Polyvore

 I'm sure you have all seen these style inspirations on pinterest... Well how about I made this one on my own! That's right I went through and looked at shirts, pants, purses,shoes,accessories, found things I thought were cute, and I personalized this look just for me. I did this by using Polyvore.




  I just recently found out about this site... GREAT just what I need, another reason for me to be at my computer! But I love this, you can follow people, post your looks, just like pinterest you can can add things from websites. You can also ask people for fashion advice,and add badges to your blog. You can also connect to your blog account, and post it directly from the site to your blog. What another great social media tool!! I'm still trying to figure it all out, since I just discovered it about 1 hour ago. I couldn't resist I HAD to post about it, and let all of my lovelys' ( you!) in on this super cool site!

                        Find me on Polyvore by searching for Amanda Haulk

cute and casual by amandahaulk featuring wool shirts

Tip for growing out your hair

  So you want your hair long? I have been there. When I started hair school I thought it would be more cool if I cut all my hair off. and for awhile it was... but I slowly started missing my long locks. I think because I slowly started learning how to care for, and style hair.

                        
                     

  I think the biggest misconception is that if you cut your hair it will grow. Wronge.. Those were not magic hair growing shears that just cut your hair! Your hair grows about a 1/2 inch per month whether you like it or not! Trimming only keeps you free of spilt ends, which in turn leaves your healthier, and cleaner looking.

  So more important than growing your hair longer, you need to keep it healthy. I would rather have a shorter length than have long dry, poopy hair.

                      

  Now I'm not saying you need to be getting your ends cut every 4 weeks. I'm saying if you were going 4 weeks in between cuts, extend that out to maybe 8 weeks, and get a TRIM. A little DUSTING of the ends, as I like to call it.

  It wouldn't hurt to get a nice deep conditioning treatment, Ideally with every color service. This will help with keeping your hair proteinized, and moisturized. Especially if you are doing a lot lightening to your hair! I highly recommend this! It only takes about 10 extra minutes, and it cost about $15...that's not bad considering your hair is an investment! Why pay all this money getting your hair beautiful, if your not going to help maintain and prolong the look?



  Avoiding breakage!!!  When using hot tools such as, flat iron,blow dryer, curling iron. You NEED a heat protectant! With out it you are damaging your hair. If your hair is damaged, its going to break off at the ends, and appear that it is never growing, even though your still needing your hair colored every 4-6 weeks.

  Attention all you blondie blondes!! The ones who weren't born blonde, but were born to BE blonde... I'm talking to you!! Make sure you are using appropriate shampoo conditioner,along other products, and again I recommend getting a conditioning treatment after every color service. Lightening your hair can be harsh. Did you know you are taking away your hair's natural protein when you bleach out your hair? And that the treatment I keep talking about, along with other products help to replinish that? I'm not against coloring your hair.. I'm ALL FOR IT!! I have been blonde, brown, brown with highlights, red, back to blonde, back to red... BUT I use good products, and treatments. I'm just saying be prepared for your hair to be dryer than usual if you are continuously getting that color put through to your ends.
Why not try this... how about every other salon visit, get your ends freshened up. You can also try getting a nice clear gloss on your ends. It will help give your some nive shine if you are feeling dull.
                               
  Have you heard of Biotin? Biotin is a B complex vitamin. It is often recommend for strengthing of your hair and nails.Give it a shot, but just keep in mind your not going to wake up the next morning with your hair 3 inches longer! So give it some time.
  Who doesn't love a nice scalp massage? Try giving yourself a scalp massage when your washing your hair. It help will stimulate your scalp, and increase the blood flow!

Toddler bed Triumph

  Its official...We are now sleeping in a toddler bed! Its been a couple weeks, she adjusted just fine. I actually think she likes it better than her crib. So everything seems to be going great...except for one little issue. We seem to have a night crawler on our hands.

  I think it was probably the 3rd or 4th night in, I wake up to my daughter actually climbing into our bed.. which is just crazy to me because our bed is kinda high off the ground, and she had never done that before.( I don't mind her coming in my bed and sleeping there, as long as she initially falls asleep in her room, I don't think its a big deal. Plus I like the snuggles!) So not only is she now in our bed, shes WIDE awake... P.S. it's 3am! OK so just ignore her she will go to sleep eventually....so finally 2 hours of being poked in the face, my hair getting pulled, getting kicked in the arm, all while hearing "mum!... HI mum!" (YES "mum" This is how she says Mom...she's only 2 you think I could get a " mommy, or a ma ma" Nope... its "mum.") She finally fell asleep.

  Morning comes... you think that this kid would have slept in a little.. oh not my child...she's up ready to go at 7:30. I get out of bed... Hmmmm where's my phone, it was on the night stand... I find my phone in the door way of my bedroom. Once I unlock it there has to be about 5 pages pulled up.. including facebook!! OH NO! Please don't tell me she is up at 3 am sending weird messages to people, and liking everyone's status. Good thing as far as I can tell she was just looking around. She has uploaded pictures to facebook before. She's a technology baby.

  Another page pulled was YouTube, that was scary who knows whats on YouTube. Luckily she's smart enough to go to the last searched video, which is usually Barney, Mickey Mouse, or puppies. She LOVES " uppies."  I'm telling you, I seriously need to get her on video working my phone, she knows exactly what she's doing!

   So now not only is Ava sneaking into our room at night, she is checking emails, facebooking, watching a few movies, and who knows what else! Its funny now that I think about, I can just picture her walking around doing her thing...it's not so funny when its 3am and she's up for 2 hrs. Time to put a gate on her door!

    If your getting late night phone calls from me... its Ava, tell her to go to bed!

Crock Pot Ropa Vieja

You will need:

1 (2 pound) beef chuck roast

3 cloves of garlic

2 red bell peppers, cut into wedges

2 green bell peppers, cut into wedges

1 yellow onion, cut into wedges

1 sweet onion cut into wedges

1/2 ( 6 ounce) can tomato paste

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

sprinkle of garlic powder

sprinkle of seasoned salt

sprinkle of ground black pepper

1 beef bouillon cube

Directions:

Pierce the beef roast to tenderize it and let the flavors in, and place into your crock pot with the garlic, red and green peppers, and onions. Stir in tomato paste, and red wine vinegar. Sprinkle with garlic powder,seasoned salt,and pepper. I break up my bouillon cube with my fingers and put the on top.

Cover, and cook on LOW,  for about 6 1/2 to 7 hrs. Take the beef out, and shred using two forks. Return the meat, stir, and cook for another 30 minutes.

I serve mine over rice...YUM! This so good. and Its really simple. I love my crock pot!

P.S....Follow me on Bloglovin!!

Curly hair 101

  So it never fails, if you have curly hair you want straight, if you have straight hair you want curly. That's just the way it is. I can remember back when was school everyone straightened their hair, that was the look, straight flat hair. Not for me! I tried flat ironing my hair... even used an actual IRON on my hair ( that makes me cringe now) but my hair was always frizzy as soon as I went outside. I think that as the day went on my hair would get bigger and bigger.

                   

    Now a days texture is making a come back in the hair world. All you see is people curling, scrunching, teasing, anything to get a little volume, wave, or curl. Now its your time to shine curly headed one! Not only can you go a few days without shampooing, with a little time and effort you can get smooth hair, curled hair,volume, almost anything. Also your hair holds curl, so you never have to worry about all your time spent curling with the curling iron wasted, because the curls fell out! Seriously sometimes I don't even use hair spray, and my curls stay in.

                      

                               How to tame that curly mane!

  MOISTURE, MOISTURE, MOISTURE!! Curly hair tends to be on the dry side..hints the reason why humidity is not your friend...It sucks up all that moisture in the air, causing the cuticle to expand...which leads to frizz.There are few great IN salon treatments, as well as at home treatments and products to maintain your hair.

  

 First, lets talk about in salon treatments... For as little $15, and an extra 15 min. you can get a deep conditioning treatment at the salon.

  Redken Chemistry System is one of them. Whats great about the "Chem shot" is that it can be customized to your specific hair needs, for example... if you have frizzy, dry hair, then your stylist can do a little mix off Redken's smooth down, and all soft shots.

   L'oreal is another AMAZING product...and their power dose is awesome! Like the chem shot, its another at the shampoo bowl treatment. Your hair instantly feels softer afterwards, and it smells amazing, which is always nice.

  Now lets talk more long term treatments... Coppola Keratin Complex Smoothing treatment. Let me just say, from personal experience.. I love this. Not only I have performed this service on clients, I have had this treatment done 2 times. I absolutely loved the results. Keratin complex.com says "infuses natural keratin deep into hair’s cuticle. This revolutionary therapy reduces frizz and curl and instantly adds amazing shine, silkiness and condition to the hair."  This is for reducing frizz, and curl..this is NOT a relaxer, or permanent straightener. This is an in salon treatment, that last up to 3 months with the proper shampoo and conditioner. In my opinion its well worth the money!

  It also helps to have a good shampoo and conditioner. I use Pureology Hydrate. Pureology also has a smoothing system for those with more "unruly" hair. Another great shampoo is Redken's Smooth Down.

                                                    Styling

  So I admit, I rarely blow dry my hair. Usually I let it air dry over night, then worry about it the next morning. But a good blow dry can really help you out when trying to smooth out your hair. Products I recommend for a blow dry would be Align by Redken, and Moroccan Oil. Hello I love Moroccan Oil!

  The key to blow drying is to never go against the cuticle of your hair...which means stop flipping your head upside down and drying it like that, because when you flip over you will have a huge poof of frizzy hair. Instead let your hair air dry a little, or if you don't have time power dry it. Just enough to get most of the moisture out. That way you can really focus on getting it smooth instead of getting in dry, then by the time its dry your arms hurt and you don't care anymore. Take sections, and use a round brush to help smooth it out. This doesn't come naturally to people, but with a little practice you will be a pro blow dryer in no time!

   Invest in a good flat iron!! A good flat iron will not fry your hair, or snag and pull. I use the Sam Villa Sleekr. Look for ceramic, and one that you can adjust the heat settings. Not everyone needs the same setting. When flat ironing always use a heat protectant. I use Heat Glide by Redken.

  

   Get a good haircut!!! There is one reason why salons charge the prices that they do, and the reason is: EDUCATION!! When you go in there you are getting a well trained stylist who is educated with the latest trends, techniques, and consultation skills. They know their stuff. A lot of higher end salons invest a lot of time and money into their employees, making sure they can give you the best of the best! So find someone you like and stick with them!

                                Go Natural!

  Why not? its quick, and easy, and different from every one's straight hair! Be yourself and love it! Add a headband, or a side braid, and your good to go!

5 Must try pinterest projects!

Making a Roman shade from old mini blinds

TheLittlegreennotebook

Vintage looking painted sign

Diddle Dumpling

Floral Pillows.. I love them

Trey and Lucy

hanging string lamps

Sugarandspiceliving

hanging flower ball tutorial

(perfect for when I redo Ava's room! )

house of smiths

DIY mercury glass candle holder

  I love the shinny antique feel that Mercury glass has...but I don't love the prices. Some of my favorite home decor stores are great at making me fall in love with everything, then smacking me in the face with how much some of the things cost...I could never bring myself to pay $70 for a candle holder!!

(picture via www.PotteryBarn.com)

So here is a little DIY faux mercury glass to get the look for less...WAY less. I paid just about $15 for everything. and I got two really pretty candle holders, that I'm so proud of.

You will need:

glass vase, or candle holder of your choice.

A can of KRYLON looking glass mirror like paint.( they don't have this at Micheal's. I found mine at wal mart, or they have it at Hobby Lobby)

Also you will need a spray bottle filled with a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water, a paper towel, and painters tape.( something to cover the outside of the glass while painting)

STEPS

After covering the outside of the glass ,spray the INSIDE of your glass... 1 coat at a time, allowing each coat to dry about 1 minute before starting the next. It will take about 5 coats, and will look like this when its done.

Allow to dry for about a minute. Then using your vinegar/water mix spray into the glass. It will bead up like this.

Let that sit for about 30 sec. to 1 min. Then fold a paper towel in to a small square and dampen that with the vinegar water mix. Trying not to bump the sides of the glass with your hand, begin to lightly dab the towel against the glass. You will see the paint starting to rub off.

Keep going until you have your desired look. I would dab a little, then look to see if it was what I wanted.. After I was done I took the spray paint and did one more light coat.

and WAAA LAAA

Don't you just love them? I do..