This one is just for you ladies!

        I have been using home made, cloth, feminine products for the last 4+ years. I decided to do this for environmental, money and health reasons. I did all sorts of research and I really didn't want to buy any so, I came up with my own pattern and just used what I had made. The originals that I made are still holding up wonderfully and I am still impressed with them after TONS of uses. I have made some more of my original pattern recently that I love and decided to share with you, and everyone else! I also decided that I would try out some other patterns, and let you know what I think of them. I have plans of selling my version 1.0 and 2.0 on Etsy in the near future. Keep an eye out for them! I will let you know on my blogger where/when/how much before I post them! Let me know if you have any ideas, imput etc. I would also love to make some specially for my friends so, let me know if you have any thing you would like/need (ie. heavy flow and would like extra thick ones, or long ones, or night ones, or a certain pattern).

Version 1.0
This is the original pattern that started it all! I love this one the best, and you can't find it anywhere! It's all in my head! :-) It is made out of 100% terry cloth cotton. I can make it with buttons or snaps, and the center is "hollow" so that you can slide in more absorbent layers (I will post pictures of this in the future). I can only make this one in solid colors.



Version 2.0
This is the new pattern that I am going to test out. It is made from 4 layers of 100% cotton flannel. I have not yet added snaps to it but, it can be made with snaps or buttons. I can make it with any pattern(s) of fabric. I want to try adding a layer of PUL to it for a vapor barrier and maybe a fleece layer too. I have plans of adding a nice little ribbon on the outside (in an out of the way place) for hang drying!



I hope you like them! I will add some more to it tomorrow!

Family Planning Cycle beads:

     When I decided to get off of birth control pills, for various medical reasons (like ruling it out of my health issues and not wanting to put TONS of chemicals in my body), I looked into Natural Family Planning. I read lots of articles, and a book teaching all about. I read all the up to date info. about it that I could. It teaches you, "to take your temperature in the morning before you get out of bed and interpret the pattern of temperature rising which occurs at ovulation. You can also combine that symptom with a check if the cervix and/or the quality and quantity of mucus discharge from the vagina." I was super excited about doing it this way. I printed out and learned how to record everything on these super high tech calender-on-steroid pages. I was pumped. Then I thought about taking my temperature EVERY morning. Even the tired ones, and the rushed ones. Who wants to do that? I DO NOT. NOT AT ALL.

     I found a simpler solution. MUCH simpler. It is called Cycle Beads. Instead of being 99% effective (as Natural Family Planning claims to be) it is only 95%. I can handle 95%. I am ok with that. "Cycle Beads are being marketed as a way of practicing NFP (Natural Family Planning) however they are more akin to the old style Calendar Rhythm."

     Here is how they work, "Cycle Beads represent your menstrual cycle and function as a tactile ovulation calendar. Each bead stands for a single day. On the first day of your period, you simply place the rubber ring on the red bead (representing cycle day 1). On each following day, simply move the rubber ring ahead by one bead (an arrow reminds you which direction). As you move through your cycle days, when the ring is on a dark or red bead, fertility is low and your odds of conceiving are less. However, once the ring moves to a white bead - typically cycle day 8 through 19 - you know that you are nearing ovulation or perhaps already ovulating. While the ring is on a white cycle bead, you are at peak fertility and your chances of becoming pregnant are high!

     Cycle Beads offer an easy method to increase your odds of conceiving (as well as provide a natural, safe method of family planning). Proven effective, Cycle Beads provide an unambiguous visual method for tracking your ovulatory cycle and identifying the fertile days when conceiving is likely (as well as the infertile days when achieving pregnancy is less probable). Moreover, Cycle Beads are based on a natural family planning practice that has been shown to be over 95% effective!"

     These are great! ...and ugly, and $10. I decided to make my own. I have attached a picture of the ones that you can buy, and the ones that I made. I like mine better. Mine have a little tag that says, "Made with love." I think mine will look less "weird" on my nightstand too! ;-) Please tell me if you would like me to make you one. I will gladly make it for a nominal charge. :-)