Birdsong Bows

Want to win the next tutorial?

2012-02-28T07:50:00.005-08:00

I'm working on a new, simple felt flower tutorial to debut this week! I know that many of you like to purchase the newest tutorials, so I thought I'd give you a chance to win it!

To enter to win, you must do two (2) of the following:

*Pin one of my tutorials from my Etsy store to your Pinterest board!

*Give my Facebook page a shout-out on your page!

*Post your favorite picture of a tutorial made with a Birdsong pattern on my Facebook page wall.

*Purchase a tutorial or bundle collection from the Birdsong Etsy shop or the Birdsong website between now and noon Eastern on Wednesday, Feb. 29!

*If you purchased a tutorial from me on YouCanMakeThis.com, write a positive review of one of my products there! (You can only post a review if you purchased there).

THEN: (And this is important!!) Be sure to send me a note to deanna {at} birdsongbows.com so I know you've completed your two entries and want to be part of the contest. The contest will close at noon Eastern time on Wednesday, Feb. 29, and I'll do the drawing via Random.org shortly after! TWO (2) people will be selected to win the brand-new tutorial.

Thank you to Christi Nelson of Rawsii for the cute photo!

And the winner is.....

2012-02-23T16:37:00.001-08:00

Today's winner from our Facebook question game, chosen via Random.org, is Trisha Ashley! Trisha, please contact me at birdsongbows (at) gmail (dot) com and tell me which tutorial you would like for free!

Thanks to everyone who participated!

Photography Month! Photography makes the listing, Part 3

2012-02-16T06:51:00.001-08:00

This month I'm continuing to feature the work of some of the great photographers I've had a chance to work with, and give some tips about making photography work with your listings. One of those great photographers is Kate of Peekaboo Photography. I worked with her last year, and specifically wanted her to take some photos that could be the "face" of my brand.

I love the fanciful backgrounds that Kate uses, and she captures her little models in poses that look girly, cute, and natural. Kate and her husband, also a photographer, have three girls, and she certainly knows how to take photos with a fanciful quality that drips "girl!" When hiring a photographer, think both about the look you want for your product, but also the look you want for your shop. I knew Kate's photos would create the mood I was looking for when people entered the Birdsong Etsy store.

Below are beautiful photos Kate took of the Hannah flower and of two of my best-selling bow tutorials:

Take some time to browse Kates's work on her website!

Congratulations to the winners of the accessories challenge!

2012-02-06T05:55:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to the winners of the hair bow challenge this month!!!

The Voter's Choice award goes to Evelyn, with her fascinator (above)!! She wins a tutorial of her choice OR two de-stash ribbon mixes from Birdsong Bows and Patterns!

And the winner of of the random drawing, completed through Random.org, is Ginger, with a Valentine-inspired funky loopy bow (above)! Ginger wins a $15 gift certificate generously donated by The Ribbon Retreat.

Thanks so much to everyone for entering! Both winners can contact me at birdsongbows [at] gmail [dot] com. I'll host another contest next month! :)

Photography Month! Photography makes the listing, Part 2

2012-02-01T11:02:00.000-08:00

This month I'm continuing to feature the work of some of the great photographers I've had a chance to work with, and give some tips about making photography work with your listings. One of those great photographers is Christa of a Hope and a Wish Photography. I've worked with her since 2007, and she does some amazing work. She started in photography when her first daughter was born, then began taking photos for boutique designers. She opened her studio to clients two years ago.

Christa often uses a studio to shoot many of her photos. This has been a plus for me, because I know that even if I send her a hair accessory in January, she'll be able to take the photo regardless of the weather. I love natural-light photography as well, but there's a time and a place for studio work. And with the new backgrounds that have become popular, it's fun to work with the photographer to get the exact look you're trying to achieve. When looking for a photographer to capture your work, be sure to ask if she primarily shoots in natural light or in the studio, and discuss how you want your photos presented.

I like shots of my most "formal" looks to be done in the studio. Below is one Christa took of the Elizabeth ribbon rose/ruffle flower headband:

Take some time to browse Christa's work on her website!

Entries for the "Love is in the Air" accessories challenge

2012-01-28T06:27:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the 8 women who sent photos for our seventh challenge! The theme of this challenge is "Love is in the Air," and I asked participants to send a photo of a bow, hair flower, or other hair accessory that fits the theme!

There will be two awards! The first winner will be chosen by Random.org. The winner will receive a $15 gift certificate generously provided by The Ribbon Retreat.

But there's another prize! The second way to win is to have your friends, family, Facebook friends, etc., vote for you! There's a poll in the upper right corner of my blog (in the sidebar). Ginger's bow landed in my Spam filter, which showed up late (totally NOT her fault), so I added her bow on Monday and had to add a separate poll below the main poll - if you'd like to vote for her, please note that it's right below the main poll. Voting will continue until 9:30 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday, Feb. 4. The winner will receive her choice of a free tutorial or 2 de-stash ribbon mixes from Birdsong Patterns! :)

Enjoy the entries! And thanks again for participating. I will post the winner here on Monday, Feb. 6! Please check back here and on the Birdsong Facebook page for an announcement of the winners.

From Amy:

From Ashley:

From Becky:

From Evelyn:

From Lora:

From Melina:

From Mindy:

From Ginger:

Hair bow/fabric flower Challenge 7: Love is in the air

2012-01-19T08:15:00.000-08:00

The theme for our seventh challenge is simple: Love is in the air! You may make a boutique bow or bow set, a headband, a bowband, a funky loopy bow, a fascinator, a hair flower -- basically, anything you've fashioned out of ribbon or fabric -- following the them of "love." The hair bow or flower must be made from a Birdsong tutorial or pattern. You can focus on making your accessory romantic, cute, elegant, or whatever style you choose!

There will be two prizes again. The first will be chosen randomly, by Random.org. The winner of the random drawing will receive a $15 gift certificate from The Ribbon Retreat!

The second way to win a prize is through "Voter's Choice." I'll put all the bows on the blog and will host a poll in the sidebar beginning Saturday, Jan. 28. Invite your friends and relatives to vote for your bow! The winner of the Voter's Choice Award will receive a FREE e-book from Birdsong Bows and Patterns.

To enter, E-mail your best photograph of your finished product (either on a model or not) to me at deanna [at] birdsongbows.com by 2:59 a.m Pacific time (11:59 p.m. Eastern) on Friday, Jan. 27 (so, basically before you go to bed Friday night). Please keep your photos around 600 pixels wide, so that they're neither too big nor too small. And remember: They must be recognizably made using at least one Birdsong tutorial or pattern. No more than one entry/photo per contestant, please. If you're on Flickr, feel free to post a photo to the Birdsong Flickr Photo Group as well, for all to see!

Good luck! I can't wait to see your entries. :)

And the winner is....

2012-01-17T19:00:00.001-08:00

The winner of the Jan. 17 "Fill in the blank" drawing is Maggie St. Jean! I used Random.org to select a "winner" in each of the 4 posts, and then had Random.org select the final winner from those four!

Maggie, you've won a $10 gift certificate to The Ribbon Retreat, and $10 off any order from Birdsong Patterns! Congratulations! Please contact me at birdsongbows [at] gmail [dot] com and I'll tell you how to collect your prizes!

Thanks to everyone who entered throughout the day - I really had fun reading your responses!

Here's mine - in case you're curious! My favorite time to sew and craft is when my kids are in school, or on Saturday mornings. My favorite part about making accessories is seeing my creations on my daughters or other little girls. When it comes to crafting/sewing, I'd love to learn more about surface and textile design - I've made many quilts, but would love to get into art quilting. And my personal style? Casual, but colorful. :)

Have a great one!

Photography Month! Photography makes the listing, Day 1

2012-01-17T10:42:00.001-08:00

I am in love with fantastic photography! Successful online sellers, including those who sell on sites like Etsy, Artfire or their own sites, know that when it comes to grabbing a customer's attention, there's nothing like a crisp, clear photo of their product. Combine that with a cute, fresh, face - and - swoon!

This month I'm going to feature some of the great photographers I've had the honor of working with, and I'm also going to share some tips on how to make great photography "work" for your business, if you're a seller. So, sit back, grab a cup of tea or coffee, and enjoy!

Today I wanted to share some recent photos taken by Ashley Glasco Photography. I sent her a fabric flower fascinator from my latest pattern, the Scarlett flower, and let her do her magic.

Ashley combined my headband with the cute outfits created by Designs by Shine. If you make clothing or hair accessories for sale, it can be difficult to decide which listings to have modeled, since it's often not cost-effective to model one-of-a-kind (one-offs) or complicated designs that you know you'll sell only a few of. But if you've created an outfit or accessory with mass appeal, think about having it modeled!

And don't you love the cute heart accessory by The Polka Dot Pickle? Adorable for Valentine's Day!

Ashley Glasco is an on-location, natural-light photographer in the Richmond/Mechanicsville area in Virginia. Enjoy looking through her website!

New Pattern: The Scarlett Flower

2012-01-12T08:18:00.000-08:00

Birdsong's newest fabric flower pattern is the elegant Scarlett Flower! No sewing machine is required for this beginner's project. Use this beautiful flower as a hair accessory, on a purse, or a belt. You can also create it for every day use or special occasions like weddings! Enjoy this - it would make a great Valentine's gift as well!

Thank you to Christi Nelson of Rawsii for the beautiful photos of her baby girl!

A look back, and a look forward: Welcome 2012!

2012-01-06T09:13:00.000-08:00

First - my look back. Not at my own year, but at the life of an avid sewist. My mother-in-law sewed her entire life, and dedicated herself to the craft after her three children were grown. She's suffering from Alzheimer's, and can no longer do what she was passionate about for years. Her health is declining, and she now has 'round-the-clock care at her home after a fall in November. Mr. Birdsong and our oldest daughter, pictured above, took the 4 1/2-hour drive to the Cincinnati area to visit her over the holidays.

They brought back some of her favorite things - a sewing machine, serger, and many, many sewing books. Some were written as recently as the 1990s, while others...well, we'll just say they're oldies-but-goodies.

I'm sad to admit that, while we shared a love for sewing and quilting, I've really had a hard time talking to her over the past year. It's just difficult....to know what to say. Mr. Birdsong calls every day and my daughter tries, and I chime in here and there, but mostly I want to remember her the way she was, and not as she is now. I need to work on that; work on talking to her more (a good resolution, maybe).

I have been poring through her books, and really enjoy seeing and reading her copious notes, comments, and swatch libraries. I will learn a lot from her, even if she's not able to help in person:

Mixed among her sewing books was a glossy manual about this history of the Apollo missions, lol. Well, maybe it wasn't so mixed - maybe Mr. Birdsong brought it home "just because."

It's funny, because I had no interest in sewing until about 13 years ago, and then rushed to my mom for help. My mom is also a sewist, and even received a much-cherished Singer sewing machine for her high school graduation. I have that, too (so now I'm officially a 3-sewing machine, 2-serger house, yikes). I could not have imagined that someday I'd be sharing my sewing ability with others. Thank you, Mom!

For the past five years, Birdsong has been mostly about bows. In 2011 I branched into fabric flowers, and this year you'll see the addition of (you guessed it!) sewing patterns. (Yes, you've reached the "Looking Forward" part now.) They'll be fun and easy to make, even if you've just started sewing. At heart, I'm a craft and accessories sewer. I've made quilts for 10 years and love making useful items and accessories. You'll enjoy sharing what you've made with your children, and showing them around your house. In between I'll also keep creating popular flower and bow tutorials, because we all need flowers in our lives!

This blog will also undergo some small changes very soon - look for a new page design, advertising options and a great new site where you can get your tutorials instantly, without having to wait for me to wake up in the morning! Additionally, I'll be beefing up my blogging schedule and already have another free flower tutorial to add within the week. ;)

Have a blessed 2012, everyone! I can't wait for the ride, and I'm so glad you've decided to join me.

In a ruffly mood - Tips for using a ruffler foot attachment

2011-12-29T07:35:00.001-08:00

Oh, ruffles. I love them! But oh, how I disliked making them....any method I tried resulted in some degree of frustration. So I sucked it up and shelled out the $80 for a ruffler foot for my Viking. There are universal-type rufflers for less, but I prefer to buy the factory originals since I've never had problems with them. I read the instructions and then watched this very thorough video, and decided it was time to play.

I mounted it carefully to my machine, and it was quite simple:

If you note the top, there are the settings for ruffling every 12 or 6 stitches, and even every stitch (the 1). The 0 is for straight stitching:

I knew that I needed a systematic way to document how my ruffles behaved on the different settings, so I would be able to measure and cut the correct length of fabric for ruffles on future projects. I wanted to know how much fabric it would take for a variety of combinations. I cut six, 20-inch-long strips that are 2 inches wide to serve as my testing materials:

My goal was to test the 12, 6 and 1 setting with the screw half open and also with it completely closed - the screw is the part that regulates how much fabric is tucked into each ruffle. But, I changed my mind after watching the video from SewEtcetera, in which the presenter suggested not keeping the screw fully closed when ruffling every stitch, since it made the ruffles too bulky and misbehaved a bit. So I abandoned the sixth strip and didn't test that combination of settings. But, try yours out and see what it will do (you won't hurt anything on a test strip, right?):

Next, I made marks in my strips at the 5" mark and the 15" mark. My intention here is to measure the middle 10 inches after ruffling to see how much it shrinks with each setting:

My planned settings were: 12 with the screw all the way in; 12 with the screw half-way out, 6 with the same two screw settings, and 1 with the screw half-way out.

I quickly learned that the video (and instructions that came with the ruffler) made it look very simple to slide the fabric into the ruffler. However, it wasn't as easy for me until I realized I needed to push the the part with the "fork" all the way in, toward the needle, before inserting the fabric. Otherwise, the fabric gets caught on the fork. Just thought you should know. :)

After each test strip, I stapled it to a notecard with the information on settings, measurements, etc. It's quite interesting to see how different each setting worked for me:

I plan to slip these notecards into a binder, so I can refer to them later when making projects that require ruffles!

Thanks to Tie Dye Diva, who made the cute ruffle romper pattern that I was able to match with the Catherine headband ribbon flower tutorial! The photo is courtesy of EMA Photography.

Holiday cheer!

2011-12-27T13:08:00.000-08:00

We stayed home for the holidays and hosted Christmas at our house. After three days of baking cookies, which is the maximum amount of time I want to stay in the kitchen, I ordered a lasagna from a local Italian deli and served it for Christmas.

We didn't have a white Christmas, but it did snow a couple of days later, and Natalia and Mr. Birdsong made this little snow girl. Sadly she doesn't have much longer to "live" because it's a bit too warm, but it was fun to have her around while we did. :)

I've been spending my "off" time sewing and have a useful little tutorial to post this week, on measuring your fabric for ruffles if you use a ruffler foot! So if you have one of those feet and have been a little intimidated by it....tune in soon and I'll show you how easy it is!

Enjoy the remainder of the holiday season, and blessings to you and your families! :)

New Pattern: The Jasmine Star Flower

2011-12-24T10:43:00.000-08:00

Birdsong's newest pattern is the versatile Jasmine Star Flower! A sewing machine is suggested for this project, but you can also make much of it with hot glue instead, if you wish. Use this beautiful flower as a hair accessory, on a purse, or even as an ornament!

Congratulations to the winner of the accessories challenge!

2011-12-21T07:59:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to the winner of the hair bow challenge this month!!!

For the first time, the Voter's Choice award AND the Judge's Choice award go to the same person, LaToya! You win both a tutorial of your choice from Birdsong Bows and Patterns and a $15 gift certificate from The Ribbon Retreat!

Our guest judge Melissa, of The Bowvine, said, "These Monkey Bows are my favorite. I always love to work with printed ribbon and make my other ribbon selections around that main focus. I love the color combos chosen, and the centers were a great choice, as well. I think the ribbon ends are very neatly done and the bows are very symmetrical. It takes talent to create a pair of bows that are perfectly matched, and I think that was accomplished here. Well done, Latoya!" Thanks much, Melissa, for being our guest judge!

And thanks so much to everyone for entering! LaToya, please contact me at birdsongbows [at] gmail [dot] com. I'll host another contest within 2-3 weeks. :)

Cookie contest results!

2011-12-19T19:13:00.000-08:00

Thanks for participating in my cookie-guessing contest on Facebook! I am planning to make lemon sugar cookie cut-outs, peppermint meringues, gingerbread cookies, and coconut/macaroon kisses! I love peanut butter, but unfortunately one of my daughters is allergic!

Thirteen of you guessed something close to these cookies (or you were right on!). I listed them and put them into Random.org. The winner is Lauren Cupples Loeffel! Lauren, you've won a free Birdsong tutorial/pattern of your choice. Please visit www.birdsongpatterns.com and choose any single pattern that you'd like, then send me an e-mail at birdsongbows(at) gmail (dot) com with your choice!

Happy holidays everyone, and don't forget that you have until tomorrow morning to vote for your favorite bow in the latest challenge (the post below this one!)

Entries for the "Who says you can't work with animals?" challenge

2011-12-13T08:09:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the 4 women who sent photos for our sixth challenge! The theme of this challenge is "Who says you can't work with animals?," and I asked participants to send a photo of a bow, hair flower, or other hair accessory that fits the theme!

There will be two awards! The first winner will be chosen by Melissa of The Bowvine! The winner will receive a $15 gift certificate from The Ribbon Retreat.

But there's another prize! The second way to win is to have your friends, family, Facebook friends, etc., vote for you! There's a poll in the upper right corner of my blog (in the sidebar). Voting will continue until 11 a.m. Eastern time on Tuesday, Dec. 20. The winner will receive her choice of a free tutorial or 2 de-stash ribbon mixes from Birdsong Patterns! :)

Enjoy the entries! And thanks again for participating. I will post the winner here on either Dec. 20 or 21! Please check back here and on the Birdsong Facebook page for an announcement of the winners.

From Becky:

From Amy:

From Deborah:

From Latoya:

Hair Bow Challenge 6: Who says you can't work with animals?

2011-12-02T10:51:00.000-08:00

Image of micro monkey by Su Ami

The theme for our sixth challenge is taken from the Hollywood phrase, "Never work with animals!" But we will! :) You may make a boutique bow or bow set, a headband, a bowband, a funky loopy bow, a fascinator, a hair flower -- basically, anything you've fashioned out of ribbon or fabric -- following an animal theme. The hair bow or flower must be made from a Birdsong tutorial or pattern. You can focus on any type of animal you like. Cute and cuddly kittens? Funky monkeys? Horses? The animal kingdom is yours.

There will be two prizes again! The first will be chosen by our talented judge, Melissa of The Bowvine. The winner of the Judge's Choice Award will receive a $15 gift certificate from The Ribbon Retreat!

The second way to win a prize is through "Voter's Choice." I'll put all the bows on the blog and will host a poll in the sidebar beginning Tuesday, December 13. Invite your friends and relatives to vote for your bow! The winner of the Voter's Choice Award will receive a FREE e-book from Birdsong Bows and Patterns.

To enter, E-mail your best photograph of your finished product (either on a model or not) to me at deanna [at] birdsongbows.com by 2:59 a.m Pacific time (11:59 p.m. Eastern) on Monday, Dec. 12 (so, basically before you go to bed Monday night). Please keep your photos around 600 pixels wide, so that they're neither too big nor too small. And remember: They must be recognizably made using at least one Birdsong tutorial or pattern. No more than one entry/photo per contestant, please. If you're on Flickr, feel free to post a photo to the Birdsong Flickr Photo Group as well, for all to see!

Good luck! I can't wait to see your entries. :)

Percentage of December sales to be donated to Heifer

2011-12-01T12:35:00.000-08:00

It's the holiday season, and the season of giving. But this means much more than just giving gifts to each other - it also reminds us that we need to give to others who have more needs than we do.

Birdsong will donate at least 10% of profits this month to Heifer International. What I like about Heifer is that it helps families become self-sufficient. It gives families an animal, like a heifer, goat or chicken, that can create food for the family (milk, eggs). According to their website, Heifer International has provided livestock and environmentally sound agricultural training since 1944 to improve the lives of those who struggle daily for reliable sources of food and income. Heifer is currently working in 50 countries, including the U.S., to help families and communities become more self-reliant. This keeps families together rather than causing one parent to leave their village for work in a far-flung location. And one of the other important benefits is that children - especially girls who are usually forced out of school - are more likely to receive an education once their family participates in the program.

And this means Heifer International helps empower women.

My maternal grandma, above, had to support herself and her three children with her earnings as a hairdresser - in a shop in her home. In fact, at 84, she still has customers! My paternal grandma, who passed away several years ago, raised her two boys and went into the workforce later, earning a pension and retiring in Florida. My dad worked very hard and had a well-paying, stable job that allowed my mom to stay home with my brother and me. And while having one parent stay home is ideal (whether it be mom or dad), the truth is that the middle class has changed, and usually both parents have to work outside of the home.

But, since I'm on a computer and you're on a computer, probably from the comfort of your home or office, we obviously have it much better than those who receive aid from Heifer. I can't change policies here in the U.S. to provide paid maternity leave to mothers and fathers, and I can't force businesses to grant sick pay/comp time to people so they can care for ill loved ones. I can't provide a stay-at-home mom or dad with a decent pension. But through Heifer, I can help one family change their life for the better. And maybe, one day, a girl can have the life that right now she can only dream about.

Winner of the free tutorial!

2011-11-30T17:06:00.001-08:00

The winner of the FREE tutorial from my Facebook contest is Number 7, Diana Navarro! Please contact me at birdsongbows (at) gmail (dot) com and tell me which free, single tutorial you would like! You can view them on the Birdsong website.

How to cut fabric with a rotary cutter and mat

2011-11-30T10:19:00.000-08:00

So I realize that the title of this post is "How to cut fabric with a rotary cutter and mat," because that's what it's really about...but the first photo here is my new serger. That's because I'm showing off! But, seriously, the serger inspired me to create this free tutorial. I brought it home, and thought...I want to make some serged napkins! So I whipped out my rotary cutter and mat and quickly produced six, 14" squares out of my yard of fabric. I have a quilting background, so this was second-nature to me. But what about those of you who might not know how to properly use these handy tools? This tutorial is for you.

You'll need a self-healing mat of at least 24", a long acrylic ruler of at least 6" by 24", a rotary cutter (I like the 45mm for cutting cotton), and - optional but highly recommended - a mesh glove (also called a Klutz glove). Just a single glove, like Michael Jackson wore, but not quite as spiffy. And, of course, some fabric yardage!

To get nice cuts, you'll first want to press your fabric and then fold it once, meeting the selvages with no wrinkles in the fabric. This might mean moving the fabric left and right, because the side edges won't match -- the selvage is the only thing that counts:

To fit this on your cutting board, you might need to fold it again. Meet your fold up with the selvages. Be very careful - not matching your selvages perfectly can result in a "wavy" cut later.

Now, line up the bottom folded edge with one of the horizontal lines on your cutting mat:

Grab your rotary cutter and ruler (the ruler is shown here with a little sandpaper circle on the corners so it won't move as much when I cut), and channel your inner MJ by putting the glove on the hand opposite of the one you cut with:

I know what you're thinking: "I'll never need that glove; I'll be so careful that I'll never cut myself." I know this, because I had that thought. I worked for several years without an accident, and then one late night, when I had an order to fill and strep throat, it happened - one slice down the fabric and into my finger! Ouch. Not worth it. Buy the glove, if only because it's cheaper than an ER visit.

Line up your ruler close to the edge of your fabric, along one of the solid, vertical lines on the cutting mat. Make sure you get all of the layers in without cutting off too much waste. Starting from the bottom, cut away from you, just like you would cut a pizza. Away from you, not toward you. Did I say "away?" Then lock your cutter before you place it back on your table while you adjust your fabric for more cutting. If the cutter falls and you're not wearing shoes, it can plunge into your foot....ouch! And be sure to keep it locked and away from children when not in use.

I cut my napkins to 14" by 14". I made the first cut to make sure my side was straight; made another cut 14 inches away, and then turned my large "strip" and made cross cuts 14 inches apart.

Then I took my fabric squares over to my serger:

...and made these beautiful rolled edges:

Here's four of the six napkins, completed:

Now, certainly you can do the same project with your sewing machine, by making a 14 1/2" square and folding over the edges by 1/4" to the back of the fabric, pressing, folding 1/4" again, and sewing the seams. In this case, serging is faster and creates a fantastic edge. We use fabric napkins all the time in my family -- just wash them in hot water with your towels, and re-use. A pretty and eco-friendly way to dress up your everyday table.

Rotary cutting supplies can be pricey, but if you watch fliers for the big-box crafing/sewing stores, you should find a 50% off coupon to use. Rotary cutting will make your sewing projects go quicker, and I recommend it for two of my hair accessory tutorials, the Betty Jo Bow/Joseph Bow Tie and the Annabelle flower. Because cutting is my least favorite part about sewing, I appreciate any quick boost I can get!

New Pattern: The Betty Jo Bow/Joseph Bow Tie

2011-11-28T10:59:00.001-08:00

Birdsong's newest hair bow pattern is the cute Betty Jo Bow/Joseph Bow Tie! This beginner's pattern does require a sewing machine, but it's a quick and easy project that you'll make for all the girls and boys in your life -- as well as for yourself! The tutorial includes information for a variety of different sizes and variations.

Thank you to Christa of A Hope and a Wish Photography and to Abbie of Bunny Lane Photography for the cute photos!

Jolly Holiday Giveaway!

2011-11-09T10:12:00.000-08:00

And the winner is: #55, Urban Frills Boutique!

Urban Frills Boutique, please contact me at birdsongbows (at) gmail (dot) com by 7 p.m. Pacific time on Monday, Nov. 21 to receive your prizes!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

We want you to have a jolly holiday season! Seven of us are offering this fabulous giveaway to help you celebrate. Enter between now and 7 p.m. U.S. Eastern time Thursday, Nov. 17 to win a package of fabulous prizes valued at $350! International entries are welcome. ONLY ONE (1) ENTRY PER PERSON, PLEASE. DUPLICATES WILL BE DELETED.

(Photos shown are just examples of the companies' work; not indicative of your exact prize)

GRAND PRIZE

A $125 Logo from Boutique by Design
A $50 gift basket of ribbon and other goodies from Ribbon and Bows Oh My
A $50 gift certificate (if local) OR a free photography/modeling service to a commercial client from a Hope and a Wish Photography
Your choice of 3 patterns from Retro Mama
An upcycled girl's dress from Bullfrogs 'N' Fireflies ($75 value)
4 free patterns of your choice from Buggabugs
Your choice of 3 patterns/tutorials from Birdsong Bows and Patterns

Enter between now and 7 p.m. U.S. Eastern time Thursday, Nov. 17. Each person can earn one (1) entry by combining three (3) tasks from the lists below. Please complete all of your entry “tasks” first and then post everything in ONE comment box below. This will help us keep track as we record your entries. Entries added as comments on other blogs of the giveaway team will not be counted. This is the only entry location, to prevent flustered giveaway team members and missed entries. Thanks for understanding!

You may do ANY COMBINATION of the following different ways to enter:

First way to Enter:
Visit THREE of our shops and comment on what you like best from each shop (up to three comments, all added in one comment box, equals your entry):

BuggaBugs: http://www.etsy.com/shop/buggabugs
Ribbon and Bows Oh My: http://www.ribbonandbowsohmy.com
Birdsong Bows and Patterns: http://www.etsy.com/shop/birdsongbows
Retro Mama: http://www.etsy.com/shop/retromama
Bullfrogs 'n Fireflies: http://www.etsy.com/shop/bullfrogsnfireflies
a Hope and a Wish Photography: http://www.ahopeandawishphotography.com
Boutique By Design http://www.boutiquebydesign.com

Second way to Enter:
“Like” the Facebook pages of THREE of our companies or become a confirmed subscriber of their blog (liking or following three Facebook pages/blogs of three different companies equals your entry). If you are already a member of someone’s fan page or blog, we ask that you “like” someone else’s page in order to have an eligible entry.

Boutique By Design: http://www.facebook.com/boutiquebydesign
a Hope and a Wish Photography: http://www.facebook.com/ahopeandawishphotography
Bullfrogs 'n' Fireflies: http://www.facebook.com/bullfrogsandfireflies
Birdsong Bows and Patterns: http://www.facebook.com/birdsongpatterns
Retro Mama: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Retro-Mama/29473229169
BuggaBugs: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bugga-Bugs/47819923796
Ribbon and Bows Oh My: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ribbons-and-Bows-Oh-My/121127984585484

Third Way to Enter:
Buy from the following shops during the giveaway period and combine this form of entry with any of the other two ways to enter. (Only ONE purchase from any of our shops during the entry period counts as one task, but you may make purchases from different businesses to add to your list of 3 tasks. Sorry; previous purchases are not eligible. We still love you, of course, but need to limit this to the giveaway period.)

Ribbon and Bows Oh My: http://www.ribbonandbowsohmy.com
Retro Mama: http://www.etsy.com/shop/retromama
Birdsong Bows and Patterns: http://www.etsy.com/shop/birdsongbows
Boutique By Design: http://www.boutiquebydesign.com
BuggaBugs http://www.etsy.com/shop/buggabugs
Bullfrogs 'n' Fireflies: http://www.etsy.com/shop/bullfrogsnfireflies"
a Hope and a Wish Photography: http://www.ahopeandawishphotography.com

Examples:
1. If you “like” a business’ Facebook or blog page and then make comments about two other business’ products, you earn 1 entry.

2. If you comment on one business’ products and then like/join two other Facebook pages, you earn 1 entry.

3. If you buy from 1 shop, like another's Facebook page and comment on another's shop, this earns you 1 entry.

4. If you buy from 3 shops, this earns you 1 entry.

5. If you only comment on 2 business' products, or just like two Facebook pages, or just buy from one shop and comment on another -- but don't do a third task -- you have not entered and your entry will not be counted.

Again, please post all of your entry tasks in ONE comment box below. Thank you!

Here’s the boring stuff, but you need to know it to collect your prizes:

1. Only 1 entry comment box per person, please. The comments are checked before going through Random.org, and additional comments by the same person will be removed.

2. The winner will be chosen by Random.org and posted by 7 p.m. U.S. Eastern time on Friday, Nov. 18. To protect your e-mail addresses, we are NOT asking for them, so you will need to check this blog to find out if you’ve won. All winners have 72 hours (until 7 p.m. Pacific time on Monday, Nov. 21) to respond to deanna@birdsongbows.com to receive your prizes. Prizes unclaimed after 72 hours will go to another winner, chosen by Random.org - no exceptions. So please check back to see if you've won; and watch the Birdsong Facebook Page to see if there's going to be a re-draw. The re-draw winner has another 72 hours to respond to deanna@birdsongbows.com!

3. Winners will be picked via Random.org. You are agreeing to have the name in your comment post published on this blog, as well as on the blogs and Facebook walls of any member of the giveaway team.

4. Awards have no “cash” value and cannot be traded for cash. The prize is the prize.

5. No giveaway team members, their immediate families, or their employees may enter. By immediate families, this means your spouse, children, brother, sister, mother or father.

Thank you to Kim of Boutique By Design for the graphics for this post!

2011-11-01T11:09:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the winners of the hair bow challenge this month!!!

The Voter's Choice award goes to Miriam, with her candy corn bow (above)!!! She wins a tutorial of her choice OR two de-stash ribbon mixes from Birdsong Bows and Patterns!

And the winner of of the random drawing, completed through Random.org, is Kathy, with her winter-inspired Camellia fabric flower! Kathy wins a $15 gift certificate from The Ribbon Retreat.

Thanks so much to everyone for entering! Both winners can contact me at birdsongbows [at] gmail [dot] com. I'll host another contest within 2-3 weeks. :)

Entries for the "Celebrate the Holiday" hair accessories challenge!

2011-10-25T07:56:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the 6 women who sent photos for our fifth challenge! The theme of this challenge is "Celebrate the Holidays," and I asked participants to send a photo of a bow, hair flower, or other hair accessory that fits the theme!

There will be two awards! The first winner will be chosen by Random.org. The winner will receive a $15 gift certificate from The Ribbon Retreat.

But there's another prize! The second way to win is to have your friends, family, Facebook friends, etc., vote for you! There's a poll in the upper right corner of my blog (in the sidebar). Voting will continue until 11 a.m. Eastern time on Tuesday, Nov. 1. The winner will receive her choice of a free tutorial or 2 de-stash ribbon mixes from Birdsong Patterns! :)

Enjoy the entries! And thanks again for participating. I will post the winner here on either Nov. 1 or 2! Please check back here and on the Birdsong Facebook page for an announcement of the winners.

From Ashley:

From Becky:

From Crystal:

From Kathy:

From Lora:

From Miriam:

Hair Bow Challenge 5: Celebrate the holidays!

2011-10-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

Image of invitation by Kathy Weller of Weller Wishes

The theme for our fifth challenge is "Celebrate the holidays!" You may make a boutique bow or bow set, a headband, a bowband, a funky loopy bow, a fascinator, a hair flower -- basically, anything you've fashioned out of ribbon or fabric -- following this theme. The hair bow or flower must be made from a Birdsong tutorial or pattern. You can focus on Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa - any fall/winter holiday that you'd like.

There will be two prizes again! The first will be a RANDOM drawing completed through Random.org. The winner of the random drawing will receive a $15 gift certificate from The Ribbon Retreat!

The second way to win a prize is through "Voter's Choice." I'll put all the bows on the blog and will host a poll in the sidebar beginning Tuesday, Oct. 25. Invite your friends and relatives to vote for your bow! The winner of the Voter's Choice Award will receive a FREE e-book from Birdsong Bows and Patterns.

To enter, E-mail your best photograph of your finished product (either on a model or not) to me at deanna [at] birdsongbows.com by 2:59 a.m Pacific time (11:59 p.m. Eastern) on Sunday, Oct. 23 (so, basically before you go to bed Sunday night). Please keep your photos around 600 pixels wide, so that they're neither too big nor too small. And remember: They must be recognizably made using at least one Birdsong tutorial or pattern. No more than one entry/photo per contestant, please. If you're on Flickr, feel free to post a photo to the Birdsong Flickr Photo Group as well, for all to see!

Good luck! I can't wait to see your entries. :)

Designing hair bows and fabric flowers for the holidays

2011-10-12T09:49:00.000-07:00

Whether you create hair accessories for family or for sale, it's sometimes a challenge to create a hair bow or hair flower that looks fresh and different. Especially if you sell your bows, you'll want to make some eye-catching choices. Some advance planning will help your products stand out in a sea of red and green.

First, brainstorm about what the holidays and winter mean to you. Red, green, gold, and silver are all popular colors for your accessories. If you're Jewish, you'll be embellishing with blue and silver. If you're Catholic, purple will remind you of Advent. Consider that most of us are designing for girly-girls! Add pops of hot pink, lime, and glitter.

Don't forget to think "winter." Blues, whites, snowflakes, penguins, polar bears, cardinals, fir trees and pine cones, sleds, boots/mittens and ice skates are all ideas you can use for ribbons and embellishments. Because everyone loves to save money, think how versatile a "winter" bow will be when compared with a "holiday" bow. Use red and white alone, and your hair bow or hair flower can go from December through February, as girls accessorize for Valentine's Day.

If you're low on ideas, comb fabric websites or take a trip to your local quilt shop. A hair accessory or bow created with this fabric in mind...

...will create an entirely different mood than one inspired by this fabric:

It's important to make the right ribbon and fabric choices for your hair bows and accessories. But don't forget embellishments! In fact, buyers will often base their choice of bow on the embellishments, rather than the ribbons. Stock up on embellishments throughout the year. If you plan to continue making accessories, buy after the holiday is over to save money, and so you'll have a stash in place for the following year. Look for embellishments at popular craft and fabric stores, but also scour Etsy and Artfire to find some fantastic polymer clay artists!

Check out these beautiful embellishments from Tessa Ann:

And this fantastic bead - which can also be bow center - from Candyland Beads:

The cost of your ribbons and embellishments might not be a concern if you're making bows for your children or grandchildren. But if you're selling these, be sure to recoup the cost of your ribbon and embellishments! Embellishments can add up. Include their cost (and the amount it cost to have them shipped to you) in with the cost of ribbons or fabrics, and be sure to add on your hourly rate! It's nice to give gifts for the holidays, but you don't want to "gift" all of your business.

Most of all, have fun. Give yourself enough time to finish your projects or orders, make sure your hair bow and fabric flower tutorials are handy, and enjoy the process of choosing your theme and creating your small works of art. Designing for the holidays can be fun, with a little advance planning and few "fresh" ideas!

New Pattern: The Hannah Flower

2011-09-24T11:16:00.000-07:00

The Hannah Flower pattern is a new, no-sew tutorial from Birdsong Patterns, complete with computer-drawn pattern pieces and simple step-by-step instructions. Learn how to make a no-fray, dimensional fabric flower out of cottons or silks without burning fabric or using messy candles! I'll show you a simple millinery technique that will allow your flower to hold its shape.

I have enjoyed making many of these flowers, and you will, too! The PDF pattern can be purchased on Birdsong Etsy or the Birdsong Patterns website. Enjoy!

And the winners are...

2011-09-17T09:09:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the winners of the hair bow challenge this month!!!

The Voter's Choice award goes to Evelyn, with her silver screen bow (above)!!! She wins a tutorial of her choice from Birdsong Bows and Patterns!

And the winner of of the random drawing, completed through Random.org, is Lora, with her "How to Train a Dragon" bow! Lora wins a $15 gift certificate from The Ribbon Retreat.

Thanks so much to everyone for entering! Both winners can contact me at birdsongbows [at] gmail [dot] com. I'll host another contest within 2-3 weeks. :)

Entries for the "Let's Go to the Movies" challenge

2011-09-09T06:24:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the 6 women who sent photos for our fourth challenge! The theme of this challenge is "Let's Go the Movies," and I asked participants to send a photo of a bow, hair flower, or other hair accessory that reminds them of either a specific movie OR of the experience of going to the movies!

There will be two awards! The first winner will be chosen by Random.org. The winner will receive a $15 gift certificate from The Ribbon Retreat.

But there's another prize! The second way to win is to have your friends, family, Facebook friends, etc., vote for you! There's a poll in the upper right corner of my blog (in the sidebar). Voting will continue until 10 a.m. Eastern time on Friday, Sept. 16. The winner will receive her choice of a free tutorial from Birdsong Bows! :)

Enjoy the entries! And thanks again for participating. I will post the winner here on either Aug. Sept. 16 or 17! Please check back here and on the Birdsong Facebook page for an announcement of the winners.

From Lora:

Her bow represents all the colors of the dragons in the movie, "How to Train Your Dragon." She and her kids love dragons, and the movie!

From Fabiola:

Fabiola's bow is reminiscent of Strawberry Shortcake in her Berry Sweet movies!

From Evelyn:

Evelyn designed a 1940's inspired "Starlet" bow, in black and white, for her favorite era of movies - she loves Audrey Hepburn! She wanted to emphasize idea of the silver screen.

From Becky:

Becky's bow is based on the movie, "The Devil Wears Prada!"

From Crystal:

Crystal made a bow for her daughter that represents her favorite movie, "The Little Mermaid!"

From Kristin:

Kristin loves anything Disney, and specifically, she loves Mickey Mouse!

Hair Bow Challenge 4: Let's go to the movies!

2011-08-30T10:35:00.000-07:00

Image of invitation by Pink Pickle Studios

The theme for our fourth challenge is "Let's go to the movies!" You may make a boutique bow or bow set, a headband, a bowband, a funky loopy bow, a fascinator, a hair flower -- basically, anything you've fashioned out of ribbon or fabric -- following this theme. The hair bow or flower must be made from a Birdsong tutorial or pattern. Are you a fan of Gone with the Wind, or do you prefer cartoons and comedies you can watch with the kids? You can base your accessory on any movie you like. Or are you inspired by popcorn and candy - the "ambience" surrounding the event of going to the movies? You can make an accessory based on your favorite movie snack as well!

There will be two prizes again! The first will be a RANDOM drawing completed through Random.org. The winner of the random drawing will receive a $15 gift certificate from The Ribbon Retreat!

The second way to win a prize is through "Voter's Choice." I'll put all the bows on the blog and will host a poll in the sidebar on Friday, Sept. 9. Invite your friends and relatives to vote for your bow! The winner of the Voter's Choice Award will receive a FREE e-book from Birdsong Bows and Patterns.

To enter, E-mail your best photograph of your finished product (either on a model or not) to me at deanna [at] birdsongbows.com by 2:59 a.m Pacific time (11:59 p.m. Eastern) on Wednesday, September 7 (so, basically before you go to bed Wednesday night). Please keep your photos around 600 pixels wide, so that they're neither too big nor too small. And remember: They must be recognizably made using at least one Birdsong tutorial or pattern. No more than one entry/photo per contestant, please. If you're on Flickr, feel free to post a photo to the Birdsong Flickr Photo Group as well, for all to see!

Good luck! I can't wait to see your entries. :)

Free Fabric Flower Tutorial - How to make a simple gathered fabric flower

2011-08-23T08:59:00.000-07:00

My girls are starting school tomorrow, and because of a school consolidation, the uniform colors changed from navy, khaki and white last year to purple, gold, white, black and khaki now. My youngest is entering kindergarten (sob!!). I planned to "pass down" the bows and flowers from my older daughter, but they now both need hair accessories in a different color! I wanted something quick to make today, since we're spending at least part of the time gearing up for school.

This flower is a simple strip-work piece that I've created out of just a portion of a fat quarter of silk dupioni, and is very easy to make. It helps if you have a sewing machine, but you can hand-stitch if necessary.

Other supplies needed:
* 1 fat quarter of fabric
* Basic sewing supplies (needle, thread, scissors, iron/ironing board)
* Rotary cutter, mat with markings, and acrylic ruler (not completely necessary, but very, very helpful)
* Hot glue gun and glue
* Fancy button
* Barrette or pinch clip (or pinback, if preferred, to add to a purse, coat or shirt)

First, press your fabric. Then lay it on your cutting mat with the edges squarely against the guide marks. Position your ruler along the 45-degree diagonal line, and make the first cut.

Move over 2 inches, and cut your first strip. Cut another 2-inch strip, also on the bias. When you add your strips together, they should measure about 36 inches, but this is approximate - if you've got a lot less than 36 inches, cut a third strip. If you've got more, don't worry about it.

Place your fabric strips together with the ends nestled as shown below, with 1/4" overhanging on EACH side. If you have a right and a wrong side, be sure to place your fabric right sides together. Pin.

Take this to your machine, and sew 1/4" from the edge. If you don't have a machine, be sure to stitch by hand with very small stitches!

Press your strip with the seams going to one side. You can press the seams open if you wish, but since I have a quilting background, I usually just press to one side.

Once you've pressed your seam, cut off the little triangle that sticks out on the one side, so that you have a smooth, clean strip (below). I couldn't show the cutting because I didn't have an assistant here today to hold my projects, like I usually do when I photograph my ebooks, lol.

Trim your ends into gentle curves. I've shown it below with the fabric layered on top of itself, so you can see how both ends are curved (sort of like a really long, skinny boat!).

Using your needle and thread, make long running stitches about 1/4" in from the edge, starting at the curve (below), and stitching all the way to the other end of the strip. Finish after you've gone up the second curve. Do not stitch along the other long side (the second photo is showing the stitching and is "flipped over" from the picture above; you will not stitch along both sides).

Pull your thread gently to gather your fabric strip. You don't need to gather it overly tight, but tight enough to create some flattering "ruffles." It will start to wind in on itself as you pull (second photo, below).

Cut a 3 1/2" inch square out of matching fabric. Find the center by folding it along both diagonals, and then unfolding it.

Thread your needle, and stitch the gathered fabric strip onto the square. Position it over the middle point. Wind the strip into a corkscrew as you move inward, stitching as you go along.

Trim the square away, leaving a smaller circle (below).

Sew and hot-glue a button onto the front.

You can add a piece of felt to the back for more stability, but because I was aiming for a super quick project, I decided to simply hot-glue the barrette to the back.

Enjoy your finished fabric flower! :)

2,500 Facebook Fan Giveaway!

2011-08-18T06:14:00.001-07:00

The comment period is now closed.

And the winner, chosen by Random.org, out of 22 eligible entries, is Number 11, Annemarie! Annemarie, please contact me a birdsongbows [at] gmail [dot] com so I can send you the tutorial of your choice!

Birdsong has reached 2,500 fans on Facebook! To celebrate, I'm having a pattern giveaway today. To enter, just write a comment, below, about what you like best about Birdsong patterns OR why you would like to try one! Only one (1) entry per person.

The winner can choose any pattern for free from the Birdsong Patterns Etsy shop. This giveaway will close at 5 p.m. Eastern time (so, 2 p.m. Pacific) TODAY, so enter early!

In addition, I'm offering 25% off on the Birdsong Patterns website, also today ONLY, through 3 a.m. Eastern time (midnight Pacific). Use code "Facebook25" at checkout. The discount is only available on my website, not on Etsy.

Enjoy today's specials! :) I'll post the winner shortly after 5 p.m. Eastern this evening. The winner will be chosen through Random.org.

And the winners are....

2011-08-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the winners of the hair bow challenge this month!!!

The Voter's Choice award goes to Lesley, with her fabulous funky loopy bow (above)!!! She wins a tutorial of her choice from Birdsong Bows and Patterns or a supply of ribbons and notions from me (her choice)!

And the winner of the Judge's Choice award goes to Theresa! Judge Jen of Tie Dye Diva said that Theresa's bow really reminded her of a fair...and even of buttery popcorn! Theresa wins a $15 gift certificate from The Ribbon Retreat.

Thanks so much to everyone for entering! Both winners can contact me at birdsongbows [at] gmail [dot] com. I'll host another contest within 2-3 weeks. :)

Giveaway: A pattern by Yards and Yards!

2011-08-06T07:37:00.000-07:00

This giveaway is closed! And the winner is Number 4, Samantha! Samantha, please contact me at birdsongbows [at] gmail [dot] com and I'll put you in touch with Anna, or you may contact her directly!

Anna, of Yards and Yards, has a cute shop where she creates PDF sewing patterns for quilts, bags, totes and other accessories! You can also pick up some fabric or even some of her awesome pattern samples.

Anna and I are doing a "Giveaway Swap" that continues through Friday night. As a quilter, I'm really happy to introduce you to Anna (who shares a first name with my oldest daughter, so she's got to be a fab gal in her right). She loves to find simple ways to use fabric that still make a BIG impact. Her blog, Yards and Yards, has free tutorials that show you how to make everything from her "Easy Peasy Skirt" to a fabric notebook cover.

Here are a few items from her shop:

You can enter the Yards and Yards giveaway here, and feel free to stop by the Yards and Yards blog to win a pattern of your choice from Birdsong!

For a chance to win a wonderful pattern from Yards and Yards, comment below for each of the following that you do:

1. Visit Yards and Yards, and comment here on something you like from her shop!

2. LIKE Yards and Yards on Facebook

3. Follow the Yards and Yards blog

4. Follow Birdsong blog, here

5. LIKE Birdsong on Facebook

Each task counts as an entry!! Good luck! I'll announce the winner on Saturday, chosen through Random.org. :)

Off to the State Fair hair bow contest entries

2011-08-05T10:16:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the 6 women who sent photos for our third challenge! The theme of this challenge is "Off to the State Fair," and I asked participants to send a photo of a bow, hair flower, or other hair accessory that reminds them of a state or county fair!

There will be two awards! Jen of Tie Dye Diva will select a "Judge's Award Winner." The winner will receive a $15 gift certificate from The Ribbon Retreat.

But there's another prize! The second way to win is to have your friends, family, Facebook friends, etc., vote for you! There's a poll in the upper right corner of my blog (in the sidebar). Voting will continue until noon Eastern time on Friday, Aug 12. The winner will receive either a choice of ribbon and trim (unused) from my personal stash OR a hair bow, hair flower or tutu tutorial of her choice from Birdsong Bows! :)

Enjoy the entries! And thanks again for participating. I will post the winner here on either Aug. 12 or 13! Please check back here and on the Birdsong Facebook page for an announcement of the winners.

By Theresa:

By Casey:

By Ashley:

By Angela:

By Amy:

By Lesley:

Back 2 School Giveaway!

2011-07-25T07:05:00.000-07:00

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

And the winner is:

#11: Chrystyna, who said: LBB- What don't I like from Ashley?!? My favorite is probably the adult tunic pattern. Tie Dye Diva - ruffled bloomers pattern 1 Puddle Lane - reversible pea coat"

The winner was chosen from 106 eligible entries via Random.org. Chrystyna, you have until 7 p.m. U.S. Pacific time on Saturday, Aug. 6 to contact me at deanna @ birdsongbows (dot) com to claim your prize! Congratulations!!!

(Photos shown are just examples of the companies' work; not indicative of your exact prize)

GRAND PRIZE

A $125 Logo from Boutique by Design
The Juliette Dress from 1 Puddle Lane
Your choice of 3 patterns from the Lil Blue Boo Sewing Pattern Collection
Your choice of 5 patterns from Mamachee
A $25 Gift Certificate to The Ribbon Retreat+Fabric
Your choice of 5 patterns from Birdsong Bows and Patterns
Your choice of 3 patterns from Tie Dye Diva

Each person can earn one (1) entry by combining three (3) tasks from the lists below. Please complete all of your entry “tasks” first and then post everything in ONE comment box below. This will help us keep track as we record your entries. Entries added as comments on other blogs of the giveaway team will not be counted. This is the only entry location, to prevent flustered giveaway team members and missed entries. Thanks for understanding!

You may do ANY COMBINATION of the following different ways to enter:

First way to Enter:
Visit THREE of our shops and comment on what you like best from each shop (up to three comments, all added in one comment box, equals your entry):

Tie Dye Diva: http://www.etsy.com/shop/TieDyediva
The Ribbon Retreat: http://www.theribbonretreat.com
Birdsong Bows and Patterns: http://www.etsy.com/shop/birdsongbows
Lil Blue Boo: http://www.lilblueboo.com
Mamachee: http://www.etsy.com/shop/mamachee
1 Puddle Lane: http://1puddlelane.bigcartel.com/
Boutique By Design http://www.boutiquebydesign.com

Second way to Enter:
“Like” the Facebook pages of THREE of our companies or become a confirmed subscriber of their blog (liking or following three Facebook pages/blogs of three different companies equals your entry). If you are already a member of someone’s fan page or blog, we ask that you “like” someone else’s page in order to have an eligible entry.

Boutique By Design: http://www.facebook.com/boutiquebydesign
1 Puddle Lane: http://www.facebook.com/1PuddleLaneClothing
Mamachee: http://www.easymakesmehappy.blogspot.com
Birdsong Bows and Patterns: http://www.facebook.com/birdsongpatterns
Tie Dye Diva: http://www.facebook.com/tiedyedivapatterns
Lil Blue Boo: https://www.facebook.com/LilBlueBoo
The Ribbon Retreat: http://www.theribbonretreat.com/blog

Third Way to Enter:
Buy from the following shops during the giveaway period and combine this form of entry with any of the other two ways to enter. (Only ONE purchase from any of our shops during the entry period counts as one task, but you may make purchases from different businesses to add to your list of 3 tasks. Sorry; previous purchases are not eligible. We still love you, of course, but need to limit this to the giveaway period.)

The Ribbon Retreat: http://www.theribbonretreat.com
Lil Blue Boo: http://lilblueboo.bigcartel.com
Birdsong Bows and Patterns: http://www.etsy.com/shop/birdsongbows
Boutique By Design: http://www.boutiquebydesign.com
1 Puddle Lane: http://1puddlelane.bigcartel.com/
Tie Dye Diva: http://www.etsy.com/shop/TieDyediva
Mamachee: http://www.etsy.com/shop/mamachee

Examples:
1. If you “like” a business’ Facebook or blog page and then make comments about two other business’ products, you earn 1 entry.

2. If you comment on one business’ products and then like/join two other Facebook pages, you earn 1 entry.

3. If you buy from 1 shop, like another's Facebook page and comment on another's shop, this earns you 1 entry.

4. If you buy from 3 shops, this earns you 1 entry.

5. If you only comment on 2 business' products, or just like two Facebook pages, or just buy from one shop and comment on another -- but don't do a third task -- you have not entered and your entry will not be counted.

Again, please post all of your entry tasks in ONE comment box below. Thank you!

Here’s the boring stuff, but you need to know it to collect your prizes:

1. To protect your e-mail addresses, we are NOT asking for them, so you will need to check this blog to find out if you’ve won. All winners have 72 hours (until 7 p.m. Pacific time on Saturday, August 6) to respond to deanna@birdsongbows.com to receive your prizes. Prizes unclaimed after 72 hours will go to another winner, chosen by Random.org - no exceptions. So please check back to see if you've won; and watch the Birdsong Facebook Page to see if there's going to be a re-draw. The re-draw winner has another 72 hours to respond to deanna@birdsongbows.com!

2. Winners will be picked via Random.org. You are agreeing to have the name in your comment post published on this blog, as well as on the blogs and Facebook walls of any member of the giveaway team.

3. Awards have no “cash” value and cannot be traded for cash. The prize is the prize.

4. No giveaway team members, their immediate families, or their employees may enter. By immediate families, this means your spouse, children, mom, dad, brother, sister, mother or father.

WE'RE SORRY; THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

Hair Bow/Flower Challenge 3: Off to the State Fair!

2011-07-22T16:40:00.000-07:00

Image by Lora Risley Images

The theme for our third challenge is "Off to the State Fair!" You may make a boutique bow or bow set, a headband, a bowband, a funky loopy bow, a fascinator, a hair flower -- basically, anything you've fashioned out of ribbon or fabric -- following this theme. This time, the hair bow or flower must be made from a Birdsong tutorial or pattern. The state fair is a time of carnival rides, "fair" food, animal showings, 4H projects, freak shows and magic. What type of hair accessory can you make that will follow this theme?

Image by 3L Photography

There will be two prizes again! The first will be a "Judge's Choice" Award. Our judge is Jen of Tie Dye Diva. Jen is a fantastic pattern designer and has a great eye for color and design. The winner of the Judge's Choice award will receive a $15 gift certificate from The Ribbon Retreat!

The second way to win a prize is through "Voter's Choice." I'll put all the bows on the blog and will host a poll in the sidebar, beginning Friday, August 5. Invite your friends and relatives to vote for your bow! The winner of the Voter's Choice Award will receive your choice of either a selection of unused ribbons and notions from my personal stash, or a FREE e-book from Birdsong Bows and Patterns.

To enter, E-mail your best photograph of your finished product (either on a model or not) to me at deanna [at] birdsongbows.com by 3 a.m. Pacific time (midnight Eastern) on Thursday, August 4 (so, basically before you go to bed Wednesday night). Please keep your photos around 600 pixels wide, so that they're neither too big nor too small. And remember: They must be recognizably made using at least one Birdsong tutorial or pattern. No more than one entry/photo per contestant, please. If you're on Flickr, feel free to post a photo to the Birdsong Flickr Photo Group as well, for all to see!

Good luck! I can't wait to see your entries. :)

Image by Raceytay

Shop feature: Whitesuggar's Creations

2011-07-14T10:15:00.000-07:00

Because I've met so many fabulous designers through my business, I'm going to write an occasional feature on some shops I know you'll love visiting! Additionally, as I focus more on my pattern/tutorial business, I find myself with less time to fill orders for customers. I want to direct you to some other terrific designers! I know you'll enjoy buying from the shops I'm featuring.

Yudelca, whose shops on Etsy, Whitesuggar's Creations, and her own website not only feature beautiful accessories, but the photographs in her shop are To Die For! She says, "I got inspired in creating hair accessories when my little princess Sadie was born. I found it so difficult to find accessories for her at local shops and when searching online they were too expensive. So I checked out some tutorials and started creating them for my daughter. I started liking my creations and my daughter received lots of compliments for them. That is when I decided to offer them to the world at affordable prices!"

Yudelca started creating accessories in December 2009 and began selling on Etsy in early 2010. Another bonus when working with Yudelca: She's also fluent en español.

If you link to Whitesuggar's Creations newsletter, you can receive 15% off your order on either her Etsy shop or her website. Be sure to stop into Whitesuggar's Creations and take a look around!

New Pattern: The Ribbon Star (Étoile) Ornament or Pendant

2011-07-12T17:29:00.000-07:00

Last year I waited until the very last minute to create a PDF pattern for the holidays, and this year I decided I was not going to wait! The latest Birdsong pattern, the Ribbon Étoile, is a beautiful holiday ornament when made from 1 1/2" ribbon. But when made with 5/8" ribbon, it's a stunning accessory to wear! In the e-book I demonstrate it as a pendant or an ornament, but you can use it as a hat or hair accessory, a package topper, or as an embellishment for a sash, coat or purse.

This tutorial is great for beginners. These embellishments are great for crafting if you're a passenger in a car, or if you're watching TV or relaxing. The technique is based on the ribbon work techniques from the 1920s. In old magazines, you'll see these referred to as "cockades." Enjoy trying out this latest pattern!

Making time as a WAHM

2011-06-26T13:09:00.000-07:00

Summer is here, and I love it! I enjoy taking the kids to the pool and dreaming up things to do....but, since I work from home, it's been tough to create that perfect work-life balance lately!

Running a business from home AND being chief play-date captain, head chef, chauffeur, and boo-boo fixer has proven tough. I spend the first half of the day mostly working, but it's not quite the same as when the kids are in school. And when the weekend hits, well...let's just say I insisted my husband take the girls to the pool today so I could get a little work-time in. Let's face it: It's work-time, me-time. My husband comes home from work. I stay at work, all day!

One of my "jobs" lately has been to help my 10-year-old daughter with her 4-H sewing project. We purchased the PDF pattern from Tie Dye Diva, and it was a little challenging for my daughter, but not too much so. My daughter attended sewing classes with the 4-H team leader, and I "filled in" at home. She'll turn the shorts in this week and find out what place she'll receive.

My girls have an interesting perspective on work, since they see me doing it (and I often need to remind them, "I'm working now! I'll play later!") My 5-year-old is a bit too young to understand -- at her kindergarten entrance evaluation, the teacher asked her where her dad worked. She simply said, "At work!" The teacher then asked where her mom worked. She said, "At the table!" LOL!

And my older daughter, who made the shorts, talks during every sewing session about how she's going to open an Etsy shop and sell clothes and bows and pictures she draws. She'll need a bit of practice, but I have to appreciate that she's a self-starter. Love the entrepreneurial spirit.

On tap for this week? Two doctor's appointments, one 4-H project drop-off, chauffering back and forth to "zoo camp" for one of the girls, being a judge for a local newsletter contest, working on my business, and doing some fun things with the kids, which includes spending some time at the fair. I should sleep well!

If you work from home, how do you balance it? I'd love to hear from you!

And the winners are....

2011-06-18T07:13:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Mindy, who won the most votes last week in the wedding bow challenge!! She has decided to select a free pattern/tutorial from Birdsong Bows. Love the bow, and it definitely fits the theme!

Kimberly, of Cali's Charm Bowtique, carefully reviewed all the entries for the Judge's Choice award. She's a stickler for symmetry, proper shaping, and presentation. The bow that she felt fit the bill the best was Deborah's flower clips. Congratulations, Deborah! You win a $15 gift certificate from the Ribbon Retreat. Please contact me at birdsongbows [at] gmail.com and I'll have your gift certificate e-mailed to you.

I've got some plans ahead! For those who subscribe to my private video blog (free with the purchase of some of the tutorials from Birdsong Bows and Patterns), I WILL have a bow-shaping video up this week. I was bogged down with pre-vacation plans and the launch of my newest tutorial, the Annabelle Flower, during the week of the 6th, and then I was on vacation with family the week of the 13th. So, now it's back to work in full force!

For those of who haven't yet seen it, the new Annabelle Flower tutorial is elegant and easy to do. Plus, I have instructions on how to make it out of either ribbon or fabric. So fun and fast! These are my new addiction.

Thanks to Christi Nelson of Rawsii for photographing her adorable daughter wearing the Annabelle flower!

Hair Bow Challenge 2: A June Wedding

2011-06-08T08:57:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the 6 women who sent photos for our second challenge! The theme of this challenge is "June Wedding," and I asked participants to send a photo of a bow, hair flower, or other hair accessory that reminds them of a June wedding!

There will be two awards! Kimberly of Cali's Charm Bowtique will select a "Judge's Award Winner." The winner will receive a $15 gift certificate from The Ribbon Retreat.

But there's another prize! The second way to win is to have your friends, family, Facebook friends, etc., vote for you! There's a poll in the upper right corner of my blog (in the sidebar). Voting will continue until 5 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, June 15. The winner will receive either a choice of ribbon and trim (unused) from my personal stash OR a hair bow, hair flower or tutu tutorial of her choice from Birdsong Bows! :)

Enjoy the entries! And thanks again for participating.

From Mindy (below):

From Deborah (below):

From Daven (below):

From Angela (below):

From Amy (below):

From Heather (below):

Hair bow/hair flower challenge: A June wedding!

2011-05-26T16:36:00.000-07:00

My husband and I got married on June 15, fifteen years ago! Does that mean it's a "golden" anniversary, so I won't have to wait for the 50-year golden anniversary? LOL! Anyway, it gave me an idea for our bow challenge!

The theme for this second challenge is "A June Wedding." You may make a boutique bow or bow set, a headband, a bowband, a funky loopy bow, a fascinator, a hair flower -- basically, anything you've fashioned out of ribbon or fabric -- following this theme. What do you think of when you think about June weddings? Use your imagination! :) It can be about the wedding, or about the honeymoon, or anything that reminds you of June weddings.

There will be two prizes this time! The first will be a "Judge's Choice" Award. Our judge is the very talented Kimberly of Cali's Charm. Kimberly is the group leader of the Bowfairies, a fantastic group of bowmakers, and Kimberly is skilled with all different types of accessories. Knowing her, she'll be looking for symmetrical loops, great colors and top-notch presentation. The winner of the Judge's Choice award will receive a $15 gift certificate from The Ribbon Retreat!

The second way to win a prize is through "Voter's Choice," just like last time! I'll put all the bows on the blog and will host a poll in the sidebar, beginning Wednesday, June 8. Invite your friends and relatives to vote for your bow! The winner of the Voter's Choice Award will receive your choice of either a selection of unused ribbons and notions from my personal stash, or FREE e-book from Birdsong Bows and Patterns.

To enter, E-mail your best photograph of your finished product (either on a model or not) to me at deanna [at] birdsongbows.com by 3 a.m. Pacific time (midnight Eastern) on Tuesday, June 6 (so, basically before you go to bed Monday night). Please keep your photos around 600 pixels wide, so that they're neither too big nor too small. No more than one entry/photo per contestant, please. If you're on Flickr, feel free to post a photo to the Birdsong Flickr Photo Group as well, for all to see!

Good luck! I can't wait to see your entries. :)

Thank you to Christi Nelson of Rawsii for the gorgeous photo!

Practice makes perfect!

2011-05-25T08:36:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I showed some bows that we've done before much practicing! Like any new skill, bowmaking (especially completing the twisted boutique fold) takes some time and work. I liken it to the time when I learned how to knit! I didn't "get it" for awhile, but then my hands worked right and everything clicked for me.

Thanks to the women who participated and are willing to show off their work!

Love this bow from Joy!

Kimberley was certainly busy with this bow, which has a fantastic ribbon center!

Here are a couple of "after" photos from Dana, who tried both the funky loopy bow and the twisted boutique bow!

And here's a lovely summer-inspired bow from Theresa!

Theresa, who purchased the Birdsong twisted boutique instructions back in August, gave me the nicest feedback ever when she sent her bow photo. I don't like to toot my own horn, but I think she has a valuable comment for those who are on the fence about purchasing a paid tutorial - from me or someone else - vs. gathering up free tips on the Internet:

"People told me I wasted my money on your tut because of all the free instructions out there on the web, but I am here to tell you that I beg to differ! LOL I tried making bows from those freebies and they NEVER came out like the ones made with your tutorial. I love that you give the exact measurements for all the different lengths of ribbon and I have been told that my bows are some of the highest quality boutique bows my customers have ever bought. I don't have a full on business, but the ones I sell are always happy customers. I love your tutorials. Hands down the best out there!"

Not only was that a super nice comment that made my day, but it did remind me of all the time it took me to learn, originally with free tutorials on the Internet. There are lots of freebies, but you usually don't get all the "details" that can make your work fabulous. And that goes for just about any craft-learning experience out there....you get what you pay for!

Anyway....I did a bow challenge in April -- and am gearing up to do another! Stay tuned for another bow challenge theme later this week, with a prize! :)

The new Catherine Headband flower tutorial

2011-05-19T06:27:00.001-07:00

Just last week I introduced my newest pattern/tutorial, The Catherine Headband. I wanted to create something a little different than what we've all seen and done before. I was inspired by 1920s ribbon work...those women of the roaring 20s sure knew how to make some beautiful ribbon embellishments!

Thanks so much to Carrie of EMA Photography and Christi Nelson of Rawsii for their fantastic pictures! Though I had these photographed on babies this time (because this e-book also tells you how to best work with fold-over elastic), this flower embellishment can easily be added to hard headbands or regular clips, or used with a pin on the back as a brooch.

And if you like to have "different" bow centers, these little ruched flowers are adorable...you can make them in so many different colors and you won't be forced to run out and buy the cheapies from the craft store.

I urge you to take a moment and check out some other types of luxury ribbon, as well. French wired ribbon, beautiful silks, and luxury satins will add to the beauty of this headband. I've included some great suppliers of these items in the e-book for you! Shhh...you might find you have a new ribbon addiction!

Free Hair Bow Instructions: How to make a tulle carnation hair bow

2011-05-09T06:32:00.000-07:00

I've been working on different ribbon techniques lately, and realized that some of the same techniques that can be done with ribbon can also be completed with tulle, for a totally different kind of look! This is a very simple hand-sewing project that's suitable for beginners.

Supplies (photo below):
* Two (2) or three (3) different colors of 6-inch-wide (15.2 cm) tulle. This can be purchased online or at most big-box craft stores, usually in the wedding section.
* Two (2) colors of Perle cotton thread to match your tulle, size 8
* A large darning needle
* A scrap of felt (I would NOT recommend 100% wool for this project), or buckram
* A 1 1/2 - 2" (3.8 - 5 cm) circle "template" to trace. I traced a baby jar lid and then trimmed the felt a little smaller after cutting.
* Scissors
* A pinch clip for holding your project as you work - and for use at the end to mount to your carnation bow
* Hot glue gun and glue
* A bit of 3/8" ribbon if you would like to line your clip

Instructions
1. Cut two (2) of your colors of tulle to 30 in. (76 cm) for the base.
2. Cut one (1) of your colors of tulle to 20 in. (51 cm) for the top.
3. Layer the two long pieces on top of each other. You can also use just one piece of tulle if you prefer, but two adds a bit of "body" to your bottom layer.
4. Fold the pieces in half, width-wise (below).

5. Fold in half again (below).

6. Clip together with a pinch clip (below). Because tulle is slippery, you'll need to adjust your folds and move your clip as you sew. Taking just a little time to do this will make for a much neater bow.

7. Thread your needle with matching thread, and tie a large knot at the end so it doesn't slip through the tulle. Sew about 1/4 in. (0.6 cm) from the folded edge of the tulle, and complete a running stitch all the way to the other end (below).

8. Gather the tulle and form into a circle. Stitch both ends together, taking care that you don't accidentally twist your work (below).

9. Cut out circle of felt or buckram (below). A circle with a diameter of about 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm) is a good size.

10. Carefully stitch your circle of tulle to the felt or buckram (below). Make sure you catch all the folds. I whipstitched the back as well as completed a running stitch. Depending on how tight you gathered your tulle, you might see a "hole" in the middle front where you can still see the felt/buckram, but don't worry - our tulle center will cover this.

11. Complete steps 4 through 8 with the smaller piece of tulle (below).

12. Sew this piece of tulle to the center of your project (below).

13. Hot-glue and sew a pinch clip (or barrette if you choose) to the back of the project, and have your little one wear your creation with pride!

We all started somewhere....first hair bows

2011-05-06T06:59:00.000-07:00

I sometimes get comments from people about making hair bows, hoping their bows look just like mine the first time they try it out. And I wanted to share this -- my bows didn't look "just like mine" the first time I made them!

I thought I had my original photos of my first bows back in August 2006, but it looks like I mercifully deleted them at some point. But I dug up some of my originals. I started making layered boutique bows in August 2006. Some of these are the singles I made that first autumn. The layered one on top was made in December 2006, a full four months after I started:

What could I have done better? Well, on the single bows, I really needed to use a longer length of ribbon to make them more full and loopy. I don't know whether the tutorial I purchased didn't share the length with me, or I didn't read it because I was in a rush, LOL! For the top one, it's not bad, but I really needed to shape it better, and the way I was doing the surrounding loops was not a very good method for making them even. I soon taught myself a better method (which I share with you in my boutique bowmaking ebook) and am glad I don't have to mess with floppy surround loops again!

I asked some of my friends on Facebook if they'd mind sharing their first attempts!! This is NOT to make fun of anyone, seriously! Or maybe we can chuckle a bit at ourselves if we want....but it's to show how we started. Sometimes it's prettier than other times.

Dana sent me before-and-after pictures! I'll just post the before picture here....(below) for now. I'll make a call for "after pictures" shortly and use it at that time.

Kimberly sent me a few photos, and I'm showing two of them below:

Joy showed her first bow photos that she made from my instructions, and I must say they are lovely. I'd be happy to pat myself on the back, but I suspect Joy might have some innate bow-making talent here. I struggled when I started; hers look like mine did after six months of practice, lol!!

Kimberley (note different spelling from Kimberly) also was willing to share! She said this is from a couple of years ago:

Stay tuned for some mini tutorials on my private video blog (which you can join for free with the purchase of certain hair bow instructions from Birdsong) - on how to improve your bows! And I'll have a call for "after practice" bows so everyone can see how far we've come. :) Thanks to the good sports who didn't mind sharing their first attempts.

And the winners of Princess week are......

2011-04-30T10:56:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all who entered Princess Week with Birdsong!

For the first part of the contest, I entered all the names of people who made purchases valued at $8 and up. Some people had multiple entries. Then I allowed Random.org to make the selection. The winner of the $15 gift certificate from The Ribbon Retreat is Leigh P.! If you are Leigh, please contact me at birdsongbows@gmail.com and I'll make sure your gift certificate is on its way!

For the second part of the contest, my daughters each chose their favorite bows from all entries (even if they were not pictured on the blog). Then, from the 2, I allowed Random.org to pick which bow would win (1 or 2)...and the winner is Kylie, with this bow:

My 5-year old, Natalia, said she chose this as her favorite because she liked that was big and that it had flip flops on it. Kylie, please contact me at deanna@birdsongbows.com and I'll get your $15 Ribbon Retreat gift certificate sent out as well! :)

I had a lot of fun with with this contest! Watch this blog in a few days for a new FREE tutorial -- I'm sure you'll enjoy it!

Princess Week Photos, Part IV

2011-04-29T16:54:00.001-07:00

I received 16 entries in the photographic portion of the Princess Week contest! I also have several entries from those who made purchases this week. Both winners will be announced tomorrow!

For now, here are two more entries into the photographic portion of the contest. I will not be posting all entries, but at least one from each person who entered. However, all will be judged by my daughters tomorrow! Good luck to all!

From Tiny Hearts Bowtique:

From Kylie:

Princess Week Photos, Part III

2011-04-28T17:14:00.000-07:00

I had a hair appointment yesterday evening and never got around to posting bow photos! But I'll still post some more tomorrow, after the contest is officially closed. :)

Friday until 8 p.m. Eastern is the last chance for you to win $15 from The Ribbon Retreat+Fabric by either sending bow photos to deanna@birdsongbows.com or making a purchase of $8 or more on the Birdsong Bows website or the Birdsong Etsy shop for hair bow instructions, ribbonwork instructions, and tutu tutorials! Purchases of $16, $24 and $32 get more entries!

From Angela:

From Michelle:

Princess Week Photos, Part II

2011-04-26T16:42:00.000-07:00

Got some more bow photos today! Don't forget that this week you can win $15 from The Ribbon Retreat+Fabric by either sending bow photos to deanna@birdsongbows.com or making a purchase of $8 or more on the Birdsong Bows website or the Birdsong Etsy shop for hair bow instructions, ribbonwork instructions, and tutu tutorials! Purchases of $16, $24 and $32 get more entries!

Here are two entries for you to look at today! Isn't it fun to see what your fellow designers are doing?

From Mandy:

From Kimberley:

Princess Week Photos I

2011-04-25T16:26:00.001-07:00

I've received Princess photos from four people so far! I'm sharing two of them today....and I'm looking forward to seeing your princess in her favorite hair bows!

From Mindy:

From Kylie:

Remember to submit your photos by 8 p.m. Friday to deanna@birdsongbows.com to be included in the contest for a $15 gift certificate from The Ribbon Retreat+Fabric! And all purchases of $8 and above through Friday count for a separate drawing for another $15 gift certificate! Thanks to all who have entered so far. :)

Princess Week!

2011-04-24T10:57:00.000-07:00

It's the dream for almost every little girl - to grow up in a regular, everyday home and be swept up into the arms of a prince. Are you caught up in the hubbub of the Royal Wedding? Will you wake up at 4 a.m. Eastern on Friday to see the festivities? How are you going to celebrate the wedding of Wills and Kate?

If you can't make it to London this week (I wasn't invited, either), you can celebrate with Birdsong! We all make or love bows that could be worn by royal girls everywhere. Last week I launched my latest pattern, "The Elizabeth Headband: Ruffles and Roses" (with a name inspired by my lovely daughter's middle name). It's a headband certainly appropriate for any little princess or her queen mama. And this week we're going to have even more fun!

You will have two opportunities to win ribbon and prizes from me this week!

The FIRST way to win: Anyone who purchases tutorials worth $8 and over, from either the Birdsong Bows and Patterns Website or the Birdsong Etsy shop, will be entered into a contest to win a gift certificate for $15 from The Ribbon Retreat+Fabric! If your purchase totals $8, you gain 1 entry. If you purchase $16, you earn 2. Want 3 entries? Then make a purchase worth $24. And for 4 entries, make a purchase worth $32. I will keep a spreadsheet of all entries, with the winner being chosen through Random.org. The contest will continue from now until 8 p.m. Eastern on Friday, April 29.

Already have hair bow instructions from Birdsong Bows and Patterns? That's wonderful, and there's a way for you to win as well. Take a photo of your little princess wearing one of your creations (or of the bows alone if your princess isn't available), and send it to me at deanna@birdsongbows.com. Please keep your photos no larger than 600 pixels wide, and I will post them on my blog throughout the week to share. On Friday afternoon my two princesses will choose their favorite bow photo, and the winner will also receive a $15 gift certificate from The Ribbon Retreat+Fabric! This method is not scientific, since my daughters are 5 and 10, but believe me when I say that they are hair bow connoisseurs.

You may enter both ways and as many times as you would like.

So join in the fun! If we can't actually *go* to the royal wedding, at least we can find ways to unleash our own inner princess. :)

Giveaway Winners

2011-04-11T07:00:00.001-07:00

We are so pleased to announce the winners of the Ultimate Spring Giveaway II, chosen by Random.org!

Grand Prize: rasb019, (#115) who entered April 15 at 12:39 p.m. Pacific time and said: "I liked Fabric Shoppe on FB; I liked Bullfrogs 'N' Fireflies on FB; I liked Bugga Bugs on FB.""

Second Prize: Krissy, (#26) who entered April 11 at 11:14 p.m. Pacific Time and said: "I visited all the sites and I love everything I saw, but for this entry I have chosen the following: Birdsong Bows (with description of product), Bullfrogs 'n Fireflies (with description of product) and Ribbons and Bows Oh My (description of product).

Third Prize: RoseMamie (#78) who entered April 12 at 1:14 p.m. Pacific Time and said: "I "like" TieDyeDiva on FB - adorable. I "liked" Bullfrogs and Fireflies on FB - you all are killing me with cuteness. I "liked" calischarm boutique - Oh my! I already liked" Fabric Shoppe, and they are how I found your giveaway!"

Winners please remember:

All winners have until 7 p.m. Pacific time on Friday, April 22 to respond to deanna@birdsongbows.com to receive your prizes. (Remember, we do not have your contact information, so you need to e-mail deanna@birdsongbows.com to claim your winnings.) Prizes unclaimed after 7 p.m. Friday, April 22 will go to another winner, chosen by Random.org. So, if you did NOT win, feel free to check this blog on Saturday to find out if we're doing a re-draw!

There were a total of 153 entries (excluding duplicates - no one was allowed more than one entry - and deleted entries) over the course of this giveaway. Thank you so much to all who participated! To keep things fair, I used Random.org to make our draws. I captured the screen shots of the draws and can provide them, as well as the spreadsheet, to any who would like to see them.

Round Robin Spring Giveaway II

2011-04-10T06:54:00.001-07:00

Grand Prize: A *$300 boutique package from eight fabulous companies

Second Prize: A *$135 boutique package from seven companies
Third Prize: A *$40 boutique package from four designers

(* = approximate value)

Enter to Win: Monday, April 11 through midnight Pacific time Tuesday, April 19, 2011

SORRY, THE COMMENT PERIOD HAS CLOSED!

Join us here for the Round Robin Giveaway Party at
7 p.m. Pacific Time (10 p.m. Eastern) on Wednesday, April 20.

(Photos shown are just examples of the companies' work; not indicative of your exact prize)

GRAND PRIZE

A $75 gift certificate from Ribbon and Bows Oh My!
A $50 gift certificate from Bullfrogs 'n Fireflies
Your choice of 5 patterns from Anji Beane
8 half-yard pieces of Kumari Garden Fabric (aqua) from Fabric Shoppe
Your choice of 3 patterns from Tie Dye Diva
Your choice of 3 patterns from Birdsong Bows and Patterns
A custom pair of boutique bows from Cali’s Charm
Your choice of 2 patterns from Bugga Bugs

SECOND PRIZE
A $25 gift certificate from Ribbon and Bows Oh My!
A $25 gift certificate from Bullfrogs 'n Fireflies
Your choice of 3 patterns from Anji Beane
Your choice of 2 patterns from Tie Dye Diva
Your choice of 2 patterns from Birdsong Bows and Patterns
Your choice of 1 pattern from Bugga Bugs
1 Toddler-sized bow from Cali's Charm

THIRD PRIZE
Your choice of 1 pattern from Tie Dye Diva
Your choice of 1 pattern from Birdsong Bows and Patterns
Your choice of 1 pattern from Anji Beane
A braided barrette with beaded embellishments from Cali's Charm

Each person can earn one (1) entry by combining three (3) tasks from the lists below. Please complete all of your entry “tasks” first and then post everything in ONE comment box below. This will help us keep track as we record your entries. Entries added as comments on other blogs of the giveaway team will not be counted. This is the only entry location, to prevent flustered giveaway team members and missed entries. Thanks for understanding!

You may do ANY COMBINATION of the following different ways to enter:

First way to Enter:
Visit THREE of our shops and comment on what you like best from each shop (up to three comments, all added in one comment box, equals your entry):

Tie Dye Diva: http://www.etsy.com/shop/TieDyediva
Ribbon and Bows Oh My: http://www.ribbonandbowsohmy.com
Birdsong Bows and Patterns: http://www.etsy.com/shop/birdsongbows
Cali's Charm: http://www.etsy.com/shop/calischarm
Fabric Shoppe: http://www.etsy.com/shop/fabricshoppe
Bugga Bugs: http://www.etsy.com/shop/buggabugs
Bullfrogs 'n Fireflies: http://stores.ebay.com/Bullfrogs-N-Fireflies
Anji Beane: http://www.etsy.com/shop/anjibeanecrochet

Second way to Enter:
“Like” the Facebook pages of THREE of our companies (liking or following three Facebook pages/blogs equals your entry). If you are already a member of someone’s fan page or blog, we ask that you “like” someone else’s page in order to have an eligible entry.

Anji Beane: http://www.facebook.com/anjibeanecrochetpatterns
Bugga Bugs: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bugga-Bugs/47819923796
Bullfrogs 'n Fireflies: http://www.facebook.com/bullfrogsandfireflies
Birdsong Bows and Patterns: http://www.facebook.com/birdsongpatterns
Fabric Shoppehttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Fabric-Shoppe/148587815566
Cali's Charm: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Calis-Charm-Bowtique/117525798258741
Ribbon and Bows Oh My: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ribbons-and-Bows-Oh-My/121127984585484
Tie Dye Diva: http://www.facebook.com/tiedyedivapatterns

Third Way to Enter:
Buy from the following shops during the giveaway period and combine this form of entry with any of the other two ways to enter. (Only ONE purchase from any of our shops during the entry period counts as one task, but you may make purchases from different businesses to add to your list of 3 tasks. Sorry; previous purchases are not eligible. We still love you, of course, but need to limit this to the giveaway period.)

Fabric Shoppe: http://www.etsy.com/shop/fabricshoppe
Cali's Charm: http://www.etsy.com/shop/calischarm
Ribbon and Bows Oh My: http://www.ribbonandbowsohmy.com/
Bullfrogs 'n Fireflies: http://stores.ebay.com/Bullfrogs-N-Fireflies
Bugga Bugs: http://www.etsy.com/shop/buggabugs
Tie Dye Diva: http://www.etsy.com/shop/TieDyediva
Anji Beane: http://www.etsy.com/shop/anjibeanecrochet
Birdsong Bows and Patterns: http://www.etsy.com/shop/birdsongbows

Examples:
1. If you “like” a business’ Facebook page and then make comments about two other business’ products, you earn 1 entry.

2. If you comment on one business’ products and then like/join two other Facebook pages, you earn 1 entry.

3. If you buy from 1 shop, like another's Facebook page and comment on another's shop, this earns you 1 entry.

4. If you buy from 3 shops, this earns you 1 entry.

5. If you only comment on 2 business' products, or just like two Facebook pages, or just buy from one shop and comment on another -- but don't do a third task -- you have not entered and your entry will not be counted.

Again, please post all of your entry tasks in ONE comment box below. Thank you!

Here’s the boring stuff, but you need to know it to collect your prizes:

1. To protect your e-mail addresses, we are NOT asking for them, so you will need to check this blog to find out if you’ve won. All winners have 48 hours (until 7 p.m. Pacific time on Friday, April 22) to respond to deanna@birdsongbows.com to receive your prizes. Prizes unclaimed after 48 hours will go to another winner, chosen by Random.org.

2. Winners will be picked via Random.org. You are agreeing to have the name in your comment post published on this blog, as well as on the blogs and Facebook walls of any member of the giveaway team.

3. Awards have no “cash” value and cannot be traded for cash. The prize is the prize.

4. No giveaway team members, their immediate families, or their employees may enter. By immediate families, this means your spouse, children, mom, dad, brother, sister, mother or father.

SORRY, THE COMMENT PERIOD HAS CLOSED!

Entries for the After the Rain hair bow design challenge

2011-03-29T08:09:00.000-07:00

**CONGRATULATIONS to MELINA, who won our first hair bow design challenge!!**

Thank you to all who entered our first hair bow design contest! The theme for this contest is "After the Rain."

We have 7 entries. Please vote for one! The poll is in the right-hand sidebar near the top of the blog. You have until next Tuesday, 4/5 to vote. The winner will receive a package of ribbons and notions from me plus a free tutorial of her choice. Good luck to all entrants! I love all of the ways everyone came up with a bow to go with the theme.

From Rebecca, below:

From Melina, below:

From Leslie S., below:

From Lesley P., below:

From Kimberley, below:

From Heather, below:

From Laura, below:

A birthday present from me!

2011-03-25T16:49:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a fun birthday you all gave me! It was a lot of fun doing this little giveaway on my birthday -- I truly enjoyed "playing" the question game with you all on Facebook!

I asked 7 questions throughout the course of the day, resulting in 8 women who were entered into the drawing for some free ribbons and notions from me.

The winner is Renee Cromer Bryant, who won the 5th question of the day!

Renee, congratulations! You can e-mail me your address to deanna [at] birdsongbows.com and I'll send your package early next week.

I hope everyone enjoyed playing along, and thanks so much for participating!!

Addicted to Blueberries

2011-03-24T16:33:00.000-07:00

Since I'm a work-from-home Mom, it seems like I wouldn't be as tethered to a device as I am my Blackberry. It's not like I've got the company vice president messaging me to get out that important report anymore, or I expect some big emergencies with my kids that require my attention. After all, I'm usually home, near the phone, ready to roll out the door at a moment's notice. And as a hair bow designer and pattern/instruction/tutorial writer, I can't say that I expect big business emergencies that can't wait 10 minutes until I can get to my computer.

But, my design and sewing "studio" is in the finished portion of my basement. I use "studio" loosely, because it shares space with 1. a child-sized kitchen; 2. a bookshelf full of toys and books that have been semi-forgotten; 3. a treadmill; 4. an exercise bike, and 5. a TV from early 1994 that died in December and we haven't replaced yet, though would like to.

My laptop is usually in the dining room, because I don't have a table to set it on in my studio. Hoping to change that soon, but that's life in a work-from-home household with kids. So I used to run up and down the stairs to check my computer, to find out if I had sales that needed attention. It took away from my work, and became a major pain. So I got the Blackberry to be alerted with a little "ring" every time I get an e-mail. No more using the stairs for exercise (that's what the treadmill and bike are for, after all)!

But it's become my constant companion. My youngest daughter calls it my "Blueberry," and I've not corrected her because that sounds so dang cute! If I leave the room and it rings, she yells, "Mom, there's something on your Blueberry!" I feel lost if I've placed it somewhere and can't find it. And yes, it even has its place on the nightstand, I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit.

Today I had to have an MRI to find out what's causing my leg pain/numbness that started two weeks ago. As I prepared to leave for the test, it dawned on me that I would be without my trusty friend for more than 30 minutes! Tucked away in the locker at the medical center, the Blueberry would certainly be missed!

I ultimately didn't think about it during the test (which was loud and didn't give me the opportunity to think about much), but I did pull it out of my purse immediately upon opening the locker.

Sigh. I've never thought of myself as a gadget gal, but I guess I've succumbed. The Blueberry is here to stay. At least until my agreement expires, and I can get an Apple. I'm sure the latest iPhone can become a trusty friend someday, too.

Hair bow design challenge - After the Rain

2011-03-21T16:35:00.000-07:00

Happy Spring! This is my favorite season, and I thought it would be a fun time to launch Birdsong's first Design Challenge!

The theme for this first challenge is "After the Rain." You may make a boutique bow or bow set, a headband, a bowband, a funky loopy bow -- basically, anything out of ribbon -- following this theme. What comes after the rain? Sun? Flowers? New life? Blue skies? Use your imagination!

E-mail your best photograph of your finished product (either on a model or not) to me at deanna [at] birdsongbows.com by 3 a.m. Pacific time (midnight Eastern) on Tuesday, March 29 (so, basically before you go to bed next Monday night). Please keep your photos around 600 pixels wide, so that they're neither too big nor too small. No more than one entry/photo per contestant, please. I'll post the photos and a poll, and anyone can vote for the winner! If you're on Flickr, feel free to post a photo to the Birdsong Flickr Photo Group as well, for all to see!

The prize: A selection of new ribbons and notions, valued around $15, plus a free tutorial of your choice from Birdsong Bows and Patterns.

Good luck, and most of all, have fun. I can't wait to see what all of you fantastic bow designers will create by next week!

Photos by A Hope and A Wish Photography and Peekaboo Photos

Japan relief sale - Single hair bow instructions

2011-03-19T08:17:00.000-07:00

In 1999 I visited the beautiful country of Japan, touring many of the large cities but spending about a week in the city of Shiojiri, which is the sister city to my hometown here in Indiana. The country's beauty is breathtaking, and the people of Japan are kind and generous. I left with memories I will cherish forever.

To help those in northern Japan, I'm offering a Japan Relief sale today. All tutorials in my "Single Hair Bow PDFs category" are 10% off until midnight Pacific time, and all proceeds from those sales will be donated to the American Red Cross. The Red Cross will be channeling money to the Japanese relief effort.

Thank you so much for allowing me to give to this important effort, and continue to keep Japan (and New Zealand, and Haiti) in your thoughts and prayers.

Spring has sprung and I can't run

2011-03-17T10:11:00.001-07:00

Aren't these just the prettiest running shoes ever? I bought them on March 4 because my feet were bothering me in my old pair, and I was training for a half-marathon. I wore them outside on March 6 in a glorious, 7-mile run. I had never run that far before, and was tickled to death.

But I developed a deep cough by the next day, and chose not to run. On March 8, one cough wrenched my back, pinched my sciatic nerve, and I knew my running training for the May half-marathon was over.

The pinched nerve sent shooting pain down my right leg. I couldn't walk. I could barely breathe. My 10-year-old had to help me put my pants on. I spent a day nearly immobile, and while I can walk now, I still have a slight limp, and the back of my leg and part of my foot are numb. My calf muscle is weak. I can bike (my quadriceps are not affected), but I can't walk fast or run.

To say I'm disappointed is an understatement! Sure, there will be other half-marathons to run, and I have no doubt that I will heal in time. But, for goodness sakes, I ran in January! In the snow! With spikes on my shoes so I wouldn't fall on the ice! All of this so that I could run strong and free in the spring, the glorious spring, with its milder temperatures and the songs of birds singing overhead. Darn it.

But, I guess I can still enjoy spring. Yesterday was the first day where it was nice enough for my younger daughter to push her baby dolls outside in a stroller. We saw the first spring flowers in our yard. Life is good. I will run again -- soon. I hope the Luck of the Irish is with me, and with you.

Free Hair Bow Instructions: How to make a bottlecap charm

2011-03-14T07:19:00.000-07:00

Curious about a quick, easy way to add bottle cap charms to your bows, or want to make a cute charm necklace? This is a no-mess, no-fuss method of creating caps, and my favorite method!

Supplies

* 1-inch circles for bottlecap images (click here for places to purchase)

* Flattened bottlecaps, without holes and jump rings for bows, and with holes/jump rings for jewelry (click here for places to purchase)

* Epoxy resin dots (click here for places to purchase)

* Scissors or a 1-inch hole punch (not shown)

* Gem-Tac or another permanent glue

Instructions

Carefully cut out your image, shown below using scissors, or use a 1-inch hole punch.

Apply a thin layer of your glue with a Q-tip (or your finger, but that gets too messy for me!)

Carefully place your image into the bottlecap, making sure that it's aligned with the hole on top of the cap (if you're making a necklace).

Place a quarter on top of the image and let it dry overnight (below).

Once the glue is dry, peel the epoxy resin dot off its backing, and carefully place it on the image. (You can also perform this step first, by adding it to the image before gluing the image to the cap.) Press firmly to eliminate any air bubbles.

That's all there is to it! To add the bottlecap to your bow, you can apply hot glue or Gem-Tac to the back of the cap and place it where you want. I have used hot glue with success (it's quicker since you don't have to wait for the glue to dry).

Enjoy your creation!

Yes, I do the housework, too

2011-03-07T15:59:00.000-08:00

I like working from home - most of the time. I think it's a dream for a lot of people, especially mothers, because we really run ourselves ragged when we try to "do it all." I tried - and while I can't say I failed, I wasn't a great mom, wife, or employee when I was trying to do it all. Some women are great at it. I was not. I was chronically sick (and there were no sick days, even for salaried employees like me), a bit disorganized, stressed, and anxious -- usually about the next phone call I'd receive from the babysitter or school.

So I made the bold (and scary, and possibly dumb) decision to quit. Bam. Right in the middle of a recession. I walked in on a Monday, sat at my desk where I'd sat many times, and wrote out my resignation notice. Just like that. Probably the only non-calculated "big" thing I've done since becoming an adult.

And so I wouldn't further disappoint my husband, I vowed to work hard for myself. I stick to a schedule, and find that while I don't feel like I'm working "full time," I probably actually do work 40 hours a week. But for most people on a regular work schedule, it's a foreign concept.

"You do what? Bows?" they ask with some disbelief. I don't live in an area where most girls wear bows. I often hear, "I didn't know girls wore those any more!" But they move on, probably feeling sorry for me, that crazy bow lady, trying to sell something no one wants to wear. :) I'm sure they assume I have waaay too much free time on my hands.

Indeed, one thing I love about working for myself is that I can take time occasionally to do something else. Like last week - I would have had the free tutorial on printing your own ribbon done a day earlier, but my daughter absolutely NEEDED me to make her a Dr. Seuss skirt for preschool the next day. She had already told her teacher all about it. I had forgotten all about it. So I abandoned my mission, put on my "mom" hat, and made a skirt. The boss didn't complain.

One thing I don't love about working from home is that I never really *leave.* All the noises in the house start to bother me after awhile, especially if I have work to do over the weekends when everyone is home. So on Saturday I decided to take my computer to the library and do some work on my Birdsong Bows and Patterns website, rather than sit at home and work. I put on actual clothes (not sweats, but actual clothes I would want to be seen in -- yeah, I also miss dressing up!!) and went out with my laptop.

At the library I chose to take a seat across from an older gentleman, probably around 80. He wanted to know if I was doing my homework. No, I told him, I was just doing "work" work. He accepted that, and went on with reading his newspapers, talking to his friend occasionally, and giving out some free legal advice (he's apparently a retired estate attorney).

When I got up to leave, he asked me where I worked, and I explained that I worked for myself. I showed him my Etsy store and website and he appeared a little baffled, but accepted it. I told him I came to the library to work, because sometimes it gets too noisy at home on weekends.

But he had something else on his mind, rather than "work" work.

"Do you get your housework done, too?" he asked.

I was taken aback, but laughed, and simply said, "Yeah, I get it done, most of the time."

After the fact, I thought of several wittier comments I could have made. I shared the story with my husband when I got home.

"You should have told him, no, my husband does all the housework," he said. "You would have really shocked him."

Shocking, indeed. There's probably a reason I didn't come up with THAT witty remark. :)

Free Hair Bow Instructions: How to "print" your own ribbon

2011-03-02T06:57:00.000-08:00

Have you wanted to create your own made-to-match ribbon -- or have you seen it from other designers -- and just don't know how to do it? This quick, simple process allows you to print your own designs on ribbon!

If you've got graphic design skills, you can design your own graphics in strips to be applied to ribbon. If, like me, you're a little lacking in that category, there are several graphic artists who sell sheets of ribbon graphics in PDF format that you can print from you own inkjet printer. One of my favorites is Carol, of TicTacTogs -- her designs are amazing and she's already "reversed" the patterns for you, so you can apply them directly to the ribbon.

Supplies needed:
Inkjet transfer paper, seen below. I picked this up at my local big-box retailer, but it's also available at all craft stores. Purchase the lightweight kind for use on T-shirts. If you print on dark ribbon (which is unusual) you'll need to buy the dark-colored transfer paper. But I usually print on light-color ribbon, so I have this:

You'll also need:

A standard inkjet printer

A sheet of ribbon graphics

An iron

A flat, hard surface and possibly a thin, flat hand towel or pillowcase to protect it - nothing fluffy!

Ribbon (usually 7/8-inch ribbon)

Scissors for both paper and your ribbon (I use separate scissors for my ribbon to keep the blades sharp!)

Instructions

Create a graphics page or buy a page of ribbon designs from a graphic designer. Here are the selections from TicTacTogs (wow, I just saw the sock monkey print; how deadly cute is that??)

Following the directions in the ribbon transfer package, print your sheet on an inkjet printer.

Using your paper scissors, cut the strips apart. My 10-year-old graciously modeled her hands for this tutorial.

Following the directions in the package (which involves removing water from your iron), iron your strips, print side down, onto your ribbon. Don't use an ironing board; use a flat surface and press firmly with a hot iron. You can put a thin cotton hand towel or pillowcase down to protect your surface.

Peel off the paper back, and voilå, you have your own printed ribbon! In this example, it looks like I could have pressed the image a little longer, but my daughter was getting impatient and she was the diva model, after all (grin). When you need to create longer ribbon, make sure you carefully line up your image strips so they match the pattern. Let your ribbon "set" for a day, but after that, it's washable.

Enjoy making your own printed ribbon! Use this for hair bows, key fobs, tags (you can print tags with your child's name and sew the ribbon into their clothing for school), and any other embellishment that requires ribbon!

Friendly giveaways in the blog-o-sphere

2011-02-23T06:52:00.000-08:00

Many of you "met" Jen of Tie Dye Diva a couple of weeks ago during our Round Robin spring boutique giveaway! Jen sent me one of her new patterns, and it's just fantastic. She gives lots of tips and doesn't leave you hanging regarding any step (if you've sewn from other patterns, you know what I mean....sometimes I have to Google what the pattern maker wants me to do, but this is NOT the case with Jen's work).

Anyway, I'm not giving away one of Jen's patterns, but the lovely Christine of From an Igloo is! All you'll need to do is click on over and make a comment about one of Jen's patterns. The giveaway ends Friday.

And if you'd like another shot at winning one of my patterns to learn how to make hair bows, barrettes or felt flowers, please visit Lindsay's site, The Cottage Home, to read a review of one of my e-books. She did a wonderful job making those bows, didn't she! To enter this giveaway, leave a note on The Cottage Home and tell Lindsay which of the Birdsong Bows and Patterns tutorials you'd like to win! Hurry for this one - it ends Thursday!

Color my World...Color tutorial for accessories designers, Part 1

2011-02-20T08:56:00.001-08:00

Whether you struggle with creating color combinations for your hair bows or accessories, or you feel pretty confident about your use of color, it's something we all consider as we sit down in our studios and start creating. I'm sure you've all seen the color wheel above, and have heard all about the primary colors (red, yellow blue), the secondary colors (green, purple, orange), and probably even the tertiaries (those colors in between).

But we're going to throw thoughts of that out the window today. Did you hear that? No technical color mumbo-jumbo. Frankly, I love color theory...I spent time in art school mixing colors, painting with them, and using painted papers to create "other colors" out of a single color (did you know that olive green on red looks brown, but on brown it looks green? It looks like a totally different color). But as accessories designers -- whether you sell or just create for your own kids -- really, we need to worry more about this:

Now, you don't specifically have to worry about the latest Pantone colors for fashion (spring 2011 are here), but you should use colors that match the outfits you're trying to accessorize.

If you make hair bows like I do, you'll want to review what's "hot" in children's wear. Go to your local Gymboree store and see the latest lines (I keep track of the colors on my private blog for those of you who have purchased Birdsong Bows and Patterns hair bow instructions). Check out the latest colors from Kate Mack, Biscotti, and other designers at your local brick-and mortar or online boutique, like Adorable's Children.

Aside from looking at ready-to-wear, mass-produced clothing, you'll want to look at what popular WAHM clothing designers are creating! See what fabrics are "in" and accessorize according to those colors. Take a look on Etsy and you'll get a sense of what people are loving!

Another big inspiration for "colorizing" your accessories is the season! We're into Easter/Spring now, so think of colors that remind you of flowers and new life. :) And if you just want to play, a great, inspirational site for colors is Colour Lovers. Open up the palettes and see what will work for you! Here are some I selected that reminded me of spring:

Of course, my mama told me that pink and red don't go together, and red and apple green are only for holidays, but fer-git about all of that. If it's pleasing to you, and if it matches with an outfit you're accessorizing, go for it! Be bold. Color isn't something to be afraid of...and as you practice, you're sure to learn what your favorite color combinations are.

And the winners are...

2011-02-17T07:14:00.001-08:00

We are so pleased to announce the winners of the Ultimate Spring Giveaway!

Grand Prize: Dana, who entered Feb. 11 at 9:37 a.m. Pacific time and said: "Tie Dye Divababy dress pattern; birdsong- mickey bows; Boutique by designs facebook face lift"

Second Prize: whitesuggar, who entered Feb. 8 at 3:37 p.m. Pacific Time and said: "Thanks for hosting this giveaway. I'm already fan of Birdsong, So I just liked: Boutique By Design, Goosie Girl Boutique, Melissa Caron, Tye Dye Dive

Third Prize: katschriber, who entered Feb. 15 at 10:08 a.m. Pacific Time and said: "flower fairy collection from: goosiegirl, L'Amour from: melissa caron jeweler; boutique beanies from: ribbon retreat

Winners please remember:

All winners have 72 hours (until 7 p.m. Pacific time on Friday, Feb. 18) to respond to info@boutiquebydesign.com to receive your prizes. (Remember, we do not have your contact information, so you need to e-mail info@boutiquebydesign.com to claim your winnings.) Prizes unclaimed after 72 hours will go to another winner, chosen by Random.org. So, if you did NOT win, feel free to check this blog by on Saturday to find out if we're doing a re-draw!

There were a total of 667 entries over the course of this giveaway. Thank you so much to all who participated! To keep things fair, we have used Random.org to make our draws. One team member kept a spreadsheet with entries, and another team member actually made the draws, which were then matched to the number on a spreadsheet. The screen shots of the "draws" are below:

First Prize Draw


Second Prize Draw

Third Prize Draw

And the winner of the bow/tutu photo contest is....

2011-02-14T10:45:00.000-08:00

Katie's Kandy!

Thanks to all who entered! And Katie's Kandy, please contact me at deanna@birdsongbows.com to receive your $10 gift certificate to my shop!

Round Robin: The Ultimate Spring Boutique Giveaway

2011-02-10T13:28:00.000-08:00

By now you've probably participated in the fantastic giveaway that's hosted on my site, Round Robin: The Ultimate Spring Boutique Giveaway (it has its own tab on the top of the page, too). If not, you'll have to check it out! We're awarding $500 worth of prizes, with the grand prize of $350 worth of items from Birdsong Bows and Patterns and some fabulous boutique friends and colleagues -- Boutique By Design, Painted Butterfly Studio, Tie Dye Diva, Melissa Caron, The Ribbon Retreat and Goosie Girl Boutique. The giveaway ends on Tuesday, Feb. 15, and we'll announce the winners at 7 p.m. Pacific time (10 p.m. Eastern) on Wednesday, Feb. 16. Stop by and see who wins!!

I want to THANK all of the great women who have participated in this giveaway...you are awesome! I appreciate having you come along for this ride. :)

Bring back the '80s...new braided barrette instructions!

2011-02-07T09:51:00.000-08:00

When I started making bows in 2006, my mind immediately went back to the 1980s, when my mom made me two-color braided barrettes in every color to match all of my outfits. I had really long hair, so she made the tails extra long and added the most beautiful beads to the ends. I'll have to ask her if she has a photo of me wearing one of her creations. If she finds one, I'll post it here!

I decided to resurrect this style of barrette, and added a variation so you can learn how make these in two, three or four colors. The new tutorial is available in the Birdsong Bows and Patterns Etsy shop starting today. I've included information on where to get your supplies as well.

These are fun and easy barrettes that you can work on with your tween or early teen daughters! My 10-year-old took a copy of my e-book (one that I printed out for editing) and declared that she wanted to make these right away. You can also add some cute monogram buttons to the top of the barrette for even more personalization.

Thanks so much to Christa of A Hope and A Wish Photography for her wonderful photos! Aren't they fabulous?

Time to vote!

2011-02-05T08:52:00.000-08:00

Thanks so much to the four gals who submitted photos for our first bow/tutu photo contest!

Please visit The Birdsong Bows and Patterns Flickr Group and look at the submissions.

Vote here for your favorite, and invite your friends to vote as well. The winner will receive a $10 gift certificate from Birdsong Bows and Patterns! Voting closes about 11:30 a.m. U.S. Eastern time on Saturday, Feb. 12. Good luck to all the entrants!

I know where my priorities are

2011-02-03T07:32:00.001-08:00

A couple of years after moving into our house in 1996, I got into sewing and quilting. And all I wanted for my birthday was some shelves and lighting so I could work in bright light in our finished portion of the basement. I painted, then put in new carpet, and bought the items that my husband installed.

It soon turned into a combo hair-bow-making/sewing area, but it works for me. I keep it relatively organized (I'm not perfect and envy those who have every item standing like little soldiers and no mess on the table). Note the careful painting (don't laugh at the sponge painting; this was the 90s and it was "in" then, and I haven't had time to re-do it).

Obviously, crafting is my passion.

Now, view a portion of my kitchen:

Brown and harvest gold, circa 1978. Note the trim around the door that's unfinished, because the refrigerator was slightly too big and we had to remove the regular trim and add this flat board.

Can you tell where my priorities are?

To be fair, it's a lot more costly to re-do a kitchen than a craft and sewing room, but STILL, I should have gotten around to painting that trim. I just don't find myself at home in the kitchen, like I do in the sewing room. When it's time to bring in baked goods for school functions, you'll find me at the grocery store, looking for something that appears like it could be homemade. But if they need me to help make banner? I'll be there, toting my hot glue gun with bells on.

Of course, I do enjoy cooking, sometimes. But mainly I cook to eat. I bake to make the kids happy. But getting "lost" in my work in the kitchen? Hahaha...can you see me ROTFLMBO?

Right now I'm working my tail off on two exciting projects that will be unveiled next week. One is a new tutorial, if the stars align properly and it all gets done. Right now I'm waiting on a couple of pictures and need to finish the design. The other is a BIG, FUN DEAL and I can't wait to share. You'll hear more early next week, so stay tuned. :)

Don't forget the photo contest! See the previous post on how to enter. Entries will be accepted through Friday. You'll be able to win a $10 gift certificate to Birdsong Bows and Patterns!

Hair Bow and tutu photo contest!

2011-01-27T07:21:00.000-08:00

I love photos! It's so fun to see what other people have seen and created, and then decided to share with the world.

That's why I want to see YOUR photos of hair accessories and tutus you've created! Don't worry about perfection -- just strut your best stuff AND you might win a $10 gift certificate to Birdsong Bows and Patterns.

It's easy to enter!

First, you'll need to join Flickr (if you're not on there already), and then join the brand-spankin' new Birdsong Bows and Patterns Flickr group.

If you haven't yet joined Flickr, you can either go directly to the site and read the directions, or check out this video tutorial on how to set it up. It looks like several steps, but it's quite simple.

Load your beautiful photos! After you've joined the Birdsong Bows and Patterns Flickr group (just click "join" along the top, under the group name), you can send your photo to the photo pool.

To do this, click on one of your pictures. Then, click on the "Actions" tab above the photo. Six options down you'll see "Add to/remove from group" (see example below). Click that, select the Birdsong Bows and Patterns group, and you're all done!

Entry begins now and continues through Friday, Feb. 4. Each person may submit up to three (3) different bow or tutu photos for this contest. Don't worry if you didn't make the bows or tutus using Birdsong Bows directions -- that's OK. I'll put up a poll on this blog where we can all vote for our favorites, from Saturday, Feb. 5 through Friday, Feb. 11 (my photos will not be up for judging, of course). The winner will be announced on this blog on Saturday, Feb. 12. You'll need to check the blog to see if you've won and contact me to receive your gift certificate.

Enjoy, and good luck!

And the winner of the free tutu tutorial is.....

2011-01-24T06:06:00.001-08:00

....Renee P! Renee, please contact me at ddmccool@sbcglobal.net to receive your free tutu tutorial!

I selected the winner from the 21 entries as of 10 p.m. Eastern on Sunday night. I would have loved to have extended it to midnight, but I need my beauty sleep, so 10 p.m. it was. :) I used the website Random.org to make the selection, and then counted from left to right, top to bottom, to find No. 16. And this is Renee!

I'm also happy to use this opportunity to show off two more photos by Christa of A Hope and a Wish Photography -- she does amazing work! And her little Olivia is, as a friend of mine would say, "such a corker." Full of fun, expression, and a bit of mischief!

Thanks to all who entered! Keep following me on Facebook and here.....lots more fun to come!

Free Hair Bow Instructions - Quick way to make spikes for layered boutique bows

2011-01-22T09:55:00.000-08:00

The gal who works as my "hand model," Laura, came by on Thursday evening so I could take photographs for an upcoming e-book (the above photo, of course, is NOT Laura, but sweet Olivia, modeling for A Hope and a Wish Photography). Someone asked me once if Laura is a hand model because she's not attractive enough to be a "real" model, LOL! Truth is, Laura is a very pretty first-grade teacher who does this on the side for me. It's too dark in my house at night to take a flattering portrait photo, but I'll take one soon of Laura and post it. She thought it was funny that someone would assume she was less-than-facially-blessed.

So while she was here, I shot some photos of this really simple way to make spikes for layered hair bows. I normally make my cuts freehand, but this is quick and simple and I might do it this way more often! Hope you enjoy this quick tip.

Supplies
"Spikes" of 7/8" ribbon in the size you desire
Scissors
Heat-sealing tool, like a lighter or woodburner

1. Fold your spike in half length-wise, as shown below.

2. Make a cut from the outside, "free" edge and angle it down toward the folded edge.

3. Open the ribbon and marvel at your FABulous skills with the scissors.

4. Seal the ends with your choice of sealing equipment (lighter or woodburning tool, shown below). I'd move my thumb a little farther away from the heat, but truth be told, the woodburner wasn't on here and I'm counting on the use of your imagination that it "could" be on.

Complete this with both ends of all of your spikes, and voila, perfectly formed pretties for your layered boutique bows! This tip is an addition to my PDF e-book instructions on how to make layered boutique bows.

And DON'T forget! Click in the right-hand column here to be a follower on this blog. I'll select one of the followers to win a FREE tutu tutorial on Sunday night, and will announce the winner Monday morning. Contest ends at 10 p.m. U.S. Eastern time on Sunday, Jan. 23. Good luck!

We almost live in an igloo

2011-01-17T07:00:00.000-08:00

There's something about January that's refreshing, and other parts that I find just darn annoying. I love the thought of a "New Year," and I usually take the time to make tweaks in my business plan and life. But then....there's the snow and cold. On Jan. 8, we had the largest snowfall in this area since 1909. More than 25 inches of snow fell in less than 24 hours. I got little done except snow removal, and then ended the week with a full-on, faucet-like head cold and window views of a majorly ice-dammed roof. Bummer!

But what WAS fun is watching the kids play in the snow! The day after the big storm, the girls were itching to go outside. Anna built her version of an igloo, and played in it for two days before accidentally collapsing the roof. Natalia was happy creating snowballs and throwing them at Mom and Dad.

School is out today for the holiday, and we plan to head to the local history museum and learn a little about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Though I wasn't around to remember that time in history, I can appreciate what he did for this country, and want to pass that along to the girls.

To "celebrate," I've got a 10% off sale in my Etsy shop today until midnight. All hair bow instructions, felt flower instructions, tutu instructions and hair bows are on sale.

As an added bonus, I've got something special for those of you who "follow" this blog. On Jan. 23 I'll do a drawing for a free tutu tutorial for anyone who's listed as a follower! So go to the right-hand column, click "follow," and I'll announce a winner next Monday, Jan. 24. Good luck!

Free Hair Bow Instructions - How to make simple bow holders

2011-01-13T06:57:00.000-08:00

Whether you love to purchase hair bows or make them yourself, you'll soon discover that your little ones' dresser drawers are no longer good places to store them! Aside from getting crushed, the bows begin to clog the drawers and sometimes (yikes!) get mixed up with her markers, crayons and pencils. There are some very beautiful bow holders available, but if you have limited wall space (or limited time to make something extra special), then these simple bow holders are for you. I sew mine, but you can just as easily use hot glue if you don't have a machine.

Supplies
Scissors
32 inches (81.3 cm) of 7/8" ribbon
32 inches (81.3 cm) of 3/8" ribbon
A 1-inch size D-ring (available online at ribbon stores like The Ribbon Retreat)
Hot glue gun and glue OR sewing machine and basic sewing supplies

1. Cut your ribbons to size, and layer the 3/8" ribbon on top of the larger ribbon.

2. Fold the ribbon over the flat side of the D-ring, about 1 inch (2.25 cm).

3. Sew the ribbon in place horizontally, or hot glue it to the back.

Don't attach the 3/8" ribbon vertically down the middle. The smaller ribbon is there so you'll be able to add small clippies that won't fit on the larger ribbon!

Hang the bow holder on your wall, and enjoy!

Seller tips: Seal all ends. If you plan to market these, you can add a hair bow to the top of the holder to make it prettier and entice customers to buy. Another idea - give these simple bow holders away as free gifts for customers who place large orders OR as an incentive for people to buy some of your more expensive bows.

And the free hair bow instructions giveaway goes to.....

2011-01-10T05:12:00.001-08:00

Congratulations to Julie, who had this comment: "I would love to learn how to make boutique hair bows!" Well, now you can! Please check out my items in my Etsy shop and choose any tutorial valued at $10 or less! You can e-mail me at deanna@birdsongbows.com with your selection.

I used the website www.random.org to generate the results, by putting in the number of entries and allowing it to choose one. As you can see, it selected number 2, which was Julie's entry.

Thanks to all who entered! And a special thanks to Kate of Peekaboo Photos for taking some awesome new photos for me...one of hers is shown above. She's fantastic to work with! I'll be sharing some more of her photos in the coming days.

Free giveaway - hair bow instructions!

2011-01-06T08:32:00.000-08:00

The new year is a time of renewal, and I saw it as an opportunity to re-do my blog to add to its beauty and functionality!

You'll see new free tutorials on here, at least monthly, for hair bow instructions, tips, tricks, and small sewing projects. They'll be posted and then archived in the "FREE Projects" tab at the top of the page.

You'll also see any previews of new hair bows and other sneak-peeks of products I'm working on.

And of course I'll continue to share tidbits of family life, as we all have loved ones to take care of and life "outside" the crafting and sewing world.

To celebrate the new blog (lovingly created by Kim of Boutique by Design), I'm giving away a FREE tutorial of your choice, valued at $10 or less.

To enter, leave a comment below this post. It can be about which hair bow or tutu tutorial you'd like, a positive experience you've had with Birdsong Bows, or some encouraging words of wisdom or thoughts!

The comment period/chance to win ends at 5 p.m. U.S. Eastern time on Sunday, Jan. 9. A winner, chosen at random, will be announced on Monday, Jan. 10. Thanks for giving me an awesome 2010, and I can't wait to see what 2011 will bring!

Out with 2010, in with 2011

2011-01-02T11:20:00.001-08:00

And the Christmas tree came down.

This task makes the end of the year so final to me. We used to remove decorations on Jan. 1, but that seemed depressing....not a way to celebrate a new year and all the promises that go with it. So now we take down the decorations on Jan. 2, and I still feel like I should procrastinate it for another week.

But, taking the tree down gave me time to reflect on things I'm happy to have accomplished in 2010, and things I want to do in 2011. These aren't resolutions, exactly, but mostly self-improvement items, things that I hope will make life better.

What's on your to-do list in 2011? Here's some of mine, in no particular order:

1. Run a half-marathon. Training begins mid-January!
2. Remember that running a boutique hair bow and pattern/instruction/tutorial business is like training for and running a marathon (or a half marathon, for me). Progress doesn't need to happen fast to HAPPEN.
3. Along those lines, continue to improve my business and introduce exciting, original boutique products and instructions.
4. Be a more faithful accountant. I tend to leave my paperwork until it HAS to be done, and then it take for-evah!
5. Be more patient with my kids and husband. I usually have a mental list of things I need to accomplish, and WOE be the person (husband, child, random telephone caller) who gets in the way.
6. Evaluate my volunteer positions. Two positions I'm holding are "up" in 2011, so I need to decide whether to continue, try something new, or simply take a break. I always feel the urge to volunteer but realize I only have so much time with a business and a family!
7. Continue eating 5 fruits and veggies a day. Seriously, this has to be a conscious effort for me, even though I don't mind eating them!

I think these are do-able. Well, maybe all but No. 4. Maybe I can hire my husband to do the accounting for me. Final resolution: Remember that I don't need to do everything by myself! :)

Happy New Year to all my fabulous readers and customers who made 2010 a fantastic year for me. Best wishes to you!

Hand-tied tutu instructions, sneaked in at the end of 2010

2010-12-31T08:24:00.001-08:00

I saw the end of 2010, with my husband off work, as a perfect time to finish up another tutorial. This tutorial offers tutu instructions - how to make a tutu that's simple, hand-tied, and gorgeous! It's so much easier to work when my husband is home to keep an eye on the kids. Plus, this time, he helped me put the tutorial together, and even helped shoot the photos (I figured out the camera settings, stuck my hands in the light studio, and he pressed the button). I knew I'd never be able to find a hand model willing to work between Christmas and New Year's, LOL! I might be one of the few crazy gals who saw the holiday break as a chance for quality work time.

Meanwhile, I'm sure you've noticed, but the banner on my website went MIA on Cyber Monday. The gal who designed my website back in 2007 is involved with other pursuits, and has been unable to help retrieve the banner. So I've hired another banner designer, Dreamlike Magic, to make a new one for me. She does fantastic work, and the banner should be unveiled shortly after the new year.

I'm taking this experience as a lesson - when you have custom graphics made, be sure to get the originals and file them on your own computer for future use. People's businesses and lives change, so it's best to keep yourself as organized as possible. A New Year's resolution for me, I suppose!

Enjoy a safe New Year's Eve celebration, and I look forward to sharing more free hair bow instructions and other tutorials on here in 2011!

Free Hair Bow Instructions - How to make easy no-slip grips

2010-12-18T07:21:00.001-08:00

Sometimes I get requests to add no-slip grips to my bows, to help them stay in fine baby hair. There are several different ways to do this, but this method is easy, neat, and very inexpensive!
I didn't use the white background like I do in my hair bow instructions and pdf tutorials, but this is still clear and easy to see on my cutting mat!

Supplies:
*A roll of shelf liner, available at any big-box retail store. You can get "Easy Liner" or any similar brand, which is like a ridged, compressible foam. It's usually under $5 per roll.
*A double-prong pinch clip (single-prong will work as well)
*Hot glue gun and glue
*Ruler
*Scissors or rotary cutter and mat

1. Cut a 1/4" strip of the shelf liner from end to end, like this:

2. Now, cut this into 1-1/4" sections, as below:

3. After mounting your clip to the back of your bow, simply glue the shelf liner strip to the bottom inside of the pinch clip. Make sure you glue it securely from end to end, and you'll have to hold it open for about 30 seconds to make sure the glue doesn't seep through and glue your clip shut!! (that would defeat the purpose, wouldn't it!)

And that's it! It's such a simple method of creating a no-slip grip, and the shelf liner can be purchased in other colors and textures if you're looking to coordinate with your bows. There are other methods of creating no-slip grippers as well, and I'd love for you all to share your ideas!

Keepin' creative indoors

2010-12-14T09:47:00.000-08:00

With the amount of snow and cold weather we've had in northern Indiana this month, it's not hard to believe that our preferred activities are of the indoor variety -- crafting, coloring, and (I'm planning it now!) baking. I wish I were lover of outdoor winter sports, but frankly I'm just not! It's a struggle to get my butt outside to run when it's below 40 degrees.

So as I worked on boutique bow orders this morning, I set my youngest daughter up with a few sheets of paper and asked her to create some cards for her preschool teacher and the classroom aids. It's never to early to be creative, is it? Although she's got a persistent cough this week, her spirits are high and she had a lot of fun finishing her creations.

As she colored she noticed some deer running behind our house, and I snapped a photo of one....it's like a hidden picture! (shot through a screen, hence the imperfections). Can you see it? Seeing deer isn't rare, but it's still always fun.

As the new year approaches, I'm thinking about all of the new plans I have on my agenda in 2011! Look for a new and improved blog as well as projects and ideas that will keep your creative juices flowing next year!

Latest books for sale!

2010-12-09T04:44:00.001-08:00

For those who want to make flower bows, pinwheels and baby snap clips, this is the tutorial for you! Another well-photographed and well-written tutorial, you're sure to have hours of fun trying these techniques. And, when you purchase, you'll get access to my private blog with video tips and techniques, as well as supplier resources! You can purchase on Etsy today!

Halloween listings are starting!

2010-08-24T08:15:00.000-07:00

Well, it's holiday time of the year again, and I can dig around in my Halloween ribbon drawer for some fantastic ribbon! Today I made a funky loopy bow in traditional Halloween colors, and I really like it! It's in my Etsy shop for only $13.99.

Now that both girls are going to be in school - one in 4th grade and the other in pre-kindergarten three mornings per week, I will be listing new creations more frequently than I did over the summer.

So, moms out there, do you look forward to the start of school, or dread it? I always have mixed feelings. Here in northern Indiana, summers are waaay to short, and it signals the end of summer. And I do NOT like cold weather! But I do enjoy crafting, sewing, quilting and knitting, so colder weather is conducive to these types of indoor pursuits. And it sure is a lot quieter when the kids are out of the house for a few hours!

Full Bowmaking Tutorial Line is here! Includes Funky Loopy bows!

2010-08-17T06:49:00.000-07:00

It's been a nice, wonderful summer, and I've spent a majority of it finishing up the final touches on my e-book tutorials on making hair bows!

You can purchase the entire Platinum collection from my website for $21.99. This includes books on how to make korker bows, how to make boutique bows (includes all sizes of bows and bowbands, including beautiful multi-layered bows!), and "funky loopy bows." If you already know how to make some of these types of bows, you can also order the books individually. :)

For those who want to sell their work and are just thinking about doing online sales, I've written a fourth book, called "Smashingly Successful Online Sales." This will take beginners through the ins-and-outs of selling online. You can also purchase this on my website.

With the kids returning to school, I will finally have time to work on my holiday bow line! Please look for it within the next couple of weeks!

New tutorials soon from Birdsong Bows!

2010-05-02T13:55:00.000-07:00

I've been preoccupied the past two months with creating three of four instruction manuals/tutorials on making bows! The first is available on Etsy now, a book about making cutesy, curly korker bows.

I'll be adding more tutorials during the next two weeks, and a fourth tutorial will be published by June! I'm looking forward to creating some new, fresh bow designs within the week, as books 2 and 3 hit the market! Thanks for taking a look!

Thinking Spring from Birdsong Bows

2010-02-01T05:52:00.000-08:00

OK, so there's snow on the ground and a cold bite in the air, but spring will come soon, and I'm getting ready for it!

Newly listed on my Etsy site this week are two new designs, one for St. Patrick's Day and one for Easter. Both can be mounted to a stretchy headband (for those little ones who can't yet clip a bow in her hair) for an additional $4.

Then, I know you want to get a head start on your Easter shopping, and this basket of bows will be perfect for her on Easter morning. It's a fantastic basket by my friend at ladesigns2 on Etsy, filled with four TOTALLY CUSTOM bows by me. Please allow 2 weeks for shipment of your custom order. Find it here on eBay this week!

I also had some time to create an outfit for my darling daughter, who will turn 4 next week!! I love this Michael Miller print; it's just fantastic!

Welcome to a new year from Birdsong Bows!

2010-01-07T10:14:00.000-08:00

Welcome to 2010! Is it twenty-ten, or two-thousand-ten? Whichever it is, I'm sure it will be a better year. With the economic downturn, 2009 was a tough year for most people. I hope everyone is happy and healthy in the new year!

I started out the new year with two Valentine's Day designs. One is a bow set; the other is a cute ornament. They are both available on eBay and Etsy right now. The eBay auction is popular, based on the number of watchers I have! Good luck with bidding! I know you'll love this set.

The other Buy-It-Now item is the ornament, which I just loved making. I sold one last Easter and made several of these types for Christmas (in a Christmas theme) to give to my daughter's teachers. I hope they enjoyed them as much as I liked making them! They take a couple of hours each to make, but are so worth it.

My personal projects have included a quilt for my daughter, and I'm working on some skirts for her in beautiful fabrics. It was nice to take a little break over the holidays for some personal sewing.

Want to win a free bow set??? Sign up to be a fan of Birdsong Bows on Facebook. When we reach 100, I will give away two bow sets. They will not be customs, but rather ones I have pre-made....still, I know you will love them!

Have you heard of Kiva? Stay tuned and I'll tell you more about the new promotion I'm doing soon!

Final boutique bow listing of the year!

2009-12-14T09:22:00.000-08:00

Happy holidays to everyone! I've listed my final auction of the year on eBay; a cute Valentine's Day set that's made to match the wonderful outfit by RoseyThreads. This is for our Boutique Icing Valentine's Day launch. Search Boutique Icing on eBay to see all the great coordinating pieces!

My Etsy store is closed until Dec. 26 to allow for a holiday break, and all orders from my website from Dec. 14-26 won't ship until the week of Dec. 28. Thanks for your understanding!

Meanwhile, this week and next I'm creating the spring line of bows for Adorables Children's Boutique. Their new Kate Mack and Mim-Pi lines will be shipping at the beginning of January, and my bows will be ready to ship with them! Check out their site; the boutique has some beautiful clothing!

On the homefront, all of my Christmas shopping is done. I made gifts for Anna's and Natalia's teachers, as well as some gifts for relatives and neighbors. Aside from children's toys (can't exactly find a Made in America Barbie), I try to either shop at local stores, buy or make handmade items, and otherwise stay away from made-in-China gifts. It's an important way to keep Americans on the job, or to promote fair wages in developing nations. If you're in the northern Indiana area, look for the ShoLo symbol at participating stores, or visit the Sholo Web site.

Happy holidays and have a safe new year!

New on Etsy; Happy Autumn!

2009-11-05T07:00:00.000-08:00

I've just listed a made-to-match Gymboree bow in my Etsy store; it's so cute! I just love that line, with the pinks, greens, and cute gingerbread girls.

We had a great Halloween here! The girls dressed as a bumblebee and a unicorn. I took the photos two days early, since Halloween was supposed to be cold...and it was. :) However, we ran out of candy an hour before trick-or-treating was up. The girls wanted to pass out candy when we got home from our trick-or-treating, but were unable to since we ran out of candy. They were not too upset; they commenced with the EATING, lol!