I have a WINNER!

I have a Facebook contest WINNER! Kim R. Griggs is my 25th Facebook Fan. You are eligible for 10% & free shipping on anything in any of my shops. YAY!!

OK, that was so much fun I want to do it again, lol! I'm already offering free shipping for Earth Day. That promo runs from Sat 4/9 to Sat 4/23. Use the code EARTH2011 at checkout for your free shipping in both Etsy shops.

Post a comment here or on Facebook and tell me what kind of promo you would like to see. Would you prefer a percentage off, free shipping, a bonus item with a purchase, or is there something else you'd like? I love hearing from you all so comment away!!

Happy shopping!! :)

The "C" word strikes again...

Cancer...it's a horrible disease that does horrible things to people and their families. It has many forms and doesn't care who it hurts. It strikes without warning. It has done it again. I'm including links to 2 blogs with better details.

If you sew or know someone who does PLEASE, PLEASE consider purchasing a few patterns from Berritt's shops. I've used patterns from her for a while now...they are very clear and sew up beautifully. She has a wonderful selection of e-reader patterns and cute girls clothing. Beginners and experienced sewers can create beautiful items with her patterns.

Thank you so very much!

Shop for a Cause
and
This one isn't about us

Please hug your family and remember to count your blessings again tonight as I'm sure you already do. :)

Hmmmm...this just might work...for now anyway.

OK, I tried using the computerized machine yesterday to work on some baby things for a friend. It seems to work ok for me. It's REALLY slow going though. Plus I can barely reach the ironing board so I need to figure out a better way to do that. Otherwise this seems to be a do-able solution for now. Nothing fancy will happen but at least I can work on a few things over the next couple of weeks.

I'm hoping to finish up the things for my friend today & I'll post a few pics if I do). I also got a new pattern for infant diapers that I think will be really nice for her. 2 sizes, simple construction, super easy to use...perfect for someone who has never even seen cloth diapers. I figure she's planning on using disposables but it never hurts to have a few cloth for those moments when no one remembered to grab a pack of dipes at the store. Maybe I'll even get her to convert to atleast part-time cloth. After all, cloth bums on new babies are super sweet. ;)

I've got finals 3 days this week but only for 2-3 hrs each so hopefully I can work on my samples for the Overnight Solutions & get them mailed off. I just need to practice using my left foot to run the machine. This should be interesting, lol!

Happy Sunday everyone! Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Black Friday Sale!!

I'm adding a coupon code for each shop! The code is "BlackFriday". It's worth 15% off your total purchase in either shop (before shipping). I'll leave it up for Friday Saturday and Sunday. I just wanted you all to know how much my family and I appreciate you supporting my small business. Thank you!
Suzanne W. :D
SuzannesSpecialKids
QualityFabricDestash
p.s. The code works now if you're reading on Thanksgiving. ;)

Shop Updates..

Sorry I'm late posting this. It's been crazy here.
Everyone who's purchased something should have their items. All custom orders are completed and shipped. YAY!!
I'm working on a few new items for each shop. I've also ordered more cotton knits and I'm going to add a few prints to the adult line.
I'm doing the birdeye style in cotton knit so they look & feel more like the undies you buy in your local "Mart" store. (Better quality of course!) They will still have the absorbent core and hook & loop or snap open sides. Now they will have hidden elastic at the waist & leg. Waterproof fabrics are also still available-just use the contact seller to have a custom order set up.
Sorry guys but I have only found "girly" and "little boy" prints right now so men's non-white absorbent undies will be a bit longer. I can, however, do them in solid colors if you don't want white.
I think that's everything for now.
Have a great Sunday everyone!

I found this interesting article about Zorb....

As many of you already know I really like this new product called DiaperMaker Zorb. It's for the absorbent hidden layer in diapers, trainers and absorbent undies. It's trim and when paired with a fleece or microfiber it holds quite a bit but still dries rather quickly.

I've known it is a man-made fiber product but never what is really in it. It turns out that it's a blend of bamboo fibers, cotton fibers and polymicrofibers. So basically it's my 3 favorite soaker fibers all shredded and "squished" together (for lack of a better word, lol).

This article from All About Cloth Diapers goes into a bit more detail but I'll post a bit of it here so you can see what I'm talking about. Be sure to click the link and read the entire article. It makes me more comfortable about using the product on my son and selling items with it in it.

"I am quoting Mike the head of textile design at Wazoodle:

What is it made of?

We’re known for a lot of things good and bad, but when it comes to innovative diaper making textiles our attention to innovation, environmental and product safety, is second to none.

Zorb contains only tangled cellulose fibers from bamboo/cotton/viscose and poly micro fiber, the same fibers found in virtually every AIO diaper on the market – nothing else. These non-allergenic fibers are non-allergenic, durable and easy to sanitize We manufacture Zorb in the USA and Canadian in modern facilities that are safe & friendly for workers and the environment."

The article goes on to discuss thickness, wicking properties and that it does not contain hemp.

Many thanks to Autumn Beck of All About Cloth Diapers for finding this information for all of us!

Look at what's new...

I'm adding 2 new items to my stores.

The first is a side opening PUL cover for elementary sized kids. (I'm still working on larger sizes but they're coming too.)






My other new item is a "Big Kid Onsie". This will be a semi-custom item so they'll take about 2 weeks to complete and mail but I LOVE them for my son.
They will be available in sizes 4 to 14. I have 2 styles of sleeves...raglan or traditional set in style. I'm adding a g-tube access pocket if you want one (no extra charge either). The leg openings can also be cut higher if preferred but I like the lower cut over diapers. I also prefer the raglan because they are more comfy for the kids and easier to get over the kiddo's noggin. ;)
I'll need some measurements for the child's body length and chest width for each one. The buyer can pick the body & sleeve fabrics. I'll coordinate the rest.



These will be in all 3 stores. I'm going ahead and previewing them in the Hyena Cart store and on the Congo. They will go up in the Etsy shop later in the week. If you want one from the Etsy shop just convo me and I'll do a custom listing for you.

Have a great Sunday!

ABC is now OPEN!!

Amazing Baby Creations is now open on Hyena Cart. This congo (think mini-mall or strip mall) is group of several different online stores. We cater to babies, toddlers, moms and I'll be doing all the same kinds of things for special needs that I've always done and some new things too.
I'm adding larger sized bodysuit style shirts for kids up to size 14. I've got a cover listed now that fits most elementary sized kiddos if you still need cloth diapers or use training undies that aren't waterproof. These would be great to cover the rump for bedwetters. It's just a simple cover that can be wiped clean and reused a few times before needing washed.
I now have 3 online stores. They are my Etsy, my Hyena Cart and I'm also a part of Amazing Baby Creations Congo.
I'm planning on keeping similar items in each store but there will be different prints and I will have different custom options in each store. There will also be store specific items sometimes just to mix it up. :)
There are a lot of Free For Shipping items listed in the different stores too right now. I've listed nursing pads and there are soaps, wipes, diapers and lots more. All you have to do is enter and if the system picks your entry you get the item for the cost of shipping only! You can enter until the 18th at noon so stop in and enter for some really cute stuff!
Have a great weekend!

Hi! I’m Suzanne…

I’ve been going back through my blog and I realized that I’ve never done this so here goes. Who am I and what brought me to making and selling diapers and special needs items.
Who is the “Suzanne” in Suzanne’s Special Kids?
I’m a late 30’s mom of 2 wonderful kids. Both of them are challenged but in very different ways. My oldest is extremely bright, high IQ, and is an Aspie. She has OCD tendencies, ADHD tendencies, and sensory issues. She loving and wonderful and turning 14 so becoming an independent young lady. The tendencies she shows makes her a bit challenging as does the fact that she is now a teenager.  My youngest is multiply challenged on the other end of the rainbow. He has so many physical and cognitive challenges yet he has the most gentle and loving personality. I am first and foremost a mother. It’s all I ever really wanted to do. I love to sew. I got this from my mother and her mother who both sewed regularly. Now I have the opportunity to provide options to other mothers with challenged children. This makes my passion well worth it.
I also love to read, cook and bake. I picked up a love of gardening from my grandmother and I always have plants inside and out. I am a Christian and very proud of that. I believe that God doesn’t make bad things happen to people but he does sometimes allow them so that we may grow. I believe that children like my son are born different so we may be reminded of what pure love is. I am honest, trustworthy, and humbled that God chose me to care for 2 of his precious souls. I’m happy to be a mom and wishing for more.
Why do I sew cloth diapers?
I used cloth diapers part time for my oldest because they just weren’t that easy to use. When I got pregnant with my son I found the PooPockets pattern. I loved the idea of a “one size” diaper. Birth to potty training all in one…YEA!! Just add a few pairs of plastic pants or wool covers and diapering is done. That pattern is so quick to sew and uses easy to find fabrics. I fell in love with making them and how cute they look. The creative process just took over. I could use any soft flannel and have unique cute diapers that were easy to care for. The best part was that I only had to pay for them ONCE! No buying more every few days and throwing them in the trash after each use. I began buying other patterns and drafting my own. I think I printed off every free pattern on the web! LOL!! If you love cute baby bums and even tolerate sewing….this is addictive!
Why sew with special needs in mind?
At my 20 week ultrasound we were given some challenging news. Our baby has congenital hydrocephalus. He may or may not have spina bifida. We were sent to see a few specialist and my journey into the world of special needs began. Our son will be born at 30 weeks with parts of his brian never forming. He will have cerebral palsy, epilepsy and lung disease among many other issues. It is a learning process every day. My designs are based on what works or doesn’t work for my son. Many of my testers will never see anything but my son’s bum…they aren’t all wonderful. ;) Every so often…one really works. It fits well, absorbs wonderfully, washes thoroughly, and dries in a decent amount of time. For me…that’s the perfect diaper. I really like 1 piece items since issues with high tone during a diaper change make it hard to get things fastened sometimes. I look at our challenges when diapering and use them to work toward the perfect diaper.
What made me choose toddler sizes and larger?
I’m usually up for making some wonderful itty bitty diapers so feel free to ask. However, I decided there are so few options for toddlers and larger. My son is now in kindergarten and wearing little boys clothes-not from the toddler section anymore. The options are, well, not that great. I will continue to redesign my patterns to fit as my little guy grows. I have patterns for newborn all the way up to 2XL.
I know that kids and adults alike will need undies. Just because their body gets larger doesn’t mean they can always use the potty. More likely than not, my son will always need absorbent undies. I prefer that phrase to diapers. “Diapers” just seem so babyish and he’s a big boy now. Besides, adults don’t wear diapers…they are absorbent briefs or tabbed briefs or something like that. It’s about preserving dignity and being respectful.
What are my favorite fabrics and why?
I’ve tried sooo many fabrics. I am currently in love with a bamboo/hemp blend. It’s super soft, highly absorbent and just a wonderful diaper and undies fabric. It stays soft when line dried and doesn’t hold odors. Honestly, I love most fabrics so this is a difficult question to answer. I still love cotton flannels, hemp/cotton fleece, and the old standby… cotton birdseye weave. I have really begun to love wool. I know, when most people hear “wool” they think “itchy!”. That is deceptive because it becomes itchy based on how it is spun and processed. I have a wonderful supplier, Jeanne, at Natures Fabrics. She carries only the best, softest wools. You’ll never believe it’s wool, honestly! I’ve had my mom rub it on her arm (she allergic, btw) with NO REACTION. It’s all in the way it’s spun and processed. If you aren’t sure…please, go to NaturesFabrics.com and get a sample…you’ll be very pleasantly surprised.
WOW, this got longer then I planned. Well it’s by no means everything but it’s a little insight into my mind and my life.

How do I....?

I thought it was time to list a few posts with tips I’ve learned over the years while cloth diapering my kids. Today I’m starting with washing tips.
There are lots of ways to wash your cloth diapers. Lots of detergents, homemade laundry soaps, tips for the type of washer you have, people who say you “must” do this or that. Honestly, I think simple is better. I mean we do this for a lot of reasons and one of them is usually to be “greener” which means less water and chemicals to me.
I’ve tried just about every kind of “off the shelf” detergent at our local Mart and grocery stores. Honestly, our water is so hard that there wasn’t much difference for us. Off the shelf, I do prefer Purex Free & Clear or All Free & Clear. The free & clear detergents tend to rinse more thoroughly the first time thus not requiring a second rinse for us. I use an oxygen bleach if I think about it a few times a month. Sun makes a reasonably priced one that works well.
By far my favorite detergent is soapnuts liquid. I make it 2-3 times a month by boiling about 15 soapnuts in 7 cups of water for 30 minutes. I add a few drops of tea tree oil for it’s antibacterial properties and viola! Laundry soap that is perfect for all the wash you do. Whatever type of soap you use…just be sure to use ½ less in your diapers.
Here’s a run down of how I store and wash Boo’s diapers.
 I use a dry pail. I dump any solid waste into the toilet before putting the diaper in the pail. I now own a diaper sprayer but still don’t use it often…it’s just not a necessity for me. I do put tea tree oil on a scrap of flannel or baking soda sprinkled into the pail to help with odors. I just toss it all into the washer when it’s time to wash.
 I do un-stuff my DS’s pocket style diapers if I remember. Sometimes they won’t do it themselves in the washer. :)
 I wash every 3-4 days. I just dump the pail in the washer and run a cold rinse cycle. This takes care of any solid waste that I missed. I also like to add an enzyme treatment like Totally Toddler, OUT (same stuff), or BacOut if I have one. If I use it I will fill the washer and let it sit for a few minutes before I run the rinse cycle the rest of the way.
 I wash on the longest hottest wash my machine does with a single cold rinse at the end. I have a top loader so I fill the load completely and only rinse once unless absolutely necessary. This saves a bit of water since it hold so much.
 I love to line dry them if it’s warm enough out. The sun does wonders to remove stains and kill bacteria.
 If it’s not seasonally appropriate to line dry then I set the dryer on hot and dry for 60-70 minutes. I have a mix of flannel pockets and bamboo/hemp fleece so the longer time works to get them dry. If for some reason they aren’t I also own one of those folding laundry racks so I’ll drape them over it to finish. They’re about $15 bucks & great for all damp stuff, plus they are easy to store since they fold flat.
 Toss in a basket or drawer…no need to fold unless you want to pre-stuff your pockets. I’m lazy…I do that when I grab it to use it. Now that wasn’t not so hard was it. ;D

Embroidery and the new stash!

I'm am so excited! I finally got my embroidery machine fixed and now I can embellish diapers and clothing again. :D

I've been thinking about how to best create & embellish undies for our special family members. I know for my son, fitted diapers with separate covers tend to work best but for our school & caregivers I need AIO's. This means that since it's time for a new stash anyway, I will make both styles in his new larger size. I still love the fit of the Rita's Rump Pocket so that's going to be our fitted style. I'm still debating between 2 AIO styles that both work well for us. I have my pattern that has been redesigned & resized and I have the KCK One larger sizes pattern. All 3 will be wonderful with some embroidery on the front or back. I love seeing my son in unique clothing that is made with love. Besides, when I make it...it actually fits. :)

Just search "etsyclothdiaper embroidery" and you can see how cute cloth diapers are when they have some embroidery. (That's just a sample of what can be done.) Lots of us have cute characters or designs on our undies so why shouldn't our special family members. I'm excited to get all the different characters off my machine and on the undies & clothes I'm working on.

I'll be adding them to some of the ones I'm listing as well. I think putting them on undies and also on the covers will make them extra special, don't you?

StalkShop dot com

I've just opened a new shop in a handmade venue! The venue is StalkShop.com/ . It's got the potential to be a wonderful place to find handmade quality items. It's a great way to help keep some of our small businesses going and support our American families. I try to buy US made whenever I can and even prefer "mommy made" if I can.
I know I can probably make it myself but why do I always need to. There are a lot of other seamstresses who can use the cash and I just don't always have the time or energy. It's a win-win situation.
I encourage everyone to visit these venues for handmade. There are so many gems to be found! Happy shopping!

A New Year and A New Shop!

I'm finally ready to re-open my Etsy shop. I will be starting slow and will only take on minimal custom orders right now but I am finally able to start sewing again!

I am making a few changes too. I will be streamlining my fabrics including the prints. I'm going to be using primarily bamboo based fabrics or cotton birdseye and Zorb for the extra boosting power. (I really love that stuff!) I also plan on adding wool blend covers and PUL covers.

I won't be doing KCK Ones right now. My license is expired so I do not have the right to sell them. (If they are your preferred style, please check the KCK One website for a licensed seamstress.) I have other patterns I have used for years with great success so I'm sticking with them for now.

I will be listing the last of the flannel prints I have shortly and I'm probably going to list some fabrics for bulk sale so if you like to sew your own then I've got some fabrics for you!

Please bear with me as I slowly get back into the swing of things. I'm planning on making this new shop a much bigger thing than ever before so I'm working into this and all the new legal requirements carefully and taking my time.

I can't wait to start working with you all again!

Too much going on....

Well our trip dates are Nov 2-8. Both kids have the flu (thank God for Tamiflu!) and I don't know if I'm even going to be able to re-open the shop. Boo's health is stable but he's requiring so much more care now that he's getting bigger. I do have help for 2 hours 3 afternoon's a week but Gracie is in several very challenging classes that take up that "extra" time I hoped to have. I suppose I'm just going to wait it out and see. Have a great week everyone!

"Chicken Spots"

Guess what....the varicella vaccine has a rather rare side effect. One can actually get the chicken pox...now there is only a 1-in 100 (or something like that) chance though many kids get 5-10 spots. Well Boo was required to get the vaccine to start kindergarten so I took him and HE GOT THE CHICKEN POX! So he got to attend for 2 days then stay home for a week. He's going back today though he still doesn't feel all that great. He's in the life skill class so they can let him sleep if he gets too grumpy.
Now I'm behind again so we've had to push back the re-opening again. We will also be taking a break later for about 2 weeks because Boo has been granted a wish from the Make-A-Wish foundation!! We're taking him to Disney World. Hopefully this trip will go better than last time we went to Florida...long story short...that's when Boo had his first seizure-at the airport as we are getting on the plane. Mom & Dad continued to Florida and Boo, Gracie and I went to St. Vincent Hospital. We did get there a day & a half later but we missed doing some of Gracie's birthday stuff since the trip was cut short. Still it was nice to get away...that was 4 years ago. Now he's old enough to enjoy it so we're going back. I'll post the trip dates when I know. Have a great day everyone!

Temporary Closing...

I'm trying to keep this blog related to the shop and my personal "stuff" on my personal blog. However, at this point in time they are overlapping. I know there are some people who read both and others who just keep track of 1 so I'm going to keep in short n sweet on this one and go into more detail on My Quirky Family.
I have closed the shop until approximately August 1. Boo's having some neurologic issues and I really need to focus on him for now. Thanks so much for being so understanding-it is appreciated so much more than you all will ever know.

New things coming...

I've been so busy with the sick kids that I've gotten nothing listed in ages! They are still not better but not getting worse so I should be able to finish all the "almost finished" things and get them listed. There should be a few more diapers and some g-tube pads for boys and girls.
I really need the "break" sewing gives me (and a few sales wouldn't hurt either...goodness the economy is crummy!). I also have a few more fabrics to list that I know I honestly will not use so I'm listing them too. Check things out later this weekend to see what I get listed! Hope everyone had a great week! :)

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day! I just wanted to wish all the mom's and mom's to be a happy and relaxing Mother's Day. Enjoy your day and relax....you've earned it. :-)

New soaker fabric

I've just received my shipment of Zorb. I am really pretty happy with this stuff. I've used it in several of Boo's diapers and training pants. It is a hidden layer directly beneath the layer that goes against the skin. It's like that super absorbant ShamW** stuff but made for diapers. It does hold alot and is really trim. This means that 1 layer of that is like about 4 layers of flannel or 2 layers of hemp/cotton or microfiber. I've had pretty good luck using 1 layer of Zorb with 2-3 layers of either hemp/cotton or microfiber. This lets the undies be really trim but still really absorbant. My understanding is that it is best to use no more than 2 layers of Zorb though because you lose any extra help after that. I think 1 sewn in layer and 1 in the insert works great. It does need to have another fabric though because it has a "squish" factor. When it's compressed (sitting or laying on the layer) it doesn't hold as well. If you have another absorbant fabric that may not absorb as quickly it helps. Together they have tons of holding power! I can't wait to get a few things up that are ready to ship with this stuff in them. Have a great weekend everyone!
p.s. We're on spring break for this week so I'm not going to be on the computer nearly as much for the next 10 days. It's time for my kids to be my focus for a few days. :D

All better now!

Thankfully we are all better now. This crazy cough is still hanging around be everyone is better and I'm even finally getting the sewing room rearranged so it's more effecient and usable.
Custom orders didn't even need to go on hold so the 2 I'm working on should go out in next week's mail. Thank for all the patience everyone-I really appreciate it.