Wednesday, November 2, 2011

1000 fan giveaway!

I know I am thinking ahead, I only have 849 fans... but in case anyone is still looking at this blog, here is what I would LIKE to give away when I hit 1000. It may change before then though...

One Pixie Fluff OS pocket diaper with an insert (probably a hemp/bamboo trifold insert)
One pack of Pixie Pieces wipes bits from Tree of Life Herbals
One container of Diaper Balm from Tree of Life Herbals
A wetbag (not sure yet of size or maker)
Maybe a dryer ball or 4
Maybe some detergent
A nursing cover and nursing pads

Now... to decide if one lucky winner gets it all or if it should be divided among several!

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Detergent

What is your favorite cloth diaper detergent? Right now I really love Clean B but it can be hard to come by. I've been trying grocery store brands but none really seem to work all that well. I have made my own, too. Mix equal parts of Washing Soda, Borax, and Oxyclean to get your detergent. I use 1/4 cup in each load, since I have a top loading non-HE machine. Oh and the off brand of Oxyclean works just as well as the big brand. That's all for now but if you have a detergent you LOVE, please mention it in the comments below!

Friday, September 23, 2011

Off topic! Apple Pie!

Dixie's Apple Pie

Preheat oven to 425 F

Make filling:
-stir together:
4 cups chopped apples
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
-sprinkle with cinnamon

Make Dough
(I loosely followed Joy of Cooking's recipe for this, here is what I did):
-chill:
3/4 cup shortening
-stir together:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
-cut in:
1/2 of the shortening,
-crumble it up with your fingers until it is a little coarser than cornmeal
-cut in:
the rest of the shortening
3 Tbsp Country Crock (or other butter or spread)
-slice through it with two knives until there are no pieces of shortening any bigger than large peas
-add:
6 Tbsp ice water
-knead it until it comes together.
If you have to, add a tiny bit more water (if it is too crumbly) or flour (if it is too wet).

Tear dough into two equal pieces.

Roll first ball of dough out to about a 1/8" thick circle.
Put it into a greased pie pan.
Pierce the dough in several places with a fork.

Put the filling into the pan.
Break up 1/4 cup of butter or spread and scatter it over the apples.

Roll out the other half of the dough into about a 1/8" thick circle.
Place this dough on top of the apples, and trim the excess.
Pinch the edges to seal in the filling.
Cut slits and/or use a cookie cutter to make airholes in the top of the pie.
Butter the top of the pie, then lighly sprinkle it with sugar and cinnamon.

Place pie in oven at 425 F for 15 minutes.
Then turn down the heat to 375 F and bake for another 30-45 minutes or until golden.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Festival time again

I'll be setting up a booth at the Greater Lansing Area Festival in Lansing, NC on Saturday if anybody is local and wants to come visit. Hope to see some of you there!

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

I AM still here. :)

I should be asleep right now but this is more fun. Just popping in to say I am still here and still sewing. I am waiting on my tags to arrive, but until then I am cutting out diapers and putting some of the snaps on them. I have 12-13 OS diapers ready for tags right now. I can't go much further on them until I get tags though. Did I mention how impatient I am?
Anyway, I am thrilled, because I have been sending out lots of packages lately!
Hopefully I can sell at the Farmers Market sometime soon... maybe once more this month, and then I'll be at a local festival next month one day... I've got my online stores open all the time though, except when I am selling at a festival or the Farmers Market: then my stores are on vacation so I don't sell things I only have one of, twice. If you are local email me for a free shipping coupon code on my Hyenacart store, good til the end of this month. pixiefluffbiz @ gmail.com  without the spaces.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

NW NC Diaper Help

I just wanted to share this charity with you all. Go check out www.nwncdiaperhelp.weebly.com if you live in Ashe, Watauga, or Wilkes counties in NC or Johnson County in TN.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

SALE!

I am having an "I need funds for more supplies" sale on Etsy. If you go to www.pixiefluffstuff.etsy.com and use code FACE20 you can get 20% off the things I have listed there. Hurry, it only lasts until Saturday. I have a couple of sized fitted diapers on there, and I'm not making them anymore, so if you want one, now's the time.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

What's new

So Christmas in July is over, and so is the Natural Birth and Parenting Expo. I'm working on some custom orders, and just started cranking out lady/mama cloth. There is a weeklong consignment sale coming up in a couple weeks, and I think I'll try and be a vendor there. Then there is the Greater L.A. festival in September, which I will be selling at. Trying to spread the local love for cloth diapering and help the local breastfeeding moms keep modest. (I live in an area where 90% of breastfeeding moms want to be covered for modesty and to keep the men from making drool puddles.) So... I'm busy!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Back at it!

I'm working on two custom orders, and trying to get things made for my own children and niece and nephew as well. A friend and I are having a natural parenting expo on Saturday and hopefully I will get more orders to fulfil then! I need to get more snaps and thread, and I also need to upgrade to woven labels and get CSPIA labels so that I'm kosher when those laws kick in. I just got a new sewing machine and it is awesome! That makes me want to sew more often. :)  I have made loads of nursing covers lately, and I always have about a 4" by 10" piece of fabric leftover, so maybe one day I'll make a quilt from all those scraps. It would be so neat to see all the fabrics together like that.

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Taking a breather!

I have been sewing like mad for over a month now, getting ready for Christmas in July. Well, Christmas in July is over and I am going to take about a week off of sewing. I need it! I am really tired and housework is begging to be caught up on. Oh and my sewing machine needs a tuneup because it has been worked so hard. I may even get a second machine. :)  Well, third if you count my serger too! I will be stocking all my leftovers in one of my online stores, so you will still be able to get Fluff from me. I have a lot of nursing covers left too, so you will finally be able to buy some of those from me.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

The winners are...

Shannon Alexander gets the nursing cover!
Laura and Sarah G. each get a CD!
and Anonymous (jhpage) gets the OS diaper and the wipes bits!
Congratulations everyone!
I sent out emails to the winners already, so check your inboxes and get back to me within 48 hours with your mailing info. I will send out prizes within one week of getting your information. If you didn't get my email (sometimes they get lost) there is a contact button on the side of this blog, if I'm not mistaken. Use it, please! :)

I have picked the winners!

 I'll tell you in the morning, when I send out the emails. Winners will have 48 hours to claim their prizes. Good luck!

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Pixie Fluff has over 750 fans! Here's the giveaway scoop:

One winner will get a free one-size diaper of THEIR choice (specify now), with one insert.
One winner will get a free nursing cover of MY choice (entrants should specify now: boy, girl, or gender neutral color).
And, since I used to be a musician in my spare time (as a teen), and have lots of leftover CD's, I will pick two winners who will each get a CD! I know, not fluff, but still fun! The music is sort of reminiscent of Jewel, Anna Nalick, and Joan Baez.... or so I've been told.
The rules:
Comment below (with your email address included in your comment), telling me which thing you would like to win. Only enter to win one of the things listed- I will not give multiple prizes to any one person. Sorry!
I will pick the winners in one week, and will contact each of them. The winner will have 48 hours from the time I email them, to contact me with their address, and if they don't, I will have to pick another winner.
Sound OK?
GO!

Edited to add, by one-size diaper, I meant a waterproof one, not a fitted. Sorry for the omission! But the winner of the OS diaper does get a pack of wipes bits from The Green Panda. :)

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Very close to 750!

When my Facebook page reaches 750 fans I will have a really cool giveaway. But I'm not telling what the prize is until I get to 750! So send people over, and keep tuned. The giveaway will take place either here or on Hyenacart as a drawing, since Facebook has a lot of rules about giveaways that I don't want to have to dodge around.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Flats and Handwashing Challenge- day 7

Well, I've learned a few things. It's not so hard to handwash. It's not hard to use flats only. But if I did flats only, all the time, I would get a few hemp or bamboo flats big enough to handle my 3 year old's nights. Another thing- there are differences in detergents. Obviously. But handwashing makes it obvious, which detergents work best. So if I ever want to test a detergent, I will handwash for a couple of days. This was an interesting experiment, and I'm glad I participated!

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Flats and Handwashing Challenge- days 5-6

I've been neglecting the blog. :(  Anyway... I don't mind using flats. But if I did it full time I would have more of them, and maybe some that were made of hemp or bamboo. I would also use my washing machine and probably my dryer. The challenge has been good- now I know I can cloth diaper even if my washer breaks down or I have to go away for a few days and don't know if I will have a washer. Rain is bothersome... The other day I had to lay diapers all over our furniture to dry it! They were most of the way dry and then it started to rain. I'm just glad I noticed when I did or they would have been soaked. So anyway, I will finally share some pictures! I don't know why they're so randomly spaced. As you can probably tell, I'm not a very experienced blogger. 
The diapers, before washing. I've been keeping dirties in a bucket.
This is what I use to wash them. A great big bucket and a mobile washer.




Now they're clean (the bucket got washed too), and ready to hang.
Here they are hanging. I have since added another line so I can hang more at a time.
I have to double- and triple-hang them because I don't have a very big clothesline.

Friday, May 27, 2011

Flats and Handwashing Challenge- days 3-4

Finally had to wash some poopy diapers. I dunk-swished and rung them out. (Yuck.) I really think the diapers are getting VERY clean being handwashed. Probably because I am seeing if the water is running clear or not and if it's not I do another "cycle" to get them super clean. I wish I had more room outside to hang them up though! I am having to hang 2-3 diapers up together just so I don't run out of space. They have been getting dry in plenty of time though, so I can't complain. Today it's cloudy out, so I hope they still dry fast enough.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Flats and Handwashing Challenge- day 2

I know my wash routine now.
I rinse all the diapers in a big bucket with 4 gallons of cold water and a mobile washer.
Then I wash them all with a little over a tsp of Clean B in 4 gallons of hot water. Then I do that step one more time, because the first time around seems like it brings out most of the funk (I can smell it) and I want to really wash that out.
Then I rinse in 4 gallons of cold water. And I repeat THAT step.
Then I wring everything out really well and hang it up.
Done.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Flats and Handwashing Challenge- day 1

Day One went well. Even the first night, nobody was soaked in the morning. (I have two in diapers most of the time.) I'll have to wash the diapers really soon, this morning. Guess I better go gather my supplies!

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Practicing handwashing

I washed a few flats and covers the other day with my mobile washer and they seemed to come out very clean and dry pretty quickly. I just wish they weren't so crispy after they dry... LOL

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

I got a plunger washer!

I got a mobile washer (hand operated washing machine) in the mail today. I'm going to use it to wash diapers for the Flats and Handwashing Challenge! I also ordered a few different of kinds of flats from Thanks Mama and Mom's Milk Boutique
Thanks Mama sells individual flats, along with the relatively hard to find Imse Vimse muslin flats.
If you buy a dozen flats from Mom's Milk Boutique and use coupon code COVER12 you get a free one size cover, for a limited time! I can't wait to see what I get.
I have some small hemp flats I can use as doublers, and will probably make myself a flat or two from bamboo... don't know yet. I may make myself a new diaper cover, too, if the urge strikes when I've got time.
The rules are (and this is not a complete list of rules, you can find those HERE) that you must use flats only, and you're only allowed to use (up to) 5 covers. Nighttime, you should try to make flats work, but if you can't, it's ok. You can use flushable liners but not a diaper sprayer.
When the challenge is over, feel free to come shop for some pocket diapers at my Hyena Cart store! They can be stuffed with the flats you just got done using, or the inserts that come with them. If you would rather get just the pocket shell and use your own insert or flat, email me and I will get you a custom listing up. 
Happy diapering!

Monday, May 2, 2011

Flats and Handwashing Challenge

I know, I make POCKET and FITTED diapers! But I am going to take the Flats and Handwashing Challenge. I'm sure I can do this. I have two in diapers but I think if I make a bucket and plunger washing machine my kids will even help wash the diapers. Sneaky? Yes, a little. ;)  Anyway, join me if you can!

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Anyone there?

I know, I don't write much. I usually forget I even have a blog! But I am still here, every now and then.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

News!

I have a Hyenacart store now where I can sell Clean B Detergent, if you're looking for some. I am selling dryer balls there too. The dryer balls are $5 each for a limited time. They are made differently from other balls out there- I knit a ball and put a ball of wool yarn inside it. That way it will never unravel and won't leave extra lint in your laundry. A set of 6 will save about 10 minutes on every 60 minutes of dry time.
I am going to make some changes in a few of my diapers, too. I've thrown trainers out the window because I am having so much trouble with them. Sorry.
Coming soon, bamboo pocket fitted diapers, great for overnight! And higher rise diapers with less snaps, for chunky babies with big thighs (or for bigger toddlers). Also, newborn AIO diapers with an umbilical notch and thigh snaps for those skinny little newborn legs. And sized pocket diapers:small, medium and large.
Keep checking my Facebook page and stores (Etsy and Hyenacart) for more news, since I keep forgetting to update this blog. :)

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

750 Fan Giveaway!

I'm going to do a really nice giveaway when I reach 750 Facebook fans. I will be giving a diaper, a nursing cover, some Clean B detergent, and some wipes bits and diaper balm from The Green Panda! Help me reach 750 fans by spreading the word!

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Other news

I am also beginning to make some wool dryer balls, in case anyone is interested in trying them. I may even run a special on them for the first few buyers! Keep tuned here and on Facebook.

Testing, 1 2 3!

I'm excited to be testing some new products out!
The first is sized pocket diapers with hemp/cotton fleece and cotton terry inserts. These diapers are waterproof.
The second is one-size bamboo pocket fitted diapers, which comes with a set of inserts: a small bamboo only insert, and a large bamboo only or bamboo and hemp insert. These will need to have a cover over them.
And I'm still in the process of figuring out a good trainer pattern- it's giving me some trouble though.
Lastly, I've started making a few diapers with hook and loop closure, instead of snaps.
So far, all the feedback has been great!
I still need people to test Newborn and Small pocket diapers.