December 2015 archive
Special Occasion Hair Styling + Giveaway
Special Occasion Hair
I’ve pinned over 100 hairstyles on my Special Occasion Hair board on Pinterest, but I haven’t perfected many of these styles myself. Do you ever see a fancy braided hairdo and wish you could do it yourself? I attempted one…here’s what happened.
I needed a special occasion hair style to wear to a friend Liz of In Search of Water’s party earlier this month. I’ve been rocking braided hairstyles since I’ve had hair long enough to braid, but I usually just wing it. This time I used the step-by-step instructions from the book Stunning Braids by celebrity hair and makeup stylist Monaé Everett, which you can totally win at the end of today’s post!
The style I chose had a teased pouf behind a side braid that was a Dutch braid transitioned into a regular braid and then pankcaked to make it looser. Don’t know what those fancy braiding terms mean? I didn’t either, but the book filled me in. It’s really not as difficult as it sounds! I need more practice to perfect the braiding techniques laid out in the book, but with instructions it was easy to make it look nice.
Outfit Details:
Dress: Nordstrom Rack – Similar from Macy’s
Cardigan: Jean Paul Gaultier second hand – Similar
Necklace: Target – This one is very similar, just a different color, and it’s on mega clearance.
Stunning Braids Book & Giveaway
This book is easy to follow with photos for every step. The beginning has how-to tutorials for beginning braiders as well as some truly fancy ‘dos for more experienced stylists. It’s a great resource to have on your shelf for when you need inspiration for a new special occasion hair style. The styles in the book encompass options you could wear to weddings, parties, formals or just to work.
The publisher of Stunning Braids is generously giving away a copy of the book to one lucky Pink Paperdoll reader!
Pretty Statement Jewelry to Accent Special Occasion Hair
Make a Pet Paw Stocking
Half of households in the U.S. have pets and millennials are the largest age group of pet owners, says PR Newswire. So chances are good that either your house includes a pet or you’ll be going to a pet-loving house this holiday season. Include four-legged family members in holiday traditions by making a super cute pet paw stocking! It’s very easy and quick to make.
Materials: 2-3 pieces of felt in your choice of colors. Some acrylic felt is made with 100% recycled plastic bottles! Scissors, plus embroidery floss and needle OR hot glue.
I chose to sew mine since I enjoy hand sewing, but hot glue works just as well and is faster.
Make a DIY Pet Paw Stocking
First, fold the piece of felt in half* and cut a half moon shape in the bottom, as shown in the pink piece. The other shapes are 4 small ovals and 1 large oval for the paw, a large rectangle for the top, and a small rectangle for the hanger.
*This can be a dog paw stocking or a cat paw stocking. For a larger stocking, use two pieces of felt for the body instead of folding one piece. Or for a slimmer stocking, fold in thirds and trim off one third.
Of course, if the pet paw stocking is for a cat he will insist on helping to make it. This probably means delaying your progress by sitting on the pieces for a while.
Assemble and sew or glue your pet paw stocking in this order:
- Paw pieces
- Hanger piece
- Sew up the sides
- Add the accent piece to the top
Now you’re done with your dog paw stocking or cat paw stocking!
Last Minute Gifts They’ll Love
Can’t-Go-Wrong Gift Guide
These are some of my favorite last minute gifts this season. Get everyone checked off your list with last minute gifts they’ll love. How do I know they’ll love ’em? Cause they’re classy and classic and come on, wouldn’t you totally want them yourself?
1. Vintage-Style French Lavender Soap Tins
I saw these soap tins at World Market and fell in love. They’re oh-so-cute in person, with the classy old-fashioned charm of Art Nouveau advertisements. Perfect for hostess gifts and stocking stuffers, these gifts combine useful soap with use-again packaging.
2. Illustrated Classics
For the bookworm, Barnes and Noble has a line of illustrated, leather-bound classic books. Target also has a hardcover line of !function(doc,s,id){ var e, p; if(!doc.getElementById(id)) { e = doc.createElement(s); e.id = id; p = '//shopsensewidget.shopstyle.com/widget-script.js'; var cb = new Date().getTime(); p += '?cb=' + cb; e.src = p; doc.body.appendChild(e); } if(typeof window.ss_shopsense === 'object'){ if(doc.readyState === 'complete'){ window.ss_shopsense.init(); } } }(document, 'script', 'shopsensewidget-script');
3. Hand Painted Gift Box
If you prefer to go the DIY route, craft stores sell wooden boxes and acrylic paint. Create a custom keepsake for someone special with just a coat of paint or two. After repainting a side table last week, this little box was easy! Inside you can slip a gift card or some candy. This makes a good gift for sorority sisters as it makes a great pin box.
What are you going to do for last-minute gifts this year?
