goodmama

Sophie, two years old, taken by Amira

This week's photo contest winner was put up very, very late. In the future I will change the photos on a set day of the week, probably Tuesday, depending on when we get them processed from the week's submissions.

This is two-year-old Sophie, taken by Amira. This might be my all-time favorite goodmama photo submission, and I have a lot of favorites in my top ten! It might be fun to do a top ten photo submissions entry, don't you think?

Speaking of photos, we have finished our second be a goodmama! slideshow. You can see it here. We still have so many photos we want to share with you. All you goodmamas have the most beautiful children.

I have more photos from this week to put up on the site, I like to nestle them all over, so keep checking back!

In other news, hemp fleece shipped on Friday. It is headed to be washed. When it is done, it will ship back to be cut. Bamboo velour will be finished and ship sometime early this coming week. As soon as both of those arrive, they will be cut and we can begin production again. I will keep you posted with every development.

We are coming out with a new absolutely awesome gender-neutral bamboo velour diaper. As a thank you to all those who have hung in there with us, all current Wish Box and  Switch Box purchases made between 1/27 and 2/17 will receive this diaper for free before they are sold anywhere else. We will not slow production to make these, they will be made after all Boxes are made, and may ship separately. We will not reveal the diaper until we are ready to ship it, but I am sure you will love it.  I hope this exclusive expresses my gratitude for your patience and faith in us as we experience our growing pains.

Additionally, if your Box shipped without an email asking about substitutions/backorder, this means your order shipped complete. Please watch your inbox for an email from me regarding your Box. We are going by order number and by type of Box, so some of the emails may be slightly out of order, but not a lot.

If your situation has changed and you require a refund on your Box, please do not hesitate to email us at customerservice@thegoodmama.com and we will process your request. On the other hand, if you would like to pick up a Box slot that someone else has had refunded, please email us at the same address. These would be filled last, but would also receive the free diaper.

(If you have an AOL account, please try using a different email to correspond as it seems we can neither send nor receive through AOL. We hate to seem like we are ignoring you.)

Another word about the Boxes, the diapers in them have the new pattern with the longer soaker. This will seem too long until it is washed a few times. You can even wash your soaker a few times more than your diaper to really prep and shrink it for best effect. The shrink rate has been mathematically calculated so that the soaker arrives at the perfect size after being prepped. If you have any questions or need any help with this, please do not hesitate to email us at customerservice@thegoodmama.com.

Again, I cannot thank you enough for all of your patronage and support. Many of you have sent supportive and encouraging correspondence and every bit is so appreciated.

Blue & Brown Go Downtown

Here's a preview of the new wetbags! These are stocking in the store on Monday, March 24, time not yet decided.

The large hanging pail is perfect to replace your diaper pail, to take on weekend trips, to use for regular laundry -- especially while traveling. It's generously sized and can hold probably more diapers than you should wash in one load. It also has a handy hanging loop that can go on a cute hook on your wall, on a dresser knob or on a doorknob. We have made a design change so that the loop is on a different side than the zipper pull so it's easier to close. Slick, eh?

We also have our ever-popular and useful medium wetbag, now with a hanging loop! This is the perfect size to carry in your diaper bag, or for smaller changing areas in your house, to go to daycare or on a day trip. It is generously sized but not so big it's cumbersome to carry.

Hazel is potty trained and we still use both of these sizes. I use the large one for laundry while traveling, and am considering giving one to each of the kids for their personal laundry. The medium is just right to carry an extra outfit and pair of underpants for my almost-three-year old. If she needs it, we pull out her clean clothes, change her, put her wet clothes in the bag, zip it up, and we are ready to go. You can wash wetbags with your diaper laundry or with your regular laundry. Now that I am not washing diapers, I just wash them with the regular laundry and they fare just fine. 

And now, brand new, we have the small wetbag, perfectly sized to carry wipes (without even having to fold them!) or a single diaper.

It has a fabulous pocket in the front to tuck a few dry wipes, some rash cream, a little spray bottle, or whatever you want to carry.

The coolest thing about this little bag is that you can individually wrap your diapers for on-the-go convenience.

Just slip the diaper inside, it fits perfectly. Zip it up and carry it in whatever bag you want. Don't feel like carrying your diaper bag? Don't! Just bring your individually wrapped diapers, with your wipes and spray bottle in the pocket. It will stow nicely in your purse.

When you need to change your baby, pull the clean diaper out, replace it with the dirty one, admire the beauty, and go on your merry way!

Life is too short to carry ugly bags.

                                                   

More goodmama + sweetiebums breathlessness

After I egged her on, Amanda of Sweetiebums dyed some more of her goodmamas. I had to share the gorgeousness. This first one is inspired by spring lilacs. The second is a neopolitan inspired confection with vanilla, chocolate and strawberry.

Here they are with their sibling from yesterday.

Sweetiebums + goodmama = dizzy spells

My friend Amanda of Sweetiebums is a dyeing genius. Anyone who has seen her creations agrees. She's adopting a little girl very soon, and bought some of my diapers, which flattered me very much.

We have been chatting about it for a while and today she decided to apply her dyeing skills to a goodmama.  I really hope you are sitting down. (You can click each photo for a larger view.)

Edit: This won't be the last time you see sweetiebums + goodmama. Stay tuned!

In case you were wondering where the photo winner went...

Photobucket deleted it! We got the runaround, so we took it to the press.

An hour later, we got an apology, our photos back, and an upgraded account.

However, be aware, if your account is private, they will still go through it and can delete photos at will. I'm thinking though, if they are cloth diaper photos we will take it back to CNET and they can run a follow-up story.

I love the power of the pen.

Ever wonder who takes all my personal PayPal?

Laughing Starfish, that's who. This beauty is called Kelp Empire. My birthstone is peridot and only in recent years could you get anything beautiful in this color, so I still jump at the chance.

Lovely peridot dyed green crystals that accent this loop pendant. They are surrounded by more faceted green glass and some silver accents, and they shimmer and sparkle in sunlight!

The loop is double-strung with strong nylon coated wire and hanging from a satin cord which closes with a lobster-claw clasp that has a teeny starfish charm accent.

She'll cut your necklace at any length: super low for young nurslings or high for optimal showing off above a lower cut t-shirt. I'm getting this one with a chocolate brown cord and cut shorter. Hazel is almost three and still nursing but she can reach it if she wants to play with it. Hah!

The thing is, these are called nursing necklaces but *anyone* can wear them. I usually get complimented over and over by teenaged girls and trust me, they have no idea it can be used as a nursing necklace. Beyond that, if you have a baby of any age, nursing or not, they will love to play with it. It's just beautiful and practical jewelry. I am actually not a jewelry person but Laughing Starfish is different and suits my busy no-fuss-allowed lifestyle.

And to go with it?

This gorgeous watch! 

More of those fabulous peridot dyed green crystals, this time in a shape that will feel smoother on the wrist, are wire-wrapped together with thick wire to a square watch face, and have an extra bit of chain on the end so that you can adjust the length of the watch for comfort!

I love square faced watches.

And finally?

Earrings! I admit, I didn't get my ears pierced until I was 21, so I never remember to change my earrings. My ears are extremely sensitive so I have to leave gold posts in them or they will get infected and/or grow over in no time. I can wear super hypoallergenic earrings during the day for short 12 hour stints.

Dorota made these for me with niobium hooks. She usually makes them with silver plated hooks, or if you want she can put them on sterling silver or surgical steel or niobium for sensitive ears, and she can include earring backings if you need those too.

And while I was checking out with these, I found this Necklace for a Mermaid. I cannot resist!

How gorgeous is this thing? I would be fantasizing about it for years if I didn't buy it. I'm going to call it all an early birthday present to me.

Dorota is great to work with, and her packages are so fun to receive. She usually covers them with stickers and even includes candy inside! (As if her luscious jewelry isn't yummy enough!)

Even if you are just window shopping, she's worth a look. It's like candy for your neck. Laughing Starfish! She's my dealer.