Hair Bow Maker!

If you have little girls, or know someone who has little girls, or if you ever were a little girl, you know that hair accessories are a big part of life. All it takes is one look at our Picture Frame Hair Bow Organizer and you know  the girls and I are hair bow junkies. The problem is that hair bows can be pricey! When a rep from The Ribbon Retreat asked if I'd like to try out their Hair Bow Maker and Bow Making Instructions, I readily agreed.

Several years ago, I ordered a set of bow making instructions from eBay, and I found all the pictures and words hard to follow. The fact that The Ribbon Retreat's instructions come with a CD-ROM of pdf and video instructions was so so helpful! It was 100% easier for me to stick the CD into my laptop and run the video as I worked with the supplies.

I chose a fun "Gumball Blast" ribbon mix to work with (they have dozens of fun sets, many in Gymboree colors) and simply followed the video to work with the bow maker and create a simple boutique bow. I've tried and tried to make one before, but the ribbon just seems to loop around my fingers and make a big mess. 

The bow maker (plus a handy clothes pin) made it so much easier! It's a sturdy little platform, and you use two dowels, plugging them in at various spots, depending on the bow you want to make. Genius!

After I finished the boutique bow, I started playing with the other ribbon patterns and decided to layer them up. I took a peek at the instruction pdf and used them as a general guide for ideas. 

I can't show you a step-by-step since the instructions are a paid item, but I can show you some snap shots of the process. This is what I came up with!

My first "client" seems happy enough!

I'll be using the Hair Bow Maker again for sure to make fun accessories for my girls. It would make a wonderful gift paired with the instructions for a creative mom you know! Thanks to The Ribbon Retreat for letting me have fun testing out your supplies.

My Weekend Bloggy Reading link party will open tomorrow morning at 8 am ET. Bring your best post of the week to share!

Here's the button code for the party if you want to get a head start! Recipes, crafts, home decor, book reviews, funny stories, you name it. Come prepared to showcase your blog and find some great weekend reads.

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*I received the bow making supplies from the Ribbon Retreat, but was not financially compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.