Thanksgiving Is A Coming Soon!

So Thanksgiving is almost upon us & I couldn't be more psyched! The time is here again for me to make my HUGE spread of yummy fixin's and sit around with my beautiful family watching Hallmark films, drinking sparkling cider & playing Scrabble or Gin Rummy. We <3 Thanksgiving at my house. And let's not forget BLACK FRIDAY!!! Even after standing on my feet for hours preparing dinner, I still run out in the cold, brave the crazed crowds, and find deals for my family & friends. It ROCKS. :-D
BUT...what this holiday really & truly is about is being thankful for all that Christ has bestowed upon us in the form of friends, family, health, home, food, jobs, etc.  Taking a day to reflect on our Blessings is great, but why can't we be thankful more often, say, every day of the year?

Well for one thing, the craziness of our lives invades our minds 24/7 making it difficult to focus on what is really important. Our family, church, school, & financial obligations keep us (especially mommas) geared up for the next thing to be done. Each task that we complete is a mini victory that we say a small prayer of thanks for, and then move on to the next task. The end result? We are just too bogged down to stop & smell the roses...and be thankful for them.

I have been going through that lately. With Ruffles Ribbons N' Bows growing (yay!), I've been busier than usual. Since this is our first year of homeschooling, I've been having a little more difficulty balancing housework, schoolwork and...well...work. So I've visited some phenomenal blogs recently (See one here) to help get more organized and to efficiently run my household. I now have a Family/Home Binder AND a Homeschool Binder. Soon to come? A RRNB Business Binder! :-) By using these, my hectic & often chaotic life will be more manageable and I can take the extra time I have to be thankful for all of the great things that God has given me!

In other news, my Christmas items are up & ready to be bought! 

I have tutus, a Christmas dress, and hairbows as well.

 I LOVE Christmas, since as a believer, it means the celebration of Christ's birth. I'm just itching to get our Christmas decorations up. Of course, it will mean that the cats will have a field day chewing the the tinsel, pulling down the garlands, and pulling ornaments off the tree. But it also means hot cocoa, eggnog, my hubbies famous chocolate chip cookies and lots of fun wrapping gifts. I always look forward to giving during the holidays as well. It builds character in Little Stinker and warms my heart to help my church's Make A Way Charities. And giving a toy or gift card to a family in need is such a Blessing. :-)

So what are your favorite things about the holidays? Have any family traditions that make it extra special? I'd love for you to share them with me, by leaving a comment below.

I pray that you & yours have a Blessed & fun Thanksgiving! Also, be sure to save a plate for me!

XOXO

God Bless,

~ Chel

Life in the Mom Lane: A Prayer for Sanity

Hi beautiful mommas! I haven't blogged in a bit, so I decided that if I was going to take time out of my recently very busy days, I'd better make this post poignant & really relative to my readers. Well, honestly, I am all tuckered out after telling (and a smidgen of yelling) at my five year old to brush his teeth and go to bed. I have Rush Order tutus that need to go out in the morning which will require me pulling another all-nighter. And I still have to get the dishes done, two baskets of laundry put away and put my son's homeschool work for tomorrow in his task folder. So instead of trying to give advice or say something witty, I have decided to post this totally awesome prayer that I found on Polly & Rachel's blog: thrivinghomeblog.com. Sometimes, a faith-filled momma's tank gets a little depleted and she needs a little bit of prayer to renew her mind, become refreshed and ready for another full and Blessed day. :-)
XOXO
~ Chel

The Music of Loose Ends

 Heavenly Father,

You said “always.” Always give thanks- always and for everything. You said to keep the music of thanksgiving always playing in my heart. Today, I give thanks in Jesus’ name for what I usually complain about, for what I can’t seem to control or change, for all the daily indignities of raising kids:

- For things that break or get broken all the time, and things that break on first use, and for the broken things that require expensive repair or replacement: Today I see that these are reminders that You are giving my family an eternal treasure in heaven that will never break or fade away (Matt. 6:20).

- For things stained, smudged, smeared, fingerprinted, spilled on, even for those unnamable stickynessess in strange places: Today I will bear with such messes with renewed patience because they remind me that it is the inside of us that matters. You have washed our hearts to purest white by the mercies of Your daily love and eternal salvation (Ps. 51:7)

- For things unemptied, unreplaced, unclosed, unreturned, unkempt, unfound, and unfinished: Today these loose ends of our family life reassure me that our family is called to a destiny where only a few things really matter (Luke 10:42).

-For things ugly, plain, common, cheap, chipped, and dented: Today I see these sometimes-embarrassing belongings of a family for what they are- proof that a miracle is under way here. And You, Lord of all, choose to dwell here with us (Ps. 144:3).

- For noises day and night, and loud music, and loud noise that passes for music: Today I offer this racket to You as the praise of “everything that has breath” in this house (Ps. 150:6), and thank You with each decibel of devotion.

-For interrupted meals, unfinished conversations with friends, unfinished reading, neglected hobbies and projects, and for the fading memories of many small, grown-up luxuries: Today I remember that in His ministry, Jesus said that children were the most welcome interruption of all and the real business of heaven (Matt. 19:14).

O Father, accept my list of ordinary parenting annoyances as the holy music of my thankful heart today, for I sing in Jesus’ name.

Amen

Fantastic Fan Friday Giveaway 10-5-12!!

Who doesn't love to hear this: "T.G.I.F."?? Either it means your are going out to dinner and are going to have some yummy food at the famed restaurant, or people are just excited because it is the end of the week!
I personally LOVE the end of the week, because my hubby & I have date-night, i.e. Family Night since our son comes with us (fun times). In honor of making it through another great homeschooling week, we PARTY!!! Oh well, we go to Chilis or IHOP and indulge in some goodies before going home to watch a Disney movie together.
For my dear Fans, it means another one of my boutique treats is up for grabs!

To win this awesome hairbow headband, which is PERFECT for the Fall, enter the giveaway below.
Have a great weekend & God Bless!

~ Chel XOXO


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Midweek Madness!

Hola, Namaste, Ni Hao...ok, HELLO! :-D

Hope that everyone is having a very Blessed week, so far. I know that the craziness of life can make our days filled with smiles, frowns, tears, and laughter. I'm hoping that this coupon code will bring Joker-esque smiles to everyone's face. Coupon codes are a great way to get a once in a blue moon sale just for you.

So here's to you, my awesome fans, a three-hour SALE!!! Shop TODAY between the hours of 6pm -9pm E.T. and use coupon code: FAN40 at checkout to save 40% off of your Entire Order!

Write the code down, study it, take a pic of it, save it to your cell, whatever you have to do and shop between 6pm-9pm to get this deal!!!

Enjoy & God Bless,

XO ~ Chel

Ruffles Ribbons N Bows NEW YouTube Commercial!!! Tutu~Dress~Bows

Introducing our NEWEST commercial on YouTube featuring our Tutu Dresses & Tutus!
Now I know what your thinking: "Haven't you been selling tutus for a while now?"
Yep, I sure have, but my last YouTube commercial didn't reflect that, so Voila'! ;-)

Id like to thank all of the wonderful models and their mommies & photographers for these amazing photos, without which, my boutique would never be as great and this commercial would not be as cute!

So I'm spotlighting Little Diamond Models, the coolest listing agency ever! XO

Enjoy the commercial & have a Blessed day,

~ Chel

Congrats To Our Early Halloween Costume Giveaway Winner!!

Congrats to Ava Skye's Momager, who is the Blessed winner of the Early Halloween Costume Giveaway!! She will receive my vampire/Twilight-inspired tutu & hairbow set. I cannot wait to make this FANGtastic outfit for your little girl! Thanks to everyone who entered! As a consolation prize and treat to all of my followers, here is a coupon code for FREE shipping on your entire order. The code to be entered at checkout is: FREESHIP1. 

 Hope this helps! XOXO 

 Have a Blessed day, 

 ~ Chel

Early Halloween Costume GIVEAWAY!!

Calling All Vampire & Twilight Fans!!!

So it's kind of my thing to hold a giveaway once a month and small impromptu giveaways on Fridays. 

I've been really excited about this particular one because it's Halloween themed! So I'm giving away a Vampire/Twilight Inspired child's tutu set! It's perfect as a Halloween costume for your little one. She will look FANGtastic! The tutu set will include the hairbow & the matching tutu. The crochet top is not included. The set will be similar to this one (depending on ribbon availability):

I'm looking forward to making this for someone special! You can enter the contest through the Rafflecopter Giveaway below. There are many ways to enter & gain points to win, so what do you have to lose? :-)

Have fun entering & "may the odds be ever in your favor"!
{A line from yet another great movie}Hehe...

Thanks & God Bless, 

XO

~ Chel

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fantastic Friday Fan Giveaway 9-21-12

It's Fantastic Friday Fan Giveaway time again! Here's praying that everyone has a great Friday and an even sweeter weekend! To kick-off your 2-day break, I'm giving away a gift set: a hairbow & flower headband. This can be for you, your kiddos, family members or friends and it's packaged gift-ready, so you don't have to worry about wrapping anything! :-)

To enter, follow the prompts at the top of this blog on the main page & enjoy!

I'd LOVE to write more, but I have a 5-year-old begging for me to come & view his "creation". I can only hope that my curtains or kitchenware wasn't involved! :-D

Enjoy your TGIF & God Bless,

~ Chel

Fantastic Friday Fan Giveaway!!!

It's that time again! The end of the week is here & I'd like to give my fans a "Thank Goodness It's Friday" Treat! I've decided to give away a hairbow & hairbow holder from my new line of Summer Bow Holders! This set hasn't even been introduced in my boutique yet, so a Blessed winner will receive the first one! 

You can enter the giveaway at the top of the page. The winner will be announced on FB and here. Hope everyone has a Fun Friday & a Blessed weekend too! ;-)

XOXO

-`☆´- *´¨)
…… ¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
… … (¸.•´… (¸.•` -`☆´-
.¸.•´•☆*¨★..~Chel

First Giveaway Winner!

Congrats to Melissa Ginyard for winning a Lavender & Cream Tutu Set in our first Giveaway!!!
Yours will be the first of the style, before it even is available for purchase in my store!
Thanks so much for entering & supporting Ruffles Ribbons N' Bows Boutique!

To all others, we will be having Giveaways once a month from now on! For now, visit my Etsy store at http://www.etsy.com/shop/RufflesRibbonsNBows to order a tutu set or any other sweet boutique treat of your own! ;-)

Have a Blessed Weekend!

-`☆´- *´¨)
…… ¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
… … (¸.•´… (¸.•` -`☆´-
.¸.•´•☆*¨★..~Chel

Coupon Code Alert - Terrific Tuesday! 50% OFF Two Hour Sale!!

Terrific Tuesday! It's not just the beginning of the week. It is AWESOME!

Coupon Code Alert!

Use FAN 50 at checkout to save 50% off of your entire order!
~ Been wanting to order a tutu? Half off!
~ Been wanting a tutu dress, but it's out of your budget? Half off!
~ Want to buy 10 bows for the price of five??? HALF OFF!

Better hurry though. This code is only active for two hours!

5 p.m. EST - 7 p.m. EST

Ruffles Ribbons N' Bows Boutique's First Giveaway!!!

Okay so I'm always a bit Tardy For the Party, but I've finally caught up with the times and RRNB Boutique is finally having a GIVEAWAY!!!
I'm so excited because we've never done a giveaway before, but we have such great fans & awesome customers, that I felt it was time to give back. Up for grabs is a FREE Lavender & Cream Tutu Set. The set includes a Lavender & white tutu and a matching hairbow! The set normally would retail for about $28.95, but some Blessed mommy will win it & get it for FREE!! Also, this set has not been featured in my boutique yet, but it will be available for purchase in my Ruffled Truffles Collection only after a winner has been chosen. That way, the winner will have the first lavender & Cream Tutu Set before anyone else does!

You can enter the giveaway at the top of this page. It starts today Sunday, June 24th and ends
Saturday, June 30th 12:01a.m.EST. Looking forward to creating this set for you! :)

In other news, RRNB has recently reached 300 fans on FB!
In celebration of that, I'll be having a 50% off day this week. But you'll have to check back daily on my blog & FB for the coupon code. I'll (quietly) post it on one day this week. Hehe.
:-D Everything in your cart will be 50% off with the code. Good times... :-P

Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend! Going to put my little one to bed (he's an hour overdue) & get the dishes done.

XOXO

Good night & God Bless,

-`☆´- *´¨)
…… ¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
… … (¸.•´… (¸.•` -`☆´-
.¸.•´•☆*¨★..~Chel

The Frosting on the Cake of Life: Kiddos!

OMGosh! It has been quite a while since I've posted anything. I apologize for the hiatus, but life has been pretty hectic around here. Firstly, my little Blessing, Arden, just turned five last month. And you know, fellow mommas, how we get when our little ones turn a year older. We pull out the photo albums & bawl all over our growing kiddo's baby photos. Ahhh, the joys of being a mom. I never knew how difficult the five year mark would be for me. I cried like there was no tomorrow over my son's first-born hospital photos for days before & after his b-day. I just couldn't believe the time had flown past so quickly. My "little stinker" can hold his own now with so many things. Heck, he doesn't even wet the bed anymore!! And YES, I'm so happy about that (no more changing his bed sheets everyday), but that meant that we no longer had to buy overnight training pants (again, a good thing), which meant that my "baby" was <gasp> GROWING UP!!!!

Say it ain't so, Lord, say it ain't so...

Well, I can thank God for Blessing me with a little slice of Heaven on earth and keep on walking, and that is pretty much what I did. But still...the transition from PBS & Nick Jr to Teen Nick had better be a S L O W one, because all this growing up sucks. Yep, I need baby # 2, which we are presently working on. :-)

Oh! I haven't mentioned a thing about our homeschooling plan! Well, some of you may know that my hubby & I have chosen to homeschool our little slugger in the fall. I know that God will give me the wisdom to be not only a patient & understanding mom, but a great teacher as well. I've been pre-homeschooling him for a year now and he absolutely LOVES it! I prayed for that too, when my hubby & I made the decision to move forward with home-education. In fact, we've recently joined a network of homeschoolers (yay!) here in the Frisco area and we look forward to learning with & from them. =)

So, hmmnn, in other news, I did announce a while back that I'm going to be introducing lots of innovative tutus & tutu dresses to my boutique & perhaps, omitting some existing items from the lineup. I LOVE making hairbows & hairbow-holders & the like and will STILL offer them, so no worries on that. I am just moving the boutique in the clothing direction a bit more, specifically with tutus & tutu dresses. They always turn out so pretty (with lots of prayer & help from God), and they inspire me to have that little girl my hubby & I are hoping for. ;-)

So here are some new dresses & tutus that I'm offering lately. And I'd like to thank Little Diamond Models for helping to make all of my items sparkle & shine! I love working with them!!! :-)

PLEASE, please, please if you don't see a theme or color scheme that you would like for anything in my shop, convo me for a custom listing. I will work with you to best create the item you envision.

Side Note: I'm back on the low-carb, low-cal, low-taste (just kidding!) eating plan and I am going for the goal! The last time I tried that, I lost 67 pounds and kept off 62 of them. We're going on a vacation next month for our anniversary (7 sweet years) & I look forward to strutting a healthier version of myself around TX! 

Custom Orders Rock!

Custom Order Information Sheet
Welcome to Ruffles Ribbons N' Bows Info Sheet on custom orders! If you'd like to request a custom order for a tutu dress, tutu, monogram bow holder, hairbow, flower clip, headband, or hat, but you are not really sure how to go about it, you are in the right place. 
First off, thanks for visiting my shop & considering my items! Make sure you take a look around the entire shop to see if we have anything you need, because we offer an array of items for gals of all ages. 
Secondly, if you'd like to request a custom order for anything, you can click on the request custom item link in my shop or click here. 
Thirdly, if you know what you'd like to have custom made & would like to know what add-ons we offer to make it extra special, see below.

Custom Order Fee
Custom orders are absolutely FREE! I require no additional charge just because you'd like to customize an item or create one of your own. There are add-on fees, however, depending on what extras you'd like to fully customize your item. 
"Why is there a fee for add-ons?"
"What exactly do the add-on fees cover?"
The add-on fees simply cover the cost of the item being added to your custom creation.  I'm a Work-From-Home-Mom and know what it's like to be on a budget, so I've made my prices affordable. After all, we can be cost effectively cute! :)

Add-Ons
Add-Ons are special touches otherwise known as embellishments that make your item pop & give it your personal touch. Below are a list of add-ons offered by RRNB & their prices:

Add an extra Bow to a tutu or hairbow (to make it a double, triple bow or multi-layer bow)      
$ 1.00 ea.

Add a Crochet or Thin Stretchy Headband (if your order doesn't come with one)    
$ 2.00 ea.

Add Lace Ribbon Tails/Streamers (thoughout a tutu or tutu dress)       
{Available in white or ivory only) 
$ 5.00 per tutu
$ 10.00 per tutu Dress

Add a Flower (to request a different flower than what comes with the listing or to add an additional flower to a tutu, tutu dress or hair clip)    
$2.00 ea.

Add a Rhinestone button (to a tutu, tutu dress, flower clip, hairbow, hat, or crib shoes)     $ 1.50 ea.

Add Satin Ribbon Wrapping to a tutu or tutu dress.
$ 3.00 per tutu 
$ 5.00 per tutu dress

Add Ribbon Tails/Streamers to a tutu or tutu dress (non-lace)
$ 4.00 per tutu
$8.00 per tutu dress

Add on a matching hairbow or flowerclip (for beautifuly basic tutus only)
$ 4.00

Don't see an add-on that you'd like or have any questions for me? Click here.
Thanks so much for visiting! I look forward to creating your dream custom item! XOXO

God Bless,

~ Chel - Owner
Ruffles Ribbons N' Bows Boutique

Facelifts & Fashion & Frosting, Oh My! :)

So I guess the word is out, so I might as well just come out & tell everybody the news about the facelift....

RUFFLES RIBBONS N' BOWS BOUTIQUE HAS GOTTEN A FACELIFT!!!

New Logo!

So now ya know. ;-) 

I'm feeling a bit HOT with my store's new LOOK. 

"I feel so pretty, picture perfect beautiful!"

Click, Flash! 

Thanks to Michelle at http://cherishedmemoriesdesigns.net, we have a beautiful brand new logo & our Etsy store is totally revamped! Our new slogan is " Frosting & Flair, Sweetness You Wear!" 

You may even notice that the sections in my shop have been renamed as well:

~ Ribbons N' Royalty Tutus

~ Ruffles Truffles Tutus

~ Beautifully Basic Tutus

~ Happy Holiday Tutus

~ Delectable Bows

~ Belle Fleur Clips

~ Sweet Treat Headbands

~ Candied Hats

~ Scrumptious Bow Holders

~ Lil Cupcakes Crib Shoes

Its all about the "sweetness" with us! 

Be on the lookout for our Spring tutu dresses & Flower girl tutu gowns coming soon! 

Need a unique Easter dress that will blow everyone else out of the water???

Visit us in a week! Made to Order Easter Tutu Dresses will be available for sale!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/RufflesRibbonsNBows

In other news, there are some exciting things going on in my sister's lives that have me excited. So happy & feel so Blessed to have a great family & wonderful friends. 

Now for bed. My hubby's snoring is only SO bearable. ;-P

Thanks for sharing in my moment of elation & God Bless you & yours this weekend,

-`☆´- *´¨)
…… ¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
… … (¸.•´… (¸.•` -`☆´-
.¸.•´•☆*¨★..~Chel

XOXO

What's New With Me, What's New With RRNB?

OMGosh! Has it been that long since I've written a blog post??? My life hasn't been that busy...has it? 

*sigh* 

Being Supermommy is a Blessing more often than not, but it's the 'not' times that make us question what the heck we are thinking half of the time. For instance, my hubby and I made the decision a long time ago to homeschool, which is awesome. We feel that God has led us to follow through on this course of Christ-centered education, so I'm happy I have a hubby who is on the same page as I am with that. Of course, since I'm the SAHM, I will primarily (and most certainly) be the one teaching our son & any children to come. But I don't really STAY home. As a matter of fact, having this Etsy business keeps me pretty busy during the day and most of the night, working often into the wee hours of the morning. And burning the candle at both ends doesn't prevent me from awaking at 8 a.m. and dragging through my home making breakfast, feeding our cats, feeding the neighborhood cat colonies (yes I DO help to trap/spay/neuter too), preparing our lesson for the day, checking emails, fiddling with social networks, writing my play & my christian childrens book series, dishes, housework, laundry, shopping/ to-do lists, phone calls, meet-ups/ playdates and spending quality time with my son...while petting the cats. Makes me want to just run off screaming down the street, like in a Looney Toons episode. Why CAN"T we just go Daffy Duck on our responsibilities? Moms deserve to have a mini breakdown and well as a mini vacation too!

Unfortunately, we don't get to do either. I always tell my mom, if I could go back into time & stop Eve from eating the forbidden fruit, I'd slap her one good for her part in the plight of women. However, on days like today, when the weather is above 80 degrees and I'm in my backyard taking photos of my little one riding his bike with the new helmet grandma sent him (adorable!), I'm reminded of my Blessings. 

I get to stay home and raise my son. How awesome is that? I get to nap once in a blue moon too. I also have some great pets and a hubby who works hard so that I can stay home & raise our kiddo. I'm in a new playgroup which seems absolutely awesome and we're about to join a christian homeschooling network of folks who can actually help me get the hang of this home educator thing. Whew! That is a lot! And I didn't even get to the part of my sweet extended  family, my best friends back home, my growing boutique business, going back to college in the fall and shedding 70 pounds. Sure I'd like more sleep and my house looks like we just got out of the Wizard of Oz tornado, but I'm getting there. With God's help ALL THINGS are possible, so I'm going to keep moving forward and being the best "me" possible. 

My Beautiful Family - Two year ago before I lost the 70 pounds! 

Arden 4 yrs old

HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT!!! 

Ruffles Ribbons N' Bows Boutique will be moving in a different direction. I've decided to focus primarily on tutus and tutu dresses. Oh sure, I'll still offer crib shoes, hairbows, bow holders, legwarmers, flower clips and more, but I'm figuring out more effective and unique ways to do so. Be on the lookout for our new look as well. We'll have a different logo and boutique look as well, so check back in with us in a week or two. 

SIDE NOTE! 

We'll be offering Couture Easter tutu dresses, M2M Gymboree hairbows & tutu sets, and Unique themed tutu sets & tutu dresses. I'm looking forward to going on this fashion journey with you gals! :-)

Have a Blessed Day! XOXO

~ Chel

P.S. BONUS! Coupon code for Free Shipping: FREESHIP1 to use the entire month of March! 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/RufflesRibbonsNBows

NEW YORK GIANTS TUTU SET IS HERE!!!

New York Giant Tutu Set is finished! Just giving my Blog fans the heads up, as promised. To purchase the Ready-To-Ship set (sized 24 months - 3T) or to request a custom order, go to:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/RufflesRibbonsNBows


Nite all! XOXO


Thanks & God Bless! :-)

-`☆´- *´¨)
…… ¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
… … (¸.•´… (¸.•` -`☆´-
.¸.•´•☆*¨★..~Chel

New Year NEWS!!!

What is NOT to love about this pick me up, 'Funky Jesus Music'??? It rocks and gets my creative juices flowing! If I'm going to listen to great Christian tunes while making my creations, why not pump up the volume on cool faith-filled awesomeness that is Toby Mac? Rock on...and keep on praising! ;-)

Just a mini note to everyone...

I'm making SUPERBOWL tutus all week!!! Making a Giants tutu in a bit that will be ready to ship & taking a few custom orders as well. I will post photos & give my faithful followers the heads up right before I post them to Etsy, so be on the lookout to get first dibs!

Missed you guys over Christmas break!!! Now it is a New Year & I'm looking forward to moving Ruffles Ribbons N' Bows with the times. We will be focusing a lot of energy on tutus & tutu dresses for every occasion, holiday & season. We will even be making crazy themed tutus like:

CAT IN THE HAT TUTUS

PUNKY BREWSTER TUTUS

TWILIGHT TUTUS

No keeping up with the Joneses here. We are keeping up with the creativity! Will keep ya posted on more design ideas & please offer up suggestions or even request a custom tutu! 


xoxo

~ Chel