want to try it though. This fabric is so stinking cute. It's made the same way as the dragon cover. It's just a 100% cotton print (outside), Fleece (hidden) and flannel next to the baby. Like I said in my last post, I can't wait to see how these diapers and covers actually function. I tend to think some of this stuff is too cute to be pooped in.

I also embellished a Gerber tshirt to match the dragon cover and plan to do this with a piece of the John Deere fabric soon. I have about 3 more diapers to cut out and sew, kinda went crazy with the fabric at Joann's and Walmart. I don't think I will be doing anything tonight though.

The next thing I want to tackle is to buy KAM snap pliers to apply snaps instead of velcro to my covers. There is also a good tutorial for replacing the velcro on Gdiapers with snaps. I love this blog, she has some really good ideas, so go visit.

My Rita's Rump Pocket Diapers

2009-08-31T21:18:00.011-04:00

I posted earlier this week about Rita's Rump Pocket diapers. They are a one size fits most and are adjustable from birth to toddlerhood. I used two pieces of flannel per diaper and the insert for the pocket was made with a tri folded microfiber towel with matching flannel wrapped around it and sewed. These diapers have an opening in the back where an absorbent insert is stuffed. Once the diaper has been used, the insert is removed before washing. These diapers are not waterproof and require a cover. It's a shame though, cause I have some really cute prints to try out. I hate to cover them. I like these diapers because they are adjustable. We will will see what sizes they truly fit when Colton gets here. Hopefully only 2 more weeks or less for that. The pic at the top of my blog is the different sizes these diapers fold to. They are all the same size unfolded. They adjust by folding the front and back and pinning or using a snappi. I am finding that the flannel doesn't want to snappi very well. I am hoping after a few more washes it will work better.
These diapers were incredibly easy to make. I am going to try to make one next week with strecthy knit fabric and bamboo velour on the inside. I hear the stretchy fabrics are hard to work with, but I am going to give it a try. I found a lady on Hyena Cart who sells diaper cuts. Diaper cuts are fabric that are usually 18X21 and just enough to make 1 diaper. I figured I would do that first, to see how easy it is to work with these fabrics
before I bought yards of them. I want to make some of my own modifications to this pattern. I don't like how "pointy" the wings are so I want to square them a little. I will try that with my next diaper.

Last night I attempted a fitted diaper from the same pattern. Fitted diapers have the microfiber insert sewn into a middle hidden layer. That way it is an all contained diaper and doesn't require stuffing. It does, however, still require a cover. They take longer to dry since they have more layers. I will say that I didn't like the way the fitted diaper folded and layed. I think it's because the back was not flat since I put elastic in this one and not the others, except for the legs.

I loved this doggy print from Joann's and the bright green just matched so perfectly. I wanted to like the fitted better but I am not so sure. I will have a better idea when I actually have a baby to model them.

So part of me is saying "great I can make diapers, awesome" and another part wonders if they will work for their intended purpose. Doesn't matter how cute they are, if they let pee leak all over my couch. But I will admit that shopping for fabric is so much fun. I also made a John Deere diaper cover which I will show you in my next post. Thanks for reading. Below are some more pics of my RRP diapers. In all the pics, the diapers are stuffed with a matching insert as in the first pic below. Also, you can see that stuffed this diaper is still very trim and not too bulky.

Getting a little better

2009-08-27T14:37:00.007-04:00

Zach had a handkerchief that had dragons and red stars on it and asked me to make a diaper cover from it. I was a little skeptical that I could do it, but I gave it a try. I can't remember which pattern I used as I have cut out so many and they are all over the coffee table.

I wanted it to be the best it could be so I took my time. The inner Velcro is a little crooked but I think I did pretty good. From the outside it's the 100% cotton print with dragons, Fleece (hidden to make it more water resistant) and the flannel next to baby's skin. It is made to go over a prefold diaper. It's not crooked in real life, but the last two pictures depict it that way. I actually did a really good on the leg elastics, but the pic doesn't do it justice. The dark color of the diaper doesn't help either. Zach loved it. He also has a House of Kolor handkerchief I want to use, but he won't let me touch it.

I keep making things to go over the prefolds and I want to make an All In One - which is put on just like a disposable and the whole thing is thrown in the wash. They are the easiest to put on, but they take long to dry and I'm not really sure where to start with making one or what materials to use. They have several layers and an absorbent pad sewed in the inside. They are pretty neat.

I got a pattern for Rita's Rump Pockets - which is a one size diaper that is stuffed for absorbency. They are sizable so "theoretically" they can be used from birth to toddler hood. I have 3 diapers cut out and ready to be sewn, but I am trying to get my cross stitch quilt finished. I have been so preoccupied with diapers that I have neglected my quilt. I really like the RRP because it reminds me of the BagShot Row Bamboo one size diapers which I LOVE. The only problem with the BSRB is: brand new they can cost about $23/diaper including shipping. I have bought 3 used in great condition ones off of swap sites for about $13/each. They are so stinking cute. I, like other moms, have become addicted to the BSRB and I think the RRP pattern will help me to make some of my own and save my wallet. Doesn't make sense to cloth diaper to save money, if you are going to just spend it all on the diapers. It is just so hard cause there are some cute diapers out there. It's easy to get addicted.

BSRB

RRP

If the RRP is true to form from the pictures and reviews it will fit a small baby and a toddler. I can't wait for Colton to get here so I can test out all the kinds of diapers we have. I plan to write reviews of all the ones I have bought and the ones I make.

I am 37 weeks and 1 day today and just playing the waiting game. I am going to work some more on my quilt and maybe sew a few diapers tonight. More later.

My first projects

2009-08-25T12:47:00.013-04:00

I mentioned earlier I got the sewing machine from my mom. It sat in my car for about 2 weeks before we got it into the house and I got it working. I was so excited. On my way home from work last night I stopped at Joann's and got some fleece. I found Katrina's Soaker Pattern and it was super easy to follow. I cut my fabric for the body, the waistband, and the legs. Sewing the body together wasn't hard at all. What tripped me up at first was sewing the waistband into the body. I finally figured it out and I love the way my soaker turned out. I know it's not perfect, it has some puckering at the legs and I have to work on fixing that for the next one. But I am super proud of it, because I have never really successfully sewed anything.

Here is my soaker - This type of fleece is water resistant and is made to go over a prefold diaper. It does not absorb.

I had some left over fabric so I decided to make a diaper cover. It is the patterned fleece on the outside, the solid fleece on the inside with a sewn in extra layer. It's a bit rougher, not really good at sewing around corners. It has elastic in the legs and back and I used Velcro to close it. The velcro on the outside is a little crooked, but Hey it's my first time. This is also made to go over prefold diapers and is used to be water resistant. I think it's going to be a little too small to go over the prefolds though. We will see.

My fleece diaper cover - I used the Mama Bird Pattern

Front

Back

Inside

Outside unfolded

And lastly my Fleece Longies - I used Katrina's Pattern again with the tutorial from a WAHM on diaperswappers. They are made like pants and are used over a prefold diaper also to repel liquid. I thought I would have trouble with this pattern but it was very easy. I had some puckering at the waistband, so of course it's not perfect.

My Fleece Longies - I really didn't think about it at the time, but i wish I would have lined the pattern up, but oh well.

Even though they are not "great" I am still very proud at my ability to actually follow the instructions, complete something, and not totally ruin it. I have yet to order my PUL (polyurethane laminate) and my Microfleece offline. I wish there was a store locally, cause when it comes to projects I am more of an "instant gratification" person. I want the fabric now and I want to get started. LOL. That is why I stopped at Joann's last night.

Thanks for reading and looking at my projects. More to come. Stay tuned.

Our diaper stash and shopping for fabric

2009-08-19T18:14:00.013-04:00

So it's pretty hard to be organized in a one bedroom apartment that is overtaken by baby stuff. After my long nap this afternoon I got the urge to clean and rearranged the bedroom. I used an old wooden bookshelf to hold my diaper stash. To the right of the bookshelf will be the changing table we are getting from a friend. I know they say you should have a water source close to your changing area, but right now with limited space, this is what we have. I can't wait to get a new house in November when our lease is up. I want at least a two bedroom with maybe a large bathroom I can put the changing table in.

This is the start of my stash - 4 Thirsties, 9 Gdiapers, 1 BSRB (Bagshot Row Bamboo), 1 WAHM fitted diaper, and 2 pocket diapers from Ebay (not so sure about these). I still have a few things in the mail. Three custom pocket diapers and 2 WAHM cutom diaper covers. Still have to wash my new prefolds when I can find the right laundry detergent. Probably going to use Country Save.

I also went shopping yesterday at Joann's and got blue flannel fabric with dump trucks on it to make a fitted diaper and a cute John Deere print to make a PUL lined diaper cover. I am going to use the Mama Bird diaper pattern. For $2 she will email you the patterns and instructions for AIOs, Fitteds, and Pockets in 5 sizes I think. Good deal if you ask me. I also hear the Darling Diaper Pattern is great, but I haven't bought it yet.

Needless to say I am pretty excited about getting started on the sewing. The only setback is that PUL and Microfleece are hard to find in local stores (aka impossible) so I have to purchase them online. A good place that was recommended to me was Kids in the Garden.

I need to get the sewing machine out of the back of my car and set it up, which means reading the manual because I have never used a sewing machine in my life. I have a lot of faith in myself and I am SO excited to try this. Zach (my fiance) said if I really get the hang of this I will be at the fabric store every week. He's probably right. This whole mommy/parent adventure is overwhelming and exciting at the same time. Our little man is due anyday now so I really need to get on the ball. Will update later. Thanks

Teaching my family about cloth diapers

2009-08-17T09:47:00.006-04:00

I went to my mom's house this weekend, about 3 hours south. One last visit before our baby comes. I have told my mom and cousin Melissa about my intent to cloth diaper Colton. They both think I am nuts and envision me with poop all over me, the baby and my house (their words not mine). So I packed up some of my stash that had already come and took it with me. I took:

Thirsties Duo Wrap cover
Snappi
Flat fold
Prefold infant and preemie (for gdiaper)
Gdiaper cover

I showed them how each thing worked on a teddy bear my mom had. Needless to say they will look better on my baby because his legs won't be so wide and he won't have such a wide butt. My mother hated the prefolds with the Thirsties cover and the flat folds. Too much folding in her mind. She also didn't care for the snappi, actually said it was easier to pin. I have never tried pinning, but I prefer the snappi cause you can do it one handed and I am a bit clumsy and would poke the heck out of myself repeatedly.

We are planning to use Gdiapers with preemie prefolds for inserts. She was a little more on board with the gdiapers. They are my favorite so far also. She did say that she prefered to keep a package of Pampers at her house for when our little one comes to visit. That sucks and if I am there, we will not be using them.

My cousin was a little more into it. She didn't quite get the concept of the diaper cover at first. I put the flat diaper on the bear and she looked at me as if I had lost my mind. She said "that is so thin, there will be urine everywhere". I then pulled out the cover and showed her. She liked it better when I showed her how the Thirsties cover was waterproof and had double leg gussets, and kindly gave me her permission the use them. LOL.

I don't know if it will ever really catch on with them. They both (more my mother) said to give me 6 months and I will be buying disposables. I love the confidence they have in me. Their lack of confidence then seeps in to the birth, saying I won't last without an epidural and I will be a b****. Well, that is just nice, they count me out before I have even started. At least my fiance Zach supports me. I will have no problem telling them (kindly or not) to get out if they are negative.

On a different note, I am interested in sewing my own cloth diapers. I am leaning more towards fitteds and covers. I also want to make myself a wetbag. I am not very good at sewing. I gave my mother a sewing machine about 4-5 Christmas' ago and she used it maybe 3 times. I told her I would love to start sewing my own diapers and she offered to give it to me. I feel bad taking it back from her, but it's free and has been sitting in her closet for the past 2 years in a box. So might as well put it to good use, right? I am so excited about this concept. I have been researching diaper patterns and different types of material. Scouring Youtube for tutorials. I will have to post my pics of my diaper covers when I actually get around to rolling them out. I wonder if I should start now, we have enough small diapers or wait till he is in mediums. Maybe I should start now so I know what the heck I am doing by the time he gets bigger.

My soon to be mother in law lives in Ohio and she quilts and sews and I would love to learn things from her. My fiance wants to move back up there in about 2 years. I am willing, it's beautiful in the spring and summer, but I am a Florida girl, we don't take too well to the cold.

That is it for now on my adventure. Got to get the sewing machine set up (hard to do in a one bedroom apartment full of baby stuff) and get to work.

Thought I was going to start my adventure early but no luck!

2009-08-12T23:49:00.004-04:00

I was at work today and started having contractions, high heartrate 120s, sweaty, back pain. Needless to say my coworkers sent me to L & D ( I work in the NICU right next door). I have a history of kidney stones with this pregnancy and every so often they flare up. Well that was the cause for all the comotion. I was passing a stone and it was irritating my uterus and causing contractions. I didn't know that at the time, I honestly thought our little Colton was on his way. I was kinda scared, but a lot excited to meet him. I am 35 weeks today so a few more weeks of cooking will do him good. So I spent 7 hours in L & D passing a stone and trying not to throw up. Fun huh?
When my fiance and I got home from the hospital I had two packages of CD supplies in the mail. I am so excited. Hopefully he will come on his own before my due date. I am getting miserable with kidney stones problems, being heavy and just tired. Once I get my complete stash I will post some pics.

Why become a mommy of the cloth?

2009-08-09T15:54:00.003-04:00

It seems since finding out we were expecting it has become all consuming. All we think about, spend our money on, talk about. It hasn't been the easiest pregnancy, with some ups and downs, but the light at the end of the tunnel is near (my due date).

How did I come to the decision to cloth diaper, you might wonder? When Zach and I first met in person we did what a lot of couples in love do, we talked about kids. How many, boy, girl, when? He also informed me that we would be cloth diapering our kids and I, of course, shot that idea down right then. I thought cloth diapering was time consuming, pointless, old fashioned, and just plain gross. He eventually let that argument die because he knew he wouldn't win.
At about 4-5 months along I joined Babycenter and fell in love. I loved having a supportive group of moms I could talk to and the drama that ensues is sometimes fun also. I stumbled upon the Cloth Diapering group on BBC and got intrigued. I didn't know there were SO many options to cloth diapering these days: All in ones, pocket diapers, diaper covers with prefolds or flats, wool covers, fitted diapers, one size diapers.

Well, once I got hooked and started reading about how easy it really can be, I didn't know where to start. The reason being that there were SO many options. What was more affordable? What was easiest? It seemed like everytime I had it figured out (which ones and way I wanted to do) I saw a new type I didn't know about. Talk about driving yourself insane, it's like being in a maze. First I talked to Zach about wanting to cloth diaper, better yet, I put my tail between my legs and admitted that he was right from the beginning. He was on board (aka - as long as I was happy he didn't care). Thus, my further researching began and the cloth diapering obsession overtook me and my house. Zach is a serious Ebayer so he suggested I try there. They sell Babyland pocket diapers from China I thought they were so great, so cheap. They have not gotten great reviews. I ordered 2 for $15 including shipping just to see what they were like (I'll let you know when I get them). Then I found Diaperswappers and fell in love. That is where I have ordered most of my diapers from. It's like BBC in some ways, they have forums and groups, but they sell and trade items. I find it very helpful for all my cloth diapering questions. I ordered my prefolds from Cottonbabies.

What I finally settled on was (my stash):

4 Thirsties Duo Wraps size 1 - Ebay
9 Gdiapers size small - with 19 liners - Diaperswappers
3 Cutiepoops small pocket diapers with microfiber inserts - Cutiepoops
2 Babyland One Size (Ebay diapers) pocket diapers with microfiber inserts - Ebay
2 WAHM diaper covers from a mom on Diaperswappers
12 Infant sized prefolds - Cottonbabies
12 Preemie sized prefolds
24 Flat Fold cloth diapers
4 Snappis
8 Bumgenius Newborn Doublers

Now all I need is a diaper pail, pail liner, wipes, and some wet bags for out and about. Keep in mind all of the above is in the mail on it's way to me. I got a little diaper crazy in the last week and decided on diapers and changed my mind. This is what I have started with and we will see which ones work when little man gets here. I'm excited to have my stuff arrive and get it all washed and prepped and displayed (pics will be coming).

This is definitely going to be an adventure. Another side of this is doing diaper laundry in an apartment building. We move to a house in November so I'm not too worried about it. But it should be fun to see how this all turns out and if I can really do it.

Who I am

2009-08-09T15:21:00.002-04:00

My name is Deborah. I am 24 and a soon to be mommy in September. I am engaged to a great man named Zach and this is our first baby, Colton Riley. Zach and I met online in 2007 and talked via emails and phone for 6 months before we met in person. He was in Ohio and I in Florida at the time. He came to Florida in April of 08 to meet me and stayed the whole month. I then spent the whole month of June in Ohio with him and his family. After talking and being together for a year long distance we decided we wanted to be together permanently. Zach moved to Florida and we both moved to Orlando for my new job (NICU RN). We got engaged in October 2008 and little did we know that baby Colton would make his suprising self known around January. Well that totally blew the October 2009 wedding out of the way, there was no way I was going to have a baby in September and get married in October. So we pushed the wedding back to April 1, 2010. April Fool's Day, I know. That is the day we met in person for the first time so it holds special meaning for us. I just hope no one thinks our wedding is a joke ;)
I can't wait for our little man to arrive and for our wedding.

I am starting this blog because I want to cloth diaper and it will be my first time ever. So if my ups and downs, successes and failures in the cloth diaper world can help someone else, I'm all for it. Plus it's neat to have all this in writing and show Colton someday.