Clay Jar People

I don’t usually review or promote restaurants… but I have recently been introduced to this little gem, in Durbanville. (Its actually 2 doors down from my brother’s local “kuier-plek” in Oxford street.)

Its called Our Place.

The decor is gorgeous, a kind of rustic/country French Provence style with whites and wooden floors. The menu is extensive and provides for all tastes. Last Friday, I was there for a meeting and I had the Caprese Panini… oh my goodness, it was divine – I adore caprese salad and this was just fabulous. Their prices are really reasonable too.

You have the option of sitting inside, in the grandly decorated dining rooms or, as we prefer, sitting outside under trees or in the play area.

A play area… a mom’s dream… This play area has scooter-bikes, a tree-house, a huge sandpit in the shape of a boat and a heap of other toys to occupy children. I love the fact that you can sit right there with the kids, and the waiters actually serve you there. Elijah loves playing there, with the sandpit and he actually learnt to ride a scooter-bike there.

Our Place also boasts a really quaint party venue, where Marjolein – a party-organiser of note, plans and executes the most gorgeous parties. She runs art classes for kids as well. I met her at my friend, Natasha’s little boy’s party (which she did, and it was brilliant) and she is a lovely person and great with the kids.

I am really hoping that Chris, Elijah and I can head to Our Place this weekend for some yummy munchies and a great time.

(images from Our Place’s Facebook page)

by Brennan Manning and John Blase

Willie-Juan and Ana are a sweet elderly couple who spend time with the neighbourhood kids and teach them about Abba and His love for His people.

This is my first kids book review, and I must say, I really enjoyed this book. The one thing I like is that instead of the typical Americalized stories, this is based in South America. Manning also opens a bit of the culture for children. This book is a great way to explain God’s love to children. Comparing the love of grandparents, animals and the yummy sopapillas to the love of God, is a really clever way to explain to children from age 3 to 8. I can’t wait to read it to my son…



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Yes, this is yet another cloth nappy review! But I think its good to show you all the options available on the South African market.  Especially when they have slight differences.

Snugglybum is a fairly new brand on the market, and they have the cutest nappies! I mean really look how sweet this monkey design is! They have a wide range of colours, designs and textures, including a soft minky kind and a satin soft kind.

This is the minky cappuccino stripe nappy that Elijah was given to try out.  Its soft and has a fleecy inside, with a microfibre inner. You can buy extra inners, which will help boost the absorption. However, I found one to be fine for daytime use.

To buy these adorable nappies, check out their website. So far these are the most affordable cloth nappies I have come across, although purchasing extra inners at R23 each would increase the price. They range from R99 for plain coloured nappies to R109 for patterned, and then they also have bamboo nappies at R160. Definitely a worthwhile purchase.

What’s in a name?

Its called cute, so it must be cute… yes, these products definitely earn their name!

Hush Hush nursing cover: The fabric is really pretty and designed more for mom than baby, so it looks less obvious than baby-printed fabric. It covers baby and mom really well for a discreet feed, even in a crowded restaurant. The Hush Hush nursing cover has a strap that can be adjusted, that fits around mom’s neck and then the cover hangs over baby. I found it really easy to use, and the piece of boning that allows you to see your baby is fabulous, allowing constant eye contact making bonding so much more. I really like this nursing cover, as its locally made, and really affordably priced.

Busy Bib: As I have mentioned numerous times on this here blog… I have a drooler… a major spit factory. And then he started eating and trying to feed himself… He makes an EPIC mess. So when Nira said she’d send me the sleeved bib to try, I was over the moon. What a genius product!! It covers Elijah’s whole chest, and part of his pants, and both arms. Its easy to clean and dries really quickly. So bring on the messy butternut, or jelly-messy play! (I need to say, I am really not very phased about him getting dirty or making a mess, I realise its part of growing up, so it doesn’t bug me, but this bib is just perfect for those times you just need your kid to stay clean for 5 minutes longer).

Perky Poncho: This has got to be the cutest little raincoat ever! Complete with ears! My one is a tad too big for Elijah, but he will grow into it – and since he isn’t walking yet, he hasn’t ventured out into the puddles with it. I do think that this poncho will be awesome for toddlers who want to jump in puddles in the rain, or when you need to go out in winter, just for added dryness. And it looks so freaking cute!!

I asked Nira Lincoln, the owner of Oh So Cute, to answer some questions so we can get to know more about the person behind this cute company:

Tell me something about yourself/family?

I have a daughter that surprises and inspires me each and every day

What did you do after school?

I studied and then did a gap year travelling around North America, Europe and India

Where are you based?
In Cape Town

What inspired you to start “Oh So Cute”?
My 3 year old daughter, Samantha, has always been my inspiration.  I also noticed that there seemed to be a shortage here of practical products for babies and young children and that many people were resorting to getting items sent from overseas.  I thought we should be capable of producing these things right here in South Africa and making them even better.

Where does the name come from?
When I started to make the oh so cute… products I kept looking at them and thinking how cute they are.  The little ones who end up using the products are so cute too so the name stuck.  When people see the products for the first time they always remark how cute they are and then realise that is actually their name.
Where do you want the business to go in the future?
My aim is to make oh so cute… to grow from strength to strength and be readily available throughout the country.  I have so many fantastic accessories that I would like to develop, all aimed at making parenting simpler.  I would also love to be able to keep producing products that are competitively priced and good value right here in South Africa.
Which of your creations is your favourite and why?
I would have to say that it is the Busy Bib as this was the first product I started working on.  When my daughter started solids I could not understand what the purpose was of a small handkerchief sized bib that had to be washed after every meal.  When I looked around for a solution there didn’t seem to be anything suitable so I decided to make the perfect bib that could also be used for anything that involved getting messy. I love my other products too but the Busy Bib will always be special.

Check out Oh So Cute’s website for the range of colours, and follow them on Facebook for updates.

My review products from Mother Nature arrived just on time for our trip to Mosselbay. This gave me the perfect chance to test the BAMBO nature eco-disposable nappies!

They have cute little bunnies on them, making them appealling to little kids, although my child just tried to eat the bunnies when he got hold of a (clean) nappy.

The idea behind these nappies are that they are convenient for travel and out-and-about use, whilst not impacting the environment quite as much as your normal disposables. The other awesome thing is that they don’t contain the harmful chemicals that most other disposables do. They are basically made of pulp, wheat starch, polyacrylate, polypropelene, polythylene and calcium carbonate. I need to add that I am impressed that they state their “ingredients” on the bag – NO other disposables do this.

One thing I found though was that they did not handle diarrhoea very well (antibiotics and Elijah end in thrush and diarrhoea… just thought I’d share – eventhough I give him probiotics). So I have no idea how they would cope with newborn babies. That said, I only had 2 leaks and I had more with Huggies Gold…

For the odd use while travelling or so, I would definitely recommend them… as they are a bit pricy and still not as eco-friendly as cloth (although miles ahead of other disposables), I wouldn’t suggest permanent use. But definitely worth a buy for your next trip away.

Mother Nature were also so kind as to send me their All In One nappy to try. As I see myself as somewhat of a pro at testing cloth nappies, having tried the bulk of the ones on the market in SA, I thought this would be the same old-same old.

I was pleasantly surprised!

The Mother Nature AIO nappy is pretty, and not at all bulky. It comes with a PUL cover that has gussets in the sides (which I love) making it extra leakproof and a looooong soaker pad that pops onto the cover. The inner booster is 2 layers of highly absorbent and 100% natural bamboo-cotton towelling.  The breathable waterproofing is hidden between 2 soft polyester layers. For extra absorption you can add their booster pads, but I have found that even without it, the nappy stays really leak-proof.

The cover dries really quickly, and the soaker pad just needs a fair amount of sun, and then it dries, in about a day (which is the average for all booster/soakers). I am glad that its sunny weather now, because cloth diapering is no fun in the winter.

As with all other all-in-one nappies, this one has poppers to adjust the size, so that your baby can wear them from birth to potty-trained. I find that all-in-ones do end up the most economical, and as such would recommend them to any mom looking to save a bit of money and the environment.

Join Mother Nature on Facebook and check out their site. Definitely a Proudly South African company to look out for!

(I received one bag of BAMBO nappies and one Mother Nature AIO nappy. I was not reimbursed in any other way for this review, all opinions are my own and are honest).

I believe the Lord has been subtly, well sometimes not quite so, showing me His plan and design for families, and mine in particular. In this post, I stirred the cultural norm, and probably lost readership. I have been feeling a bit lost since we made these decisions, mostly because they are counter-cultural, and not at all supported by my family or friends. So when I came across Natalie Klejwa‘s book Visionary Gatherings, I was inspired and so glad to see that I’m not alone.

That said, I am in South Africa… and here it seems I am alone in my beliefs, except for a handful of older ladies who are not really in my circle. But wait… isn’t the point of Titus 2:3-5 that older women teach younger women… and isn’t that the whole point of the Visionary Gatherings??

This book has inspired me to find some ladies to meet with on a monthly basis to learn from each other and the Word of God. To grow into women who have vision for the future of our families. For the future of our country.

The book is a practical guide on how to go about starting and running a gathering, and also why its so important and helpful.

Usually the ebook sells for $4.99…BUT, for five days only (September 19-23) anyone can get it for only $2.99 if they enter the code: LAUNCHWEEK at checkout. I really recommend that you do this!

If you don’t believe me, go and download the first chapter for free HERE and check it out.

Now, just because I am so kind and also because this book is so amazing, we are offering a free copy of this book to readers… so leave a comment or email me your email address and like Clay Jar People and Visionary Womanhood on Facebook… If you can, Tweet about this giveaway and tell all your friends! (If you have purchased the book, Natalie will refund you should you win the giveaway! So GO BUY IT)

Oh-Lief… wordplay on olive and love…

Its the perfect description for this brand. Started by Christine Buchanan and Louiza Rademan, this range is great for natural babies. The main ingredients are olive oil, beeswax and lavender… more natural it can’t get.

I usually hate lavender… but the Oh-Lief range has such a subtle and comforting lavender fragrance, I am actually warming to the whole idea. Shortly after I received the products to review, Elijah developed a minor nappy rash while I was not using any bum balm on him. I decided this was the perfect test for Oh-Lief‘s product. I was amazed… just the natural healing properties of olive oil, beeswax and lavender has healed his bottom completely! And it smells so good!

 Oh-Lief is continuously expanding their range of products, currently they have the bum balm, an insect repellent, tummy wax for mom and a baby wax which is a moisturiser. In October they plan to launch their baby wash and shampoo as well as the aqueous cream – both of which I am very excited about.

On an aside, Oh-Lief also runs monthly Urban Mama meetings, around Cape Town, showcasing their products and having topical talks as well as allowing moms to meet other like-minded mamas. Check their Facebook page for more info (hopefully I will be running one in the Northern Suburbs in October).

I need to add, I am in love with the packaging… I am a packaging freak – I buy products because the packaging is cute/pretty/funky… But this brand is so awesome, the packaging AND the product rock!

In a word… I would buy every mom with a baby, these balms… they rock my world!

(I received one bum balm and one insect repellent balm to review. I was not remunerated in any other way and the opinions herein are completely my own)

(Images sourced from Oh-Lief)

So many cloth nappies are on the market at the moment! I am amazed, because a year ago there was such a limited range. Now you get pretty much every colour of the rainbow. I first saw Fancy Pants at the Baba Indaba, in August this year. I loved the bright colors and the names! Tangerine, Buttercup, Chocolate, Cupcake, Lollipop, Splash, Sweetpea and Blueberry… I mean how cute is that!

I was sent a Chocolate nappy to review, and I must say, I am impressed. They are one size, with poppers, which make it easy to use, and doesn’t stick to everything.  One thing I really love is that the PUL fabric is really stretchy, so you get the best fit, and the poppers fit over each other, so I’m sure they would work really well for tiny babies (note to self: try one the next baby…)

Elijah is comfortable as there are no hard or scratchy bits as the 2 inners/boosters are made of microfibre, and the lining of the nappy is bamboo… so its all lovely and soft on baby’s bum. I found the Fancy Pants nappy to be one of the most absorbent nappies I have yet tried, and as such I highly recommend them.

Who is Fancy Pants? Owners and family etc.

Fancypants is owned and run by myself and Rebecca Sturmer. We both have daughters just over 2 years of age (our inspiration for fancypants) and Rebecca also has a son who is now 3 months old.

What did you study?

I studied Accounting and Rebecca studied Economics at tertiary level and we both had successful professional careers both here and overseas but we decided to leave the corporate world behind when we had our children. We are now both stay at home mothers and are enjoying combining that with starting up our own business in something we both feel very passionate about.Where are you based?
We are based in George, South Africa

What inspired you to start your company?

As two first time mothers, we quickly became aware of the fact that many of the things we had used in the past (such as chemicals in household cleaning products, bug sprays, body lotions, non-organic foods, etc.) had harmful components in them that were not suitable for our precious little ones. And disposable nappies were no exception. So began our journey of trying to find the best products for our babies, including finding a suitable real nappy. After much searching and not being able to find a reusable cloth nappy that was environmentally friendly; yet affordable, highly absorbent; yet not too bulky, safe for baby’s skin; yet easy enough for daddy to use, really cute and fun to wear; yet easy to wash………we decided to make our own. Thus, Fancypants was born.

Where does the name come from?

Fancypants was a name that we both liked and one that we thought embodied our product – it’s not just any reusable nappy – it’s Fancypants!

Where do you want the business to go in the future?

Our focus is on providing affordable, environmentally friendly products for babies. We will continue to provide baby products that we use and love and that fit into our goal of respecting the environment and being affordable. We are in the process of introducing a completely organic detergent to our range called soap nuts. We often have clients that ask us what they should use to wash their nappies so we have sourced and thoroughly tested these little gems and our first stock will be arriving soon. They are a great complement to our nappy range as they are all natural, have no harmful chemicals, are harvested from a sustainable source and are gentle on babies’ delicate skin.

Which of your products is your favourite and why?

Our Fancypants nappy of course! It is what started it all and has led us down the amazing path of learning about and achieving our goals of providing the best for our children, treading lightly on the planet, and has enabled us to be stay at home mothers while still participating in the ‘working’ world.

As far as cloth nappies go, I have yet to try one I really dislike, but so far Fancy Pants really gets my vote.

(I received one Chocolate Fancy Pants nappy to review, but was not remunerated in any other way for this review. It is my honest opinion of the product.)

I’m guest posting over at clockd every now and then… check out today’s post.

clockd is the genius review site my lovely husband started. Hop on over and show him some comment love… It has a wide range of reviews, from games to books to restaurants and websites. Check it!!

What did you study after school?

After completing my schooling in Brussels (Belgium), I travelled to Oxford, England where I completed a honours degree in marketing and political science.

Where are you based?

Cape Town.

What inspired you to start your business?

During my travels abroad with my husband and two kids I came across a product in Europe, which inspired me to develop a more advanced concept for the South African market. I was inspired to create a highly nutritious and delicious fruit purée snack. Snack foods are usually unhealthy (chips, chocolates and sweets), and I put my heart into creating a healthy fruit snack that’s perfect for children on-the-go who, like my two growing boys, have irregular eating patterns – especially when we travel.

What sets your product apart from other baby foods?

Fruit Pack is a 100% natural fruit purée snack and contains no preservatives, no colourants, no flavourants and no added sugar – just pure and natural fruit. Fruit Pack is gluten free, too.

Kids simply squeeze the fruit purée out of the pouch into their mouths. No eating utensils are required such as a straw or a bowl and spoon, which means no mess and no fuss.

Fruit Pack’s flexible pouches are extremely durable and will not crack or break like baby food products packaged in plastic or glass containers.

Fruit Pack has a 12 month shelf-life. Pouches are resealable and once a pouch is opened it can be stored for up to 24 hours.

Where do you want the business to go in the future?

My short-term goal is to strengthen Fruit Pack’s retail footprint throughout South Africa and ultimately establish the brand as South Africa’s first choice fruit purée snack for children on-the-go.

Which of your products is your favourite and why?

Fruit Pack’s Awesome Apple flavour. Every time I eat it it reminds me of my childhood. In Europe it’s very popular to eat apple sauce with different type of foods. I eat an Awesome Apple Fruit Pack a day as one 90g Fruit Pack pouch is equivalent to one fruit serving… and we all know the saying: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”.

You can follow Fruit Pack on Facebook and on twitter.

(I received some Fruit Pack samples to review, but was not remunerated in any other way for this review. It is my honest opinion of the product.)