tutu bug

And so it comes to an end...

2011-05-01T18:06:00.000-07:00

Over the past few months, I have decided to shut down my business and blog. It has been a fun run, but it is time for me to move on :). I have thoroughly enjoyed creating handcrafted tutu's for the cutest little princesses around and I want to thank everyone for their support!

I am starting a new blog called Additive Free Foodie and it centers around one of my passions, eating as all natural as possible. Please stop by and say hi when you can!

Warmest Regards,

Melanie H.

Tutu Clearance!

2011-03-23T10:37:00.000-07:00

I have 10 tutu's that I am clearancing out...Each tutu is $15 shipped or $10 cash (regular price is $28.75 shipped or $23.50 cash). If interested, please email me at az_melanie@yahoo.com.

12-18 mos Washington Redskins/USC/KS Chiefs (Red/Gold)

12-18 mos FL Gators (navy/orange)

12-18 mos Phx Suns (orange/purple)

2T Michigan (navy/yellow)

2T Texas Longhorns (burnt orange/white)

2T Arizona State (Burgundy/Gold)

3/4T Chicago Cubs/Giants

It's MY SITS Day!!!

2011-02-21T21:24:00.000-08:00

After ~~47 years~~, about 1 year of waiting, it is FINALLY my SITS day! I honestly was shocked when I got the email last month that my blog would finally be featured. I am very excited and honored to be featured on SITS, which stands for The Secret in the Sauce. It's an amazing community of fellow bloggers who support eachother through comments. Its a simple and ingenious way to meet other bloggers!

A little bit about me...I am currently a stay at home mom to two elementary aged boys. I decided back in 2009 that it'd be fun to open up my own little boutique style store and I started selling tutu's! Yeah, I live with a bunch of boys, but make tutu's - kind of ironic, isn't it?! It's definitely been a journey and for those of you who own your own small, online business, you can attest to the fact that it takes a lot of hard work, time and marketing of your product....

Anyway, I am just so happy that you have stopped by my blog! Besides writing about my tutu's, I also talk about food (who doesn't love a peanut butter bon bon?!), books, crafts and other bloggers to keep things interesting! My posts are usually pretty short, as my attention span is not at all long these days. I totally blame that on parenting two rowdy kids! So, in my promise to keep things short, I will sign off for now....thanks for visiting and come back soon!!

Melanie

Spring is HERE! Well, almost...

2011-02-20T21:24:00.000-08:00

Here are some fun springtime tutu's....

Lollipop

Blue Raspberry

Lemon Burst

Pink Bubblegum

Watermelon

Valentine's Day and the Matching Tutu

2011-02-07T08:46:00.000-08:00

OK, so I have to confess, I am not a big fan of Valentine's Day. It's weird because I grew up in a home where I got Valentine candies and gifts from my parents and grandparents. We'd do the red foods and heart shaped meatloaf (which is about the only Valentine tradition I do) and all that jazz. Once I got married though, I just figured I was done with Valentine's Day. Here's the biggest reason. DH's birthday is in November, Christmas is in December and our anniversary is in January. By February, if he doesn't know he's loved, he needs to open his eyes and unplug his ears :). As for our kids, we still say Happy Valentine's and do the heart shaped meatloaf but w aren't big candy eaters, so all the chocolates and sweet goodies are out (hence the meatloaf). I try to keep it simple and most importantly, show my boys that they are loved every day of the year. Please don't think I am anti-Valentine's day, I'm really not, it's just that, we keep our little traditions low key and minimal when it comes to this day!

Now if I had a daughter and could get her all dressed up in something super cute, I might change my tune :). I made this Sweetheart tutu, for those that like to go all out for Valentine's Day and want to dress up that little Valentine in their life! It's made with shimmery pink, red and white tulle, with a white satin ribbon covered in hearts. Too cute!

Tutu-rific!

2011-01-31T11:31:00.000-08:00

I have a friend who creates the most adorable crocheted hats . She did a photo shoot with Sunflowers Photography and I was able to squeeze some tutu's onto one of the model's she had. Here's a picture of this cutie patootie wearing some of tutu bug's tutu's!

Bumble Bee

Razmataz

There are a few more shots, but I need to get them resized. I will add them later :)!

Peanut Butter Bon Bons

2011-01-24T09:05:00.000-08:00

I meant to post up this Peanut Butter Bon Bon recipe in December, but just didn't get around to it, but hey, better late than never! This is one of our favorite Christmas treats and peanut butter has lots of protein, so they must be good for you! I originally got this recipe from a coworker of my DH several years ago. It's been a holiday staple since. I have simplified the recipe as well (who had a double boiler these days?!), so keep this in mind when you're hankering for a great mix of peanut butter and choclolate when nothing but homemade will do :)!

Peanut Butter Bon Bons

1-7 oz. Chocolate (this is the giant sized bar. You can substitute milk chocoloate chips if needed)
8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/8 stick parafin wax (found in baking aisle)
1-18 oz jar peanut butter
1 stick butter
1 lb box powdered sugar (I use a little less than the whole box)
3 c. rice crispies cereal

In microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate bar (broken into pieces), chocolate chips and wax. Be sure to shave the wax into the chocolate otherwise it will never melt. Heat on high for 30 seconds. Stir. Keep heating and stirring in 30 second increments until chocolate and was are melted.

In large bowl, combing peanut butter, stick butter and powdered sugar. Mix together then add rice crispies (can use a little less if mix gets too dry). Roll into balls and dip into melted chocolate. Place on cookie sheet lined with wax paper and place in fridge till firm.

These are delicious, enjoy!!!!

Ohio State University Tutu

2011-01-17T08:23:00.000-08:00

I had a client email me asking for an Ohio State University tutu for her 9 mo. It's made of shimmery red and grey tulle, with a 5/8" white bow. Here's a photo of it - it turned out so cute!!!

What the heck is a cornbag?!?!

2011-01-10T11:05:00.000-08:00

Yeah I get that question a lot. I sell cornbags at boutiques as well as my tutu's. They seem to be very popular sellers, I have a lot of repeat buyers and people who purchase them for stocking stuffers, teacher gifts, etc. Anyway, a corn bag is pretty much just that -a bag filled with corn. It's a little fancier than that, I actually sew fabric (flannel or cotton) and fill with a special non-popping corn (no that isn't a dumb question, people ask it all the time). The cornbag is used as an all natural hot pack or cold compress and is great for sore backs, cramps, achy muscles, headaches, etc, etc. My favorite use for the cornbags is during the winter. I heat it up and throw it under the covers at the foot of the bed. I then put my cold toesies on the cornbag instead of my husband. I think it actually saved our marriage. Anyway, they are great little inventions and super affordable too.

We store ours in the freezer so you always have an ice pack available and then take out and microwave as needed. I currently have 4 in the freezer and am thinking of making a few more. My kids love them and sleep with them year round. The kids love them for some reason, two of my friends who bought them told me that their kiddos sleep with them as well. Anyway, I know I had mentioned in a previous post about these and I wanted to finally explain them :).

Happy New Year!

2011-01-02T11:06:00.000-08:00

Hope you had an exciting new year. We were invited to a family s'mores party, wich was very fun and then we came home to ~~blow up stuff~~ light off fireworks with the neighbor kids. It was fun times for all, although FREEZING. I got my ski coat out for the first time since 1996 - and it still fit - yeehaw! Anyway, I digress...I was asleep well before midnight - I choose sleep over fun, as I knew the kids would be up plenty early and they didn't disappoint!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-26T11:09:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a very Merry (I just typed messy on accident, freudian slip?!) Christmas! We went small scale this year and it was great! The kids got enough, we got enough and everyone was happy - even the cat (hey, what cat doesn't like catnip?!) We even let the kids decorate the Christmas tree this year - that was my idea, I was beat by the time the dang tree was up with lights on it. I thought it was cute that there were no ornaments from the middle to the top! Anyway they had a blast and were very proud of themselves.

My plan was to make a holiday tutu this year, but I have been having health issues for the past two months and never got around to it. I guess I will have to save my ideas for next year!

Rush Orders

2010-12-15T11:12:00.000-08:00

Oh how I ~~hate~~ love rush orders! I love to create awesome tutu's for customer's, but sometimes its hard when I get last minute orders. I had about three of those in the past week and I was a bit stressed out over it! The stinky thing was, I didn't even get to take pictures of the tutus to share with you all, I just had to ship them out asap. On one of the orders, I got to the post office at 4:59 p.m. Whew!!! I know other tutu makers charge extra for rush orders, but I don't. As long as I can still do rush orders, I will, but at some point I might have to rethink that policy!

Thanksgiving

2010-11-29T10:55:00.000-08:00

Well, I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We always enjoy eating a bunch of great food, oh yeah, and spending time with the family as well :)! My husband always participates in a Turkey Bowl he coordinates through his work, so he was gone in the morning, then we went to my family's house for the meal. We were most thankful that my MIL was able to get out of the hospital on Thanksgiving eve just in time to be able to celebrate with us. She had been in since the first of November, so we were all very happy (most notably, her!)

Unfortunately, turkey day colors leave much to be desired when it comes to tutus, so I've got no new Turkey Tutu for you, although it would be kinda funny-brown and orange with a feathery bow :).

It's Boutique Time

2010-11-20T10:50:00.000-08:00

I've participated in two boutiques this month and I have one more next month so it has been very, very busy around here! I sold about 9 tutu's so far and 20 cornbags*! My best seller was Sassy Pink and people seem to really be enjoying all of the sports tutu's.

I'll be explaining the cornbags further in another post.

Recent Sales

2010-11-10T10:45:00.000-08:00

Here's a couple of cute tutu's I've sold recently:

NY Yankees to Texas

Lollipop to Texas

Ladybug to AZ

Sales are starting to pick up as the holiday's draw near!

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-01T10:42:00.000-07:00

Well, I hope you all had a very wonderful Halloween with your family. We usually go trick-or-treating with our kids in our neighborhood and this year was no different. My goal this year was to not spend any money on costumes and do everything from stuff we had at home. Fortunately it worked out with my oldest going as a football fan and my youngest going as a baseball player. I just used sports clothes we had from home. It worked great!

I've Been MIA

2010-10-27T10:35:00.000-07:00

Hello Bloggy Friends! I am so sorry I've been gone for the past two weeks. I had surgery last week and am finally getting around to catching up on things! Whew, being unable to care for your family and get your normal chores done is hard on everyone. My boys are definitely happy that mom is back in the kitchen!

Anyway, I am back to work and looking forward to a successful holiday season. I am planning on coming up with a few super cute holiday tutus. Let me know what Christmas color combos YOU'D love to see :)!

Halloween Tutus

2010-10-14T06:00:00.001-07:00

Looking for a cute and original Halloween Costume for your little princess? I have lots of tutus that would make an excellent start for your Halloween costumes!

Here's my newest creation specifically designed for Halloween 2010:

Tinkerbell

Ladybug (or Minnie)

Snow White

Bumble Bee

Looking for something else? Just let me know, I do custom work! All orders made by October 22nd will be delivered in time for the big day!

How Cute is This?!

2010-10-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

This little girl has a super nice mommy that entered into one of my giveaways and won the tutu of her choice. She chose Lemon Burst and as you can see by the look on her face, I think she is in love with her new tutu bug tutu!! I try to do giveaways once a quarter, so look for the next one in early January, as I just finished my last giveaway a few weeks ago :).

14 tutus on Clearance - $13-15 shipped!

2010-10-10T06:30:00.000-07:00

I still have some tutu's left over from new tutus I created while putting together my website. All prices INCLUDE shipping. Save up to 60% off here:

If interested, please email me at melanie@tutubug.com with any questions or with the tutu you are interested in purchase. I will send you a paypal invoice and once payment is received, I will ship within 24 hours!

2T Arizona State University-$13

4/5T Bumble Bee - $15

2T Dallas Cowboys - $13

2T Greenbay Packers / Oakland A's - $13

4/5T Blue Chocolate Truffle - $15

2T Chicago Cubs / NY Giants - $13

2T Phoenix Suns / Clemson University / Auburn College - $13

4/5T Pink Bubblegum - $15

4/5T Tropical Breeze - $15

12-18 mos University of Florida - $13

2T Chicago Bears / Denver Broncos / Syracuse-$13

2T University of Texas - $13

12-18 mos. Washington Redskins - $13

12-18 mos University of Michigan - $13

Good Reads

2010-10-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of Amazon.com

I just finished the trilogy, Humger Games by Suzanne Collins. Wow! That is the only one word phrase I can think of that *attempts* to sum this series up and that doesn't even come close to describing how unique, interesting, creative and just plain GOOD these books are! I tried to summarize this book to my mom the other day and she was like, "huh?!?" so I will leave it to the publishers over at Scholastic to explain it better:

'Twenty-four are forced to enter. Only the winner survives.

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Each year, the districts are forced by the Capitol to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the Hunger Games, a brutal and terrifying fight to the death – televised for all of Panem to see.

Survival is second nature for sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who struggles to feed her mother and younger sister by secretly hunting and gathering beyond the fences of District 12. When Katniss steps in to take the place of her sister in the Hunger Games, she knows it may be her death sentence. If she is to survive, she must weigh survival against humanity and life against love.'

HAPPY READING!!!

And the Winner is...

2010-09-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

The tutu bug giveaway winner is #37, which is Jaime from From My Kitchen to Yours. She chose the Dallas Cowboys tutu from the sports collection. CONGRATS, Jaime!!!

Start of Football Season 2010 = tutu bug Giveaway!!!

2010-09-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

In honor of my new sports line and the start of the 2010 football season, I am hosting a tutu giveaway!! The winner will receive a free (shipping included) sports tutu from my website. If your team isn't on there, I will make it for you! All entries must be received by Monday, September 20th and a winner weill be chosen via http://www.random.org/ on Tuesday, September 21st. Here's how to enter:

Required:

1-Become a follower of my blog and leave a comment telling me which sports tutu is your favorite or which sports tutu you'd love to see (1 entry).

Optional:

2-'Like' me on Facebook (1 entry). You can click on my Facebook button that is in the right column of this blog.
3-Post my giveaway linking back to my site on Facebook (2 entries).
4-Blog about my giveaway linking back to my blog (2 entries).

For each entry, you MUST post a comment to this blog letting me know which step you completed. If the entry is worth 2 entries, please be sure to post twice. I want to be sure you get that second chance to win! Thanks and goodluck!!

Giveaway Scout

2010-09-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

Ever heard of Giveaway Scout?! They automatically scan thousands of blogs to bring you the latest blog giveaways, sweepstakes and contests! You can visit them here and sign up to receive daily updates on blogs doing giveaways!

I Love My Breadmaker!

2010-09-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

Anyone out there have a breadmaker? Well, I technically don't have one, but I did borrow my mom's about 2 years ago and I think she's forgotten. Who am I to remind her that I still have it out on loan?! Anyway, one thing I LOVE to make with it is homemade pizza dough. I also make homemade sauce and this is now a weekly family tradition. Every Friday or Saturday night I make sure to create pizza for my boys. I always make two pizzas. The first is plain cheese for the boys and the second is half mushroom (for me-yum!), all pepperoni and sometimes sausage too. So yummy! Anyway, if you have a breadmaker, here's the recipe I use:

In order, place the following ingredients into your bread machine:

1 c. beer or water (I use water, I don't really drink, so never have it on hand)

1 Tbsp. shortening (they do have organic shortening out there, if you don't do the trans fats)

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

shake garlic powder (opt)*

1/4 tsp Italian seasoning (opt)*

3 c. Flour

1 1/4 tsp. yeast

*These two ingredients really add some flavor to the dough

Set bread machine on dough or if you don't have that setting, for 2 hours. The dough should have a 25 min preheat delay before mixing begins (this is included in the 2 hours). When cycle is complete, remove dough from pan and split into two. Roll out both circles on floured surface and place on pizza pan or stoneware. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Par bake the dough for 6-8 min (watch for bubbles in the dough and use a knife to break as necessary). Remove from oven, place sauce (see recipe below), ingredients, cheese, and more ingredients on pizza and cook for 5-8 more minutes. You really need to watch it so it doesn't burn or undercook. So worth it, though! Cut and enjoy!

Sauce

1 can crushed tomatoes

1 Tbsp olive oil

Dash Ital seasoning

Pinch of sugar

Simmer above ingredients for 2at least 20 minutes in saucepan.

The finished products...

Book Review

2010-09-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love a good book. Now that we are in the throws of summer and if its hot like it is here - can you say 110 degrees, anyone?! - there's nothing quite like turning the a/c down low and curling up with a good book! The book that I just finished reading today called The Bomber Boys, written by Travis L. Ayres (pictured taken from his website, http://www.thebomberboys.com/) is one I have read twice now. It is an amazing work of non-fiction that tells the story of five different B-17 airmen during WWII and the harrowing tales of survival they encountered while fighting the Germans. I am not a big history buff at all, but there is something so touching about these men, what they did for the world and how it forever affected their lives and those around them. The book has five different stories of men within separate bomber groups and their stories of survival as they each worked towards their 25, 30 or 35 missions which equalled a ticket home. As the war began, crews were required to complete 25 missions in order to go home, but as the war dragged on that was increased to 30 then ultimately, 35 missions. Although this sounds easy, 55% of all aircraft were lost in action and over 95, 000 airmen lost their lives in this war (and a total of over 418,000 US servicemen lost their lives). The men that enlisted and fought bravely are true American heroes! If you are looking to read about some amazing men, I would highly recommend this book!!

That Crazy Cat!

2010-08-30T06:00:00.001-07:00

I'm a cat person, always have been, always will be. I grew up with lots of cats and a few dogs, but for some reason the cats stole my heart. I know some people think they are sneaky, aloof or unfriendly, but I beg to differ! We currently have one furr baby, whose name is Emme. She is a Ragdoll (seal bicolor) and has the cookiest, craziest personality and is such a sweetheart. Ragdolls are very large, laid back cats that don't have a mean bone in their body. They are big, furry, floppy and have the most beautiful blue eye's you've ever seen! You can read more about Ragdolls here.

OK, back to our kitty...Our cat is pretty hilarious. First of all, she plays catch. Yes, she has this little crinkle ball (which is falling apart & I can't find a replacement) that she plays fetch with. We throw the ball she goes running and sliding across the tile, pics it up with her teeth and brings it back. So cute. She is also our resident exterminator. We live in AZ, so we have lots of gross spiders and bugs. She finds them and chases them until we can run over and kill them. She likes to dismember crickets, yep that is one of her past times! LOL. Something else she does that I think is pretty crazy is that she can catch flies Mr. Miyagi style! She will stalk it until she catches it. It is crazy to watch! She'll follow it around till it gets close to the sliding glass door and then she'll jump up and catch it with her front paws!! Then she somehow manages to eat it. Gross, I know, but hey we no longer need a fly swatter! OK, on to some cute stuff. She loves to sleep up on the computer desk while I work and she loves to jump up on our bed for morning cuddles. If you don't pet her, she will use her paw to very gently touch you on the arm and give this tiny squeak of a meow to let you know, "Hey, mom and dad, I need some love over here!" She also LOVES to sleep in and chew on boxes. She also has perfected the Ragdoll flop - which must be taught by momma Ragdolls, as they all do it - they like to sleep on their backs with their legs all splayed out. It is hilarious. Finally, she loves to greet our company. She runs out, rubs up against them, gives them a sniff and a lick then trots off. So bizarre, I seriously think she's half dog, but I promise you she smells MUCH better and never drools....well, unless I get out the Temptations cat treats!

So, as you can see, I love cats, especially MY cat. So here's some pics of our beauiful girl...

Up on the cabinets. Ragdolls are not supposed to be big jumpers, she obviously didn't get the memo!

The crinkle ball. It's nasty, but I can't find one even remotely like it!

How can you not love a face like that?

Helping me pay bills. If she could only get a job!

Sleeping in daddy's XBOX box. I swear it looks like she's smiling!

She was relaxing in the rocking chair while we watched a movie.

Helping big brother sort the LEGO's.

Here is one of her glamour shots (No, I did not pay for these! She came with a whole set of them!) She got these at about 6-8 mos old. Notice how light she is in these pics compared to some of the newer ones - it takes 3-4 years for them to fully mature. Her real name is Sweetshadow Whispurr of Echoglen. Yeah, she doesn't come when I call her that!

She even got to meet the class hamster. Squeakers wasn't too excited, but Emme was lovin' it. One time it got out of its exercise ball and she cornered it until we got there. What self control, she didn't even take a nibble!

The Ragdoll Flop. Chillin' in little brother's room.

Razmataz

2010-08-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

I just completed making this Razmataz tutu for a friend of mine who bought it for her 3 1/2 yo daughter. I was delighted to see two pictures come in within hours of her getting the tutu! I love how this little princess has the biggest grin on her face!! It was over 100 degrees when this photo was taken, which goes to show you how happy she was with her new tutu! She is such a doll and looks so cute in her new

Razmataz tutu!

Come out, come out, wherever you are!

2010-08-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

I make tutus, yes, we all know that. I have a guest bedroom that has been converted to the 'tutu studio,' which by the way is a pain to clean out when we have company, but I digress! Anyway, all of the cutting, prepping and packing happens in this room, so it boggles my mind how I find bits of tulle ALL over my house. I mean everywhere! A lot of times I will find it stuck to bath towels after they come out of the dryer. Never have I had a bath towel in my front bedroom, how does this happen?!? Another time, I was out with my friends and one of them was like, "Uh, you have soom tulle on your boob." Once again, how does this happen?! But the one place I found tulle that I thought was extra crazy was on my front porch!! I was sweeping the front porch, why, I am not quite sure, as I think I've only done that like twice since living here :), when I look down and see a piece of purple tulle stuck to my welcome mat. I had to laugh at this. I tried to sweep it off, but it was good and stuck, so being the lazy lady that I am, I just left it there. I figure my guests ought to know they are entering the tutu zone, which comes with the hazard of possibly walking out of my house with tulle stuck to their rear-ends, in their hair, on their shoes, orLord knows where else! I never know where I'll find a piece next, it's like I'm playing a little game of hide and seek with it. So to the tulle, I say, "Come out, come out, wherever you are!!"

New tutu bug Offering....Tinkerbell!

2010-08-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

Oh how I love this new tutu!! Every little girl has dreams of being a princess or fairy and this tutu fits the bill perfectly! I ordered some green tulle for a sports tutu but new it would be the perfect color for a Tinkerbell inspired tutu. I came up with this super cute tutu, which I of course named, Tinkerbell. It is made up primarily of an emerald green tulle with a few strips of apple green tulle in there as well. It is completed with a two-striped sheer organza apple green bow. I made this tutu in a size 2T for my website and am offering this extra tutu at a discount of $15 shipped! Please email me at melanie@tutubug.com if you are interested.

Beef Skewers

2010-08-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

Oh how I love beef on a stick! This super simple recipe is simple and yummy. I purchase London Broil steak when it is on sale and have the butcher cut the meat into 1/4" slices. This will help with a LOT of the prep work so I highly encourage you to do the same. I also buy 2-3 steaks at a time and make a little assembly line with the marinade, then freeze the beef in the marinade so when I take it out of the freezer, it is marinating as it thaws. For side dishes, I usually serve with white rice and brocolli. And surprisingly enough, my picky eaters actually eat this! Anyway, here's the recipe:

Beef Skewers

Serves: 4

2 lbs (approx) London Broil Steak cut into 1/4" slices (each slice will be about 3-6" long)

1/2 c. Soy Sauce

1/3 c. Vegetable oil

1/3 c. Brown sugar

1-2 tsp. Fresh garlic (or more if you like) or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 Tbsp. Ground ginger

Combine soy sauce, oil, brown sugar, garlic and ginger in ziploc bag. Add meat and mix to coat. Place in fridge to marinate for 8 hours or overnight or put in freezer for future use. Take wooden skewers and saok in ice water for 5 minutes. Then skewer beef of sticks and grill on medium for 3-4 minutes a side. Serve over rice with a side of brocolli.

Leftover beef is great in an Asian style salad the next day.

Purple Platinum

2010-08-10T20:24:00.000-07:00

What girl doesn't like a little purple and platinum in their life?! I had a client who wanted a tutu as a gift for her flower girl and wanted it to match her wedding colors. Her colors are going to be purple, platinum and cream. This is the custom creation that we came up with. The final product turned out soo cute! I hope that I get a picture soon of the little flower girl wearing her new tutu!

Back to School

2010-07-27T09:43:00.000-07:00

I usually post about recipes and tutus and other bloggers, but today I want to share what's on my heart since my boys went back to school this week....

Yesterday was the first day of school for my boys. My oldest started 3rd grade and my youngest started Kindergarten. On the first day of school, parents who do 'drop-off' (instead of bus or before/after school care) have to walk their kids to class. So I drop off my oldest, as he's been through this before and then bring my youngest to his Kindergarten class. He walks right in, sits in his chair and starts his worksheet. Doesn't say see ya, good bye, love ya, nice knowing you, NOTHING!

I just stare at him and think, holy cow, all I have done for the past almost 9 years is stay home with these boys and do everything for them. I remember those first *miserable* sleepless nights (I don't care HOW much you love that baby, getting no sleep just plain sucks!) to the first teeth, first steps, first words, first tantrums, first day of preschool, first trip to Disneyland (about 3 weeks ago :)), and now, my last child is now in Kindergarten going to school all day. As a SAHM, much of your identity rests in that role and of caring for those kids day in and day out. When you're in the throws of diapers and spit up and tantrums, you think it will never end, but I promise you it does. As I sit here typing this, the house is quiet, the tv is off, no one is yelling for me to wipe their bum (that'll be after school-ha!) or make them a snack. And I have to say that the quiet is in a sense, defening. I know in a few hours they'll come home and it'll be back to the usual, but for these quiet moments, I feel a little lost. I know with time I will get used to the quiet, to the grocery shopping in peace, but yeah, I definitely can sense that one *HUGE* chapter of my life is over and I am about to embark on a new, wonderful and different journey now.

I look forward to getting my life more organized and being on a routine now that the boys are gone. I have three major goals for myself this school year. The first is to get up and showered at 7 before the boys wake up. I used to just roll out of bed when they woke me up, but this was not very conducive to getting out the door and to school on time. My son was tardy several times last year, which is not good for his academic success and I have no one to blame for that but myself. Secondly, my goal is to turn off the PC from 3-8pm (when they get home till their bedtime) and also in the a.m. before school. I have found over the years that the PC is such a distraction from my daily interaction with my boys after school and honestly, they've been fighting over who gets to use the PC every day. My final goal for this year is to read them a little devotional every morning while they eat breakfast. I got this idea from my friend Morgan over at Becoming Homegrown and I love how it gives us a few minutes of meaningful interaction during the hustle and bustle of getting ready for school in the a.m.

Finally, I also feel that these first few weeks of this school year are the calm before the storm. Next month, my husband starts his MBA program at Arizona State University, which is going to leave me with even more alone time with the boys as he'll be gone about 20 extra hours a week and I know it'll be a huge adjustment for all of us. Then in January the biggest change will come for me, when I will be starting nursing school and will be gone myself four days a week. I know that these changes are going to be huge for the boys, but I also know that in the long run these things will only make a better life for them and also teach them about perserverance, setting goals and accomplishing them through hard work and dedication.

In closing, I have to say that writing this has been very cathartic for me and I appreciate you taking the time to read about my journey. I'd also love for you to share a huge milestone in your life when you knew things had changed forever.....

My Very First Tutu

2010-07-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

My very first tutu I ever made (NOT the one you see here :)) was actually quite terrible. I mean this thing was ugly and limp and not full at it. The best word I can think to describe it is just plain *yuck*.   I was trying to go with sparkly tulle and it just didn't work. Plus I learned after much research that the tulle with glitter is quite flammable! I knew instantly that that type of tulle would NEVER be found on a tutu bug tutu!!

Anyway, back to that *yuck* tutu...I seriously think I spent $30 trying to make it a well!   Oh and if the price wasn't high enough, I think it took me about 3 hours!! As with anything in life, I very quickly learned from it what worked and what didn't work.

As you can see from the above picture,  my SECOND tutu, which was subsequently named Pink Bubblegum,  turned out much better than the first - thank goodness!! This tutu was essentially the start of my tutu business and for that I am grateful.  I love this tutu, as it really is such a sweet and precious tutu and classic in so many ways. It is my favorite 'pastel' colored tutu and even graces the cover of my website!

How to care for your tutu...

2010-07-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

In order to keep your tutu in its optimal form (read: more POOF, less wrinkle), I recommend following these simple tips:

-As soon as your tutu arrives, immediately remove from box (and admire how cute it is).
-Grasp the waist and give it a gently shake, shake, shake.
-Hold waist and use your fingers to 'comb' out the pieces of tulle that may be wrinkled.
-Store tutu on an adult sized hanger in the closet.

That's all, folks!

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

2010-07-15T06:00:00.001-07:00

My mom has been making this banana bread since I was a little girl. As an adult, I added the chocolate chips part, because what woman wouldn't want a little chocolate?! It is SO simple, easy and tasty and I get requests for this banana bread all the time. Now, I have to tell you, this is a secret family recipe that I don't share with just anyone, so you better not tell! LOL...Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
By: Melanie H.

3-4 black* bananas
1 egg
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 1/2 c. Flour
1 c. white sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 bag of milk chocolate chips (or more, if needed)

Mix first three ingredients, then add dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly and turn into greased bread pan. Bake at 325 for approximately 60 minutes. The time and temperature should be adjusted for your area. I bake it between 325-350 degrees for 55-65 min, so just keep an eye on it.

*This is the key to this recipe. The bananas HAVE to be all black and look nasty. I once had a friend who tried my recipe, chickened out with her rotten bananas and decided to use yellow ones instead. Guess what, her banana bread tasted awful! I promise the black bananas work and you won't get sick. Tip: when your bananas get gross-looking, throw them in the freezer and thaw when ready to use. I pretty much have a pile in my freezer at all times :)!

Tutus in Tanzania...

2010-07-12T06:00:00.001-07:00

Never in a million years did I think that my tutus would go 'global.' I thought they'd got North American, to Mexico and Canada, but Tanzania?! Here's the story...Two days after I relaunched my website back in May, I got an order for 6 tutus that were to be shipped to Tanzania. Now, I don't know about you, but I didn't even KNOW where Tanzania was until I looked it up. And for those of you who don't know where its at, I'll save you a trip over to google - its in Africa, south of Kenya and Uganda (which is on the east side of the continent). The biggest order I had ever had was for 3, so I was a bit skeptical. I I thought maybe someone got into my Paypal and was trying to sneak a fast one on me...Fortunately, I was VERY wrong and the gal ended up being the friend of a relative who wanted to dress her daughters and friends of her daughters with tutu bug tutus. I was very flattered and so excited when she sent me the following photo of the girls wearing their tutus in front of the Indian Ocean. Yeah, how cool is that?!?!

Gumdrop

2010-07-09T06:00:00.001-07:00

This tutu was created for a client of mine whose daughter was turning two. She wanted a tutu that matched her shirt and hair bows and the photo to the right is what we came up with.

I subsequently named the tutu Gumdrop, as I love how gumdrops are made up of rich, vibrant colors, which is exactly what this tutu is! Plus, gumdrops are so tasty and this tutu is downright delicious :)...OK, I haven't actually tried to eat it or anything, but it just looks like it'd be tasty if it were candy!!! It is now one of my favorites and perfectly matches the color of my site and blog. You can check out Gumdrop on my website, as well as lots of other, cute and summery tutus.

Happy 4th of July

2010-07-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

tutu bug wishes you and your family a very happy 4th of July wherever you may live! I plan on spending it with my family, next to someone's pool (any takers?!), enjoying the fireworks and eating some yummy BBQ in the 115+ degree heat (yeah, not looking forward to THAT part so much). Happy 4th, everyone!

Perfect Pasta Salad

2010-06-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

I thought that this pasta salad recipe would be great to post just before the holiday weeked. Most of us will be spending lots of time with friends and/or family this weekend, which mostly likely means there will be lots of FOOD!! The thing I love about this recipe is that it is simple to make and does NOT have mayo in it. I am just not a big fan, so any pasta or potato salad that has mayo in it, is never consumed around here! Anyway, enough blabbing, here's the recipe...

Perfect Pasta Salad
By: Melanie H.

1 box rotini pasta (or any other shape)
4 Tbsp. Olive Oil
3-4 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
1 tsp. Sugar
Pepper
1/3 c. Parmesan Cheese
Diced Veggies (anything you'd like...Carrots, red peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, brocolli, red onion, etc...)
Zesty Italian Dressing

Cook and cool pasta noodles. Coat noodles with olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, pepper and parmesan cheese. Add diced veggies and pour 1/2 bottle of Italian dressing onto pasta salad. Mix salad and top with more parmesan cheese.

tutu bug Shout Out!

2010-06-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

This weeks tutu bug Shout Out! goes to Heather over at Gerber Days. Heather has the cutest blog that encompasses who she is - a mom, a cosmetologist and a jewelry maker. She loves photography and writing, which just gives her more fodder for her blog (fodder, isn't that a goofy word?!)

Anyway, one of my favorite sections is her recipe collection. If you click on Kitchen, you can scroll down and check out her yummy creations. I personally plan on trying out that Chocolate Bundt Cake recipe that she posted back in March. How delicious does THAT look?!?! Another fun area of her blog is her Simplify Today section. Every Wednesday she posts fun little tips and tricks to make your life a little easier. It can be anything from hair tips to how to make your own hand soap (I totally need to try that!) So, swing on by Gerber Days and give Heather some bloggy love!!

Someone Blogged About ME!

2010-06-21T14:51:00.000-07:00

Wow, I have to say I feel pretty special that someone actually blogged about me and my product! A mom by the name of Jessica recently purchased three of my clearance tutus, when I had my sale last week. She loved the tutus she bought for her daughters so much that she ended up blogging about it and included some super cute pictures. She wrote some really great stuff about my product, which made me so proud of my work and at the same time humbled and honored! Go check out Jessica's blog, Adventures with Three Girls, to read my review and as well as, her life with three girls!

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

I just want to wish all of your husbands, brothers, dads and male friends out there a very Happy Father's Day. I personally came from a divorced family and although I visited my dad pretty frequently and had a relationship with him, my mom did the lion's share of the work. I know it was hard for her, but she did the best she could with what she had. So, every father's day, I call my dad AND my mom to wish them a Happy Father's Day. So, for those of you who didn't have a dad around, wish your mom (or grandma or whoever raised you) a Happy Father's Day for fulfilling that role to the best of their ability!

Snow White

2010-06-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

What little girl doesn't want to be a princess?! Now that I have sports tutus and regular tutus, why not get to the heart of every little girls dreams and start creating tutus that look like her very favorite princesses!! With my friend Jen's urging, I created my first princess tutu which pays tribute Snow White. It's got bright yellow tulle in the front, shimmery red tulle on the sides and royal blue tulle in the back. I have added a beautiful red grosgrain bow to the front to finish it off. You can see the Snow White tutu here on my site as well!

I do plan on adding more, I am currently finishing up a tutu that resembles Tinkerbell's outfit and am modifying a few of my other tutus that can be used to play Cinderella and Belle.

tutu bug CLEARANCE!

2010-06-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love a great sale?! Here we have over 20 tutu's on clearance up to 60% off!! These tutus were used to get photos up onto my website and now that my site is up and running, these tutus need new homes with a precious little princesses :).

The price listed does NOT include shipping. You may either choose First Class postage at $2.75 or Priority mail (tracking info included) for $5.25. If you live in the Phoenix area, local pick-up is free. Just email me at melanie@tutubug.com and let me know which tutu you are interested and how you'd like it mailed and I will email you a paypal invoice. All tutus are on a first come, first serve basis.

(*) Denotes tutu would fit a 2yo, or a younger/thinner 3yo.

Tinkerbell (12-18mos) $14

Arizona State University ( 2T*) $14

Blue Chocolate Truffle (4/5T) $15

SOLD-Boston Red Sox / NE Patriots / TN Titans (2T*) $14

(You can choose a red, navy blue or white bow for this tutu)

Bumble Bee (4/5T) $15

SOLD-Chicago Bears / Denver Broncos (2T*) $13

Chicago Cubs / NY Giants, (2T*) $14

Dallas Cowboys (2T*) $14

Greenbay Packers (2T*), $13

SOLD-Ladybug (4/5T) $15

NY Yankees / Penn State (12-18 mos.) $13

Phoenix Suns (2T*), $13

Pink Bubblegum (4/5T) $15

SOLD-Pink Chocolate Truffle (4/5T) $15

Purple Pizzazz (3/4T) $16

Snow White (2T) $15

SOLD-Sweetheart (4/5T) $15

Texas Tech (2T*) $14

Tropical Breeze (4/5T) $16

SOLD-UCLA (12-18 mos.) $13

University of Florida (12-18 mos) $13

University of Michigan (12-18 mos) $13

USC / Washington Redskins / KC Chiefs $13

University of Texas (2T*) $13

SOLD-Watermelon (12 mos.) $12

New Sports Tutus

2010-06-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

Just last month, I decided to start up a tutu bug Sports Collection. Since then I have created more than 15 designs for those avid sports fans of professional and collegiate basketball, baseball and football teams. I am sure many of the colors translate to high school teams, as well as other sports teams. It's been really fun to check out all of the different sports teams websites and see what colors they sport! I usually start with the teams cheerleaders and create the color combinations from there. Click here to view my entire sports collection. You can also check out several of the sports tutus below as well. If you're interested in a sports tutu and your team isn't represented, please contact me at melanie@tutubug.com and I will be happy to work with you in creating that perfect team tutu!

Greenbay Packers

Cubs/Giants

University of TX

Chicago Bears/Denver Broncos

University of TX

University of FL

Who Loves Lasagna?!

2010-06-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

OK, I love lasagna! The first reason is that it is good, all those noodles, all that cheese, and don't forget the yummy red sauce! The second reason is that it is so simple to make (recipe to follow). The final, and most important reason why I love lasagna, is for the simple fact that BOTH my boys will eat it! Yup, one of those meals that the whole family enjoys. Now, I always said I would feed my kids whatever we were eating and too bad if they don't like it. Well, in reality, I am a bit of a short order cook. If we're having salad and breadsticks, well the kids get chicken nuggets, carrots from the salad and breadsticks :). So, when I find something that ALL of us enjoy, I tend to just feel like doing a little happy dance. Anyway, here's to you, lasagna...

Simply Lasagna

Serves: 4 Adults

1/2 box of No Bake Noodles (This is the key ingredient, I like the Barilla brand)

1/2-1 lb ground beef or turkey (make as meaty as you'd like)

1/2 container cottage cheese (way cheaper than ricotta)

1 egg

1 c. mozzarella cheese, divided

1/4 c. parmesean cheese

1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning (opt)

1 jar spaghetti sauce

Preheat oven to 350. Cook ground meat until brown, add in spaghetti sauce. While meat is cooking, combine cottage cheese, egg, 2/3 c. mozzarella, parmesean cheese and Italian seasoning in a small bowl. Once meat sauce is ready, layer into a 8*8 baking dish:

Meat sauce

2 noodles

1/3 cottage cheese mixture

...until all cottage cheese mixture is gone. Top with 2 more noodles, the remaining meat sauce and the 1/3 c. mozzarella cheese. Bake covered with foil for 35 min and then uncovered for 10-15. Enjoy!

All American Girl

2010-05-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

In honor of Memorial Day and the 4th of July, which is coming up quicky, check out this new to tutu bug, All American Girl tutu! Who wouldn't love showing their pride in the U.S.A with this super cute tutu. This tutu is made with royal blue, red, shimmery red and white tulle. It can be finished off with a red, royal blue or white ribbon bow. You can check out the link on my website here.

tutu bug Shout Out!

2010-05-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

This week I want to hightlight one of my followers, Rita, from Bitsy Baby Photography (http://photographybyrita.blogspot.com/). She lives in Maryland and is a photographer specializing in photographing infants, children and their families. She does this with great skill, artistic ability and truly captures beautiful images. Now most of us know a few, if not several photographers who do this sort of work, but what I love about Rita is her passion for her work and her desire to create lasting memories of children and their families. Even if you don't live in her area or have small children, you still ought to go and check out her beautiful pics! So swing on by and give Rita some bloggy love!! In the meantime, here's a sample of her amazing work...

tutu bug Tutu Giveaway Winner!

2010-05-25T09:28:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all my new (and old) bloggie friends for entering my tutu bug tutu giveaway! I was so excited to see such a great response!

Now on to the good stuff, the winner of my drawing (based on http://www.random.org/) is #76, which is Lisa from Beyond the Cover. You can check out her blog here. Congrats Lisa!!!

It's Giveaway Time!!

2010-05-15T01:00:00.000-07:00

In celebration of my newly released website, it is now time for a tutu bug giveaway! The giveaway is for any one tutu of your choice that I have offered on my website in any size between 0-6T, shipping included. The contest will run for one week, starting Saturday, May 15th through Monday, May 24th. Here's how to enter:

1-Become a follower of my blog at http://www.tutubugblog.blogspot.com/, then browse my new website at http://www.tutubug.com/ . Come back here and post a comment with your favorite tutu (This step is required and is worth 1 entry).
2-Grab my blog button and put on your blog (worth 2 entries).
3-Blog about my giveaway, with a link back to my site (worth 2 entries).
4-Facebook about my giveaway (worth 1 entry).
5-Follow me on Facebook at tutubug.com (worth 1 entry).
6-Twitter about my giveaway (worth 1 entry).
7-Follow me on Twitter at tutu_bug (worth 1 entry).

As you can see, you have lots of opportunity to be entered into this drawing!! Step one is required and steps 2 through 7 are all optional. For EACH entry, please leave a comment after this post letting me know which step you have completed.

To find the giveaway winner, I will use the true random number generator at http://www.random.org/, based upon the number of entries I receive.

Good luck!!

We're Live, Folks!

2010-05-14T06:30:00.000-07:00

It's official, as of today, my new website (http://www.tutubug.com/) and updated blog are officially up and running. I am SO very happy to announce this, as I have been working on it for about 6 weeks now. I think it turned out great and I cannot wait for you to go check it out! I have to say, when I first started up my own business, I thought to myself, 'Hey, how hard can it be to make your own website?!' Oh seriously, if I only knew, I probably would have gone screaming the other way! When I first created this blog, I thought that it was pretty challenging (hey, I ~~am not~~, WAS not, too web savvy). Let's just say blogs are to making toast as websites are to cooking coqauvin or a chocolate souffle - definitely harder! But, it was a wonderful learning experience and I am pretty proud to call it my own. I would definitely do it all over again in a heartbeat (Yeah, ask me that the first time my site crashes!) Anyway, without further ado, please help me welcome my new site to the world wide web by visiting it at http://www.tutubug.com/ !!

tutu bug Shout Out!

2010-05-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

This week's tutu bug shout out is for Heather from Fertility Chick (http://fertilitychick.blogspot.com/). She candidly and humorously shares about the struggle she and are husband are dealing with in regards to infertility. I've had several friends struggle with this as well and so many find it too hard to share their struggle with others. So it's wonderful to see 'Fertility Chick', as she likes to be called, openly talk about how hard and pretty much sucky it is, to go through infertility. All the medical procedures, hormones, shots, visits to the gynecologist and the worst of course, is the waiting and waiting...would be so emotionally and physically and spiritually draining! What I love about Fertility Chick is that she has a 'bring it on' attitude; she is determined to become a mother and the humor, candor and bluntness she brings to her blog is so refreshing. Just to give you an example, she writes poems about her ovulation. It goes a little something like this:

Two big, mature follies,

One on the left, one on the right,

Time to T-R-I-G-G-E-R tonight.

Will one be THE ONE?

With time we'll see.

IUI on Saturday,

Then the two week wait insanity!

I mean who can't appreciate a woman who can write about something like this?!?! She is my kind of GAL! So, please swing on by and give Heather a little bloggy love, why dont-cha?!

2010-05-11T07:48:00.000-07:00

I am a member of this great community of fellow bloggers called The Secret in the Sauce (http://www.thesitsgirls.com/), where we support eachother by viewing and commenting on eachothers blogs. Every Saturday they have a blogger who talks about how to make YOUR blog better and I thought that this weeks article was awesome. This week's featured writer is Marlynn from http://www.marlynnschotland.com/ and she has very helpful information when it comes to creating your 'About Me' section on your blog:

Photo
Whether it’s a photo of you or your family, be sure that you have a current photo that tells readers in an instant who you are and what you’re about. So much can be said through photos: what clothes you’re wearing, your expression, your body language, the colors in the background. Remember to use a photo that speaks volumes of your brand, and include a watermark.

Location
While I do not advocate including your home address and telephone number, your readers want to know where you are in the world. This is just another way for them to feel a connection with you. At the very least, include a state (and country if you’re out of the United States).

Personality
Are you quirky and alternative or do you see yourself as more mainstream and the Average Jane? Do you like bacon as much as I do? What’s on your iPod or what’s your favorite organizing app? Inquiring minds want to know details that show glimpses of your personality that make you different from all the rest, so try to include items that also tie in with your blog focus (i.e. mention your fave cartoons if your blog is all about children’s television programming).

Details, details
How long have you been blogging? Why did you start the blog? What makes your blog unique? What will readers NOT find on your blog? Spelling out your blog history & mission is fantastic way to ensure you retain quality readers.

Press
Even if you have a separate Press page, it’s always nice to include one little line in your bio about press to help add to your credibility. Include if you’ve been quoted in national magazines or even local community papers, if you write a regular column for another blog, if your blog has been featured elsewhere, and so on.

Contact
You should have a separate contact page and/or contact info in your footer or sidebar so it shows up on every page of your blog, but it’s also always a good idea to include a short mention of how to contact you at the end of your bio on your About page as well. Since you’ve reeled ‘em all in with your stellar bio, now they’ll be clammoring to get a hold of you, so make it as easy as possible for them to do so.

A final note from Melanie: I personally think these are ALL awesome tips and hope you do too. I can't tell you how many blogs I've visited where I go to send a personal note to the author and there is NO contact info anywhere! I don't always want to leave a comment for everyone to read, rather I'd like to contact them directly. So, I hope you have found some useful info and HAPPY BLOGGING!!!

Website Update

2010-05-09T07:41:00.000-07:00

Well, I was hoping for a May 1st launch of my new website, but unfortunately that didn't happen. Between having lots of family come to visit (for some reason, those who live in the cold LOVE to come to Phoenix in March and April :)) and trying to coordinate the schedules of 7, yes 7, families for my photo shoot, it was harder to hit that May 1st deadline than I thought it would be. The good news is, my photo shoot was on Wednesday and it went great. I had an awesome photographer come out and take great shots of my 5 cutie patootie models! I can't wait to share with you some of the photos that were taken the other night. I got the proofs Saturday and have been uploading data onto the new site all weekend. My goal now is to have the site go live no later than Tuesday, May 11th, but am hoping for tomorrow sometime!! Once the new site is launched, I will be doing a giveaway (or two) to thank you all for being so very patient with me during this 6 week ordeal :)!

New Tutus for Summer 2010

2010-05-07T19:41:00.000-07:00

I have come put with several new tutus for this summer - they are all so gorgeous and I am SOOO excited to share them all with you. I wanted to go with something that was very bright and colorful and summer-y, so I hope you like them as much as I do...Finally, many of them are without a name as of yet, so if you have any ideas, please let me know!!

P.S. I love names that are food/beverage related, but am definitely open to other suggestions, too!!

Unnamed #1 This tutu reminds me of something that is 'rich' or very decadant...

Unnamed #2 This tutu reminds me of the Caribbean, something very tropical and ocean-y...

Unnamed #3 This tutu was actually a custom tutu for someone getting tutus for their twins. It turned out so cute I have decided to add it to my line, so a big thanks to Allie for coming up with the color combo!!

Raspberry Lemonade

Bumble Bee

It's teacher appreciation week!

2010-05-05T14:18:00.000-07:00

Teachers are overworked and underpaid, especially those who deal with my boys on a daily basis!! So, as a very small token of my gratitude, thankfulness and appreciation for their hard work, I found this super cute and easy craft to do for them. These are plain clipboards that have been embelished to create super cute clipboards. Here are the instructions to make 2 clipboards:

Step 1: Gather your supplies. You will need:
-2 clipboards (I purchased mine at Walmart for approx. $1.50/ea.)
-2 pieces of complementing scrapbook paper (watch the Joann's and MIchael's ads for sales)
-sponge paint brush (oops, forgot to put it in the first photo)
-Mod Podge
-Ribbon
-Paint (optional)

Step 2 (optional) : If you wish, paint the clipboard. Once it is dry, move to step 3.

Step 3: Cut scrapbook paper to fit board, leaving a small margin around clipboard. This helps to ensure that the paper won't lift during use.

Step 4: Mod Podge the clipboard. Put a nice, thick coat on there, be sure to use nice, even strokes.

Step 5: Place scrapbook paper onto Mod Podge'd clipboard and press it down. Use your fingers to press out any air bubbles that you might see.

Step 6: Add more layers of paper if you wish, then paint a thin coat of Mod Podge over the top. Be sure to paint all in one direction with even brush strokes to minimize streaking (unlike my photo there-I could try to blame it on the 5 yo helping me, but I don't think you'll believe me :)).

Step 7: Let clipboard air dry. It'll dry super fast in the summer sun!

Step 8: Tie 3 pieces of ribbon onto the pen holder part of the clipboard and voila, your clipboards are complete!

tutu bug Shout Out!

2010-04-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

This week's tutu bug Shout Out! goes to a gal by the name of Diane, whose blog is called Created by Diane ( http://createdbydiane.blogspot.com/). Now, as much as I love creating and making tutus, I love food just a little bit more :). Diane loves to cook, especially treats, things with the yummy stuff like butter, sugar, flour, eggs, cheese, and bacon! She makes wonderful looking (and if we had smell-o-vision, wondeful smelling, I am sure) baked goods that are unique, creative and look downright delicious! I am looking forward to making those beautiful fondant Easter chick cookies next year, how cute are they?!? So, swing on by Diane's blog and give her some bloggy love!!

Lady Bug Tutu

2010-04-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

So here is the Lady Bug, which is tutu bug's most recent creation, I hope you like it!

I also have 2-3 more designs that I will be revealing within the next few weeks. Keep your eyes open!

Melanie

How to Delay a Post

2010-04-20T09:18:00.000-07:00

After my post yesterday, I decided to figure out how to delay a post. That way, I can type up posts as the ideas come or several in one night when the kiddos are all snuggly in bed.

Here's how you do it:

1-Under 'New Post' write your post however you'd like.

2-At the bottom of the post box, there is a hyperlink titled, 'Post Options', click on this.

3-On the right-hand side you'll see "Post Date and Time'. There will be two radio buttons, 'automatic' and 'scheduled at.'

4-Click on the 'Scheduled at' radio button and you can then set the date and time of when you want your post to post.

Happy delayed posting :)!

Visitors and Tutus Just Don't Get Along!

2010-04-19T13:25:00.000-07:00

We just hosted some family members for the past 12 days and since my tutu 'studio' is actually the guest bedroom, all the tutu supplies had to be moved to the living room. I have been working out of there since then and it has been hard to get organized. You know how it is, you get your craft room/desk/linen closet all organized and if you mess with that, you can't find anything! Besides the disruption of my 'organization', I was so busy visiting, I haven't had much time to post regularly and for that I apologize. Another blogger once told me that you could write up a post and have it scheduled to post on a certain day. If this is true, I SOO need to do that when I go on vacation or have family visit. Anyone know how to do that???

Anyway, as for my out of town family, they flew home this morning and yes, I was sad but also excited to convert my guest room back to the tutu studio! And finally, here's to let my faithful readers know that I am back and blogging like never before! Be sure to keep an eye out for the unveiling of my newest tutu later this week, affectionately named Lady Bug.

Melanie

Tutu's sold this week...

2010-04-14T09:11:00.000-07:00

Today I shipped a Tutti Frutti and Pink Bubble Gum to FL. I also have an order for a Pink Chocolate Truffle and Tutti Frutti that I need to finish up today. It's a tutu-making week for me!

I still need to get my 'model' photo shoot done as well so I can get the new website up and running. I am hoping to do that this weekend!

Tutti Frutti

Pink Chocolate Truffle

Pink Bubble Gum

Email is up!

2010-04-10T10:34:00.000-07:00

My melanie@tutubug.com email is now up and running again (thanks to my wonderful host site over at Merchant Mom's!) Once I do my tutu bug photo shoot in the next week or so, I will get the website up and running as well. My blog and site will match and I cannot wait to reveal it to you all!

Happy Saturday, everyone!

tutu bug website and email DOWN!

2010-04-09T16:33:00.000-07:00

We are in the midst of a website upgrade (YAY!!) and currently my website, tutubug.com and email account, melanie@tutubug.com are NOT working. If you need to contact me to place an order, please email me at az_melanie@yahoo.com . I am hoping to have my email up by Monday at the latest. As for the website, it'll probably be about 2 weeks (sigh....), but I promise you, it'll be worth it! Thanks readers and have a wonderful weekend!

Tutti Frutti is HERE!

2010-04-08T22:20:00.000-07:00

I have a craft show on Friday at my son's school and will be showing off two new tutu designs! One of them, Ladybug, is not quite ready yet, but the other, Tutti Frutti, is ready to be shown off! This is the perfect tutu for that crazy little clown of the family. It is made with eight, yes eight, different colors of bright tulle (shimmery fuchsia, shimmery turquoise, yellow, dark purple, orange, red, white and lime green)!!

Tutti Frutti

New Website on the Way!

2010-04-05T09:22:00.000-07:00

I found the perfect template for my website and am now in the process of converting from my old tutu bug site to a NEW and fresh site. I cannot wait to reveal it to you!! It'll take about 3 weeks to get ready, so I am hoping for a release date no later than May 1st! Once the new site is up, I will be doing another giveaway. Stay tuned....

Tutu and 9 Wands...Complete!

2010-04-01T09:56:00.000-07:00

I just finished my largest order today. A friend ordered a tutu for her daughter's 2nd birthday as well as wands for her and all of her friend's that will be attending the party! They turned out so cute and I cannot wait to see her in her Abby Cadabby inspired tutu and wand! As you can see, one of the wands is a little different from the other's. I made the birthday girls wand match her tutu exactly and made all of her friend's wands the same!

I'm a Day Late and a Dollar Short...

2010-03-26T23:03:00.000-07:00

Well, so much for keeping to my Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday schedule-ARGGH! I totally missed my tutu bug Shout Out yesterday and today is almost over (well, I guess it IS over for anyone east of Texas). Anyway, because it is late on Friday night and I want to be sure to do my weekly Shout Out properly, I am going talk tutu tonight instead! I've been working with a gal this week on a custom order for her daughter's first birthday. It's going to be deep purple and pink with rhinestone's all over it. I can't wait to take a picture of it when it's done. I have had 3 custom orders this month and absolutely love working with clients making the perfect tutu for that special little princess in their life! Here's my custom work this month...

ASU

Abby Cadabby Inspired Tutu
(I did shorten the ribbon a bit. This is also the tutu with the matching wands)

Do YOU have a Flagship Item?

2010-03-23T22:13:00.000-07:00

Ok, so most stores have a flagship item, location, etc. I honestly think that those of us who sell our 'craft' should have a 'flagship' item as well. It's got to be a popular seller (whether you sell 10 items a year or a minute, everyone has an item or two that sells more often than others), must really showcase your craft and something you have a bit of a weekness for :). For me, my flagship tutu is the Sassy Pink. It is a great seller and always turns out so precious, whether it be for a newborn or a 6 year old. So here's to you, Sassy Pink, my flagship tutu bug tutu :)....

Readers, I ask you, what's YOUR flagship item?

How to Install Your Blog Button?!?!

2010-03-21T21:24:00.000-07:00

OK, ladies, I have come up with a blog button, but I cannot figure out how to 'code' it. Anyone have any idea?! Also, thanks to the wonderful ladies who have offered to help me create the button as well! My bloggy friends are the best!

2010-03-21T21:19:00.001-07:00

tutu bug Shout Out!

2010-03-19T13:27:00.000-07:00

OK, I am a day late, but yesterday was a crazy day. The kids are on spring break and I swear nothing gets done around here when school is out. Plus, my kids get like 2.5 weeks off, so it is a looong time-thank goodness the weather is nice, that makes it a little easier :). Anyhooo....On to this weeks Shout Out...

Check out Becoming Homegrown, which is written by a gal named Morgan who is, as she puts it, "[is in the] process of learning how to fix, refinish, create, grow and a litany of other things that I never bothered with when I was younger." She has recently begun gardening, loves to use her frugality when it comes to creating cute crafts and is always trying out new recipes...Head on over and show Morgan some bloggy love! http://becominghomegrown.blogspot.com/

Melanie

St. Patty's Day Sale

2010-03-16T15:41:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is St. Patrick's day, so I am taking $5 off the price of my one tutu that has GREEN in it. Get this super cute Watermelon tutu just in time for Easter! Shipped for only $23.

Also, I have one clearance tutu still available. This is the Cranberry Baby in a 12mo-2T for only $10 shipped!

If interested in either special, please email me at melanie@tutubug.com .

Thanks!

tutu bug Custom Wand (This is a NEW one for me!)

2010-03-14T23:11:00.000-07:00

I am doing a custom order for a customer that is throwing her daughter an Abby Cadabby birthday party (if you, like I did, have NO idea who Abby Cadabby is, she's a friend of Elmo and Zoe's on Sesame Street :)).

Abby Cadabby has a wand, of course, so I made up this cute little wand tonight to match the birthday girls tutu (which will also be a new offering of tutu bug, named Abracadabra). Anyway, the birthday girl and all of her party guests will be getting a wand similar to this one (this is my first rough draft :)). I can't wait to get the matching tutu done so I can see how cute the wand and tutu go together! I'll be sure to post pics of the tutu when it is done....

tutu bug Shout Out

2010-03-11T18:48:00.000-08:00

This week I want to introduce you to a bloggy friend of mine over at Knit in Pajamas. Like me, Margo is a stay-at-home mom with her own little crafty business on the side. She knits beautiful scarves, hats, and headbands in ALL shapes, colors and sizes, while taking care of twin 1 year old boys!! Holy moly, I have two boys and I can't imagine going through simultaneous diaper changing, teething, potty training, Dr appointments, tantrums, food chucking (I swear I had to use splat mats under my kids' high chairs!) and well, you get my drift! So, swing on by Margo's blog at http://www.knitinpajamas.blogspot.com/ and show her some bloggy LOVE!

tutu bug Sale!

2010-03-09T14:52:00.000-08:00

Today is tutu bug Tuesday, which means I give you this week or month's tutu special! I am taking $5 off the price of any of my new Spring 2010 tutu's (which is about 20% off), therefore all spring tutu's will ship for $23! Sizes are 0-12mos, 12mo-2T, 3/4T, or 5/6T. I am happy to do custom length and waist sizes..You may contact me at melanie@tutubug.com .

Here are the eligible tutu's:

Watermelon

Razmataz

Pink Truffle

Blue Truffle

Sweetheart (Note: Ribbon can be changed to white or pink two-striped organza)

Preemie Wearing a tutu bug Tutu

2010-03-09T07:58:00.000-08:00

I just received this picture from a client who purchased the Razmataz tutu for her preemie. I had to share, as I have seriously never seen anything so cute in all of my life! To my client, thanks for sharing this picture of your beautiful daughter!

Sunday Stuff-I'm Making a Schedule!

2010-03-07T20:27:00.000-08:00

OK, so one of my blogging goals is to be more consistent in when/what I blog (see previous post :)), so I have come up with a little blogging schedule. Sometimes I bite off more than I can chew and originally had a 5-day a week blogging schedule in mind, but yeah, that is so not gonna work for me (just yet anyway). Soooo....I am going to try to blog 3 days a week. Here's what I am thinking:

1-Sunday will be all about random posts. This will include anything and everything from recipes, good books, favorite new songs, tv discussions, funny kid stories, blogging tips, etc, etc.

2. Tuesday will focus on tutu bug and what special sales or giveaways I am currently doing.

3. Thursday will be about showcasing someone else's blog. It's all about blog support, right friends?!

I think this will be a good start for me and I welcome your accountability as well!

M

Awesome Blogging Advice

2010-03-06T20:13:00.000-08:00

I am still trying to find a consistent blogging pattern, I'm looking for my blogging voice, if you will. I blog because I want to introduce people to my craft (ie. the tutu's), but I feel that it is so much more than that. I also want to blog so that I can talk about other things, such as sharing tips and hints, talking about my kids, sharing favorite books and recipes, and revealing myself to my readers in general. While I am still trying to figure all this out since I am relatively new to the blogging world, I did come across this great post on Lady Bloggers Society today, which lists 5 or 6 tips to a better blog. Check it out....I love idea #4, need to be better about #5 and try not to do #3 too often!! Thoughts, readers (ooh, there I am doing #1 :))?!?!

http://www.theladybloggers.com/?p=404&cpage=1#comment-999

tutu bug TUTU CLEARANCE!!

2010-03-04T08:04:00.000-08:00

I have some tutu's leftover from the holiday's and a few others that I need to clearance out. Everything listed below is 50-75% off! My tutu's are usually $28 shipped, prices are as marked:

1. SOLD to May- Lemon Burst (yellow and white tulle) in a 12m-2T, $12 shipped.

2. SOLD to Andrea-Cranberry Baby in a 0-12/mo., $8/shipped.

3. Cranberry Baby in a 12mo-2T., $10/shipped

4. SOLD to Jessica-Blue Bubble Gum (blue and shimmery blue tulle) in a 3T/4T, $13/shipped.

5. SOLD to ELizabeth -Blue Bubble Gum (white, blue, shimmery blue tulle) in a 12 mo-2T, $13/shipped.

6. SOLD to Dee-Black Cherry in a 12mo-2T, $10/shipped.

7. SOLD to Brittany Black Cherry in a 3T/4T, $10/shipped.

8. SOLD to Elizabeth - Sports Tutu-Washington Redskins/ASU Sun Devils/Any sports team with Maroon/Yellow Colors , sz 0-12 mos, $8/shipped.

If interested, email me at melanie@tutubug.com and all tutu's will be first come/first serve. Thanks!!

tutu bug Shout Out

2010-03-02T06:56:00.000-08:00

For us small time crafters, referral business is huge! I want to give a shout out to my friend Phyllis who sells hair bows on ebay. She referred a friend to me who bought 2 tutu's for now and is looking to get 2-3 more in the next few months. Check out her ebay store and all of her super cute little girl hair bows!

http://stores.ebay.com/Emmas-Boutique-Bows

Funny and Unique Read...

2010-02-28T07:58:00.000-08:00

I love to read. Usually, you will find me curled up with some sort of conspiracy theory novel with lots of CIA, FBI, undercover Ops, Navy Seal guys bustin' the bad guys or a murder mystery of some sort (I know, so weird for a tutu makin' mama!) Anyway, I am trying to expand my horizons and I found the most delicious and cute and funny and unique book last week. The title of it is Twenties Girl and it is written by a British gal by the name of Sophie Kinsella who also wrote Confessions of a Shopaholic.

In it, the main character Lara has recently lost her great Aunt Sadie, whom she wasn't even close to. At the funeral, her aunt appears to her as a ghost in search of her beautiful necklace that has disappeared. Lara is distracted by other things in her life, such as her recent break-up with her loser boyfriend and her best friend/business associate who has recently bailed on her. Unfotunately for Lara, Sadie could care less about her great-niece's problems and demands Lara to find the precious necklace. As these two go on a journey together to find the missing necklace, these two very different ladies learn some surprising truths from eachother along the way....

Happy reading!

Great Week for tutu bug

2010-02-26T10:15:00.000-08:00

Well, January was pretty slow for me, but I have had a great week this week! On Tuesday I sold two tutu's, Pink Bubblegum and Purple Pizzazz and yesterday I sold 4, including Purple Pizzazz, Lemon Burst, Sassy Pink and Watermelon. I was very happy and excited that business has started picking up again, as those of you who sell your homemade crafts know, business seems to ebb and flow, especially when you first start out. Anyway, here's wishing to a succesful March for all of us!

Other Blogger Websites?

2010-02-18T14:36:00.000-08:00

I ama member of SITS (http://www.thesitgirls.com/), which is an online blog support system. We support eachother by leaving comments. Are there any other great sites out there that allow you to meet more bloggers and get your blog out there?? Would love any and all feedback!

Fabric Bundle Giveaway

2010-02-15T11:48:00.000-08:00

I love it when bloggers do giveaways. It's a great opportunity for us to share our craft or trade with others and it is fun to see and meet new people and to introduce them to your blog. I have done a few myself and have recently found this great giveaway at A Chronicle of Life's Little Surprises... Check it out and enter to win!! http://gibsonsurprise.blogspot.com/2010/02/giveaway-material-gal-fabric-bundle.html

Kindergarten Registration, Seriously?!?!?

2010-02-12T19:31:00.000-08:00

Well, I can't believe it! The little guy in the post before this one with the tutu on his head, will be starting Kindergarten in July (we do a modified year round schedule here) and I register him on Tuesday! I seriously can't believe that my last kiddo will be starting Kinder and I will be ALL alone during the day. I have two emotions for this...1-YEEHAW!!! I can go to a Dr appt without a.) finding a babysitter or b.) trying to keep him entertained (which is VERY hard to do when you're visiting the gyno :)); I can grocery shop sans kids (what is that even like?!?!); and I can take a nap in the afternoon without feeling guilty for popping in a video for him to watch. As nice as this all sounds, I am actually going to miss the littleguy. So that leads me to my second emotion, which is sadness. I have been a SAHM for about 8 years now and it is just weird to think that both of my boys will be gone all day at school. ***Sigh*** Oh *sigh* whatever, I can't wait to take a leisurely stroll through Target without two boys fighting or asking for toys and candy or my favorite, one of them having to pee when you are next in line at the cash register!

Boys and Tutu's

2010-02-11T08:08:00.000-08:00

Ok, so yesterday I am working on my website and my son comes running out of the ~~spare bedroom,~~ tutu studio, with the Razmataz tutu on his head. Now mind you, it was a pretty hilarious site and I took a picture to show his future girlfriends, but I was not too appreciative of him messing with the tutu's :)!

The Sweetheart, Sweet Tart or maybe just Sweetie?

2010-02-10T14:37:00.000-08:00

This tutu was created for Valentine's day, although I haven't gotten it up on my website yet, oops!! It has red, white and shimmery pink tulle finished with a 5/8" satin ribbon with hearts. The good thing is, I can replace the heart bow during the rest of the year with a pink or white ribbon. I am currently calling it The Sweetheart, but maybe Sweet Tart? Or Sweetie? Not sure what to call it!

Here it is!!

Here's a close up of the bow and waistband.

LOVE the Chocolate Plus Combos

2010-02-08T15:13:00.000-08:00

Here are two more new tutu's that I have made this month. I need names for these as well...Let me know what you think!

Brown tulle with pale blue and shimmery blue tulle, finished witha pale blue bow...

and...

Brown tulle with shimmery pink and pale pink tulle finished with a light pink ribbon...

Cutie Patootie Tutu for a Preemie

2010-02-08T14:41:00.000-08:00

So I recently had a tutu giveaway contest and the gal that won ordered one for her daughter that is a preemie!! Oh my gosh, I just cannot wait to see what this precious little baby looks like wearing this awesome spunky tutu. Check out what this little baby will be wearing...Seriously, how cute is that going to be?!?!

Also, I am in desperate need of a NAME for this awesome tutu. Anybody have any suggestions??? I honestly cannot thing of anything good. It is black and fuchsia with a little white and of course that cute zebra grosgrain ribbon.

Not Just ONE New Tutu....But FIVE New Tutu's!

2010-02-04T21:20:00.000-08:00

Well, I was on a tutu-making on a roll today. The tulle was flying, the rotary cutter was cutting and I think I might need a new cutting mat :)...I didn't make just one tutu this week, rather 5 brand new and I might add, very beautiful, new tutu's for 2010. I cannot wait to post pics in the morning when I have better light to shoot them in. I am still working on names for them, so if you have any ideas once you see them, feel free to leave a suggestion!!

Melanie

I WILL Create a New Tutu This Week...

2010-02-01T17:32:00.000-08:00

By Friday, I promise to unveil a brand new tutu for my Spring 2010 line! Now I just need to decide which to make first. Here are the options:

1-A black and fuchsia tulle tutu with a zebra print ribbon.
2-A tutu with lots of fun and festive colors like red, lime green, blue, yellow, etc...
3-A tutu with pink and brown tulle.
4-A pink and lime green tutu.

Let me know what you'd like to see first!

My New Tools!

2010-01-28T19:51:00.000-08:00

For Christmas I bought myself a new rotary cutter and ruler. I was using my mom's as I started up my business, but finally bought my own (gotta love those 50% off coupons)! Check out my new toys!!

Rotary Cutter: The rotary cutter is essential, as it allows me to make clean, consise cuts of tulle off the bolt. I prefer the bolt tulle to the tulle on spools, as it gives me the flexibility to make the sizing/widths I want. Plus, the shimmery tulle is much nicer off the bolt than the spool (in my opinion). I originally tried cutting the tulle with scissors and it was a disaster! The cut was jagged and uneven. The rotary cutter works perfect!

Ruler & Rotary Cutter: Of course, without a ruler, my rotary cutter would be useless! These rulers are great because they are see through and have very precise measurements on them. It helps me to cut the proper widths and lengths for my tutu's....

Check Out My Current Giveaway!

2010-01-27T19:47:00.001-08:00

Once again, I am doing a tutu giveaway! Check out the following link:

http://www.todaysgiveaway.net/2010/01/tutu-bug-free-giveaway.html

New Tulle Colors...

2010-01-27T19:41:00.000-08:00

I bought some new tulle colors to add to my collection. I currently carry light pink, dark pink, fuchsia, light blue, white, lavendar, bright purple, yellow, turquoise and black. I have recently added lime green, red and brown. I am deciding on color combos, so let me know if you have any ideas :). Here's a pic of my new bolts of tulle....

Red, Bright Green and Brown

Long time, no post...

2009-12-30T20:20:00.000-08:00

The few days before and after Christmas are always a bit of a blur. Finishing up that Christmas shopping and wrapping, doing the baking, then enjoying all those great new things you got, exchanging/returning things that aren't just right and finally getting back into your normal routine, which isn't really possible until after the new year anyway. That week between Dec 25 and Jan 1 is a bit of a 'dead' week....I'm always just kinda waiting for the new year to start...

Anyway, right now I should be working on my new tutu's for 2010, but I have been dealing with some back issues from a gym injury I sustained this past summer. Long story short, for the past two weeks, I have been going in once a week for spinal epidurals (which translates to lots of big needles in the back). Anyway, I am *praying* that this second one works and I can get back to my old routine, which is taking care of my family, working out and promoting my tutu business!! I will keep you all posted and expect a new tutu within the next week!!!

Happy Wednesday everybody :)....

tutu-mania has settled down...for now...

2009-12-22T11:17:00.000-08:00

It was a great first holiday season of tutu making for me and I have enjoyed every second of it! Well, not EVERY second....I tried printing a shipping label online last night and it would not work. So ,I tried again and again and again, make that 10 times and it wouldn't take. Well apparently it DID take as I got an email this morning with the details of my 10 transactions. So now I have $67 in postage to the same house for 2 tutus! LOL....Hopefully I can get that one resolved shortly! Anyway, besides that little incident I have totally loved making the tutus for all those little princesses across the US and even Mexico and can't wait to see what 2010 has in store for tutu bug!!

I am also looking forward to a little break (and I hope it is a very short, little one) from tutu making so that I can focus on the family over Christmas. I don't know how, but all of that tulle that has invaded and multiplied in my spare bedroom! We have now affectionately renamed the guest room to the tutu room. I pity the next guest who has to sleep in there with all the tulle, ribbon and boxes everywhere!! Hope they like pink :).

CONGRATS to Amie....

2009-12-19T07:53:00.000-08:00

The winner to my first ever tutu bug tutu giveway was Amie of Michigan! You can check out her blog here. I really enjoyed doing this giveaway and meeting so many new people! For those that didn't win, don't worry, I will be doing another giveaway in another month or two :). I plan to make this a regular thing!

As I mentioned earlier, I will be working on some new color combo's over Christmas break, including a super cute watermelon tutu (think pink and lime green!), as well as a sweet Valentine's Day tutu with lots of red, white and shimmery pink tulle. I'll keep ya posted and let me know if you have any name suggestions for these two new tutus.

My Tutu's are Going International!

2009-12-17T13:06:00.000-08:00

SO excited that I got my first International order today! I have two precious tutus going to Mexico tomorrow!

Tutu's for 2010...

2009-12-16T14:38:00.000-08:00

Well, I am in the process of designing about 5-6 new tutu's for 2010. I have some great ideas but would also love to hear what other's think would make a great looking tutu! Anyone have any recommendations???