Cloth Diapers, Green Living and Going Green with Kids - The Eco Chic» Contests & Giveaways

News & Updates from Around the Cloth Diapering Community – 2/11/12

Calley — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 04:01:55 +0000

Would you like to know the very latest happenings around the cloth diapering community? I thought so!

You all loved this feature so much that I thought I would continue again this week. It’s been a quiet week in the cloth diapering community but here are a few things to entertain you.

My Favorite Posts of the Week:

Do you love Pinterest? Find out which cloth diapering and green companies are joining the Pinterest revolution.
Would you like to win a ones&twos cloth diaper? You can enter one on my giveaway sponsored by Kissed by the Moon.
Wondering what else you can do with baking soda? Here are 5 Ways to Use Baking Soda for Babies.
and finally my work in progress – Learn to Speak Cloth Diaper Slang, a cloth diaper dictionary.

My Posts from Around the Web:

I posted a review of the ones&twos all-in-one cloth diaper on the DiaperShops.com blog.

New Products:

Coming soon from Swaddlebees & Blueberry is the Capri cloth diaper cover and insert.
Have you heard about Project Pomona yet? These adorable pants are designed by a mom to fit over your little ones fluffy (cloth diapered) bottom.

Sharing the Blog Love – Other Cloth Bloggers I Adore:

Danielle Elwood writes on the Babble Baby’s First Year blog. This week she wrote about being a Cloth Diaper Junkie.
Amanda with the Eco-Friendly Family blog is also one of the geniuses behind the new Kaia magazine. I’m excited to see this great magazine reaching more families about living a sustainable life in the real world.
Maria is the owner of Change-Diapers.com and has a great dictionary of Used Diaper Conditions. Have you ever wondered what EUC, VGUC, GUC, and UC actually mean when buying second hand diapers?
Emi from the Cloth Diaper Report did a guest post on the KellyWels.com blog (part of the Cloth Diaper Ambassador program) about 25 “Other” Uses for Cloth Diapers & Accessories. Brilliant article!

Tampa Bay Cloth Diapering News:

Kim Rosas, the owner of the Dirty Diaper Laundry blog, is moving to my town! Unfortunately she is moving to the FAR extreme other side of town and we’ll be about an hour away from one another. Kim and I finally met last year at BlogHer and ABC Kids Expo and have formed a pretty good friendship so I’m really happy that she’s moving this close. While we probably won’t see each other often it’s nice to know that Tampa will have another cloth diaper junkie! We’ll have to schedule a live cloth diaper event with the both of us…or perhaps we’ll be be guests at the Great Cloth Diaper Change in Tampa.
Speaking of the Great Cloth Diaper Change it looks like Mrs. Crystal (Tushie Ties Diapers) has been very busy planning this years event. If you are in the Tampa area you will not want to miss out on this fabulous event. To register for the Great Cloth Diaper Change Tampa Bay be sure to visit the RSVP page and be sure to “Like” us on Facebook.

Cloth Diaper Sales & Coupons:

Kelly’s Closet(affiliate) has several active coupons, free shipping over $49, and one of the best selections of cloth diapers on the web! Here is a list of their current coupon codes (may expire at any time):
ONESIZE: Free one-size diaper (guaranteed value of $17) with $59 order or more. *See site for restrictions.
SAVE10: Save $10 off $99 or more. *See site for restrictions.
FREEBOOK: Free copy of Changing Diapers book with order of $15 or more. *See site for restrictions.
FLIP4U: Free Flip diaper cover when you buy a Flip diaper cover (zinnia and noodle colors only). *See site for restrictions.
No coupon required: 25% off select itti bitti products.

Did I miss anything exciting? Leave a link or comment below to share your favorite cloth diapering news around the web.

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Kissed by the Moon and ones&twos Giveaway

Calley — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:30:46 +0000

Sponsor spotlight: Kissed by the Moon (and a giveaway)

I would like to introduce you to Tami from Kissed by the Moon; a cloth diapering mama and diapering retailer. I asked Tami a few questions about cloth diapering and her business and wanted to share them with you.

How long have you been in business?

Tami: We just opened this past August, even though this has been a dream in the making for a few years.

Do you have a local store or is your business online only?

Tami: We are online only- I am definitely an “online” person and love interacting with chat blogs, forums, and facebook.

Do you participate in any local community education and outreach for cloth diapers?

Tami: I am slowly finding out about the local cloth diapering community and meeting local mamas. I created a group on meetup.com called Cloth Diapering Mamas of Sacramento County, and am hosting the Great Cloth Diaper Change in Sacramento. If anyone locally wants to meet to discuss diapers, I am more than happy to meet up and chat diapers.

Using only 3 words how would you describe yourself?

Tami: Hardworking, passionate, and creative. I think to run any business you need to work hard and pour your heart and soul into it, but you also need to have passion for what you do and love it. Plus it doesn’t hurt to be creative and fun with it.

What is your favorite cloth diaper and why?

Tami: That’s a really tough question because I’m not a one-brand diaper girl. FuzziBunz and bumGenius are my go-to diapers that I’ve been using for years. I’ve just discovered the Thirsties Duo All in One diapers and they’ve been great for us. GroVia shells with organic pods are great too, as they dry quickly. And my latest finds are the Swaddlebees and Tots Bots! At night we use Rumparooz.

One cloth diapering tip you wish all your customers knew?

Tami: Don’t be too hard on yourself. If something doesn’t work, try something else. There are so many options and styles out there, that just because one kind doesn’t work, doesn’t mean that everything won’t. Cloth diapering should be fun.

Would you like to know more about Kissed by the Moon? Check out their store, “Like” them on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter.

GIVEAWAY:

Tami is also offering up a brand new ones&twos AIO cloth diaper for one lucky reader. To enter to complete all of the steps below in the Rafflecopter application. The giveaway will close on 2/24/12 at midnight ET.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: Kissed by the Moon is sponsoring this giveaway and is an advertiser on The Eco Chic blog for the month of February.

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News & Updates from Around the Cloth Diapering Community

Calley — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 04:39:36 +0000

Would you like to know the very latest happenings around the cloth diapering community? I thought so!

For starters, let me say that while I may not get my blog updated as much as I like I am still very active in the community. You can find me most days on Facebook where I moderate several cloth diapering community pages including my own. I can also be found blogging for other companies and appear as a guest of a few blogs as well. I’ll try to do better with cross posting here so you don’t miss a single article from me.

News from this week:

Wednesday night Kim Rosas from Dirty Diaper Laundry hosted an amazing Twitter Party for the Giving Diapers, Giving Hope organization. The community raised over $1,500 so far in their fundraising efforts to become an official non-profit and to continue supporting families in 2012. You can read more about the campaign on Dirty Diaper Laundry and enter to win some amazing prizes through Feb. 14th on her Facebook fan page. To review the community tweets on this campaign follow #GivingHOPE. They are always accepting donations of any size – even $1 can help! Oh, and be sure to wish Kim a Happy Belated Birthday!
Jennifer Labit, the founder and owner of bumGenius and the Cotton Babies line of products met with Congresswoman Rosas DeLauro this week in Washington, DC to discuss the DiaperACT and what steps we can all take to ensure that cloth diapers are included in this legislation. Watch Jenn’s blog for a follow up post soon with additional information about her visit and follow her on Facebook for real time updates. << Updated post has been published about how you can Share Your Story to Help Support the DiaperACT.
Kelly Wels reveals her all new Cloth Diapers Ambassadors Team including some of my favorite bloggers (and friends). Are you following all of her Ambassadors yet?
Get Ready! It’s time to start planning for the Great Cloth Diaper Change 2012!! The Real Diaper Association is accepting early bird applications for 2012 hosts until February 29, 2012. If you are in the Tampa area you can already register for our 2nd annual event organized by Tushie Ties cloth diapers and a few guest appearances (perhaps myself AND Kim from Dirty Diaper Laundry) on April 21st at the Great Explorations Children’s Museum!! Be sure to follow all the action on our Tampa Bay Area Facebook Page for the GCDC.

My posts around the web:

Cloth Diapering 101: How to Prep Cloth Diapers on the DiaperShops.com blog. Be sure to read the follow up by another guest author on Prepping for Cheaters.
5 Steps for Successful Potty Training on the KellyWels.com blog with my graphical introduction post here.

Recent Cloth Diaper Articles & Reviews:

Did you read my review of the mabu baby eco diapering system last week? I talk briefly about why selling cloth diapers at Wal-Mart can be beneficial to the community. I’m still working on another post about why I think it’s a bad idea too (with every good there is typically a bad side also).
I’m still a few days away from posting my review of the ones&twos AIO system but you can watch a brief video from another blogger, Tara from Padded Tush Stats. I can tell you that we tested it overnight on our tot with the extra booster added and it held up for 11 hrs with no leaks. It sure was soaked but it held up like a trooper!!
Have ammonia issues? Concerned that your detergent might be causing the problem? Be sure to read the Cloth Diaper Geek’s Fact or Fiction post. She shares great tips and advice along with some facts from the leading detergent manufacturers.

Cloth Diaper Sales:

Kelly’s Closet always has great coupon codes worth sharing! They also just REDUCED their shipping fees for standard shipping under $49. They always have FREE SHIPPING (standard US shipping only) on orders of $49. Right now they have 4 active codes to choose from including:

BABYBUM code for a free $22+ valued diaper with purchase of $99 or more,
CLEANDIPE code for a free bag of Ruby Moon detergent with purchase of $75 or more,
FREEBOOK code for a free copy of the Changing Diapers book with purchase of $15 or more, and
2012ROCKS code to save 10% off your purchase of Rockin’ Green detergent.

Note: These offers have limitations and exclusions and may expire at any time. For additional details please visit Kelly’s Closet.

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Giving Diapers, Giving Hope Helps to Diaper Babies in Need

Calley — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:53:21 +0000

I am in the minority – many Americans face the decision between diapers and food every day because they simply cannot afford both. Like many Americans I tend to turn the other way and pretend like these problems don’t affect me – but they do. They may not affect me personally but they do affect my community and they do affect hundreds (probably millions) of Americans – some that I walk past every day. That person in line next to me at Wal-Mart, or that child who attends school with my babes, or that family who is attending our church for the first time - or maybe it’s you!

There aren’t many places that I decide to give my hard earned money to without questions. I donate/tithe to our church community (almost) every week. I donate to the Real Diaper Association once or twice a year. And most recently I have donated both diapers and money to an organization that is helping to diaper families across America.

This is my little helper carrying 2 boxes of diapers that we donated last week. One box was shipped to a friend on mine who just lost her job, has 2 babies in diapers, and a very small and aging stash of bumGenius 3.0s. The second (and larger) box was shipped to Giving Diapers, Giving Hope.

Inside the box for Giving Diapers, Giving Hope you can see some of my favorite diapers – many of which were provided to me by the manufacturers to review on this blog.

Since we are mostly potty trained (only in diapers at nighttime) I decided it was FINALLY time to let some of the stash go to babies who are in need. My husband suggested that I sell some of them but I just couldn’t do it – my heart has been leading me to this organization for months now and I had to listen to my heart.

In April 2010, Giving Diapers, Giving Hope was started by Kristen McCarthy and Emily Glover (whom I had the pleasure of meeting last August at the ABC Kids Expo) as a local cloth diaper lending foundation for Gloucester, MA. Within weeks of beginning their local service, GDGH’s Facebook page and email inbox were full of inquiries from parents across the country. To meet this need, Kristen and Emily decided to expand and accept applications from families throughout the United States. Over the last 10 months, Giving Diapers, Giving Hope has already managed to help over 70 families cloth diaper their babies.

Because Giving Diapers, Giving Hope expanded so rapidly to meet the needs of families they are still working to obtain enough funding to file for their 501 c3. A 501 c3 is needed to become a recognized non-profit and will further their ability to help lend free cloth diapers to families in need.

In addition to filing for the 501 c3 Giving Diapers, Giving Hope is in need of funds to purchase office supplies such as business cards and letterheads, packaging materials, and buy supplies needed to repair donated diapers that need them (like a few of my well loved bumGenius 3.0s). To make it happen a fundraiser campaign was planned by Kim of Dirty Diaper Laundry.

The Fundraiser involves two parts: the first is a kickoff Twitter Party. January 25 at 9 PM EST join @KimRosas, @GivingDiapers, and friends and tweet using the #GivingHOPE hashtag. There will be prizes given during the party but to be eligible you must RSVP on Kim’s website. Some prizes include gift certificates to Abby’s Lane and Kelly’s Closet, 6 Diaper Rite Pockets from Diaper Junction, 8 CJ’s BUTTer’s from Sweetbottoms Baby Boutique, a Prize Pack of all natural, vegan balms from “THE” Balm, a One Size Gro Via, Thirsties Duo Diaper, GroVia Magic Stick and GroVia disposable Biosoaker inserts from Jack Be Naturaland more! But this is just the TIP of the iceberg.On January 25 the Facebook Fundraising Campaign will also open. With over $1,700 worth of prizes you do not want to miss out! All prizes can be viewed easily on the Fundraiser Announcement post. There are prize packs from The NOW Family (ARV $124), Orange Diaper Co (ARV $100.00), Tushie Ties Tie on Prefolds ( ARV $90.00), a $100.00 Gift Certificate to Sweetbottoms Baby Boutique, a BabyKicks Prize Pack (ARV $78.00), an Oeko Popo Prize Pack (ARV $84.00), a “Try Cloth Diapers” Prize pack from Go Green Baby Shop (ARV $70), a GroVia and more Prize Pack from Jack Be Natural, an Accessory Prize Pack from Abby’s Lane (ARV $75.00), another Accessories Prize pack from Modern Cloth ($ARV $80.00), an Incredibum Package (ARV $100.00), “The” BALM! Package (ARV $75.00), a Thirsties package with 3 new DUO AIO’s and more (ARV $75.00), 2 bumGenius Freetimes donated by All About Cloth Diapers, and much, much much more! Whew! All of the prizes are listed on the Dirty Diaper Laundry Facebook Page and the contest will open first thing in the morning on January 25 and ends midnight on February 14. To enter just like the sponsor’s pages using the easy to use Rafflecopter widget. You don’t have to like every page but you must like the sponsor’s page to win their prize.

It should be noted that every sponsor you see listed has generously given a monetary donation to Giving Diapers, Giving Hope so please, please show them your appreciation and support! (Yes, I am a sponsor and I did donate financially from the money earned on this blog to this organization.)

How can you help? Just spread the word to all of your cloth diapering friends! Share the giveaway on your Facebook, Twitter, Message Boards, or by carrier pigeon to your buddy on a deserted island.

If you want to do more to help out a worthy cause you can, and you even get more entries into the giveaway! If you donate any amount, anything, you get 25 extra entries. Send a donation to givingdiapersgivinghope@gmail.com via Paypal then choose the Donation option in the giveaway. By donating any amount you increase your chances to win one of these amazing prizes!

I hope you will join me in supporting this organization I believe so much in. This Fundraiser will help them continue operating for the rest of the year.

To learn more about Giving Diapers, Giving Hope you can visit them on their website: http://givingdiapersgivinghope.org, or their Facebook Page: http://facebook.com/givingdiapersgivinghopefoundation.

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Eco-Fantastic Fan Celebration & Giveaway!

Calley — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 05:51:56 +0000

Eco-Fantastic Fan Celebration with The Eco Chic!

We’re only 4 days into 2012 and it’s been a great year so far! In addition to my Lil’ B turning 3, I reached a new goal on Facebook with over 3,000 fans this week. In honor of all the fun I thought it was only appropriate to hold a celebration of sorts! I reached out to some of my favorite sponsors, companies and friends and they leaped at the opportunity to spoil you.

Starting today I’m holding an Eco-Fantastic Fan Celebration Sweepstakes on Facebook. Included in the sweepstakes are lots of eco-friendly, cloth diapering, and blogger inspired goodies that I will be giving away to ten lucky fans. You can enter the Sweepstakes once each day per Facebook account and can earn extra entries into the sweepstakes by “Liking” our fantastic sponsors pages and by sharing the sweepstakes with your friends (you actually earn one extra entry for each friend who you personally get to enter!).

Let’s talk about the prizes:

One bumGenius Freetime one-size all-in-one cloth diaper (Donated by Cotton Babies)
One Flip one-size cover with stay dry inserts (Donated by Cotton Babies)
One Blog Header Design (or other graphic design project valued at $35) by Mommy Doodles Design
One “My Mommy is a Blogger” book (Donated by Sommer Poquette)
One large box of EcoNuts soap nuts (Donated by EcoNuts)
One Rump-a-Rooz one-size diaper in rootbeer (Donated by Rump-a-Rooz)
One full size bag of Rockin’ Green Laundry Detergent (Donated by Rockin’ Green)
One “Changing Diapers, a Hip Mom’s Guide to Modern Cloth Diapers” book (Donated by Kelly Wels)
One Tushie Ties tie on style bamboo cloth diaper (Donated by Tushie Ties)
One $25 gift certificate to Kelly’s Closet (Donated by DiaperShops.com)

About our sponsors:

Platinum Level Sponsor:

Gold Level Sponsors:

Silver Level Sponsors:

Bronze Level Sponsors:

Enter the Eco-Fantastic Fan Celebration by visiting the Sweepstakes tab on The Eco Chic Facebook Fan Page every day between now and January 15th (midnight ET).

*****

Good luck and thanks for entering 2012 with The Eco Chic!

For even more fun and excitement be the first to take The Eco Chic Pledge to Go Green in 2012 – more on that soon but you can go ahead and submit your pledge by signing up for my monthly newsletter.

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Hiney Lineys Versa Cloth Diapering System

Calley — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:35:06 +0000

Giveaway alert – see the details below on how to enter to win your very own Hiney Lineys Versa sytem.

Hiney Lineys!

I have found another new cloth diapering system that I want to share with you. Do you like covers and pre-folds but want the stay-dry option that pockets provide you? Then you’ll love Hiney Lineys!

The Hiney Lineys system is a 3 part system (sometimes referred to as an all-in-three or AI3) consisting of the Versa cover, snap in Liney, and an insert. Let’s talk about each piece individually:

Versa Cover: Available in one-size, newborn, or toddler/big kig sizes the cover is very similar to most diaper covers on the market. It is available in both hook & loop and in a side snapping option. The one-size diaper offers a 2 step rise adjusting snap. The one-size diaper is rated at 12-35lbs and I think that’s very accurate to how it will fit (my tot is 25-ish pounds and it fits nicely with some extra room to grow). The cover is made of water-proof PUL (outside) and wipe-able nylon (inside). This cover can be used alone as you would use any diaper cover or can be used with the Liney system.

Snap-In Liney: What is a Liney?? It’s a snap-in polyester stay-dry suedecloth layer that fits into the Versa cover. It’s an optional piece but when paired with the Versa cover will provide a nice layer of fabric between your baby and the insert that will keep his/her bum super dry and soft. It’s similar to a layer of suedecloth that is present in your favorite pocket diaper but snaps in so you can reuse the cover at changing time (assuming that the cover is not soiled). Ideally you would have more Lineys in your stash than you would covers. As an extra bonus the Liney is available in a nice tan color so you’ll never see those pesky stains again (you know those tiny stains that you just can’t get out – we all have them). How does the Liney snap in to the cover? There are two snaps in the front and two snaps in the back and they simply snap into the cover. It’s very simple to do – even for dads and daycares.

Inserts: Hiney Lineys has 2 different snap in inserts. They each snap on to the Liney in the front and lay behind the Liney. The insert that I have is made of Indian Cotton – 18 layers total in 3 pads that are sewn together at the end. Being sewn together like this aides in the drying time. If you use the system with a cover, a Liney and a snap in insert you can have all of the pieces attached and ready to go just like any pocket diapering system so it’s just as easy for dads and daycare’s as it is for you.

It’s “Versa”-tile! One of the common things that I notice after parents start using cloth diapers is that they become very particular about their inserts. Some parents love pre-folds and flats because they are so cost effective and flexible. Other parents prefer hemp for their heavy wetters. Still many parents use a combination of inserts to find that perfect absorbency for their child. The Hiney Lineys Versa system offers you this flexibility. You don’t have to use the Lineys or the inserts and you aren’t forced to buy the complete system – you decide how to use it. Many parents love pre-folds and flats but would like to add a stay dry layer to keep their babies rash free and dry. The Hiney Lineys system does just that. It truly is a “Versa”-tile system.

Want one more reason to love the Hiney Lineys system?? They are made in Maine – right here in the USA! It’s a family owned and operated business and the owner Sheila is a fabulous lady.

(Note: I have a very active toddler who is protesting photos these days. Once I capture her in her Hiney Lineys I’ll be sure to share it with you here.)

Where to buy? Hiney Lineys are now available at Kelly’s Closet.

Want to win a complete Hiney Lineys Versa System? Follow the directions in the Rafflecopter application below to enter to win. I’ll be selecting a winner in a few weeks.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a Hiney Lineys Versa System for testing purposes for this review. No other compensation was received and my opinions are my own.

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Getting Silly with Tom’s of Maine

Calley — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 20:32:47 +0000

GIVEAWAY ALERT!! Enter to win some Tom’s of Maine Toothpaste below.

Let’s talk about teeth today! What do you and your kids use to brush your teeth? One of those ‘popular’ kids brands of toothpaste in those fancy princess or character wrappings? Have you ever wondered what makes those toothpastes so tasty that your kids choose to eat it instead of brushing their teeth? I just looked at the back of my tube of Crest Kids and it doesn’t list the ingredients (aside from the active ingredient) on the actual tube (it probably did on the box) but here is the link to the Environmental Working Groups list of ingredients for this product.

Active Ingredients: Contains: Sodium Fluoride (0.15% w/v fluoride ion)Inactive Ingredients: Sorbitol, Water, Hydrated Silica, Trisodium Phosphate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Flavor, Sodium Saccharin, Carbomer 956, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, FD&C Blue 1

Do you see anything that that would be of concern to you? Maybe the Xanthan Gum, Flavor, and perhaps the FD&C Blue coloring. Why do we need to give them these artificial sweeteners and colorants to brush their teeth? Defeats the purpose of brushing their teeth if you ask me…

We did a Silly Strawberry Swap this past week in our house! We switched out our regular kids toothpaste with Tom’s of Maine Silly Strawberry toothpaste. I’ve used a small sample of Tom’s for myself but haven’t made the official swap in our house…but it’s on my list…now if only I can convince the hubs to try it! I like the regular Tom’s so I was certain my kids would like the Silly Strawberry. I left both tubes in the drawer because I wanted to get their true reactions and see which one they reached for in the morning/nights.

Results?? My daughter LOVES the Silly Strawberry! She’s only 2 (almost 3) so it’s not hard to convince her to try something as long as it looks, smells, and tastes fun. She picked the Tom’s every day this week and even said, “I want the Silly stuff mommy!” My son on the other hand tried Tom’s one day and went back to his Crest the rest of the week. At 8 yrs old he told me he didn’t like the taste of the Tom’s and that his breath felt cleaner with his regular toothpaste. So what did I do?? I tried it myself!

I have to tell you I like the regular Tom’s (adult variety) myself because you still get that minty fresh taste in your mouth that makes your breath feel fresh. After using the Silly Strawberry I didn’t get that minty or fresh feel. It didn’t leave that ‘clean’ feel in my mouth. Maybe I should stick with the adult Tom’s for my son since he’s concerned about his breath these days (you know…all those girls he talks to each day…hehe).

Want to know more about Tom’s of Maine??

Online: http://www.tomsofmaine.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TomsofMaine
Twitter: @TomsOfMaine

Want to win a tube of Silly Strawberry for your family to swap out? Enter using Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: A tube of Silly Strawberry toothpaste was received to review. This review was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own and do not reflect the thoughts of Mom Spark Media or Tom’s of Maine. Giveaway fulfillment through Tom’s of Maine.

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Diapering Today – the Video Review

Calley — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 02:27:02 +0000

What type of learner are you? Do you learn things best by reading them? Or are you an auditory or visual learner? I actually learn best by watching videos and seeing pictures (or touching the real product). That is one reason that cloth diapering can be so intimidating to many parents. While some brick and mortar stores exist most of us learn about cloth diapering online and shop online. It’s very challenging to learn about the different diapers and how to actually use them until you get them in your hands. Nevermind all the crazy terminology and techniques that come along with it.

Enter The Willow Store and Catherine Bolden. Her and her family decided that they would create an instructional video, Diapering Today, that would help parents understand cloth diapering from a real parents perspective. They used local cloth diapering parents (young and old) to share their personal experiences as if they were sitting in the room with you. You almost get the feel that by the end of the video these families are your friends. I especially love the little old couple who talk about the history of diapering and how things have changed over the years.

Mixed in with their personal stories and testimonies are short tutorials on the terms, techniques for using cloth diapers, accessories, and more.

The video is easy to navigate and is broken down into small chapters based on the different topics:

Why choose cloth diapers?
How to use cloth diapers
Types of cloth diapers
Getting started
Tips and Tricks
Washing
Accessories
Potty Training
Cloth on a budget
Terms
Evolution of diapers
Resources
and so much more!

Each chapter is only about 10-15 minutes in length so you can watch them at your leisure without losing your spot. This would be a great resource to share with a friend or expectant mom (or dad) to show them just how easy cloth diapering can be. Catherine (and myself for that matter) believes that education is key! The more informed parents are of their choices the better decisions they can make for themselves and their families.

How can you use this video?

As a baby shower gift
To share with friends, family, and other caregivers about how and why you cloth diaper
For a doula, birthing center, pediatrician, OBGYN, etc
As a cloth diapering class or by a retailer who is fortunate enough to have a brick & mortar store

There are a million more ways to use the video. How many can you think of?

Want to win a copy of the video? Want to win a gift certificate or cloth diapers? Join us Tuesday, November 29th at 9pm ET for a Diapering Today Twitter Party with The Willow Store! Our special guest sponsors for the evening are Kelly Wels, itti bitti, and Diaper Shops who have all donated additional prizes for you! We hope to see you there.

For information about the prizes and how to enter: http://ecochicparties.theecochic.com/2011/11/diapering-today-holiday-twitter-party/

Guess what else? You’ll catch a glimpse of me, The Eco Chic, in the video several times! I feel so stupid watching myself on video and wish I had a Hollywood hair and makeup artist to help me out! But then I guess it wouldn’t be ‘real life’ would it?!

Disclosure: A copy of the video was received free of charge for my work on this project. The Twitter Party is a sponsored campaign. I would promote the video and the sponsors regardless!

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Nature Makes Perfect Scents

Calley — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 03:12:43 +0000

Do you have a favorite scent from nature? A scent that reminds you of a special occasion, a special place, or person? One of my favorite scents from nature is the smell of Georgia honeysuckle in the springtime. It’s a little odd to me that one of my favorite scents is actually from an invasive weed but I absolutely love the smell of honeysuckle.

When I was growing up in North Georgia we lived on 5 acres with only two neighbors and lots of woods to play in. My younger brother and I were always outside exploring the old paths in the woods pretending that they were old roads and looking for hidden treasure. I don’t think we ever found anything exciting but we always had fun on our expeditions. I knew it was spring when I would start to smell the honeysuckle on our journeys. You could smell the honeysuckle before you would actually see it in bloom. In addition to the sweet smell of honeysuckle I loved the white flowering blooms; did you know they produce a sweet honey nectar that you can actually eat? We would collect the flowers, remove the stamens, and suck out the ‘honey.’ The blooming season never lasted very long so we indulged ourselves on the honeysuckle while we could.

We moved out of that house right after high school. My brother moved away not long after he graduated and we both went our separate ways. We stay in touch but it’s not quite the same as it was when we were little. When I got married after college my husband and I bought our first house in West Georgia and we had some honeysuckle on our property but not nearly as much as what I grew up with. Not long after we moved to Florida and I haven’t smelled the scent of honeysuckle in nature for years. When I find lotions, candles, or cleaning products that smell like honeysuckle I always buy them to bring back those childhood memories.

Memories like this one are exactly why Seventh Generation uses natural fragrances like lavender, mint, citrus, and ginger fresh from the field in their dish soaps. To celebrate the Nature Makes Perfect Scents sweepstakes, Seventh Generation is offering you a chance to win a trip for two to visit France or Italy. I would love to visit France and see the lavender fields in bloom.

More info on Seventh Generation: http://www.seventhgeneration.com/
Enter to win a trip to Italy, France or Vermont
Seventh Generation on Facebook
Follow @SeventhGen on Twitter

I wrote this blog post while participating in a SocialMoms and Seventh Generation blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information about how you can participate click here.

Photo source: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/843115

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2011 Diaper Awards – Vote Now!

Calley — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 20:14:42 +0000

Do you have a favorite cloth diaper? Favorite accessory? Favorite retailer?

A fellow blogger and mom of two, Tara from Padded Tush Stats, has opened up the voting for the 2011 Diaper Awards and guess what? I was nominated as Cloth Diaper Resource of the Year! No kidding, I was nominated along with several of my great bloggy friends.

If you feel so inclined and can possibly choose just one of us – hopefully me – we’d all appreciate your time. Voting is open to anyone who has cloth diapered a baby or child in the last year and voting ends on December 15th.

Why do I feel like I deserve your vote? Well the competition is quite stiff this year but I have dedicated the last 2+ years to educating you about cloth diapers, how to use them, and answering your most common questions. I spend almost every waking hour thinking about cloth diapers – maybe that’s just a sad little fact I shouldn’t share with you!

If you’ve found any of my resources here helpful I think that’s reason enough to vote for me. Want to read some of my favorite articles from the last year to remind you how wonderful I am??

To Vote: http://paddedtushstats.com/2011/11/01/padded-tush-stats-2011-diaper-awards-voting-is-now-open/

Thanks in advance for your kindness – I’ll still love you even if you don’t vote for me!

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