the lessons I've learned

{image via}

I wish this was the scene from my line drying experience yesterday. unfortunately my backyard is not as cool, nor is it as sunny. (what a dream it would be to live right there and have that clothesline!) the on and off rainy weather has forced me to line dry my diapers on a drying rack in my basement bathroom.

lesson number one: line drying outside on your clothesline is way better than drying in your basement on a drying rack. especially since the wooden drying rack left funny little brown stains where it was hung over the bar. and not to mention they're still not dry.

real lesson number one: wring out the wet diapers better!! I didn't wring them out too well and the dry time is reflecting that. after the spin cycle in my washing machine they will line dry in like twenty minutes. it's been nine hours now and some of the thicker flats are still pretty wet.

the overall process of washing my diapers went better than expected. it wasn't hard and it definitely took less time than doing it in my machine. the kicker is that it's all hands-on time. still not hard, though.

lesson number two: don't be afraid to handwash diapers when necessary.

the down and dirty

I have never handwashed diapers before, so this process might be modified as I go. I'm hoping to do a trial run before the challenge actually starts. you could do this in a bathtub with just your hands, but I didn't particularly want to go that route. instead I bought a few supplies to make things more fun.

two 5 gallon buckets from home depot. orange, of course.

I plan on using one bucket to initially rinse the diapers in. then I will be filling up the other bucket with hot water (I'm contemplating boiling two stock pots of water) for the wash. I will have dumped out the initial rinse water and put fresh water in for my rinse. I will probably do a second rinse to make sure no detergent is left in the diapers. I think this sounds like a solid plan. but again, we'll see how it goes.

this is the mobile washer. I bought it online at an emergency preparedness store. it supposedly produces a push/pull sucking action so the water and detergent get, well, pushed and pulled through the clothes. they say you only need to agitate it for about a minute. and that it gets your clothes super clean. you do the same agitation for the rinse(s) and it supposedly gets all the detergent out easily, which is very important for cloth diapering.

I didn't really need rubber gloves, I have no problem touching dirty diapers (I mean, that's what we wash our hands for, right?), but I actually wanted them mostly for the wringing out process after they are washed and rinsed. (because that can be hard on your hands!) though I could probably not even wring them out and the flats would still be dry in no time. that's why I love flats.

and of course, the clothesline + clothespins. though I didn't purchase them for the challenge, I just love them all the same.

when washing cloth diapers you need a cloth diaper safe detergent, and handwashing them is no different. you really don't want anything with additives, brighteners, enzymes and the like. I use country save because I can buy it locally and it seems to work well with my hard water. I actually use it on all my laundry. it's a low sudsing detergent, so it's perfect for my HE washer.

I will be using about 1/4 - 1/2 teaspon to wash my diapers. I think. I really have no idea if that will be enough/too much until I actually try it out. I'm just going off a recommendation from another handwashing flats challenge mamma (who uses the mobile washer and a bucket! whoot!)

and no, oma, no bleach. gone are the days of bleach soaked diapers. it actually wears out diapers faster and can ruin the modern day covers. the detergent + hot water should do the trick. not to mention the uv effects of the sun. I should write a whole post about the sun. amazing!

well, that's it as far as supplies, I think. oh, and my diapers of course. and my covers. and my son's cute bum.

::check out how other mammas are preparing for the challenge::

old school is the new cool

{pj rockin' his new ikea flats, sans cover}

I love telling people how far cloth diapering has come. that modern cloth diapering is nothing like your grandma's cloth diaper. but the most ironic thing about it is that my favorite cloth diapering system is as old school as you can get. flats + wool.

so as crazy as it sounds, I'm going to be taking one more step in the old school direction next week by committing to the flats and handwashing challenge* hosted by dirtydiaperlaundry.com. yep, that's right, for the week of may 23rd through the 30th I will be handwashing my diapers. crazy? yes, a little. but I'm excited to try!

here are a few of the rules:

You MUST use Flats.

You MUST handwash them. How is up to you. (bathtub, sink, large wash tub, portable non electronic washing machine, or camp style washer (bucket and plunger- think churning butter)

You MUST air dry them. (indoors or outdoors, makes no difference)

You MUST limit your number of covers in rotation to 5 or less.

You can use any detergent you want. (Keep in mind that you still want cloth safe detergents)

You can still use your nighttime diapers but I ask that you try to make flats work. Maybe try a prefold wrapped in a flat.

You can use disposable liners.

You CAN’T use a diaper sprayer. I thought long and hard about this one, but at an average cost of 40.00 this is one diaper accessory that is out of range for many families. Dunk, swish, flush, or scrape!

{image via}

okay, I'm good with using flats. I use them almost exclusively anyway. (yes, even over my more "high-tech" diapers) and line drying? no problem. I try to do that weather permitting already. but no diaper sprayer?? I am in love with that thing! but I'm a big girl, I can handle the dunk + swish for a week (because honestly, it's really not that bad. I swear!) but I do have to say I will miss spritzing my dipes...

I'll be blogging about it all, so you won't miss a thing. don't worry! I'll also go into a little more detail on why I choose (and love!) cloth diapering my son as well as some general cloth diapering info, because people have been curious. so get ready for some fluff people!!

::check out why other mammas are joining the challenge::

*recently I have read news articles about low-income families reusing disposable diapers because they cannot afford to buy more. scraping out poop and putting a soiled diaper back on a child is such a huge health risk! now I know that in some circumstances cloth diapers aren't realistic for a low-income family due to a myriad of reasons, but I wanted to see for myself how realistic it would be for me to handwash my diapers. because I know if it came down to it, I would rather handwash diapers every night than use disposable diapers on my son for a prolonged amount of time. it is that important to me. I am also doing this so I know how to handwash the cloth so I would feel comfortable doing it in an emergency situation. plus, I just like a challenge!

the great cloth diaper change

photo + news article here.

on saturday, april 23rd a world record was set and my son's cute bum was a part of it. (as you can see in the photo above) the great cloth diaper change was a worldwide effort to change the most amount of bums into a cloth diaper at the same time, via the guinness book of world records. below are the (unofficial, for now) stats from the GCDC:

157 hosts have reported 4928 participants so far!

Australia: 3
Canada: 668
Germany: 26
Spain: 17
Switzerland: 13
United States: 4201

I love that the event is bringing awareness to modern cloth diapering. they really are nothing like your grandma's (or even mom's!) cloth diaper. it's a whole new world of cute, functional, easy, healthy for the bum+earth fluff! and I am so happy to be a part of it.

hello.

hmmm... I've been away from this space for far too long. maybe you can blame my love affair with the ipad for that. or that I've just been so busy chasing a little pj around.

but hopefully that will all change soon. (the lack of blogging, not the chasing.)

right now I'm live blogging from atlanta, georgia. (where you can literally ice skate down the street.) I'm waiting for a sweet little babe to enter the world, though I don't know what she's waiting for. though to be honest, if I were her, I'd want to stay just a little bit longer in the cozy spot too. it's a little too cold on the outside.

snowed in

they say the blizzard is coming.

are we ready?

thankfully we had a small dose last sunday. now I am sure we are ready for the big one, as it were. we just have to remember to detach the automatic garage door. as it turns out, if you don't have power you just might find yourself stranded* in your own home. it was like being snowed in by six inches of snow. it made for a fun and adventurous day, to say the least. we felt like pioneers.

I know we have our headlamps at the ready. we have candles. we always have the jeboil. we have a hatchet, some wood, and some hot apple cider. we are ready for you, blizzard. just please, don't interfere with the rest of our holiday plans!

*it turns out that in 1940 when our garage was built they hadn't invented access doors yet. or was it that they hadn't invented automatic garage doors?? no matter, we were truly trapped at our own house for nine hours, that's all I'm sayin'.

you're invited

I've been busy lately crafting up a storm for the harvest boutique. if you're around on the twenty-third you should stop by for some local, handmade goodness. I'll be the one selling the upcycled children's items. leggies. longies. skirties. raglan tee's. envelope tee's. previously loved items infused with new life + a bit of hip.

celebrate the boy

celebrating the little man's first three-sixty-five.

details* to come, I'm sure.

*because yo, I totally made that shirt. not just freezer paper stenciled it--which I did--but actually made the shirt. upcycled from two previously loved tshirts. I just might tell y'all how I did it.

*and also, remember when I said I had all these things floating around my head regarding pj's birth? well, I've been processing things for an entire year now. I just might spill my thoughts out onto the blog. hopefully. they need to be aired out. but they run deep and sometimes I feel it's hard to get them out. to make sure the words are the right ones.

wild

upon first glance he looks harmless enough. . .

. . .but beware, he is a wild little animal.

back to school

I'm sure many of you didn't know that I'm going back to school. in fact, today was the first official day of class. now instead of buying notebooks and fancy pens I'll be buying straight edge rulers and pretty fabric! my online home ec class is underway and I couldn't be more thrilled.

there will be twenty-six sewing projects in all, with each building on the last. I wanted to be a part of this class because not only are you creating fun and useful things, each project is teaching you a skill. the course is designed to take you to the next level as a sewist. hurrah!

today's project: cloth napkins.

now technically I didn't make the above cloth napkins for this class. they were a set of napkins I made my sister and her family for christmas. it's like I did homework over the break and didn't even know it.

{more projects to come.}

diy babylegs

the outfit: small paul paul frank shirt, thrifted and still slightly too big for my little monkey;

red thirsties cover over a flat; and a brand new pair of babylegs, via knee-high socks from target.

babylegs are a great thing in any baby's wardrobe. boy or girl. crawling or not. even when it's 96 degrees outside. okay, okay. we're in our cold basement. they work.

but I don't really want to shell out the cash for actual babylegs. I'd rather just make them myself. ya know what I mean? good thing they're surprisingly easy to make. all you need are the following items:

::socks, preferably knee-highs (and upcycling old, previously worn and loved socks gives you karma points!)

::scissors

::thread, coordinating if so desired (but you really wont see any stitches anyway, so it doesn't really matter)

::sewing machine or serger

now I made four pairs this afternoon in about ten minutes. so this is a quick and easy craft you can easily do while baby naps or sits there in the craftroom jumparoo eating the various doo-dads. my son did the latter.

and this is not a tutorial post. because, really, did I take any pictures of the process? no. but I can point you in the right direction. like here. or here. the basic idea is this: take your sock, cut off the toe, cut out the heel. throw the toe piece and heel piece away--unless you can find something else useful to do with them, which I highly encourage you to do. the little piece in between the toe and heel is now going to be the cuff you sew on. just fold it in half with the right side of the fabric facing out. then sandwich the rest of the sock into the cuff piece you just made. all raw edges will be lined up at this point and all fabrics will be righ sides facing out. then get out your sewing machine and sew around the raw edges with a zigzag stitch. or use your serger and just zip around. just make sure all raw edges are lined up as you go. once done, just flip the cuff part up and ta-da! you have made a babyleg. was that confusing at all?

did this turn into a picturless tutorial post? okay, maybe just go to the linked tutorials. pictures are always helpful. sorry.

just imagine

{just imagine this photo was taken out in the wilderness and not in our neighbor's backyard.}

just imagine pj's first camping experience.

just imagine the mini hike around the campground, with a failed attempt up the trail because I didn't want to get my shoes muddy.

just imagine how the little man hogged all the room in the tiny two-man tent. sprawled out and cozy.

just imagine the raging fire started with one match and no paper.

just imagine the failed hobo dinners. two layers of tinfoil really is necessary, it turns out.

just imagine the s'mores in our faces.

just imagine a boy sitting in the dirt, eating rocks. happy and content.

calling all you saved by the bell aficionados!

for your viewing pleasure: the best saved by the bell moment ever.

a little saved by the bell trivia quiz from my friend, who really needs to know:

"what is the name of the saved by the bell episode where zack's teacher tells him he doesn't have to take a test and he gets a B. But he decides that's not good enough so he shows up and gets an A"

if you can figure this out you will win a date with either ac slater or kelly kapowski. and a saved by the bell high-five for being so awesome.

happy LIFE day

yesterday my family and I celebrated LIFE day. one year ago peter was almost taken away from us but was thankfully spared. as he himself said, shouldn't we celebrate every day as life day? yes, yes we should. I often wonder how many times we are close to unfortunate accidents/circumstances without even knowing it. that we are kept safe and think nothing of it. we don't realize what could have been if we just waited half a second longer, or did one thing over another. so be grateful for the blessings in your life. that you're here and that you have loved ones to share the moments with. that is what LIFE day is, a day to remember our love and blessings. let's make every day LIFE day.

side note: not to make things over sentimental, but the shirt that miles is wearing in the above photo is the exact same shirt peter was wearing when he got hit by the car on his bike. it was cut off of him when the paramedics arrived on the scene to take him to the er. luckily, not a lot of blood was on it and I was able to save the ripped up shirt for future use. the style is exactly how the shirt originally was. I love that the little man can now sport one of the bigger man's favorite tee's.

one more side note: today is earth day. another perfect day to celebrate life, no? take some time to reconnect. and let's not forget a little edward abbey love. not really earth day related, but this sentiment seems appropriate for life. happy earth day, everyone.

it's here! it's finally here!!

{the sprayer, via bumgenius}

I can't wait until my son poops. seriously so excited about it. see, ever since we've started solids I've had to do the dunk and swirl in the toilet. not so bad if it's only once a day, really. I can deal. but oh my how much nicer it will be with the diaper sprayer! I don't think I've ever been this excited for someone's poop before. I must be a true cloth diaper mamma.

in fact, I think I want to sneak into the bathroom right now to give it a whirl, just for fun.

oh how I love my little man in the fluff.

buried treasure

healing

we kept joking that the island was going to heal me. well, I still came back with drop foot, but the island certainly did heal my soul.

aloha!

it's hard to wake up early, I know. especially when you have to sit in an airport. as tom petty puts it, the waiting is the hardest part.

but when you get to see big planes back dropped by beautiful mountains sunrises?

it kind of makes it all worth it. plus how can you be too terribly sad when hawaii is your destination? aloha, my friends!

{am planning a little reliving of the vacay -- I know many have been patiently awaiting photos}

holla to the sistas!

hello, today is international woman's day. and to celebrate, this week all my out-of-town sistas are going to be in town. in fact, the first one flies in today with her family. hip! hip!

I've always believed there is such power in a group of strong women. and the women of my family (both bloods and in-laws) are of no exception. I am continuously awed and inspired by their strengths and talents. so much to learn from each and every one of them.

so happy IWD, everyone. let's all rally together and help bolster up the women around us. often times we are everything to everyone else, but what are we to ourselves? it's hard being the mother/wife/sister/friend/chauffeur/maid/cook/et cetera/et cetera and still find time to just be. today let's take a moment to remember who we are. reconnect with yourself. reconnect with the women in your life. do something you always want to do but can never find time to do. as for me, I'm going to go take a hot bath.

oh, and one more reason to love the day

today is national peanut butter lovers day. hip! hip!

so go share a jar with someone you love.
{I made peanut butter oatmeal cookies to celebrate the day}

cute reeses peanut butter cup o' love via