Cloth and Carriers 101... What the heck is this?

Hi! I'm Mandi, the Mama who created, owned and operated Keen Bambino, an online boutique specializing in cloth diapers and baby carriers.

A few months ago, I made the decision to close Keen Bambino. Odd as it sounds, the business became too successful! When I opened Keen Bambino, I had no idea how quickly my business would grow. After a year and a half in business, I was exhausted. I have a 2-year-old, a 3-year-old, and one on the way. Because of how little my kiddos are, it was impossible to work while they were awake. So work (all 40-50 hours per week) was strictly done during nap time, after bedtime, and on the weekends. This left about 4 hours for sleep each night, and a pitiful amount of family time on the weekends. =-(

Since closing Keen Bambino, I have become a new woman! I am rested, un-hurried and able to focus 100% on my family. It's been bliss, and since I've gotten out of retail, I am more convinced each day that I made the best decision for both my family and my personal sanity. LOL

However, anyone who knows me knows that I need to have a "grown up" outlet. This idea came to me on a whim tonight, and it will be a perfect fit for me. I am very excited!

So what is all this? Well, I am insanely passionate about cloth diapers and baby carriers. But I also need a project that will not commit me to working full time. To reconcile my passion and the reality of 2 (soon to be 3!) small children, I have come up with a project that will truly be as much or as little work as I want it to be.

In this blog, I'll review, promote, and de-mystify all things related to cloth diapers and baby carriers!

Reviews - During my time as a retailer, I made it a point to try everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) that I carried on my site. This included dozens upon dozens of different "makes and models" of cloth diapers and baby carriers. However my ventures didn't stop there! I also loved to try brands which I didn't carry, including smaller WAHM-made goodies. I did this strictly because I felt that an informed retailer should be knowledgeable about the broader cloth diaper and baby carrier markets... certainly not because I have an addiction to cloth and carriers... wink, wink. So even if I never buy another diaper as long as I live (which ain't happenin'!), I think I could blog for about 45 years and never run out of material.

Promotion - As a former WAHM business owner, I know how awesome any advertising is! I will be tipping you off to my favorite cloth diaper and baby carrier shops, as well as learning about new shops an brands that come along. I will also be open to providing very affordable advertising and promotion opportunities to WAHMs. If you own a business and are interested, please email me!

De-Mystifying - As a former retailer, I know which questions are asked the most! I will be posting answers to some of the most common questions about cloth diapers and baby carriers. I'll also happily accept questions from readers! If you have a question, just let me know and I'll answer it for you! You can post your question as a comment, or email me.

So there you have it! After closing Keen Bambino, I felt this innate urge to continue promoting cloth-diapering and baby-wearing in some way. With this blog I can do just that, and still get a full night's sleep!