Mama Zee has many ties

Thin ties, wide ties, patterned ties, solid colored ties -- Mama Zee has 2,000 ties and is still looking for more.

She took many of those ties to the Prom Extravaganza Friday at Pea Ridge High School to share with students going to prom. She carefully looked through her collection finding ties to match dresses selected by the girls.

Ruth Zeelen said her new business is a result of saving her father's ties to make a Christmas tree skirt.

"Actually, it started when I was going to make tree skirts out of neck ties. I made one out of my dad's when he passed away," she said. "Then I got really busy and had all these ties. I was just going to give them away, but decided to see if they're worth something."

After Zeelen looked on EBay, she said she discovered there was a market for ties.

"Now, I've got my own website," she said, adding that she finds the ties at estate sales, second hand stores, yard sales, wherever she can. She sells them from her website and has both a Facebook page and Instagram. On her website, there are links showing how to tie a neck tie.

"I'm a single mom," Zeelen said. "It's a struggle."

As a single mother, Zeelen said she knows how difficult it can be to support a family and especially to provide extra items like formal clothing for prom.

"I saw the Bright Futures posting and volunteered," she said.

Zeelen, who said she gave birth to three children, has adopted two more and helped raise nieces and a nephew, having as many as 11 children in her home at one time.

"I was raising seven children as a single mom on $12,000 a year," she said.

Now, the children range from 5 to 19 years of age and one is in college.

"I just wanted to help," she said, as she steamed a tie, then carefully wrapped it in tissue paper before placing it in a box for one of the boys going to prom.