Tag for diaper bag, luggage, backpack, lunchbag, etc

This is awesome.
http://www.andersruff.com/custom-printable-parties/diy/free-diy-bag-tag-template-great-for-back-to-school/
Tape around it and you are good to go.  We used the first one for 6 months and today I made an updated one.  This is really handy for someone who is packing the bag or for someone looking to find something in the bag.

Cosleeping DIY Economy/Travel Option & Easy Swaddling

Cosleeping is usually great for everybody.  Because I was dirt poor with my first baby, it was our only option and, because of this positive experience,  I had no doubts with this new baby 21 years later.
I looked at all the options for cosleeping contraptions that were either purchased or DIY and none of them seemed to fit.
I was trying to figure out how to make a DIY changing pad when this idea hit me. It is so basic and simple and worked very well until our boy was rolling over things. Because the border is raised and fairly hard, it kept me from rolling in my sleep and in the last few months, gave my little one a "pillow" to use while nursing while we were sleeping together.
My desk is against my bed and we usually kept this on the desk when I first went to sleep.  When the baby would wake up in the night, I could pull the entire thing into the bed with me and curl up around it.  
When traveling and visiting family in un-baby-friendly homes, this was perfect!
My boy began rolling at 2 months and this kept him contained.  We used this until he was almost 5 months old.
Of course, this did work great as a changing pad, too.

Step 1:
Gather one pillow case, one pool noodle, and one normal towel.
Bend the noodle and slide it into the pillowcase.  It will naturally expand out the sides of the pillow case.  Insert the folded towel to fill the center.

Step 2:
Admire your economical genius for a moment while you grab your baby.

Step 3:
Lay your baby down and smile. Take a cute photo and post it online somewhere then post the picture location here for me to see (if you right click on the photo, you can "copy image location" and then paste it here in the comments).

BONUS
An easy way to swaddle your baby is to simply roll him/her up in a towel.  Forget all the blanket origami, this is much easier

Walking Helper "Toy"

Our boy likes to be upright when he is not asleep.  This contraption gives us an option besides simply holding him in our arms.  He loves this.  The small loops (over his shoulders) are good to use while the adult is sitting (to balance him on a lap or the floor) and the long straps are good for when the adult is standing.  For now, it is very simple.  It is just a basic fabric bucket with intense stitching and a crotch strap instead of a round bottom.I put longish straps looped in the normal bucket handles.  (Extra points for upcycling the leg of some blue jeans that are already super stitched on the sides.)

At 8 months, out boy still eats this up.  It is, of course, getting shorter and shorter on him.  For anyone who might be concerned about hip issues in the baby--A.) Baby doesn't do much dangling in this--he is normally on his feet bouncing, "walking", or just standing.  B.)  There isn't much time spent in this.  No more than an hour at most and usually just 10 or 15 minutes--however long it takes for the adult to get tired.


I had planned to make a second one, but this one is enough .  He is so cute in it that he gets loads of the attention that he loves.

 

 

6 weeks old

4 months old

 

 

 

 

 He was too impatient in his desire to take off to let me get a non-action photo.

Here's a tutorial on another site for a different variation of this

DYI Quick and Easy Coconut oil stick for diapering, hands, lips, whatever

Coconut oil is magic.  It is antifungal, natural, clean, and all-around good stuff.

We use it on our hands, lips, elbows, and on the baby's backside.  Rashes occur sometimes and this is one option for making it easy to use. 

Coconut oil is solid at normal room temperature but liquid at body temperature.  This means that it goes on like silk.  Having it in stick form makes it easier to apply.  This is what works for us:

1.)  Put some coconut oil (or whatever substance pleases you) into a container to melt.  You can nuke it or put the container in a cup of hot water or whatever.  It doesn't take much.

2.)  Take some paper out of your pantry--it can be freezer paper (my fave) or waxed paper or foil or whatever is non-absorbant.  Cut it into a rectangle or square.  I like to be generous and have it wrapped around 3 or 4 times.

3.)  Roll it up.  I like the handles on my can opener.  Tape it closed.  Scotch tape, masking tape, duct tape, it's all good.  A small rubber band might work, too.  I'll have to remember to try that next time.

4.)  Slide it off and crimp, roll, crush, twist the end so that nothing will drip out.

5.)  Drop it into a small container to keep it upright.  I like these milk-saver bottles. 

6.)  Pour in the good stuff.

7.)  Wait patiently or stick it in the freezer to wait impatiently.  In a few minutes, you have a ready product.  Peel off some of the paper to use it.  I keep it sitting upright in a cup next to the container of wipes for applying with each diaper change. 

This might be a handy way to grease certain cooking items, too.

Total time:  15 minutes (Includes wait time)

Baby food and Adult food - Turkey dinner cost versus savings

Wow! 2014 already? Yeah.  Incredible.

To celebrate the new year, and, of course, to save some dinero, we bought a couple of sale turkeys and a ham along with the other traditional goodies after Christmas.  After cooking, I divied everything up into other usable parts.  Here is the savings breakdown:

$9.00  1  turkey 
$2.00  2 packages of sweet potatoes (camotes)
$ .30   2 taters (papas)
$ .30   2/3 package of cranberries
$ .88   box of stuffing mix
$1.00  bread made from butter, egg, yeast, sale flour, sugar, milk
$ .20   small part of fresh cabbage
$ .20  added sugar, salt, pepper, flour, etc (guesstimate)
$2.00 electricity to cook this stuff (guesstimate)
$15.88

Dinner was: Turkey, dressing, gravy, dinner rolls, sweet potatoes, pureed taters, cranberry sauce, and cabbage.  Approximately 16$ for 2 hungry adults and a baby to eat is a pretty decent price.

I then took the items and made:
$10.00  10 turkey dinner baby food packs.  Tupperware with an ounce +/- each of: meat, veggie, camote, and dressing. Prepared Gerber on sale at my local supermarket runs about 1$ for 5 ounces of plain veggies.  I am conservatively guesstimating each of these to have a prepared value of 1$
$ 8.00  Chopped dark meat for Baby in recycled baby food containers equaling around 10 ounces.  These run about $.88 each for a single jar of meat with other stuff mixed in.  Mine is made at 3-4 ounces at a whack with some cranberry sauce stirred in and some water to make it a little juicier.
$10.00   Chopped dark meat separated into snack-sized Baggies for tossing into stir-fry, soup, chicken salad, whatever.  I am lazily conservatively guessing that each is worth a dollar. 
$ 8.00  Sliced and sectioned white turkey meat for sandwiches and munching.Again, this is very conservative.  When we have bought ready-to-eat chicken fajita in half that amount, it is usually 6-8$.
$ 1.00  Fresh cranberry sauce. This is so simple to make that I am horrified that I bought it all these years.  When I can get the cranberries on sale, I don't plan to ever buy it at all. 
$ 2.00  Leftover fresh baked dinner rolls. 
$ 1.00  Leftover turkey drippings.  I'll use this when I make some bread later.  It is rather exquisite.

Extras:  more sweet potatoes, taters, cabbage, and gravy than I cared to bother sectioning but the value would probably be 2$ or 3$ more.  I didn't like the gravy this time so I tossed it.  Total time after dinner was maybe 2 hours.  I make baby food every few days so that part was negligible.  Removing the meat from the turkey was the time-consuming part.  There is a bonus to this, though:  My normally-dry hands feel moisturized from the turkey oils that were rubbed in while removing the meat.

I debated about saving the turkey carcass to make stock with and the chewable parts to make doggie snacks with but laziness took over at this point.  We do have another turkey in the freezer.
Now for the nitty gritty: 
From 16$ worth of original dinner, we ended up with 40$ worth of extras.  That is FORTY DOLLARS of convenience foods that I know exactly what went into them. Yeah.  I do feel victorious!

DIY - Baby leggings/pants made from adult socks

Here is my photo explanation:

I learned how to do it from this site:
http://sew4bub.com/2011/07/11/5-minute-baby-and-toddler-leggings/

It really does take about 5 minutes.  If you sew by hand, it took me about 30 minutes. I got the socks at Burlington Coat Factory in a packet with 3 pairs for 4 dollars plus tax.  Heck of a deal.

Baby stuff-What we've got, what we need, what we think would be cool

Edit:  May 2, 2013
Edit: January 7, 2014  What I wish I knew when I made this list.  Baby is 7 months old.

All of this is still pretty overwhelming but we think we have begun to figure some practical things out.   The Toys-R-Us  online registry was recommended by a couple of folks but the website was sloppy and not particular user-friendly.  Plus we received a wedding gift that was purchased there--it was defective and just needed to be exchanged.  They refused. I never, ever intend to support this company ever again.  There are too many other businesses that DO care about customer service!
 Amazon is much better.  It is easy to see and look over and the options of related items are really neat to see.  I have now returned to TRU and BRU at different locations and have had great experiences. 

BabyRegistry:  http://www.amazon.com/registry/baby/RR9FZ737TC5Y

We've got:
37 bibs  We use them like crazy!  Snaps on them is wayyy better than velcro.  If you are sewing some, I'd recommend it.  The Velcro destroys things in the wash.
2 pairs of sandals and 2 pairs of sneakers
Several newborn-3 month sized clothes, onsies, full-coverage do-hickeys, some shirts, some pants
30+ burp cloths  Used like crazy for about 5 months, now used often
8 AIO newborn diapers (cloth diapers that are self contained)  These were perfect and then, once outgrown, used without the insert all summer as swim diapers.  Don't buy too many--they do outgrow them in a couple of months.  The bigger all-size diapers were really too big until then.
Some cloth diapers without covers-experimental ones I have sewn from internet patterns to try out.
3 pairs of breast pads  I never really leaked.  We use these in the cloth diapers that absorb slowly.  If the diaper is advertised as being designed to keep your baby feeling dry, expect that it will absorb s-l-o-w-l-y.  If you kid pees a bunch at once, it can overwhelm the slowness.  These along with some pad doublers solved the problem.
One drop-in bottle  You can use the Lanisoh bags in these just like the old-style Playtex nursers.
2 Complete outfits for baby 3 month sized
3 complete outfits for babies 6 month sized
3 outfits for babies 1 year sized
8 Regular receiving blankets
6 Keepsake receiving blankets  The blankets were used like crazy and are still used when we go out.  He stopped liking to be swaddled at about 5 months.
Bathing towel-apron Kind of handy.  We still use it sometimes.
3 belly bands for supporting his navel (Peruvian baby fashion)  PITA
Convertible carseat  Baby HATED this and driving was torture for me.  At 3 months, I bought an infant seat that he still uses.  It immediately made all the difference and I could see his head in the carseat mirror
20+ Reusable cloth baby wipes  We use them all the time.
5 pairs of baby socks  Most baby socks suck.  The only brand that stays on is Robeez Kick-Proof. They're cute and He could not get them off at all until he was 7 months old.  It began to be his mission in life at 2 months to try--first by rubbing one foot on the other and then later by pulling. 
Baby pacifier medicine-giver
Baby bottle medicine-giver
6 pairs of socks
4 med sized onsies
year sized outfit with matching bib
Nose frida
Contoured changing pad for a changing table (We plan to use the dryer as our changing table)  Great item.  I made a designer cover that was perfect until we bought a really perfect Halo cover that has "wings" to swaddle the baby.  He started rolling over at 2 months and this made it much easier to diaper him.
Swing  Baby didn't care for it after the first month.
Lidded (baby-food) ice tray  Winner!
1 bottle of baby sunblock
Baby teether
A few baby books :) 
     Pooh and Eeyore
     Animal Babies
     Are You My Mother?
     Animal Colors
Some wooden letter/number blocks
A noisy toy (I couldn't resist--it was on sale and looks like fun!)  WINNER!
Snappi -5  Unnecessary for us.  My husband hated them. The most practical fold for us was just to twist it and use the cover to hold the flat or prefold.
          What is and how to use a Snappi - You'll laugh!
Glass bottles  WINNER!
Flat diapers - cotton, bamboo, or hemp -6
Prefolded diapers - 5
Plastic lidded bin for soiled cloth diapers plus two sized zippered wetbags for this  We put a big brick under this to raise the height.  It works alright but we'd prolly get a regular trashcan with a lid in the future.
Car seat hanging organizer for stuff that is handy to have in the truck 
Pacifiers  He only liked the one-piece hospital kind and loved them for about 3 months then only chewed on them after that.
An umbrella stroller with adjustable handles--With traditional umbrella strollers, the height is for very, very short people and anyone who is normal sized will get a backache quickly. Giant strollers that are huge and take up all the space where you are trying to use them are horrible and usually (IMHO) just to show off when used indoors.  If it can't be lifted one-handed, it is impractical.  Just now starting to use this.  We used carriers/wraps most of the time before.
Real Nappies sample pack
booster seat (high chair)  We finally bought a real high chair.  The little one is not so practical.
sun shades
Baby hangers (for clothes, not the baby-ha!)  We really like these.
Beanie monkey
7 onsies
Pacifier cuddler  WINNER!
Very cool skull romper 
3 pretty diaper/burp cloths
Floaty-spinny-bath-ball-toys  WINNER!
Gift certificate-Amazon
Gift certificate-Amazon
Gift certificate - Wal-mart
Contoured changing pad for a changing table (We plan to use the dryer as our changing table)
Breast pads  Hate these!  They somehow flipped over in my bra and I ended up with the sticky side against my skin.  The ones I made were much more comfy.
Bottle brush  Get one with a nipple brush, too.
Waterproof diaper covers  (5) in newborn size
Cotton toy ball
Baby pants-2
Baby gowns-4 (These were awesome when Isaac was tiny--he loved kicking at them with his legs and stretching in them--I made some cool ones from old T-shirts)
4 swim diapers/ covers
Wetbags (Washable waterproof zipper bags to put used diapers in when we are on the go)  2 is enough for us.  Bright red makes them visible.  Don't expect the daycare to have a clue.


We need:  (Used stuff/garage sale items are fine--we are big on recycling and appreciate extended-use items)

Waterproof diaper covers (3 or 4) in bigger sizes
Breast pump  (I've been bidding on eBay for this one--I am determined to get it for around 40$ instead of the new price of 125$!)  I ended up with 4--I'll make a specific post about this.
Changing pad - washable/foldable for on the go  Winner!
Baby sunblock
Baby first aid kit / meds
More socks
Back seat mirror to see the baby in his car seat from my own rear-view mirror  Gotta have detachable headrests for these--ggggrrrrr......
Pacifiers  (We'd like a few different ones so that he is accustomed to sucking on different shapes and won't freak at the bottle so much when I go back to work)
Pacifier clip - 3 or 4  The ones available to buy these days suck.  The suspender clips do NOT stay on more than a few seconds.  I make good ones as baby gifts now.
Breast milk storage bags to freeze Lanisoh!


We'd like:
A traditional play pen--they aren't sold any more so it would have to be found in someone's attic or garage  Graco Pack-n-Play is perfect. Cosco is a PITA. Get the good one. Really.
Gerber Graduates rest easy spoons--these are highly recommended.
Baby buddy 1st toothbrush  At 6 months, he started enjoying this and it gets use every day.
Red Cross nail clipper with magnifying glass (My eyes aint so hot these days)  Meh.  The magnifier didn't help and any small clippers are just as good.
Baby toys that aren't just colored plastic
Drop in bottles to use with the milk bags

We don't want:
Diaper pins
Dreft-laundry soap (We mix up our own laundry soap)
Diaper rash cremes or ointments--These ruin cloth diapers Coconut oil is perfect!



We plan to make:
Mei tais (2 or 3) baby carriers  Winner!
T-shirts

Baby Sewing/Tutorial projects/links - All grouped together

This post became an ongoing project that grew and grew and grew.

Sooooo....  I put it on its own page. 

Go here. Yep, that's right, just click on these words. These words right here.

DIY-T-shirts-Freezer paper stenciling

Now that I am pregnant and my belly is pooching out enough to make me walk weird, it's time for some cute maternity t-shirts.

Note:  My jeans were bothering me within 6 weeks.  I bought some butt-ugly maternity jeans.  Why-oh-why is the tradition to sew a panel in them that goes all the way to the front of the crotch and then make it a completely different color?  Most modern shirts don't hang all the way to the crotch and with the black panel in front, I am sure that it looks like I have wet my pants .  Gggrrrrr...   I do have some pants that are working for me, but for how long, I don't know.  We'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

Now for the shirts.  I've made 5 and have plans to make another from a men's shirt later.

Tips:  Be generous with your freezer paper.  I like to turn the shirt inside-out and iron that on as my backing.  I feel like I get less bleeding and more control with that than a cardbord cutout.

To place my design, I put the shirt on and slobber on my finger enough to mark a darkened circle in the middle.  This lasts long enough to get the freezer paper stencil ironed on.  

Freezer paper is backed with a plastic.  It is NOT wax.  Don't confuse the two.  The freezer paper peels off pretty easily.

Wash the shirt first or buy it at Goodwill. 

Links to sites with directions are below my own project info.  Click on an image to see it better. 

This is my "swallowed a watermelon seed" shirt.  It is cartoon-ish and silly. The shirt was 5$ and the paint was 2 including tax.  7$ for a customized and cute shirt is a steal!

On the directions, it states to spray repeated coats to desired coverage.  It does NOT say to let it dry between coats.  The base colorant does bleed under very easily.  Coverage is nice, but this is a pain in the butt project.  The can clogged horribly and "spraying it upside down to clean the nozzle" didn't work--it DID spray/drip all over the place.  I used a dime that was discolored and creepy as the center of the O.

 Since the above shirt looks like crap, I am thinking that it would be an appropriate diaper cover.  A crappy paint job to hold a crappy diaper. We'll see.

These were my "good paints".  1.) They dry harder than I had hoped.  2.) The bottles are easier to open and deal with, but they will sneakily roll over your art.  Approx 1.75$ @ Michael's.  3.)  The tube paints were easier to handle but opening them means you might squirt it out at your face, hair, etc.  Once the safety foil is off, no problem. I am thinking my old bent sewing pins would be perfect for this.  Unless you are painting huge or multiple items, this set should be more than enough.  It was around 7$ @ Wal-Mart.

I am not the best stencil-cutter-outer.  I dug out an old off-brand X-acto to cut some after trying scissors and a normal razor blade (cover one edge with duct tape and the other edge is ready to go).  I tried running the freezer paper through my printer, but it was as likely to jam as it was to take it.  It was just easier to print out what I wanted, staple it on, and then tear it off while leaving the staples to plug the holes.

Stickers are a great resist that work like magic. One portion of the S in "special" wouldn't come off.  I used a marker to color over it and am hoping it will come off in the laundry.  I used the blade to scrap off stray paint.  It worked a little, but the fabric markers are probably more effective.  We'll see.

Dollar store sponge.  I cut off the un-painted end and tossed it in the baggie with the rest to use later.

2nd attempt at this one.  I wanted it for Thanksgiving day.  I can't even feel him kicking yet, but we have seen on ultrasound that he is a HE.  The can of glitter paint still sucks.  I threw it away even though there is enough for another project.  It was about 6$ @Michael's.

Here are the three shirts waiting to have the elastic put in the sides.  Not too bad, huh?

I would like to make another that says "I love Mommy.  Te amo Papá." in a word balloon that comes from the belly.  I'm not sure that I can justify having 7 maternity shirts though.  After the future Señor Robles is born, I plan to eBay these off, if they still look good.

This is such a popular method to customize your stuff that there are tutorials and videos all over.  Most of the videos are long and boring, though.  Don't bother unless there is a language barrier.

*** Modify a shirt one size up into a maternity top--EASY!
      *** Another tutorial
              ***Note: Don't bother trying to hand sew this, just gather it if you don't have a sewing machine.  For the elastic,  definitely use a machine.

Freezer paper stencil tutorial
      Another tutorial


Baby Shirt-Class of...onsie

Preggo-Halloween shirt

Baby monthly milestone onsies

Maternity calendar shirt

Krylon spray paint tutorial

Purse pocket for diaper and wipes.

This is a handy item to avoid having a diaper with crumbs or your lipgloss tucked inside.  You don't always need a bulky diaper bag--sometimes you only need to GO.  This is perfect for that.

Here's the link:
Bookcover/purse diaper pocket

Here it is opened with two folded burp clothes inside.

Baby Burp Towels

I made em.  I think they'll be handy.

I can't remember where I saw these online, but the idea is so simple.  Plain quilting cotton in whatever pattern, back it with a cut of towel.  I used a quilting template that was square and trimmed the corners before turning.  I'd recommend that the edge with the opening have at least a 1/2 inch border to make closing it easier.   (Edited on February 7th, 2013)  WHY DIDN'T I AT LEAST READ OVER THIS TUTORIAL BEFORE MAKING SOME OF THESE FOR MY OWN BABY?  DUH!!!!!  I MADE 10 OF THESE THIS EVENING AND IGNORED MY OWN ONCE-LEARNED-BUT-QUICKLY-FORGOTTEN-LESSON.  SIGH.


If you need step by step directions, here ya go:
1.) Cut up old towel into desired sizes.  If it is a thick towel, stains may be visible only on a single side.  Note:  Cutting was nearly impossible with the super-thick towel I used for scissors.  I used my rotary blade.  A not-too-thin magazine is a nice template, too. (Example: Reader's Digest)
2.)  Cut up some cotton scraps.  You can also piece or applique or whatever.  Old shirts would be good, too.  Jeans.  Whatever looks pretty/cool/groovy to you.
3.)  Sew.  Backstitch at the beginning and ending parts.  I experimented with making nice sharp turns and curving.  I doubt that it matters, but I thought the sharp turns were better looking. 
4.)  Trim corners. 
5.)  Turn/Birth/Flip inside-out. 
6.)  Hold the opening closed and start stitching there to finish the edges. 

I used half the towel and got 6 out of it.  I will used the other portions to make something else.  If your sewing machine can't handle the bulk, use a thin towel or maybe flannel.

I used no pins.  I thought about it, but eh...why bother...it is a single shape.  I have seen these online with decorative rickrack, in circles, etc. 
Click here for a site with a few choices of ideas

Click here for another site with lots of ideas

Hospital Survival Kit and Cat toys

Someone in my family is at her due date so I printed out the items to stick on the paper bag and filled it with some goodies--peanuts, gum, sudoku puzzles, hair bands and pins, and a can of blended juice along with a few other items. I hope these help them to have a more comfortable experience.  I'll add the pictures later.
Here's the link to download the printables:
Hospital Survival Kit
I also made a couple of cat toys.  I took an old pill bottle and put a few nuggets of cat food in it to make a rattle, made a little catnip pillow, and stitched elastic all around it in a ray pattern.  I included some waterproof paper (from a map that I have sliced and diced for another project) and made a handle out of some satin ribbon for extra texture and to make a handle to protect human hands.  I also put on a "tail" of slices of pretty fabric.
I had actually made one last night, but my own cat went crazy for it and claimed it so I had to make another one.  My cat actually was wild last night and made loads of noise and was banging around everywhere.  It is pretty easy--texture and stringy parts are fun.  A bit of weight seems to add to the pleasure for the typical cat--perhaps it helps them to pretend they are tormenting a carcass.


~~~~~~~
Edit: August 12, 2011 to add pix

Cat toy #2.  Here, you can see how I traced a circle then free-handed a bigger one, cut out even bigger of the two fabrics, and then was laying some elastic samples around the edges for kitty fun.

Here's the top sewn together beside the ribbon handle.  I put some cat food kibble in the pill bottle, put that in the sock, and put it all inside with stuffing from old jeans and some plastic-y paper for sound differences.

Ta-da!  Front.

Voila!  Back.

Here's the hospital survival kit.  If you make one, be aware that lots of people probably mean someone else has already brought loads of stuff.  I think one person had brought up a cooler of things.  Mine was simple and intended to be easy and disposable (not more crap to keep up with) but it was entirely without value in the commotion of everything going on. I hope the choices of the contained items were useful, if not to the couple, then to the staff on duty.   This would probably be a great item to anyone who has been in the hospital for a few days, too.

~~~~~
Edit August 18th
Lady bug toy that is way cuter than what I made!