Decorate the DIVA!!!

So I had been watching these earrings for a while and I was sad when I saw they were sold, so I sent the owner Renee a message on etsy to see if she had anymore or if they were OOAK, and I screamed when she told me that she had another pair.   Well........... here are the earrings and here is where I got them from decoratethediva

The progression of my hair

Since my hair is now in a in between stage and I wear a hat 5 days a week, I have been forced to do something with my hair that will last me a week and stand up to wearing my uniform hat.  Well if you remember last week I wore my hair like this:

Which then led to this hairstyle when I took the twists down on the side:

Well I accidentally wet the side I was wearing as a twist out and had to find a hairstyle in a hurry and came up with this and I have been wearing my hair like this all week and I love it.

I am really loving getting to know my hair and trying new hairstyles.  What new hairstyles have you tried.

Karess Krafters Giveaway

I have been salivating over the products at Karess Krafters but because I put myself on restriction I haven't been able to partake, so you know I was so excited when she announced she was having a give away here.  Is it wrong that I hope no one else enters so I can be winner by default?  Naw its not.  LOL!!! Oh I also forgot to mention that she is also having Christmas in July sale in her shop and next week I am going to grabs some goodies.

My Inspiration

As my one year anniversary of being natural has come and gone today I reflected on my inspiration.  The person who was my main inspiration has been natural 3+ years and continues to give me the strength to stay on this journey.  Her hair is absoultely beautiful and if it had not been from her I probably would not be natural today.  So I have decided to show some pictures of my beautiful inspiration.

My 3 yr old daughter is my inspiration because I want to be a great example for her.

My new style

So I have been very lazy lately with my hair and after watchin youtube I decided to try something different, but not that different since twists are my go to style.  Here is where my inspiration came from

and here is my rendition

the front

the right side

the left side

and lastly the back

I am really loving this hairstyle.  I used Qhemet Biologics Olive & Hyrdating Balm and Burdock Root Butter Cream on freshly washed hair with Sheabutter Cottage's Rosemary Leave-In which has become part of my holy grail.

One year ago today..........

I decided to chop off all my relaxed hair!!!!!!!!!!!  So being that today is my nappiversary I have decided to show some pictures of how I started and how I wore my hair this whole year.  I must say that twist outs and small twists were my go to styles during this year and unfortunately I have to find a new technique for my twist outs since my hair has grown significantly.  On to the pics:

This is when I BC'd

Kinky Twists w human hair

Kinky Twist with OdodoOriginals flower

Twist outs (my fav) and my gawgus mother

Twists

Puff from a small twist out

and last my hair today wet/ and my bc pic

I am so proud of myself for making it this far, it wasn't all rainbows and roses but it was definitely worth it.

Hair Growth

As I slowly reach my one year nappiversary, the one thing I despise about being in the military (having to wear a hat 5 days a week) has assisted me in seeing how my hair is growing.  As I often alternate from wearing mini twist to wearing chunky twist outs, I recently had two and this week had to buy a bigger hat.  Unfortunately as my hair continues to grow out I am unable to do a twist out and get the desired look so I have to find an alternative method.  I think I am going to try this method that I found on Curly Nikki the next time I attempt a twist out.  Currently I am wearing my hair in small twists in the back and meduim twists in the front twisted into a side braid.  As much as I sometimes have the desire to cut my hair my goal is to get my natural hair to the length that my permed hair was when I decided to go natural.  6 days from now I will celebrate one year natural and I can't wait.  Below is the length my hair was when I was relaxed,

thirty/dreißig/τριάντα/trenta/

Tomorrow I turn the big 30 but I still feel like I'm 21.  I received the most wonderful, thoughtful gift from the lovely Akua you can find here lovely shop here . My gift is pictured below and they are the best soy candles I have ever tried.

And even better than that is my lovely husband is taking me to see The Lion King, and I am so excited and can't wait. 

I will post pictures later of my big day.

 

My love affair with handmade soaps

I absolutely <3 handmade soaps, if you remember I have this  full of soap.

And even though I have all this soap I have to restrain myself from buying anymore soap and its not easy when a vendor I have tried before or I am dying to try has a sale. 

What I look for in a handmade soap is:

1. A nice scent (sometimes I like a strong scent that lingers or sometimes a scent that is light)

2. A good size soap that I can get alot of uses out of.

3. A soap that cleans the skin but does not strip it dry.

4. A soap that gives me a nice amount of suds

5. and of course a soap where I feel like I got my money's worth and more

Some soaps I have tried (in no particular order):

1. Rebeeca's Soap Deli I love the Rosemary Mint

2. Hairveda's Champaka Ayurveda Soap  Now this soap gave me big bang for my buck, its only $3.50 not including shipping and it lasted a long time.

3. Gassner Custom Soaps  This is my holy grail facial soaps.  It cleans and leaves my skin not strip of moisture.  Look how beautiful the soap looks

4. Shea Butter Cottage Ok not only is the owner THE BEST, all her products are great.  I LOVE her soap and I have restrained from buying every bar.  Some of the soap below:

5. Chagrin Valley Ok this is another bar where you get more than your money's worth and the selection is to die for, don't take my word for it got to the website and see yourself.

6. Zaja Natural Another Awesome owner and wonderful soap with a great selections and you can get matching fragrances of body butter, sugar scrub, soap and perfume to name a few.  Oh did I mention she also makes beer soaps and has wine soaps and tea soaps coming soon. 

7. Lavida given by nature forgot this one and thanks to Amina I am adding it.  I love Lavida's soaps and I have many more to try, I cant wait until she reopens to see what goodies are available.

Why oh why do they do me like this.

Soaps I am dying to try:

Verbena Custom Blends

Deshawn Marie

Southern Vt Soap

Spa Goddess

Spa Therapy

Oh I am doing the happy soap dance because my fav candle maker Lilac Ave will be selling soap soon!!!!!!

Do you have any fav soaps?  Share them with me PLEASE!!!!

Search Amazon.com for handmade soap

Puff and Candles

Well thanks you to my friend Amina I decided to try LilacAve and can I say I am loving the packaging alone.

This is the lovely packaging!!!

I can't wait to burn these candles!!!  Oh I got Sunshine and Sweetpea

And in hair news....I was able to get a puff!!!!  I am a month away from being a year natural and I am so happy to have a puff.