a flowerchild DIY

to me, the time of year doesn't matter - i always love seeing and wearing flowers! i think one of the easiest ways to incorporate something fun into your look without it being too big or bold (and that could be the wallflower, no pun intended, in me speaking) is to do it in the form of a hair accessory. i've been wanting a pretty, romantic flower headband that wasn't too costume-y, but since i couldn't find quite what i wanted, i figured i'd just try making it myself! a little warning (which isn't a bad thing if you're a picker like me) - your fingers will be covered in glue!

i really had my heart set on those pretty little paper roses that come in different colors in a little bundle of maybe ten or so, but unfortunately, it seems they're not as easy to find as they used to be (when i was younger, i spent most of the money i had on either candy or craft supplies, and although i never remember actually using those paper roses for anything, for some reason i sure did buy a lot of them). so i settled for these little calla lilies with paper leaves, which i still think work just fine.

for this project you will need: a headband (i chose one that would blend well with the color of my hair so as not to take any attention away from the flowers), some flowers with stems, some sort of glue, and some wire clippers.

STEP 1: first start by clipping the flowers and leaves from the bundle. i decided to leave about one inch/25cm of stem attached so that i could wrap it around the headband.

STEP 2: put a line of glue (enough for several flowers and leaves) on a section of the headband. wrap the stems around the headband, over the glue, and press the flowers down against the headband so they're on a spot of glue.

STEP 3: continue adding lines of glue and wrapping the flowers and stems around the headband. once you feel you've added enough flowers, wrap the stem of the last flower back toward the others, that way you've got a nice neat end with no stems poking out. then start picking the glue from your fingers.

and there you go, now you've got yourself a dainty little headband! i did learn one thing while i was making this, though, and that is: be sure your camera is on the correct white balance setting before taking the pictures, that way the colors aren't all over the place!

also, this has absolutely nothing to do with the headband, but i feel the need to share nonetheless. have you ever watched the show COPS? well, if not, you're missing out on some first rate rednecks, prostitutes, and hybrids of the two. anyway, my brother, derek, and i used to watch COPS some afternoons for a good laugh, and there was one particular episode where this older man was explaining to the officer why he threw a rock at someone's car. just a brief description of the older man: he was wearing a button-up shirt that was only buttoned up to about his sternum, his necklaces were showing, his hair was slicked back elvis-style, and he pulled a black plastic comb from his back pocket to fix his hair while he was on camera. he said to the cop, "i threw a rock beh-cawz (because) he gave me the fangur (finger)." now, i can never say or think finger without doing it the redneck way (fangur), and above where i said about picking glue from your fingers, i was really thinking, "...picking the glue from your fangurs."

12 comments:

  1. Hahahaha! I have a COPS story for you too. I used to watch it when I was really little, like 3-4 years old because my dad liked watching it. Well, one day we went for a picnic on the cliffs of the beach in San Diego, where I lived at the time. While we were sitting on the picnic bench this truck showed up & out comes these guys in orange jump suits, escorted by cops. They were road workers taking a lunch break. Well, my 4 year old self decided that it was really cool & got up on the table & started singing "Bad boys, bad boys, wacha gonna do?" The cops laughed...the inmates...didn't. Ha!
    Oh & your headband is SO pretty! I've been ogling flower hair pieces recently. I've decided to wear something like this: http://www.etsy.com/listing/78660308/the-rosebud-natural-vine-halo-mauve-red ...when I get married. =)

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  2. thanks, desiree!

    cal, you better be glad you were just a kid or they probably would have tackled you off those cliffs. aaand, you would be so pretty in that crown! you could definitely me that yourself, too. oh, and if i don't get an invitation to the wedding, the road trip is OFF!

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  3. Psh...like you WONT get invited...psh! You know you will be. You'll always be my first love...*sniff sniffle*

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  4. I really like the flowers you used on the headband. They're pretty and quite subtle.

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  5. the headband came out so cute! i just adore how delicate those flowers are! so very very sweet!
    xo,
    cb

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  6. Oh I love this!! I have a pretty flower headband that I traded a pair of mounted antlers with Chelsea from The Dainty Woods for. I love it, but I want more, and I want to make my own!! I love this.

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  7. So simple and lovely! And too funny about Cops...I also get a lot of horrible enjoyment from that.

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  8. my mom made me a headband like this for my 1st communion "after party" (reception... i'm not sure what to call it). she used a hot glue gun lol.

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  9. I know the little roses you're talking about. I did the same thing when I was little, I bought and wasted so many of those little things. Now that you mention it, I don't remember seeing them around anymore! What the heck!

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  10. you look darling with flowers in your hair:)

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I'd love to hear what you think!