A Perfect Match

I recently partnered up with Sparkles and Stars Modeling. I went to their facebook page and looked through the photos of all of their beautiful models that they have available for assignments. I instantly knew I wanted to work with little miss Ava.

The day before I was contacted by Sparkles and Stars I had just finished this gorgeous Mardi Gras Royalty set and miss Ava was the perfect match!

Sparkles and Stars has a policy that all contact must go through them. So I contacted miss Christy and told her that I was interested in working with little Ava. I had no idea where Ava lived or anything about her. All I knew was that she was very pretty and I thought she would look amazing in this outfit. Within a couple of days Christy emailed me Ava's shipping information

so that I could send her the outfit I had chosen for her to model.

To my amazement upon receiving the email, little miss Ava lives in Mississippi! Wow what a coincidence right? Miss Ava looks absolutely stunning in this "Mardi Gras Royalty" "Diva"riffic set. I love the fact that her photos were done on the beach too. Thank you to Sparkles and Stars for giving us the opportunity to work with this beautiful little girl. Thank you to her mother as well for allowing us the chance to have Ava wear some of our products. She is beautiful!

It truly is a perfect match!!

BEHIND THE SCENES

Ever wondered what goes on when you place an order? The clock starts and I get to work.

Even though the dress I am working on in this picture is for Mariah, I treat every order the same. I get working on it right away.

Custom orders are so much fun. To know I can create something that expresses the personality of your little one as well as yours, that is truly rewarding.

New techniques do not scare me. I will have to admit, I do study and ponder them for quite sometime, but I soon find myself diving right in with persistence, until the task is mastered! Like this new diamond design tutu. Mentally, I could not wrap my brain around it, but once I started, I just couldn't stop!

I plan on bringing some of my most creative work yet this year, so be on the lookout. Tell all your friends about "BOW"dacious and tell them to follow this blog! They could be in store for a real treat this year!

Thanks for taking a little peak behind the scenes!

ZEBRA IS ALL THE RAGE

Everywhere you look, you see Zebra. I was watching a popular sitcom last night and one of the actresses had a Zebra dress on. I shop the boutiques and Zebra is everywhere. It's black on white is usually paired with a bright stunning color.

I have discovered that my inventory of fabrics and ribbons MUST contain Zebra print. But what I think is the best of all, is the glue gun I work with! YEP! It's ZEBRA!

When I had my boutique items on display this past year, I had a woman say to me "I remember when animal prints were only in the bedroom and on lingerie!"

Everywhere you turn today, there are animal prints of all kinds. I have a few new items that will be released in the near future that also feature a different animal print! You won't want to miss them.

For Christmas, we purchased a beautiful Zebra print toy box for my daughter and foot stool for Mommy when she is rocking the little princess in the rocking chair.

I have seen Zebra rugs in home decor and Zebra accessories. What will be next? Oh did I mention that I have a Zebra print purse?

The next time you see Zebra material, you will think of "BOW"dacious Boutique - BECAUSE WE ARE WILD AND ALL THE RAGE!

A new angel is born on this sad day

Last night while browsing around on facebook I came across a story that had tears streaming down my face while reading it. The Staats family recently lost their beautiful baby girl unexpectedly. Today is the day they lay her to rest.

While reading their story I felt so sad for the mother of this beautiful little girl as her feelings came right through her writing. As she described what it was like to choose a dress for her baby girl's funeral I could not imagine the pain she must feel.

This precious angel was so young. She looked like such a happy baby and she was very loved. Her family will miss her so much. Her mother says that her favorite color was pink and that she loved big bows. How sweet she must have been!

As a remembrance to their precious angel they asked that today everyone would put a big bow on their little girls. So today my little angel is Happy Go Lucky. Our thoughts and prayers are with this family on this sad day. God bless them and give them peace. Little Maddie is in good hands where she's at now. Rest assured that she is in a happy place!

Today as she looks down on all of here on Earth I hope she sees little girls all around wearing their big bows in her memory. This is for you little Maddie! Fly free little angel.

On this sad day a new angel is born!

To sew or not to sew...that is the question!

Everyone has their own style when it comes to creating hair bling. There are so many tutorials out there that show you how to make the different styles. So how do you know which one is the right one to use?

Do you sew it, wire it, tie it, or maybe glue is what works best for you?

Well for me I am always worried about safety. So

for me the obvious choice would be to sew EVERYTHING! Some people tie their bows or use wire. Which is fine if that is what works for them. For me it does not work. For example...

some people tie their Korker bows in the middle.

I personally would not be very happy after spending all that time baking my ribbon and cutting sprigs to the length that I want them only to find that some little diva's curious little hands could not resist pulling it apart. That would be very sad! So I sew mine every time.

Some people just do not want to take that extra bit of time to make sure that the embellishments they use in their bows are secure. I myself sew anything that is possible to sew. I have even been known to make my own holes in stuff just so that I could sew it on. It just makes me feel better about the safety of those little divas who will be wearing my products. I even sew the marabou feathers in to the bows that I use them on!!

Does it take a little extra time to create things when sewing every little thing on? Well of course it does. But I would much rather it take a little extra time than to have something fall off somewhere that it shouldn't or to have one of her favorite bows fall apart!

To sew or not to sew...that is the question!

WHAT'S REALLY AT THE END OF THE RAINBOW?

Dating back to Old Europe, the legend of the pot of gold is claimed enthusiastically by the Irish. They'll tell you that fairies put the gold there and then the leprechauns guard it.

This folklore has become part of the symbolism of St. Patrick's Day, a holiday that celebrates everything Irish including the hope and luck it takes to find that elusive pot of gold.

Well I won't claim to have a pot of gold or that one will be at the end of the next rainbow you see. But, I do have lucky charms and I am excited to share them with you.

In my New Years Resolution, I resolved to bring my customers more creative accessories and I am bringing it!

From the use of beautiful crystal slides to the OTT Mardi Gras bow and tutu, we are bringing Bling and So much more! If you haven't had a chance to see the previews, check out the wide variety of new items I have shared on facebook.

If you would like to order them, visit my website today and May the Luck Of The Irish be with you!

OVER THE TOP BEHAVIOR

I had no idea a year ago, when I started designing Over-the-top bows (OTT), that they would catch on so BIG! I am not the originator of these incredible bows, but as I studied them online, it seemed that the east coast Boutiques were having great success with them.

So, I learned the basics to create them and before I knew it, I was creating some fun OTT bows and having a ball doing them.

As I put them in a local store here in the west, I soon realized that the west hadn't experienced the same WOW factor as I did.

In fact, I had 3 of my top sellers in that store for what seemed like forever. Not one of those sold. A couple of comments were, they sure are beautiful and way too big to put on my child.

Well you know design (or you wouldn't be here), it finally caught on. So much so, that those are some of my best selling bows now, locally and online.

I then began to create one for all of the special occasions for my daughter Mariah. I get the most fabulous reviews when we go out in public. But, none more Over-The-Top as the Valentines Day bow.

I was getting out of the car at the grocery store, when I scooped Mariah out of her car seat and shut the door. As I turned to head toward the store, a woman came running across the parking lot at me, yelling "Oh I have to see that bow"! She almost scared my daughter.

I grabbed her tightly in my arms and pulled back as the woman approached me and she said with a smile on her face, "I just had to see that beautiful bow, how gorgeous is she?"

She smiled and apologized, then went on her way. It was quite a scary experience, an OVER-THE-TOP one for the books!

LOVE YOU LIKE JUSTIN BIEBER

So, Bieber Fever has hit home! My beautiful daughter Kandi, 6 years old, has caught the Bieber Fever. She and her cousin share this wild fever and have resolved that they will

share Justin Bieber as their boyfriend.

Remember the days when all you could think about was your favorite teen idol? You ate, drank, slept his image and put posters on your wall and with stars in your eyes day dreamed of being the next Mrs. Whoever!

It isn't new. So, while Kandi's day dreams are full of Justin Bieber, she is so excited she just can't help but share. She bought me a beautiful Justin Bieber necklace for Christmas and guess what? When you sniff it, it smells like the Justin Bieber Cologne!

Yep, it sits on my nightstand and when I awake to the aroma, I instantly get the fever! I guess it is inevitable that I see the movie and share the fever with my precious daughter!

On Valentine's Day while talking to my adorable little Bieber fan she said to me " I love you mommy, you know what I love you like?" and I replied, "How much" She said to me "I love you like Justin Bieber!" Although it may be funny to other people, It was very precious to me to hear her say this!

"Kandi, I love you like Justin Bieber

too!!!!!"

MESSAGE FROM THE SWING

When I take Mariah to the park, I am amazed at how much she enjoys the swings. I love the excitement before putting her in the seat. She gets excited from head to toe. So much so that her legs are kicking so hard before I can even get them into the holes so she can sit. With a little help from Daddy, we get her in and she begins to clap. The smile on her face is so big, it is infectious. We just can't help but laugh and smile with her.

But once she is in the air and swinging, she only stares at the ground watching it go by as she goes back and forth. Her claps begin to slow down and she is mesmerized by the passing dirt. She smiles now and again, but there is something quiet and serene. She is deep in thought and the wind blowing in her face and hair comforts her.

What a feeling to find a moment to reflect. I wonder what she is thinking at these moments. For what does a little girl of a year old think about that deeply?

It really doesn't matter what she is thinking, this is her moment. Her moment to feel.....I have come to that place in my life. It is my moment to feel. I want to feel like nothing else, I want to soar like no one can stop me. Right here, right now and I don't want anyone else to share in it for that brief moment.

Thanks Mariah for teaching me to soar!

TO HEADBAND OR NOT TO HEADBAND

One of my most FAQ (frequently asked questions) is "Does that come on a headband or on a clip?". To that I always respond, "That's the beauty of my products, they are interchangeable.

All of my bows and florals are put on a clip. All of my headbands can accommodate any bow that I make. I want my products as versatile as the people who wear them.

For instance, if you prefer a hard headband, don't be afraid to order a bow or floral to go with it. My hardheadbands are made to allow you to clip your bow to them or wear the headband plain. This goes for the crocheted as well. If you purchase a headband from my store, rest assured, you can wear it WITH or WITHOUT the accessories.

Not all boutiques are created equal.... I thought that you'd like to know that at "BOW"dacious, we are always thinking ahead and with you in mind!

CONSULTATIONS

You know one of favorite moments in this business is when someone comes to me with no clue what direction to go with creating beautiful couture for their baby.

Today during a consultation for a photo shoot, I realized that this is why I do this. I remember not knowing how I wanted to dress my baby up for a photo shoot and now I am in the position that I can help others.

I owe it all to my fans. If you haven't had a chance to check out our interactive Facebook page, check it out at www.facebook.com/bowdaciousk. I will be happy to walk you through the process of creating high style for your baby, no matter what age!

DESIGN BEGINS WITH THE RIBBON

Incredible amounts of time is spent on picking the right ribbon for the right bow! You may not realize that there is truly almost a science to this! Here is a sampling of the thought process behind the bows that I design.

1. What occasion is the bow for?

2. What type of outfit (colors/design) will it be worn with?

3. How many different patterns should I put in the bow?

4. Depending on the first 3, what embellishments, if any does the bow require?

5. Size of the bow? Will this be an OTT BOW or will it be a smaller version?

6. What hairstyle will the recipient be wearing when this bow is worn?

7. Can it be constructed in a safe manner, meaning that parts are not easily taken off or dangerous?

8. What type of shipping container will the bow be in for safe shipping?

9. When is the bow needed?

10. What age will be wearing this bow?

Well that is the top 10 questions I ask myself before starting your creation. Here is an example of the variations of bows created for specific people.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

There is nothing like a little sweetheart to share your Valentines Day with! Mariah is sporting her best in Sweetheart Wear! This beautiful dress was her birthday present and Mommy quickly went to work creating a BOW to Match! Bet you didn't see that coming?

Not only is she sporting her best Bow that Mommy designed, she is also wearing her Sweetheart Binky Clip!

She looks deep in thought, but I really think that she is just contemplating what she will wear tomorrow that could possibly top this beautiful ensemble!

This bow is aptly named "Mommy's Heart"! That about sums it up doesn't it? This is one of my favorite OTT Bows (Over-the-top). It is designed with a crystal heart slide in the middle.

New Website For BOWdacious

Well it's official and has been for a few months now. Our Website is up and running and chock full of great items! www.BowdaciousB.com

It was an adventure creating this site. Never having had any knowledge of these things. But I had a great company helping to create the site and my Mother-in-law and I posted products into the wee hours of the night, several nights over. It isn't completely finished, there are so many more that we are going to add.

What was most amazing, was the amount of products that we have brought to you, the consumer. I could not believe the amount of them that we had to upload. From great OTT (over-the-top) bows to car seat canopies and so much more.

I have aligned myself with a photographer for professional models, Hot Shot Images. Nissa is AMAZING! She has quite a way with children and Sparkles and Stars is also on board with our products.

Amazing things happen when you open the door to see what is on the other side. "BOW"dacious Fan Page on Facebook is getting quite a following with over 3100 fans and counting daily.

If you would be so kind as to click "FOLLOW" this blog, I promise to keep you updated and share some fun tips and secrets that you can use in your own business! Thanks for all you do!