Breaking Cloth Diaper News Blowout Sale on Bubbz 2.0

I just caught wind of a huge sale going on over at Kebbie's Diaper Bag on their Bubbz 2.0 Anti-Leak Twin Gusset Diapers. I wanted to make sure you were the first to know about it. Use discount code: MidnightMommy to save an additional 10% off your entire order! Also, get FREE Shipping by purchasing $25 or more!

Later this month they will be sponsoring The Ultimate Fluff Stash Giveaway of 30 diapers, Ultimate Wet/Dry Bag and a Pail Liner, all winner's choice. A Prize Package worth well over $600! If you are a blogger and are interested in taking part of this massive giveaway, you can get more information here.

Homemade Natural Wood Finish & Home Remedy

We recently purchased a kitchen cart from IKEA that fits great in our kitchen! While at IKEA they had a can of polyurethane you can use to cover the cart and butcher block with to help protect, moisturize and keep the wood from cracking. I wasn't comfortable covering the cart with something that is petroleum derived, although it was supposedly fine to use on a butcher block, something just didn't set right with me.

When I got home I did some research on what I could use to create a wood finish myself. I quickly discovered that it took very little ingredients to make a natural wood finish. I also found that the mix could also be used as a salve, for cracked feet, lips, skin, etc.

Ingredients
1/4 lbs Beeswax
16 oz Walnut Oil (food grade)

Tools
1 Qt Mason Jar (or glass spaghetti sauce jar)
1 Pint or larger Mason Jar (or other glass jar you have on hand)
1 Medium Pot
1 String Utensil
1 Candy Thermometer (optional)

Process
Fill a medium pot with water and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to medium high. Pour 1/4 pound of beeswax into the 1 Qt jar and carefully place into pot. Wait several minutes while the wax melts. You can use the candy thermometer and when the wax reaches 175°F take the mason jar out. Pour walnut oil into smaller jar and carefully place into hot water. Wait for temperature to reach 150°F, then remove from heat and combine oil with wax in the larger jar. You want the temperature of the oil slightly higher than that of the wax so they congeal evenly.

Uses
Once it has cooled off, you will have a large jar of amazing stuff. You can use the wax as a finish for natural wood products like cutting boards, bowls, spoons, toys, blocks, etc. When using it on wood, put a layer on and let sit overnight and then rub off with a soft cloth the next day. The list could honestly just go on and on. You can also use this amazing product as a soothing and conditioning treatment for cracked or chapped skin. Since this product is made of all natural food grade products, it is safe to use on cooking and prepping tools found in your kitchen as well as being used on toys your children play with. Precaution, if there is a nut allergy I could suggest you find another oil you could use to make your wood finish.

Types of Beeswax
You can get the beeswax in easy to melt pellets. I got the best value for my money which was 2 pounds of yellow beeswax from a Michigan source on amazon.com. You can also go with either white beeswax or yellow beeswax 1 pound for a little more per ounce. It doesn't matter which color you get of beeswax, the main difference is color which derives from the time it is scraped and melted down. The white wax is capped before the combs are cleared of honey, whereas the yellow is the combs and wax that remains after the honey is harvested. Both will give the same protective barrier we are looking to use this product for.

Types of Walnut Oil
There are various brands and types of walnut oil out there. I decided to go with a larger bulk purchase of 3 food grade roasted walnut oil cans, since I was getting a great deal for purchasing in bulk, but I will also be able to use the oil to make salad dressings. There are many health benefits to using walnut oil in cooking since it is high in phytonutrients.

My Outcome
This wax has a pleasant nutty scent to it. I have used the wax on my butcher block, wooden toys my daughter plays with and on my very cracked heels. They all have benefited from this amazing wax. 

before treatment

after

treated animals

partial treated butcher block

fully treated 3 days later

My Centennial Ikea Trip Full of Great Finds!

I wanted to share with you all a few of the great finds I found yesterday while visiting the Centennial Ikea in Colorado. We have been looking for several different things for our house, like storage, decorations for a bathroom remodel and little upgrades to our kitchen. Of course I am always looking for a great bag and I certainly found one that I want to share with  you all!

One of the first things I wrote down on my Ikea shopping list was a Medicine Cabinet Mirror:

GODMORGON

Mirror cabinet with 2 doors

601.476.45 $249

This cabinet is not only mirrored on the outside, it is mirrored on the inside! A girls dream come true! I love the fact that it doesn't only make the cabinet seem spacious, but it also allows for easy adjustment while doing hair and makeup in front of the mirror, and shaving for the men in our lives. I desperately want this for our bathroom remodel upstairs. 

The next thing I had to write down on my shopping list was a bookcase. This isn't any ordinary bookcase though. It has several openings that are square, so you can use fold up boxes in openings you aren't filling with books, frames and various other things. It is also finished on all sides so you can use this unit as a room divider or put it away from the wall and have things on both sides. I plan on getting this and using it for my downstairs cloth diaper store. I want to put a section divider in each of the openings in the middle allowing me to display all of the various diapers and products we have in the store on both sides. This will make the openings a bit more shallow, but the extra products can stay in the storage room, making a cleaner presentation when people come to shop at my store.

EXPEDIT

Shelving unit, white

400.476.75 $129

I can't wait to get it home and post photos of the finished product filled with my store contents! 

I then came across this mirror, that I have no idea where I would put it, but I love it! Maybe in the downstairs living room. It would help give it more depth. I sure love the shape of it! 

ULSBERG

Mirror

101.609.03 $19.99

Then we got into the kitchen goods and I couldn't help but check out the kitchen carts. Here's my favorite one that will fit in our kitchen. 

FÖRHÖJA

Kitchen cart, birch

800.359.20 $99.99

I love that the drawers are accessible from both sides and are deep. This would help free up some space on my counters by having the little extra storage, plus I would have a ton more counter space when preparing meals since I have very little counter space by the stove. I am not entirely sure if you can stain it or not, but I love the natural color that it is. 

Finally I found a bag that I feel in love with! Ever since my impending trip to Colorado, I needed a bag that would hold my 17" laptop, be large enough to fit all of the essentials for keeping a toddler entertained on a 4 hour flight, yet be small enough to pass as a carry-on and fit under the seat in front of me on the plane.

UPPTÄCKA

Backpack on wheels, dark gray

502.177.66 $59.99

Although the site says that it is $59.99, I got it yesterday for only $49.99. It also states that the max laptop it can hold is 15", but I have tested it by putting my 17" screen laptop into it which fits like a glove. 

This bag isn't just a rolling backpack. It is two backpacks. The laptop section and the front pocket unattached from the main body of the bag and create a new backpack. What a handy bag to have while traveling! I love this bag! It is a fantastic bag, great quality and at a great price! I plan on taking back another rolly bag I got from Wal-Mart before I leave and use this bag instead, since my laptop didn't actually fit into the other bag like this one! 

I hope you enjoyed my little shopping trip favorite finds at Ikea! I would love to know some of the awesome items you have gotten at Ikea!