Where has the time gone?!...

Where has the time gone?..I started working part-time in March and I must admit I had to get myself adjusted to the work environment all over again! But enough of that..it is what it is and I'm more than blessed, so moving on..lol....I've really missed putting my thoughts out there to clear my own head space. My sister-cousin has been nagging (yes I said it!) me to start blogging again. Anytime I'm out and someone asks about my hair, when I tell her about it, her response is always "If you were blogging you could send them to your blog!" Whoever said nagging doesn't yield results does not have a sister-cousin! She was right! (I'm going to regret that statement..:) But in all seriousness. I really needed to focus on how to expand my following since I don't Tweet, Face book, Tumblr or participate on  any of the other social sites. So, I'm sure you're asking as I am, how are you going to do that? My immediate response is...as I shrug my shoulder's is" I dunno!"

Right now I have get back to the business of writing. I know if I do the possible the impossible is already taken care of. I have a lot of interest but my love has always been fashion, hair and decorating. So, what I've challenged myself to do is follow my heart. What does that mean exactly? It means this for me:
I will stop over thinking (second guessing myself) somewhere along the line I lost sight of that.

• Set goals that may seem far fetched (even to myself!)
• Don't share everything (I never do but it needed to be stated)
• Surround yourself with like minded people but don't alienate the opportunity to learn from those that are complete opposite (this makes you a more well rounded person anyway)
• ENJOY EVERY DAY and EVERY MOMENT of that day that you can!

 These a just a few things I want to work on for myself. And I'm on my way since I'm posting today since in forever!  

Keep it Natural and Fierce!

Let's start again!

Hello fierce ones,

I'm so excited! I joined a natural hair meetup and we had our first meeting this past Saturday. It was so enlightening and fun. We shared ALOT of information as far as, products, styling methods , why we decided to start wearing our natural hair. I was asked about the "Hair challenge" and realized that it may be easier to just start again and tailor the challenge to our groups needs. So, here we go......The GOC remix (que the turntables...lol)
The first step to this challenge is going to be establishing a simple (K.I.S...keep it simple, none of us are stupid so let's do without the last S...lol) routine. This should include:
a good cleanser (sulfate free is recommended but you know your hair)
a good conditioner ( moisturizing ingredients are key)
a good styling product (this is really going to depend on your hair type. If your hair is softer it may not respond well to a heavier cream such as Shea moisture and certain oils and vice versa for those with more texture or tighter curls)
styling method (low manipulation is key so try to adopt a staple style to wear over the next 90 days)
I'm not recommending any particular products but getting a consultation with a natural stylist is going to be essential. Especially to those who are still searching for products to start their hair routine. We mentioned a few good stylist at the meeting but here are the few I remember:
Anita at Bamboo salon located  at 8th and Main st
Charlotte at Sabrina's on Blanding Blvd.
Carmen at Next Level salon on Wells rd.
I believe there was  more that I can't think of right now(if you know please leave it in the comment section..thanks)

Remember this is a marathon not a sprint. Allow yourself to learn your hair. Try not to have hair envy (that's a difficult one...lol)  and last Enjoy the the process!  This is about us learning to LOVE our wonderful selves no matter what state we wear our hair.  I hope these tips help to get everyone a good start on their journey. 

Keep it natural and fierce!

Howdy!

Hello fierce ones,

I know it's been a minute since my last post but a lot has happened over these past few weeks. So, let's catch up. I've been out of the work force for over two years and I recently decided to get a part-time job. I was a little leary of how the corporate world would react to my natural hair but funny thing is this whole process was quite interesting. With all of the technology now I only saw one person in Human Resources face to face and that was not the interviewer. The interview was done over the phone and the final offer came via email. So, my slight hesitation was quickly dismissed or at least put on hold until I start training. I'm very confident in the way my hair looks but I haven't received any negative comments and I'm not sure exactly what I might say to someone that gives me one. I guess my response is going to depend on the comment. I might be going through some form of mental paranoia...LOL... who knows but I'll keep you updated. Either way you can best believe I'll be keeping it ....
Natural and fierce!

GOC.....week 1

Hello Fierce ones,

I've started the grow out challenge and revised my hair routine.......

Since starting the challenge as I mentioned before I've been doing Zumba 3 times a week. I can't go around with stinky hair so I'm adding co-washing to my maintenance. I like the product Hair One found at Sally's Beauty Supply. (fyi...working out makes your hair grow)
I drink water, water and more water...I always have.... so this is easy.

I would like to adopt a semi-vegetarian diet so I'm going to get information from my cousin and her fiance' (she's vegetarian and he's vegan) and hopefully get them to do some guest posts to share information with us all. This one is still in the works but I'm still eating healthy...somewhat...

Confession time... I fell off the wagon and had cake ....I told yall this was going to be the most difficult life changer for me...starting over...again...moving on...

I hope everyone was able to get the GOC information but here are the links again just in case:
naturallycurly.com/kimcolesgrowout and curlynikki.com  and kimcoles.tv

Keep it natural and fierce!

To be or Not to be.....cont'd.....

I kept seeing these beautiful heads of natural hair everywhere. And I knew that I wanted big full hair. I told my husband and he simply said "OK" and I went for it. I got my last relaxer January 2010 and started my transition. On July 4th, 2010 I went all in...I had about 3 inches of new growth and chopped off the relaxed ends. It was a total drama scene....LOL....moving on....What I've learned about myself through this process is that I'm really not my hair!!!...my life is not going to be turned upside down if my hair isn't perfectly coiffed. Actually, being natural has released me... to be me and that feels wonderful! We are individuals, so why was I trying to fit into a box that was considered excepted by "society" standards. That's a question for another day but you get the point.

My husband can't keep his hands out of my hair now. I asked him why is he always playing in my hair and he said"because I can touch it now and I couldn't before"...that made me take pause because it's so true. I'm so glad I decided "To Be".


Keep it natural and fierce!

To Be or Not to Be.....

That is the question.

When I decided to grow out my relaxer and wear my hair natural, it was strictly because I wanted to. That's right, it's that simple.  Now, I did go through what some naturals go through, as far as....tired of being in the salon for 4 hours at least (every 2 weeks), realizing that those chemicals have wreaked havoc on my natural curls over the 15 plus years and getting to the point where enough was enough!

Let's go back back for a moment.....,

I can remember being 6 years old and sitting on a pillow on the floor, in between my mom's legs and she's drinking a beer and smoking a cigarette ( her nerve calming combo, to be able to do the task at hand) and she's fussing that my hair is just too thick and it doesn't help that I'm tender headed (yep...still today!) So, at the ripe old age of 7 maybe 8 , I got my very first "Just for me" relaxer (maybe its a texturizer, not sure) and my " creamy crack" journey began. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't blame my mom, she was only doing what she knew to do at the time. Her hair texture is soft and fine like cotton.  My hair was just like Rudy Huxtable, so needless to say this posed quite a challenge.  I must admit that I really liked the fact that those routine Sunday night hair rituals became less intense for both my mom and myself. I wasn't getting hit in the head with the comb (did I mention I'm tender headed...lol) and my hair was long and I liked it.  This is where the addiction comes into play....

Going through the teen and yearly adult years, I did everything wrong to my hair ( now.. I know) and even though I always made sure it looked good , it was so unhealthy but it looked good so what did I care ( oh.. the wisdom of youth). I got my relaxers and made sure that there wasn't any sign of a kink anywhere. I realized, I love short hair and so I kept it short. I've had all of the trendy haircuts...The Anita Baker (Sweet Love), The Halle Berry (Boomerang) The asymmetrical (Salt-n-Pepa) and right before my big chop, The Spiked Halle Berry. I wasn't trying to look like those ladies, I just loved those cuts and I rocked them to a tee. But, honey don't let that "kitchen" get kinky. I was at the salon like clock work to make sure that my hair was laying as it should. I kept my comb nearby at all times. I could finish my hair and spritz it down and get in the car and pull the mirror down to make sure my hair was still in place (how sad is that). I became a slave to my hair. It kept me from living( no swimming,no working out too hard...you get the point). My husband, who's the most patient man, would get so frustrated with me and my hair. But, funny enough I was getting frustrated with me and my hair! And here's where the change begins....

Life's a challenge

I discovered this hair challenge on curlynikki.com and since I'm on the journey to a healthier body, why not include a healthier head of hair. It all goes hand in hand, right? After my follow up on my Dr's appointment last month, which was not as bad as I had thought(yay!!) I could be doing  a better job of taking care of my health. So, I've started doing Zumba(3 times a week)!! I love this exercise! and this has turned my boring gym workout, which consisted of 45 minutes on the treadmill or the elliptical, into a workout that I enjoy and look forward to doing. If you haven't tried Zumba you must give it a try!

 Back to the hair challenge......while checking my favorite blog sites I came across this hair challenge. It's a 6 month challenge that runs from Feb 1st through July 31st. For the challenge details go to either curlynikki.com or naturallycurly.com/kimcolesgrowout.
This is also a great challenge for all hair types (i.e natural, relaxed, loc'd..etc) because we all need to have healthy hair no matter what style we choose to wear.

 I'm also doing a personal food challenge to restrain from refined sugar until Feb 14th.
This is a biggie for me because I'm a sugar addict(as I stand in the front of the group hand raised..lol) but so far so good(started this Jan 24th). I have to do this last challenge in increments because it's the most difficult for me(to thine own self be true:) 

I'm implementing these changes into my life so I can be the best me I can. There's nothing better than setting goals and taking the steps to achieve those goals and getting the victory in the end.  I'll be posting about this journey and update my hair routine because I want to simplify some things, so stay tuned. Here's to victory!

Keep it natural and fierce!

My current hair routine

Since my bc (big chop) on July 4th, 2010 my hair care routine has changed too many times to count. In the beginning of my natural hair journey; I like alot of new naturals , tried almost every product that was mentioned on other blog sites that was supposed to give the best of all I was looking for,for my hair. I wanted the end result before going through the process and it always left me frustrated because not only was I wasting time but money as well. I have a hair store in my bathroom  and trust me my hubby, whose nickname is Julius(from everybody hates Chris) has all but put me hair product restriction!  So, what do you do when you've done all you can? you just stand(yes, I went church on yall) and stand is what I did. I stood in the mirror and told myself that enough was enough and I needed to stop with my hair envy and allow myself  and my hair to go through the process it needed to get to my ultimate hair goal (which I call organized chaos)
                                                                                    
This picture is an example. It's an afro but not your 70's style, of course it's modern and just plain FLY. So, needless to say I was shampooing way too often and using the wrong products for my hair type. There is some mixed feelings on hair typing in the blog world but it has proven to help me to know my hair type which is 4a/4c , it's thick but my strands are actually fine. Now that was so interesting to me because I was always told that my hair was coarse. So, with this knowledge I can now purchase the products that can help my hair to thrive and I can get to my "organized chaos fro". After much trial and error I've found the right products and care routine that has made my hair health and styling so much better.
*side note : I did consult a professional stylist (she's natural) and that was very instrumental in product selection as well as basic hair care instructions. 

This is my current routine(disclaimer: I'm not a professional stylist and I'm not endorsing any of the items that will be mentioned. This is just what has worked for me) 
I thoroughly shampoo once a month with Design Essentials Natural curl cleanser sulfate free shampoo.
I then use the moisturizing conditioner  which contains: Rose hip oil and coconut milk. I also rinse out the conditioner with cold water to retain shine. I even did this when I was relaxed, my stylist told me it closes the cuticles.
Next I detangle with my tangle teezer and use the Curl stretching cream to style my hair. I use olive oil during the styling process (it helps reduce frizz) along with the cream.
My staple style is a twist-out or braid-out.

In between(re-styling) routine:
I usually re-style my hair on Wednesdays ( no particular reason why)
I discovered the oil cleansing method my accident. I was actually using that method as my skin care regime and had a light bulb moment and tried it on my scalp to refresh for a re-styling routine. I was pleasantly surprised at the results.
The OCM recipe is simple:
 2oz of grape seed oil (natural moisturizing oil/cleansing agent)
 2oz of jojoba oil  (moisturizing oil)
a few drops of tea tree oil ( itchy scalp/dandruff )
I got this recipe from The Mop Top Maven and just adjusted it for my personal needs.
I divide my hair into 4 sections and then divide each of those sections into 2 for a total of 8 sections. 
I then massage the oil mixture onto my scalp section by section.
I then use hot towels to wrap my head with to help the oil penetrate.
I then use a hand towel to cleanse my scalp and gently wipe my hair.
Next I start the styling process from above.
I've done this method for the past couple of months and it has yielded great results each time. I know it seems like alot of work but it's just because it's written out. Honestly, the cleansing process is the fastest part of the process. For me the time consuming part is the styling because I have so much hair and I do my twist smaller on styling day. But  re-twist or braid larger sections nightly.
I know this was a lengthy post but I wanted to make sure I got all of the details in. My friends have asked what I do to my hair, so here it is. Let me know if you have questions.

Keep it natural and fierce,
Puddin

Michelle Obama style

                                                                                        

                                                                                                                                                                                                       


I really admire our First Lady Michelle Obama. I think her style is sophisticated and timeless. I love everything she wears.  I'm sure it must be difficult to always be on point and flawless, even in your down time.  I must admit that I've adopted some of her styling practices into my own personal style. I used to be obessed with heels but as I've gotten older I realized beauty does not have to equal pain! So, I started investing in awesome flats and kitten heels. 
 
I love these shoes. I feel some retail therapy happening soon!(I have issues..LOL)
But what I found was these styles are my feets (is this correct english? lol) new best friends (if that's possible:) The good thing is they can be styled in numerous ways. One of my favorite things is the boyfriend jean and either pair of these shoes can give you a look of class.
                                                                                                      

What I like about this jean type is that they are very forgiving. I found mine at JCP on sale for $18(I love a bargain...btw they are Levi's) pair with a solid tee and a big belt and a scarf and a cardigan with your flats or put on a chunky sweater with some statement jewlery pieces and your kitten heels and your ready for a date with your honey! 



                  



I love simplistic styling it just makes life easier and no matter what the occassion you always look put together.  I think that's what I admire most about our FLOTUS. She has that put together look on lock. I feel a style challenge coming on for myself! I'll be sure to post it. There's nothing like a challenge to get the creative juices flowing.

Thanks for stopping by,
Puddin

(images are from google.com and no particular designer was selected)

                                                                   

My new favorite thing!

I'm not Oprah but this is my new favorite thing. It's called Tangle Teezer and it does all it claims to do:

* Increase shine
* Gentle, effortless detangling for both wet and dry hair
* Ideal for all hair types
www.tangleteezer.com

I went to Sally's a few days after reading about this product on Curlynikki.com.
A little hair story. My hair is very thick and tightly coiled and one of the "problems" I kept running into was frizz and my ends being very hard to detangle. I had come to the conclusion to use a warm comb on my ends only. I'm so glad I read about the tangle teezer first. I used this on my dry hair and was amazed at how easily it went through my hair and the fact it was painless(I'm tender headed) was that much better! I braided my hair for a braid out and when I took my hair down the next day...Sheer perfection, well maybe not perfect but awesome is just as good. My hair was shiny and bouncy. I'm hoping that over time and continual use it will help produce even better styling. Needless to say no warm comb for me. That was the best $10 I've spent on a hair item in a while.
Thanks for stopping by,
Puddin
(I was not compensated in any manner for this post)

What the what?

     

Who would've thunk it!? Of course after I declared this the year of getting back to me and not only doing things for others but making time to enjoy my interest (yeah right) there has been nothing but chaos! Now, thankfully nothing bad but getting back to me surely has not happened! It has made me stop and say "what the what?" (thank you Mr. Brown) because what I really wanted to say was  "WHAT THE HELL?" (oops I just did..oh well:) Okay, please bear with me because I feel a venting session coming on.

I started this journey wholeheartedly. I was determined to get my independent voice back. I joined a book club and even went to a meeting (say what...yes I'm that girl!) I did drag my friend with me but still progress all the same. I even joined a natural hair group ( I'm on fire, you can't touch this!) Seriously, though I have stepped out of my box with just those two moves, so this is where it all takes a turn.

I needed to get all of the important family things taken care of so, I got the Dr. appointments made and I even included myself on that list.  My oldest son who has braces needed to have a wisdom tooth pulled so that was an added task to my list. Now, let me qualify the previous statements. I'm not complaining. But giving an example of how easy it is to get away from yourself, even with the best intentions and or efforts. Okay, back to the journey....I went to the Dr. who is a specialist that I'm supposed to see once a year (not that one) and not only  had I gained weight (I knew that one..unfortunately) but the shocker (epiphany moment) was that I hadn't been in two years!! That's when I said to myself " This is not working and something has to change Now!"

As, mothers,wives and sistah-cuzin-girlfriends we do alot of multitasking for others. But for me it has come at the expense of my overall health. That's unacceptable! We must put "US" at the top of the list in order to be effective in taking care of the rest of the list. I know that's easier said then done so we need to take baby steps but steps need to made none the less.

So, ladies as I bring this venting session to a close we must make more of an concerted effort to really put "US" on the top of the list.  

Thanks for stopping by,

Puddin

(image courtesy of adinkrafilms.blogspot.com)

FAB FRIDAY!

Happy Friday,

I really wanted this post to be about the Fab trendy items that are in style and that will put some sass in your weekend outfits but I'm still getting all the images together. I'll have all of that together for next Friday's post. For those of you that don't know, let me tell you I LUV FASHION!! high end, low end and all of the in between. 
Don't get me wrong I'm as frugal as they come. I loves(yes loves) it when I get "high end" pieces at low end prices! foot every girl should !
So, going forward the Fab Friday posts will include great bargain sites and brick and mortar information as well.
As my sistercousin told me " we are not in a recession but a correction" and I couldn't agree more. So lets correct our frivolous overspending and shop more wisely and frugally and still be FAB while we do so!
Thanks for stopping by,
Puddin

What's in a name?

The name of this blog was a collabrative effort that consisted of myself, my husband and my sistercousin. What the hell? I'm sure is the first response when you hear that, so let me explain. I'm an only child. However, I was blessed to be raised with my biological cousin (she's a year older..lol) and since her mom and dad(my aunt and uncle) always treated me like one of their own, the title sistercousin was born. So, when I tell people about her, to say she's my cousin is technically true but she so much more. I wish every girl could have their own sistah-cuzin-girlfriend because it's one of the best relationships that can be had. So, that's how the name came about for the blog. We have a crazy family but not that crazy!!
Thanks for stopping by,
Puddin

Well good goobly, it's been  crazy these past few days. All I can say is kids ( especially boys!) will drive the most sane person bananas! With that said let's talk about hair. As, I mentioned before I've been natural since July 4th, 2010 and it has been both a joyful and daunting experience. The joy has been watching my hair grow like crazy over these past 6 months. The daunting comes in trying to find the right products for my hair. In the beginning I bought every product that I read about on other natural hair blogs. To say that was both a waste of time and money is an understatement. I don't want to bash any products so let's just say expensive(over $25 a jar) does not mean better and just because something is inexpensive(less then $10) it will usually end up on the "what was I thinking shelf" as well.  So, lets put all of this in it's proper perspective (with my little learned knowledge) about this natural hair journey:

*When you decide to go natural learn to be patient with your hair and yourself. This is a learning process for you to get to know YOUR hair, which brings me to
*Everyone has an individual hair story. Your hair will not look like mine and my hair will not look like Tracy Ellis Ross( i luv big hair!) because we all have different hair textures. However, I can still get my own big hair.
*Lastly(for now anyway) get a hair consultation with a natural stylist. This was a life saver for me. The products that she recommended for my hair type was Design Essentials Natural line. It has made my braid/twists outs sheer perfection.

I hope this information  helps and I'll be doing more in depth hair posts but it can be so overwhelming I really need to get all of the details together to deliver the information properly. I also want to start adding pictures to future post, especially for those of you who are visual. I really want my blog to be of service to others, so please bear with me as I continue to tweak the format and information content.
Thanks for stopping by,
Puddin

Getting back to ME

Okay, it's 2011 and with every New Year comes new resloutions. This year is no different for me but with one exception: I'm wrapping up my third decade and dammit I'm marching onto and into my fourth decade with much attitude! Now, I don't mean that in a negative way, just in the "I'm getting back to me and what I want to do way!". I actually started this journey at about 38 and a half when I decided that I wasn't going to be held captive by my relaxed hair any longer and went natural with a BC (big chop) on July 4th, 2010. That was one of best personal decisions I've made in a while and definitely the best hair decision I've ever made. More on that in future post :) What will this blog be about? Honestly, a little bit of everything that interest me. Now, let me warn you I do have alot of interest so that  should provide me with alot of material, but I don't want to be spastic...lol
I'm looking forward to taking this journey and getting Back to me!
Thanks for stopping by,
Puddin