Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween from the Hip Mountain Mama family!  May you and yours have a fun, safe, and healthy Halloween!

Happy Halloween

Feature Friday: Happy Headbands

Have you ever wondered how to wear our Happy Headbands?  I have had a few requests to feature this product here and I am excited to show you some photos that Ema Lou, the creator of the Happy Headband, put together as a step by step guide to wearing your headband.  Ema Lou lives in Australia and she hand dyes each headband with a lot of care and love.  Ema Lou is a tattoo artist and loves creating things with dyes, color, ink, pencils, or anything where she can use her hands!  She is taking a break from some of her work to care for her sweet little baby girl and is expecting a new addition to her family next month! 

I hope this step by step guide will help you when putting on your headband...please let us know if you have any questions or comments!  There are 2 ways to getting started...you can either start at step 1 or step 5.

 Step 1: Stretch headband between 2 hands to suit head size

 Step 2: Twist the headband in the middle to make 2 loops

 Step 3: Fold the loops together making 1 loop

 Step 4: Stretch the doubled up headband over your head and onto your neck and proceed to step 7

 Step 5:  If starting on step 5 simply take the entire wrap (non folded) and put the whole thing over your head and around your neck

 Step 6: Twist the wrap once in the middle

                                     

 Step 7: Pull 1 loop over your head and smooth out any twists in the fabric

 Step 8:  Pull the second loop from around your neck on to your head

This head wrap can be worn with your ears in our out, scrunched up or smoothed out, with fringe out or tucked away...it's up to you!

Below are a few different ways you can wear your versatile Happy Headband

 Doubled up on your head

 With one loop on your head and the second around your neck

 As a belt

Both loops around your neck

Enjoy your Happy Headband no matter how you choose to wear it!

~Peace~

Suzy

Feature Friday: Happy Headbands

Snow Day

A very warm Autumn has had us outdoors in tee shirts and flip flops soaking up the rays this past month.  In fact just a few days ago I was so inspired with all the beautiful Autumn colors that my camera and I had a great time exploring my own backyard.  Play dates at the park, bike riding, back yard happy hours, and strictly flip flops or barefoot for this Mama. 

This all changed yesterday as we woke up to several inches of snow, discovered school was canceled, and geared up to head outside before getting dressed or eating breakfast (yes we put our snow gear on right over our PJ's).  Unfortunately we also discovered that we had a few fallen tree branches and on 1 of our trees the entire top snapped off...which has happened to many trees in our area.  It was really sad to see these trees broken, but Mother Nature is just doing her work and it was time to thin a few branches. 

A day spent playing outdoors, drinking hot chocolate, playing with friends, warming by the fire, and watching movies while snuggled on the couch.  I love a change in the weather when everything is new and exciting...when you get to break out the snow boots, sleds, and mittens. 

Life is a cycle of changes and it all flows exactly as it should.  There is beauty and excitement in all the cycles and if we give in to and embrace the rhythm of the universe and listen to Mother Natures song, we can truly enjoy each season. 

Happy Autumn Friends

Snow Day

Can You Spare 5 Minutes?

Have you ever noticed how one day you react to a certain situation one way and the next day you might react totally different to the exact same situation?  Things are always going to come into our lives that we don't always love...but it's not the things that happen to us, it's how we react to them, or our attitude towards them.  If we are in a bad mood, we will most likely get angry, yell, pout, curse, etc.  If we are in a good mood, we might shrug it off, say oh well, or simply  move on with our lives.  I know it's hard to have a good attitude when you are in a bad mood or not feeling well, but it is all in our control.  We decide how we react and a simple shift in attitude can make all the difference when faced with a crappy situation.  So, how do we do this?  I have found that taking some time to cool off can really help.  My friend Shannon over at Free Spirit Knits recommends taking 5 minutes a day to sit still and breath deeply and this, my friends, is the key for me!  My hardest time of the day is after school and bed time.  So before I pick up my daughter from school, this is when I take my 5 minutes..if I miss this 5 minutes I do it as soon as I can.  The 5 minutes helps me get through the late afternoon/evening with a calm attitude and a relaxed mind.  For example...scenario #1 I don't get my 5 minutes, my 7 year old is doing her homework and starts whining about it being too hard.  I get annoyed with the whining and might tell her how her whining is annoying, then she gets mad and says I'm mean...then it spirals out of control until we are both crying and upset with no solution.  Scenario #2, I have had my 5 minutes of stillness, my 7 year old whines, I go over to her and ask what is wrong.  She senses my relaxed attitude and opens up to tell me her problems, then we work it out together, smile, hug, and move on. 

So, what is this 5 minutes all about?  Here is what I do.  First I let everyone who is home know that I will be in my bedroom for 5 minutes and to please not disturb me.  I set a little timer for my 4 year old so that she will know when the 5 minutes is up and it's OK to come into my bedroom (if I don't do this she will be knocking at the door the entire time).  Usually I lay down on my bed, but some times I sit up.  I take deep breaths in my nose and out my nose trying to even out my breath.  And that is it...I try not to think about anything else but my breathing and if my mind wanders (like thinking about what I will make for dinner) I bring my focus back to my breathing.  Some days I take 10 minutes, but most days 5 is all I can spare!

Give it a try!!  You've got nothing to lose and everything to gain!  If you don't like how a certain part of your day is going...the morning routine, dinner time, bed time, afternoons at work, your early morning College class...change your attitude towards it.  Whether you have kids or live alone, this breathing exercise can benefit you in any situation where you need a little attitude shift!

Let me know how it goes!!

Can You Spare 5 Minutes?

OSC: Reuse it

A lot of my One Small Changes (eco friendly changes made 1 at a time to reduce my carbon footprint) have been about switching from disposables to reusable items.  I have heard from many other folks who are on the same mission, so I thought it would be appropriate this week to talk about the importance of reusing! 

There has been a major shift in our Country over the past several years towards disposable products. Diapers, towels, bags, straws, lunch sacks, feminine products, napkins, plates, silverware, and the list goes on and on! Now, I can, somewhat understand the premise behind all of this, convenience! And, yes, these disposable items have made our lives easier in one way or another...but, at what cost?

The time, money, and resources used to create these disposable items is astounding and is wrecking havoc on our precious Earth. And, now that we have all of these items (and their packaging) piling high in the grocery stores, people are going to buy and use them. So, what's the problem with this? The problem is that we are using them and throwing them away. Our trash cans are filled with disposable items that don't just vanish into thin air...they stay on our Earth until they break down which can take several hundreds of years. Our Earth has no trash can...the Earth is our trash can!

If we look back a few hundreds years, we will see that people were not using such disposable items. People used and reused things. Things that are becoming popular today are not new inventions...they are items that our parents and grandparents used. Cloth diapers, rags for kitchen clean up, cloth napkins, etc. etc. And, why are they becoming so popular with this new generation? Because we realize the negative impact disposables have had on our environment!

I am personally working on eliminating as many disposable items in my household as possible. And not only eliminate them myself, but introduce them to you by carrying them in our shop, Hip Mountain Mama. It has been a lot of fun searching out quality reusable items, personally making the switch in our home, then bringing them to you in our Reusable section. 

 

Have any of your changes been to eliminate a disposable item and replace it with something reusable?   Some suggestions are cloth napkins, rags or cloths for clean up, dryer balls, or cloth sandwich bags.  And if you are feeling overwhelmed, take it slow...try switching 1 zip lock bag in your child's lunch every day for a reusable container or bag.  Or eliminate paper towels for kitchen use only, then gradually phase it out in other areas of cleaning.  Take things slow...this is what this project is all about..slow, easy, small changes that all make a difference!

 

Let us know how your changes are going?  Have you started a new change or still working on the first?  I have an idea for my next change and will announce it next week!

 

~*Peace*~

Suzy

OSC: Reuse it

On a Personal Note...

Hey y'all!  I wanted to take some time today to let you know what is going on on the Hip Mountain Mama Family front.  As you know our business is a sole mom and pop shop and we have been since day 1.  I started the shop in the summer of '08 and although the first couple of months were slow, we saw tremendous growth within just 1 year.  Andy, our Hip Mountain Papa, was working as a loan officer at the time while I spent my days running the biz and raising our 2 young daughters.  After HMM's 1 year anniversary it became clear that I needed some help.  We made the decision for Andy to leave corporate American and join the Hip Mountain Mama team.  It was a very scary decision, but we went for it with confidence and excitement.  Our plan was to have Andy work with me for 6 months so we could dial things in, grow, and get to where we wanted to be...all while Andy did some soul searching looking for his path in life (banking was not the answer).

As we approached Hip Mountain Mama's 3 year anniversary this past summer, Andy started digging deep and trying to figure out where his passion in life was.  Don't get me wrong..he loves Hip Mountain Mama and will always be a part of our Mom and Pop team...but he wanted something more...wanted to get out of the house and see how he could contribute.  He played around with a few ideas over the past few years, but nothing ever stuck, so he started venturing out to see what there was. 

Andy soon discovered a company focused on sustainability that sold lightweight outdoor hiking and camping gear (GoLite).  He was very intrigued with the company's business model and immediately wanted to jump on board.  He is now managing their flagship store in Fort Collins and is happier than I have seen him in a long time.  Sure, he is back working for someone else, but he is very committed to the company and helping them grow...not to mention working with staff and clientele with similar interests while selling products he believes in. 

As for Hip Mountain Mama, we are still going strong with lots of ideas for the future.  With the girls in school (2nd grade and Pre K) I have more time to devote to my shop and have a wonderful support system in place and helpers willing to jump in and help any time I need it. 

Looking back on the past couple of years, there have been a lot of twists and turns and bumps in the road.  But they have all led us to this place of peace and joy and it is so fun to be at the end looking back.  It really makes me realize how things in life happen for a reason and even though there were times that were hard and seemed to make no sense, it all makes perfect sense now.  Time is what creates clarity and if we have the patience to stick through the good and bad times, there will be great rewards at the end!

On a Personal Note...

Feature Friday: Hip Sister Review of Tie Dye Scarf

Yes, Feature Friday is back!  If you are new to the blog, we used to feature 1 product in our store every Friday.  I got off track as we were working through some changes around here, but now that we are settling in to the changes, I wanted to bring it back.  Some times they will be Hip Sister reviews, other times I will review products, and some times I will get crazy and even make a video!  So if you are interested in what we sell in our shop, Friday's are a great time to stop by and get a close up look into some of the things we sell.  If you want a particular item reviewed, please don't hesitate to ask!  Now without further ado, I bring you Olivia and her Tie Dye Scarf.

The Tie Dye Scarf was a pleasant surprise! I have plenty of scarfs that I wear for various occasions, but most of my chiffon scarfs are reserved for special outings or when I dress up. This scarf fits that bill, but it's also long and wide enough to double over and provide some cozy comfort on those chilly fall days. October has been a rather enjoyable month here in Upstate NY at the base of the Adirondacks, and this scarf has found it's way onto my shoulders many times since its arrival. Though it isn't one I would reach for in January when it's -10 degrees out, it provides enough coverage to take off a bit of the chill outdoors in the fall or spring. My husband was taking some quick pictures of me for our second baby's journal (I'm 18 weeks!), and that day was perfect for this scarf.

Most of the time the Tie Dye Scarf makes it into my outfit when we're going out because of the vibrant colors, feminine material, and beaded detailing. I've worn a plain single colored dress with this scarf draped over my shoulders as a shawl to spice things up. Because it's so long, it stays on as a shawl very well, as you can tuck it in over your inner elbow and have plenty of fabric leftover to hang low. The beautiful beading goes along each end in an interesting design, and that also provides some weight for this light material. I always get compliments on my Tie Dye Scarf, and I continue to find new ways to wear it and love it!
 ~Olivia

To read more of our Sisterhood reviews, please go here. 

Feature Friday: Hip Sister Review of Tie Dye Scarf

Inspiring Quotes

If you have been here for a while you know I LOVE inspiring quotes.  Hearing words that touch your soul can change your entire day.  They can make you smile, bring peace to your heart, and create a brand new attitude towards your day.  I post quotes on facebook and on the blog, every so often, but wanted to create a place just for quotes.  This is where the idea for creating a facebook page came into play.  My goal is to post 1 inspiring quote every day for a year.  I have also opened up this page to be a place for anyone to post their inspiring quotes or stories.  My hope is that it will be a place you will come to any time you need a little nudge towards inspiration and will find it here.  So stop by and see what it is all about!  And please share this page or any of the quotes from the page with anyone you feel would appreciate it!

~*Peace*~

Suzy

Inspiring Quotes

Signs of Autumn

The transition from green to the most eye popping colors for the leaves

Sunflowers are in their state of quiet and ready to return to the Earth

Photo courtesy of Michele

Pumpkins of course!

Photo courtesy of Michele

Mother Nature doing what she needs to do

Our Autumn garden providing homegrown nourishment

Lots of outdoor time is good for the soul

Using the Autumn wind and sun to dry our clothes...thanks Mother Earth

Aren't you just loving Autumn!  If there is one thing in this life I do not take for granted it is some nice Autumn weather.  The chill in the air, the beautiful scenery all around, the long shadows, lots of sunshine, and cozy mornings spent inside gazing out the window at the frost in the grass.  All things I look forward to each year!  I am especially fond of the lighting...I love the shadows that the angle of the sun produces this time of year.  It makes everything seem to have more substance and beauty.  It really makes me want to get out my camera.  Honestly I have been slacking on the photo taking front, but something about these past few days have my camera calling out to me.   Hope you enjoyed these few photos from around the Hip Mountain Mama headquarters!

What do you love about Autumn?

Signs of Autumn

OSC: Change is Addicting

One thing I have noticed since starting our One Small Change Project (a project where we ask you to make 1 small eco friendly change at a time) is that making these eco friendly changes is addicting.  Once you make and conquer your first change, you can't wait to start on another one...you start thinking more about sustainability and little ways you can make a difference.  Am I right?  Do you feel the same way?

My latest change was to get back to hanging my laundry to dry...I committed to hanging it at least once a week.  What I have found is that I want to hang it each and every time (the nice weather is very helpful) and when I use my dryer I feel a bit guilty.  I know that there will be days when my dryer is a must and that is the beauty of living in the times we do, however I still get much more of a charge when outside hanging things up. 

If you are thinking of hanging your laundry to dry, I am hear to tell you it is truly amazing...sounds weird, I know, but it is.  You get a sense of peace and happiness and it becomes something you crave.  The peaceful feelings are a great benefit, but let's think about all the other benefits!  You save money, you are setting a good example in your neighborhood, it is eco friendly, your clothes will last longer, you are getting outside, your clothes will feel and smell so fresh, you might even make a friend with another neighbor outside hanging their laundry.  Doing something so simple, yet so normal and beneficial is an easy one small change you can make today.  And even if you don't have a laundry line, you can still do it.  I tied up hemp string from a nail in the side of my house to a tree and then to an old patio umbrella...works great!  Dryers have been around for less than 100 years and although we love the convenience, we don't need to use them every time.

If all this doesn't convince you, here is some proof of the money savings on hanging your laundry to dry.  Last summer I hung my laundry every time and this summer I used my dryer every single time.  Our electric bill was $30 more each month this summer than last.  It takes me 10 minutes to hang my laundry and I would say that 10 minutes is well worth the $30 savings!  Use Mother Nature to dry your clothes!

~How is your change going?  Have you decided on a change yet?  Let me know...here is a list of a few changes folks have made so far.

~Eliminated paper napkins

~Started a compost

~Started making own bread instead of buying store bought

~Joined a local Coop

~Switched to natural soap (Dr. Bronner) for all cleaning needs

~Hanging laundry outside

Share with us your changes so we can keep on encouraging each other!!

**A REQUEST!  I would love it if you would share your laundry drying photos with me.  I have a love of looking at laundry lines and think it would be fun to put together a blog post with all of your photos of your laundry drying.  Please send photos to suzy@hipmountainmama.com.  Thanks!!

OSC: Change is Addicting