Training Pants: A Review

My daughter is 18 months old, and in the very early stages of potty training. In the past, my first avenue of buying an item, such as training pants, would have been to go to the local department store, and browse their sales racks. Times have changed for me though, I put more value into the quality of the items that I'm purchasing for her, especially when it comes to diapering needs. It makes more sense to me, to spend a little more money on something that will last not only through the use of my daughter, but also something that I may be able to use in the event that we have future children.

My search for training pants started on Etsy. There were numerous listings to sort through, and some were store bought trainers that were embelished with pictures (that wasn't what I was looking for), others were handmade trainers that looked bulky. After searching and sorting numerous different ways, there was one Etsy seller that stood out to me. That seller was QTBunns.

QTBunns trainers are sold in a number of different sizes, and patterns. They didn't appear bulky in the pictures, the descriptions told me exactly what they were made of and how they were made. I was excited!! I ordered a pair to try them. I'm always reluctant to order a large lot at first, for fear that they won't meet my expectations (I had this happen to me when I was ordering cloth diapers from another site, and ended up throwing them away).

A few days later the training pants that I ordered arrived in the mail. I was so excited to open the package!! I showed them to my daughter, and she seemed excited about her new big girl undies as well! I tried them on her, and she wore them for a few hours, made a couple of trips to the big girl potty, and all was well! THEN... it happened! She peed in her new training pants.

How did I know that she had peed in them? I can assure you that it wasn't because these trainers leaked!! They were amazing! The trainer absorbed the pee, yet my daughter was able to feel the wetness and informed me that she had peed. 5 Stars to QTBunns!!

Since then, we've had a couple more accidents, and the trainer has held up wonderfully. They wash really well, and have held up great in the two weeks that we have been using them (I've since ordered more!!).

In short, I LOVE these trainers!! I WILL buy more!! I'm now one of QTBunns biggest fans!

Here's what I LOVE about these trainers:

1. They aren't excessively bulky, and they fit snuggly.
2. They're absorbent enough to contain accidents, yet allow my daughter to realize that she's wet.
3. They come in ADORABLE patterns.
4. They are all handmade, with great skill.
5. The seams, and stitching are all well done, and are sturdy.
6. They come in varying sizes so that you can order the ones that are perfect for your child.
7. The seller/creator is AMAZING! She's wonderful to work with, very considerate, and a pleasure to deal with!

If you are interested in checking out QTBunns training pants and/or cloth diapers, you can find QTBunns in the following locations: http://www.qtbunns.etsy.com/, and http://www.qtbunns.com/. I can assure you that you won't be disappointed with this product! Thank you QTBunns, for making such a wonderful set of training pants!

Photographing Toddlers

It never fails, I finally finish a children's piece, I'm incredibly proud of it, and can't wait to list it on my Etsy site! And then, I try to photograph the item on my model... This is where the frustration begins. Even the cutest item, can look terrible if not properly photographed. Add to that the frustrations of trying to photograph the item being warn by an ornery toddler, and you have a recipe for disaster!

The picture to the left doesn't exactly inspire someone to purchase a hat, even though it's an adorable hat. The "Mom, why do you hate me?" look rather distracts the viewer from the product.


Toddlers are fickle little creatures. Even though my model was well rested, recently fed, had a clean diaper, and LOVES to wear hats. It still took me a number of tries to finally get a couple of shots that wouldn't cause my potential Etsy customers to run in fear of my product!The solution to my challenging model... BRIBERY! Evil, I know, but it WORKED!___________________________________________________________

The bribe of choice on this particular day was as simple as a glittery sticker! It made her happy, it induced a smile, and it gave me the opportunity to take a few pictures that were worthy of my creation. It may not be the greatest parenting choice that I've ever made, but it worked well under the given circumstances. She was happy, I was happy, the photos were usable, and we were then able to go on to a rousing game of "Empty the toy box!"


My most valuable tool in my arsenal though, is patience. It seems you can't force a toddler to do much of anything, but if you make it fun for them, they are more apt to cooperate.

You won't always be able to get the shots that you want on the first, or even second try. That doesn't mean you should settle for shots that aren't flattering. It just means that you need to take a break, and attempt the photo shoot at a later time. With patience you WILL get the shot you want!

In short, these are my tips for photographing toddlers:

1. Start with a well rested child - a tired tot is likely to foil your plans.

2. Make sure all basic needs are met before you start - a child that has a full tummy, and a clean diaper is a happier child.

3. Have patience - don't try to photograph the child when you are short on time, or in a hurry. If you don't get the perfect shots, pack the camera away and try again later.

4. Have fun - make sure that the photo session is fun for you, and fun for the child

5. BRIBERY! Sometimes a little sticker, a favorite toy, or a little snack may be just what you need to distract the kiddo enough that they aren't focusing on the fact that you are taking photos. The candid shots are often the ones that are keepers.