The Body Shop Wild Argan Oil | First Impressions

You may remember I received this pack from The Body Shop from my amazing boyfriend for my birthday last year. I have been slowly working my way through the products and there are a few I would definitely purchase again.

One of these products is the Wild Argan Oil for skin and hair. Whilst I haven't tried this product on my skin as yet, I have been using it my hair recently and I am absolutely loving the result! I love trying to leave my hair as naturally curly as possible, however it tends to frizz quite badly throughout the day.

I have been using the Spray Gel for Curls by Toni & Guy on my hair for a few months now. I still love this product, however as much as it makes my curls stand out it doesn't have that all day protection from the frizz!

The pictures below show my third day curls using The Body Shop's Wild Argan Oil. I have never used a product that makes my hair stay this nice for so long! All I do in the morning is get up and go - no styling needed.

One of the things I really love about this product is that although it is an oil, it doesn't make my hair feel or look oily (as long as you keep it away from your roots!)

One spray on each side is enough to keep my hair frizz free for a good couple of days.

Have you every tried the Wild Argan Oil from The Body Shop before? I would love to know which products you use to help keep the frizz away!

What I'm Wearing
Crocheted Dress (Blazae- a few years ago)

xx

Wardrobe Revamp | Rethink Your Strategy

I have finally decided it is time for a wardrobe revamp. I have been really unhappy with my wardrobe for a while now. Don't get me wrong, I have lots of nice clothes, but I can never seem to put together outfits I really love to wear!

I came across the blog / website Into Mind via Pinterest and found this amazing 10 Step Wardrobe Revamp guide. It breaks the process of a wardrobe revamp down into 10 easy steps which is great at making the process seem less overwhelming. Into Mind is a website full of amazing tips for the perfect style, minimalism and the perfect wardrobe. I will definitely be referring to the website for more than just this wardrobe revamp!

I will be writing a blog post for each step of the way and including a lot of progress pictures, links and helpful tips. I hope this will be helpful for people who want to undertake a wardrobe revamp but are not sure where to start!

The first step in the wardrobe revamp process is to establish what you do not like about your current wardrobe as this will help you find out where your wardrobe weaknesses are. Using the flow chart provided, I have worked out that my wardrobe no longer matches my personal style. My goals for this revamp will be to:

- Redefine my current style
- Introduce new elements (I am hoping to make quite a few pieces myself!)
- Get rid of clothing that no longer matches my current style

Step 2 is to detox your wardrobe. Keep an eye out for the post on this soon (as soon as I get a free afternoon to go through my wardrobe!)

Have you ever undertaken a major wardrobe revamp? I am excited to share my progress with you!

xx

 

Dining Chair Reupholstery | DIY

We were given our dining setting by my Grandparents when they moved into a retirement village a few years ago. The table brings back so many memories of all the wonderful times we had with them, and all the amazing meals we shared with the family sitting around the table.

I recently got around to re upholstering the chairs to make bring them into a more modern era. I absolutely love the way they turned out! After upholstering one of our couches last year, this project was a dream - so quick and easy. Scroll down to see the process.

- Fabric

- Drill

- Thread

- Scissors

- Chisel

- Pliers

- Staple Gun

The first thing you will need to do is dismantle the chair. Flip the chair so it is upside down and use your drill to remove all screws. Remember to take note of where everything fitted so you are able to put it back together properly. You may like to take pictures to ensure you put it back the same way.

Don't be fooled into thinking your dining chair will only have a few staples. There were at least 100 in each of our dining chairs! You need to ensure you take out all of your staples. I didn't have a special tool, so I used one of my partner's chisels and a pair of heavy duty pliers to pull out each staple. I found it easier to use the chisel first and push up all the staples, then go around and pull out the staples with the pliers. 

Place the old fabric on top of the new fabric and cut it out. Make sure to leave a border when you are cutting. Now is also the time to sew any fabric you need to. I don't have a picture of it sorry, but the backs of our chairs also needed to be reupholstered. I used what they had done as a guide and sewed the new fabric where they had sewn the old fabric.

Pretty much the most exciting step! Using your stale gun, reattach the fabric to the cushion of the chair. This was a lot of trial and error for me especially when it came to the corners. Take your time and ensure there are no puckers before you staple. It is also easier if you have 2 people so you can hold the fabric in place. You can now reassemble the chair.

And you are finished! Super easy - the more you do the quicker you will get.

I chose this gorgeous nude leaf curtain fabric to reupholster the chairs and I think it looks really nice.

We also really want to paint the dining setting but are unsure at this stage what colour. What are your thoughts?

I hope this post has been helpful and might inspire you with your reupholstering projects.

- J x

Please click here to see my disclaimer policy.
facebook // twitter // pinterest // ravelry // bloglovin' // etsy

On Trend | Boho Crown Braid

The Boho Crown Braid has been a huge hit with bloggers / YouTubers in the Northern Hemisphere coming into summer and I know it will be very popular in Australia later in the year. I must admit, I was a bit unsure about this hairstyle when I first saw it as it reminded me of the milkmaid braids (which suit some!) but are not really to my taste. However I have definitely grown to love it and having recently tried it out myself, it will become a hairstyle staple during spring and summer.

There are a few things I really love about this hairstyle. Unlike a bun which can start to feel heavy and pull on your head throughout the day, the crown braid is light and loose which makes it a comfortable hairstyle to wear all day / night. It is also a perfect hairstyle for both casual and more formal occasions as it can be dressed up or dressed down.

I have seen a few different variations when it comes to creating this hairstyle, but my favourite is this one from Kayley (aka letsmakeitup1.) I love her tutorials (she is the queen of braids) and her videos and instructions are always easy to follow.

Because I have colour through the ends of my hair (you can see my post about it here) the braid has a lot more texture which makes it look much more three dimensional. If your hair is one colour and you would like to know how to create more texture, The Beauty Department has a great post on creating more texture for braids using coloured hair extensions (perfect for a formal look)

What are your thoughts on the Boho Crown Braid? Would you try this out for summer?

- J x

Please click here to see my disclaimer policy.
facebook // twitter // pinterest // ravelry // bloglovin' // etsy

Bike Makeover | DIY

A while ago I wrote this post about the vintage luxury ladies bike that I picked up from Castle Collectables. The makeover has finally been finished thanks to my very helpful partner (who did pretty much everything!) I am so happy with the results (considering we have never attempted to makeover a bike before!)

 

Before the makeover - in good condition but quite rusted
 

To remove the rust, we used a combination of coke and aluminuim foil! Weird I know but it really works as the pictures below show. See this video for a run down of the process.

Before

After

Once the rust was removed, we used a crome polish on the rims & other crome parts to make them stand out.

Before & After

My partner then had to remove all of the paint from the frame of the bike. For this step he used Selly's Kwik Strip which is a metal paint stripper. Gloves and being in a well ventilated area are a must for this product. You apply the product with a paint brush and once it starts to blister / bubble, you remove the paint and the product with a rough sponge / scrubber. This step took a while as he had to keep going over it a few times (especially where the stickers were.)

Before

 

Paint Stripper at work

  

After



 

To paint the bike, we used a spray gun which my lovely dad got for me! (I am beyond excited about this and have so many projects lined up using this already!) If you are painting a bike you seriously need one of these. It made the whole process so much easier! We used a primer firat and then applied a gloss top coat in an off white colour. You need to leave the gloss paint to dry for at least a couple of days - after this it will be pretty scratch resistant.

Putting it back together!

It took me a while to find the perfect basket for this bike - I ended up getting one from Super Elliots Cycles in Rundle Street (for those of you who live in South Australia!)

We were able to keep around 70 - 80% of the original bike. Some of the screws had to be replaced as they were rusted quite badly. I also purchased a new seat, new wheels and new handle bar grips. We were planning on keeping the wheels but unfortunately they fell apart when we put air in them. I managed to get the bell and the stand from my sisters old bike which Mum and Dad still had in the shed!

I am so happy with the end result - but I don't think we will be "upcycling" another bike anytime soon :)

- J x

Please click here to see my disclaimer policy.
facebook // twitter // pinterest // ravelry // bloglovin' // etsy

Advice | Colouring Your Hair for the First Time

I finally took the plunge and coloured my hair. Yes - I made it into my 20's with my natural hair colour! I have never been interested in colouring my hair as I really like the colour of it! It is slightly darker in winter which is great and in summer I get slight blond / red streaks in my hair.

For a while now, I have been wanting something different with my hair. I have the thickest hair and I cannot cut it because I will look like a triangle head (picture Grug on my head! And if you have never heard of Grug then shame on you!) I really like the sublte ombre look so I headed to Pinterest to find some inspiration.

image from pinterest

image from pinterest (cannot find the link sorry)

I really liked both of these looks but it is a bit too much blond for what I was after.

Then I found this one and loved it! It is subtle enough not to be too blonde, but gives the hair a little bit of colour and definition.

Image from Pinterest

Here is my hair during and after!

My hairdresser used a "mocha" coloured brown on the ends because it was a much warmer tone than blonde and blended nicely with my original colour. One of the things I really loved was that because I had not coloured my hair previously, she was able to use a toner and not bleach! 

Below are a few of my tips on colouring your hair for the first time.

1. Find a few pictures of colour / looks you like. 

It is better to have a few as one may not be perfect for your hair. Make sure you show them to your hairdresser so that you are both on the same page.

2. Less is more.

My hairdresser agreed that the above colour was a good idea as it is not too much colour for a first timer, and because it is not near the roots I can grow it out easily. It is also more manageable as I will not have to tend to the colour as often.

3. Talk to your hairdresser. 

As step 2 shows, they will know what will look good and what won't on your hair. 

4. Trust your hairdresser.

I think this is one of the most important things when it comes to doing something different with your hair. If you are not sure your hairdresser will do the greatest job, or that they won't be honest with their opinions (see step 3), I suggest you look elsewhere. I fully trust my hairdresser (I have been going to her since the early 2000s) and knew she would do what is best for my hair and make it look great. 

Do you colour your hair or is it still natural? I was so scared to take the step of colouring my hair but I am so glad I did! 

- J x

Please click here to see my disclaimer policy.

facebook // twitter // pinterest // ravelry // bloglovin' // etsy

On Trend | Upcycling

 

Over the weekend I read a great article in the Sunday Mail Home lift out titled "Move On Up" which talks about the trend towards upcycling furniture. If you have been reading this blog for long enough, you will have noticed my love for upcycling items and reusing them (a few items include: serving tray, side tables, and my bike - post finally up this week!)

The article talks about a few of the reasons why furniture upcycling is such a great idea. This includes the fact that it is eco friendly and the furniture is usually built tougher than the furniture we buy today (hence why it has been around long enough to "upcycle") It also give you a few tips when it comes to upcycling furniture.

One of the main reasons I love upcycling (apart from those listed above) is the satisfaction from taking an object that may or may not have been used for a few years or is no longer wanted, and turning it into an item that is loved once again!

I thought I would also leave you with a few of my own tips I have found along the way when it comes to upcycling.

1 | Check the condition of the item
When I purchased my bike for example, I really wanted to make sure that most of the bike was working and that I could keep and reuse most of the parts. The point is not to rebuild the item from scratch (you might as well build a new one yourself or buy a new one!) Obviously as you will see in my blog post about my bike makeover, I did have to buy a few new parts, but we managed to keep 70 - 80% of the bike itself.

2 | Have a vision
I think it is really important to have a vision of what you want to do with the object before you buy it or start working on it. I get a lot of my inspiration from Pinterest. Usually I find a few different pictures and decide what I could do to my chosen object (such as the photo above for my bike). I believe it is important to also follow this process before you buy an item so that it isn't left sitting in your shed waiting for you to decide what on earth you are going to do with it!

3 | Consider the use of the item
Do you only want the item as a decorative piece or are you wanting to use the item once you have upcycled it? This is a really important question to ask as it can affect how you finish off the piece. If you are wanting to use an item, the finish of the piece is really important as you are going to want it to last! For my bike, I knew I wanted to use it a lot after we were finished so we used a primer before we painted the bike and a tough gloss paint so that the paint would not scratch of easily.

Once you have considered the above - you are ready to upcycle! I have so many upcycling projects I want to do which I promise I will share on the blog!

Have you jumped on the upcycling bandwagon? Where do you love to shop or where do you find your items? I am currently loving Castle Collectables (for those of you who live in South Australia) I have mentioned them on the blog before!

Ps. Please excuse the pun of using my bicycle as my example of "upcycling" (get it!)

- J x

Please click here to see my disclaimer policy.

facebook // twitter // pinterest // ravelry // bloglovin' // etsy

Insight | Upcoming Projects

I have quite a few projects on my "Current Projects / Projects to Begin" board on Pinterest so I thought I would share them with you. Most of these projects should have their own post on the blog during / after I have finished them so that you can see the final outcome!




1 | Kimono

I have a maxi skirt I made not long ago that really does not work so I am going to try and turn it into this beautiful Kimono - perfect to add some colour to my wardrobe.

2 | Coffee Table Makeover

I purchased a cute coffee table from Castle Collectables a few weeks ago and would like to redo it to look like the table above. I am loving distressed looks at the moment!

3 | Wool Poncho

How cute is this poncho! And it looks so easy to make. I just have to find the right material to make it out of.

4 | Lace Top

I have the perfect leotard top that I could do this to. I don't wear it as often as I should, so hopefully the lace adds something a bit more to it and I wear it more often!

5 | Scarf

I am in love with the colours in this scarf and the pattern. I think I will stick with the pink and beige for mine just because I don't wear very much blue! I also have some left over wool from my jumper that I might use for another one of these scarves.

6 | DIY Cord Keeper

How cute are these. I have a few fat quarters that would work so well for this project. It looks simple and will keep my cords tidy and easy to find.

7 | Bike
You may have seen my post earlier this week about this bike - I am excited to do it up!

8|  Abalone by Hedgehog Fibres

I have been working on this cardigan for a while now and really need to finish it. It has turned into the project I put on hold to make other things!

Wow! That may seem like a lot of projects, but I like to have an idea of what I want to do. I love Pinterest because it allows me to store all my projects in an easy to find board and I can easily prioritise what I want to do next!

Do you have any projects lined up?

Please click here to see my disclaimer policy.

facebook // twitter // pinterest // ravelry // bloglovin' // etsy