I also made and sewed bindings on 3 quilts -- and have one already stitched down except for the corner where the label goes - I need to print some more labels so you'll see that one tomorrow.
So since I don't have much on the quilting front to talk about I'll ask a personal question. Do you color your hair? to cover gray?
I don't -- too much time and money and the gray doesn't bother me for the most part but....I'm wondering how I'll feel when I have more gray than brown. It was windy in Ireland and I was surprised at how gray my hair looked in a lot of the photos. This first one is what I usually see in the mirror and I'm OK with it.
As this next photo shows, I have a lot more gray underneath than I do brown.
It's not unusual for people to tell me I should color my hair but I don't think I'm going to change my mind.
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I'm a little more gray than you, but it shows more because my original color is so dark. I colored my hair for several years, and quit about a year ago. Too much hassle, and my color was usually too light/too dark/too red. As long as I wear my hair short, it looks okay. And I think your hair looks great! And isn't it interesting how gray it is underneath? We are all so unique.
I have the same problem, Gray underneath but when combed down straight it doesn't show too much. My aunt used to say as long as she had a $5 bill and a Drugstore down the road she would never be gray... So YEA, I get mine colored!
I've been coloring my hair for quite a few years. I started going gray in my 30's, tolerated the in between till 40, colored it for about 12 years, let it grow out for about six months, then gave up because the gray just washed out my complexion. I would love to stop coloring, but as a single woman of a certain age, it's nice to have a little color on my head.
I am fortunate because at 48 I only have a couple of gray hairs. It's a family thing, no one goes gray real early. I think I would consider coloring my hair when the time comes but the maintanence is a pita. Even when I had highlights in it, it was a pain. Three hours in the chair covered in foil...pah!
So, I guess I'll have to decide if my laziness is stronger than my vanity! lol
Lori in VA
Yes, I absolutely cover my gray. I have an 8 year old son and I don't want to be called his grandma. I'm 46 and have a ton of gray. Gorgeous white hair runs in my family and I'm hoping I'll inherit that. I'm waiting for the day when I don't color it any more. It's a huge pain. Every 5 weeks I spend money having my hair colored that I could spend on quilt fabric. The drugstore stuff looked nasty on me!
If it doesn't bother you, I wouldn't start! We aren't 30 any more! And we wouldn't want to be!
I am greyer than you and proud of it. But in pictures every grey glistens and I look almost white. I am going to get lowlights put in so I don't sparkle so much in photos at my daugthers wedding this summer.
Vanity thy name is Mary LOL
Yup I color.....to cover gray, to look younger, my hair behaves better when its colored, and if some hair dye makes me feel better.......its worth it. Anyway my natural color is so awful I have to cover it up
Karen L
Oh, Mary, don't do it. My hair color is similar to yours. I stopped coloring my hair when I turned 40 believe it or not. My hairdresser says many women spend a lot of money trying to achieve the frosted affect that I get naturally. Your's looks frosty too and it looks good. Maybe I'd feel differently if I had streaks of grey or if it was an ugly gray. The only reason I'd consider it at this point is for body, but so far so good. I keep mine short.
I stopped coloring mine a couple years ago because I kept getting more compliments from people on how nice my hair looked just BEFORE I colored it than after I colored it. It's now more gray than brown and I'm slowly getting used to it...
If you are considering it think about trying natural instincts non permanent hair color by clarirol It leaves your
hair healthy and slowly washes out
in 6 to 8 weeks so no line of color
showing at the roots. Not scary to
use yourself at all. EASY and will
only cost you about 7$ every other month. I feel younger when I look
younger.
I'm in my mid 30's and I used to cover my hair (not to cover gray, but because I hated my natural color). It never came out the way I wanted it to, so I just quit. My hair is naturally light so I'm *hoping* that it'll be a while before any gray shows.
I think your hair looks beautiful and if you are ok with it, who cares what other's think?!?!
I do colour it, as I don't feel ready to have grey hair. I use Clariol Nice'n'Easy. It's cheap and doesn't leave a line.
Bev
I do colour my hair to cover my grey but only because I'm an older-than-average mother of a 7-year-old and don't want the other kids to think I'm her grandma. I'm looking forward to the day I can just let it be what it wants to be, though. Mary, you look beautiful the way you are. Don't change your hair unless *you* really want to. Take care -- Dianne B. in England
I am 48 and my hair is almost white. My youngest child is 7 years old and yes, I`m sometimes mistaken for her grandmother but I don`t care. I have sworn to myself that I will not succumb to the pressure that we have to look at least 10 years younger than we really are. I feel comfortable with my age and I want to show that by not colouring my hair. I add colour to my pale complexion by wearing a bright scarf or shawl nearly all the time and hey, glasses come in brilliant colours, too! I live in Europe and it is my impression that less women colour their hair here than in the USA.
I once had a stylist tell me to think of hair as an accessory that can be changed and not an appendage that can't. I do color, but not according to any schedule. I've never once liked how my hair color turned out at a salon, so prefer to do my own. I've never been disappointed in the quality of L'Oreal, but it's been a fun experiment to find the color I like best. And like I think of some bad haircuts I've had, it's only hair, it will grow back! A cape from Sally's and a box of L'Oreal Preference or Excellence creme and I'm good for a couple of months. (I love their conditioner!) And I agree that _my_ grey hairs behave better when colored--they are less like straw (but I'm sure I'm much older than you, and my hair is much shorter so behaves differently).
Don't ever do it for someone else... when and if you're ready to, you'll make it happen.
I've got dark brown hair, so the grey that's coming in really shows up. I used to color it, but only when I got tired of my own color, not necessarily to cover the grey. I refuse to think of them as signs of getting old - they're badges of honor for a life full of challenges!
I gave up on the coloring about 2 years ago. I am completely gray now. My 17 year niece is horrified! I just laugh that off. It costs too much money because I can't do it myself. It became a ball and chain so I decided to just go gray naturally.
Its really a personal choice. I don't look 52 except for the hair!
I use color in my fabric stash!
Debbie
My family threatens to hold me down and force me to color. I am still resisting. I don't want to deal with the hassle. At some point I may color, but right now I am comfortable with the grey.
So far I am lucky- no gray. But I do like to add some highlights around my face. It seems to brighten up my face. I do it myself so it doesn't cost much and it doesn't take much time.
What does Keith think? I had my hair colored at a salon a few years ago and kept it up for awhile. I didn't like the color and it seemed really "stark" against my skin tone (even though it was very close to my natural color). I wear my hair short (it's naturally curly/wavy) and the gray doesn't bother me at all. SOOOOOO much easier to care for and, basically, I'm lazy ... would rather spend the time and $$ quilting than on hair color. Besides, regardless of whether it's professionally done or done at home, after awhile your hair texture becomes straw-like ... after all you're using chemicals on your hair! Skip the coloring, Mary ... be the naturally beautiful person you are ... you'll be happier!
Flatlander (Linda)
Um no. Too lazy! Gave up years ago. Now I think I might look younger but the hands would give it away. Bonnie
Keep the gray. It looks good. I have never colored my hair. I'd rather buy fabric with the money.
Yes, I do color my hair to cover the gray. I do it myself to save on the salon cost. I've been wondering how to let it grow out when I no longer want to color it. I think I'll be OK with the gray in a few years.
Since you haven't started than try not to ...the in-between stage is too tough. I tried to stop a year ago but the color that come out was not pretty..Genetically I think I am doomed to color - my Mom is a 94 year old redhead!
I do color my hair, I do it myself. For me keeping up with it is not a big deal. I just do the roots every 6 weeks or so. I don't have much gray, I just color it because I like my hair a little darker than my natural color. I used to go to the salon and have highlights put in, but that was murder on my hair and waaaaaaay to expensive. I have very coarse hair and the hair color seems to make it behave better and seem softer.
My hair began to gray when I was in high school, and I I colored it for about 10 years, fighting against time. My hair grows quickly, and it was impossible to keep it looking nice. I finally gave up the fight and have a full head of white hair which I love although the texture is much different than it used to be.
I'm mostly gray and under 40... Yep, I dye it, bu it have left a streak down the side to let me know it's there. Personally, I've never been one to want to be "controlled" by my hair. Some people define themselves by it, but I am more apt to cut it all off to my scalp and change it all the time... Right now, I am feeling the urge to cut it all back off, and let it grow out gray, I'm so tired of dying it. (my hairdresser is fighting me on it, of course...) People started calling me the silver fox, because I let it go for weeks, and I get that nice gray 3-4" band down the middle of my head... oh well...
I find growing older, and excepting what we've been given can only make me happier... your grays are lovely.
Well, Mary, you've gotten a lot of good comments about hair coloring. I do believe it is a personal preference. I don't color and I am okay that my hair is turning more gray. I personally don't like the idea of using any more chemicals on my body than necessary. I like yours the way it is. But you do what makes you happy.
Hell yes! But I am allergic to regular hair dyes (no surprise there) so i use a henna product called Surya. It's about $11 for a bottle and provides about 3 - 4 dyes. It's super easy and I like the natural look of it.
Hi Mary, Good grief NO, I don't cover up my grey. All my friends do though. I cant be bothered to tell you the truth, besdies I like the grey. Am I odd by doing so? It is natures way of accepting ou into the Age of Elegance I think. :-) haha No seriously, I have been grey for what seems like forever now, I am not a beautiful silver grey which is what my mum's hair went like, then she went the gorgeous pure white, all over. I have my fingers crossed mine will go white eventually. Wear the grey hair, but not the grey clothes!!! is what I say.
Just looking again at the pictures, I think the bottom picture where your hair is blown back of your face and yes, you can see the grey, well, I think that photo makes you look a lot lot younger. Truly I do. Jan x
When I was a baby, I was towheaded, and my hair darkened to dishwater blond as I got older, so by my 20s I had progressed from "Sun-In" to Clairol, etc.
But by the time I reached my 40s I was over it and had a white streak at my part-line. DD asked why I didn't color it, and I told her:
a) I earned it.
b) It wasn't there before she was born.
c) It seems to give one instant credibility.
Now I'm 58 and it's mostly silvery-white and I get loads of compliments on it, so I'm glad I quit coloring it. I'm practically a towhead again.
My natural hair color is light brown, which always bleached naturally blonder in the summers. Now, in my 40's, I get the blonde highlights from my hairdresser. It makes the gray less noticeable, and I like being a little blonder, a little less grayer. When highlights aren't enough, though, I'll probably give it up and just go gray.
I waffle back & forth on coloring my hair to cover the gray. Always said I wouldn't do it.........too much fussing. I pulled out my first gray hair when I was 16 & it's been downhill from there. In my 30's & early 40's I was always asked who frosted my hair because it looked so natural. LOL. As it got grayer it just leached the color out of my face & that bothered me more than the gray hair. Now in my 50's I do color it.....sometimes....and it REALLY needs it right now. Guess that will be part of getting ready for summer. That and some self-tanning lotion so I'm not so pale when I wear short sleeves and capris.
I love your hair colors! I quit coloring about a year ago and the dye is all gone now. I keep my whimpy hair short and it's hard enough keeping up with the hair cuts! Only you can make the decision to color. :-) I can buy alot of fabric for what it cost to keep my hair colored!
I used to color my hair when I was in my 40s when my new hairdresser asked me why I didn't go natural. I explained that I was getting gray. She suggested "natural" and I went with it. So glad I did. Get lots of compliments on my hair!!! I think your hair looks great. What are you comfortable with?
I do not color my hair & never have. I am over 70yrs. old. I am not to gray just a little.
I quit coloring mine last fall ~ one or two more trims and the last remnants will be gone.
Healthy hair and more time/money to play with my fabrics means more to me (and my family).
I think you look great.
My hair is graying the same way yours is - and I always wonder what to do. I have found that for some reason my gray hair just doesn't hold the color very well, so I am giving up. You look like you just have highlights to me.
Wow, that really opened a can of worms, didn't it?!! After coloring my hair for years, I finally gave up last year. It seemed I could never get the color just the way I wanted it, and eventually my hair just seemed always to feel like straw, even though I was having it done at a chi-chi salon that cost a fortune. Finally had to have it ALL cut off really short and grow it out. I'm making my peace with turning grey, hopefully not TOO fast...don't have that much grey for my age, I don't think.
I used to color my hair, but when it reached the point that I would have to color every 2 weeks I quit! My hair grows really fast and I used to have brown hair, so when it would grow out, I ended up having a white streak down the center of my head -- looked like a skunk! Now my hair is completely silver/white.
i don't color my hair - if i did then no one would call me the silver vixen!
Look at all the comments LOL! That picture of you with your hair blowing back looks very nice. I think you look fine with the gray hair and yet, your face is so youthful, it might be fun to color your hair. That's probably why people tell you to get it colored, because of your face looking so youthful. I had always planned to have the gray and never color because I can't stand messing with stuff like that. But it looked so horrible on me I just couldn't stand it so began to color it myself. It isn't too terrible to do; basically the alternative is just too awful to live with.
Mary, you have received many opinions on coloring your hair. I do notice you have a very young appearance to your skin and face which is somewhat of a contradiction to your greying hair. If the actual grey color bothers you, you may what to consider giving just the grey some blonde or light brown coloring, rather than leaving it grey in appearance. It would blend in well with your natural brown. A good hairdresser can do this for you every 6-7 weeks. I have my grey, - colored a blondish brown so that it looks like golden highlights. It just depends on how much you want to change your appearance. It must be bothering you a bit, or you would not have mentioned it here on your blog. I think your grey is more white than grey in tone, and it looks nice that way. White-white hair can be very attractive, and it is on you.
I think it looks great! Would you look younger if you colored it, probably. Would I? Probably, but I stopped that too. In fact last time I got it cut I asked the hair dresser to put in gray highlights to help it all blend. It is slightly easier for those of us with light hair to begin with though. Most everyone says to me, oh is that gray? I thought it was blonde highlights!!
A lot of people see blonde when they look at me and only I know that what I have now is mostly natural platinum highlights ;-) Only you can decide what is comfortable for you, but when I looked at your photos, I didn't see gray at all. Personally, I have decided that Mother Nature still gets it right most of the time.
Yep, I cover the gray. Every six weeks or so I get a good ole' box of Clairol, tell myself I'm worth it, and wash that gray right outta my hair.
I think it's a personal preference. If you like it with a bit of gray then keep it! You can give yourself a sexy nickname like the Silver Fox! heeheehee
dawn
wow--does the gray bring out the comments! I highlight my hair with darker tones to blend in my white a bit better. My white is blotchy, a spot here, a spot there, a line in this area. Not even, so the beautician does her best to even it out. I don't mind the gray, I just wish it were more even. Ah well.
I color, my temples get gray and puffy. For some reason the hair won't comb down. I feel I look like grandpa on the "Munsters" back in the late 60's show lol
wow that's a lot of comments! Yes I color because at 45 I'm 50% grey. My girl is only 65.00 for color and cut. That's a deal in the haircolor world! You look great...don't change a thing
I love the salt & pepper look. I am who I am ... deal with it!
I barely make time to get my hair cut - without adding coloring to the mix! (I might start to wear make-up before I think about coloring my hair. Heck I might start shaving before thinking about coloring my hair...)
I color for me! I find it fun to try new shades and it's not too much $$ since I do it myself. My mom just turned 70 and wishes she had never stopped coloring. It's just fun and nope, not ready to look older yet.
I am 45 and colored my hair at a saloon for 5-6 years. It was hell, sitting there with the skin on my head burning for over 30 min. every time. So I gave it up and let the color grow out. But there were two things that bothered me: 1hubby does not have one gray hair, he's like his granny who had no gray hairs when she died at the age 65. 2 I inherited a red/brown hair from my parents and it got not pretty gray, although it did not go mossgreen like my dad's there is sort of an unhealthy green sheen to it. So one day about three years ago I was walking past a drug store and saw the reflection of my self in the window and I just had it. Went in to the store and asked if they had a color for an allergy looser like me. Sure, it's called Nature Tint and it's great. I color my hair myself and because it's so short I need to use only half the dose at a time. The best part is that there is no burn.
I have never colored my hair. I started turning gray when I was about 32. Now that I am 56, it is mostly gray, and looks very nice. I get lots of compliments in it for the color.
I use So Silver shampoo by Matrix, it is purple coming out of the bottle and on the expensive side, but it keeps my gray a more silver color than yellow. My daughter who is a hairdresser insisted on me using that in the beginning, and I am hooked on it.
By the way, I think you are graying nicely--it looks really good on you.
Oh, I forgot to say, that when your hair turns color, you may also have to change your make-up colors, too. I don't wear any makeup. I have changed the colors of the clothes I buy, because the colors I wore when I had dark brown hair don't look right any more.
I was at my retreat when you posted this - but I'm right there with you Mary!!! I'm 35 and have as much or more grey hair than you do... and in the past I've only colored my hair 3 times...once myself and the other 2 in the salon. Recent years I didn't have a choice b/c I was nursing or pregnant and the past two years that the twins have been with us - it's like = "WHEN would I even have the time?"
but honestly I can't stand being in a beauty shop. I hate every thing about it especailly the materialistic women and gossip. I only feel worse when I go so I DON'T! ;)
I need to upload a recent photo of me and my grey... but last year I think it was I vowed to NEVER again color my hair. My mom had ALL WHITE hair all of my life (she had me at 38) and I can only hope to one day have hair as pretty as her's was ;)
Love from TX! ~bonnie
Nice to see this..
Thanks for sharing...
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Andrew
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