2 Paper Rose Hair Clip

I made a hair clip today, here it is:

I was feeling like baking but after wandering through my kitchen and finding only the bare minimum, I kept wandering right on through the garage door out to the massive pile of boxes. From there my journey went onward and upward over the giant heaping mountain of boxes until I found the one that holds craft paper, I selected a couple sheets of purples and retreated back into the house to locate my stack of black paper, after all what would a hairdresser be without having absolutely everything in black.. I then dug up some scissors and twine, you could use hemp, I'm not sure what exactly this is that I found.. other than a tangled mess but it'll do the job just fine. Here is everything.. minus the clip that I found in my hair..

So really just twine or ribbon if you've got that just whatever you have on hand is fine, some colored paper -or in my case black.. a hair clip and scissors

I have clips similar to >THIS< all over my house so that's what I used

Cut out a little square

Round out the edges.. 

Cut it in a spiral shape.. it can be a little irregular that's fine

Start at the outside end

and curl it, try to get it as tight as you can

Hold it for a second then let it go, this is after I let it go, I'm just holding it loosely

I tied a bow around the clip end of the clip and wrapped the other end so there's no metal sticking out anywhere.

Now go out and take some pictures =]

I wasn't sure which side I wanted it on, usually I put clips/pins in the short side of my hair..

But I think I like this one better on my long side. 

Either way I was pretty happy with it. I just want to take a moment to note that I'm wearing color today, this is rare, generally the only color I wear is in my hair. But back to my craft, you can use these little paper roses for just about anything, I also thought of making a bunch and decorating a frame with them or something.. you could also make them out of things other than paper, felt would probably be fun.. ooh! Felt roses on a headband? yeah? maybe next time..

Enjoy! =]

3 Hemp Headband =]

I've come to realize that there is a growing trend in the headband direction, I've always been a fan of headbands though I rarely wear them, I usually just run the straightener through it and go, but today I got the idea to make a macramé hemp headband. So the day started with pulling my great big craft bag of everything down from its top shelf position in the closet.  I have an insane collection of beads and the like so I decided to incorporate them, yes, you can go without, but if you have them why not.. and if you don't, I recommend glass beads, theres a very wide variety and no two are the same

You can literally come up with any combination of colors and shapes imaginable 

Literally. I'm more of a black and white kind of girl mostly because I don't like to commit it goes with anything. So I pulled out an assortment of beads that fit my criteria

And from those I chose four beads, two white and two clear. You will also need one thick strong hair tie or two thinner ones, which is what I happened to have on hand

Don't worry theres only two there, I have them sitting on top of a mirror, I'm using my mirror as a table for this because it has little decorative hooks along the frame and I plan on finding a functional purpose for them, you'll see..

You will also of course need hemp, I used a thinner thread-like hemp for the beads because the holes in them are tiny..

And a thicker/fatter hemp for the overall band

Loop the thick fat hemp over the hair ties like this, as for how much hemp you will need, it varies by head size, get out alot though, about 10 ft should do it, to get this I take the end in one hand and stretch out an arm-span then do it again, since I'm 5ft tall an arm-span is ~ 5ft. 

Cut a second string 2x the length of your proposed finished headband + a couple inches for finishing, for me that was ~2ft+4in to finish it off, I didn't really think this craft through before I started and I'm not really big on measuring things anyway and had to make alterations along the way, so if you don't get it exactly right, don't worry, its fixable -trust me. 

The long strings you looped over the bands will be the outside portion so put the 2nd string ends in between them like this.

Heres where my mirror's decorative hooks become functional.. You will probably want to find some way to hold the bands in place while you work so you can use both hands. It can be done without but I'll tell you from experience that it puts alot more strain on your hands than necessary and by the time you're done you will feel the carpal tunnel coming on.

If you already know how to macramé just scan over this part, if you don't, keep reading, these pictures are for you. take the right hand string end and cross it under the 2 ends of the #2 string and over the left hand end

take the left hand string end from under the right hand end crossing it over the #2 string and through the loop created by the right hand string end

Pull tight. 

Then do the opposite: take the now left hand string end under the #2 string and over the opposing string end

And bring the now right hand string end under the left and over the #2 string, through the loop.. and pull tight, seeing a pattern yet?  If you keep alternating you will get a flat woven band look, if you forget to alternate it will make a spiral pattern

Since it's a headband, I wanted it to be flat, keep tying these knots until you get to where you want to add your beads if you're planning to use them

I looped the skinny string around string #2 and continued tying the macramé knots around it, allowing my beads to appear to be sitting on top of the band rather than woven into it

See how they sort of rest on top

I like the square bead, I think it lends something to the mix that I just cant describe (yes, I know)

Keep tying macramé knots around the beads as though they're not there. I used enough skinny string to reach well past the end of string #2, this will come in later, for now just add them to string #2, you wont see them in the finished product.

Decide where the macramé portion of the headband will end, indicate with a knot, remember, the bands are elastic so allow for stretching. Stop making macramé knots a couple inches from the skinny knot

Place string #2 through the bands, using the knot as a guide

fold them through the bands..

Go ahead and cut the skinny strings out of the mix, you wont need them anymore

Cut string #2 even with where you stopped knotting earlier

Continue knotting over the folded string #2, it may get thick here so make sure you pull extra tight

Keep knotting and pulling extra tight til you get to the bands

Both ends of the macramé portion should now be attached to the bands completing the circle

tie the loose ends in a square knot on one side or the other of the macramé band. 

Try it on and take a picture! =]

Let your hair down

And there you have the finished Hemp Macramé Headband =]

I couldn't have done it without my little helper <3

Thanks Hank! =]