Tutorial Tuesday: Princess Aurora Curls

From the dawn of time- well my time- I have loved Princess Aurora. Even before I saw the 1959 masterpiece “Sleeping Beauty” (one of the most under appreciate films of all time IMO) I have love Princess Aurora. As a three year old, I fell in little girl love with everything about her- the dress, the beauty, the Prince (yum yum) and especially THE HAIR! She had hair like me which is why she and I had to be best friends. My obsession has only grown since the age of three, so much that I now collect Sleeping Beauty paraphernalia (Does anyone knows where I can buy a copy/original “Sleeping Beauty” movie poster?) and could rightfully say that at least a half-  two thirds of my 24 years of birthday cakes have had Sleeping Aurora on them. No judgments.

I say all of that to say this- I am EXTREMELY excited about the release of Maleficent this Friday. So excited that I will be at the closest theater when it opens Friday morning to watch the movie. If it was necessary, I would camp out the night before, so I could see the first showing. But I live in the biggest city in Alabama so that’s probably not a good idea. In preparation for the viewing extravaganza I will seeing this Friday and again on Sunday with my family and probably once more with friends, my blog post this week will be themed around Princess Aurora, who the world usually refers to as “Sleeping Beauty”.

And since her hair is absolutely beautiful, I thought I would start with a tutorial on how I do my, as I refer to them, Princess Aurora curls. These curls are perfect to wear with a crown or a headband or alone and provides beautiful Princess-esque volume while being simple. Curls are the most classic of all known and yet to be discovered hairstyles and perfect for any and all occasions- except surgery, they don’t care what you hair looks like during surgery.

Supplies Needed: Usual things that you probably have in your bathroom or wherever you fix your hair

Hairspray

Bobby pins- around 15-20

Curling iron with a large barrel- the one I’m using has a 1-1/2 inch barrel

Clips to pin up your hair

Hairbrush- Duh

If you can curl and put in a bobby pin, you can do this tutorial.

Catherine Note: Through my years of answering questions about how I do my hair/ how I curl my hair I have come to a realization: some women/girls/young ladies/ chicks/ gals and any other slang you can think of the describe the female gender have no clue how to curl their hair. They ask me how I don’t get kinks in my hair or how to properly curl hair and even though today’s blog is dedicated to a certain hairstyle, I will try to answer these questions. Eventually, I’ll do a “This is how I normally curl my hair” tutorial which should answer any or all hair curling questions. But that will be later, this comes first.

Step 1: Start with fresh clean hair with very little to no product in your hair. If you have hair that has problem holding curl, this is key! I've notice that many girls have complained to me that their hair won’t hold curl but then I notice that they load their hair down with so much product that it forms a force field of synthetics around their head. Yeah, no curl can withstand in that sort of environment. Usually I just put my a little bit of Moroccan oil on my ends (when wet) and that’s it. If you have very thin or straight hair, you might consider putting some texturing spray to help your hair hold the curl. Just don’t overload on the product. Okay?

Step 2: After thoroughly brushing your hair part you hair in approximately 3 sections. If you hair is long or really thick, you might consider 4 sections. If you have layered hair, you would want to section off your hair according to your layers. If not, well then section your hair into a bottom, middle and top sections and clip it off the top two sections. Brush through the loose hair, just to be sure.

Step 3: If you have a natural curl or wave in your hair that makes it kink next to you scalp, like mine does, you might consider running a flat iron through the kink to get it out. Do not flat iron down the hair, remember you are trying to curl it- not straighten it. Section the let down layer into 2 inch sections- I usually have about three or four- and start curling. Okay here’s my steps for how to curl your hair:

1.       Start with the middle of the section

2.       Curl around the barrel (don’t fold you hair back over the clamp)

3.       Loosen the clamp and slide the barrel to the end of the hair

4.       Clamp down and roll the hair up and hold for a varying amount of time

Step 4: After holding your hair in the curling iron for whatever time you deem best (just be careful not to burn your hair off like that one girl) let off the clamp a little and gently wiggle the curling iron out of your hair.

Step 5: Once the curl in loose, grab it with you finger and use them to roll in back up to you scalp and pin in to your head. Do not pin in flat to you head (that would be a pin curl) but more or less like you have invisible curlers in your hair. Repeat with the rest of the section and the middle layer.

Step 6: Curling the top layer is a little bit different than the other layers. Section you are so that you have a Mohawk like section down the middle. If there is any extra hair after sectioning on the sides, curl as before. For the Mohawk hair, you are going to need to hold the hair straight up and curl as before. This is a little tricky because sometimes the hair gets a mind of its own and tries to get free. Roll the curling iron so that it land on top of your head like a little curling iron hat and hold. Release the hair after the allotted time and reform and pin the curl- again to the top of your head. Repeat with the rest of the Mohawk hair until all of her hair is set and pinned.

Step 7: Spray the hair with hairspray and let cool- usually 15-20 minutes. This waiting time is a wonderful time do your make up or catch a quick episode of Scrubs or both. It’s really up to you.

Step 8: Release you hair from its metal captures and allow the curl to gracefully fall in accordance to gravity. Repeat until all of your hair is free then give it a quick shake out like you are in a Aerosmith music video. If need be, run your fingers through your curls to loosen them up.

Step 9: Finish off with a little extra spray and you are done. Rock your beautiful curls.

Now that you have Princess Aurora hair, I suggest grabbing a basket, taking off you shoes and heading to the forest of your choice- who knows, you might even meet your prince there too.

Happy curling and much love!

XX

Catherine 

I know that this may come as a shock to you but yes, I participate in online dating. Really, I just have a online dating account. My extent of online dating is to have random guys tell me that I'm pretty. Shallow? Yes. Do I care? No! Sometimes a girl needs a pick me up. And since the last time a guy told me I was pretty in real life I was in highschool, this seemed like a good option. I really have no desire to date any of the guy on the dating website because A) because I've seen too many E! shows that begin with online dating and end with someone dead and B) there is NO ONE worth dating on these sites. That is was brings us to this post. In my 8 months of having a online dating account, I have noticed that the men that cyberly approach me can be categorized in 9 categories. What do I do with this knowledge, share it with you of course! 

The 9 Guys You Meet Online Dating:

1. The "Hey girl" guys.That's all they write in any message to you- "hey girl." Of course, there are variations to this message that can range from "hi" to "hey" to my personal favorite "heyy gurl". Like, what are you a fierce drag queen? And what's with the two Ys on the hey? Do you think that the the presence of the extra y is going to get you a date with me?  Like I'm sitting at home on my computer going "mhmm he doubled the y, I got to get me some of that!" Um, that would be a nope. You want to know how to get any RESPECTABLE girl- learn how to spell. It's not that hard, most computer have this little thing called auto correct so use it and don't abuse it- the English language that is. 

2. The visual lovers. These are they guys they only go as far as your profile picture before sending a message. They never read anything about you, such as your interest or likes or that you don't drink, but invite you out for one anyway. You wonder, even if it's for a minute, if they are illiterate due to their lack of interest in my interest. I understand that physical appearance DOES factor into dating and that anyone that says otherwise it lying to themselves and others, but it's only a part of dating.Dating is like a book- the cover might draw you in but the writing is what keeps you there! Well it should...unless it's a picture book. So, David, what do we think about these guys?  

 3. The body shot guys. Nothing say romance like a gym selfie of you delts. It might be a little unfair but I automatically put all of these guys into a category labelled "Don't Go There Ever Ever Ever." I mean, maybe I would date you if I wanted to spend a whole date talking about the pros and cons of whey protein after lifting and whether or not your pecs are defined enough or if I wanted to watch you flex in front of every reflective surface you come in contact with. Yep, that's the way to get a girl.Now, disclaimer, these are not the guys that go to the gym. I like going to the gym as well as guys that go to the gym. These are the guys are usually so self absorbed because they have a hot body and aware that they are "hot" which eventually drives all women that come in contact with them away from them...far away. (Which is probably why they have ended up on a online dating website) So I raise my Bojangles cup to you body guy shot. I hope that the hours of developing your body and ignoring your drowning personality will gain you a girl some day. 

4. The Hugh Hefners. Any and all dating websites you sign up on will always ask you your age. Wanna know why? Because people usually date other people around there age. And yet, for some reason, some guy old enough to be your dad will message you. I mean, old guys need love too but so do old women. Have you not seen the commercials for It's Our Time (.com)? There is a dating website for you and your contemporaries where y'all can talk about the moon landing and the Flower Power movement. So, please go stalk them instead of messaging me 6 times. That way, when you are on you date talking about when the Beatles toured America, you can talk to someone who was also alive during that time. 

This could be you!

5. The Super Creeps.The super creeps are a mysterious breed of online daters- like the Trojan horses of men. They seem like harmless, genuine guys but mark my words- these are the guys that make a skin suit of your flesh. You may thing that I'm joking but I'm not. I have only come in contact with this type of guy a few times, with one being most prevalent. This guy told me wrote a page and a half about how I was an angel who fell from heaven to grace the mere mortals with my heavenly face- pretty much everything short of confessing his undying love to me. At first it seemed sweet but after sharing it was my girlfriends it was clear that this guy wasn't romantic- he was a psycho. Seriously, if I had gone on a date with him, I probably would have been found in a ditch missing my lips and hair. Side note- I did see him at school once and though there were witnesses around, I hid my face. I like my lips and hair too much. 

6. The Basement Dwellers. These guys may or may not live in their mother's basement and may or may not have a form of employment. But one this is for sure- they understand any geeky reference you could whip out. They spend most of their time reading Battlestar Galatica fanfiction and Dungeons and Dragons forums and can name all of the Houses of Westeros. Are these bad attributes? No necessarily. In fact, I personally love geeky guys- see Henry Cavill and World of Warcraft. But these guys are typically the kind that rather live their life on the web and not in the presence where we live.That's why online dating probably appeals to them- they can do it online. They just need to surface from their Fortress' of Geeky Solitude once in a while to meet the sun. Please.Oh and eat and apple or something. 

 

7. The Deceivers.The unfortunate truth about the internet is that everyone can be who they want- and it's twice so for online dating. The first thing you see about anyone on a dating website is their picture. So, you obviously want you profile pic to look good. Unfortunately, some guys (and girls) have taken that to a whole new level. They post these unbelievable attractive pictures of them self that makes you click on them, only to reveal the truth-that they look NOTHING like that. Imagine seeing a trailer with Channing Tatum and then going to the movie and Channing Tatum is not in it, but Adam Sandler is. You see my disappointment. I know that looks aren't everything but don't post a photoshopped, filtered picture of you in high school as you profile pic. Not cool. Then there are the ultimate deceivers who must think that every girl on said dating website is an idiot and post a picture of a male celebrity as his profile pic. I came in contact once with a guy who have Chris Hemsworth picture as his profile pic- with Just Jared watermark and all. Being the girl that I am, I called him out. #TrueStory

Profile Pic vs. Reality

8. The Genuine Guys. Yes, they do exist in online dating but are like the proverbial needle in a haystack. To get to these guys you have to sort through men upon men, like a sale bin in Victoria's Secret. These guys have well thought out profiles which include certain unseen dating profile luxuries such as punctuation and capitalization. When they contact you, they focus more on your personality and likes and ask you real questions. These guys do not start by asking for you number or for you to go hangout because they want to get to know you and a person before meeting up in real life. They want to get to know you as you are. Good job guys. 

Dylan O'Brien- because I can

9. The Pervs.These guys are the underbellies of online dating society. They scurry around like cyber rats looking for their next victim to scar. The online dating life is usually very short because they are report so often to the website that they are kicked off. Sometimes these guys will just annoy you and ask things like "Heyy gurl, you wanna hook up later" but sometimes they take this one step further and send an explicit picture of themselves that makes you want to hurl and afraid to close you eyes. Avoid these guys like a plague and be wary opening any messages- a little tip from me to you.

Poor bunny- some things can not be unseen

As you can see, there are all sorts of guys on online dating sites. Some want to bench press you, some want to strip you of your skin and then there are some who want to flash you. Just be careful and safe and it you can find someone worth dating, hold onto them like a dress at a Barney's sample sale. 

XX -but not in a creepy, psycho way

Catherine 

Tutorial Tuesday: I made a skirt

This is not a tutorial per se in the classic sense, more of a tutorial review. As part of my year of empowerment and self discovery- also known as my unexpected year off- I decided that I want to learn how to sew. I wish I could say that the desires stem for want to make things for others (like Tabitha in the Bible) but I really just like clothes (Like the adorable vintage looking clothes on Mod Cloth.com) but have a limited budget to spend on them. The solution? Learn how to make them myself so I can expand my wardrobe and save money.

I decided that my first project would be to make a skirt. Skirts looked like simple items to make for a beginner like me and I can always use a new one. So, I took to the Pinterest to find a tutorial and I came across this one from This Big Oak Tree. It was a simple, high waisted skirt with a bow- perfect for what I wanted.

So, on this past rainy Friday, I attempted to make my first skirt. I say “attempted” because, though I have a finished project, it is far from perfect and actually unwearable. Whoops. My stray sewing skills (I do like alliterations) were not reflective on her blog tutorial, but the fact that I can't draw or cut a straight line (though I blame the first on my yard stick- I’m 99% sure it’s not straight).

I decided to tweak her original skirt by making it sit on my hips instead of my waist. I also decided not to make a bow, but that had more to do with running out of fabric.

My first problem was probably my fabric choice. Cute as it is/was, it was probably too thick for the type of skirt I was trying to make by following the tutorial exactly. When worn, it bunches up on my hips in a very unflattering way and makes them look bigger. Not really what my self-esteem needs. I tried to work the skirt up onto my waist instead, but it was too big and still bulky.

My second problem came in the zipper. I do not have a zipper foot- pause for the outrage- my old machine did, but it has since gone to the great sewing shop in the sky. I've put on zippers with a regular ole normal, comes with every sewing machine foot before, so I tried to do it again this time. Well, that probably wasn’t the smartest this seeing that the fabric was already thick and then folded over with a zipper behind it. I actually broke a needle and got it caught in the fabrib, as well as totally un-aligning the back of the skirt. And the zipper still isn’t even complete attached, there are holes where the needled didn’t get through it and the fabric. I will be purchasing a zipper foot on my next trip to a craft/fabric store.

So, what to do know that I have a wonky skirt? A) I’m going to try again with thinner fabric and actually make it a waist skirt- with bow- this time and B) If I succeed at attempt two, I’m going to try to rework my existing disaster. My thinking it that if I rework it to a waist skirt and remove some fabric to make it less bulky as well as fix the disastrous zipper, I might, might, be able to make it into a respectable skirt. I really hope I can because it would be SUPER cute.

The moral to this story is that her tutorial was GREAT- she was very easy to follow (minus one of the first steps where her wording was confusing) and included picture for every step to help you on your way. For any beginner-like me- who’s looking to make a skirt like this, it is DEFINIETLY the tutorial for you. Unfortunately, my skirt didn't turn out as a wanted it but that is not because of the tutorial- I’m just a lousy seamstress.

Until my next adventure-

XX Catherine 

Stunning Sunday: Theo James

Happy Mother's Day!!!

To all mothers everywhere, I hope you all have a wonderful days full of love and laughter. I am not a mother, but I can’t wait to join the ranks.

So, what to write about on this cloudy hot Sunday? How about the hottest craze sweeping the nation- Theo James.

Can't you see him in this? 

I’ll admit it, I really had no interest in seeing Divergent. Another movie based on a book post-apocalyptic America where people are grouped and forced to live due to strict guidelines then another group gains power and tries to wipe out a certain group and there’s a rebellion led by an unlikeable female, blah blah blah…. Yeah, I know I’m in the minority but I grew up on Harry Potter, Narnia and Tamora Pierce, I’m kinda a book snob. But I went with my friends to see it because they really wanted to and I was pleasantly surprise. No, not by the plot (though it wasn’t bad) but by the HOT male eye candy. Hellllooooo sailor! In fact, that should be his next role! He should be a sailor or marine or navy seal or army pilot, basically anything that has his dressed like Josh Hartnett in Pearl Harbor. (Don’t judge my indescribable attraction to men in 1940’s military outfits)

See it? 

Of course, Theo James’ face was plaster in every theater and the trailer played before every movie and in every commercial break, but it was nothing compared to seeing him in tatted up action for approximately 2 and a half hours. I think that every comment made during that movie, beside the few made about the Macklemore looking jerk and that her brother is going to be her boyfriend in "The Fault In Our Stars",  was about how F.I.N.E. he is. Even my friend Aim, the most reserved of my comrades, had some feisty, uncharacteristic comments.

That little minx.

So what makes the desirable Theo James desirable? Well, Auntie Catherine is here to break it down for you.

Let’s start with the face, shall we. He has one, a nice one. And it’s the perfect mix between rugged manly man and pretty boy.

Jawline? Manly

Cheekbones that might be the offspring of Benedict Cumberbatch’s? Pretty boy

Every present, five o’clock scruff? Manly

The most perfect set of teeth and lips which creates the most beautiful smile? Pretty boy

The hair? A mixture of both- a perfect combination of thick brunette style so effortlessly perfect

Combine these gorgeous attributes with a pairs of smoldering brown eye and a perfect nose and you get this:

This boy…man…has is ALL!

Now, the voice. If you think that a man’s voice in no way contributes to his overall attractiveness, then obviously you’ve never heard Hugh Jackman speak (or sing) or (again I have to mention) Benedict Cumberbatch.

Theo had such manly voice (see link below) and, though not present in Divergent, he is British which means that he also has an accent. (again see link below) 

He could sell a car to an Amish elder.

 Can I get an Amen?

The body. I feel like I’m just wasting my breath discussing his body. Yep, it’s perfect; rock hard abs, biceps as big as my head, suspected muscular thighs. But he isn’t ginormous like the Rock or perfectly leaned and tone like Andrew Garfield. He’s, as the old tale goes, just right. Here a gif of him shirtless- because I’m a giving soul.

I feel like I have to mention his tattoos from Divergent here too. I am not opposed to dating a man with a tattoo or two. I've never dated a man with one, but that’s because the majority of my boyfriends happened in high-school and they weren’t old enough to get one. But the thing about tattoos in regards to attractiveness is that they have not be stupid or obnoxious (like that)  and well placed. They nailed (or needled) it on the head with is. Though there were a lot, they were simple, black and placed on his back. Good job Divergent. (I do know that they design, placement and color were probably indicated in the book and only followed by the producers of the movie, so well done Divergent author as well)

I know nothing of his personality. Is he the complete gentlemen that Tom Hiddleston and bring tea and soup to waiting reporter? Don’t know, though his English upbringing might be an indication that he is. Is he a closet nerd like Henry Cavil who almost missed his role for Superman because he was playing World of Warcraft (I do love a hot nerd) or Andrew Garfield who’s always wanted to be Spiderman. Does he spend his time surfing like Liam Hemsworth? Or playing with his dog like Kellan? Is he a big flirt like Chace Crawford or Leonardo Dicaprio? (Theo and Leo do rhyme)  Can he sing like mi amor, Ben Barnes.  Or does he just take naked selfies like James Franco and hit on underage girls. (Seriously, James, we need to have an intervention) I don’t know, but I’m sure we are going to be seeing a lot more of this British hunk in the upcoming years- at least until they finish Allegiant II. Right Theo? 

Of course I will, Theo. 

So, happy Sunday everyone. Enjoy living life and looking at hot guys!

Love you bunches and see you on Tuesday!

XX Catherine 

Book Review:

Before the trailer came out, I new NOTHING about this book. I remember scrolling through the new trailers on my IMDB app, a favorite before bed activity, and it caught my eye. Knowing nothing that the book-or that there even was a book- I watch the trailer. (see below)

The Fault In Our Stars Trailer

"That looks sad, but good" was the only description I could muster after watching the live manifest of a book. I stupidly decide to look it up through Wikipedia, found out that it was written by John Green-who I knew from YouTube- and read the plot summary. Did you catch the stupid? I stupidly read the plot summary, not the synopsis, and stupidly found out every major detail of the book. Yep, I'm an idiot. I went away thinking that it was like "The Notebook", but with cancer. 

Boy was I wrong. 

I decide to read the book- even though I thought I knew every think about it already- this past Sunday in the land on Target. I was looking for a book to read and since everyone was so hyped up about this movie coming out (I mean, seriously Twitter) I would try to figure out what was so important about the sad book about the sad teenagers who have cancer. I case you know nothing about it, the book in a boy meets girl story about two teenagers who met at a cancer support group, Hazel and her Augustus. There are laughs and tears and anger and joy wrapped up in roughly 250 pages of printed paper. 

I finished last night around midnight.

Imagine "Starry Night" by van Gogh. Every stroke was place in the precise position, at the precise time to form an eternal masterpiece. That's how I feel about this book. It's a masterpiece. Now, it not my favorite novel of all time, I've read it once and I'm sure I'll read it again some day, but I don't have the overwhelming feeling to reread it now. I placed it on the shelf with all of the other books I've read, all of the other worlds I've live in and lives I've lived. 

But John Green's worlds are important. Each sentence is like a stroke of a paintbrush to this masterpiece. And I have to admit, I've never felt more stupid reading a book. He didn't use the simple, run of the mill words that we use daily to describe our lives. He's writing and his use of words reminded me of that scene from Dead Poet's Society where Robin Williams is standing on a desk teaching his class how to write. He tells them to use solid, all encompassing words rather that adjectives/adverbs to describe something.  

John Green might as well been that speckled guy in the front, for that's exactly was he did. The descriptions and emotions he arrayed through mere pen on paper is extraordinary. 

Now, I will say this, these characters are supposed to be highschoolers. The language in which the spoke, the fluidity of words and the emotional self awareness they felt is not something have ever encountered, in high school or college. Perhaps the thought that death was near forced them to enter this greater state of self awareness, but it sometimes felt out of character for a teenager. Maturity as an individual does come with realization that they are staring down death. Teenager usually feel invincible- Hazel and Augustus knew that they weren't.  Maybe that's what make is so beautiful, choosing to live when you know that you are going to die. So many would just give up, not in their personal well being, sure they would do what the doctor said, but put off their live until they were "done" with whatever plagued them. Hazel and Augustus lived their life in spite of cancer. 

Now the love story. Their love story is going to be one of modern day literature legend, right up there with Allie and Noah, Big and Carrie and even Bella and Edward. These are the romances that we wish we could live but know that they will never be ours. No one will ever write me 365 letters or build me a house or bring me into a life of eternal darkness with a bit. (I'm okay about the last one, being alive forever would be exhausting- and, as Peter Pan said "To die will be an awfully big adventure") But that's why we have books- to enter words that are not obtainable in ordinary life. 

In short, I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone looking for something wholehearted to read. This book is a literary rollercoaster of emotions that leaves you feeling whole. Now, be forewarned, there's language and non-graphic sexual content in the book, so read at your own risk- but it is worth the read. 

“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.” 
― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

I do, John. I do. 

Read. Love. Live. 

Catherine, professional reader since 13, hopefully one day an author