Baby Cakes

Making a diaper cake is surprisingly simple and any expectant mother is sure to love it!

Materials: Diapers (preferably white with no designs); Double Stick Tape; Ribbon; Rubber Bands; Cake Base; and Cellophane (optional)

1) Start with as many diapers as you like; the more diapers the larger the cake. Line up the diapers so that each diaper is stacked in the same direction. (waistband --> bottom)

2) Once you are satisfied with the circular shape, stretch a rubber band around the entire set of diapers. You can adjust the placement of particular diapers after the rubber band is placed. Place one or two rubber bands around each cake.

3) Then repeat. You can make smaller cakes to stack, just use fewer diapers.

4) Wrap a piece of ribbon around each diaper tier and close with your double-sided tape.

5) Stack your diaper cakes and you're done! You can always tuck additional toys and decorations into the cake. Also, if you have cellophane handy, wrap your creation for additional fanciness. Take your "Baby Cake" to the "Baby Shower" and have fun!

Food for Thought: Canine Companions

There is no doubt that an animal companion can bring oodles of love, health benefits, and affection into a person's life. However, it is also important to consider some of the real life responsibilities that come with taking care of another life force. I decided to write a little bit about some of the things pet owners and prospective pet owners may not think about, but should consider. Hopefully, if you have a pet, or are looking to get a pet you can utilize some of this information. The goal of this blog is not to discourage pet ownership, but rather, to help people become better owners, or help prospective owners make informed decisions.

(1) UNEXPECTED COSTS: Taking care of an animal throughout his/her lifetime does require spending money on food, immunizations, grooming, obedience classes, and emergency medical bills. Consider how much money you can spend for the duration of your pet's lifetime. Also keep in mind that toys and accessories can add up! In addition, some animals love to dig and scratch, and they may not share your artistic vision in home decor :) (2) EMERGENCY SITUATIONS: Life is unpredictable! Whether it's a bee sting, chocolate bar, or rattle snake, you need a game plan. *Allergies: Just like humans, dogs can have severe and fatal allergies. My dog is severely allergic to bees. This means I always need benedryl on hand, an epi-pen ready, and I have a map on my fridge to the nearest pet medical emergency center. You may want to consider pet insurance or attending a pet emergency training class. (3) DEPRESSION: Animals are social creatures. They are not designed to be isolated and can become depressed or anxious when left alone for extended periods of time. Consider your schedule and how much time you can realistically devote to an animal. When animals are depressed or anxious then can develop unhealthy and self-destuctive behavior. (i.e. What are your work hours? Do you go out with friends often? How much exercise is recommended for your pet? Do you travel frequently?) (4) AGGRESSION: Animals can have aggressive tendencies. When an animal joins your family, you should consider the safety of the people around you as well as strangers that may come your way. *This includes other animals. You may be held personally liable if you are aware of your pet's aggressive tendencies and your pet hurts another person or animal. (5) FAMILY ADDITIONS/CHANGES: If you plan on having children consider how your pet will react with the new baby. Also, be mindful that humans can have allergies to animals. You don't want to be caught between a rock and a hard place if your new baby is allergic to your pet. Other examples of family changes might include moving; pet-friendly apartments/rentals are limited in many areas. (6) ADOPTION: Adoption is the best thing a person can do! You would be saving a little spirit and you wouldn't be endorsing any unethical puppy mills. (7) SAYING GOODBYE: This is a topic that nobody wants to think about. However, it is an important issue to think about because animals do grow old, become ill, and get hurt. Think about what options you might have and what you consider to be humane.

Hopefully this blog doesn't scare you away because there are amazing animals out there! There will be trials and tribulations, but there really is nothing quite like an animal companion! This blog is dedicated to Bella, Brandy, Casey, & C.C.! Links: --> Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles; Healthy Paws Pet Certification; ASPCA Pet Care HSUS List of Poisonous Food for Animals

Researching A Product

WARNING: This blog is not meant to "poo-poo" foreign imports by any means. There are many imported items that are well worth the cost for the type and quality of the product. However, this blog is intended to complain about companies that purchase low quality products, outsource and manufacture in foreign counties, and then sell the product with a 200% mark up coupled with an American looking ad campaign and label. We have all gone to a commercial mall or store at some point in our lives. We enter the store, look for something nice, check the price, and purchase. For a long time, I only cared about the visual and the price. Although these elements are important factors to consider in the shopping process, we could and should consider where the product was actually made and what the product is actually made of. When I was researching and selecting the inventory for Research Monkey, I had two options. I could buy more items at a lower price if they were not made in the United States. (i.e. to increase the profit margin) Or I could buy less items that were designed and MANUFACTURED in the United States. I chose the latter for several reasons. (1) I want to be able to provide shoppers with truthful information about the product: information beyond a tiny tag that says "made in x." (2) I have to believe in the product to sell it. (3) I am very angry about how much money I have spent for thirty-one years on high priced and trendy retail products that, in actuality, cost very little to manufacture.(#$5@!) Long story short. Nobody is perfect. Let's be more aware of where products are made. Let's purchase more eco-friendly and recycled materials when we can. Let's explore more vintage!!! Food for Thought: What does "stimulate the american economy" really mean? I just realized this blog is super serious and kind of boring. I swear the rest won't be like this. I did some research. These are my favorite American companies that also manufacture in the United States. American Apparel; Royal Apparel; Alternative Apparel; Lupine; Up Country Collars and; Ella Moss.