http://shinship.blogspot.com/2011/01/diy-phone-case-deco-decoden.html
http://rose-tint.blogspot.com/2010/07/diy-deco-den-cookie-and-cream-style_29.html

To go from straight to wavy...

The Remington Emi Airwave Anti-Static Style System will do the trick. Take 1-inch sections and feed them into the tube at the end of the dryer (seriously!). The air whips your hair around as it dries it, creating beachy waves. You'll be blown away, pun intended.

To get volume sans Bumpit

• Stylist Kevin Ryan shares this hair secret: Hold a 2-inch-wide section of hair at the crown of your head straight up and use a flat, densely bristled brush to push down the roots a few times. Let the section fall back into place, then turn the brush sideways and use the bristles on the edge to gently smooth down the bump. Now your hair is ready for a flirty ponytail, a hot half-up style, or a sexy updo.

 

EGG-OLOGY

 

When my hair feels frazzled, I throw two egg yolks—they're packed with lecithin—on my head, 
and top it with a handful of purifying shampoo. 
If I leave the mix on for 20 minutes, rinse and dry, .I end up with dazzling shine.

MARILYN MONROE

• “I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best.”
• “I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.” 
• “Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.” 
• “A wise girl kisses but doesn't love, listens but doesn't believe, and leaves before she is left.” 
• “I am good, but not an angel. I do sin, but I am not the devil. I am just a small girl in a big world trying to find someone to love.” 
• “She was a girl who knew how to be happy even when she was sad. And that’s important—you know"
• “Beneath the makeup and behind the smile I am just a girl who wishes for the world.” 
• “All little girls should be told they are pretty, even if they aren't.” 
• “Success makes so many people hate you. I wish it wasn't that way. It would be wonderful to enjoy success without seeing envy in the eyes of those around you.”
• “Keep smiling, because life is a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about.”
• “I just want to be wonderful.” 
• “No one ever told me I was pretty when I was a little girl. All little girls should be told they're pretty, even if they aren't.”

Beautifying Thinqs(:

It’s easy to create your own version of this ancient favorite. Here’s my favorite…

Pour one half gallon of Vitamin D milk into your drawn bath water. Fill a fabric satchel or pouch with chamomile tea and lavender pieces and tie it up tight. Let that soak with water. It’s like a big tea bag. Last, for an amazing fragrance, float a couple of gardenias on the surface. The steam will bring out the scent. You can add bubbles if you want. But most important, relax + enjoy.

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1. Go back and forth with the mascara wand horizontally, wiggling between the lashes.

2. Next, paint each lash with the wand tip by holding it vertically.

3. Move on to another task like blush or lipstick, then come back and apply another coat of mascara. 

4. Go get dressed or dry your hair, then apply one final coat

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JEWELRY BOX!

Supplies needed:

•  wooden crate
•  cork tile
• fabric
• tape measure
• scissors
• hot glue gun
• cup hooks
• T-pins
• sawtooth hangers.

If painting or staining your crate, do this beforehand to allow it time to dry thoroughly. These crates can often be found in antique and thrift stores, but you can also get them in various sizes at craft stores. 
Step 1. Measure out the inside of the crate, and cut the cork to fit inside the bottom.

Step 2. Cut a square of fabric about an inch or so longer than the cork on each side, fold the edges back and secure with hot glue. 

Step 3. Place your cork tile into the bottom of the crate. It should fit snugly! You can use a little hot glue on the bottom of your crate if the tile wiggles too much.

Step 4. Screw in a couple of cup hooks on each side. These are best for holding longer necklaces that may not fit inside the crate.

Step 5. Nail a couple of sawtooth hangers for hanging. (If your crate is on the heavier side, some sturdier hardware may be needed. I've found these work just fine.) Step 6. Hang your crate, then stick T-pins in the cork to hang necklaces, bracelets, rings, etc. This is a functional yet eye-pleasing way to display all your favorite jewelry!

It's the perfect piece for a bedroom or bathroom... wherever you get ready each morning. Have fun making something pretty for your space! 

LYRIC WALL ART

Here's how I d

Step 1. Find a paint by number or vintage painting that you like, but not one you adore (since you'll be painting over most of the design). A damaged piece works great, or a print you aren't too crazy about or ever a duplicate piece, like mine. Steps 2-3. Supplies needed: Artwork, Letter stickers (see 3 for the exact stickers I used. I purchased them at the art section of Michaels. You can also get them at hardware stores everywhere) White paint (in hindsight I would use spray paint, just a hint!), a paint brush and scissors. Step 4. Cut out and plot out your design. I know it's an extra step to cut out each letter, but it's much easier to create nice spacing this way! Step 5. Stick stickers. Place them as perfectly or imperfectly as you fancy! Steps 6-8. Cover the entire art piece with a coat (or two) of white paint. I wish I would have used spray paint because my letters bled a tiny bit. Spray paint is preferable. Step 9. Allow your paint to dry. I layed my piece on the front porch for an hour. Next, peel the letters off carefully. Step 10. Yay! You did it. Enjoy your new piece of art! ♥

PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE

Ingredients:    makes 1-2 servings

• 2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons homemade pumpkin puree,

-canned pumpkin or 1 teaspoon of Torani Pumpkin Spice Syrup

• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• About 1/4 cup of espresso or 1/2 cup of strong brewed coffee if you don't have an espresso machine

Directions:

• In a saucepan combine milk, pumpkin and sugar and cook on medium heat, stirring, until steaming.
• Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and spice, transfer to a blender and process for 15 seconds until foamy. //Or just whisk the mixture really well with a wire whisk.
• Pour into a large mug or two mugs. Add the espresso on top.

Optional: Top with whipped cream and sprinkle pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, or cinnamon on top.

http://www.eatdrinkpretty.com

• Start this like a regular braid, but drop the top piece through to the bottom and leave it there.
• Gently twist the 2 pieces you’re left with upward.
• Add a new 3rd piece in between + drop it through.
• Twist again and repeat. Keep going until you get to the back. Tie it with a clear elastic, tuck the end under, and secure with a bobbypin.

Remember there are only 2 main steps to this braid: twist + add a new piece. Imagineyou’re just making a twist with only two pieces, but each time you do, you feed a new piece of hair through before you make the next twist. So you never actually keep the new piece. It’s really easy once you get it going. Try it on a friend first so you can see what you’re doing and how the pattern develops. Then try it on yourself

• we like to part slightly off-center for this. on the heavier side, grab a section at your hairline. split it into three.
• start it just like you would a regular french braid.
• 
  
• next add in a piece of hair from the top, still like a regular french braid.
• 
  
• now skip the part where you’d grab a new piece from the bottom + keep braiding instead.
• 
  
• then take another piece from the top + add it in.
• 
  
• continue with this pattern until you have 5-7 sections added in.
• once you’re just past the ear, stop adding in new hair. Just do a regular braid + tie it off with a clear elastic like Lauren’s in the top picture.

Tools: Blow dryer with the nozzle, leave-in conditioner or detangler, protective serum or frizz taming serum, medium to large round brush, clips.

1. On wet hair, spray leave-in conditioner or detangler so that you’re not ripping at your hair as you brush it out. See here for details on that. Always best to apply leave-in or detangler right out of the shower, before the hair starts to air dry. Spraying it on air dried hair may cause the hair to feel sticky in the long run.

2. Like I always say, blow your bangs/fringe section out FIRST. The sooner you blow this out, the more control you’ll have over parting + cowlicks. People always tell me how much difficulty they’ve had with this section, and once they’ve tried blowing it out while  it’s totally wet, everything changes. The wetter the better when it comes to the very front section of your hair, or any uncontrollable cowlick for that matter. You want to stretch the hair from left to right while blowing it out. That will give you the most flexibility with your part. Your nozzle should be ON!

3. Once you’ve tamed the front section, let the rest down and take a little moisture out, but not too much because it will end up dry in some places and wet in others. Try to keep the dryer moving and do your best to keep the hair evenly damp.

4. Now apply a frizz tamer, argan oil, or protective serum. Whatever you and your hairstylist like the most. I like to apply this after I rough dry. The hair needs more protection and smoothing when there’s direct brush + blow dryer contact. If you put it in before this, it may not be as helpful. You don’t need a lot! Just a little applied from the middle of your hair to the ends.

5. Next move to the back. Pull the sections around as you dry. Stretching them will help smooth them. Notice Lauren’s using a boar bristle brush. Brushes with lots of natural bristles are great for smoothing because they grab the hair and get lots of tension. The difference in brushes can be found here! Always turn your head to the side when blowing out the back. It’s easier on your arms and you get more access to the root area which is important in the back sections. Work your way up,  section by section until you reach the top/back.

6. Then you’re on to the sides. Divide the left + right sections and clip them up (see image 6). The most important thing on the sides is getting even tension. Make sure the hair is laying evenly on the brush. Also, since you started in the back, this will have air dried a little. Wet it a little bit if you think it’s getting too wavy. Once the hair starts drying and developing it’s own wave, you need to wet it a little or you’ll just end up with more frizz. Stop for knots! Comb them out nicely or bad things can happen!

7. After you’ve blown your hair out entirely, go back through and handle the fly aways! My favorite technique for that is blowing all the little hairs underneath the big hairs. In other words, using your blow dryer with the nozzle attached, push the little hairs underneath the longer heavy hairs. The longer heavy hairs will sit on top of the little hairs and weigh them down! It’s my favorite trick and works so much better than loading the top of your head with hairspray.

8. After you’ve gotten dressed and the hair has cooled, the fly aways should be tamed. Now go back in, take off the nozzle, flip your head over and “stir it up”. This gives you a more natural, piece-y look and keeps it from looking too done.

BROWS!!

#1 rule: DO NOT OVER-PLUCK!!  Please!  There is nothing pretty about thin overly- tweezed brows.  
Cardinal sin #2: Do not shape them into tadpoles with thin tails.  
Cardinal sin #3: Do not shave them or use a razor of any kind.
Then, follow these eight steps on how to get beautifully-shaped brows.

TOOLS:

• Spooly brush or disposable mascara wand 
• cuticle scissors
• angled/slant tweezers
• pointed tweezers
• brow shadow (taupe for blondes, brown range for everyone else0
• stiff brow shadow brush, pencil (to line up the angles).

1. With a disposable mascara wand or spooly brush, brush the hairs upward to prepare for Step 2.

2. With a pair of scissors, trim any hairs that are longer than your brow shape.

3. With angled tweezers, pluck areas above and below the brows, grabbing a couple at a time.

4. With pointed tweezers, grab stubborn single hairs and shorter ones.

5. To determine where your brow should start, hold a pencil or make-up brush along one side of your nose.  Where it crosses the inner corner of your brow, that’s where it should begin.

6. Now angle the pencil across the iris; that’s where the arch should begin.

7. Angle it to the end of the outer corner of the eye; that’s where the brow should end.

8. With those angles and lengths in mind, fill in the brows using light, feathery strokes as if you were drawing individual hairs.

It's an OBSESSION!

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Short Hair Twist

TOOLS:

• Bobby pins
• Accessory
• Hairspray.

Prep: You’ll want the hair to have some texture before you pin it up. If you have curly hair, you’re all set. 

If not, use a 1″ spring iron and curl everything away from your face so it will twist easier. Then it’s just 2 steps more!

1. Take the entire left side and start twisting near your ear. 
2. Best to twist it kind of tight and then loosen it up after you pin everything.
3. Stop just past the middle and add a large bobby pin for extra support.
4. When inserting the bobby pin, go back against the hair, almost like you’re putting it inside the twist you just created!
5. Now gather all of the hair on the right, along with the hair left out from the other side and twist UP. 
6. Position it over the first twist and pin using a large bobby pin. Tuck the hair that’s left out into the twist and add a couple more bobby pins for security. 
7. If the hair is too short, just add an accessory!

Now using a hand mirror, check it out from the sides and back to make sure it’s well proportioned and balanced. Loosen it up with your fingers or pull some pieces out around your face if you want a more romantic vibe, then add a veil of hairspray.

Orqanize ! =0

Clean out your wallet, purse &/or handbag(s). 

• Put all your receipts into some kind of filing system, throw away all those “buy 100 & get a 10c discount!” cards
•  Get rid of those mostly-eaten packs of gum.
•  Throw out your scrunched-up tissues & the business cards of people whose faces you don’t even remember.

Once it’s all cleaned out, add in the things you’ll really need:

• You’ll probably find a good pen 
• A little mirror 
• Some breath mints very useful!
• Another nice thing to do is spray some of your favorite perfume on a card & drop it inside your handbag. <<That way you’ll catch a whiff of a fabulous scent whenever you open it up.

Changing The World

Growing Hair FAST!

BRUSHING: It stimulates the scalp. Stimulation from brushing produces natural oil. The more oils that come out, the more nourishment your hair will get naturally and that’s the best kind because it helps to speed up the process from the inside out. Focus on brushing the scalp and don’t worry so much about the ends. 
If your hair is dry or brittle, brushing the ends too much can lead to breakage.


TREATMENT: It doesn’t have to cost a fortune. You don’t need to spend more than $20-$30 for a deep conditioning mask or treatment. Talk with your hairstylist. Ask them what they think is right for you. They can feel your hair and tell if you need moisture or protein. There’s a huge difference.

• Hair that has been chemically treated or over-processed with color usually calls for more protein because it will strengthen the hair by building a shell around it. 
• Hair that is dry and dull is often just starving for moisture. You may even need both, so when it comes to treatments, please pop into the salon and talk to your pro!

VITAMINS: Pre-natal vitamins help with hair growth and biotin + viviscal vitamins as well. Take vitamins with lots of water to insure they’re properly digested. The hardest part about vitamins isn’t finding them, it’s taking them consistently. My recommendation is to get a vitamin box and keep a small supply in your purse or put them next to your keys so you take them on the way out the door.

SPIDER MASSAGER?: Here’s my theory: 

1. When you use it, it gives you the chills all the way up to your scalp. 
2. When you get chills, you get goosebumps. 
3. When you get goosebumps, what happens to the hair on your newly shaven legs? 
4. That’s right, it grows! 

Just a personal theory, Hair does grow insanely fast. Coincidence? I dunno. Worth the 7 bucks to find out!

T.B.D.

Step 1: If your hair is straight, use a 1″ curling iron to curl everything under. This will make it easier to tuck pieces into the bun. When they’re straight, they tend to pop out more. If you have wave or curl you can skip this step if you want to.

Step 2: Flip your hair over and gather everything into a ponytail on top of you head, securing it with an elastic ponytail holder.

Step 3: On the last time around with the ponytail holder, only pull the ponytail through half way.

Step 4: Take the loop you’ve created and spread it out. Don’t over think it. Just widen it and allow it to be somewhat messy.

Step 5: Take the tail end and wrap it around the ponytail base.

Step 6: Pin the end of the ponytail to the base using a couple of hair pins/bobby pins.

Step 7: Gently pull on pieces and then pin them. This will give your top-knot a slightly more messy texture.

Step 8: Spray a veil of medium hold hairspray all over. Don’t smooth down all of the fly aways, just lightly tuck the pieces that have gone rogue!

http://thebeautydepartment.com/hair/page/13/

The Beauty Department

http://thebeautydepartment.com/2011/06/pin-it-up-girl/