Kristi is a vision of slow living, an inspiring mother, conscious creator and the owner of Windy Peak Vintage. She lives with her family in the mountains of Montana, USA. Living life slowly and intently.. they grow their own seasonal vegetables, raise chickens and enjoy cosy fires in the winter.
Amongst the mountain life and raising her little ones, Kristi spends her time running her own vintage store, she is a lover of all sustainable and earth-friendly things… in the next few paragraphs she shares with us stories about her life, her ethos and some inspiring moments on her journey.
We are obsessed with the beautiful scenic part of the world where you live.. what have been your most treasured moments living amongst the mountains of Montana?
After living in cities for a long stretch, moving to a rural part of the world was a welcomed change of pace for me. The most magical part of our life amongst the mountains was the birth of our children and being able watch them develop a love for nature like we do. I’ll never forgot the first time we took them to pick huckleberries in the mountains or camping for the first time. I’ll treasure those moments forever.
When we are able to get out and about again… what is the first adventure you will go on?
We are fortunate to be able to live in a place where we can still explore nature freely without the fear of being in contact with other people. We can still hike, go to the river, and be in the sunshine. I look forward to going back to our local hot spring pools and Yellowstone National Park when it is safe to do so.
What are your must-have picnic items? Do you have any tips to share on how to have a sustainable picnic?
I always pack a couple sets of reusable wooden utensils, a pocket knife, cloth napkins and beeswax wraps for leftovers. Small mason jars make for great cups too. I try to make it a goal to go without plastic. It’s obviously better for the environment and creates a more aesthetically pleasing setting.
What sparked your initial love for vintage goodies? And where did the inspiration come from to start your own vintage label?
My husband and I have always been big thrifters. We get kicks off of shaping our wardrobes around our local quarter sale finds. When we moved to Montana we had more time and resources for vintage hunting so one day I decided to give a shop a try. It started as a small side gig and has now grown into my full-time work.
If you could give one piece of advice to followers who are wanting to tread a little lighter and follow in your footsteps of slow living… what would it be?
Be patient. A slow life in the country is romantic but takes time. Our to-do list around our property is lengthy and can feel overwhelming but when we pause to take a deep breath and look around everything falls into place. Take little steps to get to where you want to be. Plant a few tomatoes on your balcony if you don’t have space for a garden, hang dry your laundry just for the fun of it, give a go at making your own bread and jam to see how it feels to connect to your food and don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for advice from people. We are all in this together.
You can follow Kristi's journey here.
