What began as a way to pass the time has turned into a small business for one Lubbock, Texas, 7-year-old with a big heart.
During her vacation from school, Jayden Mote was bored at home while her four siblings were gone with family. So her mother Deandrea Mote, 31, asked her if she wanted to learn how to make a tutu.
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By the end of the day, Jayden was able to make several tutus in varying colors and stuck one of the tutus on the family dog.
"She said, ‘I think I'm going to call these puppy tutus. ... Do you think I could sell these?'" Mote recalled.
Jayden wanted to make money to buy a present for her older sister's upcoming birthday, so Mote posted about Jayden's puppy tutus on her Facebook. In a week's time, Jayden had 10 orders for puppy tutus, and she had a new goal.
"It went from her making these tutus for giving birthday presents and helping her family ... to using the money for donating the money to animal shelters," Mote said. "We've gone and visited shelters in the past, and it breaks her heart that she can't take all of them home."
Mote then started a Facebook page for Jayden called, "Puppy Tutus by Jayden," and soon Jayden had over 20 orders for tutus.
"I think that's her goal: to make a small business of this. I told her as long as this is what she wants we'll help her," Mote said.
While Mote pays for the supplies, preps the fabric and makes the elastic rings, Jayden creates the tutus on her own.
"I take down the customer's name and number, and I write down what their order is. And she just goes down the list and puts a little check mark when she's done," Mote said.
Jayden will make a tutu for anyone, animal or human, and charges $3 to $5 per tutu, depending on the size. All the money Jayden makes goes right back into buying supplies and whatever is left over she is donating to animal shelters.
"I told her you can charge a bit more," Mote said. "She said, 'I don't want people to spend all their money.'"
So far, Jayden has earned $52 and is set to make her first donation on Feb. 1 to the Lubbock Animal Rescue.
"I wish that more people would follow in her footsteps, having that selflessness," Mote said. "If my 7-year-old could wake up every morning to strive to help others, then other people should be able to do that too."