*CLOSED* HootHootBaby OS Diaper Review & Giveaway

The winner is...

Wendy F. who chose the Blue Dot Minky!!!

 

 I have this little obsession with owls. I think it began with a stamp I got in a scrapbook kit and I've been hooked ever since. C'mon, they're cute! :) So, of course I was intrigued when I heard about HootHootBaby. I became even more curious when I found out they were from our neighbor state of Kansas. But once I saw their owl fabric, I was hooked!

There was no way I could resist reviewing a diaper like this! Of course, as my husband says, it doesn't matter how cute I think a diaper is if it won't hold poop! Such a wise man!! Luckily, this diaper works as good as it looks. 

When I first got our HootHootBaby fitted diaper, I was immediately impressed with the materials used. With it's Organic Bamboo Fleece and Organic Cotton Velour, it's one of those diapers that you'll rub against your cheek. Any of you CDing mamas know what I mean! When you use both soakers, there is a total of 8 layers of absorbent material! If all that isn't enough for your heavy wetter, just let Libby know and she can add another soaker to your order. 

Inside of the diaper

 My husband put this diaper on little man one morning thinking it was one of our AIO or pocket diapers. I didn't know until I took little man's pants off to change him a couple hours later. I was amazed that his diaper was only slightly damp on the outside. If he'd been running around without his pants compressing the diaper, it probably would've still felt dry on the outside.

You get 2 soakers with your diaper

Another great thing about the HootHootBaby OS diaper is that it truly is a One Size Diaper. Most of our other OS diapers, especially our fitteds, fit our 17 month old son great around the waist still, but their rise is too low so they don't provide the best coverage anymore. Libby had told me that she was sure the rise of the HootHootBaby diaper would fit our son and she was right. I really believe that this diaper will last us through potty training. 

Soakers snap together

The diaper features cross over flaps that will fit a wide range of sizes, from itty bitty babies to chubby toddlers. As with any one size, it might be slightly bulky on an eight pound baby but with diapers this cute, I say put some babylegs on the little one and call it good. HootHootBaby does make a Newborn diaper that will fit babies 6.5 to 14 lbs. I'm pretty sure I'll be buying some of those whenever we have our next baby!

On the smallest settings

I wanted to get some thigh, waist, and rise measurements of our HootHootBaby diaper for this review, but my son took off with my tape measure and I still haven't found it. I promise I'll post some measurements as soon as I get another tape. :)

All in all, I'd say this is a pretty fantastic diaper. If you're having issues with nighttime leaks, I'd definitely suggest trying out a HootHootBaby OS with a wool cover. It also makes a fantastic daytime diaper that could easily be worn up to a couple hours without a cover. The OS diapers cost $20 but for the amount of time your child will be able to wear this diaper, it is completely worth the investment.

Want to get your own HootHootBaby diaper? Visit their website where you can also find Ring Slings and Training Pants. During the month of November, if you spend $45, you'll get 10% off your order. Spend $65, you'll get 15% off your order plus a free doubler. Every order comes with a free wipe and a 2 load sample of Ruby Moon Cloth Diaper Detergent!

Training Pants

Want to win a custom OS HootHootBaby Diaper? Just like HootHootBaby on Facebook then pick out your favorite HootHootBaby fabric at this link: http://www.hoothootbaby.com/fabulous-fabrics.html

Fill out the form below, and you're done!

*Here's a hint - If you don't want to forget that you entered, just leave a comment on this post. You can comment with something as simple as 'Entered' to remind you.

This giveaway will end Tuesday, November 23rd at 11:59pm CST and the winner will be selected the following day. Good Luck!!!  

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*CLOSED* Jodys Designs Review & Giveaway

The Winner is...

Ronnette C!!

Since my main focus is, obviously, on cloth diapers, I don't often get the chance to review non fluff items like toys. So when Jody from Jody's Designs contacted me, I jumped at the chance to try out some of her absolutely fabulous and super cute items!

Imagine my excitement when I opened up my mail and these were waiting for me...

These doughnuts are the perfect size for my little man's hands and are made with acrylic yarn so they're machine washable - a must have when those hands are sticky! The colors grabbed his attention and it wasn't long before he realized how fun these soft toys were to throw around. The doughnuts are small enough to carry in my purse and a great toy for little man to play with while we're at a restaurant or at church. 

Close up of our doughnuts. Unfortunately, little man has already moved the Strawberry doughnut to a place only he can find. :)

Besides these awesome doughnuts, Jody's Designs also includes dolls...

stuffed toys... 

and a variety of other play foods...

 

What I really love about Jody's toys is that they'll grow with your child. They are safe for babies, but still fun for older children to play with. Her toys are made with such quality that I know we'll be playing with these for years to come. 

Want to buy your own Jody's Designs toys? Visit the Jody's Designs Store. She has a few items available now, but will be stocking even more items on the 18th.

Want to win a pair of Chocolate and Vanilla doughnuts from Jody's Designs? It's super easy to enter! Just like Jody's Designs on Facebook, then fill out the form below and you're done! 

*Here's a hint - If you don't want to forget that you entered, just leave a comment on this post. You can comment with something as simple as 'Entered' to remind you.

Since I had some technical difficulties with my internet connection, I'm leaving the giveaway open until Tuesday, November 23rd at 11:59pm CST and the winner will be drawn the next day. Good luck!!

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*CLOSED* Miss Lily's Washing Powder Review & Giveaway

And the winner is...

Comment #36 - Jazz!

Jazz said:

I follow this blog. Lemon Sugar sounds good.

Please email me at clothchronicles@gmail.com to claim your prize.

I'm always a little hesitant when it comes to trying a new cloth diaper detergent. It took us awhile to find a wash routine that works good for our diapers so the thought of switching things up can almost give me a mini panic attack. But, I had heard such great things about Miss Lily's Washing Powder that I was willing to take the chance and I'm glad I did!

As usual, I stayed with an unscented version but she has a bunch of yummy scents like Melon Mist, Monkey Farts, Black Raspberry & Vanilla, and many more! There are also 6 holiday scents to choose from right now. I'd love to try the Snowman Balls and Reindeer Poo. ::Giggle::

Okay, on with the review...

I first used Miss Lily's on our regular clothes and towels and I could tell the difference after just one wash in Miss Lily's. They were brighter and softer. It's amazing how leftover detergent residue can make your towels stiff and scratchy. It even got those grape jelly (little man's favorite new food) stains out of my son's shirts.

Next we tried Miss Lily's on our cloth diapers. The reason we switched to cloth in the first place was because of little man's sensitive skin. Once we started using cloth we had a heck of a time trying to find a detergent that wouldn't irritate his skin, but would still get his diapers clean. Miss Lily's Washing Powder is one of those detergents! We had no issues with skin irritation and his diapers came out of the wash smelling like absolutely nothing - which is a good thing for cloth diapers. If you can still smell any detergent, it means there's some detergent residue left behind. If they still smell dirty, well, they're still dirty. :)

Think I'm done with the review? Nope! The real test in our house is if it can clean hubby's work jeans. Harvest is in full force here, which inevitably means breakdowns and my husband crawling under some piece of machinery to fix it. Yep, grease stains galore! Miss Lily's passed the test with flying colors! Here's what the water looked like - yummy, huh?

Before

Of course, some of the grease stains have been there since way before Miss Lily's, but the Washing Powder still did a fantastic job. Way better than any of the detergents I can buy in the stores around here!

After being washed in Miss Lily's Washing Powder

Want to buy your own Miss Lily's Washing Powder? Visit the Miss Lily's Etsy Store and pick out your favorite scent. A full bag is only $10.50 and will do up to 96 loads in a HE washer.

The Giveaway:

One reader will win a free bag of Miss Lily's Washing Powder in their choice of scent! Here's how to enter:

Mandatory:

Visit Miss Lily's Etsy Store, then comment on this post with the scent you'd like to try.

Extra Entries: (Leave one comment per task)
Like Miss Lily's on Facebok
Like I Heart Fluff on Facebook
Follow our blog via GFC

This giveaway will end on Sunday, October 24th at 11:59pm CST. Winner will be picked via random.org.

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*CLOSED* Charlie Banana Review & Giveaway

I first heard about Charlie Banana diapers when they were sponsoring diaper giveaways through Operation Smile on Facebook. Of course, I perk right up when I hear the words diaper and giveaway in the same sentence. Plus, with a name like Charlie Banana, how could these diapers be anything but adorable? 



btw - Charlie Banana donates 1% of sales to Operation Smile. How awesome is that?

Turns out, my instincts were right - they do make super cute diapers. Not only do their diapers come in traditional colors like Baby Blue, Sage, Bubblegum, and others, they also come in prints for boys and girls and vibrant, bold colors like Shanghai Green, Turquoise, and Hot Pink. Charlie Banana diapers are made to fit all the way from birth through the toddler years with one size and sized diapers ranging from xsmall to large. 

These diapers are actually a 2-in-1 system. Just like traditional pocket cloth diapers, you can use the reuseable microfiber insert, but you also have the choice of using disposable inserts. Just lay the disposable insert right on the fleece and tuck it under the flap. This is a wonderful choice for parents that are still a little 'iffy' about cloth diapers, or for caregivers, vacations, etc. 

Besides their 2-in-1 diapers, Charlie Banana offers a wide range of other eco-friendly products including:

Wipes

Tote Bags

Laundry Bags

Change Pads

Mattress Pads

Training Pants

Underwear

Swim Diapers

Baby Leg Warmers

Reusable Feminine Pads

Reusable Nursing Pads

 

I was able to try out some of these products and I was not disappointed! 

The Charlie Banana Tote Bag (wet bag) and wipes were the first two products I used. The wet bag is simple, but the black color and Charlie Banana logo give it a sophisticated feel. I was able to fit 4 large and medium diapers and 4 or more wipes in the bag with a little room to spare. What I love about it is that it can be used long after your little one is done with cloth diapers because it's also great for holding swimsuits, gym clothes, shoes, and more. 

 

The Double Sided wipes are made of organic cotton on one side and fleece on the other. They get the job done, but are soft and gentle. I even stole a couple from my son's stash to use when I wash my face.

The diapers, of course, were my absolute favorite products. 

The outside of the diapers are made of PUL and come in a wide range of colors, along with a few prints. The fleece liner is so soft and does a wonderful job of wicking the moisture away from little man's skin. 

Both one size and sized diapers come with two microfiber inserts

and can also be used with the disposable inserts.

While I'm not normally a fan of disposable inserts, I did like these. They are large enough that they have a good coverage area and they also don't have those sticky tabs on the back that stick to everything.

The sized diapers range in sizes from xsmall to large and my little man uses both the large and medium sizes. The medium size fits him almost perfectly, but the large gives us that extra rise. What made me fall in love with the Charlie Banana diapers is that the waists of their diapers adjusts a little bit smaller than other diapers. At 10 months old, my little man was more like a chunky monkey and he was able to wear large sized diapers. Then he started crawling...and walking...and running! It didn't take long for him to morph from a chunky, long baby to a skinny, tall toddler. And then the large sized diapers didn't fit him around the waist, but our medium sized diapers didn't have a high enough rise. With the Charlie Banana diapers, I'm able to make the waist small enough on the large diapers to fit little man perfectly. Plus the triangular layout of the snaps help keep the front of the diaper from drooping.

I was amazed at the range of the one size diaper. Obviously, I only used the diaper on my son, but I think this diaper would easily work on a 7 lb baby. I did some quick measurements on the smallest and largest settings of the Charlie Banana One Size Diaper and here's what I found:

Rise - 10" to 19"

Waist - 12" to 25.5"

Thigh - 3" to 12"



Smallest Setting



Largest Setting



I gotta say, I was pretty impressed by those measurements. I also like the fact that this diaper was slightly less confusing for my husband than other one size diapers we have. Instead of adjusting the size by using snaps, Charlie Banana diapers are adjusted by using the elastic and a button. My son has had his diapers put on him in some pretty interesting ways when hubby's been faced with the task of using a one-size with a bunch of snaps in the front. Because of the way the Charlie Banana one size diaper is adjusted, it's also easier to make more subtle adjustments since it has seven different settings.

 

During the day, we used the diaper with the larger insert and I was very pleased by the trim fit of Charlie Banana diapers. Autumn is already in the air here, so it's great to have diapers that fit so nicely under pants.

For nighttime use, I added the extra insert just because my son can be a super soaker. He usually sleeps anywhere from 8-10 hours at night and we have not had any problems using the Charlie Banana diapers at bedtime. The fleece liner and microfiber inserts are the perfect combination to wick the moisture away from my son's skin, but still keep the diaper from leaking.

Want to buy your own Charlie Banana products? 

Visit Charlie Banana for a list of retailers. You can also purchase Charlie Banana diapers at Amazon and Babies R Us for around $18 each or $99 for six.

Want to win a Charlie Banana OS 2-in-1 Diapering System with reuseable and disposable inserts?

Here's how:

Mandatory Entry:

Go to Charlie Banana and let me know your favorite Charlie Banana diaper color.

Extra Entries (Leave separate comments for each):

Like Charlie Banana on Facebook.

Follow Charlie Banana on Twitter.

Follow this blog through Google Friend Connect.

The contest ends Friday, September 24th, at 4pm CST.

Good Luck!

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*CLOSED* CJ's BUTTer Review & Giveaway

One of the more frustrating aspects of cloth diapering can be finding products that work for you and are also cloth friendly. Detergents, powders, creams, solutions...anything that you use on the diaper area needs to be safe, not only for your child, but also for your diapers. Sometimes, it takes a little trial and error. But, sometimes, you find the perfect product!

That's what I've found with CJ's BUTTer. Honestly, it was the name that drew me in at first. But, once I did a little research, I found out that CJ's BUTTer is a truly multipurpose, cloth friendly product made by a WAHM. You can use it for rashes, dry skin, hand cream, and more. You can even use it as a leave-in conditioner! CJ's products come in so many wonderful scents, that there is something for everyone!

We use the original CJ's BUTTer in a jar, but I was also able to review CJ's Stick o'BUTTer. I love both products. I've even staked claim on my own jar of CJ's BUTTer in the Mango, Sugar & Mint scent. I constantly use it on my hands, elbows, and feet. It leaves you feeling moisturized, but without the greasy feeling that other diaper creams can have.

What's so wonderful about CJ's Stick o'BUTTer is that it's so darn convenient. It comes in a tube with a twist up bottom so all you really need to do is twist and apply. No more mess and no more fumbling to wipe your hands while your naked toddler's trying to crawl away! This is my go to product whenever we're out of the house. So quick and easy. It's also perfect to control waste and works great for caregivers.

I've also tried CJ's All Natural Lip Balm and Creamy Body Lotion. Both are just as fabulous as the BUTTer. You know how some lip balms seem to dry out your lips? I swear it's like a conspiracy to get you to buy more since you're constantly reapplying it. Not the case with CJ's! It moisturizes my lips without leaving a greasy residue and it lasts forever! I usually only need to reapply 2-3 times a day. The Creamy Body Lotion is fantastic as an all-over body lotion. It makes my skin soft and smooth and the scent is just perfect. It doesn't smell diluted, but it's not overpowering either.  

Some other great products include:

Carcass Cleaner - a body wash, face wash, AND wipe solution in one bottle
Mediterranean Coarse Sea Salts
Premium Buttermilk Milk Bath
Soothing Olive Oil Bar Soap
All Natural! Wool Wash with Lanolin
All-purpose Cleaner
and Spritz o'BUTTer - a liquid version of CJ's BUTTer in a spray bottle. Just like the Stick o'BUTTer, this is great for quick and easy applications. It also works great as a body spray or a leave in conditioner.

Where to buy:

CJ's Sewing Room and some cloth diaper and natural parenting stores.

For a chance to win a bottle of CJ's Spritz o'BUTTer in Love Spell scent:

Mandatory (One comment, two tasks)

Like CJ's Sewing Room on Facebook

Visit CJ's Sewing Room and let me know what product is already your favorite or what product you'd like to try.


Extra Entry: (Leave separate comment)
Follow us through Google Friend Connect

Giveaway ends Friday, September 24th, at 9am CST.

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*CLOSED* Kickin Creations Review & Giveaway

After a hectic day of cleaning, cooking, chasing after little man, more cleaning, extracting cracker bits from toys, working, spraying poopy diapers, cleaning various foods off the walls, and Lord knows what else, my favorite way to unwind is to take a nice, long, hot bath, even though they are few and far between. (Just an FYI - I do shower everyday. :) I wouldn't want to traumatize our poor mailman!) 

My bathroom becomes a mini spa with aromatic candles, mud masks, luxurious body washes, and whatever else I feel like that day. One of my newest favorite indulgences is sugar scrubs. They smell divine and are perfect for those summertime, flip flop feet. Naturally, I was intrigued when I heard about the Ultimate Scrub from Kickin' Creations and ecstatic when Mandy, owner of Kickin' Creations, contacted me about a review.

This scrub really is the ultimate! It's a blend of chocolate, cinnamon, sugar, vanilla, and coffee scents. Seriously?! My favorite things all combined into one? This was magical!!

I was hooked as soon as I opened up the jar. The aroma just blew me away - it was the perfect blend! As soon as hubby came home that night, I was getting in the bath! Most sugar scrubs I've tried are great at exfoliating, but don't do much for moisturizing. Not the case with the Kickin' Creations sugar scrub. It not only smooths your rough skin, but moisturizes too, so you come out of the bath with soft, glowing skin! I had considered posting before and after pictures of my feet. But, I'd like you to continue reading my blog. Really - I have scary feet!

Kickin Creations also creates this luxurious scrub in Chocolate and Lavender scents, and that's not all she makes.  You can also buy CD safe laundry detergent, deodorizing powder, blankets, burp cloths, and more! You can find her on Facebook and also in the Cuties with Cloth Booties congo on Hyena Cart.

Now for the fun part - Kickin Creations is offering one of you the chance to win your very own Ultimate Sugar Scrub!

To enter:

Fan Kickin Creations on Facebook

Comment back on this post and let me know you became a fan.

Giveaway ends Wednesday, Sept 22nd, at 11am CST.

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ButterBears Diaper Review

 

 

Okay, I admit it...cloth diapers make me giddy. Especially cloth diapers that are completely unique and adorable! I fell in love with ButterBears diapers when I first saw pictures on their website. They make tie-dye cloth diapers!!! Complete awesomeness!!

About the Diaper

ButterBears diapers are one-size pocket diapers. They come with a newborn insert and a regular insert and feature hip snaps for a better fit. No two tie-dye diapers are exactly alike!

First Impressions

I loved the colors of the diaper as soon as I opened up the package. The lining is suedecloth, which is nice and soft. I noticed the diaper seemed a little wider around the leg openings than some of our other diapers and I really liked that. Some of our diapers with a narrower crotch just don't give enough coverage for little man. More than once, he's ended up with a butt cheek hanging out! :) 

Daytime Use

This is a great daytime diaper, especially if you have a typical toddler that is constantly on the go. The ButterBears diaper really keeps everything in and moves with the body so there's no shifting or creeping of the diaper while little man is climbing and crawling on top of everything.

Nighttime Use

The night that little man wore his ButterBears diaper was one of those nights when he woke up almost every couple hours - thank you molars! So, we haven't actually tried it out for a full night yet, but it was on him for about 6 hours and we had no problems. I did use both the regular insert and the newborn insert for some extra absorbency. We've been having some problems with heat rashes from moisture sitting on his bum with some of our diapers, but the ButterBears diaper did a really good job of wicking the moisture away from his skin.

Final Verdict

The ButterBears diaper gets major cuteness points and it's also a very well made diaper! The snap sizing seems like it would fit a wide range of sizes and I love the fact that there are hip snaps to help hold the flaps down. It works great as a day or nighttime diaper and works wonderfully at wicking the moisture away from the skin while still keeping everything in. I wish I would've found out about these diapers sooner and I will definitely be adding more to our stash!

You can go buy your own ButterBears Tie-Dye Diaper at http://www.mybutterbears.com/. Stay updated on everything ButterBears by visiting their Facebook page.

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