braided crown

an update on life:

1. working full time is a semi-strange thing. i get home at five, and one might think that i would get everything i ever needed to done with all this free, non-homework-filled time... and yet, i don't.

i often come home and just rest, read, watch andrew study, watch downton abbey, and forget to do the dishes, or send an email i've been meaning to for weeks, or blog. after one of these seemingly unproductive nights, i often feel bad for "not doing anything," and then have to remind myself that i actually worked a very productive and busy eight hour day! it's okay to just rest.

it seems as though work and the rest of my life are just two separate worlds. it will take some getting used to, but i'm starting to adapt to the earlier schedule and the longer days.

2. i am currently serving as the relief society president in my ward. the relief society is an amazing women's organization (that just celebrated its 117th birthday) that is made up of all the women who are members of the LDS church. i get to serve on a smaller scale within my ward, so i look out for about 50 women who are in a similar stage of life as anj and i. it has been an amazing opportunity to learn and serve and get to know so many people.

3. it was almost spring. we had a week of beautiful sunny days getting up to 70 degrees, and now we are waking up to snow. oh, fickle utah! i so look forward to spring break 2013 - a little getaway to arizona this weekend!

in the midst of the sunnier days, i whipped out one of my favorite spring and summer hair styles, the braided crown. it's definitely one that has taken some practice to get right, but when i want to get all my hair up and out of my face, it's a nice mix up from my go-to messy bun.

it's a little bit boho and a little hippie, but it's a perfect spring look. i want to share a couple tips i've figured out along the way, so here's my advice for a beautiful braided crown.

1. As with most hair styles, day-old hair is always better. Texture is a good thing.

2. While a regular french braid looks equally pretty, an inside out braid is easier to hide bobby pins in for any stray hairs or bumps! 

3. On that note, have plenty of bobby pins handy to pin any lumps or bumps, one mistake isn't worth redoing the whole braid! 

4. One of my best tips has to be don't use a mirror! Looking in a mirror while you do this will totally throw you off. Trust me, trust your hands. It may take practice, but i always get a better result when i avoid the mirror until the end!

5. Start with a nice deep side part. 

6. When i am doing this style braid, i switch hands twice. (it's impossible to go all the way around your head with your hands in the same position! at least for me...) i always switch when i get past my ear, then once again when i get around the back to the other ear. I usually switch hands by putting each strand of the braid between separate fingers and moving the free hand to the other side. this also takes practice. 

7. I usually stop french braiding when i get to my second ear, (so hopefully i've used all my hair in the braid by then!) and just continue braiding normally to the end. I recommend using a clear elastic for the end of your braid, it will make it easier to hide! (which is done by tucking it behind the start of the braid and pinning.)

8. Last but not least, don't fear a few bumps. People will be impressed that you braided all the way around your head and won't even notice!

and there you have it, a braided crown!

 and then the next day you can have this!

happy spring!