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Monday, April 30, 2012

Quick and Easy 5 Minute Hair


Ok, I admit, I have ridiculously long hair {and that I am overdue for a trim and high light touch up} BUT this style will work for medium length hair as well.


Divide your hair into 3 equal-ish sections {and yes, I have resorted to making up my own words, equal-ish seems like a perfectly acceptable word}. Starting with the middle section, take a rubber band and make a looped pony tail {basically, don't free your pony tail, keep it all knotted up in your rubber band}.


Repeat with the other 2 remaining sections.


Grab some bobby pins and pin down sections of hair. Fill in any gaps or pin down any strays. I usually just pin a few sections, look in the mirror, pin a few more and then that's it.



How many people does it take to do my hair? One, just me.


How many people does it take to do a hair tutorial? Um, two. One to do the hair {that would be me} and one to watch you do your hair and take pictures.  And this is how my husband amuses himself in 5 minutes.


Link Party Websites


 

Friday, April 27, 2012

A girl walks into a dentist office...

When I get nervous, I try to interject some levity into the situation, mainly to make myself feel better. This was definitely the case when I finally made an appointment to see the dentist. I am embarrassed to admit how long it was since I last went to the dentist. Think of a shocking amount of time to neglect your teeth and triple it and you are probably close.


I am not so sure, dental paperwork is the appropriate outlet for my sense of humor to make an appearance. I filled out all the typical fill in the blanks, with ease. In the general information section, after name, the question was posed, what do you prefer to be called. I wanted to respond, 'Amy. Miss Jackson if you're nasty'.


I am not even sure why that Janet Jackson song popped into my head. The places your mind will wander when filled with mortal dread.

I also thought the request for my car phone number was an interesting one.  I looked around, nervous that I had somehow traveled back in time to the 1980s.


I spotted a mirror in the distance and realized, it couldn't have been the 80s because my bangs weren't curled and teased 8 inches above my head.

Technically, this is the 90s but you still have to admire those bangs
and my American pride.

I also had a moment where I wanted to turn back and run. I contemplated calling my father in law, who is a veterinarian. I've heard countless stories of how he puts dogs under in order to clean their teeth.


In that moment, sitting in the dentist office, this sounded like a very good alternative.

Though, I am sure I would be considered a large breed dog and that's definitely not something I ever want on any medical record of mine.

 So, I bravely headed into the dentist office.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

April showers bring May flowers

My husband and I joke that April showers truly do bring May flowers. The day that we got married, in April {the 29th}, it rained. Not just a sprinkle but a torrential downpour.


I know, the saying goes that if it rains on your wedding day it brings you good luck. I guess that's true because our April showers eventually (almost two years later) resulted in our May flower, Grace, being born.


So when I saw lollipop flower cupakes featured on Martha Stewart's website. I knew that they would be the perfect cupcakes for Grace.


Who would have known that lollipops, different colored sprinkles and laffy taffy (rolled out paper thin) would make some of the cutest flower cupcakes ever...Martha Stewart, that's who.


I'll take April showers any day if they bring May flowers as cute as Grace or these cupcakes.

Somewhat Simple

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Wordless Wednesday

Who put their puggle in my peanut butter?


That's one way to keep a mischievous dog busy.

Ok...so maybe this wasn't entire wordless.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Farmer's Market

Thanks to Ana White and her free and easy to follow farmer's market plans, we made Grace one of her own for her 2nd birthday. Of course, my husband took liberties with the design and made Grace's market bigger. Bigger is better right? That is, unless you have to fill it with fake foods :)


When we gave Grace her market, I had made roughly 40 felt fruits and veggies AND it barely made a dent. I swore I would never make another fake food again.  Never say never, right?


Along came my blog and the need to create posts SO I got to work making more fake foods and documenting the process. 


Believe it or not, I still have a few more I heart fake food tutorials on my list to complete.


In the end, I guess I don't mind that I have been the sole worker in my 'I heart fake food' sweat shop, since Grace loves her one of a kind farmer's market.


Bonbon Break

Monday, April 23, 2012

I Heart Fake Food - French Bread Tutorial

In case there have been any questions...yes, I still heart fake food.


If you still heart fake food as well, go grab the following supplies:

Tan and Cream Felt
Fiber Fill
Straight pins
*both hand sewing and machine sewing required

There is no pattern. Simply cut {2} 5 inch x 15 inch pieces of tan felt {you'll need to buy felt from a bolt, the sheets of felt won't be long enough} and {1} 5 inch x 12 inch piece of cream felt.

To give your bread some dimension you'll want to cut 3 sections across {1} piece of tan felt.  I used a water soluble pen to act as a guide for where I wanted to make my cuts.  When your 3 sections have been cut out,  pin the cream felt to the back of the tan felt.  Then either hand sew or machine sew around the cutouts.  I opted to hand sew.


Pin the side with the cutouts to the remaining piece of tan felt.  Sew around the French bread, leaving a 2 inch opening on one of the ends.  Turn the French bread right side out and stuff with fiberfill.  Using a whip stitch, sew the opening closed.


And there you have it, gluten free, carb free French bread.


If you are curious how Grace's farmers market looks, filled with all the 'I heart fake foods' I've made, come back tomorrow and check it out.

Until then, make your way through the rest of the I heart fake food tutorials here.


Friday, April 20, 2012

Pillow Talk

Even though my week has admittedly not been cushy, all of my projects have been.

I finally got around to whipping up a few new pillows {I used my unusual piping technique to make them}. I made the two blue pillows. I've had the fabric since February SO now I can finally check that off my to do list.


For my birthday I got a state throw pillow from Red Envelope. I am usually a DIYer for projects like this but the quality and design were absolutely flawless from Red Envelope {and they were half off at the time}. Not to disappoint, I did add a DIY touch, I embroidered a heart to mark our fair city.


What happened to the freezer stencil pillows that had been on this sofa before? Well, I moved them to the bedroom. Can you guess what side of the bed is mine :)


Riley didn't seem to care that I switched out the pillows. Apparently, these are just as comfortable.


And, in preparation for my meeting with the children's boutique, I have been whipping up tooth fairy pillows.


The teeth came marching in two by two, hurrah, hurrah.


This tooth has a cavity aka seam that still needs to be closed.


Cushy projects or not, I am glad to wrap up this week and enjoy the weekend.

Let the pillow fight commence:
 

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

So many reasons to celebrate

Last week, I got the sweetest note and it went something like this...


Blushing, I couldn't even believe it, I had to check out GFC to see if it could possibly be true.

Back in February, I had 22 followers. I didn't even list my followers on my blog because I had so few. But, then I realized, it was silly not to list my followers, even if I only have 22, I am still proud of the 22 I have.

Well, now, it turns out I am proud of the 100 followers I have. So, thank you to each and every one of you that visits While Wearing Heels, that leaves sweet and encouraging feedback and that have pinned any of my tutorials. I am humbled to have you all along for the ride whether you are wearing heels or not :).

The second reason to celebrate is that, my sweet little girl, who has barely suffered a scraped knee, survived not 1 but 2 bumps to the head in the past 2 days without any terrible repercussions. Thank God. Which is why I have been MIA this week.


I'll use all my dandelion wishes that she always remain safe.

Then, my third reason to celebrate, I was awarded the Liebster Award by Colleen at Katlina Blog. Colleen keeps herself busy with lots of DIY home improvement projects along with raising her very handsome little boy. So, thank you Colleen, for taking time out of your busy schedule to pass this award along to me.


The Liebster is an award given to blogs with fewer than 200 followers {thank goodness I wasn't celebrating 200 followers today, right?}, that recognizes the blog author's creative writing and dedication. It also helps to bring blog owners together to exchange ideas and information.

As a recipient of this award, I have the honor of passing it along to five bloggers who I think are amazing! It was a really tough choice to choose only five blogs out of the many awesome blogs I've come to know.

So, to Carrie from A Hooah's Housewife who is just starting out on her blog journey sharing life as a newly wed and her recipes along the way.

To Cari and Courtnee from Two Sasters. I am totally loving their techy tips on Tuesdays. Because of them, if you click on their hyperlink, it will open in a new page, my blog will still remain open. Check it out, and make sure you tell them that I am a good student.

To Christina from No. 29 Design who is busy making over her beautiful home and throwing in some fun decorating ideas.

To Julie from A Little of This and That who shares the journey she is on and the art she creates.

To Maysem from Ode To Inspriation who provides inspired tutorials and always keeps me smiling.

The rules once you've been chosen (should you decide to accept):
  1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you
  2. Reveal your five selections for Liebster Blog Awards
  3. Inform the five other bloggers by leaving them a comment on their blog
  4. Copy and paste the award to your blog

Then, I found out this morning I was awarded the Versatile Blogger award...again. This time by Susan from Crochet Addict. Susan is a sweet blogger from the UK that has a wonderful perspective on life and crafting.

I'd say these are all good reasons to celebrate.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Hedgehog Taggie Tutorial


* If you don't want to make one of your own, I have now opened an Etsy shop and this little guy is one of the things I offer.

Supplies needed:
Fabric for the body {I used corduroy}
Brown Fabric for the head and feet {I used Flannel}
Scraps of pink fabric for the nose
Ribbons - different textures and widths
Fiberfill
Pins
Sewing machine
Needle and thread


Let's get started.

Using the pattern below, cut out the pieces of your hedgehog.


Line 1 piece of the body and 1 piece of the nose up together right sides facing in. With a seam allowance of 1/4 of an inch, sew the nose to the body. To provide a cleaner finish, open up the piece you just sewed and iron the seam open.
*Repeat for the 2nd piece of body and nose.


To create the nose, fold the pink fabric in half and roll it up. Pin the nose into place between the brown face pieces {which have now been sewn to the body}.


Cut out 8 hedgehog feet. Line them up, 2 sections together, right sides facing in. Sew the feet together leaving the top open. Turn the feet right side out.


Cut your ribbons {sorry, no picture}. I cut each ribbon into 4 inch sections.

Pin your hedgehog together:
1. Start by pinning along the seam where the head meets the body. You want to secure this seam in place so when the hedgehog is turned right side out, the seams of the head meet up as precisely as possible.
2. Make sure your nose is still securely pinned into place.
3. Pin your ribbons into place. Fold the ribbon in half and insert the looped side into the body. My loops are approximately an inch.
4. Pin the feet into place. I pinned the front two together and the back two together {on top of each other}.


Sew around your hedgehog, leaving the space between the feet unsewn. Turn your hedgehog right side out, through the space you left unsewn.


Generously stuff with fiberfill. Hand sew the opening closed with a needle and thread.


*Optional: Embroider in an eye. He looks just as cute with an eye as he does without an eye.



Done. Give him a little feel, he is guaranteed to feel better than a real hedgehog :)



* If you don't want to make one of your own, I have now opened an Etsy shop and this little guy is one of the things I offer.

©2011. For personal use only. Please do not use this tutorial for distribution or resale purposes. You are welcome to link back to this site. All borrowed content must be given proper credit. This is the intellectual property of While Wearing Heels.