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Friday, April 27, 2012
No Words
I have no words for the way I felt watching this trailer my mom sent me. All the ballerinas out there will know what I mean. I actually cried.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
New York Times Today
No, not politics....HAIR.
I actually tore the following article out of the NY Times today. I can't wait to try it!
Channeling Bardot’s Up-Do
By STEPHANIE ROSENBLOOM
Published: April 24, 2012
RETRO geometric prints, sleeveless shifts, false eyelashes: Walk into a dress shop or drugstore these days, and you might think you’ve been teleported back to 1965. With celebrities like Adele showing off vintage looks, and “Mad Men” inspiring makeup by Estée Lauder and clothes by Banana Republic, is it any wonder many women are trying to tease their hair?
To achieve volume and sex appeal with this method without resembling an extra from “Hairspray,” one need only look to the ultimate 1960s siren,Brigitte Bardot.
On an April day so unseasonably hot it approximated a day in St.-Tropez, Fabrice Gili, the creative director of Frédéric Fekkai’s SoHo salon, was armed with a can of volumizer the size of a rolling pin. To evoke Ms. Bardot in a modern way, he said, through an aerosol fog, your coif must be messy — at once “done and undone.” That’s good news for those of us who can barely braid our hair. Even better: it’s easier to achieve the nouveau Bardot look if your hair is dirty (a day or two dirty, not punk-rocker dirty). “It looks quite ridiculous if you have it all perfect,” Mr. Gili said, cautioning women against showing up for a date with a flawless up-do. “You look like you’re trying too hard.”
Tools: Hot rollers, three elastics, bobby pins, hair clips, volumizer, hair spray, a teasing comb, a flat brush, black ribbon, patience.
Preparation: Ladies with thick, wavy or curly hair, stop lamenting your rebellious locks and rejoice! You can skip this part and proceed to building the base. But if your hair is straight or fine, begin by spraying volumizer on the roots and the mid-shaft of your hair (not the ends). Then use rollers to set the hair on the very top of your head. Roughing up the texture is crucial because it helps the hair hold a shape. Once the rollers cool, remove them and go to the next step.
Build the Base: Lift your roots by brushing upward from underneath your hair. Then take the bottom layer of your hair and make a low ponytail. Curl the ponytail around two or three fingers, and pin it to the hair at the nape of your neck with two large bobby pins, one on either side. This is the bottom of your coif.
Tease: Take a section of hair above your forehead and hold it firmly toward the ceiling. Then place your comb, not at the roots of the hair, but about the width of two fingers up from the roots. Now briskly comb backward toward the scalp. When you’re through with that section of hair, take the next section behind it and repeat the teasing process, working your way toward the back of your head. Remember: you want the volume to increase as you work backward. To do that, keep backcombing farther up the hair shaft so that by the time you reach the middle of your head, you are placing your comb about three fingers up from your roots. At the back of your head, you can place the comb four fingers up from your roots.
Use Your Fingers: To keep the look natural and of the moment, comb the hair back using your fingers, not a brush, as was the custom in the 1960s.
Tiered Ponytails: Gently gather the hair you just combed back into a second ponytail directly above the one at the base of your neck. Pin this new ponytail to the hair at the back of your head. Next, make a third ponytail out of the end of the second. Again, pin down both sides. (If you prefer to sport a ponytail that sticks out, just don’t pin the ends.) Gingerly comb back the front and sides of your coif.
Hairspray: To keep the front of your hair flatter than the back, insert a few metal clips a couple of inches back from your forehead. Shellac with hair spray. (A word of warning: do not assume, as this reporter did, that a mere shower will wash that Bardot out of your hair. You must comb out the knots and hairspray first.) Once the hairspray is dry, remove the clips. Add a black headband or ribbon.
Said Mr. Gili: “Voilà!”
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
I am in balcony re-decorating mode. I have 72"x52" to work with and these are my inspiration photos:
(WITH THE KITTY CAT PLEASE)
Pier 1 has wicker sectional pieces. I think that I'm going to start with the 2 seater and build from there. They don't have an image online but it is basically the below armless chair times 2.
Pier 1 Ciudad - $299 for love seat (above chair is $169.95)
Pier 1 cushions - $45 each
This way I can start with the love seat and build into a wrap around sectional as funds are available.
THE KICKER.....
I'm using the Flor carpet that Fiance doesn't like for the apartment :-)
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Bows
I saw the red rain boots below somewhere (sorry can't remember where) and thought maybe I could do this to my own boots!
My Boots
So I found an online tutorial here (and below) to make my own bow and all I have to do is purchase some black ribbon this weekend.
I'll post pictures next week if I end up doing it.
If you have any problems viewing this video, please see the help section at Vimeo.
And now for the step by step photos!
You’ll need: Ribbon, glue gun with extra sticks, barrettes, and thread and needle (already threaded with a knot tied at the end)
You’re also going to need scissors.
I usually start with a thicker ribbon but you can use this method for smaller bows as well, just use smaller ribbon.
Make your first loop.
This first one determines the size of your bow so if you want a larger one,
make a larger hoop and likewise if you prefer a smaller bow.
Now bring your ribbon around and make your second loop, holding the center secure with your fingers.
(This makes a lot more sense on the video, I think)
Now make your third loop…
And finally make your fourth, bringing your tail down to the side of the first one like this.
(honestly, you just gotta see the video to follow me here, I’m afraid..)
There, now we have four loops and we’re ready to secure it in the middle.
Run a few stitches right through the center.
Don’t worry about how your thread or your knot looks because no one will ever see this once we’re done.
This is my nice way of saying that if you ever looked at the centers of my bows, you’d see that I make these with all the grace of a bull in a china shop.
Secure the thread with a knot but don’t cut it yet. Now you’re ready for the next step.
At this point if you want to add contrasting colors or ribbon you set this one aside, cut your thread, and repeat the first few steps with each new ribbon, making them slightly smaller than this one we just did.
Once you get all of your other bows done, sew them to this and don’t cut your thread before going on to the next step.
Pinch your bow together…
and wrap the thread (which is still securely attached to the ribbon) tightly around the bow.
Until it looks like this. I wrap mine four or five times.
Run your needle through the back and tie a knot. Cut the thread.
You know, there is no law that says you can only have four loops, if you want more, knock yourself out 
Tug at your bow a bit until you have it arranged like you like, spreading out the loops a bit.
There, I like that.
Tie a knot in a small section of ribbon (a contrasting color is fun to use here).
Place a dot of glue in the center of the front of your bow.
Press center of knot down on top of glue.
Flip bow upside down.
Place a dab of glue in the center of the back.
Place open barrette on top of glue.
It’s important that it be open because if you glue that puppy shut its really annoying to try to open it again and get all of the glue mess off.
Take the top end piece from your knotted segment and pull it through the barrette like this.
Press down to seal the glue and then cut off excess.
Place a line of glue just above the barrette.
Pull the bottom portion of the knotted segment through as well, pressing down to seal the glue.
Trim excess.
Now you have a bow!
Trim tails of ribbon. I like to cut mine at an angle pointing towards the inside.
Some people cut “V”‘s for their tails but those are harder to get even so I stick with the angle cut.
Because I like it when life is easy.
like this.
Take a bit of fray check and run it along all raw edges.
Don’t forget that little bit of exposed edge on the back.
Voila! Our bow is done!
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