Brooklyn's Bows

Great Giveaway Site

2009-07-03T09:45:00.002-04:00

If you are looking for some amazing freebies, go check out Giveaway Today! There are some incredible items being given away, including photography, clothes for your little ones, and a blog makeover! So hurry on over!

Maybe one day I'll be featured on there too. {wink!}

And so it begins....

2009-01-11T21:21:00.003-05:00

Well ladies, the move has begun which can only mean one thing....

....my ribbons are packed away!

After a long week of packing this week, and an even longer drive this weekend we will finally be at our destination!

I'm hoping to be back up and running by sometime next month and I'm so grateful to all of you for your support and patience! Wishing you all the best during the month of January!

Sew Those Korkers!

2009-01-01T14:34:00.006-05:00

I've often referred to myself as the Queen of Live and Learn, because I do things, think it's easy, then find a better way.

Take my korker bows for example. Follow all the steps right up to the part where I tell you to tie them together. You see, tying them all together works, and it's easy! That is until your two year old gets bored and finds her korker bow is way more fun when all the curls can be pulled out. And then you have ribbon korkers strewn across your home and a child with no bow.

With that said, I'm here to encourage you to sew those korkers!

For this I just grabbed a few korkers I had left over from Halloween, so today - the FIRST DAY of 2009 - you get a festive orange korker! It might be a good idea to have about 24+ korkers on hand. They seem to make a nice round bow.

Don't forget the needle and thread. For this I doubled it up to make it stronger.

Tie a knot about 5-6 inches up from the end. As you can see I tried three different times to get the knot to double. And it just wasn't happening.

Take one korker, find the middle and press it onto the needle.

Push the korker all the way down to your fingers, but keeping it on the needle.

Add a second korker and have it go in a different direction.

As you place the korkers on the needle try and fan them out as you go.

Soon you'll have them all on and a tiny tip of the needle left.

Go ahead and slide the bunch off the needle and onto the thread.

Gently slide them all down to the knot. Be careful because if you push too hard against that knot you'll lose korkers - like I said, "Queen of Live and Learn".

Now, turn that needle around and go back through the korkers. You can try to bunch them together and push hard, but that can get a little dangerous. So I like to keep my korkers semi-loose and go back through in sets of 2 or 3.

If you want those korkers to be extra secure go through two more times.

Once your two ends of the thread are on the same end, trim off the needle and tie the ends together to tighten the korkers up.

And don't forget that double knot!

Finally, with your fingers, play with the curls and get them to fluff up just a little.

And now you have a korker that little fingers can't pull apart! YAY!

My NEW Favorite Tool

2008-12-30T14:51:00.005-05:00

Have you ever heard of a wood burning tool?

Neither had I.

Well, not until about 2 months ago. My friend showed it to me and I fell in love with it and decided I just HAD to have one of my own. And since Michael's is so kind to send out those 40% off coupons every once in awhile I figured my purchase was justified. One trip to the store and $7.53 later, I was the proud owner of this little guy....

The beauty of a wood burning tool (we'll call it WBT for short) is that it combines two steps into one. Rather than cutting with scissors and the melting the ribbon ends with a lighter, you hold the ribbon down, cut with the WBT, and voila - cut and sealed.

Take a look.....

Cutting....

And sealed.....

Another advantage to this little guy is that your thumbs will thank you profusely. No more trying to flick that lighter on constantly. Believe me, after making about 50 princess clippies and all the ends that needed to be sealed, I was about ready to throw that lighter out the window.

If you look closely at my WBT, just past the tip (where it has lovingly been discolored) the entire top portion of it heats up. Which is great for sealing ribbon that has already been cut.

For example....

You've cut your ribbon to the appropriate size....

Take the end and slightly dab it against the side of the WBT until you see it melt.

That $7.53 was worth every penny.

Now don't you want one too?

Channeling My Inner Princess

2008-12-28T12:40:00.004-05:00

I've been really MIA over the past few weeks and I feel bad since I left you all hanging, but I promise it was for a good reason.

After spending three and a half years cheering my husband on as he did grad school, we took a family vacation to my favorite place in the world.....

And just because we can't seem to keep still or relax, in about 3 weeks we'll be moving across the country.

So, I have a few items lined up to post over the next 3 weeks and then my computer will be packed up and shipped with the rest of our belongings (sniff, sniff.....)

In the meantime, let's make some bows!

Cute Hairstyles Deserve CUTE Bows!

2008-12-15T20:25:00.002-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I emailed the girl from She Does Hair and told her about my blog on how to make bows.....and she listed it just recently! YAY! I am so excited! If you haven't checked out her blog before, it's a must. It has some of the cutest hairstyles for little girls! And after you check it out it'll make you want to go to your ribbon box and start whipping out some bows to go with those rockin' styles!

And before I go I have to apologize for my lack of blogging.....with the holidays approaching and getting ready to take my family on a little vacation, I haven't spent much time picture taking. But here are a few things you can expect over the next month:

*My New Favorite Tool
*MORE Princess Instructions
*Simple Bow Tie Style Clippies
*The Best Non-Slip for your Clips

I'll be back soon.....

Success!

2008-12-09T07:49:00.002-05:00

I'm finally back! Sorry I was MIA for SO LONG. Every spare minute went to some serious bow making. Whew!

I survived my first craft fair on Saturday and it was so much fun! I was really nervous at first, but everything turned out great. I'm totally kicking myself for not bringing my camera because I LOVED my table set-up. On one end I had two small Christmas trees that I had my boutique bows cascading down on ribbons, and I had the larger ones all around the base of the trees. On the other end I had the six Disney Princesses on display up on a box covered in a white damask cloth. Then all the other clippies (Minnie Mouse, velvet strawberries, simple clippies, etc.) were all around the box with the princesses.

The craft fair was at my old Elementary School, so there were lots of young girls who LOVED those princesses. And I was really surprised, but even the teenagers were buying princesses! I also ran into my old 2nd grade teacher and librarian which was kind of fun.

Overall, it was a big success! I even posted the remainder of my bows on my Etsy site along with some BIG sales. So if you get a chance go check them out.

In the meantime, send in those requests for bow instructions! I'm going to start with the simple bow tie clippies, and then after the new year more Disney Princess instructions!

My First Craft Fair!

2008-11-25T14:30:00.003-05:00

Last week I signed up to participate at a craft fair on December 6th! I'm not sure if I'm crazy or insane, but it's definitely one of the two. I've been busy, busy, busy making bows and cute clippies with every spare minute that I have. The girls go to bed at night, and I get to work.

Here's a little preview of the fun clippies I'm learning to make:

These are my Simple Clippies in Jungle print. Aren't they fun?

Next are these adorable strawberries. I made the mistake of buying some on eBay and they weren't even close to what I thought they'd be. My sweet friend gave me hers so I could use them for the craft fair. Now I need to get the right ones so I can have them in stock and to pay her back!

Finally, more Disney Princesses! I've made 12 Cinderellas and 12 Sleeping Beauties. Whew....that was time consuming!

I plan on putting more Disney Princess instructions up, but it'll have to wait until after the fair.

Until then, take some time and browse those cute Etsy shops for some fun ideas. If you see anything you like and want instructions on how to make it, leave me a comment and I'll see what I can do!

The Tinkerbell Clippie

2008-11-18T15:15:00.000-05:00

So who's excited about these Tinkerbell instructions?! I really think you guys are going to like these. I will admit that ribbon art is definitely time consuming, but the end product is awesome! So be sure to stick with it.

ALSO.....

Before I go on, I need to preface this post by saying I did not purchase instructions from anywhere. The following instructions and pictures are my own, ones that I came up with because they worked for me. I saw a picture of one of these clippies and with the help of a friend worked to make my own Tinkerbell. Feel free to pass these instructions on to friends, but I do ask that you give credit where credit is due, and link back to my site! Thanks!

To start off you'll need these supplies: 3/8" grosgrain ribbon in ivory, apple green, and banana, 1/4" organza ribbon in white, alligator clip, glue gun, measuring tape, scissors, and a lighter.

Follow the above figures for cutting your ribbon lengths. Go ahead and heat seal all your ends with the exception of the ribbon for the skirt and arms. We will be trimming those, so wait until they are trimmed before heat sealing them.

Take your 4 inch ivory ribbon and fold it at the 2 and 5/8" mark. Be sure to press hard enough to make a crease.

Open up the ribbon. Take your glue gun and add about 1/4" of glue starting from the crease down.

Bring the short end of the ribbon and roll it under so that the end meets the crease, and press down firmly. This forms Tinkerbell's head. This is also the same way to form all the other heads for the remaining princesses.

Now, take your 2 inch apple green ribbon and fold in half.

Using your scissors cut from the center out towards the end of the ribbon.

Before letting go, heat seal the ends while they are still folded.

The end should look like a fish tail.

Do the same thing on the opposite end, as well as t he other 2 inch ribbons.

Take one of your fish-tailed 2 inch ribbons and fold in half at a slight angle. You want to do it just enough so that the ends are barely touching. And make a crease.

Open ribbon up and add a tiny dot of glue on the crease.

Fold back together again and press firmly to set the glue. For instruction pusposes we'll call this Skirt 1

Follow the same steps for Skirt 2 and Skirt 3. Skirt 2 should be a little wider.

Skirt 3 should be the widest.

Set your skirt pieces aside and get your apple green ribbon that is 3/4" long. Once you have it fold it in half and make a crease.

On one end of the crease add a small dab of glue.

Attach this ribbon to the bottom of the body. You can start either on the back or the front.

Once it is set, add another dab of glue and fold ribbon over onto the opposite side.

Now Tinkerbell has shoes!

Take Skirt 3 and add a tiny dot of glue to the back. Attach it to the body a litte more than halfway up.

Do the same thing with Skirt 1 but glue it on top of Skirt 3.

Be sure to attach them high enough so that there is space between the skirt at the shoes.

The last piece is Skirt 2.

As you can see it should fill in that empty space between Skirt 3 and Skirt 1.

Take the 1 and 1/4" green ribbon and add a dab of glue to one end.

Attach it to the back of the body just above the skirt line.

Add another dab of glue to the other end.

Bring the shirt around and glue it behind the body.

Here's what your Tinkerbell should look like thus far.

Now let's do the arms. Grab your 2" ivory ribbon and fold so the ends are wide. Again, be sure to crease the ribbon.

Open up the ribbon and add a dab of glue.

Fold together again and press firmly to set the glue.

To make the hands you want to cut from the outside end in towards the middle.

Do the same thing on both sides so that your arms will look like this. And, as always, heat seal the ends.

Put a dab of glue right in the middle of the arms.

Glue them to the back right behind the shirt. You might also want to line them up with the shirt if possible.

Now, for the wings! I didn't give a measurement earlier, so you will want to cut 14 inches of the 1/4" organza ribbon. There will be no tails like the basic bow, so just bring the one end around and set in the middle.

For the second loop try and match up the size as best as possible. Your wings should look something like this with the long tail going towards the first loop.

Bring the ribbon behind and make a slightly smaller loop.

Finally, bring that last tail up and set it in the middle.

At this point you can use a needle and thread to hold the wings together. However, I've found that adding a dab of hot glue and then pressing it down with your thumb and finger (careful it will be HOT!) the glue goes through the ribbon and holds it all together just fine.

Can you see the glue in the middle?

Add another dab of glue to the middle.

Glue the wings right behind the arms.

We're getting there! Now for the hair. Take your banana ribbon that is 2 and 1/4" long and fold in half leaving one end slightly longer that the other.

Open up the ribbon and put a line of glue right on the crease.

Fold both ends into the glue. You will see that one loop will be bigger than the other. This is going to be Tinkerbell's bun.

Add another dab of glue right onto where the ends were glued.

Attach to the head. I like to attach it closer to the forehead rather than the crown of the head.

Now, grab that last piece of ribbon - the banana colored 2" ribbon. Add a dab of glue to one end.

Glue it at a slight angle to the back of the head.

On the other end, add another dab of glue.

Bring the ribbon around over the bun and bangs and glue this end to the back of the head as well.

Take your scissors and we are going to trim Tinkerbell's shoes. Start slightly off from the center and cut out. Be sure to do the same thing on the other side.

And don't forget to heat seal those trimmed shoes!

Here's a look at your Tinkerbell so far!

This nifty stuff is an embellishing glue that you can get at Michael's. I use it to attach the Swarovski crystals to my Disney Princesses.

Put a teeny tiny dab in the middle of the skirt.

Carefully add a 4mm Swarovski crystal right on top of the embellishing glue. But be careful because it takes awhile for this glue to dry. Once it does it holds great, but until then the crystal might fall off. I learned that the hard way when I tried attaching my Tink to the clip last week. So, if you can, hold of on the crystal until the very end.

Grab your ribbon covered clip (you can use whichever color you prefer to cover it, I just used ivory so it would match Tink's body) and put a line of glue down it.

I attach my Tinkerbell to the clip with the head up towards the end you pinch to open the clip. This means it has to go in the hair down rather than up, but I like that it bends the head slightly.

VOILA! Tinkerbell!

The Winner's Circle (and a sneak peek!)

2008-11-17T19:26:00.004-05:00

Using my trusty number generator from Random.org here are our winners.....

Congratulations to the following:

#14 - Rebecca Cluff - you are the winner of the bows from Brooklyn's Bows
#49 - Sheri Giles - congrats on winning a custom Christmas Card from Bizzy Bee Creations!
#8 - Kara Barnard - you won a Scentsy car set in the scent of your choice!
#1 - Dani Churchill - you are now the proud owner of an awesome changing pad from Funky Polka Dot Giraffe!
#24 - Erika Johnson - you've just won a custom handmade journal from Scrap N' Scribe!
#43 - Corie Green - get your family ready for an awesome photo shoot with Megan!

and last but not least....

#30 - Deanne Draeger - congrats on winning a handmade apron from Patty Cake designs!

Winners, please contact me at brooklynsbows@gmail.com to claim your prizes!

Thank you guys SO MUCH for participating in the Giveaway! I'm so excited for all of you! And don't worry, this isn't my last giveaway. There will be more to come!

FINALLY.....a sneak peek of instructions for tomorrow:

Time's Up on the Giveaway!

2008-11-17T15:00:00.002-05:00

Thanks to everyone who entered.

Winners will be announced tonight!

(as soon as I can get my girlies in bed!)

Last Chance!

2008-11-16T21:49:00.002-05:00

What a turnout! I seriously was not expecting 52 comments already! I'm definitely feeling the love!

For those who haven't signed up yet, this is your last chance to sign up for the GIVEAWAY! It ends tomorrow at 3:00pm EST (which is noon for all you west coasters out there!). Winners will be announced tomorrow night, and Tuesday you'll get some new instructions! Good luck everyone!

Minnie Mouse Clippie

2008-11-12T15:36:00.010-05:00

With the giveaway underway I figured it would give me time to get these Minnie Mouse Clippie instructions posted. As I was making the bow yesterday, Brooklyn was looking on. Her eyes got wide with excitement when she finally realized what I was putting together. Even my 22 year old sister said she'd wear this Minnie Mouse clippie in her hair if it was socially acceptable.

To start off you'll need these items: 3/8" black grosgrain ribbon, 3/8" red grosgrain ribbon, 3/8" red grosgrain ribbon with white swiss dots, 1/8" red satin ribbon, alligator clip, hot glue gun, scissors, measuring tape, and of course the lighter to seal the ends.

Start by cutting the black ribbon into 3 sizes for the head: 3.75 inches, 3 inches, and 2.25 inches.

For the ears you'll need two of each: 2 inches (x2), and 1.5 inches (x2)

Finally, cut all your red ribbons. The red with white dots needs to 1.5 inches long, the solid red needs to be 4 inches long, and the red satin ribbon needs to be approximately 6 inches (or at least long enough to work with).

**And don't forget to heat seal all ends with the lighter!

Using your hot melt glue, attach your ribbon to the alligator clip.

Add a tiny line of glue to the tip of each black ribbon.

(You know, as I was looking at these pictures I realized that I'm in serious need of a manicure. In fact, I can't even remember the last time I had one. I started having kids and manicures went out the window.....)

Bring other end around and press together to make a circle. Repeat these two steps for all of the black ribbons.

Once all the black "circles" for the head are made, add a small dab of glue to the top of smallest one(I like to put it right where the ends meet so that you can hide them when you glue it all together) and slide into the circle just larger.

Repeat again sliding the two small circles into the largest circle.

Do this same step for both of the ears.

Here is what the head and ears should look like before they are attached.

Add another dab of glue to the ears where those messy ends meet.

Press them to the head slightly off to the side. Do this again with the other set of ears on the other side of the head.

And there you have Mouse Ears. Now, if you want to just have Mickey Mouse rather than Minnie, you can attach this cute little head to your ribbon covered clip and you're good to go. For those wanting to do Minnie, stay with me.....

Take your red ribbon with dots and turn over and add that small line of glue again. Now....some swiss dot ribbons have those polkas on both sides, mine doesn't that's why it looks solid.

Bring the other end around and make a circle.

Using your thumb and forefinger, press the ends down to flatten the circle a bit. And make sure that you slide the ends that are glued together off to one side, otherwise your cute little bow won't cinch in the middle. I like to slide them as close to one of the pinched sides as I can get.

Grab that 6 inches of satin ribbon and lay it down on the table and lay the ribbon for the bow on top of it. You want to make sure the glued ends are facing up at this point. The knot and the glued ends should be on the same side so it will be hidden once it is glued to Minnie's head.

These next couple steps take a lot of coordination, and I will admit that I've had to use my teeth a few times with this one.

Carefully begin to tie the satin ribbon around the middle of the bow. Once you see that it is in the middle pull tight tight tight so you can cinch that middle part down as much as possible. Use your fingers on one hand to hold it and tie a second knot to make it stay.

Here's the back of Minnie's bow. Cute, huh?

Take your scissors and trim the ends. Try and get as close to the knot as you can without causing it to come untied. That's a lesson I had to learn the hard way!

Add a dab of glue right on top of that knot.

Turn the bow over and press it down right under one of Minnie's ears. I like to put it to the left, but you can do it on the right or in the middle. Whatever you prefer.

Grab that alligator clip you lined at the beginning and add a small strip of glue to the top.

Press Minnie's head, right where the ears and head meet, into the glue and hold until the glue sets.

And there's the obligatory shot from behind.

And the finished product! Isn't she cute?!

Now....before you run off to buy your supplies, be sure to leave a comment here so you can be entered into the Giveaway! You won't want to miss it!

GIVEAWAY!

2008-11-10T10:21:00.015-05:00

Here we go! The very FIRST GIVEAWAY on Brooklyn's Bows! Aren't you excited to be a part of it?! I have so many wonderful friends that are lined up to give away some great items. You really won't want to miss this opportunity!

Below are the list of items being given away. Simply leave your name in the comments section along with how you found this site. Also include an idea of what you'd like instructions on and I'll see what I can do.

In the meantime I will be working hard on getting those Disney Princess instructions together for you! So really, this giveaway is a win-win!

Happy giveaway day everyone! And good luck!

Brooklyn's Bows
What would a Giveaway on a hair bow blog be without....well....hair bows?! The winner of this giveaway will receive TWO Minnie Mouse clippies, a Tinkerbell clippie, and TWO expandable headbands - one white and one pink!

BizzyBee Creations
My good friend Emily makes amazing cards! The winner of this will get a custom Christmas card of their choice. Even better, she gives you the JPEG file so you can take it to your favorite print shop (Costco, Shutterfly, Snapfish, etc.) and have it printed off as many times as you want! As an extra bonus, everyone who signs up for this giveaway will get a $5.00 OFF COUPON to use on her website!

Scentsy
If you've never heard of Scentsy you are totally missing out! It is a wickless candle system with warmers and scented bars, as well as car candles and room sprays. I bought my first warmer about a year ago and now I'm hooked. I love them! For the giveaway, my friend Charissa, is giving a Scentsy Car Set which includes a car candle and room spray in your scent of choice!

Funky Polka Dot Giraffe
Don't you hate going out to a restaurant and having to change your baby on those public changing tables in the bathroom? My friend, Kyla, makes the most adorable changing pads that roll up small enough to carry in your diaper bag. Plus it's washable! The winner of this giveaway will receive a changing pad in the colors of their choice!

Scrap N' Scribe
Aren't these hand made journals adorable? My friend, Jess, makes them and I'm thinking that if I wasn't doing this giveaway I'd like to win that journal for myself. I can't tell you how many times I've been somewhere and wanted to write something down. Instead I dig through my purse and look for a receipt to scribble on. These journals are the perfect size for your purse or diaper bag. The winner will get their very own, and in colors of their choice.

MJS Photography
Listen up all of you from Arizona and Utah....this is the opportunity of a lifetime! My friend, Megan, just began her photography business and is offering a 30-minute one-on-one portrait session! If you are looking for those family pics to send out for Christmas, or maybe you're expecting your little bundle of joy and want to remember that cute belly of yours, this is your chance!

Patty Cake Designs
And last, but certainly not least, the winner of this giveaway will receive this child's size apron. Isn't the fabric adorable?! My cousin, Kobie made one for both my girls and they went nuts! They were so excited about it!

The giveaway will end at 3:00pm on Monday, November 17th! So tell all your friends, post it to your blog, and get ready to win some awesome stuff!

Coming Soon!

2008-11-05T16:01:00.004-05:00

Well, with Halloween, the election, and my youngest celebrating her birthday, I've pretty much been out for the count. Plus I've agreed to make and sell bows for a bazaar this weekend. You can say it's been a little busy.

However, despite all the craziness that is my life, I learned how to make this adorable Minnie Mouse Clippie....

I will be posting instructions on how to make it soon.

Also, BIG NEWS....

Get ready for it.....

I will be hosting my first EVER Giveaway next week! I have some amazingly crafty friends lined up for it. Stay tuned for details.

And during the week of the giveaway I will be busy busy busy taking pictures of how to make the Disney Princesses!

Whew.

Okay....off to make more bows for the bazaar!

The Disney Princesses

2008-10-30T10:14:00.004-04:00

So I decided to make the rest of the Disney Princesses last night and realized, that making these little beauties is incredibly tedious. Especially since I'm sort of a perfectionist. Even the littlest things drive me crazy.

For example, I was ready to attach Sleeping Beauty's arms when I noticed I cut them the wrong way. So those went in the trash and I made her a new set of arms and sleeves.

After two hours I got the remaining four done (minus Belle's hair - she's bald thus the reason she's not in the picture!)

On the bright side, 4 of the 6 Princesses all follow the same pattern as far as the dresses go, just different colors of ribbon and hairstyles.

So, once I get Halloween out of the way.....I will do instructions on how to make these! In the meantime, I have them for sale. Prices and pictures are in the left sidebar.

Tinkerbell Clippie

2008-10-29T17:34:00.004-04:00

The above picture was made by yours truly. Which means......I finally figured it out! Hooray! And the best part - I didn't buy the instructions! I was almost completely flying by the seat of my pants. It was a little scary there at first, but overall, it turned out great!

I went over to my friend, Linzie's* house today, and together with a tiny bit of help from some of her free instructions on how to get the body and head, and looking at pictures of some that others have made, we were able to make our very own Tinkerbell! Isn't she cute? I even let Brooklyn wear her to Michael's afterwards. It was my bribe to keep her happy in the store while I searched for supplies to make the other Disney Princesses.

If you are interested in learning how to make the Tinkerbell clippie for FREE (I'm being serious here folks!), please leave a comment! And I'll see what I can do....

(*As a side note: Linzie makes some adorable bows herself and sells them here if you are interested. She's taking a break for awhile as she is pregnant, but if and when she starts up again be sure to grab them while you can!)

Pumpkin Clippies

2008-10-28T16:16:00.011-04:00

Just in time for Halloween!

You know, I was searching online for the instructions for these and I came across this one lady's website and she sold these clippies for $4.50! Let's be honest folks, that's a lot of money considering how E-A-S-Y these are to make! Really, you'll be amazed. In fact, just putting this one together it only took me about 15 minutes - and that includes the picture taking!

And before I go any further I have to point out that this is not my design. The design belongs to a lady named Michelle Cooper. I found her instructions here, but they were kind of blurry so I am recreating them just for you.

Now, let's get started.....

You'll need all the essentials: scissors, hot glue gun, measuring tape, lighter, alligator clip, and 3/8" ribbon in orange and green. For this I used the colors Pumpkin Pie and Apple Green just because I think they look cute, but you can use whichever colors you prefer!

Get out your trusty measuring tape and cut the ribbon into the lengths specified below.

And just ignore the incredibly crooked picture. Even Photoshop couldn't help me on that one. So here are the lengths again:

Pumpkin Pie: 3 and 3/4", 3 and 1/4", 2 and 7/8", 2 and 1/2", and 2".
Apple Green: 2 and 3/4", 1 and 1/4" (You'll also need 4" to cover your alligator clip!)

Don't forget to heat seal all your ends to prevent them from fraying.

Add a tiny line of glue to the end of each orange ribbon. Bring the other end around to make a circle and press the ends together.

This is what all your ribbons will look like when you are done.

Here is a closer look at the ends glued together.

Starting with the smallest orange ring, put a dab of glue on top where the ends meet and slide it into the ring that is slightly larger than it. Take those two rings and do the same thing with the next size up and so on until all the rings are glued inside the largest ring.

Next, take the 2 and 3/4" green ribbon, fold it in half and make a crease.

Add a dab of glue on the crease and bring the ends into the middle and press down to make two loops. And whatever you do, please ignore my incredibly dirty glue gun. I bought a new shiny one about a year ago and I hate it. So back to the old one.

Here's a better look at those loops....

Add another dab of glue where the ends are glued together and press on top of your pumpkin rings.

I put it right on top where all the rings meet, but you can put it off to the side too.

For the stem, take the 1 and 1/4" green ribbon, fold in half, and from the fold cut at a diagonal.

Be sure to heat seal the sides and ends where you cut. The sides will fray really easy if you aren't careful.

Put a tiny dab of glue at one end of the stem and bring the other end over to glue them together.

Another tiny dab goes on top of the leaves, and glue the stem down at a slight angle.

Now grab your ribbon covered clip and put your final dab of glue about 3/4" from the end (not the end that you open the clip with, the other end where it goes into your daughter's hair.)

Press your pumpkin down right where all the rings are glued together. I like to do mine at a slight angle. Surprisingly, it holds really well.

And there you have it! A Pumpkin Clippie!

Now, go tell all your friends, and brag about how easy it was to make this clip!

Expandable Headbands

2008-10-27T21:35:00.006-04:00

I was always the crazy mom that put bows on my babies. Even when oldest was tiny I tried getting a clip into her hair. But it wasn't until I had my second little girl that I discovered how to make expandable headbands!

Using a slide and ring, these headbands expand from 13" to 17" to fit your growing baby. They have a snug fit to prevent them from falling over her eyes which happens on headbands too large, and can be expanded to prevent those red marks from one being too tight.

Each headband is handmade, and all ends are heat sealed to prevent fraying.

$7.50 each

Currently Available in:
Pink (2)
White (5)
Rose Pink* (5)

(*Please note that Rose Pink is a lighter shade of pink as opposed to Rose which is a lighter shade of red.)

To purchase, locate "Add to Cart" button on the left! Thanks!

Brooklyn's Basic 4 Inch Bows FOR SALE!

2008-10-26T15:03:00.013-04:00

This is LONG overdue, but finally I have my first set of bows up for sale! These are the Basic 4 Inch bows that I taught on this post. They are available currently in 6 colors with more colors to come in the future!

To purchase, just click on the "add to cart" button beneath the bow color of your choice, choose the number of bows you want in that color and it will be saved to your cart. When you are ready to check out proceed to the "View Cart" button on the left and it will direct you from there!

Happy Shopping!

Colors: (going clockwise)White, Shocking Pink, Purple, Rose, Pumpkin Pie, and Plum.

WHITE - 8 available

PLUM - 5 available

PUMPKIN PIE - 5 available

PURPLE - 10 available

ROSE - 5 available

SHOCKING PINK - 4 available

Good and Bad News

2008-10-21T12:10:00.003-04:00

So.....do you want the good news or the bad news first?

GOOD NEWS.....I found the Disney Princess Hair Bow/Ribbon Art Instructions!

BAD NEWS.....it costs $21.00 to buy the instructions. $21.00!!! And since one would have to purchase them, it means offering the instructions for free is completely off limits. Darn!

So, for those of you ambitious bow makers and ribbon art fanatics, just click here for your Disney Princess Hair Bow Instructions.

I'm still weighing the pros and cons of the buying them myself.....

Ribbon Art

2008-10-16T15:11:00.007-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I found these Disney Princess Clippies on a website. They are made by someone who didn't leave instructions, so you have to buy them. But aren't they amazing? I almost want to try and teach myself to make them.

And speaking of instructions, I found some on a freebie website to make little pumpkin clippies. They looked cute online, so I thought I'd give it a whirl.

And guess what?

It's adorable in real life!

See what I mean? Even Brooklyn begged to wear it today. Can you blame her? If it was socially acceptable for a 30 year old, mother of two to wear a pumpkin clippie, I would have just worn it myself.

The directions are not my own, but I will be posting pictures soon on how to make it, along with other fun ribbon art!

Korker Bows Halloween Style!

2008-10-15T14:11:00.011-04:00

I'm a big fan of Halloween. In fact, my mom knows that when she goes out to look for clothes for my girls, if she returns with a Halloween shirt, it is sure to be a hit with me. So, when I started working on making korker bows I began going through my ribbon cart (yes, I have an entire cart dedicated to ribbon, it's an obsession really) I came across a bunch of leftovers that I hadn't used in awhile, and they were perfect for making Halloween bows!

To start off you need a few things: 1/4" wooden dowels, 3/8" ribbon (anything thicker doesn't curl as well), and clothes pins. If you are using 1/4" ribbon be sure to grab 3/16" dowels instead, they work much better on the thinner ribbon!

Hold ribbon at a slight angle and attach to the dowel using the clothes pin. I was once told to just use one of the metal alligator clips, and it was the worst advice I ever got. Almost all my ribbons came loose and unravelled. So learn from my mistake - don't use alligator clips!

Continue to wrap ribbon around dowel until you get to the end.

Once you reach the end, trim your ribbon with scissors.

And attach with another clothes pin.

Repeat this process until all of your ribbons are wrapped. They should look something like this!

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

Place your dowels on a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. If you don't have one you can also use foil to cover the racks. Once the oven is heated slide your dowels in.

Set the timer for 30 minutes.

When the timer goes off, remove the cookie sheet and allow ribbon to cool completely before removing the clothes pins. Here's a look at my ribbon right before I took it off the dowels. (hint: I'm not a starch kind of person, but if you like your bows a little more crisp, take a can of starch and spray it on the dowels before they cool.)

Begin removing the ribbon by lifting one end off the dowel and twisting it around until the whole thing starts to come off. I've had ribbon just slide off before, other times it gets snagged. Do whatever is easiest for you, just pull gently so it doesn't undo the curl.

Here are all the korkers off their dowels. Aren't they pretty?

Each korker will be 12" long. If you are using an 18" dowel, then obviously the korkers will be that long.

First I cut the 12" korker in half....

....giving me two 6" korkers.

Then I take those 6 inch korkers and cut at the 3" mark....

....giving me four 3" korkers.

Repeat until you have a whole stack of 3" korkers!

Now we're ready for the fun part....getting those korkers to go wild. A word to the wise....be sure to invest in elastic cord! I tried just using thread and it's a pain because it slips. The elastic gives you a nice tight grip on the ribbon.

Cut a piece of elastic about 8" long, and stack about 12-24 korkers on top of it. The more korkers you use, the more round your bow will be. For this one I only used 12.

Begin tying and slowly bring the elastic together. Sometimes the korkers fall out of place, which is why I have the next step....

Holding the tie with one hand, take the other an even out the korkers. Some may be longer on one end, so just tug gently until they all look even.

Then hold your breath and pull tight! Look at all those korkers go wild! I love it! Do a double knot to make sure it's secure. If you see any korkers that are still long you can tug again to even them out.

Trim the extra elastic off.

Now we're ready to attach our korkers to a clip.

Put a line of glue on your ribbon covered clip.

Take the korkers and look for the knot of the elastic. That's the end that I like to glue down so you can't see it.

Press firmly in the middle and allow glue to cool.

A look at it from the back.....

....and there you have the korker bow. It's almost as easy as saying Trick or Treat!

Still Here.....I Promise!

2008-10-13T01:09:00.003-04:00

I don't know what it is, but October always seems to be a crazy month. Between birthdays, and the nice fall weather (my favorite), I completely neglect most things, including household chores. Going outside or doing chores? I'd pick going outside any day of the week.

But I haven't forgotten about you guys, and I promise, as soon as this crazy week is over I've got korker ribbon and bows, as well as infant bows! Can't wait!

Live and Learn

2008-10-01T16:37:00.004-04:00

I've always said that practice makes perfect, and I learn faster from my mistakes than from the times I get it right (which isn't all that often!). With that said.....I learned a new trick the other day, and it has made a WORLD of difference on the outcome of my bows.

Really.

So here are a few changes to my first set of instuctions:

CHANGE #1: In my first post on bow instructions I was having you make all these marks, one in the center, up top, center again, etc. etc. But as I was folding my bows, I began to realize, that making the marks all over the place makes no difference. So, I changed it and now I make all my marks in the middle, like so....

CHANGE #2: This whole time - and by whole time, I mean for the past two years - I've been folding my bows with the last loop coming over the top and going down the front. Don't get me wrong, I still think the bows look great. BUT.....try doing this next set of instructions instead. The bow turns out ever cuter. Is that even a word? No? Okay, even more adorable then!

STEP 1: With the last loop, instead of going over and down the front, take the tail and put it through the 3rd loop, like so....

This is how it will look from the side.

This is who it will look from the front.

And the finished bow. See how the tail come from behind the loop?

It may not look like much of a difference, but the loops stay fluffy and are more symmetrical. So cute!

Now, go practice!

I'm on my way to cook some ribbon for korker bows!

Basic Bow Sizes and Spacing

2008-09-30T11:17:00.003-04:00

The technique for folding all of the loopy bows are the same. The only difference is the ribbon size and spacing between fold marks. For example, on the bow we just did, the spacing between each fold was 4". This is the spacing you want on bows made with 7/8" ribbon. Below I've added a chart to show the folding space you'd want on a different sized ribbon:

(*Click on the picture to enlarge)

Putting it all together....

2008-09-28T16:11:00.004-04:00

Finally, we have all the parts we need to put our bows together! The bow, the covered clip, and the knot. So, let's get going!

STEP 1: Get your ribbon covered clip and add a line of hot melt glue to the top of it.

STEP 2: Take your folded bow and press it firmly to the glue. I usually count to 10 so I know that the glue has cooled enough.

The back should look something like this.

STEP 3: Take the knot you made and add a dot of glue to the back side.

STEP 4: Press the knot firmly to the center of the bow and allow glue to cool.

STEP 5: Line one of the tails of the knot with glue.

STEP 6: Open the clip with one hand, and with the other press the tail firmly down on the underside that is covered in ribbon.

STEP 7: Repeat Steps 5 & 6.

And you're done!

Coming soon, korker ribbon instuctions!

Tying a French Knot

2008-09-23T12:59:00.004-04:00

Here we have the last part of the bow to complete before we can put the whole thing together. Just like the covered clip, a French Knot isn't completely necessary, you can just wrap the middle with the same 3/8" ribbon you used to cover the clip. But, I like the french knot because it gives the bow some character!

STEP 1: To start you'll need the same size and same color ribbon as the bow - 7/8".

Step 2: As opposed to folding the bow where we took the end over the top and let it hang to the right, this time, take it behind and let it hang to the left. Then take that end and put it through the loop above.

STEP 3: Pull gently so your knot starts off looking like the one above.

STEP 4: I like to use my index fingers as guide to keep the ribbon from twisting in a direction I don't want it to go.

STEP 5: Tug gently on either end until the ribbon puckers just slightly in the middle.

STEP 6: Hold ribbon firmly between your fingers on one hand, and cut about 1 inch down from the knot.

STEP 7: Once again, heat seal both ends of the knot!

We've made it! Now it's time to put our bow together!

A Covered Clip

2008-09-23T12:11:00.009-04:00

Now that you have the folding down for the main part of your bow, let's move to making the covered clip. Technically, you don't have to cover it, but I think it really compliments the bow well.

To start you will need: 3/8" ribbon (same color as your bow), lighter, glue gun, and an alligator clip.

STEP 1: Take your roll of 3/8" ribbon and heat seal the end. It's important to always heat seal your ends to prevent fraying, even on the clip!

STEP 2: Place a small dot of hot melt glue on the underneath side of the clip where you would pinch to open it up.

STEP 3: Take your heat sealed ribbon and place it on the dot of glue with the rest of the ribbon pointing away from the clip. Be sure to hold it for a few seconds to allow the glue to cool.

STEP 4: Flip the clip over and make a zig-zag line of hot melt glue across the top.

STEP 5: Take ribbon and lay it over the top of the glue trying to get it to match up with the clip as best as possible. Hold it again for a few seconds.

STEP 6: Measure the remainder of the ribbon you'll need by wrapping it around the end of the clip and meeting up with the end on the other side. Clip it with your scissors.

STEP 7: Heat seal the end!

STEP 8: Put a line of glue on the inside of the ribbon.

STEP 9: Open up the clip and press the ribbon to the underneath side of the top part of the clip.

And voila, a covered clip!

Here's what the underneath side will look like.

Brooklyn's Basic 4 Inch Hair Bow

2008-09-22T14:01:00.014-04:00

Whew! Finally, some step by step instructions on bow making. I didn't realize how time consuming picture taking and blog writing could get when you do it step by step, but it was a lot of fun!

Now these instructions are a combination of a bunch I've found online and others that I've learned on my own through trial and error. I've taken a little here and there, and adapted them into what works for me. That's the genius behind bow making. You take the instructions and adapt them to what works for you!

To start off there are a cast of characters that you'll need:

Ribbon, scissors, thread, glue gun, hot melt glue, measuring tape (or ruler), cigarette lighter, hair clip, ball-point pen, and small elastics (I prefer the ones from Sally's Beauty Supply because they stretch easily). A few of these you won't need until we attach the bow (instructions for that to follow shortly).

MEASURING

STEP 1: Lay your ribbon down next to your measuring tape. You are going to start by making small marks on the ribbon. I've numbered them for you so you can see them step by step, but often times I just make a small dot. Your first mark you are going to make at 2 inches in. This gives you a tail on your bow.

STEP 2: Move down 4 inches to the six and make your second mark. This time we are going to mark it at the TOP of the ribbon.

STEP 3: Move down 4 more inches to the ten and make your third mark. This time make the mark in the middle of the ribbon again.

STEP 4: Move down 4 more inches to the 14 and make your fourth mark, this time at the bottom of the ribbon.

STEP 5: Your final mark will be made here at the 18, and put it in the middle of the ribbon again.

Before you cut, be sure to move down two more inches to the 20 so that you have another tail. Cut at the 20 inch mark. And now you are ready to fold.

Now, remember when you are folding to make sure the marks match up as best as possible. If it isn't right on, don't worry sometimes my marks are a little off too. As long as the bow looks balanced at the end you are in good shape!

FOLDING
(*Helpful Hint #1: When folding, the marks in the middle (ie: 1, 3, and 5) will always be on top where you can see them. The marks on the edges of the ribbon (ie: 2 and 4) will be folded behind where you can't see them.)

STEP 1: Fold mark #1 over top so the tail is hanging to the right at a 45 degree angle. Match up #1 with #2 (remember number two will be around back so flip the ribbon over if you need to see where it's at).

STEP 2: Take the long part of the ribbon and fold mark #3 on top of mark #1.

STEP 3: Take the long tail again and this time fold it down and behind, matching up #4 with #2 (remember it doesn't have to match up perfectly!)

STEP 4: Now, it's quite possible that this is the most tricky of all the folding steps. With your long tail behind and hanging to the left, you want to hold the folded ribbon tightly with your left hand, and with your right swing the tail to the right (it's not going to want to go that way) and take it over the top of the tail and rest that final mark in the middle on top of mark #3.

Does your ribbon look like the one above? Sometimes it takes a couple tries just folding the ribbon. So go ahead and try it again.....

Ok, you ready to turn it into a bow?

I don't know about the rest of you, but I can't sew anything to save my life. I'm pretty sure I failed the sewing section of Home Ec in 7th grade, but that's another topic for another day. So for me, these elastic rubberbands are my life saver when making bows!

First you want to fold and pinch the bow down the middle.

Take one elastic and stretch it around the center. You may have to wrap it 3-4 times. I try and stretch it far enough so that it doesn't pull at the folds while I'm wrapping it.

Once you've got the elastic secured, place your thumb and forefingers through the loops to fan it out.

On to the tails! Take a pair of scissors and cut diagonal across the tail of the ribbon. You can cut whichever way you prefer, I like to cut mine up from the edge.

Here's how the first tail looks. One tail down, one to go!

This is the part where that cigarette lighter comes in. I always get funny looks when I tell people to use a lighter, but it's the fastest and easiest way to heat seal the ends. Flick the lighter on, and holding it about 1/4 inch from the ribbon, run it up and down until you see the ends melt. This will keep the ends from fraying! It's amazing!

We're coming to the end.....so if you are still with me, hooray for making it this far! Cut a piece of thread about 12-18 inches long. Then tie it around the elastic leaving about a 3 inch tail.

With the longer part of the thread, wrap it around the middle, covering as much of the elastic as you can, until there is about three inches left. Tie the two ends together and double knot them. Use your scissors to trim the remaining thread as close to the knot as you can.

And there you have it! You have folded your first bow!

Stay tuned for the basics on wrapping clips in ribbon, tying knots, and putting the whole bow together!

Method to the Madness and a TIP!

2008-09-17T17:03:00.005-04:00

I've had a lot of people ask me how to make bows, so to oblige them, I am going to be posting step by step instructions on the madness that is my bow making.

It all started when my oldest daughter, Brooklyn, was born and I was too cheap to buy bows from boutiques, because who are we kidding, $5.00 a pop for a baby bow? No thanks.

My mom introduced me to RABOM, a wholesale ribbon seller, and I've never looked back. They have everything.....ribbon of all lengths, sizes, colors, material; alligator clips, french clips, cards, marabou, and so forth. But I'm warning you now.....once you go in, you may not make it out without a cart full of goodies. Just be sure to tell them I sent you. (*Just Kidding.....they don't know me from Adam, I've just always wanted to say that!)

So here's the deal, gather together your:

ribbon (grosgrain, organza, satin, whatever you prefer)
hair clips (alligator, two-prong, or french clip)
thread (preferably white, but any color will do)
clear elastics (I prefer the ones from Sally Beauty Supply)
scissors
a ruler or measuring tape
a hot glue gun and hot melt glue refills
cigarette lighter (yeah, weird I know, but it's a must!)
and a pen

I'll start working on my instructions and then together we can make some bows!

Check back soon!

Girly Do's Giveaway

2008-08-31T17:53:00.002-04:00

Go to this great blog: Girly Do's and leave a comment for a great giveaway. And be sure to mention that I sent you!

Making a Come-Back

2008-08-30T14:47:00.000-04:00

After 9 months of being gone, I'm back.

You were all torn up over my hair bow vacation, I know.

What can I say, sometimes the tedious task of making hair bows gets to you. So I've made a plan. I realize that lotsw of you want to know the handiwork behind the bows, so I will be posting pictures of how to make the bows, the knots, as well as links to great ribbon sites.

Please stay tuned for more bows, new hair bow how to's, as well as ribbon and supplies for sale!

It's gonna be great!