I'm a Crafty One...

These days, down to one income, I'm looking at any way I can to save moola and make things better on our growing little family.

Everything from contemplating sewing things for the kids, to making my own diapers, to making diapers to sell, to knitting gloves, hats, diaper covers, etc. to just watching another kid for awhile.

I've also had the treasured and rare time to spend with my kids.  Having been a career focused mom for so many years, just hanging out with my son and daughter has been really nice!  The daughter has one heck of a great sense of humor, and the boy is still as sweet as he ever was, but he's growing up. Both of them are.  I've had a wonderful time this month teaching my son to make quiche and making my daughter her requested birthday dinner (filipino style!).

Even so - as much as it pains me - I do have to find something else to do with my time while they're busy having social lives.

I've been learning to knit (mostly to keep myself from going insane in the last few weeks of pregnancy).  It doesn't require much in the way of physical exertion, but keeps my hands and brain busy.  I've managed to knit a pair of mismatched sized (and shaped) baby booties, a pair of fingerless gloves, and now I"m working on a baby cap. Today I may run to Michaels and get a new pair of knitting needles and some different yarn.  

Another thing I've been researching is wool diaper covers. I did go to Goodwill and buy two wool sweaters and successfully felted them down for use. I debated on deconstructing the one and knitting with the yarn, but I opted to felt it instead. For those of you who don't know what Felting wool is - I have only done it once so I'm no expert - but it's the process of shrinking the crap out of it, basically. To learn more about how to felt wool, click here.   The two sweaters I felted down will become diaper covers for the baby one she's here.   I'll be doing another blog/vlog on that once she's born and I get my new serger!!!

Couponing - Well, I'm not getting all my groceries for .37, but i am saving on average about $7 bucks a trip.  That's nearly $30 a month.  Maybe it doesn't qualify for "Extreme Couponing" but it's pretty exciting to me!

Other than that, just working on slowly adding to my CD stash, thinking about the baby, and waiting.

"Stash", "Fluff", "Hemp", "Organic", no I'm not a drug dealer...

This week I am 37 weeks, and technically, if Baby Girl decides to make her entrance at any point from now going forward, there will be no stopping it!

I spent the last month frantically grabbing up as much Fluff Stash (which translates to "diapers" in Cloth Diapering lingo) as I could only to decide to use up all the disposables we got from folks at the baby shower first. Crisis averted!

About 7 months ago I made the decision to cloth diaper this little girl.  I immediately began Googling and realized I was WOEFULLY out of date on my cloth diapering lingo and knowledge.

First things first, there are so many terms now when it comes to cloth diapering, I had to get my head around those first.  Many an hour was spent on google.  Here is a short list of terms that may help you if you're at the beginning of your search. Where a longer definition is necessary, I've included a link:

Cloth Diapering Terms*

• CD - Cloth Diapering
• Sposies - Disposable diapers (think Pampers, Huggies, etc)
• Insert - the part that goes IN the diaper to absorb waste
• Cover - the outer part of the diaper. Used to be the plastic underpants.  Now it can be anything from colorful cloth to soft "minky" material.
• Minky - soft fluffy material used for diapers, can be used for both inserts and cover.
• Woolies - Wool outers that absorb liquid.
• Wool Longies - Long wool pants used as covers for cloth diapers.
• Snappies - 3 prong hooks that help hold certain kinds of cloth diapers on babies.
• Flats - the original cloth diaper. One layer of material, usually cotton.  But they can come in different materials now. Absolutely the most economical version. Needs covers.
• Prefolds - the next generation of cloth diapers after Flats.
• Fitteds - Diapers that sound exactly like what they are, "fitted" to your baby.  They usually come with a variety of snaps or Velcro (aka "hook and loop") to make them smaller or larger.
• Hemp, Cotton, Terrycloth, Microfiber - all kinds of inserts with different absorbency  The Hemp and Cotton can come as organic.  
• AIO - All In One. A kind of diaper that is all inclusive with an absorbent pad, a cover, all in one piece. When your baby wets or dirties the diaper, you take it off (rinse if necessary) and replace with a whole new diaper.  Similar to disposables.
• AI2 - All in Two. AI2's are usually the same as AIO's but allow for removal of the insert (the part that absorbs, and if nothing has spilled onto the shell or outer, that part can be used again. They have a hybrid option as well.  Technically, all other diapers are AI2's, whether they be pocket, snap, prefolds and flats with cover, or hybrid.
• Pocket Diapers - These are waterproof cloth outers with a "Pocket" on the inside to hold the insert.  When dirtied, the entire diaper needs to be washed. 
• Hybrid Diaper - this a diaper with a disposable insert.  Some of them are: Flip, Grovia, Best Bottom and GDiaper.  

Feel like an expert yet? Or do you feel as if you're in over your head? Don't worry. I almost gave up on CD'ing when I began researching. There's just too much information!  Then I found a site called Kelly's Closet and let me tell you, their tutorials, articles and information saved me.  I would urge you to go there.

Please let me know if I missed anything!  Happy Diapering!!!

*This list is NOT all inclusive and any brand I have named I did due to searching, no one has asked me to, this is not a paid advertisement.  The websites I have linked to are large sites frequented by CD'ing parents and they also did not ask me to do this.  Their use here is simply due to how they appeared in my google searches.

2013 Stuff. Stuff is good. I like Stuff.

There are quite a few things I’m planning on getting into when my SAHM status is actually SAHM.  Technically that doesn’t happen until 1/15 – but until then I’ll still blog/vlog and update FB.

The CRIBCAPADES!!!

Our beautiful Sorelle Crib was a given to us and has sat in our bedroom for about 3 weeks.  It was time to put it together.   The instructions that came with it told me to put the mattress frame together.  Then one more direction, then it says, in direction 3 – to do something BEFORE Instruction 1.  WHAT????  The instruction booklet left A LOT to be desired, but I muddled through.

After some trial and error (thank GOD I like puzzles) I managed to get it assembled and set up with the help of my Teen Diva – she was absolutely a help.  No way I could have done it without her.  She’s a good big sister. 

After the Diva and I got it assembled, the Boy and the Diva brought up the mattress, we made up the bed, put together the mobile and VOILA!  Instant cute!

Thank you to my family and friends who supplied the gorgeous bedding!!  I can’t wait to see Baby Girl in it!

My Cloth Diapering Dilemma

Here’s the sitch. I don’t have a big enough “Fluff Stash” – meaning, I don’t have enough diapers.  I’ve been in contact with a woman who makes them and she’s going to make me some Newborn sized diapers – I’ll try those out. Her company is called KyroBugz – and she has some SERIOUSLY cute diapers.  I can’t wait to put them on Baby Girl!  If anyone out there has a company, and they would like to have their diaper tried out – then please let me know. I’ll be happy to tell you what a newb thinks! I’ll be doing videos and commenting on them!

Also, I'm in the MD/DC area and have been looking for a place to get diapers that were maybe gently used.  I found a place called Greenberries in Columbia, MD.  This place is THE BOMB.  I will be shopping here regularly. While this is technically a "second hand" store, there is absolutely NOTHING second hand about this place. It is truly and upscale boutique where any parent can go to buy items, feel good about supporting local business, other parents, and leave without mortgaging your home to buy diapers, toys, high chairs, clothes, accessories - you name it!  Please tell them I sent ya!