children Archives - Page 19 of 27 - My Life: A Work in Progress

Review: Shhh…Baby Sleeping door sign by Delight Designs

4 January, 2013 20 Comments

He’s finally asleep. You sigh in relief and head back to the kitchen from baby’s room. Then you hear it. Pat-pat-pat. Someone’s walking up the steps to your front door. Nooooooooooo! you harshly whisper. Too late. Ding-dong-ding-dong. Your door bell reverberates around the house. Wah Wah Wah!!!!! annnnnd he’s awake.

What could have prevented this, you ask? A “Please knock, baby is sleeping!” sign by Delight Designs!

Hello! My name is Jessica, and I am the momma behind Delight Designs. I wanted to create cute things for myself, and then others were asking for them as gifts..thus Delight Designs was born in 2011. First it was only “Please Knock Baby Sleeping,” but now I offer over 6 different versions, and I’m always looking for other cute ways to say DONT KNOCK! 🙂 -along with a handful of other cute gifts-

Little bit about Me:
Three babies call me Mommy, and I get to share life with my own Superman. Running shoes are on my feet every morning by 6am, and Mint Oreos are my weakness!

Jessica let me choose a sign to review. I decided on the “Shhh…Baby Sleeping!” sign and chose this cute polka dot background.

This wood sign measures about 6″ by 6″ and has vinyl lettering. It’s 3/4″ thick, so it’s quite sturdy.

The sign has two holes drilled in the top and twine attached, so it can be hung. You can hang it on the outside door to warn potential guests and delivery services, or you can hang it on baby’s door as a cute reminder!

This particular sign would be a perfect gift for the new mom or dad! Check out all the different styles of signs and other cute items by Delight Designs on Etsy. Between now and January 31, get 20% off all items! Use coupon code: bellies2babies

One lucky reader will win this adorable sign featured below during the Bellies to Babies giveaway hop, Jan. 5-15!

Note: I received a complimentary sign by Delight Designs to review and was not compensated for this post. I was not asked to write a positive review, and the opinions expressed above are my own and may differ from those of others.

cloth diapers, Review

Review: Cotton and minky-backed cloth wipes by Zookiescrafts

2 January, 2013 2 Comments

I’d like to introduce you to Michele Zook, the entrepreneur behind Zookiescrafts. She is one busy lady!~

I am a mom, wife, volunteer, musician, and artist. I was an elementary school teacher prior to having kids and knew that I wanted to stay home with them. My husband’s work schedule is long and erratic at best, so working from home helps to provide some normalcy to our household. I used cloth diapers with our children, so the idea to make my fun diaper covers started there. I also make other cloth diapering items like wet bags and wipes; other baby items like bibs and blankies. Every babe should have a minky blanket! And I also utilize fabric scraps with the reusable baggies and memory games that are in the shop. -Michele

The first thing I noticed about Michele’s well-stocked shop is how cute and creative her products are. The second thing I noticed was the variety of items. This WAHM (working-at-home mom) has a lot to offer…cloth diaper covers, receiving/swaddle blankets, girls’ skirts and dresses, cloth wipes, beanies, wet bags, loveys, crayon wallets, pacifier clips, and more! Michele also is open to custom orders, so contact her on Etsy or on her Web site if you have anything in mind!

Michele sent me a set of six cotton and minky-backed cloth wipes to review. If you’ve never used cloth wipes, read my post on using cloth wipes and wipe bits solution HERE.

Click on Photos to Enlarge:

The set comprises two wipes with polka dots, two wipes with black and pink skulls, and two wipes with skulls and barbed wire. The back of each wipe is made of a light pink minky fabric.

Each wipe measures 8″ by 8″, so they’re quite large. In the photo below, I’ve placed one of the Zookiescrafts wipes underneath an OsoCozy wipe, so you can see the size comparison.

OsoCozy flannel wipe above Zookies Crafts wipe — OsoCozy flannel wipe above Zookiescrafts wipe

Our experiences:

I love minky fabric for babies (and myself!). Minky is a very soft, plush, silky-feeling microfiber fabric. It’s generally made of 100 percent polyester. We used these wipes to clean Baby J during changes. We also used them to wipe his runny nose, and his face after he ate. I grabbed one and used it on his high chair tray a couple times, as well. Each time, the wipe worked great for the task. I prefer cloth wipes over disposable, because I think they generally do a better job of cleaning messes. The minky side was very soft against my son’s skin, but the cotton side was fine as well.

We have other cloth wipes that we use, but these ones by Zookiescrafts are definitely thicker and a little bigger. So all in all, they cover a larger area and are more absorbent. And they look adorable! One of the many reasons I chose cloth diapers over disposables is because they’re so much cuter. Why not have the same with our wipes?

The wipes fit nicely in our wipes warmer without having to do any rearranging or weird folding.

Dry Zookies Crafts wipes in warmer — Dry Zookiescrafts wipes in warmer

Wet Zookies Crafts wipes in warmer — Wet Zookiescrafts wipes in warmer

Zookiescrafts is having an inventory reduction sale right now! Check them out on their Web site HERE. For updates, follow Zookiescrafts on Facebook and Twitter.

Michele is sponsoring a prize for the Bellies to Babies giveaway hop event that starts this Saturday, January 5! Get a head start on your giveaway entries, by following Zookiescrafts on Facebook and Twitter at the links above!

Note: I received a complimentary set of cotton and minky-backed cloth wipes by Zookiescrafts to review and was not compensated for this post. I was not asked to write a positive review, and the opinions expressed above are my own and may differ from those of others.

Review

Review: Bib & Burp Cloth Set by Beautiful Burps

31 December, 2012 4 Comments

“Making burping beautiful, one beautiful burp at a time” is the motto of “Beautiful Burps,” a home business run by mom Courtney.

I’m always excited to work with WAHMs (working-at-home moms), since they’re mothers like myself. I find keeping up with Baby J and the housework to be a challenge, but these women manage children, home, and business all at once. I admire them for that.

Courtney was born and raised in Newport Beach, Calif. She attended Corona del Mar High School and graduated from Hollins University. After marrying, she relocated to Chino Hills, Calif. Courtney began making burp cloths while pregnant with her baby boy (now an adorable 1 year old). She was asked by family and friends to make burp cloths sets. Many of them suggested she start her own business, so Beautiful Burps was born.

As burp cloths go, these really are beautiful. Courtney sent me a Sock Monkey Bib & Burp Cloth set to review, and I absolutely love the patterns and color coordination.

Click on Photos to Enlarge:

Bib & Burp Cloth set- Back (It’s reversible!)

The reversible bib is made with absorbent 100 percent cotton and features a button closure.

The burp cloth is made from a prefold cloth diaper, and it’s definitely the most absorbent burp cloth we have. If you’re unfamiliar with the different types of cloth diapers, the prefold diaper is made with several absorbent layers of fabric (cotton, in this case) sewn on top of each other. The middle of the prefold is the most absorbent part, since it has extra layers (usually 6-8), so this burp cloth really does soak up a lot of liquid!

Inside of burp cloth (made with a prefold cloth diaper)

The outside of the burp cloth has fabric sewn down the center to decorate it/make it adorable!

Burp cloth outer — Outside of burp cloth

Our experiences:

The Bib-

Although Baby J is nearly 8 months old and past the profusely spitting up stage, he has reached the drooling buckets of goo stage. From the moment he wakes up until PJs time again, he usually has a bib affixed to his adorable neck. I am able to use this bib for about four hours before the bottom layer starts to feel damp, and I switch it out with another.

Note: I usually remove Baby J’s bibs before going in public, because…frankly…most of his bibs are ugly. This sock monkey bib though, I leave on him when we go out, because it’s the cutest bib I’ve seen!

The Burp Cloth-

Courtney also recommends these burp cloths can be used as changing pads when on the go, as a blanket, or under a baby’s head while sleeping to protect from spit up or drool. I agree! We found multiple uses for our burp cloth. The burp cloth was wonderful for cleaning up drool, banana surprise and other solid foods, and the little bit of spit up Baby J still gets. It measures 14″x18″, so it’s a good-sized burp cloth.

This bib and burp cloth set appears well-constructed, and the stitching looks even. The pattern choice and coordination is perfect. They do exactly what they’re meant to do and very well. I think a set of these would be a beautiful addition to any mom and baby’s stash of necessaries!

Besides the bib and burp cloth set, Courtney makes and sells individual bibs, individual burp cloths, and burp cloth sets of three. She even has decorated onesies and cross over shirts available!

Visit Beautiful Burps on Etsy or at the new Web site HERE. Find Beautiful Burps on Facebook HERE. She’s also on Pinterest!

Courtney has graciously agreed to sponsor a prize for the Bellies to Babies giveaway hop event that starts this Saturday, January 5! Get a head start on your giveaway entries, by following Beautiful Burps on Facebook and Pinterest at the links above!

Note: I received a complimentary bib & burp cloth set by Beautiful Burps to review and was not compensated for this post. I was not asked to write a positive review, and the opinions expressed above are my own and may differ from those of others.

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