Banana Bottoms

Happy New Year to YOU

2012-01-01T05:20:00.000-08:00

What a year! What a ride! If there is one thing 2011 had to teach me it's that I can do it.

I'm not going to list all I've done or accomplished. That's not the half of it. What is important is the new list I've created: things I'm going to do next.

This time last year I would not have dreamed to be where I am now, mentally and emotionally. 2011 gave me the chance to dream again.

I did have a lot of motivation, 4 to be exact, but the message here is that if there is something that you have been putting off, too scared to do, too worried to go out on a limb for, just DO it. This is your year! It is never too late, too soon, too scary, too much. Grasp your dreams and go for it!

What have you got to lose?

Happy 2012 ~ may your year be filled with health and happiness!

Be yourself

2011-12-31T02:32:00.001-08:00

One thing I want my kids to remember: don't be afraid to be yourself. It's what makes you YOU!

And if that means that you are a 'baby princess fairy pony'... OWN IT!

Today...

2011-12-30T06:18:00.001-08:00

happiness is a cup of tea.

Happy Holidays

2011-12-29T07:16:00.001-08:00

I am tidying up my sewing area today and dusting off the sewing machine. Time to get back at it :)

I've had a chaotic few months, juggling family, friends, work, school and yoga training. I finished my last yoga weekend for 2011 in early December, wrote my last final for school on December 16 and proceeded to sleep for the next 5 days. Woke up refreshed and renewed and vowing to maintain a workable balance for the new year.

I am continuing to teach yoga in elementary schools and I'm practice teaching Kripalu adult yoga in January and February and still maintaining a full course load at university so while I hope to be able to sew it may not be as much as I like.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a happy and health 2012!

Fun Fluff For Fall

2011-09-02T10:49:00.000-07:00

'Fun Fluff for Fall' by monkeytoediapers

Fall is around the corner and here is some great looking stuff from the Etsy Cloth Diaper Theme

Pumpkin Fleece Soak... ShopJustForYou $12.00	Peace and Love Flee... bullfrogboutiq... $5.99	Hand Knit Wool Long... JillyBeanJar $45.50
Fall ooga booga Ny... monkeytoediape... $18.00	Fleece cloth diaper... winkydinks $11.75	NEW, Ready to Ship ... NorthernMom $20.00
NEW -Dinos in Brown... SweetBobbins $14.00	Waterproof Diaper C... bundlesofjoy $13.50	Pretty Owls Pocket ... CutesyTushies $15.00
LAST ONE Girly Skul... bananabottoms $21.00	Punk Rock Diaper Co... TheEliMonster $16.50	DIAPER COVER happy ... Zookies $15.00
Orange Gradient - T... HoldensLanding $34.00	Free Ship - Medium ... ZanyZebraDesig... $45.00	Sweet Bobbins Cloth... SweetBobbins $6.00
Out of This World F... BeatsBoutique $12.95

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

East Coast Life

2011-09-02T09:59:00.001-07:00

I've lived on the East Coast for almost 11 years. If there is one thing that I can say for certain, Nova Scotia sees some big storms.

Lawrencetown Beach is well known for it's surfing and I like to spend time there, relaxing on the rocks and watching the surfers. My oldest has talked of wanting to learn, so we've decided we'll take some lessons next summer and try it out.

Big storms bring big waves and bring out the more daring surfers. With Hurricane Irene approaching, waves were reported to be getting big. So my oldest and I headed out there for the afternoon to check it out. (Please note: Please don't ever go near the coastline during a storm. This is very dangerous and many people have lost their life doing so. We were there approximately 48 hours before the storm hit.)

It is very humbling to sit and watch Nature's force. Even in it's fury there is beauty. I love to listen to the water rush up on the rocks, and then trickle back down into the ocean.

While Irene tracked further inland and spared Nova Scotia the worst, the waves were reported to be about 20 feet. We were there a few days after the storm and the info sign reported big waves and dangerous swells. Not for the faint of heart.

The natural mama

2011-08-27T02:58:00.000-07:00

Curated by Bundles of Joy on Etsy, a lovely treasury to remind us that simple is better when mothering.

View the treasury on Etsy!

The downside to cloth diapering

2011-08-26T09:52:00.000-07:00

It can't be all rosy, can it? There has to be something that is unlikeable about all that cute fluff. Right?

Honestly, I can't think of one. Not one bad thing that repeatedly irked me every time I pulled out a cloth diaper to place on my kids. I did not always love diaper changes but I did love using cloth on my children. Especially because they are so darn cute!

Sure there were days when the thought of doing another load of laundry wasn't topping my list of fun to-dos but that tended to be few and far between. And were usually followed after a night of no sleep, when frankly, the idea of having to do anything was an unpleasant task.

There are, however, some horror diaper stories, and I don't think that cloth diapers hold the exclusive rights to these. Here's mine:

I had planned to take the Go Train up to Toronto. My son was about 7 months and had just started eating bananas. Just as we arrived in the parking lot, he pooped. A lot. And then some. (And it was a crappy diaper so it was a lovely blowout - enter the idea to make my own cloth diapers!) So while I was thankful that he got it out of his system before we got on the Go Train and I had to carry a putrid diaper around all day, I was not loving returning to the car and finding the half-baked diaper waiting in the trunk. I threw that one out :( And that is probably the worst I can think of.

You? Is there something you dislike about using cloth? Or do you have a horror diaper story to share?

New Preemie sized fitted cloth diapers

2011-07-10T16:24:00.001-07:00

Hot off the sewing machine and sized for a tiny bundle of joy!

Why use cloth for a preemie?
* Soft, cuddly and comfortable cloth diaper. No scratchy, irritating paper to disturb their delicate skin
* Eco friendly fibres next to baby's skin
* Less chance of diaper rash
* Breathable and comfortable for baby's bottom

We were parents of a preemie. Besides the obvious stressors of having a baby born much to early, I felt really disconnected from my daughter for the first little while. She was in a tiny incubator and we couldn't hold her, touch her too often, make too much noise around her, and the list went on. We were able to change her bum, though! And oh how I wish that I had cloth diapers that fit her. I didn't have time to sew them for her but now they are available for your little one.

If cloth diapering is part of your parenting, these preemie cloth diapers will allow you to continue your parenting style with ease. They are quite tiny:
Sizing:
Rise: 12"
Waist: 8" - 13"
I expect that they should fit until approx 8 pounds.

These do not have a lay in soaker. If your child is on meds that increase his/her output significantly I am able to sew up a soaker quickly for an additional $3.00.

P.S. These also work well as a dolly diaper ;)

Summer is here...

2011-06-24T05:55:00.001-07:00

I think. We have hit that first few glorious weeks of sun and warm(er) weather. The school year is winding down. The shouts of kids echo throughout the neighbourhood. Flowers are blooming, gardens are growing. And with it brings the promise of sand, waves and freedom.

Have a glorious summer everyone!

Introducing... Newborn Super Nights

2011-05-26T14:39:00.000-07:00

With all 4 of my kids, the first few months of their tiny lives were a blur. Tired, squinty-eyed kind of blur. All babies are not the same, as we all know, and I was shocked (ok, jealous) to learn that some newborns would actually sleep for longer than an hour or two. Who knew?

So it is to these super sleepers that I introduce the Newborn Super Nights.

The same pattern as my original newborn cloth diapers but now with even more absorption. This fitted cloth diaper is constructed with a separate shell and soaker, which will clean thoroughly and dry more quickly, saving you time and money! Includes the newborn super soaker, topped with bamboo/organic cotton velour.

This increased absorbency is perfect for naps or night time, allowing babe and tired moms and dads to get more sleep - Super! This will also be beneficial for babes with increased output.

These prints are super adorable and just begged to be sewn up right away!

Available now in my Etsy shop!

Run baby run

2011-05-24T06:19:00.000-07:00

Dade has been part of the running club at his school for 2 years. They practice twice a week, right before class, and he has always enjoyed it. There are weekend races that they can take part in, as well, and they are on average 1.5 kms. He has always enjoyed it and I have noticed a huge improvement since just last year. His form has improved and he looks refreshed when the race is over. Not worn out, like he did last year.

So when he announced that he wanted to do the Blue Nose Marathon Youth Run this year I was excited. He practiced with his running club and with me, leading up to it, so we were confident that he would do well (which should read: I thought he'd be able to finish it :) It is 4.2 kms long so quite a bit longer than he is used to. It was emphasized that it wasn't a 'race' (it wasn't a timed event) but that the focus would be on completion.

Everything was great until the night before. And the little niggling worries started to pop up. "How many people are going to be there?" Well, I imagine there will be about 500. That's just a little more than are at the weekend races. "What if I can't finish?" Just think of it as going to school and coming home again. You can do it! And if you get tired you can always walk. That seemed to quell his worries and off to sleep he went.

So then it was my turn to worry. "What if he got lost?" There are volunteers all along the route to keep them on track. Ok. Zzzz.

Race Day

Waiting for the bus

We took the bus down early so we could get our bearings before things got underway. We showed Dade where he would meet us after the race, where the bathrooms were (that's always my big concern ;) and where we were going to hang out with his classmates until the race.

Excitement was everywhere! Dade's school met outside near the start line so we had a great view of things as they unfolded.

Starting to line up

When it was time to go to the start line, Dade and his running buddy went off with moms keeping a close watch on them as they went. It wasn't long before they were lost in a sea of kids!

Hmm... where's Dade?

Over 3000 kids participated in the run! Wow! It was great to see that many kids out.

The great finish!

Dade needn't have worried. He finished! He rated the run: "Great!" He did get lost at the end when he couldn't find where to meet in the arena. With that many kids I'm not surprised! The organizers had a Lost Kids section so he ended up there. He recovered more quickly then me...

Before and after. Check out the 'blue nose'!

This was a wonderful event! It was very well organized and the excitement was contagious. Can't wait until next year!

Happy Victoria Day

2011-05-23T05:22:00.000-07:00

Size large training pants

I have some size large cloth training pants stocking tonight. They will (all 24 pairs!) be listed by 10 pm AT at www.bananabottoms.com.

My favourites!

Life's little blips

2011-05-17T05:20:00.001-07:00

It's been an interesting month here, full of rain and grey skies, not very motivating.

Point Pleasant Park: Halifax, Nova Scotia

Awaiting the race....

A month full of plans, family visits, planned work breaks, broken washing machines (the horror!), activities, illnesses, unplanned work breaks: the result being I am behind on, well, life in general ;)

So what is a mom to do when faced with a crippling to-do list and shack-whacky kids?

And for those of you who are thinking I'm employing child labour,

rest assured that this is a one-woman sweatshop only ;)

Food choices ~ do they need to be regulated?

2011-04-27T02:43:00.000-07:00

Well I just finished reading a news article questioning this very fact. Do we need government to tell us just how unhealthy a meal at your local fast food chain really is? Will extra tax on a bag of chips really make me think twice about buying it?

Obesity has serious health implications. Eating unhealthily contributes to it. These obesity-linked diseases can be prevented with lifestyle changes. In fact, this article has the WHO agreeing with many of these same suggestions.

Healthy food choices are easy to make. Or are they? The crux of the argument behind the suggestion of new laws seems to be that (1) We are unaware of just how bad junk food is for us, and (2) We lack the willpower to make healthy food choices.

The comparison has been made to the legislation surrounding tabacco: graphic warning labels, age restrictions, not to be on display. Do we need to do this to junk food?

You might say no, enough government involvement already. And I tend to lean towards this a bit myself. But then I take a look around and there are a lot of overweight people. And a lot of those are children!

I often hear the argument that healthy food is more expensive. I think that's a poor argument and not based on fact. In my experience, a bag of chips is expensive! Ice cream is expensive! Processed cheese is expensive! It is cheaper to serve my kids an apple for snack then a bag of chips. Or a bowl of crackers and cheese, or yogurt, or applesauce, etc.

But that's just a snack, what about a meal. I guess that fast food would be considered to be a 'cheap' meal out. For our family, that's 2 adults and 4 kids, that would cost around $40. Last night was meat-night in our house: homemade stew with veggies, homemade buns, cucumber and carrots with dressing for dip. Milk to drink. Cost approx. $20. That's half price folks! And there were leftovers for lunch today. Not only are healthy food choices better for you, they cost less, too!

I don't have time to make a meal. That's another poor excuse. To prepare the stew: 20 minutes. Into the crockpot it goes, ready at the end of the day. Buns: 5 mins to measure ingredients into breadpan. 5 mins to prepare dough and pan to bake. Veggies: 2 mins to cut up. So all together: approx. 40 mins. The same amount of time it would take to pack the kids up, put them in the car, and drive to/from the local fast food chain.

Packaged foods are convenient. Taking stuff out of a package and doing whatever the directions say takes little time. So you've got me there. I guess that's where common sense needs to come in. That and a few questions: Do I want to serve this to my family? Do I want to eat this? Do I recognize the ingredients?

I think the best suggestion is to have standard portion sizes. Check out your bag of potato chips: What's the portion size? 20 chips? And how much fat does that portion have? Now, do you really stop at 20 chips? Betcha' can't eat just one...

Do I need legislation in place to tell me a food is bad for me? No. I don't. Do others? Perhaps. You might say it's common sense. Well look around you. How many people are overweight? How many kids are?

And really, just as the anti-smoking legislation didn't make everyone quit smoking, this legislation won't eradicate junk food from our diet, or obesity from our population. But by making more people aware of their food choices and making convenience foods a little more 'unseen' (with less advertising) would help to reduce the appeal of junk foods. Healthier lifestyles involve a lot of aspects but food is a key component to that.

When I grocery shop I look at packaging: read the labels! How much sugar is there in it? How much fat? How much sodium? Wow, there is a lot of salt in prepared foods! I also avoid individual packaged items as much as possible. By following that I've eliminated most of the snacks in the store. Another tidbit, certain neighbourhood grocery stores have different food choices: Is this a trend everywhere? Maybe. Is this relevant to the demographic they serve? Well there's the sociologist in me :)

For example:
Clayton Park: a lot of convenience foods. I find it hard to get all my basics here.
Spryfield: a lot of junk foods, convenience foods. I still love No Frills for my basics but this store is beyond chock-a-block full of crap. Nice veggie section, though.
Should grocery stores be held accountable for offering a balance of healthy food basics with convenience foods?

What thought processes do you go through when you shop for your family? Are you more concerned with convenience or healthy food choices? Or do you try to balance both?

How do custom orders work?

2011-04-05T05:14:00.000-07:00

I love doing custom orders. I have a lot of requests for custom orders so thought I'd explain it here in a little more detail.

How can I order custom cloth diapers?

You can buy a custom slot with confidence! The majority of my cloth diaper orders are custom orders. You can expect your hand-picked cloth diaper package to be ready to ship within 2-3 weeks of placement. Custom listings are available in my etsy shop for purchase, available in 5s or 10s. If you would like to have a different number, or a combination of sizes, please email me and I will set up a listing for you. Can't see a listing? I'm booked solid!

You can either request boy or girl prints, or choose your own from my available fabrics. Please keep in mind that although I do my best to keep my fabric choices up to date, there will be times when I run out of a fabric before your order so please keep alternate choices in mind.

These take 2-3 weeks to complete as they are sewn especially for you. If you simply are too excited to wait, I do offer bulk discounts on in stock cloth diapers. I do strive to get these orders out as quickly as possible, often in as little as a week, however it may take the full time so please be prepared for that.* I will update you on your order's progression, letting you know when I anticipate it mailing, and again when it is in transit, along with a tracking number. Sneak peek photos will be posted on my facebook page as well.

Do you take training pant custom orders?

I have a hard time keeping them in stock in my etsy shop so don't want to accept custom orders at this time. I do offer discounts of buy 5, save 5% or buy 10, save 10% when buying in bulk but will not be offering custom slots at this time. In the future? Maybe*

I always have trainers on my sewing list. I do take requests for sizes and girl or boy prints, or even specific prints, but please keep in mind that I will not be reserving or holding these for you. I will convo you when they are up and post an announcement on my facebook page when new trainers are listed.

Do you make cloth diapers for larger kids?

Yes. Please contact me and see if I have time for this. I need to block time off for drafting a pattern + sewing the diapers. I would love to be able to provide you and your child with a comfortable and high quality cloth diaper. I am not always available but can help you find someone who is. I have connections :)

Do you make other items?

Yes. I have had requests for table cloths, mama cloth, incontinence pads, crib sheets, etc... and am happy to make these, time allowing. My customers have great ideas so I am happy to help make them a reality. If these are specialty items that I need to draft a pattern for then your items may take longer to complete.

Things you should know:
-prepayment is a must for all cloth diaper custom orders. This reserves your spot in line and I progress through orders as I receive them.
-Prepayment for training pants is not required. This is because I will not reserve trainers. Once they are listed, you will be notified that they are available for purchase.
-All other custom orders: As I get to your order, I will invoice you through paypal, or private listing on Etsy, and ask for payment. This means that I am preparing to start work on your order and prompt payment is appreciated.
-I will not take on more than I can handle. One thing I've learned in my (somewhat) older age is how to say no :) Please do not be offended if I have to say no. I design/make/sew/market everything by myself. I'd love to be able to help but I need to keep on track with existing work and recognize my limits. If I know of someone that can help you out, I'll be more than happy to point you in their direction.

*Hey! You've come this far :)
Banana Bottoms is a registered business run by one designing/drafting/sewing mommy, me! I run my business as a business. I use high quality materials in all of my items and take great pride in the quality of work I produce and send out. I've built a reputation around this and plan to keep it. My life is hectic but I've taken that into consideration when providing expected shipping dates. I've alloted 'wiggle room' because, hey, life with 4 kids in unpredictable! Thanks for your understanding and more importantly, your support!

Hi ho, hi ho

2011-03-31T07:01:00.001-07:00

... it's off to work he goes...

Yes, after 14 months my husband has started back to work. (For those of you that don't know, he fell off a roof at work and broke his back) For all the worry that came with his fall, we had found, after many months of wiggling and healing, a comfortable routine. He'd pack lunches for the kids, I'd take them to school. I'd do the morning chores, he'd do the evening ones. I could practice yoga everyday, he'd play guitar. I'd get my sewing done and work on business things, he'd be the stay at home dad. And, the best part of him being home, I didn't have to cook dinner ever (well 5 times, maybe, and I know how spoiled that makes me!).

While I wouldn't want anything like this to happen again, or to anyone else, it has had it's blessings. My husband and I both have new respect for each other and our roles in our family. It's been an eyeopener for my husband to see what goes on all day at home. Just what it takes to keep our household running: the work, the energy, the patience. And he liked it! And as I ramped up my business to try to replace his lost income, it was revealed to me just what it meant to be the breadwinner of the family: the work, the long days, the stress of being the sole earner. And I liked it!

But the biggest winners here were the kids. My husband worked 6 days/week prior to being hurt and was gone before the kids woke up and returned at dinner time. Now Daddy was home all the time! He was there to have snacks after school, take them to the doctor's, play outside and build lego. All the time! Biker became Daddy's shadow and followed him everywhere. I re-learned how to speak in complete sentences and have adult conversations.

Now he's working all day. I'm back to juggling time at the sewing machine and with my kids, the house is getting dirty, there's laundry to put away, kids to play with, groceries to be gotten, sibling battles to mediate, packages to be mailed, what's for dinner? But then there is that one glorious part of the day: the kids are snacked out, playing outside, happily engaged in childhood. No one needs me. So I can have my coffee and sit for a bit of chin wag.... but someone's missing.

How To Care for Cloth Diapers

2011-03-06T03:19:00.001-08:00

From dirty cloth diaper to clean and cute fluff: how do you get from one to the other? Using and caring for cloth diapers is not a lot of work and is actually pretty straight forward.

The scoop on poop

All solids need to be disposed of properly. Even if you are using disposables, solids need to go into the toilet. While there are some tools out there designed to make this easier, they can be pricey and aren't absolutely necessary. Often a quick shake will get solids off, sometimes a 'dunk and swish' is needed. I remember reading somewhere that one mom used a rubber spatula to scrape it off. Whichever appeals, get those solids in the toilet!

We were fans of dunking and swishing, especially when our kids were young and, well, there wasn't too much 'solid' solids, if you catch my meaning ;)

Storing dirty cloth diapers (or wet vs dry pail)

There are pros and cons to both of these. I've done both. Whatever works for you. There are special diaper pails, again not so necessary. There are wet bags. If you plan to use a wet pail, your storage container should have a lid so a young child/animal will not fall into the water. Alternatively, store the container in an area where the child/animal will not gain access. If you plan to use the dry pail method, your storage container doesn't necessarily have to be a 'pail'. There are many differently sized wet bags out there that you can store soiled cloth diapers in until wash day.

We used both methods, wet and dry. For both we used a mop pail. It was cheap and small, where storage size wasn't an issue for us as we washed our cds every day. When the pail was empty it was easy to clean and the smaller size also made for easier handling on wash day.

The stink Factor

But don't they stink? Well, yes and no. It isn't the cloth diaper that stinks but the deposit that's made into them. And sometimes that stink can linger in the fabrics of the diaper.

So how do you reduce these aromas? Proper rinsing of solids is important here. We also liked to use a sprinkle of baking soda in our pail. Also a few drops of tea tree oil can be used, which also has a natural antibacterial property.

Honestly, we kept our soiled diapers in the main bathroom of our house and never noticed a lingering aroma.

Washing

Wash day is simple. And while everyone has their own routine, the main thing to remember is wash on hot, cool rinse, extra rinse. Hot water is essential to kill bacteria in the fabrics. Warm water is not enough. A small amount of soap is fine. There are specially formulated cloth diaper detergents out there but we used an environmentally-friendly one from our grocery store and never had any problems. I always recommend an extra rinse to make sure any remaining soap is out! Of course, different cloth diapering materials require different care and this is specific to the natural fibres used in my Banana Bottoms fitteds.

If you've used a dry pail (or wet bag), simply place the cloth diapers in the wash, add your soap, and you are off to the races.

If you've used a wet pail, you can (1) empty out the water in the tub, rinse the diapers out, put in washing machine or (2) empty pail, both diapers and water, in the washing machine, set for spin cycle, proceed with wash. We did it by hand before we knew better.

While washing every day isn't necessary, I don't recommend waiting longer than 2 days between washes. In fact, if you can, I recommend washing every day. Why? The longer the cloth diaper fibres sit, dirty, the quicker they will breakdown and they will also stink more. I don't have any scientific evidence to back this up, however, this is what I observed after cding my 4 kids. This will let your cloth diapers last and last, maybe through all of your kids.

Drying (or the crunchy vs fluffy cloth diaper)

Cloth diapers can be line dried or thrown in the dryer. I recommend line drying. Not only is it cheaper and easier on the environment, the sun is a wonderful, natural stain remover. And your cloth diapers will last longer. If you must get rid of crunch, you could always throw them in the dryer for a few minutes when you bring them in. But as not everyone has access to the great outdoors, these can be thrown into the dryer.

Another personal observation: my cloth diapers smelled fresher if they were outside. Almost as if the wind could blow the stink out of them. Ones that went straight in the dryer smelled not as fresh.

Caring for cloth diapers is easy! And there are no fast and hard rules. Whatever works for you, do it! Your fluff will love you.

Playing catch up

2011-03-03T08:53:00.001-08:00

After a 2 week break, the kids are back to school and we've all settled back into routine. It was a longer school break than normal as Halifax played host to the Canada Winter Games. While we didn't get to any of the events, we did manage to get in a lot of outdoor time!

Hmmm... missing one

Oh wait... there he is :)

I have been trying to catch up on stocking Stellar Transitions Training Pants. Please do let me know if you are waiting for anything in particular and I will notify you as soon as I have some listed. These sell quickly!

Stellar Transitions Training Pants

I have also been making custom packages of bamboo velour cloth diapers. I find even more joy in sewing cloth diapers now... maybe because I don't have to change any ;) ?

Custom cloth diaper listings

My new favourite print:

Dinos on yellow

Here's to a great March!

The 3 Rs revised

2011-02-11T14:34:00.000-08:00

The East Coast winter has arrived, finally! And while winter for us means shovelling, building snow forts, snowball fights, and snow angels, there is also quite a bit of time spent curled up on the couch with a warm blanket and a great book. Reading, reading, reading!

I love to read and have been known to stay up till the wee hours of the morning to finish a really great book. Often. I have a stack of books beside the bed and most nights fall asleep with a book in my hands. And I feel blessed that my kids enjoy books as much as I do.

Halifax has a wonderful library system and a truly gigantic selection of books. Our kids love to pick out books for storytime and we end up with a mix of trucks, princesses and animal adventures welcoming us into dreamland. We are always on the lookout for new books to read, both on our own and as shared stories.

Last month we stumbled on a new series (well for us) by Mo Willems, about Elephant & Piggie... these books are hilarious. The stories are funny, the pictures simple yet entertaining, and the words are easy enough for beginner readers to tackle. These are books that we read over and over again, and then again the next night. Tannon even declared she wanted to learn to read so she could read them herself. These books have definitely found a permanent home on our bookshelves, right alongside Dr. Seuss.

All of our kids are in french immersion, and while they can read in french, getting them to do it willingly is quite another story. So when I stumbled upon a well-stocked french book section at our local bookstore I couldn't resist buying a few.

Tristan (grade 7) will think nothing of devouring an english book, but a french book, forget it! We have better luck getting him to the hairdresser (and if you've seen how long his hair is...). So with my fingers crossed I picked up 'Winn Dixie' and 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid', both in french. Not only did he agree to sit and read for 20 minutes, he read for an hour, and then picked the book back up again later that day to continue!

Dade (grade 2) isn't a huge fan of french reading, as evidenced by his full body fits and screams when he's told it's time to do his reading homework. But I found a series of books by Kate DiCamillo (author of Winn Dixie) about a pig named Mercy. This is geared to his age level, has chapters and very colourful pictures. It is a humorous story and engaging enough to take him through 2 chapters with relative ease and ask to continue it at bedtime.

Good books definitely make a difference between a hair-pulling, teeth grinding reading session and a laugh out aloud read-a-thon. After this success, I am hopeful to have many more chilly winter afternoons curled up with the kids and a few good books.

What books do you like to read with your child(ren)?

Newborn Cloth Diapers

2011-02-10T08:56:00.000-08:00

Ooh these are so sweet! Soft and scrumptious cloth diapers for a new little babe, custom made according to mom's request (outdoorsy, animals, gender neutral).

I think all of the prints are adorable but if I had to choose a favourite, it's definitely this one:

Which one do you like best?

New Cloth Training Pants

2011-02-08T06:15:00.000-08:00

Medium Stellar Transition Cloth Training Pants (2T-3T)

Large Stellar Transition Cloth Training Pants (3T-4T)

These will be listed later today in my Etsy shop.

Another custom

2011-02-06T10:28:00.000-08:00

I have a special customer, who although she has purchased several cloth diapers from me, requested a custom order of pads.

She has incontinence issues that require her to use pads almost continuously but she wanted to be able to customize the absorbency to suit her needs. We talked out a few options and I sent her a few different ones to try out before committing to a huge purchase. Well if you use cloth menstrual pads you know how comfortable cloth pads are in comparison so you won't be surprised to find out she was hooked. We tweaked the size and absorbency layers and came up with a style she loves.

These cloth pads are a pocket-style pad, which allows her to change the absorbent layers as needed. This also allows them to wash more thoroughly and dry more quickly. They have wings to keep them in place and are topped with bamboo velour for maximum comfort.

This was an interesting change of pace for me! Now back to the cloth diapers!

GF Carrot Cake for everyone

2010-12-30T02:59:00.001-08:00

I'm sure I'm not the only person who has baked something gluten free... lured your family to the kitchen with the yummy smells... and then heard the dreaded question: "Is this gluten-free?". Then see the scornful look on their faces when they hear "yes" as they retreat far, far away. Even my 2 year old (ok, she's 3 now, but even when she was 2 she would ask this) would preface her goody grab with that query.

In all fairness, I've baked some hideous creations. Flat, gritty cookies; heavy bricks of bread; dry, crumbly muffins. I blame the flours and the grocery store variety I've been forced to buy. Sorry Bob, your red mill just doesn't cut it. But with my birthday approaching and my refusal to go without cake (a certain 5 year old wisely said that it's not a real birthday unless you eat cake, therefore I turned 36 a week late) I ordered some flours from an online source and bought a certain book that changed everything.

Traditionally, my birthday dinner is lasagna and carrot cake. But as we celebrated my birthday (and cake) on Christmas Day (above 5 year old was in the hospital for my birthday this year, usually it's hers {and that's an another story}) I didn't get lasagna but boy did I have carrot cake. And my family did, too! They loved it! Oh, they still asked if it was gluten free, but I convinced them to try it, and then they had to ask again, in disbelief, because it was so good!

The only downfall to this cake, beside the lack of pictures, is that it will only keep for 3 days. This proved not to be a problem however with 6 hungry mouths eating it :) I promise to take pictures next time....

My PUL debate

2010-11-13T12:04:00.000-08:00

When choosing to use cloth diapers there are many different, and equally valid, reasons why we choose to do so: your child's health, the earth's health, finances, and the list could go on.

I am a tree hugger. A crunchy granola. An environmentalist. And a mom. When I had my first child, finances was my main reason to choose cloth diapering, however it quickly became apparent to me how beneficial this choice was to the environment. I've reused my cloth diapers throughout my 4 kids and passed them on to others, a few have made it to the garbage pile ~ where as natural fibers they will biodegrade, some have become dust rags. I'm happy, the earth is happy.

Except, wait: what about those ones with the plastic stuff - you know, the PUL? I am really torn on this issue. PUL has revolutionized the cloth diapering world. I use it in my training pants. It is a great waterproof fabric... or is it?

The increasing popularity of PUL means more and more, well, polyurethane laminate, is being produced. Is this a harmful process? Yes, it can be! And while it maintains it's waterproof capabilities for up to 200, even 300 washes, what happens after that? That diaper never would have made it through ALL of my kids let alone 2! So what happens to all the leaky PUL diapers and covers? They go in the garbage.

So now we end up with a pile of cloth diapers clogging up the landfills - non-biodegrading - and while these numbers will still be far less than those of disposables - I wonder at the irony of this. To save the environment have we created an entirely different problem? Does anyone know the effects of this PUL on the environment? Does anyone know the effects of PUL at all?

Christmas Craft Village ~ Exhibition Park

2010-11-13T01:19:00.001-08:00

November 12 - 14 at Exhibition Park in Halifax.

A note on sized cloth diapers

2010-11-08T05:35:00.000-08:00

One of the things I love about craft shows is the immediate feedback designers can get on their items. One of the most frequent questions I had at the Dartmouth Handcrafters show was about sizing. Specifically, how to choose the proper size of cloth diaper.

The best way will always be to measure your child. I provide all measurements in my listing to allow you to pick the size that works best for you. I do provide approximate weight and ages but please remember that because each child will vary in size and shape, measuring remains the best way to ensure an accurate fit.

The Rise
This is (usually) the determining measurement when choosing a cloth diaper, or any cloth diapering related item. The rise is measured from the belly button, through the crotch, up the back to the same side on the back. If the rise is too long it can be adjusted but a too small rise can't grow! I'll be adding an adjustment video shortly...

The Waist
The bamboo and organic cotton fabrics that I use for my cloth diapers are knits, which means that they have plenty of s-t-r-e-t-c-h. My patterns allow for plenty of room for adjustment and will fit almost any baby shape. Crossover snaps will let you get a snug fit for tinier babies.

To measure by weight or by age
While weights are provided, I find it easier, and it seems my customers did, too, to describe my items in terms of ages. In retrospect, having four different sizes available is confusing and may make choosing sized fitteds confusing. I consider my cloth diapers to be a 2 size system ~ Size 1 (smalls) and Size 2 (mediums). A Size 1 can fit larger newborns and will fit until 8-10 months of age. Size 2s will fit from 10 months-1 year until toilet training. Please note: My patterns haven't changed! I will be changing my labelling on the diapers after the new year, though. Newborns will remain xs, smalls will become 1, mediums will become 2, and larges will become 3.

Please keep in mind that these are general guidelines only. Some babies are large and will only fit in a Small (size 1) until 6 months. Some babies are bigger when they are born and skip the newborn stage (two of mine did!). And some babies will use a large at 20 months. Please measure for best fit :)

You can use the following as a guide to help you choose:

Extra Small (newborns)
These fit up to approx. 12 pounds, or will fit up to around 3 months.

Waist: 10-16 inches
Rise: 14 inches, unstretched

Small (Size 1)
These will fit from approx. 10-18 pounds, or will fit from 3 months to around 8-10 months, depending on the size of your baby.

Rise - 15.5" unstretched
Waist - 14-20"

Mediums (Size 2)
These will fit from approx. 15-28 pounds, or will fit from 10 months-1 year to approx. 2.5 years, depending on the size of your child. This is the size that your child will fit the longest.

Large
Are toddler-sized. While they will fit from approx 22+ pounds, they have a long rise making them more suitable for a toddler, or a child who is later to toilet train, or for night time use for an older child.

Rise - 18" unstretched
Waist - 15-25"

A two sized fitted cloth diaper system

Essentially, a child will go through 2 sizes of cloth diapers: a Size 1 and a Size 2. For tinier babies, newborn sizes are available (and are especially nice in the beginning as they fit so nicely) and for toddlers, Size 3 is available for extended cloth diaper use.

Please let me know if this helps :)

Prehistoric? Me?

2010-09-20T16:49:00.000-07:00

While I may feel like it some days... no darling son, I am not. There were not dinosaurs when I was in high school and I did not talk like a caveman. A saucy 12 year old I am raising, apparently.

Vanilla Ice... admit it, you remember him. "Rolling in my 5.0... Ice ice baby" I was heading down to say goodnight to my oldest and could hear that song on the radio. When I asked what station it was playing on my son answered,

"Oh, 103.5, you know, sometimes they play oldies."

"Ha!" I replied, "That song was huge when I was in high school."

"When was that, in the prehistoric times?" says the saucy boy.

"I was 15." I answered, thinking 'Geez ~ that was 20 years ago!"

"Oh, so back when they didn't recycle?"

Um, yeah, so that stopped me. As I consider myself to be an extreme recycler (just ask my hubby, who shudders when I pick recyclables out of garbage cans when we're out and about) I am mildly offended.

Art Magnet by allisonstrine on Etsy

So now I'm really wondering. What kind of earth are our kids going to inherit? And how are they going to judge us, and the generations before us? Will they think we did enough? Or will they think that, while we knew what was wrong, we didn't do enough to fix it?

A birthday more simple

2010-09-18T01:01:00.000-07:00

I remember when my oldest was born almost 13 years ago, I walked into the bank ~ bleary-eyed, dazed, frumpled, my infant son clinging to me ~ and the teller saying, "Treasure these days, they grow so quickly".

Oh how true her words were. My youngest turned three this week... and while I can honestly say that I don't miss sleepless nights, I do treasure these precious moments of childhood that present themselves.

The simple joy of playing, running, jumping, flying. Enjoying the warm sunshine. Make-believing. Finding happiness in just being. I can't think of a better way to spend a birthday.

Happy Birthday 3 year old!

Newest Banana Bottoms Retailer

2010-09-11T10:29:00.001-07:00

I am so excited to announce that I have a new retailer, Ali AND Swan. Alison is opening up shop online very soon and I've just sent off a bunch of soft and squishy organic cloth diapers for her!

Good luck with your new store, Alison!

The fury of Earl

2010-09-05T05:57:00.000-07:00

Well one thing that living in the Maritimes has prepared us for is storms. When we first moved to Nova Scotia from Ontario, a relative gave us big flashlights as a house warming gift. It didn't take very long before we realized that indeed these were to be well used as storms happen frequently here on the coast and they are nothing like the rain storms we were used to.

Having been here for Hurricane Juan (a category 2 hurricane), we knew not to take it lightly when Hurricane Earl was heading up the coast in our direction. Even though it was originally heading for the Bay of Fundy area, we were prepared for anything to happen, particularly because we have had a week of high temperatures and high humidity. Boy were we glad we prepared... because Earl changed direction at the last moment and headed straight for us!

This video is taken from our front porch at approximately 11 a.m. The winds only got stronger after this, hitting their peak at about noon. And yes, people were actually out and about during this!

Earl didn't last long, though, and it cleared up nicely once he was through. We were able to get out for a little walk to check to see the damage that he caused.

Surprisingly, we didn't lose power at all but close to 200 000 homes did. When Juan hit, we were without power for 5 days, some for 2 weeks (!), but NS Power seems to be getting power restored quite quickly this time around.

Earl even managed to shake a few crawlers from their perches... we saw a lot of these fuzzy guys making their way back up to the leaves.

Hope everyone else stayed safe!

Play mats almost ready...

2010-08-05T03:50:00.000-07:00

While I do love sewing cloth diapers, sewing play mats is fun! I have been working on 'dinosaur' and 'harvest' themed mats this past week and they are almost ready.

All they need are their wooden toys to be complete.

"Harvest Time" will come with a wooden bridge, so the farmer can check his crops on both sides of the river. A few farm animals will round out this collection.

'Harvest Time' by Banana Bottoms

"Dinosaurs" comes with the volcano, ready to erupt, and will include a few wooden dinosaur friends and some greenery.

"Dinosaurs" by Banana Bottoms

Of course, with all this abundance of food and fresh water, it is only inevitable that friends come for a visit!

Wooden Dinosaurs by The Enchanted Cupboard

A wonder-full city morning

2010-08-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

Sir Sandford Fleming Park ~ Halifax, NS

It was a morning of marvels and discoveries...

Of wonderment...

And quiet self-reflection...

Do you blog?

2010-07-30T14:31:00.001-07:00

I'm looking for some cloth diaper bloggers to do some reviews/giveaways.

Some guidelines:
~ you must cloth diaper :)
~ you must have an active blog, both in posts and in followers
~ you must be willing to test, then review, then host the cloth diaper giveaway in a timely manner (ie: within a month)

I am putting together a list so please contact me to be added. Thanks so much:)

Reasons to Cloth Diaper

2010-07-06T08:08:00.000-07:00

We all have our personal reasons for choosing to cloth diaper rather than using paper diapers.

While I know that washing cloth diapers provides it's own strain on resources, I believe that the act of being able to reuse them compensates for the resources used to manufacture paper pants. Plus, I am careful to wash only when there is a full load, or adjust the water level accordingly, and I always hang the cloth diapers to dry. This wastes less resources and prolongs the life of the diapers... not to mention that the sun is a great bleacher of stains, natural and free. It doesn't get much better than that!

With the recent stories of a certain brand of diaper causing chemical burns on baby's bums', I am comforted to know that that is something I don't need to worry about when using cloth. I love knowing that what is next to my baby's bottom is free of any harmful chemicals and comfortable. Who really thinks that a scratchy paper diaper is comfortable to wear?

The biggest deciding factor for my choice to use cloth diapers was the cost. I know a lot of you will cringe when you hear that, thinking that cloth diapers cost so much money. But while the upfront cost is steep, if taken care of, cloth diapers can be used by more than one sibling and/or even sold (yes there is a market for used cloth diapers) to be reused by another child. They don't even have to be pretty to be able to be used by someone else. I know, after going through 4 kids, some of my fluff has looked a little, well, past it's prime. But they still got used and they still work. So while a cloth diaper may not win any beauty contests, fortunately that isn't a qualification for the job.

Of course, there's no denying that cute cloth diapers make the actual job of changing fun. And there's nothing like whipping up a diaper on the sewing machine and then putting it on your child for them to test out. Now there's satisfaction!

Bloom where you are planted

2010-05-21T10:07:00.001-07:00

How to build a raised garden bed...

2010-05-19T09:32:00.001-07:00

in under one hour and costing only $30. I salvaged the plywood base from the garbage and bought the 2 by 4s (for legs) and the 2 by 8s (for the sides). The plastic was already here, as well as the landscaping felt, from other projects.

To start, the 2 by 8s were cut and mitred to fit around the plywood base. These were screwed together with deck screws and then attached to the base.

Once this was secured to the plywood base, the 2 by 4s were cut and attached as legs, two to each corner for added stability, so that the top of the bed has a height of 24".

I drilled holes into the bottom of the platform to allow for drainage with a 1/2 inch spade bit.

I used spruce wood, which is inexpensive but not rot-resistant, so I lined the inside with plastic sheeting. I attached this evenly around the base with roofing nails and around the top edge of the sides.

I poked through the plastic at the drilled holes to allow water out. The landscaping felt was lain inside. This will prevent any accidental ripping of the plastic as I'm planting.

It was carried to it's new home in the backyard and filled with dirt.

As we can't dig in our yard, I am hoping that this will give me some additional garden space for some lettuce and carrots, and possibly a raspberry bush or two.

Our side 'dirt patch' was used last year for lettuce and carrots but is really small and the soil is shallow. Using the leftover 2 by 8s, these were screwed together to form a long rectangle which I lined with landscaping felt and then filled with dirt.

The felt will prevent weeds from poking up into the new dirt and will also prevent runoff when I water the plants.

Now for some sun so we can get planting!

Container Garden Planting ~ Part One

2010-05-17T12:46:00.000-07:00

This is my summer to turn my black thumb green. I can feel it.

To start my growing season... tomato plants. My favourite vegetables to grow. I love toasted tomato sandwiches. And fresh tomatoes in salad. And tomatoes in guacamole. And just tomatoes.

The plastic containers aren't as nice as the wooden barrels but are much lighter for moving around.

I also planted some pansies and some hen and chicks.

Hen and Chicks

Tomorrow, part two. An elevated garden bed and a raised bed. I just need to decide what to plant in them.

How to sew a cloth diaper from scratch!

2010-05-14T11:50:00.001-07:00

I have done a lot of craft shows and one of the most asked questions I get: "Do you make these yourself?" Umm... yes. But after making hundreds of diapers, I've forgotten how much of a process it actually is. It takes a while, about an hour for each diaper when all is said and done, but if you do a large batch at once, it can cut down on production time considerably.

But really, sewing a cloth diaper is not difficult, and if you are here to learn how to sew your own cloth diapers, great ~ don't be afraid! You can do it! It's okay to make mistakes and if you're first ones are less than perfect, well, straight stitches are not necessary to make these functional (although they do make them purty :) And if you're here because you are curious as to the process, then enjoy!

First things first, you need your pattern and material. I like to cut out my body and soaker layers at the same time so that I make the most use of my fabrics.

I have my own pattern that I've designed and I use bamboo and organic cotton blend fabrics because I like my fabrics to have some stretch to them, bamboo fabrics are incredibly soft and durable, and the velour as an inner layer functions as a natural stay dry inner. You can use almost anything to make a cloth diaper, though, old t shirts, old flannel sheets, as long as it's absorbent it will work. Keep in mind that if you are using material without stretch then your cloth diaper will have a smaller fit.

Whatever material you choose, you should always prewash the fabrics to reduce shrinkage. Bamboo fabrics shrink a lot so I prewash on hot and tumble in the dryer to get most of the shrinkage done. When cutting out, I like to keep my waste fabrics for other projects.

I always work on the body pieces first. I pin the layers together and trace my pattern markings on the fabric.

I next attach the front snaps before sewing the body layers together, leaving a small opening for turning.

Once the body layers are sewn together, I attach elastic before turning the cloth diaper right side out.

Once the cloth diaper is turned right side out, I topstich the opening closed and all around the diaper. Then I stitch on a label and size tag and attach the wing and soaker snaps.

Phew! That's the body finished. Now for the soaker. I cut out all my soaker layers. Then I pin the layers together, and serge around the edges.

Then I attach the snaps, snap the soaker into the cloth diaper, snap it all together, nice and pretty, and ta da! A cloth diaper! Or many :)

Now get sewing :)

Oh blog...

2010-05-12T07:58:00.000-07:00

You sad, neglected corner of the internet. I promise to try harder to commit to you. And hey, I've got new coffee ~ maybe that will help. I couldn't resist trying it as the description fit our mornings so well :)

Happy May!

2010-05-02T03:31:00.001-07:00

Well, the calendar says so, even if there's still snow falling in some places.

I have a craft show this weekend at the Halifax Forum, from 10-6 on Saturday, in support of Feed NS. Come check it out and support a great cause!

I am working on a *huge* wholesale order for a great new shop in New Minas ~ Go as you Go Kids Gear. Rea's just opening and I can't wait to visit her store!

New play scenes are in the works ~ I made 5 as a trial and have sold 3 already so I get to make more, which is terrific because they are so much fun. After multiple requests, my husband is working on offering the vehicles by themselves, as well. Those probably won't be ready until the Christmas season.

I am working on some shorties and skirties just in time for summer... if summer decides to show up. I am also working on some new starter kits and packages after the success of my Earth Day Trial Packages. Those should be here towards June.

And if time allows, I'll be opening back up for customs soon... Happy May everyone :)

Gluten-free or not to be...

2010-04-26T16:51:00.001-07:00

After my initial scope was determined undetermined as to whether I have celiac's I was told to go back on a gluten diet and have blood work done again to determine if a new scope was warranted. Well I did this, was very uncomfortable and after waiting almost two months to hear from the doctor after my blood work was finished (and phone messages were left) I gave up waiting and decided that to heck with it, I was off gluten. So I've been gluten-free for a week, suffered through the first week of withdrawal and readjustment, and feel fantastic now. And then the phone rang.

Yes, the doctor's office with an appointment for my new scope. In a month. Sigh. So now that I've been off for a week I'll have to go back on immediately but probably reschedule for a couple of months to allow my body to get back to it's gluten-fied state. Feeling yucky, tired, bloated, uncomfortable. If I get a positive confirmation of Celiac's, however, I can claim my gf food, which is a huge bonus because it's darn expensive!

So... the debate in my head tonight... I'm feeling good, I hate paper work (hi ~ just finishing up taxes tonight ;) and I will probably buy stuff that has no comparison in a non-gf product so do I want to subject myself to another 2 months of yuckiness. Or do I want to revel in the gluten for a couple of months, eating bread and scones till my heart's content, wade through paperwork, and claim some money come tax time (if I get around to filing... um... just kidding)

So who here is gf and canadian and claims their food? Is it hard, complicated, worth it? Or are you gf and don't bother because it's .... you fill in the blank. Help a girl out :)

Your comments are much appreciated!!

Crusisis Eco Fair Fun - prepping for an outdoor craft show

2010-04-24T15:50:00.000-07:00

Hmmm.... an outdoor event. How do you plan for this? I have never done an outdoor venue before so didn't really know what to expect.

Going into this, I didn't want to bring all my stock, as I wasn't sure how much room I was getting, and also, Halifax being Halifax, if it decided to rain I did not want to have to scoot around and pack tons of items away in a hurry. So I needed to plan for a smaller table while still displaying all my many different items.

I took an extra table with me.. just in case there was room for it and was glad I did as my sign didn't fit the smaller table size at all.

I made the tables into an 'L' shape which allowed me to keep 'extra' stock off to the side but easily accessible as I did not want it all out. This also turned out to be important to keep a minimum amount of things out as it was pretty windy. I also chose a table under a tree to get shade from the sun.

This time I hung the play scenes in front of the table, which while it gave me extra table top space, these were largely unnoticed by customers. My sales help had to point them out to people. So while being out front worked for the longies (like at my last show), the play scenes were 'invisible' out front like that this time around. I much prefer them laid out with their wooden items on them, rather than separated as they were at this fair, and up on a shelf. They then become more noticeable as a grouping, too, I think. Much like the one below.

The 'Woodland' play scene is going to a lucky guy in Toronto, bought by our fair-neighbour, who actually is a gluten-free caterer. The stars were aligned! How lucky to be next to them (although I wasn't there to sample their foods, feeling yucky as I adjust to a non-gluten diet, so my sales help = hubby filled in!) as Brandon was able to get a lot of info from them. They are a non-allergen caterer, www.consciouscatering.ca, and are located in Halifax. Roberto, who my husband spoke to, is a nutritionist and the recipes are his own. My husband got to sample a few of their wares (lucky guy) and declared them delicious. Roberto also shared that there is a gluten-free co-op in Downtown Halifax, 'The Grainery", which I've actually heard of but had no idea it's gluten-free. Who's been there before? So a lucky day indeed as I'm feeling blah and need to start eating properly.

I kept the rest of my set up the same as last time, with some cloth diapers on either side and the organic baby blankets in the bamboo containers. This worked again at keeping items visible, tidy, and easily accessible.

It was a quiet day sales-wise, but it was a Family Earth Day event, not necessarily a 'craft show', so I viewed it as a terrific marketing opportunity. And it was! My husband, who could have a second career as my salesman, talked a few expecting families into using cloth diapers, hurray! And sold two play sets, thereby securing control of the remote this evening (to, you know, avoid the fight over the 3 channels we get).

Overall, I don't think my sign worked so well outdoors. It was very windy and the letters blew every which way, making it hard for people to see. It probably would have been better to have the banner pinned to the front of the table instead. Next time. I would also have laid out the play scenes with their accessories. This makes it easier to grasp the intention behind them. And... I would add wooden toys as a stock item... by themselves (hint, hint hubby!). Brandon had a great day, too, and has offered to stand in for part of the day at my next show!(Which, by the way, is May 8 at the Forum in support of Feed Nova Scotia.)

Happy Earth Day!

2010-04-22T06:20:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful Earth Day it is, too, here in Halifax. The sun is shining, the air is warming, it's a wonderful day.

I went to a library lecture last night on the slow food movement and thought today is a perfect day to share some of what I learned from the meeting.

I had some ideas of the Slow Food Movement as being about cooking from scratch, or not eating fast food, so was pleasantly surprised to find out that the ideas behind the movement are good, clean and fair:
~ good food, that's good for you and tastes good
~ clean food, in that it's produced cleanly, organic if possible, and served cleanly, in an appetizing manner
~ fair, in that the producers are paid a fair working wage for their products

While this movement originated in Italy, it has spread throughout the world. The lecturer, Michael Howell, stressed how important it is to buy local ~ how easy it is for us to choose good, clean and fair foods from our regions to eat. There are actually 'endangered' foods! Tancook sauerkraut, red fife wheat and gravenstein apples were mentioned. Gravenstein apples? I love these, in fact visited a farm and hand picked these last fall ~ posted an applesauce recipe using this very same variety here. These are a fabulous apple!

We, as consumers, are actually co-producers. I thought this was a very interesting way to look at how our choices, as consumers, actually transform us from being a consumer, someone who is simply buying a product, into a co-producer, someone who is influencing what is being produced by our buying actions. So by buying locally, and local varieties of food, we are encouraging the producers to continue to grow, harvest, make that food, thereby producing more. Directly by our purchasing decisions. In fact, purchasing at farmers markets is the best way to support our farmers as they receive all the profit! We are lucky in Halifax to have a terrific Farmers Market, and in Wolfville as well. The speaker was actually from Wolfville and owns a restaurant there called Tempest.

It was a fabulous evening that ended with a showing of the video "Edible School Yard" which showcased a Nova Scotian school that plants a garden, harvests the bounty in the fall, and then prepares the harvest into lunches for it's students. And this is all done by the students with the help of adult facilitators. What a wonderful way to encourage children to think about the origins of the food they are eating and to encourage them to make healthy food choices. Very inspirational. This video is available through the library system here in Halifax.

For more information, check out the slow foods website: http://www.slowfood.ca/. There are monthly Slow Food Events that take place and are open to members, and by the way, membership is open to all!

Breakfast = the most important meal of the day

2010-04-20T10:10:00.000-07:00

Since I am back off of gluten... I need some yummy breakfast ideas! While I have found some yummy, granola-resembling cereal (very berry crumble by Enjoy Life) I am not a cereal-for-breakfast type of girl. I need substance and a lot of it. Breakfast, for me, is the meal of the day.

I am making some bread in the machine as we speak... it's from a mix... Gluten-Free Pantry - Favourite Sandwish Bread Mix... but not too sure how it's going to toast up. Shall make tomorrow's poached eggs on toast an experiment :)

So who has yummy breakfast ideas? I need something filling, not too complicated and yummy! Doesn't have to be bread-y although I do love toast. Good bread recipes, anyone? And where in Halifax can I find sorghum flour? It is the elusive flour that seems to be in all my recipes.

Feel free to spam me with recipes :)

Halifax Crafters Spring Fling ~ April 2010

2010-04-19T14:47:00.000-07:00

What a fun show ~ and I have the bruises to show for it. I know you're thinking that there was some wild contact crafting going on but it was just from the set up... and the million chairs and tables we moved around to get the hall ready.

But seriously, setting up for a craft show can be tricky. You need to display your items in a way that invites people to come over and allows them to see quickly and clearly what you have. It should draw them in and keep their attention. A bare space is not inviting but neither is a cluttered one.

I had a new set up this time around... it was a lot of planning but I think it came together really well. Looking back to my first show, well let`s just say that I`m glad there are not pictures. It was a table with a cover and that`s about it. Very unimaginative.

This time around, I felt really organized, in other words I wasn't up all night trying to put everything together, instead I was all packed 2 days in advance! That left me a day to put the finishing touches on my display and get a decent night's sleep, which apparently becomes more important as you get older ;)

So my goal this time was to have a big sign to really draw attention to my table and announce me.

I think it worked! The red gingham fabric is really bright and really drew people's attention, which was good, because I was in a corner. This sign was time consuming but really easy to make. (I used special applique paper that is double side sticky so I didn't even have to sew my letters on ~ I feel like I cheated with that, so shh). I used extra gingham I had from a playset I made and appliqued (okay, stuck) them on squares of an upcycled crib sheet. Then I sewed them into a binding strip. I think the hardest part of this project was spacing the letters properly.

I hung it from my clothesline which my amazing husband made for me a couple of shows ago. It is awesome ~ it folds down for easy transport and to put up I just clamp it to the table. I forgot clothes pins (but I remembered everything else!!) on Saturday so pinned the banner up. Usually I have cloth diapers and covers hanging up (like on a clothes line ~ genius, no?) so you'll have to use your imagination for that. I DID remember the clothes pins on Sunday, but forgot the camera :)

For this craft show I was expanding my offerings beyond cloth diapers... something that everyone with kids would be interested in because not everyone uses cloth diapers (although they should!). I really felt that my table was crowded at my last show with just cloth diapers, so I booked a huge spot this time around but was still concerned with being too cluttered. I introduced my play scenes at this show and knew that I needed to have them properly displayed for their full effect to be appreciated. These play scenes are something I imagined making when my oldest was young (he's 12 now) and never got around to. My husband made the wooden toys out of reclaimed birch. I had to pry these out of my kids hands... with promises to make them their own. They really loved these and I had a lot of fun making them.

To give my table some height, my husband made little shelves that I could put at either end. Yes, he`s amazing - he can be bribed with chocolate. I covered them with a table cloth and put baskets of little items on top. Having the fabric over the shelf also allowed me to pin a play scene to it - almost as if it was being featured. It worked because that play scene sold (the one with all the trees). I was so excited and also a little sad to see it go. Such is the life of a crafter I suppose. But this ability to pin up the scene was really important because it freed up a lot of table space.

I also added organic cotton blankets to my collection. I didn`t know how to display these properly with limited space. I decided to use bamboo containers, stacked on their sides, almost like a shelf. This was great because I could arrange them in varying ways and stack them high or not. When folded and shown on their side, the prints were visible but the blanket itself was not. I didn`t want my blankets to get lost in the back so I draped a burp cloth over one container to give an idea of size and also allow customers to feel the beautiful fabric(it`s really gorgeous). I also draped a smaller blanket over the edge of the table. This allowed the blankets to be accessible to the customer while not taking up a lot of room.

I didn`t set out all of my cloth diapers because I was worried about clutter, instead I focused on featuring different prints and put a few different ones in each size. I also stacked a few in a bamboo container behind so the prints were visible but not adding too much busy-ness to the table.

In front of my two tables were two more shelves, which I covered with fabric again, and I used that to display my cloth diaper covers. I hung a few fleece longies out for show but kept the rest folded neatly in a basket. I usually don`t sell covers at shows but I actually sold most of them this time around. Being front and centre works :)

I packed everything away on Saturday night with the intention of setting up a fresh table for Sunday. Of course, I forgot the camera so don`t have pictures but my changes were minimal but much more effective I feel. I only put 2 playscenes out, left the `featured` one where it was and set up the other in the centre of my display. I left the blankets but spread the cloth diapers out on either side which gave a more balanced look to the display. I felt the end with the blanket looked too busy on the Saturday and these small changes really helped to balance that out. I also remembered my clothes pins and hung some cloth diapers up to dry.

So while I am not a `seller` (shy, even at 35!), I felt that the table set up really worked for me this time. Next time, I would have a uniform colour for my table covers and remember my clothes pins! I would also have another play scene pinned up to create even more table space.

Overall, set up was very easy, it only took me about 30 minutes from putting the tables up to being ready for customers. I had time to sit and have a coffee and take a peak around the show before the doors opened. Take down was a little more chaotic - my husband wasn`t there so I had a hard time reaching the clothes line to dismantle it - and all my stock didn`t go back into the containers the same way, sort of like packing to go home after a fun vacation! And it snowed!! Well that didn`t really have anything to do with take down, but come on - it`s April 18th!! Take down total was around 45 minutes.

So there you go. Well I would make some small changes for next time I was quite happy with how it all came together. While I did buy my tables and the bamboo containers for this show, everything else was around the house and easily diverted for my purposes. Although the tables were heavy, I could manage them on my own, and the rest of my shelving and containers were small and light enough to be very easy for me to do it myself. I`m glad I didn`t invest in a shelving unit as I originally had planned! This was an easy and effective set up and could be applied to many different wares. Have fun!

Craft shows and more...

2010-04-11T04:04:00.000-07:00

As I am busy preparing for craft shows (I have two shows in the upcoming weeks) I am excited to be getting closer to unveiling some new items...

Along with my bamboo/organic cotton cloth diapers and trainers, I am bringing some awesome new playmats and some fresh, modern baby blankets made with organic cottons!

Made with new and upcycled fabrics, these eco friendly playscenes will provide hours of entertainment for your child. Whether it a day at the park, harvesting the crops or driving through the country, the fun is limited only by your child's imagination. Comes with wooden accessories to add to the fun!

With fresh and modern designs, these organic cotton blankets feature fabrics by Cloud9 and are perfect for any nursery decor. Backed with organic cotton flannel, these come in three sizes:
small ~ perfect as a burp cloth or snuggler
medium ~ great for the stroller or car rides
large ~ perfect for a toddler or a crib

Both the playmats and the blankets are debuting at the Halifax Crafters show this weekend... Sat April 17th and Sun April 18th from 11-6. I won't be listing them on Etsy or Artfire until the week after.

More reasons to love Nova Scotia...

2010-04-03T13:39:00.001-07:00

Really, how can you not love a province where there are multiple parks and beaches, all within an hour's drive, which is especially important with 4 kids and an injured hubby in tow.

Our next March Break adventure took us to Laurie Provincial Park, which is located in Wellington, approximately a 20 minute drive from Halifax. Although it is off-season, we were still able to walk in and enjoy the peaceful surroundings.

Well, maybe it was peaceful until we got there :)

While it does have campsites, it is, or was, open for day use and has many paved trails, a picnic area and a small beach on Shubenacade-Grand Lake.

The kids enjoyed exploring the shoreline.

I say 'was' open for day use as there were signs posted announcing the possibility of restructing the park and making it only available to campers, and trailer campers at that! When checking the website, it says that it is closed this season for renovations... so who knows what the future holds for this park. Touted as the 'perfect escape from the urban rush', it would be a shame for this park to be closed to the general public.

We spent an enjoyable afternoon enjoying the paths, sitting at the water's edge, and enjoying each other's company.

In an age where we see green spaces disappearing at an alarming rate, I feel it is important for our kids and ourselves to be able to get out and enjoy nature and it's beauty. It is calming (hey my kids didn't fight for close to 2 hours ~ that's almost a record)not to mention rejuvenating to get out of the hustle and bustle of a city environment. Nature - nature's stress-reducer :) Get out and enjoy it!

Earth Day Packages

2010-03-30T15:20:00.001-07:00

Earth Day is on April 22 but why not celebrate it every day? Cloth diapering is an easy way to help the earth by reducing waste, saves you money instead of throwing it away on disposables, and best of all is better for your baby's health ~ why put icky chemicals next to babe's skin when you can have natural fabrics.

Every day is Earth Day ~ whether you are trying cloth for the first time or are building up your fluffy stash ~ I'm putting together some packages to help you out.

3 small fitted bamboo and organic cotton cloth diapers ~ Nature Lover

3 small fitted bamboo and organic cotton cloth diapers ~ Brighten your Stash

3 newborn fitted bamboo and organic cotton cloth diapers ~ Brighten your Stash

3 newborn fitted bamboo and organic cotton cloth diapers ~ Little Pilot

Transitioning out of cloth diapers?

2010-03-28T01:58:00.000-07:00

I am almost finished sewing up the pile of cloth diapers I have cut out. Once finished, I am moving on to sewing some training pants. I am a licensed seamstress for Little Comet Tails Stellar Transitions. These training pants are super cute and trim fitting under clothes. They look and feel like underwear ~ that big-kid feel is so important to some little ones as they learn to use the potty. They also feature snaps, allowing for easy cleanup of accidents.

They are offered in 5 different sizes:

12-18 months - 18-25 lbs
18-24 months - 24-31 lbs
2T-3T - 28-35 lbs
3T-4T - 35-44 lbs
4T-5T - 41-55 lbs

Ranging in price from $14-16.50/pair, these are made with bamboo/organic cotton fabrics in the soaker area, with an outer layer of PUL, and feature cotton knits at the side.

I've had requests for boy prints in the smaller sizes ~ anyone else interested before I start cutting Just let me know what size and gender prints and I'll add it to my cut out list.

March Break - part 2

2010-03-27T12:04:00.000-07:00

Baby, it's cold outside... again. And it snowed yesterday! I have the van booked to get winter tires off on Monday ~ perhaps I'm jumping the gun? Well, actually, this weather is par for the course here in Nova Scotia.

Back to spring dreaming... and a March Break that was unseasonably warm. I had decided that we would hit as many parks as possible and enjoy the weather.

Shubie Park is located in Dartmouth, about a 20 minute drive from our house. This is a great urban park with trails through a forested area and waterways that are populated by ducks.

While you are not permitted to feed the ducks, if you are quiet and patient, a curious chickadee will come down and feed on seeds right from your hand.

For the history buffs (aka Papa), there are plaques along the walkaways explaining the history of the area, which was populated as early as the 1780's and features an example of the locks that were built along the canal.

The walkways are easily navigated, though there are a few hilly and rocky areas, but this is a wonderful park to spend an afternoon at.

Spring fever - Point Pleasant Park

2010-03-20T13:51:00.000-07:00

March Break arrived with some warm weather... really warm for the East Coast. And with it came the sun which seems to have disappeared through the winter. This welcome reprieve from the wintry weather allowed us to get out and enjoy some of the many parks that are in and around the HRM. I love Nova Scotia! Drive 30 minutes and you are out of the hustle and bustle and into wilderness. It really is a beautiful province.

But you don't even have to leave the city to enjoy some peacefulness. Point Pleasant Park is an area within Halifax that is full of trees and paths, with even a sandy beach and a few rocky ones.

Point Pleasant Park has many trails and historical remnants left over from days of yore that just beg to be climbed on and over. Kids, dogs and runners were out in full force on our first glorious day of March Break. It really is a park for everyone.

Little legs didn't last very long... just long enough to make it past the anchor and to the rocky shores. Just long enough to remind us of sunshine and warm weather and that spring is not so far off.

I'm in the paper...

2010-01-04T03:22:00.001-08:00

Yeah! The article on cloth diapers is in the paper finally!

You can read it online here.

Thanks to all who offered to be interviewed.