If you’re wondering what to give a mechanically minded, chess-loving friend this holiday season, try this chess set made of nuts, bolts, and washers!

For more information on this chest set, check out Julia Suits’ Flickr.

I come from a family with a history of thinning hair. My mom has the thinnest hair among her siblings and my dad, to be honest, has been going bald for the past twenty years. That leaves me and my sisters with the same inevitable tragedy.

A couple years ago, I started noticing my hair growing limp, frail and thin. I tried switching shampoos and invested a lot of money in products that claim to promote hair growth such as Nioxin. Eventually, I gave up on these types of products because I became doubtful whether they had any useful effect being absorbed through the skin. Thus, I started looking into supplements and vitamins.

I did my research and found that Biotin, also known as vitamin H or B7, is a B-complex vitamin recognized as a natural remedy for countering the loss of hair and keeps the skin and nails healthy, too! If you are experiencing thinning hair, taking supplements and eating biotin-rich foods may be just what you need to restore your hair to its full glory.

Biotin Supplement

You can find Biotin supplements at your local drug store in 1000mcg and 5000mcg (1 mcg is equivalent to 1 microgram). I’ve been taking two 1000mcg tablets a day for almost a year now and my hair is in its best shape. I haven’t noticed any growth or additional thickness but I see less hair loss after showers and it no longer feels limp or frail.

The recommended daily allowance of Biotin is 300mcg per day. However, when treating hair loss, doctors recommend between 3000-5000mcg of supplement. With that said, please do not start off by taking the 5000mcg tablets. I’ve come across a few individuals who took 5000mcg tablets and complained about breaking out from the high dosage! Do your research and never take the big unplanned leap, your body will thank you for that!

Healthy Hair Diet

If you’re interested in a more natural, holistic approach, there are a variety of foods that should be a part of your healthy hair diet:

• Salmon. Loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, this high-quality protein source is also filled with B-12 and iron.
• Dark Green Veggies! They’re an excellent source of Vitamin A and C, which your body needs to produce sebum. The oily substance, secreted by your hair follicles, is the body’s natural hair conditioner.
• Beans. Not only do they provide plentiful protein to promote hair growth, but ample zinc, iron, and biotin!
• Nuts. One of nature’s best sources of selenium, an important mineral for the health of your scalp. They’re also a great source of zinc. Zinc deficiency can lead to hair shedding!
• Eggs. One of the best protein sources you can find. But if you’re someone like me, who gags at the thought of consuming eggs, go for salmon or poultry! See below.
• Poultry. High-quality protein from poultry helps to prevent loss of hair color and brittle hair.
• Whole Grains. You should always go for whole grains anyway but if this should convince you to take the leap, whole grains offer zinc, iron and B-vitamins that the others don’t!
• Oysters. Better known for their reputation as an aphrodisiac, they can also boost your hair with its powerful antioxidant, zinc.
• Bananas. The best source for potassium helps to keep your scalp from becoming dry and hair from becoming brittle.
• Carrots. An excellent source of vitamin A promotes a healthy scalp along with good vision.

Daily Routine

There are other things that are part of my daily routine to keep my hair in check. For instance, I like to wash my hair every other day to keep the natural oils in. Unless you have really oily hair, you should give hair and scalp a rest for at least a day between shampoos. For those of you with oily hair who don’t want to wash every day, consider a dry shampoo.

Another good practice is to brush your hair before you jump in the shower. I have really long hair and it tends to get tangled when wet. I do a quick pre-brush so I won’t have to fight with combing through my hair later.

Switching shampoo and conditioner after every bottle helps too. I notice that my hair will get used to the product and eventually become limp and unmanageable until I buy a new bottle of a different brand. Give that a try.

If you were born with fine, thin hair like me, you’ll never have rope-thick tresses no matter what you do or eat. Taking good care of your hair and maintaining a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of growth-promoting and sustaining protein and iron will make every bit of difference.

For more information on this topic, check out Biotin Hair Loss and WebMD.

I was inspired to create my own wall art after I saw a feature on Olivia Wilde’s home. She has black birds painted on the wall behind her bed frame and I wanted to create something around my own bed but I was too scared to commit to paint! So I did a little research and came across a DIY on homemade wall stickers. Its really easy to make and anyone can do it!

What you need:

• ConTact Paper. A self-adhesive vinyl commonly used as shelf liners. You can find this at Home Depot, Wal-mart or Target.
• Tape. To position your design on the wall before you remove the self-adhesive vinyl.
• Pen. To draw the design onto the back of the ConTact Paper.
• Newspaper. As scrap paper for your design (optional).
• An idea for your design.

Here’s how you do it:

1. Before you start, take a little piece of the ConTact Paper and test it on a hidden part of the wall. You don’t want to end up with sticky residue or take off a chunk of your wall paint!
2. Draw your design on the back of the ConTact Paper. You can also doodle on scrap paper or newspaper to make a stencil of your design before you start on the ConTact Paper.
3. Cut the design from the ConTact Paper. It should cut very easily, and you can glide through it like gift wrap if you have good scissors.
4. Hold your cut ConTact Paper up to the wall and if necessary, tape it to where you feel the wall art looks best.
5. At the base of the design, pull the first six inches or so up, and peel its backing off. Press gently from the center of the vinyl area outward to minimize bubbles and firmly pressing it to the wall.
6. Repeat steps 2-4 until you have the desired amount and keep mounting them on your wall. After a while, you’ll probably be comfortable enough to draw freehand on the ConTact paper backing.
7. That’s it! Easy right?

What’s nice is when you’re ready to switch up for a new look, you can peel and start over again! Have fun with your new wall art!

Inspired by Olivia Wilde’s bedroom.

For more ideas, check out LiveYourStyle.