A Bad Haircut's Best Friend (4 DIY's in one!)

I think it's safe to say everyone has had a bad haircut at least once in their lifetime. You may go to the same person time and time again, but the hair-fates decide to unleash their wrath on you. The last time I got a haircut, this unlucky person was me. My bangs were cut waaaay too short, and I was in despair, until I remembered Pinterest (thank you, Lord!) is chock full of great hair-ideas. In the past few months (yes, months... that's how bad this haircut was) my bangs have been braided, teased, twisted, you name it!

My bangs have become best friends with bobby pins lately, and I thought it'd be a great idea to jazz up some plain black bobby pins. Seriously, it's the simplest D.I.Y's that end up being used the most, and these are SUPER simple. These are just a few ideas I came up with, and I have more to try, but if you guys ever want to jazz up some bobby pins, here are some super easy D.I.Y's to try!

1) Wrap it!

I was inspired by a set of bobby pins at Aerie a while ago; they were wrapped and had a tribal vibe to them. Unfortunately, I didn't feel like spending $7.50 for two bobby pins! So, DIY!

(I couldn't find a picture of them on the internet, sadly. My recreation is pretty true to the original, though!)

Materials:

-Threads of different colours

-Bobby pins

-Clear nail polish

Wrap thread around to desired length, knot.

Seal with clear nail polish to prevent fraying.

Close up of how I tied off the ends...

Done!

The finished project!

 I love how versatile this project is. You can do tons of different designs in different colors, etc. and it looks too pretty!

2) Glitter!

Simply follow the steps I provided in my last post on how to 'glitta-fy' anything. It's that easy (:

3) Nailed it.

Use your nail polish to add some life to bobby pins! Go wild with the way you paint.

Materials:

-Nail polish

-Bobby pins

-Clear polish (sealant)

I adore the colorblock trend, so I translated it over to make a cute hair accessory!

4) Embelishments

If you have any loose buttons, jewels, etc. they'd be perfect accents on bobby pins! I used craft-store pearls and a hot glue gun. Make sure to work pretty quickly and be careful with the hot glue gun!

As you can see, there are a myriad of ways to pretty-up even the simplest hair accessory. Make your bobby pins unique and your own! 

How to Glitta-fy anything!

Hey everyone! If you have a Pinterest, you know glitter is nothing short of practically worshiped there. While I certainly don't worship glitter, I do love it. Whenever I go to the craft store, I have to exercise an extreme amount of self control... this isn't to say I don't have 40+ vials of glitter already, though (; 

Anywhoo, I've seen a lot of methods for decoupaging involving Modge Podge, but that stuff is insanely expensive! So, here's a pretty widely known recipe for your own homemade, super effecive DIY decoupage!

Ingredients:

-All purpose school glue, like Elmers 

-Water

-Glass Jar (Any old thing will do)

*Now, instead of doing a 1:1 ratio as so many websites suggest, I tend to use a lot more glue than water. Maybe 3/4 cup glue and 1/8 to 1/4 cup water... seriously, I wouldn't go any more than that or your decoupage glue will become way too runny! 

1) Pour your glue in. 
2) Pour water.
3) Shake/mix until the two are a slightly runny consistency.
4) Enjoy!


What's great about decoupage is that it's wonderful for applying glitter to almost anything! Yes, you can do that with regular glue too, but decoupage glue is much easier in my opinion to apply (you can apply it with a paintbrush because it's thinner than glue; no messy hands!). I tried it out on quite a few small things, but I really wanted to do my phone case.
I applied two coats decoupage glue, then shook some glitter on. Excess glitter went onto a piece of paper I had underneath and then right back into the jar! If it's spotty, apply glue to areas with less glitter. Then, shake glitter on again. Wait for a few hours for your project to dry. NOTE: I do not recommend going over the project with the decoupage glue to seal it. I use Krylon's Glitter Blast Clear Sealer (it comes in a spray paint can) because it's specially formulated to deal with glitter. The decoupage glue will most likely dull your sparkles, and who wants that? 

Before

After!

 

My decoupage glue. (:

 Happy crafting!

D.I.Y Avocado Hair Mask and Olympic Talk!

Hey everyone! The summer season of swimming officially ended for me this past week, and I have to say... as much as I love swimming, it does a huge amount of damage to my hair, even if I wear a cap. So, after the end of the season, I always like to indulge in a verrrry intensive hair mask. (I do a weekly hair mask in the shower, but this is verrry different!) I've done mayo masks, olive oil, and coffee masks, and I've been dying to try and avocado mask, so the fact that we had 6(!) avocados just lying around was perfect.

What you'll need:
-One ripe avocado
-1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (this depends on how much/how thick your hair is. The thinner your hair, the less you use. The thicker, the more.)
-1 egg yolk*
-1 tablespoon honey*
-A few drops of lemon juice*

*= optional ingredients. These are really just for a super intensive mask, like I needed. If you don't have the ingredients, that's fine!

Steps:
-Mash or blend together your ingredients together in a bowl until creamy.
-Apply to hair, but try to avoid the scalp. This could make your hair too oily. (NOTE: If you prefer to do this in the shower, I'd suggest just going ahead and shampooing and washing beforehand, and then applying onto your wet hair.)
-Wrap hair in a shower cap or saran wrap.
-Wait 20-30 min.
-Shower, shampoo and condition as usual. After you shampoo, your hair might feel a little gross... mine did, but I promise, after you condition, it'll feel amazing! After the second wash, it'll feel even better!

The essentials!

I thought this would be a fitting post since the Olympics are going on right now, and swimming is always such a big sport to watch during the summer Olympics. (Probably the only time the rest of the world cares about the sport, sadly.) So, in honor of chlorinated and sun-bleached (for the outdoor sports) and any hair that needs some pampering, I thought a hair mask was fitting.

Could-Have Been Festival Fashion

Hey guys... so, summer is a big time for music festivals like Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Coachella, etc. Well, here in my state, they actually set up a HUGE music festival for the first time ever, Firefly. It's a 3 day event, and I got a 3-day pass. I planned on doing a great festival-fashion piece, but sadly, familial conflicts got in the way and I only got to attend the first day. However, that doesn't mean I didn't keep an eye out for some very, uh, interesting trends. (Keep in mind, half this post was written with sarcasm. It's my second language...)

-Hunter brand galoshes: For some reason, EVERYONE was wearing rainboots. It wasn't even raining at all, it was actually kind of hot. But, nevertheless, these boots would be a cute and practical solution if you live in a very rainy area. These boots are usually $100+, but if you have a Nordies in your area, their Anniversary sale has them listed around $99.

-Bustier tops: This is an obvious one... although, considering it gets quite cold here at night, probably not the best idea for a chilly night. Tie-backs were very popular. Pair it with a bikini top and you've got a very skimpy, but very summery outfit.

-High-waisted jean shorts: As the essential closet staple in any hipster wardrobe, I saw tons of variations... studded, laced, Americana, prints, different washes, etc. Most girls chose to go the 'almost a jean bikini' look and hoisted their pants up to 'here'... and some guys, too!

-Bandanas: Almost everyone had the same type of bandana, just in a different color. This type is the one you can easily get at a craft store like Michael's for a dollar. Tie it around your wrist, leg, or head and bam; instant music festival fashion.

 -Hats: Hats of all sizes, it seemed like the bigger, the better. However, it's my personal opinion that if you're going to wear a hat to a music festival, keep it small, especially if you're on the taller side. You don't want to block people behind you (which did happen to me... thanks, sombrero guy!). If you are going to wear an oversized hat like aforementioned sombrero man, please make sure the people around you can see. Hats are practical for blocking sun and keeping your face in the shade, but make sure you're not keeping other people's faces in the shade too... they might not enjoy it when you're blocking their view of Damian Kalush of OK Go.

-Honestly, just boots: Even though it was hot, like I said, boots were huge. I went the practical way and wore some simple t-strap sandals, but boots (and boot tan-lines) were very big at Firefly. High boots, booties, mid-calves... I even saw some very creative boots made of glow-sticks at night. Make sure you apply sunscreen, in order to stave off the aforementioned boot tans.

I'm sure if I had been able to go to the other days I would've picked up on more, but sadly, things happen sometimes. (At least I got to see OK GO...) Anyways, I think the most important thing to do at a music festival is to enjoy the music... dress practically yet fashionably, and you're sure to have a great time.

Super Simple Summer D.I.Y + Inspiration

Summer is in full bloom, and that means it's suuuuper hot, at least where I'm from. A big trend in fast-fashion stores lately is sleeveless blouses. Seriously, when I went to Forever 21 and H&M, maybe every other shirt was sleeveless. 

When I was thrifting the other day, I found a very cute, very cheap blouse, but the sleeves were waaay too tight. So... I cut the sleeves off and sewed the edges, and now I have myself a very cheap, D.I.Y'd sleeveless blouse that's summer ready!

Seriously, if I could do it, anyone could.

You'll Need:

-A blouse (preferably one with a collar)

-Scissors

-Sewing machine or needle and thread similar in color to your garment

\

First, cut the sleeves off, but leave some room to sew the edges. Then, sew the edges in! It's kind of the easiest D.I.Y ever. If you have a stain on a sleeve that you can't quite get out, or if you just want to summer-ize your closet, this is perfect.

With sleeves!

I cut off a sleeve, but leave about an inch for sewing back up.

The finished product!

 

Before and After

Thanks!

Some of My Favorite Blogs...

I have tons of blogs I follow, but I just wanted to focus on a few for today. I divide fashion blogs into two categories: pictures of just fashion, and then the blogs that go in depth and provide D.I.Y's and other stuff.

JAK & JIL
This blog is the former. Jak & Jil is probably the best blog I've seen that just gives you pictures. The stuff he takes is amazing... most of the outfits are hit or miss, but to me, almost everything is a hit. I love the fact that there's no explanation to the pictures; it's just the pictures themselves. I've seen some of just clothing, but there are a few on there that are so intriguing that you want to know the back story. And then of course, the outfits. I literally get goosebumps at some of the outfits put together here, especially the men's... I don't know what was going through these peoples' minds as they were putting their outfits together, but I wish I had brains like theirs! I really recommend checking it out if you haven't already, but I'm sure most fashion-conscious/bloggers will have already seen this site. I just wanted to gush over it, that's all. (:

Make It & Fake It ;   A Pair and a Spare
This blog is the latter! It's full of great D.I.Y's (hence the name) that are just genius. Seriously. I follow a lot of D.I.Y blogs but this and A Pair and a Spare are probably the two that I adore the most. Unlike a lot of D.I.Y bogs, this is accessible to all tastes and everything comes out well... nothing really has that 'I Did This Myself' feel, it's more professional than that. I love that!


I'm always on the lookout for great blogs to follow, and these are just a few sites that I love. Like I said, there are tons more, but these are the 3 I felt like sharing today. (:

Let's Go to Chinatown...

So, I was over at my friend's house this past week and she lives super close to Philly. I don't know how or why, but we ended up going to Chinatown in Phila, but I'm not complaining. She and her sister took me to this greeeeaaaattt Malaysian/Thai restaurant, and then bubble tea. However, that doesn't exactly translate to "let's take legitimate pictures for my blog!"... so, you have the rather blurry, far away, and super AWKWARD (1st picture...) shots you see here. So sorry for that D: Anyways, enjoy!

Blouse: H&M ($18, here) 

Cardigan: GAP
Shorts: Abercrombie & Fitch ($5!)
Sandals: Steve Madden (I got them for $13 at Sam's Club. Sam's Club! A friend told me she got the same style at a Costco for $18, which is still a steal.)
Bag: Nine West

Summer 2012 Happenings

 Guys! I'm so excited for Summer. I'm going to Canada, which doesn't sound too exciting but, you guys, I have this odd fascination with Canada. I'm definitely going to buy some extremely tourist-y momentos! I'll also be heading to the Firefly music festival, which I CANNOT wait for. The Killers, one of my favorite bands ever, is going. (Not to mention OK Go, The Black Keys, Cake, etc...) And tomorrow, I'm getting a new sewing machine! The old sewing machine has been broken for a while, so everything has been by hand for me lately...
This summer is going to be great. I'm volunteering with my church for VBS, and the theme is perfect: underwater! I can't wait to share it with you! I'm going to try to have at least one D.I.Y up every two weeks, but I can't guarantee this. Anyways, here's the beginning of my summer in a few snapshots! xx

I got the best birthday present ever from my Aunt!

This is what I do at the eye doctor...

These are perfect for accident-prone people like me... all the scent of a candle, no flame!

Celebratory end-of-the-(school)-year Chick-Fil-A binge! (I didn't eat all this, by the way....)

 

My 'Wreck This Journal.'

Maxi Lovin'

Hey everyone! Summer is starting off and I'm (finally) getting around to starting this blog. (: Last day of school was today, and that was filled with finals... ugh.
Anyways, since it's been pretty hot here lately, I realllly wanted a maxi dress. I had one from last year, but of course, I lost it. So when I was at Macy's recently, I found this perfect black and blue maxi. I'm only 5'2", so most maxi's I try on are much too long, but this little number is perfect!

Maxi dress: Macy's 
Cardi and necklace: American Eagle ($12!) 
Bracelet: Tory Burch 

p.s: sorry for the lack of photos... I was in a rush to go, and my 'photographer' only had time to take one photo. There will definitely be more shots of future outfits!