Feature Friday: Dupree's Diamond Dress

Let me start by saying The Dupree's Diamond Dress is the most adorable dress I have ever bought! The pattern, color, and style of this dress make it too hard to resist. What makes the Dupree’s Diamond Dress a complete package, is how versatile it is! I think all of us know how important that is, when looking for some new threads for our closet!

The floral pattern really brings out the diamonds on the front of the dress, not to mention the stitching around the diamonds is absolutely beautiful! It is 100% cotton, which gives the Dupree’s Diamond Dress a lightweight, comfortable feel. The dress measures anywhere from 43”-47” long (depending on the size you get), but can be adjusted if you wear it as a skirt. The floral pattern offers a cool, feminine, subtle look. The diamonds on the front are bright, and the colors make it stand out. The amazing stitching around the diamonds is intricate, and very delicate. I can’t forget about the pocket on the side of the dress, which is also complemented with a diamond, and stitching around the diamond. The top of the pocket has a ruffle trim, which just adds to the cuteness of this dress.

The Dupree’s Diamond Dress allows for many different ways of wearing it, and that is something that makes any item in our closet priceless! You can put on a tank top, and turn the dress into a fun, and colorful skirt. One of my favorite things is to put the dress on, and wear a light sweater over it! On a chilly day, add some leggings to it! The many colors on the dress, makes it easy to pair it up with different colored tanks, sweaters, and/or leggings. I highly recommend the Dupree’s Diamond Dress for anyone wanting to add some fun, color, and femininity to their closet!!

 ~Angela

* Angela is a part of our Hip Sister Review Team.  She is not paid for this review and all the opinions are her own.   To read more Sister Reviews please go here.

Feature Friday: Dupree's Diamond Dress

Epic Spring Weekends

If I could, I would spend every weekend just as we did this past weekend.  Conditions were perfect and we flowed with all of the unexpected events as if it were all meant to be.  A last minute visit from my sister and her kiddos, soaking up some serious Vitamin D, hanging out down town, eating at our favorite local restaurant, a Mother's Blessing for an incredible Mama to be, playing in the river with my oldest child, an impulsive trip to the frozen yogurt shop, a night out with friends, a bike ride to our local brewery, and to end it all a simple bbq in the back yard.  It all left me feeling exhausted on Monday and falling asleep at 8:00....but it was all worth it.  More than exhaustion I felt..and still do...blessed to live the life I live and for all the amazing humans I have in my life!  Cheers to more epic weekends!

Epic Spring Weekends

Feature Friday: Free Spirit Dress

 

I love the Free Spirit dress from Hip Mountain Mama...the fabric is so light and airy and the ability to wear the straps either criss-cross or halter style is an added bonus!! I have worn mine with shirts underneath also on chilly days or when I wanted a different look.  The vibrant multi colors make it easy to wear with anything...and for any occasion!!

Great for twirling, chasing the kids around, going to the park, shopping and even out to dinner...I even jumped on the trampoline in mine!!

 

Everyone should have at least one dress that is as versatile and beautiful as the Free Spirit Dress is!!

 

Peace, Love and :) Happiness!!! Melanie

 

*Melanie  is a part of our Hip Sister Review Team.  She is not paid for this review and all the opinions are her own.   To read more Sister Reviews please go here. 

Feature Friday: Free Spirit Dress

Enjoying Nature

We are taking advantage of the sunshine and warmer temps around here lately!  So happy to welcome Spring and all it has to offer! 

Enjoying Nature

Happy Spring

Happy Spring Equinox. As we celebrate the time of year when there is equal sunlight to darkness, we look forward to all life awakening as the days grow longer. It's a time to examine all kinds of balance in our lives as the Earth is reborn. ☮ ♥ ☼

Happy Spring

Feature Friday: Organic Wise Old Owl Tee

 When I saw the new Organic Wise Old Owl Tee, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it! I was super stoked when it came in the mail and I saw first hand how high quality it is.

 This tee is Fair Trade and made of 100% organic cotton so you can feel good about purchasing and wearing it. The fabric is a bit thicker than most t-shirts and will surely last through years of festies and washings!

 The owl graphic is screen printed on, and is super cute  fulfilling my owl fix. The tee has cap sleeves and is true to size.

The Organic Wise Old Owl Tee is a truly versatile tee that can easily be worn with jeans on a random Saturday, with a long skirt for an outdoor show or with leggings and a tunic. Looks cool with just about anything! You will love this Owl Tee. Get yours before they're gone! ~Natalie

*Natalie is a part of our Hip Sister Review Team.  She is not paid for this review and all the opinions are her own.   To read more Sister Reviews please go here. 

Feature Friday: Organic Wise Old Owl Tee

Make Your Days Count

"Don't be fooled by the calendar.  There are only as many days in the year as you make use of." ~Charles Richards

Make Your Days Count

Feature Friday: Lil' Organic Summer Dress

The Fair Trade Lil' Organic Summer Dress is so rockin'! This is a dress that can work for ANY occasion! I have worn it over yoga pants, tie dye flair pants, and even long skirts (so it is super versatile).

Along with the adjustable straps that you can wear many ways, it can also be worn pulled down as a longer skirt (which I love!)

I am a mama that loves comfy clothes, and the Lil' Organic Summer Dress is made with 95% organic cotton and 5% lycra so it hugs my curves in all the right ways! The tie-dye pattern is unique, and I dig it's placement on the dress :) 

Hip Mountain Mama is a store run by a great family that supports living peacefully and loving mama earth <3 They are definitely worth supporting! 

-krista

*Krista is a part of our Hip Sister Review Team.  She is not paid for this review and all the opinions are her own.   To read more Sister Reviews please go here. 

Feature Friday: Lil' Organic Summer Dress

15% off for International Women's Day

15% off for International Women's Day

Work At Home Mama

One of the questions I get asked the most is how I balance my work and family life.  As most of you know, I run my business out of my home and I have 2 young daughters.  I started my business 3.5 years ago when my girls were 1 and 4..at this time my business only required about 1-2 hours a week.  Today I find myself working 2-3 hours each day and if allowed the time I would spend even more time working.  The truth is, it isn't easy balancing everything...my house is rarely a place you would drop in and find neat and tidy...my kids often remark at how I am always working...I get behind on emails each week...we haven't gone on a 'real' vacation in years...and there are a few days each month where the overwhelming feelings take over and I feel like throwing in the towel.  So, why do it?

Honestly I love my job!  I love that I get to use my creativity to build a business where I make the decisions.  I get to make a difference in the world, I get to feel good about what I am doing, I get to connect with other amazing folks, I don't answer to anyone but myself.  And, my kids see this...my kids see a strong woman who owns a business they can be proud of.  They understand what I am doing and get to be a part of it...they truly are proud to tell their friends about our family business and get excited to help Mom.  My 5 year old helps me package orders, count inventory, check things in, name products, and best of all she sits next to me most days while I am working singing songs while she plays.

As for balance...this is a day to day struggle where some days I nail it and others not so much.  I wish I had a set schedule that we could stick to, but most days we take things moment by moment.  My oldest is in 2nd grade so I make sure that when she gets home from school my work is done and we can all hang out (most days this works, some days I sneak in a little work while the girls play).  My youngest, however, is home for most of the day so we flow together in and out of activities.  She let's me know when she needs me and in those moments I need to drop what I am doing and give her attention.  She also let's me know when she is cool to hang by herself and I take those opportunities to get some work done.  Then there are other moments where we get to hang out while she helps me work.

Yes, I do feel guilty some days...but I also feel awesome some days, like I can do it all!  It's the life I have created for myself and my family and don't regret it one bit.  Life will always bring us challenges whether we are working mothers or not...taking life one day at a time or even one moment at a time has helped me get through some tough times.  And in the end I would never trade the business I created for anything.  My inner voice let's me know when it's time to get off the computer and go play outside..and if I listen to this voice I can create days where everything just works!

Work At Home Mama

OSC: Repurposing Wood For a Raised Garden Bed

I would love to do a few posts on gardening over the next couple of months for our One Small Change Project.  Growing your own food is something that everyone can do!  The food is healthier, the packaging is eliminated, and it is a simple satisfying task you can do with your whole family.   The post below was written by Andy in 2010 and I wanted to re post it to give you some ideas for your own backyard gardening.

I grew up in central Iowa where growing food is a big deal. I was raised in the burbs but I still have family that farms to this day. My parents always had a huge garden and I remember planting rows of corn, carrots, radishes, tomatoes, and many other wonderful veggies.

The first summer we lived in our current house in Colorado, I built a small 4’x8’ garden. I wanted more but I decided to start slow and the following year we added an additional 8’x8’ garden. This kept me pretty happy for a while and with a membership to a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) we had access to plenty of locally grown organic food, but I still want more.

This weekend the weather was nice and the desire to grow even more food took over. I decided that this time I wanted to build a more sustainable garden. In the past I had walked into a chain lumber store and spent a bunch of money on new lumber. This time it was going to be different.

I visited Uncle Benny’s, a local family owned business that buys sells and trades used building materials. Stepping into the world of Uncle Benny’s was way too much fun for me. They have so many awesome items that are previously used but are still very usable. This business is not only saving all of these building materials from going into the landfill, but they are also offering some screaming deals on great products.

I spotted many projects that I would like to take on but decided to stick to the new garden project for this weekend. I purchased re-purposed 2”x6” Redwood decking boards. These boards are beautiful. They were previously used for a deck but all of the screws had been removed. I sanded them down and they are like new. I would have never spent the money on brand new redwood so I am so pleased with how this turned out.

With just a couple hours of effort I was able to turn a small grassy area of our yard into a food producing garden plus I was able to support an awesome family business and keep some building materials out of the landfill. This was a very easy project. I definitely encourage you to grow some of your own food and/or purchase reclaimed materials. These are easy and simple changes you can do to be a little more eco-friendly.

~Andy

 *OSC stands for One Small Change...our one small change project is our effort to encourage others to make one small green change at a time for our planet. Each week I write 1 post with ideas, inspiration, and encouragement to help you along this journey of living a more sustainable life. Won't you join us in making One Small Change at a time to create a better Earth for everyone! To read more One Small Change posts, please visit here.

OSC: Repurposing Wood For a Raised Garden Bed

Feature Friday: Tie Dye Kit

Howdy Kind Sister & Brothers! 

First, Let me say I imagined this to be a very ambitious undertaking with a very active 4 year old son. I was  flawed in my thoughts(joyfully) as this Tie Dye Kit was a fantastic  time for my entire family! Daddy even got in on the action proving he really IS more “hippie” than “hipster”.

The jaquard tie dye kit comes complete with nearly everything you need to create several tie dye masterpieces! I added a package of mixed size rubber bands and an extra mixing bottle. I used one meant for hair dye but, I would imagine you could use the picnic type mustard and ketchup squirt bottles. (VERY cost effective!)

This kit says it makes 10-15 shirts and I am disposed to agree. We made numerous kids tee’s, a ladies tank and 3 mens XL tee’s with dye to spare. 

Give  free rein to your creativity, Don’t limit yourself to tee’s. Make tapestries (festie season is coming up for us here on the east coast).  Largely, we were very pleased with our results- even receiving a a small number of offers for potential tie dye sales. 

My skills did prove to be a bit out of form  when it came to folding techniques but I vow to keep practicing!

I urge all of you Hip Mama’s to try The Tie Dye Kit, it’s a great exploit for the wee ones and adults alike!

~~Peace & Blessings~~

-Melissa 

*We carry our Tie Dye Kits in 2 sizes...large and small.   Melissa reviewed the large kit.  Melissa is a part of our Hip Sister Review Team.  She is not paid for this review and all the opinions are her own.   To read more Sister Reviews please go here. 

Feature Friday: Tie Dye Kit