I feel very blessed to have learned to be frugal because it has stirred within me creativity that I never knew I even possessed. The blessings from my thriftiness are endless and seem abundant in our life. When we had money, we did not feel the urge to be creative with our resources. If we wanted something, we bought it. End of story. Now that we are trying to be more careful with our funds, I have found that I am more creative than I have given myself credit for.
I just want to share with you one example of creativity that has helped us financially. Obviously the website has been a great endeavor for me, but there are little things in my life that I haven’t had the opportunity to share yet.
When we found out we were having a girl, all I could feel in my heart was love and a sea of pink. I couldn’t wait to dress her up in pretty dresses, tights, patent leather Mary Janes, and get to have tea parties with her. I love my son like crazy, and was just so excited that I have one of each child so that I can do unique things with each of them.
When she was born, I never knew that a baby could have so much hair. She had this beautiful, thick dark hair and all I wanted to do was put hair bows in it. We started out with the baby headbands and I was disappointed with the selection in our area. When searching online though, I thought the prices were ridiculous and not worth that amount of money.
Fast forward to six months later, and I had completed a spokesperson position with Cascade. We received the money from that endeavor and I turned to my husband one day and said, “I want to invest that money into a little business for myself making girl’s hair bows.” I won’t say that he was jumping up or down or anything, but he said he supported me, if that is what I wanted to do with my money.
I got a book on how to do it and started hording myself in our basement with a glue gun. I researched for hours on ways that I could get these little masterpieces to stick in their hair without ever being removed. I researched the best types of ribbon, where to purchase the ribbon, how to present the bows and pricing on them.
Pictured here is an example of some of my handiwork. These batches of bows were made for my girlfrien
d and I was so thrilled to put together such fun ribbon selections, chosen by her. When purchasing ribbon for her bows, I also happened upon these really cute Irish ribbons and I grabbed as many as I felt I could afford. We live in Irish Country (Notre Dame University is just minutes from our house), so in other areas this would be a seasonal item. In our area, it is a year-round type of thing.
d and I was so thrilled to put together such fun ribbon selections, chosen by her. When purchasing ribbon for her bows, I also happened upon these really cute Irish ribbons and I grabbed as many as I felt I could afford. We live in Irish Country (Notre Dame University is just minutes from our house), so in other areas this would be a seasonal item. In our area, it is a year-round type of thing.I have had great success with selling the girl’s hair bows. Although I am not brave enough to put myself out there online, as it is a tough market, I have had great success by just taking my daughter places in her bows and people asking where I bought them. She has been a great little model for me and I have made some good money doing it. This money is being socked away for something special. What that is? I don’t know yet, but I feel empowered knowing that I can help with the finances and to have a little stash stored away for a rainy day.
The lessons I have learned through my latest little business are great…
I have learned that I can be a creative, even though I never believed that I was.
I have learned that a supportive spouse is worth its weight in gold. My husband could have shook his head and told me he thought my idea was ridiculous, but he didn’t. I didn’t say he didn’t think that in his head, but he never voiced those feelings to me.
I have learned that if there is something not out there that you want, or if there is something you want but can’t afford, find within yourself to be creative and come up with it yourself.
I have learned that there are two types of people- those who think I charge too much and those who think I am selling myself short.
I have learned that asking for money upfront is the best policy. I have had people place orders that have never paid or make requests for items that I worked tirelessly on, only to tell me that they changed their mind.
I have learned that one compliment can go a long way with me. Just one person telling me that they liked what I do is enough to push me for an extra week on whatever I am doing.
I have learned that there will always be people who think that they can do whatever you are doing, but better. There will always be haters out there, but the important thing is to not allow their negativity to take the best parts about yourself out of you.
I have learned that by teaching myself new skills, that I can draw from those skills when occasions arise and save a lot of money on gifts for others.
I have learned donating my creativity to good causes makes me feel more creative and powerful than I have ever thought I could be.
I have learned that doubting myself is the biggest creativity buster of all.
I have learned that frugality fuels creativity. Creativity fuels our bank account. Our bank account fuels a peace about what we have. The peace fuels a happy home. A happy home fuels my life. My life fuels my family. My family fuels me.
What are some of your proudest creative moments? What has frugality fueled within you?
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The bows look great!!
Linda
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I love those! Good job!
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Those bows are gorgeous! You are so creative – I never would have thought of making something like that.
Well, it could also be my lack of patience with small things
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Those bows are really cute. You did a great job!!
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Beautiful bows! That look so professionally made. Keep up the nice work.
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They’re very cute. Nothing like dressing a girl to boost your creativity. Martha Stewart had an adorable beaded head band pattern that I did one time and had lots of fun with.
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Amy! I loved this post – it went right to my heart as creativity and frugality are also some of my favorite topics!
You are very creative! These are darling, I love the color combinations. If Emily had enough hair for bows, I’d be ordering some right this minute.
I’ve always loved the quote, “Necessity is indeed the mother of invention.”
Very well done, my friend!
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so pretty!
And so true about frugality! Well said!
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I learned how to make frames because they are so expensive in the store. I bought lengths of old ugly framing at a garage sale, spray painted it black and cut the corners. I learned that framing places will join the corners for you for a couple of bucks and glass cut to size can be under $10, free if the glass cutting guy is away and they let you do it yourself. I custom framed several pieces in our home for less than $20 when it would have cost me over $100 each to get them done by someone else.
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Love those bows!
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Hi, Amy – reading this post reminds me of those beautiful pew bows you made me for my wedding – I still have them!! You are a bow goddess!
These bows are darling and I bet Miss Emily looks super cute in them – sell me some for Anne (now that she has hair!). -beth 
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Don’t forget to mention that your bows are “slide free”!! My daughter DOES have a lot of hair, but it’s so fine regular bows just slid out. Amy’s bows will stay in my daughter’s hair all day.
=o)
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Congratulations, this posted has been nominated for a Hot Stuff award at GNMParents (www.gnmparents.com)
Voting closes on Thursday.
Good Luck!
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The ribbons are cute. Thanks for sharing your story. Blogging for Thrifty Mommy is what has given us the little extra cushion. It’s not a lot of money, but it’s money we didn’t have before. I enjoy blogging for the site and it gives me a place to put my thoughts.
I was raised in a frugal home. I was just on the phone with my mom and she was telling me about the sweaters she got today at Sears for $1.99. Getting a great deal seems to give me a high.
Congratulations on the nomination!
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The bows are beautiful, great evidence of your creativity.
Here via the carnival of family life.
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Excellent – and I’m so glad that the bows weren’t pink. Hope you don’t have too many ‘haters,’ that seems very odd to me – maybe they’re just jealous / suffering from low self esteem?
Anyway, I think they’re super – sure you don’t have any Scottish ancestry to assist you with your thirty tendencies?
Cheers
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Your bows are very beautiful! Thanks for sharing with us and blessing others with your talent! Best of luck for continued success with your hair bow business!!
Jenn
http://www.LearnHowToMakeBows.com
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can i use the pictures of those great ribbons in making wallpaper?
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