It’s a DIY Day!!!

Hey Loves!

So, I’m not sure if it is nesting, me being a little crunchy or a combo of both but I’ve been researching and making, and researching and making!

The first thing I tried my hand at was diaper rash cream that was cloth diaper safe. Wait-let me back up- there are a lot of ingredients out there that are in baby products that I wouldn’t put on my skin, let alone my baby’s. There are products out there that more natural and safe but they can cost a pretty penny. So, I make what I can.

Back to the diaper rash cream. I liked this recipe because the ingredients could also be used to simply moisturize skin as well. I followed this tutorial to a T- except I didn’t have a double boiler I just melted it on low heat. I think this is why it took longer to set in the glass jar. I used lemongrass essential oil instead of lavender.

Since we are cloth diapering, I found this web page and got the skinny on some easy cloth wipes and wipe solution I can use so I tried my hands at those too.

While I was at it, I made some shower gel for me using this recipe. The soap was a little harder than I thought the break down and I probably could’ve had the water a little warmer to help with that. After the temps dropped, the soap hardened in the bottle making it pretty unusable. Maybe it will work in the summer?

Lastly, I made some toy and surface cleaner for ‘safe’ cleaning of my little guys items. In a spray bottle, I filled 1/3 of the bottle with vinegar and the rest with warm water. I added a few drops of Tee Tree Oil. So far, so good!

I have a little beeswax left so I think some tinted lip balm is next on my radar.

Note: I got the essential oils and beeswax from a local health food store. All the other ingredients I already had. I purchased the flannel for the cloth wipes from a fabric store for $1.59-1.74/yard.

My first Cloth Diaper Haul

Hey Loves!

I’m so excited to share this post with you! I ordered these cloth diapers, inserts and covers from irresistablygreen.com on Wednesday, 11/26 around 10 a.m. They were having a 40% off site-wide sale and I thought they was a great opportunity to start out stash and try a certified green brands, Tiny Tush, Sweet Pea and Sprout Change.

From a customer service aspect, I am very pleased. I received notification of my order shipment by 4 p.m. The same day. They also have me a free diaper because one they were out of one of the styles I ordered. Their website is also very user friendly and has a blog. I received my order one week later.

Ok, now to these diapers…

I’m so in love with the prints and colors. Plus, they feel Ah-MAY-Zing!!!! What do you think? They are pocket diapers and came with two inserts.

I know the thought of cloth diapering is making some of you cringe as we speak but after discussing it with the Mr. and some friends who cloth, it is what’s best for our family.

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I also got 6 Alva diapers (thanks Mom) from Amazon. These prints are also too cute!

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Top 5 Ways To Save Money on a Nursery

Hey Loves!

So, I have quite a few friends that are expecting as well and I get asked a bunch of questions so I thought I would share some thoughts. This post is how not spend a bizarre amount of money on a nursery.

Nursery’s can be tricky-you have to consider space, theme, budget and all of the super-cute stuff you can buy!!! Don’t fall into the trap! It’s hard but, so far, I’ve managed not to by sticking by the following:

1. Make a List- If you don’t remember one thing about me, remember I. Love. List. They keep you focused and organized. This list should include your need/must have furniture items, decor needs and maybe some wants at the end. I suggest registering for these items but big furniture is something you normally don’t get as a gift.

2. Make a budget- Have an idea of what you want to spend per item, and thus a total for the nursery. This will help you shop deals, use coupons and focus on your needs.

3. Buy used and save the difference- Some are really against this but I’ve found it well worth it. You can get great items at garage sales, online yard sales, friends, and craigslist (be careful!). Most babies rarely use so many items or not use them at all so you’re getting a needed item at a great price. Things to remember:
-all used items are not created equally so inspect and bargain.
-compare prices. If the used item your looking is the same price as a new one, it’s not worth it.

4. What you can’t buy used, by smart- The furniture items we needed and couldn’t find used we purchased from Ikea. The items from Ikea were cheaper than target and Amazon and gave us more for our buck.

5. Make what you can- Curtains, chairs, design items, etc. There are thousands of super easy tutorials out there for any skill level and if you can’t someone you know can or knows someone who can, so use your networks.

All if these tips can be applied to all baby items. We’ve so incredibly blessed and fortunate. We have spent very little of of our own money on baby items because we shopped smart, stayed organized, stayed on budget, bought used and graciously accepted hand-me-downs. Join some mom-groups and get the skinny on consignment sales!

Baby Making: Glider Edition

Hey Loves!

So with just 12 very short weeks before my baby boy is set to arrive, I’ve been busy making our home ready to welcome him. I started with recovering a glider rocking chair and ottoman that was gifted to us.

Note: I’m picky…more so than I thought. I couldn’t find a chair I really liked that went with my vision for the nursery so, as always, making one, or making as much as I could of one, was the way to go.

I started by visiting my local craft store and picking up a roll of foam padding and fabric. Our nursery theme is travel and I couldn’t resist the colors and simplicity of this fabric. It helped that my husband loved it too.

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The I traced the old cushions on the foam with a sharpie and cut along the lines.

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After that, I covered the foam pieces with the fabric, wrong side out. I didn’t cut along the fold. Instead I used it to my advantage- that’s one side without pinning or sewing. However, depending on the size of your cushions, that may not be feasible.

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Lastly, I pinned around the cushions, sewed them, flipped the fabric inside out and… Viola! A gorgeous custom chair for less than $35 and 1 hour of work. (I didn’t sew the bottom/back of each piece. I wanted to be able to remove for washing. I also plan to make a pillow or two for added support.)

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I did the same with the ottoman but that took longer because of the screws and staples from a staple gun. I used hot glue to leave room error. It won’t rip the fabric…

Until next time, like, comment and share!

What’s Been Going On In My Head

A friend and I had a convo last week about things that were or were not Facebook appropriate. I’m not sure this will fit the mold, so I wrote a blog.

Now that the election is over, I want you to think about something the next time you want to discredit a candidate. I want you to think about who they represent and the privileges said represented don’t have that you do. Think, just for a second, about the fact even if your w-2’s and socio-economic status’ were identical, because of what you look like, you haven’t certain privileges that they don’t, that I don’t.

Being a mom changes you and I realized that, more than ever this voting season. I have to do what I can at the polls to ensure justice for my child. Some of you will never understand and some if you may think that simply raising children with love is enough. (Note: to those of you who have expressed undying love for unborn child, I appreciate that and not disregarding it.) I used to. That was until I saw the utter heartbreak of wives and moms that looked like me mourning the loss of their mercilessly slain spouses and children, who looked like mine. I cried with them, not just for them because that could be my reality. Heartbreak. Pain. Suffering. No justice.

While you go about your daily task and walk through this life with joy, those women, their friends and families have no rest. They have a battle to fight with no weapons. I just can’t ignore that anymore. I can’t exclude myself from being aware anymore.

I have many friends that literally can not wait until our President is out of office. I’ve definitely had that feeling with other presidents, so please don’t think I’m disregarding or discrediting their political stances. I’m not. Again, I’m asking you to think about who our President represents. Despite running a country with the most ineffective and expensive health care system, a country where education is after-thought and our children are suffering, a country where its people of both dying of starvation and over-eating, he continues the work for who he represents. I’m not going to get into my voting record and political party-affiliation (as if I haven’t put enough of myself out there), but I’m sorry if he doesn’t represent you. Really, I am.

But what you should know is he represents me, more than ever now because, in addition to giving my child a more even play field to children in other countries, he is the one of the few that want justice for those slain children and some type of peace for those that mourn them. (Please don’t think or say anything asinine like “That’s not a reason to vote for someone” Duh! I got that. Just read and understand where I’m coming from. This is about thought process and changing said thought processing before you speak.)

Do I want to think this morbidly about my child’s life? No! But I would be ignorant if I did not grasp how much of a reality that could be. Do I want to think about that one parent who will ask her child to play with anyone but my son simply because she doesn’t understand enough about his skin-tone not to be afraid. Not at all, but I have to. Do I want think about the day when I see the innocence dim from my child’s eyes when we explain to him how he is ‘different’ and thus will have to behave differently in situations than friends that don’t look like him? Nope. Not one bit but I have to. Am I just chomping at the pervious bit to teach my child about extending tolerance that isn’t extended to him…you get the jist…

Now, for those of you who don’t have this problem, who have the privilege of not dealing with the above, I’m not condemning you. In not mad at you. I just want you to have the option to have some more clarity. You can read this and then proceed with life as usual, or you can read this and have no choice but to think a little before you speak from your vantage point of privilege. That’s my whole purpose-giving you just enough information to choose how you want to think.