Pipestone Soaps

Goats Milk - Lavender

I stumbled across Pipestone Soaps on Facebook, of all places, while I was browsing around for Canadian-made products I could feature on this blog.  Made in Alberta, these soaps are clearly made by someone who enjoys their work.  If you follow them on Facebook you will see new "flavours" every couple of days, such as Vanilla Mint, Dragon Tree, Sweet Orange Chili Pepper, Citrus Lavender, Maple Walnut Fudge, Toffee Apple Crunch (are you drooling yet?).  I ordered 5 or 6 bars (was able to justify this by allocating most as gifts...) and when my package arrived I sure was surprised and thrilled to find the bars I ordered, all individually wrapped with care in tissue paper, along with a bunch of samples, some solid perfume sticks, and even some candy treats (which were a big hit with the husband).  Apparently there are different samples and/or treats in all her packages, which is great because you get to try out new soap scents/types in small doses, to help you decide what you might want in your next order.  You can also see the eco-friendly packaging, as my soaps were shipped in a sturdy, repurposed Raysbestos Brake Pads box. 

After I opened the package...here are all the little treats!

Don't let the packaging fool you though, the master chef at Pipestone Soaps certainly knows her stuff.  The soaps are a generous 4.5oz (or more) and will last a long time (particularly if they are kept dry between uses, such as in a soap dish that allows the water from the bar to drain off).  They are made from scratch with "Sustainable Premium Raw Ingredients such as Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Castor Oil, Palm Kernel Oil, Mango Butter, Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter..." and soaps are available in all-natural, or as I mentioned above, many wonderful scents and combinations.  The bars are about an inch thick, and slightly larger than my palm, and the soap is marvelously dense and lathers up smoothly and quickly.  It rinses clean and leaves just the lightest scent on your hands.  In this season of colds, colds, and more colds, I am wiping three noses on a regular basis, and as you can imagine, washing my hands ALL THE TIME.  I find the Pipestone Soaps do not dry out my hands like some of the more common antibacterial pump soaps do, and it's nice to know that they are not full of all kinds of unpronounceable ingredients.

Goats Milk - Toasted Marshmallow

I have been using a sample of Berry Breeze in the shower for a few weeks now, and although it sits alongside the manly bar of Zest, I am noticing that even my husband seems to prefer using the Pipestone Soaps bar (as the Zest is just not getting any smaller...).  I also have a sample of the Nutcracker in my kitchen, and a full size "Monkey Farts" in the kids bathroom.  This is a really cute "kids" soap, it's got a flower shape in the middle and a creamy light colored soap around it.  The smell is fresh, clean, and kid-friendly, and I feel great about even washing my 7 month old baby with it.  If I had to make one suggestion it would be that this soap be cut smaller to better suit little kid hands...my 4 year old has a hard time picking up the big 4.5oz bar and it often gets dropped into the bottom of the sink (where I quickly snatch it out and put it back on the soap dish, no one wants a drowned soap!)

Toddler-size your soap!

*UPDATE* It turns out that Pipestone Soaps has a suggestion/fix for this - since these soaps are homemade they can be cut at home (unlike storebought soaps which tend to flake & crack...).  So if you would like to make guest size soaps, toddler size soaps, or just cut your bars smaller (so you can switch them up more often) all you need is a cutting board and a sharp knife!  Like so: 

One thing I should mention is that she also makes Goats Milk soaps, they are a bit pricier ($1 extra per bar) but they are supposed to be incredible and moisturizing for your skin.  I haven't had a chance to try my Goats Milk bar yet but I hope to break it out soon!

If you would like to find out more about Pipestone Soaps, check them out on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PipestoneSoaps (but beware, seeing pictures in your feed of their gorgeous soaps may make you want to buy all kinds of them...)  Their prices are $5.50 for a regular bar, $6.50 for a Goats Milk bar, plus shipping of course, unless you are local.  If you stay tuned to their Facebook page you might even get lucky and catch a sale or 1/2 price shipping event...

Infantino EcoSash Wrap & Tie Carrier

After my review of the Moby Wrap, it should come as no surprise to you that I enjoy babywearing.  Or, should I say, I enjoy the freedom it gives me.  Freedom from having a heavy carseat tugging at my arm sockets.  Freedom from having to balance a baby on one hip while reaching for a cup of coffee with my free arm (and then attempting to drink said coffee without baby splashing it all over both of us with her endlessly waving arms).  Freedom to shop at Costco without having to leave the baby in her carseat on the "Carts" side of the checkout.

I have heard many great things about the Ergo baby carrier, and had the opportunity to take it for a test drive with my little girl last month as my sister let me try hers out.  This isn't an Ergo review (since I don't own one, I am not going to consider myself qualified to review it) but there were a handful of thoughts that came to mind when I used it.  First of all, I really liked the support around the waist/hips.  And the fabric was really nice and soft (she has the ERGObaby Black Sport Carrier).  So I got my daughter adjusted in the front carry, I had the padded shoulder straps over my shoulders, and then - I had to get my sister to close the buckle.  I don't know about you, but I don't always run around with an assistant.  Unless you could count my 4 year old, which I don't, because if I'd asked him to close a buckle on the Ergo he'd probably answer by saying something like "rawrrrr, I'm pretending to be a spike-o-saurus" and headbutting my hip.  And I'd be left trying to safely buckle in a squirmy baby in a parking lot by taking both hands off her and reaching over my head and ... ouch.  My neck and back hurt just thinking about it.

I love the Moby Wrap because it's so simple.  One knot, and you're done.  I just wanted something like that, only with a little less fabric to deal with.  So I went to a local store that carried a number of babywearing options, and tried out several different styles of carriers.  I tried the BabyHawk Mei Tai (loved it, but they only had one in stock and I didn't like the fabric), another very soft similar style carrier, the brand of which I cannot recall right now (loved how small it folded up, it would literally fit into my coat pocket, but did not like that the straps had no padding), and finally the Infantino EcoSash Wrap & Tie Carrier.  It was packaged up in its own carrying/laundering bag made of a black mesh, so I did have to dismantle the packaging to try it on.  Thankfully the store owner was OK with this.

I love how there are no buckles to fuss with, but the carrier still feels somewhat structured.  It has a reversible front fabric panel (goes from modern abstract vines to plain black, in case I have to make my husband wear it somewhere) and two loops into which to thread the shoulder straps to facilitate an easy back carry (or to make the front carry a bit more secure by ensuring the straps coming from behind you stay in place around the height of baby's torso.  The EcoSash actually has the wearing instructions printed on satiny soft panels so that you don't always need the book in front of you (when you are starting out, use the book.  Once you are adept at wearing it, you won't really need the instructions in either place.  You double-knot the shorter straps around your waist, then hold baby in front of you, lift the front part, long straps go over shoulders, criss-cross behind you, feed through the front loops on left & right, then double-knot in the front.  The shoulder straps are padded and so are quite comfortable even after a few hours of wearing with an 18lb baby in it (I haven't worn it for longer than that, so I can't comment what it would be like to wear all day).  I do wish that the waist straps were either padded or stiffened in some way, because even though they are nice and wide, they do just sort of bunch together after being knotted around my squishy middle section (AKA waist).

The carrier is also baby approved, she is warm and comfortable in it, and apparently sucking/chewing on the shoulder straps is a fun and tasty way to pass the time.  She also loves being able to look right up at me, and to look around at everything going on, especially when we are out shopping.  I love that when she is in the baby carrier, random strangers are less likely to touch her than when she's in her carseat (although, random strangers' children are not shy at all about holding her hands, which dangle out of the sides of the carrier most of the time...).

I have not yet laundered my carrier, and since it is a deep black colour, I will likely wash it on its own the first time, maybe with an old cloth tossed in to see if it stains other clothes.  It does come with its own mesh bag for laundering, so that is a nice feature.  I can just imagine what fun it would be to have to untangle all 4 straps from my old school top loader's agitator...*shudder*.  If I find any major issues after laundering I will be sure to update here.

**Updated**, so I laundered the Infantino EcoSash Wrap & Tie Carrier a couple of days ago, in the mesh bag that comes with it.  It washed just fine, and did not stain my other clothes (granted, I washed it with all my "dark" delicates,  I wouldn't throw it in with anything white or light coloured).  I must not have tied the mesh bag tightly enough, because the straps did work their way out of the top opening and snaked around my top loader, though they did not actually get tangled with anything.  I had to hang it up to dry, and we've been having awful wet weather here, so it's day two of indoor hanging to dry, and it's still a bit damp.  It says explicitly not to put it in the dryer though, so I will just try and be patient while it dries (and use my Moby wrap in the meantime).

If you want to learn more about the Infantino EcoSash Wrap & Tie Carrier, check out the product page on Infantino's website.  You can also read more here on Step2's website.  It sells for anywhere between $60 and $80 depending on where you shop.

Nursing Covers - Udder Covers and Cover In Style by Hooter Hiders

I'll admit, I'm not really that big on "covering up" when nursing my baby - it's usually too warm for her and me, she is at that distracted age where she would just grab it and pull if I did try to use a cover, and it's just one more thing to carry around.

However, there are occasions where a coverup has been perfect. Take for example the time I had to nurse my son in the hospital waiting room when he was just a few days old. Neither of us had any idea about breastfeeding and so latching was an awkward and time consuming process (with way more exposure than I was comfortable with at the time). Or how about the times that I have ventured out to church with a baby, that isn't exactly the kind of place where I'd like to whip out a boob... Not to mention that not everyone is as easygoing as I am with breastfeeding in public, and some places even give nursing moms a hard time (that is awful, I'm glad no one has ever told me to cover up, I think they would have gotten an earful!).

I have a new black and white Udder Covers brand coverup and a borrowed pink and white Cover in Style coverup by Hooter Hiders. Both operate on the same premise, they are a rectangle of fabric with a strap attached, and a section of hem between the strap connections that has some boning to make a stiff opening when the strap is fastened around your neck. This opening can be made bigger or smaller by loosening or tightening the strap. Both nursing covers allow this to be done fairly easily using a double d-ring fastener. Once the cover is on, simply bring the baby into position, arrange the fabric around him/her, and rest assured that no one will be seeing anything that you don't want them to. I suppose if you are sitting down and someone stands up behind you, they could possibly see in from the top, but really? Who does that? (Please tell me no one does that...)

The Cover in Style has a terry fabric pocket on one corner, it's great for wiping up any milk leaks or spit up without having to wrestle with another piece of cloth.  Both coverups fold/roll up quite small and so they don't take up much space in your diaper bag. I usually keep mine in the car so that if I happen to be in a place where I need it, I have it handy. They are machine washable (delicate cycle recommended), and can go in the dryer on low heat, though I usually line dry mine.

Both the nursing covers come in a great selection of colours and patterns, I would recommend a lighter colour if you think you'll use it outdoors where the sun can make it uncomfortably warm for you and baby. You can check out the selection of Udder Covers at http://www.uddercovers.com, as well as use the store locator to find a local retailer (and save yourself the $10 shipping!).  Although they don't seem to make the Cover in Style anymore, you can also look at the similar Hooter Hiders and Bébé Au Lait nursing covers at http://www.bebeaulait.com. All of these brands will cost somewhere in the $30 to $40 range.

Milkbands

Since someone, somewhere, determined that August is Breastfeeding Awareness Month, I thought I would post a few breastfeeding related reviews for you to enjoy.  This one is of a neat little product called Milkbands.  New moms have a lot on the brain.  There are the big things like doctors appointments and vaccination options and schedules, and small things like remembering to eat and shower, changing diapers in a timely manner, and oh my goodness, when is the last time baby had a bath?  (Tip: if baby's neck smells like sour milk, it's time for baby to have a bath...). Oh, and then there is the feeding.  The sleep deprivation, and the endless feeding.  And the sleep deprivation that makes you forget when the last time is that the baby ate, and on what side.  You may end up doing the squeeze test to see if you can determine which side you are supposed to offer next...which is fine, til your husband sees you doing it, and gets that look in his eye...no dear, I don't need any help with this specifically.  If you want to be useful, go empty the dishwasher or fold some laundry ;-)

So, how do Milkbands make your life better?  What exactly are they?  They are bracelets that you wear on one wrist, similar to the yellow Livestrong bracelets, and they can keep track of the side you last fed on, the time since the last feeding, how long the feeding was, and more.  You flip the bracelet inside out to record the side you last fed on, and the text for LEFT is lowered, and RIGHT is raised, so you can even do it in the dark.  There are plastic sliders that fit onto grooves in the bracelet which you can move up and down to track the feeding start time, or the duration (whichever you are interested in).  The bracelet is comfortable, unobtrusive, and waterproof, so you never have to take it off.

I did find the original sliders that came with the Milkband were prone to breaking, after being used for a while I would go to adjust them and notice that one was very loose or missing.  I definitely broke one while changing the sheets on my bed, my wrist got caught between the mattress and the bed frame.  Thankfully the Milkband came with four sliders (only two are used at once on the bracelet), and after two of them broke, I contacted the company and was able to order replacement sliders (they were free, but I did have to pay a couple of bucks for shipping).  The replacement ones are much sturdier, and after I finished using the Milkband, I packed them away with it (in case I ever need to use it again).

The Milkband is not something you will need for a long time, but for those first few hazy weeks (or months), it is a very convenient way to keep track of feeding times and sides no matter what time it is or where you are.  It sells for under $10 and is definitely worth it!  Check out more about Milkbands at http://www.milkbands.com.

Contigo AUTOSEAL Madison Water Bottle (24 fl oz/750 mL)

It looks like we are finally into the hot, sunny days of summer.  The days where you can easily rush about for hours out in the sun, only to realize at lunchtime that you are thirstier than you have been in a long time, because you didn't take a break to get a glass of water.  Oops!  And if you're like me, by this time, you probably have a headache from the dehydration, and a baby wanting to nurse (how are you supposed to make milk if you don't have enough liquid in your body to hydrate yourself??)

I have taken to using my Contigo water bottle to make sure that I always have something to drink with me, wherever I go.  The water bottle holds about 24 fl oz or 750 mL of liquid, and has a waterproof top that screws on for a tight seal.  The top has a nifty mechanism built in that allows the liquid inside to come out only when you are ready - it has a button you push with your fingers that opens up the hole near your mouth when you drink.  The top also has a carabiner style clip on it that lets you clip the bottle onto your purse, backpack, stroller, even to the belt loop on your jeans if you're really desperate for a place to put it.  The Contigo water bottle is made of sturdy BPA-free plastic (remember the indestructible Nalgene bottles?  It's like that.  I've actually left mine on the roof of my car and driven away, had the bottle fly to the pavement, and it barely had a scratch on it.

These reusable water bottles are much more environmentally sound than continuously buying single-use water bottles, and much cleaner & better for you than reusing single-use bottles.  I find them to be a lot easier to keep clean than the narrow-neck aluminum or stainless steel bottles, and they don't dent when you accidentally drop them.  (Or am I the only one with a cupboard full of reusable metal water bottles that won't stand up because the bottoms are awkwardly dented?)  They can go in your dishwasher, mine have even survived the bottom rack, but we don't use the heat-dry option, so do that at your own risk.  The tops are dishwasher safe but you can be more thorough with the cleaning if you do it by hand with a mini bottle brush type thing.

Now I do have one peeve about these bottles, though it hasn't stopped me from using them.  That is the top has a vent to let the air in when the water comes out.  Nothing wrong with that, except this vent has a plastic cap with a couple small gaps/holes when it's installed, which not only allow the air to get in, but also allow gunk from your dishwater/dishwasher in, and worst case, it could let small insects inside as well (say, if you're gardening and putting your bottle on the grass beside you...).  Let me tell you the story of the earwig...well it's not much of a story, except that it took me a LONG time to figure out what that "funny smell" was every time I took a drink... turns out it was an earwig that had crawled into the air vent space (once I forgot my bottle outside overnight...) and it died in there...and I imagine every run through the dishwasher disintegrated it a bit more...  Well I ended up prying the vent lid off, and found the earwig, I washed it out about a thousand times, threw up a little in my mouth, and debated whether to keep the bottle or to throw it away.  Well it turns out that my love for the Contigo bottle exceeded the yuck factor, so I kept it.  But from that day forward I made sure to pull up the air vent cover on all my Contigo bottles before running them through the dishwasher, to make sure that nothing gross got stuck in the air vent space.

Well, now that I've thoroughly grossed you out, I'll tell you that you can get these bottles at Costco for under $20 for a set of three, or follow the embedded purchase links to get them from Amazon.  You may possibly also be able to buy them elsewhere.  And when you get them, I have two tips.  One: don't leave them outdoors in the grass overnight and Two: if they smell funky at some point in the future, try prying off the air vent cap and clean it out thoroughly.

You can read more at Contigo's website: http://www.gocontigo.com/water-bottles.html.

What's your favourite way to stay hydrated on the go?

Armpocket SPORT i-20

I love to run.  I may be one of the slowest runners you'll ever meet, especially right now that I'm eager to run but my body is somewhat less co-operative, having just been put through the wringer with labour and childbirth (albeit a relatively simple, uncomplicated one), but I really enjoy my running.  One thing I definitely rely on to carry me through from the imaginary start line, out on my run, and back to my home is a place I can safely store my iPhone in order to a) enjoy some fast paced tunes along my running route and b) track my workout using RunKeeper (see my review on RunKeeper here).  I used to run with an iPod Shuffle, preloaded with all my favorite tunes, plus a Timex Bodylink system for heart rate monitoring, GPS, and recording purposes.  (Honestly at this point you'd think I was some hardcore runner.  Fact is I'm happy when I can knock off two 5K's a week...)  When I was introduced to RunKeeper (on an old HTC Touch, no less), I had to add another gadget to the collection.  Finally with the iPhone I can do everything except heart rate monitoring with a single device.  But it's not a cheap device, so I don't exactly feel good about the jostling, sweat-dripping, pavement-dropping potential dangers of taking it out on the road.

I researched a ton of armband type iPhone holders before finally getting this one, my husband has one too so I was able to try it out before I bought as well.  My favourite things about it are:

•  the clear window so that you can see & interact with the phone while it is in the case
• the extra pocket inside to hold keys, lip balm, cash, whatever you might need (as long as it fits into the space)
• the padding that keeps your arm sweat from becoming sweat on your phone
• the little stretchy fabric thing that holds your iPhone right up to the clear window
• the fact that it comes in a bunch of bright fun colours

One thing I'm not super crazy about:

• the armband itself, I find it sometimes needs to be adjusted a couple of times to stay tight.  But, it's never come undone, so I guess it could be a lot worse!  It's neoprene with a hook & loop style closure so perhaps it's the slight stretch in the material (or my upper arm jiggly bits) that keeps me from finding the perfect fit the first time I put it on

It is so convenient to be able to put the phone in, and know it's safe from both sweat and precipitation, and to be able to interact with it without having to take it out of the case.  I run with a pair of Bluetooth headphones so I don't have to worry about cables, but the Armpocket SPORT i-20 does have an opening for earphone cables to come out without compromising the water resistance of the case.

If you're looking for a durable, well-made, attractive, and functional case for your phone that will not break the bank, this could very well be it.  Check out more at http://www.armpocket.com/products/SPORT-20-LW.html.

TeuxDeux

I think there are two kids of people in the world, those that like to-do lists, and those that don't get anything done.  Well, OK, maybe it's not that serious, but if you ARE one of those people that likes both the inner calm that comes from converting your mental to-do list into an on-paper or online version, and the satisfaction that comes from crossing things off the list, then have I got a service/app for you!  I am definitely a hardcore list maker, in fact, I have been known to add things to my to-do list that I've already completed, just for the satisfaction of crossing them off.  Yes, dirty little secret, I know.  I believe that it keeps me productive!

I am all over the idea of GTD ("Getting Things Done", http://www.davidco.com/), but when it comes right down to it, what makes me happiest is a simple daily list where I can just put the stuff that needs to get done.  On a good day, it's full of productive things like "wash laundry" and "make batches of lasagna to freeze".  Some days, I have to put "shower" and "eat breakfast" on the list, just for the satisfaction of being able to cross SOMETHING off.  I have been using the TeuxDeux website (http://teuxdeux.com/) which is free, and the accompanying iPhone app (which is inexpensive, $2.99 in the app store) to keep track of the daily things that need accomplishing.

The concept is really simple, you can enter in a one-liner for each task, and put it on the appropriate day (today + 4 days in the future, plus a "Someday" section).  Once it's done, cross it off.  Once it's crossed off, it stays put.  If at the end of the day, some of your to-dos remain undone (I'm absolutely certain that this doesn't only happen to me...), the service simply rolls them over to the next day.  There are no fancy deadline fields, priorities, tags, or categories to manage.  You simply put in what you need to do today, get cracking & cross stuff off as it gets done, and anything you don't get to, no problem - the app rolls it over into tomorrow.  You can edit or delete any of the items you've put into the list, you can drag-drop items to put them in order (if you like to group your @home and @errands stuff into separate sections, the sorting helps do this), and you can even move stuff to future days if you know you won't get to it today.

I especially appreciate their humourous and informative FAQ section - one of the questions is in regards to how many days to display - can the whole month be displayed?  Their answer is "Whoa there partner. Let's just take it down a notch. Don't worry about the whole month. Live for today. So, short answer: No."  My thoughts exactly.  With two kids at home I try not to think too far out in the future (we have Google Calendar to keep track of dentist appointments and kid checkups and the like).  Having an app that helps keep me focused on the daily priorities, and is almost as satisfying when it comes to crossing things off as actually putting a line of ink onto paper.  Plus, since the iPhone app syncs with the online service, I can cross things off while I'm out and about.  Post Office to mail letter?  Check!  Buy Groceries? Check!  I can also add things while on the go, or even just add them while walking around the house with my iPhone.  (Yes, I've walked around and added stuff like "wash unidentified gunk off kitchen window" and "ask husband if he drained the kiddie pool or if it sprung a leak" because if you're like me, you'll forget those things when you're in front of your computer and not staring at the gunky window or empty pool.

Check out the service at http://teuxdeux.com/ and the app on iTunes at http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/teuxdeux/id384291782?mt=8.

Ana Silver Co Jewelry

Sometimes, as a mom, it can be challenging to look put together. There is only so much redeeming that a nice pair of shoes or a cute scarf can do. One thing I have found that helps a lot is jewelry. But, jewelry can be pricey, and if it's not, it usually looks cheap or childish, and it doesn't usually last very long. This is where the Ana Silver Co comes in. They make a TON of real sterling silver jewelry - pendants, chains, rings, earrings, and bracelets. Most, if not all, are made with some form of precious or semiprecious stones such as amethyst,aquamarine, moonstone, amber, or onyx. My personal favourites have to be Rainbow Mystic Topaz, Pink Druzy, and the various colours of copper turquoise. Usually you can find a complete set, namely a ring, earrings, and matching pendant, and get all three for less than $20, if you are patient and hold out for auctions that don't already have bidders on them.

They sell their jewelery from their website, but also on eBay, and the prices are extremely reasonable. We're talking about auctions starting at $6.99 and shipping is around $7, plus $1.50 for each extra item. So if you do buy some, it makes sense to get multiple things, even to combine forces with your friends, or to buy some items as gifts, to bring down the per item shipping cost.

The items are excellent quality, well made, and well described in the auction listings. Some of the stones appear brighter in the photographs than they do in real life, but this is true in jewelry stores too, where items in a case have special lighting to bring out all the sparkle and shine. I really like the way they give the measurements of the jewelry in their listings, so you can get an idea how big the ring head is or how long the silver chains are.

Once you win an auction, you have ten days to pay, and trust me, you can buy a ton of jewelry in ten days! After you pay, it takes about ten days for the items to arrive (at least to our home in Eastern Canada). Then you get to wear your new jewelry and start getting compliments on it... Not to mention that the jewelry is real .925 sterling silver, so it's actually an investment as well, and won't get grungy over time. If you want to check out their eBay store, it's at http://stores.ebay.com/Ana-Silver-Co.