Hair for the Mini Diva

2011-11-19T06:24:00.001-06:00

Okay, so this is just a quick do for gym or dance days! We were running really short on time and Little Miss has bangs that won't just stay in a ponytail. So, we did this simple little do! Yes, I realize it was a little crooked... I fixed that before we left for school, but didn't get pics. Of course! ;)

These next two photos were taken after school yesterday. Little Miss and her classmates were videotaped earlier that day. She was sooo excited to be on camera! Lol, haven't seen the footage yet, but I'm sure she was adorable! ;) I curled her hair with the flat iron and put in a new headband. Nothing major, but I was happy to see that she still had some curl left... even if the wind and her playing did play havock with the style!

I hope everyone is having a happy fall! I'd love to see some of your recent do's and even feature a guest on my blog! I have been very busy and am still adjusting to life with all three kids in school, running my own business, a husband working and in a Masters program, volunteering at my kids school because I am that mom... well, you get the idea! Lots of love to my friends and followers out there!

New Bows & Holders

2011-11-06T06:27:00.000-06:00

Just a photo bomb! But I hope you all enjoy! ;)

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-02T06:18:00.003-05:00

What were your little ones for Halloween? I had Harry Potter, a ninja, and a little devil. I thought it was rather fitting. ;) Actually, Little Miss originally wanted to be a Rainbow Angel... yeah, I couldn't find the right costume and ran out of time to make one. As we walked down the Halloween isle, she saw the horns and said, "That's what I'm gonna be!" Lol, she is sassy!

It was a great deal! She already had all of the clothes. We just bought the tail, horns, a trident/wand and bow tie as a set for $5. Anyway, I just put her hair in a little pony on top with a small bump and curled her hair. She was cute as ever. ;)

All the kids had a blast! The boys were Harry Potter and a ninja. That little one is my nephew Tanner.... he is dressed as a boxer!

Hope Halloween, or Day of the Dead, All Hallows Eve, All Saints Day, or whatever it is you celebrate this time of year was a special and memorable day!

2011-09-14T06:38:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I get extra crafty and have to come up with something to do! ... So, I painted the shirt and added a lace flower and then made the headband. ;)

I didn't get a ton of great pics of her at our family reunion, but here are the few I did catch....

Oh, and a quick close-up of the headband. Hope you are having a great fall!

New Hair Stuffs!!!

2011-08-30T06:42:00.000-05:00

Little Miss Sass and I both just love love headbands!!! These are a few of the recent ones made by the Tiny Diva team! ;)

Sets are great because you only need one headband to get so many great looks!

Lollipop flowers... so fun!

All those petals!

And finally a chiffon flower! We are having so much fun making all of these new items! Would love to know your thoughts!

Follow Up

2011-08-24T06:56:00.000-05:00

Okay, this post should have gone with the one from the other day about Miss Sass's bike. But here you go. ;)

This jewelry set was also a birthday gift and it was just so cute! And also so very fun! My daughter loved it!!!

Well, you might be able to tell that for yourself by the jewelry everywhere! ;) Love her face!

Happy Birthday to My BIG Girl

2011-08-22T07:04:00.000-05:00

Little Miss Sass turned 5 recently and this was her big gift... her very own big girl bike! She is doing really well and isn't far away from losing those training wheels. ;)

She had to get a new helmet too, of course! LOVE this one by Raskullz!!!

And we also needed an easy, but fun hairstyle that will look great with a helmet... So, I did these simple twists. You just pull the hair into low ponies. Then twist the pony hair until it folds back on itself and secure the end back at the top with another elastic. Easy peasy and cute to boot! ;)

Happy Birthday to my princess!

Back to School

2011-08-19T06:06:00.001-05:00

I just wanted to share our back to school photos. I threw in some of my boys too, just for fun! ;)

Their school has an annual hat day parade. The kids really loved joining in! We had a magician,

Dr. Suess...

And an Irish Princess. The concept was to make a hat that represents the student's personality or heritage. Each of our kids chose their own theme and it was so fun to help them!

My oldest... love him! He is getting so big!!!

My sweetie pie... he is still a lovebug! ;)

Walking into the school

Hugging goodbye! ;)

Here is a close-up of Little Miss Sass's hairstyle for the day. Two french braids into a bun. Stayed pretty well all day.

How has school been going for your family?

Recent Bow Creations

2011-08-05T06:17:00.001-05:00

Here are a few hot pink and zebra/damask sets that were created at customer requests. Love these colors!

Some of these are the same bows just switched up a bit... but I just love them all, and each set was a custom order. ;)

This is a school set. Made to match a special little girl's uniforms!

And a new fascinator... in lilac and black. So loving fascinators!

Hope you enjoyed these. I'd love to see any of your creations! Please send me your photos in email and I will share them in a post! ;)

Twist Braid Pigtails

2011-07-25T06:50:00.003-05:00

Just a simple and fun do today! Miss Sass wanted pigtails, a common request these days. ;)

So to make things a little more exiting, I started with a zigzag part. Then pulled back both sides.

We are still growing our bangs out, so I did a little pull-through in the front...

Next section the tails into as many pieces as you'd like and make twist braids. Regular braids would work fine. I recommend at least three. Add some bows on top and she's good to go!

I want to point out that these were taken at the very end of the day... hence the harsh flash! lol. But I say this so you'll notice how well the style held up through a full day of playing. This is a perfect style for school!!!

And one more pic, just for the fun of it! Love my crazy girl! ;)

Summer Wedding

2011-07-13T06:46:00.001-05:00

I made this headpiece and accent band set while trying out a new style of hair accessories for my shop and Little Miss fell in love! ;) She asked if she could wear them and of course I said yes!

So, this style is actualy very pretty and wonderful for weddings or really any event. You can dress it up or down. It is also pretty easy to achieve... that's my favorite part! ;) So, you just start with curls. They can be tight or loose, though I prefer medium to loose curl. Also, you only have to get curl into the hair from about the ears down.

Next, you use any headband and place it on the head and then push it down. You can create a bouf by gently tugging the hair or you can just leave it flat against your head. Pin the headband in place in a couple spots. Then you just grab the curls a little at a time and pin them very loosely above the headband. You can pin them a few times for very long hair or just let the curls hang down. We grabbed a few tiny strands here and there and pulled them out. I think this gives it a softer and more carefree look.

This do doesn't have to be perfect, in fact I think it is more beautiful when it is just a touch messy. ;) This might look like it would fall out, but it stayed in Miss Sass's hair for several hours until she finally asked for the pins to be taken out... You can also cross the pins for a tighter hold. Oh, and we topped it with a smoothing hairspray. Anyway, so that the 'do, hope that is easy enough to understand. ;)

Okay, so then there is the new headpiece and band... I had so much fun making this! I really didn't know how it would turn out and even after it was finished I didn't think I'd like it on. I was wrong. Lol, I loved it on my princess! And the band was just an afterthought. I had this little piece of lace left and she asked for a bracelet, but I liked the idea of an anklet. I can imagine this on a little barfoot flower girl at the beach. ;)

Stay cool... xoxo

Finally, summer is really here!

2011-07-06T08:34:00.001-05:00

We get so busy at the end of the year that we just don't have time for anything! Well, dance recital is finally accomplished. I made the hairpieces for both dances... And had a blast doing these! ;) the kids had three performances and seven dances between them. And then the parents did a number too. Yes, I participated. Lol! We had sooo much fun, but now things are back to summer normal. which means things are still busy but in a much more relaxed way. ;) I'm on my phone again, so I'll just give a quick description of what's here... These are pics from Miss Sass's two dances and then one of her earning her dance medal for the year. She did a great job! If any of you are interested in knowing just ask and I'll let you know what steps she had to have down to get it. ;) alright everyone, hope you had an awesome 4th of July... I'd love to see pics of the different hair you did for that big day!

New Ribbon Means New Bows!

2011-06-05T06:12:00.000-05:00

Okay, so nothing thrilling here, but I just wanted to share my new bows. I got some new princess ribbon and had to share the creations! ;)

Thanks for stopping by and have an awesome day! ;)

Twisty cornrows

2011-05-18T14:41:00.002-05:00

This is my first post from my phone so we will have to see how it works. ;) This style is fun and fairly simple if you can do the twists. You can trade French braids or just simple twists if you can't do the French twists. So you just part the hair into little sections and then put in your twist braids. You could pull them into a pony tail, but we wanted piggies today. So there you have it. I added several pics to help with the concept. Let me know what you think please and have a great day all! ;)

More Customers Wearing Tiny Diva Bows

2011-05-06T06:43:00.000-05:00

Today we are featuring a friend's daughter and she's just adorable! ;) Our items are the flip flops and bow in the first collage and then the headband and tutu in the second photo and last collage. Would love to hear your thoughts!

These were photographed by KD Photography. You can find her on facebook. She is new and I think she's off to a great start!

A No-Do Day

2011-05-04T06:50:00.000-05:00

I just thought I'd share a few pictures from a fishing/hiking trip our family took a few weeks ago. The kids had a blast and we took a break from fixing hair. ;)

And then I loved this last one because she is making the funniest face! Lol, that's my girl trying sooo hard to cast! ;)

New Bows from TIny Diva

2011-05-03T06:27:00.001-05:00

Just wanted to take a minute to show off some of our recent work. ;) All bows and just for fun... some might be remakes of something your've seen before and some are new. Well, enjoy!

Customers wearing Fairie*Kisses Clothes and Tiny Diva Bows

2011-05-01T06:31:00.000-05:00

I'd like to start featuring some of our customers wearing our products. If you have photos, please send them over or tag us on facebook and we'll share them here! ;)

Okay, so here is our first visitor. Isn't she just the cutest thing?! Some of you will probably recognize the outfit... it is one that I made last year. But the bow and flip flops are new! Well, please enjoy!

Simple Step Ponies

2011-04-29T06:02:00.000-05:00

This is a fun and easy do that works great for babies and toddlers, but looks cute on big girls too. I simply start with her natural part and them make little sections. Starting in the middle/front I work my way back securing each section with an elastic and adding the hair from the one before. Easy peasy!

The rest of these pics are just for fun. I noticed how big my little girl looks in these! ;)

How's The Fam?

2011-04-28T06:14:00.000-05:00

Today, I thought I'd just share some recent pics of the kids... I noticed that my side bar still has the same info from when I started this blog. Lol, that was a while ago! Well, some of you had asked how the boys were doing. So here you go...

So, next was my attempt to get a nice photo of all three kids together... and let the laughter and mayhem commence. ;)

Cue dog pile!!!

And feign sleep so you can't get up! teehee

At the end of the "shoot" this was really the best I got of the planned pics... yeah, I like the others better! ;)

A Super Twisty Bun

2011-04-27T22:40:00.001-05:00

Really wishing again that I had some way to do videos. ;) My oldest is getting better, but it's so shaky it might make someone sick. Lol. Anyway, this do turned out rather pretty and I think I'll do it again soon!

I started by parting her hair into sections and putting them in clips. I did french twist braids for the top half and then clipped them aside.

Next, I took the small section at the very bottom and split it in two, made twists with each piece, crossed them over each other, and then secured them halfway up with the twists from the twist braids from the top.

Then I made several twist braids with the hair in the middle ponytail.

The last step was to pull all the pieces together in the middle into a messy bun.

We added a bow before we went to dance class!

She was a little sleepy that day... so please ignore those tired eyes. ;)

Guess What?!

2011-04-26T06:36:00.000-05:00

We got Little Miss Sass's ears pierced! Yay!!! She's been asking for over a year and Daddy finally said yes! ;) For the big day, Miss Sass chose a completely Over-The-Top Outfit... head to toe! Lol.

And here are the on-lookers, big brothers and her bestie...

She was so brave and then rather mad at the poor girl who did her piercing.

1st one done to which she said, "Hey!"

And then the second to which she yelled, "OW!!!" :(

But we went to the park after and look at that smile she has!

Here's a kind of close up of the flip flops she was wearing... and a pair I made for my niece.

And then a close up of the bow and hair she wore that day. The hair was simple, just a french twist braid going around the back. I pulled everything to one side and did a bun. It looked cute for most of the day, but got a little messed up at the park. ;)

Have a great day!!!

Three Braids and A Bow

2011-04-25T06:24:00.002-05:00

We were heading out to take some pics of our new dresses, so we needed a somewhat quick but cute do. ;) This one is actually very easy and pretty quick if you know how to french braid. The real trick is to make sure the hair is damp, but not dripping and pull everything out of your way that you aren't using. Part ahead of time and use clips or elastics to hold the rest back...

Right, so I put two braids on her right side. (That deep part on the left side is her natural part, so I usually just go with it.) And then I put two more on the other side. Little Miss still has kind of thin hair, so I did outie braids. These are really easy to get once you have the basic french braid. It takes some practice to do quickly and tightly, but looks great once you have it!

Here's an example of how I part her hair out before braiding... it really makes a difference to hold that other hair back tightly. I recommend doing a sweeping or angled section for braids at the front like this. It typically looks a little fancier than a part straight down the side.

Then we did a quick messy bun and threw a cute bow on top and we were ready to go! ;)

I want to throw a quick word in here about the other dress I featured here. Several people asked for a tutorial... That sounds really fun, but I didn't actually make that one. I work on a team of 3. My mom makes most of the dresses and a good friend makes the bows and flip flops with me. I make mostly the custom sets and I did sew these dresses. As for the t-shirt dress, I can tell you that she made two ruffles, each 12 inches long and then put one on the very bottom of the shirt and the next 4 inches up. She did the applique with wonder-under, which she tells me is available at most craft stores and probably Walmart. Hope that helps for those that sew! ;)

Flip Flop Fever

2011-03-21T06:18:00.002-05:00

It is almost summer (okay, almost Spring) and I am so ready! Lately, we have been working on these...

Aren't they fun? We have had so much fun! These are the orders we filled last Friday. Just so fun and over-the-top! ;)

Ballerina bow on headband... This was a special request by my daughter. lol

And then this rediculously massive bow!!! It is 7.5" wide! ;)

Simple Springtime piggy bows....

And one of my faves, baby flip flops with matching bow. I just Love these! I know I made them... but they're so little and just flippin adorable! ;)

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day everyone!

Easter is Almost Here!

2011-03-20T11:05:00.000-05:00

So, a lot of you have been emailing me and asking when I'll be back! ;) I love the kindness you've shown and I have really missed blogging. Since so many of you have said that you don't care what I blog about, I'm taking that to heart... at least for this post. ;)

So, what have we been up to? Well, I started working with my best friend making the bow business a success. We have had a ton of orders lately and I am so so excited about it! My mama has joined the group as well and is creating all these amazing little onesies and dresses! I'll share all of these throughout my posts, but I thought I'd start with this dress. ;)

Easter is coming up quickly and Mama had this adorable dress hanging on her rack of things for sale! Well, Little Miss immediately asked if she'd be modeling and started taking things off. Lol!

Isn't it just so cute?! Well, my bestie and I have been working on spring and summer colors and had just made this bow that couldn't have been matched better if we'd already seen the dress. ;)

And since this is a hair blog, I'll mention that I parted her hair far to one side and put her bangs into a small inside-out french braid. Then I covered the elastic with the bow. Simple and sweet. (though later I decided the rest could have used some curls.)

Anyway, we are offering this dress in limited quantities with matching hairbow for $25, just $5 extra for piggies!!! If you are interested, just let me know and I'll get you the info to order! ;)

Well, thanks again for all of the sweet comments and emails! I love hearing from all of you and I'm jumping back in! ;) I look forward to spending regular time in blogworld again!!!

Photo Retouch - Trial & Error

2011-01-07T06:37:00.003-06:00

These are pictures from the fall... Yeah, old, I know! I love the colors and this was one of my attempts at editing. I really have no clue if it's any good, but figured I'd post them and see what you all think? ;)

Duck races... She did this for about 20 minutes!

This is the main reason I fix my baby's hair all the time... I want to see her face!

Please pardon the cute tween bums in the background here, but I just loved Little Miss's smile!;)

Such a fun day!

Photography Post - Afternoon at the Park

2011-01-05T06:27:00.001-06:00

As we headed out the door to go shopping together, Miss Sass wanted "easy hair" and jeans. Lol! We headed to a boutique... unfortunately, she wasn't open for another 45 minutes. Home was on the other side of town and this park was across the street. It's a nice day... so guess what we did? ....

This was a day when I felt like pictures were just happening and I had to do was click. ;)
Okay, so these aren't like billboard ready or anything. Lol, just a fun picture-story. (And of course I like them because they're of my girl!)

Lately I've been wishing I had a good editing software. I have Photo Shop Elements, but it is a super old version and I can't use any of the actions with it. Boo! Lol, really, I just don't have the time to spend on every photo doing all the steps. Having looked at so many people's photos after editing, I know it could really make a difference in the presentation of my photos. ;)

Love my goofy girl!!! ;)

Bangs Anyone?!?!

2010-12-21T06:19:00.002-06:00

Most of you know me pretty well by now... you know that I get bored and change things up frequently. However, I had really been trying to not trim or cut Little Miss's hair. She wanted it long and pretty like Mommy's. ;) Yeah well, she and Drama Boy (the one who cut her hair last time!) were in the bathroom together... You can see where this is going, right?

Right, we have bangs now and some layers. Aside from the rediculously short sideburns she gave herself, it is actually pretty cute. We're going to let the bangs grow out which is why they are so big. Lol... kids *sigh* Well, that's really it, just had to share. ;) And here are some pics (in the order they were taken) from our trip to see Santa. My girl was really trying to earn her nickname. May I present, Little Miss Sass:

The crazy face below is a good shot of those short sideburns she has now. I added some extra curls on the top with her flat iron. I just use the remmington mini. It works really well and has a low heat setting. These pics were taken after seeing Santa, having cookies and cocoa, and dancing all around... oh, and pulling her flower clip out. Lol, it was way cuter when we started the evening! ;)

There's that sweet smile! ;)

Did any of you visit Santa? Or maybe go see the giant Christmas tree at the mall? I'd love to hear some of your favorite holiday traditions - and see your holiday hair! ;) If you'd like to see our visit with Santa it is up on my family blog. Merry Christmas!

Crazy Hair Day - Christmas Edition

2010-12-20T08:16:00.001-06:00

A friend posted some pics on facebook and I asked her permission to share her unique style in hair blogland. You all will be happy I did! ;) Okay, check it out! I'm going to share her directions too; feel free to ask questions...

Shannon said: "I used 18 gauge floral wire which comes in long skinny packets pre-cut into lengths of about 18 inches. I just braided around the wire...taking one strand underneath and the next one over top to keep the wire straight and hidden. I looped the ends of the wire around so I could tie the 'twinkle berries' on to the wire."

"The 'twinkle berries' are simply those round little furry balls you find at walmart or any craft store in packages of all different sizes...took a needle and thread...and sewed the first ball on...got the second ball on and to a height I liked, then looped around and sewed it around and up again to 'lock it in place'....then did the same things to the last ball to keep it at the correct height. took some simple ribbon and tied a bow to make it that much cuter."

--- Those are three pull-throughs in the back.---

Adorable right?! Shannon is an amazing photographer and apparently pretty awesome at hair too! Her work is beautiful and inspiring! Please take a look at her blog and say hello for me! ;)

Thanks Shannon! And to all of you, Happy Holidays! ;)

Twist into Messy Bun

2010-12-06T22:18:00.001-06:00

This is kind of a fallback style for us. First, part the hair into the sections you will want.

This is the easiest way to secure the twists. Take your section and part out just a tiny piece at the end you'll be securing.

Twist the remaining part of the section and secure it with that little piece with an elastic.

You could also secure the twists with a single bobby pin pushed up through the twist and into the base of the hair. That will work best with hair of Little Miss's thickness or thicker. Okay, so this is the finished style. I didn't get many pics, but I'm sure I'll be doing it again. ;)

Gymnast Piggie Braids

2010-12-04T06:15:00.026-06:00

"I was wondering if you could do some hairstyles for gymnastics? My 6 year old just started and I would like to keep her hair out of her face, so I would like a hairstyle that would last through gymnastics. She has long hair (just past her shoulders, even with her shoulder blades) that is not really thin, but not really thick either, its just kind of in the middle lol. I look forward to hearing back from you. Thank you in advance." ~Kristine

I received this question in an email a while and wanted to feature it on my blog. Kristine was nice enough to allow me to post it here. ;) Miss Sass has a weekly gymnastics class, so we use hairstyles frequently that work well for it! This is one of my favorites because it stays in so well and looks adorable.

What we have here are just two french braids in piggies. I put them down the back and start them about halfway down. If your little one has shorter hair, you could start at the top. French braids hold really well if you can get them in snuggly. I recommend practice. ;) Lol, that really is the number one trick to getting good braids!

Now, because I don't like middle parts on Little Miss, I put her hair into a side part and pull the top into it's own little section. Then I part the hair for the braids straight down from that section. I did a pull-through in the top this time, but I have also done two ponys in a line or a braid going from one side to the other. ;)

I tossed those other pics in just because they were cute. ;) But below are some shots I took in her gymnastics class... Okay, now before anyone gets judgy... I know our equipment is a little worn and older, but it still works! Lol, and the kids are advancing well!

The above pic and next one are Miss Sass working with Miss Lindsay on her kick over... she's soooo close! ;)

Maybe it's just me, but I love little girls in gymnastics and dance because you can see their little buddah bellies. ;) Okay, well I hope this style works for the other gymanst moms out there... I have more on the way!

WHERE ARE YOU?!

2010-12-03T06:20:00.002-06:00

When I checked my blog comments, this was one of them. Lol, I've missed you all too!!! ;) It seems like this year has been one thing after another for our family and then if we toss in friend drama... it's just too much happening! We've had injuries, illnesses, thankfully very few deaths (though I feel like one is too many!), and just other life stuff. So, I'm sorry for the crazy schedule I've been keeping on my blog. Life got crazy on us again this month and I just didn't have the time or energy to get things posted. I do have some hairstyles ready though, because I still fixed Little Miss's hair, even though I didn't post about it. ;) Anyway, enough of that. Are you ready for a new style? Here goes...

I think I had some idea of a name for this one when I did it. Like double-hearted piggies... or some such. Lol, no matter I guess. ;)

This one is really simple and quick to do, but it turns out super cute! Start with a middle part from top to bottom.

Put the hair in the top into a small pony. Take the hair from that section and split it in two. Next twist those pieces toward the front. Make sure you twist them forward or the hearts won't stay up right. ;)

Next you will section out another pony on that same side and add the ends from the first heart into that section. You can arrange the heart first and then secure the ends.

In this next section, I did twist braids to make the heart. For a twist braid you take two pieces and twist them the same way and then cross them over each other in the opposite direction. So, in order to get your heart to stand up, you will want to twist the two pieces for the twist braid down and then cross them over each other going up/forward. Make sense? I hope so! ;)

Then you just do the same thing to the other side. We added little bows to these later in the day.

I don't know what this next look was all about... she was being sassy again!

I couldn't get a smile out of Miss Sass that day, but she looked adorable anyway! ;)

Happy Halloween Part 2

2010-11-04T13:41:00.000-05:00

Finally, here is part 2 of my Halloween posts...

The kids were adorable and fun and silly and totally crazy on the inevitable sugar high that accompanies Halloween! ;) Little Miss was a little less sassy than normal in a sweet Cinderella costume...

She also wore the costume for a party at her dance class. That other Cinderella there is her cousin. (The costume fits her quiet and gentle personality much better!lol)

This is the back of her hair when we went big with it. If you guys would like, I'll do a tutorial on this one. I wasn't sure it was something that would be used very often and didn't take pics of the steps. ;)

Little Miss actually had two costumes, but chose Cinderella every day that week except Monday. This was her first dance class of the week... the kitty cat costume was so so cute!!! ;) I didn't even get a pic with the little mask on, so we'll be dressing up again really soon!

He hair looked absolutely fabulous.... until she fell asleep! I guess this one should be a Sunday morning style, not an all day one. ;)

And here is her favorite person ever, Ms. Misty!

Okay, I had to throw in a few shots of my boys. They both had hat/masks, so I didn't fix their hair. But they were still cute and we had so much fun together! They are so silly!!! ;) This first one is Mr. Cool... just after he got the "begoodles" scared out of him by the guy behind the sheet. That guy was really hard to see in person!

This was the boys favorite stop... soda! Lol, they thought it was the coolest Halloween treat. Mr. Cool is obviously Batman and Drama Boy was a ninja.

Oh, and Drama Boy said to just forget about his orange shoes. "I'm a ninja and ninjas can wear whatever they want... because nobody tells a ninja what to do!" So there! ;)

Well, I hope you all had a fun, safe, and happy weekend! ... and week!

The Cheerleader Pony

2010-11-04T13:23:00.000-05:00

I've had the draft for this post sitting here for a while and kinda forgot about it.. oops! This is really simply, but cute and reminded me of my high-school cheer days. ;)

I didn't get great pics, but it's really simple. I parted the hair on the side, put pull-throughs in each side at the front. Pulled everything back into a high ponytail and then curled the hair. Next, I pulled the hair up and sprayed in with hairspray as it fell back down. Then, I sort of scrunched it and sprayed again. It is messy, but cute and simple, but fun!

We also added some Gymboree clips to either side to hold her bangs back... but as you can see, they didn't hold the whole night! I had to redo them a few times. ;)

I guess there aren't enough pics to really tell here, but I didn't feel comfortable posting photos of random people without permission. So, I was careful about which ones I put up here... Anyway, this was at our local college's homecoming football game. (Yeah homecoming, does that tell you how long it took me to post this one?!) They had a bbq and carnival following the homecoming parade that was right across the street from the field. Really, it was one of the best events we've taken the kids to this year! Right, so Little Miss was climbing all over the stands during the game, but this next pic is when they were announcing homecoming king and queen at halftime... that's my princess!

Were you a cheerleader? Dancer? Did you play sports? What did you do with your hair?

Blue & Pink Gypsy Dress

2010-11-03T06:27:00.000-05:00

I noticed while today, that my second Halloween post didn't show up. You're not missing anything major, just a few pics of my kids in their costumes... I'll try to add that later... busy with school for now. ;)

Okay, I'm getting back into the flow of dress/hair/dress/hair... lol. So, here's the next dress in our little fashion week. I also made some new hairbows to match.

I love my little girl in dresses! I think I would pair this with some leggings and the boots for cooler weather and then maybe a long-sleeved top under or shrug sweater over...

I love the simple yellow bow accents...

Not sure if you can see it, but these are basic piggies with a loose french braid on her right side... this is the same I used for a couple of the dresses. The bows are light blue, pink and white with little blue hearts in the middle.

Have a great day! ;)

Simple Dancer 'Do / Gymnast Bun

2010-11-02T06:34:00.000-05:00

I know I've done this style before, but it is such a great, simple, but quick one for gymnastics and dance!

It really isn't very hard to achieve, so I'm just going to share some pics of the finished style...

The front is just three small ponies and then that is pulled back into a messy bun.

These others are before I put the tutu pony in... Great thing about the hair tutu is that it makes up for so much. If you make a mistake or your bun is a little funky, or just wimpy like my little girls is.... The tutu covers it all up. ;)

See, I didn't even try to make it pretty, I just threw the hair up and then added the tutu. ;)

Here's a better close-up of the top... I have to add in these extra sections because of her bangs. But these are also really helpful for gymnasts because it makes the style more stable than just a ponytail.

Thanks all, and happy voting day! ;)

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-01T06:38:00.001-05:00

Were any of you as busy as I was this weekend? We did a fun event at church this weekend called "Trunk or Treat". We decorated out trunk with other cars and the parking lot was blocked off. Then, the kids come and get treats and play games. It is a carnival style and the kids and guests all seemed to have a super-fun time! ;) Well, we had an idea of what we wanted to do and the kids wanted to help... We had a theme for outside the car, Autumn, and the theme in the car was Halloween. Yeah okay, not genius themes, but we had fun. ;) The pic above is my mom with the whole deal and the ones below are what the kids did...

Giant spiders are hard to find and expensive when you do find them, so we decided to make some. It was really easy and took less than 1/2 and hour:

Let the kids tackle the legs while you cut out the body pieces. This is great because you don't need glue or anything. The beads will stay in place on the fuzzy pipe cleaners on their own. -There are tons of projects using just these two items!

My kids noticed that these are shaped like cauldrons... I made one from the cheap felt sheets and one slightly smaller from a piece of cardstock to stabilize.

We wanted black widows, so we made an hourglass shape by bending a pipe cleaner back and forth.

I used a glue stick because I wanted it to dry quickly, but you could use any craft glue that works on felt. I globbed it on really heavy and lined up the legs and "fangs". It won't hold at this point, so leave it laying flat. Press the black felt body piece down firmly and hold for about 30 sec to 1 min. Then, you'll want to let it set for a while to dry completely.

Here's the finished spider... we couldn't find our googly eyes, but I think they were a little scarier without them anyway. ;)

Next, we hung some fake webbing in the back of the car and just stuck our spiders in there... It was so cute because my kids couldn't remember the word tarantula and kept saying jolly ranchers instead. lol "Mommy, we need one jolly rancher on this side and one over here too!"

We put our candy bucket in the middle and added some streamers. The kids were able to help with most of it and they felt very proud! ;)

I also did some baking this week...

Pumpkin Bread

Spice Cake Oatmeal Cookies

Pumpkin Pie Muffins with Cinnamon Glaze

YUM! ;)

I felt like this post was getting long, so I'm making another with the kids in the their costumes. I'll post it today too...

How was your weekend? Did you celebrate? Did you or your kids dress up?

Sesame Street Sun Suit

2010-10-29T06:18:00.001-05:00

Sometimes just those old-fashioned pigtails are what we need... and this was one of those days! ;)

One of the sets Grandma made was a sunsuit with all our favorite Sesame Street characters. Little Miss absolutely loved this one! And I have to admit that although it is more of a baby style, I really thought it was adorable. Maybe it will be silly to others, but I had so so much fun taking these pictures. I just wanted to find a beach!

There is plenty of twirling in this top and the bloomers will go easily over a diaper, but also look cute without one like on Little Miss.

Can you tell we loved this one?! Grandma will be making these in different themes and colors for lots of fun summer looks... I'm almost sad to see summer go... almost. ;)

Easy-Peasy Twist & Fluff

2010-10-28T06:37:00.001-05:00

Today, I have a really simple and quick style that uses just one elastic and a clip... and a headband if you'd like! Oh, and don't forget the koolaid mustache! ;)

So, this is really crazy easy! Pull up most of the hair excpet a section in the back out of the way. Make a twist braid in the bottom and pull that up with the top section. For older girls or adults it would be cute to twist up the top section like I did in the following picture...

And then you could pin or clip it us the way you normally would a twist like that. ;) Well, Little Miss does way too much running around for that, so I did something a tad different. I simply put the twist and the top hair into a ponytail. For some reason, I thought that you would be able to see the white elastic and black clip easier here... but I changed it after I took these. ;)

Right, so this is the cool part! If you put in a clip over the top of the ponytail, it will flip the hair up. Now, this is really only going to work for hair that is shoulder length to a few inches longer than that. If the hair is longer, you might want to try something else. ;)

Little Miss already had her ends curled under, so they flipped under nicely after they were up too.

Miss Sass wanted the headband and I thought it was a nice finishing touch. ;)

And don't forget the koolaid!

Yellow & Pink Flowers Hippie Dress

2010-10-27T06:38:00.001-05:00

I've decided to stop apologizing for posting lots of pictures... hopefully it isn't too annoying, but I don't think I will ever be able to keep it down to just a few! ;)

Okay, so I think I'm going to go back and forth for several posts until I share all the dresses that Grandma made. She made a few in this style and they are just so fun! I know these are all maybe more summery and we are getting into fall. But they're still adorable! ;) I also think they'd be cute layered over tights and a long-sleeved top.

For the hair on this one, I did another quick french braid on one side and then into piggies. I pulled the hair halfway through to make cheater messy buns. ;) It was really cute in person, but the braid was nearly covered by the big bows!

Gotta love the twirlability of this dress!

Stretch, yawn... oh, this is so much work! Lol!

And I don't know why, but this is one of my favorite pictures from the day... she was just so focused on that knee!

Well, I'd say that she liked this one too! I'll see you all tomorrow with more hair! ;)

Simple Twists Into Poofy Piggies

2010-10-26T11:32:00.000-05:00

I usually start my posts with a picture of the finished 'do, but I decided to change things up today... let me know if you hate it. (or love it!) This is a pretty simple style to do, but it turns out really adorable!

Little Miss still has bangs and lots of layers, so I started out with two step-ponies going back to hold everything back. Please excuse the crazy bumps in her hair; she had this funky braid style after her bath the night before... we did NOT get the pretty wave we were looking for! ;) Right, so if you can't tell by that first picture, I used a somewhat loose pony and gently secured it about 2.5-3 inches straight back from where I wanted it to end up. This makes the top way smoother in the end, so you'll want to do it this way.

Next step is the twist. I switched sides for some reason, but you'll do exactly the same thing on both sides. Twist each on in toward the middle. After you get the twist looking right, line it up where you want the pigtail to go and then secure it along with the hair from the top into one elastic.

It works really well to keep the hair on top out of the way and also get a nice clean look without trying to hold a twist and comb the top at the same time... trust me, you don't want to try it that way! ;)

Right, here's a nice blurry pic from the back so you can see both sides done together. Kind of.

Okay, next is the easy and fun part! The piggies will sit high and the twists will help give a little extra push so that the hair has more poof that normal. I just added a few big curls to each side. And if you can see it in the next pic, I used a tiny claw clip to hold some of the hair up top, so the curls would keep going that way. They were already on top of her head, but I figured gravity would win by the end of the day! ;)

So, the rest of these are at dance class, our last stop of the day... this one lasted through everything and even jazz class! ;) I loved it and the other dance mommas were cooing over her all night. Lol, mostly I think they were wishing their little girls were still little! ;)

I didn't get a ton of pics that day because Miss Sass was in full-sass mode after missing a nap... but the hair was still adorable! Haha

Oh, I forgot that I had added these new clippies I made the night before! I was super-happy that she picked something purple so I could put these in! ;)

I promise she wasn't crying here... just being her ~~pain in the~~ sassy self!

Leopard Dress & Side Swept Braid

2010-10-25T12:20:00.000-05:00

I just got in here to check on my blog and this post wasn't up yet... but I posted it this morning! hmmm... Well, I'm trying it again. Hopefully you all can see it now! ;)

We've been busy around here again... what's new, right?! ;)

I spent the weekend at my Momma's house taking pictures of the new dresses she's made for our shop. I feel in love with this one right off the bat and so did Little Miss!

It is a nice medium-weight cotton, fully lined, with adorable black fringe. It has lots of twirl and sass... perfect for our little girls! ;)

This is the 2/3, so it would probably be longer on other little girls since Little Miss is 4. ;) There is a ribbon tie in the back to give a custom fit at the waistline.

We were mainly focused on the clothes, but I did some quick hair changes to go with the dresses... This is just a soft big french braid. I started at the front and middle of a deep side part and braided down and around toward the back. When I reached the other side, I pulled the rest of the hair and the braid into an elastic and made a messy bun. Topped it off with a clip and we were good to go! ;)

I actually thought the hair style was pretty, but probably wouldn't stay all day in her super-soft hair. Either way, the hair and the dress were a win with her! She spent as much time modeling in front of Grandma's mirror as she did outside for the camera. ;)

So, what do you think? Like the dress? Like the hair? ;)

Ballet Bun Re-Run

2010-10-19T06:38:00.001-05:00

I know I've done this one before, probably more than once too. ;) It is so simple and cute and keeps the hair out of the way... so I love it! lol

Okay, so there are just a few quick shots that I managed to snap at the studio. I changed things up a little this time by wrapping the bun with a piece of black lace. Little Miss said she felt very pretty with it! ;)

Here's a quick review just in case... Pull the bangs or front of the hair into a small pony far to one side. Twist the piece of hair back and add it together with all the rest of the hair into a ponytail wherever you like yours to be. Make a bun... messy bun, braided bun, pull-through bun, whatever. Next just add an accessory and you're good to go! ;)

Okay, so am I cheating today? ... maybe... ;) I'd love to see what you do for dance, gymnastics, or other sports! Email pics to merynne@gmail.com and I can share your ideas with the world! (well, my little bitty corner of it.)

Cornrow Piggies

2010-10-17T06:35:00.000-05:00

The idea here is simple, but the time it takes is not so simple! ;) Make sure you and your little princess are comfy and have plenty of little activities to do.
I didn't get step-by-step shots, so I'll just do my best to tell you the order we used. To start, part the hair in whatever way you will want it fixed when done. We were going for pigtails, so I did a side angled part on top and a zigzag down the back. I put one side in a pony out of the way and started on the other.

So, the easiest way is to wet the hair and start at the top. It's best if the hair is not soaked. If you towel dry after washing or just spray it a little with dry hair... it will be a lot easier to hold on to and keep the little hairs in while braiding. You might also consider a little gel or pomade on each section before you braid it.

If you aren't sure where to put the braids, try it first. Part out the sections and clip them, just to see where they are all meeting up. This way you will know where the ponytail is going to end up. You can braid all of the hair and the braids shouldn't get in the way of each other. But if you have trouble with this, you can hold the braids back with a clippy. I suggest an alligator clip (bow-free) because it will easily slide back out without pulling any hairs loose. I think I already mentioned it, but you'll want to start with the braids on the top/front and work your way to the back of the head and down.

Here is a better view of the back. It was easy for me to decide where to put the braids because of the zig zag.

And last, here is a pic with her ribbon that she earned for doing the memory step in dance class. She just had to get a picture with it! ;)

Think Pink!

2010-10-16T06:39:00.001-05:00

In honor of Breast Cancer Month, I made Little Miss a new pink outfit. She was super-excited to wear the next day, even though we were headed to the buddy walk for Down Syndrome... their colors are blue and yellow. ;) I have to say though that I didn't lose her in the crowd even once! Lol

They were handing out free cotton candy after the walk and we just couldn't resist!

We were in a hurry to leave the house, and then it was super-windy on the one-mile walk... her hair didn't survive! I promise it was really cute when I fixed it that morning! ;)

Her fave part of the set is the matching bag... she is now carrying it as a dance bag. Here are a few pics of the sewing process.

I added some quilting to the squares and then did the messy seems. I hope it all looks cute after washing like everyone says... I am usually more precise with my sewing and bows and such. I get nervous about being crazy. Lol!

Anyway, Little Miss was very pleased with the finished set. And the cotton candy made for some fun pics... even if the hair didn't look so fab. ;) I'll probably do some more pics with a petti under the skirt...

And there's my sweetie! I think she was really concentrating in this one! ;)

I really should do this more often...

2010-10-15T06:33:00.001-05:00

Post, I mean! ;) We've had another busy week... honestly, I don't know any moms who aren't busy this time of year. And if you are a homeschooling family, like us, then you truly understand the word busy! Haha

We had a couple days this week that I was concerned for Little Miss. She had to start breathing treatments due to some rattling in her chest. I'm fairly certain that it was caused by allergies not illness, thank goodness! Anyway, she is okay as far as that goes, but today she is sick to her tummy. Poor girl!

Well, now I have about 8 posts waiting to be written, but there is one that I gave a short mention to a while back. So, here you go!

I won a giveaway at Curly Q's Hairdos: Curly Hairdo Ideas. She's got some great styles for little curly girls! Well, they'll work for straight-haired girlies too. ;) The giveaway was for conditioner, but I was lucky enough to get a smaller bottle of shampoo, conditioner, and gel. Yay! I have to say I just LOVE them! So, here's a pic of the set I got and link to the website:

So far, everything about these products is just awesome! We have been using them for a couple weeks. Because of Little Miss's lung problems, I had been searching for natural products. Although it is nearly impossible to tell whether her lungs are helped by this product, I can certainly tell a difference in her hair and skin. The shampoo is great, but the conditioner really is my favorite part. Absolutely everything in it is safe for my little girl's eczema. And hers has gotten so much better since we started using it! I am excited about this since cold weather is coming and her eczema gets crazy bad every winter! The conditioner can be used as a lotion also, so no worries if it gets on her skin! Mostly, I love that I don't have to wash Little Miss's body after I wash her hair. If your kids have skin troubles you will understand how nice it is to break from that! I must say that this set has made me re-think natural hair care products. Others I have tried were greasy or didn't really get her hair clean. Or the conditioner wasn't moisterizing enough, or the hair gel was more like putting eggs or mayo in our hair... okay, you get the idea. I've had some bad luck, probably because I was looking before all this stuff was very popular. But I have to say that I am thrilled with the turn towards natural products! I have used Tate's a few times on my own hair and loved the way it felt. I needed extra moisture, so I added conditioner after rinsing and left it in the ends. There was no gunky feeling. My hair flows as silky as ever! I am telling you honestly that you will not feel like you are sacrificing quality or manageability to go natural if you use the Tate's products! 5 out of 5 stars from me! Now a quick note about my stars rating... I give stars based on whether a product does what it says it should do and is as safe/efficient/smell-good/etc. as it is supposed to be. This is a fabulous product that maybe right for you and your hair type or you might need to look at their other products! ;)

I decided to finish with some pictures of the first style I tried with the hair gel. I love how healthy, clean, and shiny her hair looked. Also, these curls stayed all day and her hair didn't get dried out.

Who's That Girl? Part 2

2010-10-05T06:37:00.002-05:00

I've been meaning to post this for a while, but I can't seem to find the emails I got from all of you! I still want to share your pictures, though! ;) So, if one of these is yours, hollar at me and I'll update the post as I hear from you...

Look at this pretty girl and those amazing curls mama gave her! ;) Lovely Christmas 'do.

And here is Amber's little baby. She is just absolutely adorable! I love the way her parts are. I agree with Amber that this style is great for little ones because it keeps all the hair up!

Some lovely twists and a pretty pony!

I love this braid style... I think it would look nice on adults too!

Another pretty twist style... love the bouf! ;)

This one is super-cute too! I think I might use this for ballet sometime soon.

Can I just say that I am in love with fishtail braids!!!

A wonderful Christmas 'do! I love the wreath she made!

And OMG! Isn't this the prettiest little ballerina!!! So stinkin' cute! ;)

Cute french braids going up...

And some simple, but very elegant twists!

And last... a cute 100 style! Okay, I love this!!! ;)

Flashback Friday

2010-10-01T06:45:00.004-05:00

These are some pictures from Halloween last year. I made Miss Sass's costume... except for the ears. ;) I loved it and was planning to make something similar this year. Well, you know, best laid plans and all! We have gone back and forth on ideas: Wonder Woman (that would be adorable, right?), Belle, Tinkerbell, Butterfly Princess, Pinkalicious, Queen of Hearts... The two of us haven't been able to agree and Little Miss isn't set on anything in particular. So, if you have an idea for the perfect costume for my little redhead, let me know! ;) What will you and yours be?

This one wasn't her costume, obviously. This was a skirt and hat set I sold in my ebay store last year.
And a few more of the leopard kitty/mouse she was last year. ;) You know, I had actual kitty ears, but she wanted the Mickey ears. At least they matched!

We Love Birthdays!

2010-09-28T06:33:00.001-05:00

My little niece had her birthday party over the weekend. Little Miss was super excited because they are now both 4! ;) This was just as we were walking into the house with our gift... a few Pinkalicious books and a cute shirt and scarf by Beautees. Yes, Little Miss helped pick it out. ;)

Anyway, we had a few styles for the day. I got to do three styles... One for The Diva, Little Miss Sass, and The Princess. So first, the birthday girl. Her mom asked me to fix it while she finished setting up. We just did something simple, but The Princess wanted her hair all up.

The back is two pull-throughs up into a pony. Then on top, I made a diagonal part. The front is a french braid into a pull-through and the other side is just a pull-through. I pulled those ends back with the rest and made a messy bun. Then Mom added a bow she had made and she was good to go!

This one is at the end of the day when she donned her new Cinderella dress and tiara... so cute! ;)

Okay, here are a few more of Miss Sass. She had a fairly simple do too.

She had a deep side part with two pull-throughs on one side and one on the other. I put a braid into each of these ends and pulled them along with the rest of the hair into a messy bun. Then I just tied a ribbon around it... I didn't even seal the ends. Lol, it was adorable, but I kept looking at it all day. ;)

Then, here is The Diva's hair. She was in a hurry to play in the bouncy house, so I just straightened out and smoothed her piggies. Next, I added a french braid to her bangs that were a little crazy and pulled it back out of the way. She is wearing bows and a shirt I made for her. ;)

And here's one more picture of The Princess and Little Miss together. Please excuse the dirty tootsies; they had already been playing outside for a couple hours. ;) This turned out to be my favorite pic from the day... our coustwins are so sweet! ;)

Twists and Clips

2010-09-27T06:30:00.001-05:00

Okay, so blogger has changed their photo uploader... They ran a beta test of it a while back and I liked. However, I have been trying for the last three days now to create this post and the uploader keeps rotating my pictures! I tried using a separate edtiing software and starting from scratch then re-uploading, no go. UGH!!!! Oh so annoying! Well, there also isn't any kind of editing available, so I guess I just have to deal with it. I hope this is not too obnoxious for you all to look at. ;)

Moving on....

This was Little Miss's idea. She asked me to use her new clips I got on a cruise. They are something you could find about anywhere, but they came with a cute set and she thinks they are really special. ;) Anyway, she asked me to put twists in and showed me all the places she wanted them. I adjusted her concept a tad, but mainly used what she asked for. ;)

Start with a zigzag part, then pull one side and the back out of the way. Start the twists on the side left out. Part out a section, going straight down from the tip of the zig part. Then you want to twist down to the head and slightly toward the back. I recommend combing the hair straight out from the head and starting your twist at the end. You will almost be rolling the hair toward the scalp.

Add your clip to the bottom. Get your next section ready and twist it in the same way. When you are twisting the end, add the end piece from the first twist. You will just have to work with the hair a little in order to the hair to twist together properly. Then, add another clip to that end. Continue until you are out of hair on that side. ;) It worked out to three twists on one side and two on the other for us.

As you can see here, the hair doesn't have to all fit in the clip. The great thing about twists is that you only need to secure a little hair from each side and you will be good to go! In fact, she slept on this and it was fine the next day too. I simply redid the clips a little and added some hairspray! ;)

In this picture, I was just clipping that last twist out of the way. It hindsight, I suggest doing the back first...

And here's how, just add a small pony right at the crown. You will then add twists to the back. You can do as many or few as you like. More twists will hold better, especially for thin or shorter hair. We went with three. Having the small pony tail first will help secure the twists, whereas just trying to twist and pony will come undone. Make sense?

Again with the sideways pics, sorry! I made all three back twists go in the same direction, but you could do an even number and have them all twist back for a different look. Aside from the pic being sideways, you should be able to tell that we still had the hair on the other side left out.

The next step is to secure the ends from all the twists into the ponytail. Our second side was way easier since I was able to secure it right away. ;)

Next I added a little bun so the twists could be seen in back. And then I added the last clip so that the sides matched. ;)

After it was done, I noticed it looks like a crown style. I'm thinking it would be cute to secure with elastics rather than clips and then lace with ribbon...

Okay the last one doesn't really show the style much, but it was the only one that would stay upright, so I ended with it. Plus it's such a cute smile! ;)

Bouf & French Braid Piggies w/ Vintage Clip

2010-09-23T06:40:00.000-05:00

This look came out so cute! I used to do something similar to my own hair that I had copied from a tv show, though I can't remember which one now. ;)

Start by pulling up the top half of her hair and making a bouf. I do this by pulling the hair back and then putting the elastic a few inches away from the scalp. Then, pull only on the hairs on the bottom and this will tighten the elastic to the head, but poof up the top hair. If this doesn't work for you, you can always back-comb or just go without any poof. ;)

I added this one just to show Miss Sass's growth... it is getting long again and rather quickly too!

So, this next part is easier than it might look. This style works best on dry hair because you want it to be loose and messy. Add french braids to each half of the remaining loose hair. Don't worry about being perfect and don't worry about getting every little piece in there.

It looks best if there is a bit of hair in the middle to cover the middle of the braids. I added this antique clip that was a gift from my Granny Dee. ;)

For shorter hair or super-soft hair, finish with hairspray. Coarser or longer hair will probably look best with a light mist or none at all. This is a loose and natural look! ;)

We added a pretty dress and enjoyed our day! Lots and lots of compliments on this one! ;)

3 Pigtails into Bun

2010-09-22T06:43:00.001-05:00

This is just another quick do we did for dance class. It's also one of the do's I photographed with my back-up camera, so it's a little fuzzy...

Make a side part and add a french braid/cornrow to the larger side going back to her ear. Continue the braid without adding hair to the end and secure temporarily.

In the back, part the hair into 3 sections and put into high ponytails. It is easiest to start with the middle section.

On the smaller side in front, make a pull-through knot and then add that hair to a ponytail on the same side. Make it even with the middle pony.

Do the same with the braid on the other side. This looks best if the ponies are all even, or the middle is just slightly higher than the outsides.

Wrap all the ends around the middle pony and secure with an elastic. Add bobby pins if needed. This also looks super-cute with 3 messy buns or braids.

And your finished do is a little funky and a lot fun! ;)

Little Miss insisted on her pictures being taken in the family room with the boxes containing the kids school supplies for the year... she's goofy! ;)

Oh, and I want to point out the pieces of her outfit here... We got so so many compliments on it! The skeggings (yeah, I'm still getting used to that name...) are from Target, on clearance! The shoes are from Walmart. And the top was purchased on the clearance at Von Maur. Head to Toe, this set was $16... gotta love clearance! ;)

Halloween come early this year?

2010-09-21T06:39:00.000-05:00

Nope, Little Miss just got excited when I rolled out my new bows for the holiday! ;)

This is just three simple french braids. The only thing I did different is that I made the braids fall to one side. When you add hair to each section, simply grab more from one side than the other. For these, we had parted the hair far to the left when looking from behind. So, I added more hair from the left for every row and just a small little piece to the right.

So, I added two braids to the larger side and one to the other. I put the back into a somewhat loose ponytail.

The top braid wouldn't reach to the ponytail, so I used the elastic to connect it with the lower braid.

This is just another shot of the braids attached to each other. The end hair laid nicely behind the lower braid once I had them pulled back.

I made a messy bun in the back. And then we added our new Halloween bow.

She decided to ham it up too... so goofy! Sorry again for the cruddy pics... need a better back-up camera.

She found her t-shirt from last year and I thought her little outfit she put together was adorable! ;)

Smirk - iHeart Faces

2010-09-20T06:26:00.007-05:00

Some of you might remember this picture from earlier this year. Well, this week at i Heart Faces the theme for their photo contest is "Smirk". I thought this one fit the bill pretty well! ;)

She's good at that, "You're kinda nuts." look. ;)

Go check out the other great entries:

A Curly Do - Detangling and Braiding

2010-09-18T06:37:00.002-05:00

Okay, so I had the pleasure of hanging with my sweet niece again... and of course we did some hair! ;)

---Do you see my Little Miss in the background? She managed to get herself into several pics, *sigh*---

Right, so this was all pretty simple, but the detangling was time consuming. The Diva had some fairly tangled hair after sleeping over. (We stayed up late and slept in, then the kids watched movies... lazy day!) Anyway, I had some work to do!

I seperated out a small section in the back and pulled up the rest with clips. Then I sprayed the section with water and added a small bit of natural conditioner(more on that in tomorrow's post). Then, I gently combed with a wide-tooth comb. We call it a pick-comb. ;) I started at the bottom and moved my way toward the scalp, then used a regular comb after the tangles were mostly worked out. It was quick going once we got started. This next picture is of the hair de-tangled.

And then I thought I'd add this picture of her hair after the curls started to perk back up.

After I was finished detangling, I parted out some sections at the top. The first was a small section in the middle and set back a couple inches from the hairline. Next I parted out the side into a triangle going from her ear up to the middle section and then leaving a bit of hair in between this and the middle section.

I did the same on the other side and added french braids to these sections, continued the braids a little way out and then secured with an elastic. Though, later I decided to take the ends out, so you could just use a clip at the end of the braid.

Now, you have a section of hair that is in front of and on the sides of that middle section. I used this to create a mini bouf in the front.

I simply pulled the hair back lightly and added another elastic just behind the first in that middle section. Then, I pulled the braids up with it too. Last, I added a flower clip and we were all done!

Such a cutie!

Oh, I did add a little bit of a light gel and fluff up the curls a little. I think I could have fluffed them a little more honestly... maybe next time! ;)

Lol, I had to add this one in! It shows the back of The Diva's hair really well, but it also shows what I found in nearly every picture I took that day... Little Miss running around playing, with crrrazy hair! ;)

Okay, one last picture from the front... Isn't she a doll?!

You can find lots of curly hairdo's and care tips with Q and her mommy!

Q & A: Toddler French Braids

2010-09-17T06:11:00.001-05:00

I have been wanting to add more to my Tips'n'Tricks section for some time... no time like the present. ;) Well, I had a good question to start with, so here we go...

amber.hope said...

I have a question for ya not really pertaining to this particular do though. My daughters have long enough hair to do the lil french braids that you do but there hair is still so thin and I was wondering how you get your daughters braids to look so perfect with thin toddler hair. Thanks for your help!!

Okay, so making french braids look good in thin or fine hair. I think there are several tips that can really help.

1. Use slightly damp, but not wet, hair. ---This keeps the little hairs in line but I think the hair being a little dry makes it easier to keep a hold of. I prefer using a spray bottle on dry, clean hair. You can also add a little gel or hair spray if you like. I rarely use hairspray on Little Miss because it just dries out her hair.

2. Hold the hair tight the entire time. ---This keeps the braid tight, which gives more definition. Be careful not to hold the hair too tight... I suppose taut would be a better description.
3. Add very small amounts of hair at a time for thinner hair. ---The smaller the sections, the smaller the gaps will be between each little piece that is added and the more secure the braid will be. Ideally, you want to have each new piece you grab to be the same width as each of the three pieces of your braid. This gives a smoother and cleaner look.

4. Comb the pieces out every now and then. This keeps things smooth and makes it easier to add new hair. It will make any braid look better, thin or thick or in-between.

5. Make cornrows instead of french braids. These are also referred to as inside-out, dutch, and outie braids. ;) ---I have been using these alot lately because they look better in thinner hair than traditional french braids. I usually still call them french braids, because they are basically the same, but you put the hair under instead of over. Yeah, it's hard to describe; much easier to show... Sorry I don't have a video to share on how to do these, but if any of you other hair bloggers out there do, I would love to add it to this post and, of course, let people know who you are! Thanks. ;)

You can see more of my french braid styles here. ;)

Hope these tips are helpful for you! And I'd love to answer any other questions anyone has.

Simple & Pretty Flower w/ Curls

2010-09-16T12:18:00.000-05:00

This is another style that I previewed last week. I loved how pretty it was! ;)

Alright, this one starts exactly the same as yesterday's updo... Three small ponies just behind her bangs, but this time I left the bangs down.

Next, I divided the middle piece and two and added those to the side pieces about 1.5 inches down.

Then I pulled those to pieces together along with a larger section of hair behind the three ponies. I made this a high, fountain-type pony so the hair would stick up a little.

It actually looked really pretty right here, but we wanted some curls. ;)

Okay, short break here for a "Take my picture, Mommy!" mini-session. ;)......

....... Right, back to the style. ;) We added some soft curls with a low-heat medium-sized curling iron. Then topped it off with a flower and a little coordinating clip to hold her bangs out of her face.

This picture shows her natural "curl" or wave or whatever it is... Although I tried to get the hair to curl one way, it refused and ended up like this. meh, still pretty. ;)

I definitely think this one is pretty enough for church or even a wedding. It was lovely all day! We used a new hair gel that I will give a review on really soon!

Just remember when curling your little one's hair that she might move at any moment! And yes, I am saying this from experience. Little Miss had a burn right on top of her ear because she jumped. :( She forgot about it way sooner than I did and her hair looked fab! Lol, kids are so tough, aren't they? ;)

Fancy Updo

2010-09-15T06:36:00.002-05:00

My friend, Sarah, is going to start pageants with her little girl. Her princess is 2 and has rather thin hair. However, they don't want to use hair pieces or wigs, etc. Sarah asked me to come up with something that would look good on stage...

If you wanted to do simple ponytails that would work also. I added twists and braids because Little Miss has some shorter pieces that would have fallen out. Right, so start out by parting the hair very far to one side. Then pull the hair flat against the head and down to the side. Add a braid or pony to secure the hair.

Do the same with the little piece on the other side.

Next, I added three small sections behind the bangs area. I made twist braids with each and left the sections a little loose for added poof.

Next, I pulled the main section of hair out of the way and put three small ponies in the bottom of the hair. I added twist braids into these sections also.

Next, divide the main section into three ponies and secure them near the middle and high on her head.

Add the twist braids to these sections as you see fit. I had originally wanted to pull them all to one side, but they wouldn't reach... this looked cute too. ;)

Remember this terrible, crooked picture from the other day? lol, this is of the back... I just pulled the twist braids from the bottom to one side and secured with an elastic.

The next step is pretty simple. Curl. If you want defined curls, you should curl then spray. However, we were going for volume/body/poof so I sprayed the hair with hairspray and then curled. As long as you use a lower heat, you won't damage the hair.

Okay, then there's this super-simple, but essential step to getting extra lift out of those curls. Pull half of them up and spray, hold for 20 seconds and let it fall. If the hair is thin enough, it will stay up just fine. For Miss Sass's hair, I actually did this in a few layers. You could also back-comb if you want more lift, but I don't think you would need to.

We added a pretty dress, some "heels", and a sweet bow... it was too cute! ;) Btw, we toned the poof down a bit for church by pinning some of the curls around the bun-thing.

I hope these pictures help show how truly pretty this was in person!

Curlformers Review

2010-09-14T06:33:00.001-05:00

Some of you might remember that I had won a giveaway for Curlformers, woohoo!!! ;) Well, I've tried them once on myself and once on Little Miss. They were a lot of fun and the curls are just amazing! Okay, so first I'll just have to tell you about my experience and give you a piece of advice. I asked for the extra long and wide curlformers. These accomodate 22" of hair. Apparently, I have a little bit more than that, but no biggie... I got a set of 40. I used every single one, because although my hair is very fine, I have a TON of it! I was so excited that I tried these the day I got them. Well, my 25 or so inches of thick hair takes about 40 minutes to blow dry without any curlers... Yeah, are you catching on to the problem? I started the process at about 9:30am. I blow dried a little, I checked... still wet. I waited. I blow dried a little, I checked... still wet. I cooked lunch. I blow dried a little, I checked... still wet. I waited. It'll air-dry, right? ... At 4pm when we needed to leave, I was pulling curlers out of my hair that was still slightly damp! Lol. The curls were still lovely, if not as full as I'd have liked... Altogether, I blow-dried for 4.5 hours in 1/2 hour sessions. So, my advice... If you have thick hair, for heaven's sake, put them in before bed!!!

Okay, so here are some pics of Little Miss wearing the curlformers. These are really too long for her hair, but they worked just fine. I put most of them in while she was sleeping and I thought they were pretty cute. ;)

I mixed up the pink and orange. TIP: They make curls that go opposite directions.

TIP: Use more curlformers for more defined curls and a fuller look when finished.

I just had to add this next picture. I took the formers out, which was really easy and quick, and then she fell asleep. I thought she looked so adorable!

And then here are some pictures of the beautiful curls we got.

TIP: Don't, that's a DO NOT;), part the hair into perfect little boxes to put the formers in. If you've ever seen a head of naturally curly hair, you know that their curls are scattered and random and messy. ;) Lol, the point is that you want the curls to flow nicely and overlap each other.

One more TIP: Add a tiny bit of gel or mousse to each strand as you put the formers in. This way they hold well, but you don't have to worry about messing up your curls. I used a new gel that I got recently. More on that in a few days. ;)

I absolutely loved the curls! After they relaxed a little bit, I used a couple boby pins to pull some hair to one side, but left bangs in front. That one curl was just too flippin' cute to pull out of her face! ;)

Thanks so much to Nikki at Beads Braids & Beyond for having the awesome Giveaway for Curlformers!

Go check out this Giveaway!

2010-09-11T17:03:00.000-05:00

I promise I haven't forgotten about those posts I gave you a peek at earlier! But while you all wait for me to get my bum in gear...

Check out this fab Giveaway for a gorgeous dress and headband set! Very chic, I'm in love! Lol, if you haven't heard of All Things Ribbon, this will be a special treat for you! There are som truly incredible hair things over there!

In other news, my camera lens jammed and I am dealing with this cheapy digital thing... ugh! So, after those few posts you saw previewed the other day, all the pictures will be set on quality level: crappy! Bitter? What? I'm not bitter.... Okay, so it will take a couple weeks to get it fixed, so I hope you all will stick with me for those posts that have so-so pics. ;)

Curls, curls, curls...

2010-09-08T06:24:00.000-05:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Labor Day weekend! We had a great time with family and friends. We hung at our home, ate my hubby's BBQ chicken, Aunt Amy's Potato Salad, Papa Dave's Salsa, Papa Randy's Baked Beans, my sister's green bean casserole, and my nacho cheese Doritos. heh (I can only cook certain things.) Anyway, we were pretty busy and still will be for a couple days! However, I wanted to give a little sneak peek at what I have in store for this upcoming week...

My niece and her gorgeous natural curl. Some de-tangling tips, a cute style, and some adorable sass! ;)

Something I know some of you have been waiting for... CURLFORMERS! Lol, I have had them for a little over a week and both Little Miss and I have used them. So far, I LOVE them! Definitely a review and some tips coming your way.

Oh, and of course the results of these miracle curlers on Little Miss Sass. She's a doll. ;)

A sideways picture, for some odd reason it uploaded this way. heh. I have a cute 'do that could be worked for everyday, dressed up for church, or glammed up for pageant/dance/skating performances. So excited to share this natural fluffy fun with all of you!

And speaking of natural... I've got a review coming of a new product in Miss Sass's cabinet. A brand that will be taking up permanent residence in our bathroom! ;) I'm super excited about this one too. It is perfect for little girls with skin problems, breathing complications, or other health issues that can be adversely affected by the chemicals in your average hair care products!

Side Baby Gaga Bow & A New Tank

2010-09-05T06:37:00.002-05:00

So there are two parts to this post... First, a new hairdo. We did a super-simple side pony into a bow made out of hair. This is really cute and fun. I hope you all like it! ;)

Here are some up close pictures of the style. We were at the dance studio when I took these and I didn't get any step-by-step, sorry. ;)

I tried to get a good shot here of the way I make the bow. It is great with longer hair because you can use the long ends to wrap around the middle. I'll see if I can get a model with longer hair or perhaps find a way to get pics of my own hair to show you how.

Anyway, I parted out the braids then put a small pony in the section right behind that. I made another small section right behind that, adding the first piece to that pony. Then I pulled up all the rest of the hair into a high side pony and made the "bow". See, easy-peasy! ;)

So, here is how I make my "bow". These were taken at the end of the day, so the hair is pretty wacky here... So, you split the hair that is in the pony in half. Put elastics out as far as you'd like, while leaving at least a couple inches at the end. The further out you put the elastic, the wider the bow will be.

Split the hair at the end that is past the elstic in two pieces and pull them down and wrap them around the base of the ponytail. Then secure the two pieces together with another elastic. If you have ends sticking out, you can wrap them around to hide the elastics, create a pull-through under the main pony and wrap the hair around the middle of the "bow", or just curl/spike/fluff them... lots of options!

Geez, this is turning into a long post, sorry ladies! ;)....

Right, so the second part of this post is about Miss Sass's new tank. I found this cute "Super Star" top on the clearance rack at Walmart. I don't typically buy clothes there, but we have seen a few cute things in the big girl's section lately. This top was 5 bucks, wahoo! Obviously, it was too big for my tiny little 4 yr old though, so I had to do a little work on it!

I took it apart, literally at the seams... took in the sides a bit and took a bit out of the shoulders and made the armholes a little smaller. I didn't get the arms quite right, so I added the ribbons.

She looks so big in these pictures with her mismatched squeeze jeans. lol, the older girls at dance said she was extra-cute that day!

She was being totally ridiculous and we had a lot of fun hanging out while the boys were in their jazz and tap classes... This picture was of her telling me that she is so strong and someday she's going to win a trophy that big. I didn't have the heart to tell her that size is awarded to a group, not just one girl! ;)

She's so goofy!

I'd love to hear what you all think of her tank top and the "bow". I'd also love to see your versions of this style. Thanks for sticking with me on this one! ;)

Too-Crazy Heart! -- FAIL?

2010-09-04T06:21:00.001-05:00

Alright, I put "fail" on this one because I think it was just a little to much for my taste. I don't know; I just can't decide if I like it or not. Lol... what do you all think?

This one is easiest (and so are all other heart shapes) if you make a middle part first. Then, part out the heart shape on each side.

Put the heart into a ponytail and create french braids, french twists, whatever into the outside; starting at the top and going all the way to the bottom. Continue the braids to the ends of the hair and secure.

Next seperate the heart into several ponies. I decided on the 3 in the middle and top. I left the bottom little triangle out for now.

Create 2 twist braids in the middle section and add them to the top piggies. Next, make twist braids in the bottom triangle, cross them over each other and add to the piggies also.

Next, cross the bottom braids over each other and use bobby pins to secure. I wanted to pull these up with the top piggies also, but Little Miss doesn't have long enough hair right now. She also has kinda thin hair, so I ended up making messy buns with the piggies. It was cute, but I think it would have been cuter if I'd curled and puffed the piggies instead. ;)

Anyway, she was a super-happy girl so I guess it works, right? ;)

Lattice Pigtails

2010-09-01T06:37:00.062-05:00

This was a fun hairstyle that Miss Sass has been asking for. It is pretty simple, but I didn't have my camera handy when I was fixing it... I hope you can follow this one without step by step. ;)

To start, part the hair into piggies and pull one side out of the way. We started our part off to one side and then gently angled it to the middle and finished it straight down and also parted her bangs out in the front.

Starting at the front, take one section from the middle part all the way to the side by her ear and secure with an elastic. Just behind that you will be making two sections. As you secure each of these, add half of the hair from the front section.

The rest is a criss-cross pattern. Continue to make two sections each time you move back. As you secure each section, add the hair from the caddy-corner section. Make sense? ;) If you do the same one first in each row (ie always start with the top section) you will get a nice uniform lacing look to your style.

It looked adorable!

Lol, okay so this was one of those times when Little Miss did her own thing and just told me to take pictures. The cookies were her special prize at dance.

The Hannah Montana tank top and "high heels" were things she bought with her birthday money. For those of you who care. ;)~ She also picked out a Barbie movie (Swan Lake), a set of 3 round mirrors for her bedroom in bright pink, a pair of jeans, and some black dance tights. Great choices, in my opinion! But I was really surprised that she didn't once ask to go look at toys! ;)

Simple Braids To Pigtails

2010-08-29T06:35:00.003-05:00

This was a make-up-as-you-go 'do. ;) I didn't have a real plan, but it was cute and super quick!

First, I parted out her bangs, per her request. ;) Then I noticed the sweet little spirals her bangs make and once again started missing her pretty curls that used to be all over her head...

Next, I parted out the very bottom section and put a straight braid in it, securing the end with a small elastic.

I parted out another section just above that and did the same thing. I didn't worry about those little ends sticking out since I'd decided at this point to do the piggies.

In the front, I parted out a section just behind her bangs starting from a far left part going all the way down to her right ear and made a braid like the others.

And one last braid on the left side.

Make piggies with the remaining hair.

Add the braids to the pigtails and make messy buns.

Okay, not a great picture of the front, but it was both pretty and cute! ;)

Twist Into Bun ~ Ballet Beautiful

2010-08-28T06:08:00.049-05:00

This is a style I know I've done several times, but it is a favorite for dance.... on that note, I feel like I should mention that Miss Sass takes dance 3 days a week, hence all the dance styles and leos. ;)

Right, so seperate out the back from the crown going down and put it in a ponytail. Part the top however you prefer.

Next you will add french twists. You start by gently grabbing a small piece at the front and dividing it into two pieces. Cross them over each other. Add some hair to the back piece and cross the two pieces again. Keep repeating this to the back of the section. Continue this piece by twisting it back and securing it with the ponytail.

Do the same to the other side.

Make a bun. We did a sock bun today... just a little one since Little Miss is so little. ;) I also left the ends sticking up. I pulled them all around to the top

Last, I tied a ribbon around the bun... easy peasy, fairly quick and pretty do!

And her teacher said she needed to show the older girls how to do it right. Lol, sometimes they come in with hair going everywhere or lumpy-crazy stuff going on. ;)

I'm not sure what this was about... being shy, I guess...

Okay, this is the same style, but she had taken a nap, so I had to redo it. I made the twists a little tighter and added twist braids to the ends and a flower instead of the ribbon.

So, I'm not sure what that first move is with the toes turned in? Or the one on the right with the feet in the air? Pretty sure they were doing the hokey pokey... lol

Here's a better view of the other way to do it.

Anyway, I just love this style! And isn't she so cute? ;)

Who's That Girl?!?!

2010-08-27T06:34:00.002-05:00

Do you all remember when I had that last giveaway? Yeah, and I asked you guys to share pictures as an extra entry? So, I am finally going to put up some of those pics... and there are some great ones in here! ;)

Okay, is the pink hair not just flippin adorable?! ;) I thought Courtney's description was great in the email she sent, so here it is:

The last is a style my daughter is OBSESSED with. Not necessarily the style, but the pink extensions. As a reward for good behavior she got to pick a prize and she wanted pink hair (okay....) in lieu of dying her hair bright pink we went to a couple stores and I found these at Hot Topic. THey are great because they snap clip right in and out. She adds them to almost every hairstyle now!! haha!!!

This super-cute style is also from Courtney:

The next is one of my daughter's favorites... the bun-hawk. She LOVES to wear this to dance class.... yeah she stands out amongst all those black leos and pink tights and little ballet buns haha!

Thanks Courtney and your little sweetie for the awesome style!

This photo is from Amber. Here is what she had to say:

"My oldest Miss M is turning 2 in Sept. and my youngest Miss A is turning 1 in Sept. I know the pics are a lil hard to see but its a lil hard to take pics of toddlers when their always in action!"

I think you did great and they are adorable! And I love the ribbons. ;)

This style comes from Shandie. Her girlie wore this to get pictures with Santa, how fun! ;)

This is another angle and I have to say that I just love this style! I did this one (well, something similar) on myself a few days ago, love it!

Here's another one from Shandie... I just love criss-cross stuff and these braids are particularly lovely. ;)

Thanks so much Shandie!

And this last one is from Karli. Isn't she just so so cute?! I love love the style and her gorgeous curls! Thank you so much; I love it! ---And her blog... if you haven't checked her out yet, go here!

Okay, there were a lot more and I want to share them all, so I will! ;) Just not right now... I'll make another post like this pretty soon. I think it'll be 3 altogether. And please feel free to send in new photos whenever. I love to feature other beauties. It gives us all new ideas and it's just fun! ;)