tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88720735990647427912024-03-04T22:43:35.247-08:00Sustainable Baby"What a brilliant, well-timed book for every ‘parent-in-waiting’ or parent of young children! Sustainable
Baby is a must-have book." Sherri Kalow writing in Bookseller + Publisher magazineDebbie Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01901483277043166331noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872073599064742791.post-80412027568032148862010-12-26T17:13:00.001-08:002011-01-05T19:15:19.877-08:00Turning an ordinary dress into a breastfeeding one<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjawJDdL0oAoz-ocLgCSqGd3HSHBjuEqx3iouzZQXQFYA6BM14N9h2PFNfA6ZjIQ0kKQgD3giA1f6npAmPY0Kmo1LZ04ZBavyDlvIbNi07jFED9pTlqFpB6wwWkItiWjM5HlYFPvWwlctY/s1600/white+dress.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjawJDdL0oAoz-ocLgCSqGd3HSHBjuEqx3iouzZQXQFYA6BM14N9h2PFNfA6ZjIQ0kKQgD3giA1f6npAmPY0Kmo1LZ04ZBavyDlvIbNi07jFED9pTlqFpB6wwWkItiWjM5HlYFPvWwlctY/s200/white+dress.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558905197815685394" /></a><br /><br />I got invited to two weddings just after my baby was born, on what was certain to be a really hot March day in Kangaroo Valley - both weddings were in the same area two weeks apart. I didn't have any spare cash to buy something nice, and I really wanted to wear a cool summer dress. So I turned this linen maternity dress that I'd made into a breastfeeding dress.<br /><br />First I dyed the dress, as since it was white it wasn't suitable for a wedding at which I wasn't the bride ;)<br />I happened to lose the beautiful sapphire blue natural dye which I got from Winterwood, just as I was about to do the process (I later found it in a really obvious place). I rang a friend to see if she had any dye spare. She said no, but didn't I suggest in the book using turmeric? Of course, I'd forgotten :)<br />I used onion skins instead of turmeric, and the colour turned out beautifully. The uneven coverage and vintage-y hue really suited the dress, which looked kinda old fashioned anyway - sort of Greek, as though it should be worn with a crown of ivy or something.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWT1JmG-VqXLjDd4C_s86fy8b2OMoR_fJFskJVB44hTPXxktimtw8AeJYQF16BMSZdzR8azqDduC0a7SmLAJ9t0f-5_730r5XDXn0mjHZjAxudZE-kigQoKUnMqm-rwdvdF9atc6OTVs/s1600/yellow+dress+hanging.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWT1JmG-VqXLjDd4C_s86fy8b2OMoR_fJFskJVB44hTPXxktimtw8AeJYQF16BMSZdzR8azqDduC0a7SmLAJ9t0f-5_730r5XDXn0mjHZjAxudZE-kigQoKUnMqm-rwdvdF9atc6OTVs/s200/yellow+dress+hanging.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558904568214525570" /></a><br /><br />Then it was a simple matter to undo the stitching at the top of the shoulders. I neatened up the edges, and sewed on a button (these were blue as I originally intended the dress to be blue, but if I'd had time I'd have tried to find something of a more golden colour to match the onion skin dye colour). I used buttons sourced from an old shirt, and ribbon for the button loops from a nightie (you know how they often have ribbons sewed on each shoulder meant for hanging the garment up?) so I didn't have to buy anything at all for this project. Actually I did the button loops before the dye job, which I don't recommend as in this case they went a greenish colour in the dyeing.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHqO8dAtWFn2AQhKbLahKPLmofWRSZb-gSy4pJ565WCsO3ZxO2j-LZSC_HJyOTbh3KH72ZQnU_4hLnyEWJOPx3L127QZnQAlr71nBcZWZgbchtv2i8PO-mNBqYO0VZX8YP7Ws51J2pLjA/s1600/buttons+yellow+dress.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHqO8dAtWFn2AQhKbLahKPLmofWRSZb-gSy4pJ565WCsO3ZxO2j-LZSC_HJyOTbh3KH72ZQnU_4hLnyEWJOPx3L127QZnQAlr71nBcZWZgbchtv2i8PO-mNBqYO0VZX8YP7Ws51J2pLjA/s200/buttons+yellow+dress.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558877437313881890" /></a><br /><br />How the dress works is, you undo the button at the shoulder and just let it fall down while you breastfeed. Of course you could use Velcro or something more practical, or go completely unpractical and beautiful by using ribbons tied at the shoulder. I could undo mine by myself but needed my husband to do it up afterwards for me - although once I managed by myself by putting the baby down on my lap for a moment.<br /><br />This was really easy and got so many compliments! Everyone said they could tell at once that I'd made it myself - though I choose to believe that is because nothing like it is on sale - as far as I know.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis5RhYmGylHKlTQM73Gn7DC5ns4nBe9xS1jglPED2WaSsHYfFdWXChaXhVruYBC3hk6slVc4A82epqV4AVnsq_boBFshaeOabYg4vOi4u7c1fFUffst5bSucQKrxEsv7dgJYRUA4O4y_0/s1600/06032010249.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis5RhYmGylHKlTQM73Gn7DC5ns4nBe9xS1jglPED2WaSsHYfFdWXChaXhVruYBC3hk6slVc4A82epqV4AVnsq_boBFshaeOabYg4vOi4u7c1fFUffst5bSucQKrxEsv7dgJYRUA4O4y_0/s200/06032010249.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558875748415264882" /></a>Debbie Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01901483277043166331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872073599064742791.post-33176874968275672782010-08-26T19:23:00.000-07:002010-08-26T19:39:11.201-07:00Keeping warm in red<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJoTU0CFH-CopSFgWEC8VTzug6v1AcHqan0vazHRwZTM8NJzuao0KIAc5i4R6UvyHY1BPy0arZXDeDgQQQ0xGGJNt0qLWHbJwGLSZPWs6yRYACYXR1XnqKKwXnjsQz3a8MZ8_ovExupc/s1600/IMG_6897.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJoTU0CFH-CopSFgWEC8VTzug6v1AcHqan0vazHRwZTM8NJzuao0KIAc5i4R6UvyHY1BPy0arZXDeDgQQQ0xGGJNt0qLWHbJwGLSZPWs6yRYACYXR1XnqKKwXnjsQz3a8MZ8_ovExupc/s200/IMG_6897.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509910624610137554" /></a><br /><br />Isn't it strange how baby tops are all made to be so short in the length? If you are EC-ing, you probably know what I mean when I say it is so hard in a cold climate to keep baby's kidneys warm when you aren't putting onesies on her.<br /><br />I wanted a long vest or even knitted dress to put on Umi and keep her back and midriff toasty. But couldn't find anything. So I adapted this great <a href="http://thriftyknitter.com/?p=223">online pattern </a>for a vest, turning it into a knitted pinafore dress.<br /><br />The original pattern is for a vest which buttons up on one shoulder and also buttons up the side. My active baby won't sit still long enough for this, so I knitted two pieces the same and sewed up both sides and across both shoulder seams. I did include the garter stitch on each side which looks great. I cast on 40 extra stitches and gradually decreased to make the A-line skirt.<br /><br />Umi lives in this! It keeps her tummy and bottom warm even if she is not wearing a nappy. And when we go out she wears it over a pair of orange bell-bottomed trousers. Actually I made them from an online free pattern too, so <a href="http://alison.knitsmiths.us/pattern_baby_bell_bottoms.html">here </a>is a link to that.Debbie Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01901483277043166331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872073599064742791.post-34167158724251896362010-08-02T17:36:00.000-07:002010-08-02T17:43:11.041-07:00What to do with old babysuits - cover hot water bottles!I recently bought two hot water bottles as three of us were vying for the use of our one bottle. But I didn't have covers for them and there's no time to knit any. <br /><br />Just then I noticed a big bag full of baby clothes ready to take to the op shop. I picked out two cute fleecy ones with feet. With appliques and ribbons etc they were never useful as babysuits; in fact I don't think Umi wore them. But they are great as hottie covers!<br /><br />Just fill the hottie, pop into the suit, and do up the press studs over it. The neck of the bottle can stick out from the neck of the babysuit. I find size 00 fit perfectly!<br /><br />It makes the whole family feel like they are cuddling up to a cute little baby at night.Debbie Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01901483277043166331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872073599064742791.post-55754493550881806132010-05-22T21:41:00.000-07:002010-05-22T01:32:45.610-07:00Making leggings for easy infant pottying<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT7oVvdSBF5mjkCke_SnfRFkDKFghKm7qC_DtfP_HtUQmrBHciOrYAmag-3wfk9DqUOPMvp6T0viS0E_luqoXoB0O6wUMS-ckTEdz7YRIDsB_3sZ-H-h72xcDQrC7q2RpeyXNG1J3zapM/s1600/baby+legs.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT7oVvdSBF5mjkCke_SnfRFkDKFghKm7qC_DtfP_HtUQmrBHciOrYAmag-3wfk9DqUOPMvp6T0viS0E_luqoXoB0O6wUMS-ckTEdz7YRIDsB_3sZ-H-h72xcDQrC7q2RpeyXNG1J3zapM/s200/baby+legs.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466528979004321826" /></a><br /><br />Recently a friend with an older baby brought around a bag of clothes that included no fewer than six pairs of baby tights. Now, tights are no good for infant pottying (just another thing to try and take off with one hand), so I was about to take them off to the op shop. Then I thought...we really need some more Baby Legs. They're those stretchy leggings you can get for about $20. Our one pair is always in the wash.<br />So....<br />A few snips and a bit of simple stitchery later, Umi had some new Long Socks.<br /><br />To make, simply cut off the legs of the tights. The longer the better.<br />Then cut off the top elastic at the waist of the tights. This seems to be, very usefully, the exact length you need to cut in half and use as the top elastic of each sock (depending of course on the girth of your baby's thighs).<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhabx2SsDY_u4XO5Bei4W7Ymmn0XJuI_2-qrkwRk65-jEZRqn5Gpgl8tqHXGM9RRDVP9whE_UVNWq7ieglwoodZ4-_9IyZ-63m1AA6nAuIwnvGWiSTtIvtqUEVQ8LU18jlu2y1aQPfCfZk/s1600/baby+legs+FOE.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhabx2SsDY_u4XO5Bei4W7Ymmn0XJuI_2-qrkwRk65-jEZRqn5Gpgl8tqHXGM9RRDVP9whE_UVNWq7ieglwoodZ4-_9IyZ-63m1AA6nAuIwnvGWiSTtIvtqUEVQ8LU18jlu2y1aQPfCfZk/s200/baby+legs+FOE.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470975472687042114" /></a><br /><br />The elastic is usually folded in half, so fold this over the top of each leg and stitch in place. If the elastic isn't easy to re-use, just use some fold-over-elastic (the kind Spotlight sells for making lingerie). <br /><br />These are even better than Baby Legs because you don't need to add separate socks. Or if you prefer leggings you could cut off the feet. You don't really need to hem them - the ribbing seems to hold OK along the bottom, in a kind of bootleg cut.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj2WDHX6dRJnX5RM17KWaXiKBQGFyVXt9jTQPB5htzFFXSlcDAWcRXBavqB1rItwvG5shBNypttAktH__NDT_ApmtJSBwcCCJuzsHDHa9VLbzD_qgY0wffAwdq8Z5U6_D9Xo6pwRAA5q0/s1600/baby+legs+walking+upright.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj2WDHX6dRJnX5RM17KWaXiKBQGFyVXt9jTQPB5htzFFXSlcDAWcRXBavqB1rItwvG5shBNypttAktH__NDT_ApmtJSBwcCCJuzsHDHa9VLbzD_qgY0wffAwdq8Z5U6_D9Xo6pwRAA5q0/s200/baby+legs+walking+upright.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473885443459809826" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />For those in colder climes, it's easy to knit some in simple rib stitch. Here are a pair a lovely friend made for us (thank you Ruth!)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvqY3TpW_qeCUXcnyLZBLXJ0y97YuUKhsfLwnwNiV9F4Gt_GyOjI10K1_jg6aeEUJSLDoBf73jy11nFhz5uR8-YPP9p0Uy2kG9gb5KXLgmzBOf554BotsDlQYEv1eJ6c4C-JVbalb5aEI/s1600/baby+legs+red+wool.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvqY3TpW_qeCUXcnyLZBLXJ0y97YuUKhsfLwnwNiV9F4Gt_GyOjI10K1_jg6aeEUJSLDoBf73jy11nFhz5uR8-YPP9p0Uy2kG9gb5KXLgmzBOf554BotsDlQYEv1eJ6c4C-JVbalb5aEI/s200/baby+legs+red+wool.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474006708773357442" /></a>Debbie Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01901483277043166331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872073599064742791.post-45806876190087504682010-05-13T17:11:00.000-07:002010-05-13T20:50:00.669-07:00Infant pottying out of doors, revisitedI got a few comments a while back about how to conduct infant pottying out of doors!<br />People seemed to think I meant it was OK to leave baby poo just lying around in spaces others are using. I didn't really mean that! I was talking mainly about wees. Babies surely should be able to pee on bushes, just like dogs (and little boys) do. I also don't really see that much of a problem with baby poo out in the bush if you cover it up afterwards with lots of earth.<br /><br />When you're out and about in more frequented areas, and your baby signals that she wants to poo, however, you do need to have something up your sleeve, so to speak. Sometimes baby will give you enough notice to get to a public toilet. However, last week I went to pick up Torsten from preschool, and was sitting on the front step waiting for the doors to open when suddenly Umi announced (with a few ladylike grunts) that she wanted to poo. There was no toilet available. I was nonplussed for a moment, then remembered I had a plastic bag in my backpack. I fished it out, opened it up, and let Umi poo in it. Then I tied it up and took it home. I have no idea what the other parents thought of the process - I was too shy to meet anyone's eye! :)<br /><br />A better idea would be to carry a couple of sheets of newspaper for this purpose. Not only would it be easier to aim a pooing bottom on to a spread-out sheet of paper, it would also be easier to dispose of later, and more environmentally responsible.<br /><br />By the way, when I said I was nonplussed, I meant in the English sense of being perturbed, and not in the American sense of being not perturbed! That usage really nonplusses me!!Debbie Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01901483277043166331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872073599064742791.post-12251039260178934172010-04-30T03:27:00.000-07:002010-05-01T21:36:47.565-07:00Elimination Communication goes mainstream?I was so amazed to read an article on EC in <a href="http://www.practicalparenting.com.au">Practical Parenting magazine </a>this month! The intro paragraphy-thingy described it as a 'growing trend' - this was totally news to me! But very happy news all the same. <br />The article also referred to it throughout as Potty Training or Toilet Training, which I think might be misleading - I reckon EC should involve you learning about your baby, rather than teaching her to do something. However, whatever it's called, if it's brought more into mainstream Australian consciousness I couldn't be happier!<br />Recently I became aware that even people who seem like they have an open mind can be totally outraged by what they perceive as giving babies a complex about eliminating. It doesn't make sense really - the real complexes surely happen when toddlers and their psychological complexity are involved. With newborns and tiny babies, on the other hand, it's simply about the basic human need to eliminate. No obsessing or complexes required.Debbie Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01901483277043166331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872073599064742791.post-15423079984779028272010-04-12T19:28:00.000-07:002010-04-12T19:33:04.861-07:00On not having blogged for a while....Oh dear, somehow all this time elapsed without a single blog post. I'm sorry to those loyal followers who kindly signed up to follow this blog!<br />Living with a 3-year old and a six-month old can really swallow up your time. But it should be no excuse really.<br />One of the mums from Torsten's preschool (hello Vanessa!) cornered me at the local markets to tell me she had stumbled across this blog. Funny how I always imagined it was somehow invisible to anyone who might actually know me!<br />I am looking forward to blogging about How to Turn a Maternity Dress into a Breastfeeding Dress. Just waiting on some view-able pictures really. Stay tuned!Debbie Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01901483277043166331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872073599064742791.post-18606243854216850702010-02-07T13:50:00.000-08:002010-02-06T18:50:37.672-08:00E-C-ing in the great outdoors<div>Of course this is easier when there isn't anyone around, somehow.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPddP50I7LP1ota1VpUJqN27L-07OoEfTzs6TxhpVF1rD2YOxAsMlSR-sKCImtCreW9COrNKiZyAZFV6ap-gy2hIowFMQ-a_lEqyPcbO-CvMscT2vahyphenhyphenKleN8lDGOdg44GmTUkGVDuRk/s1600-h/15122009169.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425424568136946594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPddP50I7LP1ota1VpUJqN27L-07OoEfTzs6TxhpVF1rD2YOxAsMlSR-sKCImtCreW9COrNKiZyAZFV6ap-gy2hIowFMQ-a_lEqyPcbO-CvMscT2vahyphenhyphenKleN8lDGOdg44GmTUkGVDuRk/s200/15122009169.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div> </div><br /><div> </div><br /><div> </div><br /><div> </div><br /><div> </div><br /><div> </div><br /><div> </div><br /><div> </div><br /><div>However, after five months of this, I've now become so accustomed to it that I don't hesitate anymore to quickly whip off Umi's nappy in public parks, friends' gardens, and any other green space, and let her relieve herself. Baby wee (and even, usually, baby poo) is so innocuous - I can't imagine anyone being offended. However I suppose there ought to be some kind of social protocol around it; asking if it's OK to E-C while there are people standing around. Any ideas?</div></div>Debbie Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01901483277043166331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872073599064742791.post-39248582755961939732010-01-24T14:27:00.000-08:002010-01-23T19:28:00.839-08:00Dug out from 'drafts'I had these photos of things I got ready for Umi when she arrived in our family. But then she really arrived, and I never published the post :(<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_UbJQwI-J-0cZHwYCKtOhfLmV-gSxNjYXzv-2CvvMagtcprzANvy9rZdusdk3wkBUaK1IutuhPMota0V23xheQ2u9py_gD3-zKzozLXLVJXztnJajOXIRaEg0e7DdFOjMqOA_Hc_Dgdw/s1600-h/Cutie+bed.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381171052741356082" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_UbJQwI-J-0cZHwYCKtOhfLmV-gSxNjYXzv-2CvvMagtcprzANvy9rZdusdk3wkBUaK1IutuhPMota0V23xheQ2u9py_gD3-zKzozLXLVJXztnJajOXIRaEg0e7DdFOjMqOA_Hc_Dgdw/s200/Cutie+bed.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />A kind lady in my craft group made this cat from fuzzy handmade felt. And I sewed the little doll. Afterwards, I realised it is a really good idea to put a little bell inside, if the doll is going to compete with noisy commercial toys for my baby's attention. I'm going to do that now.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBVk_9bCA4clF2FO1ea9A9eJZhlVs_O8AWLJJSGcc3HMIZJ4Lv_dE8yHxPqrW6VphujYpH4070SsXUYnFGVV42_SQa2HpK0JM3q2_K4zRgA5rcvVqMEb9FnATsP1vrEFwne3peRIiVDS8/s1600-h/fleece+covers+on+sill.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381171040716040242" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBVk_9bCA4clF2FO1ea9A9eJZhlVs_O8AWLJJSGcc3HMIZJ4Lv_dE8yHxPqrW6VphujYpH4070SsXUYnFGVV42_SQa2HpK0JM3q2_K4zRgA5rcvVqMEb9FnATsP1vrEFwne3peRIiVDS8/s200/fleece+covers+on+sill.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Easy nappy covers made from soft fleece.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeGMJv1A51-sxn5Ki3A44ZUQ_4xvrnpsxqVDEEWPgAzpzxEBeB3w-wZOkMNU7vo02UKO4J7BavOS2Zzg4InMXQ4rDXHGwn7Y5WGKedcn_DMTGPWex31MzzkjqFKUFyaiRyVhA-mOFGlDU/s1600-h/fleece+cover+on+bed.JPG"></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv9zYPujWumbKrZk2qnbU1jnv6Nf7DPOTqw7mMtYE5GRKPZS4_pMwJKj2YY4JQl2O4AYpNp9vmmr51_Z3oWBXpTlogjeYKCovD8TqECyIsWgqMQms7xVWHgAwOP43l5DTqT3IaU4ffHjo/s1600-h/blue+fleece+cover+on+bed.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381171027424040498" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv9zYPujWumbKrZk2qnbU1jnv6Nf7DPOTqw7mMtYE5GRKPZS4_pMwJKj2YY4JQl2O4AYpNp9vmmr51_Z3oWBXpTlogjeYKCovD8TqECyIsWgqMQms7xVWHgAwOP43l5DTqT3IaU4ffHjo/s200/blue+fleece+cover+on+bed.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This one didn't stretch widthways- I made that silly mistake of cutting the fleece with the stretch going the wrong way. So we've put it on Wibble Wobble the doll.Debbie Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01901483277043166331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872073599064742791.post-86876423582722444182010-01-11T02:01:00.000-08:002010-01-11T02:13:00.353-08:00The Cargo Bike - great way to get aroundOur house is just a little bit too far from the village for Torsten to comfortably walk. However, it's too close really to justify using the car to take him shopping. And the stroller is now Umi's property.<br />Enter....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGPGqBRiuc7jUU9aF8EgAi6deU6aV32fHyJcv2wRQ3SeZ7dnCzP7c3FagSad2AbR-cCklh1FTb6on7BpLKzBalQPCWN43G2wiYq4hZctwG6HPA_8nI-VFdT4uuhGA979PwGCIC9mskXI/s1600-h/Bike+.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425420923640736066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGPGqBRiuc7jUU9aF8EgAi6deU6aV32fHyJcv2wRQ3SeZ7dnCzP7c3FagSad2AbR-cCklh1FTb6on7BpLKzBalQPCWN43G2wiYq4hZctwG6HPA_8nI-VFdT4uuhGA979PwGCIC9mskXI/s200/Bike+.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The Cargo Bike! With room for two kids and the shopping, plus a great rain cover - there is no longer any excuse for not getting exercise!<br />Andrew has been going on about this for a long time now - maybe a year?<br />Now that we finally have it, I really wish I let him buy it earlier. He is finally getting on top of that post-baby flab (it's not only female bodies that undergo a change during pregnancy), and Torsten loves it. He can even read mini-books on the hop (see photo).<br />I get a good amount of exercise too, trying to keep up on foot with the stroller...Debbie Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01901483277043166331noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872073599064742791.post-32410570786566881992009-12-08T13:02:00.000-08:002009-12-09T16:36:21.100-08:00Dry baby skin rash and blistered nipplesThis is another post on the miracle properties of calendula balm.<br /><br />Umi had a terrible dry, peeling rash on both cheeks, that developed at around one month.<br />I didn't put anything on it, until, as last resort, I dabbed on some calendula-infused olive oil. I had been keeping it to make bottom balm, according to my earlier <a href="http://sustainable-baby.blogspot.com/2009/03/calendula-nappy-change-cream-recipe.html">post</a>.<br /><br />The rash looked better immediately, and had totally disappeared in two days. This was after weeks of having it.<br /><br />I also never got around to posting about this at the time, but the same calendula balm for the nappy rash was magic for my blistered nipples during the early weeks of breastfeeding. I stumbled on this after trying pretty much everything else. What I did was, I put lanolin on the nipples <em>before</em> each feed. This made the nipples soft and the feeding easier. Then after finishing feeding on each side, I slathered on the calendula balm. Those persistent and excrutiating blisters soon cleared up! Calendula is an edible flower, so no need to wash it off before feeding again.<br /><br />For the balm, just put freshly picked or alternatively dried calendula petals in olive/sunflower/almond oil and leave, covered tightly, for three weeks, shaking the jar daily. Make sure there is no water on the petals and no air pockets in the oil. Strain and voila! You have calendula-infused oil. Heat this with beeswax to melt the wax, and cool to solidify.Debbie Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01901483277043166331noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872073599064742791.post-45325449533535935532009-11-26T03:30:00.000-08:002009-11-26T03:34:31.174-08:00Practical ParentingI forgot to mention this (so much other stuff on my mind...like pondering how my tiny newborn got suddenly so substantial), but I started a monthly column in Practical Parenting magazine.<br />The November issue has the first column - but I think the December issue is already on sale! I never even got to see the November one.<br />December's has ideas for a more sustainable gift list (and one that won't break the bank).<br />I must admit, I inspired myself! :)Debbie Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01901483277043166331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872073599064742791.post-76917572495434916282009-11-20T22:18:00.000-08:002009-11-22T14:32:31.297-08:00deconstructing conventional wisdomI was recently visiting my Dad who had been reading a book by his favourite biologist, Desmond Morris - Illustrated Babywatching. I read it while I was there for the weekend. It's absolutely fascinating, full of baby-related trivia such as why babies are called babies, why they cry, and how quickly they learn to recognise the smell of their own mother's breastmilk.<br /><br />But one section I thought could be amended. The section on toilet training averred that, among other things, baby chimpanzees start to hold themselves away from their mothers when weeing only once they are about two years old. Until then they urinated on their mothers. This was the sole piece of biological evidence Morris gave for saying that human babies had no control of their elimination processes (or sphincters).<br /><br />However, Umi is now nine weeks old, and I have held her over a pot to do wees and poos from her first day of life. At the beginning I would undo her nappy, which would often be dry, and straight away she would wee, stimulated by the cool air. But from about six weeks on, she had enough control to wait until I held her over the pot. At night she would keep her nappy dry between feeds. At other times, she'd make a special noise so that I would give her a 'potty opportunity'.<br /><br />I think human babies are born having the awareness of when they eliminate. EC is about recognising small signs of this awareness and acting on them. It's not the same as toilet training.<br />Morris says you can't 'teach' an infant how to toilet. Of course - neither can you teach a baby to cook and use a knife and fork. However, you <em>can</em> help a baby to eliminate hygienically and comfortably, just as you can help a baby to access milk.<br /><br />Seems a no-brainer, really.Debbie Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01901483277043166331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872073599064742791.post-85817755334235508982009-11-07T19:05:00.000-08:002009-11-20T22:18:20.113-08:00Flannel Fings nappyDo you like the sassy denim nappy Umi is modelling here on my mum's lap?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6K2tIsYqBgPhwmgFGwzppu9GwOYpA9i7Fm3gGRzZb4StIS4xUdlalJV-T5COInZCtM_aNrNyxQl0qrciKWt580Q0cGiM_KgkwJqKNjeA3QFzuX8GhA4rgN0TzNpdUrh7df3piEzvk0Q/s1600-h/denim+nappy.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401565300373008882" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 134px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6K2tIsYqBgPhwmgFGwzppu9GwOYpA9i7Fm3gGRzZb4StIS4xUdlalJV-T5COInZCtM_aNrNyxQl0qrciKWt580Q0cGiM_KgkwJqKNjeA3QFzuX8GhA4rgN0TzNpdUrh7df3piEzvk0Q/s200/denim+nappy.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Tricia, who has a wonderful <a href="http://littleecofootprints.typepad.com/">blog</a>, sent this to Umi for her birth-day. Look, Tricia, it still JUST fits! The design of the all-in-one interior is really clever and fantastic for fast drying (though I didn't photograph that as Tricia tells me the current design is a bit different.)<br /><br />But best of all I think is that this beautiful nappy is made entirely from reclaimed fabric - denim and flannel. Lovely and soft!<br /><br />It arrived in a bag made of jeans (I'm going to sew a strap on and call it a shoulder bag) inside a compostable plastic wrapping (lucky, as it arrived in the rain), and included a pile of lovely soft face flannels made of reclaimed fabric, that reminded me of a simpler, prettier life. Tor loves these flannels - he sucks them in the bath. So much nicer than cheap terry towelling.Debbie Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01901483277043166331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872073599064742791.post-13080229661131973642009-11-02T01:48:00.000-08:002009-11-26T03:36:59.444-08:00A box-full of 'new' toys, without spending a cent!Do you know how to provide your small child with a whole lot of fresh toys without having to go out and buy them?<br /><br />Just do as I did this morning and have a big toy-cleanout. Whether you are putting them away for the next child or taking them to another family or a charity (I was planning all three), pack up your child's most neglected toys and put them in a big box or bag. Or just get them out of their old dusty hiding-place and shine some daylight on them.<br /><br />If your child is like my three year old (and I suspect they are), they will immediately grab the toys and start avidly playing with them. They will declare undying attachment to the said toys, and absolutely veto your taking them away :)<br /><br />I had one particular pull-along wagon of unpainted blocks, of strange shapes which didn't really lend themselves to any particular building task, that I picked up at a charity stall. Torsten has never ONCE played with it. Today, 'rescuing' it from the throwaway heap, he found it fascinating!<br /><br />Anyone else witnessed this phenomenon?<br /><br />It kind of shows that it's not the toys, but the child's interaction with them (depending on his stage of development) that makes the play.Debbie Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01901483277043166331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872073599064742791.post-20450428168612053452009-10-05T22:03:00.000-07:002009-10-06T20:37:31.386-07:00Elimination CommunicationI didn't blog about this or write about it much in the book. The reason was simply that I didn't have any first-hand experience with it. But elimination communication (a fancy way of saying holding the baby over a container or toilet when you think or she signals that she's about to 'go') is my latest news in bringing baby up more sustainably.<br /><br />I am proud and happy to announce to everyone who may not already know it, that EC is possible and easy and really fun - right from the birth of your baby!<br /><br />Read about EC at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elimination_communication">Wikipedia</a> or on <a href="http://www.gentleparents.com/bauer.html">Ingrid Bauer's site</a>.<br /><br />I guarantee it to be thought-provoking!<br /><br />There's a limit to how much I can blog with one hand while delicately balancing a sleeping baby on the other, so I'll have to be expanding on this later!Debbie Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01901483277043166331noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872073599064742791.post-70689918483868793732009-09-18T23:49:00.000-07:002009-09-19T03:16:33.908-07:00Umi's birthOur baby girl, Umi, was born Monday evening in the water at home. A lovely, undisturbed, instinctive birth. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVkovOpxhLwwe4YPNGMbjpx6Eq3TSHzchhtojU3AFKzo_dFDEk6KlBl76b7vd__kjwq3ERtqn0oYqiH9rl2tl5aBVVJvp1B4tvL2p31qGUSv9sLbhen6H07KzI8apJZ9uvN16yHk72Q7k/s1600-h/umi.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383117670819071986" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 134px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVkovOpxhLwwe4YPNGMbjpx6Eq3TSHzchhtojU3AFKzo_dFDEk6KlBl76b7vd__kjwq3ERtqn0oYqiH9rl2tl5aBVVJvp1B4tvL2p31qGUSv9sLbhen6H07KzI8apJZ9uvN16yHk72Q7k/s200/umi.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I am all the more passionately persuaded of the wonder of home birth - I want Umi to have one herself!Debbie Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01901483277043166331noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872073599064742791.post-72413448035634301802009-09-08T22:36:00.001-07:002009-09-13T21:03:46.106-07:00Newborn Nappies<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjfsrMowavXVlyTztTTlA8GVZy8Bu-_4guYPSi6jilbT4eXfZjdHsWImUvPTccA-l2BVRmwML8Tq0SuJfBUwCajsOjqy78sfK3tTEK6ZC957u38ZpX_ERfhyphenhyphenfRiOtIWVtHkt31GxxeWAk/s1600-h/rainbow+nappies+2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379337705015966770" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 134px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjfsrMowavXVlyTztTTlA8GVZy8Bu-_4guYPSi6jilbT4eXfZjdHsWImUvPTccA-l2BVRmwML8Tq0SuJfBUwCajsOjqy78sfK3tTEK6ZC957u38ZpX_ERfhyphenhyphenfRiOtIWVtHkt31GxxeWAk/s200/rainbow+nappies+2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Something welcoming about a pile of fresh nappies, isn't there?<br /><br />I find old (used) fabric the best for making nappies as since it comes pre-washed it is extra-absorbent. But recently Mum gave me this lovely stripy flannelette to make something for the new baby (no, Cutie still hasn't arrived yet). I had an old pattern piece sourced online, but it's no longer available free >..< However, according to my brother-in-law Greg, who since the birth of his first baby two weeks ago is my biggest nappy-making disciple, this pattern is excellent:<br />http://www.thenappynetwork.org.nz/images/shars_newborn_fitted.pdf<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVDuvT7xlXgD0bnPy5yBSFQY45TSMBifaOeldOS2Nm_QfaEl5Z0U3nCAq_Xf0ruDGPCQNjsCoDDW7Cmt999w4EiN3OHOSi6syh548crPKEghTB6wYyDnp_58ZndIcAk6MGMhgOoGpJCU4/s1600-h/rainbow+nappies+1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379337695629316498" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVDuvT7xlXgD0bnPy5yBSFQY45TSMBifaOeldOS2Nm_QfaEl5Z0U3nCAq_Xf0ruDGPCQNjsCoDDW7Cmt999w4EiN3OHOSi6syh548crPKEghTB6wYyDnp_58ZndIcAk6MGMhgOoGpJCU4/s200/rainbow+nappies+1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I used sewn-in soakers made of well-used microfleece from an old quick-drying towel. An overlocker was handy for finishing off, but Greg is sewing his inside-out then finishing the edge by hand.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3KbbKau4Kp7wapsaNSRTnEa4V9i1npZDDMKBUxwDSDxIizv2gzIMeaW1HejmXf_ixxJyl3o_1KiokaRskhBKjoZKQVdQWKJa3VydEbd9t2lNG2YGNct-PHSA9gWDyjNeNFdC1k46r3hU/s1600-h/rainbow+nappy+and+block.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379337710311094642" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 134px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3KbbKau4Kp7wapsaNSRTnEa4V9i1npZDDMKBUxwDSDxIizv2gzIMeaW1HejmXf_ixxJyl3o_1KiokaRskhBKjoZKQVdQWKJa3VydEbd9t2lNG2YGNct-PHSA9gWDyjNeNFdC1k46r3hU/s200/rainbow+nappy+and+block.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Fitted nappies are a funny shape so when you've finished cutting out you'll probably have lots of left over fabric. Turn it into soft baby toys!<br />I stuffed this with wool fleece and put a little bell into it.<br />A friend says to use Kindersurprise egg containers, if you come across any. Fill them with rice or something that rattles, and use instead of a bell.<br />If you don't stuff them too full they can be used as building blocks too :)Debbie Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01901483277043166331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872073599064742791.post-61183976886759990802009-08-31T21:03:00.000-07:002009-08-30T20:46:09.591-07:00Making scrap fabric into birthday cardsI asked rhetorically in an <a href="http://sustainable-baby.blogspot.com/2009/05/turning-adult-top-into-little-girls.html">earlier </a>post what to do with bits of embroidered fabric that I was loath to throw out. Well, I've thought of something!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPFLzMzA5SmXo9GroTslHAjPVBLUzoEIIY4QsidcUUjO3NVcX9tc7vXo32YVeAxyxWgYg22EQlE7ZoPIRHwxnaL3zEqlL9Ye0eoQ7mPXRSzlukBcvEkwHjnKDeVNKCIbXl6XG325caybc/s1600-h/3+embroidered+cards.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368181012347036450" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPFLzMzA5SmXo9GroTslHAjPVBLUzoEIIY4QsidcUUjO3NVcX9tc7vXo32YVeAxyxWgYg22EQlE7ZoPIRHwxnaL3zEqlL9Ye0eoQ7mPXRSzlukBcvEkwHjnKDeVNKCIbXl6XG325caybc/s200/3+embroidered+cards.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><p></p><br /><p>Some folded cardboard and a pot of paste, oh and a few squares of coloured handmade paper, and I had myself some greeting cards in time for Mum's birthday and Father's Day.</p><br /><p></p><br /><p>Since I had the paste and stuff out anyway, I looked around to see what other bits of fabric, crochet squares and buttons I could stick on more cards.</p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_vR_kh6F27xTCENZohIHz5rT5UOPNl_HChFwU2E8_NNjiykfGEKzyeTlJ_sHeApU502neQYZzsqsB-fwFzf04g1c_4Q-PjNY2mU2jrwqBHBfDK5cdThhNbgQ7OOTVKT21o4Rs2WGCIo/s1600-h/grouped.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368181013749713634" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_vR_kh6F27xTCENZohIHz5rT5UOPNl_HChFwU2E8_NNjiykfGEKzyeTlJ_sHeApU502neQYZzsqsB-fwFzf04g1c_4Q-PjNY2mU2jrwqBHBfDK5cdThhNbgQ7OOTVKT21o4Rs2WGCIo/s200/grouped.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>It's funny that I kept these tiny scraps of fabric and misshapen crochet done while I was trying to master a new stitch, but it doesn't feel so silly now.</div>Debbie Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01901483277043166331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872073599064742791.post-84735863550169026832009-08-22T21:41:00.000-07:002009-08-24T14:07:18.002-07:00Book signing in Katoomba<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4CQH9LLC1Ughg0OEfIesKpL0kAPipnOdmjzdqmPSf2vxkuBkItza3Njoq1fI60MQqhHaVXRqFxt-2hrBY5m2gD7XiWbSpdPZKEWiS0Zb86iKNKFUt_847OXKZkkU1VXo5dQn3MhFxIwM/s1600-h/photo_aboutus[1].jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373017519521757842" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 154px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4CQH9LLC1Ughg0OEfIesKpL0kAPipnOdmjzdqmPSf2vxkuBkItza3Njoq1fI60MQqhHaVXRqFxt-2hrBY5m2gD7XiWbSpdPZKEWiS0Zb86iKNKFUt_847OXKZkkU1VXo5dQn3MhFxIwM/s200/photo_aboutus%5B1%5D.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://www.bluemountainsbooks.com.au/events.html">Blue Mountains Books</a> in Katoomba is hosting a book signing next Saturday at 3pm. </div><div></div><div>I'm going to show-and-tell how to implement some of the ideas in the book.<br /><br />The address is 66 Katoomba St (about a third of the way down the main drag of Katoomba, on the left-hand side of the road going away from the station.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Debbie Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01901483277043166331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872073599064742791.post-1059988053350698572009-08-20T01:51:00.000-07:002009-08-20T02:00:48.390-07:00Win a copy of the book??I apologise for not being clever enough to have thought of this myself...<br /><a href="http://mumtoddlerbabe.blogspot.com/">Virginia </a>is <a href="http://mumtoddlerbabe.blogspot.com/2009/08/giveaway-sustainable-baby.html">giving away </a>a copy of Sustainable Baby, to someone who leaves a comment on something they do to help the environment, on her blog.<br /><br />What a nice idea!Debbie Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01901483277043166331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872073599064742791.post-51932469523416722942009-08-10T22:08:00.001-07:002009-08-24T13:06:03.134-07:00Fresh Wakame!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjReRPSpJ7GL_f4euGKJq51BfNu12RGWwRUf7uguEud5fdFGe0odjJ9sy3l8NYiuiD_MVXpLsl7g73zcQzt4k77Be735uQct6av3FbZclfQfx6TYtxrbiAtoVya6yWJaKjxiQxfg370dvM/s1600-h/wakame-2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368578682446106114" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjReRPSpJ7GL_f4euGKJq51BfNu12RGWwRUf7uguEud5fdFGe0odjJ9sy3l8NYiuiD_MVXpLsl7g73zcQzt4k77Be735uQct6av3FbZclfQfx6TYtxrbiAtoVya6yWJaKjxiQxfg370dvM/s200/wakame-2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a id="thumbnail" href="http://www.shopthai.eu/public/images/wakame-2.jpg"></a></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Sea vegetables are extremely nutritious, offering many trace elements unavailable in land-based produce these days, including iodine and potassium. Iodine is important for thyroid function, and sea vegies are even a source of Vitamin B12, which vegans can sometimes lack.<br /><br />Of the sea vegies, wakame is the tenderest and (if you're unused to eating seaweed) the easiest to eat. Fresh wakame, which I used to feast on every day in Japan, is even better. And - an interesting development - it looks as though Australian <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/wakame/2009/08/11/1249756295784.html">chefs </a>are discovering it.<br /><br />Wakame is currently classified as a noxious weed by the Department of Primary Industries. However the interesting thing from an environmental viewpoint is that wakame can thrive in polluted waters and actually<a> improve the quality of those waters</a><em>.</em> Growing seaweed is currently under trial as one of several industries that could transform saline water into usable water, thus turning semi-arid rural areas of Australia into productive <a href="http://www.ecosmagazine.com/?act=view_file&file_id=EC134p34.pdf">agricultural land</a>.</div><div><br />If you've got wakame in your local shops, here are some ways to use it:<br /><br /><em>Wakame in Miso Soup</em><br />Real miso soup is so easy I wonder why people still use that packaged, over-salty stuff.<br />For good Japanese-style stock you need a piece of konbu, another sea vegetable. Or if you are a fish eater you can use several dried anchovies or dried tuna flakes, both available in Asian grocers.<br />Bring the konbu or fish to boil for ten minutes, then remove (I often leave them in and eat them)<br />Add vegetables of choice and simmer till al dente.<br />Dissolve miso to taste.<br />How easy could that be?<br />A wonderful and easy variation of miso soup is simply to lightly simmer a handful of dried wakame and a half-block of silken tofu, cubed. Then add the miso.<br /><br /><em>Wakame Salad</em><br />You can probably find a lot of recipes for this all over the web, but my simple, foolproof method is:<br />Rehydrate quarter of a cup of pelleted wakame, or a whole cup of dried wakame strips, by soaking ten minutes in cool water. Drain.<br />Add a chopped tomato or two.<br />Season with a teaspoon of tamari soy sauce mixed with a teaspoon of lemon juice and half a teaspoon of sesame oil. Voila!</div><div></div><div> </div>Debbie Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01901483277043166331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872073599064742791.post-56027753118177563052009-08-09T02:56:00.000-07:002009-08-09T22:56:00.474-07:00Bonzer! Review!Sustainable Baby had a fun <a href="http://www.bonzer.org.au/?p=9445">review </a>in the online magazine Bonzer! - "by, for and about wise elders".<br /><br />Reviewer Valerie Yule has done some calculations I never thought to make:<br /><br /><em>The priorities for this modern mother are interesting as reflected by page lengths—33 pages on home cooking, 25 pages on nappies, 19 on health, 17 on enjoying playing with baby (hurrah!), 15 on buying and saving, and 14 on tips about clothing, with appendices about making things. No need to hassle about how these sustainable babies sleep or misbehave.<br />Debbie interestingly gives the first 25 pages to nappies, [diapers] including useful advice about how overseas babies respond to having no nappies, and the real comparative green-ness of cloth versus disposable. </em><br /><em></em><br /><br />I really liked this sensible, intelligent and funny review.Debbie Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01901483277043166331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872073599064742791.post-20294257091557850782009-08-01T03:31:00.000-07:002009-08-02T18:09:41.256-07:00Compost "Worm"I got an amazing addition to my garden toolbox last week - the Compost Worm, invented by Dion Kentwell in Newcastle. A retired engineer, Dion named the device 'Worm' to describe the way it 'screws' down inside the material (apparently this is common engineer-speak). You could also call it the Compost Corkscrew - it corkscrews down into the compost just like into an old-fashioned bottle of wine, then you pull it up again in order to aerate the contents, and corkscrew the other way to let all the material go again.<br /><br />The problem with composting when you don't have any garden waste or chicken manure or anything going into it is that all the kitchen waste on its own just sits there, compacting into a really horrid substance. This is the case with me (renting a house with a professionally maintained garden) just as it is in an urban environment.<br /><br />I knew I had to do something with my compost but was a bit stumped. A weekly pitchforking was recommended, but I didn't own one. Besides, where would I put everything I upended with the pitchfork? I could hardly wield one in my 30 weeks pregnant state, either.<br /><br />Enter the Compost Worm and its amazing ability to turn a solid, slimy smelly mass into aerated, tossed and pleasant-smelling humus.<br /><br />You can get quite warm operating it (great in the cold weather right now) but it isn't as physically demanding as pitchforking :)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6gzl5AvCHzWCdGWHBDszESrVxBNWP2HTWkV_OGxPtIPCN6FbPj-ivdi51Nzoke0ufExCHJjxCsr0JkLgF0zReFlC0yrBms3tuTsIMr1LxsanrWUEsiXCggRZhJNVCmFSBbJ2BVc-VqY/s1600-h/compost+worm.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363731211545981842" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6gzl5AvCHzWCdGWHBDszESrVxBNWP2HTWkV_OGxPtIPCN6FbPj-ivdi51Nzoke0ufExCHJjxCsr0JkLgF0zReFlC0yrBms3tuTsIMr1LxsanrWUEsiXCggRZhJNVCmFSBbJ2BVc-VqY/s200/compost+worm.JPG" border="0" /></a>Debbie Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01901483277043166331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872073599064742791.post-5758772174851363682009-07-28T04:15:00.000-07:002009-07-28T02:17:52.523-07:00Buying in bulkBuying grains, legumes and other dry products in bulk is not only great for cutting down on the packaging thrown out in your garbage, it is great fun for toddlers. Pouring, decanting and filling containers is good for their coordination and can teach them a lot about volume and mass.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX63w2yugu4uAqle6PyjYhjLdlaQcs6txqpz-8J7aC3wNGjIihe-ATbmxqWnN6F2Rxn9HfwVTTM3xmW6eU_jlJt7Pkl2OUe2AgweT_lUQfjKTV_9UVxC_2qlmr8Ogd6YM2C6iP4bmT5pA/s1600-h/brown+rice+from+bag.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361984124534846530" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX63w2yugu4uAqle6PyjYhjLdlaQcs6txqpz-8J7aC3wNGjIihe-ATbmxqWnN6F2Rxn9HfwVTTM3xmW6eU_jlJt7Pkl2OUe2AgweT_lUQfjKTV_9UVxC_2qlmr8Ogd6YM2C6iP4bmT5pA/s200/brown+rice+from+bag.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Go for packaging you can easily re-use. Yesterday I saw a picnicking Blackheathen carrying kids' jumpers and snacks in an old basmati rice sack that already had handles sewn into it. Real mountains style! And very sensible of the rice company. It was Pakistani, by the way. Now we just need some Australian producers to think of this.Debbie Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01901483277043166331noreply@blogger.com1