What to Wear to Work: Mixed Patterns

Some of us may be nervous to mix patterns but it is time to stop being scared. I am from the Garanimals era, where people seem to like for everything to match from head to toe but the more I see mixed patterns, the more I love them!

My girl, Jacki rocked the mix patterns to work this week and I had to feature her on the blog!

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The 2 patterns are similar, in the fact that they are both floral prints but still very different.

I would also like to welcome Miss Jacki to the natural hair club – She looks simply beautiful with the short cut she is rocking.

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Do you like to mix patterns? Or are you scared?

 

(What Jacki is wearing: Jaket: J. Crew, Skrit: Pint Apple, Shirt: WD NY)

Photo Credit: Yani

 

 

 

 

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Yessss, Sports Illustrated!!!

Finally, history is made with Ashley Graham gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine! She is not only plus size, but she is beautiful along with being a advocate of self love at any size. Many women in the world, including me, are plus size and we love seeing people that look like us in the spotlight! Congratulations, Ashley!

 

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Find out more about Ashley:

AshleyGraham.com

AshleyGrahamCollections.com

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Awesome Product Alert (APA) – Kay Vel Creme Press

It is very rare that I find products that I MUST blog about but low and behold I have found the ONE! Kay Vel Creme Press is one of the BEST products that I have ever purchased for my hair since I have been natural – Let me tell you all about it.

Disclaimer: My hair is 4C – I call it 4Z on the natural hair scale – so this product may be too heavy for a looser curl pattern.

Kay Vel Creme Press is for straightening hair using heated tools such as flat irons or curling irons. I recently had my hair dyed purple and when I was in the salon, I noticed a stylist in the salon using a light blue product to put amazing curls into a client’s hair using a flat iron – I mean, those curls were popping! The client also had natural hair – so I paid close attention but did not want to ask what she was using because she was not the person doing my hair. So you know what I did, right – GOOGLED it! Yes, I Googled “light blue product used for straightening natural hair” and BOOM – Kay Vel appeared on my screen – it was like an AHHHH HAAAA moment:

Kay Vel

So, as I read reviews and watched videos on Kay Vel it seemed almost too good to be true! I was thinking that maybe it was one of those products only sold to a licensed stylist. I decided to take a trip to my local beauty supply store and asked if they carried Kay Vel and was happily surpised when the store sales person pointed me in the direction of the Kay Vel nicely sitting on the shelf just waiting for me to come along to purchase it. So I did and for only $14!

Still skeptical about the results that I would personally have with Kay Vel, I took it home and thought about when I try it out. I opted for the next evening as I was excited but I was also ready to be disappointed if it did not work for me.

So now, my first use of Kay Vel was on my hair when it had already been straightened at the salon but needed to be freshened up since I had picked the most humid 2 weeks of the year in the DC area to get my hair straightened – really smart!  Anyway – Can I just tell you that I was amazed at how the Kay Vel made using my flat iron so much easier. I did not have to use them on such a high setting and I only had to do one pass of the flat iron on each section of hair. I was impressed but the real challenge would be the result on my freshly washed ultra natural state of hair – Would the Kay Vel still impress?

YES IT DID! I decided to bite the bullet and wash my hair over the past weekend. I did the normal wash, color treated replenish pack and conditioner and then blow dried my hair on medium heat (I did place a little bit of Kay Vel on my damp hair prior to blow drying)…. here are the blow out pics – And YES, I am a Redskins Fan #HTTR!:

Next comes the flat iron – I use a Babyliss Pro Titanium flat iron that I purchased from Bed Bath & Beyond last year for approximately $140.00 – great flat iron! So this begins the real test – could my hair really get as straight as it was when I left the salon? Yes, Yes, Yes it can and it DID! I only used  very small amount of Kay Vel on each section of hair that I was flat ironing.

I am AMZED at the results!

The Final Results:

Here is what Kay Vel looks like opened:

More of the final look:

I cannot say how much I love this product and how impressed I am that a $14 jar of creme that will last a very long time is the TRUTH when it comes to straightening natural hair! Thank you, Kay Vel for making my straight hair life easier!

What do y’all think of my results? Have you used Kay Vel before? Let me know what you thought of it.

Meet Nitro, the furriest member of my family

I was one to always say “I don’t want a dog!”

I like dogs ok, but I am already a mom and was not interested in having an animal to feed, take to vet, walk outside in any kind of weather and to be responsible for if I needed to go out of town. We had always had dogs when I was growing up but playing with a dog as a child and being totally responsible for one as an an adult are two very different things!

Fast forward to this past year –  I remembered that I always wanted a Yorkie. So cute, not that big and well mannered. I made up my mind that I was going to try to find a Yorkie for a reasonable fee. When I get my mind set on something – it is pretty much a done deal – so the search began! I looked high and low for a Yorkie using all of the dog search websites, local electronic newspapers and Craigslist. Let me just say that there are some crazy people when you deal with online adventures. I had one lady promise to hold a Yorkie for me during a snow storm, as I could not get out of my neighborhood, but she sold it that day anyway and did not want to tell me that – but I found out on my own.

It took a few months but then I came across a 2 month old Yorkie being sold on Craigslist and not too far from where I live. I communicated with the seller and at first I thought she was another crazy online seller but she turned out to be great!

We met with her at her home to check out the Yorkie and fell completely in love with the puppy at first sight- he was so cute (and still is!). He was in the woman’s home with his mom and he was well taken care of and loved. We inspected him physically after playing with him and decided to take him home. On the way home we named him Nitro.

Nitro close up
The day we bought Nitro home

When we bought him home on March he weighed 3 lbs. He is now 8 lbs we still love him to death! Yes, we have to walk him in any kind of weather, feed him (I cook for him), take him to MANY vet visits (more than my son had when we was a newborn!) and we have not gone on  a trip since we have had him, but I am sure one will be coming up soon – do we take him or get someone to sit him? I guess it depends on the trip.

He brings us so much joy and unconditional love that we don’t care about the responsibility. He is definitely worth it.

First Vet visit
First Vet visit
Little Face
Little Face

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have come to learn that Nitro is most likely a Yorkiepoo (Yorkie mixed with Poodle) and that is fine with me as I did not want his ears to stand up like a full Yorkie – I am in love with his floppy ears and hope they never do stand up!

He loves being outside
He loves being outside

 

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Another picture…really???
Giving me the side-eye while trying to take a nap
Giving me the side-eye while trying to take a nap
Neighborhood Watch
Neighborhood Watch
My tele-work days – he is never too far away!

My absolute FAVORITE protective hairstyle: Crochet Braids

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I cannot tell you how in love I am with crochet braids as my go-to protective style for my natural hair! I used to get my hair braided but I can no longer sit for 8 hours or more to get individual braids. So, I met a young lady about a year ago that changed my life. We were at a shopping event and she had crochet braids that I thought was her real natural hair. When she told me that it was crochet braids I was AMAZED! .She has been doing my hair ever since and I will continue to go to her as long as she is doing hair!

What are crochet braids, you ask? It is when your entire head of hair is cornrowed and single strands of braiding hair are literally crocheted onto your cornrows. The single strands is what gives it such a natural appearance to make it look like hair that is growing from your scalp!

Crochet braids have been around for a long time and I remember that my mom got crochet braids years ago when she was going on a cruise.But I am here to tell you that the type of hair being used now and the way your natural hair is cornrowed underneath has changed the game! Now with the more natural look hair textures and the many ways you can get your hair cornrowed determines the many different ways you can rock your crochet braids.

How my hair was cornrowed – don’t say anything about all of my grey hair!

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The absolute best thing about the crochet braids is that it only takes 4, maybe 5 hours from start to finish! And you come out with a hairdo that you can not only style many ways but the type of hair that I use is also water-friendly for easy washing and going swimming.

The comment I always get when I wear crochet braids is “Your hair is so pretty!” And I always tell people that it is crochet braids and not my hair. They always think it is my very own hair – again a shout out to my stylist for always hooking me up!

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So, if you want a protective style that is easy to install, easy to maintain, looks like your hair and that you can wear for up to 3 months – I suggest crochet braids!

The hair I use:

Brand: Freetress, Style: Water wave

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Men: Orgasmic Opportunists – Yes or No?

This is something that I have always wondered about – are men Orgasmic Opportunists – even when in a “committed” relationship?

Definition: Taking every opportunity to get to their next orgasm

Is it true that men really do not think with the head on their shoulders?

It is not that women do not cheat. I think women cheat for very different reasons than men (maybe covered in a future post).

But this post is about:

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I am in a committed relationship and this post does not have anything to do with my relationship but it is something that I have thought about for as long as I can remember.

Do men have the ability to be completely and 100% faithful – meaning no sex with anyone outside of their relationship/marriage?

I really would like to hear from the men that read my blog on this topic as women have their own opinions that I have heard all of my life. But I have never really asked the men that I know to answer these questions:

Is sex (or having and orgasm) the most important thing that motivates men?

Can men truly be faithful in a “committed” relationship?

Is faithfulness determined by who you are in a relationship with?

Does the orgasmic opportunist change with age?

What are the things required in a relationship for you to be totally faithful?


Now for my opinion:

I think men can be 100% committed and faithful, if they want to,  but I believe it takes the right relationship, at the right age for them to understand the what they are looking for. I believe that men need to be loved and catered to as much as women. I think they too want compliments so that they too feel sexy and desirable. I believe in saying “thank you”- even for the little things. I believe that you cannot know what you want if you have not been through some things in life and some of that comes with age.

But I do believe that there are some men that just desire sex and not a relationship. Those men should just be who they are and not even try to commit to another person because we all know it will end badly.  Keep having un-committed sex and be happy.

The bottom line (in my opinion): Happiness and contentment = faithfulness for men and women!

Let me know what you think…..

It’s the LITTLE THINGS

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It’s the Little Things: his touch, my son’s smile, a warm blanket straight out of the dryer on a cold day. I am such a simple person and I wish we lived in a simple world.

I believe this world that we live in is too complicated. If everyone would treat people the way that they want to be treated, perform random acts of kindness on a regular basis, and simply minded their own business, I think this would be world where I would be proud to raise my son.

I cannot figure out how life got so complicated, one day I was in the backyard of my parent’s house acting out Charlie’s Angels with my sisters or trying to train crickets how to swim and now I have to worry about not only working but making enough money to raise my son, teaching my son right from wrong and obeying laws that some people within the “justice system” may not even follow.

Why can’t it just be simple.  Be nice, be happy and live a long, wonderful life.

It’s the Little Things: the way he holds me when we sleep, the sound of my son’s laugh, walking down the boardwalk of a beach.

 Life is so complicated. Why do we care so much about the color of skin instead of the fact that we are all human? Why do we care so much about interracial relationships and not the fact that people are in a healthy relationship? Why do we care that different races want to adopt children instead of applauding the fact that people want to give children a safe and happy home?

I want life to be simplified for my son to grow up in a world with no stereotypes, no hypocrites &  no judgment.

It’s the Little Things: When I can hear my son singing in the shower, the way he makes me laugh, a quiet Sunday afternoon.

If everyone took time to appreciate the little things they would not have the time to create such a complicated world.

I challenge you to take 1 week to appreciate all of the Little Things that matter in your life and write them down. You may be surprised at how many truly little, simple things happen in our busy daily lives.

Please share with me some of your “Little Things”. I would love to hear from you.

I AM NOT SORRY…. for being me

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I AM NOT SORRY… for being me. What does that mean you ask?

I am not sorry for:

  • Being the best Mom that I know how to be; having open and honest communication with my son
  • Being a hopeless romantic; loving with my entire heart and putting my all into my relationsship
  • Working hard to have the things that we need and want but not always being in love with having to go to work
  • Standing up for the things that I believe are correct
  • Wanting a new “life experience” & hoping to move to the West Coast
  • Loving my family but knowing that it is time to “live” for me
  • For doing 90% of my shopping at thrift stores and online boutiques & closet sales –  I just cannot seem to want to pay full price for clothing and accessories. You just get so  much more for your money
  • For being ME – I have come to love myself which allows me to love unconditionally

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Tonight I had a movie date with my son to see Penguins of Madagascar. I wanted to be comfortable and relaxed so I opted for a graphic sweatshirt & jeans with the black jacket and silver scarf. The movie was great. Below are options on styling the outfit for a easy, breezy early evening outing.

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The look:
Graphic Tee – Forever 21
Teal Faux Leather Jacket – Forever 21
Black Faux Leather Jacket – Forever 21
Black Skinny Jeans – Forever 21
Lace up boots – Bee Fly
Accessories – from cloest sales and gifted
Purple and Silver Scarves – thrifted

Pay it Forward with Random Acts of Kindness

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As Thanksgiving approaches it would be easy to list all of the things that I am thankful for. Instead, I want to challenge each one of my followers to Pay it Forward.

The Pay it Forward concept is that you do something nice for 3 people and then each of those people do something nice for 3 people and the cycle just continues with random acts of kindness. Imagine how much better off the world would be if Paying it Forward never ended.

By Paying it forward with random acts of kindness we can create a world where everyone would have something to be thankful for.

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There are many ways to Pay it Forward. The ways I like best are doing something for a stranger that does not know you and will not feel obligated to do something nice for you but in turn will Pay it Forward to someone else. I have done things like paying for the next person behind me at a toll booth, if someone behind me in line at the grocery store has a couple of items, I will pay for their items along with mine. Giving to the homeless. Taking the time to say hello to strangers. Putting coins into expired meters.

You can also Pay it Forward for people you do know. Things like free babysitting, writing thank you notes for coworkers that have helped you with projects or events atwork, giving people compliments, taking the time to listen to someone that needs to vent and many others.

Many people are severely depressed during the holidays.  Small gestures can make a huge difference! Most things that you can pay forward take less than 5 minutes and less than $5. Let’s make someone’s  and Pay it Forward!

Have a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving!