Nov 29, 2013

Friday Features: Twist Me Pretty

http://bowsweet.com/home

Today's Feature:
I am loving this site, and thought I'd let you know about it!

Abby Smith, the creator of Twist Me Pretty is one of those girls that would look good in anything - as my mom would say, "She would look good in a potato sack!"  I came upon her site because of this pin on Pinterest...
Of course I'm interested in hair schtuff, so I continued on to her site and found lots of goodies.
You can enjoy her personality in each post and there is something for everyone.

I love her hairstyle ideas, 
(including this book)
fashion and beauty tips, diy, decorating ideas, and other mom tips.  She is even finishing up inspirational album - check out her awesome singing HERE
Her style is practical (no crazy birds sticking out of her head), yet unpredictable, stylish, and fun!   

Nov 28, 2013

Thursday Theater: While I Was Gone

First of all, we have a winner for our 1-Day BowSweet Giveaway!
Congratulations Kim Espinoza!  Enjoy your peppermint hair clip!
Thanks to everyone for the likes, comments, and shares!  Keep it up so we can keep doing giveaways!

On this Thanksgiving, we want to thank our friends and customers!  Your support keeps us going!  Here is a fun little video to say
Happy Thanksgiving!

See what happened when I left my camera rolling!

Nov 27, 2013

Win it Wednesday: 1-Day BowSweet Giveaway

Congratulations to last week's giveaway winner!
Bekki Boster
Enjoy your fabulous apron from Fancy Ewe Wearables!

TODAY ONLY!
A winner will be randomly chosen at midnight.

Use this form to enter!
It's super easy - just log in with your email or Facebook and check off the list!

Nov 26, 2013

Black Friday through Cyber Monday Sale!


Tuesday Tips: How to Clean Your Hair Brushes/Combs


1.  Remove all the hair from your brush.  You can pull it out with your hands, but I also like to use a comb - start at the base of the bristles and pull up the hairs.  For really tight hairs, you can even use a toothpick to loosen them.  WARNING:  Gross picture!  EW!!!
 2.  Soak your brushes and combs in a bath of equal parts vinegar and warm water in a bowl or mug for about 15 minutes.  You could also use water with some drops of shampoo instead of vinegar.  Soaking your brushes and combs will break up any oily deposits and lingering hair product.  If you have a brush with a wooden handle, or natural boar bristles, lightly scrub them under running water instead of soaking.  The wood can split and the boar bristles may curl.
 3.  Lightly scrub off any leftover deposits on the base and bristles.  
4.  Rinse with clean water and dry on a towel.

Happy cleaning!

Nov 25, 2013

Monday Memos: New Christmas Hair Accessories 2013


**Black Friday Sales announced tomorrow!**

New hair accessories for the holidays!

This week...
Monday Memos: New Christmas Hair Accessories
Tuesday Tips: How to Clean Your Hair Brushes/Combs
Win it Wednesday: 1-Day Giveaway from BowSweet
Thursday Theater: Happy Thanksgiving from BowSweet
 Friday Features: Twist Me Pretty

Nov 22, 2013

Friday Features: Girly Do Hairstyles

We love hairstyle ideas for girls!


Todays feature...



Jenn at Girly Do Hairstyles is currently posting "100 days of hair."  A different style each day!  I don't know about you, but I'm always looking for hairstyle inspirations and they have plenty of fantastic ideas!

I have tried these cute bows on my daughter's thin, short hair and they were adorable!
I'm excited to try one of their latest - the Knotty Hairstyle!  Here's the video.  I can picture throwing some tiny BowSweet flowers/bobby pins in there.  It would be so pretty for a wedding!

You can find Girly Do Hairstyles on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter and their own website.  So, however you like to follow them, it's there!  I especially like Facebook and the variety of posts that are there - including the funny and inspirational.



Thanks Girly Do Hairstyles for all the fun and fabulous ideas!

Nov 20, 2013

Win it Wednesday: Fancy Ewe Wearables

Congratulations to last week's winner!
Twila L Daugherty
Enjoy your 2 beautiful ribbon rose brooches from Tiffiny Designs!



Get ready for some awesomeness in this next giveaway!
Seriously,.. you're gonna love it!


This giveaway comes from Fancy Ewe Wearables.  Kacey is the owner/designer/creator, and boy, is she TALENTED!  I'm not sure how she does it all.  The Fancy Ewe blog is full of fashion tips, DIY, recipes, amazing products, and all kinds of country fun including lambs and bees!  

About Kacey:
'My hubby and I have been self employed in the construction business since 2006.  In 2008 when construction was slow, I decided to make aprons to help out with Christmas gifts. They sold so well that I decided to make it a business and have been making them ever since. I fell in love with being an entrepreneur! I have ventured out into clothing design and manufacturing, but still love the hand made aprons. I love high fashion and runway trends, but am really a farm girl at heart. I am a "work at home mom" with 3 kids who are my life.' 
  
Kacey has even designed gorgeous dresses for Shabby Apple!
Doesn't this dress just make you want to twirl?

Without further ado, here it is!...
Kacey has offered one of her absolutely fabulous peplum aprons for this week's giveaway!
Choose the fabric and the size (S, M, L, or XL).
Wouldn't it make the best Christmas gift?!  Unless you wanna keep it - we won't tell.

Fancy Ewe Wearables
Website :: Blog :: Facebook :: Instagram (@fancyewe)

BowSweet
Website :: Blog :: Mailing List :: Facebook :: Twitter :: Pinterest :: Instagram :: YouTube



Use this form to enter!
It's super easy - just log in with your email or Facebook and check off the list!

Nov 19, 2013

Tuesday Tips: Use a Comb

To avoid hair breakage after washing your hair, try using a wide-toothed comb instead of a brush.  Your hair is most vulnerable when it is wet, and therefore, more susceptible to breakage.  Use the comb while your hair is still wet to detangle before the problem is compounded when your hair is dry.
Here's one for the man in your life, or anyone that likes mustaches!  HA!

Nov 18, 2013

Monday Memos: Layered Felt Flower Clippies

NEW!  Layered Felt Flower Clippies

What else is happening this week?
Tuesday Tips:  Use a Comb

Win it Wednesday: Announce winner of last week's giveaway and a NEW giveaway from Fancy Ewe Wearables!

Thursday Theater:  How to Sew a Hair Flower to the Ribbon on the Clip

Friday Feature:  Girly Do Hairstyles

Nov 15, 2013

Friday Features: Baby Shower Cap

The sentence structure in the description of this one is quite humorous (I chuckled a bit - seriously check it out.)  This baby shower cap looks like a great idea for washing your baby's hair.  It keeps the water and soap out of the eyes and face!  There are different sizes, but they also come with adjustable snaps.
They say it can also be used as a sun visor.  
My mother's hair rinsing method was having me hold a washcloth over my eyes.  My method (which frightened one of my girls) was having them lay back in the bathtub while I rinsed the soap out.  If I had a young one again, I would certainly try this "useful appliance for mothers".  Have you tried it?  I'd love to hear about it!


Nov 13, 2013

Win it Wednesday: Tiffiny Designs

Congratulations to last week's giveaway winner!
Enjoy your personalized hand stamped necklace from Miss Ashley Jewelry!


This week's giveaway comes from Tiffiny Designs!  This beautiful handmade shop is packed full of all kinds of home decor - pot holders, tea cozies, casserole carriers… The pillows are my FAVORITE!  For the holidays, there are adorable ornaments and stockings!  There are even PDF patterns if you would like to make your own.
A bit about Tiffiny:
All you really need to know about me is... I am happy when I'm sewing. Fabrics feel like home and the sound of the machine is like music. 

I started sewing when I was 7 and when I was 12 my mom gave me my first sewing machine for my birthday (a Bernina - I still use it too!) 

After 10 years in a graphic design career and sewing in my free time, I pursued my fashion design degree. Since then, I've done a lot of one-of-a-kind window coverings, pillows and cushions. I opened my Etsy store to fill time between big projects and experiment with new patterns, fabrics and ideas, making unique and custom items.

I am married with a 10 year old son and a 2 year old baby girl. Our daughter has a disease called LCH and her treatment has occupied most of the last two years of our lives. I am just starting to get back to sewing and I have really missed what it provides.


For this giveaway, Tiffiny has graciously offered two beautiful ribbon rose brooch clips!  You choose the color.  They can be put on a brooch pin or hair clip.

Choose 2 colors from: red, chocolate brown, amethyst purple, winter white, honeysuckle pink, light blue, black, oatmeal, kelly, green, antique gold, vibrant violet, tangerine, harvest orange, aquamarine blue.


Tiffiny Designs
Etsy Shop :: Facebook :: Blog
BowSweet
Website :: Blog :: Mailing List :: Facebook :: Twitter :: Pinterest :: Instagram :: YouTube


Use this form to enter!
It's super easy - just log in with your email or Facebook and check off the list!

Nov 12, 2013

Tuesday Tips: Heat Protectant

Before you blow dry or use an iron, be sure to protect your hair with a heat protectant.
Right now, this is my favorite!  
Loreal's Absout Repair
It is VERY lightweight.  You can spray it on damp or dry hair before styling.  Fun fact: it contains lactic acid which is the same thing your body uses to repair muscle damage!  Check out the soft, smooth, shiny hair on these girls!
The best part is how it makes my hair feel and look - supple, shiny, super soft.  It gives a nice movement to the hair.  It smells nice, too!  (Too bad blogs don't have smellavision.)


Want more product suggestions?


What else is happening this week?
Win it Wednesday: Announce winners of the set of personalized hand stamped necklace from Miss Ashley Jewelry (you can still enter!and the start of a new giveaway from Tiffiny Designs!
Thursday Theater:  Hairstyle Video
Friday Feature:  Baby Bath Cap

Nov 11, 2013

Monday Memos: Philippine Red Cross, Double Bloom Headband


Our hearts go out to all those affected by the typhoon in the Philippines.  All proceeds this week will go to the Philippine Red Cross.


NEW! Double Bloom Headband
Gorgeous for the holidays!  These soft fabric flowers are sewn together with netting and a sweet pearl in the center.  They are attached to a comfortable, soft elastic headband.  

What else is happening this week?
Tuesday Tips:  Heat Protectants
Win it Wednesday: Announce winners of the set of personalized hand stamped necklace from Miss Ashley Jewelry (you can still enter!and the start of a new giveaway from Tiffiny Designs!
Thursday Theater:  Hairstyle Video
Friday Feature:  Baby Bath Cap


Nov 8, 2013

Friday Feature: Curl Secret

Have you tried this fancy, schmancy thing?  Curl Secret by Conair is an easy (and a bit lazy) way to create curls in minutes.  Sometimes I like lazy.
When I first saw this thing on an ad I thought, "Whoa, how does the hair not get tangled in there?!"  Sooo… of course, I HAD to get one and try it.
It does work really well!  I have only had a few times where a stray hair finds it's way in to the chamber and pulls in a strange direction.  Ouch!  It was really user error though - going too fast and not caring about smoothing out the hair.  As long as you get a nice smooth section of hair so that the hairs lay together and go in to the chamber the same direction, it works fabulously!  It's actually really easy.
It even worked on this super fine hair!  I used really small sections of hair, but the curls turned out pretty loose because of the texture of her hair.
These next pictures were taken before combing through the hair with my fingers.  Her hair was already somewhat wavy from French Braid Waves (see our video) so the curls were not as smooth as they have been other times I've used the Curl Secret.
I mostly used the largest sections of hair possible (1 to 1.5"). You will know if the section is too large - the iron will not suck the hair in.  Here are two different curls - the one by the face was a smaller section of hair which resulted in a tighter curl.
I even tried a tiny, tiny strand.  Can you see the itty bitty ringlet toward the top of her head?
And yes, I even tried it on myself!  Disclaimer: I hate selfies!  But, you do what you gotta do for the blog, right?
I like looser curls on me, but I would still like to experiment a bit. 
It has 2 heat settings and 3 timer settings.  There is an arrow on one side indicating what side should be next to the head.
This type of product definitely requires a video.  Here's the Curl Secret in action!  Listen for the quadruple beep that says the curl is ready.

All in all, it's a bit pricey, but it's super handy.  You can get your whole head done in 10 minutes (at least I can), without getting a crazy arm cramp!  (Man, I am out of shape.  Maybe I shouldn't have a lazy product like this.  Hmm…)

Walmart and Amazon have it for the same price.  Sally Beauty Supply has a different brand for the same sale price.


Happy curling!