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HI guys!! :) So I, just like everyone else have experienced more time on my hands lately. So, Jill and I wanted to do some fun activities and tutorials so you guys have something to do during the pandemic. The first one we have done is bleaching clothes, all my fellow TikTokers, I know you know what I’m talking about. In our IGTV there is a video explaining literally everything, but we wanted to make an additional blog post just to clear up any questions you may have! 

First, you have to gather all of your supplies:

1. Rubber bands/hair ties,
2. Bleach
3. Any clothing piece you wish to bleach
4. Rubber gloves (optional).

These are literally the only supplies needed for this! 

The sweatshirt I used in the video is from Walmart and it was literally $8, they also have different colors and matching sweatpants too! If you don’t feel like buying a sweatshirt/don’t want to go through the hassle at Walmart, you could use any clothing piece in your closet that you feel as if you’ve overworn, has lost its character, or it’s just something you can’t make yourself get rid of even though you don’t wear it. 

Then after you have all of your supplies, you can start the whole process. (Tip: make sure you’re wearing clothes that could get ruined by bleach without breaking your heart) You start off with preparing the clothing piece, I did the basic scrunch and swirl tie-dye technique for my sweatshirt because that has been the most popular on my social media. But, if you want to make it more exclusive, you can google “tie-dye patterns”. So many cool ideas will pop up and there are also usually directions along with the patterns to assist you in the technique. 

After you decided on your pattern, you then add rubber bands to the clothing. I promise the way you put your rubber bands over the piece and the number of bands you use, do not matter, it’s just to make sure it stays tight while being bleached. 

The next step is to get the item wet, you can do this outside with the hose, in your bathtub, sink, anywhere you can trust yourself using bleach. 

Once your clothing piece has gotten wet you now can apply the bleach! You add bleach to both the “top” and “bottom” of the clothing. (Tip: I used my hands and smashed the bleach into the clothing. Did this make it work better? I’m not actually sure) In the video, I used “toilet bowl cleaner bleach” because, in my opinion, it saves you money and hassle. You don’t have to get an extra container and then put the bleach in there and then hope it will work to go on to your shirt. The toilet bowl cleaner is already in a bottle? If you may? Anyway, it works great for keeping your hands free from touching any bleach. I also think that it’s easier to place the bleach in the desired spots that you want when it’s more of a gel-like concoction. But, regardless of the bleach you decide to use, it will get the job done. 

After about 15-30 minutes come back and check up on your project! You should be able to see the bleach in action at this point. You want the bleach to sit on the fabric long enough for all the spots to be uniform in color. But, don’t let the bleach sit too long because it has more potential of destroying the fibers of the clothing. - That being said not every piece of clothing is made out of the same material, obviously, so time may vary, after 15 minutes you may be able to move on to the next step! I let the bleach sit on my sweatshirt for about 22 minutes.

Nowwww take off the rubber bands and look at your almost complete masterpiece!! (or don’t and surprise yourself) After the rubber bands are removed, you can throw your artwork into the washer, change the setting to cold water, and fling in your detergent. (Please do NOT wash with any other clothing pieces this bad boy deserves his own load) After washing it you can dry it any way you desire. 

And then VIOLA you just tie-dye bleached!!! My favorite part about this activity is that no matter how hard you try no item will be like the other, it’s an enjoyably unique way to update your closet. Oh, and become TikTok trendy. Tag us in the items you make!! Can’t wait to see them!!

Stay safe! -Elli

Maybe you’ve heard?l But maybe you haven’t. We started with in person popups and here’s where we are going....

A Local Collective Nebraska Hosts Small Shop Online Virtual Market

Omaha – In an effort to support small businesses in Nebraska, A Local Collective will be hosting an online virtual market on Friday, April 24 – Sunday, April 26, 2020. The goal of A Local Collective is to create a one-stop shopping platform that focuses on bringing a variety of online small Nebraska-based businesses together in one place, while also making it easy for customers to shop the online market with one universal discount code valid this weekend only.

Due to the recent global situation due to Covid-19, many small businesses have been significantly impacted and have experienced a loss in sales. As a result, A Local Collective realized a need to move quickly and think creatively about how to market small businesses in Nebraska. This is where the idea of the Online Virtual Market came from.

By creating this online space, each individual business will be able to direct their customers to the website to shop their sale while also introducing their customers to other small shops in Nebraska. Small businesses are the core of our communities and it is vital we continue to support these brands and keep our shopping dollars local when possible.

A Local Collective’s online virtual market features clothing and accessory boutiques for men, women and children, dog accessories, hair products, artisan bags, jewelry, gift items and paper goods.

A Local Collective was established in 2018 by Katie Manganaro, owner of Little Mango Children’s Boutique and Jill Dudzinski, owner of Hello Ruby Women’s Boutique. Both women saw a need to collaborate with other local, small businesses to help promote each other and learn best business practices and new ideas. A Local Collective’s first event was a Small Shop Holiday Market located inside Westroads Mall in November & December 2018.

For more information, please visit https://alocalcollectivene.com  

saying hello to 2020 in style !!

hi, 2020, how are ya??

why is it that 2020 seems more exciting than others? is anyone else so ready for a fresh start in a new year? 

it would be a crime if we rang in the new year in a bum outfit though right? we pulled 4 of our fav pieces that will be sure to send you into the new year on the right foot. 

1. GLITTER GLAM 

this little mini dress serves the most glitter of all the looks. a showstopper you ask? duh. the midnight shine dress features a scrunch detail in the front, super flattering if you find yourself sippin' extra bubbly this holiday 😜🍾, a front panel that gives more length in the front, and a spicy spaghetti strap. pair it with your fav hoops + a sassy shoe {sometimes a planner bootie} and you have yourself a winner!

2. SHAKIN' SHIMMER

it's so shiny i'm gonna die!! ✨

be ready for heads to turn when you're rockin' this baby! shimmery gold from head {or chest? 🤣} to toe! i've got the gold, pops romper is a fully pleated strapless romper with a tie to accentuate your natural waist. 

3. LAVISH LACE

for our gals that don't fancy a dress or romper this one's for you! our for your ex cami's lace detail and shimmery fabric brings just enough shine to make you stand out. easy to pair with your fav jeans {the five star high rise} and statement booties {snake crawler ankle bootie} to make the perfect NYE staple outfit! 🙌🏼

4. S'MUCH SCRUNCH

could you ever go wrong in a LBD?? um yeah, no you can't. this archie pull dress is forever a winner in our book. a spin on a classic look, it gives you a chance to show off those legs girl! if you forget to get a spray tan {lol gets us every time😅} have no fear, this baby is fully adjustable. you decide how much leg to show and how deep the cowl goes! we paired it with our {mild} statement booties- the white croc booties!

hope everyone has a happy new year! this year doesn't have to be "new year, new me" but find intentions to make yourself better each day- there's always room for growth, just don't be too hard on yourself!

&& go play!

Cheers Denie & Jill ✨🥂💛

Let’s work together to keep our community warm this winter!

We have partnered with ReRUNS; the Nation's Largest Non-Profit Consignment Sale. All of their profits are donated to charities in our community and around the world.

They are dedicated to supporting non-profit organizations that empower, advance, protect, respect, and strengthen family life. In support of the family, they seek to improve the mind, body and spirit of as many children as possible.

Their focus is giving funding on committed, grass root organizations that rely strongly on volunteer efforts.

Coats collected during this year’s drive will be given to La Vista families through a partnership with ReRuns R Fun and Papillion La Vista Community Schools. Donations of hats and mittens are also welcome.

We will have a box in the shop and will collect coats through the holidays through December 8th -- when you donate, we'll give you 50% off an item of your choice at hello ruby!

We will be driving the ole hello ruby fashion truck straight to the facility to donate to the families. 

Read more on ReRUNS donations: https://www.rerunsrfun.org/reruns-gives/local-giving

From Fashion Truck to Storefront

We are moving into Rockbrook for another holiday storefront pop-up!!! 2019 baby, the last two months of the decade & we're making a show-stop! 

Announcing hello ruby storefront at 10813 Elm Street in Rockbrook from November 1 through December 31.

➿Grand Opening Weekend: Friday & Saturday, November 1-2 {10-6} & Sunday, November 3 {12-4} *Enjoy 20% off everything!*

➿Holiday Season Hours: Monday - Saturday {10-6} & Sunday {12-4}

You know when it gets chilly and you want to shop in a normal temperature? Yeah, we got you. Sleep well, fashion truck -- we'll see you again come spring.

Join Jill, Denie {with a possible Ruby appearance} and the gang for a couple months. We really just want to hang with ya.

BRING ON THE COLDER WEATHER!! Finally, we're having the cool mornings set in, then dripping sweat by noon, but none the less we're getting some colder weather here in Omaha! It's officially fall today, which means all of our favorite things are coming back into our lives again. Jill and I have made a list of all of our 5 fall favorites and want to know if you totally agree or have others on the top of your list, we want to know!!

"Top 5, top 5, top 5.."

1. Leggings

Oh, how we've missed you so!! Picture this, you're off work, you're going to take your dog on a walk, the sun is beginning to set, the weather is at a perfect 62 degrees, you have your favorite leggings and sweater on AND you're not sweating your a$$ off !! Can it get any better???

2. Iced Drinks Turn to Hot Drinks

Will we still order a medium iced Carmelicious 1/2 the flavoring every morning? Yes. Will we no longer have to water our drinks down with ice? Absolutely. Bring on those hot steamy Carmelicious that make the mornings much more bearable.

3. Neutral Nail Color

Okay for me this is an all year thang but for Jill the claws are about to be ~all natural~. And by that we mean the color - we're going back to the neutrals. Yes, 100% we still will be getting plastic tips glued to our nails than covered in an artificial dip to make ourselves feel like we have our lives together. 

4. Fall Transition Sweaters

Anyone else have a thing for long sleeves? For a person that easily sweats, it's a very complicated relationship but man do I love long sleeves, hoodies, sweaters, etc. With that we cannot just jump headfirst into the chunky knits and heavy sweaters- that would be a disaster, emphasis on the sweat. The good news is we have the perfect fall transition sweaters that will satisfy your fall needs but are light enough to be paired with shorts, jeans, leggings, or skirts! 

5. Statement Booties

Like heels but better, more stability. The booties are coming back but why make them the boring ole neutrals we see every year? Spice things up this season with the print that is absolutely EVERYWHERE, snakeskin babyyy. 

Heyooo, Denie here! Jill and I are back from Las Vegas Market (sad) and I wanted to give you all the inside scoop on what it’s like to go to the clothing market for the first time! To help you paint a picture of what this experience is like, let me break it down a little before we dive in completely.

Throughout the year convention centers around the world are packed with clothing vendors from everywhere that display and sell their products for businesses, like us hello ruby, so we can bring them to our wonderful customers like you all. Jill most typically goes to the Vegas market, MAGIC. She goes in February to order from the brand’s Spring lines and if she’s lucky maybe see a sneak peek of what is to come for prefall. Then in August, what we just went to, she orders Fall/Winter/Athleisure clothing and gets a glimpse of what is what come Spring. The kicker is there are HUNDREDS of vendors to weed through. It’s an opportunity for us to actually touch and see (and on occasion try-on lol) the clothes that we order for you guys to make sure they’re exactly what we want. The physical “samples” that are on the racks aren’t always exactly what we get in a shipment but it’s helpful for us to actually handpick the clothes compared to just ordering online and crossing our fingers for the best. SOOOO this is what it was like from my eyes. 

First Impression: Overwhelming and exciting!! 

There is no situation that is comparable to this. Just take my word for it when I say this place is PACKED. Luckily Jill had a game plan (JK she actually forgot to register me and we had to stand in line for an hour to do so). We already have brands that we know and love so those were our go-to’s the first day. The main stops were DoubleZero, to see our main man Eddie, and Le Leis to see Brandon. It was so fun to see how Jill has made such fun relationships with her vendors, they were just as excited to see her as we were to see the clothes… I mean them- soo cute. The first day we spent an hour in line at Starbucks before we started (lol priorities) so we went the whole day without stopping and ended the day picking out shoes mostly so we could sit down while we shopped.

The last day we spent the majority of the time searching high and low for the perfect jewelry and accessories. Let me just say, I will be purchasing one of about everything as soon as it comes in- it's sooo good. Jill also came face to face with her big time girl crush, the owner of The Tiny Coset. 

Vegas wasn’t all work obviously we had to play a little. We had ourselves a Sunday Funday before market and spent the day walking the strip sippin, shoppin, and eatin. You may recall our stories form that day, and if you do…. I’m so very sorry.  After day one, Jill met up with another fashion truck boss babe from Vancouver and talked “business” while I put my feet up at the hotel. After we treated ourselves to a crab + steak dinner and had ourselves a niiiight. 

As I’m sure you’ve seen through our Instagram Stories {you’re welcome for the laughs} Jill and I have recently started our workout journey at Elevate Cycling and Fitness Studio. If you have never heard of it or experienced it, I seriously feel bad for you, but after reading this I have a good feeling you’ll be headed there reeeeal soon. 

I’ll start this by saying I have NEVER been a fan of group fitness. I’ve tried it multiple times before and always end up quitting. I love running and totally gave up on the idea of working out in a gym. UNTIL we tried our first class at Elevate. Sarah Marshall, the owner, {Yes, like Forgetting Sarah Marshall} invited us to a class after a pop-up we had at Elevate {after Jill wouldn't go alone for the past year} and the rest was history. Every time we go to class we are excited and {nervous} gitty to see what the workout will be like. The instructors mix up the workouts so even though we’ve taken the same classes over and over, it’s never the same workout. When we leave {after chatting Sarah’s ear off for over an hour} we both feel so accomplished and motivated to join more classes. 

Here is the list of the classes & their descriptions that we’ve tried so far:

Cycle & Sculpt:

Their signature 45-minute cycling class with an upper-body component, this class is set to the beat of the music that will get you going! Light hand weights are used throughout your workout to incorporate upper body toning throughout the class. Focus your energy and ride!

Cycle & Strength:

Raise your heart rate with 25 minutes of interval training on the bike and follow it with 25 minutes of floor work off the bike using dumbbells, Bosu balls, medicine balls, and TRX.

Box & Sculpt:

Get ready for a full-body workout! A combination of weights, bodyweight, TRX, and bag work will be used throughout the class.

What we loved the most:

-love the events they throw, they really strive to build a community with their clients {ehem, we pop up there a couple of times a year :)}

-feeling super fit and energized after {obvi, that ish ain't easy}

-having the competitive edge being in a group environment but having the lights off so there wasn’t any added pressure

-love the people: owner, staff, fellow clients

-how easy it is to sign up for class: the MINDBODY app makes it easy to fit the workouts into a busy schedule

-cash and coco {duh, the totally adorb pups you always see}

What was hard af:

-the classes, the instructors will work your azzz off {they cool though, don’t worry}

-being on time {sorry Sarah, we love you}

via GIPHY

ALSO, I think I can speak for both Jill and me when I say, having a buddy to hold each other accountable was KEY. It’s so much harder to say no to a workout when someone else is counting on you. It also makes it 1000x more fun! My fav is when the instructor demonstrates a hard station in boxing then Jill and I just look at each other and laugh {is it due to fear?? 100x yes}. 

Now that you have the DL on our experience at Elevate Fitness so far, we have a very special treat for you! You get the wonderful opportunity to join us on the bikes or on the bags with a free class! Find Elevate Fitness Studio on the MINDBODY app and use code ‘helloruby’ to try your first workout fo freeeee. {Message us to tell us what you signed up for so we can laugh together hehe}.

They also have a class deal for the month if July: buy 20 classes via the MINDBODY app and she'll tag on an extra 10 on your account! Also works if you buy 10, you get 5 free!

WARNING: try it once and you’ll be addicted!

BTW: No they aren't giving us a million bucks for this blog we genuinely just love it this much lol