Chasing Cozy

by Leslie Claire

Archives for January 2019

VALENTINE’S DAY HAIRSTYLE- BUBBLE PONYTAIL

bubble ponytail DIY

I’ll start with a disclaimer: I’ve never been a huge fan of Valentine’s Day. It’s just not my thing. With the recent move to Michigan and our wedding coming up, I felt like this year it would be nice to celebrate “us” and appreciate the fact that we are able to live together and be together. We don’t have any plans yet, but I’m hoping they include dinner in our new city (hint hint, James).

This hairstyle is one that is easily completed in less than five minutes and can be dressed up or down. That’s my speed. I love including different hair accessories depending on the season and this ponytail gives the perfect canvas to do so.

The steps are simple and do not require a ton of tools.

Supplies for bubble ponytail DIY

You will need:

–Dry shampoo or texturizing spray
–Clear elastics
–Hair accessories

The steps are:

1. Brush the major tangles out
2. Put your hair in a low pony using the clear hair elastics. The messier the better. Wrap a section of hair around to cover the elastic, and tuck it into the elastic under the ponytail to hide he tail.

long blonde ponytail

3. Create a section by using a second elastic a few inches down, depending on how long your hair is.
4. Pull the sides of your first section to add more volume and create a “bubble” effect.

Steps bubble ponytail DIY

5. Repeat to create a second “bubble.” I only added in two this time, but you could do as many as you like.

Steps bubble ponytail DIY

6. Add in your favorite hair scarf or scrunchie and you’re ready for cocktails.

TIP: The dirtier your hair, the better. I have straight hair and dirty hair is the only way for me to get any type of texture or wave to stay.

Steps bubble ponytail DIY

Head over to my Instagram account and let me know what your best hair styling trick is!

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Bubble Ponytail DIY

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BOHO PILLOWS FOR A SPRING DECOR REFRESH

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE winter. But, there’s something special about refreshing your home and preparing for the return of sunshine and color.

collection of mulitcolored throwpillows

One of my favorite ways to do this is by incorporating textured pillows into my decor. I like to pile a mixture of these on couches, in baskets, in bedrooms and in cozy reading nooks. You just can’t have too many. (My fiance may disagree, but I don’t care. WORTH. IT.

Since I’m in the middle of a move and planning a wedding, I’m trying to ball on a budget. You get it. I’ve gathered a group of pillows for you to shop until you get that tax return. (What do you call a group of pillows, a gaggle? Troop? Herd? Let me know if you think of a fun one.)

Check out this post for more ways to make your home cozy!

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Also big news, I’ve been accepted to LIKEtoKNOW.it. Follow me over on the app @chasingcozy

As always, I appreciate all of your continued support in the fun new adventure.

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BOHO ORNAMENT GARLAND

As mentioned before, I went with a more boho look for this holiday season. This project combined my love of texture with a more whimsical look. I only had to buy the ornaments for this piece and the rest of the supplies I already had around the house.

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

– plastic iridescent ornaments
– acrylic paint
– work space protector
– twine.
– bells

STEPS

1. Remove ornament caps and add paint.

2. Shake ornaments until paint covers the whole inside. This part can be a little messy. I recommend having paper towels on hand to wipe off fingers or the ornaments. I used plastic ornaments so they were easy to wipe off paint or scrape off paint after dry.

3. Let ornaments dry. This was the make or break step for me. TIP: Make sure to turn ornaments every few seconds so the wet paint does not pool, leaving sides bare.

4. String ornaments on twine or string of your choice. These can get heavy, so make sure your twine is hearty enough.

5. Cluster and group the ornaments to get your desired look. I cluster mine together tightly, but I think next year I will spread them out for a lighter garland look and hang it vertically.

 6. Add bells to ends and secure.

This project added a nice pop of color and texture to my bar cart space. I’m sure I’ll be re-configuring this garland for spring!

If you give this project a try, let me know! I’d love to see everyone’s rendition of this fun project!

STYLING YOUR ENGAGEMENT PHOTOSHOOT

I’m just going to say it from the beginning: TAKE ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS! I truly did not want to because I couldn’t imagine being comfortable in front of the camera. With some research and planning, I found ways to make this experience work for me. This list has points on what worked for me and why I am SO HAPPY we had these pictures taken.
1. It won’t be perfect, and that’s OK. There are going go be fly-away hairs. There will be rouge wrinkles or ant piles. BUT, it will all work out. Take a deep breath, have some champagne, and TRUST your photographer. 

This was the most important thing for me. Luckily, our photographer was amazing and knew how to make us comfortable in front of the camera. She had tons of ideas for poses and knew what would make us look good, even if we felt awkward doing it.

2. Research. I knew the look I wanted, it was just about finding the right photographer for the job. Luckily, Korbyn does great work and her style fit exactly what I wanted. I reached out to her about a location where some of her photos were taken so I could go scout it out. She was very patient and answered ALL of my questions before we even made it to the shoot day.

Of course, Pinterest did not fail when it came to looking for inspiration. I made a concise board with pins that had the vibe I liked. I kept it short because I did not want to feel overwhelmed.

3. Bring items you love to make the shoot feel special. We wanted to have a cozy boho picnic for our shoot so we brought things we had around the house to create that atmosphere. I love a good detail and styling is my favorite, so this really made the images special for me. A selection of fruits, cheeses and crackers from Trader Joes completed the look.

4. Wear outfits you are comfortable in. It will show. I know that when I’m comfortable, I’m at my happiest. For me, this meant wearing shoes that were already worn in and painting my own nails. It showed my own personality and more of how I see myself. Although I would love to look polished in every way, that’s just not my usual. Luckily for me, James likes dressing up and jumped at the opportunity to get an extra wear out of his dress clothes.

In the end, we both were obsessed with our pictures and we hope everyone can have that same experience.If you would like to learn more about the registry process, you’ll love these!

I would love to hear what you all do to stay inspired when it comes to photo shoots. Let me know on our latest Insta post!