Monday, November 29, 2010

Lesson 24: Getting Organized

When you get a collection of hairdo accessories, it can start to get pretty cluttered up in your bathroom.  You could just stuff everything in a drawer in your bathroom and pull it out as you need it, but here are a few tips to make things more organized.

Use little plastic boxes or zipper baggies to keep clips and pins organized.  (My boxes came from a dollar store.)  I have used an office desk drawer organizer to separate my accessories.  That worked fine until I started doing hair in another room.
Frequently Asked Question:  How do you get her to hold still while you do all that?
Answer: I do Belle's hair while she eats breakfast, watches TV, or does art projects at the table.  She usually will hold still for a pretty long time when she's doing these things.  Sometimes I have to remind her that it's hard to do her hair when she is looking around all over the room.
Since I am doing hair while she is busy doing other things, I have to make my hair accessories portable.  I put all the things I want to use in a basket and carry it to where she is.  You could use a plastic art caddy to store everything in and just take it with you where ever you go.
Hairbands tend to go all over the place unless you have an organizer.  If you buy a new set of hairbands, they are making these great little contraptions that keep them all together.  It's just a metal ring with two overlapping ends you can slide the bands on and off very easily.  I know Goody makes them but I can't say off the top of my head who else does.
To keep clips and bows organized, I use a long piece of gross-grain ribbon, turn the edge over the doorknob, and put all my clips on it.  A couple of clips will keep the overlapped end together so it doesn't fall off the doorknob.  I've seen these with the loop sown up over a shower curtain hook or something with a big silk flower attached sell for big bucks at boutique stores.  Cute, but not really necessary.
If you have any other tips of your own, please leave a comment and share with the rest of us!

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Lesson 23: Braided Heart

This is one of our favorite hairstyles.  Belle wears it year round, not just at Valentine's Day.  I learned the basic idea for how to do this at Princess Hairstyles, one of my favorite hair blogs.  To begin, gather a front piggy with a section of hair beginning at the ears or a couple inches above the ears on both sides.  Secure with a hairband.  Insert the topsy tailer from underneath and push it up through to the top.  Put the end of the piggy through the loop.
Pull the topsy tailer up to make an inverted turn.  Gather another piggy a little ways down from the first and secure it.
Divide the hair from the top piggy into two equal sections.  Braid them and secure them with a temporary band or clip.  The braid shouldn't be too tight or it will be hard for it to curve around.  Also when you begin braiding, start with the side section that is near the center of the head rather than the one nearer to the ears.  This will help with the curve and will prevent the braid from rolling out of shape.
Curve the ends of the braids around in the heart shape and stick them together with the other piggy.  Put another hairband around all of it.  Undo the temporary bands or clips.
Add a ribbon if you like.  Here is a side view:
For a variation, you can lower it on the head a bit and add all the hair in at the bottom.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Lesson 22: Princess Braids

For this simple princess hairstyle, begin with a part in front (middle or side).  Part out a section on either side and braid it.  Secure it with a temporary band or clip. 
Repeat on the other side.  Connect them together with another hairband.
Remove the temporary bands or clips.  Add a flower or bow if you want.  This hairdo will have the tendency to get messed up rather easily if your daughter lays against a chair or rolls on the floor or whatever things little girls do.  The hair on the top of the head will come up over the braids in great arches sometimes.  If this is a problem for you, it helps to connect the braids higher up and the head leaving a smaller place for the hair to get roughed up.  Since I was in a hurry on a school morning and didn't realize the trouble I was causing myself, I solved the problem by putting it all together in a ponytail on the bottom.  No so princessy, but still a nice looking do. (In this last picture she is running off to catch the bus.)