May is almost over . . .

I can't believe May is almost over.

Last month was Nyah's 6th birthday, she had a sleepover. They wore me out but they had a blast.

I just got back from Boston MA. I went to the HOW magazine graphic design conference.
It was great, very inspirational to here other designers talk about their businesses.

I'm also trying to pick up my freelance design.
A few weeks ago I signed a year lease at Golden Belt Arts Center here in Durham. I will have my own studio space! 291 square feet. This will be where I will create my fiber art/mixed media projects and sell them. Sometimes you have to step out on faith. My husband has my back so I'm going to do it!
I hope to have a blog just for my studio soon. I'll post it when I do. I'll also put up photos of the studio.

I just looked at the calendar and I started my locks on May 18, 2006 it has been two years and 4 days. It seems like longer.

One year and 4 months

It's been one year and 4 months since I started my braidlocks.

It seems like yesterday I was researching how to start my locks.

Sorry it has taken me so long to post again. I have another job that

doesn't allow web access and I didn't have access at home.

This is a photo from my jobs employee directory.
I still go to Mal Selika to get my hair tightened. Kim in her shop does my hair. She is great.

I still on occasion get complements about my hair. People ask if they are sisterlocks.

I didn't think about the effects of interviewing with locks for my current job until after I started working here.
My supervisor at my job said that they thought my hair was "cool".

I'm one of about 7 African-Americans in a company of 500+.

8 months - Going Strong

Well over the Christmas break I went to Mal-Selika Perry (919-662-9903) in Raleigh, NC, for retighening.
She did a great job!! She said I need to come to her every 4-5 weeks. I couldn't keep up with the new growth tightening it myself.

Tightening ain't no Joke!!

Man!! All together it has taken me about 4 sessions to get my hair done.
I tightened and braided and washed with Suave clarifying shampoo.
I slept in the braids some were still damp this morning.
I used a blow dryer to dry after taking the braids out.
Braiding stretches the locs out. It looks like I've made a little progress.

I've always wanted to do a comparison.
Here is the first week in May and four months later in September.

Parents Still Don't Understand

I took a few days off work and I was sitting at my mom's house watching Oprah with her.
I decided to tighten some of my locs so I pulled out my "beader" tool and went to town.

My mother asked, "How do you do that? I could help if you showed me." After a few "thanks but no thanks" I said ok. She stood over me and watched what I did with the tool as I explained.
It took about 5 passes with the tool before all the new growth was tightened. "That is just too much to do", she said "You need to pick them all out and twist it. Isn't there something you can do to make them thicker." I calmly explained that the idea was that I wanted them thin for styling flexability and that I liked them small. She again went on about how I was spending too much time on my hair.

I guess I was expecting too much, expecting her to understand why I am natural and that want to wear locs. She is very old school and does not get it at all.

I should just be glad that this time, in protest I am sure, she has remained silent through most of my transition.

I don't let anyones comments affect my decision to loc. I guess just felt like venting.

Peep my new computer glasses. I love the frames. : )
Here is a sterling silver bracelet that my friend Kia made.
Can you believe it's made from two forks?
I cant wait to make creations like this.

Nyah's Coloring Book

This is the cover for a coloring book I made for Nyah's 4th birthday party. I never thought I would be one of those moms going all out for birthday partys. I even took a Wilton cake decorating class at Michael's so that I could make her birthday cakes. It's cool to do things for them. The inside of the coloring and activity book was coloring pages and connect the dots of things she likes: cheeseburgers, playing catch, books, etc. I drew the illustration on the front from one of the digital photos from the entry below.

Kids are Funny

This is my daughter Nyah.

She's 4 going on 24, and a bit of a drama queen.

Wonder where she gets that from?

Yesterday I called my husband at work after I picked her up from her grandmonther's house. She always wants to talk to him. She said " I need to tell him how you are acting." I guess that's what I get for telling her that when she acts up. LOL

1st Braidout

I finished tightening my hair night before last.
So I braid and banded my hair in groups of 6.
Clay said I had about 63 bands. That's about 378.
Some got combined so that's probably about right.
I washed with clarifying shampoo.
I took them out this morning.
I got several comments about my hair having grown.
It's just that they are stretched out!!
LOL