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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

Creating a Modern Feathered Cut Farrah Fawcett Layered Hairstyle

The longer my rose gold hair gets, the more I love it. I’ve been growing it out since 2020, getting trims and coloring as needed. I’ve had rose gold hair for over a year now and LOVE it. I also have loved having some layers in my hair, which to me, resembles a modernized version of the very popular Farrah Fawcett hairstyle. Read on to see how I create it and what to ask for at the salon if you want this easy hairstyle.

I got this shirt for a character I created, but I like to wear it too!

My Outfit Seen In this Article

Here only for the outfit deets? It was inspired by the outfit Janet Jackson wore in her music video Pleasure Principle. See the video here on YouTube or below:

I have on a Y’ALL shirt from Amazon (I’m originally from Kentucky and ordered a men’s small because I like the men fit best in many tees), I cinched it with a Cinch-It (see my article on how to use the Cinch-It here), a vintage belt buckle and leather belt I had made for it at The Leatherhead in Louisville, KY, Adidas Sambas I painted with leather paints years ago (I use Angelus Leather Paint), and my gray Joe’s Jeans.

See all my Amazon favorites here in my Amazon Shop.

Adding my Cinch-It to cinch my shirt

What is the Farrah Fawcett Hairstyle Called?

Similar to the popular 1990’s-2000’s Friends television show “The Rachael” haircut (see it here…and I even got the layered haircut in high school after seeing Jennifer Aniston with it!), Farrah Fawcett also had a trending haircut in the 1970’s.

Farrah Fawcett, Image credit to Stylist

Farrah Fawcett, an actress widely known for her work on the show Charlie’s Angels and for her iconic red swimsuit poster, had what was called a “feathered cut”. Her hair was past her shoulders, had some short, medium and long layers (especially around her face) and had shorter pieces in the front of her forehead that could be called “bangs”. Read more about it here on the Stylist website.

I love my vintage belt buckle and the shoes I painted!

The Modern Farrah Fawcett

While I appreciate all the bounce in Farrah’s feathered cut, I don’t feel like putting it up in Velcro rollers or large magnetic rollers every day, so, I call mine the “modern” Farrah cut. I also don’t really technically currently have “feathered ends”, but I am able to style it to look that way. Every other month or so, my stylist shortens up the soft, face framing layers in my rose gold hair.

My hair is more rose gold right after I get it colored, then it slightly fades

See how I currently maintain my rose gold hair in this article or in my 1-minute YouTube video via my channel @carolynjbraden below:

Similar to Farrah’s 70’s haircut, my stylist puts varying layers around my face and around the back of my head. I thought about getting the much shorter pieces around my forehead like Farrah, but with all the sweating I do in SWFL and the humidity, I opted for a few short layers around my forehead.

My finished modern feathered hair

How I Style My Layered Cut

For my daily layered hairstyle, I usually use on the of the wands on my Beachwaver multi barrel tool to curl my hair AWAY from my face. I used the largest barrel wand when styling my hair for this article. I spray Bumble and Bumble Heat Shield (Sephora) on it first for heat protection.

I curl AWAY from my face for this look

When I want it to be bigger like Farrah’s iconic hair, I fluff it up with my fingers at the crown. I’ll sometimes use a bit of Viori Coconut Vanilla dry shampoo (use my link here for a 10% discount) at my roots to add the texture to hold the “lift” and to soak up hair oils. I also like Not Your Mother’s dry shampoo and get a BIG bottle of it at Walmart.

Adding volume is as easy as using your fingers!

If that’s not enough volume for me, I will use a teasing brush to tease the hair around my head at the top/crown.

I like to add texture to my hair with various texture pastes

Then, I like to add some texture paste (only a tiny bit!). I put a pea sized amount (I like the Dirt brand, but if it is out of stock, I will use Bumble and Bumble Sumo or Semi Sumo from Sephora) in between my fingers, rub it into my hands and apply it in quick motions around my head onto the layers. I push the front sections of my hair towards my face when adding the product too.

My hairspray shield is very inexpensive

Lastly, I’ll use a hairspray shield for my face (I don’t want to get it all over my makeup and skin as it can be drying) and use Kristin Ess Finishing hairspray (cruelty free and budget friendly…get it at like I do at Target or Amazon) to spray my hair a bit all over. I don’t like a lot of product on my hair as I only wash it about every three days mostly with Viori shampoos.

I maintain my rose gold hair at home, but a stylist does the heavy work!

If you loved this article, then we know you’ll love this one too: What I Think of My Multi Barrel Beachwaver + Tutorials

Carolyn J. Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Make a Sparkly Pipe Cleaner Magic Wand

Magic was in the air during the week of my birthday, as it should be! During a birthday getaway, I created a car craft of a pipe cleaner magic wand, which has a lot of personal symbolism around it. I also made a pipe cleaner crown, and with Independence Day also around the corner, making some pipe cleaner wands to match seemed appropriate. It’s a fun craft you can make in 15 minutes or less. Read on to learn how to make a pipe cleaner magic wand.

My dog, Minnie Pearl, helped make the wands, lol!

Easy Summer Crafts

I made this sparkle pipe cleaner magic wand in the car during a road trip. I like to craft in the car as reading in the car often makes me feel nauseous and you can read more about it here in my pipe cleaner crown tutorial. This is an easy car craft but also an easy craft in general to make at home by yourself or with a group.

Try this easy pipe cleaner crown via my tutorial on my website or get the tutorial via my 1-minute video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Why Make This?

I think this is a great craft to make because it’s easy, it’s inexpensive AND looking at my wands bring me JOY. I’m a big believer in keeping the things in your life that bring you joy and if it’s something as simple as a pipe cleaner magic wand, then keep it around. I’ll keep mine on my makeup vanity in a mug or vase so I can see it often.

I love this wand!

You can make this with sparkly pipe cleaners or I also like these pipe cleaners:

• Jumbo Furry Pipe Cleaners ($12, Amazon)
• Extra Thick Chenille Stems ($12, Amazon)
• Fuzzy Chenille Stems (large color mix of 500 for $20, Amazon)

• Hello Hobby Rainbow Fuzzy Sticks (100 pack, $2.53, Walmart)

  This wand is a cute 4th of July craft idea

If you make a red, silver and blue one like I did, it could be fun 4th of July party décor. The iridescent ones represent love and light to me, and are my favorite color…iridescent….which represents many colors.

The wands I’ve made (so far!)

Bringing Back Childhood Magic

I remember being drawn to magic wands as a kid. I loved thinking that you could put a magic wand on something and transform it into something else, like the pumpkin that became a carriage in Cinderella. I know there is so much more work that goes into transformations as an adult (as I’ve learned about it personally through personal growth, renovating numerous houses, career changes and more), but I still like the concept of a magic wand.

You can make a wand in your favorite colors

A magic wand is very symbolic in my life right now, and I’m putting in a lot of hard personal work (learn about the trauma therapy I opted to try called EMDR here on the Cleveland Clinic’s website) to bring back some of my childhood magic into my life. Oh, how I loved thinking as a child that Fairy Godmother’s existed in the world, and now to understand as an adult that they actually do…in the form of therapists and good, caring people, is heartwarming.

I will look at this wand and will remember that I can’t magically change things, but I am willing to put in the hard work to make life more magical again, and that brings me joy.

How to Create a Magic Wand

**Now for the project. Here’s what you need:**

• 12 inch sparkle pipe cleaners, 200 for $9.99, Amazon or I also used iridescent pipe cleaners from Amazon (Just an FYI, sparkle pipe cleaners can irritate very sensitive skin so use fluffy soft ones instead if this is an issue.)
• Cookie Cutters (I used Wilton 2-inch star and heart cookie cutters I already had, similar to this $7 twelve piece cookie cutter set on Amazon)
• Bamboo skewers (I used 12-inch skewers, and you can get them at many grocery stores, on Amazon and here at Walmart)
• Scissors

See me create this in a 1-minute video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Optional:

IF crafting in the car or at home, I recommend using these plastic food service trays from Amazon lined in this non-slip drawer liner. It keeps things even and captures messes. The pipe cleaners do shed a bit when you work with them.

The magic wand supplies

How-to:

Wrap a pipe cleaner around a cookie cutter and use your fingers to shape it, making the “end” at the bottom of the heart or star. While it was still on the cookie cutter, I twisted the “end” of the pipe cleaner (one end) to the left-over part of the pipe cleaner to close the shape.

Creating the “love” magic wand

I then slid the shape off the cookie cutter and it will look like a shape with a long stem coming off the BOTTOM. I practiced wrapping my pipe cleaners around the cookie cutters, always having the “end” or “stem” come off on the bottom.

Cutting the sharp tip off the skewer

Next, I cut the tip off the bamboo skewer so no sharp pieces would exist. I highly recommend doing this, especially if children will play with it. If children are making these wands, an adult could pre-trim the ends off, like I would have done when I was an art teacher.

Twisting the bottom of the shape together

Wrap the left over “stem” of the cookie cutter shape onto the top of the skewer until it’s fully on it.

Attaching the shape to the wand

Next, wrap another pipe cleaner around the skewer, slightly overlapping the pipe cleaners. The overlapping will keep the top pipe cleaner shape in place without the need for glue.

Adding more pipe cleaners

Continue wrapping the pipe cleaners around the skewer until it’s completely covered. I had to slide them up a bit as I wrapped to make sure the skewer didn’t show.

Push up on the pipe cleaners to cover the skewer as you wrap it

When I got to the end, I just wrapped what was left around OR trimmed off extra with scissors if needed.

If you made this craft, let us know…share your results below!

If you loved this article, then we know you’ll love this one too: How to Make Sprinkle Sunglasses

Carolyn J. Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Make a Sparkly Pipe Cleaner Crown with Cookie Cutters

On my Pinterest page, I kept seeing some cute pipe cleaner crowns in my feed but could never find a good tutorial. After doing some research, I learned you can form many pipe cleaner shapes using simple cookie cutters! After I figured this out, the possibilities for what I could do with pipe cleaners was immediately expanded. Read on to learn how to make sparkly pipe cleaner crowns.

My LOVE and LIGHT pipe cleaner crown

Car Crafting + Motion Sickness

I made this sparkle pipe cleaner crown in the car during a road trip. I like to craft in the car as reading in the car often makes me feel nauseous. If you get nauseous during long trips in the car like me, having something to eat and distract your mind can help. Motion sickness is real…just ask my dog Minnie Pearl! She’s gotten better at her motion sickness, and getting her a dedicated pet car seat helped. Read more about pets and motion sickness on the VCA Animal Hospital website.

I made this in the car as a car craft

I created many rhinestone travel car crafts in 2024 (see my simple car crafts article here) and in 2025, I opted for less glue and more pipe cleaners and learned crafting definitely helps me keep my motion sickness away. Read more about Motion Sickness here on the Cleveland Clinic’s website.

The completed sparkle pipe cleaner crown

Try this easy car craft inspired by my amazing niece: DIY Emergency Kit for Teens. Get it via my 1-minute video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Sensitive Skin Note

One thing I noticed after making this easy pipe cleaner craft was that the sparkle pipe cleaners I used can be a bit itchy on sensitive skin. If you have sensitive skin or are making a sparkly pipe cleaner crown for someone with sensitive skin, try making one with a regular soft chenille pipe cleaner.

I also like these pipe cleaners:

• Jumbo Furry Pipe Cleaners ($12, Amazon)
• Extra Thick Chenille Stems ($12, Amazon)
• Fuzzy Chenille Stems (large color mix of 500 for $20, Amazon)

• Hello Hobby Rainbow Fuzzy Sticks (100 pack, $2.53, Walmart)

  I made a wand to match my crown

Why Make This?

I see this being an easy an inexpensive crown to make and wear for a parade, a cute photo shoot with your friends or family, or it’s fun to wear around the house or anywhere for kids and adults! You can make it in many shapes, it’s inexpensive and an easy summer craft idea.

The craft materials

Now for the project. Here’s what you need:

• Sparkle pipe cleaners (read my note in the article about sensitive skin, 200 for $9.99, Amazon)
• Cookie cutters (I used Wilton 2-inch star and heart cookie cutters I already had, similar to this $7 twelve piece cookie cutter set on Amazon)

Optional: * I craft in the car using these plastic food service trays from Amazon lined in this non-slip drawer liner. It keeps things even and captures messes. The pipe cleaners do shed a bit when you work with them.

See me make this pipe cleaner craft in my 1-minute video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

How-to:

Wrap a pipe cleaner around a cookie cutter and use your fingers to shape it. While it was still on the cookie cutter, I twisted the “beginning” of the pipe cleaner (one end) to the left-over part of the pipe cleaner to close the shape.

Molding the pipe cleaner

I then slid the shape off the cookie cutter and it will look like a shape with a long stem coming off the SIDE. I practiced wrapping my pipe cleaners around the cookie cutters, always having the “end” or “stem” come off one side

Twisting the pipe cleaner shape together

I repeated this with 10 pipe cleaners. I estimated the amount I would need for my head size, and I was correct. It was a little large on me, so I could have gone with 9. Creating with an odd number of pipe cleaners is better for a multicolor crown or a single-color crown.

I made hearts and stars for one of my crowns

Even number pipe cleaner crowns allow you to do a bi-color crown like my silver and gold version. A child’s head would need even less pipe cleaners. Hair thickness should also be taken into consideration for whoever you make this for.

The completed pipe cleaner shapes

After having my pipe cleaner shapes made, I took two and threaded one of the “ends” through the second pipe cleaner shape. I wrapped the “end” carefully around the second pipe cleaner shape until they were connected. IF you bend your shapes while doing this, you can put the pipe cleaner around the cookie cutter again to reshape it.

Attaching the shapes together

I continued to connect the shapes until the crown fit around my head.

Attaching more pipe cleaner shapes

I made a rainbow pipe cleaner crown (as I made it in June, which begins Florida rainbow season and it’s also Pride month) and one in silver and gold. You could do all stars, all hearts or different shapes all together.

Finishing the crown

If you made this craft, let us know below and share your experience and how you made yours!

If you loved this article, then we know you’ll love this one too: How to Make a Mermaid Seashell Comb for Beachy Hair Days

Carolyn J. Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

The Most Comfy Pickleball Summer Skirt With Shorts

With living in Southwest Florida for almost 5 years, I have seen many, many people of all ages playing pickleball. With the storyline of my fun character, Grannie Florida, and her pickleball love, I have decided to try playing pickleball myself, which lead me to find the most comfy skirt/short combo (also called a “skort”). You can wear the skort for pickleball or any day in the summer heat at any age to look cute and be comfortable.

Just here for the links? Grab my Pickleball accessories here in my Amazon Shop.

The skirt has shorts under it

What is Pickleball?

After talking to a pickleball pro and coach recently, he said pickleball is fun and a very social sport, similar to tennis, but quicker. Not that tennis isn’t fun (per the coach’s words), it’s just a different vibe of fun. Learn exactly what Pickleball is here.

See the skirts and accessories featured in this article in my 1-minute video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

I have been researching indoor places to play pickleball in Southwest Florida (I so far like DNA Pickleball as they have affordable classes you can take), and due to its popularity gaining momentum, you can more than likely find a place to play near you.

The leopard print skort

Pickleball Skorts

When researching pickleball, I knew I needed some clothing to move better in and that could help me stay cool. I bought my leopard print skort (Amazon) when it went on sale for $13.99. It comes in many colors and prints.

I love the attached shorts on the skirt

I wore skorts in the 90’s and recently wondered why they fell out of favor. I love having a lightweight pair of shorts under a skirt, like I did when I was in Catholic grade school and I wore bloomers under my cheerleading skirt for years.

A visor helps keep sun off your face

The skirt/short combo helps keep you feeling cute and confident that your undergarments are not showing. The flowy-ness of the skirt also helps keep you cool. Staying cool when you play sports is really important, especially if playing sports outside in intense summer heat.

See my Grannie Florida character and her love of estate sales (which she sometimes skips pickleball games for!) in my 30 second video below or via our YouTube channel @carolynjbraden. Get her favorite rolling tote, the Hulken, at %5 off using our link here.

If you are outside playing pickleball or any sport, make sure you wear sunscreen too (I love Sun Bum) and I love my wrap around and travel friendly visor (Amazon) to keep my face shielded. A visor is nice for keeping your hair from looking matted down after a workout.

I like the waistline of the ruffled skirt

Black Ruffled Skort + Shoes

I paired the leopard print skirt with a cropped shirt (I have a short torso, so this worked best for me) and I paired my ruffled black athletic skort (Amazon) with a tank top/bra tank combo that I’ve had for many years. I have been wearing the Adidas Ultraboost shoe for a while now (I’m an avid walker) and love it. I’ll probably wear it for pickleball too.

I snagged the black skirt for $13.99

As far as pickleball rackets, you can ask a pro or a do some research yourself. I like this pickleball racket and ball set on Amazon due to it coming with a bag and being on the lower price range. This ESPN pickleball racket at Walmart is a best seller.

Why can’t you look cute and play pickleball?

You can buy pickleball accessories at every price point, but if you are merely trying the sport, start out with the lower priced rackets and then you can always get better ones if you end up liking it and wanting to play more.

If you loved this article, then we know you’ll love this one too: Large Chest Hacks for More Support and Confidence

Carolyn J. Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Make Washi Tape Pens for Journaling

If you journal like I do, you may have a lot of special pens and journal tools you like to use. I like pens that write smoothly and look nice too. I recently ordered some heart shaped pens for Valentine’s Day that were pretty on their own, but I decided to turn them from ordinary into extraordinary with the help of a little decorative tape. Read on to learn how to make washi tape covered pens for journaling and more!

Washi tape covered pens

Journaling as a Kid

I’ve journaled my whole life. My grandparents gave me a fabric covered floral and blue “diary” when I first learned how to write to encourage me to do it more as practice. I used that diary or journal to document a lot. I wrote about going to the zoo, wrote a lot of people’s phone numbers and about boys I liked. I still have that journal today.

It’s fun to look at sometimes and wonder about my tiny brain learning so much and wanting to write it down. I was encouraged to do this by my grandma and I’m thankful to her for this encouragement. Little did she know how much writing was going to help me.

The pens alone are cute, but the tape makes them even better!

Journaling to Save My Brain

I continued to journal into adulthood and still practice it today. I really went through a lot of things growing up and writing helped me get out many feelings. I wrote my true feelings about so much when I didn’t feel like I had anyone to talk to about so many feelings I was having. It helped me make sense of a lot and work through my emotions in a healthy way.

I used colors that the recipient would love

I stopped writing for a while when parental figures violated my privacy (I had my notebook journal hidden under my bed but the person said I had it laying on the desk….I would not have left it there and I know they lied to me which unfortunately happened a lot) and read through it. They told me THAT I wrote lies and shamed me.

They also went through my entire room (I was visiting another parent figure for the weekend) and that really was violating, especially when I didn’t give them any reason to do so. I made good grades, had many friends, participated in many extracurricular activities so I really don’t know what they were looking for. Perhaps it was my journal that they wanted to read and I suppose they got mad when they found out that I was onto them…people do that sometimes when faced with the truth.

My favorite journal and a pen I made

Journaling to Save My Life

Writing or talking about our feelings is not only healing but normal. I abandoned writing at that time, but only for a short while. I only got better at hiding my journals. I wrote through much of the pain and abuse I endured living in that home and I credit writing for saving my life. I kept writing on and off each time I felt alone or when I felt like I was not going to be able to continue on in the world and know it really helped. I had therapists, but writing down my feelings was a quick and easy way to release feelings when you can’t run to the therapist.

I love the pink floral washi tape

Burning Like a Phoenix

In my 30’s I read through many of my old journals and decided it was time to move on. Reading them was very painful and they had served their purpose, so I let them go. I burned almost all my journals and other items that linked me to my abusive past. My husband and I did it together, at the end of one year, in a healing celebration in our backyard and it felt good. Just like the legendary phoenix, I felt I burned the past and rose back up into a new way of life.

Why You Should Journal + My Favorite Journals

I still journal today. I don’t do it every day, but have several journals going. I ordered a leather journal with natural paper pages that is beautiful. See it here on Amazon. Sometimes I write in my journals, and sometimes I draw. Sometimes I add color, washi tape, highlight things and more. I write prayers, feelings, hopes and dreams. I’ve even journaled about food when I was tracking my diet to form healthier eating habits.

There’s no wrong or right way to journal. I encourage anyone to journal as I know how much it helps me. Here’s a great article from Psychology Today that talks about even more benefits for journaling. Here are some other journals I have used and love:

• Great Leaders Inspire Greatness Journal, $14, Amazon
• Be the Change Dandelion Wishes Journal, $9, Amazon
• Harry Potter Hogwarts Journal, $17, Amazon
• Tiny Buddha’s Gratitude Journal with Prompts, $16, Amazon

Here’s a cute wax seal card tutorial via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden that you could use your washi tape pens for (like I did) to write a message to a loved one:

The Project Tutorial + Discount

Now for the project! If you order anything from Temu, use my code afe55197 for 30% off or use my link here. Here’s what you need:

• Pens of your choice (I like these heart pens from Temu or Amazon has some too)
• Washi tape (I found Mr. Pen washi tape was best due to it’s sticky level, but the shimmery Harry Potter tape I ordered from Amazon was fun too)
• Optional: Liquid Fusion glue (Amazon or Walmart), scissors

Note: If you don’t have washi tape, colorful tape of any kind will probably work for this project. I’ve made cute duct tape covered pens too and they looked great too! Washi tape is simply made from tree fibers so it’s lightweight and you could even cover an entire journal with it!

The washi tape pen project supplies

How-To:

Start by wrapping the washi tape of your choice around the bottom of the pen. I left the cap on to make sure I didn’t wrap that area, as I was afraid I couldn’t get the cap back on. I wrapped it around once and cut it off. Washi tape tears really easy, so you could just tear it.

The tape can be cut or torn

Next I started wrapping the washi tape at a diagonal, going up the pen.

I used Honey Dukes washi tape for a kid that just visited a Harry Potter theme park

When I got to the heart, I cut the tape off and started wrapping it around the heart, pushing the tape roll in and out of the heart shape as I wrapped.

Weaving the tape around the heart

I cut the tape off when I reached the last section of the heart.

Finishing off the project

I noticed some of the ends of the tape popping up a bit (we currently live in a humid climate, and humidity could have been the problem) so I wrapped a complimentary piece of washi tape around the ends.

Wrapping extra tape on the ends

I put a little glue on the ends of the tape and smeared it a bit with my fingers.

Adding glue to keep the tape in place

I let the glue dry overnight and noticed the tape was staying secured. Then the pens were ready to use!

If you loved this project, we think you’ll like this one too: How to Take a Sand or Snow Heart Photo

Carolyn J. Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Make Valentine Candy Sunglasses

I love a cute pair of sunglasses and if they sparkle a little, that’s even better! From Princess of the Bride sunglasses to birthday sprinkle sunglasses to mermaid sunglasses, I’ve created a lot of fun sunglasses crafts, and this candy adorned pair is among my favorites. They are perfect for a Galentine’s day lunch and more. Read on to learn how to make Valentine candy sunglasses.

These sunglasses would be cute for Galentine’s Day

Beach Photo Fun

All my sunglasses crafts are fun and they make for cute photos. For my niece’s 16th birthday, we wore some heart shaped sunglasses and took a cute heart shaped photo after digging in the sand a bit. See that tutorial and photo results here on my website. You don’t have to bling up or decorate sunglasses to have a cute photo. We wore the plain heart sunglasses (I got a huge pack of them on Temu for about $10) and it turned out perfect.

These look cute on their own or with cute heart accessories

More Bling Sunglasses

Want to have cute blinged up sunglasses for a photo shoot but don’t have the time to make them? Try these pairs that we love:

• Pearl sunglasses, Temu, $5
• Set of 3 oversized square sunglasses, Temu, $6
• Engraved star bling sunglasses, Walmart, $13
• Butterfly sunglasses, Amazon, $10

• Studded aviator sunglasses, Amazon, $19

  My Galentine’s Day Outfit

My Crafty Sunglasses

Here’s a list that links out to my current step-by-step sunglasses designs. They all would make cute photo ops for your wedding day and here are some wedding poses to consider using them with from Brides.com.

• How to Make Sprinkle Sunglasses
• How to Make Mermaid Sunglasses
• Love Bug Sunglasses
• How to Make Princess Bride Inspired Sunglasses
• How to Make Snow Day Sunglasses

• How to Make Crystal Rhinestone Sunglasses

  I added rainbow colored rhinestones and pearls

See me make a matching tiara for my Valentine sunglasses in my one-minute video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Theme Sunglasses

If you are planning a big event, fun sunglasses or anything that everyone is wearing that matches makes for an even better picture memory. You can even customize sunglasses and more to go along with a theme. You could do planet/sun/stars sunglasses for a space birthday. If kids will be wearing the sunglasses, make sure to get some kid’s sized pairs to customize too.

These sunglasses can be made in less than an hour

Valentine’s Candy Sunglasses Tutorial + Discount

Now for the project. Here’s what you need. If you shop Temu and are a new app user, use code afe55197 for 30% off or use my link here.

• Heart shaped sunglasses (I got my set on Temu, but you can get a set on Amazon)
• Rainbow mix of flatback crystals and pearls (I got mine on Temu, but Amazon has similar mixes too)
• Resin candy hearts set (I got mine on Temu but Amazon has them too)
• Miniature polymer candy mix (I got mine on Temu, but Amazon and Walmart have similar faux candy)
• Miniature resin jellybeans (Temu or Amazon)
• Mini resin gummy bears (Amazon)
• Hot Glue Gun set
• Liquid Fusion glue
• Wax Pencil
• Optional: hand towel, pointy cotton swabs

Get the 1-minute video tutorial for this craft via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden or above.

The candy sunglasses supplies

How-To:

Fold your hand towel (I use one to balance the sunglasses) and wrap your sunglasses around them.

A towel balances the sunglasses while you create

Lay out some of the candy pieces onto the sunglasses for placement ideas. Then start using hot glue (on a low temperature setting) to glue on the larger pieces onto the edges of your sunglasses.

The candy theme would go well with a birthday party too

Next, add a thin layer of Liquid Fusion glue to where ever you want to place the rhinestones and pearls.

Adding the pearls and rhinestones

Use the wax tip pencil to apply them to the glue. I even added some rhinestones and pearls on the candy, which I also slightly layered.

I added rhinestones to the polymer candy too

I used a pointy cotton swab to clean up any “oozy” glue.

Clean up glue messes with a cotton swab

Then your sunglasses are done! I let mine dry for 24 hours before wearing them. They look super cute with my QUEEN OF HEARTS Galentine’s Day tiara. See that tutorial here.

The finished Valentine’s sunglasses

If you loved this tutorial, then we know you’ll love this one too: How to Hot Fix Rhinestones on a Winter Beanie

Carolyn J. Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Make a Queen of Love Galentine’s Day Tiara

Looking for something fun to wear for your next Galentine’s Day or Valentine’s Day (or even Pal-entine’s Day)? Try this tiara craft! It’s fun, easy, can be made in an hour or less and it will make your Galentine’s swoon! You can make the exact same tiara or make it your own, using my idea as craft inspiration. Read on to learn how to make a Galentine’s Day (or any day) Queen of Love Tiara.

Why Tiaras Carolyn?

I’ve loved tiaras since I was a little girl. Between hats, hair combs, headbands and tiara’s, I love headwear. Headwear is a way to elevate any outfit, any time of year. When I was very little, I knew a family member that kept an old tiara in the top of a closet. Whenever I would visit, I’d run to that closet and put on the tiara and wear it the entire time of my visit. It really made me feel special and beautiful, even as a child.

The finished Galentine’s Day Tiara

Why Did You Wear a Tiara to Prom?

When I went to prom, I wore a tiara (no, I wasn’t Prom Queen as our high school did not do Prom King and Queen, so I took advantage of this on my own terms…I guess I crowned myself!). When I turned 21, I had two people give me tiaras to wear (I still have them!) and I collected a beautiful vintage tiara I found at a garage sale as an adult. I don’t know what draws me to them; I just love tiaras.

Why did you call it “The Queen of Love” Tiara?

I wrote a rhyming, short and sweet kid’s story called the Queen of Love many years ago. I drew a picture of her wearing a large heart adorned crown to go with the story. While this project is more of a tiara than a crown (a tiara is semicircular while a crown is a full circle that encircles the head), it reminded me of the story, so this is why I called it a “Queen of Love” tiara.

Hear me read the story on my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden here or below:

Tiara vs. Crown vs. Coronet

There’s also something called a coronet and you can read about the difference of a crown, a tiara and a coronet at Town and Country Magazine here. Yes, a queen can wear a tiara and yes, anyone can wear a tiara. There are a lot of rules for wearing tiaras and crowns according to the royalty of the world and you can read more about it here. I’m a rule follower mostly, but not so much when it comes to fashion, so you’ll see me wearing crowns and tiaras sometimes just walking down the street….it’s in my DNA I suppose.

I paired my crown with iridescent shoes to match

The Project Instructions + Discount

This project comes together very quickly and I ordered some of my supplies from Temu. If you shop Temu, use my code afe55197 or my link here to get 30% off your first order (for new app users). Other products came from Amazon or Walmart, and I included buying links below.

See my tiara come together in my 1-minute tutorial below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Wear this to your next Galentine’s Day event (it’s a day to celebrate with your gals, made popular by the show Parks and Recreation) or wear it any day! I wore them with my cute light up heart earrings from Walmart ($5).

I’m all Galentine’s Day ready!

Supplies:

• ½ inch headband (I got a set on Amazon and Walmart has them too)
• Pink velvet ribbon (I got mine when it went on sale at Christmas at Walmart but Amazon has it too)
• Resin candy hearts set (I got mine on Temu but Amazon has them too)
• Iridescent Tinsel Garland (I got mine at Walmart, but you can get it on Amazon now too)
• Wood hearts set (I got mine in a variety pack on Temu but Amazon has them too)
• Iridescent Flatback rhinestone set (I got mine on Amazon for around $20 and it came with a wax pencil for easily picking up the rhinestones)
• Hot Glue Gun set
• Liquid Fusion glue

• Scissors

  The tiara supplies

How To:

Because I had the black headbands already, I decided to use them and cover them in pink velvet ribbon. You do not have to do this but I was able to see the black of the headband through the garland in my testing, and did not like it. To skip the velvet ribbon part (which will speed up the project), you can use a pink or white headband instead.

Starting to wrap the headband in ribbon

I heated my glue gun to a low temperature setting, put a bit of glue on one end of the headband and placed the ribbon onto the glue.

I glued and wrapped the headband slowly

I then wrapped and glued and wrapped and glued the ribbon diagonally all around the headband.

The headband is pretty on it’s own too!

I wrapped it slowly so it would lay flat and to make sure the velvet side of the ribbon faced outwards.

Finishing the tips of the headband

When I finished wrapping, I added some more around each end of the headband to cover the black of the headband completely.

I glued on two layers of the garland

Next I added some hot glue onto the ribbon wrapped headband and glued on the iridescent garland. Mine was not quite as full as I wanted, so I glued two strands back to back onto the headband.

The wood hearts are very lightweight

Then I added a tiny bit of hot glue to the garland and placed a wooden heart onto it, holding it in place as the glue cooled.

I glued on 5 wood hearts

I added 5 wooden hearts in dark pink, red and light pink in the same way, slightly layering them and gluing them together with a dot of hot glue. They are very lightweight, so they will stand on their own after gluing.

Gluing on the resin hearts

I added a dot of hot glue to the resin conversation hearts and glued one onto the center of each wooden heart.

Adding the rhinestones for sparkle

Lastly, I used a wax tip pencil to grab some flatback rhinestones and randomly glued them onto the wooden hearts to make them sparkle a bit like the garland.

My earrings from Walmart light up!

I let the glue dry overnight and then it is Galentine’s Day ready!

If you loved this project, we think you’ll like this one too: How to Make Fluffy Button Valentine’s Day Trees

Carolyn J. Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Make Dried Flower and Wax Sealed Valentines

Whether you are looking to make DIY wedding invitations, thank you cards, birthday cards or Valentine’s card, dried flowers and wax seals will take all of them to the next level. This tutorial combines some of my loves (flowers and sweet sentiments) and gives you an easy way to make someone’s day, especially someone you love very much. Read on to learn how to make dried flower and wax sealed Valentines.

A wax seal always elevates a card

Wax Sealed Gifts

You could use this concept of adding a dried flower with a wax seal to make a gift even more beautiful. I created a tutorial for wax sealed gifts and you can see it in my article here. I’ve always loved wax seals, but didn’t really think about trying to add them to my life until I watched Bridgerton. They sealed letters with wax seals in the show and they just made them look fancy. Wax seals definitely make many things look fancy.

These would make cute Save the Date cards

Dried Flower Creations

I’ve been using dried flowers in my home as décor for many years, so it was just a matter of time before I started to use them in my craft creations. I used dried flowers to create a hair comb (also inspired by Bridgerton) and you can see it here in my article. Or you can see it (it was inspired by Pen Featherington, a Bridgerton character) in my 1-minute video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Dried Flower Wedding Inspiration

I incorporated many dried flowers into my wedding in 2003. I sprayed a big hat box with gold spray paint and glued many dried flowers to it. I placed all the cards and notes we received for our wedding in the box. I added dried flowers to a pieced of natural paper that was printed with what my sister-in-law read at our wedding.

My cards are sealed with love

I used dried flowers to create boutonnieres for a co-worker’s wedding I helped put together. See images from that event here. Dried flowers are great because they last a very long time and if you are considering flowers for your wedding, dried flowers and their memory from your special day will stay around for a long while.

If you want to dry your fresh flowers successfully, try this from Martha Stewart’s website. I wish I would have read it when trying to dry my wedding bouquet.

You cannot mail wax seals unless they are hand cancelled

Dried Flower Inspired Gifts + Discount

If you are making these dried flower cards for Valentine’s Day like I did, here are some other dried flower gifts you can give with the cards. If you are a new Temu user, use code afe55197 for 30% off your first purchase or use my link here. Their low prices help me craft like I never have before!

• Forget Me Not and Queen Anne’s Lace Pressed Wildflower Necklace, Amazon, $25 (would make a great “something blue” for a wedding!)
• Long Lasting Real Flower Globe, Amazon, $35
• Lego Icons Dried Flower Centerpiece (I have this and love it!), Amazon, $48
• Full Star Bouquet Dried Flower Bouquet, Walmart, $10
• Elegant Dried Flower and Bunny Tail Bouquet, Temu, $8

See how to make this craft in my 1-minute video above or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden.

How to Make Dried Flower and Wax Sealed Valentines

Now for the craft. Here’s what you need:

• Blank card and envelope set (I got mine on Temu for around $6 but Amazon has a similar set for $13)
• Small dried Flower set (I got mine on Temu but Amazon has a similar set here)
• Wax seal set (I got mine on Temu and ordered an extra set of stamps, but Amazon has a similar set here for around $19, gold permanent marker)

• Scissors

  The supplies I used for the cards

How-To:

Heat up 5 pellets of sealing wax in your warmer (I sometimes mixed my colors to create swirled seals) and while you wait, write your note on your card.

Cutting the flowers to fit on the card

Cut a small group of flowers that will fit onto your card.

Warming up some mixed colors of wax

Lay the flowers onto your card.

Pouring the sealing wax onto the flowers

I poured the wax onto the card on top of the stems of the flowers.

Let the wax cool for about 30 seconds

I placed a heart shaped stamp into the hot wax. You can lift it up after about 30 seconds.

You can accent a wax seal with a permanent marker

See my full wax seal tutorial here on my website or in my video below:

If you want to accent the wax seal design, you can take a permanent marker and color your seal.

Sealing the envelope with a wax seal

Then the cards are done! Place them in an envelope when fully cooled.

Wait until the wax cools before placing in an envelope

I went one step further and added some more flowers to the seal of the envelope and poured wax onto the stems and placed a seal into the wax. I had two different heart themed stamps, so I used one design for the Valentine cards and one for the envelopes.

Placing a wax stamp on the hot wax

Please note: You cannot mail wax seals on cards without placing them into a separate envelope. The only way around this is to have the cards hand cancelled, which usually has a fee. Check with your local post office before mailing wax sealed cards on their own.

These would make cute any day cards!

If you loved this project, we know you’ll love this one too: How to Make Satin Cord Ornaments

Carolyn J. Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Make 2 Ingredient Shaving Cream Puffy Snow Paint

When I was an art teacher, I used to have my kindergarten students use shaving cream to do “magic paper”. It was fun to draw in and got my tables really, really clean! We used shaving cream to learn about color mixing and we used it to make puffy snow paint. Here’s my easy and quick puffy snow paint tutorial. It reminds me of puffy paint or puff paint, something I used a lot in the 1980’s!

Shaving Cream “Magic Paper”

If I intrigued you with “magic paper”, here’s what I did. I put some shaving cream on my art tables…one little puff in front of each kinder student. I had them lightly pat and smooth the puff of shaving cream to make a piece of “paper”. I told them it was magic because if they pressed too hard, it would disappear. They loved this and most did it exactly as I asked.

Then I went to the chalkboard and put my own shaving cream “magic paper” on the board (it didn’t hurt it). Then I instructed kids to use their finger to draw the shapes like I did. It was basically a guided drawing that taught them how to follow my drawing instructions and it helped them identify how certain shapes could be put together to form a drawing.

For example, I’d draw three circles, one on top of another, varying the sizes, then I’d have the kids figure out what it was (a snowman). Once they figured it out, they got to add the snowman details. Sometimes I’d have them do magic paper before doing drawings on real paper. That’s how I’d teach drawing a snowman before doing puffy snow paintings like the one I made for this tutorial.

My puffy snow paint art, 2 days after painting

Shaving Cream Color Mixing + Pudding

You can add a drop of food coloring to a bowl filled with a bit of shaving cream to make colorful shaving cream. I did this too as an art teacher with my students. We made red, blue and yellow, then mixed some of the colors together to make new ones. This teaches color mixing in an easy and fun way.

See another great “snow day” craft, my “snow day sunglasses”, below in my 1-minute video or watch it via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

We also did it with pudding. If you add food coloring to WHITE CHOCOLATE pudding (it has to be white chocolate to get a white pudding that you can dye and mix and you can get it here at Walmart for $1.54) you can mix the colors to get new ones.

I always had them wash their hands first (or I used unscented baby wipes to clean their hands with the help of my kinder assistant that thankfully usually stuck around during my lessons) then I allowed them to mix pudding colors on paper plates. Then they got to lick their hands when we were done and they loved it!

Shaving Cream Puffy Paint

Now for the tutorial! Yes, kids will love this but honestly, I love painting with puffy snow paint as an adult. It’s weirdly calming and relaxing. If you are on a “snow craft” kick, try these mason jar snow globes too from Better Homes & Gardens.

See me make the puffy snow paint in my 1-minute video tutorial below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Here’s what you need to make puffy snow paint. If you shop Temu, use code afe55197 to get 30% off at checkout (for new app users) or use my link to shop:

• Shaving Cream (I have not tested with gel so I recommend just using basic white shaving cream and you can get it via Amazon or Walmart or your local store)
• School Glue (any white school glue will work, I used Elmer’s White School Glue and got it via Walmart, but you can get it on Amazon too)

Optional:

• Glitter (You do not have to use this, I just did to add a bit of sparkle…I used iridescent glitter and you can get it via Amazon or Walmart or a hobby/craft store)
• Craft/Art Brushes (Amazon or Walmart)
• Card Stock (Amazon or Walmart)
• Cookie Cutters (Get a letter set on Amazon or Walmart or Temu for $2.27)
• Sharpie or black marker (Set of 5, $4.87, Amazon)
• Small black flatback pearls (Amazon, came with a wax pencil)
• Small orange jelly flatback crystals ($5.88, Amazon)
• Bowl for mixing
• Measuring cup
• Something to stir with

What I used to make snow paint

How-To:

Mix equal amounts of glue and shaving cream in a bowl and stir to combine. For my snowman art project, I used about a 1/4 cup glue and 1/4 cup shaving cream. I had a bit of paint leftover, so if you are doing this with multiple adults or kids, definitely make a larger batch.

Mix equal parts glue and shaving cream

You can add glitter at this point or you can wait and sprinkle it on your painting. I found adding it early on was a little pointless as it kind of got buried in the puffy paint.

First I added a snow covered ground

I first used my art brush to paint onto some card stock. The paint is very fluffy and works best if you pile it on your paper a bit more than you would regular paint. I first added a wavy “ground” at the bottom of my paper.

Painting on the snowman

Next, I painted on the snowman. Again, piling it on makes it look better.

Adding snow paint letters

Then I placed cookie cutters on my cardstock and dabbed some puffy snow paint into the cookie cutter. After raising the cookie cutter up, the letter was on my paper, and I added more puffy snow paint to the letter to make it puff up more.

Adding snow paint snowflakes

Then I dabbed on some “snow” with my brush and used a small art brush to spread it out into little snowflakes.

Adding several orange crystals for a carrot nose

While the puffy snow paint was still wet, I used a wax tip pencil to add black flatback pearls and orange jelly flatback crystals to make a snowman face.

Adding snowman stick arms

Then I used my black marker to make the snowman arms and sprinkled on some iridescent glitter all over the puffy snow paint.

My completed snow paint art

I let it dry overnight and the next day, it was still very puffy and touchable. After almost a week later, it was still puffy (it deflated just a bit as the water evaporated out), but it still looks great!

If you loved this article, then we know you’ll love this one too: How to Make Cookie Cutter Glue Stamp Cards

Carolyn J. Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 4 Minute Read

How to Make Henna Designs at Home

Little did I know that doing research on henna designs and henna history for my at-home henna tutorial would lead me down such a long-tunneled rabbit hole. I read so many henna tutorials, watched henna videos and learned about at-home henna artists and more. With every person having their own henna methods and opinions on what to do and what not to do, I had to try it and see what worked for me. Read on to learn how to make henna skin designs at home.

My first henna design

Henna Dye History

If you have never heard of henna, it’s a reddish dye that is used to dye hair, skin and more. I’ve used natural indigo plant to dye fabric in college, and henna is a very similar type of a dye as it’s from the henna tree. When I used indigo, we boiled the leaves (in my fiber arts class) and got a rich blue dye. Henna dye is made from dried henna tree leaves that is turned into a powder and mixed with water or other liquids to form a paste. Read more about the process of making henna here on Wikipedia.

How Henna is Used

Henna has a lot of cultural ties to Pakistan, India, Africa and the Middle East. It has been known to help headaches, belly aches and more. Most notably, henna has been turned into a paste and applied onto the skin in a variety of designs to symbolize good health and prosperity. In my research I found that many brides will have a henna artist come to their home to apply henna to their skin before their wedding day.

Speaking of wedding day, I created a “something blue” flower comb that would be a perfect addition to your wedding and it’s easy to make. Get the 1-minute tutorial below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Is Henna a Tattoo? + How Long Henna Lasts

A henna design is not a tattoo, although many people will call it this. A tattoo is permanent while henna is not. A tattoo is made with ink that is applied into your skin via a needle. Henna is much less painful and it is temporary. Henna can last on your skin a few days to a few weeks, depending on how well you care for it. If you want or need it removed from your skin quicker, you can follow this guide on the US Dermatology Partners site.

Henna Dye for Hair

You can use henna paste to dye your hair, but in my research, you cannot go right back to regular dyes with henna in your hair. If you are going to use henna to dye your hair, it needs to be well researched and you must make sure you are going to stick with it for a while or not be in a hurry to get salon highlights or be dyed with regular hair dyes. See some of the henna dye for hair pros and cons here.

The Zenia Henna cones are easy to use

My Henna Design Test + Tutorial

There is much, much, much more you can say about henna, and I’m still learning. If you want to try to do a henna design on your skin at home, it’s pretty quick and easy. I reached out the people at Zenia to see if they’d send me some pre-made henna cones to try and they did. I have not used any other henna brands at this time, so I can only speak to my experience with Zenia.

The Zenia pre-made henna cones are a very inexpensive way to try henna designs at home.

The pre-made henna cones have expiration dates and I read one person’s review that said they put theirs in the freezer to get around the expiration date. I haven’t tried this, but it could be an option if you buy a lot of cones and don’t have the time to use them.

SENSITIVE SKIN WARNING

IF you have sensitive skin, do a patch test before using henna! I saw some people have allergic reactions to henna skin designs, so this is important to note.

What You Need For At-Home Henna Designs

Get Zenia Henna at the following retailers (you can use it for hair or skin):

• Zenia Pre-made henna cones, 6 Pack, $9.99, Amazon
• Zenia Henna Powder, $7.99, Walmart
• Zenia Pre-made henna cone, 1 pack, $6.25, Amazon

Optional:

• ¼ lemon wedge squeezed into a small spray bottle of water for spritzing your henna paste design (I researched this and many henna artists swear by this or lemon + sugar water) to help you achieve darker, more vibrant henna stains.
• Toilet Paper + medical/surgical tape (I researched this too and many henna artists swore by doing henna a couple of hours before bed, then spraying with the lemon water and wrapping the design in toilet paper to protect the design while sleeping…this is what I did)
• Cotton Swabs or tiny detail brushes (for cleaning up messes or creating more elaborate designs)

My Henna Design

I wrote this article and did my henna design on the last week of December in 2024, which was a very difficult year for me, and many in my circle. I added hearts to my design because I want to continue to have LOVE be a big part of my life in 2025. LOVE is one of the only things that has helped me push forward in 2024 and I know the theme of LOVE will be a great thing to carry on into 2025.

Me, wearing my first henna design (day one)

I added 9 hearts, as the number 9 represents completion, wisdom and spiritual growth. Oh how this period of my life has been so filled with growth. I liked the lines because they sort of represent the ties that bind me to all of the people, animals and things I love. The dots were just for fun. Like any design you will live with on your skin for a while, I think it’s a good idea to make sure it is something that has meaning for you.

See my 1-minute video tutorial below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

How-To:

I pulled the pin from the henna cone. Zenia sent me a pack of three cones, all are the reddish-brown color most know henna to be. Tug on the pin if it’s tight….it will come out! You can replace the pin when you are done so you can use the rest of what’s in the cone.

Removing the pin from the henna cone

I practiced some lines and designs on wax paper before trying it on my skin. I would say that the henna paste comes out of the tube-like icing. I’ve made tons of cakes over the years and if you’ve ever used an icing bag to add designs to a cake, this is similar. If you’ve never done henna before, you can also put some lotion in a piping bag, cut off the tip a tiny bit and practice on your skin.

Practicing with henna paste

When I felt confident in my piping skills, I had a design in mind and got right to work. I researched some easy designs on Pinterest so I knew what I wanted to start with. I piped some lines on my fingers first.

Starting my henna design

Next, I added some lines around my wrist, connecting them to the line I put on one of my fingers.

My henna lines

Next I piped on some hearts and some dots and let it dry. I could see that some of my henna didn’t stick to my hand well, so I re-piped over some lines and hearts to put a little pressure on it to lay flatter. I also noticed my wrinkles in my hands not getting the henna, so I added a bit extra on those areas.

Adding henna hearts

My henna paste dried pretty quickly. It cracked a bit, but my design still seemed okay. Following advice I read from henna artists, I sprayed just a bit of lemon water onto the dried henna and then wrapped my hand with toilet paper and secured it with surgical tape. Thank goodness for my husband helping me because doing this all one handed is challenging.

An easy henna design

I slept with the henna covered in toilet paper, and it did protect it. I only had a couple of dried henna pieces in my bed in the morning. I did read that some people left on their henna for 4 hours, then picked it off, but in my experience, it’s hard for me to sit still for that long, so even if you aren’t going to sleep on it, I’d wrap it so you can still move around without messing it up.

I researched wrapping with plastic wrap and many henna artists said not to do this as it can cause your hand to sweat, making the designs bleed. I noticed it bleeding a tiny bit because I sprayed a bit too much lemon water on it, so keep this in mind too. It didn’t hurt my design thankfully though.

How to wrap henna designs

I took off the toilet paper and picked off the dried henna. I could see where I should have applied it a bit more heavily on the bottom part of my hand because it was a little lighter in color. Practice definitely makes perfect with henna art!

The morning after I applied the henna

Day one gave me a lighter red color on my henna design.

Peeling off the dried henna

On day two my henna design got a bit darker, which is what I wanted.

Henna color on day one

Overall, I truly have enjoyed learning about henna designs and I will continue to try new designs. The first time was a bit scary as I didn’t want a messy looking design on my hand for weeks, but now I know I can do it and next time will be easier. That’s pretty much how everything new in life is.

My henna design on day two

**If you loved this article, then we know you’ll love this one too:** Cute DIY Nail Art to Try at Home

Carolyn J. Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 4 Minute Read

I Bought the Viral Lace Slip Skirt and Here’s How to Style It

Original article published: 10/16/24

Article updated to include the white version+styling: 11/14/24

I started seeing a lace slip skirt show up in my social feeds in late 2024 and it was cute, versatile and inexpensive. It was all over TikTok for days, making it a viral trend item for sure. I decided to buy it and see if it could be styled as many ways as other influencers were saying it could be. Here’s my results of my viral lace slip skirt style ideas.

I bought the slip skirt in black

When I first got the lace slip skirt, my husband’s first question was “do people even wear slips anymore?”. I had just watched an episode of Friends (The One Where On-One’s Ready), where the character Monica is wearing a strapless slip while calling and leaving messages from her former boyfriend, Richard. It was a good question, and I was able to answer “yes, remember Monica and her silky dress?”.

A concert tee makes it turn into a great date night outfit

Monica was about to put on a very silky slip style dress (extremely popular in the 1990’s) and a slip is a great addition if a dress is silky (silky dresses show everything!) and if the dress material is on the thin side. I wear slips to prevent my dresses from clinging to me too. If I’m not wearing a basic slip, I like shapewear or bra tanks too. I love to layer to make my clothes lay on my body better.

I layer a bra tank with my skirt and shirts

Here are some of my favorite slips and shapewear pieces I wear under dresses and daily clothing from Temu, Amazon and Walmart. If you buy from TEMU, use code afe55197 or this link to get a 30% discount.

• Spanx Bodysuit (Walmart)
• Bra lined workout romper (Temu, I wear it under some dresses)
• Bra tanks (Amazon or Walmart)
• Spanx Power Short (Amazon or Walmart)
• Cotton Slip (Amazon)

See me style a cute flannel shirt skirt in my video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

This viral lace slip skirt is more than a basic slip as it’s lined and meant to be worn as a skirt instead of being completely hidden under a dress. It has an elastic waistband, making it super comfy and good for many body types.

The elastic waist makes it really comfy

It’s not the most well-made item I own, but as far as trends, I usually don’t worry about it holding up for a long while. It’s low priced, which is also something I look for in trendy clothing items. It can be worn year-round, especially if you layer it. I washed it and steamed it with my handheld steamer before wearing it to make the pleats lay flat.

The lace slip skirt pairs well with a sweater

The Skirt Colors + Discount!

Here are some ideas on how to wear the viral lace slip skirt. I paired it with things I already had in my closet. Here’s a link to the lace skirt on Amazon that I purchased. While I first bought the black version, it comes in several colors and lace styles.

I also purchased the white version from Temu (it was $10, while I paid $20 on Amazon before it was on Temu and it’s exactly the same skirt in a different color). Here's the link to it on Temu. Use my discount code afe55197 for 30% off if you are a new app user.

See me style the skirt in my one-minute video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

I borrowed my husband’s tee for this lace slip skirt style idea

Concert Tee + Black Viral Lace Slip Skirt

The first way I styled the skirt was with one my husband’s Smashing Pumpkins tees. You can get a similar tee here on Amazon. I layered a bra tank under the shirt and then put on the skirt and topped it off with the shirt and tall suede heeled black boots (here’s a similar pair on Amazon). It makes for a great concert outfit, date night outfit or a night out with friends

A corporate look with the lace slip skirt

Black Blazer + Black Viral Lace Slip Skirt

The next way I styled the skirt was with a bra tank and the skirt with an oversized blazer I already had in my closet. Find a similar blazer here on Amazon. I added some black suede heels and I was office ready. Add some tights if it’s cold outside.

The lace slip skirt can be for all seasons

Cowl Neck Sweater + Black Viral Lace Slip Skirt

The last way I styled it was with a cream-colored cowl neck sweater that I already had. Here’s a similar sweater on Amazon. I layered the bra tank underneath so the sweater would not be too scratchy, as many sweaters are. I added my own suede heeled boots and I was ready for errands and more.

How to Style the White Viral Lace Slip Skirt

Paris Sweatshirt + White Viral Lace Slip Skirt

For the white skirt, I paired it with a Paris Sweatshirt (it’s embroidered and I got it at Target, but I can’t seem to find it anymore, so here’s a similar one on Amazon). I paired it with gold jewelry and flat riding boots.

A casual way to style the white slip skirt

Happy Face Sweater Hoodie + White Viral Lace Slip Skirt

For the next white skirt styling, I paired it with a cute happy face sweater hoodie that I got on Temu in 2023 for around $23. Here’s a link to it on Temu.

This is a cute date night outfit idea

I also added some heeled riding boots, but the flat ones would work too. I pulled my hair into a low side pony and added my daily simple gold jewelry.

The happy face sweater from Temu is warm and thick

Green Puffy Sleeve Hoodie + White Viral Lace Slip Skirt
I also tried styling it in a more casual way with sneakers and it worked. I added a green puffy hoodie that I got on Temu for around $12 (get it here on Temu).

I didn’t add tights because I currently live in Sanibel, where on the day I took these photos it was 80 degrees outside in mid-November. If I was in a cold climate, I would wear tights in the fall and winter with this.

This is a cute a simple styling of the lace slip skirt with sneakers

I put my hair in a messy bun, my simple daily gold jewelry and was ready to go. It’s very comfy. Because it’s white-ish, it may need a bit of a slip or shorts under it. It has a lining but it is sheer. I always wear long bra tanks which do the trick.

A cute and easy outfit for errands

**If you loved this article, then we know you’ll love this one too:** How and Off the Shoulder Top Will Make Anyone Look Amazing

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Make a Personalized Disco Cowgirl Ornament

While I know “cowgirl” and “cowboy” and “cow person” will always be in style, the last couple of years, cowgirl style has really been a focus of some of my creations and I know other creators have felt it too. From Beyonce’s first country music and Americana focused album, Cowboy Carter, to my own glitter cowgirl fascinator, the trend has snowballed, added some fancy glitter, and is here to stay. Read on to learn how to make a personalized disco cowgirl ornament.

The completed disco cowgirl ornament

In 2023 I created a rhinestone encrusted mini cowgirl fascinator. I started it early that year and lost the “vibe”, so I set it aside until inspiration came back around. When it did, I created an entire “electric cowgirl” look to go with it in 2024 (see that here), including rhinestone encrusted eyebrows. See my rhinestone eyebrow tutorial below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden. See it here on my website too with the full tutorial.

The Inspiration + Discount

My ornament tutorials started to get sort of popular on my Pinterest, so I decided to create at least one more thing in 2024 that focused on cowgirls. The disco aspect of this project just came from a disco ball and cowbow hat set that I got on Temu. I originally got it to use on a cake, but when it didn’t quite fit it, I put it aside until I thought to create this ornament.

If you are interested in shopping Temu (their super low prices on craft supplies have enabled me to create so much more!), new app users can use my discount code afe55197 at checkout for 30% off or use my link here.

This cute ornament can be displayed year-round

Ornament Project Tutorial

Now for the project tutorial. This is a fairly easy ornament to recreate. I first created some varsity letter filled ornaments (see that project here), which lead me to create another varsity style letter ornament using different colors. DIY ornaments can be hung year-round, make great gift ideas (they can commemorate people, places and events) and can be personalized easily.

If you want to make yours just like mine, go for it! If not, tell me what you did differently in the comments at the bottom of this article.

What You Need:

• Scissors
• Round Fillable Ornaments (Mine are round and flat-ish, about 3.15 inch and from Temu, but Amazon and Walmart have them too)
• Iridescent “icicles” or tinsel (I got mine on Temu, but Amazon has them)
• Silver “icicles” or tinsel (I got mine on Amazon, but Temu and Walmart has it too)
• Tulle Ribbon (I used glittery silver and pink, Amazon has it, and so does Walmart, and Temu)
• 1-inch Pink Satin Ribbon (I got mine at Hobby Lobby, but Amazon has similar ribbon)
• Mini Disco Ball and mini Cowgirl hat set (I got mine here on Temu and they didn’t have sticks, but if yours do, you can break the stick off, Amazon has a similar set here)
• Iridescent flatback rhinestones (Amazon)
• Iridescent Rhinestone Varsity Letters (I got mine on Temu but Walmart and Amazon have similar letters sets)
• Liquid Fusion Glue (Amazon or Walmart)
• Wax Pencil (Amazon, Temu or Walmart)

• Dual Temperature Hot Glue Gun (Amazon or Walmart)

  My supplies for this craft

How-To:

First, take off the cap of the ornament. Mix together some silver and iridescent icicles and stuff it into the ornament. Put the cap back on.

I mixed iridescent and silver tinsels

Next, using a LOW temperature setting (high temp melted my ornament a bit during a test, so that’s why I used a low setting), hot glue the letter onto the ornament.

Hot gluing on the varsity letter

Then I applied thin layers of Liquid Fusion glue to the mini hat and used my wax pencil to grab rhinestones and add them to the hat. I let it dry overnight.

The completed blinged up hat

I cut a piece of pink satin ribbon and tied it on as a way to hang the ornament. When I cut ribbon, I seal it with a swipe of a lighter. It creates a melted seal on many ribbons so they won’t fray.

A quick swipe of a lighter seals many ribbons

The next day I tied some tulle ribbon to the top of the ornament (I used a dot of glue under it to make sure it stayed) and using hot glue on a low temperature setting, I glued on the cowgirl hat and the disco ball.

Making the back pretty too!

I used my wax pencil and a bit of Liquid Fusion glue to add some rhinestones around the top of the ornament on the back side too (just for a little extra bling).

This disco cowgirl ornament sparkles!

Then, the ornament is complete! It’s sparkly, fun (kind of like my personality, so I’ve been told) and will add some flair to our Christmas tree for sure.

If you loved this article then we know you’ll love this one too: How to Make Rhinestone and Pearl Holiday Ornaments

Carolyn J. Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Create Easy Bun Hairstyles with a Sponge Bun Maker

If you’d like to get a bit more volume in your bun hairstyles, try a sponge bun maker. Even the finest hair can look big and full with a foam or bun maker. They are lightweight and easy to wear in your hair all day. I used them to create space buns (like Princess Leia) and more. Read on to learn how to create easy bun hairstyles with a sponge bun maker.

Side view of my ballerina bun hairstyle

Sponge vs. Foam Bun Makers + 30% Discount

I used a foam bun maker many, many years ago. The only issue with a foam based one is that over time, it started to disintegrate, causing me to have to throw it away. Then I discovered a spongier bun maker made out of a material that reminds me of a gentle dish scrubber. This one lasted a lot longer and comes in many colors.

The back of the single ballerina bun hairstyle

I got my sponge bun makers in a kit I got on Temu. It came with several bun makers in different sizes, ponytail holders and u-shaped hair pins. If you shop Temu, use my link here or my discount code afe55197 for 30% off.

Where to buy bun makers:

• Donut Bun Maker Kit for Light Hair Colors ($8.99, Amazon)
• Various Bun Maker Kit for Dark Hair Colors (other hair color options are in this set, $6.99, get it on Amazon)
• Donut Bun Maker Kit for Dark Hair ($8.59, Walmart)
• Light and Dark Bun Maker Kit (25 pieces, $2.44, Temu)

I’ve also used a bun maker twist that I got from Beachwaver. Get a similar one here on Amazon. See my video for how to use it (it works best for half up hairstyles as mine is really small) above or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden.

This space bun is a great way to keep your hair out of your face while cooking!

Space Buns

I bought two bun maker kits so I could make space buns with the same sized bun makers. The reason why the “space buns” are called space buns is because they are similar to the buns Princess Leia wore in her hair in the movie Star Wars. Hers were more twisted than the buns I created though.

Back View of the Easy Space Bun Hairstyle

The space buns I created are also a bit higher on the head, making them a bit more comfortable than the Princess Leia buns that are basically over her ears. Learn more about “space buns” on Byrdie.com here. If you want to learn how to do the twisted buns Leia wore, check out the tutorial here on Vogue.com.

Parting your hair for the space buns

To create space buns, I first brushed out my hair. I LOVE my unBrush. The longer my hair gets, the more I love it to help detangle my hair when wet and dry. This style works well on non-washed 2nd or 3rd day hair. Unwashed hair has a bit more grip than squeaky clean hair, so if you want to create this style on freshly washed hair, I recommend adding a bit of dry shampoo to your hair first, then brush it out.

Dry Shampoos I like:

• Not Your Mother’s Plump for Joy (adds lots of volume, get it on Amazon or Walmart)
• Not Your Mother’s Beach Babe Dry Shampoo (adds texture, get it on Amazon or Walmart)

• Viori Vanilla Coconut (Grab it at a 10% discount using code CAROLYNBRADEN or use this link to Viori’s website)

  Adding the spongy bun makers

Next, I parted my hair in the middle using a rat tail comb. I pulled one side up into a high ponytail on one side of my head and secured it with a ponytail holder. I repeated it on the other side (basically, you are making “pigtails”).

Adding the u-shaped hair pins

Then I pulled each “pigtail” through the hole in the center of the donut shaped bun maker and slid them all the way down to my head. I selected medium sized bun makers for this style. If you have short hair, or more fine hair, use a smaller bun maker.

I used medium sized bun makers for the space buns

I took a ponytail and simply wrapped it around the sponge donut, sort of pulling my hair around it to cover it completely. As I wrapped and tucked my hair around and under the bun a maker, I used the u-shaped pins to secure the hair around the bun.

My space buns are holiday ready!

Lastly, I sprayed it with some hairspray and added cute little turkey hair clips I got on Temu. Get 2 clips for $2.40 here on Temu. I created this style around Thanksgiving, so that’s why I added the turkey clips. Getting my hair out of my face while cooking a Thanksgiving meal is very helpful and the style is cute!

The single ballerina bun was created with a sponge bun maker

High Single “Ballerina” Bun

The next way to use your sponge bun maker is to do one simple ballerina style bun. When I was young, I danced and a bun hair style was very popular to keep my long hair out of my face. Adding the sponge bun maker helps make the simple ballerina bun bigger and more voluminous. It’s a great “rainy day” hairstyle because your hair won’t frizz out! I love wearing buns on rainy days.

I used a larger bun maker for a single bun

For this style, brush your hair out and pull it into a high ponytail and secure it with a ponytail holder. I created this on 2nd day hair, which again, helps have more grip. If you are doing this on clean hair, use that dry shampoo trick I talked about in the space bun tutorial.

I added a headband to elevate the style

For this style, I slipped a larger sponge bun maker onto my ponytail. I slid it all the way down to my ponytail holder, then wrapped (in a swirling motion) all my hair around the bun. I slid the u-shaped pins into the base of the bun to hold my hair.

I added enough until my style stayed, then sprayed it a little with some hairspray. Lastly, I added a cute fabric bow headband I got on Temu for around $5. Get it here on Temu.

If you love this article, then I know you’ll love this one too: How to Use a Topsy Tail Hair Looping Tool for Easy Hairstyles

Carolyn J. Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 4 Minute Read

How to Make a Beachy Personalized Cricut Ornament Step by Step

I wanted to start to make my own vinyl decals so I purchased the Cricut Joy after doing some research. It comes with its own software to help you design many different vinyl decals and even can do beautiful cut out greeting cards. I had an idea to make a beachy ornament filled with sand and real shells from my current home, Sanibel Island Florida. Read on to learn how to make a beachy personalized Cricut ornament with my step-by-step tutorial.

Why Cricut Joy?

I decided on the Cricut Joy machine after reading many reviews on Amazon. I’ve ordered personalized stickers for my glass dog food containers and glass soap bottles via Etsy, so if you don’t want to buy the machine, you can ask many Etsy sellers to make personalized vinyl stickers for you.

Sanibel Island, Florida beachy DIY ornament

Free Cricut Designs

There are many smart cutting machines on the market, but the reason why I choose Cricut was because the software had good reviews. After setting it up, I was able to make my ornament from start to finish in about 30 minutes and now that I’ve done it once, I know I could make one even faster. There are FREE templates on their software uploaded by other users that you can use to make your projects quicker.

This beachy ornament makes for a cute gift!

Cricut Subscription

Even though there are free templates and fonts you can use with the Cricut software, you can purchase a subscription for more. I decided to try a subscription for a while to see how much I use it. The subscription gave me access to the fonts I used with this project.

Cricut Joy Size

The Cricut Joy makes smaller vinyl decals as it’s a smaller machine, which is all I wanted it for at this time. You can get larger machines for bigger projects. I purchased larger vinyl decals for my washer and dryer years ago and love them. I got mine on Etsy, but Amazon sellers have them here too.

See our process for applying large vinyl decals to our machines (we made sure these were not permanent in case we didn’t like them) in the video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

How to Make the Cricut Ornaments + Discount Code!

Now for the DIY Cricut personalized Christmas ornaments. You can use my steps below to try this out on your own. You do not need to fill your ornaments with sand…you can fill them with many materials including tinsel, feathers, dried flowers and more. See some of my 10 minute tinsel filled varsity letter ornaments here. You can use other brands of vinyl, but I’ve only experimented with Cricut brand so far.

I purchased the fillable ornaments from Temu and if you shop Temu, use my discount code afe55197 or my link here to get 30% off your first app order. If you do not want personalized vinyl decals but still want to make ornaments, Amazon has these vinyl holiday stickers that you could try. I’ve not tested them, but they may be a good option.

Things You Need:

• Cricut Joy Machine (I got a set that came lots of things, get it on Amazon or Walmart OR you could one of many vinyl decal Etsy sellers to make a personalized sticker for you)
• White Permanent Vinyl for Cricut Joy Machine (My set came with this, but you can buy it on Amazon or Walmart and it comes in many colors)
• Cricut Joy Transfer Tape (Amazon or Walmart)
• Cricut Starter Tool Set (My Cricut came with these but you can buy them on Amazon and Walmart)
• Scissors
• Tweezers (for placing seashells easily)
• Small funnels for sand
• Round Fillable Ornaments (Mine are round and flat-ish, about 3.15 inch and from Temu, but Amazon and Walmart have them too)
• Natural Sand (I got mine naturally from the beach, but Amazon and Walmart have some)
• Tiny seashells (I got mine naturally from the beach, but Amazon and Walmart have some)
• Raffia ribbon (I got mine at a craft store, but Amazon and Walmart has some too)

See my one-minute tutorial for this project in the video above or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden.

How-To:

Measure your ornaments.

Measure your ornaments before making your Cricut design

Open the Cricut Joy Design Space software on your computer. Click +New Project.

Title your project and click Text. A text box will appear and you can change the font and size in the tool panel of the software at the top of the screen.

How to use Cricut Joy Software

I placed my text boxes at the top of my screen and sized it using my mouse to ensure it would fit on the ornament. My ornament was 3.15 inches and I made sure my design would fit in width and height. I added three text boxes as I wanted my design to be in different fonts. You can buy fonts, but I used ones that were included in my subscription.

After you get your design the way you want it, click the Make button. I selected “Without Mat” to answer the next box that asked “How will you load all your materials for this project?” as I was using Cricut Smart materials. Click Confirm.

On the “Review artwork” screen, review your sizing and design. This is also where you can double check the size and resize as needed. If everything looks good, click Continue. You can always click “Cancel” to return to the previous screen if needed.

How I loaded my vinyl into my Cricut Joy

On the next screen, your machine will connect and you need to select the material. I selected Smart Vinyl-Permanent. Then it asks you to load the material into the machine. Just unroll your vinyl and slide it into the machine and make it fit in between the markers and slide it towards the needed. The machine will position itself. Once loaded, click Go and it will cut your design into the vinyl.

Peeling the background off my design

I then cut around my design with scissors and used the hook looking tool to pick off the BACKGROUND vinyl from my design.

Peeling the background away form the cut design

I peeled that background off and it left the letters on the backing.

Cutting the transfer tape to fit my design

I cut a piece of transfer tape to fit over my design.

Peeling the transfer tape away from the design

I peeled the transfer tape off its backing and put it onto my cut design.

Using the scraper tool

I then used the scraper to make sure the transfer tape stuck to every letter. This took several attempts. I peeled it away from my design slowly to make sure it stuck to all of it, placed it back down if it didn’t and scraped some more.

The design peels away from the backing paper with the transfer tape

Once I made sure the tape stuck to my entire design, I peeled the transfer tape off the design and all it was on the tape.

Placing the vinyl sticker onto the ornament

I placed the transfer tape with my design onto the ornament (make sure you get it exactly where you want it as its permanent!).

Using the Cricut scraping tool to transfer the design

I used the scraper to “transfer” my design onto the ornament by gently scraping over the transfer tape. I peeled the transfer tape up gently and the design was transferred onto the ornament.

The vinyl sticker is placed on the ornament

I scraped a little more to make sure the design had no bubbles and was completely flat.

Filling the ornaments with sand

I took the cap off the ornament and added a bit of sand to a small funnel on the opening of the ornament to fill it.

The ornament is filled with sand

I placed the tiny seashells into the ornament using tweezers, but you could just drop them in.

Placing the shells in the ornaments with tweezers

I put the cap back on the ornament and cut some raffia and tied it around the top of the ornament. The ornament was a bit heavy, so you may want to add a hook instead of using the ribbon that is already attached to the ornament for hanging. Martha Stewart’s website has some great ideas on hanging various types of ornaments.

The completed Sanibel Island beachy ornament

Then it’s done for gifting or hanging in your home or on a Christmas tree. The sand filled ornaments will shift, so they probably won’t ship well. Just a note that I thought was important.

If you loved this idea, then we know you’ll love this one too: How to Make Air Dry Bread Clay Mushroom Ornaments

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

Emily in Paris Scarf and Braided Low Ponytail Hair Tutorial

I loved watching through the Emily in Paris series to see all the fashion and hairstyles. The clothes the stylists dress Emily in are simply fab and the hairstyle team is super talented too. I saw her low ponytail braided hairstyle with a long scarf on an episode in Season 4 (when Emily was in Rome) and knew I could recreate something similar. Read on to learn how to create an Emily in Paris scarf and braided low ponytail hairstyle.

The Emily in Paris hairstyle inspiration

The series on Netflix was created by Darren Star, the creator of Sex and the City, so if you liked that series, you’d love Emily in Paris. The characters are a bit younger than Carrie and her crew in SATC, but the love stories, the drama, the fashion and hair trends are all very prominent, similar to SATC. The actors are really great, making it an overall good show. The scenery is great too, making me want to visit Paris at some point.

My overall look to match my hairstyle

Bruno Gouery (Luc) adds the dose of humor that I truly love. He’s a French actor, as many of the actors are in this series. The show does a great job of incorporating the French language and the English language, making it easy to follow and somewhat realistic. He pairs with Samuel Arnold (Julien, his co-worker) in a fun and quirky way.

The back of the ponytail hairstyle

Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu (Sylvie) is an actress I was happy to get to see too. I had never seen any of her work before and she is amazing! She depicts Emily’s French boss in a fashionable and power-house way. They have her play a bit towards the Miranda Priestly character in the Devil Wears Prada, but in a much more loving and caring way.

The back of the braided low ponytail hairstyle

I loved Emily’s friends, but I think I resonated with her work crew because they would be a crew I’d love to have working for me. They all worked well together and seemed to have fun, which is what I think all workplaces should be.

The full Emily in Paris inspired look

I loved so much of the fashion and hairstyles and this low ponytail braided hairstyle on Emily (Lilly Collins) was very Parisian, stylish and EASY to recreate. I did it in my own way and I loved wearing it.

I loved using my new curling wand, a skinny one by Wavytalk, for this, though you don’t have to use a curling wand for this super easy and quick hairstyle. See my full tutorial of using the Wavytalk wand to get various curls in this article.

You could use any silky scarf in this hairstyle

See me create a very Parisian/Brigitte Bardot style hair up-do, a messy bun, using my favorite hairpins in this article, in the video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Temu Discount

I buy many hair accessories from Temu. Use my link here or my discount code afe55197 at checkout to get 30% off! I got my shirt and skirt that you see in my photos here on Temu too!

Here’s what you need:

• Square Silk Scarf (I got mine at a second-hand shop many years ago but here’s a similar one on Amazon and another at Walmart)
• Ponytail holder (Temu, Walmart or Amazon)
• Clear elastic ponytail holder (Temu, Walmart or Amazon)
• Small pom-pom ponytail holder (Temu, Walmart or Amazon)
• Brush (I love my Unbrush, get it on Amazon or Walmart)
• Teasing Brush (Temu, Walmart or Amazon)
• Optional: Wavytalk 3/8 inch skinny curling wand (Walmart or Amazon)

See me create this hairstyle in my 1-minute video above or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden.

How-to:

I first tied the scarf onto the ponytail holder. I slipped it through the holder and then knotted it one time.

My DIY scarf ponytail holder

I brushed my clean hair.

I used my teasing brush to lightly tease the crown (the back) of my hair to give it a little volume.

I parted my hair in the center, separated small pieces of hair (my long “bangs”) and held them with a clip to prevent me from pulling them back into the ponytail.

I used the teasing brush to pull the rest of my hair back into a low ponytail and looped the scarf and ponytail holder around my ponytail to secure it. I pulled the knotted side to the top and let it drape down my ponytail.

I pulled the scarf ends to the front of my body (to get it out the way for braiding) and braided my ponytail. My hair is long, so I had to pull it to the side to braid it all the way to the end, then I used a clear elastic and a pom-pom ponytail holder to secure the braid.

The skinny Wavytalk curling wand I used

I heated my Wavytalk curling wand and then wrapped my bangs around it in small sections to give them a wave. You could leave your hair straight too.

The completed ponytail hairstyle

Then the style is done! I wore it all day. It’s a simple style with a lot of flair! You could use a skinny scarf, but the large scarf definitely adds more drama to this style.

If you loved this article, then we know you’ll love this one too: How to Use a Topsy Tail Looping Hair Tool for Easy Hairstyles

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Create Tiny Spiral Curls with Wavytalk Curling Iron

If you truly know me, you will know how much I love experimenting with new hairstyles. I have a lot of hair tools, but when I saw the Wavytalk super skinny 3/8-inch curling wand, I knew I’d have fun with it. I’ve created many hair tutorials for creating curly hairstyles, and this wand provided me with the cutest tiny spiral curls I’ve ever had. Read on to learn how to create tiny spiral curls with a Wavytalk curling iron.

Before and after using my Wavytalk curling wand

While my heatless curling tutorials like my sponge roller tutorials do well on my social accounts, my heat curling methods are popular too. Sometimes my heatless methods for curling my hair don’t quite last as long as my heat curling methods, but I like to play to see what works best for my hair type on different days, which is 2B. Find your hair curl type on Allure’s website here.

Before using my Wavytalk curling wand

With having a type 2B hair curl type, my hair tends to hold curl fairly well, depending on it’s health and what the weather is like. If it’s really humid, usually my hair curl falls out a bit more than on drier days. On the day I first tested my Wavytalk curling wand ($25.99), it was during our 3rd evacuation from a hurricane. We have lived on Sanibel Island for 4 years and have evacuated 3 times. This time it was for Hurricane Helene.

Definitely use the glove for easy curling

See my sponge roller tutorial in the video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden.

I created the sponge roller tutorial during our first hurricane evacuation, which was for Hurricane Ian in 2022 while at my in-law’s house in Indiana. It was the longest evacuation and you can see why in my article here. We are planning to move because we are truly not having fun with the almost yearly evacuations since moving to Florida in 2020. But, I try to make the best out of it and wrote this article while evacuated.

The Wavytalk wand is very lightweight

Get a Wavytalk 3/8 inch curling wand on Amazon here or on Walmart’s site here.

More hair tools by Wavytalk:

• Wavytalk 5 in 1 Curling Wand Set (Amazon, $45.99)
• Wavytalk Thermal Brush (Amazon, $45.99)
• Wavytalk 1 Inch Curling Iron and Flatiron with Cooling Air (Amazon, $44.99)
• Wavytalk Ionic Hair Dryer (Walmart, $39.79)

• Wavytalk Negative Ion Hair Straightening Brush (Walmart, $34.90)

  My Wavytalk curling wand

While Hurricane Helene only arrived on Sanibel as a tropical storm, we worried about flooding and headed to Doral, Florida in the Miami area to wait it out. I washed and dried my hair the night before testing the wand. I turned it up to 420 degrees, the highest heat setting, because my hair is quite thick and even though Doral was far away from the hurricane, it was still windy and humid outside.

Curling my hair at our hotel evacuation

I wouldn’t recommend such a high heat setting for all hair types, but if your hair needs the heat to curl, turn it up. I used the included glove to wrap my hair in very small sections around the super skinny barrel from root to end.

My DIY spiral hair is fun!

I experimented and saw that if you wrap larger sections of hair around the barrel, you’ll end up with looser curls. If you use smaller strands, you’ll get tiny spirals.

This wand gave me tiny spiral curls

My hair curled very fast with this curling iron and heat setting. The glove definitely helps you not burn your fingers! After curling all my hair, I gently brushed it out with my Unbrush. I then applied some Morrocanoil Treatment (I have used this serum for many, many years and love it!) and some Dirt texturizing paste (which helped define the curls after brushing).

Final results with my Wavytalk curling wand

I sprayed some Kristen Ess finishing hairspray on my style and my hair looked fab! Even in humind, windy weather, my curls lasted all day. The wand is very lightweight and super easy to use. I would recommend the Wavytalk brand for sure and love my results!

If you loved this article, then we know you’ll love this one too: What I Think of my Beachwaver Multi Barrel Curling Iron

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 4 Minute Read

How to Make Bread Dough Roses for Claw Clips and Other Crafts

I am loving making crafts with my bread dough or bread air dry clay! From my mushrooms to flowers and more, you can sculpt many things with bread clay. Use my tutorial below to create a recipe for bread dough and make bread dough roses for a claw clip and more!

Air dry bread dough claw clip

I’ve made other craft tutorials for bread dough and it’s super fun to make. If you are looking for a quick and easy air-dry clay project that is very “vintage” and low cost, definitely make bread dough and try my roses. Bread dough is an old recipe used in crafting basically because air dry clay and other art supplies weren’t available at the time. Now you can buy air dry clay from all kinds of stores, but making bread dough is fun to try.

Use bread dough for many crafts

Can You Eat Bread Clay/Dough?

No, you cannot eat bread dough creations nor can you eat the bread clay/ bread dough. It’s a crafting clay that dries without the use of a kiln, making it homemade air-dry clay. It has glue in the recipe, so please do not eat it.

My claw clip hairstyle idea

Will Bread Dough Mold?

My aunt used bread dough to create the roses that you see framing my baby photo in the photos in this article. She made that over 40 years ago, and there is no mold on them, so I do not think that it will. I believe the glue acts as a stabilizer, which prevents the mold. If you are still afraid your bread dough creations will mold, use Mod Podge or paint to seal them as I did in this tutorial.

How To Make Bread Clay/ Bread Dough for Crafting

I wrote my full tutorial for bread clay in this article here (which shows you how to make a bread clay rose too), but I am including it below so you can make it right from this article. If you want to see photos of me making the clay to go with the steps below, definitely read the full article for my bread dough. Or you can watch me make it below in my video.

See me make bread dough clay in my 1-minute tutorial below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Discount Code Alert!

I get many of my craft items via Temu. If you use my discount code afe55197 at checkout or shop via my link, you’ll receive 30% off!

Things You Need:

• White Bread (1 slice, mine was a bit stale, so it crumbled easily, which is a good thing)
• Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue (Get it at Walmart here or via Amazon here)
• Cold Cream (I used Noxema, get it at Walmart here or via Amazon here)
• Acrylic paint (I used a matte white for the dough, but other colors and finishes can be used if you want your clay to be a certain color, buy white acrylic paint here on Amazon or here at Walmart and buy other colors of acrylic paint too if you are making other creations like my roses
• Measuring spoons (Buy it on Amazon here or via Walmart here)
• Mixing bowl with tight fitting lid (lid is only needed if you plan to store this for later use)
• Something to stir it with (small spatula, spoon….I LOVE these mini spatulas via Amazon)
• Plastic wrap (if you plan to store this for later use)
• Clear Claw Clip (Mine is from Temu, but Amazon has the same set I bought too here)
• Iridescent flatback pearls (I got mine here on Amazon)
• Rhinestone tray (Amazon)
• Aleene’s Liquid Fusion Glue (for the pearls, Amazon)
• Wax pencil (Amazon)
• Small detail or miniature paintbrushes (Amazon)
• Optional: Acrylic Seal Spray with a Gloss Finish or Mod Podge (Amazon)

How To (Bread Dough):

1. Remove the crust from your bread crumble it into tiny pieces into a bowl. Mine was a bit stale, so it crumbled easily. If you use fresh bread and want it to crumble easily, leave a slice out on a plate for about an hour before you do the craft. It should dry up a bit, leaving it “stale” enough for crumbling.
2. Measure out 1 tablespoon of the Aleene’s Tacky Glue and add it to the crumbled bread.
3. Add a ½ teaspoon of cold cream to the mixture.
4. Add 15-20 drops of acrylic paint. I used white, so all my clay would be white (then I could paint it later). If you want to use colorful acrylic paint, you can (but your clay will all be that one color).
5. Mix with the spoon or spatula until it starts to all come together.
6. Spread a little cold cream on your hands and pick up the dough and knead it (basically “squish” it in your hands) until the ingredients combine and forms the dough.
7. If your dough is extremely sticky and cannot be molded, you can add a bit more crumbled bread OR let it sit out for a bit. Mine was a tiny bit sticky, so I just added a bit of cold cream to my hands so it wouldn’t stick.

Roses Directions:

For the roses, I pinched off a tiny piece of clay (pea-sized or smaller) and rolled it into a ball.

Rolling the bread clay into a ball

Then I used my fingers to flatten it into a circle and rolled the circle into the “center” of the rose.

Flattening the bread dough ball

I rolled several more balls and flattened them into “petals” and wrapped them around the center. I added about 3-4 petals to the center and formed a rose the size of my thumbnail or slightly smaller.

Forming the center of the bread dough rose

Making them as tiny as my aunt did for my baby photo is hard and mine was definitely a bit bigger, but you can make them as large or as small as you need them.

Adding the petals to the bread dough rose

I was able to make 5 small mushroom ornaments (see that project here) from my batch of air-dry bread clay for my bread dough mushroom ornament tutorial and used the rest to make the 6 small roses for this project.

The bread dough rose

I cut the backs off them with a plastic spatula to make them lay flat.

Cutting the rose to make it flat

I let them dry for about 2 days. Then I painted on 2 coats of acrylic paints on them.

The finished bread dough rose

I let all the paint dry and then laid them out on some wax paper outside and sprayed 1 coat of acrylic paint sealer on them all. You do not have to do this, but I wanted to make sure mine would last. You could also use Mod Podge.

Painting the dry bread dough roses

When the sealer was dry (24 hours is what I gave mine to fully dry), I glued them to a clear claw clip with the Liquid Fusion glue.

DIY air dry clay rose

I then applied more glue to my claw clip and used my wax pencil to grab pearls that I put in a rhinestone tray and added the to the glue. I added the pearls all around the clip and on the top side of it too.

Gluing the roses to the claw clip

And then they clip is done! You can make the roses bigger or smaller and make earrings, glue them to ornaments, add them around a photo like my aunt did and more.

Adding the flatback pearls to the claw clip

Bread clay is easy to shape, sculpt and it will last in the fridge (wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in a sealed container) for 2-3 weeks and can be frozen too.

The finished bread dough rose claw clip

If you loved this article, we think you’ll love this one too: How to Make a Varsity Letter Ornament in 10 Minutes

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Use a Topsy Tail Hair Looping Tool for Easy Hairstyles

Twisted low ponytails were very popular in the 1980’s. As a pre-teen, I used to flip my ponytail through my hair strenuously to get the look because I didn’t have any tools at the time to help me do it. Then came the Topsy Tail hair looping tool.

I’ve owned a Topsy Tail for several years and thought it was time to show you how easy it is to use for many hairstyles. Read on to learn how to use a Topsy Tail hair looping tool for easy hairstyles.

I used the large looping tool for a twisted low ponytail style

I originally bought the hair looping tool to help me string some cotton candy colored hair extensions through my hair for braiding. I saw someone using the Topsy Tail to do this and it made adding the colorful hair much easier for the person doing the tutorial I watched. After using it for that experiment, I wondered what else I could do with it.

See my easy messy bun tutorial using hair pins in my 1-minute video above or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden.

Creating easy and quick hairstyles is something I love to do. I love styles that looked like you put a bunch of effort into, but are much simpler than they look. That’s what the Topsy Tail gives you. It’s a simple plastic and bendable tool that helps you create a style that looks complex and beautiful, but is very easy.

It makes a simple twisted low ponytail style

Where to Buy Topsy Tail or Hair Looping Tools + Discount Code

If you want a name brand Topsy Tail, you can find it by Conair on Amazon here. The set comes with a small and a large looping tool, instructions and ponytail holders. There are plenty of off brand versions on the market that cost a bit less that work just the same.

I saw a set of 2 on Temu for $1.11. If you shop Temu, use my discount code afe55197 at checkout for 30% off or use my link here to shop.

**Other looping tool sets to consider:**

• Topsy Pink Styling Tools Set (with the lopping tools and combs) on Amazon for around $4
• Aigee 6 piece Hair Loop Styling Set (Set of 6 of different sizes) on Amazon for around $4
• Hair Looping Bundle (set of numerous tools and combs) on Walmart for around $7.50
• Hair Twister Set on Walmart for $6.20

Get my cool retro jazz cup shirt (seen in my photos here in this article) on Amazon.

**Twisted Low Ponytail**

I first experimented with creating a twisted low ponytail hairstyle. It’s best to use tangle free hair with this tool. I brushed my hair with my Unbrush (I love this brush…get it on Amazon here) and then pulled my hair into a low ponytail with a seamless ponytail holder.

I positioned my large looping tool on my ponytail and faced the pointed end towards my head. I slid the loop down on my ponytail just slightly under my ponytail holder.

I bent the pointed end towards my head and slid it into my hair behind my ponytail holder.

I used the tool to ***gently*** pull my hair between my head and the ponytail holder and down. If you have to tug too hard, you may have your ponytail holder a bit too tight. Try loosening it if you struggle to. Pull your hair through OR brush your hair a little more.

I used my fingers to fluff up the twist to hide the ponytail holder and the style is done.

**Twisted Half Up Hairstyle**

For a twisted half up hairstyle, I brushed my hair and pulled the sides back to form a half up hairstyle and secured it with a seamless ponytail holder.

I followed the same steps as for the low ponytail style, but I used the small looping tool.

I positioned the loop on my ponytail, with the pointed end facing my head. I bent the pointy end towards my head and then down under the ponytail holder. I gently pulled my hair through and placed a puffy bow scrunchie over my ponytail holder to conceal it.

If you loved this creative idea, we know you’ll love this one too: How to Use a Heatless Jumbo Curler Set

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

Best Dupe Perfumes by Wicked Good Perfumes and ALT. Fragrance

When Lush discontinued Skinny Dip in the early 2000’s, I was very disappointed. I discovered the brand right before getting married in 2003, and it became a beautiful scent memory that linked me to my wedding day each time I smelled it. When it was gone, I held onto an old bottle that had a bit left in it so I could smell it whenever I was feeling nostalgic.

I’ve shared my love of Wicked Good on my social media accounts

Lush brought it back in 2024, but it sold out very quickly, so I missed out. This caused me to do yet another online search for “Skinny Dip + Lush” (I’ve tried to find dupes for years and even tried to create my own version) and my results returned with Wicked Good Perfume’s version. Read on to learn my thought on this and other dupe fragrance brands.

My real deal fragrance and my dupes

Is Dupe Fragrance Illegal?

If you are concerned about brands copying high-end fragrances, rest assured it’s a legal practice. I had to speak with an IP (Intellectual Property) lawyer when talking about beach shades years ago (read about that here) and you cannot usually copyright a fragrance or a recipe. Hasbro was able to copyright their Play-Doh scent somehow, but it’s extremely difficult. Read more about IP law here.

How To Smell Expensive for Less

See me create a dupe of the discontinued Bath & Body Works “Country Apple” in my one-minute video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

My current Wicked Good perfumes

Wicked Good Perfume: Use my link here to shop Wicked Good Perfumes.

Wicked Good had many options for getting dupe scents on their website. I ordered a roller ball dupe for Aveda’s Shampure and a Perfume Mist dupe for Lush’s Skinny Dip. They had the scents in perfume form, but I was curious about the other application versions.

The Shampure dupe smells amazing

The Lush Skinny Dip (it’s mostly a clove-based scent with other notes like cocoa butter) came in a decent sized spray bottle like a body spray would come in. It’s a lightweight multitasking mist that you can spray on your body, in your hair and into the air. It took me directly back to my wedding day and because I kept that old Lush bottle with a smidgen of Skinny Dip, I could smell both and they were extremely close in scent.

The Wicked Good Perfume Mist is multi purpose

The Aveda Shampure roller ball is compact and smells exactly like Shampure. I owned a Shampure oil and could smell the two and it is a great dupe. I love Wicked Good as they are clean, eco-friendly, vegan, organic, handmade and woman-owned. Their scent catalog is HUGE and I think anyone wanting discontinued scents by big brands OR original scents should try Wicked Good Perfume.

A great Lush Skinny Dip dupe by Wicked Good

ALT. Fragrance: Use my link here to shop ALT. Fragrance

I wrote about ALT. Fragrance when researching dupes for Baccarat Rouge 540 and I found it in their Crystal No. 23 scent. You can read my full review here. ALT. Fragrance is a cruelty free brand that gave my husband a great dupe for the $300+ fragrance that we adored. I jokingly nicknamed it “rich man cologne” before knowing how costly it was. I guess that’s how my brain imagined an extremely wealthy man smelled like, lol!

ALT. Fragrance has many dupe scents that are amazing!

It doesn’t last as long as the real deal (it does not contain ambergris, which is an animal derived ingredient that makes perfumes last a long time), but it’s extremely value priced, so you can pump out several sprays during the day without braking the bank. I love that you can get samples of their fragrances in sets so you can try them before you commit to a full bottle. I also love that it’s a small company.

Get $10 off ALT. Fragrance purchases with this link!

If you loved this article, then we know you’ll love this one too: How to Use Hair Pins for Ouch Free Hairstyles

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How To Make Faux Jadeite Pumpkins for Cute Fall Decor

After discovering DecoArt’s Americana Jadeite Glass paint, I have been scavenging things to turn into faux jadeite. I created a faux jadeite jar vase for my kitchen and when I saw these pumpkins, I knew their destiny was to become faux jadeite as well. The gorgeous jadeite green is a color I have never grown tired of and jadeite glassware has been a staple in my kitchen since 2002. Read on to learn how to make faux jadeite pumpkins for cute fall décor.

An up close look at my faux jadeite pumpkins

As I wrote in my tutorial article about the faux jadeite jar vase I made (see that project by clicking this link), my husband and I collected jadeite to create a set of our wedding dishes. Since then, we’ve added many jadeite pieces to our kitchen, from dishes, to a gorgeous cake stand, to salt and pepper shakers and more.

See me make my jadeite jar vase in my 1-minute video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

I even am starting to consider doing a jadeite green accented kitchen in my next house. I’ve always had a white kitchen and have accented it with my jadeite collection, but I think I’d love to add some jade green paint to the kitchen, jade green tiles, or perhaps even jade green kitchen island.

I’ve started my design research so when we move from Florida to Georgia in the (hopefully) near future, my next kitchen design will come together quickly. I’ll definitely display my cute pumpkins in it too!

The jadeite pumpkins give our entryway a pop of color

Brief Jadeite Glass History + Jadeite Repros I Love

If you don’t know what jadeite is, here is a link to learn all about it on Wikipedia. It’s basically a milky glass that is tinted a light green and was popular starting in the 1930’s. Big names like The Pioneer Woman, Martha Stewart, Anchor Hocking and more have reproduced lines of jadeite in recent years. Here are some of my favorite jadeite glass and vintage reproductions:

• Jadeite Glass Collection Mixing Bowl with Handle (Amazon)
• Jadeite Green Kitchen Diner Wall Clock (Amazon)
• Mosser Glass Panel Pitcher in Jadeite (Amazon)
• Pioneer Woman Timeless Beauty 3-Piece Jadeite Butter Dish and More (Walmart)
• Mosser Glass 12-Piece Dinnerware Set in Jadeite (Walmart)

• TableCraft Jadeite Glass Syrup Dispenser (Walmart)

  You could paint pumpkins in many colors too!

Shopping Links + Temu Discount Code

Most of my links in my project details go to Walmart or Amazon. I buy A LOT of crafting supplies on Temu, as their prices are very low. If you want to try to shop Temu, use my link here or use my discount code afe55197 at checkout for 30% off.

Project Details

If you are wanting to create your own inexpensive faux jadeite (as many vintage pieces are very expensive), a simple bottle of paint can help you turn most anything into faux jadeite glass. Here’s how to make faux jadeite pumpkins.

How I display my faux jadeite pumpkins

Things You Need:

• Foam Pumpkins (I bought white so they’d be easier to cover with paint and got mine at Hobby Lobby, but other retailers listed below have them too)

—Buy them on Amazon

—Buy them at Walmart * 3/8” inch Gingham Ribbon (I got mine at Hobby Lobby, but Amazon has similar ribbon here and Walmart has similar ribbon here) * DecoArt Americana Jadeite Glass Acrylic paint, 2 oz. bottle (Buy it on Amazon or at Walmart, but it is currently cheaper at Hobby Lobby, other “mint green” paint colors will work too) * Dual Temp Hot Glue Gun (Get a set on Amazon or at Walmart) * Mod Podge (Gloss, I got mine on Amazon, but Walmart has it too) * 1-inch or a bit larger brush (Amazon) * Paint tray Palette (Amazon) * Optional: Paint triangle stands (I got mine on Temu and if you get yours there, use this link or use my promo code afe55197 to get 30% off, I’ve also ordered some on Amazon here) * Optional: Acrylic Sealer (I got mine on Amazon and it helps with stickiness, but can be used in lieu of Mod Podge too!) * Optional: Press and Seal (what I use to cover my paint in between coats, grab it here on Amazon or here on Walmart) * Optional: Wax Paper * Optional: Martha Stewart 11” Jadeite Glass Cake Stand (Amazon) * Option: Bag of Spanish Moss (Get it on Amazon or at Walmart)

See the 1-minute video tutorial: coming soon!

How-To:

Use a brush to apply 2 coats of the Jadeite Glass acrylic paint to each pumpkin.

Pumpkin paint prep

I let mine dry for a couple of hours on wax paper or on the triangle stands in between each coat. I laid them down on their sides to dry if needed and painted the bottom separately sometimes, but most of the time, I held them by their stems and painted from stem to bottom. Painting in long strokes, from top to bottom is helpful to minimize streaks.

Drying pumpkins on paint stands

After the two coats dried, I used the same brush to apply 1 coat of Mod Podge to give them a shiny glassy look. Mod Podge can get a bit sticky, so you can also use the Acrylic Sealer spray to coat the Mod Podge layers after they dry OR you can spray it on instead of the Mod Podge. Be sure to rinse the brush thoroughly after applying Mod Podge, as it can ruin a brush if you don’t.

Mod Podge seals the paint and makes the pumpkins look glassy

I cut a long piece of gingham ribbon and sealed the ends by swiping a lit lighter past the end. I learned to do this as a cheerleader many years ago and my bows were always perfect!

A quick swipe of a lighter seals most ribbon ends

I applied a dot of hot glue to the base of a pumpkin stem and placed the ribbon on the glue.

The completed faux jadeite pumpkins

When it cured fully, I tied the ribbon into a simple bow, trimming the ends and sealing them again if needed.

My jadeite stand matches my pumpkins well

And, then your faux jadeite pumpkins are finished! For display, I added some Spanish moss to my jadeite glass cake stand.

The cutest pumpkins for fall decor

I then placed the stand on my foyer table and added the pumpkins. They are a bit slick, but after nestling them into the moss, they held a beautiful position.

I didn’t spray mine with the acrylic sealer, but I may end up using it. Mine weren’t sticky at the time of finishing this, but have the sealer just in case as I don’t want the moss to stick to them.

I love jadeite color for many things

Mine has some paint strokes due to painting on the Mod Podge, but they weren’t that noticeable. The pumpkins add a nice touch of cute fall décor to our current island home and I look forward to placing them in my jadeite accented kitchen after we move to a new home.

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: Designer Inspired DIY Honey Bee Hair Bows

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

Designer Inspired DIY Honey Bee Hair Bows

Maybe it’s from watching so many episodes of Bridgerton recently, or perhaps it’s my love of designer fashion, or maybe it’s my love of honey bees that inspired this craft. Hair bows made a big comeback in recent years, and I love making them.

When you combine some ribbon, bee charms, felt, hair clips and glue, you get a beautiful clip in hair bow that you can make in about 5 minutes. Read to learn how to make my DIY honey bee hair bows.

Gucci inspired hair bows

Why Bees?

I credit a swarm of honey bees that began a hive high up in a tree in our yard days before Hurricane Ian for showing me what was coming. Animals do weird things sometimes right before a big weather event and even though creating a hive in a tree in typical, it seemed to happen very, very quickly. I looked at that hive, about 20 feet up in the air and thought that they had some kind of intuition to “go high” to protect their queen, and they were right.

They look cute in messy bun hairstyles

What Happened During Hurricane Ian?

Sanibel Island had storm surge that flooded a bit over 5 feet at our house, and went up as high as 13.8 feet in surrounding areas. Those bees told me to “go high”, so we did. We evacuated right out of Florida, into the mountains of Georgia and I’ve never felt so safe before.

The beautiful bee hair bows

The storm reached all over Florida, causing flooding, power outages, and total destruction in many cities, but being in those mountains, we knew we were safe. This event made us also understood that we need to move to Georgia (we love it!) and have started putting that plan in motion.

I will say that the bees chose well though, because the branch they swarmed to stayed intact. I can’t say the same for many of the trees on the island. They were then able to get back to work, helping the island post-storm, turn from brown (salt water that sprays in hurricanes kill so much) into lush and green again.

See the bees flourishing post Ian in my quick video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden with a song I wrote, dedicated to honey bees everywhere!

The Designer Inspiration

I bought some red and green striped ribbon from Temu a while ago, and had an idea to make shoe clips. I bought the bees and instantly understood it all was very Gucci looking.

Gucci has used bees and red and green colors in many of their designs over the years (see one of their bee watches here), making the brand very recognizable and iconic. I shelved the shoe clips for a while, but after watching Bridgerton and seeing all their gorgeous hairpieces, I knew I should make hair bows from the ribbon for now.

How I imagine a modern character on Bridgerton would wear the bows

Bridgerton Connection

In the show called “Bridgerton”, a bee sting is the reason Lord Bridgerton dies (he was allergic and went into shock and you can read about it here) and while bee stings can cause many severe allergic reactions, they are actually a very social creatures and are not defensive unless they feel threatened. Now days, you can have an EpiPen on hand in the event you are allergic and get stung. Learn more about bees using this link to National Geographic’s website.

The bows add a bit of style to uplift your hair

Let’s Create!

I love honey bees as they are so necessary to our world. They pollinate so we can have plants and trees that help us be able to breathe! I will always look at bees as being kind and gentle souls that I will celebrate (their work ethic alone should be sheer inspiration for many go-getters out there) and I definitely do so in this honey bee hair bow craft. Here’s how to create it.

The bee hair bows match my bee shirt

Things You Need:

If you buy any supplies from Temu (I purchased the green and red ribbon from Temu in a big roll), use my discount code afe55197 for 30% off (new app users only) or use my direct link here. Their craft supplies have great prices.

I’ve also included links to make purchases on Amazon and Walmart for your convenience.

Video Tutorial Coming Soon!

—Red and Green Striped Polyester Webbing Ribbon (mine was 1.25 inches in width, is very thick, and I have a big roll from Temu, or you could use any ribbon like a grosgrain)

• Buy similar ribbon on Amazon
• Buy similar ribbon at Walmart

—0.98 Inch Pack of Alloy Bee Charms or Pendants (I got my set on Amazon, but Temu has them too)

• Buy them on Amazon
• Buy a similar set at Walmart

—2” Inch Metal Duck Bill or Alligator Style Hair Clips (I got mine at Hobby Lobby)

• Buy similar clips on Amazon
• Buy similar clips at Walmart

—Kelly Green Felt

• Buy it on Amazon
• Buy it at Walmart

—Dual Temperature Hot Glue Gun + Hot Glue Sticks

• Buy a set at Amazon
• Buy a set at Walmart

How To:

I cut my ribbon into a 7.5-inch piece. I lightly swiped a lit lighter around the ends to seal it.

 I folded one end of the ribbon towards the center and glued it using my hot glue gun set on a low heat temperature. I then folded the other end towards the center and glued it to form the bow.

The start of the bow

Next, I pinched the ribbon together in the center to form the bow shape.

Pinching the ribbon to form the bow

I added hot glue in the folded area in the center and pinched it, holding it until it dried.

Pinching the bow in the center after gluing it

I cut a small strip of felt (about a ½ inch wide and 4 inches long) and folded one end around the center of the bow and hot glued it on. The next part is a bit tricky….I opened the hair clip and while it was open, I glued it onto the folded over felt.

I then folded over the other end of the felt to cover the top part of the clip. Then I trimmed the excess felt and glued any loose ends down. I wanted the clip to stay on, so this is why I folded the felt over the clip.

Adding my hair clip onto the bow

Lastly, I hot glued on a bee on the front side of the bow, on top of the felt. The felt makes a great soft and flat space for the bee.

Adding the bees on last

I made two and will probably make the shoe clips at some point as I have tons of ribbon and bees!

The completed bee bows

They look cute in your hair when it’s up or down and add a bit of designer style to your look for a fraction of the cost.

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How to Wax Seal a Gift Wrapped Package Like On Bridgerton

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Use a Heatless Jumbo Curler Set

I am always experimenting with my hair. I love adding curls to my hair using hot tools, but I also love exploring heatless hairstyles too. I recently saw a set of 3 jumbo heatless curlers come up in my Temu shopping feed and wondered how merely 3 curlers could curl my hair. So, I bought the set and got right to work experimenting. Here’s how I curled my hair with a heatless jumbo curler set.

The final results of the three heatless curlers

I’ve written many articles and made lots of videos about heatless hairstyles. Sometimes your hair just needs a break from heat styling. My sponge roller tutorial still gets watched and saved on my YouTube channel and TikTok. I especially love my mermaid waves tutorial that comes together via Beachwaver Braid Balm and braiding your hair. See it in my article here or via my 1-minute YouTube video below or via my channel @carolynjbraden.

Heatless hairstyles sometimes is helpful if you are trying to grow your hair longer. Writer Clare Stephenson wrote an article about her experience for Women’s Health about how heatless curlers are very important in maintaining her long hair. She calls it a “heat detox” and says it can help rebuild and strengthen bonds that are damaged by heat tools.

If you heat style every day, you may want to consider giving your hair a heat detox too. Beauty brand Nexxus even wrote up a full tutorial for giving your scalp a detox too, which can help give your hair roots a good cleaning, which can be helpful too. Read about it here on the Nexxus website. You can do their DIY version or use a scalp scrub or clarifying shampoo like this one from Kristen Ess. We love many of her products.

The big curls lasted for a while

If you absolutely need curls in your hair, heatless curlers can help give your hair the same curl that a hot tool can, and may even give you more volume, like heatless curlers do for me. Now for my heatless curler tutorial. Granted, you can come up with your own method for rolling these into your hair, but my process is what worked for my hair, which is currently long, layered, naturally slightly wavy, highlighted and aging.

I used a set I got on Temu that was abot $7.50. If you shop Temu, use my link here and search “heatless rollers”. Use code afe55197 for 30% off (new app users only). Amazon and Walmart have similar roller sets and here are the links. Sometimes they are called “pillow rollers” and many sets come in lots of sizes for different lengths of hair:

• Kitsch Satin Pillow Rollers for Hair (Walmart)
• 3 Pack Heatless Curlers (Walmart)
• Heatless Curling Set of 3 Curlers + Hair Wrap (Amazon)
• Set of 4 Heatless Flexirods (Amazon)

Here’s how I did it. Please note, these rollers are quite large, so if your hair is shorter than shoulder length, you probably won’t be able to get all your hair wrapped around them, but you could certainly try to see what works for you. Mine were covered in a velvety material which had a bit of “grip” so I’d choose these over a satin covered one.

My heatless curling kit

First, I washed my hair and allowed it to air dry for a while. To speed up the drying, I used my Dyson dryer for a few minutes so it would not be soaking wet. I think rolling your hair when it’s slightly damp and allowing it to dry while rolled is easier and will help your hair curl better.

If you get it too dry like I did, use a misting spray bottle to add some water back in. I added a bit of my favorite Beachwaver Braid Balm to help hold the curl, as it’s been effective for many of my heatless curl methods.

The front curler gives you a “rolled bang” look

I first separated the front section of my hair out using a comb, then I rolled the first roller from the ends of my hair to towards my forehead (in a downward rolling motion) and secured it using the hook and loop attachment that is at the end of each curler.

I then separated out a second section of my hair and rolled my hair from the ends to the root down towards the back of my head and secured it with the hook and loop. You can see how I wrapped it in my photo below.

Heatless roller #2

The bottom and last section of my hair was the trickiest because of the length of my hair. No matter what I tried, I couldn’t get it tight enough to stay in my hair so I decided to roll it from the tip of my hair up towards my head and then I looped it around the second curler. That made it stay secure!

How I looped the bottom curler around the middle one

If you want it to naturally dry and curl, wrap the silky scarf (my set came with one) around your head and sit outside (if it’s nice) or sleep on them. The ones I bought were extremely soft and I think I could actually sleep comfortably on them.

Three curlers are in my hair

My husband said I looked like Rosie the Riveter as the roller in the front of my head definitely looked like rolled bangs. The scarf definitely secures that look. It’s cute and I could wear my hair like this while doing errands. You could not see the roller, so it just looks like a hairstyle choice.

A hair drying bonnet can speed up the drying process

If you don’t want to sleep on them, and you don’t mind adding some heat, you could use a hairdryer on a low heat setting and a bonnet. The bonnet slips over the curlers and you add your hairdryer to the tube connected to it. I did this to speed up the drying process. It did dry my hair out a bit, so if you are prone to dry hair, you may want to opt to let your hair naturally dry.

I sat in the sun for a little while to speed up the drying

After about an hour of the bonnet drying, I unrolled the rollers and was surprised to see some nice, big voluminous curls. My end pieces (the last curler I rolled) could have stood to be in my hair for a bit longer as it didn’t curl quite as well, but my overall curl experiment worked.

The finished result of my three heatless curlers

My hair ended up being big, curled and bit of hairspray made the style stick in my hair for a few hours in the Southwest Florida humid heat of August. Curls fall fast in the humidity here, even with hairspray. I do believe that if I had slept in the rollers, my curls would have been even more defined and would have lasted even longer.

The final look for my heatless curler style

If you are looking for heatless ways to curl your hair, I’d look into these. If anything, they will give your hair a volume boost and should add some curl to many hair types. If you have “uncurlable” hair like my mom’s, you may need to stick to heat tools. I love my multi-barrel Beachwaver and wrote about it here. Definitely check it out too!

If you loved this article, then we know you’ll love this one too: How To Create a Brigitte Bardot Hair and Makeup Look

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Create a Brigitte Bardot Inspired Hair and Makeup Look

Other than being a fashion and hair icon, Brigitte Bardot had quite a career. She started off as a dancer and over time, her features, including large eyes, ruffled hair and her ability to pull together an effortless look became known all over the world. As I grow into my own creative career path, I find myself and my style loosening up and I recently turned to images of Bardot to help me create my own style inspired by hers. Read on to learn how to create a Brigitte Bardot inspired hair and makeup look.

Sending my caterpillar years of perfection into flying free like a butterfly

Teacher Years: Wavering from the Road of Perfection

I used to want my look to be pulled together and be perfect all the time. I worked as a teacher for over 10 years and those kids noticed everything. When I came in looking put together and perfect, they took notice. If I wasn’t looking pulled together, they told me.

One even told me she thought I had too much lip gloss on one day. My student was right. I did. Their honesty was refreshing, but not cruel or hurtful and it helped me loosen up a bit. After teaching, I went into the corporate world and needing to “look perfect” came back around.

A messy bun is easy but does take some effort

Corporate Years: Diving Back into Perfection

At my corporate job, I wanted to be seen as a leader, so I turned to many of the women in leadership positions at various companies and tried my best to emulate it. If that’s what they looked like and they were successful, then I thought I should do it too. I wore a lot of dresses and pants, but always added a bit of my own creative style. I turned to Cabi (a co-worker introduced me to the brand) for many of my corporate fashion pieces as it had color and style, but still looked professional.

Unfortunately, the corporate company I was at did not see me as a leader, no matter what I did. I started thinking about what even makes a leader look like a leader. I had the talents, the ability, and the stamina. I looked like a leader (even when some people at the company said my look was “too creative”…whatever that means) and felt like a leader, but it apparently wasn’t enough.

Green in my color

When the company I worked for, and the 100’s of companies I applied for (when I knew it was time to move on), didn’t see me as one (I was interviewed by Meta, Amazon and more giant companies and none ended up being in need of my talents), I knew it was time to move on and do my own thing.

It was one of the hardest decisions I ever made, but my mental health was at risk (rejection at the level I was receiving was not something I wish on anyone) and I knew it was time to let go. I had to let go of my idea of a perfect life (goodbye stabile dual-income home for a while, goodbye “extras”, goodbye old life) and allow a new chapter to begin. My husband and I had saved, so we made it work.

I love this look

“I’m sending my caterpillar years of perfection into flying free like a butterfly.” —Carolyn J. Braden

Pursuing My Own Path

After leaving the corporate world, I threw myself into my creative abilities and started growing my side-hustle, carolynsbloomingcreations.com, into a brand. I had no idea what I was doing exactly, but I started educating myself, I worked a lot and I figured things out. I saw myself letting go of the need to be perfect and look perfect, as I worked from home, so I adapted a “uniform” of white tees and either leggings or shorts. I also was on a budget, so new fashion was not a part of that. I love fashion, but a daily “uniform” is so easy and costs so much less. Read more about my uniform concept in this article here.

A messy bun is great on next day or third day hair

Loosening Up Again

A couple years after quitting my job, we moved from Kentucky to Florida. I grew my hair long and started to see a big shift in my look. It’s very hot in Southwest Florida, so my style absolutely had to change. I couldn’t wear heavy fabrics or tight-fitting clothing, as it made me incredibly uncomfortable.

I started wearing loose dresses, lots of shorts outfits and the humidity made my hair frizz out a lot, so it started needing to be styled up. Between the island vibes (we moved to Sanibel Island) and the weather, my look definitely loosened, but stayed stylish.

My love of tiaras started when I was a kid

In looking at images of Brigitte Bardot, she embraced flowing dresses, long hair and to me, is very “boho-chic”. She seemed to dress the way she wanted to dress, and not do what everyone else was doing. That’s how you become a style icon. As I learned in the corporate world, sometimes if you look like everyone else, you won’t stand out and be yourself. Over time, you can and should try to develop your own style, which will be a reflection of your true self, and that’s what the world needs to see.

My Bardot inspired hairstyle

Bardot Hair

For my most recent photo shoot, I borrowed a look from the cover of Brigitte’s book Brigitte Bardot: My Life in Fashion. The image (seen in the first image I posted at the top of this article), truly captures her effortless makeup, hair and fashion style. To recreate it, I first put my day three hair (I only usually wash my hair every three days) up into a messy bun. I first sprayed dry shampoo in it (I like Not Your Mother’s) and brushed it out with my UnBrush.

My version of the Brigitte Bardot messy bun

Next, I loosened up some pieces at the front of my face (I had short layer put in my hair recently and am considering adding some bangs), and pulled the rest of my hair up into a ponytail half way. I bent my half-ponytail into a messy bun and added my Magic Grip hair pins to secure it all day. I love these pins and talk about them in this article on my website. It should look “effortless” but it does take a bit of effort to make it look that way, but it is pretty simple.

See my Magic Grip hair pin tutorial on long hair in my 1-minute tutorial below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Messy Bun Video tutorial coming soon!

NYX makes a great liquid liner!

Bardot Makeup

For the makeup, I followed my daily routine and kept it all very simple like Bardot did, but I made sure to add a winged liquid liner and I LOVE NYX Epic Ink Liner. It lasts all day and is only around $7.50. I love my tried and true KVD Tattoo Liner, but the NYX is definitely on-par with the high-end KVD version and I’m making the switch permanently. I used a dark brown because it looks good with my skin tone.

The Pale Pink NYX liner is simple but gorgeous

I added a pale pink lip using NYX Pale Pink Lip Liner, which is $3! It comes in many colors and lasts quite a long while. I over line my lips slightly with it and then fill in my lips with it a bit too. I patted on some nude NYX Lingerie matte liquid lipstick to make it a matte pale pink lip.

A nude-ish pale pink lip

Bardot Dress

The cover of her book shows her in an off-the-shoulder dress, so I grabbed my Temu dress to complete the look. My usual daily white tee uniform just wasn’t completing the look. If you order one off the shoulder dress like mine from Temu (just search “off the shoulder dress”) use my link or my discount code afe55197 for 30% off. Or, Amazon has a similar one here.

I love my vintage tiara, which adds some of my own style to the look

Off the shoulder dresses can be simple, but that peek of shoulder can add some “sexy”. Brigitte Bardot’s look was often referred to as “sex kitten”, and didn’t shy away from showing some skin. I think that’s pretty fab. You know you are feeling like yourself and confident if you can be bold and try new things. I don’t usually do off the shoulder styles, but I liked this dress.

Overall, I like my Bardot inspired look and I know my style will grow and change as I age, just as hers did. I look forward to trying new things and creating my own “leadership” style. While pantsuits may work for some in the corporate world, if I ever wear one again, it’s definitely going to be worn in my own style. And that makes me a leader of my own style and my own business world.

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: Modern Retro Hair and Fashion Looks + Roll & Go Tutorial

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

Bridgerton Inspired Creations: How to Wax Seal a Gift-Wrapped Package

Maybe it’s from watching Bridgerton, but I feel all kinds of romantic vibes in my creations right now. I recently found a wax seal kit on Temu and was drawn to the beautifully colored wax pellets so I knew they needed to find a place in my crafts and creations. After doing some experiments, I am finding all kinds of ways to use my wax seal kit, and wax sealing a gift is one of my favorites. Here’s how to wax seal a gift-wrapped package.

My wax sealed presents are ready to gift!

The colorful wax beads are what drew me to this wax seal kit. It reminded me of Bridgerton, which is a very colorful show (it was based on a book series by Julia Quinn), in many ways. It’s a fantasy historical inspired drama, and while it’s not 100% accurate on history, it’s how I wished life could have been in many ways. I love the union of the people, no matter where they are from and no matter their skin color.

I love the heart wax seal stamp

The hair pieces created for the show are amazing, filled with feathers, crystals, flowers, braided pieces and I’ll be working on a hair piece inspired by Bridgerton soon. The costumes are gorgeous, the queen loves Pomeranians (don’t even get me started on HOW CUTE they all are…I’ll definitely watch her series next) and has 6 (my dream) and the story lines are filled with love and a touch of drama, of course.

Bridgerton reminds me of Downton Abbey, so if you are a fan of that, you may love Bridgerton too. It has a bit more, ah ‘em, “skin” for sure. The scenery are something out of a romantic living dream come true, and the actors are amazing. It was no wonder that the more and more I watched it, the more inspired I was.

I love the textured handmade paper

One of the characters, Marina, had many love letters sent to her by her love (and the father of her child) and I took notice of how they were sealed with wax seals. Wax seals cannot be sent on basic letters in the mail now days (unless you place a wax sealed envelope inside of a plain one and then pay a bit extra to send it), but I always loved the idea of wax sealing something. It somehow makes it seem a bit more special to the recipient. Learn about the history of sealing wax here.

Wax seals make a gift just a little more special

I had a few special gifts to send recently (my niece just got her license and a car and my dear friend lost her husband) and I decided to wrap the gifts I made and selected for them in some special paper and attempt to wax seal them and it worked. Here’s how to wax seal a gift.

Things You Need:

I ordered my supplies from Temu due to the low prices. If you order from Temu, use my link here and the search term I used below to find it on the app. If you use my link or promo code afe55197 at checkout, you will receive 30% off (new app users only).

Otherwise, I’ve included links to buy similar items on Amazon or Walmart below.

Electric Wax Seal Kit (With everything you need, including warmer, stamps, wax beads and more)

• Buy it on Amazon
• Buy a similar set on Walmart

If your kit doesn’t come with a stamp you want, you can order it separately (I also ordered a bee stamp separately on Temu, but Amazon has a similar one) as a set. I used a heart for this gift wrap project.

Buy a similar Wax Seal Stamp Set at the following retailers:

• Amazon
• Walmart

3-Pack Champagne Color Hand-Torn Frayed Chiffon Ribbon Set

• Buy it on Amazon
• Buy it at Walmart

Gift Wrap (I used a natural textured gold paper I had on hand, but these sellers have similar wrap)

• Buy it on Amazon
• Buy it at Walmart

How To:

Wrap your gift using the gift wrap and then wrap the chiffon ribbon around the package. I tied it just once at the top (not in a bow).

The gift is beautiful, even without a seal

I placed my electric wax warmer on a natural stone surface (the warmer gets hot!) but you could place it on a trivet. Then I turned it on.

Melting the wax beads

Place the ladle (it comes with the wax seal kit) in the warmer with 5 wax beads and let them melt. I chose red for the packages, but have also made some wax seals in gold recently too. See how to create them (just the seal) in my 1-minute video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden.

Stirring the wax to ensure the beads are all melted

I stirred the wax just a bit with a small metal letter opener that came with my kit.

Pouring the wax onto the package

If you are placing the seal on a gift, carefully pour the melted wax onto the gift (where the ribbon is tied on the top of the gift.

Stamping down into the melted wax

I selected a heart stamp and placed it on the handle and while the wax was still wet, I stamped the stamp into it and held onto it for about 2 minutes. The metal of the stamp is cool and seems to speed up the cooling of the wax. After about 2 minutes, I lifted up the stamp and the wax seal was complete.

I folded the ends of the ribbon in half and cut it diagonally to make a “v” finished edge on the ribbon.

The finished wax seal on the gift package

If you are not placing the wax seal on the gift, you can pour the wax onto a heat safe (and non-stick surface like the stone pastry board I have) and stamp down into it. After about 30 seconds, you can lift the stamp off the wax and peel the wax seal off and use it however you wish.

Bee wax seals

You can even use paint pens to accent the seals

A paint pen can accent the wax seal design

You can also get wax seal stickers (they are small, round, double sided sticky) to place on loose wax seals for use on envelopes and more. Remember, as I said earlier, you cannot mail a letter with a wax seal without placing it in another envelope. You can even have wax stamps custom made and I think they are gorgeous on wedding invitations (which usually need extra postage anyways).

The wax seal stickers you can use

I hope this is inspiring and I look forward to watching more episodes of Bridgerton and making more romantic style creations inspired by the show.

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How to Make a DIY Faux Jadeite Jar Vase

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

After seeing a weird blue lip color show up in my social media feeds for weeks, I quickly learned it was Wonderskin Wonder Blading Lip Color and I knew it’d go viral. Influencers were hyping the lip stain up so much, that I decided I had to try it for myself. I love a good lip product and I reached out to Wonderskin and they sent me the Sweetheart kit to try for myself. Read on to learn my exact thoughts about my Wonder Blading lip color experience.

This is my kit in the color Sweetheart

Is This Really Your Honest Opinion?

So, first of all, this is not a paid or sponsored article. I often will receive products from companies to test and post about and I always give my honest opinion. In exchange for receiving the product complimentary, I had to do for this was film a video with my honest opinion, but I decided I needed to write about it too. It’s a very interesting product with a very unique marketing angle.

The blue mask portion of the lip process

Product Safety

I am happy to report that it is vegan and cruelty free! Any brand that puts animals first over money is a good one in my heart. It’s also formulated with safe ingredients, so ingesting a bit isn’t an issue for me. I looked through the ingredients as soon as I got the package because I was wondering about the chemical makeup of the blue mask, but it’s safe.

My clean, dry lips before adding the lip product

The Blue Marketing Hook

That blue “mask” that appears on lips as soon as it’s applied was the mesmerizing thing that stood out to me and it’s the brand’s marketing “hook” for sure. A marketing hook is attention grabbing, and this product does exactly that. Seeing influencers with this weird blue lip product on and then seeing the removal that reveals a beautiful color underneath is definitely why this went viral. The removal is a bit a beauty magic and magic always seems to captivate human attention.

I wondered if the “hook” was needed and in today’s beauty industry, with so many brands out there, it kind of is. The “gimmicky” mask removal definitely got my attention and while I’m not certain it’s necessary, it’s a part of the chemical makeup of the actual product. Also, because I’ve never seen anything quite like it, it’s innovative for sure.

You can see the color a bit through the blue mask

The Testing Period

I really wasn’t sure about a lip color that lasted ALL DAY (like, what if I want to switch my lip color in the evening?), but after asking, Wonderskin kindly sent me a kit to try, so I figured I had nothing to lose. I tested my kit daily for a week and it had only a slight learning curve. I read reviews, watched numerous videos and tried to figure out what was good, what was not so good and how to use it and here’s what I learned.

Grab Wonderskin WonderBlading Lip Stain Kits via Amazon: Click Here

This is two coats of Wonderblading lip color before wiping

Clean, Moisturized Lips Are Best

There are many bad reviews out there due to people trying to put this on too dry lips and then getting patchy results. If you have severe dry lips and have done everything to remedy it yourself and you still have dry lips, see a doctor. Read about chapped lips on the Cleveland Clinic’s website here. Severe dry lips may be a sign of a health or dietary issue, so you probably will not get the right results with this lip product until you remedy your dry lips.

I sleep with a lip mask on every night (I like Elizabeth Mott Lip Sleeping Mask) and drink tons of water every day, so my lips stay pretty smooth and hydrated. While I do my makeup, I also put on Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme Lip Plumper to plump and hydrate my lips. I then usually wipe it off and apply my lip color of the day.

If you simply have dry, flaky lips, you can lightly exfoliate them with a soft wash cloth or a baby wipe (I use the Honest Company baby wipes because they are compostable) before using this. Wonderskin has their own 3-in-1 Lip Scrub you could try too.

After removing the blue Wonder Blading lip mask

Application and Removal

After cleaning my lips with a baby wipe and allowing them to fully dry, I shake my tube of the lip mask and then apply one light layer using the wand applicator. I did not feel a tingle or anything really. It simply goes on a sheer blue color but you can see the lip color just a tad as it starts to interact with the warmth of your lips. The color change factor reminds me of old school “mood” lipstick or Tangee lipstick.

See my video about Tangee below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden.

If I only want a very light pink color and don’t need it to last all day, I let one coat dry just a bit and remove the blue mask immediately using the soft cloth that came with the kit. This will give your lips a wash of color, and with the Sweetheart pink color, it’s a very light pinkish red with this application process.

The Sweetheart pink color is pretty

If I want it to be a darker pinkish red, I apply one layer of the product, let it dry, and then apply another coat. This will give my lips a thicker blue “mask”. If I want it to last all day, while the mask is still on my lips, I spray the “activator spray” which comes in the “kits”. It tastes a bit sweet and two sprays helps lock your color on your lips all day. You do not have to use the spray, as the stain alone will last quite a while, but I did notice that the stain definitely lasted longer, and through meals, when I used it.

After about a minute, I use the included soft cloth to peel the mask off my lips. It comes off pretty easily, but I do have to wipe around my outer lips and corners of my mouth a bit more. I sometimes use a baby wipe to get it all off, which did not affect my color results.

Overall, I’ve been able to apply it around 11 am and eat lunch and it’s still fully intact afterwards. It only starts to wear a bit around the inside of my lips after dinner, which is around 6:30 pm. I think what you eat matters for sure, because oils always affect lipsticks no matter how long-lasting they are. When this happens, I dab my lips dry after eating, and then reapply a thin layer wherever it is worn and it looks perfect again.

Here is the Wonder Blading with a gloss and liner

Do You Need Liner and Gloss?

Wonderskin has liners and glosses that are formulated to use with the Wonder Blading lip color. I have not used them, but they may be worth checking out. Here’s the Wonderskin clear lip gloss you can use if you want more shine. The stain alone is just that…a stain. It colors your lips and lasts, but if you want a glossy shine, you need to add a gloss top coat.

I love a glossy lip, so for my Sweetheart lip stain color, I tested L.A. Colors Auto Lipliner in Pinky (I got it at Walmart), and it was a good liner match and I already had it on hand. As a gloss, I tested adding L.A. Colors Sheer Pink Glossy Lip Plumper (again, I got it at Walmart) on top and it did well. Neither removed the Wonder Blading stain, so if you can only afford the Wonder Blading lip stain, you could try other liner brands and glosses to see if they’ll work for you.

I’m happy with my Wonderskin Wonder Blading kit

Removal and Final Thoughts

Again, the blue mask part is interesting, but it is a bit messy. The cloth that comes with it is a bit too small, so that’s why I like using a baby wipe to remove the mask. The overall product does perform well and does last a long time. By the end of the day, it definitely fades a bit and to fully get it off, I use a soft cloth and e.l.f. Holy Hydration Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm.

If you want it off in a hurry (maybe you don’t like the color you purchased), leave the balm on a bit longer (or try some olive oil or coconut oil…remember….oils in food break up many lip colors, so applying it to the lip stain will break it up too) and allow the oil to break it up for a few mintues for easier removal.

Whatever you do, don’t rub your lips too much or you’ll damage the skin. Just deal with the color, even if you don’t like it, and let it wear off naturally if you are having a hard time removing it quickly. You can top it with a different lipstick too.

I would definitely get this product in more colors or try other Wonderskin products after seeing the results of this lip stain. I love a color that lasts, and this does. If I were teaching all day in a classroom again, this would be perfect, as a teacher rarely has a second to do makeup touchups.

With only 20 minutes to eat (that’s all most teachers get), a product like this is perfect. This product went viral due to the magic of the blue mask BUT, in my opinion, overall, it is a good new beauty product on the market.

If you loved this article, then we know you’ll love this one too: Vermont Country Store Finds: Tangee Lipstick and Indian Earth

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Help Someone Who is Grieving

“If I could hug you and never let you go, I would.”

This is my exact thought that settled into my mind when my friend told me her husband died. We knew it was coming, but when it actually happens, it feels like all of the air is sucked out of your body. Or, at least that’s how I feel when someone I know dies. It’s hard to know exactly what to say, but I have some ideas on what you can do to help someone who is grieving and here are my thoughts.

Sending flowers are a nice gesture for someone who is grieving

Whether you have lost a favorite human or a favorite pet, grief happens. We all experience it at some point in our lives and let me tell you that you are not alone with your feelings or thoughts and feeling sadness is normal. I wrote about the sudden death of my cat, Ross, in an article and you can read that here.

My beautiful Minnie Pearl helped me cope with grief of losing our dog, Vegas

When death happens to someone in your circle, it’s completely natural to feel all kinds of emotions, but most grieving emotions follow a cycle. AARP, Grief.com and more online resources have some great articles on dealing with grief and this article on verywellmind.com has links to them all.

According to Harvard Health Publishing, there are five stages of grieving:

• Denial
• Anger
• Bargaining
• Depression
• Acceptance

While this cycle may be what you go through, not everyone does, as the grief process is not one size fits all. If someone you know is experiencing grief after a loss, it’s a good idea to read through some online articles that can help you understand what they are going through so you can assist them if needed. Having empathy is helpful.

The stages of grief

Be Creative

When I dealt with the death of my grandma in 2006 (my maternal grandma, my Nani, was like a mom to me), I knew it was coming, but that didn’t make the loss any easier. I was her caretaker, so my whole life changed. I no longer was going to the grocery for her. I was no longer talking to her on the phone. I was no longer having lunches or dinners with her.

My life had a bit of a hole in it, so I turned to my creativity to fill some of the void space. Thankfully I had a wedding cake to create for a client the weekend after her death, and I was able to throw all my pain into that cake and it turned out GORGEOUS. Creating is healing to me. Try cooking, crafting, build something, or do whatever creative thing you can think of to help ease your mind.

Helping a grieving friend

Say “I Love You” + Good Memory Recall

If someone you know is grieving, let them know you love them and are there for them. The first thing I said to my friend was “I love you”. Everyone loves to know they are loved, so say it and mean it. So many people don’t say the right things or do the right things when someone dies, but if they say or do anything kind, at least know they are trying. I love you seems to be the best thing I can think to say when there aren’t any words left to say.

I also told her I was so grateful for the time I got to spend with both she and her husband at a wonderful dinner they invited us to in 2023. We drove in our RV to St. Augustine, Florida, where they bought a house, and they hosted a dinner for us. A dream came true for them, a house by the beach, and that is a great memory we share.

St. Augustine was a bit off our path of our travels that summer, but we wanted to go a few extra miles to see them as they had been so, so kind to us when we evacuated from Hurricane Ian, offering their house to us if we needed it.

A personal item can be sent to someone who is grieving

Send a Card or Small Gift

I like to send a card or a small gift to someone when they lose a human or pet. While I often make my own cards, I have purchased plenty of amazing grieving gifts on Amazon and at Walmart. Sending flowers or making an arrangement and gifting it yourself is a nice thing to do too.

I made a puppy dog flower arrangement that would be great for a pet lover. See how I made it below in my YouTube video or via my channel @carolynjbraden:

Here are some links to some things I like to send:

• Magic Seashells (this is something I make specifically for a person according to their situation and you can read the article about how I make them here)
• Guardian Angel Visor Clip with Photo Insert (Amazon)
• Footprints Story Metal Wallet Card (Amazon)
• Footprints Bookmarks (Amazon)
• Cardinal Window Ornament (Amazon)
• Crystal Carved Pocket Guardian Angel Figurines (Amazon)
• Hallmark Butterflies Sympathy Card (Amazon)
• Sympathy Card Pack (Amazon)
• American Greetings Healing Thoughts Card (Walmart)
• Pet Memorial angel (Walmart)

• Goodbyes Art Not Forever Sign (Walmart)

  A big hug is helpful for someone who is sad

Visit

If or when your grieving friend or family member is ready for a visit, do it if you can. An in-person visit along with a big hug can be truly appreciated. When you hug them, you can whisper my words that I mentioned in the very beginning of this article: “If I could hug you and never let you go, I would.”

Everything you say has meaning and saying something so lovely will stick with them and will be memorable. Your words are always memorable, so choose what you say wisely. If your friend appreciates a good joke, tell one. Talking about good memories of your time with their loved one is helpful too. You will know the right thing to say and do according to your relationship with the person.

Traveling is helpful for grief processing

Travel/Get Out of the House

The last thing I can think of to help someone who is grieving is plan a trip or an outing.

If they’ve been at home for a long period of time, try to get them out and about, doing something fun or just something normal. Go to the grocery, plan a vacation and actually go (you could go together!), go out to eat, or go see a movie. Getting back into routine is helpful and helps normalize life again. Life will be different, but it’s doable, especially when surrounded by good friends and a loving family.

If you loved this article, then we know you’ll love this one too: How To Give the Most Thoughtful Gifts

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

DIY Blingy Travel Hairbrush 20 Minute Craft Idea

Sometimes I want to make something, but I don’t feel like I’m ready to start a big project. That’s when I turn to small crafts that I can create in 20 minutes or less. I often feel like my crafts and art are a form of therapy, and on the days when you feel like you aren’t winning, finishing a small craft is something that will make you feel like a winner. Those quick wins can be key to turning a day around. Read on to learn how to make my DIY blingy travel hairbrush.

Supplies for the rhinestone hairbrush

Pop-up and folding travel hairbrushes have been around for years. Did you know the first brush was patented in 1854 by Hugh Rock? Read more about the history of hairbrushes here. When I saw the rainbow-colored bristles of the ones I used for this project, I fell in love. My old travel hairbrushes were merely just functional. But the ones I’ve seen on the market now are cute and stylish too.

The completed blingy travel hairbrush

While the rainbow colors of the bristles were cute, I decided to make them even cuter by adding some flatback pearls and rhinestones. I do this a lot with everyday items like a baby wipe container. See more of my easy crafts that I created in the car (my “car crafts”) in this article here. Most were completed within an hour or less.

This brush craft was completed in 20 minutes

See me create the baby wipe container in the 1-minute video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden. It took longer than 20 minutes to make, but it turned out cute and was pretty easy. I use it every day and keep it on my makeup vanity to help me wipe my fingers so I don’t create “makeup fingerprints” that I seem to leave everywhere after doing my makeup when I don’t use wipes.

I like using compostable wipes like ones from The Honest Company to help with waste reduction. Every little bit of effort counts!

Supplies:

Now for the blingy travel hairbrush craft. I bought many of my supplies for this on Temu, but have linked out to Amazon or Walmart below.

Temu is sometimes less pricy on craft supplies and you can use my discount link here or use coded afe55197 to get 30% off your first Temu app order! Just search on Temu with the titles I use below.

I allowed the brush craft to dry overnight

Round Travel Hair Brush Set with Mirror (less than $10 for a set)

• Amazon
• Walmart

Liquid Fusion Glue

• Amazon
• Walmart

Wax Pencil for Rhinestones

• Amazon
• Walmart

Flatback Rhinestones and Pearl Mix (any colors you’d like would work)

• Amazon
• Walmart

Optional: Tray for rhinestones and pearls

• Amazon

• Walmart

  I love blinging things up!

How-to:

1. Apply a thin layer of Liquid Fusion glue in a small section on the flat side of the brush.
2. Pick up the rhinestones and pearls one at a time with the wax pencil or use your fingers for the larger ones and place in the glue. If any glue oozes where you don’t want it, a pointy cotton swab can be used to swipe it away.
3. I work in small sections, applying a thin layer of glue and adding rhinestones and pearls, varying the sizes and colors.
4. When the top of the brush is filled in with the rhinestones and pearls, I stopped there so the brush would still be easy to open and close.
5. Allow it to dry flat overnight and then use and enjoy the bling!

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How to Make DIY Daisy Mouse Ears Headband

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Make Daisy DIY Mouse Ears Headband

Over the years, I’ve seen Disney produce mouse ears and more that are really nice, but I noticed that the designs are not quite “complete”. I noticed that many of the mouse ear headbands did not have any décor on the back. I even bought mouse ears years ago from someone on Etsy and the back of the ears were not decorated either.

A colorful look with my DIY mouse ears

One of my YouTube subscribers even noticed this, which gave me an idea. I love creating things that look good from all angles, so I decided to create my own mouse ears headband with a design on both sides. Read on to learn about my DIY mouse ears headpiece design process.

The side view of the DIY mouse ear headband

Many years ago, I visited Disney World in Florida and got a mouse hat. I customized it at the gift shop, so it was quite pricey, but it was cute. It wasn’t the best quality, so I had to throw it out after a few years of having it on display in my closet.

I also never wore it outside of the park, so it became an expensive souvenir that had no use. After seeing many mouse ears headbands show up on Etsy and more, I decided the mouse ear headbands were a better buy, being a bit more suitable for wearing to parties and more.

The back view of the DIY mouse ears

I had a vibe around the daisy flower in early 2024 and looked to see if Disney produced a Daisy Duck themed headband and they did. You can see it here. Again, as I’ve noticed on many mouse ear headband designs, the back of this Disney Store mouse ear headband is not decorated. Maybe it’s just me, but it looks unfinished. I found a Disney licensed Daisy Duck pin on Temu and it gave me inspiration to create my own Daisy themed mouse ear headband that is fully decorated on both sides.

My cute mouse ear headpiece

I love researching meaning behind my inspirations and according to Floraly.com, the Daisy flower represents “purity, innocence, new beginnings, joy and cheerfulness”. Daisies do bring me joy when I look at them. There is something about the traditional pure white contrast of the petals against the cheerful yellow center that makes me smile. As far as new beginnings, we did list our house for sale, and even though it has not sold yet, new beginnings are upon us, which is exciting.

My completed DIY mouse ear headband look

As far as the Disney character, Daisy Duck, I didn’t know much about her other than the fact that she was cute and was mainly depicted in cartoons as being Donald Duck’s girlfriend. According to Wikipedia, Daisy is quite a character. She was the calm to Donald’s anger, she was an aunt to April, May, and June, and loves to talk.

Overall, she is a joyful character, which is well represented by the daisy flower which is also her namesake, Daisy. We have a pair of silly ducks that visit our backyard every spring (in 2023, they even tried to swim in our pool due to having some destroyed screening from Hurricane Ian), so that also served as some inspiration for my creation.

I’ll add my 1 minute video tutorial for this project below soon but you can see it now on my social media feeds!

Now for the project. Here’s what I used to create my Daisy DIY Mouse Ears Headband:

If you purchase any products from Temu (I get lots of my craft items from there as the prices are great) use code afe55197 at checkout or this link to get 30% off (new app users only).

• Mouse ears headband (I got mine on Temu, but you can find them here on Amazon)
• Artificial daisies (I used about 5-6 stalks or about 12 daisies for each ear side + a few extra and got them at Hobby Lobby but Amazon has some similar ones here)
• Dual temp hot glue gun and glue
• Jelly rhinestones in various colors (I got a set on Temu, but here’s a similar set on Amazon)
• Wax pencil
• Liquid Fusion Glue
• Yellow tulle (I purchased a 6” roll at Hobby Lobby, but here’s an exact copy on Amazon)
• Bowdabra (what I used to make a tulle bow)
• Yellow polka dot grosgrain ribbon (I got a 7/8 inch wide spool at Hobby Lobby, but here’s a similar spool on Amazon)
• Daisy Duck enamel pin (I got mine on Temu, but there are similar ones on Amazon)
• Thick felt (I got this set on Amazon)
• scissors

See me create another one of my other headpieces, a cowboy hat fascinator in the video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

The supplies I used for the DIY mouse ears headband

**How-To:**

First I pulled all the daisies off the stems. They pulled off easily, then I used scissors to trim the stem that was close to the daisy top.

Cutting the stems on the daisies

On a low temperature setting, I glued each daisy head to the mouse ears.

Gluing the daises to the mouse ears

I glued the daisies to both sides of the ears. Each side took about 12 daises.

I glued daisies to both sides of the ears

Next I glued some more daisies to the tops of the ears to conceal all of the black of the mouse ears.

Adding daisies to the tops of the ears

Then I added a thin layer of Liquid Fusion glue to the centers of the daisies and added some jelly rhinestones using my wax pencil. The pencil helps you pick them up easily. I used a variety of color to match the Daisy Duck pin.

Adding the rhinestones to the daisy centers

I used yellow, orange, pink and blue. I applied them all to one side of the ears, allowed them to dry overnight, then did the other side and the top. The rhinestones will slide if you use too much glue.

Adding different colored rhinestones to the daisies

Then I realized the ears were a bit too “floppy” for my tastes, due to the weight of the daisies. I cut some thick yellow felt into 2 small squares. I squeezed them in between the daisies at the top of the headband, between the ears and secured a square on both sides of the ears using hot glue on a low temperature. Next time, I’d add the squares of felt first.

Adding the stiff felt to stabilize the ears

I used my Bowdabra to make a small tulle bow for each side of the ears. I’ll make a video showing this process and will link it here soon!

Using my Bowdabra to make a tulle bow

I used hot glue on a low temperature setting to add the bows on top of the felt. I added one to each side.

Adding the tulle bow to both sides of the headband

I then created a bow using the yellow polka dot ribbon. You could tie it or loop it into a bow and use hot glue to secure it and glue a second small piece of ribbon around it to finish it. That’s how I made mine, as I wanted it to look perfect. You can use the Bowdabra to make a perfect bow too.

Making the second bow for the mouse ear headband

Lastly, I added the Daisy Duck pin by poking it into the ribbon to make a small hole to make sure it’d lay flat, then I hot glued it on.

The mouse ears without the Daisy pin is cute too!

The whole thing took me a few hours spread across a week to make as I was thinking through the design of it as I created it.

The finished mouse ear project

By adding the felt, I made a very sturdy and cute mouse ear headband that I could wear to the Disney park (I’d be the only one with this as it’s my custom design!) or anytime I want. I thought about adding a veil to it, as it’d be cute for a wedding for a Daisy Duck and Disney loving person.

There are many different designs you could create for this project and I send you magical crafting fun if you decide to make one of your own!

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How to Make a Mickey Mouse Inspired Claw Clip

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Use Good Hair Days Magic Grip Hairpins

The algorithms of my social media feeds get me. I am always on the hunt for something interesting or some new inventions that will make my life easier or better. Most recently, my Pinterest feed showed me some hairpins that intrigued me.

Unfortunately, they were on the pricey side, 3 for $50. I quickly turned to Amazon to see if I could find a dupe and I did. Read on to learn about my find of Good Hair Days Magic Grip Hairpins and how to use them.

Good Hair Days Magic-Grip Hairpins

While I awaited the delivery of my latest Amazon find, I did some research on hair pins. I have lots of things to keep my hair out of my face including claw clips, metal hair bows, and basic bobby pins and they work, but I love things that don’t pull my hair or are “ouch-free”. I even wrote about my ouch-free hairstyles here. I don’t like shoes that hurt my feet either. Pain for beauty or fashion isn’t always worth it to me.

One of my finished hairpin styles

In my research, I learned that the Magic-Grip hairpins, or other u-shaped hair pins are the precursor to the bobby pin. They have been created out of many materials and were worn to hold wigs into place, for decoration, or in Chinese culture were worn as a “right of passage” in a ceremony known as ji li. Learn about the fascinating history of hairpins in this article.

Shopping Links: Grab Good Hair Days Magic-Grip Hairpins at the following retailers:

• Walmart
• Amazon
• Buy similar hairpins on TEMU: Use my link here and search “hairpins” on their app or website! Use code afe55197 for 30% off at checkout (for new users only)!

We love this other Amazon find, the Conair handy t-shirt towel wrap for drying our hair faster! Ge our 1-minute tutorial below or via our YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Bobby pins do well to hold my hair into many shapes, but sometimes they aren’t the prettiest. The Magic Grip Hairpins are a bit bulkier than a traditional bobby pin, but they come in clear, black and tortoise shell, helping them to blend in with many hair colors, but honestly, they are kind of neat looking, so I wasn’t worried about hiding them.

These hairpins stay all day

They are similar to the u-shaped French hair pin, and you maybe could even call it a French hair pin, but it has a bit more shape to it. See some traditional French hair pins and hairstyle tutorials in this article by Martha Stewart.

The hairpins come in other colors to blend with many hair colors

When my Amazon package arrived, it got my set of 10 for $6.99 and instantly put them to work. In the social media videos of the pricier brand, they did a great job with the video tutorials in their ads.

They simply showed a person twisting their hair into a variety of styles (mostly half-up) and sliding the hairpin in to secure the hair into the style. I thought there was no way the slick plastic pin was going to stay in my hair, especially when it was freshly washed but it did!

These hairpins do work like magic!

I like to get my hair out of my face sometimes, so I started with a simple style of straightening my hair using my Conair INFINITIPRO flat iron (see my process for this in this article), and then twisting up a small section of hair by my forehead.

Twisting a section of hair

I then slid the hairpin into the hair twist, with the pointed ends facing towards my forehead. It gripped and stayed instantly. It was MAGIC, just like the package said!

The first time I tried the hairpins, I twisted my hair in the same way and secured it with the hairpins, then pulled my hair into a low ponytail. It held all day.

Sliding in a hairpin

For the style for this article, I decided to keep my hair down, so I twisted another section beside the first hairpinned section, and added another hairpin. It stayed too and after wearing them all day, they not only stayed put, but my head never hurt.

Twisting a second section of hair

I’ll definitely be trying these magic hairpins for other styles. On the back of the box of Magic-Grip hairpins, they tell you how to create a classic French Bun with them, which seems pretty easy. When I do that style, I’ll update this article.

Sliding in a second hairpin

If you are looking for new ways to hold your hair into a style that actually works, check out Good Hair Days Magic-Grip hairpins or similar brands. The pricier brand’s hairpins look almost the same, but they did come in other colors.

The finished hairpin look

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: My Love Affair with Comfy Jelly Shoes and Melissa Shoes

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Make a Something Blue Dried Flowers Hair Comb

For my wedding in 2003, I had my florist make a flower hair piece with real flowers to match my bouquet. I wanted to wear it in my hair in a half up hairstyle with my veil sitting right below it. She made it with a bit of hot glue, matching flowers (with one of my favorite flowers, sweet peas, mostly) and a hair comb and it was beautiful. The comb stayed in my hair all day and I still have it to this day, even though it’s all dried up.

From a blank hair comb to a flower adorned one!

Unfortunately, when you make a flower hair comb with real flowers, it doesn’t last more than just for your wedding day. So, recently I was thinking about how I’d do it today and I came up with using dried flowers instead. I’ve seen dried flowers start to show up on cakes (see my dried flower cheesecake idea here), in wedding bouquets (talk about a wedding bouquet that would last!) in home décor and more.

My original real flower hair comb kind of still is in tact

I even made dried flower boutonnieres for a friend’s September wedding one year. See that farmhouse style wedding I put together here. Dried flowers last a long while and I’d actually use them a lot more today.

An idea on how to wear the flower comb on half up hair

For my wedding, I did use dried flowers to adorn a large hat box in which I keep my wedding cards and memorabilia in. I saved them all as they are fun to read through and look at sometimes. I glued some flattened dried flowers to the box and used Mod Podge to seal them. The box has held up and so have all the wedding related things I’ve kept in it. I love some of the drawings some family children gave to me and saved them in the box.

The side view of the hairstyle with the flower comb

The most memorable one was from my husband’s very young cousin that said “please don’t get a divorce”. Well, my husband and I have experienced a lot together (including a very traumatic life event called “Hurricane Ian”, which I wrote about here) and we believe we have only grown stronger in our many years of being together. You either grow together or you grow apart and, in my opinion, if your traumatic life events bring you together as much as your happiest life events, then you are doing great with the marriage thing.

The comb is great for braided hairstyles to as the braid anchors the comb well

I really tried to incorporate a lot of wedding traditions into our June 14th, 2003 wedding day, including the “something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.” While for my wedding, my something blue was my initials embroidered in blue on my undergarments (I had them custom created for myself and some undergarments for my husband), you can incorporate your “something blue” in many ways. The Martha Stewart website gives you a great list of “something blue” things here.

The front view of the flower comb and hairstyle

For my DIY dried flower hair comb project, I experimented with a blue dried flower set I ordered on Temu. On the Martha Stewart website, the writer says you can incorporate blue flowers into your wedding day and the set of dried flowers from Temu were in the perfect shades of blue. As soon as I saw them, I knew what to do with them.

An up close look at the dried flower comb

I created my hair comb with mostly blue dried flowers, but you could maybe put one blue flower in your bouquet or hair comb for your wedding day. If blue is one of your wedding accent colors (oh how I love “Tiffany” blue, a color so popular, it was trademarked) then you could incorporate many shades of it and be set on the blue tradition!

How I wore my original flower hair comb

Instead of a dried flower hair comb, try a sparkling headband! My one-minute tutorial below shows you how to make one easily or view it via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Now for the project. Here’s what you need to make a dried flower hair comb:

Note: If you order from Temu, use my code afe55197 for 30% off or use my link here. The discount is for new app users.

• Dried flower set (I got mine on Temu, but Amazon has a similar set here)
• Dual temp hot glue and hot glue gun (here’s a set on Amazon)
• Clear hair comb (I ordered a set on Temu, but Amazon has a similar set here)
• Felt (I ordered a small squared multicolored set from Amazon and use it for lots of small projects)
• Floral wire set (I used flexible paddle wire and a wire cutter from Amazon)
• Optional: Liquid Fusion glue, flatback rhinestones and a wax pencil set

How To:

Set out the flowers you want to use. Trim them to fit the comb as needed. I started with a small bunch of dried hydrangeas and started to attach the by wrapping the wire around the flower stems, through the comb “teeth” and around the top of the comb a few times.

My hair comb creation set up

You can simply hot glue them on a LOW temperature to the top of the comb, as my florist did for my real flower wedding hair comb, but the wire will ensure they stay put.

I wrapped small sections of dried flowers to each of the sides of the comb and trimmed them with scissors as needed. I also cut the floral wire with the wire cutters.

Wrapping wire around the dried flowers to secure to the comb

Once each side was “balanced” with the flowers I wanted (taking it slow, understanding balance and having a bit of a creative eye helps….enlist a creative friend with a good eye if you are unsure of this), I then used hot glue on a low temperature to glue some flowers to the comb in the center. These were flowers that would not hold with the wire, like dried daisy-like flowers.

The initial flowers attached to the hair comb

I used my wax tip pencil to grab some flatback rhinestones and added some glue to the flowers where I wanted them to be. You do not have to add any rhinestones…I just wanted it to sparkle just a bit. A little sparkle is pretty, especially if your wedding is outside like mine was. When the sun hits the sparkle, it’s beautiful.

The front side of the hair comb

Lastly, I trimmed a piece of felt to match the top of the hair comb (into a little arch shape) and used hot glue on a low temperature to glue it over the back of the comb, on top of the wire. It not only hides the wire, but it also helps the wire not get stuck in a hairstyle.

Adding some felt to the hair comb to cover the wires

Overall, I love how it turned out and I’d make more of these. They look pretty in hair half up, but also in braided hairstyles and more. Hair combs stay in most hair styles, but if you have really fine hair, adding a bobby pin or two to the hair comb teeth area while it’s in your hair, is always an option if you are worried about it falling out.

The felt helps the wire not get stuck in hairstyles

If you loved this article, we think you’ll love this one too: How to Make Princess Bride Inspired Sunglasses

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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DANA LEIGH SMITH, KRISTINE SOLOMON

• 3 Minute Read

**We are loving Melissa shoes, especially the Possession jelly! It’s super comfortable. Grab it in lots of colors using our 20% off discount. Use code CBCDISCOUNT at checkout at shopmelissa.com or** **click this link** **to browse their website and get our discount.**

Watch my one-minute video review of the Melissa jelly via my YouTube video or my channel @carolynjbraden here.

The Best Online Stores for Back-to-School Shopping for Teens This Year All the A+ looks are right here. This article originally appeared on ; products were independently selected by its editors. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

One of my fondest childhood memories is getting back-to-school clothes with my mom every fall. I remember how excited I’d get to model outfits and trends for her in the mall and then show off everything I’d gotten to my friends. Today, things are a bit different—but the kids still love to shop! Gone are the days of teens thumbing through clothing racks and trying on whatever draws them in like I did in the nineties and early aughts. With the rise of social media, back-to-school shopping is more about scrolling through TikTok. And as a result, far more calculated.

Our Top Stores for Back-to-School Clothes for TeensBest Athleisure: Lululemon
Best Basics: Walmart
Best Deals: Amazon
Best Designer Dupes: Target
Best Graphic Hoodies: Hollister
Best Product Selection: Nordstrom
Most Eclectic Styles: Urban Outfitters
Best Throwback Brand: Aeropostale
Best Celeb-Loved Brand: Asos
Best Return Policy: American Eagle
Best Everyday Prices: H&M
Most Sophisticated: Zara
Best Shoes & Accessories: Zappos
Best Splurge: Madewell
Best for First Day of School: FP Movement by Free People

If your teen is trend-driven, it can be helpful to get on the same page as them ahead of your back-to-school shopping trip (digital or otherwise). As a parent, you’re likely thinking about things like dress codes and budgets, while your kid is probably solely focused on the looks they want to buy. We’re here to help bridge that gap.

Our mission at SheKnows is to empower and inspire women, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Lululemon and Walmart are SheKnows sponsors, however, all products in this article were independently selected by our editors. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

LululemonWhen Gen Z discovered skorts, Millennials and Gen Xers might have had a collective meltdown, but now we’ve arrived at a sweet spot where skorts are the athleisure of the moment. Lululemon specializes in the skort, along with a whole slew of pieces — yoga pants, T-shirts, sweats, tracksuits — that combine trendy aesthetics with the comfort and movability of sportswear. So much of Lululemon’s styles are made with features like four-way stretch and buttery soft fabrics, and these clothes are built to last.

What to expect: Chic activewear to suit many body types and sizes
Why it’s great for teens: Many of the brand’s styles serve as the blueprint for TikTok trends
Price range: Best-sellers start at about $14 for accessories and $38 for clothing
Shipping options:
Standard: 2-6 business days (Free)
Express: 2-3 business days ($20)
Priority: 1 business day ($30)
Return policy:
Within 30 days of purchase
Full refund, exchange, or store credit

Align High Rise Skort$78Buy NowThe fashion girls of TikTok are wearing their skorts everywhere from pickleball practice (you can thank Taylor Swift and the movie Challengers for that one) to gym class, getting them in every color, and declaring it officially skort season.

The internet-famous Align skort by Lululemon is on the radar of many a teen. Sizes come in and out of stock, and new colors debut from time to time, but this style is a constant in the Lulu lineup. It features the brand’s signature Nulu fabric—a lightweight, buttery soft material with four-way stretch. A high-rise waist and built-in shorts for added coverage make it perfect for just about any outfit—as well as PE.

Deine Cropped Jacket in Strawberry Milkshake$118Buy NowWhen Lululemon debuted its Strawberry Milkshake color—a soft, cool pink—TikTok was in a tizzy. “This color has me in a chokehold,” one creator wrote. “Not a drill: Strawberry Milkshake’s back,” another said of the recent restock of this sweet hue.

Undoubtedly, it’s The Define Jacket—both regular and cropped, seen here—that’s a must-have piece. It’s made with Nulu fabric fans love, and the cropped length and tailored fit make it perfect for layering over workout gear or pairing casual classroom outfits. It even has thumbholes for added warmth and a secure fit.

WalmartPretty much all the styles trending on TikTok—from flowy maxi skirts to patterned boxer shorts (your teen girl will swoon)—can be found at Walmart at a price point everyone will love. Walmart is the home of some “really amazing, quality outfits that are very trendy,” as one TikToker put it.

Joyspun Woven Pajama Boxer Shorts$8Buy NowHave you heard of the viral Walmart shorts? Don’t let the word “pajama” fool you—your kid will be pairing these patterned boxers with everything from sweatshirts and sneakers to jackets and sweaters. These Joyspun shorts come in so many fun prints too, like these tigers and crescent moons.

No Boundaries Seamless V-Neck Tee with Short Sleeves$5Buy Now“My teenage daughter loves this top I got her from Walmart! It’s $7.98 fits nice and looks real cute on,” wrote one TikTok mom about these ribbed basic tees that come in a range of colors; for just $5, you can easily get ’em all. Walmart is your go-to for building the foundation of your kids’ back-to-school wardrobes.

AmazonIs there anything you can’t get at Amazon? The store is packed with back-to-school finds to keep boys and girls of all ages well-dressed from head to toe. Amazon’s prices are famously low, and the site runs sales all the time. There aren’t many places where you can stock up on household must-haves along with kids’ clothes!

adidas Boys’ Athletic Tricot Jogger Pant$24.50$3530% offBuy NowAdidas track pants are everything right now, and your teen boy or girl will be stoked to have a pair to wear to school in any color—both neutrals and bright hues are trending. Amazon has an entire adidas store filled with finds like this, which are made of quick-dry fabric and are great for looking cool and staying cool.

TargetIt goes without saying that Target is a never-ending treasure chest in retail store form. So of course their back-to-school selection is bursting with the cutest picks for your teen, whether it’s from their popular in-house brands, like Wild Fable and A New Day or other recognizable brands like Levi’s.

What to expect: Well-priced basics and trendy outfits from in-house and out-of-house brands and affordable dupes.
Why it’s great for teens: Lower prices mean you can stock up on of-the-moment styles, like everything ’90s, without making a huge investment. Target‘s young adult section makes it easy to find the styles they love.
Price range: Prices start as low as $10 for basic items like T-shirts and can go up to around $50 for more premium pieces
Shipping options:
Standard: 3-5 business days​ (Free for orders over $35, with a $5.99 fee for smaller orders)
Two-Day: 2 business days (Free for orders over $35; a $5.99 fee applies for orders under $3)
Next-Day: 1 business day (Available for orders of $35 or more on eligible item)
Same-Day: $9.99 per order or free for Target Circle 360 members on orders above $35
Return policy:
Returns within 90 days of purchase or delivery for most items
Can start the process online and print a return label

Wild Fable High-Rise 90’s Relaxed Slashed Straight Jeans $28Buy NowTeens on TikTok are loving a good Target haul, and you’ll find many of them in ’90s-inspired baggy and straight-leg jeans like this par by Wild Fable. We love how size-inclusive these jeans are, in sizes 00 to 30.

HollisterHollister is stocked with sweatshirts that can go from school to practice to sleepovers with ease. If you opt for a graphic sweatshirt, which is in right now, aim for something timeless so the garment can stand the test of time.

What to expect: Sustainably made clothes for prices that work
Why it’s good for teens: Teens love edgy athleisure, and Hollister has plenty
Price range: $10 for tees to $60 for sweats and dresses to $100 for coats
Shipping options:
Standard: 5-7 business days ($7)
Two-Day: 2 business days if ordered before 12 PM EST, Monday-Friday ($15)
Next-Day: Next business day if ordered before 12 PM EST, Monday-Friday ($22)
Same-Day: With some exceptions ($10)
Return policy: Refund or exchange within 60 days from the date of purchase

McLaren Japan Graphic Hoodie$60Buy NowGraphic hoodies have been having a moment for a while now, and the Hollister Relaxed McLaren Graphic Hoodie is a chic example. It has a relaxed fit and a McLaren-inspired graphic your teen will love. Made from a soft cotton blend, it’s warm and comfy.

NordstromNordstrom is the spot to find a diverse selection of teen-friendly brands, from high-end designers to more affordable, mid-range options. Casual clothes, activewear, and even formalwear can be found here. Like any great department store, Nordstrom carries both timeless styles and trends.

What to expect: Generally well-made clothes in a vast array of brands and a vast array of price points
Why it’s good for teens: The styles they carry are cool and trendy, they have popular brands and up-and-coming labels that are definitely buzz-worthy
Price range: T-shirts start at about $20 and prices can go as high as the hundreds for things like dresses and pants
Shipping options:
Standard: 3-6 business days (Free)
Two-Day: 2 business days (Free for Nordstrom cardmembers, $12 for other customers)
Next-Day: Next business day ($20)
Same-Day: With some exceptions ($20)
Return policy:
No time restrictions, but returns are evaluated on a case-by-case basis

BP Rib Crop Cardigan$39.50Buy NowWith the ’90s back on trend, you’ll recognize your teens wearing a lot of the same cardigans you used to wear, like this ribbed on by BP. It’s cropped, so it goes well with all those high-waisted straight-leg pants you’re seeing everywhere. Snap up this versatile piece in one of four colors (or all of them).

Urban OutfittersThat store that was the coolest place on Earth when you were a teen is holding strong for your own teens. Urban Outfitters is the destination for funky clothes and all the items that’ll make your teen the “It” girl or boy in school. They frequently updates their inventory, too, to reflect the what teens want, from vintage-inspired pieces to the latest streetwear.

21 Savage European Tour Tee$39Buy NowUrban Outfitters specializes in concert tees, like this tour T-shirt for rapper 21 Savage—and there are so many more to suit almost any teen’s musical tastes, from classic to modern-day artists. It has graphics in the front and back and a relaxed fit for comfortable all-day wear.

AeropostaleAeropostale was everything in the ’90s, and now that the ’90s are everything, so is Aeropostale again! One teen on TikTok declared it “@Aeropostale comeback era.” Nowadays it’s known for its budget-friendly pricing, making it accessible for families looking to buy back-to-school wardrobes without breaking the bank.

What to expect: Casual, youthful and trendy clothes for tweens, teens and young adults—and frequent sales
Why it’s good for teens: Aeropostale keeps up with current fashion trends that resonate with teens. The brand focuses on comfort and is packed with items teens live in, like jeans, t-shirts, hoodies, dresses and activewear.
Price range: From $10 to $15 for tees and shorts up to $60 or $70 for rompers and jackets
Shipping options:
Standard: 3-7 business days ($8)
Express: 2-3 business days ($13)
Next-Day: Usually 1 business day ($20)
Return policy:
Items purchased online can be returned by mail or to any Aeropostale store within 60 days of the delivery date

Solid Tiered Maxi Skirt$25Buy NowThe tiered maxi skirt is having an undeniable moment for summer 2024, and TikTok says it’ll go straight into back-to-school season. This tiered skirt embodies the look and gives feminine flair to any outfit. Pro-tip: pick up a few concert tees to pair with this skirt.

AsosGet Asos on your radar for up-to-the-moment trends for teens, including pieces spotted on celebrities like Bella Hadid. This is the destination for styles currently making the rounds on TikTok, including chunky white sneakers and Nike training socks, which you’ll spot on the feet of every guy and girl in gym class this semester.

What to expect: Teen-friendly clothes and accessories with inclusive sizing options. Also, mid-range prices, lots of sales and a loyalty program with free shipping on all orders for a mere $19 a year
Why it’s good for teens: You can browse the site by trending products or by Gen Z trends, like Streetwear, Main Character and even As Seen on Social
Price range: From $10 for basic tees to $100 for brand name activewear and $150+ for outerwear
Shipping options:
Standard: 5-8 business days ($6.95 or free on orders above $50)
Express: 2-3 business days ($12)
Next-Day: Next business day if ordered by a specific cutoff time ($20)
ASOS Premier Delivery: Unlimited next-day delivery for a year ($19 annually)
Return policy:
Full refund with 28 days and gift voucher from 29 to 45 days

Nike Killshot 2 Suede Sneakers $90Buy NowTeens into streetwear are no doubt looking for casual sneakers to pair with all their back-to-school outfits, and these Nike Killshot sneakers are in keeping with the retro tennis and skateboarding sneakers all over the streets at the moment, right down to their cool gum soles.

American Eagle OutittersAffordable, trend-driven and basic clothing for young adults is American Eagle‘s bread and butter. They’re known for high-quality denim and outfits that range from casual to dressy, as well as size-inclusivity and body positivity on their social channels as part of the brand.

AE Bow Bodysuit$12.50$2550% offBuy NowA lot of brands make bodysuits, but American Eagle’s Bow Bodysuit is the latest viral sensation. Bows are still very much on trend, and this bodysuit is just one of many at AE. It comes in two colors and can be pair with wide-leg pants, maxi skirts, sweats and more.

H&MThe affordability has always been H&M‘s strongest selling point, and it’s the kind of store with such a vast inventory that your teen is bound to find things he or she loves. Just look at the countless H&M haul TikToks for inspiration. It’s great for stocking up on basics for the school year, too.

What to expect: Low-priced, durable clothes in a wide range of styles from a company committed to sustainability
Why it’s good for teens: You can invest in all the things they’ve been begging for without breaking the bank
Price range: From pants for $15​ to dresses for $50 and coats for $70
Shipping options:
Standard: 3-5 business days ($5.99, but free for orders over $60 for non-members and over $40 for members)
Expedited: 2-3 business days ($14.99)
Next-Day: 1-2 business days ($19)
Free Shipping for Loyalty Members
Return policy:
Items can be returned within 30 days of purchase for a refund or exchange

Loose Fit Printed T-shirt$20Buy NowYou can’t go wrong with a closet full of graphic tees, and H&M has the motherlode. Old-school bands like The Talking Heads and Nirvana, cool organizations like NASA and brands like the Discovery Channel: if you don’t get it, it might just be ironically cool.

ZaraIf you’re teen’s on TikTok, then they probably love Zara and know the store’s whole inventory already. Zara’s social media presence does a great job of showcasing its styles, which are edgy and mid-priced.

What to expect: Everything from everyday basics to fancier outfits, with a focus on the latest trends and styles. Their product line includes dresses, tops, pants, and accessories​
Why it’s great for teens: All the trends are represented, and the clothes are high-quality and suit a sophisticate teen
Price range: From $20 for basic tops to $200 for coats and shoes
Shipping options:
Ship to Zara store: 3-5 working days (Free)
Standard: 2-4 working days​ ($6.95, free for orders over $70)
Same-Day: For orders placed before 6pm ($19.95)
Return policy:
Refund within 30 days of the shipment date

Short Animal Print Dress$70Buy NowLeopard print will be everywhere this school year, and Zara does the trend justice with this leopard mini dress that’s cinched at the waist. Your teen will probably pair it with black tights (those are back, too) and boots for a school-friendly look.

ZapposEverything you loved as a kid and everything your parents loved as a kid is back in style. Uggs, Converse, and other classic kicks are all part of the most lusted-after back-to-school outfits for teens on TikTok. You’ll find almost all the accessories and shoes your teens want over at Zappos, and you might even find them on sale.

What to expect: Excellent 24/7 customer support line and a hassle-free return policy along with great prices on all your teen’s favorite styles
Why it’s great for teens: The inventory is vast
Price range: Casual shoes range from around $50 to $100, athletic shoes and designer shoes can be $250 or more
Shipping options:
Standard: 4-5 business days​ (Free)
Expedited: 2-3 business day (Free for Zappos VIP members)
Next-Day: Next business day ($25)
Return policy:
Free for returns within 365 days of purchase, with no shipping charges

Fjällräven Kånken Rainbow$95Buy NowThe Fjällräven Kånken Rainbow backpack is more fun than your average backpack and lets your teen express their individual style. The rainbow strapped bag comes in several colors and is designed for durability and style.

MadewellIf you have a bit of a bigger budget or want to spoil your teen with a few of their favorite pieces, Madewell is the place. Their back-to-school selection includes on-trend items like high-waisted jeans, graphic tees and cool jewelry.

What to expect: High quality clothes, both basics and trendy pieces, and denim that will last for years to come
Why it’s great for teens: They’ll get their trends but they’ll also get mileage out of these clothes
Price range: From $20 for tops to $228 for jeans (they’re so worth it)
Shipping options:
Standard: 3-6 business days ($5)
Expedited: 2-3 business days ($15)
Overnight: 1-2 business days ($25)
Madewell Insider Program: Free standard shipping and returns for all members
Return policy:
Refund within 30 days of the date of purchase

The 1991 Straight-Leg Stretch Selvedge Jean$178Buy NowOne pair of Madewell jeans are all your teen will need for the school year. They’re coveted for their high-quality materials, perfect fit, and timeless style. The 1991 Straight-Leg Stretch Selvedge Jean is a classic straight-leg cut in a versatile Loyola wash that gives it vintage (yes, the ’90s are now vintage) appeal.

Free PeopleWhether they’re filming a dance for TikTok, hanging with friends, or actually working out, teens basically live in athleisure. FP Movement, Free People’s activewear line, is one of the hottest brands on TikTok right now. And it’s a bit of a lower price point compared to the rest of the brand’s teen-friendly styles.

What to expect: Clothes that work for gym class, sports practice and beyond
Why it’s great for teens: These clothes combine the latest styles with comfort and breathability, so they can be as active as they want
Price range: From $30 for tops and tanks to $150 for sweatshirts and jackets
Shipping options:
Standard: 5-7 business days (Free)
Express: 2 to 3 business days (Free for orders over $150 placed through the app)
Expedited: 1 to 2 business days (typically around $15 to $20 more than the standard shipping fee)
Return policy: Refund within 30 days of purchase

FP Movement Carpe Diem Shorts$40Buy NowThese shorts are super lightweight and sweat-wicking, so they’re great with a big t-shirt for gym class, especially early in the school year when it’s still super hot outside. Alternatively, since the rise is ultra-high, your teen can pair them with a slightly cropped top for a less conservative weekend look.

This article is syndicated content from SheKnows in partnership with Carolyn’s Blooming Creations. We only choose content that we know our readers would enjoy!

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

Patriotic Outfits, Hair, Nails, Beauty and Food Inspiration

When it comes to patriotic fashion, hair, nails and beauty, you can easily pull together a look or an event using the easy color combination of red, white, and blue. From the 4th of July or Independence Day, to Election Day, to Labor Day, Memorial Day, Patriot Day or perhaps the day you become a USA citizen, wearing the colors of the American flag will always be in style. Read on to get some of my easy ideas for your next patriotic look needs.

Johnny Cash, my dog, truly loves to be photographed!

Patriotic Nails

When it comes to patriotic nails, you can create a look like I did using gel polishes or just any nail polish. I incorporated red, white, and blue in my gel polish manicure that I created with Red Carpet Manicure and some small nail brushes. I use Red Carpet Manicure gel polish (you do need a gel curing light, base coat and top coat for this particular type of polish) because it lasts, it’s cruelty free and they have lots of beautiful colors. I get mine on Amazon here.

My 2024 4th of July nails

You can either do a full color, like red, or add some nail stickers (I add them to my toenails a lot when doing home pedicures) to add more color if you don’t feel confident in creating an artistic look yourself. Or, if you get your nails done at a salon, take along some screen shots of your favorite patriotic nail art and have them recreate it.

Patriotic Beauty

I love a simple red lip and a winged black liner create a beautiful patriotic makeup look. When you do a red lip, it’s a good idea to keep the rest of your makeup very simple. It’s also a great idea to keep your makeup simple and light if you are going to be outside during a patriotic holiday! I wrote about my favorite red lipsticks and how to apply it to make it last in this article here.

My 2023 patriotic makeup look

As for my winged liner, I always use KVD Tattoo Liner in Trooper Black. I have tried many, many other liquid liners, and this one always goes on cleanly, lasts all day, and the brand is cruelty free. The brush on the liner is the key. This one never flicks or pulls and I love it in the Mad Max Brown color too.

Patriotic Fashion

In 2024, I had an overwhelming amount of inspiration from rhinestones and all things sparkly, so I purchased an oversized sparkle t-shirt from Amazon. The nice thing about red, white, and blue themed shirts is that once you buy one, you can wear it year after year. I wore the shirt for the 4th of July with cut off shorts I made from oversized thrift store jeans. I’d also wear the shirt with jeans or leggings. I loop it through a belt loop to cinch it at my waist.

My full patriotic outfit for 2024

I usually wear my blue and white vintage bathing suit paired with a red, white and blue kimono style cover-up. You can find a similar one on Amazon. I like mine so much that I’ll also pair it with a white tee and jean shorts to wear out and about.

My fun sparkle USA shirt

Patriotic Accessories

I also love patriotic sunglasses and have several varieties. I like buying them in sets of 2 or more so my husband can join in the fun in wearing them. I created several red, white, and blue themed crafts that I will now wear on patriotic holidays.

My DIY headband and claw clip

I created a bejeweled sprinkle claw clip and a rhinestone headband and you can grab the tutorials on my website here. My light up star headband came from Walmart. You can buy a whole family sized set of cute patriotic headbands on Amazon. I’m always the person bringing the festive fashion for everyone….just ask my husband’s family!

Patriotic Shoes

I love my Melissa jelly shoes in the style Possession. I have a clear pair, so I can wear them with any color. You can check them out here on the Melissa website. They are super comfy…the comfiest jellies I’ve ever worn and they smell good too (yes, they are scented!).

My pup Johnny Cash and I modeling my Melissa jellies

I wore them for the 4th of July with super sheer tulle socks with shimmering stars on them. I got the socks on Temu. If you order from Temu, use my code afe55197 or this link for 30% off for new app users. Or you can find similar socks here on Amazon.

My husband and I enjoyed pineapple juice in our sippers…he loves pineapple!

Patriotic Food and Fun

On any warm weather holiday, we like to swim, play games and blow bubbles! I purchased a bubble “blaster” from Temu similar to this one on Amazon. I ordered non-toxic bubble solution from Amazon which worked perfectly and produced beautiful bubbles. I’ve decorated our home with a red, white, and blue balloon arch and have served red, white and blue foods.

This bubble blaster worked great and was fun!

We have lots of sippers that we pick up from Temu, Target and Amazon. I found our set of red and blue at Target, but Amazon has similar cups. We have disco ball sippers, pineapple sippers and more. I loved drinking out of this shaped type of sipper as a kid, so not much has changed!

See how I created my sparkler adorned Angel Food Cake (which can be created using a store-bought cake!) in the video below, see me create it here on my website with other patriotic inspired foods, or watch it via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

It’s fun to get festive and I hope these ideas have given you some inspiration for your next patriotic holiday. You sometimes have to bring the joy of these holidays to you and your family, which makes for some great memories!

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: Warm Weather Fashion Trends: My Little Black Outfit Uniforms

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

DIY Bejeweled Claw Clip and Headband Patriotic Craft Tutorials

For the US holidays of the 4th of July, Memorial Day and Labor Day, I usually see an uptick in online searches for red, white and blue swimsuits. While the cute suits are festive, there are many other things you can wear to show your patriotism.

The completed patriotic crafts I created

While I’ve made lots of festive foods for these holidays, I’ve also made some patriotic crafts. This year I went very “bling-y” and came up with some cute bejeweled DIY crafts you can make to wear to all your patriotic events. Read on for some patriotic craft inspiration and tutorials.

See my cute 1-minute patriotic sparkler angel food cake tutorial in the video below or on my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

While I was making these crafts, I thought it’d be cute to have a red, white and blue festive shirt to match my patriotic crafts. I wanted something sparkly, so I ordered a USA sequin oversized t-shirt from Amazon.

I think owning at least one red, white and blue themed item is great because you can wear it for election day, Labor Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day (4th of July) and any day that you feel like showing your American pride.

An up close look at the rhinestone and pearl headband craft

CRAFT SUPPLY DISCOUNT CODE

If you order any of your craft supplies from TEMU, like I often do because their prices are really great, use my code afe55197 to get 30% off (for new app users) or use my affiliate link here. My links below link out to Amazon, which has great prices on craft supplies too!

The completed patriotic claw clip

Sprinkle Claw Clip Craft

This claw clip craft comes together very quickly. It was inspired by my birthday sprinkle sunglasses tutorial, which you can see in my tutorial here.

Here’s what you need:

• Plastic claw clips (I ordered a set on TEMU, but Amazon has them too for a great price)
• Polymer clay sprinkles (I ordered my patriotic set on TEMU, but Amazon has them too at a similar price)
• Patriotic flatback rhinestones and pearl mix (again, I got mine on TEMU, but Amazon has them here)
• Liquid Fusion glue
• Tray for crystals/sprinkles
• Wax pencil
• Towel and tray (for balance and catching loose sprinkles and rhinestones
• Pointy cotton swab (for wiping away excess glue)

How-To:

Set up your crafting space and apply a thin layer of glue to a small area of the claw clip. Sprinkle the polymer sprinkles onto the glue. I hand applied the flag polymer pieces so they would not be upside down or backwards (out of respect for the American Flag).

The claw clip in progress

Continue working in small sections, applying thin layers of glue and sprinkles. I added some pearls and rhinestones wherever I felt they were needed, picking them up with the wax pencil, after applying the sprinkles. I used my trays to hold them instead of fishing them out of the bag one at a time.

Adding some pearls and rhinestones

I let one side dry mostly, then held it while I applied sprinkles and pearls and rhinestones to the other side.

The completed top side of the claw clip

I also applied some pearls and rhinestones to the top of the clip. I allowed it to dry for 24 hours and then wore it in my hair.

My patriotic craft and fashion look

Bejeweled Skinny Headband Craft

This rhinestone headband is very quick and easy. I plan to make more of these in different colors as they add just a tiny but noticeable touch of sparkle to many hairstyles.

Here’s what you need:

• Skinny headbands (I got my super flexible set of frosted black headbands on TEMU, which don’t hurt my head, but found some similar ones on Amazon)
• Patriotic flatback rhinestones and pearl mix (again, I got mine on TEMU, but Amazon has them here)
• Liquid Fusion glue
• Tray for crystals/sprinkles
• Wax pencil
• Towel and tray (for balance and catching loose sprinkles and rhinestones
• Pointy cotton swabs (for wiping away excess glue)
• Optional: I used a mannequin head covered in wax paper, which helps me making many headpieces, like my fascinators)

How-To:

I placed some wax paper onto my mannequin head to prevent it from sticking to the head in the event my glue oozed.

The rhinestone headband craft set up

I set it onto a tray and placed the headband onto the wax paper covered mannequin. I applied a thin layer of glue to the headband in a small section and applied the rhinestones and pearls using my wax pencil.

The headband, almost complete!

I worked in small sections until I covered the entire headband. I made sure to use rhinestones and pearls that fit on the headband, so I worked slowly, using the other end of the wax pencil to move them around as needed.

The skinny bling headband

I allowed the headband to dry for 24 hours and then wore it proudly. It pairs well with the claw clip or wears alone nicely.

I love this cute headband!

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: Evil Eye Claw Clip Tutorial + Travel Craft Ideas

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 2 Minute Read

Are You Set Up For Home Crafting?

Crafts can be a great way to spend some time and to hang out with your kids, and as such this is something that you might certainly want to try and make the most of in your home as far as possible. If you are keen to get into crafts, there are a few things that you might want to think about in order to get set up properly. In this post, we’ll take a look at what these might be, so that you can effectively get set up for home crafting in no time at all and enjoy the process.

A great way to organize your fabrics for crafting

Choose a Spot

For various reasons, it’s usually best to have a spot that you always go to in order to do your home crafts. For one thing, it keeps all of the mess in one part of the house, which makes it less stressful and a lot easier to clean up.

The area I craft in is small, but organized! Check out my craft space in my 1-minute video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

You’ll also find that you are going to be much more likely to go back to it again and again if you have a dedicated place where you do it, so that’s another important reason for this. Choose your spot carefully, but above all just make sure you do choose one.

I have a foldable hobby craft table that I love. It folds down very small to be stored away easily, but folds out to be a decent sized table. I got it on Amazon and you can check it out here.

Having your craft supplies in one place makes crafting easier

Get Your Supplies

Next up, you will of course need to make sure that you have plenty of supplies in place, and there are a lot of these that you might want to think about. It’s going to make it so much more enjoyable and fun if you have lots of supplies in place and you can make whatever you want, so this is something that you should definitely bear in mind here. From craft paper and scissors to sticker printer paper, this is something that you will want to make sure you have got right as soon as possible.

Making a resin based craft

Decide On A First Project
Once you have a first project in mind, you can then start working on what you are going to do when it comes to making that a reality. It’s great to have a specific project to work towards, and you will find that you are going to enjoy it so much more in this way, so it’s something you should certainly be aware of all in all. Deciding on your first project is the kind of thing that is going to be really important for you to get right, so make sure that you are careful about it.

A diamond painting craft

Get Crafting
Now it’s simply time to get crafting, and whether you are doing it alone or with your kids, the main thing is that you enjoy it. So grab whatever supplies you need and your plan for the initial project, and then get going. You are going to find that you are much more likely to enjoy it if you have planned it out a little, but now is the time to simply sit down and start making. You will soon find that you love the whole process.

If you liked paint by numbers as a kid, you may enjoy diamond painting as an adult. Here’s a diamond painting coaster set here on Amazon (functional art is art we love!) that contains everything you need to craft some beautiful coasters.

Rhinestone glove craft idea

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: Evil Eye Claw Clip and Easy Travel Craft Ideas

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

This is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate links. All opinions and ideas expressed in this post, however, are based on my personal point of view.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 2 Minute Read

Side Braided Ponytail Hairstyle Tutorials

Every summer I tend to braid my hair a lot or wear it up in a messy bun or a bun with a claw clip. Even when my hair was shorter, I still braided it to keep it off my face. There’s nothing fun about getting summer sweaty hair stuck all over your face. I started getting compliments on many of my braided hairstyles, so I decided to create this tutorial. Read on to get my side braided ponytail hairstyle tutorials.

The completed low ponytail hairstyle

I didn’t think side braided ponytail hairstyles were on trend until I was shopping in a grocery store recently and saw a young mom with her hair in a similar style. Any braided hairstyles tend to always look polished, are easy (if you know how to braid) and are great if you have an active lifestyle. My niece wears her hair in braids a lot as a very active teenager that plays basketball year-round.

One side of the low ponytail braid style

For this braided hairstyle, you need to know how to braid. If you don’t know how, there are numerous tutorials aimed at braiding beginners on YouTube, including this one, which has lots of views and lots of positive comments:

I ended up fishtail or fishbone braiding my hair for this particular style on this day, but I’ve also just done a basic braid for it too. It’s a very versatile style. I actually think fishbone braiding is easier than basic braiding as it’s only done with two strands of hair. Here’s how to fishbone braid your hair in an easy to follow YouTube video:

Step by Step Side Braided Hairstyle Tutorial:

I first sprayed some Not Your Mother’s dry shampoo (I’ve used all their varieties and they all work well) into my hair at my roots to give it a bit of texture and volume and to absorb oil, as I did this style on “second day hair” (meaning I didn’t wash it the same day).

My hair braiding loves

I wash my hair every two to three days so I don’t dry it out too much and because it’s gotten quite long. Dry shampoo does a great job to absorb oil so my next day hair doesn’t look greasy.

• Buy Not Your Mother’s On Amazon
• Buy Not Your Mother’s on Walmart.com

I then brushed using the Unbrush (I really love this brush!) to distribute the dry shampoo and to untangle my hair. Then I used the end of a teasing brush to pull out a small section of hair to braid by my forehead. I add a bit of Braid Balm (it helps my braids stay in longer and helps with flyaways) then separate the piece into two strands and fishbone braid the section.

The first fishbone braid

I’ve also done this style with French braiding or just basic braiding it. I used a clear plastic ponytail holder to secure the end. The Goody Ouchless clear elastic ties are my favorite as they never snap or break.

To hold back sections of hair from getting mixed in with the braids, I use duck clips. See my cute fruit salad themed duck clips in my YouTube video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

I then used the end of the teasing brush to separate out another section of my hair on the other side of my head and fishbone braided that too. Sometimes I do this braid, sometimes I don’t. It depends on how much time I have. Then I secure that end with a clear ponytail holder too.

Two of the three braids

Sometimes at this point, if my hair is feeling really flat, I’ll tease the back of my hair to help fluff it up and to help my weird hair part vanish.

Then I use my hands to pull all my hair, including the braids into a low side ponytail. I’ll take a strand of hair and wrap it around the low ponytail holder to hide it and secure the end of the hair with a bobby pin.

I then either braid or fishbone braid the low ponytail and secure it with a clear or cute pom pom ponytail holder.

Low braided ponytail hairstyle

If I have time, I sometimes I’ll curl the low ponytail using my Beachwaver, which I really love. See my full review of my Multi Barrel Beachwaver by clicking here. Or, if my hair looks smooth or has a slight wave, I’ll just let the low ponytail be loose. Again, it’s a versatile hairstyle that can be tweaked according to your hair type and length.

You can leave the low ponytail loose too

If you loved this article, then we know you’ll love this one too: How to Dry Your Hair Faster with a T-Shirt Towel

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

Evil Eye Claw Clip + Simple Travel Craft Ideas

When I travel, I am always looking for ways to pass the time. While reading a book, reading a magazine or writing can be great things to do while traveling, they often make me feel motion sickness. I sometimes can draw in the car, but even that is difficult, especially if the roads are very bumpy. During my last trip, I attempted crafting in the car and it worked! Read on to learn my easy travel craft method, how to make an evil eye claw clip and get more great travel craft ideas!

I recently came up with a great and easy method for crafting in the car. I ordered the following things from Amazon, Temu and more to give myself a flat surface that would help my rhinestones and all my tiny crafting things secure on my lap.

Some of my completed travel crafts

My travel craft setup (links go to Amazon):

• Plastic Fast Food Serving Trays (I use these for so many crafting projects and my husband loves them for taking food out to the grill)
• Gorilla Grip Premium Drawer and Shelf Liner (I use this in my kitchen on shelves, in drawers and more)

For my travel crafts, I cut a piece of the drawer liner to fit the tray and laid it out to give me a non-slip surface and this worked very well. For a travel crafting session in June of 2024, we drove from Florida to Georgia to do some research on a neighborhood we want to move to. It was a 10-hour drive, and I was able to complete two of the projects on the way there, and one and a half on the way back.

Is It Hard to Craft In The Car?

Crafting in the car does take a little more time than at home, as I have to stop crafting if we are experiencing lots of bumpy roads, or if I need to attend to my pets or my kind husband as he drives. I am so fortunate he loves to drive (and that he’s a great driver) so I can work on my crafts! I only had a couple of rhinestones and pearls flick off my tray somehow, but all-in-all, I crafted in the car quite cleanly.

My completed glasses. Grab my cute swimsuit on Amazon here.

What Else Can We Do In the Car While Traveling?

When I was a kid, we played a lot of road trip games, travel games and more, but sometimes we needed some quiet time. If I had been allowed to craft in the car, I would have really enjoyed myself. Yes, you can watch movies now days (we didn’t have that option in the 80’s and 90’s) but sometimes that gets boring too. Travel+Leisure has some great ideas for how to have a screen free road trip with kids on their site here if you want to try screen-free thing to do in the car.

Travel Craft Ideas, Tutorials, and Supplies

I laid the lined tray on my lap and in a large mesh bag I packed the following crafting items for my trip in 2024 (links go to Amazon or Walmart):

• Rhinestones and pearl sets in various colors (I order bulk packs from Amazon and from Temu, if ordering from Temu, use my code afe55197 or use this link to get 30% off for new users)
• Evil Eye Flatback Resin Pieces (in a variety of sizes)
• Clear claw clip
• Flower claw clip
• Jumbo Glasses (I got mine in the party aisle at Walmart, but Amazon has some too)
• Travel baby wipe container
• Flatback resin flower charms
• Jelly Rhinestones kit
• Wax pencil
• Liquid Fusion glue
• Rhinestone trays in various sizes for holding the charms, rhinestones and pearls while crafting
• Small towel to lay projects on as needed
• Pointy cotton swabs for wiping away excess glue

• To film my projects in the car (because I had to do it…lol!) I used this Overhead Phone Stand from Amazon

  My completed evil eye claw clip

Evil Eye Claw Clip

For this project, I simply added a bit of glue to the clip and used my wax pencil to pick up the evil eye charms and rhinestones and pearl mix and added them one at a time until it was completely filled.

I also added some evil eyes on the inside of the top of the clip. For all rhinestones and pearl projects, be sure to add a thin layer of glue and if any oozes out, you can use a cotton swab to wipe the excess away.

I worked on one side at a time, and by the time I was ready for the opposite side, the glue had cured enough for me to flip it over gently and work on the other side. I always give my crafts 24 hours to fully dry before using them fully.

The top of the evil eye claw clip

I have been pulled to evil eye symbols since high schol as my friend brought me one back from a trip to Turkey and it intrigued me. She said she thought I needed it for protection, as she knew some things going on in my home life were not so good. It seemed as if I needed that protection again as I crafted this in 2024. Read my story about what was going on in my tutorial for my Taylor Swift inspired “I can do it with a broken heart” hat here.

Get my 1-minute evil eye claw clip below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Crafting my flower claw clip

Flower Claw Clip

I following the same process for making my flower claw clip as I did for my evil eye clip except I only added pearls and rhinestones to it. I started in the center and then worked my way around. I allowed the first side to slightly dry, took some time to eat lunch, then I worked on the other side.

Get my 1-minute flower claw clip tutorial below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden: COMING SOON!

My pup, Minnie Pearl, loves to travel too!

Jumbo Glasses

As soon as I saw these funny glasses in Walmart, I had to have them. They are giant and fun, and just screamed “bling me up!”. I applied a thin layer of glue, and used a pink and purple mix of rhinestones and pearls to fill up the entire front side of the glasses.

My jumbo party glasses craft setup

Get my 1-minute jumbo glasses tutorial below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Travel Baby Wipe Container

I am always using baby wipes in some capacity. From helping me wipe away messy fingers while doing my makeup, to using them in the car for my hands or for pet messes, to well, to wipe anything really. I love The Honest Company wipes as they are great for my sensitive skin, are cruelty free and are fully compostable!

Working on the travel baby wipe container craft

I found a travel baby wipe container and it wasn’t super pretty, so I worked to bling it up. I applied some resin flowers to the front and then some pearls and rhinestones to the lid. I should have stopped there, but I kept going and then ran out of supplies and time.

Half way completed baby wipe container

This project took a lot longer than my other travel crafts, and I had to finish it at home, but it turned out great and was worth it!

Final baby wipe container project results coming soon!

If you loved this article, then we know you’ll love this one too:

How to Make a Personalized Faberge Inspired Egg

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

My Love Affair with Comfy Jelly Shoes and Melissa Shoes

It all started when I was a little girl in the 1980’s. My very first pair of jelly shoes were purple wedges that attached around my ankle and I thought they were the most beautiful shoes I ever saw. As I recently looked through photographs of myself wearing them, I realized I really loved fashion and shoes even as a kid. I was always posing, finding the camera and smiling. I was such a confident little girl and I knew what I liked from a very young age.

Me, wearing my fancy jelly shoes in 1983

My love of jelly shoes continued on. I have had numerous pairs over the years. I came across the Melissa brand of jellies in high school. They were platform “fisherman” sandals and I loved them. Being only 5-foot 1 inch in height, even in high school, they gave me a little lift while being stylish.

I still love my jellies

Did you know that Jelly shoes started by a French company called “Jelly Shoes” by Tony Alano and Nicolas Guillon in Paris, 1980. Read more about the history of Jelly shoes on Wikipedia here.

Get 20% off any Melissa shoe style (even the sale price) using my code CBCDISCOUNT or by using my link….click here!

The Melissa shoe is waterproof

Mini Melissa For Babies and Kids

If I had a kid, I’d have them wearing Mini Melissa shoes (their kid-sized line of shoes) for sure, as even kids need comfy shoes! I can’t imagine walking through a theme park or the zoo with a child whose feet are being rubbed by a pair of shoes.

Check out my cute Taylor Swift inspired clear visor tutorial that would match many Melissa styles in the 1-minute video above or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden.

Wearing my jellies in my outdoor shower

As a former teacher, nanny and babysitter, I know that they’d cry and desire to be carried, which doesn’t make for a fun day. Many of their styles match the adult Melissa shoes, so matching with your “mini me” is possible and oh, so cute! If I had a friend that traveled a lot with a kiddo, I’d gift them with a clear matching pair for sure as they’d go with every outfit in their suitcase!

You can dress the Possession up or down

What Makes Melissa Different: They Are Stylish and Comfy!

The fisherman style I owned in high school lives on as the “Possession” in the Melissa shoe brand and it still is simply fab. I love the clear ones because they match everything. You can dress them up or down too. While I’ve owned many pairs of jelly shoes, I can honestly say the Melissa brand is THE MOST comfortable brand of jelly shoes ever.

Hanging out by the pool in my Possession jellies

I can wear each pair right out of the box, as they all have soft footbeds that sort of mold to my feet. I own the Rainbow Beach slides and the Papete Platform and all are cute and comfy. I wear them with many things, as the rainbow colors match so much! I love the soft, pliable plastic of each with a soft, cushioned footbed. They are truly my summertime “rain boots” as they are each waterproof too.

Wearing the Possession by the pool

If you’ve ever worn a pair of shoes that rubbed on your feet or hurt them after wearing them for a few hours, you know how it can just about ruin your day. Improper foot wear often is the cause of foot pain and you can read more about it here on the Hopkins Medicine website. While I love many shoes and their beauty, if it’s not comfortable, it won’t get much use in my life. I do not want severe foot problems later in life.

The clear color matches everything

The Melissa brand has never hurt my feet. I can wear them all day with zero-foot pain. After being an art teacher for 10 years, I learned what foot pain was very quickly (you never sit down as an art teacher) and turned to Melissa, Crocs, TOMS and Ugg shoe brands time and time again as each never hurt my feet.

Feeling fancy in my jelly shoes

Some comfy shoe styles and brands I love with links to each (and each brand has kid-sized versions too!):

• Melissa (I LOVE the Possession in glitter colors or clear, heeled or not, and all their designer lines are so beautiful, especially their recent collab with Marc Jacobs, here’s their list of sustainability efforts)
• TOMS (Any of the Alpargata styles are washable and comfy, they have worked on sustainability since day one)
• Crocs (Mostly the Classic Crocs are the most lightweight and comfy to me…the platforms were a bit too heavy, and they are working on their sustainability, they are also part of the HEYDUDE brand)

• UGG (We love their Classic boots, slippers and my father in law has requested the slippers from us twice now…when his first pair wore out after years, he asked us to get him more as they are really comfy, and the brand is working on their sustainability)

  My cute pup, Johnny Cash, loves to model with me

Melissa Makes More Than Jellies

I worked in the corporate world and thought I had to give up all my flat shoe styles, so I turned to heels when I wanted to add height to myself in all the dresses and pant suits I wore. I had numerous heels that were comfy, but nothing quite like the brands I wore as a teacher. I am now happy to see Melissa shoes branching out to incorporate more styles that I could wear in an office environment. They aren’t just selling summer jellies anymore!

Johnny Cash works for cookies and pets

Smell and Sustainability

The Melissa shoe brand has a cute scent on each pair of their shoes that make my closet smell yummy. They are also vegan, cruelty free, and sustainably made, meaning they pay attention to their product waste and manufacturing and they are made with 30% recycled factory waste.

This is important because most jellies have been made from PVC, which is a plastic material so bad that even Coca-Cola Company has called it “problematic and unnecessary” (article link from Vogue Business). When brands like Melissa try to recreate the jelly the right way, or create them sustainably, it matters. Plastic may not be our future, but if you redesign the footwear like Grendene (the owner of Melissa) did to use renewable materials, you see fashion moving on the right track, like when wearing real fur started it’s decline in the fashion world in the early 2000’s, thankfully.

Minnie Pearl wishes they made jelly shoes for her too…lol!

Ambassador

If you are wanting a very comfy shoe, check out the Melissa brand. I do think they are among some of the best shoe brands that are great for all ages. I look forward to more years of wearing jellies and so much more from Melissa! I became an ambassador for the brand in 2024 due to my sheer love of the brand and wanted to share my love with others. You will not see me promote a brand that I do not believe in, and I fully believe in Melissa.

Get 20% off any Melissa shoe style (even the sale price) using my code CBCDISCOUNT or by using my link….click here!

Getting kisses by both pups is so sweet

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: What I Think of My Beachwaver Multi Barrel Curling Iron

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 5 Minute Read

Taylor Swift Broken Heart Visor : Eras Tour DIY Craft

Behind the smile, there is sometimes great pain…..

As soon as I heard the Taylor Swift song “I Can Do It with a Broken Heart”, I knew I’d create something using it as inspiration. There are many times in my life when I have had to force myself to pull myself together to “perform” at life and I know others have done the same. The song is, in my opinion, a true anthem for finding strength despite feeling great heartache.

The finished Broken Heart visor

After seeing many fans wearing blinged up Taylor Swift concert outfits, I decided to create a fun visor using words from the song, and thought others may want to create something like it if wanting to be fancy when going to a Taylor Swift concert or if they are just true Taylor fans. Here’s the story of how I did it and why.

In the song, Taylor sings about having to pull herself together before going on stage after what seems like a break up in her life. The song lyrics “Breaking down, I hit the floor, All the pieces of me shattered as the crowd was chanting, "More". I was grinning like I'm winning, I was hitting my marks, ‘cause I can do it with a broken heart” actually made me shed a tear or two as I remembered the moment in 2006 when HGTV was filming me doing some art projects at my house for a show. That same day, which was supposed to be a great day, I had an intuition my heart that my grandma died. I was her caretaker and she was like a mom to me.

I love the hat colors!

We were extremely close, and when you are that close to someone, sometimes you FEEL things they feel. I should have been happy that day, but every time I took a break from filming, my eyes uncontrollably welled up with tears, but I calmed myself down in a mirror as I dabbed them away. I somehow knew she died, but I also knew she would have wanted me to push through it. She knew how creative I was and was excited for this opportunity when I talked to her about it just the night before the producers and videographers showed up at my house.

You can see my HGTV video footage in the videos below. You’ll see me with a smile on my face, because just like Taylor sings in her song, “the crowd” at my house was wanting more. I had to finish this day out with a smile on my face and the moment the crowd left and my husband told me the news, I literally fell to the floor, feeling like my heart and soul were completely shattered.

Since that moment, I realized there have been many times when I’ve felt completely heartbroken and shattered, yet I moved forward. You need to feel the sadness, as being sad sometimes is a part of being human, but you have to move forward. Life is like trekking through mountains. There are many peaks and valleys that aren’t that fun and sometimes the mountain is very steep and hard, but it’s a beautiful view when you finally reach the top.

I wore the hat for my birthday

When I created this visor and many other projects from 2022 to 2024, I had many broken hearts, but pushing thorough with my creations, helped my heart heal. With each creative project I work on, I feel like I go through peaks and valleys while figuring out the design and when I finish it, I reach the top of the mountain and see something beautiful. When my husband and I spend all of 2023 putting our house back together after going through Hurricane Ian, we now see the beauty that came from all the hard work. It was definitely a BIG mountain!

The finished hat makes me feel happy when I look at it

As far as breakups and relationships, like Taylor, I’ve had my fair share of those too over the years. I had, what I thought were very close and loving friendships completely fall apart in recent years and it was very difficult to navigate through my feelings on it. I don’t talk about it in detail with many people, but the total and complete heartbreaks happened and they were not fun.

I suppose those “friends” whom I truly loved decided they didn’t need my love anymore and while that made me sad, I continue on, as I know many others love me and want my love in their life. Feeling like your love is needed and accepted is a wonderful thing.

My visor is functional too!

I think that’s why Taylor Swift is so popular. She is able to create art from her relationship heartaches, similar to other artists and musicians. Alanis Morissette got an extreme amount of attention from her album, Jagged Little Pill, which was basically a relationship break up album. Anytime you can turn heartache into something beautiful, you are truly a gifted soul. I have been pouring all my sadness, heart and soul into my creations lately and it’s helped tremendously. Art therapy is a real thing and it works for me!

Now you know the story behind the creation, and here’s how I made it. I thought others may want to create something similar to wear to a Taylor Swift concert or just because. It’s fancy, glittery and beautiful, like many of the outfits Taylor wears in her concert performances. When I wore the visor in 2024 for my birthday, I felt fancy and fun. When you become an adult, no one seems to celebrate your birthday quite like they did when you were a kid, and I now believe your life, no matter how old you are, is something to celebrate.

One of the supposedly close “friendships” I had fell apart days before my birthday in 2023 (the timing was on their end and I know it was on purpose…how nice, right?) and I made sure I wasn’t going to let it bring me down. My wonderful and supportive husband and I rented a boat on my birthday and it was so much fun, I decided to do it every year, God willing.

When you have trauma, depression or anxiety around your birthday (it’s a thing that many feel and I used to until I understood why and dealt with it…read about it on here on Better Help’s website), surrounding yourself with people that love you is important.

The finished visor

The hat was also extremely effective for keeping my face shaded from the bright sun, as this year we visited a lake in the neighborhood we will move to as soon as our Florida house sells. Functional art is my favorite! I’ll wear this visor as a badge of honor as well, to remember how I must keep moving forward, past the broken hearts, into a beautiful life filled with people that I love and that will let me love them proudly and they will love me proudly too. Just a little note: feeling love for someone is not only for romantic relationships!

If you buy any craft products on TEMU (their prices are great!), use discount code afe55197 at checkout or this link to save 30% (for new users only)

Tools/Products:

• Iridescent Visor (I got mine at Target, but the link directs you to a set on Amazon)
• White acrylic alphabet beads (The link will direct you a similar set to the one I purchased on Amazon)
• Mermaid colored Jelly resin flatback rhinestones and pearls in various sizes (I got mine on TEMU, but here is a similar set on Amazon)
• Flatback resin flowers (I got my set on TEMU, but the link will direct you to a similar set on Amazon)
• Liquid Fusion Glue (I use this for all my rhinestone + plastic or metal art creations as it holds well and is clear, the link will direct you to Amazon)

Optional:

• Toothpicks
• Wax Pencil Tool (the link will direct you to Amazon)
• Pointy ended cotton swabs (the link will direct you to Amazon)

Listen to the Taylor Swift’s “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” here on YouTube while you create (or anytime you need a reminder to be strong) like I did!

Directions:

Use your fingers or a wax pencil tool (you can pick up the alphabet beads with the wax pencil or your fingers) to lay out the alphabet beads (my spelled-out I CAN DO IT WITH A BROKEN HEART) on the hat OR lay them out where ever you want. I do this so I can understand what I want my design to look like before gluing.

The Taylor Swift craft set up

Once you know where you want to place the letter beads, start placing a dot of glue onto the back of each one and glue them onto the sunglasses.

I can do it with a broken heart

If any glue oozes out, use the toothpick or the pointy ended cotton swabs to remove the excess.

After the letter beads, I added flowers

Add some glue (I just carefully squeezed it out of the bottle) around the letter beads and add your flowers, then the rhinestones and pearls, varying the size and placement of each one.

I added rhinestones around the brim

I used the wax pencil tool to grab each one and place them on the glasses.

I squeezed rhinestones and pearls between the letters

Add some glue around the top and lower rims of the hat and add some rhinestones and pearls.

Adding more rhinestones

Add some glue around the sides of the hat strap and add some more rhinestones and pearls.

The visor is almost done!

This took me a few days to work on, a couple of hours at a time.

It’s good to work on this for small amounts of time to allow drying time

When you work on a craft like this in small increments of time, it gives it time to cure or dry a bit so no crystals or embellishments move around.

I hung my hat to dry on my light stand

Allow the full creation dry for 24 hours then wear and enjoy!

Did you make this craft or something similar? If so, let me know in the comments below!

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How to Make a Unicorn Kisses Flower Cake

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Dry Your Hair Faster with a T-Shirt or the Conair Twist & Wrap

Many years ago, I started using a 100% cotton tee shirt to wrap my hair before drying it. My hair stylist at the time swore by it as the cotton material absorbs a lot of water, helping you to get your hair dry faster, which can help minimize heat damage from hair dryer use.

Upon his advice, I used a cotton t-shirt, but the longer my hair got, the bigger the tee shirt I needed. And it really didn’t stay on my head well. Then I found the Conair Twist & Wrap and it became my new hair best friend. Read on to learn why and how I use it.

The Conair Twist & Wrap

Cotton vs. Synthetic

I have tested numerous hair towels and hair wraps over the years and the Conair Twist & Wrap is one I hope stays on the market at the affordable $10 Conair price. While a traditional towel can dry your hair well, many are made out of synthetic materials, which don’t absorb as much water as a cotton towel. Many hair towel wraps are also made out of synthetic materials, which again, don’t absorb much water. This is something I’ve tested myself and do notice a big difference when using cotton versus synthetic.

The package says it can “Save Your Curls”

How to Use a Cotton T-Shirt Hair Wrap

The Conair Twist & Wrap is just like the cotton tee shirts I used, being 95% cotton and 5% rayon. I think they blended it with a touch of rayon as rayon adds a silky feel AND give it the slightest bit of stretch. It’s smooth like a tee shirt; basically, a very lightweight cotton jersey that I place my wet hair into and twist, just like I would with a towel. I like it because while it does not have any loops to secure the twisted end, it somehow manages to stay on my head for the 15 minutes (per the package directions) that I leave it on.

It easily stays on my hair, even without a loop or button

Cotton t-shirt hair wraps that have good online reviews:

• Conair Twist & Wrap (95% cotton, 5% rayon, here’s the link to buy on Amazon or here’s a link to buy it on Walmart.com)
• Ultimate Short Hair Towel (100% cotton, here’s the link to buy on Amazon)
• 100% Cotton hair towel (buy it here on Walmart.com)
• OOF! No More Poof! (100% cotton t-shirt hair towel, here’s the link to buy on Amazon)

During the 15 minutes, the water from my hair is quickly absorbed into the material and I love it. With other towels, my hair always seemed to still be soaking wet after leaving it wrapped for a while, but this one actually absorbs the water. This is important because it takes me much less time to dry my hair with the hair dryer. When you have any length hair, a shorter drying time is helpful and better for your hair as there will be less heat damage.

I love sponge rollers to curl my hair as a heat free hair style! See my popular 1 minute video tutorial for Conair sponge rollers below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Great for Curly and Wavy Hair

The package says “Save Your Curls”, and after having curly haired friends, I do know this product would be great for curly or wavy hair too. Most of my curly haired friends had a very extreme regime for their curls and most did not blow dry their hair. I know many would still have dripping wet hair an hour post wash when air drying, so this wrap would help save their shirts from looking like they walked through a sprinkler.

This hair towel has a smooth texture

No Mildew Smell

The Conair Twist & Wrap dries quickly, which I also like because it hasn’t started smelling mildew-y like my other hair towel wraps. No matter what environment I’ve lived in, all my hair towels have smelled weird after a few months of use (and frequent washings). My cotton tees and this cotton hair wrap have not smelled, which means no mildew! I think this is because of the material, but also because it’s very lightweight, meaning it dries fast. Because it dries fast, the water doesn’t have time to sit in it and cause the mildewing.

A basic cotton t-shirt can be a great test before you buy a wrap!

Test for Yourself

If you don’t want to buy a cotton hair wrap, try a cotton tee shirt (I’m sure you have one in your closet!) and see if you find it helps absorb more water from your hair. Leave it on your hair for 15 minutes (no rubbing needed as the friction can cause other hair damage and frizz) and see how wet your hair is versus using a traditional blended fabric towel or other towel wrap.

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: Easy Ways to Straighten Your Hair Without a Flat Iron

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

These Best-Selling wet n wild Makeup Finds Are Under $6

I have a vivid memory of seeing my babysitter’s wet n wild nail polishes all lined up inside her refrigerator at her house. As a curious and outgoing kid, I often walked to her house to visit her even when I didn’t need a babysitter. Her name was Missy and she had a red moped and big, curly hair. It was the 1980’s and that’s pretty much how the 80’s was. It was a time full of mopeds, lots of colorful makeup and big hair.

My wet n wild test subjects

Missy was an overall fun and sweet person and seemed to enjoy my company and curiosity, so I asked her about why she put her nail polishes in the refrigerator. She said it helped them last longer. She was mostly correct, as my recent Google search said you should keep your polishes in a cool, dark place. Makeup.com agrees (but there are rules to follow if you do this) and you can read about it on their site here.

wet n wild History

While I remember her fridge trick, I remember her wet n wild polishes being so colorful. Wet n wild has been on the beauty market since 1979. They have always been cruelty free (they are certified with PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies program) and full of clean ingredients. It’s also been able to stay a budget friendly beauty brand, while maintaining a great quality. Read more about their history on their website.

The finished look using wet n wild finds

How wet n wild Keeps Their Prices Low

While many other brands have raised their prices significantly recently over the years, wet n wild has kept their products at a lower price point. They know their market and they are still putting the customer’s and their wallets first. There’s something great to be said about a brand that stays focused on volume of sales versus higher prices.

This business model can really keep loyal customers around. As I’ve written about before, my mother-in-law’s favorite high-end foundation went up $10 additional dollars in one year. She won’t buy it anymore because of this and I agree with her. When a brand sky rockets a price suddenly, you can say what you what (“oh, Carolyn, it’s just business, that’s how it works” as so many people out there tell me), but I don’t believe that’s how it has to be and wet n wild proves this.

These are great budget friendly beauty finds

What We Tested and Loved

I have used many, many makeup brands over my lifetime. wet n wild products have always been in my makeup drawers in some capacity. I recently challenged myself to create a budget friendly beauty look and took myself to Walmart to see what I was drawn to. The wet n wild brand really stood out to me (I totally saw Missy and her big curly hair in my brain as I peered over the makeup in the store), so I picked out some items and took them home to test.

My Walmart location (I went to one in Naples, Florida) did not have any of the foundations that I wanted in my color (this brand sells out of items fast!), there were no brow pencils that were quite right, nor did they have a powder in my color, so I decided to stick with my own foundation, brow pencil and powder and choose to test the following products. I choose colors that gave me a “rose gold” makeup look to match my hair.

I wanted my makeup to match my new hair color

Remember that prices fluctuate by retailers, but when I purchased these, they were listed as best-sellers at Walmart and also some are marked as “Amazon’s Choice” (which means they are highly-rated, well-priced products) on Amazon.com and were each under $6.

If you ever see a product at a sky-high price at a retailer, check other retailers because sometimes individual sellers will buy products and then try to resell them at higher prices. See my article about the Bogg bag craze by clicking here, which gives you some insight to this form of overvaluing.

Using the wet n wild brown eyeliner

wet n wild Color Icon Kohl Liner Pencil: $1

I choose the color Simma Brown Now and loved this liner. It comes in other colors but the brown was a bit softer than a traditional black liner. It was smooth, sharpened easily and it didn’t smear or give me raccoon eyes. I was able to give myself a winged liner look with it, which was beautiful. I really think it’s worth having in your makeup arsenal and at $1, you can buy brown and black so you can play with each.

Buy it at the following retailers:

• Walmart
• Amazon

See the eyeliner in action via my 1 minute video above or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Using the blush side which reminded me of a popular Nars blush color

wet n wild Mega Glo Blushlighter in Flash Me: $5.47

This shimmery blush and highlighter duo was very multipurpose. I used the rose gold side as a highlighter on the tops of my cheeks and on my eyelids as an eyeshadow.

Using the wet n wild highlighter

I used the pink-ish peach side (which the color reminded me of the cult classic blush color by Nars in the color Orgasm) as a blush. Both lasted all day and looked great on my skin.

Buy it at the following retailers:

• Walmart

• Amazon

  The wet n wild bronzer is very pigmented

wet n wild Coloricon Bronzer in What Shady Beaches: $4.47

I absolutely LOVE this bronzer. I have tried many, many bronzers over the years and this is now my go-to every day bronzer. I love how it makes my skin looked very sun kissed throughout an entire day. It’s smooth and very pigmented too, meaning a little goes a long way!

I use it on my forehead, tops of my cheeks and to contour my neck as it’s mostly matte. It does come in other colors, so if the color I choose isn’t for you, take a look at their other shades.

Buy it at the following retailers:

• Walmart

• Amazon

  Using the wet n wild contour stick

wet n wild MegaGlo Dual-Ended Contour Stick in Medium/Tan: $5.47

I use this stick to contour my nose mostly, but it’s a great product for cheek contouring, forehead contouring and more. I thought it would be too creamy for my combination skin (dry and oily), but it wasn’t. It didn’t break me out (that’s always one of my tests as I have sensitive skin), it lasted all day and does what it’s supposed to do: contour!

The lighter shade on one end can also serve as a brightener, which can be placed in the inner corners of your eyes to make them look brighter. This one is getting a workout in my daily makeup routine and I’m keeping it around for sure.

Buy it at the following retailers:

• Walmart

• Amazon

  The wet n wild gloss shimmers in two different colors

wet n wild Coloricon Lip Gloss in Capricorn: $3.18

This deep pink and gold gloss is fun and great for a night out. The shade I chose was like a chameleon paint you see on some cars, meaning it was almost like two colors in one. While it won’t be my daily gloss (I am still totally head over heels in love with Buxom glosses), it’s great for a budget friendly way to add more daring gloss colors to your makeup routine.

It’s lightweight, it lasted for quite a long while on my lips and shimmered beautifully. It comes in other colors that are suitable for many skin tones.

Buy it at the following retailers:

• Walmart
• Amazon

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How To Get Rose Gold Hair

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

Easy Ways to Straighten Your Hair Without a Flat Iron

From the Dyson hair dryer flyaway attachment to all the air brushes and straightening brushes on the market, there are so many ways to get your hair straight without a flat iron. In this article, I’ll talk about some ways to get your hair straight without a flat iron. I’ve tested each tool myself and give you my results below.

My straight hair from the Dyson dryer and flyaway attachment

Don’t get me wrong as I love a great flat iron. I even wrote about my favorite budget friendly one in the video below or watch it via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Sometimes though I need to get my hair straightened fast and if I can do it with one tool, I’ll gladly try it. I have used several tools over the years that may be able to straighten your hair type without having to use a flatiron too.

Revlon One-Step Volumizer and Dryer

My hair type is 2B which is slight wavy. It’s also aging, color treated and highlighted and long. It’s on the think side too. My mom has super straight (type 1), very fine, color treated and highlighted hair and we used a Revlon brush dryer to get her hair straight. Granted her hair is naturally straight, but it worked to straighten my hair too. If you want to learn more about hair types, check out this article by healthline.com. They discuss your hair’s curl pattern, which is fascinating to me.

Using the Revlon dryer on my mom's hair

See the Revlon dryer tool in action in my YouTube video below when I had shorter hair:

In the photos of her hair, you can see how shiny and smooth we got it by using this tool. We washed her hair then I used this tool on high heat to get it mostly dry, then I used the low heat setting and the cool setting to get it super straight. It took some time but it worked to get her straight without a flat iron.

My mom’s Revlon tool results were great!

I bought one for my mom (she loved the results) and when my mother in law used mine, she loved it too! We saw it at TJ Maxx at a very discounted price (I think it was around $24) when she was visiting us and she bought it. It flew home with her in her suitcase. What a great travel souvenir!

Buy it at the following retailers:

• Amazon
• Walmart

Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer and the Flyaway Attachment

I bought my Dyson dryer many years ago and I like it. My husband uses it and loves it and we both love the product design. Mine did not come with the flyaway attachment, but it looks like the newest ones do. I bought the attachment separately after seeing a stylist use it on TikTok to get a very curly head of hair super straight.

One side done with attachment, one side not completed results

I first dry my hair with the pointed nozzle until it’s damp. The flyaway attachment magnetizes on and I simply touch it to my hair and go straight down my head from root to tip on high heat. I move in fast swoops until my hair is straight.

See it in action: video coming soon!

I’ll pull up the top sections of hair to dry and straighten the underside sections of hair. I then brush it out and use a moisturizing styling cream to tame any residual flyaways (it’s called the “flyaway” attachment and it does pretty good on its own, but my hair likes a bit moisture added back in after I dry it.

My straight hair after using the Dyson flyaway attachment

**Buy the dryer and the attachment at the following retailers:**

• Dyson Dryer Set (includes flyaway attachment) on Amazon
• Flyaway Attachment Only on Amazon (it’s off brand but the reviewers say it’s a great dupe)
• Flyaway Attachment on Walmart.com (off brand again, but reviewers say it works and at $12.98, it’s a great price!)

• Dyson (Name Brand) Flyaway Attachment on Sephora.com

  I love this Dyson flyaway attachment!

Straightening Brush

This tool is kind of cheating as it has heat elements that touch your hair like a flat iron and you have to dry your hair with a separate tool before using it, but it counts as it’s not a flat iron. I bought a straightening brush when I was evacuated at my in-laws from Hurricane Ian. I left most of my hair tools at our house in a rush to get off Sanibel Island and I turned to this budget friendly tool as a substitute.

Before using the straightening brush

See it in action in my video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

For this tool, I dry my hair completely with a hair dryer. Then I add some heat protection spray and slowly brush it through my hair. I once saw a Florida woman using it on a TV show to calm her morning frizz (oh the Florida humidity!) and it worked.

After using the straightening brush

While this tool does not replace a straightener, it does get my hair mostly straight and I can even curl the ends under with it. It’s definitely a quick way to calm crazy hair!

Buy a straightening brush at the following retailers:

• Amazon
• Walmart

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: What I Think of My Beachwaver Multi Barrel Rotating Curling Iron

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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LILIAN_BURNS • 3 Minute Read

These Rainy-Day Kids Activities Will Banish the Indoor-Boredom Blues

5 minutes of bonus craft ideas via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden or watch the video below:

These Rainy-Day Kids Activities Will Banish the Indoor-Boredom Blues You'll never hear "I'm bored" again. This article originally appeared on ; products were independently selected by its editors. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

So you’re stuck inside with the kids, and you’re just about losing it. We’re right there with you. We still have a ton of our own work to do, and the never-ending chimes of “mommm, I’m boooored,” are starting to sound like fingernails on chalkboard. How on earth can you keep kids entertained inside all day??

It’s tempting to give up, hand your kids some protein bars, and say, “Today’s the day you can watch eight hours of TV — I have shit to do.” You’re probably quietly (or not so quietly) cursing the universe under your breath that you didn’t stock up on kids craft kits that you could just chuck at your kiddos before silently backing out of the room. But before you throw in the towel and let screen time reign, check out these rainy-day kids activities they’ll have a blast doing — and which will give you some much-needed time to yourself.

These stacking cardboard clouds are like dreamy, enormous Legos. Super easy and quick to make (as in, raid your recycling bin and grab some paint, boom). Kids love seeing how high they can stack the clouds — plus they can make mazes, play cloud Jenga… the possibilities are endless. And don’t you kind of want to see your living room full of clouds? And talk about easy cleanup and storage; these babies lie flat against each other and take up up minimal space, so keep a stack in your closet, or your kids’ closets, or every closet of the house for that matter. You can never have too many clouds. Head to Handmade Charlotte for the easy-peasy tutorial.

God’s eyes aren’t just for summer camp anymore; these neutral-colored beauties are a great kids craft for all ages that requires only two items — yarn and sticks. These DIY God’s eyes can be personalized with any color yarn your kiddo wants, and kids can embellish with beads and feathers to boot. The geniuses behind Almost Makes Perfect give very straightforward step-by-step instructions.

Being stuck inside doesn’t need to mean you’re entirely removed from Mother Earth. That’s what nature crafts are for! And this clothespin paintbrushes activity from the queen of crafts, Martha Stewart herself, brings the outdoors inside and is ideal for tinier tots. Plus, it’s dead simple: Just grab some clothespins and some foliage, and let kids go to town with their new “brushes.”

A wooden bead chandelier is a beautiful focal point of any room, and your kids will love to customize it with paint or patterned beads. If they’re not so into the chandelier look, attach the single strands of beads to the top of their doorway for a beaded door curtain. Either way, this project makes a big impact with minimal kids art supplies. Head over to Alice & Lois for the how-to.

For little ones who love to practice sewing, these stitch cards are not only stinking cute; they’re also super educational for younger kids, helping them practice their fine motor skills in a truly gorgeous way. Use a real needle if you feel comfortable with it (you know Montessori would!); otherwise, plastic needles can be found at any local craft store. Handmade Charlotte has the illustrated instructions.

Teenagers get bored on rainy days too, and this essential oil sprays activity is the perfect DIY boredom-buster with a sophisticated twist. Older kids can create their own customized, sweet-smelling sprays that are multifunctional (room spray, body spray, linen spray, you name it) and all-natural to boot. Let them experiment — but if you do want some tried-and-true recipes, head on over to A Beautiful Mess to find out their favorites.

These block printed napkins (or placemats, or scarves, or tea towels, or what have you) are a classy take on good-old potato printing. The stamps are super easy to make: just cork board and crafting foam with adhesive backing. Cut out any shapes you want — flowers, hearts, moons — or stick with geometrics for a more modern look. Stamp with fabric paint, let dry, and voilà! Look at you, being so trendy.

Everyone needs a bit of luck, right? These glittery good luck charms from Handmade Charlotte are so cool. And oh-so glittery. You can add beads, feathers, bells, tassels, anything you want to make your good luck charm extra. You only need air-dry clay, glitter paint, and whatever embellishments you’d like to add. This craft is great for all ages — you know, a teenager who needs a little (or a lot) of luck on an upcoming test, or your preschooler who has some separation anxiety and would love a little talisman to hang onto until you return. Handmade Charlotte has the full tutorial.

If all else fails and the kids are still driving you bonkers, don’t feel bad about turning on a good movie. But instead of plopping them in front of the TV, go all-out: Help them build an incredible blanket fort, and use a mini projector like Cinemood to project a movie on the wall. It’s not screen time if you ditch the screen entirely, right? Maybe? Either way, kids will love their little hideout — and hey, if you can all manage to squeeze in there, family movie night in a blanket fort might just become a regular tradition.

CINEMOOD Projector$359.59on Amazon.comBuy nowOur mission at SheKnows is to empower and inspire women, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

A version of this story was originally published in March 2019.

Want more ideas? Here are some festive kids coloring pages to bring the spring indoors.

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How To Make a Money Origami Plant or Money Bouquet

This article is syndicated content from SheKnows in partnership with Carolyn’s Blooming Creations. We only choose content that we know our readers would enjoy!

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

This is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate links. All opinions and ideas expressed in this post, however, are based on my personal point of view.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

Trader Joe’s Dupe for Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Cream and More

Earlier in 2023, I wrote a little article about Trader Joe’s dupe for Mario Badescu’s Coconut Body Butter. I really liked the dupe a bit better and I really liked the lower cost of $6.99 (I’ve also seen it for ($5.99). The Mario Badescu’s body butter went up in cost, like many other beauty brands that have been raising their prices a lot in the past couple of years. Some have gone up as much as 50% higher! Even my mother-in-law told me her foundation recently went up around $20, so she’s done with that product, as many others would be too.

Anytime I find a good dupe for something in the beauty world, I test it out and let my online and in person community know about it. Read on to learn about Trader Joe’s latest dupe for Sol de Janeiro’s Brazilian Bum Bum Cream and more. I’ve also included IP (Intellectual Property) legal information, so you understand why the creams are legally able to smell so similar.

The TJ’s version of Coconut Body Buter is a great dupe

If I find more dupes at Trader Joe’s, I’ll update this article. For today, I want to talk about their Bum Bum Cream dupe and their Cremo Shave Cream dupe. Trader Joe’s has been around for a long while and I’ve liked seeing them evolve into being a value-based grocery that is slowly adding more and more amazing products.

The first Trader Joe’s I went to was in Washington DC many, many years ago. I remember buying some wine there from the brand Charles Shaw and it was around $2. Trader Joe’s customers called it “Two Buck Chuck” and it was actually pretty good. This article by LA List talks about the wine and a taste test they did with Trader Joe’s and Aldi wine. Some liked it and some didn’t. I’m not a wine connoisseur, so I liked the Trader Joe’s wine just fine.

I love the pretty, summery packaging!

Even with inflation being all over the place for many retail products, they have kept this low-cost wine around, though it has gone up slightly (It’s more like almost Four Buck Chuck now). When costs on food go up slightly over many, many years as this wine did, I understand, as farmers need to compensate for their own price increases on their supplies, however, when prices go up 50% all of the sudden on some items, it makes me think.

I’ve even turned to Aldi to find some food and home items that I like in order to find a better price. Check out the $22 Aldi version of the $100+ Bogg bag in my article by clicking here. I go through body butter a lot as I have fairly dry skin. When I found the Trader Joe’s dupe of Mario Badescu’s Coconut Body Butter, I loved it and wrote an article about it and made a video. Check out the video below or on my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden.

When I walked into my Trader Joe’s store in late May 2024 and was welcomed by a stack of pink and yellow containers that said Brazil Nut Body Butter, I was thrilled they had a new scent. I smelled it and couldn’t figure out what it was a dupe for at first. Then I remembered my obsession over Sol de Janeiro’s Brazillian Bum Bum Cream in 2020 and I knew it was a dupe for this scent. I had the body spray, the body wash and the Bum Bum Cream (it’s a thick lotion) and loved it.

The TJ Brazil Nut cream smells delicous

Anytime I smell the Bum Bum Cream scent, it reminds me of our move to Sanibel, Florida in 2020. I love a good scent memory. I will often select scents to wear for big wonderful moments in my life, and then, later on, when I smell this scent, it takes me back to that wonderful moment. For my wedding, I chose GLOW by Jennifer Lopez perfume and whenever I smell that now, it reminds me of my happy day of marrying my best friend, Tommy. I still like it and wear it.

The Trader Joe body butter makes my skin hydrated and smooth

The Trader Joe’s version of Brazillian Bum Bum Cream, Brazil Nut Body Butter, smells exactly the same. It is sweet, and says it has the “signature salted-caramel-meets-pistachio scent”. I stopped buying the Sol de Janeiro version when I just couldn’t wrap my brain around paying $48 for eight ounces of a lotion. I don’t even remember it being that high in 2020.

I’ve also seen “dupes” for Bum Bum Cream on Amazon (here) and on TEMU (link to TEMU here and search “Bum Cream” and you should be able to find it…if you are a new app user on TEMU you can use my discount code afe55197 to get 30% off) but cannot speak to them being good dupes or not as I have not tested them as they are not marked as being cruelty free.

It claimed to visibly tighten and firm due to the Guarana extract, but I knew that I’d have to keep using it for that effect to keep going and I just couldn’t do it. I stopped buying it, but still used the body spray, as it lasted longer and was much less expensive.

After a talk with an IP lawyer (Intellectual Property) a while ago, I learned that you cannot trademark scents, so this is why Trader Joe’s can scent their product this way. I also learned you cannot trademark recipes. Ah….the law is interesting. While the consistency and ingredients are not exactly the same as the Bum Bum Cream, Trader Joe’s version is extremely moisturizing, smells delicious and lasts!

The cream also has Guarana extract (high in caffeine, known to firm skin) like the Sol de Janeiro’s version, but only time will tell if this firming will occur. At $5.99, I could keep buying it (so long as it’s in stock) to keep the firming going if I notice it happening. The scent alone, is worth purchasing it though.

The Trader Joe dupe for Cremo Shave Cream

At my local Trader Joe’s, I grabbed the Brazil Nut Body Butter for $5.99 for 8 ounces. This is a bargain compared to the Sol de Janeiro. It may be slightly higher in price at your local Trader Joe’s, as prices sometimes vary by state, but shouldn’t be much more than $6.99. The website says its limited edition, so if you read this article and decide the cream is for you, grab it before it’s gone! I hope big sales help them keep it in stock (numbers talk). I like that they make their products be cruelty free too.

Cremo is good, but Trader Joe’s prices are better

They also had a matching scrub and a body wash, which I will be buying next. While I was there, I browsed more of their beauty products and found a tube of shaving cream that looked like the Coconut Mango Cremo Shave Cream I had used and liked in the past. It was Honey Mango scented, similar to my old tube of Cremo. I stopped buying Cremo when they raised their prices too in 2023/2024. I still have one tube that I grabbed before it when up in price.

The price increases seemed to happen when they changed the packaging. Guess they wanted to make it look more “high end” and customers paid for this in the price hike. I tried several other brands of shave cream, but really liked Cremo.

I tested the Trader Joe’s version and it isn’t exactly the same consistency of Cremo, but the Honey Mango scent is very similar. I actually like the consistency of the Trader Joe’s version, so I have now ditched all my other shave creams, and will buy the Trader Joe’s version. At $4.49, it will keep me buying it, as the Cremo version is currently around $7.57. Again, numbers talk, especially when it comes to money savings.

If you find dupes for products you love, let us know in the comments below. We love trying new products and continue to work to find affordable products that are just as luxurious as the higher-end versions.

If you loved this article, then we know you’ll love this one too: Why We Love our Hulken Bag

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

What I Think of My Beachwaver Multi Barrel Curling Iron

In 2023, I decided to finally buy a Beachwaver curling iron and see if it was truly as good as my social media feeds and the brand told me it would be. This rotating curling iron fascinated me and I wanted to see if it was any better than any other curling irons I’ve tried. I have been using it for about 6 months now and I have learned several things about the Beachwaver. Read on to learn what I think of my Beachwaver Multi Barrel Curling Iron.

The Beachwaver Multi Barrel Curling Iron

What is a Beachwaver?

First things first, if you don’t know what a Beachwaver is or why it’s unique, here is the scoop. The Beachwaver is a curling iron that rotates in order to curl your hair. This is something that is important for those that don’t have great dexterity in their wrists (many people, including hair stylists that use a curling movement a lot, have wrist issues!) or great for those with really long hair. Beachwaver is actually a brand too, and they have lots of cool products that I’ve tested over the past year.

The largest attachment, the Mega Cone, curl results

Beachwaver Brand Diversity Needs Work

I do wish their marketing was a bit more diverse. I currently do not see them featuring anyone using it that appears to be older in age, which is a bit sad because their product would fit in well with a mature audience or anyone with with wrist or arm issues. They currently seem to be focused on only marketing to college age women. They also do not have any hair models with a various hair types or ethnicity and they do not have a variety of genders in their marketing.

The Curly cone curl results

I reached out to them on several platforms about their collaborations, their ambassador program and some other things and never heard back. Their social media people are fairly active, their products are good and their marketing is strong, but their diversity isn’t quite there yet.

I’ll be keeping an eye on their diversity, as if a brand doesn’t grow up with me and the world, I often depart from it. Consumers are getting smarter and smarter, and brands need to notice what their consumers need and want on all levels to truly be a long term success.

The Classic Barrel curl results

Who Founded Beachwaver?

The Beachwaver company is female founded, and the inventor of the original Beachwaver, Sarah Potempa, went to NYU and received her degree in Business and Creativity. Her co-founder, Erin, is her sister and a former lawyer that quit her job to help Sarah with the Beachwaver brand. Their creative director, Sarah and Erin’s sister, Emily, is also on board with the brand and expanding its customer reach. Talk about a supportive group of sisters!

The Classic Barrel gives your hair classic Hollywood curls

Is the Beachwaver Worth It?

So, here’s the nitty gritty of my finds with using a Beachwaver curling iron for 6 months. It’s actually a really great curling iron. I have used several of their products, including their Braid Balm and a cute little bun maker, since 2023 and have been impressed with them all.

Yes, there are other rotating curling irons on the market that are cheaper, and while I can’t speak to how good those are, I do like the consistent results of my Beachwaver Multi Barrel curling iron. The multi barrel tool reminded me of one of my first multi barrel curling iron I had as a pre-teen. I did great using that one, so I know this would be a great tool for beauty-loving beginners too.

See how I use Beachwaver Braid Balm in my 1-minute video below or via my article by clicking here:

I bought a Chi rotating Spin N Curl device in 2022 and it was good, but I actually like the Beachwaver better. Why? Because my Beachwaver curling iron always makes my hair look shiny and not dried out. I’m thinking it’s something to do with the heat levels, even though both have adjustable heat levels. The Beachwaver Multi-Barrel tool that I tested has three heat ranges:

• Low: 290 degrees (F)
• Medium: 350 degrees (F)
• High: 410 degrees (F)

See how I use the Beachwaver Half Up Bun Maker in my 1-minute video below or via my Youtube channel @carolynjbraden:

I also think the Beachwaver does well because it has a ceramic rotating barrel. I have used metal curling irons for years, but never a ceramic one. Maybe it’s not the ceramic that makes my hair shiny after using it, but maybe it is. I like the adjustable temperatures and Medium does great to curl my thick, long, aging, and color-treated/highlighted hair. I also love that I can clamp my hair in it, push the little directional arrow buttons and the iron rotates my hair around it. It’s just plainly easy to use.

Buy the Beachwaver Multi Barrel on Amazon here

Grab their best-selling 1-inch barrel curling iron on Amazon here

A Barbie inspired look using the Classic Barrel

Beachwaver has many, many sales, so if you can grab one on sale, it’s even better. They currently sell on TikTok Shop (it always has great sales there), Amazon, at Walmart, and more.

My Beachwaver, the Multi Barrel, is also on Amazon, but I did buy mine directly from Beachwaver, as it was on waitlist only at the time and it wasn’t available on Amazon. Now it is and you can check it out here. The brand had a hard time fulfilling my order on time but did stay in communication with me, told me it would be worth the wait, and well, it was.

My Beachwaver tool came with three different barrels. I bought this one because I truly could not decide which size barrel I wanted. The Multi Barrel tool was nice because it came with three different types of barrels, the Curly Cone, the Classic Barrel, and the Mega Cone. Here are my results using each one.

The Classic Barrel helped me achieve a cute curly ponytail style

The Classic Barrel

The Classic Barrel is the most popular Beachwaver size and if you don’t want to get the multi barrel tool like me, I’d buy a Beachwaver with this barrel size. I find myself using this barrel the most often.

The 1-inch Classic Barrel

It’s a 1-inch straight wand and truly does create classic waves. It’s a great every day curl that can give you Hollywood looking glamorous waves if you brush them out, or you can leave the curls tighter, which is a cute style too. I used this barrel to curl my ponytail for a Barbie-like hairstyle. I also used a Roll & Go Hair Tool to achieve my curled under bangs.

Beachwaver Classic Barrel results

For long waves, I will often part my hair in the center, and curl my hair away from my face. This is easy to do with the curling iron being able to rotate it in different directions. I simply clamp the end of my hair into the barrel, push the button, it rotates my hair around it, I leave it curling for about 30 seconds, then either rotate it out of my hair using the button or my wrist and I get a perfect curl.

I did not brush these curls out, so they remained tight

No, you do not have to use the rotating function if you don’t want to. You can clamp it in your hair and roll your hair around the barrel if you want to.

See the Classic Cone in action in my 1-minute video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

The Mega Cone

The Mega Cone is the largest barrel in my set. It tapers from a 1.5 base to a 1” top. It’s a looser wave of a curl and looks great if you want a more natural looking curl.

The Beachwaver Mega Cone results

I don’t find myself using this as often as the Classic Barrel, but it does give my hair a nice relaxed curl style.

See the Mega Cone in action in my video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

The Curly Cone

The Curly Cone is a smaller tapered cone that the Mega Cone. It tapers from a 1” base to a 0.5” top. I like this barrel when I want really small waves. Currently living in Florida with a lot of humidity, I often have a hard time keeping curls in my hair.

The Curly cone gives smaller, tighter curls

This cone actually works in my favor on the high humidity days as I’ll start off the day with a tight curl and then it loosens to a beautiful mermaid wave and I like that.

If you are on the fence about getting a Beachwaver product or not, I hope I was able to clarify some things for you. I bought my tool and haven’t regretted it at all. Now, time will tell on how long it will last as many tech-y products aren’t quite built to last anymore, but so far, so good.

Of course, all hair types are different, so I can only speak to my own results. My curls last all day when I use my Beachwaver longer than most other irons and curlers I’ve used. They fall out a bit, but I don’t use tons of hairspray or lots of styling products. If you find your curls falling out of your hair quickly, you could try increasing the temperature if you can. I use the medium heat setting and it works for me.

My Dyson Airwrap Styler does pretty good at curling my hair too. Weather, hair type, overall hair heath and more affects how long curls hold, so keep that in mind when using any hair tool.

If you have any questions or have tried a Beachwaver (or something similar), let me know in the comments below!

If you liked this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How To Create a Mermaid Hair and Makeup Look

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Make Princess Bride Inspired Sunglasses

Here’s another fun DIY sunglasses tutorial! My snow day sunglasses, my mermaid sunglasses, my sprinkle sunglasses tutorials and more continue to get saved on my Pinterest page and on my YouTube channel all the time.

These are the completed sunglasses

These DIY wedding inspired sunglasses are easy to create and really, really cute! I’d think anyone about to get married (think bachelorette party attire!) or anyone celebrating an anniversary (like my husband and I do every year in June since 2003), it’s a quick craft that’s fun fashion. Read on to learn how I made my bridal sunglasses inspired by the movie The Princess Bride.

I DIY’ed a lot of my wedding. It’s cheaper, it’s more personal and you get exactly what you want if you do some wedding things yourself. My guest tables all had flowers and herbs that I planted in terracotta pots. They were beautiful and were given to guests to take home after the wedding.

The pearls I used were somewhat iridescent

The Princess Bride is a movie I turn to occasionally when I want to laugh and be inspired. It was a movie adapted from a novel by William Goldman. From Mandy Patinkin to Andre the Giant, to Robin Wright, Cary Elwes, Billy Crystal, Wallace Shawn and more amazing actors, it’s a great weekend movie to add to your list. It’s funny, inspiring and has some really great quotes.

Fun sunglasses make me smile

I watched it with my mother-in-law when my husband and I were evacuated from our house on Sanibel Island, Florida post hurricane Ian. We stayed at my in-law’s house in Indiana for a while and during our time there, we watched several classic movies like The Princess Bride, Big (with Tom Hanks) and more. There’s something comforting about watching old movies.

These sunglasses would be cute for a bachelorette party

I love weddings so much, so anything with brides, grooms and all the fun that goes along with weddings (the music, the dancing, the love and joy) is inspiring. I’ve even helped with lots and lots of weddings over the years. From wedding cakes, to bridal makeup, to putting together an entire wedding, I’ve done it and loved every minute of it. I really love true love.

I’ve made lots of wedding inspired things and will probably continue doing so for a long while. See my wedding fascinator tutorial (what I’m wearing in the images with the sunglasses in this article) in my video below or on my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden.

If you want a cute photo op idea for the sunglasses, check out my article about how to make a heart shaped beach photo by clicking this link. You could do it if you are going on a honeymoon to a beach. Or, just wear them anytime.

Fun wedding sunglasses

Anyone that loves The Princess Bride will get it by the quote I included, a version of the one from the movie "Mawwage. Mawwage is what bwings us togeva today. Mawwage, that bwessed awwangement, that dweam within a dweam.".

Between that quote and many others like "My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”, the movie gave us many. Read more of the best quotes from The Princess Bride in this article by Parade.com

If you need “something blue” to add to your wedding day, try a blue rhinestone or two somewhere on the glasses. I had all those traditional “something old, something new…” on me on my wedding day.

My old was my grandfather’s medallion from WWII pinned to the inside of my dress, I borrowed my grandmother’s simple diamond necklace as the one I bought to wear wouldn’t lay flat, my dress was my new and something blue was on my undergarments.

Make some sunglasses for the whole bridal party

I had underwear made for my husband and I with our initials embroidered in blue. You can get similar underwear on Amazon now. Here’s the history of the origin of Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue for brides from The Pioneer Woman’s website.

Now for the sunglasses craft tutorial! Here’s how to make Princess Bride inspired sunglasses.If you buy any of the craft items from TEMU (their prices are great on crafting things) use my code afe55197 for 30% off (new app users only).

Tools/Products:

• Plastic heart sunglasses (The link will direct you to Temu as I got a pack of 10 there for for $11.99 or you can get some heart sunglasses on Amazon)
• Gold acrylic alphabet beads (I got mine on TEMU but the link will direct you to similar ones on Amazon)
• Flatback pearls in various sizes (I got a big set of pearls and rhinestones on Amazon for around $7 and used the cream-colored pearls from the set, and it came with a wax pencil too!)
• Liquid Fusion Glue (I use this for all my rhinestone + plastic or metal art creations as it holds well and is clear, the link will direct you to Amazon)

Optional:

• Toothpicks
• Wax Pencil Tool (the link will direct you to Amazon)
• Pointy ended cotton swabs (the link will direct you to Amazon)
• Hand towel (for keeping the sunglasses flat while you work)

Directions:

1—Fold up your towel to the width of your sunglasses and wrap your sunglasses around it. This should help keep it flat.

Lay out the letter beads first for placement

2—Use your fingers or a wax pencil tool (you can pick up the alphabet beads with the wax pencil or your fingers) to lay out the alphabet beads (my spelled-out MAWAGE BWINGS US TOGETHAH TODAY) around the rim of the sunglasses OR lay them out where ever you want on the glasses. I do this so I can understand what I want my design to look like before gluing.

The small end of the wax tool is helpful for placement

3—Once you know where you want to place the letter beads, start placing a dot of glue onto the back of each one and glue them onto the sunglasses. I used my fingers to place the beads, and the wax pencil (both ends) to put them in the exact place I wanted them.

4—If any glue oozes out, use the toothpick or the pointy ended cotton swabs to remove the excess.

Once the letter beads are in place, you can then decorate!

5—Add some glue (I just carefully squeezed it out of the bottle) around the letter beads and add your pearls, varying the size and placement of each one. I used the wax pencil tool to grab each one and place them on the glasses.

I used the cream colored iridescent pearls for this project

6—Add some glue around the bottom of the sunglasses on the rim and add some rhinestones and pearls. I added a bunch until the glasses were covered. This is where you could add that “something blue” as I discussed earlier in this article.

This is an easy wedding craft

8—Allow to dry for 24 hours then wear and enjoy!

The completed wedding sunglasses

Did you make this craft or something similar? If so, let me know in the comments below!

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How to Make a Faberge Inspired Egg

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

Our Review of Vacation Brand’s Classic Whip Sunscreen and More

Sun protection has always been a part of my life. I was born with auburn hair, fair skin and freckles so when I wasn’t slathered up with lots of Zinka Zinc Oxide to completely block out the sun (at least it came in pretty colors and I had to slather it all over my body), I was wearing a tee shirt to protect my skin.

My character, Cassidy, loves to protect her lips from the sun too!

Thankfully sunscreen has come a long way since the 1980’s. I get to enjoy the sunny days without being fully covered up with a tee! I wear sunscreen daily and the new ones out there really help keep my skin burn free.

In looking for an affordable sunscreen that checked all our boxes (cruelty free, eco-friendly, doesn’t break us out, etc), we discovered Vacation brand’s sunscreen products and their fun, nostalgic marketing in 2022, decided to try it and it now lives in our daily lives.

Read on to get our review (with some photographs I took of me and my husband’s summer vibes characters, Chaz and Cassidy) of the Vacation brands, or Vacation Inc. products.

A collection of my Vacation products

After moving to southwest Florida in 2020, we got a big lesson on truly how strong the sun is. Before living in Florida, we lived in Kentucky and just our summers were in need of full-on sunscreen. Since my 30’s, I’ve worn a sunscreen on my face due to it being in my makeup, but now I have to be more conscientious of wearing it on my body daily, especially in the Florida summers. Even with having an SPF 50 in my makeup (I love it Cosmetics CC Cream), I still wear a separate face sunscreen under it.

Cassidy know sun protection is beneficial to her overall health!

Many people often forget to wear sunscreen and it’s something all genders need to be better at. Seeing the tan line from my watch band on my arm is a daily reminder of how strong the sun is. Since moving to Florida, that line has stayed no matter how much sunscreen I use, but it’s getting not as prominent since adding sunscreen to my daily body moisturizing routine.

Great daily sunscreens are from Vacation brand

Even if you don’t live in a sunny state, you need to think about adding more sunscreen to your getting ready routine. I had a friend once who simply stood out in the sun for a while during her child’s sporting event (in April in Kentucky) and she got burned. Once the sun starts getting stronger, you should start using a sunscreen daily. If you are going to lots of sporting events, consider wearing a hat or getting a portable sun protection umbrella like this on one Amazon.

Classic Whip sunscreen

While I’m not a doctor, I do a lot of research on sun protection. I also talk to my dermatologist and recommend you do the same. Our last dermatologist appointment had them cutting nothing off of us (we go every year for a full body review, especially if something new or weird pops up), so we know we are doing something right.

The John Hopkins Medicine website recommends you wear at least an SPF 30 for day to day use. Read their article here to learn more about sunscreens.

My husband’s character is Chaz

After testing lots of sunscreen brands, we settled on Vacation brand because it’s effective, it’s cruelty free, and it smells really good. It also doesn’t break my skin out. Oh, how those little pimples that form on my back after using other sunscreen brands hurt!

I’ve not had one breakout after using Vacation. My skin likes it and I do too. Here are some of our favorite Vacation products that we’ve tried so far. As we try more (they have a lot of products!), we’ll update this article.

Classic Whip sprays out beautifully like whip cream

Vacation Classic Whip SPF 30

For daily use, we like Vacation Classic Whip. It smells divine (it truly is the world’s best smelling sunscreen, like they claim, in my opinion) and is very moisturizing. It sprays out like a can of whip cream but please don’t eat it! It blends in completely and leaves no white cast. It has a light and airy texture, very similar to whip cream.

Don’t eat the sunscreen!

Having an SPF of 30, it’s great for daily use. My husband also said it didn’t run into his eyes when using it on his face, and that’s awesome!

Buy Classic Whip on Amazon

These Vacation products work!

Vacation Classic Spray SPF 50

We use their Classic Spray SPF 50 whenever we head to the beach, lake or pool. It is a level that protects our skin really well. It smells like vacation in a bottle (so, so good…think coconut, banana, pool water and more), doesn’t run into my husband’s eyes (that’s always his test), blends in well, isn’t sticky, cruelty free (like all their products) Hawaii coral reef compliant, is eco-friendly (it’s in a non-aerosol spray can) and actually works.

Now, we do follow sun safety rules and reapply on the hour, especially after swimming, and you should too to get the best results from all sunscreens.

Grab it on Amazon here

Orange Gelee is nostalgic and effective

Vacation Orange Gelee SPF 30

When Vacation came out with Orange Gelee, I was among some of the first people to buy it. I followed their story on their socials and from their emails about its recreation from the original Orange Gelee that was discontinued.

I use it daily on my arms and chest area. It smells very light, is very moisturizing and protects my skin during daily errand runs and more. My only complaint is that its oils ooze out the cap a bit, so I store it upside down to help with this. Those oils definitely keep it very moisturizing though! It is currently always selling out, so grab it on the Vacation website here.

Vacation Brand’s Chardonnay Lip Oil

Vacation Chardonnay Lip Oil SPF 30

Don’t forget about your lips as they can burn too! I have struggled to find a lip SPF that doesn’t make me gag from tasting like sunscreen. Vacation asked if I’d like to try some of their Chardonnay Lip Oil to test and of course, I said yes. It smells like Chardonnay and vanilla cake to me, is light and smooth and definitely protects my lips.

My character, Cassidy, loves her lip oil

It does have a light sunscreen taste, but it doesn’t make my stomach turn, so I now always throw in my beach and pool bag. Grab it on their website here. They sell an accompanying Chardonnay Oil SPF 30 for your body too. Get it on Amazon here.

The browning lotion has an SPF in it too!

Vacation Browning Lotion SPF 30

We wrote a full article about their browning lotion, as I love how it made my fair legs look so TAN! It also has an SPF in it. Get that full review on my website by clicking here.

See our one-minute tutorial for using the browning lotion below or via our YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: Add These Makeup Primer Sunscreens to Your Daily Routine

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

Our Favorite Ouch Free Hairstyles For All Hair Types

Some days I feel like creating a cute hairstyle but am not in the mood for the headaches that come along with it. Most of the time my hairstyles don’t cause me pain, but some days my head and scalp is more sensitive.

On these days, I need easy hairstyles that won’t hurt my head. I’ve come up with a few go-to ouch free hairstyles and created tutorials for them. These hairstyles also work great on hair that hasn’t been washed (oh, I totally understand the pain of washing and drying hair!). Read on to learn about our favorite ouch free hairstyles.

This fishtail braid is simple and quick to create

Will These Ouch Free Hairstyles Work for All Hair Types?

These hairstyles will work for all hair types. If you have thicker or more fine hair, you may need different clips or hair ties. My ideas are what works for my hair type, which is currently on the thicker side, long, naturally wavy and dyed. If your hair type is different than mine, simply use my ideas as a launching board for coming up with your own styles. Inspiring others is always my aim in my projects and creations.

This rounded claw clip works great for low ponytail hairstyles

Practice Makes Perfect

Also note that practice makes perfect. Not everyone can style their hair perfectly in a certain way the very first time trying it. I always have ideas and do some experiments until I get it right. When styling your own hair, concentrate on creating what works for you and your hair type. Using the right hair tools can be helpful. For sensitive scalps, I love my Tangle Teezer brushes and the FHI HEAT Unbrush.

I go back and forth between the two depending on what my hair and scalp feels like and depending on the hairstyle I am wearing. My dog, Minnie Pearl, (with super long hair) loves these brushes too. I have mini versions of each brush just for her!

A metal clip hairstyle never hurts my head

Listen to Your Hair

Listen to your hair when thinking about how to style it. Trying to make your hair do something it doesn’t want to do never truly works. I pay a lot of attention to the weather since my hair is very reactive to certain environments. Your hair can also be very telling of your overall health. If you are noticing hair loss or hair thinning while styling, talk to your doctor.

My metal bow hair clips are some of my favorite

When your hair starts doing things that it doesn’t normally do, your doctor can order some bloodwork to see how your overall health is doing. Many insurance companies will cover a once a year physical and we take advantage of this every year. Learn more about proper hair care and how diet affects your hair from the Harvard Medical School here.

Now for the hairstyles. While I’ve written directions on how to create each ouch free hairstyle, watching the 1-minute video tutorials will be helpful for you. I’ve linked to each from our YouTube channel @carolynjbraden and included them below.

If you haven’t washed your hair in a couple of days, sometimes that can be helpful when styling hair. If your hair is freshly washed, my hairstylist gave me a tip years ago. Use dry shampoo! It helps soak up oil on unwashed hair but also adds grip to freshly washed hair for easier styling.

Low Pony or Half Up with a French Round Claw Clip Bow:

This hairstyle can be created with any rounded claw clip. Either brush your hair into a low ponytail and clamp it in OR pull back the front sides of your hair and clamp it in. The one I used was a little heavy and would work best on thicker hair if doing the half up hairstyle. If you have more fine hair, the low ponytail would be your best option with this rounded claw clip.

The rounded french claw clip half up hairstyle

My bow rounded claw clip came from TEMU and was about $2. Search “bow claw clip” on TEMU and use this link and my code afe55197 at checkout (for new app users only) to get 30% off. TEMU sells out of certain things quickly, but here is a link to a similar round claw clip on TEMU that cost $0.14 at the time I wrote this. Their prices are great on so many things!

  Use my code afe55197 for 30% off for new TEMU app users

Similar rounded (also called french round) claw clips can be found at the following retailers:

• Tortoise Shell and Black French Round Claw Clip on Amazon
• Round Claw Clip on Walmart

See my video tutorial for this round claw clip hair style below OR via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Half Up Hair with Metal Clip in Bows

My hair tutorial for metal clip hair bows has been doing well on my TikTok account @carolynjbraden. The only thing I forgot to tell people was how the metal clips work. I used these metal clips as a kid and assumed everyone knew how they worked.

The metal bow clips have a latch at one end that has two small metal buttons on either side. Push in on the buttons at the same time and the clip will release. Practice with these clips before putting them in your hair as some of my viewers got the bows stuck in their hair.

Similar metal clip in bows can be found at the following retailers:

• I bought my metal bows on TEMU for around $1 each.
• Get a similar set of two metal clip in bows on Amazon for around $5
• Satin metal clip in hair bow at Walmart for around $3.95

See my video tutorial for this metal clip half up hair style below:

Hair Down with a Fishtail (I’ve also heard it called “Fishbone”) Braid

For this hairstyle, I straightened my hair (I love this $20 Conair straightener) and used a styling comb to pull out a small section of hair by my part. I then fishtail braided that section of hair. To fish tail braid, separate the section of hair into two parts.

This is an easy fishtail braid hairstyle

Pull a small strand of hair from one section to the other side. Then repeat on the other side. You are basically just pulling small strands of hair from one side to the other. I secured the end with a tiny, clear plastic elastic band.

I added some hair rings using this kit I bought on Amazon to make it look “island-y”and beachy. I use Beachwaver Braid Balm to smooth out flyaways.

I love this braid balm for flyaways and more!

My video (COMING SOON) shows you how to do it in detail or see this article on hair.com by L’OREAL.

Half Up Beachy Braid with Ring Clips

We wrote up a full tutorial for this super easy, cute and beachy messy braid hairstyle and created a video. Get the full article with photos by clicking here. I used the same hair rings in this tutorial as I used in the fishtail braid style above.

This messy braid style turned out to be a very cute and easy hairstyle

Watch the 1 minute video below for my beachy braided crown half up hairstyle tutorial:

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How to Get a DIY Salon Blowout with the Dyson Airwrap Styler

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Make a Fabergé Inspired Personalized Egg

My DIY Fabergé egg idea came to me from many inspiring sources. From all the baby birds hatching in our Sanibel Island, Florida backyard, to my love of all things Fabergé and from a content creation need from the shoe brand, Naturalizer. I created my sparkling Fabergé inspired egg as soon as inspiration struck and loved it. Read on to learn how to make a Fabergé inspired personalized egg.

This egg project makes a nice new mom gift

Why You Should Make This Project Yourself

I thought others might like to make one of these eggs to gift to someone that is about to have a baby or start a new life adventure. Personalize it with the new baby’s initials or with the recipient’s initials.

Another great new parent creation: a burp cloth or baby blanket teddy bear! Get the one minute tutorial below or via our YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

The concept of giving an egg gift is rooted in symbolism. The egg is “a symbol of creation, rebirth, and new beginnings in many cultures and religions”. Read more about egg symbolism on the The Wild Golden Egg website.

This is a recreation of Toe on Egg by Julius Friedman

My husband and I have been sitting on some metaphorical idea-filled eggs for a few months now and are waiting for them to hatch. We are selling our house, our beloved beach bungalow in Sanibel Florida and will move to the mountains in Georgia.

We plan to either rehab another house or build a new house from our design ideas. When you are waiting on something in your life to “hatch” it can be very frustrating, but also fun too.

How I created the Toe on Egg recreation image

When you have little to no control over something like the sale of a house, you have to occupy your mind and keep it patient. I often like to create when I am feeling stuck or impatient. It helps pass time and when I share my ideas with others like this, my talents and ideas bloom so others can benefit. Given the current status of my life, it’s no wonder I was drawn to create an egg project.

My tiny birdcage for my egg display

About Faberge Eggs

If you don’t know much about Faberge eggs, it’s a jeweled egg creation that started with the jewellery firm House of Faberge in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The brand created more products to compliment the eggs, like necklaces, rings, watches and more.

They are hand made using guilloche enameling (click the enameling link to watch a fascinating YouTube about it…you’ll understand the tedious process and will understand a bit more why the eggs are so costly) and encrusted with jewels and precious metals like diamonds, rubies, gold and more.

I plan to make more eggs and display them

While my DIY Fabergé egg doesn’t open up, as I made it with a wood egg, it still sparkles like a real Fabergé egg. I’d love to own a real one someday. I truly love this Faberge necklace at Saks Fifth Avenue. It reveals a ladybug inside, which is my symbol for God. I even have a ladybug (also called a ladybird) tattooed on my ankle to remind me that God is always by my side.

The Inspiration

Naturalizer sent me the Cody ballet flat complimentary and I was SO inspired. Not only are the flats beautiful and comfortable (and comes in prints and more colors!) but it caused me to browse their site and I was impressed. Naturalizer has so many beautiful shoes and after feeling the comfort of this one, I’d definitely check the brand out for more styles. Grab the Cody Ballet Flat on Amazon.com.

My own creation of a Naturalizer campaign for the shoe

I turned my shoes into an ad/photo shoot inspired by one of my favorite photographers, Julius Friedman (he went to my alma mater, the University of Louisville ), and his Toe on Egg photo for The Louisville Ballet. The photo captured my creative heart and love of ballet forever.

The egg sparkles in the light

I made this Fabergé style egg for the photo shoot for my egg, but also for my grandma, my Nani, who encouraged all my creative talents. She gifted me with a love of cooking and many of our family recipes, like her Sweet Mint Julep recipe, which I think you’d love too.

Now for the project. See me create the egg in my 1 minute video tutorial below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Here’s what you’ll need to make a DIY Faberge Egg:

Note: I bought most of my items on Amazon, but also on TEMU. If you shop TEMU, use my code afe55197 for 30% off (new app users only) or use this link to shop TEMU.

• Wood Egg (I got this set on Amazon)
• Flatback Pearls and Rhinestone set (I got my set on TEMU, but you can get a similar set on Amazon.com)
• Wax Pencil or rhinestone picker tool
• Liquid Fusion Glue
• Fine paint pens (I used Tooli-Art brand from Amazon)
• Pencil
• Wax paper
• Old towel or heavy piece of cardboard (Amazon)
• Optional: pointed cotton swabs (Amazon)
• Optional: old plastic container lid or a bead sorting tray to hold the loose rhinestones and pearls

How-to:

1—Lay the egg on an old towel or a piece of cardboard. Using a pencil, sketch out an oval for the initial (if personalizing like mine). Use a template for an oval if your free hand drawing skills need some practice.

Sketching out the oval

2—Add a thin line of glue on the pencil line.

I used Liquid Fusion glue

3—Add small rhinestones to the glue line/around the oval using the wax pencil to grab them.

The wax pencil helps pick up small rhinestones

4—Use a pointed cotton swab or a toothpick to clean up any oozy glue.

Using the pointed cotton swab to remove excess glue

5—Add a thin layer of glue to the area around the oval. Now use the wax pencil to randomly grab flatback pearls and rhinestones and add them on top of the glue. I added them very close together to cover as much negative space on the egg as possible.

Work in small sections

6—The glue will slightly dry as you add more and more rhinestones and pearls. As it dries, you should be able to carefully flip the egg onto the other side and cradle it with one hand as you complete the entire thing. If holding it is too difficult while the glue is wet, you can place wax paper onto the old towel, allow it to dry some, then finish adding the rest of the pearls and rhinestones.

Cradling the egg while creating helps keep the rhinestones in place

7—Allow to dry for about 24 hours. I set mine on the wax paper and towel to make sure it didn’t stick to anything.

The wax paper helps the egg to not stick to anything while drying

8—Next, sketch out the letter of your choice. You can also use vinyl letter decals like these from Amazon. Just make sure the vinyl decal will fit the space inside the oval.

Sketching out the letter freehand

9—I sketched my letter out and then used the paint pen to trace it. You could also use regular acrylic paint and a tiny paint brush.

Personalizing the egg

10—Allow to dry and give as a gift or display in your home. I had some mini bird cages from an event I put together, so I placed mine inside the cage with a faux bird and a faux nest. I got mine at Hobby Lobby, but here are some similar items on Amazon:

• Small Bird Cage Set
• Faux Bird’s Nest Set

• Mini Faux Birds

  The finished egg creation

If you loved this article, then we know you’ll love this one too: How to Make a Money Origami Plant or Money Bouquet

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Get a Natural Fake Tan with Instant Vacation Browning Lotion

Every spring, when pasty legs start emerging from sweatpants and leggings, people start to turn to tanners to speed up the look of having summer sun kissed skin. I was introduced to UV tanning beds in high school (ah, the carefree 1990’s) as most self-tanners on the market at the time either smelled pretty gross or they turned my skin orange. Oh, how I wish I would have never gone to those tanning beds! As an adult now (that currently lives in Southwest, Florida), I make sure to go to the dermatologist once a year AND I protect my skin much better.

Vacation Browning Lotion

If I want to look tan now, I turn to the new self-tanners and browning lotions that are way better than those in stores in the 90’s. I recently tried the Vacation brand’s Instant Vacation Browning Lotion and I must say, I was impressed. I bought it because we had already been using Vacation Classic Spray sunscreen, which smells exactly like a classic sunscreen. Their product scents bring many good summer vacation memories to mind, so it’s a sunscreen that’s great to wear when spending time outdoors (which we should always do now days, especially in Florida).

About Vacation Brand and Their Nostalgic Marketing

If you aren’t familiar with the Vacation brand, follow their Instagram account to see what got my attention right away. They are based in Miami, Florida and are all about the leisure lifestyle of having fun in the sun, but safely. They smartly market their products and brand using nostalgic images of people from the 1980’s. The images are fun and classic and they even have photo contests sometimes. Their Classic Whip SPF 30 (creatively packaged to look like a Redi-Whip whipped cream can) has become a viral TikTok product in 2024.

We love that Vacation is cruelty free

Most recently, they bought the rights to the original Orange Gelee sunscreen and recreated it since it was discontinued years ago. They brought together a whole team of fans of Orange Gelee to get their feedback to recreate it perfectly. I bought a tube of it, as I remembered the original), and they did an amazing job with the new product. It now has an SPF of 30, making it a product I slather on my arms and chest every day. It smells like soft florals and is very moisturizing too.

Vacation brand works really hard to make sure their products are cruelty free and reef friendly, all things I look for in beauty products. According to their website, Vacation® brand sunscreens are developed with Dr. Elizabeth Hale, Board Certified Dermatologist and Chief Medical Advisor to the Vacation® brand.

My “after” leg has three coats of Vacation Instant Vacation Browning Lotion

More by Vacation Brand

Want to try some of Vacation brand’s products during your next vacation? They have a sampler bag with several products that are carry-on friendly. Grab it on Amazon today. Other Vacation brand products you might like that have great Amazon reviews:

• Vacation Super Spritz Face Mist SPF 50
• Vacation Cooling After Sun Gel

• Fragrance Free Vacation Mineral Sunscreen Lotion

  One leg with three coats, one leg with none

My Full Vacation Browning Lotion Review

As far as Vacation brand’s Browning Lotion, it definitely gave my legs a nice bronze glow. I bought it wanting to mostly use it on my legs but I had some apprehension as my legs are fairly sensitive. I had zero negation reactions to the product, even with multiple days of testing it, so my sensitive skin was A-OK with it. I have very fair skin (I have natural auburn hair and freckles), and one coat gave my legs some definite color. It looked like a dark foundation as I applied it, but became sheer and bronz-y as I spread it out.

The color gave my skin a nice bronze look

I ended up using three coats on both legs and it really gave me a great looking tan! I applied it on my lotion-less legs with my bare hands. I exfoliate every other day or so (using my own lemon sugar scrub), so that may be helpful for you to try before using this to be sure it goes on evenly. It fully dried on my legs in about 10 minutes.

Buy Instant Vacation Browning Lotion:

• On Amazon
• On the Vacation Website

Need a quick DIY exfoliator that you can make with things you may already have? Try my DIY Lemon Sugar scrub. Get the one-minute tutorial below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

It’s Kind of a Self-Tanner

I read the packaging and website description thoroughly and I need to note that it said it had “self-tanning” technology. I took this as meaning it was a full-on self-tanner, and it kind of is, but kind of isn’t. This simply means it has a technology that makes it sort of darken as the day went on, or at least that seemed to be my experience.

Hanging out with my Johnny Cash is always fun when working

It is also meant to help you keep the color a bit longer after you wash it off, but don’t expect your legs to look as dark as it did when you had the lotion on. Over time of daily or every other day usage, you will keep a tiny bit of color though. The color on me was a nice bronze and stayed on my skin for about 2 days. It wasn’t orange on my fair skin tone at all.

That self-tanning technology also makes it have a bit of a self-tanner smell as the day went on, but it wasn’t terrible. It smelled a bit coca-ish hazelnut-ish going on, and then just smelled like a hint of self-tanner later on in the day. I’ve had some self-tanners almost choke me with their terrible smells, but this one was very subtle smelling to my sensitive nose.

An outtake with my pooch, but he’s so cute :)

I think that self-tanning technology also made it lock onto my legs and even sweat didn’t make it budge. When I showered, I used soap and water and it rinsed away nicely, leaving behind a faint hint of bronze color. I accidentally got it on a piece of white furniture and just used a bit of water to remove it, and it didn’t stain. I also got it on my cuticles while applying it and soap and water removed it instantly.

The browning lotion kind of looks like a dark foundation

The Housewives Couch Test

One benefit to it not being a full on self-tanner…it won’t stain everything it comes in contact with. I once watched an episode of the Beverly Hills Housewives and one of the “wives” sat on Lisa Vanderpump’s white couch with self-tanner on and she ruined it. This browning lotion didn’t rub off onto anything I wore or sat on throughout the day, so that’s a huge bonus! The housewives should all pick up a bottle of this and I think if you want tanned skin quickly and easily, you should too.

Loved this article? We think you’ll love this one too: Add These Makeup Primer Sunscreens To Your Daily Routine

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Make Muscle Relax-ahhh Fizzy Bath Soak

Some of our best ideas come from failures and life problems you need to solve. I tried to re-create a bath bomb recipe I made many, many years ago and after waiting 24 hours for the bath bombs to dry, I remember exactly why I abandoned the project then. I remember most of them cracking and turning into powdery messes if I barely touched them. I had no idea what was wrong with the recipe then, but as a seasoned artist and creator now, I know what happened.

My big bath bomb fail, caught on camera

The Failure:

The original recipe came from an article in Martha Stewart magazine (now it’s online on her website here) from the early 2000’s. I LOVE the Martha Stewart brand, but I have to say, this bath bomb recipe was a fail for me and I’m sure it has been for others too.

Maybe adding more pressure to my mixture could have made it stick together more, but since I’ve made these twice now and had failures each time, I knew it wasn’t me as I always figure out what I did wrong when I try something once and it fails. It’s gotta be the recipe or the explanation of it. As a former teacher, I know that sometimes notes and explanations can make a huge difference in successes versus failures.

I liked to the labels I made and how I made them in the recipe TOOLS section

The Research to Help Solve My Failure:

In this recent attempt to make my own version of the Martha Stewart bath bomb by adding some cocoa butter to make them more moisturizing, each fell apart the next day. I realized I needed A LOT more oil. Basically, the thing I now know is that WATER EVAPORATES and her recipe has you using very little oil and water. I did some research over at Lush Cosmetics, and they always seem to have an oil binder in their bath bombs. The small amount of oil in the Martha Stewart recipe just isn’t enough to make them hold together and not crack.

I love the mini wooden spoons, but you don’t have to use them

Another bath related recipe that is really quick…make my lemon sugar body scrub in 5 minutes or less! Recipe on the one minute video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

The Solution:

So, I’ll attempt making bath bombs another time using what I’ve learned, but because I had all these destroyed bath bombs, I had an idea to turn them into a fizzy bath soak instead. It may take me some time, but I always try to turn lemons into lemonade. Read on to learn how to make something I call Muscle Relax-ahhh Fizzy Bath Soak. It really fizzes and it really does relax your muscles as my sore muscles tested it out!

The Problem My Product Solved:

After living in “flat Florida” for 4 years, my legs aren’t used to big inclines. I walk every day for exercise, but not on an incline, so after a day of wearing heels and going up and down stairs for a fashion photo shoot, I had a dilemma. My quad muscles, or quadriceps femoris, were killing me and it hurt to continue walking up and down stairs. It was even hard to sit down slowly (oh, the toilet seemed so much lower than usual!).

It happened to be the week I was testing my fizzy bath soak. Talk about perfect timing. My thighs hurt, so I put a big scoop of my fizzy bath soak, which is laced with Epsom salts, into a warm bath and it really, really helped. Epsom Salt, or magnesium sulfate, has always been my go-to solution for sore muscles. I have used it for years in a bath to help a sore body when sick or after a hard workout. Adding it to my failed bath bombs only made sense. The end product not only smells delicious, but it’s effective too.

This makes a great birthday or Mother’s Day gift

Make this fizzy bath soak for yourself, for Mother’s Day, or for any skincare lover in your life. It smells like vanilla and chocolate, which is a very pleasant and inviting scent (at least to me as I love sweet scents, and this satisfies that scent need in my life when I need to cut down on the sweets).

If you just simply don’t have the time to make your own fizzy bath soak or you have sensitive skin, we have tried Epsom salt bath soaks over the years and think you’d like cruelty free versions these too:

1—Dr. Teal’s Pure Epsom Salt: Epsom salt for your tub without any scent, which makes it great for sensitive skin.

• Get it on Amazon
• Get it at Walmart

2—Amazon Basic’s Lavender Scented Epsom Salt Soak Aid

3—If you like bubbles + Epson Salt, try Dr. Teal’s Foaming Bath with Pure Epsom Salt:

• Get it on Amazon

• Get it at Walmart

  My flower unicorn cake is a project on my website too! Link at the bottom of this page!

Tools: Mixing bowl set, kitchen cheese grater, measuring cup set, kitchen 3 cup flour sifter, a spoon or spatula to mix the ingredients, spritz bottles, I store mine in an air tight canisters and glass yogurt containers (which I gift with cute little mini wooden spoons), if you want labels, I use Avery 5294 round labels and design images for them using Canva (then I use the Avery website to print them at home), jute twine (if tying on a gift tag or mini wooden spoon)

Time: 45 minutes to make, 24 hours to dry if using water/colorant (recommended)

Amount: Each recipe makes about 64 oz. of product (enough for four 16 oz. containers if you are gifting this)

Ingredients (all items link out to Amazon.com):

• 1 ¾ cup baking soda
• 1 cup citric acid (Quick story: the first time I made these in the early 2000’s, I had to get my citric acid from a compounding pharmacy! Oh, how I love what Amazon has done for my crafting!)
• 2 cups cornstarch
• 1 cup grated cocoa butter
• 5 tablespoons of water
• Liquid food coloring (in the color of your choice, I used yellow)
• 30 drops vanilla essential oil (use more or less depending on how strong you want to scent yours, I added quite a bit to add to the cocoa butter scent)
• 4 cups Epsom salt

Directions:

1—Put your sifter into a large bowl. Place the baking soda into the sifter.

Adding the baking soda

2—Place the citric acid into the sifter.

Citric Acid for bath bombs

3—Place the corn starch into the sifter and sift everything into the bowl. If it all fills the sifter up too much, just work in smaller batches. The goal is to make sure there aren’t big lumps, which can happen to these products as they sit on store shelves.

4—Place the water and a few drops of food coloring into your spritz bottle and very slowly, spray it onto the mixture while stirring at the same time. It may fizz a bit, which is okay, so just go slow and stir. You are only adding enough to give it a bit of color AND to help keep “dust” at bay, which is about 10-20 “spritzes and stirs”. Set aside.

Food color to color the fizzing bath soak

NOTE: You do not have to add water or coloring BUT in my experimenting, I found the water keeps the final product from being too “dusty”. What I mean by this is that it can off put some of the final product in the air as you pour it into the bath if you don’t water it down a bit (and this product in the air can make you sneeze!).

The grated cocoa butter smells delicious

4—In a separate bowl, grate your cocoa butter using a cheese grater until you have one cup. Cocoa butter can melt in your hands if they are warm, so keep this in mind as you grate.

I love the vanilla scent with the cocoa butter

5—Add the cocoa butter to the citric acid mixture, gently stir, then add in the drops of essential oil. Stir again.

6—I allowed this mixture to dry overnight.

Making a fizzy bath soak gift

7—The next day, I added one cup of the mixture with one cup of Epsom salt into a bowl and gently stirred to combine. The I added the mixture to a gift container.

The epsom salt really helps sore muscles

8—I repeated adding one cup of the fizzy mixture with the Epsom salt and ended up with four 16-ounce containers of the final product. You can mix all the Epsom salt at once with the full bowl of fizzy mixture, but I worked in small amounts as I was trying to determine how many final product “gifts” I would have.

Gift this fizzy bath soak as a gift

9—Pour one cup (or more or less depending on the size of your bathtub) to a warm bath, watch it fizz, and enjoy! The cocoa butter will dissolve in very warm water, making your bath moisturizing and relaxing from the Epsom salt. The fizz is for fun and it gives your bath a little air, which to me, makes the water feel even better.

I packaged up my fizzy bath soak to give as gifts

Recipe Notes and Safety Tips:

• Again, you do not HAVE to add water or coloring BUT in my experimenting, I found the water keeps the final product from being too “dusty”. What I mean by this is that it can off put some of the final product in the air as you pour it into the bath if you don’t water it down a bit (and this product in the air can make you sneeze!).
• Omit the cocoa butter if you want, but it really does add some great moisturizing benefits.
• The baking soda and cornstarch softens the water a bit, making your bath a bit more comfortable.
• This product will keep for several months, but because I did not add a preservative, it’s shelf life isn’t as long as products you buy at the store.

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How to Make a Unicorn Kisses Flower Cake

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Make a Mickey Mouse Inspired Hair Clip

Going to Disney World can really put a dent in your bank account. Yet, thousands upon thousands of families every year figure out ways to go. Going to any theme park is actually quite pricey. After doing some research on the ticket prices to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, I know it takes a lot of cash to not only purchase the tickets, but then all the hotel rooms, food and the gift shops and all the “extras” definitely add up.

The in-progress mouse head hair clip

It’s easy to get caught up in all the glittery fun things and spend and spend and spend and then come home to a large credit card bill. There are many blogs and travel agencies that can help you go to Disney cheaper using some tricks. This article by Seven Corners travel agency has some really great money saving tips and it’s a great place to start your research. There’s a lot to know when it comes to making reservations, knowing about traveling in a polka dotted “Minnie Van”, among other possible anxiety-inducing things you need to know.

A hairstyle idea using the mouse head clip

If you want your family to have an enjoyable time at a theme parks like Disney World, I believe you can do it in an affordable way if you plan ahead. Planning ahead will definitely help keep the anxiety at bay. Did you know that Disney can help adults and children with all kinds of disabilities enjoy it in a safer way?

See me bling up a cowboy hat for a fascinator in my one-minute video below…I love to make things sparkle! See it on my YouTube channel @carolynbraden too!

I learned about this when a co-worker was traveling there with her two children that were “handi-capable”. You can get a DAS (Disability Access Service) Pass to help make your time at Disney more enjoyable if you or your party cannot wait in long lines or need special assistance.

The claw clip holds in your hair well

That same co-worker purchased GPS devices for her children to wear among other items. She definitely planned ahead! If you like to wear Disney themed items while at the park, thrift stores are packed with them! Many are brand new too. I saw the cost of mouse ears went up from $29.99 to $34.99 in the past few years, and you can get some online either new or used for a fraction of that cost.

The super fancy custom ears at Disney go for even more, so why not make your own or hire an Etsy artist to create some for you. I found sellers on Etsy that will customize ears and send them your way for under $15. I found some super cute iridescent mouse ears on a headband for under $10 on Amazon. If a headband hurts you or your child’s head, you can get clip in glittery ears which come in all colors on Amazon.

The completed blinged up mouse head clip

If you truly love all things Disney, it’s a good idea to buy or make some items to wear at home too. If you buy Disney shirts for your trip, wear them while at home too so you can get more bang for your buck.

I recently found a mouse ear hair clip and thought it’d be cute to wear to Disney and cute to wear all the time. It was cute as is, but since I love to “bling” things up, I decided to add some crystals to it and thought you may like to make one too, especially if you have a trip to Disney planned this year.

You can make this Mickey Mouse inspired hair clip exactly like how I did, or you can customize it. Try adding letter beads on it so you can personalize it. There are many ways to make your Mickey Mouse hair clip fab, and if you do this project, let me know about it in the comments at the end of this article! Now for the project…making it costs less than a pair of mouse ears at the parks and is unique….no one else will have the exact same one as you!

How to a Make Mickey Mouse Inspired Hair Clip

Supplies:

I got all my supplies for the clips on TEMU and Amazon and included links below. You can use this link to shop TEMU and use my code afe55197 to get 30% off at checkout on your first app order. Just search for the products on TEMU using the terms I used below. If you don’t shop TEMU, I’ve included almost the exact product links to buy them on Amazon.

• Mouse Head Claw hair clip (I got mine on TEMU for $2.99 and I saw a set of three Mouse Head hair claw clips on Amazon for $13.99)
• Pink flatback rhinestone and pearl mix (I got mine on TEMU but I linked to a similar set on Amazon)
• Jelly flatback rhinestone set with a black/purple stone color (I got mine on Amazon and linked to it)
• Wax pencil (Amazon)
• Liquid Fusion glue (Amazon)
• Old towel or something to lay it on to dry and to protect your creating surface

• Optional: pointed cotton swabs (Amazon)

  The plain clip was cute but….

How-To:

1—Lay the clip on an old towel or a piece of cardboard.

I started with the ears first

2—I started with the ears. Add glue to one ear and use the wax pencil to grab pink flatback pearls and rhinestones and add them on top of the glue. Repeat on the other ear.

After the ears, I worked on the head

3—After adding stones and pears to the ears, add some glue to the head and some black/purple flatback pearls and rhinestones. Some of mine hung over the edge slightly, which is fine.

I like to use Liquid Fusion glue for rhinestones

4—Use a pointed cotton swab or a toothpick to clean up any oozy glue.

The completed mouse head hair clip

5—Allow to dry for about 24 hours, then repeat on the other side of the clip.

I got my mouse ears years ago from Etsy

6--Wear and enjoy!

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How to Make Fruit Salad Hair Clips

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Make Fruit Salad Hair Clips

Fruit usually shows up in many of my spring and summer crafts. There’s something refreshing and delicious fruit that just screams warm weather. Unless you are making my boozy grapes recipe, which can be enjoyed any time of the year.

I love them all, but I really like my grape adorned purple one!

I love fruit salad and fruit punch and the colors are inspiring. When I ordered some fun colored duck clips from TEMU, I decided to use some polymer clay fruit slices I already had to create some fruit salad inspired hair clips. Read on to learn how to make them.

The kiwi one is a close second best loved clip!

The first clip I created was fruit salad-y as I included all the fruit slices in my kit plus some flatback pearls and rhinestones. It looked okay, but wasn’t exactly what I wanted. I decided to color coordinate the clips with the fruit slices and that looked much better to me.

They do a great job of keeping your hair out of your face

You can wear one or more in your hair to hold it back for doing makeup or just to keep your hair out of your face, which is something I definitely do when the temperatures warm up.

They easily clip in and don’t pull your hair

You can customize these with any kind of polymer clay slices. There are many choices like butterflies, flowers and more. I sometimes even add them to my toenails after painting them to give them a custom nail art look.

The duck bill clips are comfy to wear all day

You can add letter beads to make them more personalized. I made a watermelon slice one inspired by my mother-in-law that loves watermelon themed things. The creative possibilities are endless.

The finished hair clips

I adapted this project from my mermaid hair clip tutorial, which got pretty popular on my Pinterest page. For that one, I used mostly crystals and pearls and resin seashells and they turned out beautifully. Get that full project here: Mermaid Hair Clips

Up close look at the hair clips

Did you know: Common ingredients found in fruit salad are strawberries, pineapple, honeydew, watermelon, grapes and kiwi. I usually include grapes and melon when in need of a good dippable fruit for my Orange Cream Fruit Dip. Get the recipe in my one-minute video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

How to Make Fruit Salad Hair Clips

Supplies:

I got all my supplies for the clips on TEMU and Amazon and included links below. You can use this link to shop TEMU and use my code afe55197 to get 30% off at checkout on your first app order. Just search for the products on TEMU using the terms I used below. If you don’t shop TEMU, I’ve included almost the exact product links to buy them on Amazon.

My DIY hair clip supplies

• 3-inch duck bill hair clips (If you shop Amazon, this is a set of 12 duck bill clips for approx. $6.99 or TEMU has a set 12 for $1.69)
• Flatback pearls set (I got mine on Amazon)
• Polymer clay fruit slices (I got mine on Amazon, they are meant for nail art but fit perfectly on the clips)
• Wax pencil (Amazon)
• Liquid Fusion glue (Amazon)
• Old towel or heavy piece of cardboard (Amazon)

• Optional: pointed cotton swabs (Amazon)

  I love the “mini” fruit slices!

How-To:

1—Clamp the clips onto an old towel or a piece of cardboard. A piece of wax paper will work too. The clip could stick to the towel or cardboard, so if you clamp onto one of those without a layer of wax paper, just be careful how much glue you use.

2—Add glue to the clip and use the wax pencil to grab fruit slices and add them on top of the glue.

The wax pencil makes grabbing small crafting items easier

3—After adding a layer of fruit slices, add some glue, then some flatback pearls until you have covered the top of a duck bill clip. Some of mine hung over the edge slightly, which is fine.

I added flatback pearls to add a little dimension to each clip

4—Use a pointed cotton swab or a toothpick to clean up any oozy glue.

The finished fruit salad inspired hair clips

5—Allow to dry for about 24 hours, then wear and enjoy!

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How to Make a Unicorn Kisses Flower Cake

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Make 3 Ingredient Lemon Sugar Body Scrub

Many years ago, my mom came to my house toting a new scrub she made. It was a lemony scrub that she said made her feet feel super soft (we both love soft feet). I tried it and she was right. Not only did it make my feet feel great, but it also smelled very refreshing, which is what most feet need!

***We’ve also made a salt scrub, DIY Beach Salt Scrub, that is great too! Try it using our one minute video below or via our*** ***YouTube channel @carolynjbraden******:***

I remembered that scrub recently, called my mom about it and we could not remember exactly how she made it. After doing some kitchen experimenting, I came up with a similar scrub and I think it’s just as good as what I remember. Read on to learn how to make 3 ingredient lemon sugar body scrub.

We used olive oil, but you could also try avocado oil

The title alone almost gives away the entire recipe. It is three ingredients, oil being the other of the three. I used olive oil as the third ingredient because olive oil is known to have a lot of skin benefits and stays liquid in most temperatures. If you try another oil for this project, make sure it stays in liquid form at room temperature. See my recipe notes at the bottom of this article to understand why this is important.

Our completed DIY lemon sugar scrub

Did you know?: Various forms of the olive have been used for many years for many skin conditions, including dermatitis, something my husband struggles with. Read more about the benefits of the olive and it’s different anti-inflammatory and restorative properties on The National Institute of Health’s website.

I tested this scrub out on myself for two weeks. I did see an increase in my leg’s skin moisture. I have extremely dry skin (from age and living in SW Florida) and the oil seemed to help my skin retain moisture better. I used it on my legs, feet and hands and all looked more hydrated with each use. It doesn’t last on your skin forever, but over time, like most great beauty products, your skin should do like mine and retain moisture a bit better.

Use this DIY scrub on your hands, feet and all over your body!

The scrub can make your body and surfaces slippery, so read the notes after the recipe for safety tips!

Fresh lemon juice will melt the sugar, so use the lemon essential oil

Make this scrub for yourself, for Mother’s Day, party favors, wedding favors, or for any skincare lover in your life. If you just simply don’t have the time to make your own scrub, we have tried lots over the years and think you’d like cruelty free versions these too:

1--My niece introduced me to Tree Hut Shea Sugar Scrubs, and they are great and well-priced.

• Get it on Amazon
• Get it at Walmart

2--We love Dr. Teal’s products and their Shea Sugar Body Scrub did not disappoint:

• Get it on Amazon

• Get it at Walmart

  We used cane sugar, but you could use plain white sugar

Everything I used for this DIY body scrub were things I had already in my home, and you probably do too. If you don’t have lemon essential oil, you could try lavender or whatever you like best. I just really loved how the lemon scent mixed well with the sugar, making it kind of smell like my grandma’s favorite lemon bars.

The lemon and sugar scent combo is one of my favs!

See a one-minute video tutorial for this project below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Tools: Large glass bowl (or any mixing bowl), a spoon or spatula to mix the ingredients I store mine in an air tight canisters and glass yogurt containers (which I gift with cute little mini wooden spoons), if you want labels, I use Avery 5294 round labels and design images for them using Canva (then I use the Avery website to print them at home), jute twine (if tying on a gift tag or mini wooden spoon)

Time: 5 minutes or less

Amount: Each recipe makes about 6 oz. of product

Simple ingredients for lemon sugar body scrub

Ingredients (all items link out to Amazon.com)

• ½ cup sugar (I used cane sugar, but white sugar will be fine)
• 1/3 cup olive oil (mine was extra virgin olive oil, you could also try avocado)

• 15-20 drops lemon essential oil (use more or less depending on how strong you want to scent yours, real lemon juice will melt the sugar….so do not use this in lieu of the oil)

  Our recipe for DIY lemon sugar body scrub

Directions:

1—Place all ingredients in a bowl

2—Stir to combine

3—Place in a container that seals well

4—Use on your hands, feet, legs to enjoy softer skin. Overtime, your skin may retain moisture better like I talked about in this article!

We like to gift this in little glass yogurt containers

**Recipe Notes and Safety Tips:**

• Sugar scrubs can attract ANTS! I know this due to my own experience. Florida is always buggy in the summer time, and I once had ants find one of my scrubs in the shower area and got all over it. They like sugar AND salt scrubs. Make sure you SEAL all sugar scrubs and if you see ants marching towards it, you may need to store it away from anywhere that has openings (like away from drains).
• Oily scrubs can be dangerous when it comes to slips and falls. If you use this in certain types of showers and baths, the surface can become slippery, so be very careful. If you are prone to falls, sit in a chair over a towel and use the scrub and then use a wet towel to wipe away the excess.
• You can use olive oil or avocado oil, but if using coconut oil, please note that it tends to solidify in cold temps, so it may not be your best bet for this DIY.

• Don’t like lemon scented things? Try another essential oil that you like best. We like lavender essential oil too. Whatever oils you use, make sure they are SKIN SAFE. We like organic and cruelty free essential oils best

  DIY Lemon Sugar Scrub by Carolyn J. Braden

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How to Make a Unicorn Kisses Flower Cake

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How To Make a Unicorn Kisses Flower Cake

Another recreation of a flower arrangement from the 1-800-Flowers website. The cake on their website is called a Birthday Wishes Flower cake, and it is SUPER CUTE. With all the spring birthdays my family has, I knew I had to try to create my own version. It’d be cute for Mother’s Day, a wedding centerpiece, someone’s birthday (especially someone that can’t eat real cake) or just because.

I love how my unicorn cake turned out!

I was feeling inspired by unicorns at the time, and even Trader Joe’s had some unicorn colored baby’s breath, so I designed my project in my head and then it was born. I especially love the color scheme of light purple, pink, baby blue, lime green and yellow. I have loved those colors since I was a kid…some things never change. Read on to learn how to make a unicorn kisses flower cake, which is made out of flowers (meaning it’s not edible).

See this unicorn kisses flower cake revealed in my 10 second video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Some Flower Tips for You and Special Events:

If you can’t makeyour own unicorn kisses flower cake or just don’t have time, you can easily order one. The price of ordering flowers though usually deters me from doing it though. I know the flower arrangement prices are often fair (you have to pay the florist for their time and supplies) but the delivery fee is always what prevents me from sending them. And, sometimes the pre-made flower arrangements are just too much for my budget.

I loved the unicorn colors I used for this cake

I often pick up flowers from local grocery stores, Sam’s Club or Costco because they are well priced and actually really great flowers! Trader Joe’s has great prices on flowers too. I once had Whole Foods order me flowers for a wedding I was helping with due to their good prices on flowers, and they did a great job. Get more flower arrangement tips from the Martha Stewart website.

I used a mixture of florist flowers and grocery store flowers for my DIY flower dog arrangement project, which turned out very nicely! See how I made my cute flower dog arrangement by clicking here, or see it in a quick 1-minute video below via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden.

For my unicorn kisses flower cake, I was able to get all my flowers from Trader Joe’s. Depending on what flowers you use, you may need more or less than I needed. You also can make it mini-sized by using smaller floral rounds. If you loved the unicorn colored baby’s breath but can’t find it, use this tip I got from a florist when I made wedding cakes:

To color flowers safely, simply use a flower dye spray. I once was making a wedding cake and the bride’s florist supplied me with white flowers. The bride was very specific that she wanted the flowers to be pink, so the florist sprayed them with pink flower dye and they were perfect!

The completed unicorn kisses birthday cake

See me make this flower cake in my one minute YouTube video below or via my channel @carolynjbraden:

Full Project Supply List for My Unicorn Kisses Flower Cake Arrangement:

• Plastic or glass cake stand or large plate (I used both)
• 3 circles of floral foam (I used 6.5-inch rounds)
• I used about 4 bouquets of flowers (for a total of about 4 dozen flowers or so, the amount you need depends on the size of flowers and the size of floral rounds)
• 4.5 inch wood dowel (I had 12-inch dowels and used a small saw to cut it to the height of my 3 stacked cake rounds)
• Wood skewer
• Scissors or knife for trimming the flowers
• Large bowl of water for soaking the floral foam

Optional: Fine mist water bottle, if you want unicorn colored flowers and can’t find them, spray baby’s breath with flower dye spray

Note: You could alternatively use artificial flowers or dried flowers too, which would make it last forever! If you do this, you do not need to soak the floral foam block in water.

Directions:

1—Place your floral foam circles into a large bowl of water. Allow it to soak and absorb enough water until it no longer floats (this can take anywhere from 10-15 minutes or a bit longer).

First soak your floral foam in a bowl of water

2—Stack the three rounds onto a plate or cake stand. Mine stood about 4.5 inches in height.

My flower rounds stood up about 4.5 inches when stacked

3—Place a wooden dowel (cut to the height of the cake) in the center of the rounds. This will keep them together.

The wood dowel keeps the rounds together

4—Select your first flower and trim its stem to about 2-4 inches. Careful place the stem into the floral foam rounds starting at the bottom, until it is all the way in.

Cut your flowers with scissors or a knife

5—If you have a hard time getting the flowers into the rounds, use the wooden skewer to poke a hole first, then place the flower stem into the hole. Some stems are softer than others.

Place flowers into the floral foam “cake”

6—Now continue to place flowers in the rest of the floral foam, circling each foam round.

Use a wood skewer to make holes if your flowers have soft stems

7—I alternated my flower type with each line I placed into the foam.

I alternated mums in circles around the floral foam

8—I used mostly mums and then some small round white flowers to trim the top of the “cake”.

The size of the flowers will determine how many you will need

9—I placed more flowers into the foam on the top of the cake, working with one type of flower at a time.

The flower cake without the “topper”

10—I added the unicorn baby’s breath at the top of the cake to create a cake “topper”.

The Trader Joe’s baby’s breath

You can add another cake topper (like my Happy Birthday sign I got on Amazon or this cute customizable cake topper letter board from Walmart).

The completed unicorn kisses flower cake

You can also add candles if making this as a birthday cake. It’s great for someone that doesn’t want a real cake, doesn’t like cake, or cannot eat cake.

A presentation idea for the unicorn kisses cake

To water: The foam will stay wet for days. If you want to water it after a few days, just carefully pour a bit of water onto the foam in between the flowers. You can also mist the flowers lightly with a water bottle to keep them fresh.

I kept mine very simple, and it’s exactly how I pictured it in my mind! If you created this project or something similar, let me know in the comments below!

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How to Make Macrame Hanging Plant Extenders

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

Warm Weather Fashion Trends: My Little Black Outfit Uniforms

There are a couple of staple fashion items I love to have in my closet for the times when I just don’t have time to think about what to wear or I just really want to be comfortable. My fashion staples are simply black and white. Black and white clothing is super easy to style and can be dressed up in many ways. Read on to learn about some of my favorite warm weather little black outfit uniforms.

I may live in Florida now, but I still celebrate the Derby!

I love a cotton white tee shirt for my casual days and I love a black romper or a black dress when I need to be dressier. The white tee I wear almost every day when working from home or when working out is a simple men’s Hanes V-neck tee. I buy them in bulk and wear them with running shorts, black leggings, jeans or jean shorts. My husband calls them “my uniform” and I know that this “uniform” concept has been very popular with people in leadership positions throughout the world.

See three of my outfit ideas in my 15 second video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

As for my black dressier outfits, they are pretty much my go-to uniform too. Jamie Kern Lima, the founder of it Cosmetics wrote in her book Believe It about the black dresses she threw on each time she went on QVC to promote her makeup line, it Cosmetics. She said it was an easy outfit to wear when applying makeup (black doesn’t show most stains!), it always looked good on camera and it was something she didn’t have to think about.

This romper is extremely comfy!

She even wore a “uniform hairstyle” of slicking back her hair into bun so it would stay out of the way and she knew it was easy and quick. When you are building a billion-dollar business like she did, you really don’t have brain capacity to deal with details like hair and clothes.

This birthday dress is super cute!

Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, also was very well known for wearing his simple black turtle neck and jean outfits. Some may say it is crazy to wear the same thing all the time, but I can attest, it’s really much easier when you are really busy. Read about other well-known people that followed the uniform trend (like Mark Zuckerberg, Carrie Donovan, Johnny Cash and more) via this article on Forbes’ website.

This casual black romper is very easy to style and wear!

If you don’t want to wear the exact same thing all the time, sticking to a color scheme like black and white can be helpful. Read on to see some of my ideas for some easy and comfy LBO’s (little black outfits) that I like to wear when the weather gets warm.

My dog Johnny Cash always likes to be included

Most items below were things I ordered from TEMU as they had really great prices (use my links below for 30% off your first order OR use my code afe55197 at checkout to get the discount), but I’ve also included links to buy similar items I found at other retailers. TEMU runs out of items often, so if you can’t get to the item via the links below, use my link here and then enter the search term for what I’ve called each outfit below, and I know you’ll find something similar.

I love this large pink fascinator

Black V-Neck Dress: $10.99 on TEMU

I get hot very easily (oh the Southwest Florida heat in the summer is brutal!), so this lightweight black V-neck dress is just my style. It is only one layer of lightweight material, so you could wear it on its own or layer it with a slip. I styled it with a large flower fascinator/hat and think it’s a perfect wedding guest outfit, a Kentucky Derby outfit (I’m from Louisville, Kentucky, home of the Derby, so I’d definitely wear it to an event like this since May is often warm in Kentucky).

It was a windy day when I took these photos, so I had to make sure the fascinator didn’t blow away!

Fascinators are very popular in Derby town around Oaks Day and Derby Day, but are also worn to weddings and churches too. My fascinator tutorial is popular on my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden and an easy DIY to try.

Links to Similar Dresses Below:

• Amazon
• Walmart

This makes a great festival outfit idea

Black Shirred Waist Drawstring V-Neck Romper: $12.99 on TEMU

This romper is really a no-brainer outfit. I put a bra tank under it and it was ready to go. I paired it with heels and with a cute hat that I made from a thrift store find. It’s perfect for outdoor concerts, weekend brunches, errands and more. I paired it with simple black heels, but any sandal would work too. See me create the butterfly adorned hat in my one minute YouTube video below:

Links to Similar Rompers Below:

• Amazon
• Walmart

This romper makes for a great beach coverup too!

Black Draped Casual Romper: $8.99 on TEMU

This romper is the most comfortable romper I’ve ever worn. I bought it in a size large though I could have gotten a smaller one. I just wanted to be able to wear it as a bathing suit coverup or just for wearing around the house. It’s actually really nice so you could wear it anywhere. I’d layer it with a cute jacket or a white v-neck tee or like how I wore it in my photos, with a tank underneath.

A cute easy black romper

I wore it with a pair of iridescent sneakers, but I’d wear it with sandals or a pair of TOMS. I thought about it being a great Kentucky Derby “after party” look and added a butterfly fascinator I created.

Links to Similar Casual Rompers Below:

• Amazon
• Walmart

This outfit gave me retro vibes

Belted Romper Jumpsuit (Black and White Short/Shirt Combo): $10.28 on TEMU

I found this lightweight short and shirt combo and fell in love. I am always looking for shorts that are cute and comfortable and these fit the bill with their elastic waist. The combo can be worn together, which make them look like a romper or jumpsuit. I like the shorts on their own and they even come with a removable fabric belt. They come in many color and print combinations, so I know you’ll find one you love too!

This is a great summer outfit!

Links to Similar Romper Short Sets Below:

• Amazon
• Walmart

This dress makes me want to dance!

It’s My Birthday Sequin Black Dress: $15.48 on TEMU

After watching Nancy Sinatra wear a sequin black shirt and a pair of boots in her video for “These Boots Are Made for Walking”, I was inspired. A black sequin dress doesn’t have to be saved for big glamourous events. I found this casual ruffle skirted birthday dress and thought it’d make the perfect birthday dress because it looked sweet and comfy. It did not disappoint. It’s very comfortable, fit perfectly and will be great to wear in the heat of June, during my birthday month.

My dogs are always around keeping me company in my fashion photo shoots

I paired it with some red Marc Jacobs kitten heels (to keep the comfort going) and my birthday sprinkle sunglasses that I made, which have been very popular on my Pinterest account. See how to make them here on my website by clicking here.

Links to Similar Women’s Birthday Sequin Dresses Below:

• Amazon
• Walmart

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: Pink Go-Go Boots: Our 1960’s Fashion Trend Finds

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Get Rose Gold Hair with Kristin Ess Temporary Tint

I’ve always loved the color rose gold. As a child, I was gifted a cross necklace made with rose gold and I still wear it today. It’s pink, it’s gold and it looks good with my fair and freckle-y skin. Recently I had my amazing hair guru at Salon by Design in Fort Myers, Florida (an Aveda salon, which I love because Aveda is cruelty free and a great company!), add some blond highlights to my hair so I could brighten up my very dark auburn hair and do some fun hair color experimenting. I started my experiments with Kristin Ess Rose Gold Temporary Hair Color and here’s how it went.

I have the rose gold tint on my hair in this photo

My hair guru, Kaitlin, always has so much work to do on my hair, as I currently have a lot of it. Tip your stylists well if you have a lot of hair like me! I grew out my shaved pixie haircut (read about my process here) from 2020 and well, my hair is healthy and thankfully keeps on growing. My hair is wavy, semi-thick and about to the mid-part of my back in length. She used a beautiful strawberry blond toner on my hair the last couple of times and it made me think about toners more. She said there is quite a variety of toners that you can add to your hair to give it a subtle color effect.

After you tint your hair, try a cute braided style like the one I created in this one minute video tutorial below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

The Kristin Ess Rose Gold Temporary Tint came up in a Google search when I was thinking about toners that resembled a rose gold tone. I found actually a lot of beautiful trending hair colors while searching, but I really am currently loving rose gold hair. I love strawberry blonde hair, but was thinking I wanted to make it a little more on the pink side, and the Kristin Ess tint said it would do that. I ordered it and set to work.

Buy Kristin Ess Rose Gold Temporary Tint at the following retailers:

• Amazon

• Ulta

  I only applied the tint to the front of my hair this test round

I first tested out the spray on a paper towel to see the color. What sprayed out was a beautiful watercolor-looking pink. It was very sheer, so that made me not quite as scared. Some of the other temporary hair tints I’ve used have been thick and heavily pigmented (which meant lots of bathroom staining!). I then sprayed it on my hand and it washed away perfectly. There was no staining in my sink either, which made me happy.

Watercolor hair tints are the future in my mind

The Kristin Ess brand says this is “the first ever in-shower watercolor that creates a temporary tone when sprayed on wet hair and then rinsed out.” That’s when I started thinking of it as a toner, as Kaitlin added toner to my hair when wet. I’ve used the Pureology Color Fanatic Copper, Clear and Red color conditioning glosses and they work well, but they are very, very pigmented. I wanted something more sheer, and this tint seemed to be exactly what I needed to try.

See my one-minute video about my rose-gold hair and see the product in action below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Other rose gold hair products I found on Amazon (some have great reviews, but I have not tried them myself as of yet):

• Keracolor Clenditioner Color Depositing Conditioner in Rose Gold
• Kiss Tintation Semi Permanent Hair Color in Rose Gold
• Clairol Color Gloss Temporary Hair Dye in Rose All Day
• Overtone Semi-Permanent Color Depositing Conditioner in Original Rose Gold

• Moroccanoil Color Depositing Mask in Rose Gold

  It definitely gave me a rose gold tint

I followed the directions by shampooing my hair and then towel drying it using my favorite cotton t-shirt wrap by Conair. 100% cotton tees are my favorite way to dry my hair as it truly soaks up lots of water and helps my hair not get super frizzy. I like the wrap because it’s really convenient, but you can just use an old tee. I learned this trick from a hairstylist.

It says it’s for “in-shower use” but I did mine over the bathroom sink, as I wanted to see it in a mirror as I did it the first time. I put down some towels just in case it got everywhere, but luckily the sprayer was pretty well controlled. I only wanted to test it out on the front sections of my hair, so I sprayed it from root to tip and then used my hands to spread it down my long hair. Some of the reviewers said it ended up looking patchy on their hair, so I made sure to really spread it evenly.

My husband loves Kristin Ess hairspray

After a few minutes of spraying the color on, I dried my hair with a hair dryer. I could instantly see my hair looking a very pretty rose gold color. I did end up spraying it a little too unevenly on my root area by my forehead and temples, so those areas looked a little more pink than other areas. I suppose that’s why some people said it looked “patchy”.

That’s the draw back to it being in a spray bottle. I almost would like to see it as a liquid in a bottle and then be able to brush it on with my stylist color brush that I use when I color my hair at home. I suppose I could spray it into a bowl and then try brushing it on….maybe I’ll try that next time.

We love Kristin Ess texture spray too!

After styling my hair the next day with my Beachwaver curling iron, I really loved the rose gold tone my hair had. It was very subtle. I know the porosity of hair (its ability to absorb moisture) can determine your overall results. My hair was extremely conditioned after using the spray, so my particular hair porosity (mostly dry, open and vulnerable due to the bleach used for highlights) was able to soak up the product color and whatever conditioning factor it had in it very well. If you want to determine your own hair porosity, check out this helpful article by the beauty brand Carol’s Daughter.

My first experiment with the rose gold tint went pretty well, and think it’s worth trying out if you have light blond or highlighted hair. In the photos for this article, I used studio lighting, which really shows off the finished color. It looks great outside in the sun too. After I washed it once after applying the tint, the areas where I had too much color definitely were more subtle. It washed out of my hair completely in about 3 washings.

Kristin Ess is cruelty free and we also love the brand’s Refine Signature Finishing Hairspray (it holds my husband’s hair all day, which he loves!) and the Dry Finish Working Texture Hair Spray for Volume + Texture.

Most of what we’ve tried from the brand has stuck around for at least 4 years, so that’s when I know I’ve found some great products that are effective. The prices of the products are good too, at a mid-level pricing point. For example, I got the Rose Gold Spray for $6 on sale the first time I bought it on Amazon. It also goes on sale on Ulta’s website sometimes too.

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How to Create a Mermaid Hair and Makeup Look

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

Lip Plumpers That Work for All Beauty Budgets

Article originally published: 2/15/24

Updated: 4/14/24

I’ve always loved pillowy soft lips. I think it started when I watched the 80’s movie Weird Science as a kid. The main actress in the movie, Kelly LeBrock, had beautiful lips and I remember wanting to look like her when I grew up. Her hair was fab, she was fit and tall, and her lips and smile were gorgeous in my young eyes. I grew up and ended up not being tall at all (I’m 5’1”), but I knew I could accomplish being fit, having great hair, having a great smile and pillowy soft lips like her.

A liner can add a bit of fullness to your lips too!

I’ve kept up with my fitness (I’m an avid walker, which is great for your health!) and my hair on my own well, but I did need a little help with my smile and lips. When I was in my 20’s, I got braces. I luckily had good insurance and was able to have an orthodontist help me with my super tight teeth. I actually had pain in my jaws because they were so tight and the braces helped spread them apart a bit. They also helped with my severe overbite. If you have pain in your mouth and can afford braces or retainers (and they are recommended by a doctor) get them.

I won my first lip injections after winning a contest for the best Kentucky Derby themed fascinator. I made it myself and it was fab! I got my first lip injections weeks after winning the contest and I was hooked. I didn’t go overboard (no duck lips wanted here!) and I just had the doctors plump them up slightly. My upper lip was very thin, and we focused on plumping that up to match my bottom lip. After getting lip injections about once a year for several years, I now only do it every other year or so.

This L.A. Girl is a good minimal lip plumper

Lip injections (the ones I get) are full of hyaluronic acid and do hydrate my lips and help with wrinkles too (which help my lipstick to not bleed). My lips took the injections very well, but not everyone’s does. If you are considering getting them, please consult a licensed plastic surgeon and/or doctor. Read more about lip injections from the Cleveland Clinic by clicking here.

In knowing not everyone has the funding or the good physical and mental health required for lip injections (mental health matters in the beauty world of aesthetics and I’ve had really good doctors tell me they will refuse to work with a patient if they come in to their office demanding unrealistic things…this is a sign of a great doc!), I started doing some testing of some over the counter lip plumpers at all price points.

You do have injection-free options if you want to make your lips a bit fuller. No gloss will plump your lips quite like a lip injection, however, they can be hydrating and add a bit of volume to your lips. Did you know that drinking plenty of water can keep your lips plump? Read this article by the American Academy of Dermatology Associate to learn more about how to take better care of your lips. Read on here to learn about my favorite over the counter lip plumpers.

Please note that all the prices I have listed are what I’ve found as I’ve researched online and in stores. Prices go up and down all the time, so do your research, use coupon codes when you find them and grab beauty products on sale in bulk like I do if you frequently run out of them! All brands I have listed are cruelty free. As I try more lip plumpers that I like, I’ll add them to this list.

1— NYX Duck Plump: $13

I reached out to the people at NYX to see if they’d send me one of their latest plumpers, NYX Duck Plump, and they happily did! I asked them to send me Bubblegum Bae, and it’s a gorgeous bright pink color that can be layered to create an even brighter color.

It has a nice wide applicator that allows you to cover a lot of lip territory quickly. It’s pointy tip allows you to get it along your lip line easily without needing a liner. I applied several layers to get a nice bright bubblegum pink color and I liked it.

NYX Duck Plump definitely plumps your pout

It leaves a nice stain on your lips (it’s highly pigmented), which makes it last all day. It smells like ginger and packs a bit of a punch with that spicy ginger power. It did not sting my lips, but I definitely felt the heat.

When I went into the sun, it intensified the heat (thus the “EXTREME” wording on the bottle), but again, did not sting. I wouldn’t let my dogs lick my lips though, as I knew they’d probably feel a sting on their tongue from it. It has a tiny bit of a sweet flavor.

As you can see in the before and after photos above, it does give your lips a slight boost in plumpness. It’s not too sticky, but it is thick, which helps it last. After I ate lunch, the pink color was still there, but not much shine, so I just reapplied. I do like this NYX Duck Plumper and think it’s worth trying out. They created it in lots of beautiful other colors too! NYX is a cruelty free brand.

2—Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme: $29

This is at the highest price point for lip gloss plumpers I’ve used. I’ve used this brand for many years and actually only buy it when I can get a discount, and then I buy it in multiples. I put it on when I’m doing my makeup and let it do it’s thing.

Before applying Lip Injection Extreme

While I’m applying my makeup, it works to plump and hydrate my lips. It’s aimed to keep your lips plump with long term use, and I do notice my lips being slightly plumper when continue using it daily. I honestly think it’s just really hydrating and hydrated lips always look plumper.

Applying Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme

Sometimes my skin is super sensitive and on those days, I steer clear of this as it can turn your skin around your lips a bit red. It has a bit of a “bite” or a sting (as that’s what lip plumpers do…they kind of irritate your lips to make them swell, kind of like a much less painful bee sting), but it goes away after about a minute. Too Faced has several “Lip Injection” gloss types and I’ve tried them all. I do keep them in my makeup rotation, as they are all good and work well for me.

I like the Too Faced Lip Injection that smells like maple syrup

See my one minute video review of Too Faced Lip Injection on my video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

3—Buxom Full-On Lip Plumping Polish: $25

I’ve used Buxom Full-On Lip Plumping Polish for many, many years. It plumps slightly, and I always get compliments when I wear the shade “April”, which is a light sparkly pink. A little goes a long way, so I apply it sparingly. It is moisturizing, lasts for hours, and is fun to wear. It comes in many colors and I seem to always have April, Dolly, White Russian Sparkle and Sandy on hand.

This is me wearing Buxom Lip Polish in April

It has a bit of a sting, but not quite as much as the Too Faced Lip Injection. My lips always look full and plump when using this gloss. It’s kind of peppermint-y and fresh feeling too.

4—L.A. Girl Tinted Lip Plumper: $5

I grabbed the L.A. Girl Tinted Lip Plumper on Walmart.com after it looked like it may be a good dupe for my Buxom Lip Plumping Polish in April. I tested it out for a few days and found that it was a great dupe! It actually has a similar texture, color, is moisturizing and long lasting.

Check out my one minute tutorial and watch it adjust to my skin tone below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Before applying L.A. Girl Tinted Lip Plumper

It adjusts to the warmth of your lips, so the pink color I used called “Tickled” goes on clear and warmed up to a very pale shimmery pink on my lips after a few minutes.

This one did not have quite as much “sting” as the others I’ve tried, so it could be a good one to use if you have sensitive skin or lips. It’s slightly plumping, but not majorly.

5—L.A. Colors Lip Plumper: $2

I stopped in Walmart and browsed the beauty aisle (my favorite aisle) and grabbed the L.A. Colors Lip Plumper in Clearly Pink along with the L.A. Colors Auto Lip Liner in Pinky. I lined my lips with the liner, which was very creamy and smooth. I used my finger to spread it out a bit on my lips and it actually was very pretty on it’s own. Over-lining your lips a bit can also give an appearance of fuller lips.

Before applying L.A. Girl Lip Plumper

Then I applied a few dabs of the lip plumper and it gave my lips a nice shine. This one had more of a bite than the L.A. Girl Tinted Lip Plumper, and did hydrate and gave an appearance of fuller lips. It’s got a cinnamon-like scent, but is clear and has no sparkle. I loved the pink color combination of the liner and the gloss as they matched well and looked great on my skin tone.

Wouldn’t you know too that this is probably my favorite lip plumper of all that I’ve tested so far! And, it’s the least expensive!

After applying L.A. Colors lip plumper and liner

Check out my one minute review of L.A. Colors lip plumper and lip liner (and see them in action!) via my YouTube video below or via my channel @carolynjbraden:

Overall, lip plumpers can work, but you have to find the ones that work best for you. As I said earlier, none will quite make your lips as full as injections, but they can work to give your lips a fuller appearance. If used daily, you can expect to see maybe a slight bump up in hydration, which can make your lips look fuller. Try one out and let me know your results in the comments below!

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: My Favorite $20 Flat Iron

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is a regular contributor and editor for Carolyn’s Blooming Creations. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

**Easy DIY Prom and Wedding Hairstyles with Flower Accents**

Something about wearing flowers in my hair just makes me happy. I even had a florist make a fresh flower comb to go in my hair for my wedding day. Even though it’s all dried up, I still have it as it reminds me of marrying my best friend, my now husband of 20+ years, Tommy.

In thinking about that, I came up with a couple of hairstyles that I wear frequently with flower accents and I thought they may make some great prom hairstyles or wedding hairstyle ideas. Read on to learn how I created my easy DIY hairstyles with flower accents.

This is the low ponytail hairstyle with my orchid claw clip

Living in SWFL, two flowers that adorn the entire island of Sanibel are orchids and plumeria (also known as frangipani) and they are some of my favorite flowers. I have orchids that align a palm tree in my yard and they bloom around March and April. They love the hot and humid climate of the island and do great outside year-round.

The plumeria (or frangipani) grow on trees and bloom in the summer months. There are pink and white and yellow plumeria flowers here and if you ever smell one, their scent will always remind you of the tropics. When I smell them, they not only remind me of Sanibel, but also remind me of a trip I took to Hawaii in the 1990’s with my best friend. It was a great trip and I love that scent memory! Read more about the plumeria flower on the San Diego Zoo website.

The front of the orchid claw clip hairstyle

The plumeria (or frangipani) trees are great survivors and are extremely strong. I think almost every single one survived the category 4/5 storm of Hurricane Ian, which included flood waters that enveloped the entire island. Read about our 2022 Hurricane Ian experience here. My orchids all survived too. I will always look at these two flowers as being symbols of hope and resilience, making them great flowers to wear on a special day like your prom or wedding.

The side view of the plumeria hairstyle

Hairstyles Work Better with Some GRIP

These hairstyles will work great on clean or in-between wash days. On my no-wash hair days, I use dry shampoo to soak up oil on my scalp. I spray it on my roots, then brush my hair to spread it out. Dry shampoo is also great for adding some texture or grip to your hair when it’s really clean.

I did wedding makeup as a side hustle for a while and learned from the hairstylists I worked with always used dry shampoo for up-do’s on people that had just washed their hair. It really does help hold a hairstyle better and makes clean hair easier to get into lots of hairstyles.

I like the following dry shampoos as they don’t leave white residue in my hair after I brush it out:

• Not Your Mother’s (Get it on Amazon)

• Tresemme Dry Shampoo (Get it on Amazon)

  The back of the orchid claw clip bun hairstyle

Orchid Clip Bun Hairstyle

For the first style, I used the same tutorial that I used for a bow claw clip tutorial, but with an orchid claw clip. It’s a great hairstyle if you are getting married in a hot or humid climate or on a rainy day, as it will keep your hair out of your face and off your neck as well as stay perfect the entire day!

My hair always frizzes out in the humidity, so if you are getting married on the beach, this would be a perfect hairstyle for anyone with hair like mine. This style will work best for medium length to long hair lengths.

How-to:

1. Pull your hair up into a high ponytail and secure with a ponytail holder (I like thick hair ties like these as I have medium thick hair)
2. Wrap the ponytail around the ponytail holder.
3. Clamp the claw clip to the end of the hair, along the side of the bun
4. Use hairspray to tame flyaways

See the tutorial for my orchid and bow claw clip tutorial below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Buy an orchid claw clip from the following retailers:

• Orchid Claw Clip via Amazon
• Orchid Claw Clip via Temu (search “orchid claw clip” on the TEMU app and use my code afe55197 at checkout for 30% off, for new app users only)

• Bow claw clip from Amazon

  I love my orchid claw clip!

Orchid Side Ponytail Hairstyle

For this hairstyle, I used the same orchid claw clip but instead of a high pony, I pulled my hair into a low ponytail. It will look great with straight or curled hair and is best for medium to long hair lengths.

How-to:

1. Part your hair in the center, tease it up in the back with a teasing brush at the crown a bit (I have a weird part and teasing helps smooth my hair in this area) and pull your hair into a low side ponytail.
2. Wrap a ponytail holder around your ponytail once, twice and on the third go around (if your hair is medium thick like mine, you may only have to loop it around twice) only pull the ponytail through a little bit. This creates a little “bun” of hair.
3. Clip the claw clip on top of the “bun” of hair and let the rest of your hair stay loose at the side of your neck.

See my 1 minute video tutorial below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Buy an orchid claw clip from the following retailers:

• Orchid Claw Clip via Amazon
• Orchid Claw Clip via Temu (search “orchid claw clip” on the TEMU app and use my code afe55197 at checkout for 30% off, for new app users only)

• Bow claw clip from Amazon

  The plumeria clips look real!

Plumeria Clip French Braided Hairstyle

This hairstyle is one I turn to often on my no-wash hair days. It’s easy and quick and always looks great! It is best for medium to long hair lengths.

How-to:

1. Part your hair on the side and french braid a small front section of hair from one side to the other. If you don’t know how to french braid, check out this great tutorial on Allure’s website, which also contains a video.
2. Next, tease the back section of your hair just to add some volume.

3. Pull your hair, including the braid, into a low side ponytail. Either secure it in a ponytail holder to leave your hair in a low ponytail style and place the clips around the ponytail holder to hide it OR continue on to fully pull your hair up.

   1. To pull the rest of your hair up: Wrap a ponytail holder around your ponytail once, twice and on the third go around (if your hair is medium thick like mine) only pull the ponytail through a little big. This creates a little “bun” of hair.

4. If you have hair leftover in the ponytail, braid that and then wrap it around your ponytail holder and tuck it into the ponytail holder or use a bobby pin to secure it.

5. Add the plumeria flower clips around the ponytail holder to hide it as needed.

See me create this french braided hairstyle in my YouTube video below or via my channel @carolynjbraden:

Buy a set of plumeria flower clips from the following retailers:

• Plumeria flower clip set via Amazon
• Plumeria flower clips via Temu (search “plumeria hair clips” on the TEMU app and use my code afe55197 at checkout for 30% off, for new app users only)

If you loved this article, then we know you’ll love this one too: Beachy Braided Crown Half Up Hairstyle

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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TAMARA KRAUS • 2 Minute Read

These Gorgeous Printable Mother’s Day Cards Will Save the Day

Try making our EASY DIY beach salt to go with the card for a great Mother’s Day gift idea! Get the 1 minute video tutorial below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

It’s Not Too Late: These Gorgeous Printable Mother’s Day Cards Will Save the Day When You’ve Run Out of Time It's not too late! This article originally appeared on ; products were independently selected by its editors. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SheKnows may receive an affiliate commission.

Mother’s Day is just one day a year, but can we all agree that one day a year is nowhere close to sufficient for celebrating all moms do for us? So yes, you should put major effort into the holiday with a special meal, her favorite flowers, or honestly, a day off (you can never go wrong with that one!). However, there’s one little thing most of us procrastinate getting every year: a Mother’s Day card. We really can’t put our finger on why it’s so hard to drag ourselves to the drugstore to pick up a thoughtful card to show how much we care. Maybe it’s the anxiety of reading a sea of cards that end up blending together after you’ve sifted through the first row — or the slim pickings that await when we forget to shop early. Regardless, it’s easier than ever to get your mom, or any mother-figure in your life, a card to show your gratitude. Thanks to our friend the Internet, you don’t even have to leave your couch to get mom a pretty and thoughtful card this Mother’s Day.

Aside from not having to put on real pants, the beauty of sending a printable Mother’s Day card is that there are so many options that are just as pretty as the ones you can pick up at your favorite gift shop. If you haven’t checked out Etsy recently, it’s overflowing with loads of pretty options. So, whether you simply forgot and can’t mail her one in time (we’ve all been there) or can’t get to the store, these sweet digital Mother’s Day cards will save the day while showing mom just how much you care.

And if you are at least 2 days away from Mother’s Day, you could probably get away with ordering one on Amazon Prime.

Photo : Etsy.Floral Mother’s Day CardThere’s no doubt you’ll find more than one Mother’s Day card on Etsy, but we bet she’ll love this classically chic card. You’ll get an instant download, so if time is really of the essence, this card will save the day.

Floral Greeting Card$2.66 (originally $3.55)Buy nowPhoto : Down the Path Creations/Etsy.Down the Path CreationsSometimes, simple is best when you’re trying to say how you feel. This darling floral card is sure to make her day.

Down the Path Creations $1.99Buy nowPhoto : Etsy/PabloQuestWatercolor.For New MomsShow the new mom some appreciation with this beautifully designed watercolor art. It’s bascially a piece of art!

Watercolor Card$6Buy nowPhoto : Etsy/ModernnMinimal.Modern CardKeep things simple with this black and white card from Etsy seller Modern Minimal.

Happy Mother's Day Printable Greeting Card$3Buy nowPhoto : Etsy/HolaSunshineDesigns.From the KidsS.O, this one is for the kids to give to mom. It looks like they made it themself, but you can print it straight after you buy it.

Mother’s Day Crafts For Kids$3.50Buy nowPhoto : Etsy/Instant FlowersIf you and the kids totally blanked on getting mom or grandma flowers this year, this printable bouquet should do the trick.

Bouquet card for Mom$4.09Buy nowPhoto : Molly HatchMolly HatchShe’ll want to frame this artisan-worthy downloadable card by Molly Hatch. Plus, you can print the file as many times you need to in case you don’t fold it just right on the first try.

Molly Hatch $3Buy now If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: 5 Gift Ideas to Show Them You Care

This article is syndicated content from SheKnows in partnership with Carolyn’s Blooming Creations. We only choose content that we know our readers would enjoy!

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

This is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate links. All opinions and ideas expressed in this post, however, are based on my personal point of view.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Make a Glitter Cowgirl Hat Fascinator

Every year I make a fascinator. I’ve been doing it for many, many years as I’m from the home of the Kentucky Derby, Louisville, Kentucky. While there are many ways to make Derby hats and fascinators, I’ve developed an easy way to create my own fascinator base that works for many styles. My bridal fascinator gets saved on my Pinterest account all the time. Read on to learn how to make my latest version, a glitter cowgirl fascinator.

My Electric Cowgirl full look

If you don’t know what a fascinator is, it’s a head covering that is a bit smaller than a hat, but is worn on the head via a clip, headband or comb. I make most of my fascinators using a headband, as they stay on my head quite well. If they are on the heavy side, I will pin the headband to my head with a bobby pin.

You can also make fascinators with sinamay fabric, like I did in my Youtube tutorial below:

A fascinator that made history was when Princess Beatrice of York wore a very interesting fascinator to the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. It sold on eBay as an auction for charity for $131,560.00. Read more about the history of fascinators on the Vanity Fair website.

My cowgirl look was part of a costume design I created for myself

I think hats and fascinators are in my creative blood because I loved seeing them every year that I watched the Kentucky Derby with my grandma, my Nani. She loved watching the Derby horses while I fully enjoyed watching all the hats and the fashion of all the Derby go-ers. Forbes wrote a great article talking about the history of Derby hats and you can read it on their site by clicking here. The hats have many ties to British and French racing traditions.

The real me, feeling happy my fascinator design is complete!

Many Derby go-ers will opt to wear a fascinator to the Oaks races (which occur the day before The Kentucky Derby, on a Friday, which is slightly less formal than Derby) and will wear a full feather or flower adorned hat for Derby (a more formal event day), which falls on the first Saturday in May every year.

The Derby seems to get bigger every year, so many locals attend races that occur on the Thursday the week of Derby and will often wear fascinators on that day too. Read all about the events at a place I frequented as a child, The Kentucky Derby Museum, on their website. My Senior prom was even at the museum!

I rhinestoned up my brows too for the full look

While I love hats, they are usually a bit harder to make, as you need hat forms and many other tools to make a proper hat. A fascinator can be crafted quite easily from things you’d find at a craft store. Here’s how I made my glitter cowgirl fascinator using things I found on Amazon and at craft stores. I’ve included links to buy supplies on Amazon.

My full look is very colorful, but the fascinator can be worn with a black dress to tone it down

I wore this as part of a character I created and you can read about her and her personality in my article Goodbye Mobwife, Hello Electric Cowgirl. You could easily take this into the “real world” by wearing it with a simple black dress. I like this one on Amazon.

Fascinator Supplies:

• 1 stiff felt sheet in white (mine was about 9” x 12” and I didn’t use the whole thing)
• 1 glitter felt sheet (I got mine, which was about 8” x 12”, at Hobby Lobby, but you can get it on Amazon and you don’t HAVE to use a glitter version if you plan to cover the entire base)
• Fluffy feather pack
• Longer feather pack
• Doll sized cowboy/cowgirl hat (Mine was from Hobby Lobby and about 5-6 inches in length, but you can get a version on Amazon)
• Spray paint (if you are going to change the color of yours like I did)
• Glitter tulle roll (mine was turquoise and 6 inches in width)
• Flatback rhinestone kit (mine had lots of colors and sizes)
• Wax tipped pencil (for picking up rhinestones)
• Liquid Fusion glue
• Hot glue stick and hot glue gun (I used mine on a low temperature)
• Wide satin headband
• Optional: Mannequin head base

• Optional: You could buy a fascinator base instead of making your own with felt

  My mini cowgirl hat was originally for one of my puppets!

Directions:

1—The first thing I did was spray paint the cowgirl hat with a turquoise spray paint. I sprayed on about two layers of paint (I did this outside, in a well-ventilated area, on a piece of scrap cardboard) until the original red color was covered. I let it dry completely (about 24 hours) before moving onto the next step.

My rhinestone kit came with many colors

2—Next, I added a line of glue around the brim of the hat and used a wax tipped pencil to pick up iridescent tiny rhinestones and place them onto the glue.

I used tiny flatback rhinestones for this project

3—I started with one line and kept gluing rhinestones until they covered the brim.

This process is tedious but worth it

4—After the covered the brim, I started gluing them up the sides of the hat and kept going until the entire hat was covered in rhinestones.

It slowly came together!

5—The gluing of the rhinestones onto the hat is a very tedious process, but the overall finished look was exactly what I wanted. It took me weeks to complete, as I worked on other projects at the same time to give myself a break from it. I allowed it to dry for 24 hours before going onto the next step.

My fascinator base supplies

6—For the fascinator base, I took a lid off a plastic food container and set it onto the white felt and traced out a circle using a pencil. My circle was about 6-7 inches in diameter. I cut out a second felt circle out of the glitter felt.

You do not have to use glitter felt for the second circle. I only used it because I wasn’t sure if all of it was going to be covered when I added the feathers, and I wanted it to look nice in the event you could still see the base in my final design.

I placed the plain white felt on the bottom of the headband

7—I placed the plain white felt on the bottom of my headband, then I added some hot glue and placed the glitter felt on top, basically “sandwiching” the headband between the two.

The fascinator base

This created a nice circle base for the fascinator. See me create the base in my wedding fascinator tutorial in my YouTube video below or via my channel @carolynjbraden:

8—I then started adding the feathers. I added hot glue to the top of the base and started laying on the feathers one at a time. I then hot glued on a simple bow I made using the glitter tulle and then started gluing on the longer feathers. I added the rhinestone studded hat and kept adding more feathers.

My fascinator design, starting to come together

I set my fascinator on a mannequin head base, which made the process of making it much easier.

The mannequin head makes a fascinator easier to decorate

9—I added enough feathers until I had it the way I wanted it to look. This project, as many of these types of creative projects, need a creative mindset, but whatever you end up creating, will be perfect because it’s your own.

I love how it turned out!

I never can create the exact same thing over and over, and that’s the artist in me. It’s a bold look but would be fab at a Carnival event in Rio, to a Derby party, or anytime you want to smile and have a fun night out. Alter my design to fit your style.

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How to Create a Mobwife Aesthetic

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Add These Makeup Primer Sunscreens to Your Daily Routine

We have tested many primers and sunscreens over the years, and have finally found some that we love. These face sunscreens are also makeup primers, so you don’t have to use a separate primer before putting on your makeup. All the ones I have listed in this article are ones I put on after washing my face and wear them under my daily foundation. They are also cruelty free!

Read on to learn about our favorite makeup primer sunscreens we think you’d be happy to add to your daily routine.

I have fair skin, so sunscreen is a must for me!

What Is a Primer?

A makeup primer acts like gesso on a canvas. When I was in college, I learned to prime a muslin covered wood frame with gesso, which is basically a white layer of paint that prevents the painted design from soaking into the muslin, or canvas, too much. You also often will prime a wall in your home with a layer of white paint so the pigmented paint won’t soak into the drywall.

Sunscreen protects your skin from getting premature wrinkles and more!

Primer for your face acts the same. It helps prevent it from soaking into your pores and basically prevent it from disappearing. It can also help keep makeup on your skin. A sunscreen will help protect your skin from harsh sunlight, which I definitely have to watch out for as I age. Sunspots, wrinkles and skin cancer are all things that can affect every human if you don’t take the proper precautions.

Wear sunscreen daily and when swimming! I have it on for sure in my 1 minute video below, which shows you how to get in a good workout in a pool. See it below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

According to John Hopkins Medicine, you should choose a higher SPF (Sun Protection Factor) if you spend a lot of time outdoors. Even if you don’t spend a lot of time outdoors, daily sunscreen is still important. Read more about it on their website by clicking here. The article can help you decide which SPF level is best for you. You can also learn more about mineral sunscreens vs. chemical sunscreens in this article from USA Today. Education is key in keeping you healthy!

See my one minute video tutorial of my favorite face sunscreens below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

When you find products that marry a primer and a sunscreen that keeps your makeup on, doesn’t run into your eyes and helps protect your skin, you keep them around. I’ve been testing several primer sunscreens for a while now (along with my husband because every gender should take care of their skin) and here are some of our favorites at different SPF levels.

Hello Sunshine goes on white, but dries clear

1--SPF 50: Hello Sunshine by it Cosmetics

I’m a huge fan of it Cosmetics (and have been for many years) and when they introduced their Hello Sunshine Invisible Hydrating Serum Sunscreen to the market, I was blessed to have BzzAgent send me a tube to try for free.

Hello Sunshine wears well under makeup

I tested it for two weeks and it kept my skin from getting freckled (Southwest Florida sun is VERY strong, even in the month of April, when I tested this), it kept my makeup on all day, disappeared the minute I gently rubbed it onto my face, neck and chest, and will be added to my permanent daily routine.

I’ve used it Cosmetics CC cream for many years

It did not have very much scent; just very, very light. My husband commented that he liked how it smelled. It did not run into my eyes at all. I paired it with my daily it Cosmetics CC Cream (I use it as my daily foundation, which I apply after the sunscreen primer), which also has an SPF 50 and they both worked well together to protect my skin.

Buy Hello Sunshine from the following retailers:

· it Cosmetics website (they have great sales!)

· Sephora

· Amazon

Unseen Sunscreen truly is UNSEEN!

2—SPF 40: Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen

This primer sunscreen is my husband’s favorite daily sunscreen. It has very little scent, goes on completely clear and does exactly what it’s supposed to do: protect your skin from the sun. I have used it for years under my makeup and it locks it right on my combination skin (part oily and part dry).

My husband loves that it goes on clear and he definitely loves the fact that it stays where he puts it, even when he sweats. He has sensitive eyes, and says this one doesn’t irritate his eyes, as it doesn’t run into them at all.

I try to wear a hat to protect my scalp and hair when at the beach or outdoors all day

We also buy Supergoop’s Play Everyday body lotion that is also a sunscreen. It is lightweight and helps keep our skin protected every day in the Sanibel Island very strong sunlight. We also love the Vacation brand of sunscreen too because it protects our bodies and smells like how I think summer smells….vacation-y and free.

Buy Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen from the following retailers:

· Supergoop! website

· Sephora

· Amazon

I love how lightweight Hueguard is

3—SPF 30: Live Tinted Hueguard 3-in-1 Mineral Sunscreen

In 2023, I saw the brand Live Tinted hitting the market in a big way. I was fascinated by their mineral face sunscreen because it was tinted a bit, which I thought would be good for people with darker pigmented skin. I reached out to them and asked me to send me some to try and they happily did.

It goes on my lighter skin completely clear, and I think it would do the same for many skin tones. It has zero scent (at least to my nose) and has never irritated my face. My makeup goes on perfect and stays the whole day too. Live Tinted also sent me their Huestick, which is a multi-use makeup stick and I absolutely love it. The brand is fun, effective and perfect for those that want to feel beautiful without their face feeling heavily made up.

Buy Live Tinted Hueguard Mineral Sunscreen from the following retailers:

• Live Tinted website
• Ulta
• Amazon

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How To Create Natural Looking Faux Freckles

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

Clean Beauty Review with OGEE Luxury Organics

My search for better makeup that was cruelty free began in the year 2018. I had just got my dog, Minnie Pearl, a miniature American Eskimo, that was the absolute cutest little ball of fluff I had ever seen.

For some reason, her presence in my life created thoughts about how I could help animals everywhere live better lives. I started slowly phasing out products that were tested on animals in my beauty and makeup routine as well as in our household cleaning products.

This is the set I received in Golden Contour

Now, keep in mind, I completely understand I cannot save every animal in the world from animal testing, but I could at least spread the word about what I was doing. One person cannot change the world alone, but we can all start thinking about making small changes that will add up to become bigger changes.

Animal testing still exists, and you can definitely make changes by speaking out about it and/or speak with your wallet and stop buying products that are tested on animals.

The packaging is very easy to open, which matters in product design!

Over the years, I’ve phased out many products that I loved, but were still conducting animal testing. It’s a very fine line, as a brand can say something like “product not tested on animals”, but it can become very confusing as to whether or not something was tested on animals at some point in the product development process.

The caps fit on the tubes in a magnetic way

I get a lot of my information from the Cruelty Free Kitty website, as well as directly from product websites. Many brands have gotten better over the years to include information about animal testing to help me make a better buying decision. Many brands pay to have a Leaping Bunny certification, just like the brand Elizabeth Mott. Read about that brand in my article about their lip mask that I love by clicking here.

I used Amber to contour my forehead

In my process of becoming cruelty free, I have slowly phased out many brands, and will only look to include new brands in my beauty routine that are cruelty free. I also look for clean beauty brands like my latest awesome find, OGEE Luxury Organics.

I think you may like to see a beachy half-up hairstyle that definitely catches the vibe of the OGEE brand. See my 1 minute video tutorial below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

If you don’t understand what qualifies as “clean beauty”, it’s a term that was created by marketing companies to classify a product as being made without certain harmful ingredients. You can read more about “clean beauty” on the goop website.

I used Carnelian and Topaz in my cheek area

While I am certainly not perfect on picking the best “clean beauty” or “clean food” (I do enjoy a Crumbl cookie every once in while!), I am working harder to understand ingredients and how they can affect my overall health. I encourage you to do the same.

A sunkissed look tutorial in one minute using OGEE: video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

As the saying goes “you are what you eat”, so if you are like my husband and I and try to eat organically and non-GMO foods, you should also try to use makeup and beauty products too. Your skin absorbs whatever you put on it, so you must think about that to help your overall health.

Check OGEE Luxury Organics on their website or on Amazon! The great reviews on Amazon speak for themselves!

You can use the sticks on your lips too

I’m always on the lookout for new cruelty free and clean makeup products that work for my skin type, which is aging and combination (dry and oily). My skin is also sensitive to harsh chemicals and doesn’t always like it when I try new products. I reached out to OGEE to see if they’d send me some products to test, and they sent me their Contour Collections set in Golden Contour.

They definitely give my skin a healthy glow and match my hair

After doing some research on OGEE Luxury Organics, I’ve learned that they are certified organic, created with many natural pigments and completely cruelty free. You can learn more about their products and brand by clicking here.

Hear about my cruelty free journey and see the product in action in my video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

It is considered a “luxury” brand, meaning it’s on the higher end of the pricing of makeup, but when a brand sets a higher price, you are often paying for the research, better quality ingredients and effectiveness. Think about it like shopping for groceries. Organic usually costs more at the grocery, but I pay for it and my health is doing really, really great!

My beautiful porch was the perfect place to model this brand!

The Golden Contour set came with 3 tubes of contouring product in three colors: Amber (sunkissed tan shimmer), Topaz (a matte rosy peach) and Carnelian (Luminous Coral Shimmer). I used them on my skin with no foundation and on my skin with foundation and despite their creamy and light texture, they worked great both ways.

I currently live in Southwest Florida, on Sanibel Island, and even thought I am writing this at the beginning of April, it’s already hot here. We have already had hot and humid Florida days at 80+ degrees (F). I applied the Topaz to my cheeks, the Carnelian to my cheeks and cheekbones, and the Amber to my forehead, and they actually stayed put all day.

Minnie Pearl definitely inspires me!

The creamy consistency is lightly pigmented, so I applied it in several layers to get the color I wanted. I gave each layer a few minutes to dry, which set it nicely and made it last. I’ve tried lots and lots of creamy types of contouring makeup and they often melt off my combination skin half way through the day, but this brand stayed on.

They kind of reminded me of Bobbi Brown’s Jones Road Beauty’s balm makeup line, but without the stickyness. The balm makeup I tested from Jone’s Road left my cheeks sticky and OGEE sticks did not. You can read my review of my Jones Road experience by clicking here. OGEE’s contour sculpted face sticks still look dewy when dry, but don’t feel heavy or sticky on my skin.

They also don’t make my skin look oily. It just looks healthy and natural. The Contour Collections is a set that also come in other colors, or you can buy the sticks separately.

OGEE makeup makes me smile!

I usually get a few breakouts when trying a new makeup product, but this one did not break me out, which made me really happy! I had zero reactions to the products, but if you have even more sensitive skin than me, you should always do a patch test to make sure it will work for you. The colors in my set gave me a sunkissed and glowy look that went perfectly with my current strawberry blonde hair color.

I am excited to try more of OGEE Luxury Organic products. They are certified organic, cruelty-free, gluten-free, natural, GMO-Free and made in the USA. If you are looking for a clean beauty brand that actually works, check out OGEE.

If you loved this article, then we know you’ll love this one too: How To Create Natural Looking Faux Freckles

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 2 Minute Read

How to Create Natural Looking Faux Freckles

I was born with auburn hair and skin covered in freckles. My mom used to call me “freckles” said I was so “freckle-y” and I loved it. I liked my freckles and I wore them proudly. I remember reading the book Freckle Juice by Judy Blume as a kid and thinking it was weird that the child in the book didn’t like his freckles and did a bunch of things to try to get rid of them.

Faux freckles are easy to create

As an adult, I understand the book explored this subject as a way to teach kids to be more appreciative of how they look. Well, maybe I gained some confidence in my freckles because of this book or because my mom celebrated them.

I was the only one in our family that had my skin tone, freckles and hair color, and instead of being made fun of, my look was celebrated by my mom and that was helpful.

As an adult, I still have freckles all over and they pop out even more after a day in the sun. I wear a daily sunscreen (I am loving Hello Sunshine by it Cosmetics), so when I want to have a freckly look, I do it the sun-safe way and add them back on after I add makeup to my skin, as it covers most of my face freckles up.

Be proud of the skin you were born with

I didn’t think much of my freckles until I saw people adding faux freckles to their skin in the makeup and beauty world. Adding faux freckles to your skin has been a trend that has faded in and out of the makeup world. There are so many ways to add faux freckles to your skin now such as:

• Using a freckle pen (there are tons out there but the Lime Crime Freckle Pen has good reviews on Amazon and is cruelty free)
• Using a pencil brown makeup eyeliner (try a $1 version like Wet n Wild Simma Brown Now!)
• Using a liquid brown makeup eyeliner (I like KVD Beauty Tattoo Liner in Mad Max Brown)
• Using a freckle tattoo (I haven’t tried them, but this freckle tattoo kit is on Amazon for around $7)
• Try metallic gold tattoos (This set of 10 galactic gold face freckle tattoos have great reviews on Amazon)

• Using bronzer or eyeshadow (my preferred faux freckle method)

  All genders and skin types can have freckles

The way I created natural looking faux freckles on my skin that actually works and lasts is by using a dark bronzer and a dotting tool. I think I like it the best because I have combination skin that tends to get oily and a powder faux freckles stay on my skin better.

For the sunkissed makeup look I created for this article, I added a pinky nude lip and love it. Catch my 1 minute tutorial below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Faux freckles are a great summer look

I bought a Natasha Denona #3 bronzer from ipsy and it was a little dark for my skin. I kept it because I knew I could use it as an eyeshadow. Then I saw fake freckles being in style again, so I tested using it with a very small dotting tool that I already had and it worked. It had very little shimmer to it, which is probably best for making freckles, unless you want your freckles to glimmer.

Fake freckles or real….they all look great!

You can add as many freckles to your skin as you want. If you want to make them look natural, try placing them randomly all over your face instead of just on your nose, as I see many people do. This is totally fine if that’s the look you are going for, but if you really want them to be very natural looking, placement is key.

Faux freckles make a great way to cover up pimples. I have added a faux “beauty mark” (AKA the “Cindy Crawford” or “Marilyn Monroe” look) to cover up a pimple before! Read more about the history of beauty marks, moles and freckles via Allure’s article.

Freckles tend to look natural when randomly placed

See my one minute faux freckle video tutorial below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

My full faux freckle tutorial:

1--I applied most of my makeup to my skin including Bye Bye Redness Neutralizing Correcting Cream (no overall foundation for this look…just where I had redness) and the OGEE Contour Collections kit. Then I tapped the dotting tool into my dark Natasha Denona bronzer (a dark brown eyeshadow would work too) and tapped it onto my skin, which transferred the dot of bronzer onto my face.

How to create faux freckles using bronzer

2--I was able to use my own freckles (which are hidden a bit under my foundation) as a guide on where to apply them and how big/small to make them. If you do not have any freckles, study some images of people that have freckles and see what you’d think would be best on your face.

Study images of people with freckles before adding them to your face

3--After I added the freckles, I tapped them with my finger to soften them a bit.

4--Next, I used an it Cosmetics fluffy powder brush to tap some HALEYS Re-touch Soft Focus Setting Powder over my entire face. This sets my makeup AND sets the freckles.

The smaller the dotting tool the better

5--If the powder covers them up too much, I use the dotting tool to add some more bronzing powder over the freckles again.

6--Lastly, I spray Urban Decay DeSlick Makeup Setting Spray all over my face and the faux freckles last all day!

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How to Create a Mermaid Makeup and Hair Look

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Create a Mermaid Hair and Makeup Look

I’m a Kentucky girl that moved to Florida, so it’s no wonder I am always now feeling mermaid vibes. On top of living in Florida, I also live on an island, Sanibel Island, which makes me feel even more mermaid-ish.

The mermaid look can be worn anytime of year

To create a beachy mermaid look that can be worn for a night out or be worn during the day any time of year, I’ve put together this easy mermaid beauty tutorial. Read on to learn how to create a mermaid hair and makeup look. All brands I used are cruelty free!

This version is a party mermaid look

Mermaid Hair Tutorial

Start with your hair. The only reason why I say start with this is because I slept in braids overnight to create my wavy hair. Here’s how: I create heat free mermaid waves in my hair by using Beachwaver Braid Balm and braiding my damp hair into two sections.

I created heat free waves with braiding my hair

I then sleep in my braids and take my hair out of the braids the next day. After taking out my braids, I add a bit more Beachwaver Braid Balm to smooth out my curls and lock them into place.

Braid Balm definitely holds my curls longer than when I do not use it

For my full mermaid wavy hair tutorial, watch the video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Mermaid Makeup Tutorial

For my mermaid inspired makeup, I applied my regular serum SPF 50 face sunscreen (it Cosmetics Hello Sunshine) primer (Thrive Causmetics Filtered Effects) and foundation (it Cosmetics CC Cream).

I used some pink eyeshadow from the Natasha Denona Love Palette to create a pink winged liner look. I also added some pink and purple eyeshadows from the palette too. I used the purple eyeshadow to create my own soft purple eyeliner.

I used Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions for my lashes (which I love it!) and added some of my favorite everyday faux lashes, Ardell Naked Lashes #424, on top.

Creating faux freckles is easy

I used a Natasha Denona bronzing powder to create faux freckles. You could use any dark bronzer for this or you could try a faux freckle pen.

I have been using this it Cosmetics blush for many years

I love it Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores blush and use it often. I used a light pink version of it for this look.

I love Buxom plumping gloss in Dolly

I added Buxom plumping lip cream in Dolly to add a light touch of purple to my lips.

I have used Bare Mineral Warmth since it hit the market many years ago

I have loved Bare Minerals Warmth All Over Face Color since it hit the market many, many years ago. I’ve used lots of bronzers over the years, but this one always gives my skin the perfect “tan” look. I remember seeing the Bare Minerals creator Leslie Blodgett creating beautiful looks with her makeup line on QVC and I still truly love the Bare Mineral makeup.

I use Ad Gem to attach crystals and pearls to my face

I used AdGem to attach some flatback pearls to my skin.

See my 1 minute video tutorial on using Ad Gem to attach crystals to your face below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

After setting my makeup with setting powder, I used a Natasha Denona palette to add some shimmery highlighter to my skin. The palette I used is no longer made, but the brand Wet n Wild has a similar highlighter to the one I used.

Using highlighter for mermaid shimmery skin

This mermaid makeup brush set is super cute and similar to my mermaid highlighter brush.

To complete the look, I created Mermaid sunglasses and you can get the tutorial by clicking here. In the post, I also talk about the dress I created using sequin mermaid fabric. I also created Mermaid hair clips and you can get that tutorial by clicking here.

My every day mermaid look

I love the overall look. The pink and purple makeup is something I wear often as purple looks really good with brown eyes. I loved the color combination as a child, so it’s no wonder that I still love it as an adult.

My Mermaid Makeup

For the everyday mermaid look, I added a sweatshirt I’ve had for many years and got at Express. The iridecent beads definitely felt mermaid-ish to me, even though it’s a sweater that I mostly wear in the winter.

My hair is very mermaid worthy

If mermaid vibes is the intention, this mermaid makeup and hair tutorial can help you achieve the look very simply. You can wear it in the summer or winter or anytime of the year that you want to feel beachy mermaid vibes. Learn more about living with mermaid vibes in this article from medium.com.

My sweater is from Express many years ago

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How to Create Macrame Shower Curtain Accents

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Make Mermaid Sunglasses

Here I go again with yet another fun DIY sunglasses tutorial! My snow day sunglasses and my sprinkle sunglasses tutorials continue to get saved on my Pinterest page and on my YouTube channel all the time. They are easy to create and really, really cute!

I love mermaid inspired colors

There are so many ways you can decorate sunglasses to fit your personality and since I live on Sanibel Island, I’m always feeling mermaid vibes, which led me to create my DIY mermaid sunglasses. Read on to learn how I made them.

I love this macrame hammock swing I got on Amazon

I love mermaid colors, which are ocean-y blues, greens, pinks and purples. That color combination is one of my favorites. I also love iridescent colors, like when oil mixes with water or what you see in bubbles as they blow through the sky. I turned to this color combination to use in my overall sunglasses design.

Modeling my homemade mermaid dress

I’ve made lots of mermaid inspired things and will probably continue doing so for a long while. See my cute little mermaid clips that I wear with these sunglasses in the video tutorial below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden.

Mermaid home décor is another way you can bring mermaid vibes into your life. I read this article on Better Homes & Gardens’ website that shows you all kinds of beautiful mermaid-ish home décor that you can incorporate into your home. Even though we will move to a new state at some point, I’ll always be an honorary mermaid after living on Sanibel for four years.

Our pool area makes you feel mermaid vibes for sure

For this DIY mermaid sunglasses project, I relied on some inspiration from a bedspread I saw on the Barbie movie that came out in 2023. I found the same round sequin “mermaid scale” fabric on Amazon that they had on Barbie’s bed and I knew I had to have it. I didn’t want to make it into a blanket….. just yet. I wanted to drape it into a dress for a mermaid photo shoot and that’s exactly what I did.

This fabric was a beautiful bedspread in the Barbie movie

After making my mermaid sunglasses, I took my hair out of braids to create a wavy, mermaid hair look (see me create it using my favorite Braid Balm pre-braid prep in this tutorial on my website), added some pink and purple makeup, draped the mermaid fabric on my body and had my husband help me clamp it in the back using spring clamps. Maybe it’ll become a permanent dress one day, but I’m having fun using it for creative photos for now.

This mermaid scale fabric does shed, so I had to pick up glittery pieces after my photo shoot

I took the photos at my Sanibel home inside in my bedroom/studio, on my porches and by our pool. It was an overcast day, which lent me the light I needed to shoot this glittery look. I have a background in photography (it’s what I received my undergrad degree in) and learned in my college classes that bright sunshine isn’t always the best light for photos. The overcast sky made the dress pop and photographed well.

My mermaid fabric draped nicely as a dress

As for the mermaid sunglasses, they were beautiful in my mermaid inspired photo shoot, but I’ll wear them in everyday life too. They’d make a cute craft to make at a kid’s mermaid themed birthday party or make them for a girl’s trip to the beach. You could also make them for a milestone birthday celebration or for a bachelorette party.

This mermaid fabric made a beautiful dress

If you want a cute photo op idea for the sunglasses, check out my article about how to make a heart shaped beach photo by clicking this link. I gifted a bunch of plain white heart sunglasses to my family and we took a cute heart shaped beach photo with the sunglasses. The picture turned out so cute!

Here is a one minute video tutorial of me making the sunglasses…watch below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

How to Make Mermaid Sunglasses:

Tools/Products:

• Plastic heart sunglasses (The link will direct you to Temu as I got a pack of 10 there for for $11.99 or you can get some heart sunglasses on Amazon)
• Resin seashell charms (I got mine on TEMU, but here is a similar set on Amazon)
• White heart acrylic alphabet beads (The link will direct you to the ones I purchased on Amazon)
• Mermaid colored Jelly resin flatback rhinestones and pearls in various sizes (I got mine on TEMU, but here is a similar set on Amazon)
• Liquid Fusion Glue (I use this for all my rhinestone + plastic or metal art creations as it holds well and is clear, the link will direct you to Amazon)

We love TEMU for their great affordable craft supplies! Click this link to get $100 coupon bundle or use code afe55197 on the Temu App to get 30% off discount!!

Optional:

• Toothpicks
• Wax Pencil Tool (the link will direct you to Amazon)
• Pointy ended cotton swabs (the link will direct you to Amazon)
• Hand towel (for keeping the sunglasses even)

Directions:

1—Fold up your towel to the width of your sunglasses and wrap your sunglasses around it. This should help keep it flat.

The mermaid sunglasses supplies

2—Use your fingers or a wax pencil tool (you can pick up the alphabet beads with the wax pencil or your fingers) to lay out the alphabet beads (my spelled-out MERMAID LIFE) around the rim of the sunglasses OR lay them out where ever you want on the glasses. I do this so I can understand what I want my design to look like before gluing.

Laying out the letter beads first helps you understand placement

3—Once you know where you want to place the letter beads, start placing a dot of glue onto the back of each one and glue them onto the sunglasses.

4—If any glue oozes out, use the toothpick or the pointy ended cotton swabs to remove the excess.

I love these glittery mermaid colors!

5—Add some glue (I just carefully squeezed it out of the bottle) around the letter beads and add your seashells, rhinestones and pearls, varying the size and placement of each one. I used the wax pencil tool to grab each one and place them on the glasses.

The almost completed mermaid sunglasses

6—Add some glue around the bottom of the sunglasses on the rim and add some rhinestones and pearls. I added a bunch until the glasses were covered.

Allow to dry for 24 hours before wearing

8—Allow to dry for 24 hours then wear and enjoy!

I love how they turned out!

Did you make this craft or something similar? If so, let me know in the comments below!

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How to Make Mermaid Cupcakes

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 2 Minute Read

How to Make Mermaid Hair Clips

While I did love the movie The Little Mermaid while growing up, my love of ocean related things didn’t really happen until I stepped foot on Sanibel Island in Florida. When I first visited Sanibel in 2010, I felt a little bit of magic swimming around the tiny barrier island.

I remember leaving Sanibel to go to Orlando as part of that trip and when I arrived in Orlando, I greatly missed the peaceful beachy town and knew I’d live there one day. And in the year 2020, I moved there.

I put together a whole look for my mermaid crafts

Want more mermaid craft ideas? See how I made Mermaid Sand Slime in my one minute video tutorial below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

Though I do not believe mermaids exist in real life (well, at least not the ones that exist in mermaid mythology, which you can read about here on Britannica.com), if they did, I believe they’d visit Sanibel Island a lot.

I added rhinestones and pearls to my makeup too!

They’d swim with the many dolphins and manatees that swim along the shorelines, they’d collect seashells and they’d make lots of things from them. I definitely felt the mermaid vibes after my visit in 2010 and started creating many things related to the seashells and mermaids ever since.

You could make these mermaid hair clips in lots of colors

I must still be feeling mermaid vibes, which I think is a part of living on an island. Sanibel Island in Florida does have its fair share of tropical vibes, so I suppose I’ll continue feeling inspiration for creating mermaid related things until I move.

I will wear these mermaid hair clips myself as I love them!

While I love Sanibel, we have another life chapter to write in the state of Georgia, in the mountains. Our Hurricane Ian experience was a lot for us to take, and even though our chapter of living on Sanibel will come to an end, I can officially say that I feel I will be an honorary mermaid and will continue to craft many mermaid things the rest of my life.

I added pink and purple eye makeup to coordinate with the clips

These simple mermaid hair clips came about when I received some hair clips from TEMU as part of a brush set. I knew they needed some sparkle added to them, and so I ordered some mermaid colored rhinestones and pearls and set to work. Read on to learn how to make these easy mermaid hair clips. They’d be great craft for a mermaid themed party or for everyday wear as they are super fun and sparkly.

I braided my hair and slept on it to get these mermaid wavy curls

See me make the clips in my one minute video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

How to Make Mermaid Hair Clips

Supplies:

I got all my supplies for the clips on TEMU, so you can use this link to shop TEMU and use my code afe55197 to get 30% off at checkout. Just search for the products on TEMU using the terms I used below. If you don’t shop TEMU, I’ve included almost the exact product links to buy them on Amazon.

• 3-inch duck bill hair clips (If you shop Amazon, this is a set of 12 duck bill clips for approx. $6.99)
• Mermaid colored flatback pearls and rhinestone set (this is a set of 2mm-10mm mermaid colored rhinestones on Amazon, similar to what I used
• 0.63x0.79 inch resin flatback shell charms
• Wax pencil
• Liquid Fusion glue
• Old towel or heavy piece of cardboard

• Optional: pointed cotton swabs

  Mermaid hair clip supplies

How-To:

1--Clamp the clips onto an old towel or a piece of cardboard. A piece of wax paper will work too. The clip could stick to the towel or cardboard, so if you clamp onto one of those without a layer of wax paper, just be careful how much glue you use.

I usually use Liquid Fusion glue for my rhinestone crafts

2—Add a bit of Liquid Fusion glue to the top of the hair clip and add a resin shell charm

Glue on the flatback rhinestones and pearls a little at a time

3—Add a bit more glue to the clip and start using either your fingers or the wax pencil to grab rhinestones and pearls and add them on top of the glue.

Make one or more mermaid hair clips

4—Work in small sections by adding some glue, then rhinestones/pearls until you have covered the top of a duck bill clip. Some of mine hung over the edge slightly, which is fine.

I love the colors of these mermaid hair clips

5—Use a pointed cotton swab or a toothpick to clean up any oozy glue.

The side view of the finished mermaid hair clips

6—Allow to dry for about 24 hours, then wear and enjoy!

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How to Make My Beach Salt Scrub

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

Pink Go-Go Boots + Our 1960’s Fashion Trend Finds

Many, many years ago, I found a pair of pink heeled boots at T.J. Maxx that were satin and knee-high and I loved them. I could not determine if I would wear them or not, and even thought they were well-priced, I passed on buying them.

My dogs love to be a part of my photo shoots

Days went by and I couldn’t stop thinking about them. They zipped up the side and I eventually figured I could wear them with jeans or dresses or skirts, so I went back to T.J. Maxx to get them. They were gone. That’s how it goes sometimes….

You can see my other dog, Minnie Pearl at the bottom of this shot

Fast forward to the present day and of course, as you can tell by my writing this article, I regret not buying those pink boots. Fortunately, today, we have lots of places online to look for similar fashion items that we may have passed on buying in a store.

Minnie Pearl is under the chair, while Johnny Cash looks at me

I recently was browsing TEMU to put together a makeup and hair look and saw some pink go-go booties and instantly remembered my pink boot story. See how I put my 1960’s hair and makeup look together by clicking here.

My egg chairs on my porch seemed to fit this photo shoot well

The pink go-go booties on TEMU were $19.99, which was a great price. I remembered the boots at T.J. Maxx were a bit more than that. These TEMU booties were knit, only came slightly above my ankle, but I liked them and decided to purchase them. They also come in lots of other colors, including neutrals if you don’t want bright colored booties.

We love the prices on TEMU and think you will too! Use code afe55197 at checkout on the TEMU app for 30% off or click this link.

The pink go go booties really stand out

The first go-go boots were first introduced to the fashion world in the mid-1960’s and were traditionally white, but came in other colors. They were low heeled, and came up to your mid-calf. The go-go booties on TEMU were ankle height, but still had a lower heel, similar to the originals.

Part of this look was inspired by Twiggy

Nancy Sinatra brought lots of attention to go-go boots when she released her song “These Boots are Made for Walking” and you can see how the boots are front and center in the video below via her channel on YouTube.

To put my entire look together, I did a little research (see a 1960’s fashion history timeline on the Fashion History website), then I ordered the pink boot and I ordered a shift dress (with bell sleeves, popular in the late 1960’s) from TEMU too. I also ordered a pixie wig, so I could resemble the popular British fashion model of the 1960’s, Twiggy.

My mini eskies are super sweet and fun to work with

If you don’t shop TEMU, but still want some cute go-go style booties, I found a similar style on Amazon.com. I will say that the TEMU pink go-go booties were surprisingly well made and comfortable. I really thought I could only get use from them with the costume I was putting together, but they are so nice, that I’ll wear them in everyday life.

I pay my dogs in tiny dog cookies…they love Grandma Lucy’s pumpkin cookies

See some ways I’d wear the go-go boots in my less than a minute videos below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

The daisy earrings were a gift from my mother-in-law, but I found a cute similar beaded pair on Amazon. The daisy sunglasses were a set of 4 different styles from Amazon.

The white dress I ordered has a giant satin ribbon that you tie into a big bow to close it in the back. It’s a little on the “costume-y” side, but it’s really cute too. It looks like it may have sold out on TEMU as I can’t find it right now (things sell out quickly on the TEMU app sometimes), but here is an exact copy of the dress on Amazon.

Peek-a-boo Johnny Cash!

I’d wear the sequined dress to a party in the future. It was the perfect length on me, not too short, not too long, but if you are taller than me (I’m 5”1’) it may be on the short side. The pixie wig was surprisingly well made and I’d recommend TEMU for your wig needs. This pink-ish pixie wig I found was super cute too, but I can’t buy up all the wigs!

Peace and love is a great 1960’s vibe

After I put the look together, my dogs joined me in a photo shoot (they love to be a part of all my creations if they can!), and all the photos you see in this write up were taken by me at our home on Sanibel Island, Florida. I already had the egg chairs, which I bought at Walmart. They survived Hurricane Ian and I wrote about them in this article (click here).

My dogs and I work together on about one project a week

Overall, I think I nailed the look, I now have some cute pink boots (finally!) and a fun memory. I’m intrigued to recreate more fashion looks from history. It’s fun to utilize fashion history as a form of inspiration. Fashion always comes back around and is fun to make it work and play with it in today’s world.

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How to Create a Mob Wife Aesthetic

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

How to Create a 1960's Makeup and Hair Look

The song lyrics “If you’re going to San Francisco….” (from the song San Francisco, written by John Phillips, sung by Scott McKenzie), played in my head for a few days and I started getting all kinds of 1960’s vibes. That’s how an artist’s brain works sometimes.

Even in college I dressed up in a blonde wig for my photography classes

Many times, my inspiration comes from music. After singing the song over and over, I started getting ideas for a 1960’s makeup look. Read on to learn how to create a modern and wearable 1960’s makeup and hair look based on my interpretation.

I got my sunglasses on Amazon

I first started thinking about Twiggy (a model that was very well known in the 1960s and again when she appeared on the t.v. show America’s Next Top Model) and knew my creation involved becoming a strong 60’s type of personality. The 1960’s brought about a lot of hard times for Americans and many people had to be very strong to get through things like the Vietnam War, the death of Martin Luther King Jr. and so much more (read more about the 1960’s on history.com). Things like art, music and culture brought about so many good things though, which is often how people cope with tragedy. It’s how I cope, at least.

Watch my 1960’s makeup and hair look come together in my video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

I painted my nails in a french manicure pink color to match my lips

For this particular creation, I created a character with a wearable look, named Peachy, after my husband’s aunt. It was a sweet name meant for a strong person. I ordered a blonde pixie wig from TEMU (their low prices on costuming things helps me be able to create more and more!), a 60’s style sequin dress (which was from TEMU and cute enough for wearing out!) and a pair of go-go style booties (TEMU too!). I put it on and instantly had a vision for her final look.

See me put together a late 1960’s/early 1970’s look in my 15 second video below using the song “Fancy” written by Bobbie Gentry (released in 1970) or see it via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

I love the peace and love vibe from the 1960’s

I modernized my 1960’s look to make it a bit softer, as some of the mod 1960’s eye makeup was fairly bold. I wanted to make the makeup look wearable and easily created by anyone wanting to try it. Here’s how my 1960’s hair and makeup look was created and what products I used.

Adding my foundation over primed skin

The Makeup Base

Gathering up all my inspiration and what I already knew about 1960’s style makeup, I started by giving myself a foundation base using my all-time favorite It Cosmetics CC Cream. I apply it using a brush, then I dab it to make sure it’s even using a blending sponge. Before adding a base, I always add a sunscreen and a primer. I’m currently loving Live Tinted Hueguard for this step.

I created a “hollow” liner look

Eyeshadow

There are many types of 1960’s eye shadow trends, and I choose to do an all over pastel with a soft mod line on my lid to update it a bit. I mostly use Elizabeth Mott eye primer (I’ve used it for many years) to help my eyeshadow stay put all day. I then used the Natasha Denona Retro Eye Palette (I have many of her makeup palettes and wait for them to go on sale before snatching them up) to create the overall pastel pink lid and soft purple line.

I softened the lid line using a purple eyeshadow

The lines on the lids in the 60’s were more harsh, but with my eyelids being sort of hooded, I had to update it to be softer and I like it actually a bit more.

Too many lashes irritate my eyes

Lashes and Liner

According to an interview with Twiggy in Harper’s Bazaar, she wore three pairs of false eyelashes and had to paint on her bottom lashes. I could not get three pairs on my lids…one is enough for my sensitive eyes. So, I updated her look to do one pair of thicker faux lashes (I used Eyelure Wild & Unwispy from Amazon) and some short single lashes on my bottom lashes.

Lots of lashes were popular in the 60’s and still are today

Again, I softened up the look with what I used. I attach my lashes using DUO lash glue. I used a bit of a thin line of KVD Tattoo liquid liner to cover up any of the lash line and extended it out just a bit.

Twiggy was definitely an inspiration

Lips and The Rest

Twiggy said she used Panstik on her lips to give it a matte nude look. I used a soft pink lipstick and then patted some whitish frosty eyeshadow over it to update it. I used my regular Haleys RE-Touch setting powder a very soft whitish highlighter on the tops of my cheeks. I used a soft pink It Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Blush and very little bronzer to keep the overall look pastel and soft.

The cute daisy earrings were a gift from my mother in law

The Pixie Hair

I pulled my long hair back and pinned it to my head. I added a nude wig cap on first, then added the blonde pixie wig I got on TEMU. This idea was inspired by Twiggy’s blonde pixie cut that many people copied in the 60’s. 1960’s hairstyle community brought all kinds of cool new hairstyles including the bee hive, the flipped bob and more and this pixie style definitely stands out. While I grew my pixie cut out (I wrote about my process in this article), it is a cute style that will always be modern and stylish.

If you want to see more 1960’s makeup and hair trends to gain inspiration from, check out this article from BYRDIE.

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How To Make Green Eyeshadow Wearable

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 2 Minute Read

This $12 Lip Mask Dupe Hacks Your Dry Lips

For over a year, I went in search of a lip mask to replace my Laneige Lip Mask. I really and truly loved it and it made my winter lips never get chapped again, but unfortunately it was not cruelty free.

I went on a cruelty free product replacement search around 2018, and slowly started finding new cruelty free replacements in my home care and beauty product regimes. After lots of testing, I finally am proud to say I have found a new lip mask that I love. Read on to learn about my Elizabeth Mott find of a $12 lip mask dupe that will hack your dry lips.

I put both brands to the test on winter chapped lips

I first discovered Elizabeth Mott products years ago when I received the Thank Me Later Eye Primer in an ipsy bag. It made my eyeshadow last all day, so I’ve kept it in my makeup routine since then. Elizabeth Mott, as a brand is marketed the “Best of Korean Beauty”, and based on my experience, I’d say it makes my top 10 of makeup companies.

Both lip mask brands have the same texture and thickness

Elizabeth Mott was founded by Alice Kim, a Korean American woman that grew up in America. Read more about her story on the Elizabeth Mott website. It is an affordable brand that brings us a lip mask that is a great dupe for the Laneige Lip Mask. It’s also half the price. Currently, I see Laneige selling their lip mask for $24.00 on Amazon. The Elizabeth Mott Lip Mask is currently half the price of Laneige at $11.99 on Amazon.

The Elizabeth Mott lip mask smells like berries

Both lip masks are around the same size, with the Elizabeth Mott being slightly bigger at 0.71 ounces. Both are extremely thick and effective. I did love the Laneige Lip Mask and it is effective, but without it being cruelty free and being double the price of the Elizabeth Mott Lip Mask, I made the switch and won’t look back. Elizabeth Mott can ensure their brand is cruelty free, and even made sure to get their products certified by the Leaping Bunny program, and you can verify their certification by clicking here.

The best thick lip mask overall is the Elizabeth Mott Lip Mask

Lip masks are designed for you to put on your lips at night and wake up to super soft lips. There are tons on the market, and during my quest to find a dupe for the Laneige, I tested a lot. In the winter, no matter where I live, I get very chapped lips. It’s maybe from the weather but it also is probably from having the heat on in the house. I drink tons of water, so I know it’s environmental.

See my one minute video review and tutorial of the Elizabeth Mott Lip mask below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

My test included wearing the lip masks at night for a couple of weeks and seeing how dry my lips were when I woke up. The Elizabeth Mott lip mask kept my lips from getting chapped, just like the Laneige Lip Mask.

I found a good dupe for my favorite Buxom lip plumping gloss and it’s only $5….see it in my 1 minute video review below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

The Elizabeth Mott lips mask goes on a sheer light pink and I think you could even wear it during the day if you are experiencing severe dry lips. It smells like berries, but has no taste.

Buy Elizabeth Mott Lip Mask on their website or click this link to get it on Amazon!

I love the lower price point of the Elizabeth Mott lip mask

An even lower price point of something that is not marketed as a lip mask, but is a great product to help chapped lips is Rosebud Lip Salve. It was my very first internet purchase in the early 2000’s and it’s been a staple I’ve kept on hand since. It’s made by the Rosebud Perfume Company and they are a cruelty free company too. Learn more about cruelty free beauty brands on the Cruelty Free Kitty website.

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: This $7 Body Butter Dupe is Worth Picking Up at Trader Joe’s

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 1 Minute Read

This $7 Body Butter is Worth Picking Up at Trader Joe's

If you are like us and see many beauty brands starting to slowly hike up their prices, you may be looking for some alternatives. I absolutely love Mario Badescu’s Coconut Body Butter, but because it has not gone on sale in a long while and because the brand raised the already high price of $16 to $17, I had to set it aside. Read on to learn about Trader Joe’s Coconut body butter dupe that I tested and love.

Check out my one minute video review in my video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

***If you are into DIY-ing your skincare, try our super easy beach salt scrub that comes together in minutes and makes your skin super soft. Get the recipe in our one minute video below or via our*** ***YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:***

I tested lots of alternatives when looking for a coconut body butter dupe like Mario’s. The light tropical coconut scent is something that reminds me of summer days filled with beachy fun in the tropics that I love to have on my skin every night. Among the brands that really go close to taking the place of the body butter is Hempz. The generous sized bottles are cost efficient and are really moisturizing. I love Hempz Sweet Pineapple & Honey Melon and several other scents.

The texture of the Trader Joe’s is almost the same as Mario’s

While I’ll keep using Hempz lotions during the day, at night I like to treat my skin after a shower with a thick body butter. My skin gets very dry from the Florida sun and because of aging, the thick and creamy texture of the Trader Joe’s Coconut Body butter is perfect for me. I also like that it almost smells exactly like the Mario Badescu’s body butter and it has about the same texture.

The Trader Joe’s Coconut Body Butter smells yummy

I also have to note that Trader Joe’s body butter did not irritate my skin. Neither did the Hempz lotions. My leg skin can often become irritated with certain lotions and these brands were a great match for my skin. They are also cruelty free. While the scent doesn’t last all day on either lotion (I don’t think I’ve ever had a lotion scent last all day), you can pair it with a coconut body mist to boost the tropical scent.

I go through body butter pretty quickly, so with the $7 in store price of Trader Joe’s version, I’ll be picking it up in bulk and if you like it too, I suggest you do the same before it sells out!

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: Why We Love CURVD Eco-Friendly Earplugs

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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KRISTINE CANNON • 3 Minute Read

The Easiest (& Cutest) Animal Crafts Little Kids Will Love

The Easiest (& Cutest) Animal Crafts Little Kids Will Love Take your kids on a wild adventure with these animal crafts — using mostly materials you have on hand. This article originally appeared on  ; products were independently selected by its editors. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

If your kids are into crafts (lol isn’t that basically a kid requirement?), maybe you already have no shortage of go-to ideas and inspiration. Perhaps you have a whole catalogue of DIYs to do — sourced from friends and the friendly internet alike. And it’s true that the kid craft options — from a DIY kaleidoscope to clothespin and chalk paint crafts to Mason jar projects — can seem endless. So how do you choose? Here’s a tip: Ask yourself, what do kids love even more than they love crafts? Answer: Animals. Thus, behold: the cutest and easiest animal crafts out there, so your kids can craft — and bark and squawk and roar — to their hearts’ delight.

I mean, just a quick scroll through Pinterest makes it clear that the animal craft kingdom is truly where it’s at, DIY-wise. You just can’t beat how adorable most of these cute critter projects are; they make for cute toys, decor and more. Plus, plenty of the animal craft ideas we found use readily available everyday household and food packaging items you’d normally toss out or recycle right away (think paper towel and toilet paper rolls). So why not do your DIY one better and repurpose your trash into fancy fauna works of art you’ll cherish?

Look ahead for our favorite animal crafts for kids. Lions and turtles and (koala) bears, oh my!

Our mission at SheKnows is to empower and inspire women, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Report adA version of this story was originally published in June 2018.

Photo : The Inspiration Edit.Alpaca CraftThis one is such an easy DIY; you really only need embossed craft paper and some imagination. The Inspiration Edit has the step-by-step how-to.

Embossed Craft Paper$25.39on Amazon.comBuy nowPhoto : Red Ted Art.Toilet Paper Roll NarwhalA shiny cardboard narwhal toilet paper roll craft with a bright yellow horn?! Who could say no! Red Ted Art has the tutorial.

Metallic Blue Craft Paint$2.68$6.9962% Offon Amazon.comBuy nowPhoto : Buggy and Buddy.Foldable Fishy CraftThis fish craft is simple enough for little kids, but chic enough that you can even use it for adultish party decor — beach-themed baby shower, anyone? Go to Buggy and Buddy for the how-to.

Google Eyes$6.99on Amazon.comBuy nowPhoto : Oh Happy Day.Stained Glass UnicornAnd speaking of oh-so-elegant crafts, this “stained-glass” unicorn is easy but not childish at all. Oh Happy Day shares how to make it using colorful acetate gel filters.

Acetate Gel Filters$9.99$15.9938% Offon Amazon.comBuy nowPhoto : I Heart Crafty Things.Newspaper Koala CraftGrab an old newspaper and pick up a few other items from the arts and crafts store, including colored card stock and wiggly eyes, to make this cute koala craft.

Colored Card Stock$9.99on Amazon.comBuy nowPhoto : Easy Peasy and Fun.Report adCraft Stick CrocodileThe best part about Easy Peasy and Fun’s craft stick crocodile is your kids are building themselves a toy — instead of you buying them one. That’s a win for all involved, right?

Pipe Cleaners Pack$11.97on Amazon.comBuy nowPhoto : Housing a Forest.Paper Plate HedgehogHow adorable are these paper plate hedgehogs? Kids will have a blast finger-painting the plates. And the adorable “toy” they’ll have once it dries will be worth all the mess.

Kids Finger Paint$26.14on Amazon.comBuy nowPhoto : Green Kid Crafts.Animal Track StampsAll you need for this incredibly easy, educational and fun project are cardboard pieces, sponges, card stock, a hot glue gun and an ink pad. Then, just get to stamping.

Cellulose Sponges$9.98$12.9823% Offon Amazon.comBuy nowPhoto : Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls.Paper Roll AnimalsInstead of tossing those paper towel and toilet paper rolls, transform them into cute paper roll animals. Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls will show you how.

Precision Craft Glue$19.99on Amazon.comBuy nowPhoto : Crafty Morning.Fork-Print Panda BearFor this clever project, simply use a fork to paint the panda’s face onto colored paper. Kids will love using their food utensil as a “brush” — just make sure to thoroughly wash before transitioning it back to its original use! Or, you know, use disposable.

Craft Fork$6.99on Amazon.comBuy nowPhoto : Easy Peasy and Fun.Forest Animals Cootie CatchersRemember learning how to make these origami fortune-tellers? Here’s a creative way to not only teach kids how to make their own, but also turn them into absolutely adorable forest animals. Easy Peasy and Fun has a PDF download for $2.99, or use these make-your-own face stickers from Amazon.

Make an Animal Face Stickers$15.99on Amazon.comBuy nowPhoto : Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls.Egg Carton TurtlesAnother project that allows you to repurpose waste is this egg carton turtle craft. Have kids paint the egg carton green and then decorate their tiny turtles with googly eyes and any pattern they want on the shells.

Pom Poms$8.99on Amazon.comBuy nowPhoto : Clare's Little Tots.Peacock CraftWhat makes this DIY peacock project so fun is that little ones can choose any vibrant-colored feathers they like. Or they can even use the real thing, below.

Peacock Feathers$6.50on Amazon.comBuy nowPhoto : Glued To My Crafts.Craft Stick FoxYou basically can’t go wrong with popsicle sticks when it comes to crafts. Once the kids are all done making their own fox faces, super-glue a magnet to the back to proudly display them on your fridge.

Craft Magnets$7.99$8.9911% Offon Amazon.comBuy nowPhoto : Bonnie Azoulay/SheKnowsPin it!Pin these easy and cute animal crafts for little kids.

Our mermaid sand slime recipe is hitting it big in our social media pages! Kids LOVE slime and this homemade recipe for mermaid sand slime is fun to make! Check it out via the one minute video below or via our YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:

If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: How to Make Snow Day Sunglasses

This article is syndicated content from sheKnows in partnership with Carolyn’s Blooming Creations. We only choose content that we know our readers would enjoy!

Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery,How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.

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Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read

My Favorite Dollar Bill Origami Tutorials

Original Article Published: 12/7/23

Updated: 3/14/24

Years ago, my niece came to spend the night at my house and that night she lost a tooth. I wanted to make it special for her so I created a dollar bill origami butterfly made out of two single dollar bills and a pipe cleaner. While she slept, I left it by her pillow with a note sprinkled in glittery “fairy dust” and the next morning, she was pleasantly surprised to see the cute creation made by the tooth fairy.

I created this butterfly origami for a sweet child

Over the years, I’ve continued gifting money to my niece and nephew in many creative ways and have loved it. Origami dollar bill creations are among my favorite ways to gift money. You can give your creations to strangers in need, graduates, newlyweds and more. I taught some origami, or the Japanese art of paper folding, to some of my art students and they loved it, so I want to pass along this fun art form to anyone else wanting to try it.

Place several origami money hearts in a circle and it forms a flower

You can create many, many origami creations using money and, in this article, I’ll show you some of my favorite dollar bill origami tutorials, some of which got very popular on my TikTok account! My Pinterest account is also gaining speed on my dollar bill heart origami video.

I glued the pom pom to the card, not the money