January is officially over (did you know?), and I finally completed my January Photo-A-Day Challenge that I told you about.  I just finished today because of being sick, but better late than….well, you know.  Here’s the second half – enjoy!

Day16:  Morning

Day 17:  Water

Day 18:  Something you bought

Day 19:  Sweet

Day 20:  Someone you love

Day 21:  Reflection

Day 22:  Your shoes  (you can see another post on these photos here)

Day 23:  Something old

Day 24:  Guilty Pleasure

Day 25:  Something you made

Day 26:  Color

Day 27:  Lunch

Day 28:  Light

Day 29:  In your fridge

Day 30:  Nature

Day 31:  You.  Again.

Hope you liked seeing my Instagrams from this month.  If you have an iPhone, you can follow me (user name:  stephanie_may ) and see them much much quicker – I really like it, and tend to post…a lot:)

I would like your opinion about what I should do though, I am curious as to what other people think looks best on me.  We will move backwards from my most recent colors, to what it was a year ago…

1. This is the red from my last dye-job…pretty bright

2. Prior to my most recent, but typically now what my hair looks like after it fades for a few weeks – SUPER light

3. Still with some dark hues in the tips

4. Random, on-accident-ombre

5. Lots of black left, red at the roots

6. Intentional red ombre with black base (also the most difficult dye-job I’ve tried at this point)

7. Mostly black/dark-brownish (this is typically the color that makes it easier to wear my black extensions and have them blend in)

8. Little blonde/red highlights in mostly black

9. Black

I am wondering if I should just go back to black?….I’m not promising that I can re-create any of the colors or effects exactly as you see them here.  For the most part I just throw some dye in and let my hair interpret it as it wants to…but I am curious, what do you think I should do?

I saw Bonnie Gregory at a Christmas concert this past December and could not get over how much I loved her hair.  She is the sister of a good family friend (of whom I may or may not have annoyed with talking about said sister’s hair…endlessly).  Even a few days later, I said to one of my sister’s, “Did you see Gwen’s sister at the concert?  I LOVE her hair!”

I was then told about The Horse Latitudes -- and I have been hooked.

According to her website, “Bonnie Gregory aka The Horse Latitudes is a landlocked sailor writing love songs to the sea. Her music, best described as “seafolk”, is inspired by personal shipwrecks, sea turtles in the morning and other basic longings.”  You’re curious already, right?

Her voice is so lovely and with it being only her and an acoustic guitar, there is not a lot of fuss -- just pure, raw beauty.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmjYxB-WCdY

This is my current favorite song of hers.  I have watched this video a lot…it might be because the first line is, “I can tell you’ve been home, by the smell of coffee”…or maybe it’s just a gorgeous song -- but the coffee thing can’t hurt.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hH79RzuUF9Q

Another great song and a beautiful video.  I love how simple the videos are -- they let the music speak for itself.

The hair people…the hair.

You can check out more of her music on Bandcamp….and you should.

Hi!  Sorry it’s been so quiet the past few days.  We’ve been busy and forgetful:)

I’ve still been having fun with our new Christmas puppy – Tuppy.  She is seriously the sweetest little doggie!  Since she is so young (not yet 7 weeks), she has to be fed 3-4 times a day, and has to go outside every 2-3 hours.  I’ve never had a dog this young, so it is definitely more work than I imagined!  But she’s worth it because I just love her to pieces:)

Gavin and Guini are back in school all this week, and I’ve got a long to-do list.  I’m going to be re-decorating their whole room over the next few weeks, so I will be sharing photos of that when it’s complete.  I’m also hoping to finally finish our living room partial remodel….maybe by the end of the month?  We shall see:)

Hope you had a good weekend!

There is really no theme or specific area for these items, they are just pretty things that make me happy to look at.

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What is inspiring you lately?

This DIY is so easy, cheap and fast!  I got some clearance sparkly leaf stems from the Christmas section (80% off!) and made this cute headband for my 4-year-old Gemma.  I used the same technique to make my wedding fascinator, but I used fake flower petals instead of plastic sparkly ones.  Here’s how you can make one for your daughter (or yourself!):

Cut the leaves off of the stems – this takes a little while, but will go faster if you have help (thanks Gem!).

Take some felt and cut a shape – any shape that you like.  I did a leaf/petal shape with mine, but you could do something more complicated like a flower or heart.  Measure some 1/4″ elastic around your child’s head and sew it to each end of the felt.  It’s okay if your felt and thread are different colors because we are going to cover them up with the leaves.

Get out your trusty hot glue gun and start gluing the leaves on the felt.  You can put them all in the same direction, or do it in a haphazard way.

Layer them as many times as you like until the whole piece of felt is covered.

And you’re done.  Easy right?  Gemma said she likes how it looks in her hair – so do I!  She’s such a cute little model.

We have been having weather in the negatives in Colorado lately and it is BITTER cold.  The sun is shining today though, yay!

This week, I’ve tried 2 tutorials from The Beauty Department (fantastic website!).

First, nails using reinforcement stickers.  See their tutorial here.

My results:

And today, with the help of a co-worker(because I’ve never French braided my own hair) I did this:

Tutorial for the Boho Braid here.

I love it!  Now I just need to learn how to French braid my own hair without my arms falling off from exhaustion!

I hope the snow melts soon because I’ve basically been living in my snow boots lately and I’d like to get out of them but I’m SO glad it is still scarf weather!

Love!

Stormie Dae and I seem to be having camera issues this week.  I took some outfit photos yesterday, and this one (above) was the only one that I liked (out of over 30 photos taken).  Yup.  Good times.

But, on the bright side of things – check out my awesome new stretched canvas!  Stormie Dae works at a billboard printing company, and she was able to get us a 16×20 stretched canvas for practically nothing.  Tristan created the collage from a shoot I did with our kids over the summer, and here is the result.  I love it:)  Thanks Stormie and Tristan!

This is a short post, but I have a LOT to do today!  Our sister’s wedding is getting closer and I need to finish altering Guini’s flower girl dress, and my Matron of Honor dress:)  Can’t wait to show you photos!

I changed my hair again.  I have had many many shades of red over the past few years, but it has been leaning towards a brownish/red color over the course of the year.  I think this may be the lightest red I have ever done – it’s quite orangey-red which I’m not sure how I feel about yet, but we shall see:)

The weather is still ridiculously hot here (it’s going to be 80 degrees this weekend!), but I finally got to wear my vintage coat that I bought back in June.  I love the colors and the large hood – I hope it will get a lot of use this season.

I wish you all a lovely weekend.  It’s going to be a very busy few days for Stormie and I, and we will share more details next week!

The venue was absolutely gorgeous and we had perfect weather.

Love the ‘gift truck’….so cute – and I wanted to bring it home!

Pretty wildflowers.

Pretty bride.

So many phone calls for the bride.

Pretty tattoo and pretty bridesmaids.

Awwwwwww….

My cousin, Ross, and I strutting our stuff.

Father and daughter – so gorgeous.

Party time!

I didn’t write this note – but I agree fully with what it says.

The cousins…sort of the coolest South Dakotians I know.  There was a better photo of Ross and I – but it just wouldn’t be the same unless I posted his standard “I’m going to mess this photo up” face.

Congrats Matt and Elise!  Make up the spare bedroom…I’m coming back to visit next week!  That’s okay…..right??