Ming Ming Tung-Edelman is a a Laurelhurst mom who designs her own line of children's apparel called
Totally Me Artful Wear by MiMi Bug.
The clothes have interchangeable ribbons and buttons for outfits and thus "kids love the endless fun ways to create unique looks with the ready-to-wear ribbons, buttons, skirts and tops," she says.
This Sunday frorm 10:30-3:00 at
Cafe O'Play (its final day of being open) you can check out this very unique line of children's clothing, which is currently in utility patent pending status.
And for the first time her brand new doll clothing line will also be sold at this show.
"Children will be able to match their new and original outfits with their favorite dolls! Please bring an 18-inch doll to try out the doll clothing," the invite says.
Ming-Ming, who is also a pharmacist, got into designing clothes about two years ago, she tells us, when her daughter who was 6 years-old and at the time was very much into making pot holders by using a weaving kit." She enjoyed the process of making pot holders with intricate patterns." Unfortunatley they were either given away or left sitting in the kitchen drawer.
Since her daughter was very creative and also likes to express herself through clothing, Ming Ming though about how to combine her daughter's love of weaving and her use of fine motor skills making clothing.
"I searched online and was not able to find what I was looking for. Then I started to design them by making button holes on a bottom clothing like shirts and skirts where she can loop through with various types of ribbons. However, I was not satisfied with just ribbons weaving through button holes. I started to experiment with objects that button holes could hold. That was when I came up with a button unit (double-sized buttons).
More interestingly, individuals can place button units any where they like in the button holes then later weaving ribbons through. This allows individuals to create endless unique and creative looks through this creative process. The idea is that the same buttons and ribbon units can by used in another article (interchangeable).
Therefore, I called my line of clothing 'Totally Me Artful Wear' by MiMi Bug (after my nickname MiMi)," Ming-Ming says.
Besides the ribbon-button ready girls shirts and skirts, she also just launched the match-with-me doll clothing line and she plans to expand to boys shirts and other accessories like bags and hats.
Ming-Ming had her first showing of her clothing at the Laurelhurst Community Center Holiday Sale in December and she said it was very well received.
The show this week-end will be her second. She says she has been selling her line of clothing mainly through home shows.
Ming-Ming is also involved in the Laurelhurst community through being on the advisory board of the Laurelhurst Community Center and an active volunteer at Laurelhurst Elementary where her kids go to school.
She also teaches kids cooking classes, as well as Chinese cooking classes at the Community Center which we've heard are very fun. Check for these classes in the
Laurelhurst Community Center catalogs. You may have also seen her on the cover of one of these catalogs about a year ago with her family.
"I have had such joy watching children along with their parents creating their unique looks by using my clothing line. It's a perfect balance between my artistic side and a precision side of me as a pharmacist."
Be sure to check out this very unique clothing line on Sunday.
The photo is a a group of kids wearing MiMi Bug outfits that they created with their matching dolls.
