I can honestly say I’m glad it’s over for another year, I didn’t miss a day, but it wasn’t easy!
Did you have fun? How did you find posting every day? Are you going to keep it up?
I am going to luxuriate in the fact that I don’t HAVE to post tomorrow, but I can if I want to.
Ahhhh……….
Cheers to Cath for having us all around, & to Cam for keeping all the giveaway goodies in her spare room…
You’re going to have to excuse any sniffles, snuffles or honking big sobs that might come up during this post because I’m feeling a little bit emotional…
This is Boris. Boris is bright yellow, all kinds of fuzzy & likes custard tarts. He arrived yesterday & has been checking out his new home ever since.
Boris was a surprise. A big, beautiful surprise from Jess. I love him. He made me cry. Jess made me cry. Bloody Jess.
*deep breaths*
Truth be told, I think I was tearing up before I even opened the beautiful package. I saw it’s loveliness & saw that it was from Jess & knew that she had done something special. Damn her.
Then I opened the parcel & there were gorgeous little bears, bunnies & lambs peeping out at me.
*sniff*
Then I opened another sweet package & there was Boris.
I cried.
I did.
Because I could FEEL the love peeps. I’m not being a sentimental pregnant lady… or, I’m not JUST being a sentimental pregnant lady, but he is special. He has heart. Character. Wonk.
How Jess manages to get such a result from some yarn, beads & stuffing I have no idea. She puts herself into them. She puts her affection into them, she cares about them, & each & every one is a beautifully unique creation, a teddy to be adored.
I don’t think I can accurately describe the warm vibe I get from him – especially when I hold him – which he’s made for, quite frankly, with his sturdy little body & tactile fuzz.
I was also a bit in shock, because just yesterday I noticed a member of Boris’ family – Kermit, in Jess’s etsy store, and thought about getting him. I love his big pancake head…
…and then, here in front of me all of a sudden is his big brother. Super cute & YELLOW. W. O. W.
I feel so special. I feel so lucky. I feel unworthy yet so grateful & I feel that Bubba#2 is going to have to share Mr Boris with me, because I do love him.
Thank you Jess, even though thank you isn’t enough. You’re awful & you know it. (…& I KNOW you’ll be mortified by this wee love fest but you made me cry. People need to know you’re a menace, & beware… This is actually a public service announcement…. xoxoxo)
*sob*
I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t remember, before my robot kick, ever seeing anything to do with robots at the oppy, yet in the last 3 weeks, four robot softies have presented themselves to me.
Meet Mr Bot & his buddy K-9, who were waiting at an oppy a little further-afield yesterday…
Although I am still waiting on a few bits & bobs, I thought it was about time to show you the nursery – just, well, don’t look down. The floor is better than it was, but it’s still not great, so just imagine lovely polished floorboards where the icky unsealed ones are, okay?
Okay. Maybe also ignore the icky green walls…? Thanks. Let us commence with the small nursery tour, brought to you by the opshop, my craft room & various clever makers…
Does this cupboard look familiar…? The crow cupboard is now the robot cog cupboard…
Robot softie from Snow Machine on Etsy, blocks & board game opped.
Space themed fabric balls also from Etsy, robot bean bags from Milos Creations & specially made robot rattle from Chunky Chooky. Canvas & cup opped….
Above: Ikea hanger – opped – coat hangers – opped, Mama-made polaroids.
Bellow: Curtains made from opped doona cover & THE QUILT.
Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaappppppppppiiiiieeeeeeeeessssssss!!!!
Above: Mama-drawn bots in opped frames.
Below: The non-robot corner! Top shelf, animal matching game from Tree Fall, books, book case & panda toy all opped.
Opped & painted robot coat rack, opped robot tee.
Not sure how much the whole room cost to put together – practically nothing. The most expensive things are probably still coming – a couple of irresistible robot goodies from some lovely crafters – as the cot, change table & baby swing were Punk-hand-me-downs & pretty much everything else was opped or handmade. Let us call this ‘Bots for Bebe on a Budget’?!
So that’s what’s been occupying a bit of my time & most of my attention lately, I hope you’ll agree that it is a bit of a creative space… more of those (not necessarily nurseries though…) over here.
Ah my Punk is the love of my life you know. She is such a beautiful, joyful, cheeky thing, growing up way too fast. I adore her, I do. She is going to be such a fantastic big sister!
The Boy’s Mum is here – she flew down so we needn’t stress about what to do with Punkerella when we have to go to hospital – & she bought Punk a baby of her own, a little cabbage patch newborn. Her name is Leila, according to her birth certificate; that’s a lovely name, I don’t mind it at all, her middle name though, apparently, is Mercedes. We’re not talking about that. I’m glad Punky can’t read.
Anywho, since I’m nappy-mad right now, I thought I’d make some for little Leila – they are pretty bloody shoddy, I must admit, I won’t be putting any nappy makers out of business any time soon – but Punky likes them. I also made her a changing mat & a baby sling, which she put on before continuing about her business, albeit covered in chocolate paddle pop… hmmm… just like a regular Mama…
The Boy is the only one not amused by the fact that Bubba#2 is due on Melbourne Cup day. He is hoping, very much, that we are not amongst the 4-5% of peeps that get to meet their wee one on their due date….
Not only did I totally forget it was my Gran’s birthday today until an Aunt inadvertently reminded me by text message – but I don’t have any moolah to get her anything – and by anything I mean flowers, because quite honestly she already has at least five of every object ever made crammed into every nook & cranny of her house…
So what do I do?
Sew up an oven mitt & a pot holder, perhaps the crappest present ever. But she’ll be nice about it. She has to be. She’s my Nanna!
Seriously.
I am so chuffed. Happy. Proud. Excited. Glad…. any nice adjective you can think of, insert it here, because I FINISHED THE QUILT.
I had been putting it off. And putting it off. The whole idea left me very unenthusiastic. I thought “Gah, it’s going to take ages…. I haven’t even cut the squares….” & any time I walked past the fabric I would think about starting & then talk myself out of it… I didn’t really WANT to make a quilt you see, I just wanted a roboty one, so I NEEDED to make it. There is such a huge difference between need & want for me when it comes to making, it’s okay if I want it AND need it, but if I just need it…. meh.
Anywho, yesterday afternoon I finally bit the bullet & decided if nothing else I’d cut out the damn squares…. but then…. when the squares were cut, it wasn’t that hard to sew some together… to press, to cut a backing….
Why is this the quilt that blogs built? Because I would never, NEVER, have made it if I didn’t blog. If I didn’t whinge about wanting a quilt but not wanting to make it; if Deb didn’t read that post & encourage me by not only commenting but also MAKING US A QUILT, putting together some easy instructions & answering my questioning emails beautifully.
About the quilt itself; so easy it was embarrassing. Having finished it in a matter of hours I can’t believe I put it off for so long… the top fabrics were from etsy, the red backing is an old sheet I had in my sewing stash & the wadding is actually a baby quilt of Miss Punk’s that I only bought in the first place because it was on clearance & I thought there was some sort of rule about having matchy matchy cutesy baby crap in the nursery (that never happened mind you, and the dodgey beige-ish thing stood out like a sore thumb…). The finished product is SO soft & squishy, I have to stop myself from carrying it around & patting it constantly.
The moral of the story? You don’t have to be a quilter to make a quilt, but it helps if you’re a blogger. Also; “Just Do It”!
…this is a total cheater’s post – purely for blogtoberfest purposes, in case I don’t get back here later today with something more interesting.
We’re 23 days down people.
Does anybody else feel like once this month is over, they’re not going to have anything to post about, like, ever again?!
Last night we headed down to the park for our first barbeque of the season. It was warm, relaxed & fun… park barbeques always are. We’ll be back again. And again. And again…
I never used to be much of a fan of daylight saving – I’d have to get up in the dark to go to work, mumbling & fumbling all the while, at what was essentially an hour earlier… yuck!
Now though I definitely appreciate the extra sun, the extra time The Boy has after work to potter in the garden or kick a ball with Punk & the fact that even though “really” Miss Punk is still getting up at the same time everyday, when I look at the clock I feel as though I’ve had a nice lie-in.
Okay… so it’s less Hanky Panky & more making a dress out a couple of bandanas.
I saw these CanTeen bandanas this morning while picking up some groceries (Bandana Day is October 29th) & thought they were really cute – not to mention for a good cause, so I picked up a couple & made The Punk a dress.
Joining in with all ye creative types at Kirsty’s, later but at least a bit more productive than usual….
…I keep stealing people’s good ideas for Blogtoberfest posts, I can’t help it… I have to break up the baby-stuff posts somehow!
This idea is from Margaret at Konstant Kaos;
What would be the first song that would appear in iTunes (or any other music browser) if you pressed random or shuffle?
I’d love to know what comes up for you too – if you dare, & do listen to this song, it’s all seven kinds of awesome.
This is my friend Lara & her two beautiful boys.
I say “friend” because even though we’ve never met in person, I’ve actually known her longer than I have known my favourite person in the world; Miss Punk! Lara & I connected on a baby & pregnancy forum when we were both pregnant, she with her second son & I with Le Punk & my only regret about that is that she doesn’t live around the corner from me (I’m sure she doesn’t regret that though – cold, drizzly south-west Victoria, or sunny everyday Brisvegas….?! Hard decision…).
Lara is a vegan warrior, super-Mum & sassy business woman – she is one of those WAHMs I told you about the other day, churning out adorable Modern Cloth Nappies for all, starting with her own kids, even though she’s close to popping with bubba#3. I know that can’t be easy, in fact, I know EXACTLY how hard it would be – we’re due on the same day!
I thought I’d give lovely Lara & her nappy business – Extremely Nappies – a shout out today for two reasons, the first being that this lovely piece of fluff, my first new piece of fluffy mail, turned up on the doorstep yesterday.
Can you see what that fabric is peeps?!
…and look who she addressed the envelope to;
…cheeky! So not-Arnold has the first of his very own MCN stash thanks to Lara. For reasons best known to her, she agreed to make this for me in exchange for some original art/illustration for her soon-to-arrive third born. I think she’s getting a raw deal, but hey… I’ve got a funky robot nappy!
The second reason I wanted to post about Lara is that she is supporting a fantastic initiative I only recently discovered called My Green Nappy.
I think this is absolutely brilliant, from the website;
My Green Nappy is a simple environmental initiative encouraging all families to have one green nappy for their baby to wear.
One will make a difference.
Every time it is worn, a single use disposable is kept out of landfill.
It’s Simple: Start with ONE!
Simple yet profound! How did nobody think of this before?! Everyone, EVERYONE, no matter how pro-the-perceived-ease-of-disposables they are, could handle using & reusing one cloth nappy, every little bit helps & surely just giving it a go would lead to new perceptions & behaviours… it’s win-win, really.
Quite apart from the wonderful idea, My Green Nappy is running a giveaway called The 100 Green Promise Nappies Initiative; where you can play along to WIN one of 100 green nappies generously donated by sponsors, one of whom is indeed Lara (her lovely contribution below). Go here for more details & to register.
So, I urge any of my cloth-nappying readers to check out Lara’s gorgeous nappies, & any of my disposable-using readers to really have a think about just ONE green nappy. For the rest of you, you can all admire her pretty face.
So. I’ve been faffing about on Etsy & WAHM sites, a’lookin & a’dreamin about fluffy mail, and I’ve made an interesting discovery.
What ARE they I hear you ask? Circus tents for pet fleas? The new craze in fashionable hats for Barbie?
Nope.
They are small cones of fabric that people actually buy (…and for someone to buy it, remember, someone has to make it…) to place over their baby boy’s genitals during a nappy change, to prevent a well-aimed stream of urine splashing them in the face.
Never mind a flannel, a strategically placed wipe or even speeding the hell up with the nappy changes, what you need right there is a Peepee Teepee, a Weewee Tent, a Caution Cap or a Sprinkle Stopper (I WISH I were making these up…).
I find the whole concept, obviously, terribly amusing & feel there will be a wave of even more embarrassed than usual young men blushing over the slideshows at their 21st birthday parties in 21 years time.
I have linked the pictures. Just don’t tell me if you buy some, & I won’t ask.
PS, The first commenter to come up with a better name than the ones mentioned above wins not goods, not money, but my undying admiration.
PPS, There is a frikkin game about them!!!
A few days ago Kate blogged about the amount of emails in her inbox & how she can feel overwhelmed by them so she was embarking on ‘operation empty inbox’ or some such.
She asked how many emails we currently had languishing in our virtual mailboxes… & I am ashamed to say I had close to five thousand. Seriously. Is it my hoarding nature crossing over into the digital realm…? I don’t know, but I thought perhaps I’d do some tidying up.
After browsing through about a hundred messages & moving or replying to any that needed moving or replying to, I got over the whole thing & deleted the lot. That’s when I started to panic. Deleter’s remorse! What if there was something crucial in there… some important email I’d forgotten I meant to save, sandwiched between an eBay outbid notice & a blog comment from last August?!
I emailed Kate immediately & basically relinquished myself of all blame. “It’s all your fault” I whinged, & I warned her that I will be blaming her indiscriminately if & when I am horribly caught out. I mean… I even deleted the ones about how I have won the British lotto AND the ones pertaining to my dead European relatives leaving me millions of Euros if only I can pay the transfer fees….
(I know that picture says there is 18 in there… it’s creeping up again…)
Anywho… if you’ve asked me something & I haven’t replied, in the first instance, well, I’m lazy. In the second instance, I’m forgetful & in the third…?
It’s all Kate’s fault.
I saw The Crafty Librarian playing with words Tagxedo style yesterday & thought “Well there’s an easy Blogtoberfest post for a Saturday morning…” so here I am. I see Cam has already had a go too.
Here, obviously, is ‘Punky & Me’ with words from the blog… I love it!
Here is another random cloud using yesterday’s post; It looks like a poster for reusable nappy week…
Very fun… go, have a play!
Did you know that this week is reusable nappy week? It’s almost over in fact; only two more days to go; 11th – 17th of October; lots of info can be found over at the Australian Nappy Network.
Miss Punk was in cloth from birth until some months after her first birthday when constant, persistent, dastardly nappy-rash appeared. Devastated, I tried every trick in the cloth nappy book; new washing powder, no washing powder, lotions, potions, liners, different nappies… but whatever the issue was, it would not be deterred, so it was with a heavy heart we gradually shifted to disposables (the amount of waste we started sending to the bin then – My God! Quite honestly, it was a wonder there was room for any other household rubbish, it was truly shocking…), using some of Punk’s extensive MCN (Modern Cloth Nappy) stash only in emergencies (or for swimming – an empty pocket nappy is an ace swim nappy…).
Happily, she is out of naps now & we’re going back to cloth for bubba#2, even if the same thing were to happen again, 14 or 15 months worth of disposable nappies heading to landfill will have been averted.
Plus.
I love cloth nappies.
I adore them.
Ask any Modern-Cloth-Nappy using Mama about her feelings towards her nappy stash & prepare for an outpouring of love you think should probably be reserved for the children whose bottoms those nappies adorn. They become an addiction, for many reasons;
They are frikkin cute.
A big cloth booty is so much more appealing than an anaemic spossie-clad one; and it provides much appreciated crash padding when bubs are learning to stand & walk!
You never have to run to the shop at an inconvenient hour to buy more.
It’s fun choosing new nappies, getting them in the mail (fluffy mail… oh how I have missed fluffy mail!!!), trying them out…
They save you moolah… if you don’t go too overboard with the fluffy mail that is… (..but even if you do, you can sell on your unloved fluff!)
Did I mention the cute factor at all?
They’re better for the environment… which is kind of obvious but it makes you feel all righteous & earth-mothery….
I think I am much more prepared for cloth nappying this time around – the first time I had NO IDEA (this is where the cloth nappy section of any baby forum will come in handy, or special cloth nappy sites like Nappycino). I hadn’t a clue about Modern Cloth at all – My Mum had used terry squares on my little brothers & sister so that’s what I bought first up; & just this week I got some more (I’ve found Big W to be the most reliable source, if you’re looking), they are, in my opinion, an essential baby staple. In the early days you go through a lot of nappies, but at the rate new babies grow I don’t think I could really justify the cost of newborn MCN; even if I’d known what that was in the beginning. They are a great fall back nappy even when the MCN stash is in full-swing, having a stack of them on hand means not having to stress about washing constantly, they can be used to mop up baby-related messes, as change mats, sunshades… the list goes on!
While looking online for covers for my cute fluffy terry flats, I began to discover the MCN world – & it really can seem like another world, with it’s own language (Do YOU know what an AIO is? An AI2? A BBH?!) & everything – & fell further down the rabbit hole, so to speak.
In the beginning, it pays to do a lot of reading. Always look for reviews of nappies you are thinking of buying, think about how you are going to use cloth with your bub & what are the most important things to you; do you want daddy-proof nappies? Quick drying? Super absorbent? Do you want something in one piece so you don’t have to worry about covers & inserts…? It does seem daunting & even overwhelming at first, but there is a wealth of information online about using cloth & where to start, & the benefits are definitely worth a bit of time getting informed, in my humble opinion. Oh, I should also mention that it is not that much more work to use cloth full time. It really isn’t – Modern Cloth Nappies especially take the same amount of time to put on as a spossie & you can fit a WHOLE lotta nappies into one wash… seeing all your pretty cloth nappies swinging around in the breeze on the clothes line can make you happy too – sad but true kids (even in the pic below, nappies hanging inside are okay too…)!
Where to get your MCN fix: I am looking forward to perusing the virtual aisles for a boy themed nap or two, to replace some of the overly, uh…. pink (is that where her obsession started I wonder, with the occasional cute bit o’pink MCN fluff….?! No!) nappies I still have. Some of my favourite nappies & places to shop for them below (most have lay-by options too, if you are a poor ass like me) – you’ll also find info on using cloth on most MCN shopping sites;
There are also a TONNE of WAHMs (Work At Home Mums) in the MCN business, and some of the best nappies & covers come from them, satisfying the lust for handmade AND cloth nappies with one fell swoop;
An extensive list of cloth nappy stores in Australia;
Don’t forget you can always sew your own – crafty minxes that you are, but in my case I prefer to leave it to the experts.
So…. Happy Reusable Nappy Week! If you have any questions about MCN or cloth I’ll do my best to help or point you to someone who can, but if you get addicted… I take absolutely no responsibility for your needing a regular fix of fluff…
