Quick Inspiration craft

I never go looking for inspiration, it always finds me. The universe is funny that way, it always knows what and when I need things most! 

I have been OBSESSED with the show 'Fixer Upper' on HGTV lately & when they decorate and finalize details on the houses they fix up, Joanna the wife- usually has great quotes turned into artwork! 

This quote I used for my quick inspirational craft she used in a woman's home who was becoming a single mother due to a divorce & was looking for a new start.. And it just spoke to me. 

My mom raised me as a single mother for many years and now that I am a mom myself I know what that took & am forever grateful to her for all the sacrifices she made for me. 

With my maternity leave officially coming to an end, taking on a new position coaching cheer & re-doing furniture pieces for a profit now (more on that later) I have had to be away from my baby girl more than I'd like to lately. 

If I could have it my way I'd just strap her into some baby wearing contrapment and take her everywhere with me, however this is real life & that's not the case!

Some days are harder than others but they all end and begin the same, with a choice. 

How amazing is that quote?

When I saw it on the show I knew I had to have it in my house somewhere, I wanted to see it daily as a reminder. 

It literally took me 10 minutes to make! I just bought sticky letters from targets $1 bin in different colors (5 packs total) & the big canvas came in a 2 pack from Walmart for like $6! 

I used a ruler to keep my lettering straight & laid them all out before I peeled the backs & stuck them to the canvas 

Once I had everything where I wanted it, that was that! See... So easy! 

And cheap!! So cheap ! 

I hung it in our living room where I will see it everyday. I have been building & re-doing this collage wall since we moved in last year & I am really starting to love it! 

I can't wait to make more crafts for it!! 

So stay tuned :) 

Xoxo 

Molly 

Faux Half Up Do

Some of us are blessed with long luscious locks. 

Some of us rock the shorter styles. 

Some of us even have breakage or shorter pieces in the front. 

One of my favorite hair styles is the classic "half up/half down" and my hair doesn't always corporate. 

Due to all the changes I made during beauty school .. And these years after from going dark to light & adding crazy colors, the front sides of my hair are damaged and I have been trying to nurse them back to health with some things I'm saving for another blog! So stay tuned! 

However when I go to put my hair half up/ half down my front pieces don't reach all the way to the back sometimes.

Therefore I create a faux look by completing the following steps!

This is a great alternative for those of you whom already have long hair but feel like you don't get as much volume as you want when trying to achieve this style !

You can wear this look straight or curled! 

So many options. So little time.

PREP: Step 1

This step is optional but I believe helps create a base for the style so I highly recommend it. 

Even if my hair has just been washed in will spray it with dry shampoo to give it more texture and instant volume. 

If I haven't had the luxury of showering long enough to wash my hair that day  (the baby wanted to be held during nap time) then I will for sure cover my scalp with dry shampoo or baby powder, if I'm on a pinch and running low on product. 

TEASE: Step 2

If you aren't sure on how to tease or aren't a fan of it in general but still want the voluminous look it gives you see my other blog post here in order to replace this step. 

If you are a teasing addict like myself, then this is where you go to town. 

Feel free to click here to see my teasy tutorial. 

I break the hair up into 3 sections when teasing for this style. Each side is its own section and the back on top of my crown is the third. 

The sure when teasing you don't tease all the way to the top layer. You want to leave it looking nice and smooth. 

Not like a crazy rats nests. 

Once you have teased, lightly comb all the hair down. 

PIN: Step 3

Lastly you are just going to take each side and pin it back. I pull the hair low and then back to keep all the volume we just created. 

I pin the ear right behind each ear and I spray to secure any flyaway or shorter pieces that still don't reach.  

Once you have pinned the sides back, from the front you have the look of a gorgeous half up half down do and from the back it's a little more faux Mohawk/ punk rock look, with class of course!

You can custom the amount of volume you want to see from the back once you are finished too, by pulling the hair up with your fingers, and spraying   

(Bobby pin trick- I push them back into the hair I am pinning up, so that you can't see them & it holds the hair tighter)

Xoxo,

Molly.