Cure for the Headband Headache

This is not a new idea and I've seen it on the web several times but it's the first time that I've actually made my own. 

 If your princess is like mine, she has a basket full of headbands that are all tangled and messy.  Here is our solution:

Simply grab a large container of oatmeal cereal at your local store.  There are a few sizes so just make sure you get the one that is "headband-size".  :)  Empty your oatmeal into a gallon Ziploc bag so you can still use it.  Grab your favorite scrapbook papers and cut them to size and wrap your container.  We've also added some decorative ribbon to the top, bottom and middle of ours.  The nice thing is that you can also store your stretchy headbands inside the container - just open the lid.  :)

  Hope this helps some of you out there that may be as frustrated as I was with headbands!  

X's & O's

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!  This is our final post for the Valentine's hairstyles and it's a fun one.  Today is all about hugs and kisses so this is our "X's & O's" style. 

 

Start with a small section up front where you will create a Pull-Through that goes off to the right side.  Part the rest of the hair right down the middle and clip the left side out of the way for a minute.  Pull all of the hair on the right side of the part into a ponytail.  (Make sure to include your Pull-Through from the front.) 

 Grab a bun mold and pull it over the ponytail.  (Bun molds can be found at Sally Beauty Supply or can be made by cutting the toe out of a sock and rolling it over itself.)  Once your mold is in place you will spread the ponytail evenly around it and then slip another elastic over the hair and the mold to hold it in place. 

 Divide the excess hair from the bun into two sections and create a braid out of each.  Wrap the braids around the base of the bun and bobby pin them into place.  Now your "O" is finished. 

 Move over to the left side and part the hair evenly down the middle of the section and then again evenly across the section so that you now have 4 squares.  Leave the top-right square alone and clip the other 3 squares into their own temporary clip to keep them out of the way.  

   Begin a Dutch Braid in the top-right square and have it curve down into the inside corner.  Gather all the hair from that square and then plate the braid again 3 times without adding in new hair.  Unclip the bottom-left square and finish up your Dutch Braid.  Braid all the way to the end of the hair and secure it with an elastic. 

 Now move up to the top-left square and Dutch Braid that until all the hair has been gathered.  Plate it 3 more times OVER the previous braid.  Now unclip your last bottom-right square and finish up your Dutch Braid.    Braid all the way to the end of the hair and secure it with an elastic.

  Now fold both of the long braids up on top of themselves and secure with another elastic.  Let the ends of the hair just flip over naturally and add some ribbons to finish your "X" off. 

 Add a ribbon to the "O" as well and you're all done!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY FROM ALL OF US TO YOU!

Here is our princess which you all know so well and she is 7 years old.

This is our oldest son who is 5 years old.

This is our middle son who is 3 years old.

This is our baby who is 14 months old. 

Woven Heart

This is another one of my favorites.  You will want to leave yourself a good 30-45 minutes for this style as well but it's worth the time! 

Begin by creating a small section in the front of the head, right in the middle, and secure it at the back with an elastic.  We've used some fun colored elastics to make the heart stand out a bit more.  Separate that into 3 equal sections and set the middle section aside.  Braid the outside two sections into their own braids and place a temporary clip at the bottom to hold them from unravelling. 

 Now part out two more sections (one on each side of your original section) and make sure they don't go as far back onto the head as the first.  Combine one of the braids from the first section into the new section and secure it with an elastic.  Do this on the other side as well.  Now unplate any remaining braid that is below the new elastics.  Separate the two new ponytails in half and leave one half hanging down while you braid the other half.

  Part out two more sections just below your previous ones and add your new braids into them, securing them with an elastic.  Unplate any remaining braids that is below the elastics.    Separate the two new ponytails in half and leave one half hanging down while you braid the other half.  Now gather the last bit of hair just above the ear and combine that with the braid and secure it with an elastic.  do this for the opposite side as well.   Unplate any remaining braids that is below the elastics.    Separate the two new ponytails in half and leave one half hanging down while you braid the other half.  You will want these braids to go to the ends of the hair and clip them with a temporary clip so they don't unravel.  Now pull all the little "halves" from the ponytails that you didn't braid out of the way while you comb the rest of the hair hanging down and put it into a low elastic. 

 Move back up to the hair from your very first section and divide it into two pieces.  Twist the piece on the right side and pull it across the head and add it to the left side braid with an elastic.  Now move down to the second elastic on the right side, twist that hair and pull it across the head and add to the braid on the left side with an elastic. 

 Do this with the hair from the remaining two elastics on the right side and be sure that you are adding them into the braid on the left side so that the braid is being lifted into the middle of the head.  Twist each strand of hair on the left side of the head and weave them through the right strand so that they can be added to the right braid.  It sounds so confusing to type so hopefully the pictures help out. 

Finish your heart by adding one final elastic to the bottom to combine the two braids.  Now take the elastic out of the low ponytail so that the rest of the hair is hanging down flat. 

 You can curl the ends like we've done here or just leave it straight.  

Two Hearts Become One

This one is probably my all time favorite Valentines hairstyle.  It takes a good 45 minutes so make sure you plan this one for a morning where you have some time.  :)

Begin with the hair very wet and part it right down the middle about 4-5 inches long. Clip one side out of the way and begin on the other.  Using a rat-tail comb you will want to create a part that look like half of a heart.  Comb the hair below the part down and clip the rest of the hair up out of the way. 

 Now begin in at the point of your heart - next to your middle part - and start your braid.  You are going to create a Half-French Braid which means that you only add hair in from one side of the braid instead of two.  Make sure your actual braid follows right along the heart part and you are gathering from the hairline.  Continue adding hair into the braid until you get just below the ear and then finish it off with a Regular 3-Strand Braid. 

 Move to the other half of the head and part out the second half of your first heart.  Repeat the Half-French Braid process on that side as well. 

Once your first heart is created you are going to want to start on your second by parting out another half heart shape directly inside the first.  Clip all the hair that is not inside the part up and out of the way while you braid.  Create a second Half-French Braid inside the original and continue adding hair in until you get just below the ear and then finish it off with a Regular 3-Strand Braid. 

 Do the same on the second half of the head as well so that two full hearts have been created. 

Now you'll want to nicely smooth out all of the hair that is not in a braid and combine it at the back of the head with an elastic.  Take your two braids created by the inside heart and cross them over each other on top of the elastic.  Do the same with the braids from the outside heart and then secure all those braids together with an elastic UNDER the ponytail. 

 Unplate any remaining braid and comb it in with the ponytail.  Finish it off by braiding all of the hair in a ponytail and securing it with and elastic and a fun heart clippie.  :) 

It's a process but SO worth it!

Half-Up Heart

This one is similar to the heart we did yesterday but it is constructed just a bit differently. 

Start by sectioning out the top part of the hair by creating a part from one ear to the other.  Now part that top section directly down the middle and pull each side up into it's own little piggie. 

 Grab your Topsy-Tail and create a Pull-Through out of each piggie and then separate each Pull-Through into two pieces. 

Take the piece closest to the middle of the head, from each Pull-Through, and combine them together by securing them with an elastic over the middle part. 

 Section out another bit of hair just below the original "ear-to-ear part" and divide that in half.  Take the right half of that section and add in the other half of the right Pull-Through.  Secure it with an elastic down by the right ear. 

 Repeat the same steps with the left side. 

Now gather the middle piggie and the two side piggies together and secure them with an elastic. Brush the remaining hair down straight and curl the ends.   You can leave it as is at this point or wrap it with some ribbon like we've done here. It makes the heart shape stand out just a bit more. 

Puffy Heart

This heart is quite simple but has a beautiful finished look. 

 

Begin by parting out a "V" shaped section right at the front of the head.  Secure it back at the point with an elastic and then create a Pull-Through. 

Separate your Pull-Through into two pieces and start with your right piece.  Gather another section of hair just below the original part and add it into the piece of hair with an elastic.  (Make sure this elastic is higher than your original Pull-Through to create the arc of your heart.) 

 Now continue gathering hair into your piece and securing them with elastics.  

Repeat the same steps with the second piece of your Pull-Through on the left side of the head.  Combine your two group of hair in the back with one final elastic. 

You will be able to see the heart in your princess's hair and you can either be finished at this point or weave in some ribbon around the hair to really make the heart pop.   

Who's getting excited for Valentine's Day?  We sure are!

Sweethearts & Valentine Clips

I've got a few more Valentine hairstyles to post so I'll make sure to get them all on by Monday!

Start this hairstyle by sectioning off two squares on the top of the head. 

You'll want to make sure they are parallel. 

 Now you are going to make two small hearts.  (Click here if you're unsure how to do this.)

Pull the rest of the hair back into a low ponytail and divide that ponytail into two pieces.  Twist both pieces and then wrap them around each other (in no particular order) and secure them with an elastic.  We've left a few loose ends hanging out on ours.  Tie a ribbon around your bun to finish it off.

Here are some of our Valentine Hair Clips if you would like some ideas:

(I always make 2 of each so I can use them with any hairstyle.)

These are our hearts.

Here is Cupid, a Valentine Flower, a couple Korkers, a Love Letter with a Heart and a Love Letter with a Rose.