Monkey Play

That's not a hat, but the "crooked lil house" my husband Chris has been pounding together. I think the girls will enjoy sleepovers here. We are planning our first one at beginning of the year. I really hope it's done in time. Crossing my fingers and toes.

Ruby found a BIG sparkley rock.

Red Chair loves

The Barn House + 15 acres. We are going to be breaking ground on some additions this Spring.  I am so excited I can hardly wait!! We will be adding 1)office for Big Bear + guest room 2)Basement get-a-way 3)formal entry 4)relocating stairs 5)breakfast room 6) laundry room 7)kids bathroom 8)master closet and bath 9)eventually we will get around to updating the kitchen 10)outside living room with a fireplace.

A Sneak Peek....behind the scenes

This is one of my favorite places in the house....I get tons of natural light.  Can you find Ruby Anne in this picture? I will give you a hint...she's wearing a red bow.

A little note from Ruby,
1) Come  "LIKE" our Facebook page at:  https://www.facebook.com/rubysbowsforbeaus?ref=hl  

2) POST a picture of your little man in a bowtie to enter in our monthly contest for your chance to win a bowtie from Ruby's Bows for Beaus. For fast and easy purchase visit our Etsy shop at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/RubysBowsforBeaus?ref=hdr_shop_menu

See you soon,

Shawna and Ruby Anne

A little bit about myself

   

Let me take some time and introduce myself.  I am the biggest gift giver I have ever met.  To support my habit, I have found making my girlfriends gifts more rewarding then if I went out and bought something.  Very few of my girlfriends actually have girls, so the bow-ties are a very handy gift.  Every little man needs a bow-tie.  
It all began one night we girls got together for book-club.  It ended up doubling as a surprise baby shower for Lacy, my friend.  I was tight on money and needed something to give her.  I couldn't go empty handed. For the first time ever, I made bow-ties.  They turned out to be a smash.  All the girls LOVED them.  She took a picture and posted it to Facebook;  I instantly had requests. And that was my beginning. 
My beginnings were very humble.  I look back fondly at what I learned. I was a very frustrated, inner cityish teenager who's parents didn't really want me to work while attending High School.  The FFA gave me focus and direction and foundation for what would become my entrepreneurial life. When I was a kid, I had a FFA (Future Farmers of America) project.  I raised market hogs.  Smelly and curious critters. My parents loaned me the money to buy my first pig and it was also the last loan I took from them.  I walked my “Pigtunia”, fed and mucked stalls. Throughout this experience, I gained knowledge on how to keep records, manage my time and money. I took my  income from the hogs, all 3 of them, to open a dog breeding business. I was 17 years old when Katy, my black Labrador came to live with us.  This dog business not only paid for my car & gas, but my college education.  These are the skills I hope to share with my daughter, Ruby one day.  
Ruby has a love for shoes, handbags and photographs.  If your shoes go missing, you know where they are.  Handbags are a close second.  Ruby is a girlie girl.  She may pull out her hair bows, but she will always have cute shoes on, with a handbag dragging behind her.  Making bow-ties will also help Ruby's passion for fashion.  In the coming years, I hope she will learn to appreciate fashion, design and hopefully photography.  Perhaps one day she will study these disciplines in college, if that's her passion.  Who am I to hold her back? 

How do I make a bow-tie?

Going to the local fabric store is my time away from home.  It's my little 3 hour break and it's  Ruby's  special time to play with Poppy. I am sure ice cream is a part of the meal plan.  Sometimes I meet with a girlfriend while I shop.  When I select my fabrics, first, I think, “what would I want to wear?”  or  “What's cool?” Second, I plan for Holidays, Special Occasions and look for something special or trendy to work with. Each piece of fabric I hand select with love and can visualize how it will be worn.  Finally, I bring home my finds and set them up on my cutting and ironing table. I get on my phone and call my girlfriend, Janet, just to show her what I  found and to share in my excitement. 
Once I bring my fabrics home, I play with my family.  Ruby and her Poppy usually have missed me terribly and need some playtime.  So we head to the swings at the park or we play on the floor in the playroom. Once everyone is content, I begin at the Cutting & Ironing Table with music flowing softly.  I cut out the sizes of bows I want and decide to layer the bows.  I iron every bow which makes sewing and folding easier.   If the right song comes on, Ruby and I  take a break and bust a move. 
Then I head off to the kitchen where my second station and sewing machine is assembled for easy access.  I am often in the kitchen feeding Ruby snacks, so this works out great.  This counter is a little lower then a typical counter for my “short friends” like Ruby.  I try to keep healthy snacks stocked.  She had Broccoli for breakfast today. Yum, right? She rearranges my spice cabinet to keep things spicy while I keep the pedal to the floor.  My favorite stitch is the zig-zag.  
Once I am finished sewing my bow-ties, I take them to the “Folding Table”.  Here I fold the bows into accordion bow-ties and wrap them with coordination middle pieces of fabric.  I secure the center pieces with a dollop of glue.  I trim away any access threads and give the bow a final “fluff” with a little spray of starch they are done.  At this point the bow is ready for a neck-strap or clip and ready to be shipped for your enjoyment.  I hope this gives you a little insight to how Ruby's Bows for Beaus are created. 

Come check us out and "LIKE" our Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/rubysbowsforbeaus?ref=hl 
POST a picture of your little man in a bowtie to enter in our monthly contest for your chance to win a bowtie from Ruby's Bows for Beaus. For fast and easy purchase visit our Etsy shop at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/RubysBowsforBeaus?ref=hdr_shop_menu

See you soon,
Shawna and Ruby Anne