Milestones for Days!!!

'Sup People!
I know, I know V_V

Before you beat me up I know I've been gone for an entire month!
Yes I have, but its only bc my life has been a roller coaster ride of happiness and milestones!

MILESTONE 1:

I am now in the works of trying to get a house! There is a program in Baltimore called MBQ that aids inner city residents (who qualify) in finding affordable housing in up and coming areas. This program helps families and individuals who want to eventually own a home of their very own! OH YES! They help you monitor your credit and take "Action Steps" to getting home-owner-ready! Neat huh?

MILESTONE 2:

My baby girl! Yes MY BABY GIRL is in school! Not Head Start, but Pre-K! I love it. I cried like a baby the night before so I wouldn't cry in front of her at school and create more anxiety for my LO (little one). She was a champ! She was like " Ok Mommy, you can go now, I love you!" lolol My baby is so brave and so smart, and she loves school. Everyday she has something new to tell me! I can;t wait to do projects and homework assignments! Its going to be awesome-sauce!

MILESTONE 3:Well, this one is in  the works. My on and off again boyfriend of two years is talking about the big "M". EEEEKKKKK! Lawd child, that one is a "to-be-continued" type situation. I'm anxious and excited and kinda freaking out!!!

My Poetic Justice Box Braids

Hey Naturals!
Just got my braids done a few days ago and I wanted to share! It took 12 packs of Kanekalon Braiding Hair and 4 1/2 hours of braiding with the help of my stylist Jackie! Its kinda heavy but I love it! And I wanted them waist length so I can swang 'em left and right lol

Hey what can I say??? It's fun and it's a trendy protective style! Amen to that <3

Show us some of your fave protective styles below!

Naturalista ShoutOUT: Taraji P. Henson

Just spotted this on IG! Go Taraji! We love your new protective style hunty!!! (snap snap)

Artscape 2014

Hey people!
Here are some pics of some of the naturals I encountered at the 33rd Annual Baltimore Artscape. Check out my IG (badge to the right) for more pics of my family enjoying this huge arts festival!!! Hope to see you there next year! ✌✌✌

Naturalista Shout Out: #tbt Edition

Hey Lovelies!

Welcome to the Throwback Thursday Edition of Naturalista Shout Out!

Below are famous portraits of some of my favorite singers, activists and performers rocking their hairstyles of the past! Some are natural and others are pressed or processed, but they wear their crowns beautifully as all sistahs should! ROCK ON!!!

 

OH.... I left their names out!!! (evil smile) How many can you name??? Comment Below

 

Length Check!

This is me officially one year and 2 months after my second big chop! 

I have had it trimmed since but I think this time around its much healthier and manageable! 

Boo YOW! 

#nomakeup #nofilter 

June 2013

                                                     

June 2014

This Morning

Prentice Powell: Good Father

Simply Powerful...

Bio
Prentice is a firm believer in practicing what he preaches. After performing on the national finals stage in 2003, placing fourth in the nation only two months after writing his first poem, he pursued a spoken-word career. He became the 2007 spoken-word artist of the year at the Black Music Awards and 2006 Oakland and San Francisco Grand Slam Champion. In 2010, he won the East Bay Express award for “Best Poet.” He is the only to poet to have performed on all three seasons of the hit TV Series Verses and Flow, with five episodes.

Prentice also works in education developing, creating and teaching creative writing courses.His work is primarily focused on youth development of African American boys.He also currently works with autistic children with severe bahavioral disorders.

Prentice and his poetry collective, “Fiveology,” were the official opening act For Jill Scott’s 2013 summer tour, and he is the first spoken-word artist to perform on “The Arsenio Hall Show.”As well as the only indivdual to appear on the show three times. Powell’s poetry has taken him all over the world, including to London, Amsterdam and South Africa, where he has also done community work. He has shared the stage with artists such as Eric Roberson, Goapele, Amir Sulaiman, and Stevie Wonder.








(Copied from Mr. Powell's Facebook Page)

Young, Black and On Track!

Hey there people!

 Pretty soon I will be posting a new tab! "Local Salons" in the DMV (DC, Maryland, and Virginia) area that offer and/or specialize in 

natural hair care!

For right now though I am posting this amazing video posted by my close friend and friend to the blog 

Jackie aka SoulTress, owner of Soul Tress Hair Studios 

Check it out and tell us what you think!

Blue Ivy Hair Controversy

Ok......

First let me say that Blue Ivy is a toddler and it is a shame that the media is attacking a CHILD for the actions of her parents. But, I will admit, in the pictures the media has released of little Blue Ivy, her hair does look rather disheveled. Most children do not walk around fly, fresh-to-death all the time. Especially, young toddlers less then 4 years old. Now, having said that, there really is no excuse for this little angel to look the way she does in this picture! (below)

(It looks as if she just got her hair taken out of an old twist out or braid style, not like her hair is being neglected)

Her parents are worth hundreds-of-millions of dollars! They can very easily pay someone to style and care for her on a regular, if not daily basis! I can't! I literally CAN  NOT! Leave that child alone! A petition??? Really???

People can be very mean, and when the ball gets rolling most people jump on the bandwagon just to feel apart of a group. In reality those same people are in fact insecure about whatever is going on their lives so they attack someone else to take the heat off themselves.

SMH

All I have to say about this is that people need to GROW UP! Leave that baby alone!!!!

Naturalista ShoutOUT: Viola Davis

As we all know the fabulous Viola Davis has been making headlines around the world for showing her TWA recently at the Oscars and many other formal events where natural kinky hair was (as it seemed to me) frowned upon for its lack of European characteristics. (Side eye) But guess what? Did that stop Miss Davis, NO IT DID NOT!

She rocked her TWA and fro to all of the big shows hunty and paved the way for Naturalistas in the industry like Lupita (also an actress, also fabulous)!

Not to mention Miss Davis is a wonderful mother who encourages her little one, Genesis, to embrace her kinks and curls as well annnnnnnnd she started her legendary career on the Broadway stage! Right up my alley! She's won a Tony Award, numerous S.A.G. awards and a B.E.T. award for best actress in a motion picture and of course, was nominated for an Oscar for best actress for her role in "The Help".

You go HairMOM Viola! 

Natural Glam!


With Daughter, Genesis


Wearing the stunning emerald green dress and TWA that broke the  Oscar mold!



All white everythang!


Essence Cover Fab!


Blonde Bombshell!


Which look do you like best???? HMMMMMMM xD

What are some of your favorite moments from Viola Davis??? Share and comment below...

Lovin' Rihanna's Bantu Knots

I am loving RiRi's recent do honey! This sleeked Bantu Knot style is funky and kinda punkish and sexy just like the owner! I think I may try this one.... hmmmm never know♥

What do you think. Weigh in below :)

Naturalista ShoutOUT: Solange Knowles Gets CRUNK!

I know you heard! 

Solange went all gansta on Jay-Z last week at the Met Gala after-party.   TMZ posted the video a few hours ago and already people are posting IG photos with Jay-Z and little Blue and Beyonce looking disturbed and the list goes on. Its crazy! Lord only knows what made Solange, a tiny little string bean, attack her mogul brother-in-law. Beyonce seemed to want no parts of the scrap! She stood idly by as her little sister tried to attack her husband. First by getting up in his face and pointing, then by jumping on him and later kicking him. 

The bodyguard even pressed the emergency stop button in the elevator. I am not sure why, but I think it was to keep the fight private or to make sure Solange was calm before facing the paparazzi. 

Check out the brawl HERE!

Posing for Art!

SOOOO.....

Last week end I walk into the Gallery Opening for Larry "Poncho" Brown and this fabulous woman demanded that I come toward her and model one of Larry's printed shawls! I was taken by surprise bc I was had literally just stepped foot into the space. She spotted me instantly and said "You, yes honey!" and the she motioned toward my hair and said "I love this, come...now."

She had an aura about her and I couldn't refuse. This is the product of that interaction! and I ♥ it :) I look a little weird bc I was squinting but YEAH, AWESOMENESS!

 SIDENOTE: Look at how awesome my 'fro looks! No stretching and almost no prepping before the event! Not bad for a 1 week old twist-out.

Photo by Anderson Ward

"NannyCare.com" : No or GO?

Hey People!

Has anyone ever heard of www.nannycare.com

Check out this "Care Provider" site dedicated to helping you find care for your family or pets! Kinda Cool! Be the first to check it out! 

Tell me what you think below!
:)

Larry "Poncho" Brown: National Artist and Family Friend

'Sup Artsy People!

I am so excited to come to you today after having been to a gallery open house for my artistic mentor Larry "Poncho" Brown. If you don't know about him, Google him honey! He is a big deal. A big deal indeed and it is an honor and pleasure to know him and he's really and truly an inspiration!
Just a little more about him:

Larry "Poncho" Brown, is a native of Baltimore, MD. He started his first business at the age of 17 as a sign-writer and he has been a full time artist ever since. Poncho received his Bachelors of Fine Arts degree from the Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD. His art, both fine and commercial, has been published nationally in Upscale, Ebony, Ebony Man, Essence, and Jet magazines. In February '99 his art was featured in the UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History Textile Series No. 2 book entitled "Wrapped In Pride". His popular works have been prominently featured on several TV shows and movies including "Soulfood", "The Wire", "A Different World", "In The House" and "Avalon". His work adorns the walls of the likes of Bill Cosby, Dick Gregory, Anita Baker, Susan Taylor, Ed Gordon and Bernard Bronner just to name a few. 


His work is the epitome of "abstract meets black power meets color and purpose"! LOL I always comment on how profound his message is. And his work varies from portraits to completely abstract pieces left to be deciphered by its viewer. UGH! It kills me how inspired I became just visiting his work space! Fabulous and more fab on top of that! I wish I could take every aspiring artist to a Poncho open house and let them drink in all the color and talent. Truly and experience in itself! But dont take my word for it, visit his website and view his pieces for yourself! 

>>> Larry "Poncho" Brown <<<

Tell me what you think in the comments below!

(Biographical information taken from Artists website linked above, do not own images or information provided about the artist)

Happy Earth Day!

  

Although technically it was yesterday, we should celebrate the EARTH everyday!

Below are some of my fave Earth Day activities that I think you and your family would love! 

Enjoy 

Pledge to Eat Less Meat

The "Heavy" on 10 DIY Earth Day projects for the Family

Learn more about Green Cities from the UN

and

More Earth Day activities for PreSchoolers

(I do no own any of the links provided nor the information presented in them) 

Keke Palmer: Naturalista UPDATE

Hey there family!
As you know from a previous installment of Naturalista SHOUTOut we love, love, love the young and talented Miss Keke Palmer!
NOW she is going prime-time. Well sorta, day-time! lol

BET has just announced that Miss Keke and Judge Mathis have been chosen to host a daily talk show.
"The Keke Palmer Project" (working title) will join three other daily syndicated talk shows at BET: The Wendy Williams Show and The Queen Latifah Show, both of which were picked up for second windows on the network, as well as Telepictures' upcoming talk show The Real (which debuts in the fall).
The series will begin production in Los Angeles in the summer and target millennials.
The show, BET said, is the next logical step for Palmer, who is very connected with her fans via social media. "I like to read quotes that touch on how I am feeling. If I am dealing with confusion, I will read quotes about clarity and peace of mind," Palmer said in a release announcing the news Monday. "I started posting these quotes on my Twitter page, and fans responded so positively! I realized that many of them were dealing with similar issues, and the quotes helped to open up a genuine dialogue between us."


If picked up Keke will become the youngest talk show host in over 20 years.
 I know that's right!







Picture from:
http://instagram.com/kekepalmer
Additional information found here)

Potty Training in 3 Days? Gimmick or Nah?

Hey Hair Mommas!
This article is about something all of us moms have had our battles with! POTTY TRAINING...
Is it time to potty? Most 2-year-olds can't stay dry all day and all night, but many are ready to begin the potty training process. Once you get under way, watch for these signs she's making progress:

• Willingness to use the potty when asked or on her own, even if she sits on it without any results.
• Being able to tell you when she needs to use the potty. (Unfortunately, she sometimes won't notice until just a second or two before she wets.)
• Having longer periods of dryness in the day and waking up from a nap dry.

The hardest part about potty training is to not push your child too hard, a tactic that almost always backfires. Praise successes and don't make a big issue out of accidents. Don't start on night-time training until after she can make it through the day without any slipups.


Now, there are some manuals and guides for sale on the topic... And your older relatives may have a tip or two, but as a daycare mom I have found only one "Potty Manual" that I would even consider trying! It was created by a mother of four who is also a daycare mom.
You just have to see it to believe it! Will I actually get the program??? IDK...
Tell me what you think!

>>> CLICK HERE   <<<

(Potty Training information found on www.Babycenter.com)

FOLLOW us and we'll FOLLOW BACK!

Hey all!

As you all know I am all for supporting other mom sites and natural sites! Especially if those sitse are headed by women! WE MUST uplift each other and support each other! Sooooooo...

I am proposing that anyone who follows me on any of the social networks I am apart of, including:

Instagram

Facebook 

Pintrest and 

Blogger! 

will GET A FOLLOW FROM ME! 

The links to each of my pages are located to the right!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Comment below which page you followed and give me your username and within 2 days I will DEFINITELY follow back! 

LET'S DO IT! 

Naturalista ShoutOUT: Special Report!

I come to you this night so upset! I just found out that one of my hair care idols 

Domineque Banks, aka longhairdontcare2011 on YouTube, has passed away due to complications from lupus.

 Her videos are so inspiring and she was very artsy and spunky, which I can definitely relate to!

 I pray that her loyal fans and loved ones are comforted in this deeply sad time. Our prayers are with you all! 

♥♥WE LOVE YOU Domineque! R.I.P ♥♥

Picture from Sharl H on Pintrest

Length CHECK!

This picture was taken almost 4 months ago! 

 This was taken this past weekend! No product and no stretching!My hair is more than (I'd say) three times its original length since I cut it last May! We will be coming up on a year soon! Can't wait for the Annual Length Check update! 

STAY TUNED! 

Switching Lanes...AGAIN

(^^Me with cold rods^^)

Hello People!
Did you miss me???
I hope so! I missed you all  -warm hug - LOL!
So I'm gonna jump right into it! The title says it all! I am switching lanes AGAIN!
Last time I checked in I was recovering from a broken ankle, figuring out ways to spend more time with my family, mixing our own hair oils and gels and finding better ways to become healthy.

WELP!
I am still up to those things and MORE! Now I am a co-provider for a daycare! Yes ma'am. I am getting paid to care for children and to teach them! Its not what I pictured myself doing, but hey! I LOVE IT!
I get to be around some of the most innocent creatures Gad has created and everyday they teach me something new about myself.

Aside from being a new daycare mom, I am also still on my fitness journey and losing weight! I call it the "GET IT RIGHT GET IT TIGHT" mission! (hashtagged on my Instagram account, [badge to the right])

AND...

I will be creating a new reoccurring section called "Just Me" where I will be posting pics of my weight loss journey! It should be awesome!

I also have growth updates, a new regimen, new stylists to showcase, and cooking up new topics for tabs including one featuring smoothies and new product updates!

SO much to do, so little time to do it in!
Like anything else in this crazy world I am changing, but for the better! And I promise to let you guys in on it more! I've got to get better at blogging more bc I want to share things with you guys. YOU GUYS make this page what it is and possibly could be!

-raises cup of tea-
HERE'S TO THE BLOG-A-SPHERE!


PEACE PPL
see you later this week!

'Fro Woes: Second Edition

Hello ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the second installment of this fabulous thing we call

  'Fro Woes...

Basically its a reoccurring post addressing the myths about having and taking care of natural hair.
In this edition we will address hot oil treatments.


Q:
"What is the best way to do a hot oil treatment and what should I use?"
                                                                       Sharon from Columbia, MD


A:

Weave Update!

Hello Pretty People!
  First of all, I would like to apologize for my month long hiatus. I am deeply sorry to all of my readers (if you're still there) LOL.

  I left off right after we had a fire in my apartment building. Now we are in the process of moving again and I am embarking on another "Job Journey". Idk if you remember but, after recovering from my ankle injury I started working with Jackie A.K.A. SoulTress. Unfortunately, it did not work out, mainly due to the fact that the position doesn't really pay enough. It was a great learning experience which I will post about in the very near future.

  But lets get back to the topic at hand! Weave!

  I have never really been into fake hair. I have had braids and other extensions before but bc I have always had long, thick hair the need for extensions was almost completely non-existent.
Just a 6 months ago I did a 2nd big chop! It has been coming along, but I was inspired by a Naturalista on Instagram (@ iikandii88 ) to try extensions as a way to protective style my hair while working out. So I went to my homey L'Orealle ( @ osospunktaneous )and got an amazing sew-in done! Have a look see!




  The look was great! I loved it for the first 3-4 days! Then it began to itch like CRAZY! and then I realized that I cannot do it! I wanted to scratch my head all the time! I wanted to pull it out and wash my 'fro like a mad woman. BUT! The only reason I left it in for 3 1/2 weeks was bc I paid $100 to get it sewn in and the hair was $85 on sale! But once I got it out it felt like heaven and my scalp was very sore from all the scratching and my face broke out from the hair too :( Needless-to-say, the weave life is not for me!

What do you think?

Do you use extensions for protective styling? Comments below