SevEn cLoWn CirCuS

How to Make a Braided Sock Bun {hair tutorial}

Angie — Sat, 18 May 2013 07:01:00 +0000

How to Make a Braided Sock Bun is the most time consuming of my top Up-Do styles for the summer. It’s easy to do, but takes a bit of time because it requires a few small braids within the bun and those will take a few minutes. The pictures don’t really show how pretty the braids are within the bun. They really pop and add dimension to the hair do that is unexpected and super pretty. I just love the braided sock bun up-do! Here’s how to do it in 5 easy steps!

How to Make a Braided Sock Bun

Step 1: Put your hair into a high pony tail. make sure all your hair is smooth.

Step 2: Next, put a sock bun into your hair and spread your hair out over it.

Step 3: Take small sections of hair and start braiding them, then tying them with elastics. You can make as many as you want, but I think 6 is a good number.

Step 4: Put a bigger elastic over the top of the whole bun. Once you have the bun secured, take the elastics of the braids out.

Step 5: Twist the rest of the hair and pin it around the bun. Pull the braids out, just a little bit, to define them. Spray with hairspray if desired.

How to Make a Staircase Bun/Braid {hair tutorial}

Angie — Fri, 17 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

How to Make a Staircase Bun/Braid is a fun Up-Do style for the summer, and I can almost guarantee you won’t find anyone else with the same hair that day. This hairstyle requires a dutch braid on a diagonal so it’s a bit difficult to do it on yourself. If you have a friend or daughter that loves to do hair, I’d get their help with this one! Here’s how to do a Staircase bun/braid.

How to Make a Staircase Bun/Braid

Step 1: First, part your hair diagonally. Use a rattail comb to make the part a clean line. Put the top section of the part in a pony tail.

Step 2: Next, flip your head over and start the dutch braid. Only add hair from the side of your hair farthest away from your part. Don’t add any hair from the side next to your part. This will keep the braid close to the part, which is what you want. Once you run out of hair, just braid the rest regularly and tie off with an elastic.

Step 3: Tease the hair coming out of the pony tail to give it volume. Twist the hair into a bun and secure with bobby pins.

Step 4: Last, wrap the braid around the bun and secure into place with a bobby pin or two. If there are any fly aways, spray some hairspray on them.

Let’s Get Zesty! {recipe} PLUS {giveaway}

Angie — Thu, 16 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Let’s Get Zesty! Kraft has added a fun and flavorful way to dine at home by adding a little zest to their dressing. Their new Zesty Italian Anything Dressing lets me sail into the summer with fun new recipes full of flavor while buying me time since I’m spending less time seasoning! And, so that you can zest up your kitchen, too, I’m giving away a bottle of a zesty Italian perfume, such as Versace to a lucky reader. {{It’s one of those fun perks of working with Mom It Forward and Kraft!}} Scroll down to enter to win!

Let’s Get Zesty!

We can now get cheeky in the kitchen and with friends and family by sending a personalized ZestyGram to add a little zest to everyday moments and special occasions. The Zesty Guy is definitely steaming up some kitchens around the globe. :) You can visit the Zesty Guy on Twitter and on Facebook, too! You’ll need to click the links to see what I’m talking about! Trust Me.

Zesty Recipes

Zesty Italian Chicken Salad – this simple, yet playful dish will surprise even the biggest mainstream foodie. Once you go Italian, you never go back.
Primavera Pasta Toss – a little added zest to fettuccine and veggies turns the most basic meal into a steamy, palette-able adventure.
More Zesty Guy-approved Kraft recipes.

Tomato, Basil and Cucumber Salad Recipe

Recipe Ingredients

4 vine ripened tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber-peeled, quartered lengthwise and chopped
3 green onions, chopped
3 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips
5 TBS KRAFT Zesty Italian Anything Dressing

Toss all ingredients and serve chilled! Enjoy. It’s delicious! {{The Kraft Zesty Italian Anything Dressing makes all the difference!}}

Giveaway

One lucky winner will receive a bottle of a zesty Italian perfume, such as Versace.

Giveaway requirements: {found within the rafflecopter widget}

Answer the following question: How do you zest up your life?
Send out a tweet about this giveaway using the hashtag #GetZesty.

All other entries are optional.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Contest ends on Wednesday, May 22nd at Midnight, PST.

Disclaimer: I am part of the Mom It Forward blogger network. Mom It Forward follow and Kraft follow partnered in support of this campaign. Kraft follow compensated me for participation in this campaign. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The post Let’s Get Zesty! {recipe} PLUS {giveaway} appeared first on sevenclowncircus.com.

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Wordful Wednesday – This Mother’s Happy Heart

Angie — Tue, 14 May 2013 17:00:00 +0000

Wordful Wednesday 411: Wordful Wednesday is like Wordless Wednesday, except WITH words. It’s for those of us that just cannot be wordless, no matter how much we try. Add my Wordful Wednesday badge to your post (right side bar under “WW”) if you really want to make me happy, and then add your post link to the linky below. Easy peasy.

This week I decided to take a break from my vacation posts and show a picture of my happy heart. Mother’s Day was a day that left me feeling grateful for my family. I could’t be luckier.

Join us in our linky AFTER you check out Dude Mom (formerly Parenting by Dummies) and these 4 awesome posts from last week’s linky! This week we’re featuring a post with some beautiful Ethiopian children one blogger met when she went to adopt her own little girl, a little charmer we’ve been watching grow up on her mama’s blog, a fun post that chronicles the day in the life of a 27 month old before her sibling makes an appearance, and a little first haircut fun!

Online Safety with Cocoon Kids {smart move}

Angie — Mon, 13 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Online safety for my kids is SO important to me, so I was thrilled to learn that CocoonKids for KlaasKids, the fabulous {and innovative-there’s nothing else quite like it out there} online safety software for kids is ready for download! I’m lucky enough to be a member of the Parent Advisory Board for Cocoon for KlassKids, so I get to share the latest and greatest to help support this free online tool. {{super cool, right?}}

Once upon a time I let my twins use my laptop to watch a movie on Netflix. I helped them put on a movie, but when my husband checked on them a few minutes later they had just begun watching a movie that was rated R. They were FOUR. That experience really hit home to us how accessible information is online. ANYONE, at any age can get their hands on just about ANYTHING without filters or supervision. That’s why I love CocoonKids by KlaasKids. It provides a filter for my kids online computer use. With five kids using computers, I need the extra help!

I’ve told you about CocoonKids for KlaasKids before, and if you are feeling ambitious, you can read about it, here, but there are a few key things I bet you’d like to know, like:

Benefits of CocoonKids for KlassKids

It’s FREE and EASY to use!
It does what we all want an online safety product to do: A: protect our children from online threats, AND B: protects our personal information and computer from marketers, predators and harmful viruses and malware.
It operates from a white list that was compiled from parents like you and me that is made up of safe sites for kids. If your kids want to visit sites that have been NOT been approved as safe, they’ll have to get your permission. Plus, they have custom accounts, so you if you have a few kids like me, they won’t have to worry about having a list that’s too juvenile or not of their interests. You can use the white list that CocoonKids has already made up AND/OR create your own as well! LOVE the customization!
It’s not a mobile product; yet. It only works with Firefox on a desktop or laptop computer at the present time. They are developing a mobile app now, though, to keep your mobile users safe!
FYI: To allow use of Google or YouTube you have to whitelist the entire site. You can’t just white list a certain video for example, which is fine by me. {My kids aren’t allowed on YouTube without me.}

I’d love to hear what you think of CocoonKids! You’ve got nothing to lose and lots to gain, so check it out!!!

More Online Safety for Kids

Make a White List and Protect Your Kids {CocoonKids for KlaasKids}

Disclosure: As a member of the Parent Advisory Board for Cocoon for KlassKids, I love being able to help support this free online tool. I’ve been given a stipend to help spread the word on this platform.

The post Online Safety with Cocoon Kids {smart move} appeared first on sevenclowncircus.com.

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How to Make a “Twisty” Bun {hair tutorial}

Angie — Sat, 11 May 2013 07:01:00 +0000

How to Make a “Twisty” Bun is one of my favorite Up-Do styles for the summer. My thirteen year old daughter does this style for me and it never fails to draw tons of compliments. The undo is perfect for the summer because it gets your hair up and off your neck so you’ll stay cool, and it also looks really pretty. I just love that this “twisty” bun can be dressed up or down. It’s super simple to do, too! Here’s how:

How to Make a Twisty Bun

Step 1: First, split the hair in half. On one side, start twisting all the hair. Twist the other side, then tie together with an elastic. (If this step is hard for you, you can use a topsy tail to flip the hair under itself to create a similar look)

Step 2: Next, make a “two-strand braid” (just twist two sections) out of the hair coming out of the pony tail.

Step 3: Make a bun out of this hair and use bobby pins to secure it into place.

Step 4: Fix any stray hairs and hairspray the hairstyle for good hold throughout the day.

How to Make a Sea Shell Flip Bun {hair tutorial}

Angie — Fri, 10 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

How to Make a Sea Shell Flip Bun is one of my favorite Up-Do styles for the summer because it looks so summery. The silhouette actually looks like a sea shell and of all the updo’s my daughter does for me, I have worn this one the most. It can easily go from casual to formal, and that’s one of the things I love most about it. Here’s how to make a Sea Shell Flip bun, with a video tutorial for making a princess lace braid in case you don’t know how. You can also make this braid without the braid and it looks lovely.

How to Make a Sea Shell Flip Bun

Step 1: First you start making a lace braid starting at the part. Start ending the lace braid once you get behind the ear, then just braid the rest of the hair regularly. Repeat that step on the other side of the head, then tie together with an elastic. If you have trouble with this step or you don’t know how to make a lace braid, watch the video below.

Step 2: Next, gather all of the hair into a ponytail. It should be about the height of where the elastic is. Don’t pull the hair all the way through the ponytail, leave it as a bun like in the picture. If your hair is long, you can make two of these.

Step 3: Make an opening above the braids and carefully start stuffing the opening with the ponytail-bun hair. Put the ends into the opening first so that they don’t stick out the top.

Step 4: Adjust the hair so that it looks neat and smooth. If there is anything sticking out of the top of the bun, you may have to bobby pin it down. Finish with a light mist of hairspray and enjoy your hair!

Lysol Power & Free Gets My Home Clean {& makes me happy}

Angie — Thu, 09 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

I’m kind of a control freak. I like to know when things are happening. Who is doing what, and when. I like things in their place, and I like my house clean. I kinda sorta can’t function when there’s “stuff” out. It makes me feel like I’m going to go out of my skin. I wouldn’t go so far as to say I’m OCD, though. {you can laugh now} I don’t need my spices alphabetized, and my towels don’t need perfect creases (but they do need to be folded a certain way), I can function if the bed goes unmade, but only if I’m not home to see it. I guess what I’m trying to say is that a clean and neat house is one of the ways that I try to control my environment and since I work from home, I spend a lot of time working towards that mean. So, you can imagine that I have certain, shall we say cleaning routines and products that I adhere to and have to use? {laughing} When I clean, I get in and clean. I don’t use gloves. I don’t use mops. I use my bare hands and a wash rag and sponge/scrubber, so I’m picky about the multi-purpose cleaner that I use {I don’t want 15 different bottles of cleansers in my house for my twins to get into, thank you very much}. I has to be mild enough that it won’t kill my hands or ruin my clothes if I spill it (no bleach), but it actually has to clean my house, too. Plus it has to smell good, and not give me a headache from the fumes. Plus, it needs to be safe for everyone in the family, including Bisco, the baby dog. Enter Lysol Power and Free. I love a spray, wipe, clean kinda clean, you know? When I have a clean house, I’m happy. Plain and simple.

What about you?

Lysol Power and Free

Retails for under $3.00 {LOVE this}
Hydrogen peroxide formula releases thousands of micro bubbles that penetrate to dissolve grease and soap scum. {Awesome}
Kills 99.9% of viruses and bacteria {I’m pretty sure this is true, but I haven’t gotten my microscope out yet}
No harsh chemical residue {yep}
No gloves, masks, or protective eye wear needed {check, check and check}
No rinsing is required {tested and true}
Available in Citrus Sparkle Zest and Oxygen Splash scents {I personally buy the Lysol Power and Free Citrus Sparkle Zest. Love the scent}

You can find out the latest and greatest about Lysol Power and Free by visiting and/or Liking the Lysol Facebook page!

Lysol® Power & Free uses the cleaning power of a hydrogen peroxide formula for a powerful clean with no bleach harshness! This helps ensure you don’t have to make sacrifices while cleaning, such as opening all the windows or ushering the kids and pets out of the room. Lysol® Power & Free will help you break free from your ordinary cleaning routine- it’s a powerful clean that’s family friendly!

What do you love about a clean home? One of my readers will win a bottle of Lysol® Power & Free Multi Purpose cleaner to try in their own home! Comment below to be entered to win!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Lysol. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Sweepstakes Rules

The post Lysol Power & Free Gets My Home Clean {& makes me happy} appeared first on sevenclowncircus.com.

Wordful Wednesday – Cruising on Disney Wonder

Angie — Tue, 07 May 2013 17:00:00 +0000

Remember that I mentioned last week that we went on a family vacation that allowed us to unplug for a whole week and it was wonderful? We’ll, part of the vacation was on our first cruise, and it was on the Disney Wonder. We flew to Florida and cruised to Grand Cayman and Cozumel before heading back to Miami. It was wonderful to get away, although I’m not positive that cruising is our families favorite way to vacation. I’m just not a breakfast and lunch buffet type of girl, and Jeff is not a big lover of crowds at the pool. That being said, the ship was beautiful and the rooms were roomy and always clean, and we had a great time. The entertainment was great, too.

Disney Wonder

One of our favorite places on the ship was the self serve frozen yogurt station!

We had an adventure on the high seas when we picked up Cuban refugees. For real.

Disney has some European vacations that look really interesting. I’d love to give one of those a try……..

Join us in our linky AFTER you check out Dude Mom follow (formerly Parenting by Dummies) and these 4 awesome posts from last week’s linky! Last week’s awesome linkers brought us Sunshine and Happiness, the view from a brand new camera, manual mode photography isn’t easy, but it’s lovely when done correctly, and lovely shots and words on renewal!

The post Wordful Wednesday – Cruising on Disney Wonder appeared first on sevenclowncircus.com.

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Wordful Wednesday – Sanibel Island, Florida

Angie — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 17:00:00 +0000

Sanibel Island is one of our favorite vacation destinations. I only wish it were closer to home and not across the country. Sanibel is known for it’s amazing shell beaches and wildlife refuge (J. N. “Ding” Darling), plus it’s home to one of my favorite restaurants, The Island Cow. We first came here two years ago, and loved it so much we had to come back again this year. The laid-back atmosphere, fabulous shelling and Ding Darling refuge were a few things that we wanted to experience again.

Sanibel Island

I cannot even begin to tell you how fabulous the shells are. The beaches are literally LITTERED with shells at places so thick you can’t even find the sand! I could seashell here all day, everyday.

Ding Darling Refuge

The J. N. “Ding” Darling refuge is part of the largest undeveloped mangrove ecosystem in the United States! We love spying birds and alligators!!! {{check out the picture below}}

The Island Cow

If you ever find your self on Sanibel or Captiva Islands, be sure to stop in at The Island Cow. The food is delicious!

Have a Wordful post to share with us? Join us in our linky AFTER you check out Dude Mom follow (formerly Parenting by Dummies) and these 4 awesome posts from last week’s linky! Last week’s awesome linkers brought us the cutest baby swim suit ever, an urban garden to remember, another garden DIY that taught us how to make a milk jug watering can, and JAWS!

The post Wordful Wednesday – Sanibel Island, Florida appeared first on sevenclowncircus.com.

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SevEn cLoWn CirCuS

How to Make a Braided Sock Bun {hair tutorial}

How to Make a Braided Sock Bun

Other How-to Braid Tutorials:

Related Stories

How to Make a Staircase Bun/Braid {hair tutorial}

How to Make a Staircase Bun/Braid

Other How-to Braid Tutorials:

Comments

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Let’s Get Zesty! {recipe} PLUS {giveaway}

Let’s Get Zesty!

Zesty Recipes

Tomato, Basil and Cucumber Salad Recipe

Recipe Ingredients

Giveaway

Comments

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Wordful Wednesday – This Mother’s Happy Heart

Other Vacation Posts

Comments

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Online Safety with Cocoon Kids {smart move}

Benefits of CocoonKids for KlassKids

More Online Safety for Kids

Comments

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How to Make a “Twisty” Bun {hair tutorial}

How to Make a Twisty Bun

Other How-to Braid Tutorials:

Comments

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How to Make a Sea Shell Flip Bun {hair tutorial}

How to Make a Sea Shell Flip Bun

Other How-to Braid Tutorials:

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Lysol Power & Free Gets My Home Clean {& makes me happy}

Lysol Power and Free

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Wordful Wednesday – Cruising on Disney Wonder

Disney Wonder

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Wordful Wednesday – Sanibel Island, Florida

Sanibel Island

Ding Darling Refuge

The Island Cow

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