the Mom-Stuff Community » Polkadotmommy

Jamie Ervin, Recommended Mom Blogger

the mom-team — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:31:33 +0000

Today is Mom-Stuff Blog Tour’s last day with Jamie. We hope you have enjoyed Jamie’s blogs as much as we have. Jamie. the PolkadotMommy, has a massive presence on the web in the mom bloggers community. You can find her at all of these places on line. Make sure you follow her.

Looks Good in Polka Dots Here she shares her journey through gluten free cooking, becoming more environmentally responsible and raising a whole passel of children.

Feeding 10 for Under $10.00. She follows USDA nutrition guidelines. She feeds her family organic and naturally. She tries to avoid processed foods and all things artificial. Her food budget goal is to limit our meal expense to $10.00 per meal. She recently started working toward a traditional diet to improve overall health and reduce grocery costs.

http://looksgoodinpolkadots.wordpress.com/ Jamie is a mom trying to figure things out. So she reads, she talks and then she blogs. This blog alone has 56,070 hits. Now do you believe me when I tell you what a great resource she is for moms?

Jamie Ervin is also a Contributing Writer on these sites:

EcoChildsPlay.com
EatDrinkBetter.com
CraftingAGreenWorld.com

Jamie is also on Twitter.

Make sure you visit and tell Jamie thanks for sharing with us. She is such a great resource for all of us moms. I want to share with you today the crafty side of Jamie Erin.

Creating Adorable Baby Bums: Cloth Diapers

If you sew your own (or others) cloth diapers, does that make you a crafter or an eco-conscious Mama? Of course, it makes you both.

Here are directions to make super cute diapers out of t-shirts. How’s that for a reclaiming project? The best part is you can put the fun saying or cute part of the shirt right onto babies bum!

Need some liners for inside the diapers, here’s a tutorial for that.

How about making your own felted wool covers out of second hand sweaters?

Need to know where to find diaper making fabrics and kits, here’s a link. (Stay with us after the jump to find out more about the adorable diaper in the photo.)

If you’re not inclined to sew your own, check out these adorable cloth diapers I found in an Etsy shop, Monkey Snuggles Diaper Company. Let another crafty Mom create yours.

I’ve discovered that just about any fabric or cast off piece of clothing can be used in diapering. Think about how cute your babies bum will be with a diaper made with an old pair of jeans or sporting your college Alma Mater sweatshirt.

The photo is a Monkey Snuggles Diaper One Size Pocket Diaper I ordered for a friend of mine to try out on her new baby girl. This is made with a super cute WET RESISTANT fabric so a separate cover is not needed. This diaper is absolutely adorable, it sizes down very nicely and grows with baby so these one size are the most economical of fitted diapers. This one has a lovely fuschia liner that is very soft to touch and a combination of velcro style fastener and snaps for sizing up. I for one am thrilled to see such a fun print in a wet resistant nappy

Today is our last day with Jamie the Polka dot Mommy. We want to thank Jamie for sharing her blogs with us. She is an incredible resource for moms. The Mom-Stuff Blog Tour is over and that makes me sad. But I will have some much needed time to add to the Mom-Stuff Making Money Online section. I am working with some successful mom bloggers to give mom bloggers some needed direction.

I hope you have had as much fun following Mom-Stuff Blog Tour as I have had doing it for you. Its great success has been because of our followers and the great moms who allowed me into their world. Motherhood is a journey we are all on and the more we help and support each other the better the world will be. Moms are the hand that rocks the cradle and the babies in the cradle will rule our world.

This will be your last weekend to make some fun St. Patrick’s Day crafts with your kids. We have some great ones at Mom-Stuff.com

Have a great weekend.

dianne@mom-stuff.com

Featured Blog-Feeding 10 for Under $10.00

the mom-team — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:46:34 +0000

Mom-Stuff ‘s featured Mom blogger, Jamie. the PolkadotMommy, has a new blog. It is Feeding 10 for Under $10.00. It’s a newer blog focusing on whole foods on a budget… Nothing to do with being gluten free, which is one of her other blog Looks Good in Polka Dots. WOW this talented mom is busy! I love this new blog. Make sure you visit and tell Jamie thanks for sharing with us. She is such a great resource for all of us moms.

HAPPILY FRUGAL MAMA

I’m a Mama to five, and one giant St. Bernard, Earthquake… I also do in home daycare. Hubs spends his day developing shoes. He travels the world over and prays I don’t blog about him. We are Catholic Christians. We are Republicans who believe in moderate-conservative views while holding strong beliefs toward Environmental Responsibility. I drink complicated coffee. I follow USDA nutrition guidelines. We eat organic and naturally. We try to avoid processed foods and all things artificial. My food budget goal is to limit our meal expense to $10.00 per meal. We are generally feeding 7-10 people at each meal. I’ve recently started working toward a traditional diet to improve overall health and reduce our grocery costs

Things We Eat Raw

I’m all for a more raw diet… afterall, there is no disputing that fresh food is good for you. That said… I’m a moderate Mama and believe that 50-75% raw is a great way to go.

For 50% raw, just make sure half of your plate at each meal is raw.
To reach 75% add raw snacks.
Simple, No?

Things we eat raw:
Fresh fruit
Fresh veggies
Nuts & nut butters
Ice pops (that’s another post)
Salsa
Guacomole
Dehydrated (under 106 degrees F) fruits, veggies, seed crackers/tortillas, and fruit leathers
Sprouts
Smoothies

Things I have no desire to eat raw:
Any recipe that requires multiple expensive ingredients
Kelp pasta
Faux anything

I often make pancakes or french toast for breakfast. My children, like most, would eat until their belly aches if I let them. So, we have a two rule. Everyone gets two pancakes or two pieces of french toast. The rest of breakfast is fresh fruit. I slice up apples, oranges, bananas, etc… to fill them up. Difficulty level to reach 50% raw- EASY

At lunch time, I serve a portion of pasta, sandwich or other “main” dish. Then I add a large green salad, sliced fresh veggies (carrots, broccoli and snap peas are popular) and slice up some more fruit. Difficulty reaching 50% raw- EASY

For snacks, enjoy a frozen ice pop (raw), bananas and almond butter, veggie sticks and dip, or a smoothie. Difficulty reaching 100% raw- EASY (We try for one raw snack and one regular snack a day)

At dinner, my husband wants MEAT. I’m not much of a meat eater myself, but I can appreciate the need for a good protein. Everyone eats a larger portion of the “main” dish at dinner alongside fresh garden salad, veggie sticks, fresh fruit salad (with a little real whip for dessert). Enjoy a small glass of fresh juice made from carrots, apples and oranges. Difficulty reaching 50% raw- EASY.

The kids always want a before bed snack, this is the perfect time to whip up a raw smoothie or give them another ice pop. Visit my gluten free living blog

Looks Good In Polka Dots . Sharing our journey through gluten free cooking, becoming more environmentally responsible and raising a whole passel of children.

Thanks for visiting the Mom-Stuff Blog Tour sponsored by www.mom-stuff.com.We are so excited by your response to our tour. We are having so much fun and making so many new friends. This week’s mom blogger Jamie the PolkadotMommy, has been such fun to work with and to get to know better.

The mom-team will be giving away gifts to the people who make the most comments while following the blog tour. You can make comments here, on Jamie’s Blogs, Tweeter, Facebook or other social sites. Thanks for being a part of www.mom-stuff.com your moms resource site. Visit Mom-Stuff for your St. Patrick’s Day ideas. We have just added a fast and easy treat bag. Perfect for St. Patrick’s gifts. Remember on St. Patrick’s Day we are all Irish!

See you again tomorrow,

Dianne

Looks Good in Polka Dots our Blog of the Week

the mom-team — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:20:33 +0000

Mom-Stuff Blog Tour of the week is Looks Good in Polka Dots. Jamie calls herself Polka Dot Mommy, Mom, Wife, Daughter, Sister, PTC President (or vise president or treasure.) She is on a mission to improve the health of her family, save the planet and find the perfect pair of jeans. Her weakness are Coach Handbags and Complicated Coffee. Her daily Struggles are balancing her ideals with REALITY. Does that sound familuar?

As you will see in these posts I am sharing with you this week, Jamie is very creative and very talented. Jamie shares her talents in lots of places on the web. The strength you do not get to see from these posts is Jamie’s joy in service. She goes the extra mile to help the moms that connect with her. Make sure you connect with her. She has so much talent to share.

You can connect with Jamie on both of her blogs Feeding 10 for Under 10.00. It’s a newer blog focusing on whole foods on a budget,

Looks Good in Polka Dots and you can follow her on Twitter.

Today I want to share one of Jamie guest post at Eat Drink Better http://eatdrinkbetter.com/search/?q=Jamie+Ervin I can’t wait to try this recipe.

Written by Jamie Ervin

Published on July 9th, 2009

I shouldn’t have been surprised to discover that the bread I’ve been making for my family costs between $1.00 and $1.50 per loaf. Comparable bread at the grocer/bakery will run $4.00 or more a loaf. The variation in price depends on add-ins which provide flavor and texture. This recipe is simple, quick and tasty. We bake it twice a week. This is a great project to have the kids help you with, they LOVE to knead and roll the dough. The dough making only takes 10 minutes or so (the rest is rising/baking time). This is a modified version of a recipe found at Sweet Simple Living.

Simple Whole Wheat Bread (Makes 2 large loaves)

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In a large bowl combine (I use the bowl from my stand mixer)

1 Tbs Honey or Agave
3 Tbs Active Dry Yeast
1 1/3 cup warm water (about 105-115 degrees Fahrenheit)

Allow yeast to activate and bubble for about five minutes.

Turn mixer on low and begin adding:

Another 1 1/3 cup warm water
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup honey or agave
2 tsp Kosher salt

Now it’s time for your add ins… whatever you add here will reduce your overall amount of wheat flour added at the end. If you want a simple WW Bread with no seeds, skip this part and add closer to the 7 cups of WW flour at the end. We add:

1/2 cup sunflower kernals
1/2 cup slightly crushed flax seeds (I mix golden and black)
1/4 cup poppyseeds
1/4 quinoa

While continuing to mix on low speed, begin adding:

Whole Wheat flour, 1 cup at a time.

It may take up to 7 cups… I usually end up adding 5 1/2-6 with the add in seeds. If your mixer won’t hold the full amount, you may have to remove and finish the mixing process by hand.

You know you have added enough flour when the dough becomes less sticky and more like, well dough. Now, turn it out on a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes. It should be quite elastic and smooth. Place your ball of dough into an oiled bowl and allow to rise for an hour or until double in size. (See my tip below for proofing your dough.)

After the dough has risen, punch down and remove from the pan to a lightly floured surface. Now, use a knife to divide your dough into two halves. Roll each half out into a rectangle about 9 inches wide by 14 inches long. You will now roll the rectangles of dough jelly-roll style, pinch the ends closed and place in a prepared bread pan. I like to brush a small amount of egg white and water mixture on the top prior to rolling to help the bread stick together nicely and not leave gaps while baking.

Now allow your bread to rise again for about 30 minutes, then bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes or so prior to turning out onto a cooling rake. The bread slices best when fully cooled, but I can never resist a slice or two right out of the oven!

My proofing trick is to place a small pan of water onto the rear burner and boil. Once its at a rolling boil, turn the burner off. Place the dough next to the pan of water. Once the burner is no longer red, lay a towel over the water pan and dough. The combination of heat and steam provide an ideal situation for rising.

Eat Well. Be Well.

Thanks for visiting the Mom-Stuff Blog Tour sponsored by www.mom-stuff.com. We are so excited by your response to our tour. We are having so much fun and making so many new friends.

See you tomorrow, Dianne

P.S. Visit Mom-Stuff.com for kids crafts, food and decorations for your St. Patrick’s Day celebration. We have just added a cute treat bag for St. Patrick’s Day gifts. Check it out.

Blog Tour Visits Looks Good in Polka Dots

the mom-team — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:37:46 +0000

The Mom-Stuff Blog Tour is visiting Looks Good in Polka Dots this week. Jamie is a talented writer. She has her blog LooksGoodInPolkaDots. “It’s not just about Mothering, Gluten Free Cooking and Socially Conscious Living.”

She is also a Contributing Writer for these sites:

EcoChildsPlay.com

EatDrinkBetter.com

CraftingAGreenWorld.com

Today I want to share one of her articles from EcoChildsPlay.com This sounds like fun.

I Make My Own Soap

http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/02/new-year-resolution-1-make-my-own-soap/

Let’s get real here… I like to do crafty things. If you don’t roll that way, it’s okay! There are plenty of options out there for purchasing natural, handcrafted soaps (which are better for you, better for the environment and better for small business). I’ve been “going to” make soap for about six months now. Well, it’s a new year and that means its time “to”.

If you want to jump on the handcrafted soap bandwagon… Here’s how!

First, jump on over to Bramble Berry and purchase an Eco-Chic Soap Kit ($15.45). The kit includes: 2 lbs of Organic Melt and Pour Base, 1 ounce spirulina, 1 ounce cranberry seeds and two essential oils. You provide coffee grounds, oats, rubbing alcohol, and recycled containers of choice (think shape/texture- tofu containers, yogurt tubs, the bottom of a 20oz soda bottle, small milk cartons, etc…).

Once you’ve compiled all the tools and ingredients, use the Eco-Chic Soap Tutorial on the Soap Queen Blog to create your one of a kind soap. Skip the last step that recommends wrapping your soap in plastic wrap. We don’t like that stuff. Instead use parchment paper, corrugated (recycled) paperboard, fabric or place in a recycled tub (like a large cream cheese or margarine tub) or other sealed container.

The best part of this project is the simplicity, which means the kids can help. Let them experiment with other herbs and coarse ingredients, change up your molds by placing a flexible cookie cutter inside the container and filling it with the soap base, have fun! Remember to set the kids’ shower timers so they aren’t tempted to hang out a little longer enjoying their new concoction

Jamie is a very talented Mom as you will find out this week. Polkadotmommy is the kind of person we all want as a friend. Go visit her blog LooksGoodInPolkaDots and make comments, you will be glad you got to know her.

Mom-Stuff.com (featured articles) has got your St. Patrick’s Day food, kids crafts and decorations posted.

I will see you tomorrow with more great stuff from Jamie, the polkadotmommy.

Thanks for following the Mom-Stuff Blog Tour,

Dianne