Giveaway from Scarlet's Naturals

The owner of Scarlet's Naturals, Desiree, was kind enough to sponsor a giveaway.  She has chosen to let the winner of the giveaway chose which product they would like!!!  That means you have 7 products to chose from!!  Your options are Hiney Honey Bites, Hiney Honey Cream, BugBee Gone, Honey Wash, Honey Lotion, Suds, or Lip Honey.  Thank you so much Desiree for your kindness, generosity, and wonderful all natural products.

Scarlet's Naturals Honey Lotion - Review

I contacted Scarlet's Naturals about a month or so ago to see if they would be interested in doing a review and or giveaway.  The owner of Scarlet's Naturals, Desiree, was willing to do both!!  Yippee for us :)  Desiree asked me what I would like to try.  I really wasn't sure at 1st so she suggested their Hiney Honey Cream but I said no since Baby K has yet to have a rash.  So I asked if I could try their Honey Lotion.  I knew it was something that I could try on 3 out of the 4 people in my house (Hubby is NOT a lotion person).  Desiree agreed that it would be fine for me to try.  At the time when we were communicating she was actually out of the country but as soon as she got back she whipped up a batch of her wonderful lotion and sent it straight to me.

I was super excited when I received my lotion in the mail!  I could smell the wonderful scent (Oatmeal, Milk, and Honey) as soon as I opened my mailbox.  I soon found out I could smell it so well because the unreliable post office/man had busted the top of my bottle and squeezed most of the lotion all over the inside of the bag.  I contacted Desiree and sent her a picture of what I received.  She could not believe how careless the mail was and immediately sent me a new bottle in the NEW packaging (not the picture on the site).  This time when my package arrived it was in pristine condition and there was a nice little note on the back of the business card she added.  Desiree had wonderful customer service with my postal mishap and by no means had anything to do with the way it was packaged.  The post office just isn't careful with the mail (have you seen the stuff they send packages through?)

Now to the wonderfulness that is Scarlet's Naturals Honey Lotion!!  I have never used an all natural lotion like this before so I really wasn't sure what to expect.  The 1st time I used it I put on way to much and my hands looked greasy (but didn't feel it).  So I washed it off and was extremely sad.  That afternoon I talked to one of my friends about it and she said, "They are all like that.  You just have to let it soak in."  She has been using a different type of all natural lotion so she had more experience with them than I did.  I went home that evening and tried again :)

This time I did not use as much as the time before and I gave it a minute or to to soak in.  After a couple of minutes my hands no longer looked greasy, they smelled great, and were SO soft!!!  I used it again the next morning and that afternoon I saw a friend and showed her the lotion that I received.  She loved the smell.  Then I had her feel my hands....she said they were really soft.  Then I told her that I used the lotion that morning and have washed my hands about 15 times since I used it.  Then she couldn't believe that they were STILL that soft!!!

I am usually pretty cautious about what I use on my children so I tried the lotion on myself 1st.  The next time I gave A (my 3 year old) a bath I used the lotion on her afterwards.  She loved the smell and is a real lotion freak :)  After I finished lotioning her up she then wanted to lotion me so I let her do my hands.  When i woke her up the next morning she still smelled like the lotion.  I couldn't believe that the scent lasted that long.  Her dry little legs were still silky smooth and so were her elbows and knees.

I have since used it on Baby K also and love how she smells when I am done applying the lotion.  You do not need to use as much of the Honey lotion as you do regular lotions.  This is extremely thick and I would almost consider it more of a cream than a lotion.  The lotion comes in 3 different scents as well as unscented. Not only does Scarlet's Naturals sell lotion but they also carry 6 other products.  Plus all of their products contain ingredients found locally to them including honey and beeswax from their own hives!  Also all of their products are Cloth Diaper SAFE!!!  Ceck out Scarlet's Naturals website to see all the product's that they sell and check the out on Facebook to see everything that is going on plus deals and promotions.     

All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.  The lotion was provided by Scarlet's Naturals for review.  No additional compensation was accepted for this review. 

Guest Review - BumGenius Freetime from Eight Days a Week

A little while ago I had the Mama who runs the blog Eight Days a Week contact me and see if I would ever like to post some of her reviews here. That was a simple question....YES!!! The more reviews the better. Plus why not see a product through someone else eyes (every once in a while) instead of just mine :) Savannah from Eight Days a Week emailed me her review of the BumGenius Freetime. Please check out Eight Days a Week and let her know I sent you :) 

SAVANNAH'S REVIEW:

Let me just start by saying how lucky I am that my neighbor routinely checks her Facebook during the day and is generous enough to let me know what is going on in the cloth diapering world while I am at school. Thank you!

A little over a week ago our local cloth diaper and natural baby store in Honolulu, Baby Awearness, advertised that they were looking for two people to do reviews for the new bumGenius Freetime diaper. My neighbor called them within minutes of their posting, and then I called within minutes of her telling me about it. That’s how dedicated we are!

(By the way, if you live on Oahu and are interested in cloth diapering or already cloth diaper and would like to actually go into a store and touch products rather than order online, go to Baby Awearness! It’s friendly, fun, the atmosphere is great and there is even a small area for the little ones to play. Besides cloth diapers they also sell carriers, local and handmade toys, hats, shirts and onesies, cloth diaper detergent and second hand clothes and small baby items. Go check them out!)

Here is the review.. 

This is my first official experience with bumGenius and I am really impressed. I have two children, ages 2 and 9 months, girl and boy respectively. The Freetime worked for both kids, meeting each of their needs.

The Run Down: The Freetime is an All-In-One One-Size diaper from bumGenius. The 3x3 snaps on the front allow you to adjust the diapers size from infant to toddler. The Freetime features bumGenius’s new patent pending butterfly closure system: the diaper has two inserts partially sewn in at the front and back of the diaper which can be folded or laid flat. 

 

On the Job: My daughter often sleeps on her stomach with her butt up in the air and has a problem with pee running down her front. This had become such a problem that for almost a year I had been using disposables at night, so I was really hesitant when I put her down to sleep in the Freetime. I folded the insert attached to the front twice to help soak up any potential leaks and made sure it was on nice and tight. It worked great, no problems all night long! Wow!

   

I did pretty much the same for my son, except I only folded the front insert once. He still wakes up at night to eat so I changed him partway through the night. The diaper was wet, but not soaked, and his skin was dry. I usually use a prefold inside a pocket diaper at night for him, and although they are very absorbent, often when he wakes up his poor bum is wet and sticky. Even though I changed him half way through the night I feel that the diaper could have held on till morning.

Ease of use: Although it looks a little frightening at first, both my daycare provider who only has experience cloth diapering my children, and my neighbors sixteen year old daughter who helps me out on the weekends, were able to figure it out with little to no instruction.

I appreciate that the snap version has two rows across the top. If you are unfamiliar with snaps, they can easily come “untucked” at the hip if there is only one row. This also helped in getting a nice fit.

Nitty Gritty: I have to be honest, I was pretty worried about my first poop experience with this diaper, and I have to say I’m glad it was with my son and not my daughter. My daughter is notorious for messy, not so solid, poopsies; luckily she is potty training and only wears a diaper during nap time and bed time so we were able to skip a #2 with her. My son has poops that easily knock into the toilet, and with the Freetime I had no problems there with him. I would be concerned about big messes that need a lot of swishing, since the inserts are only partly attached it’s kind of difficult to maneuver without getting your hand mucked up.

What I love: The fit. This diaper is trim and fits beautifully on both my children who are built very differently. My toddler is a skinny mini and my son I lovingly refer to as “chunkers” and “ham hocks”. Yet the same diaper had a trim fit on both.

Because of the style of the inserts the Freetime dries completely in one cycle. Other AIOs can sometimes come out a little damp still but this was not the case with the Freetime.

Problems: I really don’t think there is anything wrong with this diaper, bumGenius knows their fluff! The only thing I can report is I don’t own a lot of velcro diapers, so when I put my two year old down for a nap in the Freetime velcro, with no pants on, I didn’t think much of it. She’s potty training and iffy about wearing diapers sometimes, so when I went back in an hour later she was passed out on her bed, naked butt, diaper on the floor. Obviously this isn’t the diapers fault!

There is also my worry of messy poops. I can definitely see a diaper sprayer coming in handy for a really dirty job. However, all kids are different and a lot of times it’s the breastmilk poop that is the messiest and that dissolves in water, so a cold wash would work just fine.

Overall impression: I really like this diaper! It fits nicely, it’s adjustable, dries quickly, and is versatile! For the level of performance the price is very reasonable. In fact, I think I’m going to go buy a couple more next paycheck! I would recommend this diaper to anyone who cloth diapers or is interested in it!

Oh Katy OS Pocket Diaper - Review

Outside of the Oh Katy with both insert

The Oh Katy is a OS Pocket diaper just like all the other OS Pocket diapers....right?!?!  Well yes and no.  Oh Katy has done a couple things different than the others.  The biggest thing I have found that they did differently is where you stuff the pocket.  Oh Katy's pocket is in the front of the diaper instead of the back.  The other big thing is that they showed their customers how to secure the used diaper (like a sposie) by using the cross over snap.  Other than that it is a pocket diaper and who doesn't love a pocket diaper :)

Inside of the Oh Katy with both inserts

I got my 1st Oh Katy from a little store called The Cloth Nook (clothnook.com).  The owner had shown me one when I was 1st looking at cloth diapers and showed me the cross over closure idea.  I thought it was pretty cool but I was really unsure about OS diapers at that point.  When I made my next order (once I decided to switch to full time diapering) I decided that I was going to give it a try.  So I got my 1st Oh Katy.  About a week later I got my 2nd Oh Katy when my order from Kellyscloset.com came.  I had taken advantage of their free OS diaper coupon at the time and it just happened to be an Oh Katy :)  so now I have 2, a red one and a twilight one.

About the Diaper (from the manufacture)

Rise setting #1 (smallest)

Oh Katy® one-size diapers are coveted for their trim fit, ease of use, and leak proof protection. Featuring a patented front-opening pocket design, ultra soft fleece, hip snaps for a sturdy fit on newborns and toddlers and gentle elastic to fit even the chubbiest thighs. No need for a waterproof bag, simply roll it up and use the crossover tabs to secure your neat bundle. Every Oh Katy® diaper comes with two inserts: a full-size, adjustable insert and a newborn insert/doubler.

Rise setting #2

 Unique Features:

• Patented front-opening pocket design
• Infant side snaps to prevent wing-droop
• Wrap and snap feature for clean storage
• Ultra-soft microfiber fleece to keep baby feeling dry
• Multiple inserts included

Rise setting #3 (largest)

Also if you go to the Oh Katy website their is a section that has pictures that point to and describe all the different features of the diaper.  Please check out Oh Katy Features

My Thoughts

Rise setting #1 and large insert snapped to smallest setting

Rise setting #2 and large insert snapped to 2nd setting

 Ease:  The Oh Katy is very easy to use.  Just like most OS pocket diapers all you have to do is snap down the rise, stuff the pocket, put on baby and GO!!  My biggest complaint about this diaper is that you stuff it from the FRONT instead of the back.  Oh Katy sees this as a big selling point because you don't have to touch a poopy insert.  At least for Baby K her poopy doesn't get that high that it is a big deal and even if it did, I bet the WHOLE diaper would be poopy.  So when you have to unstuff the pocket you are ALWAYS touching pee pee no matter how wet the rest of the insert is.  Also I find it a little hard to stuff when using BOTH inserts.  When I use both inserts it is for nap time so I want the extra insert to be in the front for my tummy sleeper.  When stuff from the front it wants to move to the back while trying to get both in.  So it takes a little longer to get everything situated. 

Diaper unsnapped and insert snapped down to largest

Price:  The Oh Katy is a heck of a price for a OS diaper.  It runs $17.95 everywhere that I have looked.  I have also seen them run specials where you buy 5 and get 1 free, which would make it $14.95 for a OS diaper!!

Diaper rolled like a disposable to be stored in wetbag

When and Why I use it:  I originally tried this diaper because someone had recommended it to me and then I got a free one from Kellyscloset.com with one of their coupons.  So I now have 2 Oh Katy's.  I use this diaper as one of my nap time diapers or for a longer car ride.  I leave the rise unsnapped and stuff it with both inserts.  Baby K usually will nap 2-3 hours in this diapers and some of the big insert will still be dry.  The fact that it is already all the way unsnapped at 10 months worries me a little for how long it will truly last.

Oh Katy on Baby K with both inserts

Recommend:  I would recommend this for someone to try this diaper if they have tried all the other OS pocket diapers and want to try something different.  I like the Oh Katy's that I have but I would not buy anymore.  There are other OS Pocket diapers out there that I would buy first.

Overall, I would give the Oh Katy a C+ maybe a B-.  I really am not a fan of the stuffing from the front instead of the back.  This truly is my biggest complaint along with the fact that Baby K already has it all the way unsnapped when stuff with both inserts.  Also this diaper only has 3 rise settings where others have 4 (making them last a little longer).  I would say to try out the Oh Katy if you are looking for something different to try.  It has an excellent price point of a OS pocket diaper.  The biggest thing I got from the Oh Katy diaper was the idea that you can use the cross over snap on ANY diaper, that has one, to roll it up like a disposable before putting it in your wetbag.  You can buy Oh Katy at Abby's Lane or Kelly's Closet.

Baby K from behind with both inserts

Just a little extra:  One thing that I also found with the Oh Katy is since there are only 2 snaps across for the rise setting it tends to bulge out in the middle when the insert gets wet.  And that does not look very flattering, especially on a little girl.  Also the large insert has 3 rows of snaps.  Small, Medium, Large, and then unsnapped.  I like this for when you do use the rise setting on the diaper.  That way you don't have to figure out what to do with the extra part of the insert. 

All opinions are my own.  I reviewed this diaper on my own and one of the diapers was purchased by me and the other was a free diaper coupon.  These diapers were not provided by the company.  No compensation was accepted for this review.        

Giveaway from Pinhead Primitives!!!

We have a new wonderful giveaway from Pinhead Primitives!!  The owner Jennifer was kind enough to donate an adorable Watermelon Hat for a giveaway to 1 lucky fan :)  Thank you so much Jennifer for your kindness!  All of us at SAH Cloth Diapering Mama really appreciate your generosity.  Make sure to stop by Pinhead Primitives Facebook page :)  Pinhead Primitives

Diapers Galore!!! Part 2

So I am finally back to working on the 3 part series!!!  I am so sorry it has taken so long for me to get to part 2 and I promise part 3 is not far behind.  Sadly Baby K had strep throat twice within 3 weeks, A had the stomach flu, we went to Florida for my Dad's wedding and then Baby K had an ear infection :(  It has been kind of crazy around here but now I am happily back to writing and hopefully informing :)  Part 2 will include information on both Diaper Covers and Pockets!!

Diaper Covers

So what exactly is a Diaper Cover?  A Diaper cover is a waterproof cover and can be used over a variety of diaper types.  Covers can be made of a variety of materials including polyester, nylon, or wool.  Covers (other than wool) usually have a layer of PUL on the inside which makes the cover waterproof.  Covers are what in the olden days where known as "RUBBER PANTS!!!!"  Rubber pants are a thing of the past :)  Diaper covers have come a long way just as ALL modern cloth diapers have.

Diaper covers are used over flats, prefold, and fitteds (Part 1).  Using the cover with these types of diapers is what makes them waterproof.  Flats and prefolds need a cover to also keep them on :)  Some people use fitteds without a cover and just change the diaper when the outside feels wet.  But add a waterproof cover to your fitted and you no longer have to deal with clothes, furniture, etc. becoming wet.

I do use a diaper cover overnight for Baby K.  We use a fitted diaper along with a Thirsties Duo Diaper cover.  We use the itti bitt boo fitted for overnight.  I have found for us that a fitted with a cover is a great overnight option.  With the fitted the whole diaper is absorbent along with the inserts and then add the waterproof diaper cover and we have never had a leak yet!!! :)

The benefits of Diaper Covers (according to kellyscloset.com)

• Diaper Covers provide you with the flexibility to diaper your way!
• Prefer natural fibers and materials?  Wool covers provide optimal protection against leaks, making them perfect for nighttime (and daytime too).
• Simple rinse and wipe covers are reliable diaper cover workhorses! 

Diaper covers have always been popular, are popular and will always be popular in the CD community.  They just give you too many options to ever lose their popularity.  Diaper Covers really range in price.  A lot of the price range is because of the different types of covers that are out there.  The cheapest cover I have found is $8.95 (rinse and wipe) and the most expensive is $42.97.

My favorite Diaper Cover, and really the only one I have ever used, is the Thiristies Duo Wrap Diaper Cover.  I have found this cover at both abbyslane.com and kellyscloset.com for the same price of $12.25.  To cloth diaper full time and wash every other day you would probably only need 6 covers at most (rinse and wipe).  The only time you NEED to change the cover is if baby gets poopy on the cover.  Other than that just wipe the cover and use it again.  Pair these covers with your favorite option from Part 1 and you have a very cheap way to cloth diaper your baby!!

Pockets 

Pockets?!?!  Like you have on your pants?  NO!!!!  Pocket Diapers :)  Pocket diapers are just what there name says, they have a pocket that you "stuff" with your absorbent insert.  Pocket diapers consist of 2 parts: a waterproof outer layer and an inner layer that is usually made of either microfleece or suedecloth.  You then have an insert that you stuff into the pocket of the diaper.  The insert can be made of a variety of materials, microfiber, bamboo, minky, etc., and can even be stuffed with a flat or prefold!  Pockets either have hook and loop (velcro) or snaps to close the diaper.  They come in either sized (S, M, L, etc) or One-Size (OS).  OS diapers last from birth to potty training where with sized you will have to buy multiple diapers to last from birth to potty training.

I LOVE pocket diapers.  They are the 1st diapers that I ever tried and I still use them EVERYDAY!!  My pocket diapers are what made me fall in love with cloth diapering.  They are extremely simple to use and could probably be called the dumby diaper :)  Pockets are the type of diaper that I would recommend to anyone that wants to try out cloth diapering.  Once you stuff your pocket the diaper goes on just like a disposable diaper does.  I prefer snaps over hook and loop but I know many who like the hook and loop better because it truly goes on like a disposable.

The benefits of Pockets (according to ME!)

• They are the "SIMPLE" diaper
• Easy for others to use for non-CD people (just stuff the pocket 1st)

As with all the other diapers, Pocket Diaper range greatly in price.  They can be as cheap as $9.97 or as expensive as $24.00 for a OS diaper.  Sized diapers are around the middle of that price range and vary depending on the SIZE of the diaper. 

The cheapest OS pocket diaper I found at Kelly's Closet is Kawaii One-Size Pocket Cloth Diaper for $9.97 and the most expensive one I found was Rumparooz G2 One Size Diapers with 6-r Soaker for $23.50.  At Abby's Lane I found the OS BumGenius 4.0 for $17.95 and their most expensive is the OS Blueberry Minky for $27.95. 

To cloth diaper my 10 month old full time and to wash every other day I have a stash of 12 diapers (this does not include my overnight diapers).  So for 12 diapers you could spend $120 on the lowest end or $335.50 on the highest end.  Most CD families have a mix and match of their types and brands of diapers.  Personally I own 3 different brands of pocket diapers.  I currently have FuzziBunz (I have mostly sized but just got a OS), Oh Katy (OS), and Tiny Tush (Elite 1.1 OS).  I love all of my pockets for a different reason and could not imagine only having to chose 1 brand.  I use my OS for nap times with both inserts and my sized ones for when she is awake.  You have to chose what pocket works best for your little one and how much you are willing to pay for them.

Next Time

 Part 3 will be all about AIO, SIO, and AI2!!!  What do these letters mean?  You will just have to wait for Part 3 to find out :)  If you use any of the diapers in any of the 3 parts and would like to write a couple sentences about why please email them to me at SAH.Cloth.Diapering.Mama@gmail.com.  Please put "Diapers Galore" as the subject line and your opinions may just be cyber published :)

Cute as a Bow Giveaway

Since Baby K will be 10 months on the 12th I thought I would do a giveaway for my bow page!!!!  Enter to win a $10 GC to Cute as a Bow!!!  I specialize in making adorable hair accessories for little girls or even yourself :)  My best friend (who doesn't have kids) has even order some big flowers from me and she wears them often and proudly!!!  Stop over and to my facebook page www.facebook.com/cute.as.a.bow1 to see all that I offer.  And PLEASE pass this on to anyone who has a little girl, niece, friend, etc.  that would love some cute hair stuff :)

We have an awesome giveaway from a WAHM!!!!  Enter to win a $10 GC to Cow Patties Cloth Diapers.  During the month of February OS diapers will be $10, so that means a FREE DIAPER!!!  Chose from covers, pockets, AI2s, or Fitteds.  There Famous Pocket Fitteds are only $14 so that would make it ONLY $4!!!!  Thank you Cow Patties for such a generous and AWESOME giveaway!!!