Double Rope Braids

My girlie's hair is just getting oh so long! I can't get her to cut it. I think she would look darling in a bob but she loves her long locks too much so we opted for layers, or "lazers", as she call them. She went up to our hair dresser & said will you cut Lazers in my hair? He looked at me like what???? Layers. They are long layers so it gives enough texture that when we curl it - it holds better & looks better. Also, because they are longer, when we braid or pull her hair up - the layers aren't sticking out with every braid.

So here's our new post:

Start by dividing the hair in half horizontally. Clip the top part up.
Begin to TWIST braid the hair. Unfortunately, I cannot find the tutorial that I have put up here on how to do this twist - so looks like there will be one coming soon. If you haven't learned this twist braid - you will love it - it seems to be a constant in our home.

Next, twist the top section - bringing the 2 together to make a side pony

I pulled the pony 1/2 thru an elastic. This left a good way for me to do a messy bun. I then pinned in to let the bun take it's shape how I wanted it.

I then curled the ends that were left hanging

& you're finished!!

front/top view

braided rope

I had a duh moment with this. I had my camera sitting next to me & forgot to take pictures - so sorry about the no step by step instructions. You get the after effect.
I started by parting the hair off to the side (a little further than I normally would) then part back to the ear bo make like a box. Twist braid her hair until all hair is included. If you can't remember - you start at the top with 2 strands. You brush the rest of the hair forward (or whatever way you are grabbing the hair from) Start by twisting once & the next time you twist, you grab from the section that is pulled forward. Now, twist again & grab. Going all the way down. Once I got where there is no more hair to grab, I corkscrew twist to the bottom - going as far down as possible.

Add a side pony. Then wrap the twist around it, securing with an elastic & hide it as best you can.

top view

front view: this worked great with long hair but if you have a girlie with short, don't do a side pony, keep half of the hair down & try it.

updo

Over the weekend, it was senior ball & a darling girl in my ward asked if I would help her with her hair. Her hair is short - above the shoulders & she said she usually wears it down. So we immediately thought let's change it up & see if we can pull it all up. I can't take all the credit for this. My very creative sister happened to be over & was more than happy to help. & guess what? She wore it to church the next day & it still looked perfect!!

Sorry I didn't post step by step directions but it's pretty easy. You could actually do this on long or fine hair too. (my pictures are backwards & I'm of course too lazy to switch:)

We waved the hair all over with a 3 barrel iron. Then twisted the bangs & pinned them back. Next, starting at the oppiste side her bangs were at, we started twisting the hair, strands at a time & securing each strand with a bobby pin (these bobby pins are visible - if you have thicker or longer hair - you could hide them better) Continue twisting strands until all the hair is up. This kept all those baby hairs underneath secured nicely all night long.

We kind of poofed the top so you could see the wave & it looked more full. We finished with a loose bun from the ends left over & added a cute flower. How easy to do on yourself even? & we didn't use any elastics - only some good ol' hairspray & bobby pins.

Of course - pictures never do it justice.

& BTW - thanks for all the birthday wishes to my girlie!! You guys are all so sweet!

What can I say...I HEART side ponies so if you see that I am constantly posting them -it's probably not the end of it. There are so many variations of doing one that I just love them & how quick they are!! Today's is especially quick:
Make your regular piggies

Cork screw twist one piggy & take the other side. Add an elastic to make ONE piggie on the side.

Cork screw twist the side pony

fold the hair in half & add elastic. Since my girlie's hair is so long, as I was adding my elastic right here, I folded her hair AGAIN in half (see pic below)

To give it more of a bun look:

The cute whispies that are left out on top of the pony, I curled.

I SO wish she would let me put bows in her hair again (although sometimes I am very sneaky & get one in without her noticing:) Spray the cute curled whispies

That's it!! Very fast & easy - anyone can do it!!

front view:

A Little Loose Today

Since the weather has been getting nicer & she's been wearing summer dresses, it's been fun to do cute little loose updos. We were going to a park & wanted something out of her face & it worked.
Part half the hair down all the way around the crown. Clip the hair up so it's not in the way. With what is down, I parted down the middle to divide the twist braids in 2.

Do your twist braid on each side

Bring the 2 twist braids together in the middle with an elastic, pulling it tight as you add your elastic.

Curl the hair that is left on top. I did very fast curls, knowing that I was pulling it all back.

After curling, I pinned the bangs back with bobby pins & then loosly pulled the rest into a ponytail, including the pony from the twist braids. Don't pull thru all the way & let the curl hang over the pony.

Add a cute flower underneath the hair, instead of on top (i feel like I'm always putting them on top, it's a nice little change)

Spray to hold & there you have your loose pony.

double twists

I know - she has a prairie do but you always got to try something new, right?
Divide the hair in half. Clip the part that you are not working on out of your way.

Do the french twist braid on the bottom. Ending with a messy bun.

Do the french twist on the top now. Also ending with a messy bun. You want the twists to be going in opposite directions.

I just added one bow to the top.

front view (no she did not want me to take her pic.) I wanted you to see what it looked like in the front because it felt akward for me to do & it looked loose but it turned out cute - so if it does for you too - keep going. Spray to hold.

french twist on a side

I wish I had enough patience to redo her hair - I think it's a little too loose. So as you are doing this, make sure you twist it tighter & closer to the head.
Start by parting the hair a little more off to the side than you normall would. Than go straight from the part towards the ear. Clip the rest of the hair back.

Brush the hair forward & start doing the french twist at an ANGLE
Once you get to the part where there is no more hair to grab, start twisting each end like you are doing a twist braid & make your way down as far as you want to go.

Round brush the hair & keep it down.

french twist band

I had to do this post in 2 uploads - so sorry if it seems confusing. It's one continuous post.

This would be really cute on short hair too. You also could do it on both sides to make it look more like a headband.







To french twist hair: Part the hair on the regular part. Then slice down toward the ear, parting the
hair on it's side. It doesn't show in this picture but you want to brush all the hair forward so it stays in a tight french twist.
Take a chunk out of the part & split it in half. Start twisting the hair & after each twist, pick up a small piece of hair from the right side (or if you are twisting on the left side, pick up a small piece of hair from the left) & twist again, pick up another piece & keep on going until you get where you want to be. (Just like picking up pieces in a french braid but only from one side)

Go as far down as you want. Sometimes I like to go all the way down & then do the other side, so they connect underneath to make a full band. Wherever you stop, just tie off with a rubberband.
I put pink sponge curlers in her hair, but you could keep it straight, or even put it up in a pony. She does NOT like to sleep in the curler, so I just put them in when her hair is slightly damp. Keep them in for like 45 minutes (I put a blow dryer up to it & spray it just before I take them out) So now my pictures aren't showing, so just scroll back up to the top so you can see what it looks like in the end.