Criscross High French Braids...Submitted by Angie

Sometimes I wonder when I am going to run out of styles and then my site will become obsolete.





And then I have fantastic followers that submit wonderful styles and then my mind goes crazy thinking of styles. So much that I have a sketch pad that I keep with me to jot them down. Last night in the middle of the night I was thinking about this style and one hit me that I will be using tomorrow on the princess...and tonight I am making her some bows to go with it.

Angie...this one is darling and fun and fresh! I posted her instructions beneath the very last picture. Doesn't her daughter make a gorgeous princess? I think so!

*****INSTRUCTIONS BY ANGIE*****

"These are some pictures I took of my 8 year old after Halloween. She had taken off her "princess" dress and was just wearing her tank top underneath, but I had worked on that "do" long and hard enough, I wanted to document it. Your request reminded me of these pictures! I did two very high french braids, where I only added the hair from the one side (I use this when I braid across the crown too, no need for a perfect part!) and when the two met, I continued the braids then twisted them around, leaving some hair on the end that I just kept winding into a loose bun. (She had very long hair, I'm not sure it would work with short hair, I've never tried!) I had to use lots of bobby pins and hairspray (it stayed in all night with just a few "wisps" as you can see!) and I wasn't too worried about the visible elastics because she wore an odd sort of headband that covered them, otherwise I would have taken more time to hide them under the bun. "

REMEMBER to document those styles and e-mail them to me along with your instructions! I love new styles and sharing them makes them even more special.

Curls and Cowlicks

A couple of nights ago, my niece came over to play while her mom and dad took care of some preparations for her birthday party. I told asked my sister if I could play with her hair. I planned on doing a couple of styles. My niece wasn't having any of it. So, I told myself the same thing I tell my children. "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit".

Some essentials I keep on hand that worked BEAUTIFULLY with her curls and cowlicks.

First I wet her hair. I combed the Infusium 23 through her hair and then rubbed a nickel sized dollop of the cream gel through her hair.

Then I scrunched.

You can't see it very well in the picture, but she has three cowlicks on the back of her head. Her hair is SUPER thick up top and one time my sister and I jokingly (but lovingly) said she had Kramer hair. It was only because of those cowlicks. There are several things I have learned about cowlicks. You can try to tame them, or you can go with them. To tame them, you comb them in the opposite direction that they go. Eventually the hair gets heavy enough that they will lay flat. My spunky has a prominent cowlick on the right side of her head, but the hair on the front of her head grows towards the left. I part her hair on the left side of her head and the cowlick is hardly noticeable. The princess however has one on the right side of her crown. Her hair grows to the left, so we part her hair right through her cowlick.

I went with my nieces.

The fun thing about her cowlicks is that they gave her some fun body. As if the curls weren't enough.

She has fun hair.

I pulled a little bit of her hair from the front and put it in a little side ponytail and secured it with an elastic. Then I just put one of my daughter's pre-made bows right under the elastic. I love it when natural curls frame a child's face. There is something so vintage-y and wonderful about those curls. I am always sad when I see curls pulled up. What a waste of something so pretty. I understand the need, but the green monster in my gets sad just the same.

I let her curls air dry. As she was playing, I would go up behind her and scrunch them. She got to the point where she would swat me away.

And that girl is busy. I chased her all over my upstairs and finally cornered her in between the bathtub and the toilet to get her hair.

Even with the toilet in the picture, you can still see how swishy and swirly and lovely her curls are.

And I think it only prudent to tell you, as I look at her picture, I am breaking a commandment...for I am coveting.

Sigh.