'tis the month of UFOs!

Now that Spring has finally arrived, I have dedicated the month of April to my unfinished craft and home projects. I have been a very busy little bird, too--especially considering we went to Racine to visit family for five days at the beginning of the month. The weather around here has been absolutely perfect, thanks to dear Mother Nature. On April 1, we took a day trip to the Cincinnati Zoo for their spring blooms and to meet the new manatees. The daffodils were lovely and the animals were absolutely energetic. Here are the girls, who wouldn't sit still long enough for a posed picture:

When we were in Racine, we gathered for brunch on Easter Sunday at David's sister's house, and all four children had a very exstensive egg hunt. Evelyn helped Max (almost 4) find his eggs. They made a great team together! Here is Evelyn, showing off her collection:

And this is Esme, who had more eggs then Eva because she went to a part of the yard where no one else was hunting for eggs:

When we were in Wisconsin, we got some mega thrifting done. I got three sweaters ($2 each), a pair of jeans ($3), two pairs of nice knit socks ($0.50 each), and a TON of metal knitting needles ($0.50/set)--three sets of straight needles and two sets of double-pointed needles. If I'd had more time, I would have spent it sorting through the rest of the box of needles to make more DPN sets to bring home. They also had a bunch of yarn, which I unfortunately did not look at (though I wanted to!). I also got my summer handbag; it's another hula bag! Here's a picture:

We also found two nifty hats, one for each of the girls ($1 each) and a lovely like-new crochet toddler blanket ($3)! David found a BUNCH of stuff, too, but I just cannot keep track of what he got. Racine thrift shops are better than any other thrift shops anywhere!

David gave me my birthday present early since he picked it up when we were in Racine. I needed to despretly make space for it since it was a new flat TV! That is what spurred me to purge and complete unfinished projects. We moved out the old TV and the beautiful wooden armoire (which will soon be repurposed as a new cage for our snake). I put the new TV over the fireplace mantle, where it is absolutely perfect. We moved the piano into the entry way near the front door and David put his Jade Buddha on it with several of his own sculptures. It looks great!

I have a shelf to hang above the piano to put up more drums and a mirror for over the bookcase. Hopefully I will get to those this week.

I have been going through old cloths and toys and everything else that has piled up lately. I got rid of three bags of cloths and linens and two boxes of old appliances and other kitchen do-dads that we do not use anymore. I have two or three bags of books and movies to take to work. I weeded the garden and cleaned up the yard, David pruned the trees and shrubs, we planted seeds and picked out a new selection of shells for Luna, our hermit crab, to choose from. We are painting the trim and soffit on the outside of our house this week. Our daffodils were in full bloom at the beginning of the month, now the tulips are out.

The holly and blueberries are blooming, too.

Knitting has been keeping me busy. I have so many hibernating knitting projects, it is honestly ridiculous! I am also participating in four swaps in the next month (two of which I have almost all done), and the girls each have a swap, too. The girls always get very excited when they receive something in the mail, and another mother contacted me in the hopes of having a swap partner for her nine year old daughter. As a result, I thought it would be wonderful to organize a swap with a bunch of participants of all ages, o I started a Mother-Chid Craft Swap on Ravelry! The swap is not just for knitting, but for crafts in general. The sign-up deadline for the Spring swap is April 21--feel free to join us if you are interested!

So far, I have completed several knitting projects this month. I knit five cloths, two for my mother-in-law, three for my washcloth swap group. I also finished a knit hat for David in Hogwarts theme so that he can officially show his support of the Gryffindor House Quidditch Team! Project 42/52 for my 52 Project Challenge.

I finally finished the pair of socks that have been in hibernation for over six months. I really hated socks until I found the right pattern, Basic Ribbed Socks by Kate Atherley. Let me tell you, I tore out the beginning of this project so many times. I also changed patterns three times because I didn’t like how things were turning out. My gauge was off, too, every time! I was frustrated beyond words. I finally set the project in the bottom of my knitting basket until I dug it out last week. I diligently worked on them. Now, I can finally say that I’m done! I love these socks! Love them! I love the pattern! The yarn, Bamboo & Ewe, was very nice, too! Project 41/52 for my 52 Project Challenge.

And because it seems like nearly everyone in my life must procreate, I am in the process of knitting oodles of baby goodies. Since they are gifts, I will not post pictures quite yet, but I promise you there is some serious cuteness lined up!

crayon cookies

The girls enjoyed this project, which was the opening to our Yuletide crafting event: Crayon Cookies. It was a great opener because the girls kept busy peeling the paper off the crayons while I gathered supplies for our other projects. And it got rid of all the little bits of crayons we have left in the crayon box.

Here is what we did: the girls peeled the paper off our old crayon scraps, snapped the crayons into small pieces and piled them in mini-muffin tins. Remember not to fill the tins too full or they will overflow in the oven.

We had preheated the oven to 350 and, once it reached temperature, turned the oven off. Then we popped the crayon filled muffin tins in the oven and baked them for five to ten minutes until they melted. After removing them from the oven, we let them solidify in their pan. Let me say they did not look like much inside the tins, but once we dumped them out on cookie cooling racks, the colors really came alive!

The Crayon Cookies are a very easy, relatively clean project for children and they make perfect little holiday trinkets for classmates and playmates!

cloth pads: yes, women do have options!

I absolutely LOVE cloth pads. I have used them since dear Flo returned nearly a year after Evelyn was born. I actually came across them when I was searching eBay for cloth diapers, and I became absolutely excited about the idea of wearing something fun, interesting, and comfortable during the few days when I was usually crampy and, to be honest, itchy from the paper irritation.

I have not had my period in a good long while, and when Esme was postpartum, I used mostly the larger cloth pads that came in my birth kit. Since I was only just pregnant back when we had our house fire, most of my pads were lost in the fire. I still have four or five that were in my purse at the time--luckily they are my favorites. But Esme is 11 months old, about two weeks older than Eva was when Flo returned for her usual visits. And from what I understand, Flo returns about the same time postpartum for each child a mother has (depending on a few factors, including exclusive breastfeeding duration, among other things--though I have not had any signs whatsoever of my cycle starting up again). So, I figure--better to be prepared! I'm shopping for pads!

I mentioned the prospect to a couple of friends recently, and they were shocked--"Cloth pads! Eeewww! What? I've never heard of such a thing! Why?"

I attribute this response to isolation and lack of knowledge. So, to spread the wealth...

The official definition: A cloth menstrual pad is a reusable menstrual product that absorbs the menstrual flow. It is an absorbent pad made from layers of absorbent fabric such as cotton flannel, hemp, terry cloth, etc.

So, why use cloth pads, you ask? There are countless reasons.

Because they are made from natural fabrics, cloth pads are more comfortable, being softer, more breathable, and less irritating than their disposable counterparts. There is also no chance for any unwanted and painful sticking to sensitive skin and hair.

By using cloth pads, you can improve your health by reducing your exposure to harmful chemicals. Disposable pads contain a variety of chemicals, bleaches, and additives, all of which are easily absorbed into your body through your sensitive genital tissue, causing irritation and discomfort, as well as increasing cramping and bleeding, and lengthening duration.

Cloth pads are better for the environment. By using (and reusing) cloth pads, you are not contributing to the obscene amount of waste going into landfills. Disposable menstrual products do not break down, nor can they be recycled. In many cases, cloth pads can be made from recycled materials, such as old cotton pillowcases or pajamas, and, years down the road, when they are thoroughly worn out, they can go into compost rather than the landfill. And, with proper care, cloth pads can literally last five to eight years--or more--costing you a fraction of the amount you would have otherwise spent on disposable menstrual products.

Perhaps the most satisfying reason to switch to cloth pads--you will feel more in touch with your body, empowered by not throwing away a part of your body. Women who use cloth pads feel better about themselves, more connected with their cycles, and have a more positive attitude to themselves and menstruation--not to mention the self-expression that goes into picking out the fabrics and designs of your own cloth pads!

Cloth pads have been around for a very long time, but have changed dramatically from what they used to be. Cloth pads of the past were nothing like the designer cloth pads made today. Instead, they were generally made from old sheets, scraps of cloth, toweling, etc. Women of the past would fold the fabric into a rectangle of many layers and some would use pins to secure the folded fabric into place. Some of the "nicer" pads were sewn together with loops and tied at the hip or waist to secure it into place. While these types of pads are examples of what women of the past used, women still use cloth pads similar to these in some areas of the world. Here is an example of what they look like:



There are many styles of cloth pads to choose from nowadays, however, most commonly either AIO (all in one) or holder/insert construction.

AIO (all in ones) pads: The AIO pad consists of only the one pad, usually with attached wings to secure it to the undergarment. Advantages are that it is just one piece, with no assembly required. Disadvantages are that you need many different sizes since they are not adjustable to your flow like the holder/insert style. Because they are one piece, they are generally thicker, which can make it difficult to tell when a change is necessary (unable to peek between layers). The thickness also makes thoroughly washing them a little harder (in the center/core). They also take longer to dry. Here is a picture of one of a few of my own cloth pads:



Holder/insert pads: The holder and insert pad has the holder which is secured to the undergarment and the inserts which are separate absorbent pads that are secured to or inside the holder. Advantages to this style is it allows you to adjust the number of inserts to accommodate your flow. With this style, it is easier to see if a change is necessary by checking between the layers. The layers are thinner (although there are more pieces) which makes thoroughly cleaning them easier. They dry faster since the layers are separate. Disadvantages are having several pieces to assemble and clean. The following images are courtesy of Sew Green's Cloth Pad Insert tutorial:









Women have alternatives. We have a choice. We do not have to be dependent on corporations and chemicals. We owe it to ourselves to not be bullied or embarrassed by those who are close-minded or unwilling to be different from what society has told us is acceptable.


And caring for your cloth pads is easier than you might think. Follow these simple steps for your handmade pads, or your manufacturers guidelines.

Before using your cloth pads, they must be washed. The more you wash them, the more absorbent and the softer they will become. To wash your pads, place them in a mesh laundry bag and wash them on the gentle cycle in cold water or wash them by hand. Cloth pads can be dried by laying them flat to air dry, hanging them to dry, or tumble drying them on medium. Do not use fabric softener or dryer sheets as they can interfere with the absorbency of the pads.

To use your cloth pad (which depends on the design), secure the pad to your undergarment. Most cloth pads have wings and are secured with a snap. When you are first learning to use cloth pads, it may be necessary to check the pad often to prevent leaking through until you are comfortable in knowing that you are using the correct size pad for your flow and how often to change your pad.

After use, rinse your pads in cold water as soon as possible to prevent stains from setting and place them in a soaking container filled with cold water until they can be thoroughly washed. Be sure to replace the water daily. On wash day, simply remove your pads from the soaking container and place in a mesh laundry bag and wash as suggested above. To prevent stains, remember to rinse your pads immediately after use and soak them in cold water until they can be washed. If pads are allowed to dry, then they are likely to stain, and the stains will be very difficult to remove.

Using cloth pads when you are away from home is simple. Most cloth pads fold up nicely and snap with wings and can easily be placed in a purse or pouch. For used pads, a leak-proof bag, known as a "wet bag," is ideal. A wet bag can be anything from a small cosmetics bag, a pouch made of a water-resistant fabric, or a zip-top plastic bag. Simply fold the used pad and stow it discretely in the wet bag until you get home.


Some suggested websites:
http://www.gladrags.com/
http://www.lunapads.com/

Make your own cloth pads:
http://www.fuzbaby.com/articles/makeyourown_clothmenstrualpads.htm
http://shewhorunsintheforest.googlepages.com/0011
http://www.diapersewing.com/clothpads.htm

My new favorites:
Mommy's Touch: http://mamaclothonline.com/item_21/Mommys-Touch-Cloth-Pads.htm

ethical consumerism

Within the last year, I have consciously undergone a major consumer overhall. I guess it started when David bartered for just about all of the gifts he gave me for my birthday last year. Bartered. He hates the ideology of money, so he is constantly looking for barters and trades. Recently, he traded for a new set of tires for his work van, for a laptop, for my birthday gift this year, for massages and home repairs and a new banjo. It is amazing to me that he is so talented. At about this time, though, I read, Blessed Unrest: How the Largest Movement in the World Came into Being and Why No One Saw It Coming by Paul Hawken. The following is a brief video Paul Hawken speaking about his book and the WiserEarth movement: I initially thought about boycotting money, but I could not figure that into the Big Picture, with filling up the car, and a few other relatively necessary odds and ends. So I decided to leap head-first into ethical consumerism. I made a point to buy products and services that are sold and provided by companies who are publically making an effort to promote the greater good (as opposed to fattening their wallets). My personal guidelines for following ethical consumerism? I look for organic, cruelty free, locally produced, fairtraded, reused and recycled products. So, how do I do this? Well, first of all, I am vegetarian. I chose this path originally about five or six years ago, not only for nutritional reasons, but also for a variety of ethical reasons. Eating meat has a major effect on the earth, but more importantly to me, it has a major effect on the quantity of food that is available for human consumption. I do not remember where I originally read these statistics, but they changed my complete outlook on life, so here they are anyway: it takes approximately 4.5 pounds of grain to make one pound of chicken meat, 7.3 pounds of grain to produce one pound of pork. The world's cattle alone consume the amount of food equal to the caloric needs of 8.7 billion people, which is more than the entire human population. Around 1.4 billion people could be fed with the grain and soybeans fed to cattle in the United States alone. Wouldn't it be far more benificial to use these grains for human consumption, to fight the hunger and famine that is plaguing billions of people around the world, rather than to feed farmed animals for rich, fat Americans? You do not have to give up meat entirely to make a difference--just eat smaller quantities. Not only am I vegetarian, I also seek out locally-grown, in-season fresh fruits and vegetables. Locally grown, organic foods have less impact on the environment (chemicals are not sprayed on them, no hormones; they are not shipped far, so we save gasoline and energy; and freshly picked is more likely to mean "vine-ripened," and will be more nutritious). Check out Local Harvest for organics, farmers' markets, and co-ops near you. Products that I buy MUST be cruelty free. The dairy and eggs I buy must be from free-range, naturally fed animals. No animal testing. I do not purchase commerical cleaners or personal hygine products, which also cuts down on animal cruelty as well as pollution. Fairtrade items are a little harder to come buy, though more and more companies are surfacing who offer such products. What is fairtrade? Wikipedia defines fairtrade certification as "a product certification system designed to allow people to identify products that meet agreed environmental, labour and developmental standards." Fairtrade products include items that are made without child labor or forced labor, without unsanitary or dangerous working conditions, and for which workers are paid decent wages. Reusing items is important. I try to buy second-hand when possible. I shop thrift shops and garage sales. When I no longer need an item, I either pass it on, resell it, or trade it for something I need, want, or can use. Also, then the item does not end up in a land-fill, rotting away--and someone else can use and enjoy it. We have a collection of cloth bags I keep in my car for produce and groceries. We use cloth diapers, pads, and napkins rather than their disposable (and costly) counterparts. In the kitchen, we reuse glass jars for food storage and glass bottles for taking beverages along with--and we use dish cloths and rags in place of disposable paper towel. I also use family cloth over toilet paper--and toss it in the cloth diaper pail until laundry day. I also recycle whatever I can. I also pay close attention to items that have a lot of packaging that cannot be recycled, and choose to buy items with little or no packaging instead. As an ethical consumer, I have also taken it in turn to boycott companies that I believe are unethical. What especially comes to mind is the companies who disregard the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes, corporations that provide unsafe or unethical working conditions, and companies who impose their will on indigenous cultures. Some of the industries to watch out for/companies on my boycott list include: the gasoline, timber, mining, paper, dams and waterways, and coca eradication industries, Disney, Nestle, Coca-Cola, World Bank, Chevron, and the USDEA are all various culprits. There are so many levels of ethical consumerism, and I am learning more and more every day. I hope to increase my support of the little people out there, who ever they are, decrease my dependence on corporate America, and improve and preserve Mother Nature. Every little thing I do will make a difference in the long run.

cloth diapers: easy, green, fun

I got this message about cloth diapering in my inbox a while back. It is from a young woman who is interested in attachment parenting and environmental protection:

I am planning on using cloth diapers with my newborn. I never have before. What are the best brands? How many should I start with? Where do I buy? Any washing tips would be great. I would also love ideas on "transporting them". She will be with granny during the day and granny stay in an apartment with no washer and dryer. We do have a washer & dryer at home.

I have been cloth diapering since my two year old daughter was born. I work full time and my daughter stays with either daddy or my mother during the day, so I have the transport issue, too. Let me give you some tips on what works for us. Seriously, CDing is a joy. I love it, my hubby and older daughter love it, baby loves it. The new styles that are out there are absolutely adorable, too. Cloth diapers are so much softer than paper diapers, cost effective, good investment (good return on selling used diapers), and they are great for our Mother Earth, too. Of course, you already know all this! When my youngest daughter was born, for our newborn diaper stash (from birth through 15 pounds), we went the inexpensive route and invested in two dozen prefolds (flat diapers to fold and fasten) and four waterproof covers (which can be reused between diapers unless soiled with poo—just set the cover over the side of the bathtub to dry for an hour), one dozen fitted diapers (like disposables, but need a waterproof cover) for outings, and six inserts/doublers for overnights. I use Snappis (left, rather than diaper pins) to fasten the prefold diaper on baby. This was the best way for me to stretch my modest budget, and the stash last between 2-4 days, depending on how often your baby needs to be changed. When you are shopping for diaper covers and fitted diapers, make sure to get diapers that have laundry tabs for diapers that fasten with hook-and-loop closures. The laundry tabs make it so the tiny hooks will not attach and ruin the cloth of other diapers during the wash cycle. I also invested in three dozen cloth wipes. I like the style with a cute flannel fabric on one side and a layer of extra soft cotton velour or cotton fleece on the back, but baby wash cloths work well enough, too. I make my own wipe solution, too. I pour the wipe solution in a little spray bottle and wet a wipe or baby's bum as needed. Be wary of using any commercial diaper ointments to treat diaper rash, though, as they may permanently prevent absorption of the diapers. I highly recommend buying or making some stay-dry liners to put inside the diaper, between the diaper and baby's skin. Fleece has worked wonders for us as it wicks away moisture so her bum stays dry until her next diaper change. The liner also helps with poo clean-up as poo is usually contained in the liner and will not stain the diapers. I got 1/4 a yard of fleece from a fabric store and cut it into rectangles to set inside the diaper before I put it on baby. There are also several brands and styles of liners on the market, in both natural and synthetic fabrics. You can even get disposable/flushable liners, but to me, they defeat the purpose of using cloth. This original newborn stash worked well enough for us, but the prefolds were challenging to get the hang of at first. If I had to do it over again, I would stick with one dozen prefolds for overnights and at-home use. I am a big fan of fitted diapers, too, especially for daytime, but two dozen in quantity, and I would find a One Size Fitted Diaper to last from birth to potty training. But for going out, I would have invested in one dozen One Size Pocket Diapers. They are more of an investment up front, but think of it this way: they last from about 8-35lb and are totally convenient, extra-cute, and attract a lot of positive publicity for the cloth diaper movement. Here is how a pocket diaper is designed (image above): there are two pieces to the diaper, an outer cover and the insert. The cover and attached liner create a pocket; inside the pocket go the stuffin', or an insert. Once the diaper is soiled, you, you remove the insert for washing. Dry time is very quick, and when you are out and about, you only have one diaper piece to fiddle with (since you just put the stuffin' back inside the pocket after it has been laundered). They are also daddy and grandma friendly--but keep in mind that grandma probably used cloth on your bum. As for laundering, I washed every third day when DD was newborn, though now that she is older, needs fewer changes, and thus a smaller stash of 25-30, wash day is about every five days. Invest in one or two Wet-Bag Pail Liners, which are washable diaper pail liners that are made out of a waterproof fabric (like that of a cover). You might get one for home and two for grandma's house, and a smaller size for your diaper bag. After you change a diaper, just drop it into your diaper pail, lined with a wet-bag liner (remember to separate your insert from your pocket first, if needed, and heed laundry tabs). On laundry day, I grab the Wet Bag from the diaper pail. Since I separated all pockets and set laundry tabs before I tossed the diapers in the pail, they are ready for the washer and I do not have to dig through smelly, wet diapers to make sure everything is washer-ready. I just turn the wet bag upside down and empty it right in the washer. I set the washer on a preliminary cold soak and add a scoop of baking soda; the cold soak will loosen any clinging poo particles and prevent stains from setting. For the wash cycle, I add a shot-glass amount of laundry detergent (there is some debate over what type of detergent to use--check out this cloth diaper detergent chart from Diaper Jungle for more information). Do not use a lot of detergent because detergent is prone to building up in diapers and preventing absorbency. I wash on hot and then rinse on cold. I do a second rinse cycle, and I add some white vinegar (to balance the pH from the baki,ng soda used on the soak) and a drop or two of tea tree oil to the cycle for sanitation purposes. As for drying, I usually hang my covers and pockets to dry, but machine dry my diapers for about 15-20 minutes to get some of the moisture out. Especially if it is sunny out, I like to hang the diapers on the line outside; the sun will naturally disinfect the diapers and remove some of the stains, too. If I need to dip into the newly laundered stash before the diapers have time to air dry, I machine dry them on low. When the baby goes to grandma's house or to a sitter for the day, I take along a hanging wet bag for dirty diapers. I really have the sitter do the same thing as I do at home--just have her toss the diapers into the wet bag. At the end of the day, I take the wet bag, full of soiled diapers, home with me and wash them with my normal load of diapers. Next time, I bring fresh diapers and a clean wet bag back. The sitter (or grandma) does not have to do any laundry or extra work. You may want to keep a few extra emergency diapers at grandma's house, too, maybe 3-6 extra and a spare cover or two--or 3 pocket or All In One diapers (a style similar to a fitted diaper, but with a waterproof outer layer; no cover is needed--I do not care for AIOs because of how long they take to dry). A few extra points on cloth diapering:

• I cannot say enough about breastfeeding, especially when it comes to breastfed baby poo and cloth diapering. You do not have to worry about cleaning Breastfed Baby poo off the diapers, as it comes right off in the washing machine.
• Be sure to wash your natural fabric diapers several times before using them for the first time; this will make them fluff up and become more absorbent. Wash cotton diapers a minimum of three times, hemp three to five. You may notice that even after 10 or 12 washings, the diapers are still becoming more absorbent!
• If you are starting out in Cloth Diapering, find a store that carries a variety of styles, so you can actually be hands on. You can see and feel the diapers before you put any money into your stash, figure out if you like snaps vs. Velcro, cotton vs. hemp vs. bamboo, prefolds, fitteds, if you prefer organics, natural fabrics, synthetics, etc. Every major city usually has at least one natural parenting store. They usually have a variety of diapers in stock, as well as breast pumps and parts, slings and other babywearing devices. Seeing the diapers in person gives you a better idea of what you want and what will work for you and your baby.

Over the months since I built up my newborn stash, besides having to build up a medium size (15-25lb) stash and again a large size (25-35lb), I have collected about a diaper (or lot of diapers) a month, depending on what deals I find. Now, our toddler stash consists of a half an dozen premium size prefolds, a dozen one-size fitted diapers, a dozen pocket diapers, and five covers.

Here is a list of good cloth diapering resources:

• Diaper Pin A cloth diapering website that has a ton of tips, reviews, and more. On their Sales and Announcements page, you can find a ton of great sales and coupons from various cloth diapering and natural parenting retailers.
• The Diaper Jungle One of the best cloth diaper resources, with information galore, listings of WAHMs and patterns for do-it-yourself-ers.
• Diaper Swappers A community of cloth diapering parents sharing tips, experience, and support. The For Sale or Trade forum is a great place to find good deals on used diapers.

Online retailers that I frequent:

• Emi Beans I love her selection and the Mommy's Touch cloth pads.
• Banana Peels Diapers Great selection and frequent coupons sales.
• Mom's Milk Boutique Abbie always offers free shipping and weekly deals.
• Sweet Little Blessings Free shipping and regular percentage off.
• Baby Cotton Bottoms Can you say Bargain Basement?? (on the right side of page you will see a link)

Links to my favorite brands:

• Bella Bottoms One-Size Fitted My favorite fitted diapers, which just happen to be One-Size Fitteds that fit from birth to 35 pounds. Bella Bottoms are absorbant, trim, and economically priced! Check out Faith's eBay store for great deals!
• Happy Heiny One-Size Pockets David's favorite pocket diaper, which fits from birth to 35 pounds. We like the snap closures (which are toddler proof--no naked toddlers around here), but their hook-and-loop closures are durable and have laundry tabs. Comes in wonderful colors and patterns that do not fade over time!
• Thirsties Diaper Covers My favorite day-time diaper cover, which comes in a variety of colors and has happy little laundry tabs.
• Bummis Diaper Covers David's favorite day-time cover. We like the Super Whisper Wrap and the Super Brite for their adorable patterns. Also has laundry tabs, though I do not think these covers hold true next to Thirsties.