Natural the 2nd Time Around

May is almost over . . .

2008-05-22T09:16:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-19T08:37:00.000-07:00

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

2007-01-23T11:47:00.000-08:00

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!!

2006-09-18T07:42:00.000-07:00

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

2006-08-24T08:59:00.000-07:00

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

2006-08-15T09:03:00.000-07:00

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

2006-08-15T06:44:00.000-07:00

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

2006-08-07T14:05:00.000-07:00

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

2 months and 2 weeks braidloced

2006-08-01T15:45:00.000-07:00

I used a cowery shell choker as a headband.

Silver and tightening locs

2006-07-26T06:46:00.000-07:00

I decided that I will tighten my locs my self.
I started last night.

I think I did almost a third of my hair. I'll post when I'm done.
It took me a few hours to do it. I figure if I tighten again when I see about 1/2
I can keep up with it and it won't get really to the point where I can't handle it myself.

I wear silver bangels that I got when I was a teenager.
I bet I'm not the only one who used to
get them dirt cheap in the 80's.
I had a few dozen. I bought the "baby bangles"
my wrists were and still are sticks.
Every time a sister about my age sees them they freak,
say they had them too but the lost them
all, and wants to know where I got mine.
After explaining they are the same ones
I wore in high school. They say the can't find them any were.

I took a silver jewelry construction class in March so
that I could start making them. I'm really excited!!

Here is my first one.
I plan to make lots of one of a kind
streling silver pieces.

It took a minute to get the tools
to solder and form the silver with.

Saw an old friend with SL's they look soooo good!

2006-07-14T14:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I was leaving campus yesterday (I work on a college campus where I went to undergrad) and I saw a friend that I was in college with. The first thing I noticed was that she had
sisterlocks they were gorgeous!!!
Hers were layered and the ones in the front were colored. They weren't ultra small but they were about the size of a mouse cord. Man! She gave the name of the Sisterlocks consultant she went to last in Charlotte, NC.

Ok I am stoked. LOL.

7 weeks braid loced

2006-07-07T10:29:00.000-07:00

I got my locs tightened. I sure the puffy ends will loc.
Right now I look like I still sorta look like I have a fro.

My roots are tightened so I got a little length.

I still have a lot of shrinkage.

Las Vegas '06

2006-06-21T12:15:00.000-07:00

I went to Las Vegas for the HOW Design conference.

I was there from the 11-15 of June. My husband Clay went too.
We didn't have the flash on . Dag!

It was nice a little dry. I've never put on so much lotion and chap stick in all my life.

The tempreature was about 100 every day.
Great speakers and lots for freebies! We played video slots a little and did a lot of walking on the strip. It was nice to have some time together. The only famous person I saw was Jarid guy from the Subway commercials. LOL

My First Loc Consultation

2006-06-07T07:29:00.000-07:00

I had a consultation June 6th with Naadii. Naadii visited my blog and commented on one of my posts. After visiting her blog I realized that she was in the same city I was in. I later began to think about if I could tackle latching my bradelocz on my own. After some thought and sending Naadii and email I went to see her for a consultation. She retightens using "interlocking". I will go back for retightening when I have almost a 1/2 inch of new growth. I hope I can wait that long.

2 weeks bradeloced

2006-06-02T06:59:00.000-07:00

I braided banded and washed my hair this past weekend.
I tried to count my locs as I braided.
I counted 464.
Nyah kept talking to me and asking for things and I think I answered the phone.
So I wouldn't be suprised if I didn't count a braid or two.
It's only been two weeks and the braids on each side of my head above my ears have unravled and so have almost all of the ones on the bottom row in the back.

I know my hair is shorter above my ears because the barber trimed my TWA shorter there. The hair in the back of my head almost 1 inch up from the nape of my neck has a larger curl pattern than the rest of my hair. The top has a very tight "s" pattern that can be coiled nicely.
But the back is sort of puffy with no defined pattern so I guess that's why it keeps coming a loose.

I hope after it gets longer it will eventually stay braided. Unitl then I guess I will braid as I see them come unravled.

My pocket Loc Journal

2006-05-23T09:41:00.000-07:00

I posted on Yahoo "Lock it Up" group asking about flat morning locs yesterday.
I've been just doing a quick rinse with warm water and they "poof" back to normal.
Tra said she does either a shower rinse or a spritz with a water bottle. I guess I could
use water with something added for fragrance. I heard others talk about it on Nappturality. I don't think I should use an oil I have a few braids that are really short and would unravel with oils.
Here is the photo of the "mini bradeloc book" I printed it out at about 50% from the journal I ordered from Cherie and wire bound it.
I carry it in my pocketbook. I used to take it out and read it when I was thingking about locking. I still carry it for a reference guide.

Well I'm finished!! Bradeloced at last!

2006-05-18T11:04:00.000-07:00

Well I did just like Cherie said she did. Started with these perfect little partings and sections.
The back half of my head has very small partings but I stopped using the comb to make all the parts. I used the pointed end to part off rows but then just used my fingers to pull out each piece to braid. I was so sick of braiding I didn't care what the parts looked like. The parts will eventually fill in a little anyway from what I hear others say. There are some in the top that I have seen today that I would like to take apart and divide into two locs. I must have been sleepy when I did those. They are a little thicker than the others.

I can't believe I'm done. Two ladies here at work thought my hair looked was great. One of them made me promise I would braid her granddaughter's hair this summer. LOL.

I slept in a silk scarf last night. I woke up this morning with the braids squished and flattened in some places. I almost panicked but then I remembered that when I used to twist my hair water would always make flat areas look better. So in the shower I did a quick rinse with warm water. It looked so much better.

Bradelocz - STILL NOT DONE!!

2006-05-17T06:57:00.000-07:00

If you ever attempt to do really small bradelocz yourself just take a day or so off so that you can finish. I made the mistake of starting on a Sunday and I'm still not don and it's Wednesday.

From the front it looks ok. But in the back almost a 1/4 of my hair from the bottom is still not done. Every evening I get off work late and then after picking up my daughter from my mom's house I get home around 6 or 7 then my daughter wants to hang out tallk and play. By the time I get started it's almost 8 and then when I do start Nyah (my daughter) wants snacks and other things which has me stopping every braid or so. I guess I should have done this while she was at daycare.

Oh well just venting. Hopefully I'll be done by Friday!!
I'm just ready to have my bradelocs done.

CHANGE OF PLANS - Bradelocz here I come!!

2006-05-15T08:05:00.000-07:00

Well, after posting that I had made an appointment to get SL test locs an immediate financial need came to my attention (my car) and I cancelled my appointment. I was really bummed and started thinking about the fact that I would take me forever to come up with the money again.

I was trying to figure out what I should do. I went to a braid shop and explained the super small exensionless braids I wanted and the braider said, "They wouldn't look right". I immediately thanked her and left. If I am going to pay you to do it and I know what it will look like why can't you do it. I didn't mention that I was starting locs like Cherie suggested in her Bradeloc Journal.

Anyway Sunday morning while standing in front of the bathroom mirror while talking to my husband I starting parting my hair, before I knew it I had four tiny braids in the front of my head. I was thrilled with how easy they were. I picked out the rest of my fro, put on my headband and went out with my family for Mother's Day.

Sunday afternoon I decided to braid my own hair and enlisted my husband to part the back if I had problems. He insisted that if he helped they should be called "Brother Locks". I braided for about 5 hours yesterday until about 12 midnight. The front half was done and I decided to stop because I could make it look like I intended to only braid the front until I had time to finish it.
I flat twisted rows of two and clipped them down until I put on my headband.

I think I did pretty good. I parted and braided as small as I could since I do want thin locs. I think there are at lease 100 in the front. I guess there may be 300 or more when I'm done.
There are two that were just too short. I just twisted them, I guess I can braid them when it grows some.

2006-05-01T13:02:00.000-07:00

It's been a month and I've done coils in my hair several times.
I prefer the coils they are less maintenance but they just take some time to put in.
People assume I'm locking my hair when I ear the coils.

I made an appointment to go get SL test locks with Mal-Selika Perry in Raleigh, NC (919-662-9903)

I go on May 13. I think I have enough hair to start them. I'm sure she'll tell me if I don't.
I'm excited. I was thinking I would twist for a while but I'm sure I want to lock so why wait?

Free At Last!!

2006-04-03T10:23:00.000-07:00

I cut the remainder of my perm off the morning of March 25, 2006.
I took out some cornrows with extensions that morning and went strait to the shower to wash my hair. I didn't comb through it and when I was done the 3-4 inches of perm was a tangled mess. I tried to untangle it but after about 5 minutes I realizd I might as well cut it because when I was done I would have broken 50% of it off anyway. So I put on my hat and my husband too me to his barber. Sorry I don't have a TWA (tiny winy afro) photo.

I't's now been a week and two days since I BC'd.

I twisted my hair this past weekend. I really like twists. At night tie it with a loose silk scarf and in the morning I just spritz with some water slide on the headband and roll.

Now I'm back to thinking about wheather I'm going to to SL's or Braidlocs : )

Getting the hang of it

2006-01-17T08:51:00.000-08:00

Don't you love camera phones? LOL

Well I washed and twisted my hair with extensions again ths weekend.
I think it looks alittle better than before. If I can do it any body can.
Now I feel confident that I can do my own hair until I'm ready to wear my hair natural without extensions.

I ordered a kinkytwist DVD. A sister needs detailed instructions.
http://www.braidsbybreslin.com

Transitioning with twists

2006-01-06T08:07:00.000-08:00

I'm wearing twists that I did my self. I hope I get better. I can't spend as much money as I did before on braids while I grew out the perm.

When I initially felt that I wanted locs I wanted Sisterlocks™. I had researched them the First time I grew my perm out. I found a consultant in my area and met with her last month. She was very nice and showed me binders with hundreds of photos of her clients locs. The price that she gave me for Sls is actually low in comparison the prices I've seen for people in other states. But honestly it is still more than I can afford right now. I would also have to pay for tightenings for 6 months after getting them. Before I could take the training class for retightening them my self.

After spending some time on Nappturality.com I found out that micro locs or thin stylable locs can be started from braids. There are several Nappturality members that have gorgeous locs that were started from braids. Toys locs were the first Bradelocz I had seen.

I ordered the Bradelocz Guide and have read it several times. It is very informative. It details how Cherie started her locs. It also tells how to tighten the locs. I think I may go with bradelocz. I want small locs so I will have to start with micro braids. I know how to cornrow and braid and I used to two strand twist my own hair so I think I can tighten my self. I'm not sure if I can part my own hair as evenly and neat as I should to start small locs. I'll either have to find a friend to help me or find a braider.

Encouragement is a good thing!!

2005-11-17T13:39:00.000-08:00

Today I was wondering what to do with this hair.

It's pulled back into a pony and I know that the tension and gel is not good for it but I was in a hurry this morning and didn't tie it up last night.

Not wanting to pour hundreds upon hundreds of dollars into transitioning my hair like I did before. Cause this time I just don't have it! I'm trying to figure out how to wear it with out cutting it all of right now. I'm not telling everyone what I'm doing because I don't care for their negative comments.

Saturday I saw a sister working in an electronics store with adorable tiny long kinky twists (with extensions) I told how I loved her hair and she proceeded to tell me how she did it her self and how I could do the same thing with a little practice. She also told me how long she had natural hair and the drama she had gone through.

Today Toy gave me good advice positive feed back on www.Nappturality.com about my questions regarding permed hair and braid locs. Which was the all natural way is probably the best way. She also offered her wisdom if I decide to take the all natural road.

And a few minutes ago I read the short but sweet comment from Tra.

Thanks Ladies!! Encouragement is a Good thing . . . .

My first journey was riddled with negative and hurtful words.
Thanks for the luv so early in this one.

Photos from the first time

2005-11-09T12:37:00.000-08:00

Here are photos from the first time I went natural.

I now see while it's called a "journey". The whole process was very emotionally draining. The comments really bothered me.

I wore a twist style with a lot of gel before I cut it. One day I decided it was time to cut it off. I called a friend and we went to the mall. (big mistake) I just walked into a salon and told the first stylist I saw that I wanted my permed hair cut off. She did a terrible job and cut it uneven. I went to my husband's barber so he could even it up. It looked much better after that. My husband said he liked my natural. He wanted me to keep getting it cut. I didn't though, I wanted to grow it out longer and wear twists.

I was always explaining why I cut my hair off. They didn't understand why . . . it was long and healthy . . . "Why did you cut it?" At the end it didn't help that I was pregnant and emotional.
I would go home and cry about what people said to me. The last photo is almost what it looked like when I permed it.

Now my hair is just as long or longer than it was the first time. I won't be going through quite the same process this time because I plan to grow it out for a while and then get Sisterlocks and gradually cut the permed hair. At least no one will have anything to say about how short it is.

1999 Twist style before the perm was cut off

AKA Founders Day Luncheon
friend, me, and my cousin
2000 (still trying to grow out perm)

2000 after I cut it all off

2000 My TWA with Bra Strap Headband

2001 cornrows with twist out (one of my favorite styles)

2001 two strand twists (I was about 1 month pregnant)

2002 two strand twists (about 6 months pregnant)

Still permed

2005-11-08T13:59:00.000-08:00

I decided last month that I will not perm my hair any more. I stopped perming about 3.5 years ago. During my first pregnancy I went insane and decided to perm about 7 inches of all natural hair.

I was sitting on the couch two strand twisting my hair while I was about 7 months pregnant. I started to cry wondering why I was holding my arms up over my head for hours when I could just go and get it permed. I was in my favorite stylist's chair in two days with a huge fro. A crow gathered when I took off my head wrap. "You are going to perm all that?"

I regretted it hours after it was done. Oh well. With the new baby I didn't have to spend hours twisting my hair. I had perfected washing, twisting, and even cornrowing my own hair.

Now my daughter is 3 and I know the perm is not for me it's time to try it again.
This time I want to loc it.

Today I have my hair loose with about 1/2 inch of super thick new growth and it's driving me nuts. I called a braider and made plans to get it braided this week.