Author Archives: Maria

Maria is an aspiring "fit mom" of 3 children, writing about cloth diapers, going green, and her life as a single mom. Maria works with many companies within the cloth diaper industry and beyond, providing social media management, product development, and other services.
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Stock Annoyance

>To make a very long rant a little shorter…

I cannot stand having to try to track stuff down that I want to buy.  I can understand if it’s a rare or discontinued item.  If it’s a currently produced item, available from the manufacturer, I want to easily find it in stock somewhere.

I do NOT like spending my time choosing an item, clicking and seeing oh, it’s only available in an 18 XXXX-Long.

I’m a bargain shopper, so I am very used to this happening with clothing.  If it’s a really good deal, it’s probably not in the size you need.  It will be something weird, like a 3-piece suit in a size preemie, or a onesie in a 4T, ha-ha.

I don’t like online stores that are set up where I click charcoal thinking that it’s in stock, only to see it say there’s only Small in that color.  So I think ok, how about this color, nope, Large only.  Ok, clicking the back button again, surely THIS color is in stock, NOPE!  OMFG!  (That’s “oh my fudgin’ goodness”)  Just SHOW me what color I can get in a MEDIUM for heaven’s sakes!

EAAAUUUGGGHHHHH!!!

/rant

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Natural Personal Care Products

Piggy Paint

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Do any other children of the 1980’s remember Tinkerbell cosmetics?  I was clearly not a label reader when I was a little kid, but I remember that this was peel off polish and made for kids. 

My daughter loves to have her nails painted.  We started out with toenails only, then I allowed her to have her fingernails painted also.  I’ve always been concerned about the chemicals in it, (have you smelled nail polish lately?  Phew!) espeially since her fingers are still always in her mouth at age 5 (licking something off of them).

I get whatever brand and colors are available either free after Extra Care Bucks (ECBs)/Coupon at CVS, or better than free/they pay me to take it (meaning I pay less ECBs than I get back).  We have quite a few colors open, and I’ll occasionally let my daughter choose a new color from my stockpile.  I use a bottle until it gets old/gloppy.

A few weeks ago, I heard about Piggy Paint.  It is non-toxic, odorless, and kid friendly.  It’s water based and made of natural ingredients (no formaldehyde, toluene, phthalates, biphenyl A, ethyl acetate or acetone).

They have lots of colors, and each bottle is $8.99.  Pretty shocking prices for someone who doesn’t like to pay for this kind of stuff, but not bad compared to regular drugstore prices. 

I don’t have much of a problem paying a premium when it comes to my kids.  If I saw this in a store, I’d let my daughter pick a color and buy a bottle.

When I have some extra cash, and she’s earned a little treat, I want to buy her some!

P.S. I started this blog about cloth diapering, but I’m guessing that at least some people who are interested in cloth diapering, may also be interested in other earth friendly, natural “stuff.”  If this is not you, sorry!

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All In One Diapers All In Two Diapers Cloth Diapers Made in the USA One Size Diapers Review Snap Closure

Goodmama One

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Goodmama diapers are very popular.  They’re quite pricey, and some hard to find prints can go for even more, even used!

They’re most well known for their fitteds, but they also make an All-in-One.

They sell exclusive prints through different stores, and I snagged The Pebbled One from Kelly’s Closet with my gift certificate.

They call this an all in one, but it appears more like an all in two to me.  There is no absorbent material sewn into the diaper, only the snap in soaker and lay in booster.  I’ve heard some people say that a true all in two has a shell that can be wiped out and re-used with a new snap in at each change.  Because this one has velour inside, it would need to be washed after a single use, thus making it an all in one.  *shrug*

Anyhoo, because it’s organic bamboo velour A.K.A. OBV (actually usually bamboo, cotton and polyester), it had to be washed and dried at least 4-6  times before use.  It takes 6-10 uses to reach it’s full absorbency potential.

I did wash it the minimum number of times before use, and it didn’t hold much.  I’ve heard people say the “ones” wick at the legs.  Wicking would be putting it mildly.  I know he’s wet it because his clothes are wet!

This is a “one size” diaper, but it doesn’t have the snap down rise.  It has a fold down rise with an extra set of snaps.

The diaper closes with a single row of snaps, but there are 3 snaps on each wing.  I had a hard time getting it adjusted right.
I tried the regular setting.
I also tried the smaller setting.  You can overlap the wings for a smaller baby.
The diaper looks really cute all folded  up, waiting to be used, and is super soft inside.
On, it was OK.  I just couldn’t seem to get a really good fit, and of course, it started leaking the instant he “used” it.
I’ve owned this diaper for three weeks now, and we’ve used and washed it about 4 times, after the initial 4 washes.  It’s showing an awful lot of wear and I doubt it will hold any resale value if we continue to use it.
The color in these last photos is a little weird because of the reflective snow “lighting,” ha ha.

Overall, I’m disappointed and not feelin’ the Goodmama love!

Edit August 2010: I do not use this diaper anymore.  It leaks so badly I have to use it with a cover, which is annoying and bulky.  The snaps leave red marks on his tummy, and the diaper wore so quickly that I doubt it would have any resale value, even without the leaking issues.

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Blizzard

>We’re having some seriously crazy weather here.   Before it began a week ago, someone reminded me to “buy formula and diapers.”  I didn’t have to worry about either of those things since I breastfeed and cloth diaper.

I didn’t have to worry about groceries either since I use a rock bottom purchase/stockpile shopping method.  I am almost out of milk but hopefully we’ll get out of here soon!

However, it did occur to me that if the power went out, I wouldn’t be able to wash diapers!  I only have about two days worth of diapers, and with the conditions outside, I would not be driving to a laundromat, hotel or family member’s house any time soon!  We have a well, so without power we’d be without water.  I guess I could melt snow and handwash diapers.  Hee hee.

I do have one econobum cover and I figure I could fold flannel blankets or even towels to stuff in it.

Then I remembered that I actually have some diaper pins, and I could really use flannel reeiving blankets and pin them on in a pinch. 

Except…I don’t know how to fold a flat/prefold without looking at instructions online!  I guess I need to study and make sure I know how to do it.  Tee hee! 

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Just have to share!

>My friend wrote a guest blog post at Abe’s Market

She and her family are gradually switching to natural products.  I’m always extra interested in what she has to say since she’s a scientist, and can provide extra insight into the safety and efficacy of different ingredients.  Using her science_spot cafemom account, she has analyzed several different products. 

She is hoping to potty train (learn) her youngest in not too long; I’m still holding out hope that I can convince her to CD her next baby, but her hubby is reluctant.

I haven’t gotten a lot of time to look around at their offerings, but they have natural products from baby bottles to nail polish, along with handmade items like soaps and baby blankets.  Here are some of their sellers.

I think this would be a great opportunity for some of the ladies selling on Hyenacart to expand their businesses even further.  I know there are some very talented ladies making all kinds of products that would fit in wonderfully on this site.

Reading about selling at Abe’s, it sounds like you hand a lot of your profit over to Abe’s, but you could make your products available to a wide audience without any up front expense.  I’m kind of torn on that.  You make a little more money per item than you’d probably make selling wholesale, but of course less than you would selling directly.  You would still have to package and ship orders as well.  It also wouldn’t work for people who don’t have a product with set options available to order at any given time.  Anyway, just something to think about.

I was just excited for my friend and wanted to share!

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