Fish Bone Braid Hairstyle

Brush your hair back away from your face and separate into two even pieces in the back.

Take a section from the outside of the right side and place it on the inside of the left side.  Then do the same with the left side placing it on the right.  

Romantic Updo Hairstyle

For This hairstyle, we sectioned off the top part of the hair over the left ear and braided it.  We put an elastic band to hold it and then set aside.  The rest of the hair was separated in three or for sections. 

These were brushed and swept back from the face and clipped to keep out of the way.  Then one at a time they were pinned using bobby pins into rosettes.  When they were done we just moved on to the next one.  

We have them set one on top, next two and one on the bottom. When they were set like we liked them we pulled the braided section and pulled it up over the head like a head band and then under the hair.  This braid is then finessed into the hair and bobby pinned in place.  We bought flowers at Hobby Lobby and glued them to special flat plated bobby pins and used them to decorate the hair further. 

Sock Bun Tutorial

This post has been sitting in drafts since we were on vacation so I decided to finally get this up! Hope you enjoy!

The bun can be high on the head or down low.  Where ever you want your bun to be that is where you need to make your ponytail.  I wanted mine lower on my head so that is where I have it.  Make sure it is tight so the elastic band won't just slip off. I like to spritz my hair with a bit of water before I make the bun.  This will make curls or waves for when you take the bun out. Pretty easy. So, here we go. 

Step:1 Start with a pony-tail.

Step: 2 Pull your hair through the sock thing-y ( You can buy a sock bun thing or you can take the toe off of a sock and roll it up from the toe to the top and it will make a great sock bun form.  A more mens sporty sock will of course give you a bigger bun a dress sock will give you a smaller bun.)  and pull it to the bottom ends of your hair.

Step: 3 This is where the spritz of water helps.  You then fold the ends of your hair over and tuck them under the sock as above.  Try to get all the ends in the bun.

Step 4: Fold the sock & hair outward moving up the ponytail so that more hair is wrapped. 

Step: 5 Stick your thumbs into the center and flip it inside out again and again working your way up the ponytail.

Step: 6 Keep flipping try to keep the hair pretty tight.

Step: 7 Here is where it gets a little trickier. You need to keep the hair between the back of your head and the bun pretty straight while still twisting the hair around the bun piece and grab any shorter hair that would be loose ends and put in the bun.

Step: 8 Fold one last time so that bun is snug against your head like the picture above

You can finish off if you want with a hair spray or mousse to just hold it if you have lots of little ends but other than that, it is done.  If you find it loosening up just fold it in tighter during the day.  This needs no bobby pins or any fasteners.  Enjoy!  Let us know what you think.  Share your pictures with us!  We love to see pictures!

California Trip | Day 1

 Today we flew out to California for my grandma's memorial service. Who knew 6 hours in a plane could be so exhausting. This is our first time traveling this far with all of us, But it went fairly smoothly. For some reason, my suitcase was the heaviest... Oh well, I loved flying!

So here is what I wore on the plane. It was super cold in Tennessee and not so in California so I wore a short skirt and added leggings. The dark brown long sleeve shirt was not overly warm so I layered it  and just removed the layers I didn't need as the climate warmed as I traveled west. I wore it with a snowflake necklace and stud earrings. My mom French braided my hair (I ended up taking the braid out in Texas and leaving the top part and just pulling it back into a ponytail).

Shirt:  Vintage Store

Skirt: Vintage Store 

Jewelry: Necklace: Target Earrings: Walmart

See California Day 2 Here! 

A Little Patriotic Outfit

 Hey, guys. It's Veterans day here in America. Thank you to all the men and women who have served our country. Sunday dad took us to the zoo Sunday for their Military Appreciation Day. It was so much fun and I got some great shots of the animals. It was so sweet to watch the military parents interact with their kids. Oh, and can I just say I HATE SNAKES (OK and massive spiders) so the whole building filled with creepy crawly things and crazy fish etc. was not so fun but I survived. :) We are expecting a cold snap next week, at least, that's what the weather people call it... in normal people talk it is going to get really cold and chores are going to be miserable. LOL! So all the winter leggings, coats, jackets, gloves, sweaters, shoes etc. will be pulled out of hiding.

Today I haven't quite given up on my warm weather, so I'm wearing my flag skirt, a red sequined shirt, navy blue jacket, a blue and white star bandanna, red stars and anchor earrings, and white and gold necklace and black high-heels. Ok so I may be playing on the whole red, white and blue thing but if you scroll down to the last photo you may understand a little better why. 

Shirt: Vintage Store

Skirt: I made

Jacket: Target 

Shoes: DSW

Jewelry: Earrings: Walmart Necklace: Burkes 

Bandanna: Target 

And I have my hair up in a simple sock bun with the bandanna tied over it.

My dad :)

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. John 15:13

Color block skirt and top

Hey guys! Welcome back, hope you all had a great weekend. We spent the weekend getting the dining room painted a light gray color, it looks great! I love the way it came out. Mom and I washed the vinyl siding on the back of the house, then I cleaned out the chicken's runs, feeders and waters while Brianna cut out a bunch of thorny weeds around the chicken coops. And we cleaned out a few flower beds, replaced the light on the back deck, and put the last coat on a desk we have been re-doing. Then we cleaned out the attic and organised it.  Oh, and I bread baked for my dad's co-workers and a friend. LOL! Busy weekend huh? I love working especially with my family and the weather was so beautiful! 

Today I am wearing a orange, black, white and green skirt, green top, black high-heels, and a green and yellow scarf. Here is the tutorial for my curls, I just slipped a scarf under my hair and and tied it in a knot on the top of my head.  

Shirt: Vintage Store

Skirt: Vintage Store

Scarf: My Grandma's 

Shoes: DSW 

Earrings: Burkes 

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

Have a great week!

Pretty Banded Waist Sweater Dress

Good morning! Hope you all had a great week. This week we are doing things a little different.

How can I pray for you? You can put your prayer requests in the comments.

 Last Thursday my dad drove us up to this town in Northern Kentucky where he grew up. We drove up at night, most of the trip was through the country, it was really neat! Without all of the city lights you could see so many stars. It was so beautiful! The next morning he took us by the place he use to live with his dad. Then we visited a cousin's shop. It was the first time I had ever met her, then we went down to the Ohio River, it was murkier than I expected. It was pretty windy down by the water. It was all full of white caps. Then we decided to walk around the town square. I LOVED all of the old buildings. The air was cool and the sun shining it was such a beautiful day with all of the gold and scarlet leaves. Then we drove into Indiana because only my dad has been there. It was a great time. But I have to say that I was really happy to get home and hug my family & pets (Ok so not really hug the chickens, but I did miss them. I love there cute little faces!)

So today I'm wearing a gray sweater dress and black pants and black boots. Click here for the tutorial on how to do the curls.

Sweater dress: Ross Store

Pants: Walmart

Boots:  Gift

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalms 37:4

DIY Straw Curls | In Three Easy Steps

Hi, guys so I decided to try out a new curling technique on my hair. I love how it came out and how long it lasted! Above are pictures of day 1 & 2 of the curls it actually was still curly into day 3 but I was out of town and forgot to take a picture. By day 4 it was still really pretty but most of the curls and slipped into waves. It's super easy and really cheap (which is always great). My Aunt thought that I had gotten a perm when I posted pictures to my Facebook. Ready to try?

You will need: 

Spray bottle with water in it

Towel (to keep water off of the floor)

Flexible straws (Yes you read that right. We got ours at Dollar Tree for a $1) 

Step 1: Dampen hair (you don't want it soaked like you just stepped out of the shower just damp)

 Step 2: Take a straw and begin wrapping a piece of hair around it (for thinner hair you may want to take thicker pieces. If you have pretty thick hair you probably want to take thinner pieces so you can get it all on one straw).   

Continue wrapping until you reach the end of the piece of hair.

It should look something like this.

Step 3: Tie the ends of the straw together in the beginning of a knot (DO NOT FINISH THE KNOT) and move on to the next repeating steps 1 - 3 

Continue until all of your hair is wrapped around straws. You can either leave them in for several hours while allowing the curls to air dry, or you can use a hair drier. Or you can sleep in them and take them out in the morning. Whatever you have time for. And that's it! You use a headband to pull it out of your face like I did or a clip would work too!

We took larger pieces this time and the curls came out looser and not as tight. (Thanks, Mom and Sis for helping me out!)

 

Tiered White Gauzy Skirt and Chartreuse Top

Good morning! Today my twin is helping me out- Everyone say hello to Brianna.  All together now, "Hello Brianna!"  She is shy in front of the camera so please help her to feel welcome.  She is the one that takes the photos of me for these posts normally (or Mrs. Cottage). 

 Sorry for the lack of posts lately. It feels like life is going a hundred miles an hour around corners. LOL! This year has by no means turned out how I expected... and I have to admit a good portion hasn't been that great. But He is always in control- maybe one day I will understand why it turned out like this. 

Lil' bit is no longer with us. My heartbreaks every time I think of his sweet face, I wonder how he is adjusting to his new family. The house is so quiet with out him, yet so loud. But its all the wrong sounds. I accidentally slam the door coming in from doing chores and wince because he should be napping- only to realize that there is no one to wake up. Sounds crazy right? I'll be the first one to say it,and yet as I watched the car pull out of the driveway carrying him away it took my heart with him... 

Anyway hopefully I'll be able to start posting regularly again soon. Today Brianna is wearing a green top, white tank and white skirt. With a shark tooth necklace and green purse. 

Cotton tiered white skirt: Walmart
Green knit top: 2nd hand shop
Lace trimmed white tank top: Ross
Green purse: Ross
Sunglasses: Ross
Sandals: Ross
Shark tooth Necklace: Zoo

Hair: This hairstyle is great to get the hair off of your neck and when you can't do a French braid yourself.  I take the top section of hair and make a ponytail in the back.  Then grab the rest of your hair and pull it back to the nape of your neck and secure with an elastic band.  You can make more sections than this, but this is a quick and easy way to do your hair and it really does keep you cooler in the sizzling summer heat.

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10

Pretty Triple Rosette Bun Updo

 A lot of people ask me why I have long hair, after all, you can't do anything with it and isn't it hot? and isn't it hard to take care of? Well here is my answer. I have long hair, "Because I love it". To address the "You can't do anything with it" that usually follows. Here is a simple pretty hairdo, you can wear anywhere- from church to the pool or beach.  It keeps it up off of your shoulders neatly and keeps your neck nice and cool.

 This is a simple look we did for my grandma. All you need is bobby pins and hair accessories (We used some blue roses on hair pins).  You part the hair in three sections.  One is at the crown top of the head, middle section from ear to ear and then the lower section.  At the top of the head, gather the hair into a ponytail where you want the rosette to be and then twist the hair section around your fingers into a ring up against the head.  Use bobby pins to secure the rosette to the head.  Next, take the middle section of hair. We set it just over a tad from the first rosette and just repeated the same technique and secured it with bobby pins.  Take the last section of the hair and bring it closer to the ear than the other two.  Twist it into a rosette around your fingers, slipping the hair off of the fingers and securing with bobby pins.  You are now finished or you can decorate.  We found these roses at Hobby Lobby and bought some bobby pins with a flat plate on it that you can glue decorations on.  We glued several things on them (mostly flowers) and they made really pretty decorations for the hair and really great gifts for those with longer hair.  Hope you like it.  Please let us know if you try it and send us a picture of your pretty hair. We would love to see it.






Romanic hair, updo, rosettes, summer styles, off the shoulder hair styles, fashion, buns, princess' hair,

Aubrey's Sleeping Beauty Hair Style

I promised this tutorial awhile ago and here it finally is. It will probably work best on hair that is no shorter than elbow length (just because it has to wrap completely around the head). It also works best if your subject is able to hold still. Ready? Ok, let's get started!

First, you want to start with a small - medium section of hair on the side of the head above the eye at the temple (if the person who owns the hair has bangs now is the time for them to decide if they want them in the braid or not. If they do want them out have them hold them so you don't accidentally grab them and put them in the braid. Don't try to pull strands out after its braided.Trust me on this one).

Next part the section into 3 (see picture above) and begin braiding (if you do not know how Youtube has some great tutorial videos) I crossed over my three sections and then added sections of hair from the top and the bottom (see picture below).  Repeat this process going around the head (see photo 2)

This is what it should look like. Make sure you are braiding nice and tight as you go around the back (See picture below) of the head to keep it from slipping and leaving bagging spots at the back of the neck.

Once all the hair is completely into the braid (if you are leaving the bangs out make sure someone is holding them or they are clipped up). Once all the hair is in the braid keep braiding normally until you get to the end of all the hair. Lay it across the top of the head where you want it.

Then bobby pin end of the braid in place. Next, take the very end which isn't braided and slide it under the braid (you should not be able to see it). Use bobby pins to secure it and any other parts that look like they need it.

If you want you can add flowers on hair pins to cover the place you pinned the end of the braid.