My Etsy Shop!

One of my favorite places to look for more crafting ideas is Pine Needles at Gardner Village.  I have recently become obsessed with their pin cushion patterns.

I have also been working on a few unfinished projects, and noticed that I always tend to drop pins, and I do not like toting my pin box around with me from the sewing machine, to the large kitchen table, to the iron.  I then remembered my Mom has a wrist pin cushion.  The thing is, the band is plastic, and is tight on my wrist.  So I googled patterns for a fabric wrist pin cushion.  I didn't find anything.  I had to find a pattern for a cuff and a pattern for a pin cushion.  Only, the pin cushions I found were much too big for a wrist. 

So what did I do?

I designed my own wrist pin cushion!  I wanted to see if anyone else had thought of it, so I looked on Etsy.  People are selling the actual items, but there are only two shops that sell patterns.  I personally think that mine is oh so much cuter and unique, so I typed up instructions, took some pictures of my pin cushion, and made a pattern.  It is now listed on my Etsy shop!

Summer Hair

My hair is really long and thick, and can be a pain to have it down when it's hot outside.  So, I thought I'd post some ideas of how to do summer updos with braids.  A lot of them are really nice, because you can do them right out of the shower.  I have found that wet hair holds style better, and it keeps your head cool in the summer.




It can also be helpful to look at pictures online.  I love the looks with Sarah Michelle Gellar and Jessica Alba.

Sarah's hair is simple.  I start with a side part, and french braid the bigger portion of hair, including my bangs.  Stop when you finish braiding to the nape of your neck, and hold it with a small hair band.  Then continue braiding the rest of your hair, again stopping at the nape of your neck.  Pull the two braids and any leftover hair into a low ponytail, just under the bone on the back of your head. 

Now, I can't find any videos or tutorials online like how I do a messy bun, so I'll just type it up here.

First, you have your ponytail.  Grab the ends of your hair, and scrunch it up toward the hairband, and "cage" the hair in place with your entire hand and fingers.  Grab another hair band, and twist it around the hair.  Shake your head a little to loosen any loose strands.  Grab one loose strand section at a time, and tuck it into the elastic, and any loose loops in the buns as well.  And you have your messy bun!

For this look, I start by french braiding just my bangs to the side, and then continue french braiding the small section by your hairline until to reach the ear.  Braid the hair normally until you reach the ends, or until your layers start falling out.  Then wrap the rest of your hair into a low ponytail and do a messy bun.