SAPsMaMa: Natural Parenting in the Modern World

We Are Moving To WordPress!! Starts TODAY!!

2011-01-04T07:35:00.001-06:00

"SAPsMaMa: Natural Parenting in the Modern World"
is moving to WordPress and changing to
"SAPsMaMa: Natural Parenting, Non-Toxic Living, and Green Choices for the Modern World!"

I know I have said this for quite a while, but the time has FINALLY come!!

Follow SAPsMaMa on WordPress!!

Tomorrow, is my fiance and my first engagement anniversary (since we have not married yet!), and I think it is very suiting to make it the start of my WordPress blog :)

As you have seen, the Google Friend Connect on this blog has been disabled, there is no way for me to transfer a Blogger GFC to WordPress and it work correctly (since I have changed my URL), sooooo You will all have to move to WordPress with me! I find it exciting!

GFC, email subscription, RSS, Twitter, Facebook and any other buttons you may need to follow the new WordPress blog are all active! So if you have not done so already, head on over and start following! This will be my last post here on Blogger...ironically it is also my 100th post! I love when coincidences happen like that! :)

What to look forward to?

We have the Blogtastic Extravaganza Event starting Jan. 18th with over 100 participating blogs and SAPsMaMa will have over $200 of prizes, at least 4 winners, of products to help you Go Green For The New Year!

Sponsors include AppleCheeks, BumbleDoo, WildTree with Amanda, LocoMomama, The Soft Landing, Babybug Creations LLC, The Green Sheep, Miessence, and MORE still signing up! There will be 4-5 packages of prizes totaling at least $50 in each package...that's at least 4 winners!

We are also signed up for the Handmade With Love Winter Event with dozens of other blogs in early February, with SAPsMaMa's theme "SAP's Soiree: Turning 2 with Handmade Wonders"! We have 3 sponsors lined up with amazing prizes and more in the works!

And don't forget, many more cloth diaper reviews, potty training pants reviews, eco-friendly tips and tricks, ways to stay non-toxic coming your way!

I hope to see you on the other side! :)

Donate Prefolds to Help Infants in an Orphange, get Extra Entries!

2010-12-28T07:20:00.004-06:00

Please spare a couple $ and donate to help these infants in the orphanage :) It's a wonderful way to give this season and does not require much $! For each Prefold you donate, you will receive 1 Extra Entry into my Abby's Lane Giveaway, and 1 Extra entry into my Blogtastic Extravaganza Event Giveaway Jan 18th! Good for up to 24 Extra Entries. Thank you so much! Be sure to post here if you donated so I know! :) And send your proof (i.e. receipt) to mphin278 at yahoo dot com Happy Holidays!!

(All text below taken from Gen-Y Website, I am supporting this diaper drive and recieved no compensation, my views and thoughts are my own)

'Tis the season to make the world a better, fluffier place!

This holiday GEN-Y wants to focus on helping those who need our help the most. We are so excited to say that we are hosting a cloth diaper drive for Aggie's Baby Home in Uganda! (www.ugandalove.org/) This home provides a safe place for orphaned or abandoned infants; Baby homes are often the difference between life and death to a child in need. And they need cloth diapers!

We want to raise 500 prefolds (we had a very generous donation of 500 pocket diaper shells; now we need something to stuff them with :) to send over to Aggie's. If you purchase this item, a prefold will be included in box that will be shipped out at the end of the month. GEN-Y is not making any money on this transaction, 100% of the donations are going towards diapers for Uganda.

Or, you can cloth diaper a child this holiday! Purchase a bundle of these prefolds (18 in each) and you have provided all the diapers needed for single child who needs all of the extra TLC we can give.

If you would like a tax receipt with your order, please include the request in the order notes.

As my "Thank You" to you, you will receive free shipping on the remainder of your order with GEN-Y to the USA or Canada. Just select the "Donation - Free Shipping" Option at check out.

http://gen-ydiapers.com/shop/outlet/diaperdrive/#304

Abby's Lane Giveaway and Review!

2010-12-23T13:00:00.004-06:00

Not long after I started cloth diapering SAP I was getting addicted to fluff! I know, an odd addiction, and unfortunately one that made cloth diapering a bit less affordable than I had initially thought! That "affordability" thought changed once I found Abby's Lane!

Abby's Lane was the first cloth diaper store I found that had amazing selection and prices...but also FREE SHIPPING!! On any size order too! I found that such a relief! And with their newsletter sign up you receive a coupon code every month and great deals (and may I say steals?!).

Little can I say I have become a huge fan of Abby's Lane and am very pleased to have the opportunity to share them with you, my lovely followers!

Stephanie over at Abby's Lane offered to let me choose a product for my review, and since I was just dying to try out the Bummis Easy Fit by Tots Bots and their very appealing new prints, that was exactly what I asked for!

SAPsMaMa Thinks

My diaper came in the mail super quick! I was super excited to try out the Easy Fit diaper, but stuck to my guns and prepped it first. It should be pre-washed 3-5 times since fabrics such as the rayon from bamboo that the Bummis Easy Fit uses need to be washed and dried a few times prior to use to strip it of it's natural oils and help it reach it's maximum absorbency faster. However, after the 3rd time we had a dilemma in our household: we were out of night diapers! We had specific night time diapers that worked for us at night, and were not confident in many of the other diapers that were clean to do the job! Our solution? We decided to put the Bummis Easy Fit to the biggest test right off the bat! Since our main night diapers were made with bamboo fabrics I had high hopes that the Bummis Easy Fit would keep SAP dry throughout the night without any rash in the morning.

The results: Yes! Our first time using our Easy Fit was a grand success with SAP waking up with dry jammies and rash free. We did however have the issue of trying to figure out what doubler would work well in the Easy Fit for night time use with the bamboo insert already there. This is a choice we still do not feel completely confident about when we use this diaper at night, making me wish Bummis Easy Fits came with doublers already for such times as these!

After this first use, we have given this diaper test after test with amazing results! Whether it is being used by SAPsDaDa, myself, daycare, or even SAPsNaNa, it is very simple for them to put on so much that we have not had a leak even once! For me this is a great success because even some of my most favorite diapers leak at some point! Its' very simple design with the insert attached already makes it very easy to stuff so that there is no searching for the insert in the wash and there is no need to instruct anyone on how to fold the insert, attach the insert, or lay the insert correctly! No guessing equals no leaks! The rise is also fitting my budda belly toddler quite well! I'm thinking this diaper will last us to potty training!

The absorbency in this diaper is adequate enough for my toddler, and I have found that even when SAP has a very messy diaper there is not only no leaks, but it is also very easy to clean off! Let's face it, if a diaper is difficult to clean, it's usually avoided! There is no need to avoid this diaper at all, and that is a relief! Related to this: no un-stuffing of the insert is required. This removes a bit of the yuck factor some of us dislike.

The diaper closures are Velcro, and are quite wide and soft! Usually I dislike velcro for one reason or another. Never been very satisfied with it, either it was too grabby and hard to open, too hard and scratchy and would irritate SAP's skin when she bent over, or even some that would only last a couple months and would no longer grab on very well at all, making it almost useless. The Bummis Easy Fit Diapers seem to have gotten their Velcro just right for my liking! Nice and wide so they're easy to grab, soft so they do not irritate SAP's skin, do not fray and grab on good, but do not grab on too hard, and are quite thin so they overlap easily without creating a ton of bulk in the front of the diaper! Koodos on the awesome design Tots Bots!

I would like to mention the rayon from bamboo inserts of the Easy Fit diaper. I love bamboo as a more sustainable choice and more of a natural fiber than synthetic fabrics, but creating rayon from bamboo fabric does require toxic chemicals. I am happy to say that the manufacturer of the Bummis Easy Fit in Scotland does do an excellent job of producing their products ethically and sustainably! The rayon from bamboo fibers is ... Oeko-tex certified and the bamboo fiber is produced in a "closed loop" system which recycles water and chemical output to ensure sustainability. Awesome! This makes me feel good about using their products!

What SAPsMaMa LOVES about the Bummis Easy Fit by Tots Bots Cloth Diaper!

Easy to use, for anyone!!
Insert is attached, so no searching for the insert for "stuffing" the pocket after laundry!
Velcro closures are wide, soft, and not too thick.
Velcro is not rough so causes no irritation, but not too soft that it loses it's grabbiness
Wonderful fit, and a rise that will fit to potty training
Great colors and patterns
Sustainable practices in manufacturing
No leaks!! Night time proven in this household!

Suggestions For Improvement: There's Always Room For Improvement!

I'd love if the Easy Fit came with a doubler!
Possibly have an Easy Fit diaper that does not have Rayon from bamboo fabric as the fabric that touches baby's skin, as some children are sensitive to it. I love this fabric and it's wicking abilities and softness again SAP's skin, but not everybaby is the same, so an option being available for babies with this sensitivity would enable them to enjoy the Bummis Easy Fit still regardless of it having Rayon from Bamboo fabric! :)

About Abby's Lane!

Abby's Lane is a unique boutique offering products to make your parenting experience enjoyable and a little closer to nature. The products I carry at Abby's Lane are carefully chosen to make your cloth diapering experience an easy and enjoyable one.
A vision of one mother that became reality, Abby's lane not only offers some of the best selection of top brands of cloth diapering products, baby wearing products, and nursing products, but also wonderful infant/toddler shoes, baby legs, and more! With free shipping and Stephanie's wonderful customer service, there is no doubt you will find what you need in this one unique boutique!

Earn Abby's Lane Dollars for store credit, Join their Yahoo Group to keep up to date on awesome sales and a 5% discount every month, or join Team Cloth if you're in the area! Abby's Lane has much to offer families of all types.

Some favorite products of mine:

ErgoBABY Doll Carrier!
(Wonderful for pretend play!)

Disana Wollen Covers
(Perfect for leak-proof Night Cloth Diapering!)

Pediped Infant/Toddler Shoes!
(Perfect for growing feet, and many styles on clearance cheap!)

Buy It!

You can find a huge variety of cloth diaper products, all the great products above, and much more for sale at AbbysLane.com!

Don't forget, free shipping on any size order in the U.S. !

Also, Fan Abby's Lane on Facebook to see coupons and special deals! (This is not an extra entry, sorry!)

Win It!!

One SAPsMaMa follower will be lucky enough to win a $10 Gift Certificate to Abby's Lane! Treat yourself to that cloth diaper you've been wanting for little one, or even grab some great cloth diaper laundry detergent like Rockin' Green Funk Rock!!

Rules!

You must be a SAPsMaMa Google Friend Connect follower PUBLICLY on the NEW Blog (http://sapsmama.com) to enter this giveaway!

You must leave your email in each comment/entry! You may leave your email in the " email at host dot com " format if you would like to deter spam bots, but your email MUST be included for your entry to count!

Mandatory entry must be completed before any other entries!

Leave a separate comment for each entry in order for all entries to be counted (i.e. if something is worth 2 entries, please leave two comments, and please label #1 and #2, etc.)

If you need clarification on how to complete one of the entries, feel free to contact me and I'll be happy to help!

I will check each comment entry! So please be fair and only enter for entries you qualify for!

Mandatory Entry! (Must be completed BEFORE any extra entries!)

Head on over to Abby's Lane! Pick out what you'd like to purchase with your $10 GC if you won and leave me the link to the product in a comment as your mandatory entry! Don't forget your email! :)

Must be done BEFORE any other entries are done, if you do not do the mandatory entry, all other entries do not count.

Extra Entries!

One free extra entry for subscribing to SAPsMaMa's new blog on WordPress at http://sapsmama.com via Google Friend Connect!
Subscribe to SAPsMaMa through Email on the new WordPress blog!!! (2 Entries)
Follow @SAPsMaMa on Twitter! Please leave your twitter handle! (1 Entry)
Subscribe to SAPsMaMa via RSS Feedburner ON THE NEW BLOG only!! (1 Entry)
Enter any of my other CURRENT giveaways! (1 Entry Each!)
Make a purchase from Abby's Lane!! Email order number to sapsmama at yahoo dot com (10 Entries). Be sure to sign up for their Yahoo Group for your discount code!
Follow @AbbysLane on Twitter! (1 Entry)

Tweet about the giveaway! You may tweet once per day, 1 entry each day! You may use this tweet if you would like:

Wonderful cloth diapering/child care products and FREE U.S. Shipping! Win a $10 Gift Certificate to Abby's Lane! http://tinyurl.com/2bdwfgu
What product would you like to see carried at Abby's Lane? (1 Entry)
Read my Abby's Lane Review above and give me one comment about their store or the cloth diaper I reviewed. Must be a relevant comment, not just "I like the store" type of comment, something that will help Abby's Lane know what you as a customer appreciate, like, or look for and would like to see improved. :) (1 Entry)
When I post my COMPLETE TotBots Easy Fit Diaper review on my blog, read the review and leave me a comment on the review about the diaper. Be sure to be following my blog to know when this is up! :) (2 Entries)

If your blog is Carbon Neutral, you get an extra entry! Please leave your link to your blog! You can learn how to do this on my blog post My Blog is Carbon Neutral, Is YOURS?! (1 Entry)
Any other extra entries please put in also, I will check and approve them, so be sure I know what you're referring to in your entry! :)

Disclosure:
I was not compensated for my review, but was provided the product Tot Bots Easy Fit Cloth Diaper to test for this review from the company or the PR agency. The opinions expressed are 100% my own. Text in Italics is from the company's website/social media site or otherwise sited from party it was received from.

Giveaway is open to all! Giveaway will end Jan. 14th @ 11:59 PM (CST) unless it is decided to extend it a little longer, this will be announced on Facebook. Winner will be chosen using random.org and will be emailed as well as announced on Facebook. Winner will have 48 hours to respond after I contact via email. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be chosen. Good Luck and thank you for supporting SAPsMaMa!

Thank you to Stephanie at Abby's Lane for this opportunity and being patient with me for this review and giveaway! I love your store and appreciate this chance to share it with my fans and followers to help them and their families! :)

Bisphenol-A (BPA): Should it be Banned?

2010-12-15T16:16:00.005-06:00

A month or two ago I posted an article "How Much of the BPA Story Do You Know?", which gave many facts and background knowledge the common American, even those that avidly steer clear of BPA, did not know. If you did not read that article, I do summerize it a bit in this more legnthy essay, but you will probably want to read it for your own knowledge.

Here is my final essay on BPA. I do give the argument both sides make regarding BPA and why or why not it should be banned in the U.S., and then I give my opinion. I would LOVE to hear your opinion and any information you'd love to share :)

Without further adieu...

--------------------------------

Bisphenol-A (BPA), used in many plastics and other common products in our everyday lives, was questioned a decade ago. The question asked was “Is BPA safe to use within certain amounts, limits, and uses?” The belief was that BPA was like any other toxin and was safe if controlled to certain amounts. Geneticist Patricia Hunt, however, discovered that BPA did not behave like other toxins, and thus regulations limiting amounts and levels of BPA in the products we use it in would not be enough to keep our exposure down to any “safe” level. This is because BPA is a toxin through the route of hormone disruption, and through this route, even very low doses of the toxin can cause harmful effects.

In the past, it was believed that even if BPA was harmful, use of BPA in making plastics was not toxic at all as it was chemically sealed in. This was proven false, however, when studies were done showing that the bonds that form products that use BPA do not utilize all of the chemical bonds. Thus, the chemical BPA does not get locked together. This can cause BPA to leach out of the product. Leaching is most prevalent when exposed to high heat or even abrasive damage such as that done by scrubbing pads used for cleaning dishes. This leaching then gets into the food and drink we consume, and through these methods (and many others) we get BPA in our system.

The reason that researchers like Hunt are so prevalent at trying to get BPA banned from use and not just restricted to any amount or limit is due to the studies that have been done that show BPA does not just affect the individual that it enters. These studies have proven that if BPA enters a pregnant female, the female, the fetus, and the reproductive eggs of that fetus as well (if it is female) are affected by the toxin. That is three generations affected by this toxin in one exposure.

Surveys and tests that have been done have brought us the fact that 93% of humans have detectable amounts of BPA in their urine, blood, cord blood from newborns, and/or breast milk. This fact and facts such as those Hunt discovered (that very low doses of BPA can cause harmful effects), make it impertinent to many that BPA be banned and not just limited. Some governments feel the same way and take the "better safe than sorry" approach, such as Canada (who recently banned the use of BPA) and California (who recently passed into law a bill disallowing BPA to be used in items meant for children under 3 years of age).

Why is BPA getting all of the attention? BPA has become a kind of "Poster Child" for getting the news out about endocrine disrupting chemicals. With its ability to bond to estrogen receptors and mimic the hormone estrogen links have been made with several diseases and other health problems, including cancers, obesity, infertility, early puberty, diabetes, neurological problems, and behavioral problems. Many of these are hot topics right now. How can a single toxin affect so many areas of the body in so many different ways? Just think of all the different types of diseases estrogen is connected with: "breast cancer, uterine cancer, obesity, behavior, and the immune system”. If BPA is mimicking estrogen it may be connected to these diseases in some way. Men are also susceptible as BPA also binds to receptors for male and thyroid hormones. For an infant the effects can be much different from an adult. This is because their brains are still forming and their livers are inefficient at detoxing chemicals. Knowing how BPA has a multi-generational effect (it can affect the future generations of the person exposed), we may not even know the full, long-term effects of BPA on humans for so long that many feel it is the correct action to take a "precautionary principle" and ban the use of BPA.

So, with everyone fighting to get BPA banned, why has it not been done? There are many reasons why a BPA ban is being fought and even provisions to bills in the House and Senate have not been allowed. So far, only amendments, with high likelihood of failure, have been allowed into Senate.

The main argument against banning BPA from use is due to conflicting results in research studies. There is great conflict between researchers due to the fact that studies that have or have not shown BPA to be dangerous are not able to be replicated. Some of the reasons for this is because different laboratories study the chemical differently, but much of the reason why results are unable to be replicated is a complete mystery. No matter the reason why, due to the discordances in reports there is no definite answer to the question of whether BPA is safe or not.

Studies have shown associations between high levels of BPA in an adult and that adult having an increased risk of heart or liver disease, but correlation does not prove causation, and many are quoting the fact that there is no definite proof.

The food-packaging and chemical industries are the top individuals concerned with the possible ban of BPA use. To them, BPA is has been "demonized" and any precautionary ban on the chemical would result in dramatic changes that are none too appealing. BPA has been used not only to make attractive looking clear plastics for many products, but it is also widely used in such things as linings in canned foods to prevent corrosion, cash receipt ink, dental sealants, some adhesives, and even your good old American dollar bill. With no conclusive results that BPA is harmful, such uses of BPA such as for the lining in canned goods will become not only what these companies consider "needlessly expensive", but they also believe that any substitute will be inadequate and less effective than BPA is at the job. With the United States taking the approach that chemicals must be proven harmful before being banned, a "precautionary ban" is being fought against, even if it is submitted as an amendment to such logical bills in the Senate as the Food Safety Bill.

Bisphenol-A is not the only chemical that is an endocrine disruptor and possibly harmful to humans. Studies have identified many more; BPA is just the tip of the ice-burg so to say. Is it acceptable to take the approach the US is taking and not over-react, or is it the responsible choice to follow suit with Canada and other countries and ban with a precautionary approach?

Although it would require the United States to make some drastic changes within some of its' large industries (such as the can industry and the chemical industry), with a chemical with the potential effects of multi-generational harm to human beings and their genetics, it is my opinion that it is worth the effort. With BPA being the endocrine disruptor poster child it is possible that a ban would open many new doors, inviting a chance for more regulations in our products, and resulting in a healthier society of individuals. It is understandable to ask for indefinite proof that this chemical is harmful to humans (especially considering what the industries feel they are giving up with disuse of the chemical), but with the properties BPA and other endocrine disruptors encompass proof would take a great amount of time that is well past our lifetimes and into that of our children. With multigenerational effects a possibility I feel waiting is unwarranted.

The public has shown support for such a ban, ruling in many states to create their own ban to protect their children's exposure, and even large corporations such as Wal-Mart and Sears have used BPA-free labels to advertise products and increase sales, knowing the appeal of today's parents toward products that will not have even the possibility of being harmful to their children. With the market place starting to carry alternative products and consumer demand helping drive the change I can only hope that the government listens to what I feel is our inward intuition to protect ourselves against a substance that may be detrimental to our future generations.

Sources:

The New York Times, Science: In Feast of Data on BPA Plastic, No Final Answer

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/07/science/07bpa.html?_r=1

Scientific American “Just How Harmful Are Bisphenol-A Plastics?”

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=just-how-harmful-are-bisphenol-a-plastics

Holiday Gift Giveaway Hop Event, Dec. 1st - Dec. 5th!

2010-12-01T00:02:00.003-06:00

Welcome to the Holiday Gift Giveaway Hop Event !!

Participating in this event this year with up to 200 other blogs, SAPsMaMa has some wonderful eco-friendly sponsors and green prizes for you that I know you will love! I know I do!

Be sure to check out the sponsors pages, not only do you get extra entries for doing so, but you'll find some great products I know you'll just love! To keep moving through the holiday blog hop use that handy dandy "Bookmark" tool you have on your computer! :) I know I will!

Two(2) prize packages will be given out to two (2) lucky SAPsMaMa followers in this event, and it starts today, ending in just 5 days (December 5th) !! Entries are simple, so be sure to hop on over and enter! :)

Sponsor and Prize #1

$55 Gift Certificate to CSN Stores!

Beyond stellar customer service, our 200+ sites at CSN Stores offer the largest selection of items for most home and office goods. And these items are priced right to be very competitive with other sites, providing our customers with strong savings, too. This combination of benefits is rare among online retailers and is what sets us apart.

CSN's product categories cover everything from cookware, ultra modern furniture, bunk bed-office combinations and fitness equipment to gaming chairs, grills, greenhouses and much more. If it's a piece of furniture or an appliance that you need for your home or office, you should check for it at CSN (www.csnstores.com) first, as there's a good chance we carry it and at a competitive price.

Want to know what excellent eco-friendly products CSN Stores carries, or just how well past experiences have stood up to expectation? See my past CSN Stores reviews and giveaways and just how pleased I am with their products, service, and prices! Truly my number one shopping store online!

Get an amazing holiday gift for yourself, enter to win a $55 Gift Certificate to CSN Stores!

Sponsor and Prize #2

$25 Gift Certificate to AppleCheeks!

AppleCheeks has been a SAPsMaMa cloth diaper favorite since day one of trying them out to solve our night diaper leaking problems. Since then I've not only been hooked by the cuteness, durability, and effectiveness of their 2-size diapering system, but also by their excellent customer service!

You can see a complete review of the AppleCheeks 2-Size Diapering system HERE, and
you can see a review of their diaper accessories (including their gentle cleansing solution, bamboo wipes, 2 size tote bags, and swim diaper) HERE!

They now also carry washable nursing pads, and flushable diaper liners!

Try out this amazing diaper today, enter to win a $25 Gift Certificate to their online store!

Win It!!

SAPsMaMa will pick via random.org two (2) winners, one for each of these wonderful prizes! Please specify in your mandatory entry comment which prize you'd like to enter for: AppleCheeks, CSN Stores, or Both!

Rules!

You must be a SAPsMaMa Google Friend Connect follower PUBLICLY ON THE NEW BLOG www.sapsmama.com to enter this giveaway!

You must leave your email in each comment/entry! You may leave your email in the " email at host dot com " format if you would like to deter spam bots, but your email MUST be included for your entry to count!

Mandatory entry must be completed before any other entries!

Leave a separate comment for each entry in order for all entries to be counted (i.e. if something is worth 2 entries, please leave two comments, and please label #1 and #2, etc.)

If you need clarification on how to complete one of the entries, feel free to contact me and I'll be happy to help!

I will check each comment entry! So please be fair and only enter for entries you qualify for!

Mandatory Entry! (Must be completed BEFORE any extra entries!)

To enter to win one of these two wonderful prizes, all you have to do is GO TO THE NEW BLOG www.sapsmama.com and Publicly Follow SAPsMaMa blog by Google Friend Connect!!!

The blog is not up and running yet but I will be starting to post in there soon and will be officially moving everything by January, so you'll want to be over there!!! :)

Worth 1 Entry. Be sure to tell me which prize you'd like to win...the CSN Stores Prize or the AppleCheeks prize...or enter for both!! :)

Extra Entries

1. Follow SAPsMaMa on Facebook! Please leave Facebook last name and first letter of first name for verification. Worth 1 Extra Entry.

2. Enter into any other currently open giveaway on SAPsMaMa blog! Current giveaways include: $25 GC to My Precious Kid, Santa's Blowout Event Giveaway with sponsor Insect Shield. Worth 1 Entry Each, total 2 Entries possible)

3. You may get one extra entry if you do any of the following: Follow AppleCheeks on Facebook, their blog, or Twitter. Please include the necessary information to verify your action (i.e. Facebook last name and first initial, Twitter ID, GFC ID, subscription email, etc.) Worth 1 Extra Entry.

4. You may get one extra entry if you do any of the following: Follow CSN Stores on Facebook, follow the CSN Stores blog, and/or follow CSN Stores on Twitter. Please include the necessary information to verify your action (i.e., Facebook last name and first initial, Twitter ID, GFC ID, Subscription email, etc.) Worth 1 Extra Entry.

5. Visit the AppleCheeks Store and tell me one product you love, or one product you would love to have, and do the same at CSN Stores. You must visit both stores and pick one product from each to get this extra entry. Careful, you might get distracted by all the great stuff they have!! Worth 1 Extra Entry.

Be sure to hop on over to the next blog on the list!! :) Happy Holidays!!

Disclosure:
I was not compensated in any way for my review/giveaway of the items from these sponsors (CSN Stores and AppleCheeks). The opinions expressed are 100% my own. Text in Italics is from the company's website/social media site or otherwise sited from party it was received from.

Giveaway is open to all! Giveaway will end Dec. 5 @ 11:59 PM (CST). Winner will be chosen using random.org. Winner will have 48 hours to respond after I contact via email. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be chosen. Good Luck and thank you for supporting SAPsMaMa!

Thank you to both sponsors for taking part in this great holiday giveaway event!

Santa's Blowout Blog Hop Events! Dec. 1st - Dec. 8th

2010-12-01T00:00:00.002-06:00

SANTA'S BLOWOUT

Welcome to Santa's Blowout Event! There are 6 wonderful blogs participating in this event, each brinigng you reviews and giveaways from some great sponsors that we think will make excellent holiday gifts ... even for that hard-to-shop-for person! Get them a unique gift this year!

The 6 blogs participating in this event include: Emmy's Boos and Rawrs, My Life With Rats and More, Mommies Playground, Closer to Lucy, the host blogs Evoluchun's Misc. and A to Z Medical Reviews, and of course SAPsMaMa: Natural Parenting in the Modern World!!

SAPsMaMa's wonderful sponsor for Santa's Blowout is Insect Shield!

What is Insect Shield?
Insect Shield Repellent Apparel and Insect Shield Repellent Gear are revolutionary products designed to provide long-lasting, effective and convenient personal insect protection. The durable protection provided by Insect Shield apparel and gear is the result of years of research and testing. Insect Shield products protect against pesky and potentially dangerous mosquitoes and ticks that can carry diseases such as Lyme disease, malaria and West Nile virus…

Why does SAPsMaMa love insect shield?!

Insect shield is a more healthy and eco-friendly way to protect yourself (and your little ones) against disease causing insects. Some of their products also protect against the sun...a more healthy and eco-friendly alternative to sunscreen! No more re-applying spray or wipe on repellent or buying can after can of repellent. Less waste, less money out of your pocket book, and better for you and the planet!

Insect Shield: Technology for the future

Some repellent products require fogging or spraying, and topical insect repellents can readily come off while bathing or wading through a body of water. Also, many traditional insect-repellent products require disposal of a non-biodegradable container.

A Positive View of the Future
Insect Shield technology represents a responsible way to use insect repellent. Insect Shield puts just enough bug protection right where it is needed—around an individual. Insect Shield products repel mosquitoes, ticks, flies, fleas, chiggers, ants and midges (no-see-ums), with only a small amount of long-lasting active ingredient. Compared to spraying, fogging, or topical insect repellents, Insect Shield products can help reduce overall pesticide and repellent use. Simply put, Insect Shield provides a method of insect protection with many advantages.

Insect Shield Products

Insect shield provides products for everyone: from your child to the deer hunter in your household!

Some of SAPsMaMa favorites include:

Soy Genius with Insect Shield Children's Cloth ing (Formerly known as Buggies)

The perfect gift for any child!

You can see a review of these products on my past review/giveaway HERE!

Sloggers Garden Outfitters wi th insect Shield

The perfect gift for that gardener in your family!!

Travel Chair with Insect Shield

The perfect gift for that camper in your family!!

Elimitick Hunting Wear with Insect Shield

The perfect gift for the hunter in your family!!

And much much more!! Something for everyone :)

Win it!

Would you like to win some Insect Shield gear?! Insect Shield has been generous enough to sponsor 2 packages to 2 lucky SAPsMaMa's fans! Two fans will win (1) Insect Shield net and (1) Insect Shield bandana! This is a total of $61 ARV per package! :) What a wonderful holiday gift for someone ... or keep it for yourself!

I'll be keeping it simple to enter this giveaway so you can go on your way in the blog hop! :)

Rules!

You must be a SAPsMaMa Google Friend Connect follower PUBLICLY ON THE NEW BLOG www.sapsmama.com to enter this giveaway!

You must leave your email in each comment/entry! You may leave your email in the " email at host dot com " format if you would like to deter spam bots, but your email MUST be included for your entry to count!

Mandatory entry must be completed before any other entries!

Leave a separate comment for each entry in order for all entries to be counted (i.e. if something is worth 2 entries, please leave two comments, and please label #1 and #2, etc.)

If you need clarification on how to complete one of the entries, feel free to contact me and I'll be happy to help!

I will check each comment entry! So please be fair and only enter for entries you qualify for!

Mandatory Entry! (Must be completed BEFORE any extra entries!)

You must follow Evoluchun's Blog PUBLICLY via Google Friend Connect or subscribe!
Also...
You must follow A to Z Medical Review Blog PUBLICLY via Google Friend Connect or subscription!

You must do BOTH these things to enter!! Only worth the 1 mandatory entry!

Extra Entries!

Follow SAPsMaMa blog via Google Friend Connect or email subscription ON THE NEW WORD PRESS BLOG AT http://www.blogger.com/www.sapsmama.com! We will be moving there shortly and I need you to follow me there! Following me on this blogger blog does not count sorry! (3 Entries!)
Follow SAPsMaMa on Facebook!! (2 Entry)
Follow Insect Shield on Facebook! (1 Entry)
Visit Insect Shield's Website and tell me one product you'd be interested in that they have! (Or what company you like that uses insect shield on their products) (1 Entry)
Follow Insect Shield on Twitter! (1 Entry)
Enter any of the other giveaways open on SAPsMaMa blog right now! This includes the My Precious Kid $25 GC Giveaway and the Holiday Gift Giving Blog Event with sponsors Applecheeks and CSN Stores!!

Be sure to hop on over to the next blog on the list!! :) Happy Holidays!!

Disclosure:
I was not compensated in any way for my review/giveaway of the items from the sponsor (Insect Shield). The opinions expressed are 100% my own. Text in Italics is from the company's website/social media site or otherwise sited from party it was received from.

Giveaway is open to all! Giveaway will end Dec. 8th @ 11:59 PM (CST). Winner will be chosen using random.org. Winner will have 48 hours to respond after I contact via email. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be chosen. Good Luck and thank you for supporting SAPsMaMa!

Thank you to Insect Shield, not only or amazing products, but also for the opportunity to share them with my followers and help spread the word!

CSN Stores $55 GC Giveaway: Holiday Gift Giving Hop Event Sponsor!!

2010-11-29T06:35:00.001-06:00

SAPsMaMa will be taking part in two large Holiday Blog Hop Events this December! One of them is the Holiday Gift Giveaway Hop! I am happy to announce that one of our main sponsors for this event is one of our favorites: none other than CSN Stores!! When trying to come up with that perfect holiday gift, CSN Stores has become my go to website. Not only do they have everything I want or need, a great selection, excellent prices, often free shipping, but they tell you when it's guaranteed to arrive before Christmas or not! That's peace of mind! Oh and did I forget their hassle free returns?! :) Want an example? Well, I was looking in their stores at their sling backpacks...and wow, the selection is amazing! I am especially loving this Naneu Military Ops Sling Backpack...can you say perfect holiday gift for any photographer?! This would be so handy!

You've seen my other reviews from CSN Stores, you know what I love at their store! What do you love? What would you buy form CSN Stores if you had $55 to spend?! Well, you will have to think about that if you win the Holiday Gift Giveaway Hop, because CSN Stores was wonderful enough to sponsor a Gift Certificate of $55 to one lucky SAPsMaMa fan! So come back between Dec. 1st and Dec. 5th and be sure to enter for this amazing chance!

Disclosure:
I was not compensated in any way from the company or the PR agency for this review and/or giveaway. The opinions expressed are 100% my own. Text in Italics is from the company's website/social media site or otherwise sited from party it was received from.

500 Fan Giveaway on Facebook!

2010-11-28T10:39:00.002-06:00

SAPsMaMa will be moving to Wordpress soon! I'm hoping you all move with me :)

But to keep in contact with you becoming a SAPsMaMa Facebook Fan would help a lot!
Not only do you get chances at extra entries if you are a Facebook fan, but I post many deals and tips on my fan page to help you go green! Especially Cloth Diaper info!

Right now I have 407 Facebook Fans...get me to 500 and I will have a Facebook giveaway of a wetbag!! :)

So head on over and become a SAPsMaMa Facebook Fan and don't miss out on all the awesome opportunities awaiting you!

Guest Post: Early Childhood Education: Acquiring Sign Language

2010-11-28T10:31:00.001-06:00

Please enjoy this guest post from Emily :)

Early Childhood Education – Acquiring Sign Language

In this diversity society we live in, bilingual ability is something that is not only an advantage to have, but is starting to become a necessity. Along with this trend is the ability to communicate articulately in non-verbal ways for the benefit of the disabled- primarily the deaf.

While learning sign language is a advantage in life in general, if is as particularly an advantage in a tilted economic time. With a growing shortage of qualified interpreters fluent in American Sign Language, career opportunities have been very available in the area. If this current trends continue, it's likely that skilled ASL interpreters will have little problem securing lucrative employment in a society where such a commodity is destined to be in short supply.

Signing Before They Can Speak

A great deal of research has come to the conclusion that ages 2 to 5 is the prime time to educate children in different modes of communication and language. This goes beyond the spoken word (though it is an optimal time for children to learn a second language); many young children have an aptitude for signing as well. This can be taught at home or some child care programs incorporate it into their curriculum.

Many indigenous peoples around the world, including American Indian nations, have used sign language for centuries to communicate with other tribes with whom they do not share a language. Some paleontologists and anthropologists theorize that Neanderthals – who apparently lacked the vocal mechanism to produce many spoken words – depended a great deal upon hand gestures to communicate. So it's really not as odd as you may think!

In fact, recent research suggests that sign language is innate! An article published in the Boulder Daily Camera in 2003 presented strong evidence that babies as young as six months old communicate with their hands:

"...by 6 to 7 months, babies can remember a sign. At eight months, children

can begin to imitate gestures and sign single words. By 24 months, children

can sign compound words and full sentences. They say sign language reduces

frustration in young children by giving them a means to express themselves

before they know how to talk." (Glarion, 2003)

The author also cites study funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development demonstrating that young children who are taught sign language at an early age actually develop better verbal skills as they get older.

The ability to sign has also helped parents in communicating with autistic children; one parent reports that "using sign language allowed her to communicate with her [autistic] son and minimized his frustration...[he now] has an advanced vocabulary and excels in math, spelling and music" (Glarion, 2003).

The Best Time To Start

Signing during early childhood education not only gives them a way to communicate, it can also strengthen the parent-child bond – in addition to giving children a solid foundation for learning a skill that will serve them well in the future. The evidence suggests that the best time to start learning ASL is before a child can even walk – and the implications for facilitating the parent-child relationship are amazing.

Co-written by Emily Patterson and Kathleen Thomas

Emily and Kathleen are Communications Coordinators for the network of Texas child care facilities belonging to the AdvancED® accredited family of Primrose child care schools. Primrose Schools are located in 16 states throughout the U.S. and are dedicated to delivering progressive, early childhood, Balanced Learning® curriculum throughout their preschools.

Holiday Events Coming Up!!

2010-11-22T06:30:00.001-06:00

The holidays are fast approaching! In the blogging world, that means lots of events and gift lists!!

SAPsMaMa is participating in 2 events this December to celebrate the holidays, featuring some of our favorite sponsors, ones that SAPsMaMa thinks will make wonderful holiday gifts for your loved ones!

Event #1: Santa's Blowout!

When: Santa's Blowout will take place from Dec. 1st-Dec. 8th, involving 6 blogs!

Sponsor: Insect Shield!

Prizes: 2 packages/prizes/winners. Each package will include 1 insect shield bandanna, 1 insect shield net

ARV of prizes: $61 / package, Total $122

Event #2: Holiday Gift Giving Event

When: December 1st - December 5th, involving about 200 blogs!

Sponsors: Two Sponsors! AppleCheeks and CSN Stores!

Prizes: Two Prizes! 1 Gift Certificate ($55) from CSN Stores, 1 Gift Certificate of $25 from AppleCheeks!

Info

Both of these events run at the same time, but each has different themes and sponsors, each has different amount of blogs involved and prizes! Entries into these giveaways will be very simple, and the amount of extra entries offered will be greatly reduced so that you will have time to move to all the other blogs involved in the event!

No other posts will post during the duration of these events from December 1-December 8th so they will be easy to find on the blog! :)

Look for some pre-posts with info on the sponsors! Very interested, eco-friendly, green, non-toxic sponsors we have with us and I'm very happy to have them featured on SAPsMaMa! Show them lots of love!

EcoMom Winner and Results!!

2010-11-21T07:00:00.000-06:00

EcoMom is one of my favorite Eco-Friendly places to shop, and you bet they will be one of my recommended stores on my daughter's xmas list this year! Our very lucky winner got ahold of a gift certificate just in time for the holidays! :)

True Random Number Generator Min: 1 Max: 103 Result: 33 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Sarah Hull said...

Pledged to help The Dirties on Diapering
Entry #11

Congrats to Sarah!!!

And now for the results! :)

1. Tell me what product you are most interested in in one of these featured areas: Date Night with EcoMom or Eeek-o-Mom Halloween.

Stewart Brown Organic Cotton Gauze Ruffle Slip Dress: 1
Stewart Brown Kimono Dress: 3
Winter Water Factory Long Sleeve Tee, Green Monster: 1
priti nail polish: 1
100% Pure Lip Gloss, Sheer Pomegranate Wine: 1
100% Pure Lip Gloss, Juicy Pink Grapefruit: 1
Sarah's Silks Reversible Crown in pink: 1
Farmaesthetics Sweet Soy, Calendula & Orange Oil: 1
Stewart Brown Hemp Jersey Drape Dress: 1
priti rabbit tracks nail polish: 1

2. Tell me what you'd purchase with your $15 GC!

Green Toys Tugboat: 1
Earth Mama Angel baby Lotion

3. What Green Gift would you most likely give the next time you need to give a gift??

Episencial Better Body Butter and Playful Foaming Wash: 1
Kikkerland Foldable Battery Box: 1

If you have noticed ladies, the winners are often doing many of the extra entries! The extra entries help you learn more about the company and the product I reviewed! :) Just a tid bit if you want a better chance at an awesome giveaway!

Thank you to EcoMom! LOVE this store and very much enjoyed working with Jody, can't wait to see what EcoMom comes up with next!!

Soy Genius With Insect Shield (Buggies) Winner and Results!

2010-11-21T06:29:00.000-06:00

I was very happy to work with Soy Genius to help them promote their Buggies line, and have since learned a lot about Insect Shield! Watch out, you'll see some great Insect Shield gear in one of our holiday giveaways this year! :)

We had one very lucky winner for these Buggies Leggies, and I know they have served her and her daughters very well!

Our Winner is:

True Random Number Generator Min: 1 Max: 114 Result: 85 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

momtoablessing said...

i follow insect shield on twitter

@momtoablessing

October 11, 2010 9:14 AM

Congrats to momtoablessing!!!

1. Head on over to the Soy Genius with Insect Shield shop and tell me what piece of apparel and what color you like best!

Leg Warmers, Midnight: 1
Leg Warmers, Coral: 1
Reversible Bucket Hat, Midnight: 5
Reversible Bucket Hat, Clay: 2
Capri Pants, Coral: 1
Cargo Pants, Midnight: 3
Hoodie, Coral: 2
Short Sleeved Body Suit, Midnight: 2
Short Sleeved Body Suit, Coral: 2
Long Sleeved Body Suit, Midnight: 1

2. Tell me what you'd use your Soy Genius with Insect Shield apparel for!

Kids crawling around outside
Visiting relatives
Camping
Hiking
Going to the park
Evenings when bugs come out
For new baby, playing with older siblings
Picnics
Family outings
For newborns due soon
To keep bugs off my BUG when he's visiting family out in the boonies! lol that made me laugh! :)

I loved working with Soy Genius, this is a wonderful concept for safe children's clothing from bugs and sun! Thank you once again! :)

Rockin' Green Giveaway Winner and Results!

2010-11-20T17:10:00.000-06:00

I'm trying to catch up on my winners posts! All winners are announced on Facebook right away, so if you are super excited to see who wins my giveaways be sure to become a SAPsMaMa Facebook Fan! I have awesome extra entries opportunities and EUC Cloth Diaper Sales and auctions as well! :)

Now on to our lucky winner of the SAPsMaMa Rockin' Green Review and Giveaway!

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 214 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Becky said...

I follow Rockin Green on twitter
rastrassbur at gmail dot co

Congrats to Becky!!!

This winner has been confirmed and received her wonderful prize: A 45/90 bag of Rockin' Green!!

The results of the Rockin' Green Survey Entry Questions:

1. Tell me what formula of Rockin' Green detergent you'd need (soft, classic, or hard rock), and what yummy scent you'd love to have it in!

Classic Rock: 11
Hard Rock: 7

Orangevana: 2
Smashing Watermelons: 2
Lavender Mint Revival: 4
Rage Against The Raspberries: 2
Motley Clean: 4
Bare Naked Babies: 4
Plain Green Teas: 1

2. Tell me what scent you'd love to see from Rockin' Green!

Apple
Lavender and Vanilla
Baby Powder
Summer Rain
Pumpkin
HoneySuckle
Lemongrass
Vanilla
Pumpkin Pie
Lemon/Lime
Lemon Verbena
Grapefruit

3. Tell me what your favorite accessory from Rockin' Green is or that you'd be most interested in!

Dryer Balls: 5
Pail Freshener: 3
Magnetic Scoop: 4
Diaper Sprayer: 2

Thank you once again to Rockin' Green for the awesome giveaway! :)

CSN Stores Review: P'kolino Table and Chair Set

2010-11-19T06:30:00.000-06:00

Ever since I learned about CSN Stores I have been surprised just how much I use them! With SAP growing up fast (too fast it seems!) we are always in need of something new. So when CSN Stores asked if I would do a review for them it took me a bit to get around to doing so. Why? Because I could not decide just what, out of EVERYTHING they offer, I wanted the most!

Of course, I finally did make my decision, and once again, I was very impressed with CSN Store's customer service and quality products!

SAPsMaMa Thinks: Child Table and Chair Sets

After much debate about WHAT to review from CSN Stores, Hubby and I agreed to purchase a wooden table and chair set for SAP. Turning 2 years old soon, and with holidays coming up, we figured it was time enough she had her own area to eat, do art, play puzzles, or anything else her little mind could come up with!

CSN Stores really was the perfect place to shop for wooden table and chair sets. They had every well known brand you could hope for....and most with free shipping! Prices were often less than any other site I had looked at earlier in the year ...making our choice a sealed deal since we knew we were getting the best deal anywhere! In fact, the sale prices and free shipping at CSN Stores I've found to be equal to many of the "deal a day" sites product deals. Every day! Now that is a deal!

Since we wished to stay eco-friendly and non-toxic, I did quite a bit of searching on CSN Stores! Some of my favorite "green" table and chair sets I found were:

Not Neutral Table and Chair Set
Made from recycled materials, and environmentally friendly!

EcoTots Table and Stools Set

Constructed of 100% formaldehyde-free birch plywood SmartWood
Eco-friendly, non-toxic, water-based stains
UV cured finishes minimize greenhouse gases
No tools or hardware required
Designed and manufactured in USA
Member of the Sustainable Furniture Council

Plan Toys Large Scale Modern Table and Chair Set

Created with environmentally friendly methods using environmentally safe materials

SAPsMaMa Thinks: P'kolino Little One's Table and Chairs Set

With all of these wonderful eco-friendly choices, it was hard to choose! The final choice I did make, however, was of the P'kolino Little One's Table and Chairs Set.

Although my main goal was to get a wooden table and chair set that was toxin free and eco-friendly, I also had to keep budget in mind. So, given that, the value of P'kolino furniture definitely stood out from the rest! Since exact information was not given about the materials used in their table and chair sets I ended up speaking over email and on the phone to the company asking specific questions about chemicals I wished to avoid, and P'kolino stood up to the test!

Since it passed my toxin-free test, the next step was ordering it! Must I say...CSN Stores you outdid yourselves! This table and chair set came so fast we didn't even get time to clean our living room to make room to set it up! It stayed packaged for a week before SAPsDaDa put it together! Wonderful service!

I would love to comment on how it was to assemble, but SAPsDaDa surprised me and put it together one day when I wasn't home! So thoughtful, how could I be upset! He did say that by himself (without SAP bugging him!) it took him about 1 1/2 hours to assemble. When I ordered it he expected it to be shabby construction like all the other cheaper wood products we've seen in stores, but he was quite satisfied with the construction. The way it's assembled and put together, the quality is well shown! SAPsDaDa is a woodworker, so he knows how to put together quality pieces of furniture!

The table and chair set newly assembled!

My question to him then: So, is this a good enough quality product we would want to purchase from them again? The answer: Yes! So guess what SAP's xmas and bday money is going toward? The P'kolino Toddler Bed! :) And YES we will be purchasing that from none other than CSN Stores! Watch for that review in the future, we're hoping to purchase this by Febuary!

On sale for $206.99 and free shipping...CSN Stores has this toddler bed the cheapest of anywhere!

Since the table and chair set have been put together it's been wonderful to have around! I had been hoping to purchase a set for a while, but was not sure if SAP was ready for it. We had tried a fold out kids table and chair set at SAPsNaNa's house during Halloween and she just seemed to play with that...pushed the chairs around, kicked the table instead of eating...kids stuff!

With this table and chairs...nope. It's nice and sturdy, she tries to push the chairs around , but the table stays in place. The table is just the right size too. I put a splatter mat over it when she's doing art work and it covers the table very nicely. There's two chairs that come with the set, but definitely enough room for a full set of 4...great for the holidays with kids coming over!

Playing with her "kitties" while sitting at her table!

Of course, with the splatter mat over the table, SAP thought it was amazingly fun. Time to play fort! So now we have a new game in our house. Who knew having a wooden table and chair set would be so useful? SAP now has a place to sit and play with her puzzles: no more puzzle pieces on the floor for SAPsDaDa to step on. Happy family!

Her new favorite game...hide and seek under the "fort"! :)

Something we considered when we purchased our living room coffee table was safety with SAP...she was young and the table was glass and not with rounded edges...made me worried. I had not even considered that with a kids table and chair set, but I sure was glad that P'kolino considered it. SAP often does not watch where she's going, trips, hits her head...and within the first week of having the table and chairs out, she tripped and fell into one of the chairs when she was playing. It was at that point I was very glad that the tops of the chairs were rounded!

I am also a fan of the neutral colors...quite modern style! I feel very confident in my purchase knowing that it will be able to fit nicely in any kids room, whether it be any future children, or a hand me down. This table is built to last!

Pushing her chairs around like they're walkers :)

What SAPsMaMa LOVES about the P'kolino Table and Chairs Set!

Modern style and colors
non-toxic materials used
solid construction and assembly....will last a long time!
Rounded tops of the chair sides so safe for clumsy babies...and mamas!
Works well even for a 21 month old!
Stays in one spot, does not move around or easily gets kicked around by the kids sitting at the table
Good sized table...fits the splattermat on or under it perfectly
so many wonderful uses!
Great price...especially at CSN Stores!
The bottom of the chairs are also rounded...makes it easy for little kids to move around and sit at the table themselves without help

Suggestions for Improvement: There's always room for improvement!

I would love if the materials were more eco-friendly (made from recycled material, etc.). However, I do realize this would raise the price, which is what gave them an advantage over other companies.
Rounded edges on the table
Provide info on materials and facts that it is formaldehyde free etc. so that more customers are aware and might choose P'kolino products over other comanies.
Sell extra chairs separately so that I can have 4 chairs instead of just 2.

Disclosure:
The product(s) provided for the review ($45 Gift Certificate toward my purchase of the P'kolino Table and Chair Set) was sent to me free of charge from the company or the PR agency. The opinions expressed are 100% my own. Text in Italics is from the company's website/social media site or otherwise sited from party it was received from.

Once again, a huge pleasure to work with CSN Stores! My number one shopping spot for anything I need! Thank you!

My Precious Kid LLC Store Review and $25 GC Giveaway

2010-11-15T06:35:00.003-06:00

As a mother, I try to make the best decisions for my little girl as I can. Usually that means I am doing a lot of research. These days however, it's not just trying to find what the best rated product is or what the best deal is or can I get something similar for a lower price, the main concern is safety.

No matter what choice you are faced with these days, any infant product you research safety will come up as an issue. Baby bottles? The choice is not just between plastic or glass, but does it have BPA. Crib bedding? The choice is which bumper pads are safest to prevent SIDs...are sleep positioners a good idea. Diapers? The choice of disposable versus cloth, and even if you choose cloth to stay away from the chemicals in disposables, do you want to use only natural organic fibers. The decisions are endless and research is changing recommendations all the time!

What I have come to realize is that the answer to all of these questions is to find a reliable and trustworthy store to provide me with the products that are safe and the knowledge on how to protect my little girl from harm. When I have a problem with safety no longer do I Google search for reviews and try to make what I believe to be an informed decision....now I have everything I need in one place! My Precious Kid LLC is that place!

SAPsMaMa Thinks: Child LocatorWhen I made my first order from My Precious Kid online store I had a hard decision to make! Unlike other decisions I had made before as to which item to get that would be safest for my child, the decision I was faced with this time was the spending limit I had! There was so many amazing items that we did not just want, but needed!

After convening with the hubby I decided to get something that I felt would be a wonderful safety tool: the Child Locator!

SAP is a very active child. She is also a very trusting child. She will run and play, and thus there has been many occasions she has run straight for a road after her favorite toys...trucks! Unfortunately those trucks are unsafe, and a young child cannot understand that concept, so it became essential for us to figure out a way to keep our eyes on her, even when we had to take our eyes off of her for a second. We felt that this child locator would be up for this task.

The second reason we felt that the child locator would be a wonderful safety tool to have around is quite a scary thought, but a reality non-the-less. Unfortunately in today's world there are children kidnapped, and that is a danger that parents need to consider when going to public locations where it is easy to lose track of your child. With this child locator I felt a little bit more secure that I would know how far away SAP was from me at all times.

Didn't get in her way even in the most active activities!

Our order from My Precious Kid, with our child locator, was received rather quickly! I was quite happy with this since I wished to get my safety equipment ASAP. I know the quicker the better for many who wait until a problem presents itself before they choose to take action and order safety equipment, so this is something to take into consideration. Everything was packaged very well and there was even extra information sent with the package regarding other safety products and information that was very helpful!

To figure out the child locator I first tested it at home, but our apartment is quite small and it was a little difficult to really get a feel for how well it would work. So....time to go to the park! You just know SAP loved that idea!

Running away to play! But not without us knowing how far away she is! :)

The child locator is very simple to use, which was very surprising to me! It has a light on both the receiver and the transmitter, and an on/off switch on both ends as well. The only thing you need to really understand is how long to push the button to get the transmitter to start receiving, otherwise it's as simple as flipping a switch! I don't know about you but with a toddler that will not sit still this is important!

The "bear" receiver easily straps on to a shoe, a wrist, an ankle, backpack...anywhere you'd like! One of my major questions I had when I purchased this product was, will SAP accept it? Will she refuse to wear it and take it off? That would pretty much defeat it's purpose. My worry was abated however when we took our locator for it's first test run at the playground, for she thought it was a toy! We put it on her wrist like a bracelet and she loved it! Also, running, climbing, doing all the normal things kids do, it did not get in her way at all!

Stayed on her wrist even while climbing!

We did have one incident at the playground that day that showed us that the child locator could have come into handy. I had to walk back to the car to put something away and so switched off the child locator, leaving her with daddy. While I was walking back I noticed daddy turn his back on SAP for a split second...and away she went! Straight for the active area of the playground and within a couple seconds got kicked by an older kid in the head who was on a swing. If the locator had been on at the time we would have know she was off running away into a area she could have gotten hurt, and although it was just a minor injury it could have been worse. This is just one minor example of how this locator can help you with safety!

We are very happy with our locator, and although with winter on the horizen we do not use it as much anymore, this is one piece of safety equipment she will not outgrow quickly! Very much worth it's money.

My Precious Kid, LLC

Mission Statement

Our mission is to "Make Child Safety Easy"

My Precious Kid Child Safety Products of Oregon is dedicated to helping parents keep their children safe. We produce professional family safety ID product kits. And we sell a wide range of protects to protect your family. We educate parents how to keep children safer. My Precious Kid is dedicated to your success and safety.

Company Values

My Precious Kid Child Safety Products of Oregon is founded on Christian values of truth, honesty, integrity, human worth, and the value of all children. My Precious Kid is dedicated to family success and family safety.

Company Description

My Precious Kid is an Oregon based sole proprietor company founded by Kay Green. Kay originally created ID card products, filling a need for home school and adopted kids. Beginning with one product in 2001, now the company carries 400+ products protecting kids, adults, and pets.

Company Products

My Precious Kid carries so many products, they have any safety product I need, it seems! Some of my favorites that I believe every parent should have include:

1.

Child Safety Pack-ID Kit
Includes:
1 - Child ID Card
1 - Child Car Seat ID Card
1 - Medical Release Card
1 - Child Luggage Tag ID Card
2 - Shoe ID Stickers
1 - Disposable Child ID bracelet
1 - Child DNA Fingerpri nt Kit

Breathable Bumpers - Crib Bumpers

Infant & Child CPR DVD - Made in the USA!

New at My Precious Kid!!

My precious kid has recently started carrying Cloth Diapers! They carry a wonderful selection of name brand fluff, including GroVia, SwaddleBees, WeeHuggers, BumGenius, Knickernappies, and Thirsties! Check out their great selection HERE!

Buy It!

You can purchase 400+ safety products online at http://www.mypreciouskid.com/
or check out their store location at:
527 SE BASELINE ST STE A
HILLSBORO OR 97123-4149

My Precious Kid LLC offers wonderful discounts and information on their Facebook Fan Page! Check it out HERE!

Win It!!

One SAPsMaMa follower will be lucky enough to win a $25 Gift Certificate to My Precious Kid LLC! You can get your little one a cloth diaper, a safety kit, or even some sippy cup labels!

Rules!

You must be a SAPsMaMa Google Friend Connect follower PUBLICLY to enter this giveaway!

You must leave your email in each comment/entry! You may leave your email in the " email at host dot com " format if you would like to deter spam bots, but your email MUST be included for your entry to count!

Mandatory entry must be completed before any other entries!

Leave a separate comment for each entry in order for all entries to be counted (i.e. if something is worth 2 entries, please leave two comments, and please label #1 and #2, etc.)

If you need clarification on how to complete one of the entries, feel free to contact me and I'll be happy to help!

I will check each comment entry! So please be fair and only enter for entries you qualify for!

Mandatory Entry! (Must be completed BEFORE any extra entries!)

You must follow SAPsMaMa PUBLICLY via Google Friend Connect ON THE NEW BLOG AT w ww.SAPsMaMa.com!!
Also...
Head on over to the My Precious Kid LLC online store and take a look at what Kay has! Let me know what you would put your Gift Certificate towards if you won!! It's that easy!

This mandatory entry is worth 2 Entries, and you must do BOTH these things!

Extra Entries!

Subscribe to SAPsMaMa through Email!! (2 Entries) NEW!! Upper right sidebar.
Like SAPsMaMa on Facebook! Please leave your Facebook name or at least your first initial and last name for me to verify. (2 Entries!)
Follow @SAPsMaMa on Twitter! Please leave your twitter handle! (1 Entry)
Subscribe to SAPsMaMa via RSS Feedburner! (1 Entry)
Enter any of my other CURRENT giveaways! (1 Entry Each!)
"Like" My Precious Kid LLC on Facebook! (2 Entries)
Make a purchase from My Precious Kid LLC! Email order number to mphin278 at yahoo dot com (10 Entries) Kay posts coupon codes and shipping deals on her Facebook page all the time, so it pays to be her facebook fan! *hint hint*
Follow @MyPreciousKid on Twitter! (1 Entry)

Tweet about the giveaway! You may tweet once per day, 1 entry each day! You may use this tweet if you would like:

Make Child Safety Easy with @MyPreciousKid LLC! Win a $25 GC at @SAPsMaMa Blog! http://tinyurl.com/2ca7haj
What product would you like to see carried at the My Precious Kid LLC store? (1 Entry)
What is your greatest Safety concern with your child right now? (1 Entry)
If you are if you are currently pregnant, gave birth on/after 07/01/10, or adopted a baby since 07/01/10, you qualify for a free gift from My Precious Kid LLC! Kay would like to give you a Car Seat ID Tag! Sign up to receive your free gift and get an extra entry! (1 Entry)
Join the My Precious Kid LLC Parent Panel! Give your input and receive in return great deals and a free Safety Packet! (1 Entry)
Read my My Precious Kid review in this post above and answer the following questions, 1 extra entry per question answered! All answers should be pretty obvious, these are not trick questions! :) Make sure to put a separate comment for each entry!

1. When I have a child safety problem, what do I do now instead of "Google" the issue? (1 Entry)

2. What were the two reasons we thought the child locator at My Precious Kid LLC would be a wonderful child safety tool for us? (1 Entry)

3. What was my major question concerning SAP and the child locator that I was worried about, and in the end, was I still worried or not? (1 Entry)

4. What are the newest arrivals at My Precious Kid LLC store that I am super excited about?! (1 Entry)

If you guessed this review correctly on SAPsMaMa's Facebook Fan Page (Jennifer!), you get 5 extra entries! Be sure to like SAPsMaMa on facebook and have a chance at each giveaway for extra entries! (5 Entries)
If you participated in my little guessing game for this review/giveaway you get 1 extra entry! Only 3 other participants this time, we do this for every giveaway so follow SAPsMaMa on Facebook and get some extra entries for yourself! (1 Entry)

If your blog is Carbon Neutral, you get an extra entry! Please leave your link to your blog! You can learn how to do this on my blog post My Blog is Carbon Neutral, Is YOURS?! (1 Entry)
Any other extra entries please put in also, I will check and approve them, so be sure I know what you're referring to in your entry! :)

Disclosure:
I was not provided any products for this review but was offered a coupon code for my purchase from the company or the PR agency. The opinions expressed are 100% my own. Text in Italics is from the company's website/social media site or otherwise sited from party it was received from.

Giveaway is open to all! Giveaway will end Dec. 11th @ 11:59 PM (CST). Winner will be chosen using random.org. Winner will have 48 hours to respond after I contact via email. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be chosen. Good Luck and thank you for supporting SAPsMaMa!

Thank you Kay for this opportunity to share your store and products with my fans, I feel you offer a wonderful selection of safety products and I hope my readers benefit greatly from your knowledge :)

Nifty Nappy Wool Longies Giveaway for Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Your Fluff! Event

2010-11-07T17:07:00.008-06:00

Wool Longies Giveaway!

Are you participating in the Pre-loved Cloth diaper auction event going on at SAPsMaMa's Facebook Fan page tonight?! An excellent chance for scoring some used fluff!

Vilate from Nifty Nappy has been generous enough to sponsor giving away a pair of her wool longies to one lucky winner participating in this event! These are great for cloth diapering, or even just as extra protection and warmth at night this winter!

Nifty Knickers

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Custom Fit, Temperature Regulating, and Upcycled!!

Nifty Knickers are a pull up cover made from upcycled wool sweaters that we hand-pick for softness and absorbency. These are great for economic cloth diapering as you can use the longies in place of pants and pajamas.

• Handpicked upcycled wool sweater with 80%+ wool
• Hidden elastics for ultimate containment and comfort
• Custom fit for your little one
• Unique -no one will have a matching one

SAP's Wool Longies made by Nifty Nappy!

Win Some Wool Longies from Nifty Nappy!!

There are 2 Ways to enter this giveaway!

1.
Make bids on items at the Reduce, Reuse,Recycle Your Fluff! Event on SAPsMaMa's Facebook Fan Page!

For each bid you make you will get 1 entry into this giveaway!

You cannot get entries for repeat bids (bids someone else or you have already made).

Bets on diapers at the auction and comments into this giveaway will be verified! Do not delete your bids at the auction otherwise you will not get your entry into this giveaway! : )

Please write entries as: (example)

S. Powers bet $6.50 on Diaper #1 BumGenius 4.0
mphin510 at gmail dot com

2.

Win entries from winning the FLUFF GUESS comment games during the Reuse, Reuse, Recycle Your Fluff! Event!

Be the first to guess what diaper SAP is wearing in the picture and you will win:

2 Entries into this Nifty Nappy Giveaway
2 Entries into the EcoMom $15 GC Giveaway
2 Entries into the Her Majesty's Closet Fitted Cloth Diaper/Cloth Wipes Giveaway
2 Entries into the BumbleDoo $10 GC Giveaway

All of the Giveaways are located here on the SAPsMaMa blog and links are located at the top of the right sidebar!

Please write these entries as: (example)

Won FLUFF GUESS ____Name of Diaper guessed___, entry #1
mphin510 at gmail dot com

Winner will be chosen at the end of the event after all entries have been verified! :) Winner will be emailed (so you must include your email in your comment entries!) and will have 48 hours to respond and claim prize or a new winner will be chosen! Good luck and have fun at the event!! :D

Thank you Vilate from Nifty Nappy for wonderful cloth diapers and wool covers! I am honored and thankful for you sponsoring this giveaway and helping make this re-usable fluff event a success!

This giveaway is sponsored by Nifty Nappy for the RRR event at SAPsMaMa, I was not provided with any compensation and all views expressed are my own!

Diapers Up for Auction Sunday Nov. 7th, 8:30pm CST!

2010-11-05T08:18:00.002-05:00

Make sure you join us for our Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Your Fluff! Event! Auctioning off 56 Pre-loved Cloth diapers (some never used!), diaper accessories!

RSVP now in the Events tab on the SAPsMaMa Facebook Fan page for a chance to win a pre-loved BumGenius 3.0 and cloth wipes!

Read the rules in the Discussions tab to see how you can win a pair of Nifty Nappy Wool Longies!

Here is the list of what will be up for auction, hope to see you there! :)

Diapers Up for Bid!

1 - BumGenius 4.0 (Blossom)

2 - EcoPippo (Minkey Brown with Blue dots, Pink)

3 - Rainforest Babies Snap and Wrap (All three pink/blue and come with 2 inserts)

2 - Lollidoo Overnight W/ Organic Cotton Inner (Green, Dark Blue)

3 - Super Doo 2G inserts, Large (Sold as a package)

2 - Older Version Superdoo Inserts, Large (Sold as a Package)

3 - FuzziBunz, Large (White, periwinkle, Yellow)

3 - Joey Bunz Doublers, Large (Sold as a Package)

2 - Thirsties Fab Fitteds, Medium (Yellow, Purple)

6 - gCloth (Sold as a package)

3 - Bumkins AIO, Medium(On The Go, Blue Fizz, Urban Green)

2 - Bum Essentials (Yellow including 2 classic and 1 terry bumpads, Bumble Blue including one classic bumpad)

4 - CuteyBaby (Big Pink Dot, Purple Lime Floral, 2 Chocolate)

1 - WeeHugger AIO, Large (Cream w/ Blue Trim)

6 - gDiaper, Large ( 3 Orange, 3 Cream)

6 - gDiaper, Medium ( 3 Orange, 3 Cream)

3 - gDiaper, Small (With Small snap-in liner and microfiber insert)

2 - gDiaper, Small (With Med/Large Snap-in Liner and microfiber insert)

1 - gDiaper, Small (No liner, 1 Microfiber insert)

1 - DreamEze AIO, Large (Green)

4 - BumGenius 3.0 (Ribbit, Zinnia, Blossom, Light Green)

1 - AppleCheeks Hemp Doubler, Medium

1 - Disposable Biodegradable CuteyBaby Liners

2 - Disposable Inserts

1 - EconoBum Cover, White w/ white trim

Pre-Loved Cloth Diaper Auction Event: How to win free fluff, and get cheap fluff!

2010-11-02T06:33:00.004-05:00

Cloth Diaper Auction Event!

(Sunday November 7th 8:30pm CST)

There will be 3 parts to the event, so please read this BEFORE participating!

1. The Auction!

Diapers up for auction will be in a photo album on SAPsMaMa fan page. Each diaper will be labeled with it's own stats, a starting bid, and marked if it has a reserve price or not as well as the seller's info.
You may bid on any diaper in the album during the allowed open time
Bidding must be done in minimum of 25 cent increments
I will type DONE in each diaper up for auction at the end of the auction time, or once the reserve price is met! If reserve is not me by 30 minutes auction will continue. The individual with the highest bid above my post of DONE wins the diaper!

2. FLUFF GUESS!

I will be doing a Fluff Guess Game during the auction! I will post 2 pictures during each auction (so 2 pictures during the 30 minutes each photo album of diapers is open for auction).
These pictures will be of my daughter in a fluffy cloth diaper!
Individuals will guess what diaper is on SAP's bum! The first individual to guess correctly wins!
What will you win? Winner will get 2 entries into the Nifty Nappy Giveaway (info in #3 below), and 1 extra entry each into each of my open giveaways on the SAPsMaMa Blog! Open giveaways include : Her Majesty's Closet fitted cloth diaper/cloth wipes, EcoMom $15 GC, and BumbleDoo $10 GC.

3. Freebies! Giveaways!

There will be two giveaways during this event!

The first:
One BumGenius 3.0 Cloth Diaper (pre-loved) and a pair of new wipes (made by SAPsMaMa!) will be given away! You must RSVP to this event in the events tab to be entered into this giveaways and you can only RSVP prior to the start of the event at 8:30PM CST! Winner must be present to win this prize and it will be given away at the end of the auction!

Second:
A pair of Nifty Nappy wool longies will be given away! This giveaway will be posted on the SAPsMaMa blog (link will be provided on Facebook). SAPsMaMa blog followers get one entry.
For every bid you make on diapers during the auction you will get another entry into this giveaway! You can also win entries through the Fluff Guess comment game during the auctin event!
No other entries will be valid, and all entries will be verified. Winner will be emailed post auction.

Important Info/Rules

• Bidding on diapers:

Bids must be made on picture posted of the diaper to be valid. This auction will be up for 30 minutes. If you bid, please send payment via Paypal, preferibly tonight but up to 24 hours to make payment (unless cleared otherwise with seller).

See Discussion tab for shipping and payment info.

All info on each individual diaper will be posted with the picture/auction post, please read all stats on the diaper before placing a bid, all diapers are sold as is.

Please note that many diapers will have "Reserve" prices. Bidding will go for 30 minutes, or until Reserve price is hit.

Happy Bidding! I will be watching MY clock for the 30 minute mark...I will type CLOSED and the person with the highest bid will be the winner.

• If you are selling your diapers please get me this info at least 5 Days BEFORE the event!

I am looking for includes:

Pictures of insides and outsides of diaper, each diaper needs its own individual picture.
Stats on the diaper: Type and color and size of diaper, how long it was used, what detergent it was washed in, was it ever bleached, was it line dried or dried in a dryer most of the time
Your paypal address for the winner to pay you for the diaper
How much you'd like to start off the bid at for each diaper
Any other info you think would be helpful!

• Regarding shipping:

Shipping will be included in the auction price of the diapers for bidders in the same country as the seller. For example, for diapers being sold by sellers in the US, shipping will be included in auction price to those bidding and residing in the US. Canadian individuals etc. may still bid on the item but will need to cover the extra shipping cost. This applies vis-versa as well for Canadian sellers/US bidders! Any question please feel free to message me before the event! :)

• Regarding payment for diapers/items:

Buyer will send seller payment within 48 hours of purchase. To do so, use PayPal and send the money under the "Personal" tab. Also ensure payment is fully funded through paypal funds or direct transfer from a bank account. This ensures that no extra fees are applied to buyer or seller! If you have any questions please feel free to email me. Here is the paypal info for anyone curious, and I encourage everyone interested in purchasing to sign up for a FREE Paypal account!

Free vs. Fees

In some cases, it’s free to Send Money. Sometimes there are fees. Here’s how it breaks down. https://cms.paypal.com/cgi-bin/marketingweb?cmd=_render-content&content_ID=marketing_us%2Fsend_money_fees

BumbleDoo WAHM Giveaway Event!! Happening NOW!

2010-10-29T09:45:00.003-05:00

I'm a huge fan of BumbleDoo, and if you havn't already done so, check out my last post reviewing BumbleDoo training pants and learn about all the other great products BumbleDoo makes!

Malia, owner of BumbleDoo, is a WAHM, and so knows just how hard other WAHMs work! To show appreciation and help spread the love of WAHM she is hosting a huge WAHM Giveaway Event!

You can enter this event NOW! All you have to do is go "Like" BumbleDoo on Facebook, and check out her photo album for the WAHM Event! Comment on the pictures of the items you'd like to enter into the drawing for, and be sure to "like" and thank the sponsors for this wonderful event for your chance to win! :) Then show up at 10pm Saturday Oct. 30th to see if you won, and get a chance to win a ton of gift certificates to BumbleDoo!

You can find all the information about the event in the Giveaways Tab on their Facebook Fan Page! Good luck, and I'll see you there Saturday night when they will be giving away a TON of gift certificates to the BumbleDoo store! (P.S. You can win an awesome GC yourself in my giveaway right now as well!)

BumbleDoo Training Pants Review and Gift Card Giveaway!

2010-10-29T07:35:00.001-05:00

SAP's Story

I began potty training SAP early, but with daycare, college courses, internships, work...it just doesn't always work out the way you planned. SAP was doing great! She knew the potty sign (baby sign language), would tell us when she went potty in her diaper, and if we told her to go sit on her potty, s he would! But we were stuck. She did not understand potty went in the potty chair, not diaper!

So, it was time to try a new approach. Prefolds and baby leggings worked well at first, but it was time for some real training pants! Searching around...nothing I could find was made for young potty learners like SAP, everything either looked just like a diaper, or was so thin it wouldn't hold any accidents, let alone be waterproof! I needed something in between...

So when I came across BumbleDoo, it was perfect! Malia, the owner/brains behind the business of BumbleDoo had a seconds sale going on of her training pants....voila! Not only did I order some, but I also ordered a great kids crayon apron, and some cloth wipes! I was so excited to try them out I contacted Malia and she agreed to send a pair of her new style of training pants for SAP to give a go at and for me to review on my blog! She also sent me a mama pad to try out, which, of course, I was very happy to do! :)

In this review I will mostly be reviewing the new style of BumbleDoo trainers, though I will also mention the old style and compare a bit.

SAPsMaMa Thinks: BumbleDoo Trainers

I've used these trainers on multiple occasions over the past month or so, and have found them very reliable! Overall, they do what needs to be done. My first impression was a very slim cloth diaper. It had the absorption I needed for my daughter since she was still young and didn't know how to not go in her diaper yet, but it was slimmer and less "fluffy", more of an underwear style!

The trainers have snaps on the sides for them to be easy on easy off! At first I wanted the Pull-up kind, since they're similar to those in the stores, but Malia convinced me snap was the way to go, especially with likely "messy" business happening in those trainers, and she was right!

Since SAP knew to go to the potty when told, I figured the next step was teaching her to pull down her trainers before sitting down on the potty, so it was important to me that the trainers were easily able to be pulled up and down! Since I first tried this with the old style of trainers, I found it difficult. After talking to Malia we thought they were too small and I purchased a larger size. After that no problem! The new trainers were good from the start, pulled up and down pretty easy for me, though SAP I believe is a bit too young to do this herself yet. BUT she now understands, unlike before, that her trainers go up and down and get taken off before sitting down! We went the next step in our potty training thanks to BumbleDoo!

Regarding the fit of the trainers, at first I was concerned with the plastic snaps on the sides making marks on SAP's skin, but with sizing up that hasn't been much of an issue. Plus, since getting the new style of trainers, they're much better! The new style that Malia now makes are sewn very well and do not make marks on SAPs skin, yet they are snug enough not to leak when she has potty accidents!

Overall these trainers have become our most used trainers, they work very well for early learners and beginners and have helped us along in our potty training! With the help of Malia I'm sure you can find the perfect potty training solution for your little one as well!

What SAPsMaMa LOVES about the BumbleDoo Trainers!

Skinnier than a diaper: imitates underwear
Easy to use side snaps
Can be pulled up and down
Great color selection, bright colors and patterns that stand out from traditional disposable trainers!
Absorbent enough for a potty accident
Worked out very well for us

Suggestions for Improvement, There's Always Room For Improvement!

I would love if the plastic snaps were covered on the inside so they would not come into contact with baby, and increase comfort of the trainers... as long as it doesn't impair the functionality of the trainers!
The "new style" of trainers compared to the "old style" seemed to not be as slim! If all the great things I love about the new style could be done with a more slim fit like the "old style" that would keep them feeling more like a trainer and keep baby from considering them a diaper.

About BumbleDoo

From the Website:

When I became a mother to my two sweet little boys I wanted to put my mind to it and give my children the same things that my mom gave me. Since then I have been working on MY mother's touch to create useful functional pieces for my children. I hope that other mothers can find them as useful and functional while appreciating the handmade love that goes into each piece.

Every piece listed on my site is made by me in my home. I make my own patterns and try to create original one of a kind pieces. I love fabric and notions. I love to use recycled items. Most importantly, I like to keep trash out of the landfill.

I believe in top level customer service. I will do my best to make sure you are happy with your purchase.

Everything that Malia says in her "about me" is what I experienced! Wonderful home made items and top level customer service!

BumbleDoo offers a wide variety of items, not just Training pants, but things you could find useful on a daily basis! Some of my favorites that I've purchased are her super soft cloth wipes, her bumble pockets for cribs and beds, her child's apron, which my daughter just loves, and her wee pouches, that are so useful!

She has recently also made some great mama cloth pads, which you will see a review on from me real soon! Be sure to check out BumbleDoo's Facebook page and see the cutest mama pads she just sewed together, makes me want even more Bumbledoo mama cloth!

Something Special From BumbleDoo!
Do you have a Special Needs Child?

Since I've become an active member of the online parenting community I've come across many families with special needs children of all ages, whether it be autism, cerebral palsy, or other.

One thing I find amazing about BumbleDoo is Malia's goal to provide useful items for these special needs children that are not currently provided!

Need a special sized cloth diaper, or a larger sized reusable swim diaper and can't find it anywhere else? Malia would love to work with you to help you get the products you and your child need!

With the service, ambition, and ideas that Malia has to offer, I look forward to seeing what BumbleDoo will carry in the future!

Buy It!
BumbleDoo Website: www.BumbleDoo.com
BumbleDoo Facebook: www.facebook.com/mybumble doo
EtsyShop: BumbleDoo on Etsy

Win It!!

One SAPsMaMa follower will be lucky enough to win a $10 Gift Certificate to BumbleDoo! You can get your little one a diaper or trainers, or yourself some mama pads! So many options! :)

Rules!

You must be a SAPsMaMa Google Friend Connect follower PUBLICLY to enter this giveaway!

You must leave your email in each comment/entry! You may leave your email in the " email at host dot com " format if you would like to deter spam bots, but your email MUST be included for your entry to count!

Mandatory entry must be completed before any other entries!

Leave a separate comment for each entry in order for all entries to be counted (i.e. if something is worth 2 entries, please leave two comments, and please label #1 and #2, etc.)

If you need clarification on how to complete one of the entries, feel free to contact me and I'll be happy to help!

I will check each comment entry! So please be fair and only enter for entries you qualify for!

Mandatory Entry! (Must be completed BEFORE any extra entries!)

You must follow SAPsMaMa PUBLICLY via Google Friend Connect!
Also...
Head on over to the BumbleDoo Website and take a look at what she has! Let me know what you would purchase with your BumbleDoo Gift Certificate! It's that easy!

This mandatory entry is worth 2 Entries, and you must do BOTH these things!

Extra Entries!

Subscribe to SAPsMaMa through Email!! (2 Entries) NEW!! Upper right sidebar.
Like SAPsMaMa on Facebook! Please leave your Facebook name or at least your first initial and last name for me to verify. (2 Entries!)
Follow @SAPsMaMa on Twitter! Please leave your twitter handle! (1 Entry)
Subscribe to SAPsMaMa via RSS Feedburner! (1 Entry)
Enter any of my other CURRENT giveaways! (1 Entry Each!)
"Like" BumbleDoo on Facebook! (1 Entry)
Comment on BumbleDoo's Facebook Page, tagging SAPsMaMa: Natural Parenting in the Modern World in the comment! Comment here with your facebook last name and first letter of first name to get entry! (1 Entry)
"Heart" (favorite) BumbleDoo on Etsy! (1 Entry) Please leave Etsy name in entry comment.
Make a purchase from BumbleDoo! Email order number to mphin278 at yahoo dot com (10 Entries) You can find items on the BumbleDoo Website, Etsy Page, and Facebook Fan Page for sale!
Follow @BumbleDoo on Twitter! (1 Entry)

Tweet about the giveaway! You may tweet once per day, 1 entry each day! You may use this tweet if you would like:

Cute + practical @BumbleDoo Cloth Trainers are a must for little learners! #Win a @BumbleDoo GC from @SAPsMaMa blog #Giveaway!
Read my BumbleDoo review in this post above and answer the following questions, 1 extra entry per question answered! All answers should be pretty obvious, these are not trick questions! :) Make sure to put a separate comment for each entry!

1. Name one other item I ordered from BumbleDoo when I ordered from their Seconds Sale on the BumbleDoo Facebook Fan Page. (1 Entry)

2. What was the "next step" in the potty training process I was trying to achieve ( and was able to!) with BumbleDoo Trainers? (1 Entry)

3. Tell me one other item that BumbleDoo carries that is not related to cloth diapers/trainers! (1 Entry)

4. Tell me the very special thing that BumbleDoo does for families! (1 Entry)

If you guessed this review correctly on SAPsMaMa's Facebook Fan Page (Cortney!), you get 6 extra entries! Be sure to like SAPsMaMa on facebook and have a chance at each giveaway for extra entries! (6 Entries)

If your blog is Carbon Neutral, you get an extra entry! Please leave your link to your blog! You can learn how to do this on my blog post My Blog is Carbon Neutral, Is YOURS?! (1 Entry)
If you made a donation of any amount to the Cloth Diaper Foundation you get 10 extra entries! Learn details on how to do this on my recent post The Ying and Yang of Life and Help The Cloth Diaper Foundation Please! It's a great cause! (10 Entries)
If you helped out The Dirties on Diapering and got extra entries there (anywhere from 1-40 extra entries!) post those entries as well! You cannot earn more entries as this project did not meet it's goal, but entries are still good on this giveaway and other current giveaways up until this giveaway.
If you liked Cuddly Bums Baby Boutique on Facebook and told me you did so, you get 2 extra entries! These extra entries are not available anymore post 7pm 10/28.
Any other extra entries please put in also, I will check and approve them, so be sure I know what you're referring to in your entry! :)

Disclosure:
The product(s) provided for the review (1 Pair of BumbleDoo Training Pants) was sent to me free of charge from the company or the PR agency. The opinions expressed are 100% my own. Text in Italics is from the company's website/social media site or otherwise sited from party it was received from.

Giveaway is open to all! Giveaway will end Nov. 20th @ 11:59 PM (CST). Winner will be chosen using random.org. Winner will have 48 hours to respond after I contact via email. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be chosen. Good Luck and thank you for supporting SAPsMaMa!

Thank you Malia for being so helpful and for creating such wonderful products for families! I loved doing this review, working with you is a pleasure!

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Your Fluff Auction! Cheap slightly used cloth diapers!

2010-10-20T23:38:00.003-05:00

I have come across some diapers that just do not work for SAP's build, or have too many of one kind of diaper and would like to consolidate. I figure many of you do too! ..soooo

Cloth Diaper Auction!

I will host a Cloth diaper auction on Facebook! I am hoping for doing this in about 1-2 weeks, depending on how much interest I get!

Cloth diapers will be stain free and in usable condition, many used only a couple times! If you are looking for some cloth diapers or want to try cloth diapering this is an excellent way to get cheap fluff!

If you have any pre-loved, slightly used, Excellent used condition cloth diapers you would like to sell let me know! Email me at mphin278 at yahoo dot com

You will need to provide pictures of the diaper and stats (how long it was used, in how large a rotation, is it stain free, what detergent it was used with, was it bleached, hung dry or dried in dryer, etc.)

I am also willing to put up some other baby items, such as slings, carriers, etc..

Remember, think green Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Your Fluff!! :)

Email me with any questions! :)

Melissa (SAPsMaMa)
mphin278 at yahoo dot com

Her Majesty's Closet Review and Giveaway!

2010-10-19T07:03:00.002-05:00

SAP's Story: Fleece AIO Cloth Diaper

I love WAHM business, and their awesome products! I was fortunate enough to review the Fleece AIO Diaper from Her Majesty's Closet, and she even sent me some great wipes to review too!

Want to know all about the Fleece AIO diaper I reviewed? Read the complete review HERE!

What SAPsMaMa LOVES about the Fleece AIO Cloth Diaper!

Breathable diaper! So less diaper rash!
Doesn't take any longer to dry than my other AIO diapers (air dry)
Personalized with the fabrics and patterns YOU love!
Fit is wonderful! No leaks!
Best of both worlds! Easy to use and in one piece like a disposable diaper, but unique, personalized, breathable, chemical free, and adorable, very unlike a disposable diaper! All the good in my opinion!
You can feel when baby's diaper is wet through the fleece so you know when to change them and they're not sitting in a yucky diaper!
Great price for a quality and unique diaper

Another fleece AIO diaper Melissa made! I love this pattern!

Disadvantages of the Fleece AIO Cloth Diaper!

Our daycare was not comfortable using fleece cover diapers.
No keep-baby-dry layer

Suggestions for Improvement of Fleece AIO Cloth Daiper!

I'd like the Velcro tabs to stick out less! Think this is personal preference, but it could entice a stripping toddler also :)
Possibility of snaps instead of Velcro for closures!
Improved, larger laundry tabs that hold the Velcro better in the wash.

SAP's Story: Her Majesty's Closet Cloth Wipes!

An example of some of Melissa's Cloth Wipes! (Not the ones I received)

With my review of the Fleece AIO diaper the Her Majesty's Closet makes, I was also sent a couple of their cloth wipes as a surprise! I was happy and excited to test them out since we were short wipes and had not time to sew up some more, plus we had only flannel wipes, these wipes Her Majesty's Closet makes were terry and fleece! Completely different, and I looked forward to seeing how they compared to our regular ones!

At first hubby was reluctant to use them in the wipes container when he made the wet wipes (he's the most excellent wipe maker!), he didn't like that they were too long for the container (they are 9.5in x 4.5 in) and bulkier compared to the other ones so they took up more room. I made him do it anyway lol. They worked out well as wet wipes, especially when SAP had a mighty poopoo, the terry just grabbed everything and we didn't need as many wipes as usual, so there's a plus!

Since hubby still wasn't sold on using them in the traditional wet wipe method we had always done, I spoke with Melissa at Her Majesty's Closet and got her opinion on how she uses them. With her advise we tried a different method: spritzing the dry wipe with a wipe solution before using it! This worked decently since the terry soaked up the solution well instead of it running off like it does for our flannel wipes when they're newer, but I like the wet wipe method, so had hubby go back to that lol. One thing Melissa did point out that I too do like about these wipes is that the back is fleece so, if you spritz it instead of using wet wipe method, your hands never get wet! The fleece will keep them dry! And with two different fabrics it's quite easy to know which side you wiped with so you never touch a yucky side, always a plus!

I like the wipes, they have their place in our wipes collection and are a good addition to help with our diaper changes! They've held up well durability wise, are well sew, don't fray at all, and I love that they match SAP's diaper! I always feel obligated to use these wipes whenever I change her fleece AIO diaper so they match, I know, weird right? lol. It makes me smile though :)

What SAPsMaMa LOVEs about the Her Majesty's Closet Cloth Wipes!

Match my Fleece AIO cloth diaper from Her Majesty's closet!
The terry cleans SAP's bum really well!
The fleece keeps your hands dry if you spritz the wipe instead of using wet wipe method!
Well sewn!

Suggestions for Improvement for the HMC Cloth Wipes: There's Always Room For Improvement!

A more traditional 8x8 wipe that would fit in a normal wipe box for use with wet wipe method would be great!
Or, since these wipes are thicker than flannel wipes, just making the wipe 8 in long instead of 9.5 in long would ensure they fit in the container well without taking up more room in the wipes container!

***I just checked out Her Majesty's Closet Etsy shop and Melissa did make some changes to the cloth wipes! They are now about 5x8 in, so will fit well in your wipes containers! Awesome job Melissa! :) Makes me happy! ***

About Her Majesty's Closet:

We are a small WAHM endeavor created in honor of our daughter, our little Queen of Hearts. We promote natural and attachment parenting and strive to provide support for those seeking this path as well as products worthy of Her Majesty's Closet!!!

Her Majesty's closet makes hand made items from cloth diapers to un-paper towels! I love the idea of their Uplifting blanket too, thinking perfect baby shower gift!

One of Melissa's OS Fitted Cloth Diapers she made! Cute!

Some Un-Paper towels, simple colors, I like it! One easy way to go-green in one small step! :)

Un-paper towels all rolled up! Imagine how cute these would be in your little one's room, ready to clean up those messies you know always happen!

Customers who are BCIA friends will get an automatic $10 Gift Certificate and BCIA Champions will get a $25 Gift Certificate!! Just forward your membership receipt to Melissa at to get these awesome gift cards!

Want another reason to order from Her Majesty's Closet? This month of October Melissa will be donating half of all proceeds from all orders in October to BCIA!!! So you will be helping a good cause! Just another excuse for more fluff to get hubby to give the ok, right!? :)

Win!!

Melissa at Her Majesty's Closet has given my followers the chance to win a choice of either 6 cloth wipes OR a fitted cloth diaper, both hand made by her!

Rules!

You must be a SAPsMaMa Google Friend Connect follower PUBLICLY to enter this giveaway!

You must leave your email in each comment/entry! You may leave your email in the " email at host dot com " format if you would like to deter spam bots, but your email MUST be included for your entry to count!

Mandatory entry must be completed before any other entries!

Leave a separate comment for each entry in order for all entries to be counted (i.e. if something is worth 2 entries, please leave two comments, and please label #1 and #2, etc.)

If you need clarification on how to complete one of the entries, feel free to contact me and I'll be happy to help!

I will check each comment entry! So please be fair and only enter for entries you qualify for!

Mandatory Entry! (Must be completed BEFORE any extra entries!)

You must follow SAPsMaMa PUBLICLY via Google Friend Connect!
Also...
Head on over to Her Majesty's Closet of Facebook and like her Facebook fan page! It's that easy!

This mandatory entry is worth 2 Entries, and you must do BOTH these things!

Extra Entries!

Subscribe to SAPsMaMa through Email!! (2 Entries) NEW!! Upper right sidebar.
Comment on Her Majesty's Closet Facebook Page, tagging SAPsMaMa: Natural Parenting in the Modern World in the comment! Comment here with your facebook last name and first letter of first name to get entry! (1 Entry)
"Heart" (favorite) Her Majesty's Closet on Etsy! (1 Entry) Please leave Etsy name in entry comment.
Make a purchase from Her Majesty's Closet! Email order number to mphin278 at yahoo dot com (10 Entries) More items are located on Melissa's Facebook fan page and she can do custom work too!
Tell me what you'd choose, the fitted diaper or the cloth wipes, if you won! (1 Entry)
Head over to Her Majesty's Closet Facebook Fan Page and/or Etsy shop and tell me your favorite item or what you'd be most interested in learning more about/purchasing!

Tweet about the giveaway! You may tweet once per day, 1 entry each day! You may use this tweet if you would like:

Win a Her Majesty's Closet fitted diaper or 6 cloth wipes from @SAPsMaMa! Awesome stuff! Ends 11/12 http://tinyurl.com/3733chc
Like SAPsMaMa on Facebook! Please leave your Facebook name or at least your first initial and last name for me to verify. (2 Entries!)
Follow @SAPsMaMa on Twitter! Please leave your twitter handle! (1 Entry)
Subscribe to SAPsMaMa via RSS Feedburner! (1 Entry)
Enter any of my other CURRENT giveaways! (1 Entry Each!)
Read my Her Majesty's Closet Fleece AIO Cloth Diaper Complete review and tell me something you learned or found interesting about the diaper! (1 Entry)
If your blog is Carbon Neutral, you get an extra entry! Please leave your link to your blog! You can learn how to do this on my blog post My Blog is Carbon Neutral, Is YOURS?! (1 Entry)
If you made a donation of any amount to the Cloth Diaper Foundation you get 10 extra entries! Learn details on how to do this on my recent post The Ying and Yang of Life and Help The Cloth Diaper Foundation Please! It's a great cause! (10 Entries)
If you helped out The Dirties on Diapering and got extra entries there (anywhere from 1-40 extra entries!) post those entries as well! You can find out how to get these extra entries at my blog post HERE ! Requirements for these extra entries must be done before this ends on Oct 23, 4:59pm EDT to qualify, but you may still use these extra entries in giveaways for a month, or until the end of the year if the project is funded! This is an amazing chance at extra entries! :) ** This project did not meet it's goal and so had to re-start. No one was charged for their pledges! You MUST pledge again to qualify for these extra entries, follow my link! If this does not meet it's goal, as before, no one will be charged, but let's hope it does! :) **
If you liked Diaper Duckling on Facebook and told me you did so for 2 extra comments, claim those now! These extra entries are not available anymore.
Any other extra entries please put in also, I will check and approve them, so be sure I know what you're referring to in your entry! :)

Disclosure:
The product(s) provided for the review (1 Fleece AIO Cloth Diaper and 2 Fleece/Terry Cloth Wipes) was sent to me free of charge from the company or the PR agency. The opinions expressed are 100% my own. Text in Italics is from the company's website or otherwise sited from party it was received from.

Giveaway is open to USA and Canada Only! Giveaway will end Nov. 12th @ 11:59 PM (CST). Winner will be chosen using random.org. Winner will have 48 hours to respond after I contact via email. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be chosen. Good Luck and thank you for supporting SAPsMaMa!

Thank you Melissa from Her Majesty's Closet for the wonderful diaper and wipes! It was fun trying them out and discovering a new side of cloth diapering! Keep up the great work!

EcoMom Review and Giveaway!

2010-10-17T07:05:00.003-05:00

SAP's Story

Going "Green" and using natural, non-toxic safe products is difficult, especially with all the green washing in the media these days. If you don't have the time to research your product choices my number one suggestion is to find a shop that you can trust that will carry only these products! One of my favorite eco-friendly shops is, of course, EcoMom!! (Eco-friendly Baby Products - EcoMom)

For this review, EcoMom sent us a Green Toys Dump Truc k! I was very happy for I know how much SAP just LOVES trucks! Every time we're in a car or outside and a truck drives bye, she waves and says hi over and over, then bye bye until she can't see the truck anymore! Don't know about this girl, no baby dolls for her, just good old trucks!

But Green Toys doesn't make just any old truck! All their trucks, and all their products are made out of recycled plastic from old milk cartons!!! Isn't it awesome what they can make useful out of garbage?! I love it! And because they use only milk cartons (#2 plastic), they know that their plastic toys are BPA, Phthalate, and lead free....safe to use with food and even in your dishwasher! Who doesn't love a toy that can be cleaned in a dishwasher?! :)

Green Toys are awesome in more ways than what their products are made of, but WHERE and HOW they're made! All Green Toys products are made right here in the USA! And because they are made out of recycled plastics, not only are you saving plastic from being put in a landfill, but you are also reducing greenhouse gas emissions, minimizing your carbon footprint, and saving energy! All just by making the choice to make your next plastic toy a Green Toy! And of course, you can get all the Green Toys products at EcoMom!!

As I said before, SAP loves trucks, and the Green Toys Dump Truck was no exception! I loved it too since I drive a dump truck for my job, so I feel like she can then associate playing with mommy more and understand what I do at work!

I took the truck out of the shipping box she laid claim to it and it has not been allowed to be put away in her toy box at all! She fills it up, dumps it, fills it up, dumps it, pushes it around with her little cloth diaper butt in the air going "vroooom vooom voom", it is amazing how much time she spends with this one toy! Keeps her attention for hours...perfect for when we're making dinner!

I was worried at first since I had told everyone I would not let a plastic toy into my house again, but learning about Green Toys when I visited EcoMom changed my opinion and I gave them a chance and very happy I did so! Good quality, sturdy and with how much use we will get out of it, more than worth the money! Their standards make me feel comfortable letting my daughter play with plastic again and I know if EcoMom carries them they are a trustworthy brand!

What SAPsMaMa LOVES about the Green Toys Dump Truck From EcoMom:

100% Recycled (#2) Plastic
BPA, phthalates, and lead free!!
Made in USA
Durable
Washable (even in dishwasher!)
Safe to eat off of
Packaged in recycled cardboard!
Durable, sturdy plastic
Bright colors

Suggested Improvements to the Green Toys Dump Truck From EcoMom, There's Always Room For Improvement:

I would like to see a mention of PVC free on the Green Toys products as PVC plastics are very toxic and this would make me more comfortable using the Green Toys products.
Larger, and smaller trucks! More varieties! We can get them in wood but I am liking the Green Toys plastic, much more friendly with sand and water!
Maybe some other characters etc. to go with some of their toys? Like plastic people or objects to dump for the dump truck, plastic cans or boxes for the Green Toys Recycling Truck, etc.? Just think it'll be fun!

SAPsMaMa Thinks

The first time I ordered from EcoMom wow! So much stuff I wanted! I got everything from Plum Organics baby food and snacks to a To-Go War e Stainless Steal Sidekick for our lunches! THEN I had to come back less than 2 months later to get MORE Plum Organics snacks for SAP and some art supplies like the Clementine Natural Crayons they carry! I figured out not only am I getting my daughter natural, healthy food, snacks, art supplies, toys and more, but I am getting them CHEAPER!! EcoMom offers FREE SHIPPING on orders over $50! Or if you want some amazing savings on EVERY order you make check out this wonderful program for dedicated eco-friendly individuals like you and I! They call it their EcoPass!!

EcoPass Benefits:

If you're ready to save on every purchase, EcoPass is your ticket.

Free Shipping on every order. You no longer have to worry about the size of your order, from one item to 100 items, it's always free shipping.
15% savings on every product we sell. You love our products, you buy them anyway, save money on the products you already know you want.
Advance looks at new products.You get to help us decide which products we sell. Your voice will be heard and represented.
Exclusive offers and promotions. On the Daily Deal and select new products, you get the opportunity to buy them before any one else, plus you get to suggest which products you think should be promoted with the reward of even greater savings.

I'd also like ot add thatt EcoPass pays for itself in as few as 4 orders and costs only $8.25 a month! A great deal!

Eeek-O-Mom Halloween!!

With Halloween right around the corner, EcoMom is your one-stop shopping site for eco-friendly costumes that will look amazing your your child, as well as some treats that you feel better about your prince and princess eating! I myself am in love with their Silk Fairy Dresses and the Luna Organics face make up! They also have crowns, capes, dragon costumes and lots lots more! Check out everything at Eeeek-O-Mom Halloween!!

EcoMom Trick Or Treating Contest!!

Already have your Halloween supplies? Well, you can still have some Halloween fun at EcoMom (and save money)! Ending October 17th is EcoMom's fun and easy Trick-Or-Treating Contest! It's super easy and fun, a wonderful way to see all that EcoMom has to offer, while getting something back in return!

How To Play: (instructions also on EcoMom website HERE)

It's easy! We've hidden bats throughout our online store. Just hunt around until you find products marked with a bat and write down the full name of the product. When you've found all 12 hidden bats send us an email at halloween@ecomom.com listing the names of all twelve of the marked products. Include your full name and your email address as well.

That's it! But hurry, you only have until OCTOBER 17th to get your email in. After that, we'll randomly draw three names from all of the correct entries and award each one a $25 gift certificate to EcoMom.

As an added Halloween treat, every entry will win a discount code to use at EcoMom! (Only one entry per person.)

EcoMom Date Night!

Something new at EcoMom is their Date Night products! A way to look amazing and do it eco-friendly? Great! Something for both him and her, and right now, 15% off! So surprise your significant other with amazing eco-friendly date night products! **Sorry Babysitter not included! :)

What SAPsMaMa LOVES about EcoMom:

Carries eco-friendly, non-toxic products from companies I trust!
Always has something new!
Is my one stop eco-friendly shop for holidays (especially Halloween!)
Great selection
EcoPass option is wonderful for those who order often!
Customer Service has been wonderful!

Suggestions For Improvement: There is Always Room For Improvement!!

I'd love to see more products in the following areas: cloth diapering, potty training, toddler food (meals, not snackies, not mashed food), and some more in home decor!
That's about it! There's new stuff all the time so I have confidence I won't be short of things to buy from EcoMom at all, and I can't wait to see what they come up with next!

Discount Code!!

Try out EcoMom right now! Great prices, great stuff, and even better with the 15% off coupon EcoMom was generous enough to offer SAPsMaMa fans! Use discount code SBBL633 before October 31st to get 15% off your order!

Win!!

EcoMom has given my followers the chance to win a $15 Gift Certificate to their store!
Imagine: eco-friendly and non-toxic Halloween costumes and gear, date night items, or just some great organic snacks for your little one!

Rules!

You must be a SAPsMaMa Google Friend Connect follower PUBLICLY to enter this giveaway!

You must leave your email in each comment/entry! You may leave your email in the " email at host dot com " format if you would like to deter spam bots, but your email MUST be included for your entry to count!

Mandatory entry must be completed before any other entries!

Leave a separate comment for each entry in order for all entries to be counted (i.e. if something is worth 2 entries, please leave two comments, and please label #1 and #2, etc.)

If you need clarification on how to complete one of the entries, feel free to contact me and I'll be happy to help!

I will check each comment entry! So please be fair and only enter for entries you qualify for!

Mandatory Entry! (Must be completed BEFORE any extra entries!)

You must follow SAPsMaMa PUBLICLY via Google Friend Connect!
Also...
Head on over to EcoMom and tell me what product you are most interested in in one of these featured areas: Date Night with EcoMom or Eeek-o-Mom Halloween

This mandatory entry is worth 2 Entries, and you must do BOTH these things!

Extra Entries!

Subscribe to SAPsMaMa through Email!! (2 Entries) NEW!!
Like EcoMom on Facebook (1 Entry)
Follow @EcomomCEO on Twitter! (1 Entry)
Join the EcoMom Newsletter! (1 Entry)
Subscribe via RSS to the EcoMom Tip of the Day! (1 Entry)
Sign up for the EcoPass! Email proof to mphin278 at yahoo dot com (6 Entries)
Make a purchase from EcoMom! Email order number to mphin278 at yahoo dot com (10 Entries)
Participate in Trick Or Treat at EcoMom! c.c me in to the email you send EcoMom when entering! ENDS 10/17 ! (3 Entries)
Tell me what you'd purchase with your $15 GC! (1 Entry)
Head over to EcoMom and tell me:

1. What is one of the top 10 ways EcoMom suggests to make easy, affordable, eco-friendly choices? (On home page) (1 Entry)

2. What is today's Daily Deal? (Only available Monday - Friday after 10:30am, so check at those days/times for this extra entry!) (1 Entry)

3. What Green Gift would you most likely give the next time you need to give a gift?? (1 Entry)

Tweet about the giveaway! You may tweet once per day, 1 entry each day! You may use this tweet if you would like:

Shop with confidence for Eco-Friendly products at EcoMom! #Win a $15 GC from SAPsMaMa! http://tinyurl.com/23kndzq
Like SAPsMaMa on Facebook! Please leave your Facebook name or at least your first initial and last name for me to verify. (2 Entries!)
Comment on SAPsMaMa's Facebook wall that you are entering this giveaway and how much you love EcoMom! :) (1 Entry)
Follow @SAPsMaMa on Twitter! Please leave your twitter handle! (1 Entry)
Subscribe to SAPsMaMa via RSS Feedburner! (1 Entry)
Enter any of my other CURRENT giveaways! (1 Entry Each!)
Read my Ecomom Green Toys Dump Truck review in this post above and answer the following questions, 1 extra entry per question answered! All answers should be pretty obvious, these are not trick questions! :) Make sure to put a separate comment for each entry!

1. What kind of plastic does Green Toys use to make their plastic toys from? What did it used to be? (1 Entry)

2. How do I feel that the Green Toys Dump Truck helps SAP associate with Mommy and understand certain things regarding Mommy? (1 Entry)
If you guessed this review correctly on SAPsMaMa's Facebook Fan Page (Kendra!), you get 3 extra entries! Be sure to like SAPsMaMa on facebook and have a chance at each giveaway at extra entries! (3 Entries)
If you participated in my little guessing game for this review/giveaway you get 1 extra entry! Only 3 other participants this time, we do this for every giveaway so follow SAPsMaMa on Facebook and get some extra entries for yourself! (1 Entry)
If your blog is Carbon Neutral, you get an extra entry! Please leave your link to your blog! You can learn how to do this on my blog post My Blog is Carbon Neutral, Is YOURS?! (1 Entry)
If you made a donation of any amount to the Cloth Diaper Foundation you get 10 extra entries! Learn details on how to do this on my recent post The Ying and Yang of Life and Help The Cloth Diaper Foundation Please! It's a great cause! (10 Entries)
If you helped out The Dirties on Diapering and got extra entries there (anywhere from 1-40 extra entries!) post those entries as well! You can find out how to get these extra entries at my blog post HERE ! Requirements for these extra entries must be done before this ends on Oct 23, 4:59pm EDT to qualify, but you may still use these extra entries in giveaways for a month, or until the end of the year if the project is funded! This is an amazing chance at extra entries! :) ** This project did not meet it's goal and so had to re-start. No one was charged for their pledges! You MUST pledge again to qualify for these extra entries, follow my link! If this does not meet it's goal, as before, no one will be charged, but let's hope it does! :) **
If you liked Diaper Duckling on Facebook and told me you did so for 2 extra comments, claim those now! These extra entries are not available anymore.
Any other extra entries please put in also, I will check and approve them, so be sure I know what you're referring to in your entry! :)

Disclosure:
The product(s) provided for the review (1 Green Toys Dump Truck) was sent to me free of charge from the company or the PR agency. The opinions expressed are 100% my own. Text in Italics is from the company's website or otherwise sited from party it was received from.

Giveaway is open to USA and Canada Only! Giveaway will end Nov. 7th @ 11:59 PM (CST). Winner will be chosen using random.org. Winner will have 48 hours to respond after I contact via email. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be chosen. Good Luck and thank you for supporting SAPsMaMa!

Thank you to EcoMom for sponsoring this review and giveaway! I love eco-friendly stores with great standards and I very much enjoyed spreading the word to my followers on what you can offer them!

Extra Entries for LIKEING Diaper Duckling on Facebook! :)

2010-10-12T21:35:00.003-05:00

FINISHED!!! 10/16

Want a quick extra 2 entries into the SoftBums giveaway, plus the next 2 giveaways I post?!

Head on over to Diaper Duckling on Facebook and like their fan page! Write on their way that "Melissa from SAPsMaMa: Natural Parenting in the Modern World sent me!" (tagging my fan page!) and you can then get 2 extra entries into these 3 giveaways! That's a total of 6 entries, and TWO of the giveaways are fluffy, and all of them wonderful and awesome!

So it's easy entries, just post on my Facebook page or here that you did it! :)

Thanks everyone! oh and P.S., If I get 10 + fans like Diaper Duckling I"ll up the extra entries to 3 per person per giveaway! So what are you waiting for?! :)

Her Majesty's Closet Fleece AIO Cloth Diaper Complete Review

2010-10-08T07:46:00.000-05:00

SAP's Story

When I started out cloth diapering SAP I went with what I was told was the best name brand cloth diapers, I didn't want my mom or anyone else to see me fail at cloth diapering! I've come a LONG way since then, and helped many new parents and friends decide to cloth diaper! One of those people was my "twin"! When she got pregnant she decide to cloth diaper as well after my wonderful experience with it! But, she didn't go the way I did. She didn't buy all the name brand diapers....she got a lot of WAHM and Etsy diapers! Brands and names I had never heard of! I was very intrigued! These diapers were soooo original and looked cute and I was curious if they would hold up to the test!

I'm still waiting to hear back from my twin, but that experience made me reach out and speak to a wonderful new Etsy shop, Her Majesty's Closet! Melissa at Her Majesty's Closet not only makes amazing cloth diapers, but other diapering accessories adult products, like mama cloth and un-paper towels! Yes I had to ask her about those as well, I had never used those before!

Melissa was so wonderful, she worked with me to make the PERFECT cloth diaper for SAP! She got her measurements, weight, and fabric choices to make the diaper that not only fit her perfectly, but fit her personality perfectly as well! I chose a fleece AIO cloth diaper as I had no fleece diapers in my stash save for my DryBees I use for night time diapering, and I was very curious how well it would compare to not only my day diapers, but also my top, number one, night diaper!

I have to say, I was apprehensive. I liked that it was breathable, unlike other diapers, but worried about it feeling like it was leaking. We used it multiple times with no problem at all, even with the "messy business!" We tried it at daycare once to test it out since it had Velcro closures like all the other diapers we used at daycare, but have since decided not to. They don't quite understand the "breathable" part of some cloth diapers, and so thought that it was leaking, which I explained to them it wasn't leaking...hence why her pants were not wet! lol. So unfortunately it won't work out for daycare use, but that's fine, we can use it at home!

The other nice feature with it having a fleece outer instead of PUL is that it dries quicker! We hang dry all of our diapers, so our AIO take FOREVER to dry! Usually we can turn them inside out and it helps, but some AIO diapers don't have that pocket and so we cannot do that. However, this one dried just as fast as my other AIO air drying since it had the breathable fleece outer! That made me happy!

There were only a couple things I'd envision improvement on. I of course would love snaps over velcro! But that is just personal preference! Besides that, there is no overlap velcro tab for skinnier babies on my diaper, but if asked I'm sure she can easily provide one if you have a skinny baby :)

Another thing I noticed regarding the velcro is how the velcro tabs are sewn! They allow for alittle tab of fabric after the velcro.
Now, I am quite in-decisive as to if I like this or not. I like that it provides a nice soft edge so that the velcro won't rub on baby's belly when they roll around and bend forward, etc., and I like having something to grab to unfasten the diaper, makes changing diapers quicker! However, they also make it quite easy for SAP to grab and unfasten her diaper! ah-oh!! So usually I have clothes over this diaper lol. Then no streaking baby incident :) Haven't had many problems yet but I can only imagine! Would only be a concern for toddlers who are the curious types like mine.

This diaper is well made, it fits wonderfully and looks adorable. It also seems comfy for SAP to run around in, nice and soft fluff! Melissa did a great job!

Description

Type of Cloth Diaper:
All In One
Sizes:
Melissa can make you any size you need!
How Diaper Works/Features:

This diaper is a all-in-one style cloth diaper. That means it is all one piece and does not require stuffing, un-stuffing, folding or anything! As Melissa does not have a snap press currently (though watch for that option in the future!) the cloth diapers she makes are Velcro closure, and are very easy to use! Because insert is sewn in it can increase drying time.

Style and Material

Material Feel: I love the feel of the fleece outer, it is very soft! The flannel inner and the leg closure areas also seem to be quite smooth and not at all irritating.
Materials Used: The outside of this diaper is fleece fabric, the inside of this diaper is flannel fabric. Melissa can make many variations of flannel and fleece AIO/pockets/pocket-AIO diapers.
Keep Baby Dry Layer: This diaper did not have a "Keep Baby Dry Layer". You can request a "Keep Baby Dry Layer" in suede cloth, fleece, or other fabric from Melissa, which is usually more easily done with pocket diapers.
Color/Aesthetics: Her Majesty's Closet diapers, and this diaper, are so unique! Every time I see a new diaper made by Melissa it is adorable, and has such personality! You can have everything from psychedelic peace/hippie designs to animal and character prints! I think aesthetics are a huge plus for Her Majesty's Closet, very cute, or modern, and you choose which you want!

Ease of Use

Closures: At this point in time the only closures available are Velcro closure. These are very easy to use and can be used simply by most people without much instruction. The diaper does come with laundry tabs, and I have found that the style laundry tab I recieved on my diaper kept my laundry tabs held in the wash (I don't use the dryer) about 70% of the time. The diaper did not come with overlap Velcro tabs, but this could be an option you could discuss with Melissa if you would like it done.
Similarity To Disposables: This diaper is a little of both ends, and I think the best of both sides! It is very simple to use, like most consider a disposable diaper, and can easily be used by most people without instruction. However, it is customizable, aesthetically pleasing, and unique, unlike any disposable I know of! It also is breathable with it's fleece outer, unlike, and better than, disposable diapers! The best of both worlds, what more can you ask?
How Size and Fit are Adjusted: You can order a diaper from Her Majesty's closet that is pre-made, or get a customized diaper to fit your child perfectly! These diapers are sized, so when the diaper gets too small for your child you will have to move up to the next sized diaper. Fit is adjusted every use by the Velcro tabs, to get a good snug fit on your baby, but leg closures and rise are not adjustable.

Fit

Trimness: This diaper is not the trimmest diaper, since fleece is not the thinnest fabric! Also, trimness is not adjustable since it is an AIO diaper and not a pocket diaper. It is not overly bulky though like other fleece diapers, and night time diapers, I have experienced. It will still fit in SAP's pants, it just gives her a nice round behind!
How Adjustable Diaper is for Absorbency: This diaper has done well for absorbency needs for SAP, which is saying something! I was not able to test it out at night yet, but if I did need to increase absorbency I could lay a hemp booster inside the diaper. There is no pocket opening to stuff extra inserts for added absorbency so you would have to lay them on top of the inner fabric (flannel in this case).

Performance and Functionality

Leaks: I have had no leaks with this diaper at all! You can kind of feel the wetness through the fleece when baby has wet the diaper, but I like this so I know when to change her. Some may confuse this with leaking, especially if you have a heavy wetter, but this is typical of fleece covers/outer. This may cause some concern with daycare. It should not, and has not in SAP's case, made her bedsheets or clothes wet, so is not leaking! Just feels damp!
Absorbency: Absorbency in this all-in-one diaper has been adequate enough for SAP to go through a few hours between diaper changes, and has worked for nap time as well without issue! I say pretty good!
Leg Gussets: Leg guessets are made of same materials as the diaper: flannel more to the inner side and fleece on the outer side. They are pretty smooth and have not caused any irritation at all for SAP even during really active play. They seem to be snug enough also to keep messes in, as SAP has tested quite well!
Nap/Bedtime Use: This diaper has worked fine for us at nap time and provides families a great breathable nap time diaper, which is good on hot days and for if baby has a rash, to help it heal. We have not tested this for bedtime but with the experiences we have had with this diaper I believe a hemp booster would be sufficient to help aid in absorption, and it would perform just as well as it did for nap time use.
If Fit Is True: With this diaper, you cannot get a more true fit! The wonderful thing about Her Majesty's Closet is she can customize your diaper for you! So no worry about fit of this cloth diaper!
Wear and Tear: I have had this diaper about a month now and it has not shown much wear at all! Velcro works perfectly, elastic at the leg closures stretches perfectly, the only sign that this isn't a brand new diaper is the minor lint on the outside fleece part of the diaper because I don't dry it in the dryer. Thinking I will every now and then though! Over all wear and tear is minimale, no lose threads or fraying, it is well sewn and working very well.

Quality/Cash Analysis

These diapers Melissa makes (for AIO or pocket) for $18 each, and that includes shipping!! That is a low price for a AIO or pocket diaper, and comparable to most diapers on the market. However, for the personalization fact and perfect fit, with excellent customer service, I definitely think the quality/cash analysis of these diapers is above even other brand name diapers of similar pricing for a similar product!

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