Poundland Pimped up Headphones

Stylemesisteradmin

October 29, 2018

Pimped up Poundland headphones

My daughters love music (they get that from me). Their current favourite artists include Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, Selena, Little Mix, Katy Perry, Jonas Blue….and the list goes on.

Recently we discovered Primark sold headphone splitter adaptors for £2.00. Not just that but they are heart shaped too. The idea of being able to download to a single media player and both girls can listen to the music is very appealing to me as it’s one less item to look after whilst we travel.

I decided to give the adaptor a go with the girls and whilst out and about I noticed poundland did some funky white headphones. Nothing posh. Just standard white headphones (retro style with over the head-band).

I got two pairs in the same colour (white) for the girls and plan to write their names on. Practical yet stylish. No more arguing over whose headphones are whose.

For this project I used:

Headphones (£1.00 per set from Poundland)

Mod Podge (yellow label=matte finish). I used literally a tiny amount and would say the cost was 25 pence. Clear nail varnish also works if you have that in your polish box (you could even use a glittery polish to add a bit of bling)

Sharpie marker pens (I have a huge collection so didn’t buy any extra for this project)

OR other permanent marker pens. The Works do affordable range of permanent marker pens too. Prices start at £2.00.

1) Give the headphones a wipe down
2) Plan your design and draw it onto the headphones. I find brighter colours work best.
3) Allow the design to dry completely to avoid smudging.
4) Give the headphones a coat of mod podge. Allow to dry completely and give it another coating.
5) Voila! Your headphones are ready to go.

You can also use fluorescent pens, glow in the dark pens or even metallic gold on black headphones.

How to BRAIN DUMP

Alliyah Dawud

October 11, 2017

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Decluttering your BRAIN aka having a Brain dump

Okay so vulgar name aside if you are anything like me and have hundreds of thoughts going on in your head this could be your knight in glamourous shining armour (if you need saving that is).

So the idea behind a brain dump is to get back to basics and translate everything buzzing around in your head onto paper. In a world run by technology we are pretty much getting back to basics.

So what you do is you take a piece of paper (I use A4) and set a stop clock to give me 15 minutes. I then ignore the world an and write down everything that pops into mind. The theory is that if it’s popping into your head it needs to come out.

So you write down everything. It would be names, feelings, things you need to do. Things you’ve been putting off. EVERYTHING.

Once the 15 minutes is up you have two options:

1) leave the brain dump and come back to it later (in the evening/next day/next week)

2) create FOUR lists:
Must prioritise (e.g. Doctors appointments, Gas heater servicing, updating contact details with Schools, insurance renewals etc)
Things that must be done within a set timeframe (I usually give myself 4-6 weeks for this depending on how many things are on the list). This could be things like getting quotes for a gardening job, having winter things dry cleaned for storage etc. Things that need doing but if they are delayed they won’t have huge consiquences.
Things that can go on your Master To Do List (see article here on this List).
EMOTIONAL/Personal: feelings/conversations that need to be had etc all go on this list.

3) Now go through these lists. Ask yourself the following questions:

Do you really need to do all these tasks yourself?
Can you delegate them?
Have you taken on more than you can cope with (note this down and don’t repeat this to just torture your soul).
Which tasks can you do the quickest to get your progress flowing.

Remove anything from the lists that you delegate out or shouldn’t really be on there. Be ruthless baby. Time is money.

3) Now you have to work through these lists. Be realistic with time frames. If you don’t give yourself time frames that are manageable you are setting yourself up for failure. Don’t torture yourself.

4) Come back to the lists when you are organising your week to see which tasks can be completed.

5) Repeat the brain dump as and when required. Treat this as a regular exercise that helps with your brain decluttering. Your lists may never be empty but this helps put things into perspective.

Have you tried Brain Dumping? How did you find it? Is it something you do on a regular basis to keep life organised? Share your pearls of wisdom below.

Love,

Alliyah

Indian Gooseberry & Coconut oil Hair Mask

Stylemesisteradmin

October 10, 2017

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Amla (Indian gooseberry) and Coconut oil hair mask

Life throws us many curve balls and losing hair seems to be a major one. Stress, genes, life…whatever the reason hair loss (or thinning of hair) is no joke for anyone. My hair thinned out so much post Heart Attack. But at the time with all that was going on in my life fixing it wasn’t my to do list.

Fast forward and now I’m a happy vitamin popping hijabi with a healthier outlook on life. Recently I was on Pinterest and had a look at DIY hair masks that could potentially encourage hair growth. I found a new masks made with Amla (Indian gooseberry) and coconut oil. After a bit of research I mixed up the following hair pack.

I recommend you use this TWICE a week to see a visible difference.

For an extra boost do the following:

Take one tablespoon of Amla oil with 4 drops of rosemary essential oil and massage it into the scalp. Leave for 6/8 hours (overnight). Massage it well into the scalp to stimulate hair growth. Now if you’ve massaged the oil well into the scalp you shouldn’t really need to wrap your hair to prevent the oil transferring onto your pillow. However it’s always best to be safe than sorry so either place an old towel on your pillow or use a shower hat or twisty turban hair towel on your hair.
The following morning apply the hair pack to your hair. Leave for 2 hours and wash.

This pack is enough for shoulder length hair. Remember that we are concentrating on the scalp because that’s where the magic happens.

I adjusted the basic ingredients I saw listed online and have explained why:

Coconut oil (a fantastic natural hair conditioner)
2 TBSP

Amla (Indian gooseberry powder). This is used to stimulate hair growth and encourage stronger hair. You can purchase this at most Indian supermarkets or at a stretch you can purchase it online via eBay.
2 TBSP

Rosemary essential oil: this oil is great for stimulating the scalp to kick in hair growth. Don’t overdo it.
5 drops

Kapoor Kachli Powder (also known as spiked ginger lily) is a type of root; similar to ginger. It smells nice, and also stimulates hair growth. I added this to boost the Amla powders power. This is also available at Indian Supermarkets or again online.
1 TSBP

Preparation:
1) Melt the coconut oil to help combine the ingredients. I zapped it in the microwave to save time. Always use a suitable container and be careful handling hot fats.
2) Add the Amla and Kapoor Kachli powders to the coconut oils and stir well. Add the rosemary oil. Stir further.
3) Now apply to your scalp. It may get messy so protect your clothes. Ensure to cover al the scalp as much as you can. Apply left over pack to your hair. Now leave on your hair for 2 hours.
4) After 2 hours give your scalp a quick massage and wash your hair as usual with your chosen shampoo and conditioner.

NOTE: It took me three lots of shampoo to remove this pack from my hair. It’s worth noting this so you know to give yourself extra time in the shower.
EXTRA NOTE: This pack will make your shower slippery! Be cautious!

Why do you need to condition as normal?
Post hair pack my hair didn’t feel conditioned at all. This hair pack in my opinion is about stimulating hair growth, and grow healthy strong hair. It’s not about instant, visible results.

What results have I seen so hair?
I’ve only used this mask a few times. However this is about hair growth and stimulation. You won’t be able to see results in a few uses. This is more of a long term investment of time and effort.

Cost of hair pack:
Amla powder (100 grams) : £1.99
Kalchi powder (50 grams) : £1.99
Coconut oil (125ml): £2.49
Rosemary essential oil (10ml): £1.64

These ingredients are enough to make at least 10-12 packs.

So if you make 10 that’s £0.81 pence per treatment
And if you manage 12 that’s £0.68 pence per treatment

I’ll be applying this pack to my hair twice a week.

I’ll be updating this article around:
End of December 2017 (three months of applying the pack)
End of March 2018 (six months of applying the pack)

Can this pack be used on children?
I wouldn’t recommend this for any child under 4. I’d also recommend you start off children with scalp massages using hair oils.

Any other info:
If you think you maybe allergic to any of the ingredients always do a test patch first.

If you cannot find Kalchi powder just replace it with another spoon of Amla powder.

You may need to shampoo a few times to remove this concoction off your hair; you have been warned!

Have you tried this treatment? How did you find it? Or maybe you have your own recipe you want to share with below? We would love to hear from you.