Celebrations and Another Giveaway!

It's been a big week. Jude celebrated his half birthday, which has me shaking my head in disbelief that our little man has been with us for a whole six months. It's crazy. I can not get over how freaking amazing he is. My awesome aunt Janine of Angel Art Photography shot his baby photos (she did my maternity photos and his newborn shots, too) and they are incredible. Seriously, if you are anywhere in the Westborough area, call her. She's magic!

We had a long visit from my parents, finished another custom wedding invitation order, welcomed E home from a 2 week business trip to Munich (conveniently scheduled during Oktoberfest, nice huh?) and then my little blog turned 5. Yep, and 5 years of blogging equals, you guessed it, a giveaway.

This year I am super excited  to have a great group of Etsy teammates who are willing to offer you guys some of their wares.   Lucky ducks, you! 

***

First up is a $15 gift certificate from Barbara Dannenfelser of Quilted Hugs Bibs: "I make quilted, waterproof bibs in sizes from infant to toddler with coordinating paci clips and burp cloths. I've been sewing forever and quilting for about 35 yrs. When my granddaughter was born in 2009, of course I started making quilty things for her. At some point I made her a quilted bib and everyone loved them. So, being the fabric junkie I am, I pulled all the prints I thought would be good for bibs and then bought more!" 

Check out Barbara's cute Halloween line of bibs and accessories! I love these binky clips, too!

Next up is PopsicArt: PopsicArt is Joshua Zaitz, who creates whimsical 3D pop art of musicians, celebrities, iconic images and famous places. The artwork features vibrant colors and fun themes offering viewers a unique 3-D experience. Hand-cut pieces are glued layer by layer to the background picture. Since every piece of artwork is hand-cut, constructed and embellished differently, collectors of my artwork each receive a unique piece of art. Joshua is giving away this 

Dunkin Donuts Coffee Cup Logo 3D Pop Print. It measures 4 x 6 inches and is valued at $20.

You will also win your choice of either the Purple Haze Earrings or Halloween Hair Clip from Jamie of Jamie's Precious Metal. "My name is Jamie Menake and I am a jewelry artist living in New Jersey. My passion is creating beautiful jewelry that people will want to wear everyday! I work primarily with Precious Metal Clay and sterling silver. I have been studying with a pioneer in the PMC world, and seriously designing jewelry since 2005. I have two children whom I adore, so I work mostly during nap time and in the evenings." 

I will be tossing in a Halloween goodie bag from my own shop including a set of my Halloween Chalkboard Cupcake Flags a set of Recycled Chalkboard Gift Tags in Halloween colors, and a Halloween greeting card. 

The total value of this giveaway is $70.

How to enter: All you need to do is leave a comment to enter! Don't forget to leave me an email to contact you if you win.

You may of earn up to 3 extra entries for:

1. liking the Jojobean Designs Facebook page

2. Tweeting this giveaway

3. Blogging about this giveaway

Leave a new comment for each of these 3 extras with the link for varification.

This giveaway ends at midnight EST on October 10th, 2011. A winner will be chosen via random.org.

In addition to the prizes, the following shops are offering exclusive coupon codes for generous discounts in their shops!

Alicia's Jewelry Shop: 20% off your purchase using code SPECIAL811

Woodstream Dream: 15 %off your total purchase using code SNICKERBLOG15

La Classique Bonita: 25% any purchase using code HAPPYANNIVERSARY

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice

Forget changing leaves. Forget dropping temperatures. The official mark of the arrival of fall is the arrival of the Pumpkin Spice coffee and Pumpkin muffin at Dunkin Donuts. Now I admit that eating a pumpkin muffin is like birthday cake for breakfast, but I'm all for it. At 600 calories and 26 grams of fat, it is certainly a splurge. It's also the size of my head. In order to enjoy my favorite fall treat more often without feeling even a twinge of guilt, I make my own. I even brew my own Pumpkin Spice coffee, but only because finding a Dunkin' drive thru in northern Jersey is like finding the Loch Ness monster. These muffins are super moist and amazing, but don't get me wrong, these muffins aren't healthy. They are just smaller. So they are healthier, right?

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Ingredients:

4 large eggs

1 1/3 c. sugar

15 oz. pumpkin puree

1 c. vegetable oil

2 c. all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. butter, cold

1/4 c. all purpose flour

1/4 cup Maple Brown Butter Icing

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line the cups of 2 muffin tins with paper liners.

In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin until smooth, add 2 cups flour, cinnamon, nutmeg,salt, soda, and powder and beat until smooth. Pour into prepared tins. In a medium bowl, crumble walnuts, brown sugar, 1/4 c. flour with a fork until combined. Sprinkle evenly over muffins. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on wire racks. Drizzle with icing.

A Follow Up and a Giveaway...

For those of you who are still feeling like cloth diapering may be too much for you, do not despair. It's not an all or nothing deal, anyway. At least not in our house. It was a few weeks before we put Jude in cloth when he came home from the hospital, and in that time we tried at least 5 types of disposable diapers. That's how we learned about his super sensitive skin. The one diaper that didn't cause a reaction was the Seventh Generation brand. 


This made me happy. Not only are they Bean's bum friendly, but they are also earth friendly (or friendlier as disposables go). We always keep a small stash on hand for the days I go brain dead and forget to toss the cloth diapers in the wash early enough. We've also begun using them at night, since even double lined cloth just isn't cutting it between 2 and 6 AM. It's the witching hour.


My Blog Spark and Seventh Generation sent us a pack of the newly reshaped Free & Clear Diapers to try, which I love since we already dug the originals. You can get a pack, too (details in a bit)! And don't worry, if you get hooked, you'll still be able to save. Go over to Amazon's Subscribe and Save and get 15% off a case. We only have them delivered every 2 months since we use them rarely. I figure it is still cost efficient for people who use disposables all the time, since you can cancel and renew subscriptions over and over to still get the discount :)


Here's the skinny:
The Seventh Generation Free & Clear diapers do not include chlorine processing, fragrances, latex and petroleum based lotions. With processed chlorine-free wood pulp in Free & Clear diapers, no chlorine is released into the environment during the  whitening process of the diapers. Seventh Generation has also reduced the size of the diapers´ plastic packaging, meaning that each pack now contributes even less overall landfill waste than before. In fact, Seventh Generation Free & Clear diaper packaging can now be recycled at local supermarkets where plastic bag recycling collection boxes are available.  

• Seventh Generation on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/SVGDiaperFbook
• Seventh Generation on Twitter: http://bit.ly/SVGDiaperTwitter
• Seventh Generation Free & Clear diapers on SeventhGeneration.com:http://bit.ly/SCGDiapers
• For information about the whitening process: http://bit.ly/TCFProcess
• For information about the role of pigments in diapers: http://bit.ly/DiaperPigments

Click here to save $2.00 off Seventh Generation Diapers: http://bit.ly/seventhgendcoupon


Enter and win a pack of Seventh Generation diapers for your own Bean's booty! 
How? Just leave a comment with a contact email so I can reach you!


For up to 4 extra entries do one or all of the following and leave a new comment for each entry:
1. Like this blog via Google Friend Connect
2. Like Jojobean Designs on Facebook and share this giveaway with friends.
3. Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway.
4. Visit Jojobean Designs on Etsy and come back here to tell me what item is your favorite, or suggest something you'd like to see in the shop!


This is a quickie giveaway, so be sure to get your entries in! Giveaway ends on Friday, 9/16/11 and I'll post a winner (chosen via random.org) on Saturday, 9/17/11.


All info, prize packs, and coupons are provided by My Blog Spark and Seventh Generation.

The Booty List

All you need for cloth diapering your super sensitive baby and getting a sort-of-reluctant husband to help out...

When E and I first began discussing cloth diapering, there were really only two questions he wanted answered: How much will it cost? and What do I have to do?


When he realized that it would be far less expensive to cloth diaper our little man than to use disposables, he was all for it. In case you haven't researched it, disposable diapers from birth to potty training can cost anywhere from $1,000 - $2,000 depending on brand and how you shop. Fricking ridiculous, really. Add in the insane amount of trash that you're tossing into a landfill and the pain doubles. For me it was a no brainer.

And then I had to buy some diapers. Cruising around the internet you can get mighty overwhelmed by the amount of information out there about cloth diapering. What the hell is an AIO? Prefolds? Chinese Prefolds? It was like learning a new language. Luckily I had one lone friend of a friend who cloth diapered her daughter, so I followed her lead. If you are interested in finding out all of the basics on CD'ing your kiddo, read here: The Cloth Diapering Mama. It's a great starting point!

Once you decide what kind of diapers you want, you'll need to develop a system. But don't sweat it, like everything else about new babies, you'll figure it out. There are countless products to store, clean and transport your diapers, but you really don't need much. Here are the must have items in our house:

One Size Pocket Diapers by bumGenius and Fuzzi Bunz: We picked the bumGenius because our friend used them and loved them. Then I met a girl who loved her Fuzzibunz. Ask everyone what they prefer and you get a different answer. Different brands fit differently, and what works for one baby won't for another. I chose one size pockets because I like the idea of buying one diaper that will fit from birth to potty training. I'm a cheap ass. If you don't want to spend a fortune figuring out what brand is best for you, try this great Trial Offer from Nicki's Diapers. I wish I'd known about it before!

Cotton/Hemp Liners: Totally necessary for pocket style diapers, especially if your babykins turns out like mine. They call them heavy wetters. He'll be so happy to see that on the internet when he's older. I use the ones made for gdiapers, only because I got them at my baby shower. The gdiapers system ended up being craptastic for us, but the liners fit inside of our diapers, so it wasn't a total loss. You can get them at Babies R Us, too, which is awesome if you get lots of gift certificates and can't figure out what to buy. Those bastards only started carrying bumGenius after Jude was born. Bugger.

Wet Bags: We keep a large hanging wet bag on a hook in our bathroom. It just made more sense to toss dirty diapers in there once we sprayed them, rather than toting them back to the nursery. A little eucalyptus oil sprinkled inside after each wash keeps the bathroom from getting toxic. We also have a couple of smaller zippered style wet bags for going out. I keep one in the diaper bag and one in the car. They are great for wet clothes, too.

A Diaper Sprayer:  E was a bit disturbed when met with his first soiled diaper, even after we had purchased and installed the sprayer and I explained what it was for. Imagined poo is clearly easier to handle than actual poo. This bad boy makes our lives so much easier. I know a lot of moms use a pail and swish diapers around in water, but I can't imagine getting E to do that. Actually, I can't imagine myself doing that. This thing is like a super powered water gun, so spin it that way and it may be easier to get your reluctant man on board :) Just warn house guests that it isn't a bidet. Trust me.

CJ's BUTTer: My friend Kayster turned me on to this incredible stuff. Since you can't use commercial diaper creams with cloth, I needed something as a "just in case." The disposable diapers we used when Jude came home from the hospital gave him a terrible rash and this cleared it right up! Jude is so sensitive, and this has healed every single spot. Even his heat rash (which the pediatrician claimed could not be treated) was gone in a few days after I applied some BUTTer. The scents are also awesome (Oatmeal, Milk, and Honey is my fave) and it can be used for any skin issue. That reminds me, I'm almost out.

California Baby Diaper Area Wash: We can't use commercial wipes very often without Jude breaking out in a rash. At home we use baby washcloths and water, but it can be hard to get to a sink when we're out and about. I keep a travel sized spray bottle with this wash diluted in water in the diaper bag and it's perfect. A few spritzes on a dry cloth and you're good to go. Plus, it smells awesome, which is great when your cute little bugger stinks to high heaven.

All in all, it seems like a lot of work to cloth diaper, but it is not and it has been so worth it. Along with the financial and environmental benefits, our little man has very few skin issues with cloth, and he looks pretty cute, too. Agreed? 

Gimme somma that!

My stack of recent cooking mags is threatening to topple. I just don't get a chance to read through them all anymore. When I do, I end up flagging something that stands out as quick, nutritious, and including stuff that already resides in my fridge. Long gone are the days of my experimental cookery and hunting down fun ingredients. Mommyhood, go figure.

I amazingly had time to put together a dish from September's Food and Wine, stolen from Nikole Herriott's blog. I made a few adjustments to accommodate the aforementioned limits of my refrigerator. The tomatoes alone are a thing of beauty. I'm imagining them topping hunks of crusty bread smeared with homemade ricotta. Oh right, but then I'd have to find time to make some cheese. And we all know that ain't happening.

Halibut and Summer Vegetables en Papillote
Adapted from Nikole Herriott

Ingredients:
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
splash of balsamic vinegar
splash of extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tsp. thyme
4 halibut filets, about 6 oz. each
3 Tbls. butter
Juice of 1 lemon
1 lemon cut into thin slices
1 large zucchini, sliced
1/4 cup kalamata olives
1/4 tsp. coriander
 4 sheets of parchment paper, 15 inches long

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle the tomatoes with oil and vinegar in a small bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme and toss to coat. Spread cut sides up on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes or until softened and browned.

In a large saute pan, melt 1 tbls. butter over medium high heat. Season halibut with salt and pepper and add to the pan. Cook until golden on one side, about 3 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. Add zucchini to pan and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. Add remaining butter to the pan. Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Spread parchment pieces on a work surface. On each one lay out 3 slices of lemon, top with a piece of fish, scatter tomatoes, olives, and zucchini on top, and drizzle with butter sauce. Fold paper up and twist edges to seal. Bake on a baking sheet for 15 minutes or until paper is puffed up.

Here's what happens when you serve this for dinner in front  of a hungry baby:

Linked to:
Garden Variety Wednesday

Bring it, Irene!

Why do the Emergency Managment teams always recommend stocking up on canned goods in a hurricane? Do high winds and rain suddenly make you crave Hormel chili? I can still make a salad, a sandwich, or grill a steak if there isn't power. And you'd need power to heat up a can of beans anyway, so it's possibly the goofiest suggestion of them all. Batteries, sure. Candles, yep. But Spam? I think not.

I hate to say it (ok, no I don't), but E and I have been laughing our butts off at the level of intensity here in Jersey. It's like the zombie apocalypse is about to strike. No gas at the local stations, empty shelves at the market, and our neighbors are nailing down the shingles on their roof. Mass hysteria over a storm. Just like the Nor'easter warnings in RI that turn into 3 inches of fluff. Maybe it's because we've been through several bad hurricanes before and we are more than used to weathermen and their extremism.We've got cases of E's homebrew, I'm baking flourless chocolate cake, and the propane is full on the Weber. What else could we need to get though a hurricane?

Here you go:

'Hurricane Survival Guide' by jojobeandesigns

According to the NJ Emergency Management team, to survive Hurricane Irene one should have a supply of: canned goods, bottled H2O, flashlights, candles, matches, & first aid. I'd like to add coffee, chocolate, & booze. A good book wouldn't hurt ei

girlingearstud... $25.00	DarkSucks $250.00	BeccaTheBaker $2.00	TwoStoryVintag... $20.00
PendantLicious $6.25	HortonsFarm $3.25	vital $38.00	albrechtsantiq... $6.00
backstashandby... $6.00	ShannonSweets $15.00	The1950sHouseW... $35.00	AproposRoaster... $8.25
CricketsHome $195.00	jennui $33.00	KaydenAshley $15.00	TeoStudio $150.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Shop Update!

I haven't posted a shop update in ages. Been kinda busy you know ;) Happily my Mom Dukes is here for the weekend. We just returned from a nice walk to the farmer's market, followed by brunch at the corner diner, and now Bean is taking a long nap. Well, I hope it's long. Come to think of it, I should probably be napping now, too. Even if I did get a solid 8 hours of sleep last night for the first time in 4 months. Thanks Ma! 

Here's a look at what is new(est) in the shop, while I work on two sets of custom wedding invitations. 

I'll post those when they are finished!

Happy Camper Postcards

Happy Monkey Thank You Cards

Tree of Love Thank You Cards

Vintage Pram Baby Shower Thank You Cards in Cantaloupe

Birth Announcement Custom Altered Canvas

Make. This. Ice. Cream.

No one told me that nursing a baby would make my sweet tooth rage more than ever. Luckily it also means I'm burning a whole bunch of extra calories. Not that they end up being "extra" around here, since I fill free time by making batches of ice cream and then eating it all. Awesome.

This time I used the sweet cream base from the ultimate ice cream masters: Ben and Jerry. A few tweaks and additions and you have a totally amazing ice cream treat that will disappear in a day. I was tempted to actually use the ice cream to make an ice cream pie, but it didn't last that long. Oops.


Blueberry Coconut Cream Pie Ice Cream
(because for some reason I can't ever make an ice cream with a short name)

Ingredients:
2 eggs
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup coconut milk
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 pints blueberries, preferably wild or at least locally picked
Juice of 1 lime
1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 Tbls. butter, melted

Preparation:
Toss blueberries with lime juice and 1/2 cup sugar in a small bowl. Refrigerate for two or three hours, tossing every 30 minutes or so. Drain juice from the berries and set aside. Add blueberries to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until almost pureed. A few chunks of berry should remain.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or with a whisk and a big bowl) beat eggs until light and fluffy. Slowly add sugar and beat another few minutes to combine. Continue beating and add cream and coconut milk until well blended. Add juice from the berries and blend again until well combined. Fold blueberries into the cream mixture. Place this bowl into the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss graham cracker crumbs with melted butter and press into the bottom of a baking dish (it will be crumbled, so don't sweat the aesthetics!). Bake until crisp, about 10-12 minutes. Set aside to cool. Crumble cooled crust into pieces.

Spread coconut in an even layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in the oven and every few minutes toss coconut as it toasts until it is evenly golden brown. Remove and cool.

Set up your ice cream maker and process the blueberry cream mixture according to your maker's instructions. (If you have a KA ice cream attachment this just means setting the speed to STIR, pouring in the mixture slowly, then letting it run for 25-30 minutes). In the last few minutes of processing, add toasted coconut and crust crumbles. Pour soft set ice cream into an airtight container and freeze until firm.