We are celebrating a lot around here lately! Hip Mountain Mama has been in business for 3 years and as we look back on the years we are so happy to be where we are today! It's been a lot of work, a lot of fun, and a great big learning experience!
Don't forget to sign up for our Anniversary Celebration Giveaway where 1 person will win their dream HMM outfit! And even if you have entered, you can enter as many times as you help us spread the HMM vibe...stop by the post for details on how to enter...it's easy and free! We will also have a few surprise prizes for some unsuspecting folks that will all be announced on August 1st.
In the mean time, we are offering everyone 15% off store wide for 1 week! Just use the code "ANNI3" at check out from now until August 3 at midnight to receive your discount at www.hipmountainmama.com!
We're excited to be back at Hip Mountain Mama reviewing another product new to our lives, we will now never be without! For years now, I've been trying different products to clean the many clothes we messy family of four can go through. It used to be hard to find unscented detergents for my sensitive skin and nose. Now it's pretty easy, and yes, I can find a number of detergents that won't hurt our water, skin, or internal organs if swallowed, but I must be willing to pay, and there are still those unpronounceable ingredients. So, needless to say, I was thrilled when I saw Suzy at Hip Mountain Mama review her product, Soapnuts. The simplicity, truly natural, scent free soap nuts were immediately in my virtual shopping cart.
And they have lived up to their claims.
Now we put four little fruits (that's all they are) in the little muslin bag that comes with them. See it down there- How cute!
Turn on the cold water, throw the little bag in, and maybe add a dash of vinegar if things are particularly funky. That's it!
The soap nuts can be reused for four- five washes. Just squeeze them under water to make sure they are still sudsy.
When they've done their job, just put them in your compost. No waste! No huge plastic bottles filling our recycling bins (or stacking up on our laundry room floor- ahem...). And if, unlike me, you like scents, just put a couple drops of your favorite essential oils on the bag, and your clothes will smell just lovely.
My clothes, however, don't smell (always a plus), they are clean, my pockets are fuller, and although I once would have thought doing laundry, while a mundane task- actually quite easy, couldn't get much easier, it has!
Suzy has a sample bag available if you want to try them out, but I'd go ahead and order the big bag because, really, once you try them, you'll never want to wash your clothes with anything but fruit again!
*Kelly is a part of our Hip Mountain Sister review team. You can find more of Kelly at her blog Sage Tribe. **To read more Hip Sister reviews please go here.
Who doesn't love the colorful swirling of tie dye? The bright colors are pleasing to the eye and the fun designs are just plain cool! I have received several email requests over the past 6 months to bring in some tie dye tees for children. I spent some time doing research and found a wonderful lady who agreed to create some one of a kind tie dye tops for our shop. You won't find a duplicate on any of these tie dye tees as she hand dyes them to create unique and fun designs. We currently have them in sizes 2/3T, 4T and 6-8 for children. I also have an adorable 24 month skirt and a 12 month long sleeve tie dye. All of the tees are 100% cotton. Have fun looking around, and remember we only have 1 of each style, so if you see one you like be sure to snatch it up!
This weekend we decided to explore a new place close to home. We had never been to Carter Lake, even though it is a short 20 minute drive from our home. We packed up the car and headed out for a quick camping trip that created many wonderful memories. Camping is a blast anyway, but when you mix in water, it's just about perfect. One of my favorite things in the world to do is to sit near water, with my feat in, watching the kids play, and hanging out with friends! A perfect weekend adventure for the HMM Family!
I received my first item from Hip Mountain Mama and I L-O-V-E, love it! It is the awesome Imagine Tee and it's super cute and comfy too.
I first off gotta say that it runs small, so order up a size. A small is 4-6, medium is 8-10, and large is 12-14. I was originally going to go with a small because I'm a size 4 (at Old Navy), but I decided to go with a medium to play it safe. It was still a bit too snug for my comfort. I sent it back for another, which was no problem at all because the folks at Hip Mountain Mama totally and completely rock! :) I probably could have gone with the medium but feel much more comfortable in this one.
The shirt is really long, which I love. And while it's not super low cut, nursin' mamas, I was able to nurse by just pulling the top down, which made things very easy for me.
I kinda feel like a goob posing, but ya gotta see the whole shirt, right? :)
The detail in the design is a-mazing. It's really pretty cool. Here's a closeup:
The Imagine Tee is also super soft, as it's cotton, and is great for summer because it's lightweight. But it's not too thin that it won't last - it's just comfy goodness.
Added bonus:
When you buy the shirt, some of the profits go back to Oceana, Sea Shepherd, Trees For The Future, and Environmental Defense Fund, which I thought was very cool.
I read this amazing blog post over the weekend that really inspired me...had me yelling out loud "Right On" and feeling like someone else out there got me. For me, this post reaffirmed my belief in being who you are and not worrying about being perfect or fitting in. Part of my mission with this blog is to inspire others to be themselves, wear what the want, say what they feel, and live the life that really makes them happy. I hope I do this from time to time because that is really what matters to me! I am a strong believer in living life to it's fullest, to saying yes, to leaving the laundry for a few days, to going for it, and creating a life out of experiences.
I live in a somewhat conservative town and at times I have felt very isolated here. I have felt like I am the only person for miles around who thinks, acts, and dresses the way I do. I never felt the need to 'fit in' around here and in fact had many times thought about leaving to go somewhere that I did fit in. These days I feel excited to live in a town where I do stand out...it's fun! I wear my hippie skirts, tie dyes, hoop nose ring, and maybe one day might be brave enough to sport some dread locks in a town where no body else does. It feels good to be different and to actually not care about what other think of me. Because, really, when someone judges you, it is their problem, not yours! When you find peace and happiness within you, then what others say and think about you doesn't matter and is not your problem.
So today my hope is that you look inside yourself and think about the life you are living. Are you authentically being YOU on a daily basis? Do you dress to impress, speak to please, or copy others to make yourself feel better? If so, try to tweak a few things in your life and express YOURSELF. We are all individuals and you are special...let YOUR light shine, not anyone elses!!!
I found it! The skirt of my dreams, the skirt of my day-to-day living – if only I could get away with wearing it every day, I would! Back in high school, I had a favorite patchwork skirt, and I wore it until it faded and grew holes. It wasn't until now that I thought I would never find a replacement. I’m delighted to say that I have a new favorite patchwork skirt, the Picnic Skirt from Hip Mountain Mama!
It has a drawstring waist that cinches great, yet has a lot of room to grow (ie. next pregnancy!). It fits well on the hips, and since I am on the short side (5’3” on a good day : ), it hangs a little below the knee making it perfect to run and play and keep up with my little one. I also like that it is made from 100% cotton, and it is not heavy – very light and breathy – perfect for summer and easily worn straight into fall.
I’ve already received many compliments, and I turn my compliments to HipMountain Mama! Each and every product I’ve purchased from HMM has exceeded my expectations, and the Picnic Skirt is at the top of my list of favorites! Go ahead and get yourself one (or one for a friend). You won’t be disappointed!
~Martha
*Martha is a part of our Hip Mountain Sister review team. You can read more of her reviews here and read all of our Sister reviews here.
**I personally have to agree with Martha on this skirt. I tried this skirt on as soon as we got it in the shop and it has become a fave! It goes with everything, fits comfy, and really will take you through every season! We just stocked up on these, but they are going fast! ~Suzy
I have been eyeing theseGlad Ragson Hip Mountain Mama for a while now. For those of you who don't know, Glad Rags are reusable cloth menstrual pads, and they come in a variety of styles and colors. I decided I wanted to try them becauseI hate pads. Really, I hate my period. That may be wrong, since it gave me the ability to bear 3 beautiful children- but I still hate it. I hate cramps. I hate uncomfortable, itchy pads whose adhesive wings get stuck to your thigh. I just hate it all! I want to be pregnant the rest of my life so I don't have any more periods. Since that's not practical, I figured the least I could do would be to get rid of those icky plastic things.
Glad Rags are shaped just like a regular pad, and they're made of multiple thicknesses of soft cotton (and the night pad has a layer of terry for extra absorbancy). They wrap around your undies with wings that secure with a snap. I tried out the night pad, which offers more coverage. It was very comfortable and soft, and I didn't feel weird wearing it at all. There are some additional inserts included which sit behind the wings, and you can use as many as you need.
If you have ever thought about trying a more natural approach for your cycle needs, I highly suggest you try Glad Rags. Not only are they more comfortable, but you'll also be eliminating waste from landfills and keeping gross chemicals away from your delicate lady bits. Glad Rags wash easily by machine, and can even go in with your regular laundry. It washed up great and looked new again (I got the dark purple color). They definitely get Not Blessed Mama's seal of approval.
~Kim
*Kim is a part of our Hip Mountain Mama Sisterhood review team! She is wildly funny and entertaining over at her blog Not Blessed Mama! She has been reviewing Hip Mountain Mama products since October of 2010 and you can read her other reviews here.
Be grateful today, enjoy the sunshine or rain, walk barefoot in the grass, tell your friends you love them, laugh hard, smile a lot, and don't let the little things get you down...let your love light shine today friends! Happy Friday from the HMM Family!
This summer our family of four has been getting back to simplicity- simple food grown around the corner, simple crafts made from our recycling bin, simple playing in the dirt summer fun. But as summer is coming to an end, I know my summer of having nothing much to do is ending too, which means we have to have things in place to make our transition back into jobs and school more...simple.
One stress we seem to run into each year is lunch. Oddly, it's rarely the food that stresses me out, but rather how my family will transport said food to school and work safely. Yes, safely! So, I have been looking and looking for a way to replace our lunch boxes with something that can't be recalled for lead paint, for something that doesn't have that "plastic" smell, for something that isn't impossible to clean. I've also been looking for more easy ways to send my family with healthy lunches (you know- maybe not PBJ everyday) while avoiding plastic containers and the endless supply of plastic bags a family of four can go through. My husband, young daughter, and I can take glass containers, but I've been looking for something a little safer for my five year old, who like many a five year old, likes to swing things and often has fingers that let things fly.
We recently found a wonderful online store called Hip Mountain Mama. I purchased a number of things I'm not sure I'll ever be able to live without, and connected with the owner, Suzy, because her products were just too good not to write about and share! We're really excited today to be reviewing two of our favorite items- the organic canvas lunch totes and the three tier tiffin sets. They are exactly what I have been looking for!
and can be decorated (fabric marker style) to suit the needs of little people who love, love, love to make things their very own. The Three Tier Tins
are also easy to store, and can be quickly modified to fit the needs of any meal. (For our dinner at the pool- I filled both bottom containers with dinner- potato/green bean salad- and the little container with cream cheese for our zucchini bread- YUM!- The salad was still warm and the cream cheese still cold- two hours later when we ate).
And what's great about both these products (besides the fact there is NO paint, NO funky chemical smell, and they are cinch to clean) is...
one fits in the other,
and they are just FUN!
To show you just how fun and easy to use they are, here is Clark, who will be taking both tin and tote to Kindergarten in a couple weeks- SIGH...
We, Sages, know you will love visiting and shopping with Hip Mountain Mama! Hip Mountain Mama's products are good for your family and the environment. Plus, by taking care of your family, you'll be helping another family take care of each other, and they'll be helping other families take care of each other, and...really how simple and beautiful is that!
~Kelly
*Kelly is a part of our Hip Mountain Sister review team. You can find more of Kelly at her blog Sage Tribe. **To read more Hip Sister reviews please go here.
Do you ever have those days where you just need to come up with something new and different to keep the kids entertained? We have these days often...when the kids are picking at each other, complaining, and just gererally grumpy. On these days, we try to drop everything and try something new. We did sidewalk paint once last year and I couldn't believe we hadn't done it again...so one day earlier this summer, we made some sidewalk paint.
It is very easy to make and you probably already have the ingredients in your home. It gets the kids outside and allows them to explore their creative side!
What you need:
1/4 Cup Cornstarch
1/4 Cup Water
A Few Drops of Food Coloring
How to make it:
1. Put the cornstarch in small containers (we used old plastic yogurt or cream cheese containers)
2. Add the water and stir it in
3. Add 6-8 drops of food coloring (can be store bought or made with natural items such as beets or turmeric)
4. Stir and take outside to paint. The paint will dry looking like chalk
OK. Hands down—this is my favorite skirt of the summer! This fair-trade, handmade tie-dye skirt is super light-weight, comfortable and the colors are gorgeous! I love the purple and green-and the patterns are really unique. This skirt is made mostly of viscose rayon and a little bit of Lycra fabric— it’s so smooth and silky---it’s great to wear out in the summer heat because it feel like you aren’t wearing anything! Ha ha! No, but it keeps you really cool because of the silk-like fabric. I have gotten tons of compliments on it because the fabric has this high luster quality to it which gives it a bright sheen.
So, so far I’ve worn my Favorite Tie Dye Skirt everywhere---traveling, church, BBQ’s back East while visiting my family and rockin’ out at a Panic show this summer at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Still in excellent shape and still shining beautiful purple, green and fuchsia!
Michele with her twin sister hanging in the Red Rocks lot
Check it out at Hip Mountain Mama and if you are a local, you don’t need to pay any shipping fees. The HMM family can deliver it to you or you can pick it up! Enjoy these beautiful summer days with a natural attitude at any altitude!
Hey...there's me with Michele! Yes, we like to rock out at Red Rocks to WSP together in our HMM skirts!!
~Michele
**Michele is a part of our Hip Mountain Mama review team. To read more of Michele's reviews you can go here.
To read all of our Hip Mountain Sister Reviews, please go here
This adorable floral tank is ABSOLUTELY one of my new favorite Summer items to wear! The moment I took it out of the package and before ever putting it on, I knew I'd love it. It is made up of a very lightweight and gauzy cotton that is so soft and comfortable for the Summer months, and it is also completely lined in a similar material, so no part of it is see-through. The top is handmade in Nepal using fair trade practices which is also a selling point for me. One of my favorite features on this item is the triangular panels sewn in between the main panels of fabric on the front. This allows the top to flare out beautifully and gives it a very flowy feel as you're strolling along. Another fabulous feature is the smocking along the back which allows for maximum comfort and adjustability. I myself love a top that is roomy & breathable yet hugs you in all the right places, this top does all of those things. I also love how the straps can tie halter style around the neck, or lace through 2 little loops, giving the tank top 2 completely different looks! The bold and colorful floral print on the material is full of radiant blues, fuchsia's, oranges and greens and the flowers have a very vintage "flower power" look to them. There are many details in the construction of the top which you have to see in person to really appreciate such as the 3 cute buttons adorning the bodice and the exposed zigzag stitching along the front panels. You can pair this tank with capris, a long flowy skirt, or a cute mini and they all look great. Another thing I really love about the Spring Burst tank top is that even though it's really stunning and soft, it's also completely durable and will stay looking gorgeous all day long whether you're hula hooping at a festival (which is what I happened to be doing in this top), strolling through the market or just chilling with friends at an outdoor patio, the possibilities are endless with this lovely tank top and I strongly recommend that all gals own one!
Hip Mountain Mama opened it's virtual doors on July 15th 2008 and we had our official grand opening on August 1st 2008. Hip Mountain Mama has seen so many changes over the years and we are proud to say that we are still going strong and plan to keep growing over the years. We started with a vision, a few bucks, and a strong passion for doing what we loved. We are still a very small business and plan to stay that way so we can offer you the best customer service, products, and attention you deserve. We wouldn't be here today if it weren't for our amazing and loyal customers and we want to give you all a big virtual hug!!
As our way of saying THANK YOU we are going to host 2 giveaways...1 ending on July 15 and one ending on August 1st to highlight these very special days. Here are the details
Our first winner is Cassandra...you have been contacted via the email you left in the comments! Thanks to everyone and good luck on the second half of our giveaway!
Congrats to Ayla Rose for winning the second part of our giveaway! Thanks to everyone for entering!!
How to enter...
1. leave us a comment here with your email address so we can contact you when you win!
2. Share our shop, blog, or HMM Jingle (via facebook, twitter, etc.) with someone you think would enjoy what we have to offer, then leave us a second comment letting us know you helped us spread the HMM Vibe! You can leave new comments for each time you share and each comment will count as 1 entry.
When you enter your name will be entered into both drawings and we will announce the winners on July 15 and August 1. Make sure to leave us with a way to contact you...if we can't contact you to let you know you won, then we will select a different winner.
Supporting other small businesses has become very important to us here at Hip Mountain Mama. Spending your dollars at small shops keeps the money in the hands of the people and out of large corporations. It also allows for more people to create their own jobs that they are passionate about and will pass the enthusiasm and love on to their customers.
Today I want to introduce you to a wonderful shop and show owner...an amazingly creative Mama who creates one of a kind gorgeous items! Raegan is a hard working lady who is not only a mother to her beautiful daughter Lilah, but also comes up with wonderful ideas and hand makes her own products for her shop, Lilah Bloom Creations. From start to finish Raegan's creations are her very own and the outcome is always fun, unique, and very beautiful. I personally have 2 of her handmade goodies and they get used a lot! Not only do I own and admire her creations, but we also sell a few of her items in our shop!
Raegan is offering 1 of my readers a $15.00 Gift Certificate to her shop! Here is how to enter:
1. Visit Lilah Bloom Creations then leave us a comment here letting us know what you love about her shop 2. Join Lilah Bloom's Facebook Community, then leave us a comment letting us know you did. 3. Share this giveaway on your facebook, twitter, blog, etc. then leave us a comment here letting us know how you shared (can leave a separate comment for each time shared)
**Each comment will get you 1 entry into the giveaway. Winner will be announced on Friday July 8. Good luck!
Now I knew I would be pleased with these multipurpose cloths, but I am more than delighted with them! Since receiving them last week, I’ve been constantly finding all sorts of wonderful uses for them besides what the name entails. These super soft wipes are not only great for diaper time & for serving as hankies, but they are the perfect size for the kitchen too. Wiping up messes, acting as a dish rag, filling in for a paper towel – the uses are endless. I’ve been using these right along with the Earth Lovin’ Cloths in lieu of paper towels because they are super absorbent and beat wasting paper towel after paper towel trying to clean up our everyday messes. I would recommend these to anyone that is interested in saving valuable resources. They are an excellent choice for making a difference!
**Multi-purpose! Instead of wasteful paper towel, I’m using the cotton cloth to help cover food going in the microwave. Also note the tilted container of blueberries – I used the cloth to absorb water from rinsing! I love these cloths!**
Welcome to the Hip Mountain Mama Blog! Not only will you find posts about the latest products in my shop...you will also get a peek into my life as a work at home mom, adventure seeker, outdoor enthusiast, free spirit, passionate, crazy, wild, fun, Aquarius woman! ☮
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