Going from Pink hair to Ash Blonde

Well first things first. Pink seems to be the next trending color after the whole "silver fox" thing everybody has got going on. With the the top majority of women dying their hair , go figure that pink would be a go to color.It represents all things girly and an excellent bold go to color. What nobody ever tells you is that it is probably one of the most difficult colors to remove from your hair . Without loads of bleach and developers and toners, you are almost certainly heading for a hair disaster. Below is my story on how I went from a brunette,to a yellowish blonde, to a very light blonde,to cotton candy pink, fushia and then eventually to a nice Ash Blonde.This is not a "How to", just simply my trial and errors on what I did and how I fixed it myself.Anyone attempting to follow this ,your results may vary.

This is my original hair color to begin with.Undyed.

Going From Dark Brown To Pink 

So I started out with some store bought bleach because my Sallys is way across town and in the rush of wanting to dip dye my hair ,didn't see anything wrong with this path. I used

You want to get your hair to the lightest shade of yellow possible.Now being that I am naturally a dark haired gal, this session took 2 go's.(Make sure you saturate your hair in coconut oil for a few hours a day before,or the day of before bleaching to help protect your hair from the harsh chemicals) After that I used a little bit of toner and the result was this.

After looking through  god knows how many shades of Pink, and taking the rate my hair would get damaged by going through another process of dye, I decided to stay safe and use some semi permanant color .I went with Manic Panic Cotton Candy Pink.I left this on my hair for about an hour ( the lighter your hair color the better the results, and the longer leave in time, the better results as well) 

So for the first week or so I loved this color, but then the color faded reeeeeally fast and my hair turned a peachy color.It just wasn't enough pink to satisfy my daring side.I needed MORE PINK!

Going through all the colors again I came across a nice deep and bold Pink.Manic Panics Cleo Rose.Left it in for 3 hours.Fell in Love. The pictures don't even do it justice.

Loved loved loved it!

The key was to wash with cold water, only 2-3 times a week,(Using dry shampoo will be your best friend during temp colorations like this) with your head upside down so the top doesn't fade as fast ,try to avoid conditioner as much as possible, and in between add a small amount here and there to keep the color touched up and bold.The problem now was trying to get my wardrobe to match my funky do. After about 2 months of rocking Miss Cleo, it was about time to say goodbye.

Going from Pink to Ash Blonde

 So after getting bored of pink , I decided o.k., I got a little crazy out of me,time to tone it back down.I tried every method under the sun for removing pink hair ,without having to resort back to the bleach (or the bleach bath method).I tried everything in my cabinets and under the counter, even dish soap with baking powder.This was about the best I could get it, because of how deep this color was.

Being in too much of a rush and wanting to surprise my fiance (who absolutely hated the pink btw) I needed to move fast.So I said screw it and threw in a box of store bought dye,again, crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.

                                               Revlon Colorsilk Dark Ash Blonde

Because the color sits on top of bleached hair and not inside, the pink started to strip and disappeared almost instantly!

Still having not washed my hair out yet, I wasn't certain it was going to work.

This is what I got,Hair is really wet.No signs of pink.

Hair is halfway dry and it's starting to look a little lighter.

Hair is dried, styled and good to go.Color is on point.

No pink left behind, and I didn't have to damage my hair with more bleach!

Self Served Sunset

As I sit in this broken house

With not a thing to do

I try to remember 

All the good things

That I used to like about you

Starring out the window

As time passes me by

You've let me down repeatedly

And I ask myself why

You know where I came from

And the things I've been through

But I never expected to experience

Those awful things with you

I was a fool back then

And I should have seen the signs

But I trusted my heart once again

And ignored the doubtful mind

Now its many years later

And we're onto the second

I'm no longer a priority

Now I'm left on the back end

As tears roll down my eyes each day

Whether you're near or there

Or  here or not

You're always far away

You're not here physically 

Nor mentally or emotionally

Its like the ships set sail

And you've left me out at sea

Although I've been here once

I never thought twice

That maybe this is exactly what I needed

A forced path in my life

My skin has to rethicken 

Though I learned the hard way

That maybe its time to retire my heart

Shove in a box far away

Maybe let it sank to the bottom of the ocean

Then I can feel the sweet release

I must start following my gut and mind

If I want to be free

So as the anchor falls

I untied that dreaded knot

Closed my eyes and a tear fell down

But a piece of me got caught

I didn't want to let it go 

But my body started to sink

My hand gripped firmly around the rope

I have to let go of this thing

My air grew short 

And the surface grew far

I had to make the decision

So I ripped out my heart

And tied it to the rope

A clutched my open incision

I watched it fall into the darkness

As I quickly resurfaced for air

That heart was filled was too much heaviness

Too much hurt ,broken and despaired

Then I felt the glow of light

Beautiful warmth upon my face

Closed my eyes

Regained my strength

And swam into another day

It won't be easy and it won't come fast

But I feel so much better already

I know what I need and I know what I want

And I know exactly where I'm headed

Revamp Your Old Blanket!

 Do you have a grandmother on one side of the family who's always bringing you leftover food and yard sale items she's overstocked with and maybe even a hand me down thrift store blanket with another family's name on it? I'm sure everyone does. That's what happened in this case. 

So I have this blanket that lays around my house and I'm always wondering who in the world are the Burmans and what was this blanket for. Sooo instead of asking myself this in my head every time I saw it,I decided to add it to my hippie room decor by sprucing it up a bit. Since it was all white ,this gave me the peeeeerfect idea. What better hippie decor then something TIE DYE!

Materials

•Old WHITE Blanket

•Applique or Piece of Fabric(I used felt)

•Fabric Glue

•Scissors

•Tie Dye Kit (below is the one I have)

So of course we are starting with the blanket

Pick a pattern you want for your tie dye. You can find patterns on Pinterest,on the Internet, and on craft sites. I chose a diagnol pattern so I folded my blanket starting at the counter in a fan pattern. Now usually you use rubber bands to tie off the sections but I used tape because I didn't want to deal with the hassel of pulling the rubber bands all the way down the blanket. So waa-laa now your sections are ready to have color/dye applied to them.

So I simply filled my little bottles up with water and the colors I wanted and squirted over the sections with that color. Directions say let sit for 6-8 hours and then rinse off until the water runs clear. Ain't nobody got time for that. I let it sit for 5 ,threw on quick rinse in my washer machine . After that cycle I put it on a wash cycle to ensure all the color is rinsed and washed out. Make sure to run a clean empty wash on your washer machine after with some baking soda and vinegar to make sure no color is left behind. Throw in the dryer and again, waa-laa.

So yeah ,remember that annoying family's name that was on the blanket? You can HSE a thread puller,which would be recommended or you can use very pointy tool tweezers and cut/pull out all of the thread. This part can be time consuming,unless of course your blanket doesn't have this on it.Another alternative is to buy some fabric or patches and cover the area with a design of your choosing and skip the hard part.In my case I couldn't get it ALL out but I got enough. However I accidently put a hole or two in it so the fabric part came in handy.

After finding a design to match, I cut it out and glued it on the blanket. This was my final result. Well kind of. I plan on adding a thick threaded line around it for the full applique look but my ADHD hasn't allowed me to get that far yet. I will update it when it is Fully complete but so far I like it👍

Instagram: @beautifullymixedmutt

Easy Coconut Milk Shampoo & Face Mask

                                       

                                                    Quick and Easy Coconut Milk Shampoo

Coconut Milk has many health benefits.This article in particular will be focusing on the benefits for your hair and skin. Coconut is not to be confused with coconut water. The milk is derived from the meat of a mature coconut. The milk is filled with proteins, thus providing your hair with the nutrients for it to grow long,strong and shiny.It aids in nourishing dry scalps and detangling hair, and because it is not greasy, it can be worn as a leave in conditioner. Coconut milk is also a great moisturizer for the skin. It can help in certain skin disorders and excessive dry skin. Because coconut milk is also filled with copper and vitamin C , it acts as an anti-aging agent,reducing wrinkles,age spots and restoring elasticity back to the skin.

                                                                       

                            

                                                                 Ingredients & Supplies

1/3 cup of Coconut Oil

6 oz (3/4 cup) coconut milk - any brand will do just fine.

1/2 cup honey

(For thicker results add more honey.Careful as honey is a natural hair lightener.)

  Instructions

Blend all these ingredients together in your blender of choice ( I use the whipping tool on my Magic Bullet for a moose kind of effect)

Blend for about 2 minutes.

Switch to an empty shampoo bottle,soap bottle, or a spray bottle.I used a leftover mason jar,cut a hole in it and glued a soap dispenser top onto it ( You can find that DIY project on Pinterest) 

Now its just time for a washing and a growing!

Because of the consistency of the mix ,only use a half quarters worth to your hair,maybe a little more if you have thick hair. It will NOT lather so adding more and more to your hair will not help.

Use  4-5 times a week.

 When done, place mixture into the refrigerator for storage. 

* For long term usage just take your mixture and freeze it in an ice tray,when frozen ,take them out and store them in a container in your freezer. Take one cube out for each usage.

* Pour the remaining coconut milk that wasn't used into a spray bottle for a leave in conditioner or use to make the face wash below.

 Just as Simple Coconut Face Mask/Wash

Adding coffee to this blend makes for an incredibly refreshing face mask/wash.Caffeinated Coffee is full of antioxidants that fight free radicals in your skin cells .It works great as an exfoliate and helps lessen the appearance of dark circles under the eyes and lines around the eyes,forehead and mouth.

  Ingredients & Supplies

        1/4 cup of coffee grinds

1/4 cup honey 

1/4 cup of coconut milk

(this batch is for a weeks worth, adjust for however much you need)

Mix all your ingredients together in a bowl or small container.Apply to face and let sit for 15-20 minutes.Wash off.Won't leave any color behind but you will smell like a fresh cup of coffee.:)

Perfect for doing first thing in the morning to wake me up!

Do this 1-3 times a week. 

For in between rinses, dip cotton ball into coconut milk and dab on face . Leave for 2 minutes and rinse off.

Enjoy and Experiment if you'd like by adding essential oils to you shampoo or even applying mask to other parts of your body.Would be excellent for a body wrap!

Stay tuned for more recipes for your hair and face.

Instagram: @beautifullymixedmutt

         

Jumping Into My 3rd Pregnancy & What I've Learned

   Tradition says you find your true love, you marry them, you plan out your children. The truth is almost 50 % ( 1 in 2 babies) are born into unmarried couples and are unplanned. In fact ,all three of my children were unplanned. Yes, we wanted children but we didn't sit down and chart out an ovulation calendar,work out the most effective positions to get pregnant,nor did we pre-pick our children's names. I must say though, going into my 3rd pregnancy makes me feel like a veteran!
   
Woman are usually concerned with the amount of weight they will put on when pregnant. Good healthy weight gain for an average woman should be anywhere between 25-35 lbs (15 lbs being the least and 40 lbs being the most). So one way or another you are gaining! I weighed a whopping 95 lbs my first time around ,pre-pregnancy weight. I ignored every rule to eating while pregnant and stuffed my face until I felt like I was going to burst at the seams. I'd even make ridiculous trips at 2 am in the morning just for a specific craving that I just HAD to have. Between doing this the first and second time around I gained around 70 lbs each pregnancy! I took the idea of eating for two a little to literal .  The idea is that you only need 300-500 extra calories, but whos counting anyways right?They say third time is a charm though. Now they all these rules about eating deli meat and cheeses and so on. I say calories, smalories, if you're hungry ,just eat! I've found that having  snacks in between meals,like a handful of nuts, or a few slices of fruit helps keep your appetite to want to eat 24/7 under control. Remember, everything in moderation meaning, you don't need seconds and thirds on lunch and dinner .Also ,no  ones saying you can't have them ,because that might make you homicidal , but remember,no over-doing the sugars and fats!

   Image ,Image ,Image. Pregnancy can do some pretty terrifying and surprising things to your body. You're going to break out and smell odors you've never encountered in your life. You're also probably going to acquire some rad new zebra stripes, aka the dreaded stretch marks! I was a complete wreck trying to keep everything under control the first time . Then the second time ,parts of my body grew bigger than the first time! This caused me to gain new stretch marks in areas I didn't have them before, and even though some parts stayed the same size, I still ended up getting more! So now I've pretty much expected and accepted the fact that stretch marks are indeed inevitable. Granted most of them faded the first time out,the second time took much looonger. I absolutely hated getting break outs though. It gave me horrible memories of high school and hitting puberty. I knew this time around they were going to come,and they come and go in little waves. Knowing this, I prepared myself by keeping to a routine with homemade scrubs and washes (look for the diy blog soon)which are not only effective in reducing the pimples but helping to prevent future break outs , and it seems to be working very well for me. Last but not least, the awful odors caused by all those wonderfully mixed up hormones you're experiencing. My secret is when I hop out the shower I cover my body in a coconut oil/vitamin E mix, (while still wet,so it helps to asorb into your skin better) and then add some baby powder . Make sure its all rubbed in. Boom. Cover for the day.
  
Being comfortable is a must when pregnant. Trust me.Invest in those wrap around body pillows, footrests,foot massagers, belly braces,all that good stuff. Sleeping will become a hassel in the closing months and your feet are going to swell the size of a tree trunk. A lot of people think that they need to buy a heap of maternity clothes as well. Quite honestly ,even given the fact that I gained nearly 70 lbs in my first two pregnancies, I still didn't buy a single maternity shirt or pant. To be honest they are quite expensive and the fashion is just awful.I actually had quite a few maxi dresses (which were PERFECT by the way,so easy and comfortable) that I wore very often and just borrowed my mans shorts when I ran out. As for pants. Yoga pants. Gods gift to pregnant woman!  Every now and then I had to use a hair tie to wrap my jeans together but that gets real old,real quick. Yoga pants and leggings. Enough said.while you're at it, you might as well push those $40 bras and thongs to the back of your dresser and invest in some boy shorts and built in bra camisoles. Your boobs are going to grow about 2 cup sizes larger and your ass will follow right along.

   Most first timers make the mistake of buying to many things that either don't need,don't ever use, or use only once. They also may not be aware of the things they do need.  If you are the crafty type like myself then some of these you can turn into DIY projects. I seem to see plenty step by step tutorials on  Pinterest if you're interested but not the "creative" type. Lucky for me I happen to be clingy and hang onto a lot of my items from my previous two,so there's not much I have to get this time around other than stocking up on the obvious items like diapers and wipes, and buying a new car seat and swing. Below I've prepared a list of things I believe you absolutely need and/or is extremely helpful. Items with * denote items you should stock up on asap.

Nursery
Crib
Crib sheets
Hamper
Dresser ( unless you hang all of your clothes in which case..)
Hangers
*Receiving blankets/Burp Clothes
Rocking Chair

To Go                                                       Bath time
Car seat                                                    Tub
Car window shade                                 Wash cloths 
Stroller                                                     Baby wash/shampoo/lotion
Diaper bag                                            
Changing mat
Sanitizer                                                    Safety
Travel toys/ playmat                               Electrical outlet covers
                                                                     Safety locks for cabinets
Playthings                                                 Safety gate
Teethers                                                     Infant Tylenol
Baby swing                                                Monitors
Anything developmental
Bouncer/walker                                        

Diapering                                                  Feeding
*Disposable or cloth diapers                  Nursing pillow
*Wipes                                                        Breast pads/cream
Powder                                                       Breast pump(Electrical)
Rash cream                                                Formula (if not nursing)
                                                                   *Bottles, nipples,caps,liners
                                                                      Infant chair
                                                                   *Bibs
                                                                      Baby platewear/silverwear                                                                             /sippy cups

  So while I'm not claiming to be the worlds greatest mom , I am hoping that through my experience ,I can better prepare and help other mothers who either are having their first child (Congratulations!) Or just need a reminder to get them along. After all , reading all those pregnancy books and hearing stories from your grandmothers don't  accurately  pinpoint the experience that you are about to embark on. Not to mention the little things they seem to leave out, or exaggerate on, causing you to have all this anxiety and fear. For me the jitters are gone and Im feeling more than ever prepared. Some days I almost forget I'm pregnant! I don't obsess over every little jerk and punch and  when I get in my moods, I take a second to realize that these damn hormones will not get the best of me.Pregnancy can be a breeze and a beautiful thing when properly prepared mentally and physically,no matter how much we may not like the things it does to our mind and bodies, in the end, it IS all worth it.

              


               Follow me on Instagram @beautifullymixedmutt

D.I.Y Stone & Feather Bracelet

        Have that problem when you're scrolling through Pinterest and you see that adorable bracelet you're just dying to have.Turns out this bracelet is either sold out on Etsy or on a Kardashian budget?

I started making my own jewelry for these exact reasons!

I'm going to show you how to make a beautiful bracelet without breaking your bank!

Materials

-Spray Paint (I use Rust-Oleum Metallic Finishes,they give you the best shine without the dullness)

-Closure Finding

-Charm Cap

-Small Feather(Optional)

-Small Stone

-Jewelry Glue

-Small Jewelry Pliers

-Small stringed stones OR Beads

The first thing I did was Spray paint my rocks/beads.Allow enough time to dry.Then I take the end of my string and tie it off to my closure.Can be a straight closure with no opening or a regular clasp closure,whatever you prefer.I hate hassling with trying to get a clasp ending on, I prefer to just slide on and go,In which case, make sure your bracelet is big enough to easily slide on and off. 

       

Now I get my cap ready and glue my feather to the back of my stone with jewelry glue.Easy Peasy.

      

This part is a little tricky,but nothing a newbie can't handle.I take my cap and find a good spot on my stone that I can connect it to. Apply a little bit of your jewelry glue to the inside of the cap and place on top of stone.allow to dry.

( Because my stone was an odd shape, I took my little pliers and gently pinched the cap around my stone to give it a more "fitted" look. Again, this part is entirely optional,and only needed if you have the same problem)

     

Now attach your charm to your bracelet and Waa-Laa! You have a gorgeous, one of a kind piece, that looks expensive,but can be made with cheaply, and in a short amount of time.

Now go show off your masterpiece you little ar-teest!

     

      

  

    Find Jewelry like this @ My Etsy shop It's Karmuh