HomeMade Christmas - DIY Bath Salts

Hi. I am Grace and I am 12 years old.  I am Carrie's oldest daughter and Leah & Lauren's favourite niece, of course!

Today I am writing a guest post to show you what I made for Christmas Gifts this year.  This is the third year that our family has done homemade Christmas.   I have 'participated' every year and this is probably my best year yet.

In 2009, I made pin cushions with a cross-stitched design on top and crochet dishcloths. In 2010, I made chocolates with my sister  (we used moulds).

This year I made Vanilla Scented Bath Salts.

Here's the finished product!

Here is the recipe (it makes approx. 1 jar)

- 2 cups of epsom salts
- essential oils (not all oils are good for bathing in, try vanilla, orange, lemon, mint, or lavender or     rosemary)
- food colour (optional)
- a tea spoon of sea salt (also optional, I didn't use them the first time I made this)
- a jar with a lid

Mix all the ingredients together, making sure its evenly mixed and put into jar(s).
Enjoy a relaxing bath.

- Grace

Soda Bread Anyone?

As you may or may not know, we have some Northern Irish blood in our family.  Growing up, soda bread was a staple in our home.  Seriously, our Mom made it almost daily!  

Even though it's been forever since I have lived under my parents roof, I love it when my Mom makes me soda bread.  Sometimes she brings a whole batch or two to my house and puts it in the freezer for me.  It's such a treat for breakfast with butter and homemade jam : )

It's been a while since my freezer has been stocked with soda bread and last week I thought to myself, "how hard can it be to make it".  Turns out it was pretty easy.  Can't believe it's taken me so long to make it!  If you're interested, here's the recipe:

Irish Soda Bread

1 2/3 cups of flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp cream of tarter

1 cup of buttermilk ( approx)

1.  Mix together dry ingredients.  

2.  Add in buttermilk.  

3.  Turn onto floured board.      

4.  Form into a circle.

5.  Cut into four.

6.  Bake in a frying pan at medium heat.  No oil or butter in the pan.

Flip when brown.  When you're ready to eat it, slice the quarter in half and pop the 2 halves in the toaster or toaster oven  to crisp them up a bit.   You can eat them without toasting them, but my preference is always to toast : )

Can You Keep A Secret?

Here is a sneak peak of the sweater/jacket I made my mom for Christmas!

(since my mom doesn't own a computer, I'm trusting that she won't see this post before Christmas :)
so shhh don't tell )

My Mom is shorter than me, and more petite in her frame.. so this sweater will fit her perfectly...(you will see its a little too short on me).

I used the Vogue Pattern V8756.  This was the first time I have used a lining on a shirt.  It was definitely harder to make with the lining, but it made all of the seams polished and smooth.

Also, this colour is SO my mom!  I cannot wait to give it to her!

I love the feeling of giving a really great gift to someone you love! :)

 

Whats the gift you are most excited to give this year?

- Leah

And the winners are...

And the winners of the  Better World Shopper Shopping Guide are:


the Teenanator and Angela :)


Please email us at rhubarb.diaries@gmail.com with your mailing address and we will get those books to you asap!


Thanks for your participation in our first ever giveaway!  


Carrie
P.S.  I used www.random.org to choose the winners:)

DIY Outdoor Christmas Arrangements II

So you may remember from here, that I have been working on early Christmas presents. Its been fun to do, and each one is a little different (no fun all being the same!)

Check out some more arrangements that I have done:

Some people have asked me where I got all my supplies - here are a few of my tricks, I have been trying to be as frugal as possible.

I had a curly willow tree in my front yard, it was planted 3 years ago and had grown the height of our house, so it was cut down this year, I am sure it will grow back again but I didn't want it to get too outta control plus you can buy this exact same stuff in the stores. I spray painted some of it orange, and some I left natural

Birch, it looks so much more impressive than other tree branches (which I also used). Some birch was from my parents house (who's tree needed alittle trimming) and I also bought some from Sobeys (3 for $15 - which has recently been reduced to 3 for $10. This is substancially cheaper than some I have seen for up to $50 for one piece. I guess it depends where you buy it from but also how long and fat the piece is.)

I bought fake berries for most arrangements from Michaels (on sale of course!) and I bought some dried eucalyptus too, I wasn't sure how that would last in the elements, but it seems to have done better than the berries. In one arrangement the plastic on the berries burst open showing white, and in another they turned purple.

For the foliage, I used some blue spruce for 2 which was also trimmed from trees at my parents house. Some I bought (also from Sobeys, 4 bunches for $20) but a trick I realized last year and just remembered after completing most of my arrangements is that you can buy a whole Christmas tree for $20 (mine was from Home Depot) and then i cut some branches off !

(I only wanted a small tree anyways, but I could have used the whole tree in arrangements and still bought a full size one for in the house).

I used pine cones in a lot of the arrangements, and its ridiculous how expensive pine cones are..... I just kept my eyes open while out for walks and picked them up. Essentially I figure I am helping the landscaping people because I am sure they don't agree well with a lawnmower! I also thought about knocking on peoples doors if necessary, I can't imagine people would mind.

I also bought some shiny Christmas ornaments from a second hand store, some were old and discoloured - which was perfect for being outside - and I have no experience how they will be in the cold weather.

Unfortunately, I think I got a little bored by the time I did my own planters, because they are the least exciting but still do the trick.

Anyone else doing any outdoor decorating?

Remember to check out our first ever giveaway! You could win a copy of Better World Shopper!

- Lauren

Our first Giveaway!

You may remember that last week, there was a post about Better World Shopper.  You can read about it here.

I've been in touch with the author of Better World Shopper, Dr. Ellis Jones.  He graciously offered us 2 books to giveaway on our blog.  So fun!



To be entered in the draw, just leave a comment with your name below.

You have until next Friday, December 16th, at noon, to enter, and you can only enter once. The winners will be chosen randomly. We'll announce the winners later that day, so be sure to check back then.

We'll post the two winners on Friday afternoon.

Best of luck!

~ Carrie

Gift Ideas

This isn't so much a wish list for myself but a list of great gift ideas if you still have gifts to buy and have no idea what to get.

As we have mentioned before on the blog, our family does 'make your own' christmas. This drastically reduces the number of gifts I buy.

But here are some ideas...
One tip that always helps - is to think whether its something you would like. Not everyone is the same, but its a good starting point.

I love consumables, lets face it, we don't need more 'stuff' to fill our homes. (unless someone has specifically asked for it)...

Plants, potted plants, orchids, cut flowers, herbs. These are a variation of my christmas gift. And they are great any time of the year. One thing to keep in mind is to think whether the recipient is a plant person - or will it just die? If so, then cut flowers are the way to go.

Chocolates.  We all love chocolate, but we don't always treat ourself to the really nice stuff, or the imported stuff. Whatever you do, stay away from the cheap, seasonal stuff (think $1 easter bunnies - do you really want to eat that? it tastes like plastic, sure its a good deal but......)

Tea or Coffee.  Depending on your recipients taste, you can buy some specialty loose tea, or fancy coffee. Think about buying local and organic.  Think about something you might not always buy yourself.

HomeMade treats  If you are a baker, then home made goodies are great - but one thing to think about is 'can it be frozen'? Since so many of us get tons of goodies, its hard to eat them all right away, and if they must be eaten within a few days then they might go to waste. So lately I have been thinking about freezable homemade treats. Cookies tend to work great - and so does zucchini bread.

One of the best gifts we got after our daughter was born - was meals.  It can be weird but if you agree to bring a meal over on a specified date - then its a day your recepient can look forward to enjoying a meal. You have to be pretty close to the people to do this though :)

Magazines.   I love magazines.  If you are sure of one, then a subscription is a great idea. Then they get to enjoy your gift all year long.  There are so many out there, and I think most people enjoy relaxing and reading.

Gift Certificates.   These can be touchy, since they can come across as a last minute "I couldn't think of anything" but I think they can also be thoughtful if they are for a specific store (instead of the whole mall) or for a service like a manicure.  Just make sure you think of the person, and what might be a treat for them.

Experiences.  Spend a day or a weekend together.  My sister has previously spent weekends at Great Wolf Lodge, and I know other friends who have spent a day and taken their kids to the Toronto Zoo. We are currently planning a winter cottage weekend with my husbands siblings.  It's a great way to create memories and worth so much more than a sweater from the mall.

And now here are a few that are probably less generic and maybe only I would want them...
Gardening gloves, or clippers. (I think my husband would also be happy to receive work gloves at any occasion) A Kreg jig for wood working projects. Red oven mitts, red & black tea towels (for our hopefully soon renovated kitchen). A pastry hand blender. Sometimes its hard to come up with a wish list, since we all have so much stuff and are fortunate enough to be able to buy what we want from time to time.

Even a phone call to catch up with people you haven't talked to in a while.  It reminds people that you are thinking about them.

-Lauren

How to leave a comment on a blog:)

Because It can be tricky figuring out how to leave a comment on a blog, I thought I would try to adress the question.  All of this is with help from the google/blogger website:)  So, here goes:

You can usually find a "comments" link at the end of each post, like this:

If you click this link, you will go to the comment posting page. The comment posting page looks like this:

In the upper left corner, there is an option to show or hide the original blog post that the comments relate to. The rest of the left-hand column contains any comments that have already been made. The profile photos of the comment authors may also display, depending on the blog's settings.

On the right hand side of the page is the space for you to enter your comment. Beneath that are the identity options. 

The options are these:

• Blogger username: Your display name will appear, along with a link to your profile and your photo (if you have one).
• Other: You can enter your name and a link to your website, without having to have a Blogger account.
• Anonymous: No identifying information is displayed. The comment is credited to "Anonymous" without a link.

And finally, you choose to publish your comment. 

Let me know if this helps!

~Carrie

p.s.  we love and value your comments here:)

Better World Shopper

With Christmas coming and all, I gotta tell you about one of my favourite websites.  The information on this site has radically changed the way that I shop.  The truth is that we vote with our wallets.  If you're anything like me, I want to be more and more a part of the solution and less and less a part of the problem.

BETTER WORLD SHOPPER is a site dedicated to providing people with a comprehensive, up-to-date, reliable account of the social and environmental responsibility of every company on the planet AND making it available in practical forms that individuals can use in their everyday lives. Coming out of more than 5 years of intensive research, this work is based on a comprehensive database of over 1000 companies and utilizes 25+ reliable sources of data to cover everything from the environment to human rights, community development to animal protection ( taken from website).


Companies and Products are given a grade, based on the following 5 areas of criteria:

Check out the website at www.betterworldshopper.com.  The website is so informative.  There is also an app you can download to your phone or a book that you order through the website.  Really great stuff!

-Carrie

Not your average wedding cake

Friends of mine that were recently married didn't want a 'traditional' wedding cake, so they created something that reflected them a little better - a four layer cake made entirely of CHEESE!

Not only was it great to look it - it was served up at the late night buffet - and extras were vacuumed sealed and I got four pieces of 'cake' to take home! (oh the perks to being in the wedding party).

(The photos are from www.parasolphoto.com. The cake topper was made by Kathy Bocchino (knottingwood) and was purchased on etsy.)

Appetizer Exchange

Last week, I went to my first ever "Appetizer Exchange Party".  My friend, Christa organized it and hosted it.  It was amazing.  I totally recommend doing it!  Essentially it was a food exchange party where appetizers became the main course. There were 6 couples invited and each couple arrived with 6 servings of frozen appetizers and one appetizer serving all ready to eat.  It was a fantastic evening of savoury food, cocktails, wine, Christmas music and laughter.  At the end of the evening, each couple left with six parcels of frozen, homemade hors d'oeuvre ready for the holidays.

I made Minature Bacon and Leek Quiche.  Delish.

Here is the bag I received at the end of the evening.  Not only was it full of frozen appetizers, but the recipes were attached to the bag with my initial.  So lovely.

I'm already looking forward to doing this again next year :)

-Carrie

DIY Holiday Wreaths

I made a typical Christmasy wreath a few years ago and its done me well, but I decided this year I wanted to try something new, something that would last longer than just Christmas, and my plan is that I can continue to change it with the seasons. I made a grapevine wreath. Its pretty simple and minimalistic. It might get some additions but currently I am happy with it and I love that I can also see it inside through the glass window.

(Please excuse my slanty photography skills). The other thing that excites me about my new wreath is how easy and how cheap it was! I used a 40% off coupon from Michaels (you can print them from their website if you don't get their flyers in the mail) and the wreath cost $2.70 including tax!!!! I already had the ribbon and the berries left over from other projects! I looped the ribbon over the wreath and used a tack in the top of the door. EASY and FABULOUS!

I still had my 'old' wreath hanging around, so I hung it on my garage.

I noticed that you can buy basic wreaths made from fresh pine branches - I think I will have to try that one year - you would smell it every time you walked in the door!

Do you have a wreath? Get a new one every year? Have the same one up all year? Think you might make one this year?

-Lauren

Cookie Exchange

Today I participated in my first ever cookie exchange. Check out my loot!  Its awesome, now all I need to do is stop myself from eating it all in one sitting.  I remembered to take a photo just before putting most of it away in the freezer. The plan is to pace myself so that I can enjoy it between now and Christmas.

There was eight of us participating, all from the same prenatal/mom & baby yoga class - and we all have babies under 1 year. We met this morning to drink coffee and exchange goodies, my contribution was half a loaf of chocolate chip zucchini bread (made with frozen, shredded zuch from my CSA this summer). The plan is that to also exchange recipes soon too.

Anyone else doing a cookie exchange? Its not too late - get some friends/co-workers/neighbours/family together and make it happen!

-Lauren

Its beginning to look alot like Christmas.....

This is the earliest I think I have ever started decorating for Christmas. The past few years our family has decided to make gifts instead of buying them. This adds so much more creativity and fun. We don't have hard 'rules' but like to encourage creativity. Sometimes its personalizing something you have bought (The stencilled hotplate in the previous post was a gift from my brother last year - and its used very often!).

This year my gift is outdoor Christmas decorations. I had decided this in the spring and since I want people to enjoy my gift through the Christmas season, I have started early with hopes to have them all done by December 1st.

Here are pics of two so far, one was done in October - which was enhanced last week to be more wintery with some blue spruce.

Anyone else started decorating early or working on Christmas projects?

- Lauren

Happy Movember!

For those of you who have never heard of Movember, or wondered why you see so many guys with mustaches this month......

MOVEMBER (THE MONTH FORMERLY KNOWN AS NOVEMBER) IS A MUSTACHE GROWING CHARITY EVENT HELD DURING NOVEMBER EACH YEAR THAT RAISES FUNDS AND AWARENESS FOR MEN'S HEALTH. www.movember.com

My husband has participated in the past - and although he is not currently growing a mustache, I still want to support this event (including my brother who is working on his 3rd movember mustache) and encourage you to support anyone you know growing a 'stache. I have even noticed a guy at our local coffee shop putting all his tips this month towards it.

And if you don't know anyone growing some facial hair this month - you can support the cause by making sure the men in your life go to the doctors for regular checkup - our health is important!

(and yes that is a stencil of my husbands face - complete with mustache on a hotplate - more on that later)


-Lauren

Cooking With Squash

I have about 6 squash sitting on my counter - different types: butternut, acorn, sweet potato squash and a jamboree pumpkin. I have never used the last two types before but from what i have learned so far about squash is to cut them in half, remove the seeds and roast in the oven. These types are interchangeable (in my mind) in recipes, they might change the taste slightly but the recipe will still work.

The easiest way I find to eat them is after roast

ing in the oven, add some butter, brown sugar or maple syrup and puree. Easy and delicious.

Alittle more strenuous is to make soup. My favourite is Roasted Butternut Squash soup from the Rebar cookbook. I have had many different types and they all turn out pretty good.

A new one

for us this summer was eating spaghetti squash - while roasting the squash, we sauteed onion, garlic, peppers and tomatoes (and pretty much anything in your fridge) and then added the veggies to the squash and mixed with goat cheese. Its hard to believe you aren't eating pasta.

I had never baked with squash or pumpkin before, all the recipes I have seen call for canned pumpkin puree but I substituted with fresh roasted and pureed. My latest project was to make some muffins (also from

the Rebar Modern Food Cookbook).

2 eggs beaten

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk ( I used 1 cup minus 1 tsp of milk and 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar for a substitute )

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree ( I used some leftover pureed acorn squash)

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup millet (I used ground flax seeds)

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1 cup unbleached flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger (I omitted this as I don't really like ginger)

1/4 tsp nutmeg

-mix wet ingredients together

-mix dry ingredients together

-mix wet and dry together - do not overmix

-fill muffin cups (i made 12 large and 12 small)

-bake at 350 for about 25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

I think next time I will probably also add some chocolate chips

If you have any favourites - let us know, I love trying new things!

Where do you look for new recipes? websites? cookbooks? friends? blogs?

-Lauren

Fashion Fridays - Baby edition

Before I had a baby, all baby clothes were chosen based on the cuteness. Now there is also a practical part to my choices.

If 'cute' outfits are two pieces, then its likely that the top will ride up - not so great now that its cold out.

If there is a top tucked into pants - this generally looks weird on babies - but is more practical in the cold

better is if one layer is tucked into the pants and a second layer over top

OR

a one piece jogging suit! I am not sure where this is from (it was a hand-me-down) but its awesome, its so much warmer than pyjamas and yet is basically the same thing. I need to find out where to buy these because they will be on my gift giving list!

Babyli.st Online Gift Registry

Gift Registries are very tricky things:

1. You don't want to ASK for things, generally people shouldn't feel obligated to buy you a gift for a certain occasion - but if they are going to and chances are they want to buy you something, then you want then to be able to buy something that you want and will use.

2. How do you choose what store to register at - often you want something from many different stores and that is where this online register comes in

I found this online registry through friends (and its created by a friend that I went to University with)

Babyli.st check it out.

Its fantastic, you can link to any item that you can find online - ideally things you can buy online and that way people have the options of buying online or instore.

Also, sometimes you know you want an item like a towel - but you don't care which specific one. so you can be specific with some items and more general with others.

Also you can add items like babysitting, meals, and things that aren't typically on gift registries.

It would be great if you could use it for non-baby events......maybe one day.

- Lauren

(Note: We weren’t paid or perked for promoting this gift registry, it was something I have used and liked so wanted to share with you)

Home made Spring Rolls

Each week our siblings in Waterloo try to get together and hang out - the item on the agenda is always eating. This week we made spring rolls.

We had deep fried ones, which consisted of a pork/crab/vermicilli noodles/lots of other stuff since I wasn't paying attention and my brother was adding stuff as he goes instead of following a recipe. He then pan fried them in oil and then continued to cook them in the oven until the meat was fully cooked.

We also made a vegetarian fresh roll with spinach, mint, green onion, sprouts, noodles, mango, green pepper and I'm probably forgetting something.

We ate both with a peanut dipping sauce (which my husband added extra hot sauce to his portion)

They were great, I wish I had made more fresh rolls because I think they would have been great the next day. And when I make them again, I think I will try smaller and the fresh ones tighter.

Have you tried to make anything new lately?

Our CSA season is over

You may remember that we (Leah and Lauren) joined Stevanus Farms CSA(community supported agriculture) which you may have read about it here. The season is now over, it was a fantastic summer, we ate at home more, ate more vegetables and ate things we wouldn't normally buy. Its a little sad that its over - although it will probably take a few more weeks to get through the remaining veggies.

Through out the summer, we have frozen a lot of veggies (green beans, peas, zucchini, beets, and fruit) so we are curious to see how much of it we eat. We have high hopes that we will be able to get through all the frozen food. (and that the food we have frozen will bring us the joy of summer in a meal)

Another thing is that we are going to have to start grocery shopping again - all summer all we bought was basically meat and dairy. Rarely leaving the store with more than a handful of items. It will definitely be harder to shop in the grocery stores again... peppers from Mexico, and spinach from Peru just doesn't seem appealing anymore. We have definitely been spoiled with such amazing produce.

Overall, it has been a totally worthwhile, and budget friendly experience. Check out the CSA's in your neighbourhood, it is beneficial for the farmers, as well as for you and your family

Any suggestions for eating locally over the winter months? Or recipes to try with our abundance of squash?

-Lauren and Leah

Budgeting....the dreaded B word.

The word, budget has always been a tricky one around my household.  I tend to be more of an over-spender and my husband tends to be more of an under-spender.  Makes for a lot of interesting conversations:)

Over the years we have worked hard to come up with a budget that works for us and brings us to a place of balance, a place that we BOTH feel great about!  If you knew how strong minded my husband and I are, you would know that this is no small task!

Part of the challenge for us is that we live on one income.  We have chosen for me to be a stay at home mom for this season of life and I love it - but it requires discipline and sometimes sacrifice where budgeting is concerned.

These days, there are a few small things that have saved me/us a bunch of money.  In the hopes that it might benefit you, I'll share them:

1.  Making my own coffee at home.   It's so much fun to stop at Starbucks on my way out to run errands, but those latte's add up quickly.  Like, really quickly.  Instead, I'm making my own coffee and treat myself to a Caramel Macchiato only when I'm meeting a friend for a coffee date:

2.  Sharing clothes.  I am blessed to have friends that pass clothes down to my girls and I love to do the same for others.  Even my sisters and I have been known to swap clothes from time to time!  For Hallowe'en this year, I have managed to borrow 2 out of the 3 kids costumes that I need, which is saving me a bunch of money.  For the third, I think I am going to check out Value Village :)

3.  Borrowing Books.  I love to read and I love to buy books.  The thing is, books add up.  These days I am trying to borrow books from friends or from the library as much as possible.  At my local library, if you are looking for a book and they don't carry it, you can fill out a request form and they will consider ordering if.  If they do, you get first dibs at reading it.  Pretty cool!

Lately, I have been using this budget and love it.  Totally worth checking out.

How about you?  Do you find it a challenge to live within your budget?  Any advice you can share with me?

De-boned Turkey

Because I have made our family's thanksgiving turkey for the last 6 years or so, I was not upset to pass this task onto my brother, who also happens to be a chef. This year he de-boned the turkey, soaked it in an 'apple cider-salt-probably alot of other stuff brine' for a while and then wrapped it in bacon before cooking it.

It was delicious and so much easier to carve - you were basically slicing a loaf of bread.  Plus, we had bacon as side dish.

For all specifics you will have to ask my brother, but he said deboning was easy - just slide your hands around the rib cage and pull it out. I am not going to ask any more questions, I will just continue to eat it at thanksgiving!

At first I was concerned that I wouldn't have any leftover bones to make soup with - but I just took home the uncooked parts that had not been used, covered them with tomato paste and roasted them in the oven before continuing as usual to make soup.

Did you try anything new this thanksgiving? What are some of your family traditions that you love?

DIY Art

 Every Thanksgiving, my In-Laws have an very creative tradition. D-I-Y Art! I love it!
It has been such a great way for the family to share in an activity together, and to have a beautiful, creative, original piece of art!

It's so simple...
- buy a canvas, (already pre-assembled would be easiest, but my family like to make the frame themselves.. if you are looking for a certain size, it will be best to make the frame... but if you are not as picky on size, you can easily buy a pre-assembled piece of canvas)

- buy yourself some acrylic paint (any art store can help you choose the best kind to buy)

- get your family and friends together to help share in the original piece of art you are about to make

- get creative! play around with different brushes, techniques, colours,

- when finished, leave to dry for at least a day, (then make your frame if need be) Hang it up, and wait for the compliments to roll in :)



This is the art made about 4 years ago. It hangs in our dining room, and we constantly get compliments on it.

-Leah

Cloth Diaper Review

Now for my review on the specific cloth diapers.

Its crazy how many different types are out there! I have tried a few different types and liked some more than others.

Kissaluvs, bummis with snappi and sandys cloth diapers

We primarily used Bummis Prefolds with snappi diaper fasteners. There are a handful of ways to put them on, we did not use the bummis method, but for newborn we liked the bikini twist and then moved to a partial fold. The snappi ties are fantastic and I can only imagine so much better than pins my mom used to use. (There are many websites which show various techneiques such as here). These are sized and so you need to buy different ones as your baby grows, I don't think the "preemie" ones are necessary - you can just fold the infant ones. These were great, I think they are the cheapest option out

there, they do require some skill to put on so that there isn't any leaks. A waterproof cover is needed overtop of the cotton.

Kissaluv's - these were fantastic. They are fitted diapers with elastic around the legs for no leaks and snaps at the waist. These are sized so you have to buy different ones as your baby grows. These are great for newborns as they have a fold down section so that the diaper doesn't interfere with the umbilical cord. A waterproof cover is needed overtop of the cotton.

Motherease Sandy's cotton fitted diapers - These are sized, and so you have to buy different ones as your baby grows. Similar to the kissaluvs but they have two rows of snaps which make you feel like its more secure around the legs but I haven't noticed any difference one set of snaps or two. These are alittle bulkier than the kissaluv's but still great. A waterproof cover is needed overtop of the cotton. These work best with Motherease brand covers.

Waterproof Covers

The beauty here is that you don't have to wash these after every use, unless it gets pooped on, you can put it aside after a diaper change and let it air out and then use it again for the following diaper change.

clockwise from top left: motherease, thirsties, bummis, flip

Bummis Wraps - Some with snaps and some with velcro, they are sized so you have to buy more as the baby grows. You had to wash the cover after each use because it is more cloth like on the inside it absorbs the pee more. I would not recommend.

Flip - this one expands as the baby grows. Lots of snaps for adjustability. Great.

Motherease - snap and velcro versions, the velcro ones have extra elastic at the legs which is great. You need different sizes as your baby grows. Great.

Thirsties duo wraps - velcro at the waist and snaps to adjust the size. Two different sizes. Great.

And finally, All-in-one's (AIO's)

Gro-via and Monkey Doodlez

Monkey Doodlez - These come in different sizes so you have to buy multiple sizes as the baby grows. I believe they are a canadian company, have a fleece lining, seemed pretty good but I found that when she had a big pee - the moisture would soak all the way to the edge and out onto her pants. I did not like these.

Gro-via -These are great, they are one size, so they didn't fit right away, but I think they will grow with the baby until they are out of diapers. My only concern is that the snaps at the waist are on the inside which makes it look alittle more appealing but I think would easier if they were across the outside. (You might have to see one to understand what I am trying to say)

Basically, the only thing I wouldn't recommend is the Bummis wraps and the Monkey Doodlez All-in-ones. But I am sure some people love them, as I said there are so many different types out there you just have to see what works for you.

My fave's are probably the kissaluv's fitted or prefold with snappi with thirsties cover, followed by the gro-via's.

My husbands fave's are the bummis prefold with snappis in a thirsties cover.

One warning is that once you start its easy to get carried away, its a whole new world of shopping! Does anyone have some favourite types I should test out?