Hairstyles by Myself: Twisty Little Bun

This simple twist on a bun hairstyle is a great way to make a subtle statement and keep the hair out of your face.  Bonus: If you don't know how to french braid this is a great hairstyle to try because it has the same modeled look, but is a lot easier!  Also, it lets you inch in another day out of your blow dry.  However, if you do this hairstyle on wet hair, you'll achieve pretty beach waves when you undo it later.  This is the perfect holiday party hairstyle as well and to gussy it up even further, you can accessorize with headbands and hair clips (check out my previous DIY's to learn how to make these!)

Step One:  Start with tangle-free hair.

Step Two:  To texturize, scrunch hair with hands, using a product if necessary.

Step Three:  Section off a small piece of hair at the top of the head and divide it in half.  Twist the two pieces of hair together and add more hair to one section.

Step Four:  Continue the same process of twisting and adding hair down your head.

Step Five:  Twist and add hair along the back of your head, near the hairline, until you run out of hair.

Step Six:  Using an elastic, secure the hair at the base of the twist, creating a ponytail.

Step Seven:  Twist your ponytail into a bun.

Step Eight:  Place bobby pins along the base of the bun to keep it in place.

Step Nine:  Accessorize by adding a headband or hair clip as shown above (optional).

Step Ten:  Apply hairspray to keep style in place and fluff the twist for a softer look (optional).

This was my first attempt at a hair DIY and it was a lot of fun to put together!  I hope this tutorial helped you create a beautiful hairstyle—I'd love to hear your feedback and see pics of what you've created on my Facebook page!  Also, let me know if you'd like to see more segments of "Hairstyles by Myself" in the future!

Thanks for stopping by,

Kelly

Easy Mosaic Wall Art Tutorial

Be an artist and create a beautiful and creative masterpiece by using my free printable Mosaic Template and recycling magazine scraps.  I had a lot of fun sitting around this holiday season and lazily glueing this project together while spending time with my family.  It's so simple that you don't have to worry about messing up either—the goal of this project is just to relax, enjoy and let your creativeness flow!

I also hope you'll like my hand-drawn illustration of a girl walking in the rain with an umbrella.  I was inspired to create it after seeing local artwork and watching the constant drizzle of rain here in Oregon.  Even though grey weather can be a bit boring, it does make the perfect excuse to stay inside with a warm cup of hot chocolate and throw a craft party!

Materials: Click and print free Mosaic Template, scissors, decoupage or glue, a foam brush, a thick piece of paper, and some magazine scraps (you'll need both fine print and colors)

Step One:  Search through some old magazines and focus on one color that comes in a variety of shades (I chose green).  Once you collect a handful of scraps, organize them into three piles by shade: light, medium, and dark.  Then, cut the pieces into small squares, about 1 centimeter long.

Step Two:  Print the free Mosaic Template I created and apply a thin layer of decoupage or glue to a section of the drawing (it's easier if you work in small sections and go from top to bottom).

Step Three:  You'll notice the template drawing has thee different shades: dark, medium, and light. These correspond with the mosaic tiles you cut earlier—it's the same basic idea as paint by number!  In dark areas, apply small pieces of dark tiles and vice versa in other sections.

Step Four:  Continue this process until you're done filling in the picture.

Step Five:  Once you're done glueing the tiles, cut the girl out with scissors, following along the edges.  Then, set aside to dry for a while.

Step Six:  Meanwhile, cut scraps of magazine that have lettering and fine prints on them.  Then, glue them onto a thick piece of paper and let it dry.

Step Seven:  Glue the mosaic girl onto the magazine print background.  If you want, write an inspirational quote on the background.  By cutting out scraps of pink paper, I spelled out "Everything will be OK".

Step Eight:  Let your masterpiece dry and you're done!

Thank you for stopping by my blog and check back soon for a new series of projects having to do with creating your very own calendar!

Please feel free to share this craft with your friends and don't forget to "like" my Facebook page!

See you later,

Kelly