Tag Archives: fashion

Tiny-Small blow drying her hair. — Tiny-Small won’t be a beauty school drop out, unlike her mother totally would have been if she ever attended beauty school. Also, it’s blurry because this kid does not sit still for anything anymore.

Tiny-Small insists on looking fabulous. It’s just her inner beauty queen speaking. She was born to sparkle, apparently. So, I wasn’t surprised when she begged me to let her use the hair dryer. I set it on low and hoped for the best. Since I subscribe to the “hands on” theory of learning I figured why not?

Drying her right foot. — First one foot…

I was kind of surprised that she thought it was important to dry her socks, but hey, I am no expert on the beauty routines of the not so rich and almost famous. Tiny-Small knows more about that at the ripe old age of three than I do at the nice young age of 38. I mean, she’s got the shiny, glitter gene and I’ve got the “I brushed my hair yesterday (I think)” gene so maybe sock drying is the latest fad in beauty culture. Maybe she is just starting a new trend.

Either way, after my trip to the salon and looking great for 12 hours I am back to my usual ways. I can’t tame this curly mess of mine no matter how many YouTube hair tutorials I watch or how many hair slicking-down styling products I purchase. I am a lost cause, at least until I win the lottery (I don’t play), or invent some gadget that goes viral and makes me rich (doubtful given my track record with mechanical objects), or grow another set of arms (probably the most likely).

This is what the beauty routines of the not so rich and almost famous look like. I use the word “almost” very loosely here, obviously. I mean, Tiny-Small is more almost famous than I am, probably because she is cute and I am more like an artist with no personal style or time to care. Fame is so hard to come by these days, especially when you are a practicing hermit covered in acrylic paint and seven types of glue pretty much every moment of your life. I probably should admit to using the term “beauty” pretty loosely here too. I mean, let’s be real, right?

If one more person over 65 tells me how lucky I am to have naturally curly hair I just might cry.

Motherhood, This Is Your Life Lillian Connelly

To Dye Or Not To Dye

December 6, 2012 Lillian Connelly 30 Comments

I have been debating with myself about letting my hair go the way of the gray or white or silver or whatever color it would be if I just stopped dyeing it. To dye or not to dye seems to be the thing I cannot make a decision about these days. The question floats around in my mind behind all of the more pressing and important decisions I am supposed to be making right now. It nags at me day and night.

Hair.

It shouldn’t be that big of a deal right? I keep wondering why I turn it into such a big deal. When will I stop worrying about what to do with my hair? Once the decision to dye or not to dye is made I’ll be right back to the similarly elusive question: To cut or not to cut?

The thing is, in my mind I will look like this when I let my hair grow out naturally:

tumblr_m9a01mgRBM1rytn9zo1_500 — This photo originally came from http://pastel-locks.tumblr.com as far as I can tell.

In reality though I will probably look more like this…

greylady_0.preview — Photo attributed to: http://hairtreatmentsclass.com

I mean, sure, I am exaggerating a little here, but this is how I imagine people will see me with my gray hair. People will stop and ask Tiny-Small if she likes going to the park with her Grandma and I will have to interrupt and clarify that I am in fact her mother. That could be a little awkward. I feel older than everyone else at the park as it is. Probably because I am older than everyone else at the park. This is what happens when you wait until your mid thirties to even think about having children. You become the oldest mother in town.

Anyway, I still don’t really know what I am going to do about my hair. The idea of throwing out the dye sounds so liberating. My hair will be healthier and with that $8.00 I will save each month I could buy myself a Starbucks coffee or maybe go to a movie, right? What do you think? Do you dye your hair? Have you ever fantasized about letting it all go gray? What stops you from taking the plunge?

art, Family, Tiny-Small

How To Make A Tutu Like A Boss

November 10, 2012 Lillian Connelly 12 Comments

I made a tutu…like a boss! You can too. I have an easy, simple method to do it.

You will need: 2-3 yards of tulle (or more if you are making a long tutu or one for an older child or adult). A sewing machine, scissors and 3/4″ knit non-roll elastic. It might be helpful to have a cutting mat with a measured graph on it and possibly a rotary cutter instead of scissors. You will also need thread to sew the elastic the together.

I measured Tiny-Smalls waist by measuring a pair of pants that fit her well and then cutting the elastic about 1/2 an inch longer. Then I sewed the elastic in a loop.

Then I cut the tulle. I decided to use two colors. I cut the tulle into 3 inch wide strips that were about 18 inches long. The best part is perfection is not required. If a strip is a little longer/shorter/wider/thinner than any of the other strips it really won’t matter. It’s so airy and fluffy that it all blends together in the end.

Then I took the tulle and tied it onto the elastic loop I made. Watch the video below for how to tie the tulle onto the loop. I cannot verbally explain it!