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| Welcome to Galaxy Hoop where all the hula hoops are made with the prettiest tapes and filled with TLC. http://www.galaxyhoop.com |
I'm amazed to say that today marks 315 days of hula hooping in a row leaving me 50 more until I can say I've hooped outside for an entire year. Through rain, heat, snow, sickness and in health. The first couple of weeks were the hardest but posting on social media under #thedailyhoop held me accountable. There have been more recent days where I felt like cheating by counting inside hooping...but! while it 'counts' it doesn't towards my personal goal which is to be alone outside.
I last wrote about beginning the daily hoop adventure and hoops I was using here.
Since this past year has also included me opening my own shop on Etsy I have learned a lot about the handmade community, what I like to add to it, and what I enjoy in return. My last hoop buying experience was awful so after using a hand-me-down from Sarah from TeachKidstoHoop (whose program I have also enrolled in) I began searching for a new hoop maker.
There are so many hoops out there! I didn't want to pick at random anymore, yet the ones who came with a big presence or recommendation didn't mean it also came with a handmade feel or attitude. Some of these shops have gotten so big they're corporate comparatively.
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| There is nothing like waiting for your hoop to arrive! |
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| Here's that TLC! Remember to let your hoop adjust to room temperature before uncoiling and connecting. Using a hairdryer on the tubing makes it slide right in! She includes instructions and super secret coupons! |
Where are the diamonds in the rough?
In this case I found a galaxy.
Galaxy Hoop is run by a California hooper who also likes collecting and wearing Docs with a vibrant spirit. She liked a photo of mine on Instagram and I caught her name as it passed and though ohh what's this? ::click:
Her hoops are stunning! and we got into quick friendly conversations over shoes, hoops, and randomness. I needed a new HDPE hoop and I wanted it to be from her...and if it was as amazing as it looked I asked if she'd consider sponsoring me. HDPE is short for high density polyethylene. It is lightweight but still heavy enough for a beginner to master unlike polypro hoops which are best left to more advanced hoopers.
Every day I am asked where to get hoops but I haven't felt 100% behind my recommendations. I was just another sale in the universe of hoops. The time I had a problem with a hoop I was told coldly oh well, fix it yourself. That stung because I'd actually selected her shop based on her profile that was written as a loving mom just trying to bring in a little extra money doing something she loved on the side. That sounded familiar. She claimed her daughter helped make the hoops but when I suggested she let her daughter run with her imagination that was ignored. It felt Walmart. Warm fuzzy marketing followed by a half empty feeling upon purchase.
Galaxy Hoop's founder Rachel lives near my hometown in California. She says she started hooping in 2011 and then started making hoops so she could have "lots and lots!" Her guilty pleasure music includes listening to Depeche Mode and Wham! (if that's guilt my regular playlist is sin). Best of all was her answer to the question I ask everyone I interview but with a first time answer:
What is your favorite ride at Disneyland?
My favorite ride at Disneyland has to be Teacups. Whoever rides with me always ends up scared or sick. I get crazy on Teacups.
Twisted, right?! No wonder she got into spin arts! Leave me to gaze at the art inside Small World and dream of red-eyed yetis....
She has a great variety of both polypro and HDPE hoops. She uses a lot of color on some and minimal on others. Perfect! I wound up buying the neon reflective rainbow (as you can see!) but I was also attracted to the Betty, Blackout, and cannot stop staring at the Psychedelic Psycho or the water tape she uses on her mermaid-themed hoop...the Tim Burton inspired one...the one that looks like the feminine laces to a ballet slipper...ohh, I gaze. Maybe that's why she chose the name Galaxy Hoop. I'm a stargazer...hoop-gazer...starry hoop gazer.
I am always here to help you find a hoop that's right for you. I want more people to discover the healing and happiness hooping can bring. I waist-hooped without doing any tricks for over a decade (not every day!) before deciding to try something different. I just liked the peace it brought me. I am a special needs mom in severe chronic pain struggling with anxiety and PTSD. I'm a survivor and a fighter. I don't want those things to weigh me down and defeat me. There is something about picking up a hoop that lifts your heart and mind with it.
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| It's love: Rainbow Bright HD comes in both HDPE and polypro at www.galaxyhoop.com |
Please feel free to reach out to me or Rachel if you're interested in starting to hoop but aren't sure which hoop size or style is right for you. I still stand behind my high recommendation of Teton Hoops if you're looking for a beginner weighted hoop (she uses fabric which feels great!).
I bought this hoop because I wanted it and have received no compensation for this review. It is from my heart. Future hoops will be provided for review but I will pay for shipping. That will be noted on future reviews per blogging review rules and full disclosure.
So meet my first sponsor! Find Galaxy Hoop on social media for discounts and giveaways!
...and use the hashtag #galaxyhoop and #urbanflowerpot to show us each how you're doing!
If I live to see the seven wonders
I'll make a path to the rainbow's end
Beautifully written. ❤️
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