Thursday 21 November 2013

Crafting

Beginners Guide to Crafting

For many people crafting can seem like a very daunting task.  Most of us think that our crafting skills would only rival those of a preschooler, but I am here to assure you that is not the case and crafting is a lot easier than you might think.  Crafting is a great way of filing your home and life with unique pieces that compliment your personality and taste perfectly.  It is also a great ego boost when someone compliments or asks where you purchased your piece.


Where do I start?

This is a very common question for anyone trying something for the first time. as with any hobby, if you keep at it long enough you'll end up with a ton of supplies.  But if your serious about taking up crafting there are a few essential items that you wont be able to live without.

Scissors
You'll want scissors designed for cutting materials. If you plan to use them for messy projects, pick a few cheap pairs that you'll happily use for decorating with paint, glue or other hard-to-remove stuff. There are also special scissors that cut in particular designs, like zig-zags or wavy lines, which are perfect for scrapbookers. Don't forget to pick up a pair of child safety scissors if you have kids as there are loads of fun crafts you can do together.

Assorted paints and brushes
For certain crafts these will be a must have item. Try and invest in various types of paint such as poster paint and acrylic, you will only really need them in the primary colours starting off,  as you will then be able to mix up other colours using these. Get a set or two of various sized brushes and you'll be ready to go!

Paper
A selection of scrap paper in assorted colors, patterns and textures is a must for any craft box.

Scrap Fabrics
You never no when a scrap piece of fabric will come in hand, That fuzzy green scrap could be an ideal component of your next Halloween costume, or even be transformed into a purse. When it comes to fabric, the sky's truly the limit.

Glue
There is not many craft boxes that could go without having some form of glue. The type of craft your undertaking will determine the type of glue needed, but its always useful to have small amounts of various glue available. Non-toxic glue is available in liquid or stick form, and is practically a right of passage for any crafty child. The purpose of wood glue is obvious thanks to its name, but should only be used on projects that are kept indoors. Craft glue is excellent for projects involving anything from paper to fabric to cardboard. Of course, any heavy duty project that calls for an adhesive with muscle should turn to any brand of super glue to get the job done.

Strings and Ribbons
You never know when a ball of twine or fishing line is going to come in handy, so it's a good idea to keep some in your craft box. Its always good to have a variety of yarns, threads, ribbons and anything else you can tie a knot in. You'll be hard pressed to find a project that won't require one or more of these items.

A box of fun 
Every crafter's box should include a box stuffed with random bits, like buttons, sequins, old jewellery, stickers, beads, paper clips and anything else you can think of that might come in handy for one project or another.


I hope this post comes in handy for anyone hoping to delve into the fun and rewarding world of crafting!!!! :)

Sinead.x











D.I.Y. Hairstyling Essentials!

A question I often get asked by a lot of my clients is " How do I achieve this look at home?"

I believe that a basic hairstyling kit is just as essential as a make-up bag in any girls beauty routine. A lot of money tends to be wasted on products or equipment that is not needed, if you know how to use what you already have, most hair styling looks are pretty achievable at home.

I will start off with the tools/equipment needed to cater to most hairstyling needs.
  1. Hairdryer: A decent hairdryer will not only last you years, but can be used to add volume and body to hair, smooth ends and quicken your styling time. As a general guideline any good hairdryer will have power of 2000w or more.
  2. Hair Straighteners: Modern ceramic straighteners have revolutionized home hair styling, with many of us at a loss without our beloved G.H.D.'s!! Straighteners really is a deceptive name for this styling tool, you can achieve a variety of looks from smoothing straight to flicks,curls,waves and volume in any hair length greater than 4 inches. It just takes a little patience and practice to master the use of this styling tool and your hair is ready for any occasion!
  3. Brushes/ Combs: Your hair type and desired look will dictate what brushes/combs should be essential to you. As a general guide, a wide tooth detangling comb, a pin tail comb, flat vent brush, a small/medium/large barrel brush for short/medium/long hair to blow dry with and a backcombing brush for body/upstyling.  This combo of 5 is all you need and they are readily available in most chemists or Penney's stores for reasonable prices!
  4. Clips and hair ties: A small selection of hair clips for pinning up hair, sectioning clips to help you style your hair and hair ties for ponytails/ upstyles are handy to have, especially for long haired ladies who want to save a bit of time with their hair styling. Again available from most chemists or Penny's for 2 euro a packet. Try to get clips that are similar to your own hair colour for a more polished look. 

I will now move on to products, which is where most of us tend to fall into bad habits and have half used bottled hair miracles strewn in a forgotten drawer! The type of products you need depend on your hair type and texture but for styling purposes only 4 products are really essential.
  1. Blow drying product: This is where your individual hair type really come into play. Mousse (volume, curls), leave-in conditioner (dry hair, heat protection), hair oils( smoothing, nourishment) and lotions (volume, smoothing, heat protection) all fall into this category. It is essential at this stage of styling not to overload your hair with product, one of these should be enough. Most products now are clearly labelled and divided into hair types, so chose the type which matches your own needs.
  2. Finishing product: These are for use after you have dried your hair to polish your style, again dependent on your hair type. Serums/glazes are popular for smoothing and shine, waxes, putty's, clays for hair texture, and sprays for hold/shine. One type of finishing product is normally sufficient for longer lasting style.
  3. Hairspray: Every girl should have a tin of hairspray! It can help to hold any style on any hair length, which in a country like Ireland with wild weather is a must and is the foundation for up-styling your own hair.
  4. Dry Shampoo: I am always praising the virtues of dry shampoo, it is such an underrated product that can make d.i.y. styling easier. From freshening up a day old blow-dry and fringes, to a backcombing aid without the stickiness of hairspray, to adding matt texture to curls and short hair, it is a product no styling kit should be without!
This is my comprehensive essential home hairstyling kit, with these tools/products it is easier to achieve quicker simpler home styling without being overwhelmed by too many items.

Katie.

Tuesday 19 November 2013

Welcome to highchairsandheels!

Hello!

Welcome to our humble little lifestyle blog high chairs and heels. We are two sisters , Katie Gleeson and Sinead Stone, from north Tipperary, Ireland. We set up this blog as a little bit of fun to share our passions in life, parenthood, fashion, beauty, food and home.
So here is a little more information about us.....


Sinead is about to enter her late 20's, and lives with her husband Ger, two little boys Ryan and Sean and terrier Betty in a small town in North Tipperary. Sinead is also adding to her brood, with baby number three arriving late January 2014. She is a qualified childcare professional and works in a local pre-school. Her interests include fashion and style trends, she has a passion for DIY and crafting and running her house like a boss!! She also pretends to be interested in all things IT for the sake of her computer obsessed husband. In real life she is semi interested in sports as her weekends consist of being a sideline supporter at the men in her life's rugby and hurling matches.

Katie is in her late 20's, and lives with her
husband Phil and golden retriever Max on the family farm in the north Tipperary countryside. She runs a small part time Hair salon from her house after ten years of working in the industry at home and abroad. Her interests include fashion and style, traveling to as many different places possible that her disposable income will allow, reading so much it inspires writing as a hobby, attempting to become a domestic goddess, intrepidly searching local shops for great bargains and enjoying her little corner of this planet with her loved ones and friends! She is also about to stumble and fumble her way through the life changing journey that is parenthood, being due her first child in mid march 2014.