the tutorial: blow dryer waves

Excuse my blurry face... that's not the point of this post. We are always looking for new ways to create waves in our hair. Wavy hair seems to solve many of my hair problems. There are many techniques to put waves in your hair and they all have results that are a little different. This technique is good if you are going to have to dry your hair anyways and it is super easy. Pretty hard to mess it up!

Start with almost dry hair. You can let your hair air dry or just use a blow dryer and stop right before your hair is completely dry. Your hair could actually stand to be even more dry than mine is in the picture. Run mousse, or curl spray or hair spray or any "holding" agent through your hair. Just use a little.... you want your waves to be soft still.

Take a section of your hair and twist it away from your face. Start at the top and work your way down. Run a blow dryer across the twisted strand from root to tip. Do this until the strand is pretty much dry. Repeat the same process on the rest of your hair.

Once you've twisted all of your hair, spray each piece with hair spray. Don't loosen the twists until you've sprayed them with hairspray and they've dried. Once all of your hair is dry you can gently shake out the twists and your hair should have pretty little soft waves.

Trying to show better detail here but you get the point. My bangs are out of control.

I just realized that it has been FOREVER since we've done a hair tutorial. Hopefully we can do some more in the near future. Any suggestions on styles?

xo, Savannah

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DIY: The Crazy Complicated Friendship Bracelet

As I'm writing this, I think about how I could just cry about trying to explain this bracelet to you. We had a reader request that we try to recreate a friendship bracelet that she had found and while we usually don't take requests, I was intrigued by this particular bracelet. I had to have one of my own, that I created on my own. I spent two days trying to figure it out and let me just say, this bracelet is NOT for amateurs. If you are looking for something easier, check out our new DIY friendship bracelet that takes about 15 minutes here.

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If you can't make a chevron friendship bracelet with your eyes closed, you probably should not attempt this tutorial. It may end in utter confusion and tears may be involved. Anyhow, if you dare to proceed reading this post, make sure you know what forwards and backwards knots are. It will be super helpful. Also, I start explaining from the middle of the bracelet because the bracelet looks crazy in the beginning. When you start, I recommend not tying a knot but wrapping some tape around the group of string. That way you will be able to finish both ends of the bracelet the same way, allowing it to lay flat on your wrist.

So you will need 4 colors of string. Also, I used yarn. It's way faster than friendship thread and it's harder to mess this bracelet up.

Color 1 (Peach): 4 - 48in. pieces

Color 2 (Pink): 4 - 48in. pieces

Color 3 (Dark Blue): 4 - 48in. pieces

Color 4 (Light Blue): 2 - 48in. pieces

The first picture shows the order your strings should be in. Start tying forward knots with the string furthest left. Move inward for 4 strings. The 5th knot you tie will be a backward knot on the (in this case) light blue string.

You should now have 5 knots, a nice little row of peach. Now you will repeat on the opposite side with opposite knots. Start with the furthermost string on the right and tie backwards knots inward for 4 strings.

Tie a fifth knot on the next string, but make sure it's a forward knot.

Repeat the same thing on both sides but don't worry about the 5th knot this time. Only tie 4 knots and stop. Take the middle string (dark blue) and tie a backward knot to the left on two strings.

With the other middle string, tie two forward knots to the right. Take the new middle string on the left (light blue) and tie a forward knot on the other light blue string. With the light blue string on the right, tie a backward knot on the pink string to the left. It feels a little weird but it works.

With the light blue string on the left, tie a forward knot on the peach string. Again, weird but ya... you'll be doing this a lot on this bracelet.

Then with the light blue string on the left, tie a forward knot on the other light blue string. Taking the string that is second from the left, tie a forward knot on the outside string.

Then finish the row like a regular chevron bracelet. Forward knots all the way to the middle. Repeat this process on the right. Take the string that is second from the right and tie a backward knot on the outside piece of string.

Then finish with backward knots all the way to the middle and onto the other dark blue string. Repeat, repeat, repeat and you're almost done! I split the left over string into two sections and braided each section, finished with a knot.

I did the same at the beginning of my bracelet and then tied the braids together so there is a little opening for the end braids to fit into.

Phew... glad I made it through that one. I think I'll take a break from friendship bracelets for a while now. And if I can find jewelry findings big enough for this bracelet, I'll make it more removable, fa sho. If you like this post and would like to see more like it, please pin the image below!

xo, Savannah

**This post contains affiliate links.

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The Sunburn Cocktail

While we were visiting our friends recently, we all took our turn in mixing drinks for the group. We spent a lot of time on the beach and at the pool and this drink really encompasses all that as it is called "The Sunburn." Our friend Allison invented this drink and Casey named it and it is delicious! You could also make the mocktail version of this, just substitute coconut water for the liquor- just as good!

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All you need is some coconut vodka, margarita mix and cranberry juice. The drink is simple... equal parts of each ingredient.

Fill the glass with ice and Fill 1/3 of the way with coconut vodka (or coconut water.)

Pour margarita mix until you reach 2/3 of the glass.

Fill the rest of the glass with cranberry juice.

Garnish with 2 maraschino cherries and a straw.

Mix it up and sip the delicious-ness of a sunburn.

Cheers!

If you liked this post and would like to see more like it, please pin the image below!

xo, Savannah + Casey

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