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Things get a little hairy in quarantine
A Georgia hairstylist gets a little creative while in quarantine
ELLIJAY, Ga. - A hairstylist, who is now out of work because of the coronavirus, isn't letting her talents go to waste. Heidi Oley is in quarantine in Ellijay with her boyfriend, Geoffrey Clark, and each day, she uses his hair to practice new styles.
“Heidi had to close her salon, and I can work remotely, so we decided instead of being cooped up in an Atlanta apartment, we'd rather just come up and quarantine up here,” said Clark.
Once quarantine started, Oley quickly decided she couldn't just stop styling hair. She started watching tutorials for some out-of-the-box styles. “He said if you needed to practice anything, I could practice on him, so that's what started it,” Oley said.
Each day after Clark finishes working remotely, he becomes Oley’s blank canvas for hair-raising creations.
“I try and keep it a little crazy,” said Oley.
“She doesn't have a mirror in front, so I can’t see what she’s actually doing,” said Clark.
Curls and flowers, historical figures, and Dr. Suess inspired "do's" now flood Oley's Instagram.
“Tiger king was a very popular one, so he was ‘Geoff Exotic’ instead of ‘Joe Exotic.’
The wacky and wonderful project, now a beacon of light to so many more than the couple imagined.
“We love getting messages from people in the medical field saying, ‘Thank you, I needed this today’,” said Oley.
She said many families and friends have commented saying they wait in anticipation for the daily posts. “Some of the comments we've gotten are from hairstylists who say, ‘Man, my husband’s bald,’ and I say, ‘I feel so bad for you, you don't get to play with hair all day!’” said Oley.
Oley said she hopes the fun she and her boyfriend are having helps others trapped in boredom tap into their creativity.
“Stepping out of your comfort zone, you don't realize you'll find happiness in that,” said Oley.
Oley hopes others will find happiness in their own ways from home, but she said, for the love of George Washington, “Don't cut your bangs! Wait for your hairstylist, we are waiting for you!” Oley said as she laughed.
To see more of Oley’s creations, visit her Instagram @heidileeoleyhair.