Hair How to: High Bun aka Birds Nest Bun

The High Bun

This is a new hair trend straight from the runway. It can be worn messy or sleek. 

How-to: Keep your hair simple (and out of the way!) with a flirty bun. Skip washing today and slick your hair back into a high, tight pony. Twist it into a bun, then secure with an elastic. Gently tug the edges of the bun outward to make it appear fuller. Smooth flyaways with a strong-hold hairspray. If you want the birds nest look, back comb your pony and proceed as above. You dont have to be neat and precise, this whole look is meant to be messy and untamed.

Have fun!

source: seventeen.com

How to: Linen Closet

If like me you don't have a designated area for your linen and bathroom supplies then this is for you. If you already have a space for it then this might inspire you to reorganize it and make it pretty. I will definitely take this on as my next "DIY" task.

This is an easy step by step guide to help you.
Here is a neat idea for a laundry cabinet made from an old TV entertainment center. If you have upgraded to a flat screen TV, don't toss that entertainment center to the curb just yet. Instead, reinvent it as a handy laundry cabinet. All you need is a little paint and extra wood. Keep all your laundry supplies organized and within easy reach with this make-shift entertainment center turned laundry cabinet.

• Select an entertainment center that is still in good structural shape. Dings and scratches don't matter, since you are going to paint it. But it shouldn't be excessively wobbly or falling apart

• Remove all the doors and hardware from the front of the cabinet. You can keep existing shelves in place. Remove the cardboard backing of the entertainment center and replace it with a piece of 1/4 inch wood paneling, cut to size. This will provide a sturdy back to the cabinet and help brace it.
  
• Add a wooden shelf across the opening where the TV used to sit

• Prime and paint the entire cabinet in a color of your choice. Oil or latex paint will work. Let it dry overnight

• Attach an iron bar in the tall opening where the AV equipment was stored. You can hang garments here to air dry

• Purchase some matching wicker or linen baskets to store laundry supplies. Tuck them into the existing open shelves of the cabinet.

And now your're done. You can continue to decorate it however you wish.


Next few tips are for those who want to unclutter it.


Wherever you choose to keep your linens, the organizing principles are the same: Shelves and drawers should be clean and freshly painted or lined (unfinished wood can stain the fabric over time). You can fold linens to fit wide or narrow spaces. If the shelves are adjustable, set them at the various heights indicated below. If the setup in your closet or cupboard is inflexible, use baskets, plastic bins, dividers, or plastic-covered wire shelving to create customized surfaces and spaces.

•  Sheets and TowelsA shelf height of about 10 inches is good for sheets. Keep sheets of the same kind (queen fitted, for example) in stacks together, or sort sheets into sets (flat, fitted, and pillowcases) for each bed. Allow about 12 to 16 inches of shelf height for towels; organize them by size or by the bathroom they'll be used in.

• Comforters and BlanketsBulky comforters, wool blankets, and extra pillows may need 18 inches of shelf space. Stack these linens at the top of the closet, since you probably only reach for them a few times a year. Store blankets and comforters in zippered bags to keep them from getting dusty. A trunk, a chest, or a box that slides under the bed is also a good storage solution.
  
• Table LinensSets of napkins should always be kept together; wrap each set loosely in a sleeve of clear cellophane to keep them organized and easily identifiable. Tablecloths can be folded flat or hung on sturdy good-quality hangers (but not on flimsy wire ones).

• Antique LinensAntique linens should be professionally cleaned and packaged in acid-free tissue paper, which helps keep fabric from yellowing. Depending on their shape and size, they may be stored folded, hung, or rolled on cardboard tubes.
  
• LabelsYou should never have to unfold something to find out what it is (and when they're properly folded, fitted sheets are impossible to distinguish from flat). Take a few minutes to tag shelf edges, using adhesive labels or card holders
  
• Pest PreventionCedar blocks help deter moths when tucked into drawers or placed on shelves where linens are stored. You may also want to use sachets to add a subtle fragrance to linens.
  
  Do You Know?Using sachets to add fragrance to linens is a custom that dates back hundreds of years to when brides were given a trousseau of fine linens meant to last a lifetime. The young women were also often given a chest or armoire to keep them in.
  

source:marthastewart.com and wiki.

The Clutch Bag

Things to know before you buy:

Unconventional Textures : Gone are the days of clutch bags made of satin, velvet, cotton etc. Now a lady of 21st century needs some unconventional textures. Clutch bags made of crochet materials and knitwear are most sought after. Some clutch bags with innovative tie dye effects or patchworks effect and studded with pearls are here to make you most fashionable. 

Latest Colors : Come out of the realm of brown, navy, black, white etc. They were suitable colors for your mother in her youth. Show your metal and pick the latest and bizarre colors. Try taupe or tan for some exciting look. Some of the best colors of 2009 by Pantone such as vibrant green, fuchsia red, dark citron, super lemon have come up with one of most luring clutch bags.

Discussions about colors and textures apart, to make the most of a clutch bag you need to look out for some other things too. Watch out :

Never go out for shopping with a clutch bag. Its limited place will never allow you to carry your various picks. Remember, it is meant for fashion only. Thus it is a bag of parties and dinners only.

Never stuff your clutch bag excessively. Its heavier look may mar its fashion value. Remember, it is not something you can thrust your vanity box into. Do all your makeup at home only.

Thus never carry anything more than your car keys, cellphones, some cash, debit/credit cards and a small diary. As making it heavier would be problematic.

However, if you can't afford to stay away from your lipsticks, perfumes and combs then you can buy a super sized clutch bag. It is more spacious than the more popular palm sized clutch bags.

Always choose a clutch bag which contrasts with your fashion apparel but matches your footwear. Thus if you are in a light colored womans clothing, then choose a deep colored clutch bag. Be careful that your bag matches your footwear. Just think wearing a red dress along with a metallic clutch bag and a metallic footwear

source:www.fashionproducts.com

Gluten Free and Happy!

Gluten is a protein found in wheat (including kamut and spelt), barley, rye, malts and triticale. It is used as a food additive in the form of a flavoring, stabilizing or thickening agent, often hidden under “dextrin”

When I was little a Doctor told my mother that I had an allergic reaction to gluten (wheat) but that she didn’t have to worry and that we should continue as usual. Needless to say, the gluten kept coming and like most kids my school lunch box was packed with whole wheat sandwiches every day and at break time I’d walk down to the trash cans and throw them away. I never liked bread, always made me feel bloated and sluggish, pasta however was my staple, I could eat it all day everyday without thinking twice (Later on realized that it is a ot more processed than bread and therefore the wheat content less concentrated) so I didn’t feel as sluggish.

As time went by I was faced with a weight gain of over 15kg and was constantly sick, I didn’t have a choice but to deal with this unpleasant matter. It took me a while but I started reading up about it for hours everyday, I just wanted to feel healthy and happy and I knew that a lifestyle change was the only way. Overwhelmed by the major change it was I didn’t implement it straight away, I wasn’t ready to give up my pasta just yet so I continued with my unhealthy eating habits for a while. Until one morning, I was in immense abdominal pain,back pain, had a throbbing headache and I struggled to walk.
I was forced by my own body to wake up and to make a change. Since that day I’ve been gluten free, I have since lost a lot of weight and I feel better than ever. Everyday is a challenge, preparing your own food, being healthy and at the same time avoiding sugar (insulin resistant). This has opened my eyes to see how precious our health is, how much we have to be thankful for. And I will never ever doubt my instinct ever again… Health is a blessing and I thank God for it.

My new fave is Raw Zuchinni Pasta (Baby Marrows)

Some Yummy Treats with no gluten or sugar

Blogs worth following if your’re like me and into all things organic,healhy,gluten and sugar free.

http://healthyindulgences.blogspot.com/
http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/
http://glutenfreegirl.com/

Hope this helps someone out there who might suspect that they have an allergy, It has changed my life.

Happy Freedom Day

So today is Freedom day and I just wanted to wish you all well. Our country has definitely come a long way and we should all acknowledge and appreciate it. We may still be a 3rd World Country but we are still better off than many others.

Happy Freedom day and remember that YOU have the ability to make someone who doesn't experience "freedom" day like many of us do, a little brighter and better even if with just a smile.

Winter Fashion Inspiration