One Little Bow

Hey everyone!! I still have just a few orders that need to be sent out. I just wanted to give those of you who are STILL waiting a few options….

1) If you would like to change any of your bows, you can (say your ordered for a holiday and no longer need that bow, you can switch it for something else)

2) If you let me move your order to the end, I will send you a gift certificate to use any time for free bows

3) As always, if you want a refund. Just let me know. I would be more than happy to it to you

Once again, Thank you ALL So much for being so patient and understanding with your orders. I really had all intentions of having EVERYTHING done a month ago. Having 3 kids home with me all the time just makes that a little hard. lol

**Please do not reply to this note if you would like to take advantage of one of these 3 options. Email me at Jessica@onelittle bow.com

Also, If you have nothing nice to say, Please don’t say anything.

Much love to you all!!!

Jessica

Hey everyone, I just wanted to update you all on the bow statuses. I am running about 2 weeks behind what I thought. I have how ever gone from 338 orders to now less than 50! I have to have all of the orders out by mid june because we are going on vacation. So I promise, if you have not gotten your order already, it will be there soon! Feel free to email me or call me 913-735-4512 with any questions (please be nice!) Thanks so much everyone!

First before I start I need to apologize for my vent session that is about to take place. This is in NO WAY directed toward a specific person. I am merely venting.

I am completely and utterly frustrated. I am TRYING so so so hard to get these orders done. This takes TIME people. I am not going to sacrifice the quality of my product just to get them done faster. I know i’ve said before and I’ll say again, I had over 300 pending orders on April 1 after the last order was placed. If you figure there to be an average of 10 bows in 300 orders, that is THREE THOUSAND bows. How long would it take you? That is not including the 72 tutus, the 28 shirts and the 19 bow holders that were ordered. So, for me to be more than half way done with all that, I don’t think i’m doing to bad.

I know I said I would have all orders out by the end of this month, and that is STILL my goal. I will let everyone know as that time gets closer how things are going.

So that being said, If you ABSOLUTELY can not wait for your bows, email me and I will give you a refund. I’m sorry, but I can not take the nasty emails any more. Especially when I am working as hard as I can and sacrificing as much as I am.

For those of you who have been so patient with me, my 3 kids, my husband and my life. Thank You so much for understanding. I <3 You

Holy wow this month went by fast didn’t it?!?! My daughters birthday is in 2 weeks and I haven’t even thought about thinking about what to do for it! Maybe I should!

Well, good news (for me anyway) I finally gave in and counted all the orders I had pending (including ones that have already shipped) as of March 31. Guess the number??? 302! yeah, i know right! I about DIED, but then….I counted how many I actually have left…..136! Is that right??? so I recounted, yep. 136 pending orders (now it’s 133 cause I finished 3 tonight) then I am a free woman.

I know you all have been waiting SO long for your orders and I can not stop thanking you for being so patient with me. Really, Thank you!! I have literally been working my butt off. (Well maybe not technically… I think my butt has actually gotten a little wider from sitting in the chair for so many hours a day) but you get my point.

My goal is still to have all the pending orders out by the end of May. And once again, I have to reiterate please don’t email me and be rude. PLEASE!! K. Thanks!

Much love,
Jessica

I estimate ALL orders to be shipped by Mid-End of May! I know that seems like forever away, but please know at least 4 orders are shipping every day and more on Mondays since I am spending my weekends working. I did not realize how many orders I got between mid Feb and the End of March. It was well over 400.

I want to thank all of you who have asked about your order for being SO nice about it, it really helps keep my positive mood and that helps with my motivation to get orders done And those of you who have not asked, I thank you too for being so trusting and patient with me!! I cross my heart your orders WILL be coming soon and you will NOT be disappointed

So once again, Thank you to all of you! You all are SOO great! I could not ask for better customers! And if your order has not already arrived, it will be there between now and next month!

If you haven’t already Please add us on Facebook to participate in giveaways and our daily bow!!

Much love!
Jessica

I am still working very hard to get all pending orders out. Please know this takes time since every single item is hand made, I have 3 kids and I am only one person! Also, any time something ‘tragic’ happens ALL orders get pushed back…I am the one to take the kids to the dr, dentist, after school events,go grocery shopping, make dinner ect ect.  For example..Last week my daughter fell off a chair and stretched a tendon in her foot. We have been back and forth to the dr for that  because it’s not getting better.  A few days before that happened, I had the stomach flu…So you see, I not only run a business. but i’m a mom just like you.  When you call into work because your sick, or your child is sick…I have to do the same thing.

As stated in my previous blog PLEASE do not email me being rude. I know you payed for your bows, tutus, ect. and you WILL get them! just bare with me I am working as hard as I can.

My pour husband and kids are getting the brunt of it, I’m short with them, spend all my time working. when I’m not working, I’m thinking about how much I have to do…all of this stress would be lessened and orders would go MUCH faster if everyone was as understanding as some people have been.

Like I said, I’m trying. Please just bare with me a little long longer. I know for some of you it’s been a very long wait and thank you thank you for your patience and understanding.

Much Love!
Jessica

So, it’s here….The day I have been dreading but looking forward to at the same time. I have been crying on and off all day. Sad one minute, happy and laughing the next. it’s actually quite pathetic. I sit here (well not really sit, I run around like a mad woman all the time) today, and think “wow, this is the last day I will ever have a custom order from someone.” It makes me SO SAD!!!  I never thought I would own a business, a successful one at that! I’m trying to be proud and keep telling my self that I AM doing the right thing. It’s just so hard to let go.  It’s been a HUGE part of my life. Those of you that know me, know that  when you say “What are you doing Jessica?” My answer 9 times out of 10 is “Working.”  lol.  I am looking forward to the time with my kids and family and I know everything gets easier with time…but right now, I hurt. My heart hearts. (told ya it’s pathetic!)                                                                                                                                                                                                    Since today is the last day of the current onelittlebow.com, place your orders. tell your friends. and add us on face book!!  Everything stated in the previous blog does still stand. So we are not going away completely. just a major change.                     One final thing… THANK YOU. Thank you for your orders. Thank you for your complements. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for referring your friends. Thank you for being you. ALL of you!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

My kids woke up to the living room in disarray, and that silly leprechaun dyed their milk green!!  We will finish off our day baking some green cupcakes and hunting for a pot of gold. What are you all doing for the holiday?

Business Q & A

As you all have noticed there is no turn-around time on the website, this is because I have gotten slammed this month with orders. I have received 2-3 months worth of orders in just the last 17 days!  So please be patient! I fully expect the orders to fly out after March 31.

Why am I still running sales if I am so busy?

I do this at the request of my customers. Since there is only 2 weeks left to order, I’m trying to do as much as possible for everyone who have been so loyal to me. This will give any of you who like my work one last chance to get a truly customized order.

Mini Vent Session

If you are waiting on an order, I ask that you do not send me rude emails. I am fully aware of how long you have been waiting, and I’m sorry. I wish I was super woman! But, I’m not. I’ve been so busy building these orders that I didn’t even know my 2 year old said “poop paste” for “tooth paste”, which apparently she has been doing for a few months now.  My husband is ALWAYS the one to give her a bath, read to them, and get them ready for bed. I am a wife and mother of 3 (a 5 year old with an attitude, a 2 year old who can’t keep herself out of trouble, and a 5 month old who craves attention). Need I say more?  I have to take care of myself in the midst of all of this also. So please be understanding. I promise, if you are nice to me, I will want to work that much faster to get your order out.

I’m not saying don’t ask me the status of your order(s). I’m just simply asking for a little politeness (even if you have been waiting a while)

K, Got that out there, now back to business.

What’s going on with OLB after March 31

Well. I am SUPER excited about this, and this is why I say the orders will fly out after March 31st. After taking some time to think and reading the hundreds of emails from customers about how they wished I would not close, I have decided to restructure One Little Bow a little bit.  I need to allow myself more time with my family, and I need to do something about this turn-around time.

So here it is!!!

As soon as I am caught up on all pending orders, I will re open the website to only sell ONE item per day. I will mostly sell bows, but once in a while I may post a tutu set, flower accessories bow holders, etc. Items for sale will still be semi-customizable in that you can choose the attachment your bow is one.  The posting times will change every day, to give all customers a chance to order. These items will be totally unique and one of a kind. Each design will never be seen again!

The item will be pre-made and of limited quantity, and the number available will change day to day depending on how many I can make ahead of time. They will also be sold on a first come, first serve basis. Once you add the item of the day to your cart, you will have two minutes to complete your order before it gets dropped back into the pool for everyone else to buy.  So be sure and pre-register on our website so your checkout experience is much quicker.

My husband is building the site so your checkout process will be as smooth as possible. We will still be using Google Checkout and Paypal. So make sure you have an account registered ahead of time with one of those places to also help speed up your checkout. The best part of all this is NO MORE DELAY! The items will ship the same or next day.

Ok, now I’m really excited! Have a great day everyone! And don’t forget to tell your friend about our face book page! We have a give-away every 100 fans, and the person with the most referrals wins too!

As many of you have already heard I am closing One Little Bow. I will continue to accept orders until March 31st-I want to give everyone who has talked about ordering a chance to do so.

This decision did not come lightly and is one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make. The past two years have been amazing and I have met some of the best people through One Little Bow. Thank you all for giving me the opportunity to make something special for your little princess. It’s truly and honor to see all the hundreds of pictures with my bows, tutus, or shirts on your little one!

The website will run as normal until March 31st. After that I will make one bow a day, and sell it here on facebook it will be first come first serve and only one will be available. I will do this until I ship the very last of pending order. After that, I will sell all of my remaining supplies.

If you would like to place an order please do it soon. This is your last chance. (I’m still taking custom orders as well) and No worries, **EVERY order WILL be shipped** I will not leave any one hanging!

For the face book page, you can continue to suggest us to your friends I will still give away 10 dollars to OLB every 100 fans until March 31.

Please let me know if you all have any questions,

Here is a link to our facebook page- http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#!/pages/Kansas-City-KS/One-Little-Bow/83791870348

Hugs,
Jessica

The month of February is OLB’s anniversary month. I am proud to say I have been a successful small business owner for two years now! Through this experience I have felt every emotion imaginable from being extremely upset and wanting to close one day to being unbelievably happy the next.

I often get asked “how do you do it?” A mother to three girls, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a friend and a business owner. Well, it’s by no means an easy job but loving what you do makes the time away from my family and friends a little more worth it, and a little easier to accept.

I love my job. The most rewarding part for me is not the money, because lets face it once it’s all is said and done, I make about 4.50 an hour and I put in more hours than a full time job! LOL! No really, the best part for me is the friends I have met along the way. My customers have become my friends, I have watched their babies grow, new babies be born, and gotten to know their families. Much of it is done through Facebook or email, but they still and always will have a very special place in my heart.

The other rewarding part is seeing all of your cuties in the stuff I make! I just love that! It is the highlight of my day to see a new picture on our facebook fan page, or uploaded to the website gallery! <3<3<3

I cannot thank you all enough for being so patient with me this past year I know shipping was a bit delayed due to pregnancy complications and my daughter becoming ill shortly after birth. In the end, It all worked out. I managed to get out your orders and hopefully made everyone happy. I apologize again to anyone who experience ‘longer than average’ wait times throughout 2009. Thankyou, Thank you again for your patience and understanding.

I would also like to thank you all for telling your friends about One Little Bow. You have made us grow so much! I really mean it when I say “Without you, none of this would be possible.” I cannot brag enough about our awesome customers!!!
Now that I’ve got all the mushy stuff out of the way, I would like to explain our first contest!!!

This if for all of our ‘OLB LIFERS’ If you purchased a bow from me way back when we first opened two years ago, please submit a picture of your daughter in that bow! IT does not have to be a recent picture.

I’m going to call this the Ugly Bow Contest! I know my bows were nowhere near perfect, or even good when OLB first opened. So, I’m going to make it up to you! The person with the ugliest bow, made by One Little Bow will win…… A NEW BOW!!!
Rules:

1) Must Be an OLB Bow- Somehow, I remember every bow I make. I’ve made thousands, and I still remember when I made them. So don’t’ try to slip one by me. 

2) Bow must be Ugly because of the way it was made, not because it got sat on, colored on or anything like that!

3) Please send pictures to Jessica@onelittlebow.com

**Don’t worry about hurting my feeling! I am excited to see all of my “first months” worth of work!

So, all you OLB lifers; dig up those old photos of your cute baby in my ugly bow and I may repay you with a new one! You have until Friday to submit your ‘ugly bow’ pictures. I will then have them voted on via Facebook.

This month will be filled with all kinds of exciting specials, contests and giveaways so stay tuned and check back often!

Thank you for helping One Little Bow celebrate a wonderful 2 years of business!!

Jessica Bridgewater- One Little Bow Owner/Designer