Meet Amy of HippyChicDiapers

Thank you, Amy, for sharing a little about yourself! 

(My apologies, I was supposed to post this yesterday!  -Marcella)

Hippy Chic Diapers https://www.etsy.com/shop/HippyChicDiapers

Something interesting about me:

My mother taught me how to sew when I was 5.

How did you get started selling on Etsy?

I started making diapers for my third child and began selling them when others requested them.

What are you really enjoying making right now?Right now I really like making cute little newborn diapers.

What is most popular in your Etsy Shop?

My patchwork diapers sell out pretty quickly on Etsy these days. (That is pretty cute!)

https://www.etsy.com/listing/125532199/bright-bold-patchwork-newborn-hybrid?ref=shop_home_active

What song best describes your shop or your work ethic?

What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong

Anything else you'd like to share?

I really enjoy making unique custom diapers at the request of my customers.

Giveaway or promo code (optional)
ShipFree30 - Free shipping on orders over $30.

BLAST FROM THE PAST FRIDAY Cooking with Kids: Apple Rings

Here is a post that I thought was timely to repeat, as it is apple season!  Try this with your kids and comment below to let us know how they were.

Here's a easy recipe that your kids can help you bake. These make a great afternoon snack!

You will need:
2 apples
cinnamon (or cinnamon sugar)
parchment paper or foil
cookie sheet


Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil. Pre-heat oven to 275 degrees.

Kids: Wash off the two apples.

Remove apple core and slice thinly into rings (try to keep your slices fairly close to the same thickness so they all cook in the same time) then place in a single layer on the cookie sheet.

Kids: Sprinkle apple slices with cinnamon or cinnamon sugar.

Bake for about two hours, turning over about halfway through.

Enjoy!

Shades of Gray

'Gray' by madebyloved1

Cloth Diaper Medium Side Sna... TurkandBean $28	Children's 10-12 hand kn... KnitsAndNatura... $10
Upcycled Lambswool Sleep Sac... lilysdreams $18	Hand-knit mini blanket Lovey... MarcyArtsy $14
Newborn charcoal bamboo fitt... aprilsbaby $20.36	Honyebee - Toddler Organic B... HoldensLanding $50
Couture Mama Nursing Cover -... SweetBobbins $22.5	Turquoise and Gray T-shirt D... myfunclothes $26.5
Grey and Pink Polka dot Baby... LittleBundas $5.5	Upcycled One Size Wool Cloth... lilysdreams $27.5
Heart to Heart Baby Wrap Car... madebyloved $33.99	MamaBear One Size Fitted Clo... MamaBearBabyWe... $9

Sponsored by send bulk email from excel.

Product Review: Pre-Folds, Flats and Fitted's

Last product review we talked about wipes.  This week I want to tell you about pre-folds.  You can purchase pre-folds in all shapes and sizes, traditional to tie dyed, fitted to flats.....

There are three main options in pre-folds.  You can get fitted diapers, which really isn't a pre-fold, but you use it the same way, you put it on and put a cover of some kind over it, so I am including them in this discussion.  There are traditional pre-folds which are flat with extra layers down the middle and there are flats which are probably the oldest and most traditional form of diaper.

Lets talk about how to use each style 

Traditional flats are just that, a large flat piece of fabric, it can be anything from a flannel sheet, Birdseye cotton,  organic bamboo or osnaberg for example.  They are usually anywhere from a 27" square up to 32" square.  The nice thing about them is that you can fold them any way you like to customize the absorption area of the diaper.  For folding examples click here. Another advantage of flats is quick drying time.  Because they are a single layer, they will dry very quickly in the dryer or on the line.  They are also fairly economical ranging in price from $1.00-$2.00 each for plain cotton up to $8.00 or $9.00 for an organic hemp or bamboo type fabric.

Pre-Folds are the next generation from flats.  Instead of having to fold your diaper every time, these are smaller with a thicker section in the middle, so you simply have to fold in the sides and flip up the front. There are also several different ways to fold a pre-fold to get the same customized results.  Click here for a nice youtube video explaining them.  Pre-folds are easy to use, they are the usual diaper you get from a diaper service, they are easy to find and they will not dry as fast as a flat, but wash and dry very easy.  They range in price from $2-3.00 each on up for the organic or fancier fabrics.

Fitted Diapers I am including fitted diapers in this discussion, as they basically work the same way, you put them on and put on a cover.  Fitted's come in by far the biggest range of fabrics and cuteness.  You can find a lot of different styles of fitted diapers from our Etsy sellers here.  A fitted does not need folding.  It is already pre made to put on and snap, velcro or snappi up onto your baby.  Fitted diapers can have elastic or gussets around the leg, or be more plain.  They will sometimes snap/velcro or they will just have flaps to fold over.  You can find them lined with lush bamboo velour, or made from dads old T shirts.  Many sellers customize their fitted's for excellent night time absorption, or use organic fabrics on your baby's bum.  Because they are fitted, it basically means a nice snug good fit.   The advantage of fitted diapers is the ease of putting them on.  No folding, no trying to keep baby from wriggling away while you get the fold just right, you just put them on!  Fitted diapers will cost a bit more, but they are worth it for the customized absorption, nice fabrics and a nice snug fit.  There are also several patterns out there if you want to try your hand at making your own.

As with any other diaper item purchase, it is a good idea to try different styles to see what works best for you and your baby. Happy Diapering!

Meet Sarah from WeeWarmWoolens

Sarah is the creator behind the shop WeeWarmWoolens. She offers wool soakers, shorties, and longies in addition to other adorable knit items. All of the fun colors in her shop caught my eye and I had to know more about the person behind all those cute woolens.  

How did you get started in making cloth diaper items? 

I started knitting longies and soakers while pregnant with my second daughter. I knew I wanted to try cloth and thought I could save a lot of money if I knit all the covers myself. When I opened my shop on Etsy, I listed mostly hats because I didn't know there was such an awesome market for woolies. After listing a few pair of longies I started getting custom requests and it took off from there.

What is your favorite item to make?
That's tough, but I'd have to say longies. With all the pretty variegated yarns, it's hard to predict exactly what the finished product will look like. Watching the color pattern form as I knit is very entertaining. I also like the simplicity of the pattern. I've knit it so many times that now I could almost knit it in my sleep. 

I've seen photos of hand-dyed yarn on your Facebook page. Those look like so much fun. Can you tell us a bit about how you dye the yarn and the mediums you use?
I just started experimenting with hand dyeing yarn, and it is addictive! My dyes are nothing more than food coloring. Vinegar and heat set the dye. Some day I'll try acid dyes, but for now with two small kiddos I like that food coloring is nontoxic. My newest experiment is "confetti cake" yarn. I use an oatmeal colored base yarn and just go wild with the food coloring. It's cake with a lot of fiber, lol!

I love all the fun color combinations you use. Where do you get your inspiration?
I've always been drawn to color and I kind of just gravitate to bright and contrasting colors when I'm shopping for yarn. Sometimes I buy yarn with no plan for it in mind. It's only when I get home and put it with my other yarn that certain color combos pop.

Also, in many cases, the customer chooses the yarn...and I must say that my customers have great taste in color! :-)

Do you have any hobbies other than knitting?
Hmm, I crochet and I wish I could sew! Also, I'm trying to learn more about photography.

How does wool work as a water-resistant diaper cover? 
Wool is an amazing fiber. It can hold 30% of its weight in moisture before it starts to feel wet. The crimp in the fiber wicks away moisture and pulls it away from the body. Also, wool can be "lanolized." Lanolin is a natural oil that is found in a sheep's fleece, and it is very water repellent. Lanolizing is a very simple process and uses something many of us moms already have on hand; that purple tube of Lansinoh HPA Lanolin. Wool has long gotten a bad rap for being scratchy, but today's yarns are anything but!

If you could tell someone curious about cloth diapers one thing that you love the most about them, what would it be?
There are so many options with cloth diapering and a perfect system for everyone. Plus, with all the awesome WAHM diapers out there, shopping for diapers can become a hobby in itself, lol!

Now that you know a little more about Sarah, you can stop by to meet her via the links below.

Shop:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/WeeWarmWoolens
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/weewarmwoolens

Recipe Time! Greek Turkey Burgers

I thought a quick easy dinner recipe might be in order for this post. My boys just went back to school this week and so we begin the crunch of homework before dinner. These Greek Turkey Burgers are low in calories, high in protein and easy ,peasy to make! Make a few extra for a fast re heat lunch.

Ingredients:

1 lb of lean ground turkey meat

1/2 cup of Feta Cheese

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 cup of spinach, finely chiffonade

1 cup of whole baby spinach leaves for assembling

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

salt n pepper to your taste

1. Combine turkey meat, feta cheese, olive oil, chiffonade spinach, garlic, salt and pepper. Make into patties.

2. Refridgerate for 20 mins, just to help hold their shape. I sometimes skip this and go straight to the pan with these in a time crunch. If you are grilling them, this step is needed to help them keep their shape.

3. Cook 5 mins on first side,flip and grill 3-5 mins on other side. Make sure juices are clear.

4. These burgers are great simply dressed with a light mayonaisse, spinach leaves and a slice of tomato.

These are a big hit with my family and a great way to add in veggies for those kids who are not into veggies. Enjoy! Have a great weekend!

Wipes, Wipes, Wipes....

They are soft, they are fluffy, they come in all prints and sizes.  Some people love 'em; some people would rather use disposable store bought ones.   I am talking about wipes...  

 First of all, wipes have many uses beyond diaper changing.  You can use them for feeding clean up, burp cloths, wiping up spills in the kitchen, dish cloths, personal wipes, wash cloths and every time you use a washable fabric wipe in any of those circumstances you are saving yourself some money, preventing exposure to chemicals found in commercial paper products and helping the environment. Sounds great right?  So sign me up you say to try using cloth wipes.  Where do I start shopping, how do I know which wipe is right for me?  

Well there are many options out there.  Naturally we think you should start shopping on Etsy where you can purchase beautiful wipes made with love by crafts people who take pride in making a quality product, but I digress... You can start by thinking about absorbency.  For a lighter wipe flannel is great.  Flannel wipes, single or double layer, are prefect for using with diaper changes, and as cute little face cleaners.  They are not super absorbent, but they get the job done.  Next you have flannel wipes backed with some sort of organic and more absorbent fabric such as hemp cotton fleece, or bamboo velour.  These wipes are lush, soft and squishy; they are more absorbent than flannel alone and they also are usually an organic fabric option on the fleecy side.  These wipes work great for diaper changing as well and also are great wash cloths for baby or any family member.  They make great dish cloths and general mess cleaner uppers!  Another option along these lines are the terry cloth wipes with a fabric backing. These are probably the thickest option, highly absorbent, and very versatile as well.  Terry cloth options out there may or may not be made from an organic fabric.  

Now lets talk dollars and sense.... the average baby might go through approximately 4,000 wipes in a year.... that is a lot of wiping!  Your average pack of wipes costs about 2.00 for 72 (these are all rough approximations, your prices may vary) that is a total of $111.11 dollars for wipes in a year.  If you bought 2 dozen washable re usable cloth wipes you would spend anywhere from $18.00 to $40.00 that is a savings of at least $60.00 in the first year, and the savings goes up from there, as cloth wipes are very durable and last for years.  So using cloth wipes has not only the benefit of being soft and nice on your baby's skin, they are also soft on your wallet!  Please comment below and let us know your favorite wipes.  Click here to find Etsy Cloth Diaper team members who sell wipes, any of them would be happy to answer your questions!