Instructions on How to Create Volume to Your Hairstyle

Tips from Kay Hirai

Last week, Studio 904 held a Hairstyling Workshop for its clients. This is what Instructor Kay Hirai had to say to the participants who attended this informative workshop.

• Have a clear vision of your desired style. It helps to tape a photo of the style youlike on your mirror. Try to replicate the look to your own hair.
• When you wash your hair, use your conditioner sparingly (for short hair – ¼ to ½ teaspoon, for longer hair – ¾ to 1 teaspoon). Emulsify the conditioner in the palms of your hands and apply only to the mid-shaft and ends of the hair strand.
• Apply appropriate styling products for your hair. Do not overuse products. It will create a coating on your hair strands and may weigh your hair down, resulting in aflat and limp style result.
• Remove excess moisture from your hair, using your dryer with hands and fingers. Do not start off by using a brush.
• Develop a system for drying your style. Example: start in the back area, go to the sides and finish off by drying your crown and bang area. Use the same system each time you style your hair.
• Concentrate on building a foundation to your style. Always dry the root area first, giving it a strong lift and a direction, leave the ends until later.
• When the root area is thoroughly dried, finish off the ends by using a round brush (small,medium or large).
• When you are drying, do not over-brush your hair. Over brushing the hair strands in fine, straight hair will result in smooth and limp style result.
• Consider using Velcro rollers to touch up your hair style in-between shampoos. Velcro rollers are gentle to your hair and will keep your hair in a good condition. You will also get a more natural look when you use these rollers.
• Finish off your finished style by spraying your hair lightly with a finishing spray.
• You can add extra hold in the root area of your hair by spraying your finger tips with the spray and touching your root area with your fingers. I love this technique!
• Follow this procedure and it will give you a style which is natural looking and airy. Your hair style will stay intact throughout the day (or even two to three days!)

Paper Art Workshop for Powerful Voices

Studio 904’s community service project for July: Helping to heighten  self-esteem of disadvantaged young women through developing their skills.

My friend Jean and I gave a Paper Art Workshop for the teen girls who were enrolled in the Powerful Voices Summer Camp Program. Powerful Voices is a Seattle based non-profit organization which instills leadership skills, fosters development of critical thinking and promotes the individual potential in adolescent girls through programs in Seattle public middle schools and in and out of juvenile detention. Their mission is firmly rooted in their belief that strong girls make strong women.

As we were giving the workshop, I was amazed at how creative some of the girls were. Each participant had her own vision of how she wanted to see the outcome of her art project. We used lots of beautiful colored papers, inks and ribbons and created cards, tags and paper purses.

It was an exhausting class with all the girls clamoring  for the supplies and tools and asking

instructions but all in all, we felt really good at the end when they held up their finished projects with beaming smiles on their faces. I hope the experience we gave them will elevate their self-confidence and will make a difference in their lives …..  even in a very small way.

I’d like to give a special thanks to Jennifer Steiner, National Sales Manager of  Clearsnap (Distinctive Inkpads and Accessories) for donating inkpads for this workshop. It would not be possible for us to continue our community service programs if it was not for the support of good partners such as the Clearsnap Company.

Speaking of Dogs...

My dog Max is a Jack Russell Terrier. He is energetic, curious and a Mr. Busy Body…. always alert and ready to go at a moment’s notice. His keen hearing and sense of smell keeps him on the look-out for any moving prey, even if the prey happens to appears on our television screen!
He barks ferociously and attacks the screen as though he is going to catch his next meal.

Max and I enjoy going to various dog obedience and sport activities every week. One sport which we have been doing this summer is Rally obedience. Rally is a sport in which the dog and the handler completes a course that has been designed by the rally judge. The dog and handler proceed through a course of designated stations. Each of these stations has a sign providing instructions regarding what type of obedience behavior is required from the dog. The handler and the dog moves continuously at a brisk pace with the dog under full control at the handler’s left side.

Learning Rally takes many hours of training, under guidance from a good Rally instructor. It is truly awesome when you see a team performing on an excellent level of this sport… the handler and the dog move as though they are glued together while the dog’s attention is 100% on the handler, looking for every sign the handler may give the dog for his next move.

Well, Max and I are far from being on an excellent level of Rally but with the encouragement of our trainer, Helen Dohrman and our class mates, we entered an AKC sponsored Rally Fun Match
a few weeks ago. As we drove out to the Marymoor Park in Redmond, I was nervous wondering if Max will be able to keep his attention on me, given that this was his first time where he will be performing in the open field. The outdoor scent and distractions from birds flying overhead may send him off into a hunting mode instead of focusing on the sport.

We entered in the Novice rank and to our amazement, he came in first place! Now that we got our feet wet, we are excited to step up our weekly practice to master more complex obstacles.

Max was happy because he made friends with a darling dog named Jimmy Dean who was competing in the same level as us. It was the first competition for both of the dogs.
This is what is great about attending any dog event… we get to meet many dog loving humans and their dogs.

Panda's Garden Card Workshop!

We held a wonderful Card and Tag workshop at Studio 904 on June 28th. Twelve participants enjoyed the three hours we spent making colorful cards and tags… using many varieties of printed papers and inks. Pandas, Birds, Butterflies and Flowers were the theme and every one of the hand-made items came out with breath taking results!

To me, the most rewarding part of these workshops is when students look at their finished piece of art and say, “Wow, I can’t believe I made this with my own hands. My creative side is coming out!”

These card workshops provides an opportunity for people of all ages (young and old) to come together and have fun while working with their hands. People who ordinarily may not have much to say to one another, find themselves chatting away and having a good time with each other, while working on their artful masterpiece. Another thing I notice is that people begin to
think about how to delight someone in their lives by sending them a thoughtful card which is personal to the recipient. I often hear students saying, “I can hardly wait to see the expression on Aunt Helen’s face when she opens this envelope….. she will love love this special card because Aunt Helen loves anything to do butterflies!”.

Just imagine how many “happy days” we can create for the people around us if we send them a colorful and uplifting card on periodic basis, just letting them know that “We Care” and that we are thinking of them.

Here are some wonderful testimonials I received from few of the participants of the Panda’s Garden Card Workshop.
“I just wanted to say thank you for the great class! I appreciated learning everything and especially the extra bonus on how to make the birds. I just finished making a card using the Panda stamps. It said "you're fun to be around" and it is perfect to send to a friend who I just went out to dinner with at Jazz Alley last night”.

“What I really appreciate about your classes and what makes it special is your expertise and creativeness. I can tell how much effort and time you have put in to make each of these projects. I hope that when people do make their own cards they will instantly see how much easier it is with your help doing all the footwork beforehand”.