As you can see in the pic above I dyed my hair ombre. (Sorry I look a weird whiteish/ green color. lol. I haven't had a chance to get a real picture taken. I just snapped the one above with my cell phone. I got a new Iphone and it takes way worse pics then my old Iphone NO idea why that is. I doesn't look so yellow/ orange in real life.)
Anyway....Ombre hair is really cool. It is super low maintenance way to color your hair. Ombre hair starts out darker at the roots and the ends of your hair graduate to another color (usually lighter and blonder) Almost like you have let your roots take over your head. Dark roots used to frowned upon,but now it is "trendy" Yay :-)
 I have naturally dark brown hair that I usually dye red.Red dye has the largest color molecule of any dye so it fades fast though and my roots grow super quick so my hair only looks good red for a little bit. To go ombre I had to dye the top part brown and the next day I bleached the bottom part.(As a general rule, it's best to start the Ombré highlights at around chin level. The color should only be in the last two or three inches of each layer of hair)
 I heard a trick to tease the hair a little in the middle of the hair where you are starting to apply the bleach so that the fade is more natural looking. My hair does NOT go blonde easily at all. I  have way too much red in it(which is why I usually go red instead of blonde) even when I get it done professionally they can't get it blonde.I wanted it a little blonder at the ends so I put a toner in the bottom part of my hair. I didn't see much of a difference, but that is ok.

I have been using this spray on my hair before I blow dry it or straighten it. I spray it on my hands and rub it over the nds of my hair and spray a little more just on the very tips to gradually lighten the ends. I am also making sure to condition the ends of my hair really well to keep it looking healthy.

I am happy with my ombre hair. I had been wanting to go ombre for awhile. For one I had seen a ton of celebrities and cool fashion people have ombre hair and two, I have dark hair that grows super fast so the idea of adding some dimension and interest to my hair,but not having to worry about roots?! I am so doing it! Also supposedly the lightness at the ends adds a youthful look to hair, as strands naturally lighten under the sun further down the shaft from the root.Sounds good to me. lol. I know I feel older and sick looking when my hair is too dark.

I was worried that it would turn out stupid or that random people would stare at me and think that I dyed my hair wrong.  I am not entirely sure everyone "gets" my ombre hair,but hey, it is only hair. I can just dye it again or cut it.

here are some pics of lovely ombre hair

via here






via here



via here



via here

This look is a little too messy,but still cute. Love her purse!

via here




 

via here



 When I think of ombre hair I think of Alexa Chung. I just adore her style! Her hair is a perfect example of how ombre hair can look good on shorter hair too.




via here

 This video was great and really helpful. She is so sweet. I love her blog!
 This post and video were great too.
xoxo!!

such a loving daddy

Happy Fathers day!

 I was lucky enough to have had a great dad that was always a part of my life,now my kiddos are lucky to have a wonderful Daddy that just adores them.

"Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father!"
~ Lydia M. Child

"I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection."
~ Sigmond Freud

We love you so much sweetheart!! Thank you for being suuch a great Daddy and husband!!
xoxo!

Mason jar love



I just adore mason jars! They are so simple and inexpensive,but so sweet at the same time.
They are used in tons of weddings



via here

 they make great vases



via here

 I love them as candle holders(especially with wire wrapped around the rims and hung from trees)

I think this idea of hanging them with fairy lights is darling for an outdoor party.




via here


For drinks

via here

(especially with paper straws. I am kinda obsessed with them. I just got some pink ones and some red ones in the mail the other day for up coming parties I am throwing)
Love that the jars in the pic below have tags tied on them so you can write your name and nobody gets their drinks mixed up. Genius!

via here

for ice cream

via here( Love her blog!)

for cupcakes

via here

To display pictures

via here

For a  terrarium

I want to start collecting sand in jars from each beach we visit.
Bakerella's collection is awesome! She has sand from over 100 beaches!

My favorite kind of jars are the vintage blue mason jars

I followed this cool DIY for faux blue mason jars.(It uses food coloring and glue/modge podge!) It was really fun and easy. As you can see in the pic below I just grabbed random jars from around the house to try the method out on. I am going to buy a case of mason jars and paint some more blue.

(don't mind how cluttered the counters look. lol. They are usually really clean. Also, you can kinda see our oven in the background,but we have a brand new one now that we are loving!)

I liked the method I used, but I want to buy some of this so that I can try this DIY version. (this version is baked on and can hold water for flowers. )


I love everything about mason jars and considering how fun and easy it is to make your own faux blue ones at home....
I can tell that it won't be long until all the jars in our house look like this :-)

via here

P.S.
*Apparently you can turn your blender into a food processor with mason jars
*LOVE this salad in a jar idea. very convenient and keeps the salad fresh for 10 days. Would work great for lots of foods. *Perfect for Strawberries.
*A mason jar picnic is a darling idea.(Mason jars make excellent portable containers for individual food servings. For picnics or similar outings, make and pack individual salads, puddings, fresh berries or melon chunks into mason jars. Single-serving, washable or recyclable containers that can eliminate the need for paper plates.)
I want this so bad!
*love these solar light mason jars found here
I want to organize with the jars like she does here
*more great ideas here
*Also I have lots more mason jar pics here

xoxo!!

things I adore

I am totally loving Pinterest right now. I even have an app for my phone so I can go on there when ever I want. (Side note...I just got a new Iphone yesterday to replace my not working so great Iphone. My new phone is white and I like it a lot better then my old phone. I am also getting a new white Ipad 2 any day now. I am secretly excited about both the iphone and the Ipad. Shhh..don't tell hubby. He is the technology person/big spender in this house and I am the non technology/cheap skate ;-)

Anyway,back to pinterest,today I pinned.............

this mirror I had put a vintage mirror on the porch awhile ago for decoration out there until I could decide where to put it inside. Unfortunately,even though it was under a covered porch the weather had made the wood frame around the mirror break into pieces. I might try this doily idea. Super cute and easy!

beyond cute shrug I love anything by Mrs.Press

love these little play huts for the kiddos! The colors are adorable! The boys already have a dark blue and yellow one that looks similar(Did not pay $500 for it though ;-) I am going to give it a little make over and put it in the back yard for them to play in.

this hairstyle is so pretty!

super sweet lingerie set

cutest kitchen!! I adore pastels!

I love Elsie and Jeremy's whole wedding. So cute!! The background at the alter is awesome!

I just adore their wedding video!

Hope you have a great day!!

hugs!!

Adorable Laundromat

The other day we headed down to the beach(we are a beach loving family and go there all the time,plus it was super hot here in town and we wanted to get away from the heat.)

Every single time we go down to the beach I tell my hubby that I want to stop and take pictures of the kids at a laundromat that we pass in one of the little towns. My hubby thinks I am nuts and laughs. :-)
But, I think that Laundromats are really cute places to take photos. I have seen quite a few photographers do photo shoots in them. I always think of Sharstin(she is so sweet. Love her.) when I pass this Laundromat because she does a lot of shoots at Laundromats and she would love this one!! It has pale yellow and aqua blue walls with vintage pink and robin egg blue washers/dryers. Um HEAVEN! I told my hubby that I could seriously live there! Well.um..maybe not,but seriously....totally my favorite colors! ;-)

Anyway, the other day when we passed it I had us stop and get the kiddos out for a VERY impromptu photo shoot. No cute clothes and hair styled nicely or anything. We were just at the gas station across the street getting junk food for the car ride(hubby's idea. I am a health food nut. well most of the time anyway) then crossed the road,got out and I started snapping pics.

Hubby looks kinda annoyed because he still thought it was a silly idea,but was sweetly humoring me.

There was a really sweet older couple in the laundromat with us so of course I started talking to them to make myself feel less stupid about taking pictures in there. Ha Ha. The wife was nice enough to take a picture of all of us together. I like the picture,but I am not going to post it because I think my hair looks awful(I always do my hair and the one time I don't I have a family picture taken. Oh,well.) plus,I was wearing a dress that makes me look huge in the pic. aaugh.


The numbers on the dryers above the boys heads were the numbers 12 and 14,but I (very badly) photo shopped the 1s out so it is now 2 and 4. (Their ages) They are even standing below their right ages. We totally didn't plan that.

Miss Kensington is standing by number 11 which is funny too because she is 11 months old(today actually! :-)

 I was crouched down on the floor taking pics so of course she started walking towards me.....

Sutton's face in the background cracks me up.

 The nice older lady suggested putting Kensi in their empty laundry cart. Um LOVE that idea. Too cute!

Then we finished heading down to the beach. We had an amazing day there! Beyond gorgeous weather!! We saw my parents of course(they live at the beach, which is part of the reason we go so much)
We had a super fun day. I really do adore my little family! Sounds cheesey,but it is true.

At the beach we went miniature golfing, played with sand toys on the beach for ages,did lots of shopping(TONS of awesome vintage finds from garage sales and thrift shops!!) ,but I will post pics of some of that stuff another day.


xoxo!!!