Little Miss Pees A Lot

I love cloth diapers. I love not filling a garbage bin full of diapers or having to run to the store at the last minute (and that store is a 30 minute drive away too!) and fork out a ridiculous amount of cash for diapers. What I don't love is our current struggle with keeping Ellie dry overnight. We've stopped changing her diaper at night because she's just too sleepy and a diaper change results in blood-curdling screams from a child who just doesn't want to be woken up quite that much. Sadly though, we still have to sometimes as we are still figuring out the perfect night time cloth diaper. We have a few options. We have two DryBees fleece night diapers that seem to hold everything in, depending on how many inserts we put in them. The downside is that they are super bulky and for the last half of the night her bum feels ever so slightly damp, since they don't have any plastic lining (PUL I think it's called?). We also have two BumGenius 4.0's that we stuff with both inserts they came with (one long one that folds down and snaps to be a shorter length and one short one that's fairly thin). The downside to these is that we never seem to get the perfect fit around both legs and she ends up leaky about half way through the night. Finally, we have our cheapie CozyKids pocket diapers that we stuff with two regular inserts. This usually works to avoid leaks, but we sometimes have fit issues. The upside is that they aren't bulky, even with two inserts (neither are the BumGenius). Is there a perfect overnight cloth diaper out there? Can anyone recommend one? Something that's not too bulky, fits lots of different sizes, and can hold a whole lotta pee???

Skin Deep Cosmetics Database: My Results

I decided to do an inventory of the bath products currently filling my bathroom and makeup stand to see how they stacked up in the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database. I'm not terribly surprised by the results, as I've always known I could be a lot more diligent about checking labels when I buy these products. So, in the interest of 'coming clean' so that I can truly clean up my cosmetics, here are my results:

**Note that the Skin Deep database does a lot more than just assign a number and hazard rating - so for more details, follow the links!**

Aveda Brilliant Anti-Humectant Pomade:
I swear by this stuff for keeping my carefully straightened hair straight on rainy days. It smooths my frizzies and prevents my hair from going back to it's natural wave/frizz when it gets rained on. That being said, any product that performs such 'miracles' is probably something I should have been skeptical of. So what did the database say?
This product scored a 4 (out of 10) which rates it as a moderate hazard.

Arm & Hammer Extra Whitening Triple Power Toothpaste:
I am pretty picky about the taste of my toothpaste. I think I've become even fussier since being pregnant and having many months where brushing my teeth often resulted in a whole lot of fighting with my gag reflex. So, I'm not sure if I'll change my toothpaste buying habits, even after I see the results for this product. However, I could try something once and let Adam finish the tube if I don't like it, and just keep doing that until we come up with something I can handle!
This product scored a 5 which rates it as a moderate hazard. (I used the closest match I could get, which was Arm & Hammer Complete Care Toothpaste Extra Whitening Fresh Mint).

Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curl Boosting Mousse:
This product wasn't listed, so I'm just going with a random other mousse made by the same brand. As for the type I use, I am not surprised it doesn't rate very well, but I feel like it might be a long and expensive journey to find a suitable replacement. I like how well this mousse holds my curl and I've tried a handful of others and never been too happy with the results. I guess I just have to keep trying!
This product scored a 7 which rates it as a high hazard.

Aveda Brilliant Damage Control with Camomile:
This product was not listed and no comparable alternatives exist in the database at the present time.

Dove Sensitive Skin Day Lotion:
I can easily trash my Jergen's moisturizer (see below) and use this instead. I'm usually pretty happy with the results and the one I have happens to be fragrance free and dye free. It's never irritated my skin or clogged my pores, so it's probably okay to stick with using it. Also, I like supporting Dove because of their campaigns that show 'real women' rather than stick thin models. Using the closest match I could find, this was the rating:
This product scored a 4 which rates it as a moderate hazard.

Degree Ultra Clear Pure Rain Anti-Perspirant:
I usually have Dove anti-perspirant, but at the moment, the one in my bathroom is Degree. I'm not really attached to any particular anti-perspirant, so this might be the easiest product for me to replace with a less toxic option.
This product scored a 4 which rates it as a moderate hazard.

TRESemme Tres Two Extra Hold Hairspray:
I don't usually buy aerosol hair spray, but this is left over from our wedding when I quickly grabbed a few travel size toiletries that could be easily transported to our ceremony and reception venues in case they were needed. Well, I will happily be replacing this product! I hate the smell of it and I literally have to hold my breath, spray it, run out of the bathroom, then take a deep breath - that's how bad it is!
This product scored a 7 which rates it as a high hazard.

Burt's Bees Orange Essence Facial Cleanser with Orange Oil:
I LOVE the smell of this cleanser. It makes my skin feel amazingly clean, however, I find that it can also dry out my skin if I use it too often. I mainly chose this cleanser because the brand has a good name and is assumed to be fairly eco-friendly. Thankfully, the results reassured me that I can feel comfortable continuing to use this product!
This product scored a 2 which rates it as a low hazard.

Jergens Natural GLOW Daily Moisturizer:
I'm actually cringing at the fact that I even bought this product. It does a nice job of moisturizing my skin and smells pleasant. However, I haven't ever noticed a change in my skin tone from using it, so it's likely ineffective. On top of that, why on earth did I think it would be safe to put something on my skin that is MEANT to alter my body?? This one is likely to be headed to the trash. (Can you believe I actually used it today? Yikes... this is precisely why I need to eliminate such products from my bathroom so that the temptation to use them isn't there to begin with!)
This product scored a 7 which rates it as a high hazard.

For some reason I have three sunscreens in my bathroom. I think I bought one for convenience (the Neutrogena spray), one because I thought it was better for me and the earth (the Burt's Bees) and then the third is leftover from a vacation (the Coppertone).

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Mist Sunscreen SPF 30:
This is yet another product I knew better than to buy in the first place. But the sheer convenience (and lack of oily hands) of spraying on sunscreen won out over my own health. How bizarre is that? I chose to use spray on sunscreen that's bad for my health so that I wouldn't get a sunburn, which is also bad for my health. Apparently I'd rather get cancer from my sunscreen than from the actual sun. Sadly, I think skin cancer is probably more likely to be treatable than the type of cancer I might get from using this product. This baby's going in the trash!
This product scored a 7 which rates it as not recommended.

Burt's Bees Sunscreen with Hemp Seed Oil SPF 30:
I bought this sunscreen in an attempt to wean myself off of the spray on stuff, which I knew deep down was bad for me. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to smell it before buying it in the store, and I kinda think it reeks. So, it got used once and has since remained on my bathroom counter. Anyone want some free sunscreen? You might like the smell - it's just not for me!
This product scored a 4 which rates it as a moderate hazard.

Coppertone SPF 50:
For this one, I just used the closest match I could find, but it seemed like most of the Coppertone SPF 50s were rated the same, so it's likely to be fairly accurate. I think, at least for sunscreen, I might be okay with a rating of 5. It seems likely that it might protect me more than harm me. That said, it wouldn't hurt to continue to look for a better option. Also, if sunscreen expires (does it?) then probably all of mine are too old anyhow... or maybe they're fine, I don't know!
This product scored a 5 which rates it as a moderate hazard.

Neutrogena Deep Clean Invigorating Dual Action Toner:
This wasn't listed, but two other, fairly different, toners from Neutrogena were listed. I'm going to assume that this one would probably fall into the same range and be rated a 6 or a 7, which would rate it as a moderate or high hazard. I should probably invest in something safer. 

Johnson's Baby Powder with Aloe & Vitamin E, Pure Cornstarch:
This isn't something I would normally use, but it has been the answer to one of my most frustrating pregnancy woes: the wonderful experience of my chest chafing against my belly. Oh how I miss underwire bras with all their lovely support! Alas, I have become a regular user of this baby powder. Thankfully, it doesn't rate too badly.
This product scored a 3 which rates it as a moderate hazard.

********************************************************************************

Well, that was definitely enlightening! This post took me the entire day to write (it was pretty depressing at times, so I took lots of breaks!). I think the end result is that I will immediately replace anything that received a high hazard rating (7-10), and then work my way down until all the products I use are in the low hazard rating (0-2).

I know not all of my readers keep blogs, but I would love to know if you looked up any of the products you have in your bathroom! Anything you've decided to trash? Anything you're happy to see rated as a low hazard? Leave me a comment here on the blog!

Book Review: Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology

I wanted to write a blog post about this book before a) I forget or b) I become too lazy. To be fair, I can only review Part I of the book, since that's as far into reading it as I've gotten. But honestly, I am thrilled to have found it! It's an incredibly interesting book that makes you think pretty intensely about your own use of technology and, for myself, about my relationship with food (where it comes from, how it's preserved, etc).

The book is actually about a couple who decide to live technology-free in an Amish-like community for 18 months. The challenges and rewards and learning experiences Brende writes about are so fascinating that I honestly believe everyone would enjoy reading this book!

So even though I'm not finished reading it yet - I give it a whole-hearted recommendation! Get it from your local library, a used book store, or order it off of Amazon!

Cloth Diapering!

The other night, Adam and I attended a free cloth diapering workshop put on by our local eco-friendly baby store, Podlings. It was fantastic!! Having spent the first 3 months of this pregnancy researching everything there was to know about cloth diapers, I thought it might be a bit too much of a review for me. However, I learned a lot more there than I did from all the books and websites I had read. Basically, my biggest bonus for going to the workshop was learning that I can wash cloth diapers on a heavy duty cycle using hot water, rather than going by the complicated instructions that come with the diapers - awesome!

And even though we had already picked out the diapers we planned to use (one size pocket diapers, or one size all-in-ones) we definitely saw a couple others that peaked our interest. I also hadn't thought about night time diapering, so it was great to see they have a fantastic diaper in the store if ours don't hold up for overnight use. Plus, we found a system that really appealed to us for travel. So if we fly across the country to visit family, instead of packing lots of bulky diapers and special detergents and wet bags, we can use a diaper cover with a compostable insert. I know it's not the most eco-friendly option - but it would be the exception to our otherwise very eco-friendly cloth diapers!

I can't wait to actually use our cloth diapers now instead of just staring dreamily at them while they sit on the shelf all lined up and colourful!

More from Naturally Knocked Up!

A little while ago I shared a post about homemade oil face wash, which I found on the blog, Naturally Knocked Up. Well, it gets even better - if you follow this link to her 'recipe' page - you'll find posts about how to make all sorts of amazing things! And it's not just food related recipes (although who doesn't love those?). My favourites are the last two sections - Natural Living and Natural Health. You can learn to make your own deodorant, fabric softener, and even wood polish (and a handful of other awesome things)! Enjoy!

I Love the Library!

It's silly, but I go through phases where I forget about all the great books and dvds I can borrow from the library. I search through second hand stores, look on Amazon.ca for good deals, and often give up. Silly!!

Luckily, I somehow magically remembered the greatness that is the library borrowing system the other day. And to make things even easier - all I had to do was log in to their web site using our library card and request all the books and dvds I wanted. In a day or two, I'll go to our local branch and (most) of our items will be waiting on the pick up shelf for me! How easy is that?!

On my current request list are 5 dvds and 5 books. The topics cover birth, prenatal yoga, vaccines, caring for infants and a couple books about the Montessori way of teaching/raising kids. I can't wait to devour all of them!

Also, for those of you who are pregnant, or thinking about heading down that road someday, remember this: there are a million books about everything, but if you want your partner to get the information too - get the dvd! So many of the books have a dvd option and they cover the same material in a more user-friendly manner - genius!

Homemade Oil Face Wash??

I love when you find a new blog and spend way too much time perusing their archives and then end up completely enamored with them! Umm... so I may have done that over at Naturally Knocked Up.

You see, a month or two ago I posted about using baking soda as shampoo. And while I still haven't run out of my current natural and locally made shampoo, I still plan to try the baking soda technique when I do. (On the plus side - two of my friends have tried it and love it!)

Well, the baking soda shampoo only got me to thinking that there must be other cool alternatives out there... but then I got lazy and didn't look for them. Until I found this post at Naturally Knocked Up. You can wash your face with sunflower oil and castor oil!

Not only is this a super cool natural solution... but it's cheap!! Just like the baking soda shampoo! I'll have to try it when my Burt's Bees face wash runs out (which I now know isn't as natural as it claims... but hey, I bought it so in order to not waste money, I'm finishing it!).

Fluff!

Apparently fluff is slang for cloth diapers. Who knew?

We ventured out to our local baby goods store this past weekend because they were having a potentially awesome sale. I say potentially because you pick a piece of paper out of a basket at the till and only then do you discover how much of a sale it really is! There were discounts between 10 and 50% off in the basket, but, of course we picked the lowest one possible - the 10%. Still, it meant we got our very first two cloth diapers on sale!

Is it weird to be ridiculously excited about diapers? Because I am! I'm also pretty stoked that a friend of mine has ordered these super cheap cloth diapers from CozyKids! If they're good we'll totally load up on some because they're sooooo much cheaper than the usual pocket cloth diapers!

I've also already converted myself from all-in-one diapers to pocket diapers. The difference is that you have to stuff an insert into the pocket diapers. But really, for the price difference, it's silly to even care about that tiny extra step! I'll just try to make a habit of pre-stuffing them when I put the laundry away so that I don't have to do it mid-diaper change.

Eek! I can't wait to see my little baby-to-be in soft, colourful cloth diapers!

Living Plastic Free (Or as close to plastic free as possible!)

A woman by the name of Beth Terry has a great blog called Fake Plastic Fish. And she recently posted links to videos taken at the TedX conference that took place in LA recently. If you're interested in the impact plastic has on our environment, or how you can make a difference, check out this link!

Baking Soda Shampoo

If you're interested in saving money or going chemical-free in the shower, check out this post over at the Green Baby Guide about using bakind soda as shampoo!

Cloth Wipes

It occurred to me as I was starting to write this post that these really aren't just baby wipes. You could use the same process and materials for 'family cloth' aka your very own reuseable toilet paper! Somehow I doubt many of my friends are that committed to the environment... but if you are, I would love to hear about it!

So, here goes my make-shift tutorial for basic cloth wipes:

 Using a rotary cutter and a mat (or scissors and a ruler) cut fabric into 6 inch squares.

 I decided to use two different fabrics for double sided wipes. So, one side will be flannel and the other terry cloth (I reused an old bathrobe for the terry cloth!).

 Place the squares with right sides facing each other (the right side of the terry cloth is totally a matter of preference!).

 Sew a straight stitch around the edges, leaving a gap of a few inches.

Trim around the edges, close, but not so close that your stitching will come undone. Trim the corners on an angle.

 Turn the wipe inside out through the gap and push out the corners (I used chopsticks to push my corners out).

 

Folding in the part of the wipe where the gap is, do a straight stitch around the edge.

Now repeat a billion times and you've got a stash of reuseable cloth wipes!

Making A Difference: One Toilet Paper Roll At A Time!

Awesome! Scott brand toilet paper has come up with toilet paper rolls that have no inner cardboard tube and use no glue! That's definitely progress! It would be a bit better if they also used recycled paper for the rest of the product, but at least it's a step in the right direction.

*Side note... if you're as brave as I am, you may also venture into using cloth wipes as reusable, washable toilet paper! I don't use it for everything, but I have some super soft bamboo fleece wipes that I can wash and reuse - further reducing the amount of toilet paper I use. I'm also pretty excited that once we start cloth diapering, these wipes can be washed with the cloth diapers to reduce laundry loads and water usage!

The Little Things

I whole heartedly believe that there are lots of easy changes we can make to lessen our impact on the environment. It is incredibly sad to hear of people who think recycling is 'doing their part.' It is the bare minimum. No, it is far below the bare minimum. There are lots of things we can easily do - big and small!

Here are some ideas to get you started!

• When baking or cooking a dish that takes a long time (30 minutes or more), turn the oven off 5 minutes before it's done. As long as you don't open the door, the oven will retain the heat and keep cooking your food! (Be careful with things like chicken and fish, it's important not to eat undercooked meat!)
• In the winter, after using your oven, leave it open a crack to cool down. The heat will warm your house and you can turn the thermostat down for a little while!
• Turn your heat off at night! You most likely sleep under a blanket, and possibly with another warm body beside you, so the thermostat is just plain overkill.
• "If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down." Enough said.
• Before discarding anything (whether it be to the trash or the recycling) try to figure out if you could use it again as something else (tupperware container, storage divider, etc.)
• Make conscious decisions when you're shopping. Compare packaging amounts and choose the one with the least packaging, or the least plastic packaging. Compare where foods are from - choose apples grown in your home province/state instead of shipped in from New Zealand. Skip the plastic bags - you don't really need a plastic produce bag for 3 oranges do you? Better yet, buy cloth produce bags that you can reuse!
• Cloth grocery bags. Seriously. I am still in shock when I see people walking out of the store with all plastic. For the love of God, WHY?!
• If you have kids, resist the urge to purchase a million snack packs of pre-packaged tiny portions of real food. It's 99% junk anyhow. Instead, designate some time once a week to creating these 'snack packs' yourself. Divide foods into several small tupperware containers and group them so that each day you just grab one group of snacks and toss them into the lunch bag. Better for your budget, the environment AND your kid's health!
• Coffee. Now, we all know I'm a HUGE coffee fan. Organic coffee is great... but fair trade is even better. Fair trade means the coffee growers are paid a fair price for their beans instead of getting ripped off by big corporations. Best yet - organic, shade grown, fair trade coffee! 
• Hang your clothes to dry. Seriously, even in the winter. Just hang them inside. They will still dry and be perfectly wearable. They'll even last longer since they're not being beaten to death by the dryer once a week. 
• Take short showers. Seriously. Set a timer if you have to. 5 minutes should be plenty. Unless you do other things in the shower... in which case I don't want to know!
• Grow some of your own food! Tomatoes can be grown out of a bucket that you hang upside down on your balcony - how easy is that?! Herbs can even be grown inside on a window sill! You don't necessarily need a garden to garden.

Okay, that's enough for today. I'm sure I'll add to this list over time. If you have any ideas, please feel free to leave a comment!

Homemade Almond Milk

I just tried my hand at homemade almond milk thanks to the tutorial over at Progressive Pioneer. I had been waiting until I got a blender that could handle chopping up the almonds, and my parents just got me one for my birthday, so I was finally ready to go! Thanks to the awesome blender, the almond milk turned out great!! I might experiment with different flavours instead of the vanilla though. I think I have some maple extract somewhere...

"We speak our values with our dollars."

I'm constantly trying to make better choices when it comes to the things we buy and the foods we eat (I type this as I just threw my reuseable, homemade, bamboo toilet paper in the dryer). That's why I'm recommending everyone read this great post over at one of my favourite blog's - Clean. She talks about the value of buying locally and being conscious of what you're actually buying (specifically when buying organic). It's so well written that I'm not doing it the least bit of justice, so you must go over there and read it now!

Giveaway: No Plastic!

There's a great giveaway happening over at Progressive Pioneer! If I were you, I'd check out these pictures of what you could win, then hurry over to enter your name for a chance to win! While you're there, check out the rest of the blog - definitely one of my new favourites!

Product Review: Abeego Wraps

I was researching ways to sew my own reusable sandwich wraps about six months ago. The problem was, all the patterns or ideas I stumbled across required using a layer of plastic. I thought this was strange since I was trying to get away from using plastic wrap (mainly because it is a disposable product, but also because it's plastic!).

Finally, I got so frustrated in my search that I went to my favourite local shop: The Good Planet Company. The name says it all - they carry great products that are functional and good for the planet. To go one step further, they also carry locally hand-crafted products. That's how I found Abeego.

Abeego is a company local to Victoria, B.C. They create reusable Wraps (sandwich size, although can be used for anything), Snack size wraps and Flats. These products completely replace plastic wrap and plastic zippered bags. They are made of a hemp/cotton fabric and they use beeswax and plant extracts to make the fabric foldable (is that a word?) and washable.

They are fantastic! I was ecstatic. I immediately purchased two of the Wraps and put them into use. I have found that they work perfectly and can be easily shaped to fit whatever you need to put in them. I was worried about their longevity and how clean they would actually get being hand washed in cold water, but I haven't had any issues. Months later they are holding up perfectly to nearly daily use. The cold water wash has even conquered mustard stains! The only downside is how cold your fingers get while washing them. But it's a small price to pay for such a great product!

Three cheers for Abeego!

Mother of the Bride's Dress

 

 

One of the great things about bridesmaid dresses is that you can usually wear them again. Now, I know that's a very cliché thing for a bride to say when picking out bridesmaid dresses, but unless they are completely bizarre and outlandish, it's pretty much true. I was a maid of honour in a wedding this past summer and in my case, it's not me that gets to wear my bridesmaid dress again, but rather my mom! My mom was fretting over what to wear to my wedding when we decided she should try on the dress I wore in my best friend's wedding. Low and behold, it looks fantastic on her! Given that we're the same complexion and a similar build, it fit pretty perfectly! She might just borrow the shoes I wore too! How's that for a budget and eco-friendly choice?

Seating Chart Savvy

Our seating chart is a work in progress. It started with a vision and has been a work in progress ever since. The vision was a cork board with strands of twine draped across it. I envisioned plantable paper hearts hanging from the twine by vintage clothespins. Well, some of this worked out and some of it not so much.

I got a corkboard through our local freecycle network, however, it's a bit smaller than we needed. So, instead of having one heart per person, I decided it would work better to have one heart per couple or family, since they will be seated at the same table anyhow. Problem one solved.

Next, I attempted to make my own plantable seed paper. While it's not the most difficult DIY task I've attempted, it was a bit too fussy and time consuming for my liking. It was hard to make the paper thin enough to cut easily and it takes a really long time to dry. Giving up my kitchen table to a bunch of drying paper for a week was not part of my vision. Instead, I settled for handmade paper that I upcycled from various craft projects I had on hand and no longer needed to keep. Problem two solved.

Now for the vintage clothespins. I tried to get free clothespins through our local freecycle, but apparently nobody was willing to part with their beloved clothespins (which is good, it means they're using them instead of a dryer - cheers for eco-friendliness!). Instead I opted for purchasing new ones, however, I chose to go with bamboo since it is a wood that can replenish relatively quickly. Problem three solved.

So, the picture above is still a work in progress. In the end the hearts will overlap slightly in order to fit them all on the board. But overall, I like it!

To-Do or Not To-Do

The question I'm facing a lot these days is whether to do another DIY project that I think would be lovely, or to eliminate it and give myself the gift of one less thing on my to-do list. This is another one of those things! This lovely little frame is meant as decoration for the table that will host the seating chart. I think it's lovely and simple, and something we would probably keep to decorate our home with afterwards. However, I would need to scour thrift shops for the perfect frame and come up with the numbers as well. It can be done, but do I have the time?

Who am I kidding - of course I have the time! I remember the days of university, finishing papers within a half hour of leaving for a Mexican vacation. If I had time for that, I have time for this! Wish me luck in my hunt for a thrift store frame!