<\/param>

<\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt="">

She is amazing with hair.

I figured “Hey! I know how to flat twist! I know how to two strand twist. Simple pimple right!?”

Um. No.

First off, my hair is not as long nor as thick as hers. So while her style was all thick and gorgeous, mine was thin.. and you could see parts of my scalp, making me look like I had bald spots. No bueno. The second thing I had issues with were these:

Yeah.. the bobby pins. They were awful. Whose hair is that thing going to hold!? They all came like that. Loose and just, not good. In my defense, I did not know this when I purchased them. Scunci just had two bundles of bobby pins in the package. They had a rubber band around each bundle, so you couldn’t tell that these things were simply useless pieces of metal .

*sigh*

But I persevered. These are the results:

Yeah.. not the greatest.

Things that I have learned from this:

I’m going to have to learn how to adjust hair styles to my hair. The flat twists on the side needed to be bigger and there needs to be a smaller amount of them.
I NEED BETTER BOBBY PINS
I need to figure out how to get my hair sleeker.
I need to figure out how to part better (I was parting the best that I could, and then my hand cramped up and I was like, forget this.)
More than likely, it could have been better if my hair was stretched beforehand. So maybe I will band it next time, because I will be trying this again!

You live, you learn.

Tell me about your hair mishaps! Have you tried a hair style you saw somewhere and just completely missed the mark?

Protective styling in this heat.

Published July 21, 2011 | By K Leslie

This has been a crazy week. I take a medication that, if not taken early enough, will keep me up all night. I took it within the normal range on Tuesday, but I was still up until 7:30am Wednesday. I slept for three hours, and went about the rest of my day. Around 7pm Wednesday night, I started getting incredibly drowsy. Unfortunately, that was not a great time to get drowsy because we had to go to the grocery store. When I say HAD TO. I mean had to. We didn’t even have milk. The past two weeks we had gone out to eat. It feels good to have groceries in the house again.

While at the store, I saw something a little… inappropriate, and I feel the need to say something about it. I understand that a lot of skinny girls (not skinny just skinny as in Paris Hilton, but skinny as in average) are wearing rompers this summer.

I don’t really like them. They look cute on people, but they just aren’t my cup of tea. Not to mention that I am shaped like a barrel (or a duck) and it just wouldn’t look right.

Anyway, Jeff and I are shopping and I see a couple ahead of us with their little girl in the cart. The mom is wearing a romper similar to what I posted, but it is made of a different material. What I notice the most is that her left butt cheek is hanging out. Not a hint of it, THE WHOLE THING. Then to make matters worst, she drops something and lets it all hang out! Really lady? Really? Way to set an example for your baby girl. Meh.

Anyway, she was probably eyeballing me like I was crazy as well. It was 98 degrees out yesterday. The heat index made it feel like it was 108 degrees. I was clad in jeans, a black shirt, AND A KNITTED BLACK BEANIE/BERET.

I know, it sounds insane. It is hot as hell outside, what am I doing in a knit cap? Currently my hair is protective styled in two strand twists. As I have stated in the past, my hair is never lovingly parted into two strand twists, I co-wash, detangle, and moisturize my hair. I then two strand twist it all haphazardly, then seal in the moisture.

Not the prettiest picture of myself, but you get the gist.

Unless I have somewhere I have to be (mainly job interviews), those twists do not come out of my hair until it is time to co-wash again. I don’t want them to get ‘loc’d’ up, so I take them down again to co-wash. As a result, when I go out some place that doesn’t really matter, I have a hat on. I won this beret in the winter from Revealing Beaute and it has been a godsend. However, I think I need more options.

I need to learn how to do up-dos. I attempted one before an interview, and it failed horribly. One major thing I have to take into account is that they are time intensive. I have to make sure I have the time to sit there and part and flat twist and everything.

Another option, is more hats. Did you know I know how to crochet? Yep, that and I can do basic knitting. Well, I can do the knit stitch when it comes to knitting. Because the purl stitch is just a backwards knit stitch, it messes with me. My thoughts are to purchase some lightweight yarn and make a couple of caps of my own. I know there are a few hat patterns in the stitch and bitch book I own. I am also a member of Ravelry, you can get a ton of patterns from there for free. I also have a binder of printed out patterns. I just need to get back into it. I also need to purchase lightweight yarn. I have a ton of yarn, but it is all blanket, afghan, baby blanket stuff.

What about you? How do you protective style? What kind of hats do you wear in this oppressive heat?

So, not the greatest idea for myself. At all..

Published June 8, 2011 | By K Leslie

Well, I tried geling my two strand twists. They stayed twisted for two days. I didn’t have anything to do the past couple of days. Tonight I am going to try sushi for the first time with my friend Heather. I just undid my twists… If anything, they are wilder than when I just twist them.

Not cute at all. For those that are curious, my shirt says “Mixed martial arts and crafts” and has three ninjas painting, knitting, and writing.

So the craziness that is my hair is going into a puff for tonight. Eesh

Fabulosity at its finest!

Published April 27, 2011 | By K Leslie

Before I start this entry, I was using the phrase "Teeming with fabulosity" Before Kimora Lee Simmons. I love her show, I just thought I would throw that out there.

This past Sunday was Easter. I didn't have any major plans. It was going to be, my programming homework (shoutout to visual basic 2008!), some math homework and an organizational communication paper. My husband requested that I go with him to his family's Easter Sunday dinner. I told him I would if I finished my programming assignment. Surprisingly, it went smoothly this week. It took maybe an hour and a half (usually I go at it for like 4-5 hours) so I had plenty of time to go with him.

I decided since I rarely leave the house (I haven't had a face to face interview in so long.. I NEEDS A JOB!!), and when I do leave the house I am going grocery shopping, or somewhere that just jeans are required, that I would dress up. It was going back to that whole making myself happy. I love to dress up, even if I am the only one who does so.

I also decided to do something different to my hair. For all of you that follow me on Facebook, you'll know that for the past few days I have had my hair in two strand twists. When my hair is in two strand twists and I have to go somewhere, usually I take them out and put my hair into a poof. I then wear it free for a couple of days because I get a HUGE 'fro. Instead of the poof, I untwisted my hair and kind of parted it to the side, so I would have side bangs. My twists are crazy. They will be bent at odd angles and just stick straight up on my head. I took a handful of duckbill clips, and clipped like 5 of those bad boys to my bangs, weighing them down. I then clipped more of them wherever I had crazy twists flailing about. I then went about my business, applying my makeup and getting dressed. When it was close to the time to leave, I removed the clips. I was still a little flyaway in the back, but it was cute. I then put a headband on (just a stretchy one that I normally use) behind my bangs. My bangs were threatening to creep up, so I searched high and low for a bobby pin. I can't believe I don't own any bobby pins! I eventually found one, it had a jewel on the end of it, and so it looked a little odd with my flower there as well. Everything turned out really cute though!

PICTURES!!!

These are really blurry and I apologize. Camera phone for all of them except one. This is the back of my head.

My twistout

Front View

Attempting again to get a decent shot of the back.

Before I left the house.

So yeah, I really liked this look and can't wait to do it again. I also can't wait to try other things! I hope you guys are having a great week!

They are getting better.

Published January 31, 2011 | By K Leslie

My two strand twists are getting better. They are getting to the point where I would wear them outside without a hat. They looked better last night when I was doing them while watching Battlestar Galactica ( We are on season 2.5.. don't tell me ANYTHING). I have slept on them since then, and for some reason, I always get a couple of wonky twists after sleeping.

Awwww...

You see the one to the left? The one that is doing the little Schemer half curl (if you have never watched Thomas the Tank Engine with George Carlin, you may not get that)? Those drive me crazy!

This is just me pulling down on them to show you how long they are.

My hair is getting longer people! Not as fast as I might like, but it is getting longer. The back of my hair is shoulder length. The entire time I was relaxed, my hair was NEVER shoulder length. I couldn't take care of relaxed hair. I wouldn't go get relaxers when it was time. My hair would ALWAYS break off. My hair, on a good month/year would hit earlobe length.

I really really want enough hair to do a bun. Who knows, maybe if I stretch out my hair, I might have enough hair to do a bun. I don't know. I will have to check out some youtube vids on it. Do you guys have any bun tutorial reccommendations?

Stay tuned this week, I will be having a giveaway for a beautiful hair time from Sarenzo's Beads, and a couple of other goodies!

A rough couple of weeks.

Published January 28, 2011 | By K Leslie

Hey guys.

The past two weeks have been absolute HELL. Filled with school work and more school work. I am weary, the house is a wreck and my writing has slacked. I apologize.

Because of the weather and snow outside, I have pretty much been wearing my hair in two strand twists under a beret. It is really cute. I really like how it looks. I pop in either some dangly earrings or some hoop earrings and VOILA! Instant style.

I was watching some older videos and ran across this long forgotten Musiq Soulchild video:

I just want to say, I LOVE the main girl's hair style. Does anyone know what that is called? *jealous*

In more annoying news, just today I posted this on both my Facebook page, and The Tale of Going Natural Facebook page:

The comment that I put to it was this: "Let's start this weekend off right, shall we?"
Shortly after I posted it to my personal Facebook page. I get a comment from a girl I went to high school with:

I am not my hair? Really? Jeez. My favorite part is when Akon states '...the sex only come when I cut it all off.' Obviously, these artists have nothing more important to say. This is sad, and it really goes to show how superficial, ego-centric, and avoidant popular culture is. 🙁

I just looked at the comment. How can someone be so blind, or stupid? I responded with:

In black culture, we are often told that unless our hair is straighened, you have nappy, knotty slave hair. We tend to be a culture obsessed with our hair. The African American hair industry is a booming business. What she is stating in this video is that we do need to worry less about our hair, and more about the person within. It's not a sad ego-centric video. It's attempting to bring a positive message to an issue a lot of black women (and men) deal with.

I don't know if it is Facebook messing up, or if she deleted the comment, but sometimes you can see her comment now, sometimes you can't. A lot of her posts are pretty much retarded, and I am seriously considering deleting her from my list. It isn't like we talk. We didn't even really talk in high school. She was weird then too.

She just responded again, but I am not even going to waste my time on it. *bangs head on the table*

A lot of time has been spent on twitter when I am on the computer researching or writing or programming. Can I just say that I love the natural hair hashtag (#naturalhair). It is a great group of people with different videos, ideas, advice, and questions. Sometimes it does get a little militant on there with the natural hair v. relaxed hair, but for the most part, they are pretty cool.

I still have not henna glossed my hair. I am really too busy right now and I am not entirely sure what type of conditioner I can use to mix it up. The instructions say to use a no protein conditioner. Well....other than the back of the bottle saying protein, I have no clue what other words are considered protein. If anyone has any ideas on that, please, do not hesitate to let me know.

In between times that I take my hair out of the twists, co-wash and then re-twist them, they get dry. Another girl on twitter was having this same issue and didn't know what to do. My solution is inexpensive and easy. put olive oil and warm water (who wants cold water?) in a spray bottle and shake. Mist it lightly over your head. I don't have any measurements, I am sorry, but generally speaking I do equal parts of each. When I am in the shower, I bring the spray bottle in there with me, and let the hot water run all over it, heating the cold water up (I put enough for more than one application in a spray bottle so it will cool down after a few minutes or so). Two things I can't stand: Water running down the back of my neck (which is weird because I love to swim) and cold water running down the back of my neck. Warm water is the lesser of the two evils.

Okay, so that is enough babbling for right now. My goals today are to clean the house and get back to programming, database design, and math (my arch enemy).

Oh! One more thing. Book Recommendation of the day:

Have a great weekend guys!

The first day back.

Published January 10, 2011 | By K Leslie

Today is my first day back to school from winter vacation. I miss winter vacation already. Is that sad?

I want to thank everyone that commented on my last entry . It has been rough going over here. I know that i desparately need to protective style my hair. After I get done with this entry, I am going to go ahead and bust out the two strand twists. I am so sick of my hair feeling this way. This weekend I plan on doing a henna gloss that Tasha from Belle Butters uses. You can see her youtube video of it here. I actually have some time today before class (I have one class in the evening from 6-8:50; the rest of my classes are online), so I may actually lovingly part my hair and be precise with the twists. Have any of you ever added hair to your two strand twists? I thought about doing that. I thought that might be cute. If you have any tips, ideas, or thoughts on it, let me know.

In other hair news, I have been using a tangle teezer. I have seen a lot of the vlogs on youtube talking about it, and decided to get my hands on one. I will be doing a review about it this week.

I hope everyone is staying warm and keeping some love on your hair!

Helping out a friend.

Published December 14, 2010 | By K Leslie

Hi everyone. This, is my friend Shannon

(I had to put a pic on here with her drinking pepsi! LOL)

Shannon is a transitioning natural. She usually wears sew-ins or braids. She has straightened her hair twice in 9 months. The other day she got bold and decided to attempt a twistout. Something didn't go according to plan.

In Shannon's own words:

"My hair was damp, I used water and a conditioner mix with the TCB Naturals hair and scalp conditioner."

This was the result of the twistout:

How she ended up wearing it:

And this is how her hair turned out looking by the time she made it to work:

Yeah, wow.

Shannon and I both took a good look at her hair (well, as good of a look as I can take from pics..she lives in NY, I am in Indiana) and her curl pattern when she is natural is slight. She is more wavy than anything. So, I am asking you my Naturalistas, to help a sista out! What can Shannon do to produce a better twistout? This is the TCB Product she used. I know nothing about this. Do you think it is the way she twisted? Is it the products? Do twistouts not work well on wavy hair? Let us know!

Plans for the evening

Published November 19, 2010 | By K Leslie

I am feeling drained. Seriously drained. I do not know what it is. But tonight is going to be about relaxing.

I plan on getting a shower and detangling my hair really good.
I plan on parting my hair evenly and twisting it.
I plan on relaxing either by the fire place or in my craft room making plans for a Christmas party.

I cannot wait for this semester to end.

I have to be doing something wrong…

Published November 11, 2010 | By K Leslie

My twistout this morning looks a hot mess. I untwist and kind of fan it out like I would if i was doing a 'fro. It's my ends.. The ends of my twists always look crazy and I can't quite figure out why.. any ideas anyone?