Amy Forby is a longtime fan of riding on the back of a Harley and listening to the growls those Hogs produce, but she has never been fond of the masculine signal it sends.

So five years ago, she went to work blinging up the hobby/sport for women everywhere with the introduction of her home-based, Fairview Heights business - "Biker Bling" at www.coolbikerbling.com.

Today, Forby's business features rhinestone headbands, bandanas, shirts, purses, and more. She specializes in hand-made bracelets, including orange and black beaded ribbon varieties, and earrings such as Harley-Davidson guitar pick danglers. Necklaces and rings are also available.

Forby, a local Title I reading teacher, was tired of going to motorcycle shows, swap meets, shops and related events and never finding anything really geared toward women.

"Even if I did find something in a shop or show that would accessorize my biker chic look for the day, it was way overpriced," she said. "I had been considering starting up my own business to offer more feminine biker items for some time, but I didn't spark up until I was riding home on the back of my husband Eric's Harley somewhere on the backroads of Southern Illinois. 'Biker Bling' just popped in my head."

Although Biker Bling began as an Internet store, Amy quickly expanded the business by setting up tables and booths at craft fairs, swap meets, motorcycle shows, including Hot Summer Bike Nights at the Fairview Heights' Pasta House Co. restaurant, and other biker-type events all over Illinois and Missouri.

Amy says her husband was more than supportive. After all, it was the perfect second "job" for her as a teacher who is off work during the summertime.

"The months I am off work from teaching are when people really get into riding, so it works out well," she said. "Sales are also high around Christmas when I have a two-week break from classrooms. Even during the school year, I enjoy it because it relaxes me after a long day teaching and offers me a creative outlet."

When she began Biker Bling she didn't burden her family's savings, but instead sold off her things from around the house for the start-up fund, such as Longaberger baskets.

"I tell many women this piece of advice when they say they have a business idea, but can't find available funds to kick it into gear, and they realize they can do the same," she said.

Biker Bling continues to run out of her basement with her Internet business booming, having sold to all 50 states and eight countries around the world. She also began to notice that more than half her orders had one thing in common - they were for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and in many cases for children undergoing the treatments.

"With the notes and questions about sizes that kept coming in, I set up a new website, Bandanas4kids.org, that accepts $5 donations to pay for fun, unique bandanas for children undergoing the fight of their life," Amy said. "After all, we all deserve a little BLING in life. It cheers every female up, no matter how old, or young."