Charlie Banana One Size! Cloth Diaper Review and Giveaway!

Everyone,
I am so excited to be able to share this blog post with you!

I was given the opportunity by the amazing new baby boutique in my city and online (All About Baby Boutique)  to do a cloth diaper review and giveaway! And the diaper?

A Charlie Banana One Size pocket diaper!

I have been cloth diapering for almost 3 years now and have tried many, many diapers. But before I got my tester diaper, I had never used one of these! I went to All About Baby Boutique in Greensboro, North Carolina (Can you imagine my excitement- a local, mama owned and run store that sells cloth diapers but also has a fantastic website!) and met the owners, Sheresa and Priscilla- who, for the record, are awesome! I browsed the goods, many of them handmade, and our 3year old played in their toy room. I picked up a few things that we needed, was given the Charlie Banana One Size I was testing, and went home to start prepping! I could not wait to get this diaper on the boys!

My first impression of the diaper was that the inside (thick microfleece) is SO soft. It's what you notice immediately. I was a bit concerned that something so soft and squishy wouldn't be the same after washing. Same for the inserts, since it comes with two- a small one, perfect for our little Finn, and a longer one (medium/large), exactly what we would need for our big boy, Jackson! The inserts were the thickest I have ever seen and again, you can't help but notice how soft the inserts are. Us cloth diapering moms love some "fluff" and this diaper has it in spades... everything is so fluffy. I was really hoping that washing and drying would reveal a diaper that kept it's softness and fluffiness, unlike some diapers that are washed and immediately turn into a pilly mess or inserts that go flat. Well, I wasn't disappointed! If it was possible, the microfiber inserts got fluffier!

Big, fluffy inserts after prepping!

And guess what?! The pocket opening is big enough for this large handed mama to get my paws in there to stuff inserts. And the opening is in the front, which makes a world of difference when dealing with poopy diapers!

After the diaper and inserts were prepped, I figured I would try it on Finn, our 4 month old, first since he is in diapers full time and Jackson is potty learning and usually only wears them out and about or to bed. This was the first time I had ever adjusted leg elastic to adjust the size of a diaper. All of my one size diapers have a bunch of snaps! Well, it was easy as can be and looks so nice and tidy without the bazillion snaps to adjust the legs. Not only that, but there are more options than just Small, Medium, Large. You can adjust the diaper to between sizes! Finn is right between a Small and a Medium, so I secured the elastic with the button in the hole between Small and Medium, essentially creating a S/M, where most diapers don't give you near the customizing ability- and you guys know that when leg elastic doesn't fit properly, the diaper is useless. No worries with the Charlie Banana One Size! They have done us proud, CDers.

Super customizable, not just small/medium/large

At the bottom of the wings, where it meets the leg elastic, there seems to be a bit of bunching. I was concerned that it would affect the diaper and leak, since I wasn't sure if it would keep a nice "seal" around the legs. My other concern was that it would dig a bit into his thighs and make him uncomfortable and/or cause him to have red marks from the pressure.

Again, no worries with the Charlie Banana One Size. No leaking, no blowouts, no discomfort, and none of those awful red marks! I was relieved. And the fit? Nice and trim, even with those super fluffy inserts.

Finn was a fan!

Now, time for Jackson, because what good is a one size diaper that won't fit until time to potty learn, right?

Jackson said the diaper was nice and soft! I noticed that even with Jackson, who is tall and skinny where Finn is long and chubby, there is a nice tall rise. I think my biggest beef with one size diapers is that on the largest settings, they tend to have rises that don't accomodate kids that wear that size adequately. And the little bit of bunching I noticed with Finn around the wing/leg area was not near as noticeable with a larger child wearing the diaper.

I thought the fit for Finn (17lbs) was fantastic, as was the fit for Jackson (28lbs)- very customizable and trim without sacrificing absorbancy. The diaper was soft, the inserts were soft, and the quality of the materials was evident after the many washings and wearings we have subjected the Charlie Banana to thusfar! It was easy to adjust and stuff! I would say that I highly recommend the Charlie Banana One Size! Now, I have read that the Charlie Banana OS can use disposable inserts, but I haven't tried them. The Charlie Banana One Size diapers start at $20.88 and go up to $25.88 at All About Baby Boutique, depending on whether or not you go with a classic color or designer prints.

I think the price is spot on and I plan on investing in a couple more of the Charlie Banana diapers.

(Just don't tell Tim, because for some insane reason, he thinks that there is such a thing as "enough diapers!")

Giveaway Winner is...

DANA!

Random.org picked comment #3

I've already messaged you about your prizes.
Congrats, lady!!

24 days until my due date- so, a GIVEAWAY!

In honor of the impending birth of our third baby,

The small person we have yet to meet,

The reason I've been a slack blogger lately-

I want to show my readers some love!

I've ordered a lot of great things for him from

Natural Family Supplies

In preparing for this baby, I've been making extra cloth wipes, since I know we'll run through a lot more when we have newborn diapers to change!

On Natural Family Supplies,

 I saw these CUTE cloth wipes.

And you know I'm a sucker for rainbows, so I bought myself a pack.

Yes, myself... not baby 

(Oh, yes, and I bought you a pack, too!)

We use family cloth (cloth toilet "paper").

By we, I mean me and the kids.

Tim isn't sold on it, and that's fine. 

When it's clean, I keep it in a basket on the back of the toilet.

Used cloths get put in the bin with the cloth diapers waiting to be washed.

It sits to the left of the toilet.

(a small Rubbermaid tub with a lid is perfect!)

A dozen rainbow wipes- good for you, for baby, for anything!

Two of each color.

They wash up really well

(no shrinkage)

and they're super soft!

Made by Turtles R Us

Sold by Natural Family Supplies

Purchased by ME!

Just for you!

You have a week, until August 17th at midnight, to enter!

I will announce the winner August 18th.

Also, I will give the winner a little something extra!

TWO different samples of Rockin' Green!

Rockin' Green is my favorite laundry soap and the only soap that touches my cloth diapers and family cloth!

The two scents will be a surprise.

They will be in the Classic Rock formula-

There will only be one winner!

Prize Pack: 1 dozen cloth wipes and enough laundry soap to do many loads of laundry in a high efficiency washer.

Ways to enter:

1. Mandatory entry- follow Where Am I with GFC. Leave me a comment letting me know you do, including your email address so I can contact the winner!

Additional entries:

2. Post about this giveaway on your blog OR facebook

(leaving a link to show me where)

3. Put my button on your blog

(leave a link here to show me where)

Happy winning!

Green Backpack giveaway winner is #19

Y'all, I am SO sorry it took me this long to post the winner! We switched internet service providers at our house and unfortunately, there was a delay in setting up their service- so I have been without home internet for a few days. I am in the Starbucks parking lot sipping on the most incredible coconutty, mocha-y frappucino-y concoction one can imagine, as I type! (Thanks for bearing with me!)


Random.org picked comment #19 as the winner!

Katy~The Country Blossom said...

I love all things that the store offers...but the ball point pens from recycled tires are just fantastic!!! :)

thecountryblossom at hotmail dot com

Congrats to Katy! I am sure you will love your colored pencils as much as we do- and that pencil sharpener is just too cool! Emailing you now for your address!

Green Backpack- fantastic new store AND a giveaway!

Well, as many of you know, I have a PRECIOUS 4 year old daughter that will be turning 5 next month! That means we are about to hit K-5 head on! We are in a great school district, but I've been homeschooling her since she was 3 with a mixture of Montessori/Waldorf/Unschooling business... my own special blend that seems to have really been enjoyable for her! We decided that there was no way on this green earth that we were paying $900/month for private kindergarten at a local Montessori school, even though it is really well spoken of.

So, we applied for her to go to a Montessori magnet in our city that is a few years old. The scores look fine, but when we visited, I was super impressed! The teachers were absolutely delightful, they look like they're making great efforts to provide an environment that Dr. Maria Montessori would have been proud of, and Keelin felt at home. That was the big thing!

When we got Keelin's acceptance letter, I cried. Not only was she going to get to continue her education in an environment that we desperately wanted for her, but it all started to feel VERY real. My teeny little 7 pound 15 ounce mini-me was going to elementary school.

My next thought was- YES!!!! We get to buy school supplies!

Because, let's face it, I have a slight addiction to cool writing impliments and fresh paper in packages.

I'm an office supply junkie.

The only thing I am weirder about than office supplies is Mason jars.

We all have our things.

I started looking around online and was SO disappointed in what I found. Petroleum-based crayons are the norm, but we prefer soy. Trashy book-bags that I'd never let in my house, much less let my child carry to school. Pencils covered in bright yellow paint, loaded with who knows what.

Then...

I found Green Backpack!

I emailed them to tell them how much I appreciated the options they were making available to moms that wanted different for their kids than Big Oil provided crayons and bleached paper from virgin trees.

They responded warmly and through back and forth emails, it was decided that I would introduce them to you. I received absolutely nothing for doing this- I just want you all to be aware of a top notch company that is just starting out. I believe whole-heartedly in little companies that make a big impact through good customer service, eco-responsible actions, and a social conscience.

Their mission:

Our goal is to provide an option for people who care about how their purchases affect the world, by providing an affordable, eco-friendly choice when shopping for school supplies.

All the products at Green Backpack are made from recycled or sustainable material. For instance, our folders, notebooks and even our pencils are made from recycled paper. We have a binder made of recycled milk jugs. Wooden pencils come from managed, sustainable forests.


We know there are less expensive options at the big box stores. As a small business, we do our best to balance environmental impact, quality and affordability for our customers.


We hope that when you buy our eco-smart school supplies, it’s a choice you feel good about.

 

Here are a few of their products- all of which are made from recycled or sustainable materials.

It's their promise to us and our children.

The name-sake backpack!

It is made with 65% recycled materials!

A bright, happy binder made from recycled chipboard!

Fantastic colored pencils, the barrel of which is made from recycled paper!

Keelin has already ninja-ed into the pack I purchased for her and she says that they are really easy to sharpen compared to the wooden ones!

Fiskars brand scissors, made from 100% post-consumer recycled materials!

We got a pair of the light blue for Keelin and they are super cute!

Non-toxic, washable markers made from reused or recycled materials!

The packaging is made from 100% recycled material.

Pencils with barrels made from recycled paper, just like the colored pencils!

What I love? They come in packs of a dozen pencils.

Prang crayons!

24 pack made from soybean oil- totally sustainable!

NO petroleum in this product, which makes them smooth to color with and beautifully colored.

Such a cool product!

An individual pencil sharpener made from PLA, a renewable plastic made from sugarcane, not petroleum!

Only the blade is new, but the casing is biodegradable!

For Keelin's 4th birthday, we had PLA cups and bowls.

It might be biodegradable, but they sure hold up to regular use because we still have them!

 So don't be afraid of the quality- it's a good product!

These black, ballpoint ink pens have barrels made from 30% recycled car tires!

Very cool!

Aside from the nifty products that I've mentioned above, we also snagged some of their big erasers and recycled paper! The quality of their product line is really on point and the cost is only slightly more, but not unreasonable, than standard school supplies at any local office supply store. We're really satisfied with Green Backpack and wanted to let you know that this company is here and available to you- with reasonable shipping costs, minimal packaging, and incredible customer service!

EDIT: My friend Dana reminded me- we also bought a tube of the glue. And yes, for those of you that are curious, it absolutely does smell like almonds! ;-)

And just because they're super awesome, Green Backpack will supply one lucky winner with a package of their amazing colored pencils and a pencil sharpener!

Mandatory entry:

1. Follow my blog publicly- comment WITH your email address and tell me!

(if I don't have your email, I can't message you when you win)

Extra entry:

2. Check out the Green Backpack website and tell me your favorite product!

You have two ways to enter to win the gift pack!

I will close the giveaway on Saturday, May 28th at 9pm EST.

Winner will be announced on the blog and sent an email!

Frazzle-me Friday!

Tim always picks on me about my wishes to "go off the grid." I don't actually WANT to live in an isolated cabin in the middle of the woods (wait- isn't our house in the middle of the woods? in the middle of nowhere?) with no contact with the outside world. I want sustainable power that doesn't rely on a company to provide it- and I want to limit our need for things we can't take care of ourselves.

Well, today, I got part of my wish. My phone went off after breakfast. Not only that, but when I ensured that it was charged and went to power it up, I got the powering up screen and it stayed like that until after lunch, when I gave up on it. We finally took it in when Tim gave up on it.

The guy at Verizon says that my phone is kaput. Sad. BUT we got a pre-owned for half the price of a new one and it will be here Monday. So I will officially be unreachable by phone (unless someone calls Tim's) until Monday. I'm actually really enjoying it! Just hope there are no emergencies after Tim leaves on his business trip Sunday!

Yeah, I just jinxed myself...

I will still be blogging as usual (with a new review and giveaway posting tomorrow, so get ready for more fun!)- just not answering the phone when people call :)

Holden and Marlee - you are the winners!

We officially have two winners of the Glass Dharma glass straw giveaways.

Comment #27 was Holden!

"this is a neat idea nicholesmith_2010@yahoo.com facebook follower"

Comment #32 was Marlee!

"Found you from the Relax and Surf Hop, and glad I did! Am a happy new follower :)!
www.marleeindebt.blogspot.com"
 
I will be emailing both of you tonight to get your mailing addresses.

Thanks to all who entered! I will be posting my next giveaway tomorrow, so make sure to check back for another opportunity to win some sustainable goodies!

Last chance to enter the giveaway!! Closes at 9EST!

The Glass Dharma giveaway closes tonight!

I will be drawing the two winners at 9pm Eastern Time, so get your last minute entries in!

Remember- mandatory entry first! Follow me and tell me you do, including your email!

Other ways to enter-

Add Glass Dharma on Facebook- tell them thanks!

Tell me something you'd like to see me cover more of- can be anything!

Suggest the giveaway to friends on FB or via your blog! Let me know you did by posting the link!


Enter in this post about the Glass Dharma straw giveaway! Remember- there will be TWO winners!

GlassDharma glass straw review and GIVEAWAY!

I have a surprise for my amazing followers! I know some of you will remember a post I did a little while ago where I mentioned my love for Glass Dharma straws! Well, the makers of the original glass straw want to give YOU an opportunity to own and love one as much as I do- for FREE!

As I mentioned in my first post about this amazing glass straw- handmade in the United States- I've had mine for almost 3 years now! They have withstood being carried in my purse, dropped in the floor (although I don't recommend doing it on purpose), tossed by the kids, moved to 3 different dwellings while we were stationed at Fort Bragg, and not a single ONE has cracked, broken, or chipped! And if it had? Guess what! Their Lifetime Guarantee Against Breakage would have handled the replacement!

Bear in mind that they are not unbreakable, just guaranteed! Glass Dharma wants it's customers to be completely satisfied with their products, so if you're not 100% satisfied, they want to know and they want to correct it! If your straw breaks, they want to know and they want to fix it- or replace it! Now, THAT is customer service as it should be.

I believe that all of us here are planet-friendly people, but it wasn't until a few years ago that I realized just how huge a problem plastic straw waste is! Imagine just how many of those things end up trashed every year!? How could something so small be an issue?

According to Glass Dharma's website, in 2008, McDonalds ALONE claimed to serve 52 MILLION meals a day. How many of those do you imagine included a drink with a plastic straw? One little straw is no biggie, but tens of MILLIONS of straws being trashed every day (from only one company!) easily becomes the straw that broke the camel's ecological back! What an environmental disaster (waste created) and biological disaster (chemicals leached from the plastic)! Using glass straws from Glass Dharma is the perfect way to completely avoid contributing to the problem.

I was sent a box of straws- one Beautiful Bends (super cool bent straw), one Simple Elegance (the kind I've had 3 of for almost 3 years and loved!), one green Decorative Dots (a long one), and one amber Decorative Dots (a short one). Also included was a hemp carrying sleeve (natural hemp) and two cleaning brushes, which I will tell you makes cleaning them a breeze.

The Beautiful Bends straw is 9.5mm wide and 9" long, retailing for $8.50. The bend makes it perfect for use in a taller glass and I actually used mine while I was online researching the effects of plastic straws on the environment! It hung over the side of my glass slightly, so I never had to take my eyes off of the screen to ensure that I wasn't about to knock my glass off of the dining room table. Even if you're not a lazy sipper like me, they just look absolutely beautiful in a glass! 

The Simple Elegance straws come in a variety of lengths and widths. As the most cost effective straw, they are fantastic to have on hand for use by the entire family. Their simplicity makes them ridiculously easy to clean- and I truly think that my drinks just taste better when I drink them through a glass straw- these are perfect for the minimalist! I have taken to keeping mine in the fridge- talk about refreshing! While I usually don't drink hot drinks, thus keeping my straws in the fridge, they are perfectly suited for cold OR hot drinks, so use them in everything without worry of damaging them. They were made to be used!

The Decorative Dots straws are so neat! Doing this review was the first time I'd seen one of them, even though I've been lusting after them since I bought my first  set of straws. I love how fun they look and what's impressive to me is that there is no paint to make me concerned and no fading to take away from the beauty of your straw. The dots are colored glass (that come in blue, red, green, or amber), the same glass as the straws, which means that they are made of borosilicate glass, the strongest commercially available glass! The tall Decorative Dots straws are stunning and the shorter straws are now my first choice for my kids. They're strong, beautiful, and the colored dots make them perfect for color coding- no more mixing up the kid's cups!

I have been carrying my straw in my purse wrapped haphazardly in a cloth napkin for dining out, so I was really excited to try the hemp carrying sleeve! I was instantly hooked on the look and texture of the sleeve- it just looks environmentally responsible! I was sent the natural hemp sleeve (that retails for $12.00) to try out and that is definitely the one I would have ordered for myself. The fabric swatch, pictured below, gives you an idea of the color options you have if you're interested in a sleeve that isn't the natural hemp color- purple dawn, ocean blue, deep moss, and black pearl (that retail for $15.00 each). Regardless of the color, you can choose from 3 sizes to get the best fit for your straw!

Since I've had plenty of experience with the Simple Elegance straws and there were two of the Decorative Dots straws, we tried out the amber Decorative Dots straw and the Beautiful Bends straw to let you know how they work and what we thought of them! Do you know what that means for you guys?! I have two straws and two cleaning brushes to give to you!

Up for grabs, we have two gift sets, courtesy of Glass Dharma.

Set one:
A green Decorative Dots straw that is 9.5mm wide and 9" long. This straw does not normally come with a cleaning brush, but for our giveaway, it will! The cleaning brushes normally retail for $5.00 each. The green dots are absolutely beautiful and as an added bonus, keeps that pesky straw from rolling off of the table! Retails for $9.00 each on their website. (A total value of $14.00)

Set two:
A Simple Elegance straw that is 12mm wide and 9" long, making it perfect for drinking smoothies, even ones with fantastic fruit pieces that normally get stuck in the straw or never make it in! This is the mac daddy of glass straws and we have really enjoyed ours over the years! This straw has a cleaning brush in it's box! Retails for $8.50 each on their website, plus the cleaning brush! (A total value of $13.50)

This is mine, yours is new in the box!

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to communicate with the incredible people at Glass Dharma while we were planning this blog posting and the giveaway! What an incredible company selling handmade products, all made in the U.S- even the sleeves and brushes!

To win one of the two gift sets, here is what you do:

Mandatory entry, include your name and email address in this comment:
- follow "Where am I?"

Extra entries, please leave 1 comment per entry:
- like "Glass Dharma on Facebook" and let them know how much we appreciate this giveaway!
- suggest something you'd like to see more of here at "Where am I?"
- suggest "Where am I?" to a friend (and/or create a blog or Facebook posting about this giveaway), having them follow and let me know YOU sent them!

All in all, you can have 4 entries each.
I will use random.org to choose a winner on Friday, May 20th!

"Sip the world, taste the difference."
(and Happy Winning!)

Some GREAT giveaways that I want you all to enter!

Hey, everybody! A few blogs I follow are having some sweet giveaways and I wanted you to all have chances to enter! Make sure you let them know I sent you and show them some love! Happy entering!

1. Rebekah over atThe Yellow Pepper is having a giveaway that ends April 22nd! It is sponsored by Beatrice of Sew Bea and Bea Tea & Company. Plenty of ways to enter to win that incredibly beautiful wrap bowl from Bea Tea & Company

2. Tia over at Two Birds on a Wire is having a big giveaway, too! A bunch of prizes and lots of ways to enter to win! She is also a personal friend of mine, so get on over there! :)

3. Drea over at ohdeardrea is having an awesome giveaway sponsored by bakesalery that ends on the 23rd. Fantastic blog, fantastic mama- who just so happened to be the crafting goddess behind Baby Finn's mobile that I'll feature next week on my blog! Go support her, show her some love, and enter for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to bakesalery!!

Good luck to all of my wonderful readers! I would LOVE to hear that some of you won these giveaways :)

The Wildflower Patch!!

I was lucky enough to stumble across a blog written by a fellow crafty mom and blogger named Mandy! Her blog AND store are named The Wildflower Patch. The name just makes me wish for sumer! She sells felt playfood, family cloth, diapering supplies, items for mom and baby! All handmade and at very reasonable prices!!

http://www.wildflowerpatch.blogspot.com/

^ link to her blog

http://hyenacart.com/wildflowerpatch/

^ link to her store

This week, she is holding a giveaway on her blog! You can enter a number of ways before the 31st of March and can choose from a number of prizes should you be the lucky winner! Show this mama some love, guys! :)

Giveaway at A Playful Day!

Kate at A Playful Day (http://aplayfulday.blogspot.com/) is giving away one of three bags from The Lollipop Stop (http://www.folksy.com/shops/lolabella)

They are ridiculously cute zippered project bags and all you have to do to have to chance to win one is to comment on her post from Friday that you'd like to win and which one of the three bags is your favorite (my favorite is the knitting bag!)'

For a second chance to win, follow her blog!

For a third chance to win, post about the giveaway on your own blog, like I'm doing now! :)