Monday 28 April 2014

Cloth Diapers DIY

We have recently made the switch to cloth diapers for the boys. Well, I shouldn't say we have switched completely. My husband still doesn't like using them and I don't use them if we are out and about or for long naps. But during the day when we're just around at home I will do my best to have them on.  I thought I'd share a bit of the process we use. 


I love the look of the diapers and also prefer that they don't have any chemical content.  I must admit they are slightly more work than disposables, but I think the benefits are worth it.  We have an assortment of diapers but the ones we use most are Glow Bugs and Comfy Rumps. We keep them stuffed and ready in a basket in the closet so we can grab them quickly when needed.

At the change table, I have a basket of all the supplies we need ready to go: extra inserts, disposable liners (I use these if I anticipate a poop), wipes, and a jar of coconut oil to help with diaper rash.

We are also using homemade reusable wipes in a DIY solution that I thought I would share.  The wipes work great because they can just tuck in the dirty diaper and get thrown into the diaper bag.  I keep the bag in the bathroom for any odours and bring it down to the laundry room at the end of the night.  I usually do a load of wash every 2 days.  I leave the wet diapers in the bag, but if there are dirty ones I will often rinse them and soak them in the laundry sink until it is time to wash them. 

So cute, right!


And here is the recipe for the reusable wipes.  To start with, I used pinking shears to cut up a bunch of cloths from some cheap material from the fabric store (I can't remember exactly what it was but the lady recommended it for cloth wipes.)

The solution I keep them in is simply the following ingredients in a large mason jar:
2 Tbsp coconut oil melted
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp Dr. Bronner's soap
Tea tree oil (or other essential oil) as desired
Fill jar with water

I keep a smaller tupperware of wipes and pour in the solution as needed to cover/wet the wipes.  This jar full lasts me about a week of steady use.   

And that's it!  Do you use cloth diapers?  Any tips or tricks to recommend?



Friday 4 April 2014

Twin Fox's Den

It's finally here!  The space for the twin foxes is complete.  Well, for now it is.  There are still final touches to add, but I couldn't help but share where it is currently at.  I love this space.  I feel calm when I am in there and everything works great for now.  We plan to grow into the space as the boys get older, and already have things to change once they reach certain milestones.

We started the room with a woodland theme, but didn't want it to be too cartooney.  We also wanted to tie in touches of the seaside, though we still need to add more.  As I have mentioned before, I was in the hospital and on bedrest for 3 months prior to their birth, so we didn't have a chance to really work on this space until after they were born.  It came together wonderfully and we are so happy.



 I'll start with a bit of a room tour.  First, we have the hallway and the door into the room.  The picture outside is from the movie version of the book Where The Wild Things Are (one of my favorite stories!)
 
Behind the door is a ruler measuring guide to track the boys' height as they grow.  I know it's a long way off, but it is such fun to dream and look forward to the day they will use it.  We have a nice, large closet, which is full of shelves for storage and the boys' dresser, since the room is quite tight right now with the bed.


We have a bed in the room as we currently divide up the night and take "shifts" so we can each get a chunk of sleep.  Once the bed is gone, that far wall will become a sitting area with a couch or pillows on the floor and we will put in a proper bookcase. 
 


The walls are actually painted a soft grey, but it looks more blue with the light in the room.  It is light enough that it goes with the tones of green on the carpet and curtains. 

My most favorite part is the feature wall with the cribs.  The wallpaper is called Woods, by Cole and Sons.  It is sold at Anthorpologie, but is soooo expensive that we ended up ordering it from the original manufacturer in the UK.  It did not disappoint.  It turned out exactly as planned!


 The crib bedding is by Dwell Studio and is called Woodland Tumble. It was expensive, but adds such character to the room.  Once the bed is out of the way, it will be showcased more clearly.  The cribs are simply from Ikea.  They also convert to toddler beds/


 


We are still finishing our collection of art for the walls, but the two prints we have up are from an Etsy shop.  One quote is from Fantastic Mr. Fox, and the other one is from Where The Wild Things Are.


The print above the change table was hand painted by a friend of ours who is an artist.  Isn't it just breathtakingly incredible?  We hope to infuse a love for the outdoors and, specifically, the ocean into our boys. 



The change table we have was given to us and the top is broken, so we use it for storage and change the boys on a pad on the bed for now.  Since the room is pretty tight it works well.  That beautiful bamboo globe is a humidifier/air purifier that you can put essential oils into.  We usually put in lavender/green tea before the boys go to bed to help them relax. 




And there you have it.  I will share some of my inspirations in a different post, as planning is half the fun.  I didn't think I would have such fun planning a room, but it has been great to put effort into a room that is functional (for us) for now, and that has the ability to grow and change with our boys for the future.  Thanks for sharing in our special space! 



Thursday 3 April 2014

Sneak Peek

I have a post all planned out in my head to share the Twin Foxes' living space with you, but I have not yet had the time to take the photos and get everything ready. Soon and very soon. In the meantime, here is a sneak peek of some pictures we (finally) hung in the nursery. I'm so excited.