Emmeline Textiles Partita

Normally, I at least wait until I have worn a wrap for a while before I even write anything about it. But, I am super excited about this new colorway of Emmeline Textiles Partita! I have tried both Partita Wisteria and Eleanor Pearl and both blew my mind, so I am sure this one will as well!

Also, this shade of yellow is PERFECT! I love the color yellow, but yellow doesn't quite feel the same about me. This shade however, is like the perfect soft yellow that will probably work for almost anyone. And the shimmer is absolutely amazing. It is hard to capture the exact yellow because it is so subtle. But, I'll keep trying!

Okay, enough talking, now I need to wear it some more now!

Elsa and Anna Get a Make-over!

Like most small humans, my youngest daughter has Frozen Fever... STILL. How? I'm not sure. But, she does. Her 4th birthday was in July and we gifted her a set of Elsa and Anna dolls. A month of a half of daily use that often involves dirt, they dolls started looking a little rough. Their hair especially. (She might as well be Pig Pen, she is constantly covered in dirt. She even carries a blanket around with her.)

Today she came to me and asked me to help with Anna's hair. I was a little scared but figured Pintrest could help. I was mostly right. Pretty much every solution they had involved either wig shampoo (which I don't have) or fabric softener (which I also don't have.) But, by that point I had already promised that the dolls hair would be combed so I was kind of stuck...

I figured I might as well try shampoo and conditioner... I mean, I've had some luck combing the kids hair out with it.

Here's what I did:

1. This is Elsa and Anna in their before state. Quite sad. They're naked. They're clothes are somewhere in the house... but, much like my children, they rarely wear them.

2. We got their hair wet. I tried to be careful not to get their full bodies wet, but the 4 year old was helping so that was futile.

3. Next up, we shampooed. I always seem to have extra samples hanging out due to my thing beauty boxes. It helped get the dirt out & it smelled nice. So, that was helpful. After we got all of the dirt out we rinsed a few times to make sure the bubbles came out.

4. After we shampooed, we conditioned with the usual conditioner we use for our hair. I let it sit for about 30 minutes before trying to comb it. I was hoping it would help. I'm not sure if it did.

5. The conditioner sat and I was able to brush Anna's hair our rather easily. Her hair was mostly in braids which may be why. It combed out easily and looked pretty decent. Elsa's hair wasn't quite as simple. It took a little more work to comb her hair out and the ends looked like she needed a trim.

6. I let their hair dry, mostly. It was hard with an impatient 4 year old waiting (and the 2 year old trying to swoop in and swipe them.) I combed it one more time. Then up they went in pony tails. The 4 year old promptly asked for me to braid Anna's hair once I was done though. 

All in all, it worked. It wasn't the best and I may give the fabric softener a shot next time around. I'm sure the naked Barbies and tangled Ponies would appreciate it.

Risaroo Exclusive: Dreamscape Purpura Romana Herringbone

Wrap: Girasol Dreamscape Purpura Romana
Weave: Herringbone
Risaroo Exclusive
Size: 4.2 m/5 (base)

I’ve got a confession to make. I was never really a fan of Girasol. I have a lot of friends that spoke very highly of the brand but I was less than impressed with the ones that I tried. Of course, I tried said Giras when I first started wrapping which could have… ok probably, had a ton to do with it. Notice how I said “was” in that sentence? Well, that’s because this wrap has totally changed my mind!

First of all, the colors are fantastic. The blend of the colors of the stripes mixed with purple weft remind me of a tropical beach somewhere. It screams summer. Which is why it’s already accompanied us to the beach plenty of times.
Aside from its colors, it being 100% cotton makes it an easy care wrap that can be thrown in the washer with wrap safe detergent without second thought. The herringbone weave also makes it sturdier than the typical twill weave.  The twill weave is not very pull prone either. That combined with the ease of wash makes this an excellent beater wrap that can go anywhere with you.

Despite the twill weave, It is still a thinner wrap. It was incredibly moldable with some diagonal stretch so passes glided perfectly into place. It is slightly dry but still felt like that perfectly broken in sweater. The one you wear just for the comfort of it? Yeah, that one. Because of the thinness, I preferred it in multiples carries with my 26 lb toddler. With the passes gliding as well as they did, that wasn’t much of an issue. My chest pass in this wrap was always amazing. It was also great with my 16 lb 5 month old. It was definitely one of his favorites!

This wrap would make a perfect beginners wrap. It breaks in easily, is easy to tighten, and the stripes make it easier to focus on strand by strand tighetening. It is also easily accessible with not only a reasonable price point but Risaroo also Layaway!

All in all, I’m super excited that Risaroo gave me a chance to try give their exclusive Girasol print a chance because not only is it beautiful but it also started a new love affair!

Emmeline Textiles Partita Wisteria

Brand: Emmeline Textiles
Wrap: Partita Wisteria
Size: 6 (base +1)
Width: 27 in
Weight: Medium

I got the chance to host another Emmeline Textile and! After being able to test Eleanor Pearl and falling in love with it, I didn’t hesitate to say yes when asked.

The wrap came in loom state. The first thing I noticed was the detail that went into the packaging. From the instruction manual to the tags to the ribbon neatly tied around it all. The wrap is a grayish purple herringbone, with contrasting sides. In loom state it was already soft and floppy, so I was excited to see it transform! The loom to bloom wasn’t too dramatic but there was a huge difference in the feel.

I couldn’t wait to get first ups in it so I tossed the 15 lb 4 month old on. It was even softer! It was like the perfect pair of jeans. It was soft, hugged in all of the right places, stayed put and the baby was weightless. We hung out outside for a bit, blowing bubbles with the bigger kids and there was no budge. Next up was my 26 lb 2 year old in a Double Hammock. The chest pass was amazing. The wrap had a smidgen of horizontal stretch, a smidgen of vertical stretch and the perfect amount of diagonal stretch the get the chest pass in place. And again, he  budge even with his trying to get out.

The next day I put both boys on. Most of my wearing is tandem, so I really appreciate wraps that can hold both boys with no issue. This was one of those wraps. I did the toddler in a DOUBLE hammock tied at shoulder with the tails as a rebozo for the baby. And it was perfect. It kept both boys in place with no issue. Later in the week I was even able to get my 36 lb almost 4 year old up with the same results.

The wrap is dry, grippy, has good diagonal stretch, holds a half knot. If reminded me of a less dry Pavo Gotham. I would definitely recommend!

Risaroo Woven's Perrault Cobalt

Company: Risaroo Wovens

Wrap: Perrault Cobalt

Material: 50/50 Cotton/Merc Cotton

Medium weight

I was lucky enough to be picked as a Risaroo Wovens Adventurer late last year. Which was really exciting as I was in my final weeks of pregnancy (impatience setting in) so it gave me a lot to look forward to. I got to pick which wrap I would use during my time as an Adventurer. Of all of the wraps shown, Perrault Cobalt stood out. The beautiful design and the amazing color, I was sold. I chose a size 4, which is base -1 for me. I figured I could do short carries with the newborn and modified base carries with the toddler. Win-win!

When it arrived, it was soft even in loom state. It quickly became softer with just a normal wash and dry. It had and AMAZING amount of texture. I love texture, I also don't believe in ironing. (I may not even own an iron. You would have to ask R?) I couldn't wait to wrap with it.

The cobalt threads which provided the texture give it the perfect amount of grip while the white provided the perfect amount of glide. It was easy to get the passes in place but they weren't going anywhere once they were there. It is moldable with very little stretch. It feels heavy in hand but that didn't translate to wear. It is breathable which is incredibly important in Southern California. Yes, even in January when it first arrived! It is great with the squish (13 lbs) for long periods of time in single pass carries, though I preferred it in multi-layer carries for my toddler (26 lbs.) It reminded me very much of Kerrington Pearl with a bit more texture.

Overall? I adore this wrap. Like most things Risaroo, this one is a keeper.

The Ride of Her Life

Timing is always a funny thing...

Late last year a good friend asked me if I would take a sister spot in a custom wrap with her. It was of course something I wanted to share with her, so I said yes. But during the design process life started happening and I had to back out. I left the group chat and the group discussing it because I was bummed. My friend messaged me that she couldn't decide what weave and weft to pick and asked my opinion so I told her. Fast forward a couple of months. I was having a shit day and during a conversation I kind of accidently word vomited everywhere. I told her I was done and ready to leave Facebook because I just needed a break. She was supportive but told me she would miss me. Then... she told me she had ordered me a piece of her custom still because she wanted me to be a part of it. To consider it a birthing day present for Joshua. And I cried. I was so amazed. How could someone be so kind? So generous?

We should probably pause here for a second. Because, realistically this friend is so many amazing things. I met her one night when I was browsing the budget swap. Everything goes for $100 for less. All of the carriers she was selling were worth far more than $100 but here see was selling them for that. I bought a wrap from her and we ended up chatting and basically haven't stopped since. Even though she lives many stated away, I'm glad to call her a friend. I got to meet her when she came to CA last year. There was wrap geekery and ice cream. It was amazing.

Back to the story... the wrap came today. It's name is The Ride of Her Life. I know the name has meaning to my friend, but honestly the timing of it coming into my life is also kind of huge. I am at the end of a journey that while I am thankful for what it has brought, it was a very trying time. The ride of my life so to speak. 😏

I'm once again humbled by the love I'm surrounded by. I have a pretty amazing village.