Prairie Blue offers custom handmade items for women and children. The current online offering has baby and girls tutu dresses, costumes and headbands. In early 2017 many new items for women and children are being added!
I grew up in the retail world, plain & simple. My parents owned a men's clothing store, Elliott's Clothing, in small town Iowa - back when every man still wore a suit on a regular basis and it had to fit just right! I was immersed completely in the experience from birth, from going to market to the final fitting and personalized tailoring. I watched everything that they did and filled my days wandering the store and learning to sew. It's a little like the saying, "You can take a girl out of the county, but you can't take the country out of the girl." Except replace country with retail!
No matter what path I took through college, careers and family life, I always found myself coming back to retail and creating beautiful things any chance I got. With my husbands demanding job in banking and the blessing of our three baby girls, I found a way to work for myself. A move to Wisconsin closed my small ladies boutique and I switched to working from home with an online shop.
While on a quest for the perfect Christmas photo (which I now know is impossible with three littles) I decided on tutus. After shopping around, I decided to try to make them myself as I am a sewer and crafter at heart. I loved the process and the creative possibilities with them. After researching and testing different ways to make them, I introduced them slowly into my online store. They quickly overtook my business and now, five years after introducing them I do tutus, tutu dresses and accessories exclusively!
We have since returned to small town Iowa in the summer of 2016 and I have moved my shop with us. With all three of my girls now in school, I am building a new line complete with a new name, logo and all new exciting products. Expanding beyond tutus and baby headbands I will be adding many specialty items for women including maternity sashes, yoga headbands, photo props and wedding items along with lots of new stuff for the kids! In 2017 I am beginning to take my items to local vendor and craft shows, allowing me to bring new designs and ideas to the shop!
All of the items are handmade by me personally in my in-home shop. Each piece is made to order so that I can create the perfect fit and style and I am happy to accommodate any special requests! I love doing custom work and love to create special one of a kind items .
