Elephant Journal wishes and No Plastic Dreams!

very honored and excited about our feature in Elephant Journal this week!

Check it out here! --- > Learning to live without plastic

WAY TO GO TRIBE!!!

The CocoNilla Experience

At .21 ml Hippie KarMa's Lip Butter is 40% larger than the mainstream lip balms. It is safe for home composting and filled with natural ingredients intended to take your lips on a fantastic voyage of Cocoa & Vanilla bliss! Emollient rich raw cocoa butter keeps the lips supple while apricot kernel oil softens fine lines and is full of essential fatty acids. But we didn't stop there. We found sustainably sourced vanilla beans (organic burbon) and solar infused it's healing oils within. Vanilla plantifolia is full of antioxidants that round kick free radicals and is a known aromatic stimulant. A sacred aphrodisiac. Kiss in some virgin cp coconut oil and beeswax and you've got yourself one groovy 

little number! 

1 / 8$ 

3/ 20$ 

Are you experienced?

 #TheCocoNillaExperience #lip #butter #ecocentric#biologic #hippiekarmic

Hippie KarMa goes global!

I am so excited! For years I have been perfecting my trade in the homemade department and have taken a liking to herbal holistic health! I have been helping several friends throughout the years and with some strong encouragement I have decided to make my potions available to you! I take pride in my ingredients; Seeking only the most natural and pure is a goal I have and have had for me and my family since embarking on this journey just a few short, short years ago.

Today I start flying this plane I was slowly building from scrap pieces here and there. Inspiration from a pal with severe skin problems, a bad diaper rash after a 4 day drive cross country with babies in the summer, just plain ole sick seasons, hormonal skin and body fatigue, and truly all of us needing some extra tender loving care in this time of misleading marketing. I like to know my ingredients. From head to toe the products I personally use have slowly become the products I make. One small step at a time. For small steps precede giant leaps!

Hippie KarMa is a holistic skin care company dedicated to handcrafted goodies with roots as close as possible to nature and it's sources.


Today we will start this journey with our most inspirational and on demand request. Detox Deodorant!

While pursuing a higher purpose in this education and passion for purposed plants and oils and waxes and all things good for you and your body and our shared planet (See! Excited!!) I found the need for an easy daily aid in my strive for better. I mean life is hard enough, why add to the chaos?

After making some creamy do it your own style deodorants for a few years I began incorporating clay into the regimen for it's odor killing properties. I had already used it for skin poultices and a detox; I was well aware of it's massively impressive drying properties! After some feedback and several trial and error batches that got recalculated and retested on the friends and family... I think we finally came full circle to our underarm-a karma!

presenting...

• $17.25 USD 
• This hit natural deodorant uses ingredients sourced as sustainable as possible. It purposefully combines the right amount of raw sources to combat smelly bacteria and aid in daily cleaning of the lymphatic system all while letting your body sweat and detox naturally like it should. Clay and arrowroot not only aid in a bounty of skin healing benefits, it keeps you dry. 
• 2 oz jar of Unpolluted Pits has lasted me since July here in San Diego and I will be needing more by next month's end.. so the moral of the story is a little can go a very long way!
• send me a request or feel free to ask us anything on our facebook page:                                    Hippie KarMa: Rooted in Nature

International Fans!

Just wanted to send out a loving Hello to my international readers!! Here are the countries I am getting fan hits from: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, Moldova, Russia, South Korea, and United Kingdom! 

Thanks to all for the love from all over the planet!! & right back at you! 

And you! And you! 

And YOU!

where are you peeping in from?! leave us a comment 
and let's grow our village!

LOVE FROM SAN DIEGO, CA USA

Best of 2013: A Blogger Post Round Up!

2013 Post Round Up! 
Was tickled to asked to be a part of a dear buddies' blog post today! She gathered some of her and her blogger village's top posts to share easily with us! What a joy it is to know and keep like minded folks near by! I encourage you to keep steadfast on any and all journeys you are on! From decluttering your closets, to decluttering your heart! You are not alone and You are AWESOME! THANK YOU for taking that extra leap to research, read, learn, and try, and to do more! Let's continue all the encouragement and help from other villagers and kick off "2014: YEAR OF DOING GOOD STUFF" right! For you, the family, friends, the strangers, the long lost friends, and the perfectly close blogosphere tribsters alike! 

The following post is so full of information you may need feel the need to pin all 40+ popular posts from more than 20 folks but...
Do not fear ----> there is a Pinterest button to the right :) 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND A MERRY NEW YEAR TO ALL 

LOVE FROM MAMA D AND HER CASA! 

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I am so excited to share this post with you today!  I often find it difficult to keep up with all the bloggers that I follow.  Some post daily, and I just don't have the time to read them all.  So, I got together with a few of my blogging friends to compile a list of our most popular posts from 2013.

The following list is divided into different categories, and it contains the top 2 most popular posts from more than 20 different bloggers!  Enjoy!

(Mostly) Real Food Recipes

Caramel Pecan Cups by The Ezer Wife

Homemade Cajun Seasoning by Lexie:Naturals

Keylime Cheesecake with Gluten-Free Crust by The Ezer Wife

Slap Yo' Mama It's So Good Vegetable Beef Soup by Beauty in the Mess

Premade Pancake Mix by The Homesteading Hippy

How to Eat Organically On a Budget by Live Essentially

The Best Crockpot Granola by Home With Purpose

Make Your Own Almond Extract by The Homesteading Hippy

Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana by Joyful Thrifty Home

Freezing Fresh Herbs by A New (England) Life

Healthy Cauliflower Tots by Healthy Jasmine

GAPS Diet Stories (And a Birthday Cake Recipe) by Purposeful Nutrition

Nanny's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake by Home With Purpose

Quinoa Burgers by Hippie KarMama

Drink Recipes

Sparkling Apple Cider Vinegar Water by More Than Mundane

Turmeric Lime Soda by It Takes Time

Skin Care

Oil Cleansing Method by Natural Living Mamma

DIY Raw Honey Lip Salve by Nourishing Faith and Family

Ginger Lime Coconut Body Scrub by More Than Mundane

Natural Health

Elder Berry Recipe {And it's Benefits} by Lexie:Naturals

Gut-Restorative Diets by It Takes Time

How to Heal an Ear Infection Naturally by Beauty in the Mess

To My Pro-Vax Friends and Family by Attached Moms

Homemade Decongestant by Titus 2 Homemaker

The Top 10 Reasons to Give up Sugar by Intoxicated on Life

Coconut Oil for Constipation by Hybrid Rasta Mama

Herbs and Children - Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (Plus Herbal Mouthwash Recipe) by Hybrid Rasta Mama

Reversing My Son's Psoriasis by Healthy Jasmine

Is Magnesium Really as Magnificent as They Say? by Purposeful Nutrition

Birth, Babies, and Children

Prepping the Body for a Natural Birth by Feed Me Mama

Infertility, Miscarriage, and Hope by Feed Me Mama

The Secret to Saving Money on a New Baby by Simply Rebekah

Beating Porn to the Punch: 3 Tips for Talking to Young Kids About Sex by Intoxicated on Life

10 Things I'd Like New Moms to Know by A Little Bit of All of It

The Home and DIY 

10 Reasons to Start Simplifying Now by Richly Rooted

Simplify Your Wardrobe by Richly Rooted

Very Hello Kitty Birthday Invitations by Attached Moms

Farm Girl Apron Tutorial From Recycled Jeans by Creative Green Living

5 Simple Tips for the Housekeeping Challenged by Noursihing Faith and Family

Enzyme Cleaner by Hippie KarMama

Organize Your Pantry with Glass Jars (plus free printable) by Creative Green Living

Life Without a Microwave by A New (England) Life

Make Your Own Baby Carrier by A Little Bit of All of It


Gift Giving

100+ Stocking Stuffer Ideas by Titus 2 Homemaker

10 Religious Easter Basket Ideas by Simply Rebekah

Faith and Encouragement

11 Free Online Devotionals and Bible Study Resources by Joyful Thrifty Home

Keep Calm, You're a Good Mom by Live Essentially

31 Days of Encouragement by My Blessings Homeschool

We hope that you enjoyed this round-up post!  Please remember that not all bloggers share the same platform or beliefs.  Just because one blogger expresses an opinion, does not mean it's the opinion of us all.  You should also be aware that these posts are for entertainment purposes only.  While we do a ton of research before publishing an article, most of us are not doctors.  Please do your own research.  Also, please be aware that some of these posts do contain affiliate links, at no extra cost to you.  Thank you for your support. 

If you have a favorite blog post from this year, link it in the comments.

If you have a blog, link your most popular posts in the comments.

Hazelnut Honey Popcorn!

"Do it with what you got."

This is a trend and well played saying from my childhood.

When the giving bug has bitten you but you didn't get that cash from the giving tree it helps to know how to throw quick happies together for some fun and thoughtful gifts!

Recently bulked up on popcorn from Wilderness Family Naturals and had some maple hazelnut whipped honey left from our summer trip to Durango so I decided to mix the two into a scrumptious little popped treat!

I start off right... seasoned cast iron skillet pre heated on low to medium for 2-5 mins.

• Add 2 - 4 tablespoons of ghee or coconut oil enough to coat the bottom of the pan and have some standing
• toss in 1 cup of raw dried popcorn and a sprinkle of real salt or Himalayan pink! 
• pop for 3-7 mins until done.. gentle manhandling the pan over the heat until kernels slow 
• while popcorn is still hot drizzle over any thing you desire.. today it was the maple hazelnut whipped honey, tomorrow maybe cayenne and nutritional yeast for a cheesy treat! 

At this point you can devour it all or share with friends, whatever you do know that making your own popcorn is not only super easy, but (can be!) a super sweet personal gift! Check these other ideas out!

Roasted Cashew Coconut Milk

Head on over to my Instagram for a short tutorial! 

1/2 cup powdered coconut milk 

1/2 cup roasted cashews 

2-7 dates depending on what you're using it for! Reggae milk or milk for baking! You are in charge!

Blend.

Strain.

Clap because you're happy and you know it!! 

Monster Muffins : Grain/Nut Free

Oh those moments. Convenient accident or purposed treat? 

Who cares it's scary good.

Found this grain free, nut free cupcake recipe and decided to make it for breakfast treats to go.

Great decision.

Because I decided to make these at 9 o'clock, post meridiem, I did not peel the zucchini. 

So sue me.

In my brain I was thinking "why peel it? you lose a ton of health benefits.." 

So I didn't and boo(m), Monster Muffins! The peels turned the batter 

green which in turn cooked up awesome. 

What I Used: 

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 tsp aluminum free baking soda

1/2 tsp Himalayan sea salt 

1/2 cup chopped zucchini with skins (I used 3 small ones from our CSA)

2 tbsp local honey or 3 :) 

1 tbsp of vanilla extract

4 large eggs

kiss of coconut oil

What I did:

read the whole recipe.

whipped it up in a blender.

poured in the green gold of goodness.

cook in oven at 350 for 20 minutes!

used the leftover batter to make me and mr. monster muffin a mini monster cake with cacao nibs

Known HEALth benefits of Zucchini: 

• awesome source of magnesium and vitamin C
• vitamin A, potassium, phosphorus, copper, and high in folate which is great for everyone
• summer squash has been shown to have a high content of omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, niacin, and PROTEIN :) 
• vitamin B1, vitamin B62, vitamin B6, and calcium
• has been shown to be extremely effective in treating BPH in men
• fiber rich
• studies have shown that plant based fiber rich diets flush the toxins and abnormal cells from the colon keeping it safe and protected
• folate, vit C, and beta-carotene found in the skins of the zucchini help protect cells from toxins and have proven anti-inflammatory properties 
• high in manganese trace mineral which protect mitochondria from oxidative stress 
• the potassium and magnesium are scientifically shown to lower blood pressure 
• all around a great choice with soluble and insoluble fats, sodium, trace minerals, amino acids, carbohydrates, sodium, and 96% water!

Now....Go squash some healthy grain free muffins in your face!!! 

searched healthy benefits of zucchini

Halloween Colorings, Packs, Printables and Masks!

Since graduating with a BA of Special Education and a MA in Bing/Google and becoming a gypsy Navy wife/mother I've come to utilize any freeness at it's well best-est! *I never claimed to always follow the rules either* We are huge fans of in home learning and in home seasonal coloring :) Any printable is always fun and now that both girls are freely expressing themselves with color and texture and demands to do it all by themselves... I love a continuous source of ...awesome. Here is a quick list of our favorite places to find new friends to color! We print on recycled paper and print on both sides, or definitely use both! If buying recycled paper is too much then cutting up bags from the store or left over scrap paper is always fun too! This is neat to let the natives pick out their own pictures and make themselves a coloring book for a road trip or another move! These are all places I have used for free since my teacher aid days.

Enjoy all the play and learning with the littles you share this with!
Even if it's just little you! *you'll see, spoonful has Disney!*

• Geo's Jack-o-lantern Shape Pack  : this is our  most recent craft time fun! Avery cut out all the shapes after the colored them and the decorated pumpkins are on the front door for all to see! She loves telling her sister about the shapes.
• Sprout! coloring pages : I am not ashamed of how much I love sprout printables! 
• Nick Jr Printables and Packs
• PBS Kids Printables and Masks : THIS. I love the option to print and make our own costumes some days! Perfect rainy day play! From Arthur to Sesame Street and Wild Kratts the girls can be any one for one afternoon! 
• PBS Kids Activities 
• Spoonful  : awesome online resources in general! Check out their Halloween teacher's corner!
• Raising Our Kids Halloween 
• Funschool 
• Kinderart Halloween

Enzyme Cleaner! Naturally Non-Toxic Love...

Typically the beautiful smell of lemons and oranges means your mouth gets all watery for that juicy 1st bite, but this mama's already wondering how many more days of fruits can she eat before she'll have enough for more cleaning solution!

Every time I get citrus, don't get me wrong, I LOVE IT; Fresh juices, easy fast foods, whole nutrition, etc... but until I started cleaning with vinegar I never realized how special the discards could be! From dried potpourri, vinegar infusions, powdered citrus peels for baths, to a newish thing for me, enzyme cleaning! Talk about non toxic bliss! I follow a now dear instaFriend, yes, on instagram, that posted a cleaning recipe using orange peels! Since I was all into the vinegar I was intrigued at this fermentation process. I try to use as natural cleaning products as possible but when you purchase as a consumer the number one thing they want is your money. The number two thing to consider is the more natural it is, more more expensive it will be. Between unfair taxation and high cost, low demand and unwillingness to educate beyond consumer protocol commercials people end up paying for your moral grounds, always. Further research lead me to find that maybe my tougher stains *bodily soils, soap scum build up, etc...* would become easier with another kind of cleaner besides my citrus vinegar! ASAP I assembled said equipment and though my gal listed her steps on IG, I also found this with a snappy online search and later she blogged!

You will need: 

2 Liter plastic bottle*

1 Liter of water*

4 cups +/- some of any citrus scraps

100 grams of organic brown sugar*

all natural kick butt about to ferment

What you will do*: 

Place peels in jar, water, then sugar. Tighten lid and shake, shake, shake. Shake, shake, shake. Shake that Enzyme. Yea, shaaaake that Enzyme! I like to party. Now remember those *'s up there in the what you will need? Every one I know uses a plastic bottle because the glass CAN break under the extreme pressure of fermentation. So I knew I would have to "burp" this dude daily. Please enter this DIY decision with severe caution and awareness of what you put this in. Also, if you do not have scale to weigh out 100 grams here is a handy conversion website! I have not found any where it matters what kind of water you use, I happen to use the same water we drink because we have a filtered source. After mixture is made set in a safe place with a date written on it. Let hang out for three months. If burping is needed to help with expansion then it's ok! Just not too much too often. 

After allotted fermenting time strain mixture and use as a concentrate! I add this directly to tough stains or in the wash. I put some in a spray bottle with water or add a cap full to ANY cleaning situation I can! As a weird tip, in concentrate, it is an AWESOME fruit fly trap. 

about  mid way through the three month wait

TADA! July 2013

Now patience is a must! Waiting is key so do not rush this. I use this stuff daily and for fun add my own EO blends to compliment the delish citrus scent it leaves behind! Have fun watching this process and enjoy it daily knowing you are doing a greater good than just a simple DIY cleaner!