I was very stoked to get a request to make a Canadian-made clothing company a batch of plantable thank you postcards to include in their spring orders.

We have been cloth diapering our son for just over two years now and I am so happy that we have made the decision to do cloth. We started when he was one month old and have done it exclusively because we were so happy with it. I started doing some research right before our son was born (there are lots of amazing blogs out there on cloth diapers!), and through trial and error and learning with other friends who cloth diaper, we learned some things that worked for us.

Why We Use Cloth Diapers

1. Safer and healthier for our child (no toxic chemicals, breathable fabrics = little to no rashes)
2. Better for the environment
3. Cheaper (Within 2 years of using new cloth diapers we are now saving money on diapers. All of our cloth diapers are still in excellent condition. If they are used for another child they are essentially 'free')
4. Easier clean-up (no looking for a trash can and cloth wipes clean up more mess than disposable wipes)
5. Cute

Lilly & Frank cloth diaper

Our Favourite Cloth Diaper Brands

AppleCheeks
Bummis
Funky Fluff
GroVia
Lilly & Frank
Omaiki

Our Favourite Places To Buy Cloth Diapers

BumbleTree
Calgary Cloth Diaper Depot
Lagoon Baby
Lilly & Frank

Our Laundry Routine

Every 2-3 days
Cold Rinse + Hot Heavy Wash + Cold Rinse
Tide Free & Gentle detergent
Hang covers + dry liners on low heat and then hang dry

Travelling with Cloth Diapers

I recently had the pleasure of writing a blog post for one of our favourite sustainable clothing brands, ROWE Kids, based out of Calgary, Alberta. In this blog post you can check out tips and tricks for traveling with cloth diapers and plastic-free snacks!

I was definitely busy in my craftroom last month! In March, I participated in the #MarchMeetTheMaker challenge hosted by Joanne Hawker, and it brought about many exciting things to my crafting - pushing myself to try new techniques, seeking out Canadian made plantable paper, and a collaboration with a local maker!

MountainTots is based out of Invermere, BC, and makes kids apparel designed for the outdoors, adventure, and exploration (and to fit over cloth diapers - yay!). With their spring launch this month, they will be offering a gift wrap option featuring my tags! I was so honoured to be involved in this collaboration and really love how Kyla's vision came together for these sweet tags. You can also read about MountainTots and other Kootenay clothing makers in the upcoming Kootenay Living magazine Summer 2019 issue.




I used my Cricut for this custom sentiment, as well, that embodies the MountainTots brand - clothing made for adventurers! I love colouring up this sweet little Lawn Fawn fox.

Why I'm aiming to shop small and shop locally made this holiday season:

- Made in Canada supports our local economy
- Helps Canadian Mamas (and sometimes Dads too) stay home with their family
- Quality over Quantity; better fit and often for longer
- More environmentally friendly and sustainable options
- Unique and often one of a kind, customizable and creative options

For awhile now, I have been fascinated and excited when I can find something locally made. Even something made in Canada seems to be few and far between these days in the popular big box stores. I have come to learn that items that are "made in Canada" can have major differences among them, however. For example, you could be supporting a handmade maker in Canada, a Canadian designer that finds ethical manufacturing options for their products within Canada, a company that designs in Canada and manufactures overseas (which may or may not be ethically manufactured), or a company that simply has a warehouse in Canada that ships out the items they have received from overseas...MAJOR DIFFERENCES! I did not use to think about the differences in these options and the impact they have on our economy and our environment.

As I have continued my journey in cutting out plastic in my life where I can and aiming to be less wasteful, I have come to think more and more about the purchases I make every day, as well as those purchases that I make for my family and friends. Since my son has been born, I have started paying more attention to where his clothes and toys are made and how they are made. As a maker myself, I can appreciate the time spent designing something, gathering the right supplies, and putting it all together. Through doing some research this year, I have come to find many small shops around me, in BC and across Canada, who are aligning their practices with qualities I have come to admire and appreciate.

In addition to the craft fairs in my local area and the small shops who are also carrying made in Canada products, I have found many small BC and Canadian shops online. Here are some I will be supporting this holiday season:


ROWE Kids
Calgary, AB: the zomper has become our go-to outfit with an ankle-ankle zipper convenient for easy diaper changes

Olive.me.handmade
Fernie, BC: organic cotton leggings and toques made in beautiful wilderness designs

Lilly & Frank
Surrey, BC: organic handmade cloth diapers

Josiah & Co.
Hamilton, ON: not only are these crocheted booties beautifully handmade but they are"handmade with heaven babies in mind", something near and dear to my heart

The Baby Niche
Lethbridge, AB: wooden and silicone teething toys handmade by a wife & husband team

Trae Designs
Squamish, BC: handcrafted wooden toys

Timber Child
Okanagon, BC: natural lifestyle products for children such as wooden plates and toys

LoveBird Sewing Co.
Armstrong, BC: coziest blankets, but also home of the baby nest, one of the best and most used purchases we have made for our son

Peaks & Valleys Baby
Smithers, BC: swaddles, blankets, changepad covers, and crib sheets in beautiful organic fabrics

Snuglee Bug Knits
Surrey, BC: cozy knit toques (and she used to make baskets, too)


Why am I posting about this? Because I really did not use to think about the impact of my choices on the environment and the economy, because I want to support small Canadian businesses and people wanting to stay home with their children, and because I appreciate a good quality handmade product. You may pay a little bit more up front to buy locally handmade, but if you do your research, you will often end up buying less and buying something that will last, which is far more sustainable for us and for our environment.

I've been meaning to share this card I made for our friend. It has been amazing to make memories with one of my childhood friends and our babies this year who are 2 1/2 months apart. Sunflowers hold a special place in my heart so I was beyond excited to see this new paper collection release from Close To My Heart to kick off our next idea book. It is one of my favourites that I have seen come out in the past few years! This card features a few of our newest products -

As I have mentioned before, one of my goals this year is to support and shop more local shoppes and handmade items. I came across a fabulous shoppe called Timber Child a few months ago. They make the sweetest children's wooden plates out of Canadian Maple Wood and pledge to use only 100% Canadian materials - that's awesome! And the best part is that they are located right here in British Columbia. I was so happy with the cute little fox plate we got our son to celebrate his move to solid foods that we gave one to our friend for her birthday too.