Day 25: Braid leading to Braid Bun

Here's another take on the classic top bun!  Can't have too many renditions of it, right??

Start by tipping yourself upside down and french braid from your nape to your crown.  Now fasten with a pony on the top of your head.  Lift your head up and grab a wall so you don't fall over if you get dizzy easily :) Distress the French braid so that it looks nice and big.  Now braid the loose hair and after you fasten it with a ( you guessed it) clear elastic, distress it too.  Now wrap the bun around the ponytail holder and pin it in place aaaaaaaand PRESTO!!! Fantastic hair!!!

Day 24: Big Circle Braid

Everyone always likes to tell me how Swiss or Dutch I look with this braid....  But its still cute and pretty eye catching :)

This is going to be a lot like yesterday's braid.  Start by making a part parallel to your hairline from ear to ear.  Turn the braid to follow your hairline all the way around your head.  Continue braiding the loose part all the way down and fasten with a clear elastic.  Now tuck the braid into the French part and secure it with bobby pins and PRESTO!!!! Fantastic hair!!

Day 23: Around The World Bun

This is tricky to do, because it definitely if you're doing it on yourself, you really have to feel it out.  However, I think it's really quite cute :)

I started by making a part that ran from ear to ear, parallel to my front hairline.  I made it several inches thick to cover the whole top of my head.  I started braiding at one ear and went across.  As I got to the other ear, I angled the braid down, and when I got to the nape, I turned it to go across.  Once all of my hair as french raided across my scalp, I put the loose hair I. An elastic and back-combed it all.  I then just took bobby pins and made a fun messy bun.  PRESTO!!!!  Fantastic hair!!

Day 22: Way to the side Fishtail Braid

This was a nice quick easy style. Good for a nice lazy day, or in my case, a just-get-this-business-out-of-my-face-before-I-shave-it-off day.

I pulled all of my hair over to one side.  Then I started to fishtail French braid, being sure to keep pulling everything to the same side.  This would definitely also work with a regular fishtail braid.  I braided all the way down and fastened it with a clear elastic.  Those buggers are totally my best friend!  Then I distressed the loose part.  The French part will loosen itself on my finer hair.  

Day 21: Long Fishtail Bang Braid

I love this as a go-to style.  I like it best when my bangs are a bit longer (or as is the case now, nonexistent).  Sometimes I even just wear the fishtail down, which looks cute too :)

I made a deep side part, which I angled back and the. Across the very top of my head.  I prefer the section to be really wide.  The. I french fishtail braided across my hairline.  I then continued to loose fishtail braid it after I reached the temple.  I fastened it with a clear elastic, then distressed it.  I really like distressing this braid.  Then I took some pretty clips that matched my dress and pinned it back.  PRESTO!!  Fantastic hair!!

Day 20: Mermaid Braid

This is such a cool take on the regular French braid.  I love it because it is simple, he to eye catching.  Guaranteed someone will stop you to ask what you did different to your braid!  

So start with a small circular section right at your crown and braid it down a little ways. The you start to French braid Kathy bringing back just small prices of your hair along your hairline.  Continue all the way down to your nape and then as you angle the braid to the side, add the remainder of your hair.  Continue the braid to the end of your hair.  Now pull it loose so you can get a good fishy feel to it.  PRESTO!!  Fantastic hair!!

Day 19: Sock Bun With Braid

Here's one of my rare sleek hair days.  You'll notice I typically prefer a softer, more relaxed look.  However sometimes it's fun to he a bit more precision :)

So you put your hair in a sock bun at the top of your crown area, leaving a chunk out in the back of the bun.  You take that chunk, braid it and then pin it along the base of the bun.  I finished off the look with a sparely good headband so that I felt more like a princess.  And.... PRESTO!!  Fantastic hair!!!

Day 18: low messy bun

So here's something pretty simple that will make you look like a glam lady

So all I did here was pull back my hair into a low ponytail leaving out a section right at the nape of my neck.  I pinned everything from the ponytail to create a loose bun look.  Then I simply braided the nape section and wound it above the bun and pinned it in place.  PRESTO!!  Fantastic hair!!!

Day 17: Double Crown Braid

ICan I just please take a moment to BEG all of you girls out there to retire your flat irons???  I watched a girl flat iron her hair yesterday and I about died!  If you have to pass over your hair more than twice, then it was meant to have texture.  Plus, texture is so much prettier and softer than straight flat hair.  I understand a sleek look every once in a while, but seriously, for the most part, lets learn how to embrace what god gave us and give up the drowned rat look.  Also, that emo thing....  Still doing you no favors, except to make every adult look at you and think "please don't make me ever have to interact with that teenaged thing!"  Sorry, I needed a short rant!  But back to business...

This is simple.  I curled my hair and parted it just off center.  Then I made two braids with the hair above my ears.  Then I stretched them all the way across the back of my head and pinned them into each other and also right up to my head. PRESTO!!  Fantastic hair!!!  Easy peasy 

right??

Day 16: Tucked in to the Side

I don't know how to intro this braid except to say I was feeling a bit pin-up girly this morning, and I needed something quick :)

I started by teasing my crown so that I would be able to hear people compliment the fullness of my hair all day (and I am super good at faking thick luscious hair!). Then I smoothed it and did a diagonal side braid.  I only extended the braid a bit and then made a small bun out of the rest so that it tucked better.  Then I shoved it under the French braid and pinned it in place.  PRESTO!!!! Fantastic hair!!

Day 15: Double French Messy Bun

This is a great style if you are in sports or are a runner and you need your hair to stay back, but you still want it to be cute.  I used to do it back in high school in my volleyball days...  Unfortunately, you look super cute, but it does not make you more coordinated :(

So first you're going to ignore my horrendous regrowth and pretend its shadowing.  That's what I did.  Next I parted my hair on the side and did 2 French braids going straight back.  At the crown I extended them both as loose braids to reach the messy bun.  Then I did a really fun messy bun :). And of course, I tugged at the French braids so that it would look like I worked out at some point today.  PRESTO!!!  Fantastic hair!

Day 14: Fishy Pigtails

So today was hot and I just swam all day.  His means that I gift to you an easy braid :). But that doesn't mean that it's not worth the blog!!

All I did here was split my hair in half.  I didn't make a definite part, because again, I like to look like I napped in my hair (I can't believe I just posted that on the Internet, and that after rereading it, I still like my phrasing).  Then I just fishtail braided both pieces of hair.  Next I distressed them so that on might as themselves "did she just nap in that or did she just wake up?", because thats what I think looks good in me :). I finished it off with a couple of really cute thin headbands and PRESTO!  Fantastic hair!!!

Day 13: Fishtail Katniss braid

This is a nice twist on the ever popular side French braid that the world of long hair is obsessing over right now.  I like to put my own personal twist on trends that I love, so as not to look so much like a lemming...  But by all means, feel free to copy my twist on it, because I think it's great!

So I started with a French fishtail in the front to get my bangs out of my face and also because my framing is too short to fit in a side braid without falling out.  I extended the fishtail pretty far down and clipped it while I braided the rest.  I teased the crown a bit for body, then smoothed it over and did another French fishtail across the back.  When I got to my ear, I joined the small fishtail with the large one and extended the braid down.  Next I distressed both braids, because I just don't believe in a sleek fishtail braid :). At least not in my fine blonde hair....  Then.... PRESTO!  Fantastic hair!!!

Day 12: Headband braid with bun

Ok, so we all have days that we wake up to our alarm and don't want to roll out of bed.  Today was that day for me, so yes, I recycled yesterday's do.  So shoot me.  But I still wore a dress so that makes up for it, right??

So for this style, you want to start with the headband braid (see day 11) and make sure you do follow those braids through.  Instead of securing the braids underneath, however, you want to fasten them on top of the rest of your hair.  You should probably still tease the top for some height.  You can also tease the loose hanging. Hair for some volume in that folded bun.  Next you simply fold the hair up and tuck it under the braids.  Bobby pin it in place and add a pretty bow or flower if you like to finish it off.  PRESTO!  Fantastic hair!

Day 11: Headband Braid

Whenever I wear my hair like this, I always have people ask if its all my real hair...  I think that's a pretty good sign :)

 Start by parting a long narrow section that follows your front hairline from ear to ear.  I prefer it to be approximately 1 inch wide.  Start at one ear and perform an inside out braid all along the hair line.  You can end behind the ear or extend the braid out (which is what I do).  Now make one more section parallel to the first with the same dimensions and start at the other side and do the same thing.  If you have extended the braids, you can attach them at the nape of your neck with an elastic band.  Then just tease the crown area and PRESTO!  Fantastic hair!!

Day 10: Waterfall Braid

What is a braid blog without the ultra-trendy, ultra-chic waterfall braid??  Well it's not a proper braid blog...  So here you have it!

I chose to curl my hair and tease my crown area for dimension and height. Then you simply start the braid at the temple area of on side of your head.  As you French braid across, you are going to let the top price fall, but still pick up from underneath.  It takes a bit of practice, but it's learnable :). To finish it off, I always continue the braid to the end of my hair because I think it's cuter than ending the braid behind the ear, but to each their own.  Fasten with a clear elastic and PRESTO!  Fantastic hair!!

Day 9: Flower Bun Re-examined

So...  I love this little flowerbun thing...  It is a bit tricky to nail, especially on your own head, but keep trying!  It's so darn cute :)

First, I back combed the top section of my hair.  I smoothed it out and did a simple braid.  Then you only pull hair from one side of the braid, the loose pieces will be your petals.  Now start at the end of the braid and turn it in the direction of the tight side.  Once it is swirled together, bobby pin it in place.  Now to get rid of the Elvira look, I just put a super cute headband on....  And PRESTO!  Glamorous hair (as one of my clients called it)

Day 8: Side Braid and Flower Bun

Here's a braid that looks more complicated than it is :). The hard part is pulling out the petals for the flower.  I also choose to make the bun more of a circle than a flower, so that it is bigger.  You can also put embellishments in the center of the bun, which can be super cute as well....  Lots of personal touches you can put in this bad boy!

So you'll want to start an inside out braid on on side of your head.  Continue the braid across the back and extend the braid to the end of your hair.  Along the French part of your braid, you can pull each priece to make it look bigger.  Once you get the loose part of the braid, you only want to pull out the outside pieces of the braid.  Now you simply roll up the braid to look like a flower or a circle and hide the end piece.  Now.... PRESTO!  Fantastic hair!!

Day 7: Double French Fishtail messy Bun

As promised, I have provided a challenge in today's braid :). But just work on it a bit and you'll master it soon enough!

You want to start by parting your hair and splitting it into 2 sections.  I chose to do a side part and angle it to the center of the nape of my neck.  You are then going to French fishtail the braid to the end of your hair on both sides.  Of course at this point I recommend you distress the braids for a more romantic look.  Next you take the hanging braids and twist them into a messy bun tucking the end prices under the bun and pin it in place.  Then PRESTO!  Fantastic hair!!

Day 6: Big Bang Braid with Bun

The alliteration in this title kills me...  Also, I did easy again.  I was supposed to color my hair and didn't, so your gonna want to ignore my regrowth for the next week or so as well :)

So start a part that goes on a diagonal fashion from the corner of one eye to your parietal ridge, about 2" from your hair line.  (Your parietal ridge is where your skull turns down btw). Extend that part across to the parietal ridge on the other side of your head and french braid it.  I like to do it kind of loose with bigger sections so my hair isn't pulled to tight from my face.  Extend the braid until you run out of hair and secure it with a clear elastic.  This is going to add some adventure to your messy bun :). Now just pt a good old fashioned messy bun really high on your head and PRESTO!  Fantastic hair!

 

Day 5: Fishy bun

Another simple braid today!  I've been too easy on myself I fear, and I feel a toughie coming on for tomorrow!!

Soooooo...  You're gonna want to put your hair into a very high ponytail, almost on top of your head.  Next you're gonna fish braid the pony tail and fasten it with a clear elastic.  Now of course I choose to distress this fishy braid, but for a sleeker look It is t necessary :). Now just wrap the braid around the ponytail and bobby pin in in place.  Aaaaaaaaaand PRESTO!!!  Fantastic hair!!!

Day 4: Tucked in big one

This braid is very simple, but its a nice touch to your traditional french braid.

My face is too round and full for a hairstyle that is completely pulled back from my face without any height so I start by back coming the top of my head.  After smoothing it out I simply did an inside out French braid and finished it through the hair shaft.  After fastening the braid with a clear elastic, guess what I did...  I pulled each strand to distress it and make the braid look as full as possible :). Then I tucked the hanging braid under the French part and fastened it with bobby pins, then PRESTO!  Fantastic hair!!!

Day 3: side braid with curls

Disclaimer:  today I used lotsa heat, but Sunday is the one day a week I allow such a cheat :)

So today's braid is really quite simple.  I started by blow-drying my hair with a good moisturizing serum (matrix exquisite oil) and a fantastic volume mousse (Redken guts).  Then I curled all of my hair with a 1 1/2 inch barrel iron.  I always curl my hair starting at the scalp and working down the hair shaft.  Then I made a deep side part and start braiding down the side.  Once you get behind the ear and are braiding across the nape of your neck, only add to the braid from the bottom so that your hair can fall over it.  Once you get to the other ear, fasten with a clear elastic and PRESTO!  Fantastic hair!

  

Day 2: Rising sock bun

This style is a great go-to when you get the hang of it.  It does take some patience to get down, but once you have it it's pretty simple.

First you tip your head upside down.  Starting at the nape of your neck you braid an inside out braid which will end at your crown.  I like to end it right where I want to put my bun, which I wear pretty darn high.  You want to fasten the braid with a clear elastic.  Again I like a distressed look so I tug at each strand of the braid (this also makes your hair appear thicker).  Next you put your hair in a high pony tail, almost at the top of your head.  Take everything that is hanging from the pony tail and roll it up into a sock that you have cut the toe off of and rolled into a donut.  Pin it in place with bobby pins and Presto!  Fantastic hair!

Day 1: Braids for Days

I promised this a very long time ago and it's time for me to make good on my word!  I have made extreme efforts to cut heat out of my everyday hairstyling which is a real challenge when you have wavy/straight hair.  So I've taken to adding braids to my styling, which is a fad I'm digging hard core!  Most of these Styles are going to be styles I've done on myself, so with a little practice they should all be achievable, everyday hairstyles.  Whiteout further adieu, I give you Day 1

FISHTAIL PRINCESS

This style is very simple.  Just take a section of hair from your ear to your part and fishtail braid it.  I like to fasten it with a clear elastic and distress it my pulling on each of he strands.  I repeat on the other side.  I make each strand chin length and then connect them with another clear elastic above the other two elastics.  I then remove the extra elastics and presto. Fantastic hair :)

The Mullet Master

So this last week was pretty great.  I think that when getting to know my personality, it is important to learn that I have a great appreciation for the mullet.  I feel that when done correctly is the perfect way to say "Hey, I'm here and I have confidence and a sense of humor.  Get ready to have a good time."  When done incorrectly, it is a great way to say "Hey. I take myself and my redneck lifestyle very seriously.  Don't mock me and don't cross me."  It's also a great way to say "Hey.  I'm here, but I don't think I'm sure where here is, and I don't think I care.  I just want a beer."  No matter what statement your mullet is making for you, I am positive it is going to come with a great story, which is really what I live for.  So I respect the mullet.  I love the mullet.

Let me start by explaining how my zest for the mullet came to life.  I was one day explaining to one of my friends that I was completely ready to embrace a super white-trash future.  I was going into great detail about the trailer that I would live in (which I would like to note is a dream I have seen to fruition), all the snot-nosed kids I'd have, and the husband whose main modes of transportation would be a 4-wheeler and a secondhand John Deer lawnmower.  The picture I was painting was getting more and more colorful and then I had an epiphany - maybe I should give him a mullet.  Now at this time I was 18 and had no idea what my future really held for me.  I'd never cut a head of hair in my life and couldn't possibly have guessed that he would actually agree that this was in fact, a fantastic idea.

So I look up some diagrams on the internet, search for the sharpest pair of scissors I could find.  Meanwhile, Andrew (my victim) is gathering our friends to watch this event of epic proportions to take place.  We gather at our friend Suzy's house and commence with the cutting.  Let us take a moment to pay some respects to the phenomenal head of hair Andrew has.  It is a deep mahogony red, thick as the day is long, and just the perfect amount of wave.  He has about the best locks I have ever laid eyes on.  So naturally, with each snip of the shears, I am feeling more and more in my element.  Was I really falling in love with a head of hair?  Dare I say, yes.  Yes I was.  I followed the diagram which instructed me to cut the perimiter. It was like courting.  Then I advanced to setting the length on his top and sides, this was a commitment.   Then the blending.  Blending can be so tedious and you want to give up, but you can't.  For if you throw in the towel too early, you never see how glorious the rest of your work is, and you are left with a mess.  Truly, this, my first ever haircut, solidified my love for the one.  The only.  The mullet.

I then proceeded to enroll in beauty school.  I trimmed Andres mullet and I cut his brother one, but it was not enough.  I needed 40 hours per week to have the chance of cutting another.  Like a Grizzly with a taste for human blood, I thirsted for more mullet.  Every mullet was better than the last and after 5 years, I can boss a mullet like nobodies business.

So fast forward to last week.  It starts with a group of boys coming in to the shop announcing that they are Maulers (our local hockey team) and it is a playoff weekend.  I flashed back to 2 years ago when a team of Canadians came for hockey playoffs, and I giggles with glee.  Hockey understands my passion for a mullet.  Hockey and mullets go together like peanut butter and jelly.  So I do a few of the Maulers, one of whom came in the next day and asked for me specifically, stating that his friend had called me the "mullet master".  And in this same week, my recurring mullet clients came in and a couple randos, just needing ther mullet trimmed.  This last group happened to include a 2 year old boy.  His mother just couldn't part with the cascading curls down his back, but really needed the rest out of his eyes and off his ears.  I did mullets with steps carved into the sides, mullets that feathered back, and mullets that spiked on the top.  It was mullet mania I tell you, and I couldn't have had a better week at work if I had tried.

Goodbye 2012!!

So I'm actually really sad to end the year 2012 :(  It was seriously probably my favorite year of life....  It's seriously gotten even better since my birthday, so I think I'm going to shoot for making 25 my favorite year ever, so that helps me not to be so sad right now.  But while in Vegas with my chica Ellen Nygaard, she talked me into making a high light real of the year, which I think is a stellar idea.  To preface, 2011 was not such a nice year to me.  It was a very difficult year as I found that it was definitely time for me to hash out some major emotional setbacks that I had honestly ignored for years.  But I began 2012 with a very fresh perspective on myself and my future and throughout the year, I feel like I grew leaps and bounds... and had a BLAST doing it!  So without further adeu.....  My highlight real!

1:  Promotion!  Early in the year I got promoted to assistant manager.  This is my first management position in any job ever and I have learned so much about my career.  I feel like I've progressed so much and developed even more passion for my job, which is a pretty good thing if I do say so myself :)  Also, I love working so closely with the manager.  She's pretty great and I feel a pretty good role model for me if I decide to ever own or manage a salon myself someday.  Mostly though, this promotion has given me so much confidence in the hair world.  From leadership to your everyday trim, this has been nothing but a huge growing experience for me.

2:  I lost 35 pounds!  Early in the year, I decided I did not like the way my body looked, so I did something about it.  I moved more and ate less and lossed a whopping 35 pounds in the first half of the year!  I'm pretty proud of this, because it was not easy.  But I learned some very healthy habits in the mean time, and developed some much needed self control.

3:  I biked the Oregon Coast!  So I've been very interested in doing a sizeable bike tour for quite a few years and It was such a magnificent goal to accomplish.  Not only was it killer to bike 407 miles in one trip, but I got to reconnect with some old friends that I forgot how much I loved!  Poor Jared being so close to 3 girls the whole time, but it had to be so worth it :)  And I must say that the coast from the seat of a bike was INCREDIBLE!!!  And it made me realize that a transamerica trip is so very, very necessary for my life.

4:  Got rid of toxic relationships:  This may not seem like a very happy highlight to some people, but I really had some relationships that were making my life very hard.  It took all year, but I really feel like the people I am now surrounding myself with are people that encourage me to be better and are extremely supportive of me.  Christmas last year was insanely hard for me to get through, because the people I was focusing on were not people that wanted the best for me.  They were bandaids for a wound that would never heal without air.  That being said, I have changed some of my habits which has unfortunately disconnected me from some really great friends.  They know who they are, and I miss being so close to them, but my life just had to take a healthier course for me.

5:  I made major strides in my spirituality:  The couple years that preceded 2012 were years that I chose to reinvent myself spiritually.  I wanted to make sure that my beleifs were mine, and not those of the people that taught them to me.  I won't ever forget the moment that I realized that it doesn't matter what influence anyone has over me, I make my decisions.  The church I was raised in is part of me and always will be no matter what happens in my life.  Since that epic moment, I have felt a peace I haven't felt in years and discovered a happiness that I forgot existed.  What a blessing!

6:  Me and Kendra founded a business!  Me and one of the best friends I will ever have in my life got together and put some ambition together to create a small business.  I have had so much fun doing it and have been able to spend a ton of quality time with one of my favorite people in the world.  What a goal to accomplish in life.... I've always wanted to own a business and although this  is on a very small scale, I can't wait to see how big it can grow!

7:  VEGAS AND THE KILLERS!!  Seeing my favorite band live has been something I've wanted for YEARS!  It was seriously so amazing and I can't put it into words....  I love music, and being able to live in my favorite songs for an hour was more than I can express through the written word.  And seeing them with Ellen Nygaard - couldn't ask for a better companion :)  Also, I got to experience Vegas through the eyes of some very awesome designers, which was a pretty cool perspective.  Plus I love being able to travel with my travel buddy!  And I will appreciate it as long as I can, as I don't see her being able to take such girly trips with me for much longer.... I feel the fingers of matrimony tugging at her - if not with this boyfriend then her next.  So, I treasure the short times I get to spend with her.

8:  I got to look through a crystal ball:  Okay, not literally, but figuritively.  I got a glimpse of what my life could be today, had the previous years not been what the had been.  I can honestly say that my greatest trials have been my biggest blessings.  A huge part of the reason I went through such a rough patch was that I truly felt that God had squashed a few of my dreams right in front of my face.  I was so conflicted with an array of emotions I cannot explain.  I couldn't figure out why he would want me to hurt so bad.  But there were a couple of instances that I got a clear view of what could have been through a wide variety of different experiences.  I went through a TON, but I was spared an unmeasurable amount of heartache.  And through it all, I learned who I am, which is my final highlight of the year :)

9:  I found myself :)  I have been looking for this girl for years and I finally found her.  I actually am the same person you are.  I am an ever-changing being, that evolves constantly.  To give me a title, a label, a box only limits me.  I dream and I realize those dreams so that I can become even more than I am capable of imagining.  I am not one person.  I am countless versions of self that will continue to evolve and grow throughout time.  That's why it's so hard to find yourself - you aren't one person.  I have developed a passion for life through my dreams, and I will never forget to dream again.  I will never forget to create memories, because in the sad and lonely times, your best memories are sometimes the only things that get you through them.  What a blessing we are for eachother!  We mold and shape eachother so much that the idea of one person alone, is a complete misconception.  I am my mother, my father, my grandparents, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, and closest friends all wrapped in one being with my mind and my direction.  Take a minute to wrap your mind around that and tell me what you think :)  I promise that no drugs played any part in this blog... that's really how weird my mind gets :)

So I am ulta excited for 2013.  I can't wait to see what awaits!  It's going to be great!!