Mandi's Menagerie

Vacation Mode

2010-07-10T06:56:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks,

I've finally finished up the last of the customs and now the store is in vacation mode. We've made a trip back to Kansas to deliver our 14 goats. What a trip that was! Friend of mine in Northern Kansas is keeping them for me while we finish up things here in Ca. and wait for escrow to close on our new house. If you want to read about that you can check out one of the other blogs at Harmony Acres or Herd Marmalade.

This new place is more than a dream come true for us, I can hardly believe it's true and I keep asking myself if we deserve it all.

There will be so much more room there to work and I really hope to expand into other adventures as time goes on. Next spring you may start seeing goat's milk soap in the store! That's been a huge desire for me as my Nubian dairy goat herd has expanded from just a couple for home use to the 14 we took back with us to Kansas. I love love LOVE goat's milk soap and with new babies each Spring and tons and tons of milk, soap is only a natural forgone conclusion.

At any rate, stocking and customs probably will not resume until the first of Sept. after school has started back up and we are all moved in, settled, etc. The summer is flying by with box after box piling up in my house waiting for the moving van.

Look forward to a Fall with lotsa new stuff!

May 1 Stocking

2010-04-30T19:31:00.000-07:00

Sneak Peak at Saturday's stocking.

Plus more...

AND a Freebie???

April Customs

2010-04-21T13:01:00.000-07:00

20 First and Last (F&L's)

Purdy Pink Plush Pocket

Bamboo & Organic Cotton French Terry Prefolds

Spring Cleaning

2010-04-01T06:36:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung. The tulips are blooming, our new kids have arrived (9 girls & 4 boys) and the weather (most days) is sunny and glorious! Welcome Spring. Goodbye Winter!

Almost to big to cuddle.

How do YOU talk to a little baby goat?

Do YOUR ears hand low?

It's also time for Spring cleaning and I am clearing out diapers and inserts and covers that were made and never listed! There are a lot of drawings and some auctions going on in the store and some great deals can be had!

How 'bout an isty bitsy teenie weenie ~~yellow polka dot bikini~~ Snappi friendly bamboo diaper?

I'm ready for my close up!

Inserts are useful too!

March Custom- M/L Snappi Friendly "Plain Jane"

2010-03-14T18:33:00.001-07:00

March 15 Stocking

2010-03-14T14:38:00.000-07:00

And more...

March Custom

2010-03-11T13:10:00.000-08:00

A Hoot Hoot Owls Snappi Friendly in Medium/Large

March 1- Sneak Peek

2010-02-28T15:10:00.000-08:00

It's been a rough past couple of weeks. I've been humbled, afraid, rewarded, exhausted, grateful, stressed, sad, annoyed, scared, excited, relieved and satisfied, among other things.

My 3 year old ended up in the PICU overnight because of pneumonia. What a humbling & scary ordeal! Humbling in that, thus far knock on wood, I have had majorly healthy kids. Humbling in that there are people that spend a good amount of time there with their sick littles. Humbling in that I don't, er haven't. Grateful that I have a great nurse for a neighbor who came over and listened to my son's lungs and told us what we suspected and grateful for the wisdom not to wait until morning to go to the ER because after the events that transpired, had we waited any longer we would have most certainly been calling 911 that night. Grateful for the fact we waited merely minutes in the ER that night though we did have a seriously sick little boy. Scary in that, well, just plain scary!

One ambulance ride, a fight with a nurse over a nasal cannula that was adult size, some major breathing problems, beeping, vital checks and a sleepless night later, we came home with medication only to have to find a flight out for my husband back to his home state for a funeral that weekend for a family member that had passed away that morning.

This is goat birthing season around here and Thursday night found me ~~walking~~ wearing the path from the house to the girls stall to check on a doe who was showing signs of labor. I do my best to be there for each one during delivery especially first timers since I've had to assist more than once.

I told my husband it was going to be an early morning. I would have said late night but it was midnight by the time he got home from teaching a class at one of the colleges. I fell asleep shortly after, woke up at 2 AM wanting just a couple more minutes which I would somewhat live to regret because at 3 AM I went out in the pitch black night, flipped the switch in the stall and there were 2 wet and cold babies on the ground. One mama goat can only lick her babies so fast.

Being as how I was still in my nightgown (and freezing!) I raced up to the house and changed quickly, woke my husband who did not follow me out for this one. His love for me only goes so far. Just kidding! I told him I would be fine. Two hours and two dry and nursing babies later (one boy and one girl by the way WITH spots!) it was back up to the house for another hour of sleep before getting up to start milking chores.

Friday I saw my hubby off at the airport and that brings us to today without much to sneak a peak at. But here's what I've got anyway...They'll be in the store tomorrow!

February Custom:: Prefolds

2010-02-17T04:55:00.000-08:00

February Custom

2010-02-13T07:36:00.000-08:00

XL Side Snapping Bamboo diapers with lay in snake style inserts.

February 15th Stocking and Drawing Sneak Peeks!

2010-02-10T17:57:00.000-08:00

Custom Order: Side Snapping XL

2010-02-02T08:03:00.000-08:00

One of January's customs- a side snapping XL fitted in bamboo and organic cotton french terry and velour with accent panel.

First and Last

2010-01-31T13:33:00.000-08:00

I lay awake some nights, except, you know, the nights when I'm asleep :o), thinking about gaggles of new things to make and to do. It's any wonder I sleep at all really because sometimes I cannot shut it off.

If you don't already know, I have goats. Yep, I raise goats, and milk goats, and help goats give birth (yep, I've had my hands and arms in places most people don't like to think about! Those are the joys of it all, what can I say) and sew diapers, among other things of course. Those are just my hobbies, sort of. This coming year I'd like to try my hand at soap, and go further making cheese.

But, this is the diaper blog and therefore I will be talking about diapers. I do love showing off my babies though so just one more...

Okay, enough of that. On to "First and Last". Truth be told I like browsing through photo's of cloth diapers! Truth be told as well that sometimes apostrophes just pop up from time to time in places where they shouldn't be, like in "photo's" above and I'll leave it in "photo's" above to prove that point. They often find their way into "it's" as well most often when I am thinking in terms of possession instead of a contraction, if that wasn't confusing enough. ANYWAY, enough about grammer. It's not my strong point truth be told so if you're a stickler for it, forgive me, I'm not perfect :o).

I admire the work of others but...BUT, I can't help but not like one size diapers for one specific reason.

I don't like them because I have yet to see a photo of a newborn or small infant under 12 lbs. in a one size 3 body layered diaper that actually fits well. I'm sure I'm not alone in hating bulky diapers. I don't mind some bulk. I mean, obviously. That's the nature of the beast for the most part with cloth diapers. But to put a newborn in a one size diaper and say it fits, well, that's somewhat laughable really. It may not fall off, in that sense it fits yes, but in every other sense, I have yet to see one fit well to my liking.

So, hopefully this new "First and Last" dual duty set will appease those who feel the same way I do about OS diapers!

These OS diapers come with an insert that doubles as a prefold for newborns and small infants measuring 12"x14", the same size as my small prefolds in a 2x5x2 construction (center layer has 5 layers, each outer layer is 2 layers giving you 9 total layers when folded in thirds). Once your baby has outgrown the prefold they will be ready for the OS diaper and now your prefold becomes your insert, matching panel and all! You have the option of folding the front of the diaper down to adjust to your baby's rise as well.

An added bonus is the attractive price! This diaper will cost less than what many OS diapers cost. You get a two for one deal for less, how grand! These delicious darlings are being made with an outer layer of bamboo and organic cotton french terry or loop terry which is Snappi friendly on both the diaper and prefold! The inner layer next to baby is bamboo and organic cotton velour, super super scrumptious! The prefold's inner layer is also bamboo and organic cotton velour too!

I really like the knit as an accent panel rather than the whole outer layer of the diaper. This serves a dual purpose in and of itself too. The bamboo and organic cotton french terry/loop terry really holds up a lot better over time as an outside layer as opposed to the knit. While the Snappi (if you're using one) does grab the knit panel in the center, I've found the bulk of the stress is on the wing area making the french terry/loop terry a much better choice. Not only that, but the accent panel is backed in 2 layers of bamboo and organic cotton french terry or loop terry giving your more absorbency where your baby needs it and eliminating the need for an additional doubler! Having a bunch of loose doublers running around is not something I appreciate.

The accent panel just adds a fun amount of whimsy. To aid in cutting down on bulk, the accent panel does not reach the back "top" or the front "top" of the diaper.

This is the "First and Last" diaper you will need for your baby all in one package.

They go on sale tomorrow!

New Diaper con't...

2009-11-21T14:36:00.000-08:00

I am getting around to listing these new OS diapers today. I thought I'd get some photos of my son, Drew, in them. He's been potty trained for 18 months now but happily (sort of) obliged to modeling it as long as he got to choose with one he wore. Drew is 3 1/2 and a super skinny little guy. I'm really happy with the side pin on him! He weighs 30 lbs. but as you can see, there is still a lot of room for growth! The max rise on these is 18".

Stash Clearing & Money Saving

2009-11-17T16:09:00.000-08:00

With Black Friday coming up I have been himing (himming?) and hawing about whether or not I would venture out again this year the day after Thanksgiving at 3 AM in the freezing cold (with a possible wind chill of 20 degrees) to stand for hours at the fabric store before they open. I just haven't decided if that's something I really want to put myself or my husband through AGAIN this year.

I have decided though that I did not go through nearly the fabric I did last year and something has to be done about that. Today I got to work on some flannel fitteds that are really cute, easy to use and quick dry! Oh and inexpensive too. Some will even be reversible as I attempt to reduce the bulk of fabric I have here.

I am really happy with this new pattern I drafted today. These fitteds do not have closures which really allows you to get the perfect fit for your individual baby as well as fitting a large range of sizes saving you money. They can be used with a Snappi although pins will probably be the better option. They will ALL come with inserts, 2 in fact unless otherwise stated giving anywhere from 12-15 layers of absorbency! And at just $10, these are sure to be easy on your pocket book! They'll hit the store in just a few days so be sure to check out this fun economical option.

Egats! Those are expensive!

2009-11-13T19:48:00.000-08:00

Have you questioned why fitted cloth diapers (in particular) are/(can be) so expensive?

The answer is simple yet somewhat complex. Compared to prefolds they can take more fabric. It's not so much the amount of fabric but more so what waste can result from the cut.

Secondly, the time in which is involved to make a fitted can be extensive. Different people have different ways, one of the slowest being to make them one at a time. As in, cut one at a time and sew one at a time. I myself like an assembly line style but still, it's time consuming. From cutting the diaper itself, cutting soaker layers, sewing internal soaker layers (if any), adding elastic or sewing the diaper together then sewing elastic, then turning and tops stitching (or serging) and finally, closures. There are a lot of steps!

Third, type of material. When you're paying anywhere from $5 to $15 per yard of fabric and your diaper contains 3 layers plus soakers and maybe a knit outer layer, the price adds up. Snaps cost, thread costs, elastic costs, time to photograph, time to describe, time to list, time to package, time to ship, paying employees (if applicable), machine upkeep & repair, etc. it's not just as simple as buying some fabric and whatever it costs per yard is what the price should be.

I will be the first to admit that I think $15+ is a lot of money to pay for a diaper. And while I do think there are some diaper makers out there that are probably overdueing it with what they charge, the higher end materials used in some diapers really costs, add that to the other things I mentioned and it's easy to see (maybe) why the prices are so high.

So, if you were wondering how on earth it's possible for a single solitary diaper to cost $15+ when all it is fabric, there are some valid reasons :o).

Diapers for Naomi

2009-11-11T07:44:00.000-08:00

Diapers for Naomi

Custom For Leah

2009-11-11T07:48:00.001-08:00

Medium/Large Snappi Friendly Bamboo & Organic Cotton fitted with an extra super soaker contoured doubler.

Back Into the S(e)wing of Things

2009-11-04T14:51:00.000-08:00

After a VERY busy October with very little new in the way of fluff, November is looking up as I get back into the s(e)wing of things!

Booty

2009-09-25T20:16:00.000-07:00

Brand new Baby Naomi in her skulls fitted NB diaper.

Congrats to Susanna and Family!

My heart is happy

2009-09-29T12:19:00.001-07:00

Forgive me if I am wrong here in thinking that this is my diaper and forgive me if I am NOT being humble by not keeping my mouth shut or anything but imagine my surprise when I jump over MckMama's website to see this!

Quite a few months ago I sent Baby Stellan an Orange Ooga diaper when I first got the fabric in.

I have been reading this blog for well over a year now. Some time after Stellan's birth Jennifer mentioned ~~her~~ Stellan's favorite color was orange and this fabric so made me think of him. After finding out she was a cloth diaper user, I just had to send a organic cotton/bamboo sized fitted his way!

My heart is happy.

CPSC, FTC, CPSIA- New system

2009-09-25T19:57:00.000-07:00

Can I just tell you I've about gone out of my mind?? What's all that you ask? My primitive tracking operation for now. Well, that and a diaper, some pins, a rotary cutter, a ball point pen and a permanent fabric marker. Oh, and a rotary mat.

Since August 15th, to be in compliance, a new tracking system has gone into place. It's taken me a little time to come up with something remotely achievable, it's falling into place. While I do hope to have a better written system set up soon, for now,this is what it is and it's a bit time consuming but necessary.

At least for now the new individually unique tracking # for each and every article is marked on the back of the size tags.

I've been thinking...

2009-09-20T10:33:00.001-07:00

With the new laws set into affect by the FTC and CPSC with regard to tracking and content and lead limits...I think I'll have big sale to make room for all the new stuff that I've been working on. Out with the old, in with the new...check out the store for the great deals to be had!

Custom- August

2009-08-08T10:02:00.001-07:00

Quite honestly folks I have just been SO busy with life I haven't had much time for sewing. If you don't know, I have two kiddos, I have milking goats, I have a huge garden and summer time is just incredibly busy for me. If you'd like to read more about that aspect, check out my other blogs at Harmony Acres and Growing and Sewing.

At any rate, I do have quite a few adorable things I've been working on and as soon as I get a chance, I'll list those but I wanted to take this chance to put up a snappiable custom fitted I finished up just yesterday and shipped out.

Iced giraffes, pink ooga, oh my!

2009-06-30T05:59:00.000-07:00

New Items will be available Friday, July 3 including pink Ooga in 2 colorways and Iced Giraffes!