Restock and Multitasking

My shop has been restocked with a diaper and lots of wool diaper covers. Check them out! That diaper is so soft it's almost ridiculous. Organic fibers are amazing.
Now for a funny photo I snapped last night as we were watching an episode of Psych on Netflix:

Just proof that men CAN multitask. He is watching the computer, building a bicycle wheel, drinking a gin and tonic, and letting the cat warm his lap. Impressive, no??!

Inspiration

Here are some photos taken all within about a mile of my house. I think I love turquoise.

Rebourne Assistants

Here are my two girls helping me with some Rebourne business stuff. I have been reading John Holt's books lately, considering homeschooling next year. I have been trying to engage my girls whenever possible. Sage helped me wrap and package some orders the other day. I use cheesecloth and yarn to wrap orders, and have heard back from two customers now who have used the cheesecloth!
Fern helped me print some thank you notes to include with orders. I am having business cards printed now, but I like to include a handmade card. I scored a super cool Vintage Singer alteration book at the thrift store. I cut up the pages and used my stamp kit and hand carved "rebourne.etsy.com" stamp to decorate. They look so great, and Fern loved feeling helpful.

Diapers

I have been working on these diapers for a couple of weeks now. I love this owl print and these diapers all feature bamboo fabrics which are SO soft. Here is a sneak peek of what I will be stocking to my shop soon:

Also check out the latest addition to the shop, added today. A wool changing pad that features all natural fibers.

Washing wool cloth diaper covers in your washing machine

So sometimes, if you have a couple wool items that need to be washed, it makes sense to do a load of wool items in your machine. Maybe you have two kids in wool diaper covers, or you are washing your longies at the end of the winter. Here is my method for washing wool items in my machine (basically pulled right from the Eucalan bottle!):
-set the water temperature to cold/cold (or warm/warm if your hot water heater isn't set too high)
-set the load size (probably small)
-set your machine to 'delicate' and start it up
-add your Eucalan or wool wash with lanolin, following instructions for amounts (I do like 2-3 capfulls for a small load)
-add your wool items, turning wool diaper covers inside-out before adding them
-allow machine to agitate the items for a couple minutes, then turn the machine off
-let items sit for 15-30 minutes
-set machine to spin (still on delicate)
-when items are done, hang them to dry, being careful to lay items flat so they dry nicely and without any wrinkles/creases
That's it! Now here's a plug for another baby doll sling, because Fern was my little helper this morning for a photo shoot. Anyone have hints for natural hair care for curly hair? This girl gets dreadlocks every night!!

Ahh, that's much better

Okay, since the last post I have gotten a workout in, had a break from the girls for 24 hours, AND completed and listed something in my Etsy shop. I am feeling a little more sane!

These wool nursing pads are now for sale. I hope to list some new ones that are all wool soon as well.
I am going to try to write some entries about wool care and other issues related to wool and cloth diapering.
Today, I want to write about caring for longies and shorties. Right now, I am cloth diapering my 3 month old son. He wears a combination of fitted diapers and prefold diapers, and we use two pairs of longies on rotation. The longies are wool pants that serve as his diaper cover and his pants. I am breastfeeding him, and we have entered the stage of blowouts. Therefore, we have to wash his longies more than I would like because they often have poop on them! Longies can't be washed with regular diaper wash, as the soap would strip them of their natural oil, lanolin, which is what makes them suitable as a cloth diaper cover. The lanolin is what neutralizes the urine odor, and what helps the wool remain water resistant.
So, when a pair of longies gets poopy or starts to smell, they need to be washed. The easiest way that I have found to wash them is in a small bucket or just right in your bathroom sink. Here is what I do: get the water running warm (not too hot, not too cold). Plug up the drain, fill the sink full enough to cover the longies. While the water is running, I add my wool wash (natural, with lanolin, NOT woolite). I use Eucalan because I love the smell and I don't have to rinse it out. I add a capful and swirl it around with my hands. Add the longies/shorties and gently agitate and squeeze. If they are really poopy, I need to get the poop off gently and let that water go down the drain and repeat the first steps. Then, I let the woolies to sit in the soapy water for 15-30 minutes (or until I remember they are in there!). Then I let the water out of the sink, gently squeeze them, and then roll them in a towel. Then I hang them to dry.
Have any questions? Feel free to comment. Or post your method or favorite wool wash! I will do another entry on machine based woolies care.

being sick and getting down

I have started the new year with a sinus infection. On Christmas Eve I started feeling sick with a fever, and I've been sick since then. It is getting to the exhausted point, especially with a newborn and two other kids. When you have kids you just CAN'T rest when you need to or want to. I am trying to keep my chin up, but on top of not having any personal time in 3 months, I am feeling quite down. There is just so much sewing, reading, creating, exercising, shaving, and QUIET I am needing. Not to mention health. At least I have two things to look forward to: my sister-in-law is watching the girls overnight in a couple days (IF we don't get the stomach bug, as Sage's classmate barfed all over in class today), and in a week, Ryder will be old enough to go to babysitting at the YMCA so I can get a break, sweat a little, and maybe even take a hot, quiet shower.

They are pretty cute though, right? Oh, and Ry giggled for the first time today when I tickled him!!!