How'd this start? Couldn't find a good tutu?

Katie Dixon: Funny, but kinda true. My daughter was 2 before she had any hair. Should I say that? Anyway, one day I just said to my mom, we've got to start making bows. We've always been a creative family. Mom's an artist, and my sister is creative; she has been sewing for a while.

Were you tired of people saying you had "a lovely son"?

Yes, even when she was dressed in pink they said it. Also, I'm a stay-at-home mom and was looking to do something to earn extra money.

So did your daughter become your best advertisement?

They are great models. My daughter wants to wear everything we make immediately. Wherever they go, they wear a bow with their name on it or a shirt with their name on it, and people stop us all the time. It's wherever they go, and a lot of our business is through word of mouth. We also sell at the Lass and Laddie, a children's boutique in Kirkwood.

What did you wear as a kid?

Oddly, I was a tomboy and played a lot of sports. They could not have gotten me into one of these (tutus) as a kid. I played soccer and field hockey.

Were you surprised that you had two girly girls?

I thought I would have boys. I really always thought that, and then I had girls. And it just went girly girly girly, really crazy. At first, I didn't know what I'd do with girls, now I don't know what I'd do without them.

Has this made you more girly?

Not really. I still don't wear pink.

How'd you get to be the "me"?

Umm, good question. I guess, it was my idea to come together and to do it as a family. My sister had been sewing for a while, and so she does her things and I do my thing. But I guess I'm the one who pushed it all into motion. Besides I've always been the "me" (she's the youngest and no, she's not a brat). That's just how life has always been for us.