Impulse Shopping

Have I mentioned that I am not much of a shopping type?
But I have a problem.
Sometimes, I am online, and someone says something along the lines of "hey, while I was on TeeFury, I saw this t-shirt that made me think of you."
Great, because as you know (and if you don't, now you do) TeeFury only sells one design every day. So then it's all "buy now, or forever hold your peace."
Doh.
Did I mention, I have another weakness?
Doctor Who.
So yeah... today's The Whos with four Doctors jammin' out?  Gotta have that.
But that would be impulsive, so I decided that I'd not do it. I'd hold out.
Well, I'd hold out until I got home from rehearsal, and if I had the energy, I'd buy it.
Now I'm home an hour early because I passed out in the middle of rehearsal *super embarrassing* and had to have spouse come pick me up.  So...... now I'm feeling wretched and bad and wanting to indulge in some really cheap retail therapy....
So now that I'm done telling you about the impulse shopping I'm about to do, I'm going to go do it.

Review: Cutey Baby That's a Wrap!

About a year ago or so I had the opportunity to beta test a new diaper by a local Chicagoland company called Cutey Baby.  Since then, as the pattern has developed and the design has refined, my stash of Cutey Baby has grown via purchases and gifts and now includes their most recent perfection of their design, "That's a Wrap."  I now own 1 yellow, 1 tribal, 1 stripes, and now this cute plane one, having donated another to a family in need via Wish Upon a Hero.

The first day  this cute little airplane print diaper came, I failed diapering 101 and instead of washing it first, I just put it straight on his bottom.  You know, because I'm impatient. I was impressed with how the legs fit.

 He was impressed wit his ability to undo the Velcro closure, because that's how he rolls.  That said, he also undoes snaps these days.

He particularly liked the planes, because our family is a fan of planes.

Uncle getting ready to land after a looooong day of helping daddy get the landing strip mowed.  I was serious about our family liking planes.

So, as I was saying, I put the diaper straight onto his bottom.  And within 45 minutes, he was asleep.

So far I've used this diaper for naps, overnights, long car trips, and right now, nursing him to sleep while I type.

What you need to know:

Cutey Baby promises to make cloth diapering easy. Their motto is:

No soaking.

No sorting.

No stuffing.

No kidding.

And they aren't kidding.  

Check out how they work.  They're a PUL lined print shell with velcro tab closure. On the inside it stuffs with a suedecloth lined microfiber insert that you slip in through a center opening so that there's no complicated stuffing required.  The insert falls right out in the wash, so there's no creepy unstuffing.  CuteyBaby  also flushable biodegradable liners so that you don't have to deal with getting solid waste out of the diaper. They're also useful if for some reason you need a diaper rash cream.

The Good:

They're pretty ubiquitous these days.  You can order them from amazon.com, or pick them up at a Cub Foods, Farm Fresh Supermarket, Savon, Albertsons, Jewel, or Acme Market.  Check out their availability here.

We've had no leaks, and that's what it's all about, right? NO LEAKS!

They're cute.  (This is also what they're about, right?)

Easy to use. No complicated snaps to figure out.

Sized, so no complicated adjustments to learn.

No unstuffing icky dipes.

One more time- they're cute.  I've even caught him hugging it.

The Not so Good:

Easy for the kid to take off (see picture two)- this may be a plus if you're approaching potty training.  Case and point. He started out nursing to naptime in his a moment ago, then he decided he didn't want a nap, and the next thing I knew, he was naked, even though he had sweats over the dipe....  how he got it off what that glove on is beyond me.  Little escape artist.

The waist is really made for a chubbier baby than my little bean pole.  They fit, but any skinnier and we'd have to go down a size, which means losing height in the back.

I'm not a huge microfiber or suedecloth kind of girl because our water is extremely hard and in the past I've run into trouble with these materials. I haven't run into trouble with these specific ones yet, but I'm nervous.

Overall verdict:

The only problems I have with this diaper are personal preference ones. Bottom line- it works and it works well.  The design keeps all the runny stuff in, so I feel comfortable letting him sleep as long as he wants in them without worrying that he's going to leak on his outfit. At 2 soakers for 10.99 and the wrap priced at 14.99, they're reasonably priced.

It's a solid dipe, the brainchild of a local woman, and easily available. If you're curious, I say go for it.

Disclosure: I received one That's a Wrap diaper to evaluate for this review.  My experiences with it may differ from yours.  That's why my experiences are mine, and yours are yours. Make your own choices, you know, because they're your choices.

Pink Saturday: McPlaydate

A few years ago, if you had told me I'd be blithely spending an afternoon in a McDonald's, let alone the play area, I'd have thought you were hitting the cold syrup a little too hard.  This is doubly true because the cold syrup used to have more kick than it does these days.  Nonetheless, last weekend we had the opportunity to take the kids on a 4 hour car trip to meet a relative they'd never seen before, and McDonald's seemed just the place to go. 

Side note- you generally have to order something to play, so we ordered strawberry sundaes. The strawberry sauce tasted somewhat rancid.... I don't recommend them.

JabberWalky had a lot of fun learning to climb up the various platforms.

Mongoosine even taught him how to go down the slide, somewhat safely.

 The compartment with the little steering wheel was a particular favorite.

Ultimately, the most fun was had when JabberWalky and (Cousin Who Needs a Cute Nickname) were giving  grandpa impromptu dental exams.

If you've ever been in a McDonald's playplace, you're likely looking at this picture in a certain amount of horror.... That's right, hands that have been in the play place... in his mouth. 

We're expecting he'll be sick any day now.

The kids had a lot of fun, and the toddlers were pretty pleased with the existence of one another. Or rather, they didn't say otherwise... though JabberWalky's cousin *did* teach JabberWalky to say "No," and now I'm having to try to get him to say other things again. 

Either way, I'm still proud that he learned to say affirmative words "yay," "woohoo," "yes," "yeah," and "nice," before he started saying "no."

For more Pink Saturday, head on over to How Sweet the Sound

Fan Girl Friday- Five Geeky Things

Five geeky things you might not know about me.

1. I seriously considered naming my poor offspring River Thrace.  (Serenity/Doctor Who/Battlestar Galactica much?)
2. When I have to choose, I always pick the TARDIS blue one.
3. My favorite TV show as a kid was Star Trek.
4. When I was 4 I was obsessed with the idea of faster than light travel and it's implications for time travel.
5. My daughter told me that there were 10 kinds of people- those who understand binary, and those who don't. It was one of the proudest parental moments of the year.

Wordless Wednesday on Thursday: Little Drummer Boy

ABC Fail.

Having written earlier to ABC, via their contact form, to inquire as to why V is not available for streaming, I was directed to read a blurb which they have posted on their site in which they say that they're sorry that they are unable to offer said content online via ABC.com or Hulu anymore and wish they could.

Let me quote the email I recieved.
"Thank you for your feedback regarding the ABC TV network show, “V.”

For more information on watching full episodes, please read the notes on ABC.com:

Go to ABC.com
Go to the top of the screen and click on SHOWS
Go down the page to “V”
Click on that show.
Go down the page to the “V Extras Section”
Read the article titled:  “A note from ABC.com” 

So, I just sent this reply. It's possibly a bit more hostile than it should be.

"In writing to ask why there were no episodes available for watching online I received a response to read the note from ABC on the V site.
I have read said note, and now I ask, again, why are they not available?
It is disheartening that other content is available, but the meaningful content is not, and lack of a public reason for this decision reflect a disdain and disrespect for the loyal viewers.
I am very disappointed."

I don't know how to say this without anger.
I get that three and four years ago, I wouldn't have been able to watch any shows online, and the notion of not being able to stream television episodes the next day would have seemed like the farthest thing from an actual irritation.  I get that this is, in the grand scheme of things, not a big deal.
But to me, it is important.  It's important because I can watch bad low budget programming like "The Bachelor," on their site, or any of the increasingly sexually charged medical dramas like Grey's Anatomy or The Practice on their website, but programming which challenges us to ask questions about the soul, humanity, and what "the greater good" actually means, get relegated to "after school special" status in that you catch it or not, but can't expect to have a second chance.

I'm insulted that they gave us the classic deflection response.  We ask why? They say "Because." Maybe I'm overreacting, but I don't like to treated like someone who isn't smart enough to know that she hasn't received an answer.

So, I am up in the air as to whether or not I will watch the rest of the series. If I can't go back and catch what I missed, I don't see a point.  I'm the type who will wait and watch online or at a re-airing if I miss the first 15 minutes, because I want to understand what is going on and I respect the writers' and directors' work enough to want to enjoy the bits and pieces of foreshadowing and excellent storytelling they've put together.  No, reading a synopsis isn't enough, nor is trying to fill in the blanks and move on.

I don't want to say "I won't watch it anymore because it's not available on the internet" because I want the show to succeed.  But I don't see myself watching it anymore because I won't be able to fill in the blanks and at that point, a serial show with this much detail and subtlety loses much of it's appeal, whereas an episodic series wouldn't suffer so greatly by the break in storyline. I am not going to say that I won't watch it.

But I will say that I'm not going to watch anything else on ABC. Sure, I like to catch Desperate Housewives. Yes, I adore Nathan Fillion and love watching Castle. I also enjoy some medical drama, even though they dramatize pregnancy and birth and further contribute to the notion that these are life threatening conditions which helps create the environment in which women find it acceptable that 1 in 3 births in the United States occurs via cesarean section.

I won't be watching the Oscars.

Here's what I will be doing instead- I will be watching their competing networks and learning to like programming I can catch up on, delivered by networks which don't treat me like a 2 year old.

Zippity Doo's Review & Giveaway Winner!

Random has spoken and comment number 1- Marybeth, you've got some lice prevention shampoo and hair care products from Zippity Doo's heading your way! I hope it helps keep teacherly heads safe and clear!

Please respond rapidly to notification so I can have it shipped out to you without having to select a secondary winner.
Thanks for reading!

Gendered Legislating.

There should be a law against gendered legislating.
Why do I say this? Because Georgia State Rep Bobby Franklin wants a law on the books which would make it a felony to miscarry if it couldn't be shown that the miscarriage occurred naturally. That's right, he wants to make it illegal to have a miscarriage that the miscarrying woman and her doctors can not show for a fact was entirely natural and unaided.
You can read the bill here.
If Rep Bobby Franklin knew anything about miscarriage, he would know that in the majority of cases, no cause can be given.  Maybe it was low progesterone, maybe the fetus wasn't developing properly, maybe mom had a weird hormone spike, maybe swamp gas was reflecting light off of Venus.  Most of the time, the devastated and grieving mother is left wondering.  The notion that she should have to prove that she didn't seek to end her pregnancy is not only inhumane, it's the type of legislative nonsense that endangers lives and once again relegates women to the position of second class citizens. What?  You have a semi-functional uterus that failed you? Well, if you can't prove that something else didn't happen, you're going to jail, little missy.
There is so much wrong with this. First of all, proving a negative is impossible. Secondly, our nation is built on Common Law, not Napoleonic Law.  The burden of proof, in the United States, must lie with the accuser, not the accused.  Of course, we've already gone off the rational and human path if we are wasting taxpayer money and adding to the burden of grief and guilt of mothers who lose their pregnancies by creating Uterus Police to investigate losses which are 100% out of the purview of the government.  Lest we forget HIPAA, frankly, the government isn't entitled to this information to start with.
More disturbingly, this sort of legislation, while stripping women of the right to have their bodies function as they will, this sort of legislation will endanger the health and lives of women who are afraid to report pregnancies and seek health care if pregnant for fear of being investigated and charged with a felony should they miscarry.
Ironically, Republicans usually push for bills that will help businesses. Yet, this bill would certainly be bad for businesses.  Imagine how many early pregnancy tests wouldn't be purchased because God forbid a woman pee on a stick, get a faint positive, and then lose the pregnancy and have to worry that she'll be investigated if she tells anyone, especially if she doesn't follow through with the proposed investigation and formal fetal death certificate.  Of course, ectopic pregnancies would not be excluded, and one has to wonder how the Uterus Police would handle molar or chemical pregnancies.  What? There is no baby?  Where did it go?
Surely, this sort of biased, anti-woman, and anti-human Napoleonic legislation will not pass, but knowing that enough persons residing in the 43rd district in Georgia thought Bobby Franklin, who seems to think that women shouldn't have the right to have bodily functions go awry, was a worthy representative, scares me.
It scares me that we live in a nation where legislation that can only be used to persecute members of a specific gender can be entertained.
It scares me that Republican Bobby Franklin is in favor of taking one of the most tragic things that can happen to a member of *not his gender* and turn it into a felony.
Shame on him.
Shame on anyone who agrees with him.
Shame on anyone who wants to create crimes based on body functions, and moreover on gendered ones.

If you live in Georgia, I highly recommend you write or call your State Reps opposing this for intrusive, bigoted,  unethical lawmaking it is, and if you live in the 43rd district, I ask you to voice your opposition to Rep Franklin, both now and at election time.

*Note- this post is being written in anger and surely isn't as sensitivity worded as it should be. I realize I'm discussing this in terms of cis women, and that is because as one, that's the set of issues with which i have more familiarity.

Feng Shui Anyone?

So we've been working on this long term renovation process, and it's turning out that home improvement is a real pain.  That said, as I'm starting to get to a point where I can consider things like color and just where to put the counter, I am wondering, how much thought do you give to Feng Shui when renovating, and what are your favorite resources?

Five Characters I Adore

Not feeling very wordy, so in short, five fictional characters whom I adore: some for their strengths, others for their weaknesses.

1. Elizabeth Bennett Pride & Prejudice, Jane Austen
2. The Doctor Doctor Who
3. Malcolm Reynolds Firefly
4. Mary The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
5. Giles Buffy the Vampire Slayer




Don't worry, I love a lot of other characters too, but these are in my heart this moment. Who is in yours?

The Art of Breaking Bad News - Part Three

So I've talked about when not to break bad news, I've talked about when to break bad news.  Now, lets consider whether or not to break it at all.

Do:
If it's yours to tell.
If it's true.
If the knowing will be valuable to the person to whom you are breaking said news.
If it involves people about whom the or she cares.


Don't:
If it isn't yours to tell. If you're telling best friend B that best friend A's husband was seen stepping out with friend D by friend E, it isn't yours to tell, it's called gossip and will earn you an F in trustworthiness
If you're not sure it's accurate.  75% isn't good enough.
If knowing can not possibly be of value to the person to whom you are breaking said news. If it's unrelated bad news, or bad news for bad news' sake, why would you burden him or her with it?
If you have promised someone else not to share it because, as above, it isn't yours to tell.

Skin MD Winner!

Congratulations, Angie of Free Stuff, Fun Sites, Contests and More (FFCM), Random.Org picked you!

You can check her out here:

The Art of Breaking Bad News- Part Two

When to break bad news: when time is not an issue. As I said last time I pontificated on how to break bad news, this is advice for when there is nothing to be done, nothing to be lost in the waiting an hour, a day.

Wait until the person you have to tell the bad news to has a moment.

1. Do not interrupt their doing something that needs doing and will complicate their day/week/month if it isn't done correctly.

2.  DO:  If the bad news is expected, perhaps they will ask.  For instance, if you are coming from the hospital where great-grandma has been barely hanging on to life, you're likely to get the question earlier than later, and the asker won't ask until they are ready to deal with the information

3. DO: Ask for a moment to talk about something serious.  Something as simple as "would you like me to make you some tea, I have something I need to tell you."  This helps them mentally prepare for bad news, and if it's a horrid time for them to get any more bad news, they have the opportunity to say "hey, can it wait?"

4. DO NOT: Though it may be tempting, do not interrupt a relaxed and much anticipated moment, such as a pleasant dinner after a really hard day or that television series' season premier for which they've waited 8 months and specifically structured their schedule to carve out the time for.  No, this is not a TiVo moment.  When there is nothing to be done, at all, except cope with the news, then the recipient of the news has the right to enjoy the things to which they've been looking forward.

5. DO: Convey the news when you're alone with the person or persons to whom you must tell the bad news.  No sense sharing their bad news with unconcerned parties in front of whom they will not feel comfortable responding authentically, but rather feel the need to mask their emotions.

Examples of good opportunities for breaking bad news:
Over coffee
Over ice cream
On a walk
In the car when tensions aren't too high
In a place the recipient of the news feels comfortable - kitchens are great for this, and meal preparation gives the recipient something else to focus on in the name of moving forward, just be sure to be ready to order take-out if it goes poorly
When an associated topic comes up in conversation.

Wordless Wednesday: My Future's So Bright

Wordless Wednesday

Sock Punky Giveaway Winner!

Well, we have a winner, and I can't wait to find out what she chooses!

Yay Violetsouffle! She's one of my all-time favorite tweeple, so I'm double happy! Ironically, I'm currently working on a custom doll for her already!  I guess they won't travel alone. :-)

The Art of Breaking Bad News

The following apply if there is absolutely nothing to be done. No changing the fact, no last moments to be lost, nothing but informing, no shock to be lessened lest one see it without forewarning.

1. Do not wake a person from a deep sleep.  All you will have done is ensure that they will lay awake upset and worried as opposed to being rested to deal with the news.

2 Do not meet them at the front door and announce the bad news before they can come in, set their things down, and catch their breath All you've done is make homecoming unpleasant and put them on the defensive.

3. See one and two.

Thank you.

Valentines

This year my daughter's Valentines are being printed on simple cardstock.  Because I'm nice, I thought I'd share our design with you, so you can print them off if you want to use them. That's right, free printable funny and ironic valentines, right here

If you have any trouble with sizing, select "fit to page" or some such option, and it should be all good.
About 3/4 of her sixth grade class got the joke, but she was really quite proud of them, and I'm quite proud of her for her humor.

SyFy and the decline of Science Fiction

I'm a fan of sci-fi. I am not going to pretend otherwise, but every week I become more and more disappointed in sci-fi as produced by SyFy.
Case and point, right now I'm half watching an abysmal movie about some bright teal space goop/bacteria that brings metal stuff to life, and it rampages and attacks people.
Earlier was a movie about an ice monster. Next week? Anacondas.
Yay giant snakes.

What happened to good, thought provoking, mind expanding science fiction?
Science fiction has long been used as a vehicle for exploring higher concepts, not just technological, but ethical and humanist concepts. Sci-fi allows for tales in which races and cultures are infintely diverse as a backdrop for examining very real social issues. Sci-fi creates canvases upon which to paint scenes of moral dilemas with near god-like powers of technology.
Science fiction gives people hope by spinning tales of what people can achieve, and overcoming systemic invasions through the tenacity of the human spirit. Differently abled and gendered persons can be central characters without feeling like an after school special.
So, with all this fertile possibility, why, oh why, does SyFy keep pumping out less-than-B monster movies?
Where are the This Alien Shore and Footfall of the little screen?
I postulate that if you are going to make a film, invest more in script and less in bad special effects.
Did we not learn from Clerks (albeit not a science fiction piece) that entertainment isn't all about budget? I thought we did.

Zippity Doo's Review & Giveaway

Funny story. Well, not that funny, but I'm going to pretend it is.
Early last fall, watching my sweet smiley toddler wake up from his restful, cuddling, sweet dreams (in my bed, because we co-sleep), I noticed that he scratched his head.  For a moment, I didn't think anything of it.  I've had a sensitive itchy scalp my whole life, so it only made sense that he would too. No big deal.  But he kept scratching, and scratching like he meant it. I thought back about how we'd been out playing in a field with tall grass pretty much every day for the last two weeks, and that spouse had even noticed that he'd tracked in a flea or two from said prairie.  I thought, "oh no- my baby has fleas!"
Well, I was almost right. They looked like light colored fleas, but didn't jump and were a touch flatter. After googling what lice looks like, I found out that lice look just like flatter fleas. Great.  Having never run into the creepy crawlers before, I was at a loss as to how to proceed. So then I started searching Dr. Google's archives for how to treat lice on a baby.  He wasn't yet 18 months, so he was, to my thinking, still a baby.  It turns out, most of the pesticides (and who wants to put a pesticide on their offspring?) aren't for babies, and did you know that you have to bag up all the soft toys, treat your kid every week until there's been no sign of anything in their hair for WEEKS, frequently check the heads of everyone else who lives in the house, including your MIL, wash everything (bedding, sweaters, slipcovers on couches) on hot and dry on hot, boil your hair brushes, and um... treat your furniture (seats of your car and anything else you can't wash) with a nasty spray?  It's horrible to try to get rid of.   And then, when your *other* kid gets it, you get to start over.

Did I mention that we cosleep? Meaning this infestation is going on on the head of the kid who SLEEPS IN MY BED!

And don't even get me started on the loooong list of "where" the toddler might have picked it up to start with. Daycare? Rolling around on a couch after a girl had her hair fine tooth combed? Trying on every hat he sees? All the sudden, the whole world was a potential infestation threat.

Just thought I should make sure you get my panic when faced with this situation.

I admit it, I'm a paranoid type. I probably didn't need to stop making dolls and toys until I knew it was gone, but I did anyway, because I'm paranoid.  I probably treated my children's heads 5 weeks longer than I needed to, and in the case of the toddler, whose non-pesticide treatment took hours each time, so that was a lot of work. I can probably stop nit checking the whole house on a weekly basis.  I can probably relax a bit about things like movie theater seats, guests sitting on high backed chairs or riding in my car, and my toddler's fascination with putting on hats, irrespective of whose hats they are.  Well, maybe that last one is worth continuing to be nervous about.  That said, when things were gone, I picked up a spray at the drug store that is supposed to repel lice.  The problem was, it smelled so strongly of citronella, it repelled me too.

Long story short, when I came across the opportunity to review Zippity Doo's Head Lice Prevention products, I was like "head lice prevention, [hot potentially mythological place] yes, please!" Then I realized I'd have to admit that my kids got lice. For some reason, that's got a huge stigma associated with it in the back of my head.  That's silly.  If anything, lice is a social disease because the more people you are around, the more likely you are to get it. Lice prefer clean hair, it's easier for them to hold on to and lay their eggs on. It's not a hygiene issue.

So here's what I can tell you about Zippity Doo's Head Lice Prevention products.

The smiley:
I started trying it on myself. I have a lot of allergies and sensitivities, and it didn't bother my skin.
The toddler's skin was also not bothered. Win!
Shiny hair.

Shiny

Note, I only used the shampoo on him, but it's dang shiny.

He hates having conditioner rinsed out.

In the end, you don't smell like you're going camping. Even if you just use the shampoo.
Styling gel reminds me of the 80s, which was, for me, well gelled.
I prefer the smell of the styling gel to that of a lot of other styling gels.
The detangler- I can't STAND the regular Johnson & Johnson detangler's scent, so this, which doesn't smell too campy, is a win for me, since the tween needs to use a detangler.


The frowny:
The shampoo smells a little like you're going camping, and doesn't lather as well as I'd like. The smell is counterbalanced by the conditioner, but my first reaction was sort of "wow, outdoorsy much?"

PLEASE NOTE- because this product is a preventative product, I can't tell you if it actually works. I can tell you that since we started trying it out, we have not become aware of a new infestation, and yes, I have checked.  I can only say that I have no reason to dispute the claim.

Also, as of the writing of this blog review, Zippity Doo's is not listed on Skin Deep's Cosmeticdatabase.com .

Zippity Doo's wants you to know that they're lab tested, pediatrician approved (grain of salt here), SLS free, paraben free, and designed to repel insects and give your kids (and you) shiny hair and a healthy scalp, while being safe for every day use, with formulations which avoid harmful chemicals and use natural extracts.  Zippity Doo's  is made in the USA, does not test on animals, and their bottles are BPA free.

As always, I strongly suggest reading all the ingredients before purchasing, as everyone has different ingredients they avoid.

Zippity Doo's has generously offered to give one lucky Paisley & Pretties reader their own set of lice prevention products.

Want to win?
Mandatory Entry:
Swing by the Zippity Doo's website and tell me something you learned.  Please leave your email address in your comment so that I can contact you if you win, if it is not clearly visible in your blogger profile.

Want more chances to win?
1. Follow Paisley & Pretties on facebook and comment on this blog post letting me know that you do.

2. Spread the word via facebook, twitter, or your blog, linking back here to this post. Leave a comment with the  permalink to your word-spreading post/status. I'm not going to police how often you do this, but don't irritate your follower. K?

Winner will be selected February 21st via Random.org and notified by email. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to said notification, or an alternate winner will be selected via some bizarre or whimsical method which will defy all logic but make at least one person snort giggle.

Sponsored by Tomoson.com

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Herringbone

Today I am rocking some herringbone trousers, because they've got character and class: two qualities that make up for my childishness and sass.

Have you rocked the herringbone lately?

Wordless Wednesday: Riding Lawnmower

Wordless Wednesday

Following Directions

Of course, I said "it's for you to play and look at. No, don't bite it, look at the pretty colors."
He seems to have heard "it's for you blah blah blah. Bite it.
Ah, toddlerhood.

Skin MD Review and Giveaway

As the Winter was gearing up, and I was starting to worry about my seasonal dry skin, as well as the tween's, (can you say itchy flaky gross?) I was contacted by Skin MD about the possibility of doing a review of their product.  It sounded like a good idea to me.
The first thing I did was peruse the ingredient list.  I have been avoiding propylene glycol like the plague, since it's linked to headaches and nausea, both of which I have struggled with since I was about 13, which is also when I started using lots of products containing it.  Since I know everyone has their own list of "taboo" ingredients though, here's what's in this lotion.

Skin MD Natural Face, Hand & Body Shielding Lotion
Ingredients:
Purified Water, Aloe Barbadenis Leaf Extract, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Methyl Gluceth-20, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vit E), Extracts of Arnica Montana Flower, Symphytum Officinale Leaf (Comfrey), Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria Chamomille), Achillea Millefolium (Yarrow), Acrylates/C10-30, Alkyl Acrylate, Crosspolymer, 1,2 Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Aminomethyl Propanol, Phenoxyethanol (preservative).
(any errors in transcription mine)

The back of the bottle also proudly proclaims "No animal products or testing. Dermatology tested, fragrance & colourant free, hypoallergenic." Yes, there's a U in colourant, because Skin MD is by a British company. The front also proudly declares that it is Paraben Free.

Since the two things I often hear/read people going on about are parabens and pthalates, you'll be glad to know that both are blissfully missing, even if I don't understand what all the ingredients do, yet.

The idea behind Skin MD is that instead of just sitting on the skin, this lotion creates an invisible shield of moisturizing by assisting the inner layers of skin in absorbing moisture and locking out irritants in your environment. It can't lock out your mother in law, but it can lock out irritants you come into contact with while, for instance, cleaning.

I like it for after I do dishes, since that always dries my hands out.

I did search this product on Cosmeticdatabase.com to see what it's "hazard rating" was, but it isn't yet listed.

So now, the big question- Does it work?
I find that it does work.  It moisturizes my skin well enough to stop the dry-skin itching, and it doesn't burn or sting like some lotions, it doesn't have a headache-inducing or stomach-turning scent, and feels light. I can even use my Blackberry trackball after applying this lotion, without having to wash my hands first, and that's meaningful.

I don't think it's particularly more effective than Eucerin Calming Cream (hazard rating 3), which is one of my winter go-to lotions, but it's easier to apply- much smoother and less diaper-cream-ish, and as I pointed out, I can use my Blackberry after applying Skin MD.
I do feel it works somewhat better than Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion with Natural Colloidal Oatmeal (hazard rating 3), my other winter go-to lotion, and is again, smoother to apply, and again, I can use my Blackberry after applying Skin MD.

I have even used it on my face, and found it to be less greasy than the various Oil of Olay (hazard ratings of 5 for various formulations) and knock off products I've used on my face in the past. I was pleased that it didn't break me out. If anything, my skin has cleared up during the time I've been using it, though I am not crediting Skin MD with helping clear my acne, I am crediting it with keeping my skin from being flaky.

Long story short, I feel better using Skin MD than I do with the other lotions I have around the house, and it is doing a better job.  I love how smoothly it goes on. I love that I can use less of it than other lotions for the same effect, and I extra puffy heart love that it doesn't smell like anything in particular. No cloying baby powder smell like Baby Magic (hazard rating 6) or Johnson & Johnson's Original Baby Lotion (hazard rating 6) or additives like Lavender which have been linked to gynecomastia in pre-pubescent males.

I have used this lotion on my 21 month old, and Jabberwalky's sensitive skin has reacted well. On a side note, he has also decided that every time mommy is putting on lotion, he wants some too.
The tween's sensitive skin has also cooperated with Skin MD, so I'm sold on it's effectiveness.

Other goodies-
Remember how it isn't tested on or made from animals? It's Vegan. Vegan is hot.
Skin MD is made in the USA in a plant that uses solar power,so it's more eco-friendly than your average product.

I like it.

If you want to try some, you can buy yourself a bottle by searching the handy dandy Skin MD Store Locator.

Or, conversely, you can win one.

Skin MD has graciously offered to give one of my readers a bottle of their own.

Mandatory Entry:
Be a GFC follower of this blog and a fan of Skin MD on facebook. Leave a comment letting me know you are both, please include the name you're liking Skin MD under (if you don't want to be un-annonymousified completely, Mary Z., for example)


Please leave your email address in your entry if it is not clearly visible in your blogger profile, as if you can't be notified of your winningness, you can't win. To avoid bots, use a format like username/gmail or usernameofawesomesauce (at) serverofdoom ~dot~ org or some such.  So long as it's pretty simple to figure, you're good.

Open to US and Canadian entrants over the age of 18.
Winner will be selected via Random.Org late on the evening of Wednesday, February 16th and notified by email. Winner will have 48 hours to reply.  If a second winner must be selected, I reserve the right to pick said secondary winner on the basis of something ridiculous, like competitive haiku.  Don't make pick an alternate winner. Check your email.

Fine Print

Disclosure: I got a whole 120 ml of skin moisturizing solar power created lotion all to myself, and offspring, for thinking about whether or not I like it, then sharing my opinion with others. Fun times.  Almost as rewarding as having to troll blogs for disclosures on reviews.  


All opinions expressed in this review are my opinions.  If you make a decision based on my opinion, I'm flattered, but not responsible for your decisions and any experiences which may differ from my own. Maybe you're allergic to comfrey. How would I know? I wouldn't. That's why they're my opinions, and not even medical ones, since I'm a SAHM, not a doctor, nurse, or other health care professional. So um... yeah. make your own decisions, have your own experiences, baby.

Madd Make up

Yesterday I happened to be sitting at the computer at the right time to notice that Madd Style Cosmetics was having a giveaway (a super complicated giveaway) for a full set of pigments. Um, hello? Yes, please!
Did I mention the super complicated part?
Ah, well, here's that bit.
Super complicated means that you had to opt in, tag someone, be tagged, and then get assigned by the party who tagged you/assign the party you tagged three to six colors and a theme for a sugar skull inspired look for them to create on no more than half the face, but at least one eye.
I was assigned white, pink, yellow, and blue in something super girly with hearts and flowers.


This is what I came up with.  

Noting the exclusion of black or green, I did hot pink (Young Blood with some Ben Nye bright blushy goodness) flower of traditional sugar skull styling, layered over a multi-yellow (Ben Nye creamy yellow and some scary unlabeled yellows I borrowed from the tween) sunflower with pink hilights, a couple hearts and polka dots in light pink. Eye done in Disco Biscuit, one of my favorite blues and Gothcupcake's Zombify- Police Box (also sold as TARDIS), which was also used for the lines. The white is Ben Nye creamy foundation.
I decided to go with the "phantom mask" or quarter face approach because it's girly, as commanded by Megan, in the mommy can kiss the toddler still kind of girly way, and because I think it rocks old school.

Just before washing it all off, after dinner (yes, I sat down to dinner this way, because it made me giggle) I decided to rough in a full half face, for giggles. I would have finished it, but without my glasses, I really can't see at all, and my glasses slide around so much I didn't want them smearing things.  But this is what it looked like roughed in.

This is with the glasses, since I wanted to see it before it had been washed off.
Of course, they ended up smearing the heck out of the details they're covering.

In any case, I had a lot of fun working on this, and the toddler thought it was funny and enjoyed sticking his little fingers in it.

He likes makeup.

Pink Saturday: Kids at the dairy

Halfway between Indianapolis and Chicago on I-65 there is a dairy called Fair Oaks Farms. It is perfectly situated to stop for the toddler's patience when traveling between the two.  There are times we've tried to skip the stop, but alas, it leads to immediate waking and crying.  It seems he's learned to schedule his naps around watching the brine room and snacking on samples of Gouda and Emmentaller Swiss.
The tween likes it too.  She likes to peruse their hilarious gift shop (Moo Shoe Pork stuffed animals for the win!)
It's a great chance to sit down, enjoy the moo, I mean, view, sip some hormone and antibiotic free chocolate milk (except the toddler, chocolate milk gives him diaper rash) and enjoy a few calm minutes in a community collective, talking about the economics of cooperatives, how the holes get into the Swiss cheese, or you know, whether the Doctor could go back in time with some fresh cheese, drop it off, and have it be perfectly aged when he wanted it.  Because we geek that hard.
The toddler likes it because he gets to nurse. Spouse thinks the dairy should have a problem with that because I'm competing by bringing another milk source in.  I'm pretty sure they like the family business more than they care about where the toddler's getting his milk.  The toddler also loves watching the films on how they make the cheese. One of these days I'm hoping we'll get a chance to take the full tour, including stopping by the birthing barn to see a calf born.

Long story short, stopping off tickles us pink. :-)

For more Pink Saturday, head on over to How Sweet the Sound.

Fan Girl Friday - Cosplay anyone?

When I 15, I got into the whole Renaissance Faire thing, which soon, or naturally, escalated into LARPing.  Costuming was fun, it was easy.  Chemise? Check. Corset of doom? Check. Skirts galore? Check. Old-timey boots of comfiness? Check.  Random sparkely shiny goodness? Check.
Easy peasy.
Want to add some magic? Sure, a wand, a staff, some amulety awesomeness.
Maybe a swordbelt and a sword?
Whatever floats your boat.

I never thought much about it. A nod to era and I was good to go.

HOWEVER, I have always wanted a Doctor Who Scarf. Specifically, a Season 14 Doctor Who Scarf. Why Season 14? Because it's the scarf from the first episode I ever saw, when I was a kid, watching with my daddy.  So then I was thinking, striped and long, and that's all that counts, right?
Well, the more I looked, the more I realized there were people out there to whom a precise replica meant a lot. For instance, they cared if you slipped the first stitch or not, what gauge of yarn was used to create it, and just how purple the purple is with relation to the taupe.

Then I started looking closer at costumes, thinking of dressing the toddlerpants as Eleven for halloween.
What kind of pants are those? Black right? Noooo, look closer- they're black skinny jeans.

Quick, what kind of shoes is he wearing? Hmmm?

Does it matter?  Is black pants with black shoes good enough, or does it have to be black skinny jeans with black boots?  Then how near in styling do the shoes have to be? Is any tweed jacket good enough, or should I start swatching all the candidates?  Does it matter what color that bow tie is?

I was thinking of doing something 'River Song-y" for Halloween as well, but is it enough to be in the general area? At what point is "in the style of" cool enough, and at what point does falling short of a precise reproduction (other than the sizing) just scream "I wish I was cool enough to call myself a cosplayer?" Does dressing in the style actually say "I'm not bound by cannon, so I can dress even cooler?"

I just don't know where the line between emulation and creepy copying starts.
Thoughts?
Have a Four scarf you want to part with?
Er, I mean, thoughts?

What I told a friend

A friend wrote me, excited about the prospect of trying to concieve, and doubly excited about milk sharing programs since so many of her family members had struggled with supply.  After I responded, I thought, you know, maybe there are some other women out there who could benefit from my opinion on the subject, so here ya go.

Now here is what you need to know about underproduction.
1. Just because people to whom you are related have had this problem, there is no surety that you will also.
2. It can take time to get your supply to come in and tough it feels like baby isn't getting anything in the beginning, their stomachs are so tiny, they are likely getting enough.
3. Most women have wretched advice coming from people who aren't IBCLCs or who don't have much experience with breastfeeding outside their own personal breastfeeding history.
4. There are certain foods, and if necessary,certain prescriptions which can help wit low supply.
5. Any amount of breastfeeding, even with formula supplementation, is better for baby than none, so even with under-supply, give oneself a hand.
6. Before the baby is born(once you're pregtastic) find your local LLL group and start to make connections so that if/when you need support, it's there.
7. Breastsize has nothing to do with mammary capacity and output,as chics with huge tatas generally have a lot of adipose tissue in their breasts, not extra milk-making tissue.
8. This point intentionally left blank.
9. There are nursing techniques which help build a better supply.
10. If you go the hospital birth route, and you select a "baby friendly" institution, they will have an IBCLC with whom you can meet even before the baby is born so you can discuss concerns and strategies. If you go the midwife route, they can refer you to an IBCLC, as can your local LLL leadership.

*hugs*

Formula supplementation isn't failure, it is sometimes necessary, and we are trained to expect to do it, but with support, work (because don't let anyone tell you it isn't work, it's work) and a little biological agreement, you can likely breastfeed your offspring.

Wordless Wednesday: Smurf Hat

Wordless Wednesday

Link up, even if it's not a toddler who stole daddy's hat. 

Sock Punky Giveaway!

CLOSED For Entry

Sock Punky... Not your mama's sock monkey, unless you buy her one.

Whether is's inked or mohawked baddassery or cute and cuddly classic cuteness, Sock Punky means sock monkeys the way they were meant to be, full of attitude.  Together with Little Punks and Raggedy Rebelz, the sassy answer to Raggedy Ann's style, Sock Punky rocks out the primitive toy scene with wit and flair.

Rad, aren't they?

Goth rebel is too loner to be part of "they."

Want one? You can pick one up here, at the Etsy store.

Want to win one?  I *suppose* my fingers are up for making one for one of you. ;-)

So on Valentine's Day I'm giving away your choice of either a custom brown little punk with your choice of mohawk color (unless you prefer pigtails or traditional baldness), *or* a Raggedy Rebel designed by me just for you!
:-)



Methods of Entry:


MANDATORY: Must be done for any of your entries to count.

Go check out SockPunky on Etsy and tell me what your favorite item is.
*Please leave your email address in your entry comments so I can contact you. If I can't contact you, you can't win*

Additional Entries 
Social Media:
*1 entry each for liking Sock Punky &  Paisley & Pretties on Facebookfollowing @SockPunky on twitter, following me on twitter, follow or subscribe to this blog or  Sock Punky's blog, Grab my button, blog about this giveaway
1 entry per day for sharing this giveaway on your social media of choice. Leave me a permalink, please.
Customers:
If you've bought a SockPunky product, you get an extra entry per each.  If you buy one, you get five extra entries.  Ooh, shiny.
Ridiculous:
1 entry per day - Favorite geeky quote

Fine print and yadda yadda.
Winner will be selected via Random.org or similar randomy goodness (you know, like having the kidlet pull a name out of a hat if I'm feeling super industrious and like clipping comments apart) on February 14th, because I heart you. Entry will close at 11pm Central Time, on 2-14-11.
Open to US and Canadian residents and people who live elsewhere who are cool with it going on the slow boat or covering the difference in shipping.  Seriously, it's freaking expensive to ship to Hong Kong.

Winner will have 72 hours to respond to notification (via email) or else I'll have to pick a second winner, in which case, it will be based on something ridiculous.


Disclaimer- Um, it's really hard to compensate yourself for a post, so um... yeah, that.

Puppy Love

When I was seven, my mom and dad decided that we needed a second dog.  After some deliberation, and dragging the whole family around from pound to petstore and puppy seller to formal breeder, they finally settled on a bulldog.   

Her name was Delila. She was tiny, black and white, and you could hardly tell her backside from her face.  Well, Delila grew pretty quickly into a hefty stinky "so ugly she's cute" kind of dog, and as far as my mom was concerned, the sun rose and set around this dog. She called her "the beloved," and pretty much, she meant it.

When Delila was a few years old, my mom even painted a little ceramic dog to look like Delila. Yes, this puppy love was the kind which begins to border on Idolatry. 

Many years after the passing of the beloved, and some three dogs later, my mother gave the Delila statuette to my brother, for his apartment. You know, because every eligible bachelor needs a ceramic bulldog lovingly painted by his mommy.  

*sarcasm here*

While staying with my brother recently, Jabberwalky found Delila and decided he was in love.

Jabberwalky kissing 'lila. I did mention it is hard to tell the face from the hiney, right? 

 (He can't quite say Delila yet, so he just calls her 'lila.)

 He carried her around with him pretty much the entire time we were there.  We were there 15 days.
He hugged 'lila, he kissed 'lila, he pet 'lila. She taught him what "gentle" was, and when he couldn't be gentle, he learned that breakable ceramic bulldogs sleep on top of the big tall chest of drawers, well out of toddler reach, but still where he could see her and know she was sleeping "happy."

He'd wake up and ask for her, grab her up for smooches, make mom and dad smooch her. Then he'd giggle when dad mistakenly smooched her backside. It is hard to tell, you know.

A week later, when we were swinging back through at my brother's, as soon as we were in the door, he was looking for 'lila again.  I was impressed with his memory and one other thing- the boy clearly had a case of "puppy love."