Spiral Lace - fancy hair-do

This do was super fun. I wasn't sure if the pic with the flash or without was better. My friend came over, and I begged her to let me do her hair. She picked this do.

1. I parted her hair in half so that it was easier to work with. Then I sectioned off a 2-3 inch circle right in the middle of her head. I put that in a pony tail while I sectioned off the rest. I measured about an inch above and below the circle and sectioned off an arch. Then I put that arc in a loose pony tail and did the same on the other side, forming a circle with the arc you just sectioned off. then i put that in a loose pony tail too. Then, just keep sectioning off 1 inch arc's until you have sectioned off all the way out.

2. Start with the circle right in the middle of her hair. Section off a tiny circle (maybe an inch or half an inch) right in the middle of that bigger circle. Divide this section into three strands for the regular braid.

3. Braid 2-3 times, until your ready to add hair from the outside of the circle to the strand closest to the outside. Just like the lace, you will only add sections to the strand closest to the outside of the circle.

4. Remember, when you section of a piece to add to the strand, section all the way across the little 1 inch arc. Add it only to the strand closest to the outside. Then, french braid that strand (and the section added to it) towards the middle, just like a regular french braid. Then, braid the strand closetest to the part without adding a section to it. Remember to keep the braid snug but not too tight, otherwise it will flip.

5. Continue all the way around her head in a spiral shape. As you continue on and on, some little pieces will start to want to stick out. Just keep water and gel handy to braid them into or put them behind the braid.

My friend had to leave before I was all the way done, so with the very outside section, I made "barbie bangs" and then pinned the rest of her hair (at the end of the french braid and the hair from the outer most cirlce) up into a little bun. I pinned the bun to look like a flower. You can see one on either side.

Dutch Lace

This do looks like a Dutch lace, but it is actualy a regular lace. But, I did it too tightly and it flipped.

A dutch braid is an inside out french braid. Instead of braiding normal you braid opposite. Essentially, a normal braid (3 strands) will take the outside sections and put them in the middle, alternatingly. A dutch braid takes the middle section and puts it on the outside, alternately.

Anyway, how to do the Lace:

1. Part the hair across the top, and tie back the long back hair. The tighter and smoother you tie it back, the easier.

2. Start above one ear with three strands. Regularily braid 2-3 times or until your ready to add a section to the strand closest to her face.

3. Section off a piece of hair all the way from her face to the part. Add that to the strand closest to her face. Then braid in that strand along with the section added to it, just like a regular french braid. Keep the braid snug but not too tight, otherwise it will flip, like mine. Next time I will also braid close to the part so that the braid will lay over the part.

4. You will only be adding to which ever strand is closest to her face. So, at this point you will braid the strand next to the part with out adding a section to it.

5. Repeat 3 and 4 all the way across her head.

6. When you get to the end, braid all the way down the length of her hair. You can let this hang down, pin it into a bun, or (if your princesses hair is long enough) pin it on the other side, where you started, to make a circle.

Fishtail

The princesses hair can finally be braided again. I only needed it to be a half inch longer.

Here's a fishtail french braid...although it didn't turn out quite like I wanted it! I'll have to do a re-do. A fishtail is super easy. You don't have to know how to braid.

1. All you do is start at the top of her hair with two sections. Turn your palm up and hold the two sections between your pointer and middle fingers and middle and ring fingers.

2. Then, section off a tiny section on one side and add it to the opposite side.

3. Then do the same on the other side.

4. Repeat 2 and 3, alternating sides, until you go all the way down the head of as far as you want. (I fishtailed the princesses hair across the top. I think it turns out better with longer hair and if you use all the hair as described).

5. When you get to the end, you can either put a ponytail at the base of the head, or fishtail it all the way down. To do this, you grab a tiny section of hair from behind one section and add across to the other section. Then do that with the other section. Continue until you reach the end of the hair.

Haircut!

The princesses hair finally got long enough to chop it and get rid of those afore mentioned annoying short baby hairs. So, all of her hair is one length!! Yeah!! For the moment, it can't be french braided. :( However, this chop will make it easier to braid in the future. So, for now I am on the look out for cute do's to do with short hair.




This blog has provide some of those cute do's for short hair, although most are for long hair.
http://hair4myprincess.blogspot.com/
I have been stocking this blog lately. Here are two do's I have tried from it:

This blog: http://babesinhairland.blogspot.com/, has more ideas for short hair since she has a two year old. Here is one do that I tried from her blog:

Across the top

I used to do this one all the time when Jocie had those annoying short baby hairs in the front.

Yes, the princess watches a movie while I braid....it's a perfect way to get her to hold still. And when I'm done she is so excited to be beautiful. :)

Classic Pigtail French Braid

Classic Pigtail French Braid with only half the hair. The main purpose of this post is so that you can see what I mean by Classic Pigtail Braid.

An older picture of the princess with this same do but with an added flair.

"X" Braid or Criss Cross Classic Pigtail French Braids

This is another favorite of mine. And my kids, who lovingly named it the "X" Braid.

1. Part the hair down the middle into pigtails. And then part the pigtails in half, so you have four sections on her head. Tie back three of the sections. The one left out should be one of the front sections.

2. On Classic pigtail french braids, I usually start the braid with a triangular piece in the front by the part. However, on the criss cross braids start with a small rectangular section above the temple, which is then separated into three pieces to braid with.

3. French braid toward the middle of the head. When you get to the middle, braid for another inch or two before you begin to french braid again with the section opposite the one you're working with.

4. Then, just do the same thing with the other two sections.

French Crown

This was my first attempt at this do. I have to use darling friend's princess as my princesses' hair is too short, so I haven't been able to do a re-try. Please excuse the lack of gel again too. Darling friend's daughter's hair is past her waist, and this do got it all up without it feeling heavy on her scalp since the weight is distributed.

So, you start behind her left ear. If you look close enough, you can see the part in her hair where I started. I clipped the hair up in front of that spot so it was out of the way. Then you just french braid in a circle. Next time, besides using gel, I will braid the bottom half of the circle closer to the middle. After you're done braiding, just follow the bottom half of the circle with the long braid and pin it up. I didn't even put a bobby pin in. I just tucked it in, and it held really well.

French Braid Pigtails

I love this hairdo!

1. Part the hair down the middle into pigtails. And then part the pigtails in half, so you have four sections on her head.

2. Do a regular french braid on one front section and then the other. I usually start the braid with a triangular piece in the front by the part. When you get to the end of each french braid, continue to braid for an inch or two:

3. Then, start at the base of her head on one back section. And braid upside down.

4. Then just put the two braids together on each side and tie another pony tail holder around both braids. Hope that makes sense.

In this picture, you can see the triangular area (mentioned earlier) in the front, by the part, that I start my three strands from.

I have no idea why her shirt is off....my guess...I got it wet while spraying her hair. Even when her clothes only get wet with water, she is convinced they are dirty. So sorry.

Accent Braids

I love accent braids. They add a cute touch. As you can tell, I should have used gel...oops. By the way, this is the princess of my friend. She has longer hair than my princess.

I was still in the experimental stage when I made the accent braids here, but I now know how to do them properly. There are two ways. Way #1: take a small section from her hair and braid. And here's the step I missed: When you take your next strand to add to the french braid, you have to take some from above the section that is the accent braid and some from below. That way you hide where the accent braid comes from.

Way #2: Have the section for the accent braid be the same length and width as the rest of the sections that you are adding to your french braid. However, I don't think that this way hides it well enough.

Regular French Braiding

If anyone wants me to explain the regular french braid...let me know. I think that the smaller the additions, the prettier.

This do is called Classic Pigtail French Braid.

When the princess saw my hair today, she came up to me and said, trying to make me feel pretty, "Mom, I love your back hair." LOL! So precious and inoncent!