Little Girl's Hairstyles - Valentine's Day Dos! 10-15 min

Valentine's Day Hairstyles!!

I had a most lovely email from a reader who sent me her cute Valentine's hairstyle! Look at this:

Here's what Jo said: i love your site ! here's one u can try & have been doing this to my girl for about 10 years... this pic is the next door neighbor's lil girl i just did b4 school today (v-day party today at school) did my girl too but her pic wasn't as clear & her hair is longer wanted to show it works on shorter hair too... thanks for all the ideas & hope u enjoy this one... the part is the key btw... & i only pull from the top so the braid floats a lil... peace

Thanks a million Jo!! She did such a great job on this hairstyle!!

Here's my submission to the land of hearts and cupids! Start off with a small zig zag part to the crown, and make two hig ponys.

Put in two twist braids on each side.

Join the two twist braids closest to the center in the middle of her head.

Next, join the two outside twist braids down low on her head, forming your heart. You can do this with regular braids, fish tail braids, whatever you want to do.

I used my wave iron on the rest of her head, and stuck in this gorgeous bow from Flowerz In Her Hair.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Little Girl's Hairstyles: Wintertime War Stories

My two kids have been surprisingly healthy this winter, (hallelujah), that is, up until last week. Living where we do, in the dry air and cold, we seem to have more than our fair share of respiratory issues throughout winter. Add in a school age child who picks up every bug hopping around in her classroom, and we usually are keeping the Walmart pharmacy in business.
I've been feeling lucky and grateful lately, and touting how healthy my kids have been. Well, knock on wood, cuz we got a doozy last week. First my 6 year old is down for the count for a week or so, then luckily it got passed on to little sis. So, throughout these last few days filled with nose wiping, medicing-taking coaxing and begging, and Lysol spraying....I've been thinking about some of those special sick times with my kidlets. (Don't get me wrong...I hate that their sick, but I really really enjoy those snuggle times with my babies......when they get big, they don't let you hug and kiss them all day long anymore!)
Like for instance, I remember when my oldest lost it just after drinking a big glass of grape juice all over my new carpet. I found out what carpet cleaner really works on tough stains (Oxi Clean)!
I also remember having to stay home from my sister in law's wedding because one of my babies was sick. That was when I learned to not give my kids fruit snacks when they are feeling nauseous. Those also stain carpet.
And my last soapbox thought.....yesterday, in the midst of my little baby having a raging fever for the 3rd day in a row, I had to be gone all day long. I just felt miserable leaving her behind, even though she was with my husband, and well taken care of, I just ached inside! Even though it's just a long day of throwing out snotty tissues and getting my face coughed on, I love being a mom and taking care of those little stinkers!!

So thanks for letting me share my thoughts here, especially since I want to tell you about a great contest going on at Similisan-who make  products to ease the symptoms of sickie kids. They are running a fun photo contest along with Shutterfly. What do they want? Photos of bright eyed, bushy tailed smiling children that "take your breath away" (in a good way - please no images of your toddler kicking Dad in the crotch). You can enter to win a $500 gift card!! So send in those cute pics (along with some great hairdos!) of your beautiful kids (when the noses aren't running!), and get yourself a gift card!
Above all--enjoy being a mom. There's no higher calling on earth. :)


Similasan and JuiceBoxJungle sponsored me to write this post, and they asked me share this contest with you, and the joys of being a mom during those fun sick times.

Little Girl's Hairstyles: Braided Headband with Ribbon Video Tutorial

I did this video at the request of a viewer, who saw this style on Princess Hairstyles, one of my favorite hair blogs, and asked if I could recreate it on a video. Well, Lynelle, here's my feeble attempt at this really darling little girl's hairstyle.  Thanks Kori for such a brilliant idea! (And I know the needle part looks scary--I really was not worried in the least that I would poke her...but watching the video makes me cringe an eensy bit myself.)
I also wanted to post this in time for all you super dedicated moms who want to send their little darlings off to school on Friday with proper Valentine's Day party hair!

Little Girl's Hairstyles - Daisy Chain Braid with a WAVER 10-15 Min

Here's a zippy and cute do that is doable before school! I did it one morning AND took pictures, and got her on the bus. Sorry abut the bluish tint to my pictures here. My bathroom lights stink for picture taking. But the show must go on...

For this fun and fancy one, I started with a side part back to her crown.

I then angle parted the larger section, and clipped off the middle area. I did spritz these little sections with water before I began my braid.

I did a daisy chain braid down to her ear and put in an elastic.

I did another braid in the middle section, angling towards the same direction as the first.

And then, I got out my WAVER. And yes,  I LOVE it! I found this one in a clearance bin at Ross, and you would have thought I'd found a $100 bill buried in that bin. You see, long ago I had ye old crimping iron (1980 called and wanted it back), and I have since yard saled or DI'ed it, and have regretted it ever since. I didn't love the crimpled look, but I just loved the idea of the crimper. Nice, evenly distributed waves, not induced by an hour and a half of braiding. I've searched high and low for one that I liked (I don't like, I repeat, I don't like using the 3 barrel thingamajig) and was easy to use. SO, I'm telling you all this so that when the day comes and you find your waver buried in a bin, you will be as happy as I was! They are FABULOUS! Here's what Bessie (this is what I've named her since she's so beloved now) looks like:

See the nice deep waves? And it has temperature settings so you adjust it according to the type of hair you are using it on.

To begin waving I parted off her hair into small  sections. I comb the hair out first, and lightly mist that section with hairspray, comb again, and then pick up my first piece to wave.

This waver gets extremely hot, so to protect her little noggin, I place the comb right next to her head when I use the waver up close.

Do each piece evenly, and always spray with hairspray before. This will help keep it in throughout the day. When you have waved all her hair, very lightly comb through from underneath, and only if necessary. If you've combed the piece out beforehand, it shouldn't need much.

And voila!

Little Girl's Hairstyles -Top 3 Worries of a Mother -- OH the Hair!

Kodak (who claims, with some clever ads on my sidebar, that we can at least partially knock off our economic worry with a printer) and JuiceBoxJungle sponsored me to write this post, and they asked me to talk about the top and/or bottom 3 things I worry about as a mom.

Ay me, WHERE DO I START?

So, since I think many of you ARE moms, and because you are a mom, you can find at least 90 different ways to feel GUILTY about something throughout your day! Am I right? RIGHT?! Well, I know I do. So, let me share with you a few of my worries, in this oh so relevant setting, about being a mom to one in particular strong-willed stubborn little gal, whom I adore and cherish.

My worries: (and these are NOT my most pressing worries, but are ones I deal with currently and daily, so here they are).
How do I get my 6 year old up and ready for school (clothes changed, HAIR DONE, teeth brushed, breakfast eaten) in a willing and happy manner? This has been an ongoing issue for us, and since she's our oldest, we find we are just winging it, and approaching it with every creative tactic we can think of. My sweet little princess will sit on her bed, on the floor, or wherever she ends up coming to a standstill in the morning, and REFUSES to budge. Our rule is that she has to go to school, no matter what, even if she's in her PJ's and her hair is a mess. THIS is what kills me! Hair! A mess!? What!? But her stubborness deflates all reason, and out the door she goes, Pigpen hair and all.

I worry: Will her teacher think I'm a negligent mother? One that sends her daughter off to school unprepared and without a decent breakfast?
I worry: Will her classmates think that's just how we roll in our home? Blithe and carefree about our personal hygiene?
I worry: Will my angelic and level-headed daughter start to think it's OK to look like a Neanderthal?

Goodness me. I know my little one was sent to me so I could learn a valuable lesson here. I'm hoping I figure it out soon, and not ruin her independent spirit in the process!

More hair to come!