How to Curl Your Hair With a Straightener

I had a few requests to do a tutorial on how to curl your hair with a straightener.  I was thinking about how I could show you and I thought the best way would be with a video.  Please don't judge me from this one video...I really hate myself on video :)

Anyways, to start out, I shower at night to keep the damage to my hair as minimal as possible.  Also, because I hate to blow dry my hair...

I brush out my hair before starting and don't use any product at all.  These curls stay ALL DAY without any product.  I love it.

If you can't understand me in the video, I mentioned that I section my hair in 2, but if your hair is thicker you might want to do thirds.  This helps the process go faster.  It usually takes me about 10 minutes to do my hair.

Here is how to make the curls:

not sure what I'm doing with my eyes here...

Here is the video on Youtube in case it is slow

You will want to do the bottom section, then move onto the top.  You can start turning the straightener as close to your head as you like (creating curls closer to your head)

If you can't tell, the tighter curls will look more like this:

Don't like her but I love her style.

And the looser "beachy waves" will look more like this:

Love her.  Especially in "How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days."

Or like this, depending on your hair (and the day for me)

So that's it!  It is pretty easy once you get the hang of it.  Also, it helps a LOT if you have a hotter straightener.  You don't have to spend a lot of money either.  Try to find one that heats up to 395 degrees.

My straightener is from Costco.  It is the Conair Nano Silver and was only $30.  I LOVE it.  

It gets up to 395 degrees and that is plenty hot for my hair, although for really thick hair you might need one that gets up to 415 degrees (like the CHI's and other more expensive brands.)

I hope that some of you will try this and that it works good for you!  It really is the best thing I ever learned regarding my hair!

****UPDATE****
Just found this deal on a straightener set that looks really nice.
HERE

Thanks Jillee from Sweet Deals by Jillee!



I posted this HERE

Favorite Things Friday!

Hey everyone!  I hope you all had a wonderful week with lots of favorite things.  Here are some of my favorites from last week:

A J. Crew Knock-off from Love Stitched

This pretty bathroom decor at Monkey See Monkey Do

A new favorite city at One Inspired Hand

This gorgeous headboard at Brassy Apple

These cute initial frames at Beth Kruse Custom Creations

This pretty shelf at My Cottage Charm

These pretty soap dispensers on Keep Calm and Decorate

This bath remodel on Until Tomorrow, Val.

A cute little bonnet at The DILLY Dally Daily.

This awesome mailbox at Bobbypins Boardwalk

There were lots more that I just loved too!  I wish I could just feature all of you!

Thanks again to everyone who participated last week and those who are participating this week!  

Be sure to go enter my giveaway before you leave and I can't wait to see all of your favorites from this week!

Ella Boutique: Review and GIVEAWAY!

 One of my most creative friends recently opened up an etsy shop called Ella Boutique.  She makes little girl clothing and accessories that are not only adorable, but really well-made and affordable.  I was so lucky to be able to review one of her items and do a giveaway!  When she sent me this skirt in the mail she did so VERY quickly (like 2 days after we discussed it) and it came in the cutest little packaging!  I am a sucker for pretty packaging.  She also threw in 2 sweet little flower hair clips!  How cute does this look on Allie?:

Here are just a couple more examples of her items:

So, Kim is offering one of my lucky readers a $20 gift card to her shop.  To enter this giveaway:

1. Visit her shop, come back and leave a comment on your favorite item.

2. Facebook, blog, or tweet about this giveaway, leave a comment for each.

3. Become a follower of me, or Kim, or this blog/facebook page leave a comment for each.

Also, for another chance to win a Gift Card from Ella Boutique hop on over to this blog.  There will be a week full of giveaways and they are all for a good cause.  You can read about it here.

Thanks again Kim!


This giveaway will end at 12pm Thursday, June 3rd.

Summer Hair and Giveaway Winner!

I love having long hair right now...but I always do my hair the same way (beachy waves with the straightener)

I am on the hunt for cute summer hair...

Lauren Conrad's braids are always super cute:

Jennifer Aniston does the same:

I like Jessica Alba's version of it pulled back into a bun (for hotter summer days)

Again, Lauren and her trademark braid with wavy hair this time:

I love this low pony in the back:

And then Carrie's hair makes me want to chop my hair off:

Anyone have cute summer hair to share?

And now...for the winner of the Lona de Anna Jewelry Giveaway...

Comment #7  Carol!!!!!

Go check out her cute blog

Congrats!  I will be contacting you shortly to get your mailing address for Anna.  Thanks again Anna, for the wonderful giveaway!  Make sure you go check out her site when her etsy site is up and running!

Come back tomorrow for ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!


This post linked here:

Sister Sister Sunday

Go Try it ON!

I recently just found this cool website:

Go Try It On.

It is so cool!  I love the idea of getting honest opinions on your outfits before going out, or just for the heck of it.  I have really been wanting to try to be more stylish and put cuter outfits together.  I recently discovered this website too:

Polyvore

It lets you pout together ideas of interiors, fashion, etc.  So, I am going to start putting together examples of my outfits on Polyvore and share them with you!  I tried the whole taking a picture of what I'm wearing and it is just too much work.  

For starters, these have been the clothes I have worn most the winter...my "go-to" clothing if you will.

Love cute cowboy boots that keep my pants dry.

Love skinny jeans that I swear keep me warmer.

Love my jacket from Love Culture that feels like a sweatshirt.

Love plain scoop neck tees in bright colors.

Love my gray cardigan with pockets that I wear every week.

Love gold jewelry and especially my big leaf earrings.


I plan on sharing more of my favorite outfits/clothing.  And please, give me all the fashion suggestions you like - I obviously need them!

A Few Favorite Shots

Just a few of my favorite shots from the past few photo sessions I've done.  For more see my photo blog.

What I Want Today

These laundry baskets:

$45 (Were $75) with free shipping and free returns.  Aren't they pretty?

These Are a Few...

Today I woke up to snow.  It is almost June and it is snowing.  Sometimes Utah makes me mad...  So on a brighter note, I thought I would share my guest post from Aly & Ash for those of you who didn't see it.  Funny how the first thing is summer :)


1. Summer

2. Movies and TV Shows (Can't wait for the Bachelorette to start tonight!!!)

3.Good Food (especially sandwiches)

4. Pretty Interiors

5. Fashion

6. Giveaways on blogs (and especially when you win :)

7. Exercise

8. Chocolate

9. Chunky colorful jewelry

10. DIY Projects and favorite things posted by my awesome readers on Favorite Things Friday.

Create

Lona de Anna Jewelry Giveaway!

One of my favorite blog friends, Anna from Lona de Anna, will be launching her new Lona de Anna Etsy store in the up and coming weeks that will carry a mix of her beautiful hand made items you can purchase (her gorgeous jewelry range being one of them.)  And so we thought, what better way to kick it off than with a giveaway?! 

Anna is generously giving away this piece called "Mabel's Heart of Gold"  It is a gold colored plated charm bracelet with a vintage style heart charm.  The beading is a mix of Swarofski crystals, Japanese pearls, and  gold plated Grecian beads.

To enter the giveaway, simply do any of the following and leave a comment for each thing you did:


1. Follow A Few of My Favorite Things or Lona de Anna
2. Blog about this giveaway
3. Tweet about this giveaway


This giveaway ends next Wednesday May 26th!!!

Favorite Things Friday & Beaches on the Brain

I have beaches on the brain this week...you may have noticed from my new header...

I change that every so often; sorry if it threw you off.

My parents are celebrating their 27th wedding anniversary this month.  They are so old! I'm just kidding Mom and Dad.

I am so glad you have a marriage I can look to for an example. Thanks for that by the way :)

Also, as you celebrate by taking a much deserved vacation, I hope you see lots of these:

And these:

And do some of this:

And this:

And pick up some of these:

And if it rains, I hope you won't let it make you sad, and do some of this:

And see this:

And some of these:

And for Dad, some golfing.

And for Mom, some shopping.

And Mom, don't worry about me, I'll be okay if I don't talk to you everyday...I guess. :)



Hawaii is one of my favorite places...what are some of yours?

Also, go check out my guest post on Aly & Ash today where I list some of my favorite things!

Thanks for sharing your favorite things with us this week!