How To Turn A Ponytail Into A Swept-Up Up-Do Hairstyle

Skill Level : If I can do it, so can you!

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I sometimes like to wear my hair up off my face and neck, but I don't always want to have a plain, boring ponytail.

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This tutorial shows you a really quick and easy way to turn a ponytail into a swept-up "up-do" hairstyle in seconds.

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You will need :

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Hair long enough to put up into a ponytail

A hair elastic - preferably the same colour as your hair

It also helps if your hair isn't squeaky clean, so here's your excuse to not wash your hair today!

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Step 1.

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Brush your hair into an ordinary ponytail. Make sure to have the hair elastic on quite tight round the ponytail ... wrap it round once more than feels comfortable because you will be loosening it in the next step.

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Step 2.

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Pull the hair elastic down the ponytail (away from your scalp) a fraction ... not too much.

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Step 3.

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Work your fingers into the space you've created (next to your scalp) and create a little 'pocket'

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Step 4.

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Fold the swinging end of your ponytail up into the pocket, tucking in all the ends as you go.

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Step 5.

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That's it! If you have extra-thick hair (lucky you!) you may want to poke a few hair-grips into the sides for extra hold.

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I often wear my hair like this and it will last in this style all day.

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For variation, you can poke your fingers all the way through the pocket and push the ponytail all the way through and back out the bottom.

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I have no idea if there is a real name for this hair-style, I discovered it myself by playing with my hair during too many boring meetings at work many, many years ago!

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14 Years Ago Today....

On this date 14 years ago, I was having this done....

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And this is what I chose to wear for the day...

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My chosen vehicle for the day was a vintage white Rolls Royce.

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That's right, me and Mr Jelly said our "I do's" in our local registry office.

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The dress was my own design and was made from dusky apricot and ivory shot-silk, and had a scalloped hem to the outer layer with silk fabric roses at each rise.

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There were hundreds of teeny-tiny buttons running down the back (that sure held up proceedings later on in the day!)

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I remember it was a blisteringly hot day and my mum had to splash cold water on me in the ladies' rest-room to cool me down.

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For our honeymoon we went to Florida for a week and then on to the Caymen Islands for another week.

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What's that you say?

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You want to see what Mr Jelly wore on the day?

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He dressed up for the day too in a top-hat and bowtie.

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Happy Anniversary Mr Jelly

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xx

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Chocolate Scare

Have you heard the latest scare about eating chocolate?

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Are you aware of how many of the additives are bad for your health?

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It would appear not even chocolate is safe to eat these days.

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As much as it pains me to say it, having read the medical reports, I'm never going to eat chocolate again.

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This is what can happen ... to you ... or anybody else in your family.....

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Eating chocolate can give you small feet!

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Box Of Treats!

Do you remember I took part in imagingermonkey's Russian Doll Swap and that my partner was Lindsey.

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Well I received my swap presents on Friday.

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Inside was a whole host of pink treats made by Lindsey.

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The funky cow toadstool is just bonkers!

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And the star of the show was this beautiful hand-sewn felt Russian Doll.

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I love the tiny star buttons Lindsey has used.

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And I'm in love with the tiny stitch detail on the flower...
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These were also in the box although I'm not really sure what they are for?
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Apparantely you use them when you do your housework?

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Missing from the photograph is a dinky cupcake pin-cushion, but that has already made it's way into my workroom and is currently buried somewhere under a mountain of fabric.

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Oh. And also missing from the picture is a bag of pink sweets.

C'mon ... they didn't last five minutes from opening the box!

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Thank you so much Lindsey - and don't worry, there's no such thing as "too much pink" !

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It's All Gone Pear Shaped....

I've just seen this on Ruth's Blog and I thought "in for a penny, in for a pound"....
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I can't believe how accurate it is!

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You Are A Pear

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You are independent, intelligent, and a free thinker.

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You can accomplish great things, especially when you do them on your own.

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You are direct, honest, and sometimes even a bit brutal.

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There's not much that gets in the way of you and your ambition.

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While you are hard nosed, you do have a much sweeter side to you.

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It takes time for you to soften toward someone, but once you do, you'll be their friend for life.

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So not only am I pear-shaped, I am also a pear personality!
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So, What Type of Fruit Are You?

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Monitor The Situation

My computer monitor has been on the blink for weeks and weeks now.

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Literally on the blink.

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I fire up the hard-drive and then I have to switch the monitor on and off for at least 50 times before it finally holds onto the screen image and I can start to work. (And when I say "work" I do of course mean "read all my blogs")

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Well this morning was the final straw.

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Flicking it on and off for 5 minutes had no effect.

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Sighing and rolling my eyes had no effect.

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Screwing my face up into a nasty, pointy-shrew face had no effect.

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Beating it with a roll of sellotape had no effect.

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Going off and having some breakfast and pretending I didn't care had no effect.

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Growling at it had no effect.

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Turning into a combination of Basil Fawlty and Donald Duck had no effect.

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Looking in the Argos catalogue to see how much a new monitor would cost (how much?!) had no effect.

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Ringing Mr Jelly at work to whine at him had no effect.

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And then, all of a sudden, it worked.

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It's evil I tell you, pure evil ......

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And To Think They Turn Into Men.....

For those of us who have sons ... and for those who are happy that they don't.
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And my personal favourite.....

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Interesting facts you learn when you have sons:

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(1) A king size water-bed holds enough water to fill a 200 m2 house to a depth of 10 cm.

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(2) If you spray hair-spray on dust balls and run over them with roller blades, they can ignite.

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(3) A 3-year old boy's voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded restaurant.

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(4) If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong enough to rotate a 20 Kg boy wearing Batman underwear and a Superman cape. It is strong enough, however, if tied to a paint can, to spread paint on all four walls of a 6m x 6m room.

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(5) You should not throw cricket balls up when the ceiling fan is on. When using a ceiling fan as a bat, you have to throw the ball up a few times before you get a hit.

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(6) A ceiling fan can hit a cricket ball a long way.

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(7) The glass in windows (even double-glazed) doesn't stop a cricket ball hit by a ceiling fan.

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(8) When you hear the toilet flush and the words 'uh oh', it's already too late.

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(9) Brake fluid mixed with bleach makes smoke, and lots of it.

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(10) A six-year old boy can start a fire with a flint rock even though a 36-year old man says they can only do it in the movies.

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(11) Certain Lego's will pass through the digestive tract of a 4- year old boy.

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(12) Play-dough and microwave should not be used in the same sentence.

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(13) Super glue is forever.

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(14) No matter how many jelly crystals you put in a swimming pool you still can't walk on water.

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(15) Pool filters do not like jelly crystals.

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(16) VCR's do not eject 'BL&T' sandwiches even though TV commercials show they do.

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(17) Rubbish bags do not make good parachutes.

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(18) Marbles in petrol tanks make lots of noise when driving.

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(19) You probably DO NOT want to know what that smell is.

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(20) Always look in the oven before you turn it on; plastic toys do not like ovens.

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(21) The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earthworms dizzy.

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(22) It will, however, make cats dizzy.

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(23) Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.

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Feel free to add lessons you have learned in the comments below!

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100th Post Blog Giveaway!

To celebrate my 100th blog post, I'm giving you the chance to win one of my denim button squidgy bags!

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It will be custom made just for you .... simply leave a comment to this post letting me know your favourite colour and I will use some fabric in that colour for the lining.

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It will be made from recycled denim jeans, has magnetic clasp closure and I will be sure to use some of my prettiest buttons.

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To see examples of other squidgy bags I've made, click here

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I shall draw a name in 2 weeks' time (Sunday 3rd August)

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So tell all your friends ... spread the word ... and good luck!

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A Russian With Love

I recently took part in I'm A Ginger Monkey's Russian Doll Swap.

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My swap partner was Lindsey over at Ethel and Edna's Tearoom

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Well I know she's received it so I can show it to you.

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I wanted to have a practice with my embroidery machine and when I found this gorgeous applique design available on the interweb, I knew it would be perfect.

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I do feel a bit of a fraud because it was all done by machine, and I know there are so many of you out there who do fantastic work using hand sewing, so I've taken consolation in the fact that I did at least glue the buttons on by hand. (Glued, you'll note, not sewed!)

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Anyway, I think she likes it.

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To see other people's Russian Doll makes, check out the group on flickr
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Oh, and I might have put some other stuff in the parcel .....

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I'd Rather Carry On Smoking, Thanks!

This is a favourite book of mine.

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You see, I'm a bit of a pedant for the correct use of grammar and punctuation.

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(I realise I'm leaving myself wide open for past or future errors I will make, but I cannot stop my inner-stickler wincing whenever it sees a case of poor grammar or apostrophe abuse.)

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I can't help it.

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I wish I could, but I can't!

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So I was quite tickled when I saw this advert in my local newsagent....

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So hang on, if I give up smoking all my weight becomes loose?

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I know, I know! I should get a life!

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So if you're normal and can pass by a sign like this without cringeing...

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Then I recommend this book...

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If, however, you're a sad-case like me and want to see more pictures to make your eyes roll, then check out these sites:

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Apostrophe Abuse

Apostrophe Protection Society

Home For Abused Apostrophes

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PS - I don't smoke, it just made a good post title!

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