Every other Tuesday is reveal day for the Iron Craft Challenge, so every other Tried it Tuesday post will go along with the theme for each challenge. This week I needed to have my project fall into the theme of Summertime.
I looked at recipes, at wreaths, at hair dos, at outfits, and just wasn't finding anything. And then yesterday I found a pin and it sparked an idea!
(The picture went to a blank link, so I have no idea who to credit for this photo sadly!)
I've been wanting to get back into trying out Pinterest pins again. That is how this whole things started after all!
We used to just try the things that seemed iffy. The pins that seemed too good to be true. And it was SUPER fun doing them, and getting all your submissions! And I'll still try some of those, but they aren't as prevalent on Pinterest anymore. I think most people have wised up a little and know that you can't pour a glow stick into bubbles and make glowing orbs of awesomeness.
There were a bunch of crazy things on Pinterest, but the crazy has mellowed a little. And so our testing mellowed out some. But, there are still FABULOUS things to be found all over on Pinterest. I still use Pinterest in my life all the time. So I thought it'd be worth showing the various pins I try out and how they turn out in real life.
I've had this sitting in the back of my head for a few weeks, but then this past week my Mother-in-Law sent me a pin that was the perfect starter for this.
And here's the test!
Not the softy soft I had in my head where my fingers would sink through it...but it's still soft enough to mix up decently. Maybe a "few" minutes needs to be 10 or so...but at that point I think I'd just risk the microwave if I need it super-duper soft.
EAC is truly my Alma Mater, the Mother of my Soul. I learned so much and grew incredibly there.
After two years of home school and 1 year of public school for high school, I stepped foot on campus as a shy, unsure seventeen year old. I had no idea just how amazing of an adventure I had just embarked on. I wouldn't be the same person when I left.
If I had to choose just one thing to be the biggest lesson I learned there it could be summed up in those eternal words spoken by Alan Rickman on screen: "Never give up! Never surrender!"
It took 6 semesters to finally make it into A Cappella Choir (and only because I was at the top of the list of people who didn't make it, so a sweet friend gave up her seat so I could be in choir).
It took lots of homework and a plate of brownies to pass College Algebra.
It took a few heartbreaks to find my eternal best friend.
It took organizing my DVD's weird, seeing someone fall in a bush, and Astronomy labs to make some of the most amazing friendships of my life.
It took driving around an old car the color of baby poo to get around sometimes.
It took a whole bucket load of guts to run for Student Council, and a whole stack of papers to make fliers for campaigning.
It took a lot of knocks of pride when I got my papers back with a big red C on them rather than the A I thought I would see.
It took an oil painting class to teach me that my medium of choice is photography.
It took the trust of a great advisor handing over the first DSLR I ever touched and giving me free reign of photographing all the events on campus to give me the confidence I needed to try portraits.
It took tears, fears, joys, friendships, late nights, tests, trials, and love.
And I don't regret a bit of it!
I had the honor of speaking at Graduation 10 years ago and spoke on this same topic. In talking about the lessons I'd learned while at EAC, I found that "one lesson I learned many times is that life doesn't slow down, even if you stumble and fall. You just have to get back up and keep running. It would have been easy so many times to quit trying, but if we don't get up and start running again, we never get to see what is down the road and we never grow. I know that getting back up is easier said that done, but it's worth it!"
So my message for today is to Never Give Up, Never Surrender. Don't be afraid of hard things. Don't shy away from change. Keep pushing on, because without realizing you may be making progress you'll build on for the rest of your life! You never know who's life your are touching. You never know who and what will leave a hand print on your heart, and touch your life for good.
One of the items on my 101 Things in 2016 list was "Fix my hair every day for a week (more than just a regular ponytail or leaving it down and brushed)." Another item on that list is to make a blog post for every item I complete. Whew!
At the end of March I finally got this done! And I even got pictures of 4 out of 7 of the days that week. I did great at fixing my hair each week...but wearing a different sweater each day...it looks like I failed. You can't win them all I guess!
I love looking elegant, but I don't have hours (or even an hour, or often half an hour) to do my hair. So the week I did this (the last week in March) I went for elegant, but quick. Some days I hit it, and others it was just meh, but it worked!
Hair Do#1: Side Ponytail with Twist
Pretty much for this I start with a small section of hair right at my part, separate it into two tails, and then twist it twice. Then each time after that I add a section of hair from the front and work my way down towards the back of my neck. Ponytail at the base with some bobby pins to hold it in place.
Hair Do #2
Similar to Hair Do #1, but instead of twisting it all into a pony tail, I stopped half way down my head (at the top of my ear) and then pulled the front pieces back and pinned it.
Hair Do #3 (and apparently the same shirt and sweater...oh well)
My favorite twist trick using a stretchy headband. This is one I found on Pinterest and worked to figure out. I did a post and video on this one a while back!
Hair Do #4
Pulled back into a bun. I started with pinning my bangs back loosely, then pulling the rest of my hair back and pinning (with an army of bobby pins) it up into a bun.
The days I'm missing pictures of I did a side bun (a combination of hair do #1 and #4), a sock bun (I still need practice on those! It kept my hair out of my face and looked good for 20 minutes, and then it kinda flopped), and the final day I just had my hair down and curled.
It was fun to try some new things, and to put effort into my hair every single day. It's easy on days I'm home working on blogs, photography, and life from behind the computer and in front of the sink to just let my hair run wild and free...but when I take the time to fix it, I feel better. I feel more put together. I feel motivated to make something of the day!
And now if I can just come to grips with how fast the gray is coming in. Sigh.
