Ok, as requested by some (thanks alauna for making me get my butt in gear), I have opened my etsy shop. Its not perfect, but its a start!
To start with, I've listed a few skirts and a tutu. Soon to come: baby blankets, calligraphy. And hopefully more!
Check it out: Crafting Maven's Etsy Shop
Enjoy!
Friday, September 10, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Unplugged
We are in our 4th week of living/visiting the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Both husband and I grew up here. Is it still just visiting when you're here for 7 weeks?
I thought living (mostly) unplugged for 7 weeks would bring out the creativity. And, it does. But the lack of crafting supplies, lack of readily available internet, and lack of sleep has produced NO projects in the last 3.5 weeks. But, it has unleashed something else.
While we are mostly unplugged, we are both still working fulltime. We telecommute, so obviously, we're not unplugged during the day. But, where we are staying/living: no internet, we have a tv, and it gets a few channels, but we don't really use it. (we have, however, treated ourselves to catching up on Dexter seasons 2 and 3 after baby is in bed). But now that obsession is cured, we're back to reading at night. We both have smart phones, but in an effort to not go over our data plans, the internet is turned off when we leave work. We do have water and electricity, but a short 10 minute drive away, is my dad's hunting cabin, completely off the grid. No water, no electricity. Even cell phone reception is spotty.
So, our evenings are spent visiting with friends and family, hanging out on the lake, reading, talking, playing old-fashioned board games, drinking too much wine, and generally just appreciating life. It got me thinking: would it be like this if we lived here full-time? When the new-ness and novelty of it all wears off, then what? And, what about those severe, 7-months of sub-zero temperature winters? Then what?
In Colorado, where we reside the rest of the year, even in the middle of January, there are occasional days where I can walk the dog without a jacket. Do you hear that, Wisconsin Winter? NO JACKET! We do come to Wisconsin in the Winter for about 2 weeks around Christmas time. And, again, its lovely. Beyond lovely. I take walks across the frozen lake, listening to the crunch of the snow. Take in the whiteness of it all. But, again, would it get old after awhile?
We visited with some friends the other night who live in Wisconsin fulltime. They said they had so much fun, and then admitted they don't have many friends up here. When you grew up in a town the size of this one, you already know everyone.
All in all, being 'unplugged' is glorious. The time spent with friends and family is far better than anything the internet has to offer (even for an internet addict like me). Surprisingly, I get along quite well not knowing everyone's statuses 24 hours/day.
So, perhaps its creativity in a new way. I have nothing to show for it, no material object, no editable object to photograph and post. Instead, I have snapshots of life happening. Raspberries being picked, and eaten faster than the bowl will fill, eating lunch out of a cooler on the dock surrounded by people I care about. And, thats enough for me.
I thought living (mostly) unplugged for 7 weeks would bring out the creativity. And, it does. But the lack of crafting supplies, lack of readily available internet, and lack of sleep has produced NO projects in the last 3.5 weeks. But, it has unleashed something else.
While we are mostly unplugged, we are both still working fulltime. We telecommute, so obviously, we're not unplugged during the day. But, where we are staying/living: no internet, we have a tv, and it gets a few channels, but we don't really use it. (we have, however, treated ourselves to catching up on Dexter seasons 2 and 3 after baby is in bed). But now that obsession is cured, we're back to reading at night. We both have smart phones, but in an effort to not go over our data plans, the internet is turned off when we leave work. We do have water and electricity, but a short 10 minute drive away, is my dad's hunting cabin, completely off the grid. No water, no electricity. Even cell phone reception is spotty.
So, our evenings are spent visiting with friends and family, hanging out on the lake, reading, talking, playing old-fashioned board games, drinking too much wine, and generally just appreciating life. It got me thinking: would it be like this if we lived here full-time? When the new-ness and novelty of it all wears off, then what? And, what about those severe, 7-months of sub-zero temperature winters? Then what?
In Colorado, where we reside the rest of the year, even in the middle of January, there are occasional days where I can walk the dog without a jacket. Do you hear that, Wisconsin Winter? NO JACKET! We do come to Wisconsin in the Winter for about 2 weeks around Christmas time. And, again, its lovely. Beyond lovely. I take walks across the frozen lake, listening to the crunch of the snow. Take in the whiteness of it all. But, again, would it get old after awhile?
We visited with some friends the other night who live in Wisconsin fulltime. They said they had so much fun, and then admitted they don't have many friends up here. When you grew up in a town the size of this one, you already know everyone.
All in all, being 'unplugged' is glorious. The time spent with friends and family is far better than anything the internet has to offer (even for an internet addict like me). Surprisingly, I get along quite well not knowing everyone's statuses 24 hours/day.
So, perhaps its creativity in a new way. I have nothing to show for it, no material object, no editable object to photograph and post. Instead, I have snapshots of life happening. Raspberries being picked, and eaten faster than the bowl will fill, eating lunch out of a cooler on the dock surrounded by people I care about. And, thats enough for me.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
whatever happened to days 21-30?
So, I failed at my 30 days of creativity. Miserably. But, I tried. And then, I stopped trying. :)
We decided to head north for the summer earlier than planned and that really threw a wrench in my crafting/creating. With the exception of several VERY creative dinners (whats that? i have a can of black beans, a can of corn, some cheese tortellini and lettuce?---mix it all together!!) I did not create for the last part of my challenge. Do you count packing everything you need for 2 adults, 1 puppydog and 1 toddler for 7 (SEVEN!) weeks into a VERY small SUV creative? If so, count that too. :)
That being said, we are now up north. Yay! While Husband and I continue to work fulltime, I am enjoying working where baby is. (We have to go to a friends' house for internet access, and she graciously agreed to watch baby while we work along with her two kids). I am enjoying the lake, the boat, the sunsets, the relaxed pace of life, the lack of shopping, the psithurism, the family time. I am NOT enjoying: the humidity. I do NOT remember the carpet feeling wet all summer growing up here. Did I block it out of my memory? Do you just get used to it? ew. and, the grocery prices. seriously. I miss my produce store. and the competitiveness of grocery stores in a city-burb.
Nothing creative to post. But, I'm sure the lack of tv/internet in the evenings will catch up with me soon. For now, I'm enjoying it reading and spending time with family that we only see a few times per year. I HAVE been fantasizing about this amazing store in Breckenridge. The owners sew EVERYTHING in the store. and its all very cute. I could see owning a store like that. We even talked about how much it would cost to try to start up something like that.
Hope you're enjoying summer!
We decided to head north for the summer earlier than planned and that really threw a wrench in my crafting/creating. With the exception of several VERY creative dinners (whats that? i have a can of black beans, a can of corn, some cheese tortellini and lettuce?---mix it all together!!) I did not create for the last part of my challenge. Do you count packing everything you need for 2 adults, 1 puppydog and 1 toddler for 7 (SEVEN!) weeks into a VERY small SUV creative? If so, count that too. :)
That being said, we are now up north. Yay! While Husband and I continue to work fulltime, I am enjoying working where baby is. (We have to go to a friends' house for internet access, and she graciously agreed to watch baby while we work along with her two kids). I am enjoying the lake, the boat, the sunsets, the relaxed pace of life, the lack of shopping, the psithurism, the family time. I am NOT enjoying: the humidity. I do NOT remember the carpet feeling wet all summer growing up here. Did I block it out of my memory? Do you just get used to it? ew. and, the grocery prices. seriously. I miss my produce store. and the competitiveness of grocery stores in a city-burb.
Nothing creative to post. But, I'm sure the lack of tv/internet in the evenings will catch up with me soon. For now, I'm enjoying it reading and spending time with family that we only see a few times per year. I HAVE been fantasizing about this amazing store in Breckenridge. The owners sew EVERYTHING in the store. and its all very cute. I could see owning a store like that. We even talked about how much it would cost to try to start up something like that.
Hope you're enjoying summer!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Days 12-20
Day 12: Made a Tutu!
We were going to a baby shower, this is what baby wore!
Day 13: Taggies Blanket
I've made these for each of my new baby cousins. Usually, its satin on one side, fleece on the other. I decided to make this one summer weight, with flannel and cotton. Plus, when I saw this flannel, I couldn't pass it up! Too cute!
Day 14: Another Blanket
The original blanket turned out so cute, I decided to make one for baby. This time, without tags! Not sure I like this one, but for now, she enjoys playing with it. :)
Day 15: Made card for Mom's birthday (sorry, no picture)
Day 16: Worked on picking pictures to hang in our living room that I bought frames for over a year ago....nothing to show for this yet, but I hope to have them printed and hung by the end of the month for another post. :)
Day 17: Worked on editing said pictures.
Day 18: Made a list of chores. Doesn't sound creative? Ok, its not. But, this whole month of being creative is having side effects: Its making me want to be more organized. Weird, huh? So, the list goes: Monday: Laundry, Tuesday: Sweep/Mop kitchen floors, Wednesday: "random" clean for half an hour. (ie, clean basement, coat closet, etc), Thursday: Bathrooms, Friday: Vaccuum. And, that leaves Saturday and Sunday mostly open. We're aiming to also clean for half an hour each day. But, we generally spend all weekend trying to make up for the whole week of doing nothing, so...we'll see where this gets us.
Day 19: Worked on Etsy Banner. What? I have an etsy shop? I DO! But, its not quite ready to be unveiled! Soon...as soon as I get that darn banner done...
Day 20: Worked on pictures to list things on Etsy...
Sorry for so few pictures. Hopefully some of these projects get done next week! :)
We were going to a baby shower, this is what baby wore!
Day 13: Taggies Blanket
I've made these for each of my new baby cousins. Usually, its satin on one side, fleece on the other. I decided to make this one summer weight, with flannel and cotton. Plus, when I saw this flannel, I couldn't pass it up! Too cute!
Day 14: Another Blanket
The original blanket turned out so cute, I decided to make one for baby. This time, without tags! Not sure I like this one, but for now, she enjoys playing with it. :)
Day 15: Made card for Mom's birthday (sorry, no picture)
Day 16: Worked on picking pictures to hang in our living room that I bought frames for over a year ago....nothing to show for this yet, but I hope to have them printed and hung by the end of the month for another post. :)
Day 17: Worked on editing said pictures.
Day 18: Made a list of chores. Doesn't sound creative? Ok, its not. But, this whole month of being creative is having side effects: Its making me want to be more organized. Weird, huh? So, the list goes: Monday: Laundry, Tuesday: Sweep/Mop kitchen floors, Wednesday: "random" clean for half an hour. (ie, clean basement, coat closet, etc), Thursday: Bathrooms, Friday: Vaccuum. And, that leaves Saturday and Sunday mostly open. We're aiming to also clean for half an hour each day. But, we generally spend all weekend trying to make up for the whole week of doing nothing, so...we'll see where this gets us.
Day 19: Worked on Etsy Banner. What? I have an etsy shop? I DO! But, its not quite ready to be unveiled! Soon...as soon as I get that darn banner done...
Day 20: Worked on pictures to list things on Etsy...
Sorry for so few pictures. Hopefully some of these projects get done next week! :)
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Days 3-11
Day 3: Calligraphy...
here is a picture of a sample I made for the client...
Day 4: Learning to make Gyoza!
Here is a preview...more to come in a future blog!
Day 5 and Day 6: Calligraphy until I literally could no longer feel my hand. hello, carpal tunnel.
Here is the style the client actually used. This is one I messed up with wrong name/address, so no stalking! :)
Day 7: More Calligraphy...whew...I'm finally done!
Day 8: Worked on Menu for my parents' restaurant!
Day 9: Worked on Order form for parent's restaurant
Day 10: Made a drawing for Daddy with Charlie
ok, thats not REALLY creative, but you know....
Day 11: Made sausage dip, sangria, and threw a party for husband. More on the sangria to come!
here is a picture of a sample I made for the client...
Day 4: Learning to make Gyoza!
Here is a preview...more to come in a future blog!
Day 5 and Day 6: Calligraphy until I literally could no longer feel my hand. hello, carpal tunnel.
Here is the style the client actually used. This is one I messed up with wrong name/address, so no stalking! :)
Day 7: More Calligraphy...whew...I'm finally done!
Day 8: Worked on Menu for my parents' restaurant!
Day 9: Worked on Order form for parent's restaurant
Day 10: Made a drawing for Daddy with Charlie
ok, thats not REALLY creative, but you know....
Day 11: Made sausage dip, sangria, and threw a party for husband. More on the sangria to come!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Days 1 and 2
Day 1:
Working on calligraphy for a client. Samples and pictures to come. I'm sure I'll use this at least once more as my 'creative' thing...I have a few more days before its due. The rules state you can work on a large project over the span of more than one day. whew! :) The hard part being, I have to create some fake samples of my work, since I don't want my clients' addresses displayed...
Day 2:
Spinach Roll-Ups
This is inspired from a recipe on Yahoo Shine. I made it tonight for me, husband, baby, a friend and her two-year old. It was a hit with all except the 2 year old. :) I've received feedback that people like to see prices for how much this ends up to be, so I'll continue with that...but, 'pantry staples' will have no price, as I can't possibly estimate how much a tablespoon of olive oil costs. :)
I also added a ciabatta roll as a side. I buy these in bags of 4 for $2.99 from Sprouts, and freeze them. Then, I throw it in the oven covered in olive oil and salt. (thanks for the tip, Keegan!) 20 minutes later, its like I baked fresh bread. Warm through out, with a salty-crispy crust!
Total Cost: $8.50 Feeds 3-4 people (we fed 3 people, 2 toddlers and I have a lunch for tomorrow!) ($9.25 if you count the bread).
Ingredients: Sauce:
1 can diced tomatoes (I used Muir Glen Organic, with basil and garlic)--about $2.50
1/2 onion--$.50
2T olive oil--pantry staple
2 cloves garlic--pantry staple
a few basil leaves--garden staple
dash of salt, pepper, cinnamon
Filling:
3/4c ricotta--$1
1 package frozen spinach--$2
3/4c diced fresh mushrooms--$.50
1C Shredded Mozzarella--$1
dash onion powder, salt, pepper
7-8 lasagna noodles (I use whole wheat)--$1
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350.
For sauce, heat oil in skillet, add diced garlic, diced onions. Sautee until onions are transparent. Add remaining ingredients (do not drain tomatoes), simmer until desired thickness is reached.
Meanwhile, boil water, add pasta.
For filling: Defrost spinach, drain. Combine with other ingredients.
Lay noodles out, spread filling on each noodle, roll up. Place with 'ends' down in a bake-able dish. Spread sauce over top. Add extra mozz if you'd like. Cover with tin foil, bake for 20 minutes.
Enjoy!
It is nice to have a helper in the kitchen. :)
30 days of creativity
Thanks to Alauna, of the famed Things Alauna Makes, I am inspired to take on the 30 days of creativity challenge. You can learn more about this amazing challenge here. So...with this challenge comes many blogs. I don't think I can commit to blogging every day in June...but I can commit to showing you all everything I have 'created'
Part of being creative is noticing when you're actually creating. So, some of the posts will be actual projects. Some might be dinner. Or, whatever else I have found I created during the day. I am going to make a conscience effort to purposefully create. But, if I find myself at the end of the day without something I purposefully made for this challenge, I will be creative and find something I did. :)
So...here's to the next 30 days! Wish me luck!
Part of being creative is noticing when you're actually creating. So, some of the posts will be actual projects. Some might be dinner. Or, whatever else I have found I created during the day. I am going to make a conscience effort to purposefully create. But, if I find myself at the end of the day without something I purposefully made for this challenge, I will be creative and find something I did. :)
So...here's to the next 30 days! Wish me luck!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Butterfly Cupcakes!
Baby turned one this week! I've always wanted to be 'that mom' I have dreams of being the house all the kids come hang out at after school, with warm cookies waiting for them. I knew I had to do something special--it was her FIRST birthday!
Mom got me the book Hello, Cupcake! for Christmas this year. I immediately picked out the butterfly cupcakes. I HAD to make them. This turned out to be the perfect occasion!
I made two kinds of cake: Chocolate and Apple. I wanted a 'healthier' cake option for the little ones (apple), and Husband loves all things chocolate, I'm rather picky about my chocolate. (I don't like it in chip form. or ice cream form. or cake form.) Basically, I like chocolate, but not chocolate flavored things. ANYWAY, I asked my favorite blogger for her favorite chocolate cupcake recipe. These are great. I even liked them and I don't like chocolate cake. They're a bit tangy, and not too sweet. Husband thought they could be more 'chocolate-y' but everyone else raved about them! (Thanks, Alauna). They're dense and perfect. Mine fell a bit, but I do live a mile high, and haven't quite perfected the art of baking at altitude.
The apple cake was a slight adaptation from the Williams Sonoma Essentials of Baking. While they're not exactly "healthy" they DO have apples in them. That counts, right?
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp salt
3/4c unsalted butter
1 1/2c granulated sugar
3 eggs
1/2c buttermilk
2c diced, peeled apples (I used two average sized apples and didn't measure this exactly)
Preheat oven to 350. Combine dry ingredients.
In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar. Beat on medium speed until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Fold in 1/3 the flour mixture until almost incorporated. Then, fold in 1/2 the buttermilk. Alternate with more flour, the rest of the buttermilk, and end with flour. Fold until the batter is smooth and flour is incorporated.
This recipe is actually for a 13x9 cake, but it worked just fine for cupcakes. These even rose for me! The result is cinnamon-y, and the texture is light and fluffy. These were great, and baby loved them. But, then again, she'll eat anything with cinnamon. :)
On to the fun part! Decorating them with beautiful butterflies! I didn't manage to take any pictures while I was making them. I was busy stressing about the party. I'll do my best to walk you through it, but Hello, Cupcake! really does a fantastic job.
I frosted the cupcakes first, using a technique I used for a different type of cupcake from the book. Start with a tub of store-bought frosting. Put it in the microwave for 15 second intervals until it is soft and runny, the consistency of pancake batter. Dip cupcakes in and let frosting dry. This method of frosting is so much faster than traditional frosting, AND the result is amazing, perfectly frosted cakes. So smooth looking! And the frosting dries semi-hard, great for decorating.
For the butterflies, draw wing shapes on a piece of paper, put wax paper over it, and pipe melted Wilton candy wafers onto the paper. I started with the chocolate outline, and while it was still wet, I piped the color inside the chocolate. Then, take a toothpick to 'swirl' the chocolate into the color and combine them. Each wing is made separately. Also, pipe antennae shapes on the wax paper with the chocolate wafers.
**Please note: you can NOT put food coloring into the melting wafers. I learned this from experience. You can dye them, but you must use powdered food coloring, available at a baking supply store.
When all the wings and antennae are dry, carefully peel off the wax paper. Place each wing on cupcake with a chocolate chip under each one, to help hold them in an upright position. Place antennae between wings, and pipe a body onto the cupcake. I used more chocolate wafers for this, and it worked great, as it dried quickly, and fused the wings upright and the antennae all together.
These look incredibly impressive, and make a perfect centerpiece.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
New Blog!
Just a quick note to let you all know that my reviews have moved to a new home:
mamatested.blogspot.com
Please, check it out! :)
This blog will continue, but will stick to the 'craftingmaven' side of things....soon to come, butterfly cupcakes! Stay tuned.
mamatested.blogspot.com
Please, check it out! :)
This blog will continue, but will stick to the 'craftingmaven' side of things....soon to come, butterfly cupcakes! Stay tuned.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
being green
Its been a bit since my last post. Two things contribute to this: 1. I was on vacation. 2. I was fretting over content. I was inspired by my friend's itty bitty impact blog. I wanted to write about being green! But, thats not a review OR something I made. So, I have made the executive decision that I will be starting a separate blog for my reviews. (More on that to come!) And this one can be things I make. And whatever else I want. Ok, moral dilemma solved! Moving on...
Back to itty bitty impact. Have you gone to it yet? Do it. Go click on the link above. You will leave inspired. I recently read Cheri's list and thought, wow, I should make a list of what we're doing. Most of what we do to be green is easy. And, a lot of it is cheaper. (Have I mentioned I'm a cheapskate?) Here it goes:
• we carpool. everyday. (husband and I work together, so this is easier) Less gas=less money.
• we pack our lunches. almost every day. we use reuseable bags to bring our lunch in. We use recycled plastic containers to bring it in. (Think Noodles to-go containers!) I wash ziplog bags. I RARELY have to buy ziploc bags. Baby's lunch is packed in re-useable containers. Money saved=less ziploc bags, containers, etc.
• we made our own babyfood. not only is this better for baby since we knew exactly what was in her food, but we didn't buy excessive amounts of glass/plastic jars. We used ice cube trays to freeze small portions. This is exorbitantly cheaper than pre-made babyfoods. I can buy a whole POUND of sweet potatoes for the cost of just one jar of babyfood.
• we recently got rid of all our dandelions sans-pesticides/chemicals. this involved half a day with a trowel and digging them up by the roots, but it worked. and lawn is safe for puppy and baby. Cheaper because pesticides cost money.
• we use only reuseable grocery bags. this is 'cheaper' too, since most of them were free to begin with, and the stores we shop at give us a credit for re-using!
• I buy all of the dirty dozen organic only. Sometimes this isn't cheaper, but since baby was born, this has become more and more important to me. For the cheapskate's guide to organic, check out this site. Be sure to also check out the clean foods.
• Now that baby is starting to drink milk, we're going to have our milk delivered. In re-useable glass bottles. No more plastic! AND they have cheese. and eggs. I can't wait.
• We use a programmable thermostat. I am always cold, but I'm too cheap to turn on the heat. We keep our house cool in the winter and warm in the summer. Ceiling fans that reverse for winter help.
• We cook mostly from scratch. This reduces waste from packaged foods, and we know exactly whats in our food. Also, again, its cheaper, for the most part.
• We recycle. Which, believe it or not, is not required here. In fact, we'd have to PAY to have it picked up separately. We drive our recycleables to the recycling center, where it is free to drop them off. I can't get over the fact that recycling isn't required here. But, I digress.
• We use metal water bottles. We bring them everywhere. No buying bottled water! Ever. Husband also travels with a re-useable coffee mug. No styrofoam or paper cups, and refills are usually cheaper in your own mug.
• We use only CFL bulbs. They last forever and when bought on sale, they're similarly priced.
And the ever-expanding list of things we need to start doing
• Stop buying cleaning products and make my own. think less chemicals, less bottles. I think I will start with Cheri's great recipe!
• Get rid of my swiffer and get a steam mop. more expensive at first, no cost after initial investment. and, clean floors with just water!! WATER.
• Cloth diapers. While the difference between landfill v. water usage is a debatable one, especially when living where water is scarce, I still just can't get past the landfill filling the diapers cause. Since baby is fulltime in daycare, I can't fully switch, but I could be doing something.
• Gardening. I used to have a veggie garden, but being gone for much of my summer has stopped that. Perhaps I can plant fall vegetables?
• Stop using those pesky plastic produce bags. I bring my own grocery bags, but can't figure out what to do for produce. I usually resort to putting my items loose in my cart, much to the chagrin of the check-out people.
• Compost. In the suburbs with a postage stamp sized yard, and a doggie that quite likes smelly things, this is challenging. But, not impossible.
I'm sure there's millions of things I could be doing, and probably a few that I am doing that I've failed to mention. But trust me, the things we're already doing are painless. And, often cheaper than the alternatives. I challenge you to pick up one new 'green' habit by the end of next month. In turn, I will pick up a new habit too.
What are you currently doing? What can I add to my list?
Back to itty bitty impact. Have you gone to it yet? Do it. Go click on the link above. You will leave inspired. I recently read Cheri's list and thought, wow, I should make a list of what we're doing. Most of what we do to be green is easy. And, a lot of it is cheaper. (Have I mentioned I'm a cheapskate?) Here it goes:
• we carpool. everyday. (husband and I work together, so this is easier) Less gas=less money.
• we pack our lunches. almost every day. we use reuseable bags to bring our lunch in. We use recycled plastic containers to bring it in. (Think Noodles to-go containers!) I wash ziplog bags. I RARELY have to buy ziploc bags. Baby's lunch is packed in re-useable containers. Money saved=less ziploc bags, containers, etc.
• we made our own babyfood. not only is this better for baby since we knew exactly what was in her food, but we didn't buy excessive amounts of glass/plastic jars. We used ice cube trays to freeze small portions. This is exorbitantly cheaper than pre-made babyfoods. I can buy a whole POUND of sweet potatoes for the cost of just one jar of babyfood.
• we recently got rid of all our dandelions sans-pesticides/chemicals. this involved half a day with a trowel and digging them up by the roots, but it worked. and lawn is safe for puppy and baby. Cheaper because pesticides cost money.
• we use only reuseable grocery bags. this is 'cheaper' too, since most of them were free to begin with, and the stores we shop at give us a credit for re-using!
• I buy all of the dirty dozen organic only. Sometimes this isn't cheaper, but since baby was born, this has become more and more important to me. For the cheapskate's guide to organic, check out this site. Be sure to also check out the clean foods.
• Now that baby is starting to drink milk, we're going to have our milk delivered. In re-useable glass bottles. No more plastic! AND they have cheese. and eggs. I can't wait.
• We use a programmable thermostat. I am always cold, but I'm too cheap to turn on the heat. We keep our house cool in the winter and warm in the summer. Ceiling fans that reverse for winter help.
• We cook mostly from scratch. This reduces waste from packaged foods, and we know exactly whats in our food. Also, again, its cheaper, for the most part.
• We recycle. Which, believe it or not, is not required here. In fact, we'd have to PAY to have it picked up separately. We drive our recycleables to the recycling center, where it is free to drop them off. I can't get over the fact that recycling isn't required here. But, I digress.
• We use metal water bottles. We bring them everywhere. No buying bottled water! Ever. Husband also travels with a re-useable coffee mug. No styrofoam or paper cups, and refills are usually cheaper in your own mug.
• We use only CFL bulbs. They last forever and when bought on sale, they're similarly priced.
And the ever-expanding list of things we need to start doing
• Stop buying cleaning products and make my own. think less chemicals, less bottles. I think I will start with Cheri's great recipe!
• Get rid of my swiffer and get a steam mop. more expensive at first, no cost after initial investment. and, clean floors with just water!! WATER.
• Cloth diapers. While the difference between landfill v. water usage is a debatable one, especially when living where water is scarce, I still just can't get past the landfill filling the diapers cause. Since baby is fulltime in daycare, I can't fully switch, but I could be doing something.
• Gardening. I used to have a veggie garden, but being gone for much of my summer has stopped that. Perhaps I can plant fall vegetables?
• Stop using those pesky plastic produce bags. I bring my own grocery bags, but can't figure out what to do for produce. I usually resort to putting my items loose in my cart, much to the chagrin of the check-out people.
• Compost. In the suburbs with a postage stamp sized yard, and a doggie that quite likes smelly things, this is challenging. But, not impossible.
I'm sure there's millions of things I could be doing, and probably a few that I am doing that I've failed to mention. But trust me, the things we're already doing are painless. And, often cheaper than the alternatives. I challenge you to pick up one new 'green' habit by the end of next month. In turn, I will pick up a new habit too.
What are you currently doing? What can I add to my list?
Friday, April 30, 2010
"Homemade" Grilled Margherita Pizza
Ok, So this isn't exactly pizza from scratch. But, its also not a pre-assembled, store-bought pizza. In the past, this would have included home-grown tomatoes and home-made sauce. But, life changes and now I'm a working mama. Don't fault me for not making it all. :)
We make our 'homemade' pizza on the grill. The grilled crust is AMAZING! One of the other best things about this pizza is that its cheap! About $6 for the whole pizza. It would be even cheaper if I still grew my own tomatoes! :)
Ingredients:
Frozen Pizza dough $1.79 (from Sprouts, for those of you in the Denver area)
Marinara Sauce $1.33 (I buy All Natural Old World Pizza Sauce--its actually 3 4oz pouches in a box for $3.99)
Fresh Tomatoes $.99/lb (about 50 cents of tomatoes)
Fresh Mozzarella $5.99/lb (about $2 worth of cheese)
Basil from garden FREE!
Directions:
Follow directions for dough.
Line a cookie sheet with tin foil, grease foil. (I use spray-able vegetable oil)
Spread dough on tin foil, poke with fork several times.
Put dough on grill, aluminum foil side up. Peel off foil. Grill until underside is desired brown-ness.
Take off grill, bring inside.
Invert dough on greased tin foil so 'raw' side is down.
Spread sauce over cooked side of dough. Top with sliced tomatoes, sliced mozzarella, basil leaves.
Put pizza back on grill, to finish raw side of dough and melt cheese.
The grilled crust and fresh mozzarella makes such a difference!! This same pizza with shredded mozz in the oven is just not the same! This is a great, quick, weeknight dinner for us. Its best enjoyed sitting outside with a beer! But, usually its eaten in a rush before I dash out the door for yoga!
We make our 'homemade' pizza on the grill. The grilled crust is AMAZING! One of the other best things about this pizza is that its cheap! About $6 for the whole pizza. It would be even cheaper if I still grew my own tomatoes! :)
Ingredients:
Frozen Pizza dough $1.79 (from Sprouts, for those of you in the Denver area)
Marinara Sauce $1.33 (I buy All Natural Old World Pizza Sauce--its actually 3 4oz pouches in a box for $3.99)
Fresh Tomatoes $.99/lb (about 50 cents of tomatoes)
Fresh Mozzarella $5.99/lb (about $2 worth of cheese)
Basil from garden FREE!
Directions:
Follow directions for dough.
Line a cookie sheet with tin foil, grease foil. (I use spray-able vegetable oil)
Spread dough on tin foil, poke with fork several times.
Put dough on grill, aluminum foil side up. Peel off foil. Grill until underside is desired brown-ness.
Take off grill, bring inside.
Invert dough on greased tin foil so 'raw' side is down.
Spread sauce over cooked side of dough. Top with sliced tomatoes, sliced mozzarella, basil leaves.
Put pizza back on grill, to finish raw side of dough and melt cheese.
The grilled crust and fresh mozzarella makes such a difference!! This same pizza with shredded mozz in the oven is just not the same! This is a great, quick, weeknight dinner for us. Its best enjoyed sitting outside with a beer! But, usually its eaten in a rush before I dash out the door for yoga!
Monday, April 26, 2010
Review of the Bumbleride Indie Stroller
**Please note, the reviews portion of my blog has a new home!! Please check out mamatested!!**
We set out convinced we would not become a 3, 4, or *gasp* 5 stroller family. Everyone told us that no matter what by time baby was 1, we had at least 3 strollers. We decided we would NOT conform to that norm. So, we decided we could splurge a bit on the stroller. We'd been careful about our other spending. Thanks to two nieces, we have plenty of baby clothes (and toddler clothes, and pre-schooler clothes, so money wasn't going there)...we started looking for strollers while I was still comfortably pregnant. We read every review available on every stroller available. Google started noticing. Suddenly, my gmail account was flooded with ads about babies. Wait, we're having a baby!? whoa. Anyway, once we were past that, we spent literally every spare moment consumed with stroller searches. If we're only getting one, it has to be sturdy. and all-terrain. and pretty. (have I mentioned husband and I are designers by trade?) It has to be well designed and look nice. And, while I decided we could splurge, my practicality (or what husband would call my cheap-skate side) still overtook me. $500 for a stroller?? (or $1000 for that matter...I'm not buying a car, here). We looked at SO SO many. I soon had my heart set on a 3-wheel model. I have friends with babies. Watching them try to push a 4-plastic-wheeled Graco through a lawn makes me cringe. Surely, there's better design out there. Plus, I had visions of myself going on really intense hikes with this thing. (where can you hike that is stroller friendly?! I've learned that requires a backpack or sling, and that's for another time). We also went with a not-super traditional infant carseat (read, not Graco), and I was convinced we could find a stroller that worked with our Chicco Keyfit 30. This was one of the few that did.
Soon, husband had me convinced the Bumbleride Indie was the stroller for us. I still balked at the price, but after I found a site with no tax, free shipping ,and 15% off, I was sold. (it was a sale, I couldn't resist). I did have some nervousness of buying a stroller sight-unseen, but seeing as there are no retailers within a 100 mile radius of us, and none for sale on Craigslist, I decided we'd done our research and it would be ok.
When I was at 38 weeks and still had no stroller, due to delays in shipping, I began to panic. Why couldn't I have picked something out from a store that I could SEE? How would I take baby for walks? What if I wanted to go somewhere? (Little did I know a 3 day old baby does not need a stroller, and a 3-day postpartum mommie cannot walk around the block). Stroller FINALLY arrived when baby was a week or two old. (see, I don't even remember when it mattered so little at the time). I (yes, I, husband was at work and I could not wait) immediately assembled it. In about 10 minutes. It looks nice! But how does it perform? I took it out for a walk, and immediately loved it.
Simply stated, we love this stroller.
The list of things we love:
• The weight. Only 20lbs! (if you've done your research, you know this is pretty good for a full-sized metal framed stroller)
• The look. This is a cool looking stroller.
• Easy to fold.
• Easy to store. It folds relatively small for a full-size.
• It comes with a rain cover. (and we've actually used it!)
• VERY easy to steer. Even one-handed.
• Lockable front wheel. While this is not a REAL jog stroller, it serves its purpose for me, as I'm not a jogger. On the rare occasion I decide to pick up the pace, the locked wheel is a necessity.
• Large under-basket. I can fit a yoga mat in there! (ok, it sticks out a little, but still). I can realistically fit a full-sized diaper bag in there, AND snacks AND shopping bags AND a blanket. really.
• Mommy cup-holder. While it does seem like a bit of an after-thought, design wise, its a feature I need. And its expandable. Full size Nalgene, no problem. Small Starbucks, still no problem.
• Large sun-shade. We live in Colorado. 300 days of sunshine. This is one of the better sunshades. And with the carseat, I could connect the two and baby was in her own little shaded bubble.
• Adjustable handle. I am 5 feet tall. Husband is 6'2" Adjustable is a must. While it doesn't telescope, the adjustments fit us both great.
• Metal frame. Its durable. Trust me. I backed into ours when it was folded and stored behind my car in the garage. I pushed it out the garage, where one wheel got stuck between our garage and driveway, and pushed some more. It still works! Husband had to re-align the wheels a bit, but its not even bent.
• It works as a 'system' with our Chicco Keyfit 30.
The list of things we wish it did/had:
• Reversible seating. Baby was ready to sit in the stroller sans-carseat far before I was ready for her to not face me.
• Child tray. As baby gets older, I see the value a snack tray/cup holder would have for her. You can buy an attachment, but I like things to come with my original purchase.
• I feel like the seat could be more upright. It is fully recline-able, even to almost flat. But, when its completely upright, I feel like baby is still a bit reclined.
• While the sunshade is one of the larger, I wish it was larger still. Is it ever enough when trying to keep baby out of the sun?
• Wish it had an option of adding a second seat, somehow. Like Phil and Ted's. Seems almost silly to have bought a single stroller that we love knowing we'd be having another.
When I asked hubby for some ideas of what he wish he did/had, he said: "our stroller? ummm, I wish it teleported." Guess that means he likes it too.
The final testament to how much we love this stroller: Baby is 11 months now, and we own exactly 2 strollers. Why two you ask? While I COULD fly with this one, (and we considered it), I decided I would be absolutely devastated if anything happened to it while it was being gate checked. So, step in travel/flying stroller. We did cave and we do own two. But that's it!
We set out convinced we would not become a 3, 4, or *gasp* 5 stroller family. Everyone told us that no matter what by time baby was 1, we had at least 3 strollers. We decided we would NOT conform to that norm. So, we decided we could splurge a bit on the stroller. We'd been careful about our other spending. Thanks to two nieces, we have plenty of baby clothes (and toddler clothes, and pre-schooler clothes, so money wasn't going there)...we started looking for strollers while I was still comfortably pregnant. We read every review available on every stroller available. Google started noticing. Suddenly, my gmail account was flooded with ads about babies. Wait, we're having a baby!? whoa. Anyway, once we were past that, we spent literally every spare moment consumed with stroller searches. If we're only getting one, it has to be sturdy. and all-terrain. and pretty. (have I mentioned husband and I are designers by trade?) It has to be well designed and look nice. And, while I decided we could splurge, my practicality (or what husband would call my cheap-skate side) still overtook me. $500 for a stroller?? (or $1000 for that matter...I'm not buying a car, here). We looked at SO SO many. I soon had my heart set on a 3-wheel model. I have friends with babies. Watching them try to push a 4-plastic-wheeled Graco through a lawn makes me cringe. Surely, there's better design out there. Plus, I had visions of myself going on really intense hikes with this thing. (where can you hike that is stroller friendly?! I've learned that requires a backpack or sling, and that's for another time). We also went with a not-super traditional infant carseat (read, not Graco), and I was convinced we could find a stroller that worked with our Chicco Keyfit 30. This was one of the few that did.
Soon, husband had me convinced the Bumbleride Indie was the stroller for us. I still balked at the price, but after I found a site with no tax, free shipping ,and 15% off, I was sold. (it was a sale, I couldn't resist). I did have some nervousness of buying a stroller sight-unseen, but seeing as there are no retailers within a 100 mile radius of us, and none for sale on Craigslist, I decided we'd done our research and it would be ok.
When I was at 38 weeks and still had no stroller, due to delays in shipping, I began to panic. Why couldn't I have picked something out from a store that I could SEE? How would I take baby for walks? What if I wanted to go somewhere? (Little did I know a 3 day old baby does not need a stroller, and a 3-day postpartum mommie cannot walk around the block). Stroller FINALLY arrived when baby was a week or two old. (see, I don't even remember when it mattered so little at the time). I (yes, I, husband was at work and I could not wait) immediately assembled it. In about 10 minutes. It looks nice! But how does it perform? I took it out for a walk, and immediately loved it.
Simply stated, we love this stroller.
The list of things we love:
• The weight. Only 20lbs! (if you've done your research, you know this is pretty good for a full-sized metal framed stroller)
• The look. This is a cool looking stroller.
• Easy to fold.
• Easy to store. It folds relatively small for a full-size.
• It comes with a rain cover. (and we've actually used it!)
• VERY easy to steer. Even one-handed.
• Lockable front wheel. While this is not a REAL jog stroller, it serves its purpose for me, as I'm not a jogger. On the rare occasion I decide to pick up the pace, the locked wheel is a necessity.
• Large under-basket. I can fit a yoga mat in there! (ok, it sticks out a little, but still). I can realistically fit a full-sized diaper bag in there, AND snacks AND shopping bags AND a blanket. really.
• Mommy cup-holder. While it does seem like a bit of an after-thought, design wise, its a feature I need. And its expandable. Full size Nalgene, no problem. Small Starbucks, still no problem.
• Large sun-shade. We live in Colorado. 300 days of sunshine. This is one of the better sunshades. And with the carseat, I could connect the two and baby was in her own little shaded bubble.
• Adjustable handle. I am 5 feet tall. Husband is 6'2" Adjustable is a must. While it doesn't telescope, the adjustments fit us both great.
• Metal frame. Its durable. Trust me. I backed into ours when it was folded and stored behind my car in the garage. I pushed it out the garage, where one wheel got stuck between our garage and driveway, and pushed some more. It still works! Husband had to re-align the wheels a bit, but its not even bent.
• It works as a 'system' with our Chicco Keyfit 30.
The list of things we wish it did/had:
• Reversible seating. Baby was ready to sit in the stroller sans-carseat far before I was ready for her to not face me.
• Child tray. As baby gets older, I see the value a snack tray/cup holder would have for her. You can buy an attachment, but I like things to come with my original purchase.
• I feel like the seat could be more upright. It is fully recline-able, even to almost flat. But, when its completely upright, I feel like baby is still a bit reclined.
• While the sunshade is one of the larger, I wish it was larger still. Is it ever enough when trying to keep baby out of the sun?
• Wish it had an option of adding a second seat, somehow. Like Phil and Ted's. Seems almost silly to have bought a single stroller that we love knowing we'd be having another.
When I asked hubby for some ideas of what he wish he did/had, he said: "our stroller? ummm, I wish it teleported." Guess that means he likes it too.
The final testament to how much we love this stroller: Baby is 11 months now, and we own exactly 2 strollers. Why two you ask? While I COULD fly with this one, (and we considered it), I decided I would be absolutely devastated if anything happened to it while it was being gate checked. So, step in travel/flying stroller. We did cave and we do own two. But that's it!
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Ok, so I didn't make it, but husband did!
Charlie is turning one! In 3 weeks to be precise. Since husband and I are both designers, we like to make all of our cards, invites, etc. Often, we get lazy, or time just gets away from us and I end up running to Target or logging on to a photo site and picking something out that we're both less than excited about. For Charlie's first birthday, I was determined we would design her invites. Recently, a friend asked if I had thought about what we were going to do for her first birthday yet. I replied something lengthy along the lines of: "I'm going to make these ridiculous butterfly cupcakes, and we're having people over and Charlie's little friends, and we're going to ToysRUs this weekend to pick out some presents and I'm really sad none of the grandparents will be making it, but it will still be really great" (Imagine that all in one breath.) To which friend replied. "uhhh ok" I guess I'm a bit overly excited? ANYWAY, here's the card husband designed. I cut them all. We had some left over mint-y green envelopes left over from her announcements, so that was easily taken care of.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Sippy Cups
**Please note, the reviews portion of my blog has a new home!! Please check out mamatested!!**
If you're like us, you've spent a small fortune on sippy cups. If not, good for you! I seem to have a compulsion to buy them! Our daughter is 11 months old now, and we've gone through more than I care to admit. There's SO many out there. Soft spouts, 'starter' cups, straw cups, even little mini sipper cups that look like mom and dad's coffee cups! Handles, no handles, the list goes on. I recently came home from the store with 2 new kinds, to which husband responded "No more sippy cups!" Perhaps its my love of all drinking vessels (a new water bottle? a new coffee cup? I'm in!), or perhaps it really is a new-parent phenomenon, but we've bought more sippy/starter cups than I can shake stick at. In a quest to help you out, here is a quick review of what we've used so far, and what we've thought of them: (In order of use by us)
1. Nuby No Spill Cup with Soft spout
Rating: 4/5
This was a great "first sippy" and by far our (and daughter's) favorite first cup. She loved playing with it and sipping out of it. Although a bit large (its as big as baby's head!), it served its purpose. It did not get 5 out of 5 due to a few design flaws, but overall, a great starter sippy, and affordable!
Pros:
-Soft spout makes first sips easy for baby, a lot like a bottle
-Easy flow makes an easy transition from bottle, not necessary to tip too much
-Two handles easy for baby to hold
-Handles come off for easy cleaning, but are snug enough that it can be attached to something with linkadoos
-Light! As long as it wasn't full, even at 6 months, baby could lift
Cons:
-Liquid came out too fast. Baby was so used to bottle, she ended up wearing a lot of the liquid
-Top has to be on perfectly, aligned with two little tabs that are hard to see, or it leaks
-Needs additional top 'hard' lid for travel, or it leaks. we promptly lost one of these hard lids, and they're hard to put on.
-The sippy is a bit large. (see picture) for a first sippy, it could be smaller.
2. Nuby 2 handle Straw Cup, 8 oz.
Rating 1.5/5
The first Nuby was such a hit, and when baby starting grabbing for mom's straw when out at restaurants, we proclaimed, time for a straw cup! We rushed to the nearest store, and were overwhelmed with the choices of straw cups (its a whole new world of drinking vessels). We found the Nuby Straw Cup and thought, why not? Its cute, and baby loves her Nuby sippy. It was one of the only straw cups with handles. She can drink from a straw, this will be great! Not so fast. It was hard for even me to drink from, and I mastered the straw awhile ago. It MIGHT work for older kids, but seems too small for them.
Pros:
-Two handles are easy for baby to hold
-Straw tucks away easily by mom or dad, no leaks, sanitary
-No leaks! We had no leaking problems with this cup, but we didn't use it much
Cons:
-Its not REALLY a straw. Its a bite-straw. You must apply pressure on the straw and suck at the same time
-Baby can't open/close straw feature
3. NUK Learner Cup with Latex Spout
Rating: 3.5/5
After the straw cup disaster, we thought we'd try another sippy. While we loved the Nuby, I continued my quest to find a beginner sippy that was easier for baby to use (not such a fast flow), and leaked less. Or maybe just slower-flow, so she didn't end up looking like I dunked her in a pool after a drink of water. Baby never really took to this cup. It might have something to do with the unique shape of the mouth piece. Its quite large, and not very 'sippy-cup' like. Think bottle merged with sippy. This doesn't get a higher rating simply because baby didn't like it. Maybe if we had started with this one, it would have fared better. I wanted to like this cup, but she just wasn't buying it.
Pros:
-Easy to hold, with 2 handles for baby
-Pieces are interchangeable with other NUK products. (bigger bottle? no problem! don't want handles anymore? they come off!)
-Good size for starter cup (5 oz)
-Good flow-speed. Baby did not end up with a wet shirt, pants, etc.
Cons:
-Baby just didn't like it, perhaps its the bigger mouth piece?
4. Munchkin Mighty Grip Flip-Straw Cup
Rating 4.5/5
It was time to find a straw cup baby would use. She drinks from a real straw at home, but this just isn't practical for throwing a cup in a bag and going somewhere. At the store, we found most of the non-spill straw cups were the bite-straws. Not wanting to spend more money on another cup baby wouldn't/couldn't use, we refused those. They were tempting though! I found this one on a bottom shelf. Obviously, not the product the store was hoping I'd buy. It has a REAL straw. You don't have to bite it! And, it flips shut. More sanitary! This is hands-down baby's favorite cup. And, it seems all her friends love it too. Whenever another baby sees it, they want to try. We've taken to mixing and matching tops so we have different color combos than the 'standard' so we know which one is ours. Also has a large 10oz capacity, without seeming too big for baby to handle.
Pros:
-Easy to use. Just a regular straw! Don't need to tip cup to drink
-Flips shut, for sanitary, (mostly) leak-free travel
-Baby loves it
-Fairly easy assembly/dis-assembly for cleaning
Cons:
-No handles, but baby has managed to adapt
-Leaks a little. Sometimes it doesn't thread right, and since its just a straw, some liquid can escape. but less than you'd think.
5. Thermos Foogo plastic sippy, phase 1
Rating 4.5/5
It was time to start moving milk to a sippy cup. The Nuby was still too much of a mess (and since baby only drinks breastmilk, I wasn't too keen on the idea of her wearing half of it. I can't just mix up some more if she's still hungry.) Off to the store, yet again! We found this Thermos brand sippy. Its super cute, we went with plastic, since it was cheaper than the stainless steel alternative, but the whole line is so cool looking. All the parts are interchangeable between cups (a feature I'm sold on, if you haven't noticed). Had a soft-spout, but not too soft. Doesn't leak even if baby mashes top into table. This was by far our favorite sippy yet!
Pros:
-Easy to drink out of, but not too fast of flow
-Two handles makes it easy to hold
-Interchangeable parts with rest of Thermos Foogo cups, makes for easy transitions
-Did not leak!
-Has oz. marks on side, so you can still measure as if it were a bottle.
Cons:
-Hard to put the top together. (If its not together correctly and tight, it will leak)
6. Playtex First Sipster Cup 7oz.
Rating: 4/5
While we loved the Thermos brand sippy, it just wasn't big enough for milk at daycare. Off to the store we go! We found these Sippy cups. Everyone we know uses them. They're the quintessential sippy cup. They have to be ok, right? Well, they are. They're ok. While advertised as having a soft spout, its not really soft. Its more just a pliable hard plastic. You can't really feel the spouts in the store, due to packaging, so we didn't notice that until we were home. They say 7oz, but we found they held almost 8oz, which was perfect. Baby drinks ok out of these, but they're not her favorite cup. At 11months, we're still using this one, and she'll drink out of it, but its definately not her favorite.
Pros:
-Doesn't leak much. If you tip it upside down and shake (which baby does), some liquid does come out
-Has two handles, easy to hold for baby
Cons:
-Baby just wasn't excited about drinking out of this cup. (it has since grown on her)
7. Nuby No-Spill Sports Sipper
Rating: 1.5/5 stars
Since baby was moving to a sippy for milk at daycare, and wasn't particularly in love with the playtex one, and the thermos was too small, our caregiver gave us this cup to try. It had the larger capacity, but the soft spout. She said baby loved it. We gave it a try. upon further inspection, we noticed: of course baby loves it! It's a giant bottle with a faster flow! We quickly gave up on this one, not wanting to encourage more bottle feeding.
Pros:
-Baby knows how to drink of this already
-Soft spout
Cons:
-This is really just a big bottle, has nipple-like tip, that you have to tip to drink from.
-Not easy to travel with. Requires a separate top-lid again, like the beginner Nuby.
8. Tommee Tippee Explora Truly Spill Proof Sippy (9mo +)
Rating: 5/5
Off to the store we went, again. I was determined to find a sippy that could hold enough milk for daycare, baby liked, I liked, was reasonably priced, and didn't leak. I found it! My one gripe is the very specific "boy" or "girl" themes. You have a choice between blue/aqua with planes and boats or pink/purple with flowers and butterflies. I'm not a girlie girl, but also don't want my child to have gender-identity issues! In any case, I went with the aqua. A small complaint, but the 6mo + cups come in much cuter designs that are gender-neutral. I almost bought the smaller 6mo cup, but stayed on task looking for one that would be suitable for the milk at daycare. We simply love this cup.
Pros:
-Does not leak.
-Lid for travel is ATTACHED. I can't lose it! and it stays where it should, doesn't come off while in my bag, and doesn't interfere with baby's drinking
-Has soft-ish spout, but not too hard, not too soft. Perfect transition-to-hard spout sippy
-Easy assembly/dis-assembly for cleaning. (just read the instructions first)
-Shaped like a real cup (bigger at top than bottom), meaning you don't have to tip it completely upside down to get liquid out.
Cons:
-A bit big around/no handles, but baby has learned to hold
-Not many color choices
If you're like us, you've spent a small fortune on sippy cups. If not, good for you! I seem to have a compulsion to buy them! Our daughter is 11 months old now, and we've gone through more than I care to admit. There's SO many out there. Soft spouts, 'starter' cups, straw cups, even little mini sipper cups that look like mom and dad's coffee cups! Handles, no handles, the list goes on. I recently came home from the store with 2 new kinds, to which husband responded "No more sippy cups!" Perhaps its my love of all drinking vessels (a new water bottle? a new coffee cup? I'm in!), or perhaps it really is a new-parent phenomenon, but we've bought more sippy/starter cups than I can shake stick at. In a quest to help you out, here is a quick review of what we've used so far, and what we've thought of them: (In order of use by us)
1. Nuby No Spill Cup with Soft spout
Rating: 4/5
This was a great "first sippy" and by far our (and daughter's) favorite first cup. She loved playing with it and sipping out of it. Although a bit large (its as big as baby's head!), it served its purpose. It did not get 5 out of 5 due to a few design flaws, but overall, a great starter sippy, and affordable!
Pros:
-Soft spout makes first sips easy for baby, a lot like a bottle
-Easy flow makes an easy transition from bottle, not necessary to tip too much
-Two handles easy for baby to hold
-Handles come off for easy cleaning, but are snug enough that it can be attached to something with linkadoos
-Light! As long as it wasn't full, even at 6 months, baby could lift
Cons:
-Liquid came out too fast. Baby was so used to bottle, she ended up wearing a lot of the liquid
-Top has to be on perfectly, aligned with two little tabs that are hard to see, or it leaks
-Needs additional top 'hard' lid for travel, or it leaks. we promptly lost one of these hard lids, and they're hard to put on.
-The sippy is a bit large. (see picture) for a first sippy, it could be smaller.
2. Nuby 2 handle Straw Cup, 8 oz.
Rating 1.5/5
The first Nuby was such a hit, and when baby starting grabbing for mom's straw when out at restaurants, we proclaimed, time for a straw cup! We rushed to the nearest store, and were overwhelmed with the choices of straw cups (its a whole new world of drinking vessels). We found the Nuby Straw Cup and thought, why not? Its cute, and baby loves her Nuby sippy. It was one of the only straw cups with handles. She can drink from a straw, this will be great! Not so fast. It was hard for even me to drink from, and I mastered the straw awhile ago. It MIGHT work for older kids, but seems too small for them.
Pros:
-Two handles are easy for baby to hold
-Straw tucks away easily by mom or dad, no leaks, sanitary
-No leaks! We had no leaking problems with this cup, but we didn't use it much
Cons:
-Its not REALLY a straw. Its a bite-straw. You must apply pressure on the straw and suck at the same time
-Baby can't open/close straw feature
3. NUK Learner Cup with Latex Spout
Rating: 3.5/5
After the straw cup disaster, we thought we'd try another sippy. While we loved the Nuby, I continued my quest to find a beginner sippy that was easier for baby to use (not such a fast flow), and leaked less. Or maybe just slower-flow, so she didn't end up looking like I dunked her in a pool after a drink of water. Baby never really took to this cup. It might have something to do with the unique shape of the mouth piece. Its quite large, and not very 'sippy-cup' like. Think bottle merged with sippy. This doesn't get a higher rating simply because baby didn't like it. Maybe if we had started with this one, it would have fared better. I wanted to like this cup, but she just wasn't buying it.
Pros:
-Easy to hold, with 2 handles for baby
-Pieces are interchangeable with other NUK products. (bigger bottle? no problem! don't want handles anymore? they come off!)
-Good size for starter cup (5 oz)
-Good flow-speed. Baby did not end up with a wet shirt, pants, etc.
Cons:
-Baby just didn't like it, perhaps its the bigger mouth piece?
4. Munchkin Mighty Grip Flip-Straw Cup
Rating 4.5/5
It was time to find a straw cup baby would use. She drinks from a real straw at home, but this just isn't practical for throwing a cup in a bag and going somewhere. At the store, we found most of the non-spill straw cups were the bite-straws. Not wanting to spend more money on another cup baby wouldn't/couldn't use, we refused those. They were tempting though! I found this one on a bottom shelf. Obviously, not the product the store was hoping I'd buy. It has a REAL straw. You don't have to bite it! And, it flips shut. More sanitary! This is hands-down baby's favorite cup. And, it seems all her friends love it too. Whenever another baby sees it, they want to try. We've taken to mixing and matching tops so we have different color combos than the 'standard' so we know which one is ours. Also has a large 10oz capacity, without seeming too big for baby to handle.
Pros:
-Easy to use. Just a regular straw! Don't need to tip cup to drink
-Flips shut, for sanitary, (mostly) leak-free travel
-Baby loves it
-Fairly easy assembly/dis-assembly for cleaning
Cons:
-No handles, but baby has managed to adapt
-Leaks a little. Sometimes it doesn't thread right, and since its just a straw, some liquid can escape. but less than you'd think.
5. Thermos Foogo plastic sippy, phase 1
Rating 4.5/5
It was time to start moving milk to a sippy cup. The Nuby was still too much of a mess (and since baby only drinks breastmilk, I wasn't too keen on the idea of her wearing half of it. I can't just mix up some more if she's still hungry.) Off to the store, yet again! We found this Thermos brand sippy. Its super cute, we went with plastic, since it was cheaper than the stainless steel alternative, but the whole line is so cool looking. All the parts are interchangeable between cups (a feature I'm sold on, if you haven't noticed). Had a soft-spout, but not too soft. Doesn't leak even if baby mashes top into table. This was by far our favorite sippy yet!
Pros:
-Easy to drink out of, but not too fast of flow
-Two handles makes it easy to hold
-Interchangeable parts with rest of Thermos Foogo cups, makes for easy transitions
-Did not leak!
-Has oz. marks on side, so you can still measure as if it were a bottle.
Cons:
-Hard to put the top together. (If its not together correctly and tight, it will leak)
6. Playtex First Sipster Cup 7oz.
Rating: 4/5
While we loved the Thermos brand sippy, it just wasn't big enough for milk at daycare. Off to the store we go! We found these Sippy cups. Everyone we know uses them. They're the quintessential sippy cup. They have to be ok, right? Well, they are. They're ok. While advertised as having a soft spout, its not really soft. Its more just a pliable hard plastic. You can't really feel the spouts in the store, due to packaging, so we didn't notice that until we were home. They say 7oz, but we found they held almost 8oz, which was perfect. Baby drinks ok out of these, but they're not her favorite cup. At 11months, we're still using this one, and she'll drink out of it, but its definately not her favorite.
Pros:
-Doesn't leak much. If you tip it upside down and shake (which baby does), some liquid does come out
-Has two handles, easy to hold for baby
Cons:
-Baby just wasn't excited about drinking out of this cup. (it has since grown on her)
7. Nuby No-Spill Sports Sipper
Rating: 1.5/5 stars
Since baby was moving to a sippy for milk at daycare, and wasn't particularly in love with the playtex one, and the thermos was too small, our caregiver gave us this cup to try. It had the larger capacity, but the soft spout. She said baby loved it. We gave it a try. upon further inspection, we noticed: of course baby loves it! It's a giant bottle with a faster flow! We quickly gave up on this one, not wanting to encourage more bottle feeding.
Pros:
-Baby knows how to drink of this already
-Soft spout
Cons:
-This is really just a big bottle, has nipple-like tip, that you have to tip to drink from.
-Not easy to travel with. Requires a separate top-lid again, like the beginner Nuby.
8. Tommee Tippee Explora Truly Spill Proof Sippy (9mo +)
Rating: 5/5
Off to the store we went, again. I was determined to find a sippy that could hold enough milk for daycare, baby liked, I liked, was reasonably priced, and didn't leak. I found it! My one gripe is the very specific "boy" or "girl" themes. You have a choice between blue/aqua with planes and boats or pink/purple with flowers and butterflies. I'm not a girlie girl, but also don't want my child to have gender-identity issues! In any case, I went with the aqua. A small complaint, but the 6mo + cups come in much cuter designs that are gender-neutral. I almost bought the smaller 6mo cup, but stayed on task looking for one that would be suitable for the milk at daycare. We simply love this cup.
Pros:
-Does not leak.
-Lid for travel is ATTACHED. I can't lose it! and it stays where it should, doesn't come off while in my bag, and doesn't interfere with baby's drinking
-Has soft-ish spout, but not too hard, not too soft. Perfect transition-to-hard spout sippy
-Easy assembly/dis-assembly for cleaning. (just read the instructions first)
-Shaped like a real cup (bigger at top than bottom), meaning you don't have to tip it completely upside down to get liquid out.
Cons:
-A bit big around/no handles, but baby has learned to hold
-Not many color choices
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