Hip-Threads is an official, on the books, business!!

Hip-Threads is finally an official business!  Yippie!  This is a big week for me :)  Because I am still doing contract work for two facilities, I had decided not to register Hip-Threads this year; but then found out I needed to do so for the farmers market I am participating in this summer.   I reluctantly got all the paperwork around, it was very confusing and even though I could mail it in, Josh had insisted that I bring in in person.  It was a good thing too, we had made some mistakes on the form.  But after just a few hours of running to the state, then city of Denver buildings, I got it all done!  Now I am waiting on my quote for liability insurance (for the market as well), hopefully it won't be too much money. 

With the farmers market rapidly approaching, and my not knowing for sure what to sell, I have been sewing like mad to make lots of skirts.  I need to spend some time on smaller items and hope to do that this weekend; I will probably spend one whole day working on making handmade greeting cards like these -->.  Check out my etsy shop if you would like to purchase any at a great price! 

And a huge, big, gi-nor-mous, thank you to my friend Jim who designed my new banner, website and business cards!  Perfect for Hip-Threads; handmade for an outdoor lifestyle!  

Hip-Threads is an official, on the books, business!!

Hip-Threads is finally an official business!  Yippie!  This is a big week for me :)  Because I am still doing contract work for two facilities, I had decided not to register Hip-Threads this year; but then found out I needed to do so for the farmers market I am participating in this summer.   I reluctantly got all the paperwork around, it was very confusing and even though I could mail it in, Josh had insisted that I bring in in person.  It was a good thing too, we had made some mistakes on the form.  But after just a few hours of running to the state, then city of Denver buildings, I got it all done!  Now I am waiting on my quote for liability insurance (for the market as well), hopefully it won't be too much money. 

With the farmers market rapidly approaching, and my not knowing for sure what to sell, I have been sewing like mad to make lots of skirts.  I need to spend some time on smaller items and hope to do that this weekend; I will probably spend one whole day working on making handmade greeting cards like these -->.  Check out my etsy shop if you would like to purchase any at a great price! 

And a huge, big, gi-nor-mous, thank you to my friend Jim who designed my new banner, website and business cards!  Perfect for Hip-Threads; handmade for an outdoor lifestyle!  

Earth Day should be everyday!

Earth Day should be everyday; we love our mothers everyday, we respect them and we should treat our earth the same way.   Like many clothing artists, I use eco-friendly materials whenever possible for my items.  All of the clothing in my newest collection was made by recycled, vintage or organic fabric. 

The recycled and vintage fabric came from a sweet old lady who I met that volunteers in the hospital.  After talking for some time I told her that I loved to sew and had a business where I sold clothing items online, a few days later she brought me bags and bags of fabric!  Tons of it!  She is also a volunteer at thrift stores and they cannot sell all the fabric they receive, she collects it and uses it herself, or gives it to friends.  I was very thankful, much of this collection is made from fabric given to me by Lois. 

The skirt above is made from vintage cotton stretch fabric with classic flowers and a drawstring waistband.  Both tops are also made from vintage fabrics; the purple top on the left is a stretch knit with removable broach, top on right can be found in my etsy shop here.

This spring collection was modeled by my sweet girlfriends~ we do girls knitting night every Wednesday and between knitting, chatting and eating we took lots and lots of photos!  Each gal channeled their inner model and gave me their best ANTM poses (Americas Next Top Model).  Heather and Jillian the baby are a mother and daughter modeling duo; Heather in size medium brown bear summer skirt, Jillian wearing toddler corduroy apple skirt. 

Above is a cute scoop neck striped tank top modeled by Kelly and Jess.  This tank is a size medium, and looks great with jeans and cute shoes, or with a skirt and flip flops in the warm weather. 

The skirt above is made from a teal quilters cotton that I found in a cute little fabric store in Salida, Co.  Heather and Jess are both wearing the skirt comfortably; the skirt is cut A-line for a flattering fit that looks great on lots of figures! 

This cute cotton skirt is sweet and simple!  The bright blue skirt is sky blue with two cute little daisies on the side.   This is a size small, and great for summer! 

Baby Jilli is modeling a super cute apple corduroy toddler skirt, you can find more info here.

All items above are $42 or less, message me if you are interested in anything or check out one of my websites. 

My site

My etsy shop

Earth Day should be everyday!

Earth Day should be everyday; we love our mothers everyday, we respect them and we should treat our earth the same way.   Like many clothing artists, I use eco-friendly materials whenever possible for my items.  All of the clothing in my newest collection was made by recycled, vintage or organic fabric. 

The recycled and vintage fabric came from a sweet old lady who I met that volunteers in the hospital.  After talking for some time I told her that I loved to sew and had a business where I sold clothing items online, a few days later she brought me bags and bags of fabric!  Tons of it!  She is also a volunteer at thrift stores and they cannot sell all the fabric they receive, she collects it and uses it herself, or gives it to friends.  I was very thankful, much of this collection is made from fabric given to me by Lois. 

The skirt above is made from vintage cotton stretch fabric with classic flowers and a drawstring waistband.  Both tops are also made from vintage fabrics; the purple top on the left is a stretch knit with removable broach, top on right can be found in my etsy shop here.

This spring collection was modeled by my sweet girlfriends~ we do girls knitting night every Wednesday and between knitting, chatting and eating we took lots and lots of photos!  Each gal channeled their inner model and gave me their best ANTM poses (Americas Next Top Model).  Heather and Jillian the baby are a mother and daughter modeling duo; Heather in size medium brown bear summer skirt, Jillian wearing toddler corduroy apple skirt. 

Above is a cute scoop neck striped tank top modeled by Kelly and Jess.  This tank is a size medium, and looks great with jeans and cute shoes, or with a skirt and flip flops in the warm weather. 

The skirt above is made from a teal quilters cotton that I found in a cute little fabric store in Salida, Co.  Heather and Jess are both wearing the skirt comfortably; the skirt is cut A-line for a flattering fit that looks great on lots of figures! 

This cute cotton skirt is sweet and simple!  The bright blue skirt is sky blue with two cute little daisies on the side.   This is a size small, and great for summer! 

Baby Jilli is modeling a super cute apple corduroy toddler skirt, you can find more info here.

All items above are $42 or less, message me if you are interested in anything or check out one of my websites. 

My site

My etsy shop

Nature in Colorado

Ever since moving to Colorado from Michigan, over 7 years ago now, I have marveled at the different plant life that grows here.  I really love cactus roses that bloom in a multitude of colors in the spring and summertime; they are so beautiful and painful at the same time.  I see them while I am hiking quite often and snap photos each time!  Many of the flowers here have some sort of defense mechanism that allows them to survive in the desert climate.  The cactus just lays dormant all winter, and in the spring plumps up and starts growing again.   

My garden here is very different too; I can plant as early as February here and I can almost grow all winter!  The sun is intense and really gets the little seedlings to grow and grow!  But the soil is not as rich and dark; and fertilizing is a necessity.  This year we planted our cold weather veggies a little late in March; I am hoping to harvest them in early summer and then re-plant in August for a second harvest in late 2010. 

One of my favorite flowers that thrive in Colorado are roses.  The house we bought had three rose bushes planted and they bloom each year several times with little work (besides trimming them, which can be painful).  There are lots of flowers that grow here, that also grow in the Midwest like tulips and daisies; but they don't look the same!  The flowers are not as tall here, but they are very tolerant of cold weather and snow.  I love to see them peek out of the grass to reach for the sun. 

June is the best time to head west into the Rockies to check out the wildflowers in full bloom.  Some of the valleys are covered in brightly colored flowers alongside rushing waterfalls and below huge peaks.  It's some of the best scenery in the world.  At very high altitudes above 10,000 feet, the flowers bloom even later, making the high altitude hikes even more desirable.   

This summer, more than any other, I have been excited to get out into the big mountains and hike in the valleys full of flowers and trickling waterfalls.   Mostly my excitement comes from quitting my day job to do only freelance work which allows me to hike on a whim at any time.  Josh has a new schedule at work too, which requires him to go into work at 6am, but he gets to leave at 2:30pm.  This means we will have time in the evening to do some hikes before the sun sets over the mountains.   Colorado living has not bored me yet, this is truly a great state to live in. 

Nature in Colorado

Ever since moving to Colorado from Michigan, over 7 years ago now, I have marveled at the different plant life that grows here.  I really love cactus roses that bloom in a multitude of colors in the spring and summertime; they are so beautiful and painful at the same time.  I see them while I am hiking quite often and snap photos each time!  Many of the flowers here have some sort of defense mechanism that allows them to survive in the desert climate.  The cactus just lays dormant all winter, and in the spring plumps up and starts growing again.   

My garden here is very different too; I can plant as early as February here and I can almost grow all winter!  The sun is intense and really gets the little seedlings to grow and grow!  But the soil is not as rich and dark; and fertilizing is a necessity.  This year we planted our cold weather veggies a little late in March; I am hoping to harvest them in early summer and then re-plant in August for a second harvest in late 2010. 

One of my favorite flowers that thrive in Colorado are roses.  The house we bought had three rose bushes planted and they bloom each year several times with little work (besides trimming them, which can be painful).  There are lots of flowers that grow here, that also grow in the Midwest like tulips and daisies; but they don't look the same!  The flowers are not as tall here, but they are very tolerant of cold weather and snow.  I love to see them peek out of the grass to reach for the sun. 

June is the best time to head west into the Rockies to check out the wildflowers in full bloom.  Some of the valleys are covered in brightly colored flowers alongside rushing waterfalls and below huge peaks.  It's some of the best scenery in the world.  At very high altitudes above 10,000 feet, the flowers bloom even later, making the high altitude hikes even more desirable.   

This summer, more than any other, I have been excited to get out into the big mountains and hike in the valleys full of flowers and trickling waterfalls.   Mostly my excitement comes from quitting my day job to do only freelance work which allows me to hike on a whim at any time.  Josh has a new schedule at work too, which requires him to go into work at 6am, but he gets to leave at 2:30pm.  This means we will have time in the evening to do some hikes before the sun sets over the mountains.   Colorado living has not bored me yet, this is truly a great state to live in. 

Spring is in the air!

Spring is in the air!  The birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming, the trees are budding and best of all; it smells like spring outside!  I love this time of year in Colorado!  This is the only time of year that Colorado gets GREEN; and compared to the midwest where I grew up, its not very green at all.  But out here; the dry mountains give way to small patches of grass and the mountains turn a tinted shade of green.  My favorite flowers in the spring are the cactus roses that are beautiful and painful at the same time.  

This spring brings change to Hip-Threads.  I am working on a line of clothing that is more affordable and wearable.  The farmers market will bring lots of different types of customers; and I am trying to have something they all would want or need.  I have several new skirts in the works, a new top design, and three pairs of pants that all need finished up and photographed! 

My favorite clothing item in my new collection is the beautiful floral applique skirt above.  This skirt was inspired by spring and new beginnings; its made from organic hemp in natural.  Click here to check out my website.

These are a new pair of patchy boy shorts (gals could wear them too) with two back pockets, and a huge side pocket with a banjo appliqued onto it.  Click here for more info.
~ *** ~

This cute little fox Willow Skirt is a wrap skirt with buttons on either side that can be worn with the applique in front, or hidden under the other side of the wrap.  This is a size medium, very comfortable and a super cute fox is appliqued along the side. 

These skirts above and lots more can be found here.
~ *** ~

Spring is in the air!

Spring is in the air!  The birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming, the trees are budding and best of all; it smells like spring outside!  I love this time of year in Colorado!  This is the only time of year that Colorado gets GREEN; and compared to the midwest where I grew up, its not very green at all.  But out here; the dry mountains give way to small patches of grass and the mountains turn a tinted shade of green.  My favorite flowers in the spring are the cactus roses that are beautiful and painful at the same time.  

This spring brings change to Hip-Threads.  I am working on a line of clothing that is more affordable and wearable.  The farmers market will bring lots of different types of customers; and I am trying to have something they all would want or need.  I have several new skirts in the works, a new top design, and three pairs of pants that all need finished up and photographed! 

My favorite clothing item in my new collection is the beautiful floral applique skirt above.  This skirt was inspired by spring and new beginnings; its made from organic hemp in natural.  Click here to check out my website.

These are a new pair of patchy boy shorts (gals could wear them too) with two back pockets, and a huge side pocket with a banjo appliqued onto it.  Click here for more info.
~ *** ~

This cute little fox Willow Skirt is a wrap skirt with buttons on either side that can be worn with the applique in front, or hidden under the other side of the wrap.  This is a size medium, very comfortable and a super cute fox is appliqued along the side. 

These skirts above and lots more can be found here.
~ *** ~

Our wonderful weekend exploring Colorado!

My friends and I are at the age where we are all turning 30; and some of us don't take it very well. (me!)  But my hubby Josh is not fazed by this change in life.  We had wanted to take a long weekend away together for a few months now, and we thought his birthday would be a great time to go!  After some consideration we decided to spend some time in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Salida and the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness.  After dropping off our doggies with friends on Thursday afternoon we drove west into the mountains.  Our first stop was at the Mt Princeton Resort and Hot Springs.   After a two hour drive through the incredible Rocky Mountains we arrived at the resort around 5pm on Thursday.   The views from our room were amazing; the room looked directly at Mt. Princeton a 14,000 foot peak in the Collegiates.  After a dinner at the resort restaurant; we changed and went to check out the hot springs!  Josh and I have only been to one other hot spring since living out west, and I don't know why we haven't been to more!  Hot springs are pretty much the best thing ever!  The Mt. Princeton bath house has two large pools, one which is 100 degrees and a lap pool that is 90 degrees.  But the best part of the springs are the wading pools next to the river. 

The wading pools temperature ranged from 60 to 120 degrees and we found a very hot wading pool and sat there for hours talking and watching the stars and satellites in the sky above.   It was incredible!  After several hours and getting a little wrinkly we got out of the water and ran back to the bath-house in our bathing suits in the 30 degree temperatures.  As we walked out of the bathhouse and away from all the steam, we realized it was snowing, very hard, and we didn't notice at all with all the warm water and steam. 

The next day we drove a short distance south into Salida Colorado.  Salida is a cute little hippie town in the center of a bowl of big mountains, with the Collegiates to the north and the Sangre's to the South.  Salida is also the location where our dog died 6  years prior, after being bitten by a snake.  I have not been back to Salida since this incident and Josh had never been there, so it was great to make some new happy memories in the area.  The hotels in Salida are very cheap and we booked a hotel for $60 and then went to check out the downtown area; which is where I immediately fell in love with Salida. 

Salida's downtown area has locally owned businesses including a great fabric store called The Fringe, where I picked up some cute quilters cotton fabrics; and an awesome Brewery and Pizza place called Amicas which we visited twice, it was that good! 

I am looking forward to making new skirts with the fabric. 

We left Salida early on Saturday morning to drive farther south to the Great Sand Dunes National Park.   We drove past the Dunes a few years ago, forgoing them for some reason and I was determined to get back there!  We drove through the Sangre Valley with views of huge mountains on either side of us.  Along the way there were several touristy activities; including the UFO Watchtower and  Alligator Farm.     

The Rockies had been under a high wind warning the entire weekend, thusly eliminating our camping plans and making the sand dunes a little painful.   When looking at the dunes from far away, they look very small compared to the huge mountains behind them, but their highest peaks are over 8500 feet.  The tallest dune, called High Dune, is a 1.9 mile one way hike from the base of the dunes to the peak and we decided to climb it.  All I can say is, wow!  The dunes are made by the wind, and it was very windy that day; there were times when you would look at the dunes and they looked like they were moving because the sand swirls so much.  I can understand why people can see mirages in the sand; the dunes have huge peaks and caverns and valleys and the photos just do not show the grandeur of the dunes.   We stood on top of the tallest dune in North America with the wind whipping, it was so strong you could almost lean against it.  The views were incredible; we could see all of the Sangre's and the valley. 

The descent was my favorite in all of my hiking history; we ran down the dunes holding hands.  It took about 1.5 hours to get up and 20 minutes to get down :)   Had it not been so windy, we would have hiked the two miles to Star Peak the next tallest dune in North America.  In the photo to the right you can see teeny specs of hikers above us. 

After spending the day at the Dunes we drove south to Zapata Falls which is a glacial waterfall in a huge cave that is reached after climbing over a waterfall and walking on a frozen river into a cave.   The river was frozen so smoothly that many of the tourists slipped and fell, it was pretty comical watching people while trying not to fall with each step.  The first obstacle is climbing over the small, but very slippery, frozen waterfall.  It took Josh and I a few minutes to get over the waterfall; but then the short walk on the river into the cave is breathtaking.  I was glad we were there during the spring when the river was still frozen.  The glacial waterfall cascades from the top of the cave town to the river, it was amazing!  Several kids were climbing up the water, then falling and smacking themselves on the ice, one boy was in tears, it was very slippery!

After Zapata falls, we drove south to Fort Garland for the night.  We found a clean and very cheap motel with views of Mt. Blanca 14,300+ feet outside the back door and a great steakhouse with $2 beers across the street.  What a great way to end a fun day. 

The final day, Sunday, we were sad to head home, but decide to drive back the same route we came through the mountains.  On the way we stopped at the UFO Watchtower, which reminded me of my X-Files obsession as a tween.   The watchtower has 54 documented UFO sightings; and Judy the owner has seen about half of those herself.  She also keeps a scrapbook of the sightings and newspaper clippings of her press.  This is a really neat place to visit, and it's definitely worth the $2 per person or $5 per car admission.  There is also camping for $10 on the premises.  Josh and I promised Judy we'd be back sometime to camp in the summer. 

Next we drove back into Salida and stopped at Amica's for lunch and a beer before visiting the motel for sale we had spotted on our way out of Salida the day prior.  It's an old adobe style motel which has 14 rooms plus an office and living quarters.   Both Josh and I area   always up for a good project, and how fun would it be to run a hotel in the middle of adorable Salida? 

 We excitedly talked about the hotel adventure as we drove home to pick up our doggies from friends and unpacked from the trip.  I am looking forward to the weather warming up so we can actually camp, and hike some of the big peaks. 

Check out my hiking blog for more hiking adventures. 

Our wonderful weekend exploring Colorado!

My friends and I are at the age where we are all turning 30; and some of us don't take it very well. (me!)  But my hubby Josh is not fazed by this change in life.  We had wanted to take a long weekend away together for a few months now, and we thought his birthday would be a great time to go!  After some consideration we decided to spend some time in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Salida and the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness.  After dropping off our doggies with friends on Thursday afternoon we drove west into the mountains.  Our first stop was at the Mt Princeton Resort and Hot Springs.   After a two hour drive through the incredible Rocky Mountains we arrived at the resort around 5pm on Thursday.   The views from our room were amazing; the room looked directly at Mt. Princeton a 14,000 foot peak in the Collegiates.  After a dinner at the resort restaurant; we changed and went to check out the hot springs!  Josh and I have only been to one other hot spring since living out west, and I don't know why we haven't been to more!  Hot springs are pretty much the best thing ever!  The Mt. Princeton bath house has two large pools, one which is 100 degrees and a lap pool that is 90 degrees.  But the best part of the springs are the wading pools next to the river. 

The wading pools temperature ranged from 60 to 120 degrees and we found a very hot wading pool and sat there for hours talking and watching the stars and satellites in the sky above.   It was incredible!  After several hours and getting a little wrinkly we got out of the water and ran back to the bath-house in our bathing suits in the 30 degree temperatures.  As we walked out of the bathhouse and away from all the steam, we realized it was snowing, very hard, and we didn't notice at all with all the warm water and steam. 

The next day we drove a short distance south into Salida Colorado.  Salida is a cute little hippie town in the center of a bowl of big mountains, with the Collegiates to the north and the Sangre's to the South.  Salida is also the location where our dog died 6  years prior, after being bitten by a snake.  I have not been back to Salida since this incident and Josh had never been there, so it was great to make some new happy memories in the area.  The hotels in Salida are very cheap and we booked a hotel for $60 and then went to check out the downtown area; which is where I immediately fell in love with Salida. 

Salida's downtown area has locally owned businesses including a great fabric store called The Fringe, where I picked up some cute quilters cotton fabrics; and an awesome Brewery and Pizza place called Amicas which we visited twice, it was that good! 

I am looking forward to making new skirts with the fabric. 

We left Salida early on Saturday morning to drive farther south to the Great Sand Dunes National Park.   We drove past the Dunes a few years ago, forgoing them for some reason and I was determined to get back there!  We drove through the Sangre Valley with views of huge mountains on either side of us.  Along the way there were several touristy activities; including the UFO Watchtower and  Alligator Farm.     

The Rockies had been under a high wind warning the entire weekend, thusly eliminating our camping plans and making the sand dunes a little painful.   When looking at the dunes from far away, they look very small compared to the huge mountains behind them, but their highest peaks are over 8500 feet.  The tallest dune, called High Dune, is a 1.9 mile one way hike from the base of the dunes to the peak and we decided to climb it.  All I can say is, wow!  The dunes are made by the wind, and it was very windy that day; there were times when you would look at the dunes and they looked like they were moving because the sand swirls so much.  I can understand why people can see mirages in the sand; the dunes have huge peaks and caverns and valleys and the photos just do not show the grandeur of the dunes.   We stood on top of the tallest dune in North America with the wind whipping, it was so strong you could almost lean against it.  The views were incredible; we could see all of the Sangre's and the valley. 

The descent was my favorite in all of my hiking history; we ran down the dunes holding hands.  It took about 1.5 hours to get up and 20 minutes to get down :)   Had it not been so windy, we would have hiked the two miles to Star Peak the next tallest dune in North America.  In the photo to the right you can see teeny specs of hikers above us. 

After spending the day at the Dunes we drove south to Zapata Falls which is a glacial waterfall in a huge cave that is reached after climbing over a waterfall and walking on a frozen river into a cave.   The river was frozen so smoothly that many of the tourists slipped and fell, it was pretty comical watching people while trying not to fall with each step.  The first obstacle is climbing over the small, but very slippery, frozen waterfall.  It took Josh and I a few minutes to get over the waterfall; but then the short walk on the river into the cave is breathtaking.  I was glad we were there during the spring when the river was still frozen.  The glacial waterfall cascades from the top of the cave town to the river, it was amazing!  Several kids were climbing up the water, then falling and smacking themselves on the ice, one boy was in tears, it was very slippery!

After Zapata falls, we drove south to Fort Garland for the night.  We found a clean and very cheap motel with views of Mt. Blanca 14,300+ feet outside the back door and a great steakhouse with $2 beers across the street.  What a great way to end a fun day. 

The final day, Sunday, we were sad to head home, but decide to drive back the same route we came through the mountains.  On the way we stopped at the UFO Watchtower, which reminded me of my X-Files obsession as a tween.   The watchtower has 54 documented UFO sightings; and Judy the owner has seen about half of those herself.  She also keeps a scrapbook of the sightings and newspaper clippings of her press.  This is a really neat place to visit, and it's definitely worth the $2 per person or $5 per car admission.  There is also camping for $10 on the premises.  Josh and I promised Judy we'd be back sometime to camp in the summer. 

Next we drove back into Salida and stopped at Amica's for lunch and a beer before visiting the motel for sale we had spotted on our way out of Salida the day prior.  It's an old adobe style motel which has 14 rooms plus an office and living quarters.   Both Josh and I area   always up for a good project, and how fun would it be to run a hotel in the middle of adorable Salida? 

 We excitedly talked about the hotel adventure as we drove home to pick up our doggies from friends and unpacked from the trip.  I am looking forward to the weather warming up so we can actually camp, and hike some of the big peaks. 

Check out my hiking blog for more hiking adventures.