HeadCase by KB

Look at me! I'm an entrepreneur!

So apparently people are actually willing to pay me to make them hair accessories. It feels weird because making headbands, clips, elastics, key chains, pins, etc etc etc is just something I do for fun... but lately thanks to the encouragement of some of my friends, I've actually started selling the little boogers. Plus I'm really cheap.

Every design is one of a kind and created from upcycled material and people dig that. I love how goofy the giant flowers look on babies. I love making elegant clips for formal updos. I love the hippie chic headband look. I love using team colors for high school & college kids (& fans). I love giving them as gifts and I love selling them to strangers.

I recently started a facebook page and aside from desperately needing a model and someone with photog skills, it's out there!

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WILW 6.15.11

Link up at this kind of love to play along!

I'm loving the fact that after much talk, this week I have finally started P90X!! Absolutely incredible workout. Hands down the toughest routines I've ever done... I can't wait till I'm in such great shape I don't have to do the modified exercises! I'm not brave enough to post pics just yet, but perhaps when I've achieved my bikini bod I'll have no problem showing the before & after! If you're trying to get in the best shape of your life, head on over to P90X and check it out. My legs feel like jello and I've sweated like a maniac, but I love every minute of it. : )

I'm loving the fact that people actually want to buy the hair accessories I've been making out of thrifted material and scraps of fabric. I make them for fun & wear them to work and this week I found myself with 3 orders from people. Huh? OK... why not?

I'm loving the fact that I just got asked to be a bridesmaid (it's ok, I'm a professional) in Kim's wedding! This girl was like a little sister to me growing up... her mom was my dance teacher for more years than I can remember and she and I got into our fair share of trouble together... and now she's all grown up and getting married!

Kim's senior pic 

That's Kim in the center with her arm up and I'm to her right showing my bloomers...??





HAPPY WEDNESDAY!!

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Flower Headband & Flip Flop Tutorial

I have to wear a boring uniform to work, so I try and spruce it up a bit with flowers in my hair. Real flowers would be nice, but that gets expensive and ever since I ended up with an ant crawling around on my scalp I've been a strictly fake flower fan.

I'm not about to spend $20 or $30 in a boutique for a hair accessory, so I make my own with a little help from the dollar store and my thrifting adventures. I recently came across a ripped blouse  in a gorgeous green and for a few cents it was mine. I knew right away I was going to make tons of fabric flowers with this treasure!

Today I made a headband for my baby niece Zoe and decorated some flip flops for her older sister Katelyn. 

STEP 1: Gather your material. Soft silky fabric work best for this type of flower.

STEP 2: Cut a strip of fabric and fold it over. I never measure, but if I had to guess I'd say about 8 inches in length. Now starting on the fold, cut a "B" shape in the fabric. (In the photo I was using the last scrap of material which was only about 4 inches in length, thus I could only cut one "B".) Continue cutting "B" shapes in various sizes until you have the desired amount of material. More "B's" = fuller flower.

STEP 3: Pinch the fold of the "B" shape and fan out the petals. Secure with hot glue or needle and thread. (I have better luck with needle and thread!)

STEP 4: Continue gathering each "B" and sew or glue them to one another. I always wing this part. Trying to be too uniform in the shape will only give you a headache. Just eyeball it!

STEP 5: Cut the leg on a pair of tights and sew the ends together. This one's for a baby, so I trimmed a bit more off the leg.

STEP 6: Sew the flower to the headband.

I made several flowers. Some of them got sewn onto clips and bobby pins, some are just sitting in my craft basket, and 4 of them got sewn onto a pair of flip flops from the dollar store.

I have piles more fabric to sort through... and a gazillion more presents for my nieces. More tutorials to come!

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A Baby Shower in the Burbs

Jen's baby shower was very... SWEET. Her sister Kelly did a fabulous job with decorations and food and fun. There was sort of a dessert theme going on with brownies and ice cream and chocolate covered fruit. I was a happy girl. I've never been shy about being the first to hit up the food table at a party or the first to head out to the dance floor and get things going, so I was happy to stuff my face to make the others feel more comfortable. At least, that's the way I see it.

What makes this food even more incredible is that Jen has a gluten allergy, which is a big deal considering gluten is in EVERYTHING. She wasn't diagnosed until a few years ago, so all those times in college I told her to suck it up and stop being such a hypochondriac still haunt me. Especially considering we lived on pizza and beer at the time.... ooooops....

So if you've ever tasted gluten free food, a lot of it is horrible. Poor Jen! But I have to say that I sampled virtually every single dish (oink oink) at the shower and it was all delicious. No funky texture or aftertaste. Kudos to Kelly, Susan, & Jen's Mom!

Jen lives in an adorable cottage on a Christmas Tree farm. It was a GORGEOUS day with perfect weather and a great turn out. I'm not big on goofy baby shower games (especially when only a handful of people there know me) so I was relieved that we didn't play many and they weren't awful. Have you ever seen that one where women melt chocolate on diapers and have to lick the brown gooey mess and determine what kind of candy bar it is? I mean, WHAT?!?!?! We kept the chocolate on our plates, and for that I am thankful. Instead we guessed how big around her belly is and tried to complete nursery rhymes.

TP tummy girth

Jen still can't believe life after size 0

Kelly and the tie breaker

eek! No sleep the night before..

Jen got tons of loot and since this is her first baby, it was all giant boxes with things like strollers and car seats and bassinets. I tried to do my best Oooh and Aaaah to show enthusiasm, but truth be told I had no idea what some of those contraptions were. MaryAllen & I stuck to what we knew: we got nursery decorations Jen registered for and I (of course) made a giant flower headband.

When it came time to write Jen a message on the "Tree of Wisdom," I'm afraid it was pretty obvious which ones were written by her single college friends:

 

I may have no clue about babies, but luckily Jen doesn't mind. Baby shower - success!

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Chelsea Miller Designs

Mothers Day, Graduation, birthdays, etc etc etc... December gets all the hype but the truth is, there are gifts to be given year round... and lots of them! I find myself with a long list at the moment.

I LOVE gift giving and I especially LOVE to support my talented artistic friends and family. Refer to my Whimsy Tab to read more on my "support your local artist not your local mega shopping center" soap box.

Today I want to feature my beautiful friend Chelsea Miller of Chelsea Miller Designs. This girl is truly amazing. Not only is she a fellow animal lover/ bleeding heart for the four legged among us, she is a talented and unique jewelry designer.

Chelsea attended the Savannah College of Art and Design where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree. Not only are her designs gorgeous, they are literally treasures. Chelsea routinely participates in digs where she unearths ceramic shards from bygone eras. These bits of pottery and such are transformed by Chelsea's skilled hands into fabulous head-turning jewelry. She now resides in Charleston, South Carolina, where there is no shortage of charming southern history just waiting to become your next must-have gift! Did I mention her jewelry was recently featured on the Lifetime original series Army Wives? Congrats, Chelsea! The sky's the limit!

This was taken a few years ago at a trunk show, but I just love her eco displays!

You can find Chelsea on etsy here or go directly to her web site here. Don't forget to check her out on facebook!

Told ya she's awesome.

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WILW 4.20.11

 This week I'm celebrating my gypsy heart. I know it's not normal 

and some may say not very responsible, but it's me. I've struggled throughout

my twenties to come to terms with the complete lack of desire to "settle down" 

by society's standards. At times I've felt like a complete failure.. flawed because

I don't want the things I'm supposed to want. The things my friends want.

I didn't have buy that one way ticket to Hawaii after graduating college...

I could have saved my money, gone to grad school, used my Biology 

degree to get a grown-up job as a lab rat somewhere.. I could be 

paying a mortgage instead of rent... I could be one of those people with a 

briefcase and a 401K. Instead I am one of those people with a worn out 

suitcase and a mountain of debt. I wouldn't change a thing.

I have explored the planet and explored my soul. I need to travel like 

most people need oxygen. I'm certain that taking a more "normal" path would

kill me. I've spent my twenties broke and trying to find my way... 

different cities, different careers, even different schools. Sure, it's a struggle,

but I truly wouldn't have it any other way. Thankfully, I have the full support

of my friends and family and no one has ever told me to chill out with the 

travel plans and be normal for five minutes. So to my dearest friends and 

family, thank you for accepting my gypsy heart. At times I think you all 

keep me from betraying my wanderlust... you keep me honest with my 

true self and help me accept my very nature. Thank you.

I'm loving this navigation locket by birdzNbeez on etsy. I mean, 

was this thing meant to be mine or what? A sparrow (often tattooed on

sailors after 5,000 nautical miles traveled, thought to bring good luck and

a safe return), a rosary connector, and a compass locket. 

I'm loving lonely planet travel guides. Advice, tips, information,

and reviews on everything from street vendors to hostels to taxi 

companies. I've loved lonely planet since I got my hands on a few guides back

in high school. I certainly believe that too much planning is a recipe for 

disaster when it comes to travel, but having no idea that it's considered 

obscene to use your left hand at the dinner table in certain cultures is not

a good thing. You have to do your research, but be careful not to plan every
moment with no flexibility. Lonely planet keeps you informed when it comes

to gratuity, gestures, dress, language, transportation, lodging, food, etc.

A sample of my collection...

I'm loving the fact that I've made a decision to {one day} own 

a pop up camper. I grew up camping with my family. We camped when 

we went to grandma's house. We camped when we went to the beach or to 

the mountains. We even camped when we went to Disney World.  Campfires, 

ghost stories, exploring campgrounds, smores, meeting interesting people, 

picking wildflowers, swimming, hiking, fishing, playing cards, chasing 

butterflies & catching lighting bugs...some of my best childhood memories 

involve that old Coleman Pop Up. I learned how to dive, do a cartwheel and 

french braid my hair on camping trips with my cousins. My first black eye? The 

camping trip in Maine when my little brother got angry and threw a rock at my

face. What can I say, I'm a sucker for nostalgia. I love my tent, but since I plan

to camp in every state in the Union, I may as well have pop up of my very own.

The smell of citronella takes me back...

One of many rainy New England camping trips.

Although... an Airstream would be pretty sweet. 

My budget calls for a pop up.

Oh how I miss those days spent camping...

I'm loving these must-have travel accessories, 

like the luggage tags I got for Christmas.

And this handy $6 clock/calculator/currency converter for those 

of us who don't want to fuss with finding aps on 

smartphones whilst on an international vacation.

Then there's my favorite, Cliff Bars. Completely necessary for those 

of us who think only of food when we find ourselves experiencing 

the more boring parts of travel. Yummmmmm....

Way cheaper than airport food.

Wishing you an adventuresome Wednesday!

Source URL: https://joshhamiltonblog.blogspot.com/search/label/Whimsy
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