Earth Day

There's only one Earth. And I'm committed to keeping it as healthy as possible for my children and all future generation. Here's what I did on Earth Day to do my small part. I made things from old t-shirts and scrap fabric. It's recycling, reducing, and reusing all at the same time, plus loads of fun!

I had stumbled across this awesome tutorial for making tote bags from t-shirts. And it was as easy as pie. Or, since I don't think pie is that easy to make, let's go with "easy as cupcakes" instead.

First, lay your old shirt flat. Then cut off the arms, making sure to leave the seams. I made the mistake the first time of laying it flat and cutting straight across through two layers--and ended up cutting the seam off on one side. My advice: cut around the arm near the seam for a flawless look! Leaving the seams in help reinforce the bag's strength.

After you've cut both arms off, place a dinner place halfway down the top over the collar, trace, and cut out.

Then, flip the shirt inside out. Pin the bottom of the shirt together, and zig-zag stitch TWO times across the bottom directly on the seam that's already there.

I then added what the tutorial called "gussets" to give the bag some depth. I'm not really sure if I did it right. In fact, I'm pretty sure I didn't. But whatever! I just zig-zagged an inch or so up the side of the bags at a right angle to the corner, and it seems to have worked!

I also worked on some nursing pads for when the baby comes and I start breastfeeding. They were made out of layers of fleece and soft denim (a favorite, very worn old pair of jeans). I just used my circular magnetic pin holder as the template.

And made a few bibs, too, while I was at it.

Let me just say that the aforementioned favorite old pair of jeans has been incorporated into 4 bibs, 10 nursing pads, and 3 velcro pouches for the diaper bag (you can see the "pocket pouches" made out of the back pockets in the back of the nursing pad photo). It's amazing how much I managed to get out of a single pair of jeans. Think about the possibilities for all sorts of other things!

Happy Earth Day everyone!

Cloth Diapering Orientation

Before I begin, let me just say this: never take your body for granted. After becoming so unaccustomed to caffeine, that half-caff latte from 4 pm is still keeping me up. Hence why I'm blogging at 11:45 at night. At this point last night I was a walking zombie. Sigh...

On a more exciting front, today Jake and I went to a cloth diapering (CD) orientation at a local CD store, Happy Baby Company. They specialize in CD, but also other "natural" baby products and styles, such as baby carriers/wearers, wooden toys, natural fiber clothing, etc.  I had been looking at this store's website for a long time as I've become more interested in possibly cloth diapering, and I was thrilled when my friend, Courtney, asked us to join her for the free orientation they had.

If you are as fortunate as us to have such a store nearby and you can take an orientation at, DO IT! Modern cloth diapers are nothing like the large white panels and pins of by gone days. You have prefolds, pockets, all-in-ones, all-in-twos, inserts, doublers, covers, fitted--and that doesn't even get to what materials each of these is made of: organic or conventional, hemp, cotton, wool, PUL, microfleece, etc. As you can imagine, the vocabulary associated with the CD world overwhelmed me beyond belief. That's why this orientation was so helpful as we got to see up close and personal the different kinds and brands of CD that are out there. Jake even tried putting a prefold on the baby doll they had there to demonstrate with, and I must say--he did a pretty great job! (if only I had had my camera!!)

We really want to use CD for many reasons. First and foremost is environmental. While we are increasing our water usage by using CD, we're not contributing the estimated 1 TON of waste that EACH CHILD contributes to landfills through disposables. Nor are we contributing material to landfills that takes 500 years to break down! There are also many unregulated chemicals that disposables use in them to increase absorbancy, some which are known carcinogens. Second is economical. For each child, you can spend upward of $2,000 on disposables before potty training. For CD, you can make an initial investment of around $700 for the first child--and then continue to reuse them on future children, sell them to other CD mamas, or give them away to friends. Third, they're adorable. There is a cuteness factor to them that is priceless!

Undeniably, our ability to exclusively use cloth diapers is largely contingent upon where we end up finding childcare. Many daycares have a "no cloth" policy, although we've heard that many folks are successful by bringing in the modern cloth diapers when they ask to show them how simple they really are! The pocket diapers, like this Fuzzibunz One Size,

and all-in-ones are put on and taken off exactly the same way as a disposable is, no extra care needed. They are then tossed into their own "wet bag" for the parent to grab at the end of the day. Why say no to something so simple? Here's to my optimistic side hoping I score on this one!

If, however, the daycare we decide on still says "no cloth," we've decided to do cloth at home anyway. We figure every little bit counts! And I'm not naive enough to say that we'll never use disposables. For long trips and such they're going to be the most convenient. 

CD is certainly not for everyone for a variety of reasons--convenience, lack of laundry facilities, the upfront out-of-pocket expenses, the fear of poop, etc. But we really feel that for our family and our values, and with what we're able to do, this is going to be our best option. I can't wait to increase our stash!!

Homemade Laundry Detergent

On our move towards more green, more healthful, more simple living, we decided to start making stuff.  Lots of stuff.  From beauty products, to cleaners, to food preservation, we're trying to do our part little by little.  What I've been amazed about in my research into natural products is how a few key staples--vinegar, honey, olive oil, baking soda, borax, glycerin, castille soap (like Dr. Bronner's)--can provide so much of what we need and use everyday.  And the best part--if you make it, you know what goes into it.  As I make new batches, I'll post the products along with their recipes. 

I started making homemade laundry detergent last year.  Even Jake can't say that it doesn't get the clothes as clean as any commercial cleaners!  Occasionally I've gone back to Trader Joe's for some of their laundry detergent (phosphate-free, of course; phosphates are very harsh on the water supply), but what I love about this recipe is the sheer simpleness of it.

• 1 bar of Ivory soap (or Fels Napatha soap), finely grated
• 2 cups Borax
• 2 cups Washing Soda

Mix all together. 

 And done.  2 Tbs. to a warm or hot wash.   Stir it up in the water a bit to break up soap clumps before adding clothes. 

Frequently asked questions:

But why make your own laundry detergent?
1. Better for the environment.  Not only are you not using harsh petrochemicals, but you actually don't need as much as the commercial detergents call for (unless you have a very soiled or very large load).  So a little does in fact go a long way!
2. Cheaper--I haven't done the math precisely, but estimates on the internet are anywhere from $.05 to $.10 per load.  The average commercial detergent is approximately $.20 per load.  Not bad. 
3.  Time--It takes 5 minutes.  Think of all the time you can save by not figuring out what detergent is on sale, what detergent has the new hot scent, etc! 

What about the information that says that Borax and Washing Soda are toxic?
Well, yes--don't eat it.  You will get sick.  But they are certainly far better for you than the other chemicals in commercial detergents.  Some people have experienced skin irritation if it comes in contact with the skin.  Wear gloves if you'd like extra protection, otherwise just use a spoon to stir it up.

What about fabric softener? 
Guess what??  The answer is another staple--vinegar.  It does the trick.  Add a half cup per load during the rinse cycle and dry on the line or in the dryer as normal.  If it doesn't get soft enough, add 1/3 of a fabric dryer sheet to the dryer.  You don't need any more than that!

Where do I buy Borax and Washing Soda?
Borax can be found in most supermarkets, Target, Walmart, etc.  Washing Soda is a bit more difficult.  I can't find it anywhere in Pittsburgh except a very small chain, Kuhn's.  So check out at the smaller chains or independent grocers in your area.  If you can't find it there, though, washing soda is also called "soda ash," a chemical used in the pool business. 

Can I make liquid laundry detergent?
Absolutely.  I just personally the powder is easier to do.  But if you'd like more information, check out the following websites:
http://tipnut.com/10-homemade-laundry-soap-detergent-recipes/
http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/04/09/making-your-own-laundry-detergent-a-detailed-visual-guide/
http://www.domesticcents.com/saving-money/homemade-laundry-detergent/