Yes it’s official………..

I am a nappy advisor for Sheffield and a nappy Guru with Fill Your Pants*! I’ve thought about being a proper real life nappy advisor plenty of times and have actually looked at the whole Nappy Guru thing and requested further info on it before but always chickened out thinking that I’d be rubbish at it. The main thing that got me this time is that Sheffield doesnt have any kind of real nappy network which is sad and I’m sure a lot more people would give it a go if they could actually chat to someone and see all the amazing new fluff there is.

I woudnt necessarily call myself a cloth nappy Guru but do I talk about cloth nappies here and on forums a lot, we’ve tried virtually every nappy on the market and well I just like helping people. So I do think that I have some knowledge of nappies (I think cloth nappies would have to be my specialised subject on Mastermind!).

So after having a lovely chat with Heidi at FYP (the Queen of the Guru’s) it was all put in motion. I’ve always been a fan of FYP and I remember one of our first cloth nappy purchases being some small BG AIOs from there (I hate to think of all the orders I’ve placed there since). So I am delighted to be working with them and it means I can show people a range of cloth nappies (I have a little demo bag full of new nappies) so people can actually feel and see them. Plus it means they can still get the free shipping, special offers and great range they have at FYP (did I mention they’re now stocking my favourite nappy the GroVia AI2*).

This doesnt change anything in regards to the blog, all my reviews will still be honest regardless of where I get the products from. And they aren’t sponsoring the blog in any way shape or form, I dont have any advertising or sponsored/paid for posts, it’s just me doing my thing. I will earn a small commission from links to FYP – but only if you click-through and buy something, which of course you dont have to do! I’ve always included links when I talk about something so I’m not doing anything different in that regard, you can click and have a look, buy something or not. Any money that is made will just be put back into buying things to review and giveaway (so maybe the equivalent of a free nappy a year – we’re not talking serious amounts). I’m not looking for any help with the costs of running the blog, this is my hobby and like I said I’m not sponsored by anyone.

So to recap, nothing is changing with regards to the blog but I will make up a page about being a cloth nappy advisor, and if anyone in the Sheffield area wants to meet up for a chat and a look at some fluff (the newborn nappies are making me seriously broody!) then just drop me a line clothnappyinfo at gmail dot com. Or if you’re from further afield then I’m still here to give advise too via email or phone. My advise will be completely honest though and if I think a nappy that FYP doesnt stock might be good for you then I would of course tell you, and I’d tell FYP to think about stocking them! You dont have to buy anything from me at all, I’m just here to try to help spread the fluffy love karma.

So let the Guru-ing commence!

Michelle xx

What we did this week

Fluff we love at the minute

The other week when I was having a big stash cull, our GroVia AI2 were going to be included. As although I wax lyrical about them and love them dearly, because we have so many pretty nappies these days I dont generally like to re-use the same covers as it gets boring but that defeats the point of the GroVia! So I thought I’d offer them up to a new home, however when OH saw this he said they were his favourite nappy to use! So I decided not to sell and then a few days later I saw that Fill Your Pants* are now stocking them and they had the two new colours coming in soon! And well you know me, anything ‘new’!

The new colours are Surf – a teal/azure and Cloud – a grey and to be honest I love the look of them both! I have no problems buying a grey/boy coloured nappy for Chloe – I’m sure she wont mind! So I’m going to order them and re-ignite my love for the GroVia’s – they are  the perfect change bag/travel nappy. Plus I usually always change Chloe when she gets up and then again about 30-60 mins later after breakfast as she always pees when she has a drink so just being able to change the soaker then will be great and reduce washing a bit! And if Daddy likes them then that’s always a plus too!

Also I ordered a new Wee Notions night nappy awhile ago, it’s the newer version and actually it’s been really fab. Chloe’s dropped her midday bottle now but still has one at bedtime so maybe she’s generally peeing less, but the outside of the nappy (a lovely plush minky) is bone dry in the morning! And that’s without extra boosting, so I think we’ve turned a corner and I’m already eyeing up a few more for a Christmas present (to myself of course – I dont think Chloe would be impressed to open nappies on Christmas Day!).

We’ve been using a new Disana pull on over her night nappies, which was the first wool we ever tried back in the day. And I have to say they still work like a dream, lovely and soft, stretchy and no leaks, not even any dampness on the outside! Plus they are super cheap too, so well worth trying, I will pop up a quick review at some point.

Also I caved and bought some of the Tots Bots Easyfits in the new rainbow colours – I do find the colour names confusing and have to check what I’m ordering, as I always think Cherub is going to be red but its a blue and the red is called poppet (we have both colours plus a sweetpea, green). They are lovely and squishy, bomb proof and fast drying. I do pop in an extra booster but they are still quite slim fitting. Only downside is the velcro – argh! But I will perserver for a little while longer, at least until the velcro looks really tattty then I might get rid of them – I’m so picky arent I! They do have a new limited edition Christmas Easyfits out which although look cute – the gingerbread is my favourite, I wont be buying as I know full well that after Christmas I’ll no longer want to use it and at £17.99 they arent cheap!

Also something I’m looking forward to is the new BumGenius and Pop In nappies. The new Freetime from BG should be out in the new year I think and I will be getting one to try once preorders open somewhere. I’m not sure which of the new colours/prints to get though, the full info on them is in a post I wrote here.

There’s a nice sneak peak over on the Babi Pur blog, of the new Pop In nappies. The new colours look nice, not too keen on the white looking trim, the new prints look cute – but slightly too babyish in my opinion. They’re still keeping the minky and bamboo versions with the snap together inserts but they have been redesigned slightly. They still only come in velcro though which is a big disappointment, Pop Ins are one of the first nappies we had in our stash and worked great at night for Chloe till she was about one and started out peeing it. I’ll always recommend Pop Ins to someone new to cloth though, they are bomb proof and I’d probably have still have one in our stash as a spare if they werent velcro! I’ll do a full post on them when they launch and I’ve actually seen one, I’ve heard it should be in December but have yet to see an official date.

Edit January 2012: we have tried both the new +Bamboo and +Minkee version of the Pop-Ins, see here for the full review.

So that’s a quick nappy round up for now, I seem to be in a review writer’s block at the minute and I dont want to write just for the sake of writing but hopefully I’ll get some free time soon and get back in the groove!

Michelle xx

Links with a * at the end are affiliated and if you click through and purchase something them I get a small amount credited to my account which will go on buying new fluff to review.

A spot of Christmas (decoration) shopping

Well we werent going to get start Christmas shopping for a few more weeks but I couldnt help myself! We went into town yesterday (there was a Christmas fair on too!) and bought a little tree and a ton of decorations! John Lewis has some gorgeous ones and I was spoilt for choice!

We didnt even do the whole Christmas tree and decorations late year as we ended up going down to stay at my Mums so it seemed pointless and Chloe wasnt really aware too much about what was going on. So I think we’re going all out this year, I’m not sure how long it’s going to take before the tree gets stripped of all the pretties but we’ll see. We’ve left putting it up at the minute but I think we’ll do it this weekend, (and I dont think I can wait until December 1st like I originally thought!).

Anyway here are a few of the pretties we bought, I could have got loads more but I was trying to be good and well they are expensive! Hopefully I might be able to catch some in the sale after Christmas so that next year (in our new house, where ever that might be!) we can get an even bigger tree and have more decorations!!

I havent really gone for a theme, just what I thought looked cute and what Chloe likes. I didnt see the point of getting the really expensive glass ones as I have a feeling the tree might go over a few times thanks to Chloe so didnt want to risk it this year! There’s so many more I wanted to buy, I might have to try picking up some more next time we go into town (we always end up parking in John Lewis and usually end up buying Chloe a book or a toy!). I love these button ones, might have to have a go at making some with Chloe if i can find from Christmassy buttons!

Oh and I’ve already got one of these hidden away to put up on the mantle or somewhere out of Chloe’s reach (lets me honest, not many places are these days!).

I’m not really a fan of ceiling Christmas decorations but me and Chloe will be making some paper chains and things to hang up over the next few weeks. Then it will be time to start Christmas shopping properly eek!!

Michelle xx

And in no way is this a sponsored post or have John Lewis asked/told me to write this post or paid/reimbursed me in anyway. I’ve written this because I love their stuff and just wanted to share, although if they’d like to give me a a free ‘supermarket sweep’ in their shop I’d be delighted! 😉

A productive week so far

Well so far this week I’ve had the big clear out and listed over 30 items on Ebay, I’m sure only 10 will sell but whatever doesnt will be off to the charity shop. I just want space back in the house rather than piles of outgrown clothes, toys, and stacks of books I’ll never read again. (I’m a total book worm and love reading but I hate reading books twice and I also hate them sat on the bookcase being unloved!).

Even if only 10 things sell then I think we should make £100, I’d love to spend the money on some storage solutions, a bookcase for Chloe’s every growing mountain of books and maybe something for the living room. I’ve had my eye on a gorgeous unit with basket – perfect for hiding toys in – but it is well over the £100 mark, sigh! But I think it’s already ear marked as going towards a new car seat for Chloe. The one we’ve got is fine just not perfect, it’s always the way, the one I wanted was more expensive and now I’d wish we’d gotten that one. And now even Daddy is getting fed up with the one we’ve got so we might get the original one after all! It will still be a rear facing car seat though as until Chloe starts hating it and fighting to get in it then we will keep her rear facing for as long as possible, if you want anymore info on extended rear facing then take a look at www.rearfacing.co.uk. Fives times safer in a front collision, yes please!

And so something I’ve been meaning to blog about for ages are my some current favourite blogs to read. The first is Homestead Emporium’s weblog, I’ve only just come across it in the last few weeks but when I have free time I’m constantly reading back through posts- eventually I’ll have read it all! It’s by Pieternella who runs Homestead Emporium, now I dont think I’ve done my HE pads (CSP) review yet but I love those pads! And her blog is about her business, family, life in general and she is a great photographer, and has a gorgeous family, house, animals, and scenery around her (she lives in Canada) which she captures beautifully. I’m really enjoying reading through it and taking a peek into their lives and also learning more about the business, I must add it to my blog roll list!

The second and third actually go together at the minute. I’ve long been a fan of The Imagination Tree for ages,  Anna has such fantastic ideas for play and in turn gives me ideas about new things to do. And this month she has joined up Hands on As We Grow and they are running a 30 Days To Hands On Play Challenge. Of course I meant to blog about this at the start of the month but forgot – but you can join in now or have a browse through the things they’ve been doing. I havent been following it exactly, but again it’s giving me ideas and reminded how important uninterrupted play is, giving your LO your full attention (no TV on, phone or other distractions) and letting them try something new and explore. And we’ve been including Daddy when he gets home from work too, and it’s lovely seeing Chloe so focused on doing things.

All definitely worth a look and bookmarking/subscribing to. And for today we shall be baking chocolate muffins, playing with Chloe’s Happyland village and train and doing what was yesterday’s challenge – playing with junk! Yes we have egg cartons, cardboard tubes, and I think we might paint them and decorate with feathers/buttons/whatever we fancy! Pictures to follow!

Michelle xx