Gillian in 'Side Bun Sensation'

Occasionally something that should be simple can confuse people into believing it may be too hard to attain the skill needed. Headscarf tying is no exception to the rule. In the book 'Headscarves, Headwraps & More' I try to make life simple by using different ways of conveying the same message... so there is a photo showing the desired look, a set of CAD illustrations so you get a detailed idea of how to achieve the end result, and simple written instructions with no jargon. 

I'm gradually adding my own videos which show you how to tie some of the scarves in the book. I can't do much better than following the example of YouTube videos posted by some of the Pros. Bit by bit I'm sure I'll improve my presentation skills. In the meantime here is a near perfect example of how not to be afraid of experimenting with your scarves.

 This very useful video is from wrapunzel.com
It's called "Show that scarf who's Boss!", and should be helpful to both beginners and more experienced wrappers alike. Look out for the 'beginners luck'  knot - how easy is that!
​Enjoy!
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The excitement of getting my first review for the book 'Headscarves, Headwraps & More' has got to me...
I just had to share!

Taken from Amazon.com
​5.0 out of 5 stars BEST BOOK I EVER BOUGHT
By NSGSTL on December 11, 2016
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
"Most books regarding scarf tying only give two or three examples about Headwraps. Wonderful book about Head Wrap Tying that I could find. Great for women who have lost their hair because of chemo or those who cover their hair for religious reasons. Each technique has three pages: Color picture of finished look; visual CAD instructions and written instructions. Not everyone is computer savvy enough to deal with YouTube videos. No mirror near my computer. You can take this book into the bedroom or bathroom and practice tying in front of a mirror. The book also includes a list of websites with other suggestions regarding headcovering techniques."

Thank you to NSGSTL You couldn't have given me a better start!
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I recently got the idea of making a Card Deck out of the styles in my book so they could be taken out of the pack and laid down on a surface in front of a mirror for easy viewing. Since spiral binding the book would have cost a lot to do, this could be the next best thing... or even better! Finding a reasonably priced publisher is not easy. Watch the Coming Soon space to see how I get on.

A reader confided in me that she had difficulty working out what was meant by the second instruction in 'Go with the Flow' , so today I grabbed my son and his Samsung Galaxy and got him to record a quick, off the cuff video.

Whilst the sun was shining down on a softly breezy 34c day, here in Melbourne, the builders decided it was ideal weather for laying a concrete slab for a new home 3 doors away. This meant lots of background noise if we filmed in the garden... so the computer room it was! I hope you can understand my English/Aussie accent and the directions, forgive my back to the camera on occasion, and find this useful. 
Just click on the link below and it will take you to the video on YouTube.
https://youtu.be/xrg1MgB0TQs 

​I'd love, love, love to see YOUR photos,  wearing any of the styles in the book - or your adaptations and new ideas! Send them to me at my email address (Contact Page) and I'll post them here.

I never would have thought that writing a book would lead me to another creative outlet, but I'm happy that it has. 
The hospital where I volunteer has a few items for sale at the Day Oncology front desk, where patients register before going inside for treatment. Having had my book approved for sale there, (the hospital gets 50% of the profits), I wanted to give a bit of added value to the customers, and help them to keep track of a favourite style without having to fold the corner of a page. 
There are scarves and bracelets for sale, cards and necklaces, and pink ribbon earrings - but not bookmarks. So I thought I'd have a go at making some of my own.  
Now I'm hooked!
Instead of my long suffering husband groaning at the sound of the word 'Headscarves' whenever we  pass by 'Op' or '2 dollar' shop, he now groans at the sound of the word 'Beads' and even 'Findings'!
I'm learning so many things:
Where, on eBay, I can get the cheapest trinkets to add to the ends. This is often China, so patience is needed for the postal side - however, it is often FREE, the choice is outstanding, and the cost per item is often in cents rather than than dollars. 
How to take apart bracelets and necklaces and re-purpose the beads - making sure they have large enough central holes to take a thong or pin!
Which ribbons are the best width/strongest material to hold the sharp toothed grips (crimps) from which the trinkets dangle.
What items and colours go together to make an attractive and strong bookmark.
And so much more!
Shopping has taken on a new meaning as I assess what odds and ends might be suitable for this new hobby of mine - oh and don't forget the little storage containers/jars and the big felt box with handles which store the accouterments to Bookmark making. I try not to over-capitalize on the cost of making these enticing little beasts, hence eBay is now my latest browsing site.
Many evenings a week you'll find me sitting in the arm chair, TV often tuned to either the football, River Cottage Australia, or a good thriller (well, I like to let my patient husband choose sometimes!) whilst I manipulate suede thongs, glass beads and brass dragons into unique items that I hope will entice readers to use them.
I've now added a Pinterest Page called 'Book-Marks:- making them, collecting them or just enjoying them' to my Pinterest Pages, and I'm thinking of selling some of my more unusual attempts. I'll have to figure out how to do that.
​I'd love to know if anyone else makes these... Do You?
Send me a picture if you have one!
You can check out all of my Pinterest pages at https://au.pinterest.com/kn23writer/
Enjoy!

​My entry into the world of Biography Writing began with misfortune.
With acute pain and a weakening arm, a trapped nerve in my spine was the diagnosis, and the resulting operation and hospital stay had me on the mailing list for the hospital’s newsletter.
‘Volunteers needed’, it said. So volunteer I did.
Two months later, I found myself on a training course, then doing hand and foot massages for patients undergoing chemotherapy. The Day Oncology unit was a friendly oasis of calm, where I spent one day a week, over the course of a year, chatting and massaging, and hearing many unique stories as patients whiled away the hours.
Then bending and lifting took its toll on my back, so I needed a new role. Through their  ‘Palliative Care in the Home Patient Biography Service’, I was privileged to be in the first group of six volunteers. Immediately, I looked on the internet for help, where I discovered the APH, an American/Worldwide organisation for Biography Writers. I joined up, was able to browse their information and go to my first ‘client’ with at least a show of confidence!
M…. was an elderly lady. She said, ‘I don’t know what you’ll write... I haven’t done anything – I’ve never worked'. BUT... she grew up on a farm in the midst of the Depression; married in wartime; had several children; coped with the death of a child - and more! Everyone has a story, and once triggered, memories of a full life came tumbling out. After six one-hour sessions and some coaxing for photographs, two ring bound books and a CD-RW were presented to the lady. My first ever Biography was finished!
After that, I had other hospital clients, male and female, who had had very different lives. Some were born in exotic countries, with novel tales of Elephant rides to school, or Civil War and fleeing the country, but... that first lady taught me that there is no such thing as a mundane life. One thing we all have in common is the desire to pass on where we lived, what we lived, and how we lived.
The benefits of ‘Palliative Care in the Home Biographies’ are many; they share the same common threads with biographies commissioned for healthier and active people:

• The client gets to tell their story. They get to leave a legacy of memories and values, pass on significant family information, reminisce and see that their life has meaning.
• Their families learn things they never knew, get names to the faces in the photographs, and see how happy their loved one is – even when they get emotional about certain things. Life can be put into perspective.
• The Biographer learns about ‘life’s rich tapestry’, the fortitude of others, and how to balance their own emotional well-being.
• I’ve also learned a lot about other countries, historical events, and how to search Google for extra information!​

When friends found out about my hospital volunteer work, some asked if I could write a Biography for a relative. Since transcribing is the most time consuming task for me, I found a transcriber and charged for her fee, and my expenses. Even she asked me to record her mum’s story, which I loved doing. Her mother was ‘Born into the Shadow of War’ in London in 1916. You can see the Book Cover above, reproduced here with their permission. What a fabulous old photograph!
For one person, five hours of chat, produced a fifty page thermally bound book with many photos; for another three hours was enough.
Within my family I decided to use a 'one page, two column' format, to capture the essence of our family history. I’ve now recorded the lives of my parents, and several aunts and uncles in this way, before their memories flag... Please, don’t leave it too late!
Through the APH,  I found an online course in Guided Autobiography (GAB), run by Anita Reyes, and went on to use my former teaching skills to help groups of enthusiastic writers record their own life stories. The first venue was the local Yacht Club, with amazing views and fantastic coffee; then the quaint rooms at my friendly local Historical Society. Now, I am continuing, as a writing member of the group; we meet in a local retirement village. How often do we biographers fail to record our own lives?
So what is next for me? My misfortune of five years ago led to the happy accident of finding a completely new interest and direction. I now publish stories through CreateSpace and Amazon, Ingram Spark and Draft2Digital (Kobo, Nook etc). I have finished a Log Book 'Running for a Cause' for Charity Marathoners, whom I hope will save their stories to share with future generations; a Children's novella 'The Truth About Amber'; and a Non-Fiction book - 'Headscarves, Headwraps & More', aimed not just at women undergoing chemo, but all women who want to wrap, for any reason.
And what's next?  Click on my Coming Soon page to find out!
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