My New Protective Style

Hey there people,
I'm back.  Yes, it's been a minute.  My girlfriend busted me out and said I'm really not a blogger because I only post once in awhile.  I didn't know I had to blog everyday???  Well, if that's the definition, then I'm not a blogger, and this is not a blog.  So let's call it a journal.  I don't have to journal everyday, only when I have something to say.  Well….today I have something to say.  LOL

So two months ago, I found a new protective style.  It's called Tree Braiding.  Woohoo, woohoo…I found braids that I like.  It's braids but it looks like a weave.  I can have the best of both worlds but can touch my scalp and scratch it when it itches.  When I rock a weave, I have to beat my head because I can't get to my scalp.  I AM LOVING TREE BRAIDS!!

Ok, but there is a story around my tree braids.  My first tree braids were done by a woman in a shop in downtown Oakland.  I won't give the name to protect the innocent….but just know I will NEVER go back there again.  I got to my appointment a few minutes early only to find that my braider was running late - 30 dag on minutes to be exact.  This was my first time at this shop and the first time with this woman.  I was BEYOND annoyed.  On top of that, when I walked into the shop, everyone just stopped and stared at me.  I turned around to see if they were looking at someone behind me.  I asked, "is something wrong?"  Someone finally said no.  I was like, (to myself), well WTF are ya'll staring at.  Oh well…I walked in and was instantly annoyed.  Needless to say, when the woman finally showed up, she finished my hair in 6 hours.  It was so cute.  I was quite happy and in love with my hair again.  I went home and took pictures.  I thought, Yeah baby…I'm cute again.  Let's do it!!  But guess what happened???

Three days later, 2 braids came out.  And then the next day, another 2 braids came out.  And then the next day, 1 braid came out.  And then the next day 2 braids came out.  AND THEN…everyday after, 1 to 2 braids came out.  I'm like WTH???  I just paid $200+ dollars to get my hair done and THIS is what happens???  So I called the shop owner and left a message about what was going on.  I wanted to come in and have them put in the three braids that had come out smack dab in the front of my head.  The shop owner called me back and left a message.  I left her 3 more messages before I drove all the way to the shop…only to find it closed - ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS!!  This was ridiculous.  I finally gave up and just dealt with looking crazy.  But let's understand… I WILL NEVER GO BACK TO THAT BRAID SHOP AGAIN!!

I took my hair down after 5 weeks to find that my hair had grown.  WOOHOO!!!  Now…I have to find another shop that does Tree Braids.  I just love it!!  Protective styles will be working for awhile until my hair really begins to grow.  I'm tired of looking like Roj from What's Happening, or Florida from Good Times.  I wanna look cute.  I LOVE HAIR!!

I found another shop!!  HELL YES!!  This woman Cynthia at Sankofa, she called me back, and made an appointment for the day after I called.  While she took 9 hours to do my hair, I LOVE MY HAIR!!  I told her what happened with my last Tree Braids and she assured me that my hair was not going to come out and that if they did by chance, she would always be available to put them back in.  Instead of straight hair, this time I got curly hair.  My hair turned out fabulous and BIG!!  I love it!!  She loved it!! She was super sweet; started on time; and did amazing work.  I'm loving my protective style today!!  Go TREE BRAIDS!!

Please stay with me on this journey.  One day I WILL LOVE MY HAIR!!

~Hair Love

First set of Tree Braids

Blow out…My hair has grown!!  Woohoo!!

New set of Tree Braids - Absolutely Love it!!

Shaped Up

Well…it's official.  I am a NATURAL CHICK!!  I have absolutely no perm in my hair.  It's been three months and it has definitely been interesting.  A few days after my big chop, I realized that I was on my own with my hair; that my hair stylist wasn't coming over every morning to do my hair so it would look cute.  WTH…..  she left me out in the cold.  Sooooo what was I to do?  Walk around lookin like Roger from What's Happening?  I don't think so.  I finally did something with it… I BRAIDED IT!!

Braids are considered protective styles for natural chicks.  I braided my hair for one month, took it down hoping to do something else with it, but I realized, my hair hadn't grown enough and so I needed to braid it back up.  And so, I braided my hair again and wore it for yet another month.  After two months, I took the braids out, and realized that my hair had grown.  BUT I STILL LOOKED LIKE ROGER FROM WHAT'S HAPPENING!!  And so, my hair stylist went to cutting.  I brought in a picture of a style and hoped for the best.

When all was said and done, I had a new style, one which I can actually say, I liked!  My hair stylist made my afro look cute.  And she cute a lot of my hair.  My hair is starting to grow!!  Woohoo!!

It's been a few weeks and I'm enjoying my hairstyle…most days.  I'm still trying to figure out which product to use that will make my hair look the way I want it too.  But until then, I can deal with what I have.  I'm watching the top of my hair grow and am amazed at how fast it is growing.  I can't wait to see what I look like in 6 months, 1 year, 2 years.

So here's to having healthy hair and scalp!!

Hair Love~

Big Chop

So, August 30, 2013, I finally did the BIG CHOP.  WOW!!!  It was....it was.....I'm depressed.  I sat there and watched my stylist cut out all of the perm in my hair.  While I wanted to cry, I held back the tears and just watched as 32 years of perming, straightening, curling, flat ironing, blow drying....get cut out and fall to the floor.  I've had a perm since I was 11.  This has been my life.  My hair has been a BIG part of my life.  I LOVE HAIR!!  I love doing new things with my hair.  From a weave, to braids, to a wig, to curly, to straight, I love it all.  And now....I'm just trying to find a way to style my TWA (Teeny Weeny Afro).  And I have yet to figure this out.  I know that this journey will take time and patience - the one thing that I am lacking in.  I'm clear that this part of my journey is to really work on me in the area of patience.  But dang if I didn't wish we could work on another area right now because my hair looking crazy requires way more than patience.

Ok, so I will stop complaining.  Let me talk about the positive aspects of my BIG CHOP.  I no longer have to deal with 2 different textures in my hair.  Boy was I looking like Ronald McDonald when I had two textures.  I now can see my curl patterns in my hair.  And I must say, I thought my hair was much more curlier than it is.  Let's get real, I thought my was going to look like taco meat.  LOL...But it doesn't.  It's actually not as tight as I thought.  So this getting to know my hair is quite interesting, and I'm excited to see what I can really do with my hair, and what other changes it will go through.

So please stay with me on this journey.  I'm thankful for all of the encouragement I've been getting.  I'm in two hair groups on Facebook, and these ladies have all of the expertise.  Plus I subscribe to many YouTube video naturalistas who give great advice.  Plus...my friends....they are truly encouraging.

Stay tuned for more to come on this journey.

~Hair love

My New Look

Hey there,
I am starting a new blog because somehow my other one got deleted.  No worries, there's always something to talk about, especially when it comes to my hair.

So if you didn't know, I am on my hair journey.  I started transitioning in January 2013.  That was my last perm.  It's been 7 months and I do have a great deal of hair growth.  Since January I've been wearing weaves and braids.  The braids pull out my edges, so I can't really wear them for longer than a few weeks.  It's just not worth the time to only keep them for a few weeks.  So I don't know how many more times I will put in braids.

It is now July 30th and I started wearing my hair out.  I took my last weave out on Friday July 26th.  My stylist, Dajuan, took out the weave, washed, conditioned and flat twisted my hair.  When she was done, I was thinking, I can't go and get me any yogurt.  I have to go straight home and stay inside.  I look ridiculous.  See my pictures below.  So I stayed at home and let my hair air dry.

The next day I woke up and got dressed and took my hair down.  I was pleasantly surprised.  I felt rather free to see my "natural" hair without perm.  I've had a perm since I was in the 5th grade.  It's been over 30 years.  So I'm getting used to MY own hair.  I do still have a great deal of perm on top, but the back is ALL ME!!

There is a lot work required to being natural.  I'm having to get used to twisting my hair each night.  But each morning when I wake up and do my hair, it's always a surprise to see what my hair is going to do.  It's really doing it's own thing right now, so I have to submit and just let it.  But when it grows, I'm taking charge.  LOL....  Until then....each day will be a new surprise and I will embrace it.  It just feels good to be able to scratch my own scalp and play in my hair.

Now I'm going to figure out how to make it grow quickly.  If you have any suggestions....hit me up.  I'm OPEN!!!

Hair Love~