A Handmade Kind of Christmas Gift Guide 2014

http://www.patsycakebaby.com/handmade-gift-guide.html

Choose Your Own Fabric Options

Choose your own fabric! 

Fabric choices have been moved to my website.

http://www.patsycakebaby.com/custom-fabric.html

Please follow the link by clicking, or doing a copy/paste to your browser to choose your own fabrics.

If you reach this site from an external link, please let me know so I can fix the link. Thank you!!!!

Cuckoo for Cloth Giveaway Hop!!!!

 Cloth diapers are cute, reusable and can really help you save money. The Cuckoo for Cloth giveaway hop was started so you can enter to win some great cloth diaper prizes AND learn about some of the brands that your friends in the cloth diapering world are crazy about. Your hosts, the Zephyr Hill Blog and Irresistibly Green, and all the participating bloggers and retailers, wish you the best of luck with all the giveaways and a successful cloth diapering experience!

PatsycakeBaby is giving away a set of 3 Custom Diaper covers! Winner will receive a custom slot and 3 One-Size diaper covers with their choice of prints! Free shipping in the US. Enter to win this prize, and hop on over to the blogs listed below to learn more about cloth diapering and get a shot to win more prizes!

One size fits all, is the most economical way to go when it comes to Cloth Diapering! These one sized covers feature snaps along the front for an adjustable rise (up to 18") and waist for the littlest newbies all the way to potty trainers! Elastic at the legs and back help contain the mess too. Just add your favorite soaking layers - like the 4Leaf Clover Diaper in my shop made especially for this cover, prefolds or liners and this cover can be used through multiple changes. 

Diapers are made with premium cotton on the outside, PUL on the inside with a double layer in the front to reinforce the snaps and prevent leaks, extra stretchy Braided diaper elastic at the legs and back. All turned and topstitched with high quality thread. 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Besides all the giveaways listed below, be sure to enter to win the Grand Prize which is valued at over $175. It includes 3 Incredibum Bamboo AI2 diapers, 3 Diaper Safari pocket diapers, Grandma El's rash cream, a Wolbybug wet bag, a set of 3 Planet Wise snack bags, EcoSprout diaper liners, an EcoSprout Coconut Stick, and a pair of (gender-neutral) bumGenius BabyLegs!

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The PatsycakeBaby Cloth Diaper System

Looking for a simple way to cloth diaper? Economical, Earth-friendly, AND cute? PatsycakeBaby has a unique diapering system that has been TESTED and LOVED by many a baby's bottom (including my own son! ;) )

It's Easy as Pie....
First, Choose a diaper cover. They are available by custom order in my shop. You choose the outer fabrics! They start at $14.95 each but I offer bundle discounts which make the diapers about $12 or less! The outside is 100% cotton, the inside is PUL - it's the waterproof fabric used as a barrier to keep wetness inside the diaper. Pair with a really good soaker (see below) and you will only need rotate the cover between changes so it can dry before putting it back on.  This reduces washing, water, detergent, time....

The Second part of the system is the 4Leaf Clover Diaper, designed to fit right inside of a PatsycakeBaby cover! It's all organic and has fold-in soaker wings.  This One-Piece soaker system is amazing at holding in wetness and solids and keeping it off of the cover. Keep in mind - a really good soaking system will prevent leaks, hold in messes and be really comfy against your baby's skin.  Organic fabrics used in the 4Leaf Clover are free from harmful chemicals, are all natural and dye free. Features SnapLESS design that lays inside the cover without additional snapping or pinning (you're welcome!), super soaking fabrics, rainbow cute trim, one size fold down rise, fold in soakers for one piece design, trim and breathable.  This is your lucky diaper! These are only 12.50 in my shop and I also offer discount pricing for bundle orders! 

 The best part is, this system is a birth to potty system. Fits newborn (about 7 1/2 or 8lbs) all the way to potty.  I know this because my son still wears them at 2!

In the cloth diapering world, your options are almost endless and definitely confusing! Hope that all cloth diapering families new and old can find some peace in the simple side of cloth diapering!

PatsycakeBaby Virtual Craft Fair!

PatsycakeBaby Virtual Craft Fair

I'm holding my own virtual craft fair on my Facebook Page .  I only intended to keep it up for one day, but I ended up having lots of fun stuff left over from my craft fair this past weekend.  So, everything is up in the album on my Facebook Page - first comment claims the item- send me your PP address and I'll send an invoice! Cute items up for grabs like you see here in the photos below!  Hurry over and claim your handmade item at our Virtual Craft Fair! Some of the items are Craft Fair exclusives and won't be sold in my shop. Everything is at reduced prices! And yes, I will combine shipping!
Here's your link to the Album :) See you There!

Post by Patsycake Baby.

Seventh Generation Healthy Baby Home Party

A few months ago I got my regular newsletter from Seventh Generation (click on the link to read more about their products).  There was an open call to become a host for their new campaign for safer chemicals in the home.  I applied to become a hostess and was chosen to host my own Healthy Baby Home Party!
Last week I got a big box in the mail FULL of samples and some instructional materials and even a game for my party!  Look at all the stuff inside:

Fun, am I right?  Lots of fun for my friends that are coming to participate in the party that I'm hosting at my home.  But, I wanted to share all this with my online friends too!  So, this Friday, April 11th from 9am to 1pm Pacific I will be including all of you in my party!! All you have to do is join the event on my page: Healthy Baby Home Party - the online version hosted by PatsycakeBaby  and invite your friends so you can all stay up-to-date on the event and get a reminder to hurry over and play the games on my Facebook Page  to win the mailable goody bags I put together for the lucky winners!

In the meantime, I urge you to head on over to Healthy Child Healthy World's website and watch the video: "A Wake Up Story" to learn more about Seventh Generations campaign for Safer Chemicals in the Home.  Then you can sign the online petition to stand up for safer chemicals HERE.

I know that every parent wants to do what is safe and good for their child.  Some decisions and choices are difficult, but the good news is - this one is SIMPLE!  Have some fun, play the games and win prizes!!  Don't forget to keep your eye out for Seventh Generation, Happy Baby, and Zarbee's Naturals, in your local stores.  See you all on Friday!

Kim

Cloth Diapers: How to Fudge-Fit a Sherpa Fitted

I have had the dilemma before.
What do you do when your sized fitted diaper is just a tad bit too big?
How can you stretch your dollar just a little bit further while buying the best organic fabric diaper?
What do you do if your kid falls in between sizes on the sized fitted diaper?

I have a solution that I call Fudge-fitting.  Cute huh?  With all those yucky connotations and all.

It's not perfect, but it will do and it works in three easy steps.

1. Turn diaper "wrong" side out.
2. Fold down the rise to expose the snaps
3. Fold or twist the wings to snap the diaper closed.

This method will shorten up the rise and take up the legs to approximately the next smallest size.  Then you can use them the "correct" way when your kiddo gains a few lb's.  Another helpful tip - to prevent staining on the "outside" of the diaper if you plan on wearing them coverless in the future, you can lay down a liner or insert inside the diaper.

Happy Diapering!
Kim

Recipe: Homemade Applesauce - A one ingredient wonder

There are so many things that we buy at the store that are SO EASY to make that it literally makes you feel silly for buying it already made.  One of those things is: Applesauce.

We eat applesauce almost every day mixed with plain yogurt.  Several years ago when I started looking at labels I picked up a jar of your Big Name regular applesauce and it has several ingredients: Apples, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water and Ascorbic Acid.

Wait, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP??? 

That's on my poison list, we don't eat that.

So I pick up the store brand and it's the exact same list of ingredients.

I was able to find an organic applesauce at a health food store that was acceptable.  The list of ingredients was knocked in half: Apples, Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C).  

Whew. 

Then in a pinch I decided to make my own with a bag of apples that we already had.  So I gave it a try and guess what:

Another recipe with only one ingredient:

Apples. 

One bag of sweet, organic Gala apples and some kiddos to help with our little creation and

YUM. Applesauce.

One Dozen, or more sweet apples like: Gala, Fuji, Braeburn, Honeycrisp etc)
Rinse them thoroughly. I soaked mine in a vinegar and water mixture for
15 minutes.

Cut and Core the apples, I used a Pampered Chef apple slicer. We didn't peel
the apples. Some of the skins may still be in the applesauce after you blend but we
don't mind a little bit of it. You can peel them if you want.

Cook the apples into the slowcooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours.  You
can also bake the apples on 350 in a covered baking dish for a couple of hours
in about a cup of water keep an eye on them so they don't burn!

When the apples are done they should be very mushy when poked with a
fork or spoon.  For added flavor we put a vanilla bean in the pot. You can add
cinnamon too!

Let the apples cool.  Blend them with a stick or stand blender.  If you don't
have one, you can use an old-fashioned potato masher.

Spoon the applesauce into jars with tight fitting lids. It will keep in your
refrigerator about 7 days.  It never lasts that long around here ;). 12 apples will
yield about 3 cups of applesauce.

They love it when it's still warm ;)

I hope you will try this simple recipe and then let me know how it worked for you! 

Recipe: In Love with Coconut Butter!!

One ingredient.
Now, that's my speed!
I had no idea what I was missing all these years having gone without this amazing deal.  Coconut is the sweetheart of the healthy lifestyle menu these days and when I saw how easy it was to make I was sold.
So, when I finally ran out of that $8 almond butter I had been using sparingly I decided to make something different.  The result was Delicious, addictive, sweet, tropical:
(here's our recipe)

COCONUT BUTTER

1 Bag of Dried, unsweetened, shredded coconut

Food Processor (or blender?)

Go ahead, use it on EVERYTHING, the kids will love it! And, truth be told - my husband loves it too, and that's saying A LOT! :)
I scrape it out of the jar and put it on toast and bagels, but you can run it under warm water to get it a little more spreadable!
Do you love it? Don't forget to PIN it and tell your friends :)

Enjoy!
KIM

Be My Valentine Vendor Spotlight and Review: Polder's Old World Market

This evening for our third and final spotlight in this series we have Polder's Old World Market.

Now, before I move any further I need to let you all know that they are one of the vendors in the Be My Valentine Giveaway.  The giveaway ends TONIGHT my friends, only a couple more hours to get in and get your chance to win one of 18 wonderful prizes! Click here to go to the giveaway.

Polder's Old World Market is offering up The Sweetheart Dish. It is an absolutely beautiful heart-shaped "dish" hand carved from Black Walnut.

I have known the Polder Family for quite a while now. I consider them dear friends. I have more Polder wooden spoons in my kitchen than any other utensil!! A few of my FAVORITE things can be found in their shop right now! The Pasta Salad Server is my newest set and definitely one of my very favorites.  The Simple Paddle spoon has an extra long handle and is very sturdy.  It has made lots of cookies and stirred lots of pasta in my home! And if I HAD to choose just one more, I would choose The Southern Hostess serving set. Oh but, the spatula, the spurtle, the sunrise scoop...they are staples in my kitchen too. They require very little care beyond any other utensil - we wash them up after use and every few weeks we oil them with a little bit of olive oil and let them dry. Every piece is a work of art, you will NOT be disappointed. I send my personal guarantee with that statement!

The Polder's Bakers Dozen
Photo Courtesy of the Polder's

The Polder's work as a family (a BIG family I might add) with lots of hands and hearts working in the work shop on their homestead in Tennessee.  

I love seeing the care, detail and love that go into creating each piece.

Here are a few words from the Polder's: 

“Polder's Old World Market emerged slowly out of two things: number one, a lifelong desire to get back to a simpler way of living, and number two, a need to turn our talents and available resources into a way to earn a living. 

Polder's Old World Market is a reflection of all of our dreams and interests put together- it truly is a slice of our life, and we count it as a special opportunity to share it with each of you. We combine our homesteading endeavors with our cottage industry- the one is entwined in and dependant on the other. We take so much delight in crafting our fine wooden kitchen utensils and other housewares! All of our utensils are crafted from a solid piece of (almost exclusively) a local fallen hardwood. They are 100% natural. Each one is sketched, rough cut and sanded to a silky smooth finish entirely by hand. Each one is made with lots of care and a personal interest in the home it will be going to. We love our customers, and next to making the products themselves, our favorite part of Polder’s Old World Market is being able to get to know our customers, and in some small way, share in their lives and interests.

For the most part, each of us tend to do what really interests us the most, or what we are the best at... many of us help design and produce our wooden kitchen ware, but only a few of us make candles, or sew aprons, or carve figurines J. We all do what we're good at, and we all add a unique element to Polder's Old World Market that it wouldn't have otherwise. 

We love being and working together on our farm! Homeschooling and homesteading has afforded us opportunities to learn and grow together that we are truly grateful for. We enjoy gardening, classic board games, old-fashioned instrumental music, Christmas, eating yummy baked treats and drinking fresh, creamy milk from our cow, among other things. It is our chief desire to truly honor the Lord Jesus Christ in all that we do- both on our homestead, and at Polder's Old World Market. He has made everything that we are doing possible. Thank you for your interest in our family owned, handcrafted in the USA Market!”

~The Polder Family”

I encourage EVERYONE to stop by the Polder's Facebook Page and show them some love. If you have a piece of their work, let them know how much you love it. Everyone in the family will get your message even their newest addition LindyAnn! :) If you don't have one of their utensils yet, I encourage you to take a look at their Etsy Shop! There is something for everyone and lots of gift giving potential including a new item, this Southern Rice Spoon!!

A special thank you to the Polder's from the bottom of my heart for your kindness, generosity, positive encouragement and friendship! 

Remember, head on over to the giveaway now to enter to win The Sweetheart Dish!!!

Enjoy!

Kim

Be My Valentine Vendor Spotlight and Review: Weensy Baby

Do you Cloth Diaper? Know someone who does? Or, maybe you just love CUTENESS??! 

I would love to introduce you all to my friend and fellow artisan Joanna.  On top of being a wonderful and hardworking mama, she makes MINIATURE cloth diapers. Just when I am tired of making another set of diapers, I think of Joanna sitting behind her machine making 2" pocket diapers with ruffles on the butt.  Thank you for the inspiration Joanna.  Now on to the cuteness factor.

HURRY - Run like the wind to my facebook page and enter to win this Adorable "Love and Kisses" Keychain.  The giveaway ends at midnight on January 22nd, 2014.  You can get a head start by Liking her Facebook page here.

How do I know how fabulous these keychains are??? well, I own several of them. Including this one below in a pocket style diaper with an insert.  It's attached to my wallet and my kids LOVE to play with it while they are in the shopping cart. It has been yanked, pulled, mauled, mutilated, chewed on, drooled on and loved.  But guess what - I just throw it in the washer with my other diapers and it's as good as new.  Her diaper key chains are made from the SAME high quality fabrics that regular diapers are made from.

And now, here's a few words from Joanna:

"My name is Joanna, and I am the WAHM behind Weensy Baby. I am married to my childhood sweetheart, and a stay at home, homeschooling mom to seven wonderful kids, from toddler to teen. When I am not sewing itty bitty diaper cuteness, I teach my kids, manage my home, and raise goats, chickens, and a large garden to help feed our growing family.

            I started sewing as a young teen, and have enjoyed creating new and fun things for my family and friends ever since. I cloth diapered all my children, starting out using flats, pins and plastic pants. When my sixth child was one year old, I really wanted to try something new, but the thrifty part of me could not bear to buy cloth diapers when I knew I could learn to make them my self. Learning, and then making and using them became a passion that I had not expected. I have been sewing diapers for 4 years, and have made just about every type known to man (or woman).

            Early in 2013,  I was part of an online discussion about cloth diaper key chains, and I decided I wanted to try and make one for myself. I had seen many simple ones, but I wanted to challenge myself and try making a miniature cloth diaper with all the details. I found that I really enjoyed the challenge, and it turned out so cute that I had to share it online. The response was overwhelming, and I had several requests to buy one. Weensy Baby was born shortly there after, and I have found my own “little” niche in the cloth diapering world.

            Since the beginning of Weensy Baby I have continued to experiment, challenge myself, and develop new products for my fans. I make a variety of cloth diaper styles including most of the popular types of cloth diapers on the market. I have even made replicas of a customer's favorite diaper style and brand.

            People have, at times, asked “Why key chain diapers? They are adorable, but what's the point?” It is a great question, and I will share my thoughts. Many people out in society have not heard of cloth diapers, or if they have, they have a picture in their mind of soggy, saggy prefolds and pins, covered by poofy plastic pants. These cute little key chains are a great conversation starter that allow you to show others what modern cloth is, how cute and convenient it can be, and just how modern cloth diapers work. They are portable, visible, and are kind of like a bumper sticker for your keys, diaper bag, or purse, allowing you to share your love of cloth, and, perhaps, introduce others to modern cloth diapers."

Thank you Joanna.

More samples of her work.

Adorable right?  

By now, you just have to get your hands on a couple of these beautiful diaper keychains. You can head over to her Etsy Shop: Weensy Baby and let her know we sent you.

One last reminder, you can enter to win through our giveaway ending tonight!

Enjoy! Kim