Dec 31, 2010

Happy Holidays

Tonight my husband and I are headed to Charlotte to ring in the New Year @ Mez & Kazba. If anyone is in the Charlotte area and you see me out and about please feel free to say hi!!

On another note, please drink responsibly tonight. There are bound to be drunk drivers on the roads so everyone be safe. I'll be sure to keep Smudge from getting behind the wheel lol...






Dec 29, 2010

MoptopMaven's "Healthy Hair in 2011 Challenge"

The Moptop Maven is hosting a "Healthy Hair in 2011" challenge on her blog and while I was previously on the fence about participating, I've decided to take the plunge!

Since going natural in 2009 I've seen vast improvements in my hair... but I've never been one to have hair goals. Watching people obsess over length checks and protective styling made my head spin... and those bun challenges seemed more like torture to me than fun. The tone of Moptop Maven's blog is much lighter and open-minded than other natural hair blogs out there so I'm excited to see the spin she'll put on this challenge.

Currently my hair is about 2-3 inches past collarbone length, and while I don't have any major length goals I'd love to see how much I can improve on my consistency. I want to try adding weekly deep conditioning treatments, pre-pooing with coconut oil, and maybe even giving Henna a try. I've always thought that doing a Henna treatment would be too time consuming and messy... not to mention I didn't want to change my hair color too much or loosen the curl. Anyways, I'll be documenting my progress on my blog... Anyone else going to take the challenge?

On another note, looking back on past photos it's kinda crazy how much my hair has grown out this year... and I say OUT because it surely doesn't ever feel like it's growing down lol. I can't believe all of these pictures are from the last 10 months. I can definitely say that it never felt like my hair was growing so looking at these pictures really is encouraging for me. With the minor tweaks I'll be making to my routine I'm excited to see what 2011 has in store for me!



February 2010 -  My Big Chop





December 2010
June 2010

April 2010









Cat Nap

Do all cats sleep in funny positions?


Dec 28, 2010

Making the most of sweated out Holiday Hair

I blew my hair out the the other day to rock my clip-in extensions... but my wonderful husbando bought me "Dance Central" for XBOX Kinect and I ended up sweating out my hair in under an hour lol.

I was looking for a way to salvage my blow out and make the most out of my straight, yet sweated out locks so I turned to my trusty dry twist out!

If you find yourself with holiday hair that's no longer straight this look could work for you :)



Dec 26, 2010

Marital Bliss...

Over the Christmas holiday Hugh Hefner proposed to girlfriend Crystal Harris, a playmate I actually liked... and all I could wonder is how former girlfriend Holly Madison took the news. Yes, she seemingly moved on to a fabulous life in Vegas, but any fan of the Girl's Next Door franchise knows that Madison was poising herself to be Hefner's next wife... almost like it was her sole goal in life.

Harris is a cutie pie and reminds me of Bridget, one of my favorites... so I'm hoping things work out for them. This is Hefner's 3rd marriage and he's like a million years old so it's not like he doesn't have some experience. I wish the engaged couple much success and marital bliss!
 


 Bridget vs. Crystal .... I think she could be a younger version of her. Thoughts?

Bon Bon Vie Xmas Hangover Sale!

If you've been dying to get your hands on one of the popular "Brown Skin Lady" or "Rep Chi" t-shirts that Bon Bon Vie makes this is your chance.

Place an order using the code "Hangover" and you'll receive 25% off! I just snagged two shirts myself...

Bon Bon Vie has been featured on popular sites like Afrobella and Frank151.


N♥tural Hair Video: Wet Twist Out (Part 2)

Here's Part 2 of my Shea Moisture review and Wet Twist Out video I made for YouTube. In addition to speaking on how much I love the Organic Coconut & Hibiscus Conditioning Curl & Style Milk, I show how I stretch my curls!!
 
I said it on Twitter the other day, but Curly Nikki featured my videos on her site! Pretty cool stuff...


Enjoy :)



Dec 25, 2010

Frank & Myrrh 50% off Holiday Sale!

One of my absolute favorite beauty/fashion bloggers, The Moptop Maven, designs a gorgeous jewelry line called Frank & Myrrh. I've blogged about her designs before and I'm so excited to announce that she's having a 50% off sale!!! Yes, 50% off EVERYTHING!!!

Her designs are vibrant with an ethnic flare. I adore her creativity and just snagged 5 pairs of earrings for myself. With a deal this good I couldn't pass it up. I'm positive things will sell out quick so I'd urge everyone to act fast and pickup anything you've had your eye on.

These are the earrings I ordered!!! I'm so excited about them... can't wait for them to come.










Dec 24, 2010

N♥tural Hair in Ads

Lately it seems like you can't turn around without seeing a curly head somewhere... TV, magazines, fashion ads... Natural hair is all the rage for black women nowadays and I absolutely LOVE this. I was just telling my husband the other day that the girl in some commercial had hair like me and I thought it was pretty cool.

I'm on a 2 week break from school and w/o any legit work to do I've found myself wasting hours online. While looking on Forever21's website (there isn't a Forever21 in the entire state of South Carolina which I find to be extremely depressing) I came across this girl that looks just like Jonna from the Real World Cancun... minus the clip in weave. If this is really Jonna I wanted to just say how cool I thought it was of her to rock her natural curls for a photoshoot.







Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to the cutest kitten in the world, Smudge! He's 5 months today and I plan on celebrating every month until he turns 1.

For those that aren't aware, cats are considered kittens until the 1 year mark so just think of me as one of those excited parents clinging onto every day their kid is still a baby lol. Do I sound crazy? I hope not... I just never really thought I would EVER see the day I was in love with a cat... but it's true - - this little "mother smudger" (as my husband so affectionately calls him) has won me over. I love our little guy.

Dec 23, 2010

Last Minute Gift Idea

In need of an awesome last minute gift idea for the makeup lovers in your life? Look no further than this uber amazing makeup brush set compliments of Kandee The Makeup Artist and Crown Brush!!! It usually retails for $43.99 but thanks to Kandee negotiating with the company you can get it for $29.99 (includes shipping/taxes)!!! I've been on the hunt for some basic brushes and I couldn't pass up this deal.



Click here to see the original post from Kandee's site and to get all of the info. Crown Brush creates makeup brushes for most of the big companies out there and makeup artists will tell you, their brushes are said to be better than MAC!!! If you're a makeup junkie you'll definitely want to hop on this deal... it's really too good to pass up.

*all brushes are cruelty free!!! *



There are 3 sets to choose from... This is the one I picked :)


N♥tural Hair Video: Product Review + Wet Twist Out

As promised, I finally finished my Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Conditioning Curl & Style Milk review for YouTube! Instead of just sitting there and telling you what my results were, I decided to walk you through my entire hair routine from start to finish. This is my first trying this out in front of the camera so be nice lol... I'd really appreciate any feedback and as always, feel free to leave any questions below.

Here's Part 1... I'm in the process of editing Part 2!!





** If you like the video please rate it on YouTube **

Dec 22, 2010

Friendship Dream Team

Do you ever find yourself watching TV and thinking...

"Man, I'd love to be friends with ______ "

Life with the husbando is going swell, but I do miss having girlfriends in my city. There's nothing like a girl's night out, brunch or shopping excursion to cheer me up. As a result of my friendship deficit I decided to put together my friendship dream team. These lovely ladies are currently keeping me company in SC and the best "friends-in-my-head" a girl could ask for!


Jeannie Mai
I absolutely adore her vibrant personality, funky blue hair and positive energy. She would be great to shop with and sure to steer you in the right direction, fashion and spiritually.



Giuliana Rancic
I think Giuliana is the quintessential girl's girl. She loves shopping, hair extensions, entertainment gossip and can talk your ear off... just like me!



Jennifer Love Hewitt
She may have won me over as the "Ghost Whisperer", but after watching an interview she did on Wendy Williams I was completely sold on her real life persona. She's hilarious, into reality TV, and easy going.


Josie Stevens
Underneath the obsession with Hello Kitty and sometimes over the top hair and makeup lies a girl with a heart of gold. Josie has fun all the time and would be sure to bond with me over our huge boobs and love of nail art.

Who would you put on your friendship dream team?

Dec 21, 2010

Fashion Fix: Fleece-Lined Leggings

Everyone knows that I love leggings. Yes, I'm guilty of wearing them as pants and why not! They're an essential part of any wardrobe and as long as you aren't flashing a camel toe I think you're good to go.

To my delight I just discovered the winter must-have: Fleece-Lined Leggings!!! Whoever decided to put the super soft, warm fleece inside a legging deserves a high five. This is a great way to dress up an outfit AND stay warm. I have countless memories of rocking a sweater/leggings combo and trying to fend off the cold chill of Chicago winters. This would be a god-send to anyone in a cold climate... or those that have a cold office and want to stay warm. You can find affordable pairs in stores like Target and Charlotte Russe, or search online for higher end versions.









Dec 20, 2010

Cat Chronicles: Smudge vs. Laser Light

As a first time cat owner everything my kitten does seems to amaze me. I've never seen a cat go bonkers over a laser light before and watching Smudge wig out was quite funny. Wanted to share a quick video I took of the event!



William Rast for Target

The brainchild of friends Justin Timberlake and Trace Ayala, William Rast is the latest designer brand to partner with Target. Their William Rast for Target line debuted in stores yesterday featuring everything from tanks and jeans, to military inspired jackets and leggings. I'm usually excited to see the creative things designers can come up with for their Target lines but William Rast left me longing for more. A few of the pieces showed promise, like their take on the popular J Brand cargo pant, but the fit ended up being lackluster. I did manage to find a cute tank, but everything else was a bust. If you're in Target it's worth taking a look at their line, but I wouldn't rush out for it.


Newly Nesting: Date Night

Anyone that has ever been on the receiving end of a busy, preoccupied spouse knows that having a "date night" can be a relationship saver. It allows you to stop whatever it is that you're doing and focus on one another. Many couples start off strong on the date night front, but after some time passes and they start living together, it's easy to slack. You start considering sleeping next to one another as "couple time" and rushed conversations as you get ready for work bonding and actually connecting.

My husband and I like to have a standing "Pizza Night" in our household so instead of ordering in we went the Boboli route. We chose to make their "New York" pizza and devoured the entire thing - - it was delicious!

Do you have a date night ritual?




Ingredients

1 12" Boboli® Thin Pizza Crust
1 5-oz. pkg. Boboli® Pizza Sauce
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
2 c. Italian 3-cheese blend, shredded
2 oz. pepperoni, sliced

Directions

Preheat oven to 450° F.
Bake time: 10 – 12 minutes

In a small bowl, combine olive oil and Italian seasoning. Brush the oil and herb mixture around the outer edge of the crust. Spread pizza sauce onto crust, leaving a 1" border around the crust. Arrange the cheese and pepperoni on top of the sauce, and bake for 10 – 12 minutes until cheese is bubbly and crust is golden brown.



Dec 19, 2010

N♥il Art Inspiration

When I'm on the hunt for nail art inspiration I look no further than London based design shop WAH Nails. They are the epitome of innovative nail design and never cease to amaze me with their creativity. Until they get a location in the states feel free to drool over their designs! My holiday treat to you...

*all photos property of WAH Nails





















If you're feeling ambitious this holiday season you can try some of these out for yourself. I have my eyes on a few...



Powered by Blogger.
Designed By Boutique-Website-Design