Australian mom braids daughter's hair in breathtaking styles every morning

Remember the good ol' days when you would sit before mom each morning as she ties or braids your hair before you left for school?

A mother from Australia has been gaining fame on the Internet for doing just that. But she's no ordinary mom, and her daughter's braids are no ordinary braids either.

Shelley Gifford of Melbourne, Australia has been giving her 6-year-old daughter, Grace, the most elaborate hairstyles and the Internet community is completely in love with her work.

Gifford has been posting her pretty creations on her Instagram and Facebook accounts, which are aptly named Pretty Litle Braids. She regularly shares photos of her work with the 109,000 people following her on Instagram. To think she only joined the social media platform slightly over half a year ago!

Despite how complicated her daughter's hairstyles look, Gifford told TODAY.com that she spends a mere 15 to 20 minutes to set Grace's hair every morning.

One of the fanciest hairstyles she has done involves a complicated design of ribbons twined within the braids - and not a single strand of hair was out of place!

It seems like Gifford is just getting used to her online fame as she took to Facebook on March 3 to say that it has been "an exciting but crazy week" after her photos went viral and were featured on several online media platforms around the world.

Gifford told TODAY.com: "I'm always challenging myself to create something new and unique."

Though it may sound difficult to believe, the "hair obsessed" mother claimed that she only knew two braiding styles when she was younger. But all that changed in 2014 when she evolved into a "self-taught expert braider and stylist" by picking up braiding tips and tutorials on social media.

"Sometimes it seems more like art than an everyday hairstyle, which I find fun and unique and then sometimes I may just recreate a great style that I have found on the Internet from fellow braiders," Gifford said.

Art, indeed.

One of Gifford's most creative hairstyles includes a plastic toy bat under her daughter's braid. Perhaps little Grace wanted to channel her inner Batgirl that day.

While most of her posts are photos of her daugher's finished hairstyle, Gifford has also posted a video tutorial of how she works her magic, and she makes it look too easy.

Gifford said the best part about her passion for creating beautiful hairstyles is being able to include her daughter in her love of hairstyling.

And we bet little Grace isn't complaining.

The adorable girl is often stopped by strangers who notice her fancy hairdos, and her hairstyles-of-the-day are now the object of envy among other kids.

ssandrea@sph.com.sg