It's almost a month after I celebrated my BEST birthday to date and I still feel the blessings flowing in! Thought I'd share pics with you guys! I loved every minute of it. We celebrated at a Thai cuisine restaurant on the Upper East Side called Jaiya and let me tell you!! The service was IMMACULATE! Best I've ever encountered. And let's not mention the company of loving friends and family who came out to support! I couldn't have asked for a better celebration to not only ring in my 23rd year but to also ring in the new year! What was the theme you might ask?? Black and Gold baby! Specs and photos below.
Hairstyle: Afro Puffy Twists ($50 in Harlem; only kept in for 1 wk)
Dress: Black and Gold Baroque Patterned dress (ASOS for $39)
For some time now....Well for the past year, I've been on a mission to re-embrace the joy of my birthday. Let's just say last year's sucked... BIG SOUR BALLS. And though it was partially my fault for not having anything planned, the way in which it played out was at the hands of an individual I'd rather pretend is dead at the moment! LOL Hmmm...was that too harsh? Idk, maybe I'll re-edit this in a month's time with something nicer but for now, it's staying that way.
SIDENOTE: I know it has been a while since I've posted and honestly, feeling my emotionally synced fingers run across the keyboard is making me wonder why I ever slowed down on writing blog posts at all. LOL--I'll admit, I only have about five followers and where it concerns publicity and getting my blog out there, I am not the sharpest needle. Kill me dead, but I still say having no interaction on something that's meant for the public plays a bit of hardball with my esteem and writing capabilities. Why write if no one will read...or listen, right?
Anyway, I didn't open up this post to ramble so let's get back to business. In short, for this post, I will share the hairstyles I am ranking as contenders for my upcoming 23rd birthday celebration. And I pray at least ONE of them gets done!!
HAIRSTYLES
~*CassBeccai*~
bout a week ago, I came across Cassandra Beccai, a fellow natural who has a natural hair product line out called Eden's Heart... Though I have never tried her products, I became quite attached to her through her YouTube page. And on her page, I came across a hairstyle she did herself. Cassandra is a spirited young woman with a calm sense of life. She put me at rest from the get-go and she might not have crazy humor, but sometimes you need a content person to convey happiness to you! Anyway, here is the video she made and the hairstyle I am so0o tempted to try. Not saying I'll do it for my birthday, but it is quite tempting. Plus it reminds me of Havana Twists (which are way more expensive) because it looks so natural!
~*India Davis*~
India Davis--of the YouTube trio-ed sisterly sensation, MyNaturalSistas-- has been bedazzling my eyes since I came across them on the Tube! This lady right here! She can do it up with some curl formers! So I figured I would given them a shot and what better time to order my Curlformers than Black Friday!! So that is what I did! I know there are a million exclamation points in this one subsection but oh well~ LOL ... I am DEFINITELY considering doing this fluffy style for my birthday! I am going to start my trial hopefully next week, by washing, detangling, deep conditioning and moisturizing my hair. Then I will apply the curl formers in sections with each section using a different product so that I can see which product worked better! Here is a tutorial on India putting in her Curlformers! It seems so easy and with mine waiting for me at home, you better blieve I'm going to lay this all out in a strategic manner!
~*NeEkNinja*~
I actually came across NeEkNinJatonight before I decided to write this blog. Maybe she was my inspiration--idk--but I LOVED this faux bun tutorial she did! Made my creative gene itch to step out of the box. I must say, for about a month now, I have been wanting to try doing styles with add-on hair--whether it be Marley braid or regular Kenekalon. So this may just be a contender! And a great protective style, might I add! I've also included a bonus style. It's Yarn Braids/Wraps that she did and then styled into petals!!! Can you say AMAZING?!
Happy Fall, my loves! We have so much to look forward to for these colder months! And I am not just talking about the comfort food and quilted blankets! I'm talking about the preservation. Getting my skin care back under control, elongating my days where it concerns constantly shaving my legs, and heading back into the gym with a sweatshirt on instead of a skimpy wife-beater so that fellow members can't see how much I REALLY have to get done on my body. *Sigh*... low-self-esteem-much???
Anyway, this autumn, I have also included getting my hair care up and running. I need to finally LEARN my hair. I mean, I already know it likes a mixture of all-natural and unnatural products, but I need to finally find my staples and thank you LORD for this Castor Oil challenge I am participating in with BlakIzBeautyful of Kinky Curly Coily Me, I feel like my blog name ~*ForeverCoily*~ will now have some expectations to live up to! Let's start with this Castor Oil challenge!
FALL 2012 CASTOR OIL CHALLENGE The Fall Castor Oil Challenge began September 1st, 2012 and will run until December 1st, 2012 (my birthday month, YAY!!!) It consists of you dedicating yourself to using Castor oil on your edges, nape, scalp, and/or strands for no less than 3 days per week, and for those who would like to be considered for the challenge prizes, participants must post their responses and encouragements on each of the blog's weekly posted check-ins at least 3 times a week. Now I must admit, I don't even know what the prizes are for this challenge, and quite frankly, I am not in it to win anything. I just want to put my hair to the test and see if I too can--for once--stick to something concrete. A regimen of sorts, if you want to put it that way. Anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE to talk about my obsession for having structure in my life. But I've slowly realized that I've never really KEPT structure. And that shows in the fact that I started my hair journey in 2009 and have only accumulated about 2 inches of length SINCE. Need I say more?
This rendezvous I have with falling in love with Fall and having this strong friendship with Castor oil has gone far beyond what I expected. So much so that I have FUN writing my weekly check-ins and words of encouragement to fellow participants. I mean, my last response was a NOVEL. It'll be posted below if you're curious. This week's check-in was about finding favorite products, how we form our criteria for a favorite product and how we are coming along our fourth week in for this challenge. And I can not wait to read the rest of the responses!!
I do wish, I wrote this post sooner and no, not EVERYTHING in my life is going smoothly. But at least some things are and those ae the things I will be dwelling on. So let's forget the opposite sex. Let's forget the stress of gaining a second job, and let's put to the side, the fact that I am having a HARD time saving money. No! I'm not a shop-aholic, but an entry-level position with minimum wage can only get a sistah so far, especially when she has bills to pay. Thank GOD I didn't not have to take out loans for college! This Fall Mentailty is REALLY turning around my bitter feelings of the summer.
For more information on the Castor Oil challenge, click the link above. You won't be able to enter to be considered for prizes, but you can always follow along and see what Castor Oil can do for your hair too! My response to this week's check-in is down below!
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WEEK 4 CHECK-IN
Hey all! Happy to be back for another check-in! So let me jump right into it! .
-1- THERE ARE SO MANY PRODUCTS ON THE MARKET? WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITES? So
yesterday was my wash day and I decided it was time I buckled down to
find some staples....Since the winter months are slowly approaching and
all. A few weeks ago, I attended the Fashion Week natural hair meet-up
at Marx on the UES and was one of the raffle winners. My prize was from
the Sofn' Free GroHealthy line and I received the "Nothing But...Intense
Healing Mask and the "Nothing But...Curly Wake Up Spray." To top it
off, our gift bags came with sample sizes of the line's Shampoo,
Conditioner, and Pure Pudding as well! I was a bit hesitant but I
figured why not try the line out. And I must say that I LOVE this
product line!! I mean my regular faves include the Creme of Nature Argan
Oil line, an occasional cheapy conditioner, Shea Moisture's Curl
Enhancing Smoothie, and an oil mixture. But THIS LINE!! PLUS the use of
my Castor Oil has topped all expectations! And on the first try too?!?
Usually it takes 2 to 3 washes for my hair to "succumb", like, or love a
product, but even before I washed out the final step--the mask--I had
the MOST silky soft hair. So soft that I even let my hair air dry like
90% of the way with NO product. And I still have leftovers of the
samples. That's how THICK and light the products are. So this is now my
FAVORITE product line. And I haven't even used their pudding or spray as
yet but I'm expecting good results!
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-2- WHAT QUALITIES DOES A PRODUCT NEED TO HAVE IN ORDER FOR IT TO BECOME ONE OF YOUR FAVORITES? Besides
the shocker quality, my favorite product needs to be at my disposal,
it's price range should equate the integrity of its ingredients, it
should leave my hair feeling moisturized for longer than 2-3 days and it
shouldn't weigh my hair down (without my permission). And the Sofn'
Free products definitely passed this criteria!
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-3- SINCE USING CASTOR OIL, HAS YOUR HAIR BEEN MAINTAINING MOISTURE? I
believe castor oil is the REASON for my light, free, feathery, wind
blown, soft, silky, hair. LOL. I swear, before this, my hair felt like
barbed wire. It was thick but in a matted tangle-y way. Now I can use
Castor Oil, do a twist up and wake up the next morning looking like I
just got a light blow out. I don't know about length because I'm not
good with my own judgement, but as for feel and moisture, Castor Oil
definitely gets my vote!
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-4- HOW DID YOU USE CASTOR OIL IN YOUR HAIR LAST WEEK (WEEK 3)? DID
YOU FIND YOURSELF LOSING MOMENTUM OR ARE YOU STILL GOING HARD? Since
I had a braided protective style for 7 days I just made sure to spritz
my hair morning and night with water and to put castor oil around my
edges and nape. My scalp stayed moisturized until I pulled out the style
7 days later. Thursday night, I pre-pooed with a cheapy conditioner and
my castor oil. Friday morning I washed, conditioned, and did a deep
treatment on my hair. Then I styled it with castor oil and Kinky Curly
Knot Today, and it stretched my hair to the max in about 6 hours (all
air dry--NO HEAT). This past week, I am impressed with myself because I
haven't lost momentum. However, I have noticed that because I'm going
hard, I have been combing and detangling my hair more often which is
resulting in more shedding than usual. Sounds like a good thing since
I'm keeping my hair detangled, but the constant use of the comb is not
making me feel better.
In my last post I mentioned the "Fall Mentality". But I feel like I must elaborate on this point. so in this post, I 'll keep it short and sweet.
Since I could remember, I have always loved the autumn and winter months. Many blame it on me being born during the quiet of winter but I just say I've always loved big comfy quilts, warm desserts and some down time to re-evaluate and fix. I mean, think about it! I can never re-evaluate my body come summer time. By that time, I'm already in the mood to show some skin, scaly or not -__-. LOL So when the winter time comes, and I have to keep warm under all those layers, I make sure to give my body a break. I stop shaving (unless I have a boyfriend...which is not often), I make sure I moisturize, extra well, I keep my limbs agile, and I even take the season to do damage control for blotches, blemishes, or future trouble spots.
You see, my fall mentality is adorned with wise decisions, whereas my summer is more like a "throw it to the wind" mentality... so I really can't wait until Fall really is here!!
So I told myself on the 1st of August that I would enjoy this break I was taking from my blog and just relax. But I noticed lately that I was becoming so antsy about getting back into the fall mentality that I didn't realize I NOT having fun! So I've broken my own promise to get back to basics and write down the overflowing thoughts in my head? And why is this?? Well it's because I've been obsessed with food lately. Yes...I said it ...and I am PROUD! I have always been a foodie. And it's because of my constant search to find the balance between healthy and tasty eating.
Many more posts will be appearing in regards to where my life has ...and has NOT been going in the last 3 months of my posting absence. But for now; let's talk food. ^_^
This morning after editing and uploading a video from scratch for the fourth time on youtube, I decided i'd let it go. If the shit ended up crashing and failing again, I'd just have to disappoint the family with various clippings of shots from the event. Because, at this moment, I'm just so fed up. I mean come on!! FOUR TIMES?
...but I digress
Back to cooking...
I've never learned to cook. Yes! I am an American woman, born of Jamaican decent, with no proper training on how to feed myself from the home, care for others physically, OR--for my own temperament--PLEASE a man...v_v'
Nope. My mom has just never been one to teach me how to cook. She doesn't like anyone in her kitchen. So you might say that the few dishes I do know how to make stemmed from rainy days at home alone while mom was assisting in the Operating Room at Kings County Hospital. I won't complain A LOT because truth be told, I knew her reasoning behind it--be it a selfish one--she wanted folks to constantly depend on her...and in her mind, teaching your children to cook was like saying "Thanks mom but I don't need to eat your chicken soup! I can make my own now!"... Can someone say RUDE? But where is the hint of morality??
Doesn't matter. Because of this selfish mentality, my 26 y.o. brother and lil ole' me never learned how to make all the awesome traditional dishes from our roots or even simple American dishes to keep us--i don't know--ALIVE!
As of now, I still can't step foot in the kitchen when she is around because if she is, she'll just grab everything out my hand and make it for me. So lose there. But what I can do it stock up on some recipes. That way I'll be all prepped when the day does come that she's not home and I once again have to kitchen to myself... rain or shine.-___-
I found them on YouTube a few weeks back and fell in love when they came on as an advertisement before one of my natural hair videos started playing. Kin Community is basically a channel geared towards domestic living but of course, in my world, editing is everything! So it's more than cooking or crafting to me! In short it's like a freedom to react anyway you want when in the presence of food and trinkets. And who doesn't like freedom, right??? I even described it to a friend as a vessel "that brings me THAT much closer to my SATC (Sex and the City), success-with-a-white-picke
t-fence and Brooklyn Heights apt type life! HA!"
This channel is just so simple but delicious and it makes me want to clean my bank account buying goodies in the organic markets spread around Brooklyn!
Here's a flavor of why I love this channel! And I hope you guys enjoy it too!
SPINACH ARTICHOKE DIP
Till next post --With Love, from Brooklyn ~*ForeverCoily*~
"To be happy is to be focused on the present moment"...
The past couple of days haven't been the best and I have a strong feeling it's because I'm dwelling on what I'm afraid of instead of what I am energized about. So in response to this video below from FitLifeTV, I'm going to share the 10 things that I am presently grateful about in my life. But by all means, definitely watch the video first to gain some inspiration. As a human being, are you doing any of these 5 things? View my list down below, then share your own!
10 GOOD THINGS HAPPENING IN MY LIFE
1. I have a faith driven mindset
2. I am supported by family members no matter how small it may be
3. I am getting the opportunity to broaden my horizon
4. I'm reaching out of my comfort zone for success
5. I have a job that allows me to be me
6. I have friends that always give me well rounded observations
7. I'm pursuing my long term goals
8. I'm ALIVE
9. I'm Blessed
10. I love
So... I have no idea what this song is really about, though it sounds quite self explanatory... but it came on and now I'm bopping my head to it like a 22 y.o. in 1995.
Take a listen, loves! I think you'll like it as well!
