{hair how-to: sexy & tousled}

. . . before dashing out the door with a latte and mile-long to-do list, a very favourite way to wear my hair {besides a chignon, of course!} is in soft, loose waves, a little tousled, a little sexy and a little '70s -- wonderful for the work-week, but especially so for the weekend, but whether it's a downtown lunch meeting or a late sunday brunch, it's always perfect for breezy april days . . .

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b e f o r eoy o uob e g i n,op e r f e c tot h eos e t
three essential steps, for just enough volume & bounce to be the building block of any style:

o n e
begin with freshly shampooed hair, for a beautiful, natural shine

t w o
massage volume & body mousse through the roots, then blow-dry hair smooth, using a large round brush if your hair is naturally curly, or a paddle brush if your hair is naturally straight

t h r e e
for body, you can use hot rollers, velcro rollers, or a large curling iron; for a curling iron, randomly twist slices of hair around the barrel and carefully pin up until cool, and you're set for any of the sexy, tousled styles below...




e a s y t w i s t
a ponytail on top, pulled up in the back, then turned over on itself like a bun--but only half done; one elastic band (and a couple of pins if your hair is really thick) should do the trick





u n d o n e u p - d o
a random parting, a few loose tendrils left out and a tiny bit of back-brushing on the crown, gently lift the top and sides, ease it all back and hold with an elastic band





s o f t b u n c h e s
let hair fall into a natural, off-centre part, then gather the lengths into two ponytails and fasten very loosely with ribbon just below the shoulders







n a t u r a l b o d y
or, if your prefer, for an even less laboured look, after hair is set, simply brush out just enough that it looks a little lived-in, being careful to not straighten ends, keeping a few relaxed a curls

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{p.s.} previous how-to's:

h a i r
* a side chignon
* a classic chignon
* a double-knot

e v e r y t h i n g e l s e
* a braided brass hex nut bracelet
* a sweet nothings garland
* a classic english hand-tied bouquet
* summery ombé napkins



{images: from glamour uk, fashion editorial, the big easy; model: lindsay lullman at next models, london; photographer: simon emmett; creative director: charlotte-anne fidler; hair: sam mcknight at premier; makeup: mary greenwell at premier; nails: andrea fulerton at emma davis via fashionising; steps adapted from glamour uk}

{how to: braided brass hex nut bracelet}

. . . have always adored bracelets -- gold, silver, sequined, leather, or extravagantly adorned with diamonds or swarovski crystals, but never could imagine that a few things from the hardware store -- a little twine and a few brass nuts -- could be transformed into such a stunningly elegant and impossibly chic fashion accessory . . .



{you will need:}
3 strands of twine cut into one yard pieces, 18 small brass hex nuts



{steps:}

1. gather the 3 strands of twine and tie a knot at the top, leaving about two inches of slack

2. start braiding

3. at about an inch of the way down, you’ll begin braiding in the nuts

4. before you braid the far left strand over the middle strand, thread on a nut, push it against the base of the braid, and crossover; depending on the thickness of the twine, you can wrap tape around the bottom tips to prevent the twine from fraying



5. keep your thumb at the base of the braid, holding the nut in its place

6. before you braid the far right strand over the middle, thread on another nut, push it against the base of the braid and crossover

7. again, hold your thumb tightly against the base of the braid, keeping the nuts in place

4. thread another nut onto the far left piece and crossover



9. repeat the steps, by threading the rest of the nuts to the outer pieces of twine before they are crossed over

10 & 11. thread, cross, thread, cross

12. finish the bracelet with another inch of braided twine and a knot



the bracelet should wrap around your wrist at least two or three times; trim it to your liking



mix with silver and crystal for a rock 'n refined look and you're set xo

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{all images & instructions (with edits) from honestly . . . wtf via refinery 29; layouts by this is glamorous}

{how to: lovely ombré napkins}

. . . while it may still be a little too soon for mid-afternoon picnics, have always loved to plan ahead {just a little}, and what could be lovelier on an early spring day than the prettiest pastel-coloured napkins alongside pink champagne and crème brûlée?

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{you will need:}

* white fabric napkins (it’s nice to have a few extra for testing)
* several glass cups / jars (tall enough to dip the napkins in, one for each color)
* wooden paint stirrers or pencils
* paint brushes
* scrap paper strips (if you have scrap white fabric, even better)
* clothespins
* rubber gloves
* paper towels
* rit fabric dye {you will need very little dye, so boxes are preferable to the bottle size; choose whatever colours look pretty to you and a range of similar colors if you wish to mix shades}

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{steps:}

1. fold napkin into the shape you want it to be in when it’s finished; clip the top with two clothespins (so you can pick it up later without getting any stray dye on it) then put it aside

2. line kitchen counter with paper towels or other protective gear; fabric dye will stain things like wood and hands, so be certain to wear gloves

3. fill a jar with hot water (roughly to the height you want it on the napkin), then add a pinch of fabric dye; the dye is potent, so use just a few crumbs; stir until the dye is well mixed, then dip a piece of scrap paper to test how dark the dye is; keep mixing dyes until you get a shade you like, testing with paper as you go

4. dip the napkin quickly several times, first with the lightest shade, then mixing the dye darker and dipping again, a little lower on the napkin each time; rest the napkin on paper towels in the sink in between dye sessions; as an alternative, you can also dip a paintbrush into the dye and paint the napkin for a bolder look; the dye is really quite forgiving, so have fun experimenting

5. when all the napkins are finished, air dry flat on the counter

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{p.s.} previous how-to's:
* a classic english hand-tied bouquet
* a driftwood table lamp
* a side chignon
* a guide to champagne

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{also new today:}
* runway inspiration: valentino, paris
* table for two: meringue-encased lemon cakes


{all images via once wed; instructions via emily at once wed}

{valentine's how-to: sweet nothings garland}

. . . very much smitten with this impossibly sweet glitter garland, perfect for valentine's day, birthdays, or perhaps even, a random sunny wednesday in mid-winter . . .



{you will need:}
a printer, a sheet of white paper, scissors, glue, glitter, a glue gun, some baker’s twine, embroidery thread or satin ribbon, if you like

{one}
print out the words “i love you” in all caps in a font of your choice (here, arial font, black, size 100 pt)

{two}
cut out letters

{three}
apply a generous amount of glue to the front of each letter and sprinkle with glitter (here, red glitter, but pink or gold would also be lovely)



{four}
organize letters glitter side down and backwards, then lay out the length of string or ribbon that you would like



{five}
place a small dot of hot glue at the top of the first letter, and sink the string in; repeat for each letter, ensuring that they are the correct distance apart



{six}
hang somewhere lovely, in a doorway or an archway, perhaps, and expect to be kissed . . .


{images and instructions adapted from lovely indeed!}

{winter hair how-to: the double knot}

. . . have had this fun tutorial planned for well over a week now, as a follow-up to the ultra-chic and wildly popular side chignon, {which some of you had great success with}, but in all this week's excitement, hadn't a chance to post until now . . . perfect for unruly winter hair, this look is a beautiful, more casual alternative to the sleek classic chignon and goes easily from a day at the office to dinner reservations at seven . . .


* CLICK TO VIEW THE REST OF THIS POST >>>

{how to: a pretty peony bouquet}

. . . with floral patterns and magnolia wreaths in thoughts this week, and last evening's trip to the flower markets for six luxurious bouquets of roses, could not resist this lovely tutorial for a pretty peony bouquet wrapped in ribbons for a cloudy winter's day . . .




{you will need:} 5 yards of ribbon, flower clippers, string & peonies (10 stems, 5 in two colors)



{steps:}
1. condition flowers: re-cut stems, and place in a bucket of cold water overnight; keep away from food, fruit & drafts
2. remove most of the leaves, keeping only the ones that are towards the top of the stem, near the flower
3. take a few peonies and place in your hand (ex. left hand if you are right-handed)
4. as you add groups of flowers (about 3 stems each), turn the bouquet to the left
5. you will start to see the stems spiral



6. tie securely with string
7. wrap the ribbons over the string and stems to complete the bouquet




{p.s.} previous how-tos:
* a classic english hand-tied bouquet
* a driftwood table lamp
* a side chignon
* a guide to champagne

{images: photography/instructions by chelsea of frolic! via delightfully engaged}

{holiday hair how-to: the side chignon}

. . . for late lunch dates and last-minute meetings, it's been mostly chic & messy topknots, and sometimes, even, a classic chignon -- but as the holiday invitations begin to pile up, something a little more sophisticated is in order for those elegant dinner parties filled with sparkling crystal champagne flutes and conversations that last long after the crème brulée has been served -- and of course, the perfect solution is the always lovely side chignon . . .



{one}
using a round brush, blow-dry hair smooth and straight, focusing on the top sections

{two}
once dry, use a large-barrel curling iron to create waves from the ears down

{three}
build height and volume at the crown by teasing hair gently with a fine-tooth comb

{four}
gather hair into a low ponytail; twist it along the nape of your neck, pinning as you go

{five}
once you reach your ear, shape the remaining hair into curls, and pin them back over

{six}
red, red lips and platform peeptoes and you're set!

{p.s.} previous how-to's:
* a classic english hand-tied bouquet
* a driftwood table lamp
* a fun weekend project
* a glamorous guide to champagne

{images: martha stewart weddings via hip hip gin gin; instructions via martha stewart weddings, with the exception of step number 6; numbered image sequence composed by this is glamorous}

{how to: a classic english hand-tied bouquet}

. . . after happening upon the enormous bouquet of pink peonies in erin fetherston's paris apartment in a past issue of domino, have fallen in love with cylindrical vases, which can sometimes be a little difficult to use due to their width, and so was delighted to discover southern living's step-by-step instructions for a classic english hand-tied bouquet, which includes arranging the stems in a spiral and fastening with florist tape beforehand . . .

{images: southern living}

{how to: driftwood table lamp}

d
. . . wonderfully inspired by what can become of a few pieces of driftwood, bits of string & a little imagination: australian stylist tim neve created this beautiful driftwood table lamp from a standard wood lamp base {below}, sanding down the lacquer to an unvarnished surface, affixed pieces of driftwood and tied everything with string . . .



{images & instructions: tim neve blog}

{DIY: fun weekend project}

Fun weekend project: a pair of nightstands freshened with a coat of high-gloss paint + modern chevron pattern, set side-by-side as a hall console

{before & after: chevron pattern how-to with downloadable pattern from Sunset magazine}