Finally- My Post About Nuts

Tweet With my three crazy Spawn, I think we all knew that a post about nuts was coming. It was inevitable. There was just no stopping it.
I mean, they get their clothes so dirty! So when I saw the new Soap Nuts from Hip Mountain Mama, I knew I had to try them! (Why, what nuts did you think I was talking about???)

I have made my own detergent before. It's cheap and easy (and made me feel like a virtuous hippie), but it does take some effort. Even though it's minimal, that may be energy I am not willing to spend on laundry. Enter Soap Nuts: these funky looking little dried fruits mainly from the Himalayas.

Ok, these babies are not winning any beauty contests.  

They couldn't be more easy to use- you simply toss them in the washer in the included cotton bag, and wash your clothes! The saponin in the outer shells of the fruit naturally and gently cleans your clothes. They've been used for centuries but are just now becoming popular in the US, and I can see why. Biodegradable, organic, compostable- they're really an amazing detergent alternative.

I used my Soap Nuts in a cold wash even though a warm is recommended when using the nuts straight (wow, does that sound weird). My laundry came out smelling exactly how I like it- like nothing! I did purchase the Lavender Essential Oil to test though, and it gave the laundry a fresh, light scent. And while your laundry smells fresh, the nuts themselves smell kinda funky (you know I am enjoying writing this post!). The few drops of oil on the bag covered that up. If you are looking for an alternative to traditional detergent that you can feel good about trying, then check out these nuts! You can get a sampler bag for only $2.25 to try out, and I have used that to wash 3 loads now- all with spectacular results.

As always, the people at Hip Mountain Mama are too respectable to buy anyone's opinions, so I purchased this product and reviewed it as part of the Hip Mountain Mama Sisterhood. 

I Won, I Won!

Tweet Remember not too long ago when I was begging you with tears streaming down my face asking you to vote for me in Hip Mountain Mama's Going Green anniversary contest? I won second place! I'm so grateful to all of my loyal friends, family and readers who were kind enough to vote for me. And I promise, I am not going to forget the little people when I am rich and famous and write my blog in the cabana by the pool, sipping a daquiri as I watch the nanny swim with the kids. 
We just received our order and we are SO pleased with everything we chose. I wanted to try out the Snack Taxi's, which are lined fabric bags with velcro closures that are perfect for lunch or snack time. There are a ton of fun different prints, so I ordered one for each of the kids (and the awesome retro mushroom print for myself).  The Spawn were immediately enamored of them, and Spawn#2's cute flowered print is missing from the pic 'cause she took off with it.

They have a special going on right now- when you order 4 Snack Taxi's, you get a free organic cotton lunch bag- and they sent it to me! Suzy at HMM is so generous- can you believe she sent me the free bonus when I was using the gift certificate I won from them? She rocks!

Another item we ordered that I had never heard of before was Baby Legs- a sort of one-size-fits-all leg warmer, arm warmer hybrid. They. Are. ADORABLE. Spawn#2 would not take them off and slept in them- she even said they made her cartwheels better!

As you can see, Spawn#3 was in love with them as well- I'll be ordering him a pair too.

If you are at all interested in natural, organic or Waldorf products for your children and your home, please check out Hip Mountain Mama's store! It is a small business that I definitely feel good supporting.