Red Productions Christmas Card

Every year the production company my brother works for puts out a video short as their Christmas Card. And they're pretty stinkin' funny. I've had a few requests as to whether or not there will be a new one this year, and I am here to tell you, YES. Here it is (if you want to watch years past to get the inside references, watch the videos below...my brother is "Greg"): click the 4-arrows graphic to enlarge

2008 Holiday Video:

2009 Holiday Video:

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas!

We're off! In a cloud of dust...er...spray of water. It's pouring here. It has been all week. So what's the BEST thing for two wild kiddos who've been cooped up all week? A 6 hour car ride. Followed by a 3 hour plane ride topped with airport lines. Super fun, ya'll! WOAH. That was the Texan in me comin' right on out. (I can't stop it!!) We'll be in Texas for one week, then Arizona for the next. And I am traveling sans laptop (gulp...separation anxiety). So posting might be few and far between. But rest assured I'll be back with all of my hand made gift ideas to share (for next year), and a travel hangover. Can't wait. Hope everyone has a great Holiday! 

Need a little extra Chrsitmas Spirit? Visit THIS wonderful site.

(Look at us: We're so happy and carefree...just like those people who don't know we're sitting behind them on the plane tomorrow. Watch out! The Griswold—ahem, Johnson—Christmas Vacation is about to commence!)

Wes's Handmade Gift

I wore this sexy number to pick Wes up from the airport last night. I'm sure it was everything he'd been hoping for after being away all week:

(Photo courtesy of Finn...how awesome is that? I told him to get my body, which apparently means no head!)

But then I gifted Wes his Christmas present a little early, and all was forgiven. He has two geographic and geologic loves. Here they are, at 11x14:

Inspired shamelessly by the Heads of State Posters and my own Oceanic Alphabet Poster. Since I made this for a one-time gift and would never sell the design, I didn't feel it was a problem to be inspired so closely by the Heads of State print.

I think I actually requested this from someone when they asked me what I wanted for Christmas...

The Icelander

Dear Wes,
You are quite a few miles away. I am ready for you to come home now! Don't get me wrong. I am ever so happy that you are having an amazing time in Iceland! It looks quintessentially full of holiday cheer. Maybe one day those will be our little red twinkling lights in the upper room of our darling house. Except really I am hoping for a summery house. With a bit more daylight, and a few more degrees added to the temperature. On a high windswept grassy plain. Overlooking a fjord. With some puffins and seals down below. Can you work on that for me? See you in two!

My Autographed Copy

The other day I loaded up the kids, and drove north on the 5 a ways to a little book shop, listening to the Happy Cleaning Song from Enchanted on repeat (thanks to Finn's adamant requests). My friend, Catherine, was having a book signing! And I wanted to pick up a few copies of her darling new book, Libby Boom. You might recognize the illustrator. Her name is Tuesday Mourning, and I adore her style. Here we are (Catherine and Yours Truly). You can't see Finn or Maya, because Maya was too busy trying to trash the inventory, while Finn cased the joint for any type of action figures (of which he amazingly found many):

Here's Libby Boom:
 
  

And here's Catherine's adorable site (which I may or may not have had a hand in...)

Hanging Gift Tags

The Bee & Nie has some fun hanging gift tags for your Christmas packages! Hop over and check them out
(click on images to visit the shop):

Making lantern ornaments from paper scraps:

Here's lookin' at you, kid...

One day in fourth grade I sat down to copy our spelling list from the board. But I couldn't see any of the words on the board clearly. Everyone else was scribbling away. And I was kind of panicking. I kept getting up to "sharpen my pencil" and "get a Kleenex." Then I would memorize as many words as possible, go back and write them down. And just like that I needed glasses.

Recently I was diagnosed with Ocular Hypertension. One thing I am trying to do to give my eyes a bit of a break is wear my glasses more. I adore my glasses. I just got them recently, and my only complaint is the cost. Even with insurance, my high prescription=high cost.

Enter GlassesUSA.com. They offer high-quality discount eyeglasses at the most reasonable rates I've seen in a while (cheap price, but not cheap frames, that's for sure). Just looking around their site I was seriously tempted to cave and buy a few pairs. They have this really fun feature called the Try-It Mirror, that lets you try glasses online. I was able to see how I look in designer glasses, retro glasses, plastic, metal, rimless, and even men's frames if I wanted (heehee). I'm a little surprised they don't have monocles!



Of course I had a few questions about buying glasses online, where you aren't able to physically try them on. And Hillary, a great gal over at GlassesUSA (who owns 5 pairs from the site herself), put my mind at ease. Here's what she had to say:

We aim for a friendly return policy. Our customer's satisfaction is guaranteed. But if they aren't satisfied for any reason, they can return the glasses and get a one-time exchange or in-store credit. If a refund is requested, we will refund 50% of the cost unless there was a defect on our end.

The bottom line for us is that we want a customer to be satisfied with our glasses so we will do what we can to make sure you're happy with our frames. So far, our customers have been happy with what they've received and we check to make sure the glasses are aligned properly before they are shipped.

Here are some more of my faves (seriously, boots and glasses—I could own endless numbers of pairs):

 

So instead of spending too much time or money at an eyeglasses store, go try on a few pairs at GlassesUSA.com. Watch out...it's a little addicting. And if you find some you like, you can get 15% off by clicking on that fancy little button over there in my sidebar. Nothing like high quality cheap eyeglasses!




 This is a sponsored post by GlassesUSA.com.

Walking the Plank

This is how Maya goes down the slide. Every time.

A Handmade Christmas in 2010

We usually spend Christmas with my parents in Texas. My Mom's Birthday is on Christmas Day. Then we head to Arizona to spend Wes's Birthday (New Year's Day) with his family. I decided that I would do a Handmade Christmas for the Tejas Familia. (Read the insert card below to learn more.) And this is how I kicked it off. I sent CDs in hand-sewn envelopes to my parents and brother/sis-in-law combo (aka "Gratia"). It's felt really wonderful to personally make so many gifts. Even if some of them are quirky and small, and oddly redundant once I stepped back and looked at everything. I wrapped them all up in brown paper packaging and tied them with string. Then I shipped them all out today! I'll post photos after the Holidays so as not to give anything away.

(OK. I admit I am pretty ashamed of the image quality going on here. But in my defense, Maya was getting into the battery drawer, while Finn used me as a jungle gym. But nonetheless, I did manage to get photos at all. So that's a success in my book.)

Corners of my house: Imagination

There seems to be a Trojan Horse attacking the small Danish village of Russian Glass inhabitants...

(and the alligator knows it)

Signing off for the weekend...

Poor kiddos. They're too cute to be this sick! Here's to hoping next week is better. (And yes, it's warm enough here at the beginning of December that we're all in short sleeves. I can hardly believe it!) 

PS: I know Maya's car seat buckles are a little wonky. She FIGHTS that car seat, man, I tell ya! I'm always adjusting them. But we try our hardest to play it safe, rest assured.

A long post about short hair

* Post note: All of the products mentioned in this post can be found in the Amazon store I've set up at the end of this post for convenience. You can also find most of these products at Target, Soap.com, and Ulta. SOme reviews claim the Styling Creme has changed its formula. But I have noticed no significant change, and was surprised to read this. Maybe I started using it after that adjustment...

Way back when I cut all my hair off, I had a commenter ask about styling tips. So let's get down to it!

No matter how many times you have had a pixie haircut (I have had three, for years at a time), you still go through utter shock the first week. It usually happens in the morning when you wake up either looking like an adolescent boy, or a deranged elderly person. And then it's reiterated when you shower, and go to wash your lengthy locks, to remember they are no longer long. But then you style it in a spunky do, and your husband sees it, and can't stop talking about how amazing it looks (and may or may not be able to keep his hands to himself). And then you know that the pixie cut is the most risky and rewarding of all haircuts—If you can pull it off, of course. Thankfully I can. But really you won't know if you can sport the short do, until you do it! So cut with caution, or get a consultation with a bona fide stylist first.

I get a haircut every 5 weeks. Sometimes I am extra crazy because I just cut it myself. DON'T do this. Just don't. I've been doing it for a long time, but I never get it perfect. And if I had any sense at all, I would always have it professionally trimmed every 5 weeks. But even then, I still come home and tweak it a bit. It's good to have nice scissors on hand for around the ears and bangs when things get shaggy and you can't get to a stylist any time soon. I have texturizers and regular scissors. If you are new to the DIY world of hair do's, I recommend texturizers (or thinning shears). Find them HERE. They look like this:

Now for styling (these are my favorite looks).

The spiky do is my favorite, which can go farther and become a cool "fauxhawk" if you are feeling way funky. Click the image below to go to a How-To Video on how I create this look:

Here's an example of the fauxhawk:

The simply smooth look (great with accessories like large flowers and headbands)
Click the image below to go to a How-To Video on how I create this look:

Or something between the two. I don't have a photo, but it's basically when I am too lazy to put in any work at all. I just blow dry it, use some product, and spray. I don't try to make it perfectly smooth, or spiky and cute. It's more of a blah alternative—consider it the ponytail of the pixie cut.

Don't be fooled that short hair requires no work. Au contraire! It's just work redistributed. Instead of long amounts of time blow drying, I spend more time styling than I did when I pulled it back in a pony every day. It's definitely faster than my lengthy locks. But it also requires some effort. I have slightly wavy hair, so I flat iron it when I want a good spike (yep, flat iron...crazy, I know). The smooth look can be achieved with the right products. And if you have straight hair, you won't need to flat iron at all. Here is my arsenal of design tools. I have tried a LOT of different products. And below are my absolute favorites.

Shampoo/Conditioner: 

Use anything. Really. Whatever is your favorite. I have fine, wavy, color treated hair. So I use something to give me volume, or something to protect color. It doesn't ever affect the style in the end (for my hair). And remember that since it's so short, you don't have to worry about damaged ends, or repairing or strengthening. You're going to cut it in a month. But if you really are dying to know, I use Bumble and Bumble Coco or Thick shampoo/conditioner.

Pre-styling products for spiky or textured do's: 

This step = essential. I usually combine two. A spray and a creme styler. This avoids crispiness, while giving me the texture my hair needs so that it won't flop.

STEP 1: Bumble and Bumble Thickening Spray OR B&B Tonic Spray. 

This gives you some lift at the roots.

On a budget? Try John Frieda Collection Luxurious Volume Lavish Lift Root Booster.

STEP 2: Bumble and Bumble Styling Creme OR B&B Texture.

I can't find a good substitution for either of these. They give a little texture and hold without crispiness. really amazing products. If you buy one thing, go for the Styling Creme! Hands down. It is definitely the best "do it all in one fell swoop" styling product. Bumble and Bumble Styling Creme is magical. I promise.

On a budget? Try Aveeno Soft Hold Gel-Creme, or Sexy Hair Concepts Slept in Texture Creme.

TIP: Need more texture for fine/wimpy/slick hair? Try Dust It Mattifying Powder by Schwarzkopf for a little added gritty grip!

Pre-styling products for sleek do's: 

STEP 1: Bumble and Bumble Tonic Spray

STEP 2: Garnier Sleek & Shine Anti-Humidity Smoothing Milk

Best around. Don't spend the money on anything else. This will do the job! Non-greasy, not too shiny, just sleek. And it resists end-of-day puffing.

-OR- Bumble and Bumble Styling Creme (Remember, it's magic. Smoothes or amplifies.)

Styling: 

When blow drying, use the right brush. I use a Denman brush. A little pricey. So for the conservative shopper, go for a small round brush with nubby bristles for a smooth look or controlled lift. That way if you need a boost in the back, you can round brush it slightly while blow drying. I just use my fingers for messy, spiky days. My hair has a tendency to wave or curl at the ends. So I do flat iron my hair a bit some days (bangs and ends only). My smooth/sleek style requires no flattening, since the flat iron will encourage it to all stand up on end. So I sort of "pull" it straight into place around my face while blowdrying so as to avoid curling bang tips.

Time to style! Poommade, pommade, pommade! This stuff is tricky. You want putty or dry wax. As dry as you can find. Not jiggly glossy gel in a pot. Not mud. Not foam. Not goopy cream. I have used LOTS of types of pommades, and these three will let you really manipulate your hair without it looking wet or oily (unless you are going for that look, which I never am). In every case, use sparingly by rubbing a small amount on fingertips before working into hair. Build up more as needed. I usually run my hands through my hair quickly before styling specific sections.

Looking for lots of texture and lift? Try these:

• Current Favorite: Bumble and Bumble Sumotech (best I've found)

• Crew Fiber (this is a men's product, but it's amazing, and very similar to Sumotech, but with a slight earthy scent)

• Got 2 Be inPlay Putty (I love this cheaper version of Sumotech and Crew)

Want a sleeker look? Try these:

• Short Sexy Hair Control Maniac Wax (can get greasy if you use too much)

  

• Bumble and Bumble Sumo Wax (for a glossier wax finish, but with a higher price tag)

Finishing:
I'm not going to lie. I spray the CRAP out of my hair. It's stiff and wind-resistant. Even my smooth look is deceptively "natural." There's a lot of product in there. The right hairspray has to have Alcohol as the number one ingredient, NOT water. Else you lose your lift. I have hairspray down to a science. If you want to freeze your short style in place with the least amount of product, with a pleasant smell, all of these will do the job well. Spray and work your style at the same time. Lift, spray, lift spray. Shellac! (Environmentalists, I am a lost cause in this area. Sorry.)

• Osis + Freeze Stronghold Hairspray

• Big Sexy Hair Spray & Play Volumizing Hairspray (for serious lift and shellacking power)

• John Frieda Luxurious Volume All Out Hold Hairspray (A favorite at only $6 a can. Should be called "freeze right there, hair.")

• Tresemme Tres Two Extra Hold with the lime green label (Not the Ultra Fine Mist, or purple Freeze Hold. This smells great, comes in a jumbo can, costs under $5, and works better than most expensive salon hairsprays I've tried.)

• If you feel like you just HAVE to spend over $10 on good hairspray, Goldwell is your golden ticket. This comes in a close third to the first two. Buy the Goldwell Sprayer hairspray. They also have an awesome spray wax that could be used in place of pommade, called Unlimitor.

And you're done!
I know this seems like a LOT for short hair. But really it's a few easy steps once you get your products down pat. It takes me under 10 minutes to do my hair every day. So worth it! Have any tips you want to share with me, pixie pals? Leave me a comment or shoot me an email at lyndsayjonson@gmail.com



Video How-To's

I've started to create videos so that you can see how I achieve my looks. I'll continue to add more to the series:
Lyndsay's Spiky Pixie 'Do

These are my favorite outsider styling tip videos for pixie do's found on You Tube:
SLEEK AUDREY HEPBURN STYLE
SPUNKY GOIN' OUT DO
FORMAL "UPDO"

Here's to happy hair!