Triple Intertwined Pancaked Dutch Braid Updo ~ Tutorial

 Recreate the original. 

Scary title, right? It's not as hard as it sounds but...


Before I say anything else:

A HUGE THANKS TO MY AMAZING MOM!!!!!!! She stayed with me for over an hour to take pictures of my tutorial!
But this braided updo doesn't take THAT long when I'm doing it on myself.

Welcome to my first hair tutorial!! I LOVE fixing my hair, and coming up with new braids that I haven't seen before, like this one I'm about to show you. It looks very difficult, but once you get the braid down, it's very repetitive. So I hope you enjoy the tutorial, and please, just because it might sound difficult, doesn't mean you can't try it!

There are only a few items needed to create this hairdo. You'll need:
1. Bobby Pins - these will hold your updo in place.

If you don't have bobby pins, you can use hairpins or spinpins. OR if you wanted, you can use Lilla Rose Flexi Clips. I used bobby pins for this hairstyle because I didn't want to take away from the braid.

2. Hair Elastics - you'll only need three at one time, and one clear one.

But, if you don't have a clear one, you can use one that's similar to your hair color.

3. Hair Spray - this isn't absolutely necessary, but adds extra hold to your updo.

4. Teasing Brush - you don't HAVE to tease (backcomb) your hair, but it adds nice volume to the top.

If you don't have a teasing brush, you can use a very fine tooth comb, or just skip the teasing entirely.

5. And, of couse you'll need a mirror. :)

You're ready, so let's get started!!

1

Grab a small-ish section of hair about the width of the end of your eyebrows.

It shouldn't be very big, because you want to leave the rest of your hair for the braid.

2

Flip that section up and tease the back of it. This is also called "backcombing".

This adds volume to the front, so you don't look bald.

You can tease a lot or a little depending on what you like.

3

Now flip that section off your face so it's laying down on the top or your head. 

You can see in the picture it's puffy, but it won't stay THAT puffy.

4

Bobby pin that section of hair securely on the top of your head.

It should still be full-looking on the front, but not very high.

5

Divide your hair (from the right-most side of the bobby pins you just pinned) all the way down to your neck. You don't want the part to end up the center of your neck at the bottom, but just to the right of it.

6

That section doesn't have to be perfectly straight. You can see how it's not down the center of my head, and that's how you want yours to be.

7

Now ponytail that section of hair just so it's out of the way for now. 

You won't be keeping this in for the whole style.

8

Repeat on the other side of your head, going down slightly to the left of the center of your head.

Ponytail that section as well.

9

Now take a small section of hair the width of the bobby pins.

It should be just behind the bobby pins. You'll be working with this section next.

10

Divide that section into three equal pieces.

11

Now take the right-most section of the small section...

And cross it under the middle section.

You've now created a new middle section.

12

Now take the left-most section...

And cross it under the new middle section.

13

Hold the three sections out of the way for now, and take a small section of loose hair on the right side of your head, and combine that new section you picked up with the right-most strand, like you would do a French braid.

This is now one section of hair.

Then cross that section of hair under the middle.

14

Hold the three sections of hair out of the way for now, and grab a small section of loose hair from the left-most side. Add that to your left-most strand. That is now one section of hair.

Cross the combined section of hair under the middle. 

You're creating a "Dutch Braid"!

15

Repeat step 13 again, and then step 14 until you've incorporated all the hair of the middle section of into your braid. It should look something like this picture. (above)

16

Once you've added in all the hair of the middle section to your braid, don't keep braiding down.

You're going to start pancaking.

Take each of the edges of the braid (starting at the bottom and working your way up) and pull them slightly. You don't want to pull the braid completely out.

17

 

Continue pancaking the whole way up the braid. Repeat on your left side.

18

Now it should look like this. (above)

19

Continue the braid and pancake as you go the whole way down. Tie off the braid with an elastic.

You should have one full-looking braid going down the center back of your head.

20

Take the ponytail out of the right-most section only of hair and let the hair hang loose.

And this is where I took a break for supper.

21

Take a small section of hair just behind the front of your hair. (picture no. 1 of step 21)

You want the section of hair to start at about the same place the braid started.

22

Now divide that section into three equal sections.

23

Take the right-most strand of hair and cross it under the middle. 

You've now created a new middle section.

24

Now take the left-most section of hair and cross it under the middle section.

25

Now take a small section of hair from the right-most side of loose hair, and add it to the right-most strand. This section should start to pick up the hair from the front.

26

Cross that combined section of hair under the middle section.

This next part might be confusing, but bear with me.

27

Hold all three sections of hair with your right hand, but keep them separate. 

28

At the top of the beginning of the first braid you did, take the section....

(the one I'm pointing to)

And put your first and middle fingers under that loop.

Spread your fingers apart.

29

Now pinch the left-most section of hair with those two fingers...

And pull that section of hair through the section your fingers were in...

Like this. (above)

30

Take the section of hair you just pulled through the other section, and cross it under the middle section of this current braid you're starting.

Now take section of hair from the loose hair and add it to the right-most strand, and cross the combinded section of hair under the middle section.

31

Now hold all three sections again with your right hand.

32

Move to the section JUST BELOW THE SECTION YOU PULLED THE HAIR THROUGH...

(the one I'm pointing to)

Slip your fingers under that loop of hair, and spread your fingers apart.

33

Now pinch the left-most strand of hair with your fingers and pull it through the section...

Like this. (above)

34

Repeat setps 27 through 33 until you've added in all your hair.

35

Once you've added in all your hair, put your fingers through one more section of the original braid, pinch the left-most strand of hair, pull it through one last time, and cross it under the middle.

36

Now hold all three sections of hair with your left hand...

And pancake the outer edge ONLY of the braid you just created...

It should look like this. (above)

37

Continue the rest of the braid, pancaking as you go (on both sides), the whole way down the length of your hair. Tie off the braid with an elastic.

At this point you won't be adding in any other sections of new hair.

You'll do the same thing you just did with the right section of hair, only now you'll do it with the left section of hair.

I've already started the braid on the left side of my head, so I'll just do a few steps for you.

38

Hold all three of your sections of hair with your left hand.

Take the next section of hair...

(the one I'm pointing to) 

Put your fingers through that section...

Grab the right-most section of hair and pull it through the section your fingers were in.

Now take a section of hair from the loose side of hair, and add it to the left-most strand, then cross the combined section under the middle.

39

Repeat step 38 until you don't have any hair left to add into the braid.

40

Once you've added all the hair, put your fingers through the next section, grab the right-most strand, and pull through one last time.

41

Now stop braiding and pancake the outer edge of the braid...

Continue the braid without adding in new sections of hair. Pancake as you go along braiding. Tie off the braid with an elastic.

Now your hairdo should look like this. (above)

42

Now braid all three of the braids together. Just do a regular, plain braid, and braid to the ends of your hair.

43

Now take a clear or hair-colored elastic...

And tie off the whole big braid together.

Pull out the other elastics you used earlier.

44

At this point you can stop if you want, and you'll have a very interesting braid!

But if you want an updo, continue on...

45

Take the big braid and tuck the tails under the braid...

Roll up the braid under itself until it's sitting where you want...

Like this. (above)

46

Now take a bobby pin, and pin the updo in place (use as many bobby pins as you need).

You want to take small sections of hair when you're pinning, because that holds better...

Like this. (above)

All right... are you ready?? Are you sure?

Okay, get ready....

YOU'RE DONE!!!!!!!

YES, you've really finished it!!!

The finished product...

Voila!

Pretty, isn't it? 

I hope you've enjoyed this hair tutorial! I enjoyed making it, and would love to see pictures of you wearing this style! Just drop me a comment below with the picure in it! 

And if anything was unclear, just leave me a comment about the problem, and I'll do my best to explain it better for you!

One more thing...

Should I do another tutorial of a different hairstyle? :-)

If you have a specific hairstyle you'd like to see a tutorial for (if you have a picture) you can leave a comment (with the picture in it) and I can do my best to make a tutorial!!

In Christ,

Amara

P.S.

Do NOT sell, copy, or otherwise mess around with the hairdo idea or tutorial without permission from the stylist. In other words, "Thou shalt not steal."

Always ask if you need to use this in any other way than for personal use. :)

©Faithful-Legacy 2015

Spring Piano Recital!

Since my brother and I have been taking piano lessons since September, (I did start s-l-o-w-l-y teaching myself some piano about a year before we started lessons) we both got to play at our teacher's piano recital! Although I was excited, I was very nervous! The song I was going to play for the recital was "Morning Has Broken" and it was very difficult to play correctly. I started practicing that song back near the beginning of April, and I thought I'd have enough time to pratice, and play it comfortably at the recital, which was on May 17. I kept playing that song over, and over, and over, and over...you get the idea, before the recital, and I'm sure everyone in my family (including myself) was tired of hearing the same song over, and over, and over, and over. As the recital got closer, I didn't think I'd be ready to play the song, but I kept working on it, hoping, no, praying that I would do well at the recital.

So I'll jump ahead to the day before the recital.

It was the evening, and I was playing my song for the last time that night, as well as the duet my brother, Aidan, and I were going to do at the recital as well. Aidan had his own piano solo too, but he had mastered his (he often tends to master things quickly, no matter how difficult they are). We were ready with our duet, Aidan was ready with his song, "O Sole Mio", but I was still struggling with mine! Yes, it is the night before the recital, and I'm still making mistakes. I went to bed that night a very nervous girl, but determined to do her best.

The day of my recital was Sunday, so we went to church, and, although I was nervous during the drive to church, the service was a good way to get my mind off the recital for a while. But when the service was done and we went home for a quick lunch, I started getting nervous again. And I mean REALLY nervous. After lunch, my family and I hopped back into our van, and drove to the church for the piano recital. My grandparents were there, and we met them at the door. One of my grandmothers asked me, "Are you nervous?" And I answered, "Yes! But I'll do my best."

Of all the children playing at the recital, by brother and I were very last, which meant I had to wait for a long time, getting more nervous by the second. Suddenly my name was called. "Amara? Come on up!" "Oh dear," I thought, "it's come at last!" It was so quiet as I walked up the stage steps, that I'm sure you could hear a pin drop on a pillow! The crowd of people looked like there was no end, but, in reality, there weren't that many people. I anounced what I was going to play, and sat down at the piano. I took a quick look at the piano keys, took a deep breath, and started playing the song I'd played so long. My hands shook and they got very sweaty as I played "Morning Has Broken". "Wait a moment," I thought, "was that a mistake? No! Praise God it wasn't!" I thought I was about to make a mistake in my song, but I didn't! The song flowed smoothly without mistakes! I was so happy at the end (partly because I was done and partly because I was pleased with the song) that I couldn't help but grinning at the audience! Next my brother and I played our duet "The Imperial March" and that was such fun! That song went well, too. Then, it was my brother's solo, and he played it beautifully! I'm not the only person that thought so, because when the recital was done, my brother and I had many people come up to us and tell us that we did very well! All around I enjoyed the recital (once it was finished), and I would love to do it again! It's funny I was so nervous for this recital...I've never been so nervous before in my life for anything else I was performing! 

Here are some pictures of the recital:

This is me playing "Morning Has Broken"

This is Aidan and me playing "The Imperial March"

This is Aidan playing "O Sole Mio"

This is what I fixed my hair into that day.

And I couldn't resist the picture of what my hair looks like while I'm writing this post!

I like mouse ears. :)

In Christ,

Amara

Spring in Color!

It's finally spring here in Michigan, and the robins and geese are back!

Something (I'm not sure what) inspired me to take some photographs of the greenery outside. Maybe it is because I love tulips, green grass, and trees. Maybe it is because I wanted photography practice, or maybe, just because I love spring! Call it whatever you want, but I had a blast taking pictures of nature! Anyway, here are my pictures (and commentary) of the growth around me:

This was the first tulip to bloom this spring...I was so excited! 

I thought this one was going to be white until I got a closer look! 

I was surprised at how the colors blended together perfectly.

This is probably my favorite tree on our property.

I was going to lie on the ground to get this shot, but since I didn't want my hair and clothes covered in dirt, grass, and leaves, I decided to stand insead.

I can't believe how green (some) of the grass has gotten already! 

I love golden-yellow tulips! They remind me a little of daffodils, the "springiest" flower I think there is!

Last fall we planted a lot of tulips lining our walkway to the porch.

This picture was hard to take because my camara wouldn't focus! 

But once I did take the picture, I think it turned out great!

Just think when this tree will bloom with flowers!

This tulip hasn't fully opened yet, but I took this picture because I liked the leaves... I haven't seen any like it before!

Here is the final picture of a plant we planted a while ago. It's a pretty burgundy, especially in summer!

That's the summary I have of growing things this spring for now, but I'm sure there is a lot I didn't cover! I like that the weather is warming up, but summer seems nearly on us! Spring goes by fast...don't miss the beauty of it!

In Christ,

Amara Jachim

Happy 18th Birthday, Aidan!

It is a great joy and privilege to have recently celebrated Aidan's 18th birthday!  We are very blessed to have Aidan as a part of our family and we would like to honor him with this belated birthday post.

Aidan,

Happy birthday to you!  It is a blessing to have you as our son and we were very grateful to have recently celebrated your 18th birthday.  We have been very thankful to the Lord for the growth that you have shown over the past year and we look forward to seeing the plans that God has for you in the future.

Aidan, we see a number of interesting skills and talents developing within you that we see could provide many potential options for the future path that the Lord will lead you.  Wherever God will direct you, remember that your duty and privilege is to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33).  We see in you a sensitivity to right and wrong which will serve you well for a lifetime provided that you continue to be consistently obedient to all that the Lord reveals to you.  We have observed a great eye for artistic and graphic design, which you have already used to create some absolutely top-notch things (such as numerous fantastic drawings and the very well designed web-site for Through All Ages).  Your biblical knowledge and theological insights have added a great deal to our family Bible time and our nightly dinner conversations.  Your musical talent and your dedication to developing that talent over such a short time has been a great blessing to us.  In looking at these specific strengths, we look forward with great hope to see God's direction for you and the good works that God has prepared for you in advance to accomplish.

As you go through the following year, focus your mind on these items to spur you on to great growth and Christian maturity:

• Live in the fear of the Lord - The Bible teaches us that "blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his commandments." (Psalm 112:1)

• Live with a heart of gratitude - One of the marks of a disciple of the Lord is living a life that is filled with thankfulness, as we are taught in Psalm 100: "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name." (v. 4)

• Live in a holy manner - As a believer in God, you are called to live holy and righteous each day in every task that is before you.  "For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness." (1 Thessalonians 4:7)

• Live with great hope knowing that the Lord is sovereign - We serve a God of hope Who is in control of all things and has promised that He will work all things for the good of those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).  "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." (Romans 15:13)

• Live joyfully - One of the greatest testimonies to the world around you, where there are so many that are filled with bitterness, wrath, and unending anger is to manifest the fruit of joy.  "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice." (Philippians 4:9)

• Live victoriously - Know that you have the power of the Holy Spirit living within you and that as a result of this third person of the Trinity, "greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." (1 John 4:4)

We are indeed very grateful and blessed to have you as our son!  May you be encouraged and spurred on as we honor you this day and may you always know that you are very dearly loved!

Happy Birthday, Aidan!

Love Always,

Dad and Mom

Happy Birthday, My Beloved Jill!

This post is for belated birthday blessings (her birthday was October 1) to my dearly beloved bride and my precious help-meet Jill!

Jill,

I love you very much and I extend joyful birthday blessings from the depths of my heart!  I thank the Lord for your genuine Christian commitment, your willingness to homeschool our children, your faithful care for our family, and your desire to live in a manner that is pleasing to the Lord and consistent with His Word.

It is my earnest prayer that our relationship as husband and wife would be a great picture of the message of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ as is so beautifully illustrated in Ephesians 5.  May the people that are around us be able to look at our lives and see our love for one another and as a result see the power of the God whom we serve.

You are indeed very precious to me and I am grateful for all of the blessed memories that we have together, including how we have matured in the grace of our Lord together through our time together as a married couple.  I pray that God will fill your coming year with overflowing joy, unparalleled peace, and steady growth in righteousness.

I love you dearly and pray that the Lord will make His face shine upon you brightly.  Happy birthday, my dear Jill!

"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil." (Proverbs 31:10-11)

Forever Yours,

David