Excellent braid!  Your hair is really getting long!  Keep up the good work.

Thanks, everyone 

T took another, a bit better picture.



Hairsticks are Forest Sanctuary GemStix.

I'm trying to wear this style today, see how well it lasts and how the Amish pins should be placed. I really like this and it would be neat if this could be perfected lasting enough for everyday use. Hair is pretty much same as yesterday. In the evening, if I have time, I'll go to sauna.

Very nice! And I like your shirt! 

Thank you, ladies! Nautilus braid lasted really well and stayed neat until the evening. My hair was still a bit greasier than usual due to remains of my deep treatment- which probably helped. In future, it might be a good idea to apply a little aloe vera/jojoba mix to the hair before beginning to braid. The short (2") Amish pins are absolutely perfect in pinning the braid. Hold like glue, but are so short that the ends don't poke out. 
So, it seems that fancy braids aren't necessarily special occassion styles only.

I had time for sauna, washed hair with Lavender Spice, Honey Butter soap and regular ACV rinse. When I was combing it, I added some amlika leave- in. I haven't used that for a while... I don't think that I'll be buying a new bottle though. There's nothing wrong with the product- but it's not that spectacular either, and other things being equal, I prefer all natural stuff.
   The hair feels great- my scalp feels still somehow exceptionally clean. It's hard to describe, but it's a pleasant feeling. I suppose that clarifying was a good idea that deserves a place in my hair care routine. Maybe once in three months or so would be good.

Haven't yet styled my hair today yet- I'm having a long and lazy morning. As my hair is so clean, I doubt that it will be anything fancy though.

House news: Building has become number one option for us. We have found a couple of good-looking homes, and the land in countryside is still reasonably priced. There are still many questions that need to be answered before we can start making decisions- but once again we have some hope. The air of silent frustration and despair is gone from our little family. 

Haven't worn cinnabun for several days- feels a bit weird, but I just haven't been in the right mood. Todays' style was/is a rope braid bun, pinned with Amish pins. It looks really nice, and has lasted the whole day even though I didn't use a bun net. Yay for net free buns!

Hair feels incredibly silky, and though it's third day, it still feels clean. After I clarified, the scalp seemed to normalize in an instant, and is again as nice as can be. Have I already told that from now on, I'm going to clarify every now and then? Well, I suppose I have- but I'm just so happy of having this super nice and clean-feeling scalp!

The weather was very cold today- I wore my winter coat for the first time. Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer again...but I'm sure that first bonnet day (when temperature drops below freezing point, that is) is going to be soon!

Not a dumb question at all. Day temperatures drop below 0 deg C (freezing point) some time in early November (in Southern Finland), and they rise again in late March or early April. In winter, temperatures vary from around 0 C (32 F) to -25 C (-13 F) or even colder in coldest few days. BUT it's not that bad, really. Our houses are well heated and insulated and are just as comfortable as in summer. And even outdoors, it's quite tolerable if one is dressed properly. We call it "layer dressing", and it means that in cold weather one should wear three layers of clothes: undergarments (not just bra and panties but long underwear), middle layer like pants and shirt or a sweater, and outer layer : coat, hat, warm shoes and gloves. Depending on what one chooses to each layer, she can be comfortable from temperatures near 0 to very cold weather. 
   When foreigners unaccustomed to cold weather come here, they are usually freezing because they don't know about layer dressing and therefore wear way too few clothes. I've talked with people who believe that native Scandinavians are somehow biologically adjusted to cold weather. But, that's not true- when it gets cold, we just know how to keep ourselves warm.

Then to news!

THE CHRISTMAS IS HERE! I don't care about what my calendar says- my desktop says it must be Christmas, because it's full of colorful scented tissue and my eyes are resting in no less than four new pairs of LL hairsticks- each of them beautiful as sunrise in Heaven.

But, here's the traditional review:

Pastel Butterflies SugarStix- These looked beautiful in the picture. But the butterfly design is neverthless incredibly more beautiful in RL. The "sugaring" is subtle, and beads with little lavender roses are so romantic. After unwrapping this pair, I was quite ready to happily faint.

Tropicana Rose SugarStix- I must be really toughened by my Longlocks shopping career- even now fainting out of pure aesthetic happiness was *this* close! Wonderful colors, wonderful little Padparadcha crystals and beads with aventurine ribbons and little orange roses make this a pair that I could just watch for hours. And did I mention the wonderful, beautiful colors?

Vintage Chic BridalStix- This might very well be THE pair that I'm going to wear in my wedding. Shimmering gold finish, beautiful givre crystals and ornate leaf bead caps- a pair of wedding hair pins can't really get much better than this. The sticks are both simple and detailed at the same time-just perfect.

Zircon Fantasy FantasyStix- I've been waiting for a darker pair of hair jewels for the darkest time of the year- and here it is! My third pair that has three medium sized crystals in a row as toppers (perfect design for Chinese Bun hairsticks). Peridot green rondelles really catch the eye- the combination is just perfect.

Don't ask me to name the most beautiful pair- they are all amazing little works of art. I'm in happy hair heaven!

I have some more errands to run today. I noticed that many people were wearing hat today- the weather forecast was wrong, and today it's even colder than yesterday- temperature is barely above zero. And yes, it means that when I leave the house, bonnet will leave too! I won't still be able to say much about its efficiency, but in any case I'll know what it's like to wear.

Today's going to be a washing day. My hair has been so nice, and I plan not to mess with it. Just an ordinary little wash should do.

I love your gallery!  You have a beautiful collection.  I really want to see a SugarStix in person - maybe that's what I'll get next.  :-D

Cynde