Madison, Alabama has new place for the cities' creative crowd... The Crafty Behr! The Crafty Behr had it grand opening Saturday October 26, 2013 from 12pm - 4pm and showcased a place where you can purchase items from hand made hats and scarves to vintage furniture and gifts.

The owner Donna Behr and her staff rolled out the red carpet and provided visitors with complementary beverages and food provided by local Papa Murphy's.  Giveaways of amazing items provided by some of the vendors were raffled off every 15 minutes for guests in attendance.  I had the pleasure of winning a beautiful basket of handmade soaps that I can't wait to try.

The Crafty Behr is nestled on Hwy 72 and offers

 an unique shopping experience.  Not only can you shop one of a kind hand-made gifts but they offer new finds at the adjacent thrift store.  If you are a crafty person looking from a new home check them out.  The vendors can manage their booths hand on or allow the staff to handle the sells on their behalf.  I had a great time speaking with the vendors and will return to find gifts for my holiday shopping.

The Crafty Behr is located at 7445 Hwy 72 Madison 35758... Check them out on Facebook ---> The Crafty Behr

Unexpected Stars at the Huntsville Bar Stars

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the 1st Huntsville Bar Stars hosted by The Huntsville-Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Alabama Restaurant & Hospitality Alliance along with the Westin Huntsville! This event brought people from across the Tennessee Valley to Bridgestreet Town Centre to enjoy local craft beer, American Harvest Vodka spirits, amazing food and live music.  The music was provided by local artist, Tim Cannon, and he serenaded the group with his version of classic hits with his great voice and guitar.  The locals seemed to enjoy mingling with each other as they watched the contestants compete for the title of Huntsville Bar Star and move to the next round in Mobile.  I had the opportunity to speak with representatives from breweries located in Madison, Huntsville and even Avondale about the beer they are proud to offer and realized that Blue Pants Brewery was right in my neighborhood. I didn't give the beer a try but reserved the right to bring my husband along to their place to be my designated drinker. 

FYI..Hair is a 3rd Day Braidout & shirt from myblackskinis.com

Keeton Light of the Westin-Huntsville was the big winner and would be competing for the state championship but I discovered another winner at this event. Many of you may know that I have a severe food allergy to seafood, it restricts my life in many ways and often isn't taken very serious by some.   When Jessica Carlton, Marketing Manager at Huntsville-Madison County CVB, invited me to cover this event I thought I would have to decline.  Events that provide food are usually  a no-no for me because there is always some dish with the unexpected surprise but Jessica asked me to let her a make a few calls before I passed on this event.  My first star would come in the form of the Food & Beverage Director of the Westin-Huntsville, Charles Lennox. Mr Lennox was gracious enough to speak with the Executive Chef Bill Stellwagen (my other star) of the hotels restaurant, Sage Grille, and provide the attendants with a great menu that didn't contain seafood.  Mr Lennox and Chef Stellwagen shared with me how the hotel and restaurant takes pride in being able to accommodate visitors of the Westin who have special needs. I felt so confident in their concern of my welfare that I enjoyed an evening of not feeling disabled.  Chef Michael, also of the Westin Sage Grill, prepared a Mexican inspired treat that i tried called the Tijuana Turnover and it was spectacular! The meat was seasoned beautiful and the crispy crust of the turnover crunched but melted in your mouth.  I cant wait for an opportunity to visit the Westin-Huntsville as a guest...Hint Hint to my husband (40th b-day coming soon!) and you should too!

The Westin-Huntsville took great care of me at the Huntsville Bar Stars...Food Allergies can have you feeling alone but they made me feel like a VIP!

Huntsville's Restaurant Week

Restaurant week is in full swing! The Huntsville-Madison County Visitors Bureau is doing their part spreading the word  on their facebook page where you can find participating area restaurant to try and featuring some of the many amazing lunch & dinner specials being offered.  Today I had the pleasure of attending a free to the public event...It was a cooking demonstration by two spectacular chefs...

Chef Robert Charles of The Scene Restaurant at Monaco Pictures in Bridgestreet  was up first...Chef Charles delighted the crowd with his Maple Glazed Pork Loin sandwich...It was delicious and savory....with Chef Charles sharing with us that he could have chosen many different cheeses' for this sandwich but "There is nothing finer than some good ole American Cheese"...Chef Charles is originally from Denver but now calls Huntsville home with his wife (a native of Huntsville) and their young child...

To end our afternoon on a sweet note Chef Merle Phillips of The Eaves Restaurant was there to share her decadent Banana Foster...She was proud to say this rich desert used butter.."Yes I said butter" (salted butter) not overly ripe bananas, cinnamon, brown sugar, cream and a combination of liquors that will have you intoxicated with the flavors...This dish makes a fabulous presentation and my mother along with the other visitors seem to enjoy ever drop...Chef Phillips is a native of New Jersey but has some Southern blood via her grandmother's Georgia roots..



I can't wait to try some of the other dishes these Chefs offer at their restaurants and this week is a great time to give them a try!

 Support Huntsville & Madison County and enjoy Restaurant Week...For more info check them out at www.huntsville.org/restaurantweek Runs August 16-25

***I also had a chance to see some of the great people of Huntsville like..fellow Rocket City Blogger and writer at The Dining Dragon Amanda, Kim Essex of WAFF 48 & Sole Sisters and Food Network Food Court Wars Huntsville Winner..Owner of Kettle n' Spouts***

Yarn Braids.. Miss Tia Protective Styling!

Summer is here with a vengeance so it is time to find a fun, hip protective style for my teenage daughter. I suggested Senegalese Twists, Havana Twist or box braids but Miss Tia wanted something funky & colorful.....Yarn braids!

Yarn braids are fun and they give you the feel of having locs (hinse them also being known as genie-locs) ... This would be my second time doing yarn braids but the first time making them this length..she wanted waist length in the back.. We headed to Walmart to get the yarn and the 11 hour journey would begin.

The Process:

1. I purchased Red Heart brand yarn from Walmart 2 bundles ( dark brown & fuschia ) ..also I had some blue yarn at home.

2. I stretched the yarn to waist length, doubled it and then cut it.  I used that first one to measure each remaining piece. I didn't count them but I would be using 3 pieces per braid.

3. Washed, conditioned & detangled her hair.

4. Applied Cantu Shea butter leave in conditioner, Ampro Vitamin E oil & TGIN daily moisturizer

5. I used the same technique in the video below.....

The process took 3 days and about 11 hours.  My hands swell alot so I have to take multiple breaks but it was worth it.  Miss Tia was happy with the results so I took a couple of motrin and got it done.  Yarn braids are easy to style but they do seem a bit heavy at first.  She loves them and her natural hair

gets a much needed break. This will be her style for about 4-6 weeks.

Have you tried yarn braids? Let me know what you think! 

Remember let's stay social... Find me on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook!

Yes! Yes! TGINatural..Product Review

Hello All.....Here for another product review and this time its from a familiar brand.. TGIN (Thank God I'm Natural). I had the opportunity of trying their  new product line, the Moist Collection,  which  contained a Sulfate free shampoo, a triple moisture conditioner, a butter cream daily moisturizer, a honey hair mask and an added bonus the twist & define cream.

Up first was the shampoo and conditioner combination..I'm not big on shampoos because I usually just see them as functional, but this shampoo was really nice.  I had the type of lather I expect from a sulfate free shampoo but I was missing one thing...The striped feeling... YES! My scalp felt clean, the way I traditionally only get with ACV,  but it didn't feel stringy or waxy.  The conditioner was great, my hair seemed to drink in the moisture and instantly seemed soft with my kinky curls popping.... I still classify the conditioner as the Batman & the shampoo as the Robin because im bias in that way LOL. I would rate the combo an 8 out of 10 because they work amazing together with the conditioner being an 8.5 on its own.  I don't really use shampoo but this is a great one if you want to remove all the product build up from your hair while not taking the moisture away with it.

Next up was the Crown Jewel of the collection for me.. The Honey Hair Mask!...this was truly amazing... My hair is extremely curly and makes knots, after knots after knots...its one of the reasons I am a deep conditioning queen! Well..this product is a miracle when it comes to melting away your knots... Don't believe me? When I was trying the product...I was so excited that I got out of the shower to make a quick Instagram video to share..Check it out ...

As you may have guessed I would give the Honey Hair Mask a 9.5 it was the BEST! Lastly the Daily

Moisturizer and Twist & Define cream were left for me to try. I used the twist & define cream to do two strand twists and fluffed  my hair the next day with the daily moisturizer.  My hair looked great, it wasn't dry and the curls were soft and defined.  I would give them both an 8 but would probably only purchase the Define & twist cream because I had a lot of moisture without reapplying or adding anything.

You can give TGIN a try by purchasing the sample pack on sale now for $9.99 (click here) they also have a sale on the full size collection too!

Remember TGIN is all natural and this line contains great ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil & vitamin E. The smell of the entire line is divine and my favorite the Honey hair mask is so creamy you will love it!

For info on TGIN check out their website www.thankgodimnatural.com

Have you tried this line? Leave your comments & questions below! Thanks for reading :)

Remember let's stay social you can also keep in touch with me on Instagram, Twitter & facebook!

Yes! Yes! TGINatural..Product Review

Hello All.....Here for another product review and this time its from a familiar brand.. TGIN (Thank God I'm Natural). I had the opportunity of trying their  new product line, the Moist Collection,  which  contained a Sulfate free shampoo, a triple moisture conditioner, a butter cream daily moisturizer, a honey hair mask and an added bonus the twist & define cream.

Up first was the shampoo and conditioner combination..I'm not big on shampoos because I usually just see them as functional, but this shampoo was really nice.  I had the type of lather I expect from a sulfate free shampoo but I was missing one thing...The striped feeling... YES! My scalp felt clean, the way I traditionally only get with ACV,  but it didn't feel stringy or waxy.  The conditioner was great, my hair seemed to drink in the moisture and instantly seemed soft with my kinky curls popping.... I still classify the conditioner as the Batman & the shampoo as the Robin because im bias in that way LOL. I would rate the combo an 8 out of 10 because they work amazing together with the conditioner being an 8.5 on its own.  I don't really use shampoo but this is a great one if you want to remove all the product build up from your hair while not taking the moisture away with it.

Next up was the Crown Jewel of the collection for me.. The Honey Hair Mask!...this was truly amazing... My hair is extremely curly and makes knots, after knots after knots...its one of the reasons I am a deep conditioning queen! Well..this product is a miracle when it comes to melting away your knots... Don't believe me? When I was trying the product...I was so excited that I got out of the shower to make a quick Instagram video to share..Check it out ...

As you may have guessed I would give the Honey Hair Mask a 9.5 it was the BEST! Lastly the Daily

Moisturizer and Twist & Define cream were left for me to try. I used the twist & define cream to do two strand twists and fluffed  my hair the next day with the daily moisturizer.  My hair looked great, it wasn't dry and the curls were soft and defined.  I would give them both an 8 but would probably only purchase the Define & twist cream because I had a lot of moisture without reapplying or adding anything.

You can give TGIN a try by purchasing the sample pack on sale now for $9.99 (click here) they also have a sale on the full size collection too!

Remember TGIN is all natural and this line contains great ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil & vitamin E. The smell of the entire line is divine and my favorite the Honey hair mask is so creamy you will love it!

For info on TGIN check out their website www.thankgodimnatural.com

Have you tried this line? Leave your comments & questions below! Thanks for reading :)

Remember let's stay social you can also keep in touch with me on Instagram, Twitter & facebook!

Too Fat to be Skinny

Chris was the winner of my giveaway

June 27th was the Rocket City Bloggers 1st Meet & Greet, it was a beautiful event with many bloggers from the Tennessee Valley coming together at the Huntsville Madison County Visitors Bureau to network.  I had the pleasure of being introduced to Joe Martin, blogger & owner of the Huntsville Adventure Boot Camp, by fellow blogger Carol Marks ( www.girlabout.com ) and gifted two $75 gift cards to go workout with them. The next camp was beginning on Monday and I decided to jump on in and get this weight off.  I shared my concerns with Joe about my asthma, size and knee troubles and he assured me that I would be cared for.

The camp has two locations and two times; Huntsville & Madison, 5:30 AM & 5:30 PM .. I chose the Madison location at Horizon Elementary just about across the street from where I live at 5:30 AM... I was excited, sleepy, nervous and scared all at the same time.  My plan was to get up at 5am get dressed, eat a light breakfast, have my husband drop me off and I would walk home with my son.  I packed my reusable Walmart pack with a mat (borrowed from my daughter), wrist weights, towel and a water bottle.  I layed out my workout cloths &  forced myself to go to bed at 11pm (the process began at 10).

I was ready to workout, my son had an overnight guest so I would be walking back alone but I was pumped.  The ladies were laying their mats down in the parking lot and our instructor Katie greeted me with a smile and said, "You must be Lawanda, I am going to take good care of you".. Wow I felt safe and ready to go.... there were women of different sizes and abilities so although I was the largest one there I didn't feel intimidated at all... well not yet

We began with a warm up and I was huffing away when Oh crap my feet began to feel like I was walking on a mat of nails... I tried to push through the pain but I couldn't take it anymore.  I asked Katie to come over,  explained to her what happened and she showed me how to relieve the pain.  I needed to sit on my knees stretching my feet by flexing them behind me.  She suggested I take off my shoes and try to continue the workout in my socks.  That was perfect, I had on two pair of socks and I didn't feel any pain. We did a fitness test, some other exercises and a cool down.  Katie showed a modified version for every exercise and except for about two moves  I was able to complete them all.

Everything seemed to be on the right track so why did I title this Too Fat to be Skinny? Well my evening took a turn for the worst. I was in a lot of pain but I expected that however the pain lead to severe swelling in my knees and ankles and a trip to the hospital.  I was advised that I needed to let my body heal (at least a week) and to lose at minimum 50 pounds before I considered exercising again.

Depression was upon me... I had a pity party, cried a bit and even found comfort in a pint of Haagen Daz Vanilla Bean ice cream.  I felt like my world was crumbling, but I still needed to tell Joe that I was sorry but I wouldn't be able to take advantage of the wonderful gift he had given me.  I messaged him on facebook sharing my tale of knee drainage and despair ... I was hoping he didn't think I was ungrateful or simply a hopeless cause... He didn't, he did something I could have never imagined... He vowed to be there for me! He said Katie & himself would be there to help me get this weight off no matter what! I was so happy! I felt encouraged and the future seemed to be offering a ray of sunshine.....

Well I'm going to begin journaling my food intake (follow me on my fitness pal) and dieting to hopefully lose 50 pounds and then be ready to take this bootcamp by storm.

Feel free to send me a friend request on My Fitness Pal and help cheer me on to my goal! I will make sure to follow you back!

****** Special thanks to Nothing bundt Cakes - Huntsville on Carl T. Jones for sponsoring my giveaway with a beautiful 8 inch cake.... If you want an amazing, moist and beautfully decorated cake you need to make your way to their store.  They always have great samples and the mini bundts are the best guilty treat!******

Rocket City Bloggers Meet & Greet

Get Ready! The Rocket City Bloggers are having our first event.... The event is hosted by the Huntsville/Madison County Visitors Bureau and we couldn't be happier! Check out the video below and join us Thursday June 27 from 5 - 7 p.m. Chances to win great prizes for those who RSVP so do it TODAY!

To RSVP click here -----> RCBSOCIAL .... Also follow our conversations on Twitter #RCBSocial

For information on the bloggers that make up Rocket City Bloggers ... www.rocketcitybloggers.com


See You There!

Dax? What Dax? Yes Dax Roots for Natural hair..

***This review is sponsored by Coily Encounters. Check out her great Facebook community ----> Click Here .... Blog ----> Click Here ... YouTube ----> Click Here  ***

The Review:

When I was first told that I would be reviewing a couple of products from Dax I was confused... The only products that came to mind were for waves in men.... Did she want my son to do the review? I decided to wait until the products arrived and keep an open mind.

Dax was a sponsor of the Coily Encounters Greenville, South Carolina INHMD event so I tried a few of the samples provided to the VIP Swag Bag guests. To my surprise Dax had began a new line of Petroleum/Paraben Free products under the title Dax Roots and I would be giving their Olive Cream & Bergamot Butter a try.

I decided to use my daughter Miss Tia for this review because my hair had just recently been styled with another product.

Final Assessment:

 I thought both the Olive Cream & Bergamot Butter were just okay giving them a 6 out of 10... I didn't feel

as if the Olive Cream used as a leave in provided as much moisture as I like but it did give some. I like a heavier product because our hair is so very thick. I will re-visit this product on my hair and share those results. The Bergamot Butter was better but it just didn't wow me.  I would probably use this product in combination with some of my favorites to make it better (a different leave in & one of my favorite oils). I styled Miss Tia's hair in a chunky twist out and the results were good. 

I think its worth a try if you like a lighter leave in and styler.  I wouldn't call this a EPIC FAIL it just just didn't have me wanting more. I don't think she will get second day hair without reapplying.

** Price (per website) Bergamot Butter & Olive Cream  $13.50 7.5 oz **

See More Pic of Miss Tia on Instagram @modelexperience & @Mslawanda

Have you tried the Dax Roots line? What experience did you have?

You can't Win if you don't Begin..Vlog 104

Weight loss journey number one thousand and one begins... Its hard getting started during the Spring/Summer but I'm ready to take it one day at a time...

Vlog 104

Product Review: Can Cantu Shea Butter do any wrong? Not in my eyes..

I decided to put my big girl panties on and give Cantu Shea Butter Coconut Curling Cream a try... Check out my latest Vlog reviewing the product...

Vlog 103

Vlog 102 Hair & Weight... Of Course!

It;s time to get things started! Time to share my story.
  Share your comments & thoughts!

No more blog? Hello Vlog!

Thank you to everyone for supporting my blog! It has been great over the years but I know have to change the way I share with you guys... Im nervous and don't know how this will go but I hope you will take this journey with me..

Madison Derby Day & Family weekend

Saturday May 4, 2013 is the Kentucky Derby and although my family was unable to attend the yearly tradition of big hats, fast horses and fun in Louisville.. my town of Madison, Alabama did a great job of offering a great alternative... They call it Madison Derby Day... this event was a family friendly event that allowed us to socialize with other residents, introduce us to local small businesses, eat some great food, be entertain by local musicians and dancers and of course watch the Kentucky Derby on large screen televisions with neighbors and friends.  This was the first time I attended and my family had a great time.  Here are some pictures from the event and some of the great business owners I got a chance to meet...

 

Local businesses like The Jill Heffernan Group of Keller Williams supported the event . The ladies showed their derby spirit with beautiful hats and provided guests with freebies and information. They are the best in Madison and it shows in how they took time out to participate with residents. Check them out www.jillheffernan.com 

Here is Jennifer Griswelll a nice lady that I spoke with who is an independent consultant for a company called Origami Owl. This company sales custom jewelry that you will love.  Great gift ideas and pieces that you would cherish. I purchased a necklace and charm that kept calling my name. The prices are economical and the quality was great! Visit her site and find something you will cherish at jenniferg.OrgamiOwl.com 

Somehow I didn't get the information about this vendor but they had the creamiest italian  desert that I had ever tasted. It was great. I will have to update later the name of the company. 

This great fudge shop in downtown Madison was a hidden jewel for my family.The Whistle Stop Sweet Shop 's Tiger Butter had my husband & son in a fudge nirvana. This will be a summer destination for the Stevenson crew.

Cristen Smith of Flashlights & Fireflies was kind enough to offer visitors of the event free pictures with fun props to celebrate the Madison Derby Day.. my husband nd I had fun being silly. I had a chance to check out the Facebook page of Flashlights & Fireflies and she does great work. I am hoping to take family portraits this summer and intend to give her a call! Check out her facebook page here ----> click here for more info. 

Jalen & Tia didn't want to participate at first but I'm glad they did... the picture game out great ..they even agreed. 

Saturday May 4 was also National Comic Book Day so we visited the local comic book store here in Madison to get a free comic book and see what they had to offer.  Haven is located on Slaughter road just before Highway 72 and its a great store. It was a little hard to find but once we realize the complex had stores in the back we found it with no problem.  They have comics for adults and kids so check them out. www.havencomics.com

Tia at the Haven Comic book store with the cape crusader himself LOL! It was a fun day.

We plan to attend even more events locally, its  great way to meet new people and spend time together as a family. Do you have any summer plans in your hometown? Share them below, I enjoy reading your comments!  

Huntsville is in the Final Four..Let's win this!

My adopted city of Huntsville has the amazing opportunity to be the host of the Social Media Tourism Symposim..Yay! I am so excited to do my part in spreading the word and getting the vote out. This would be a great event for the city, allowing people to come and see why I fell in love with the Tennessee Valley. Huntsville has a large social media presence especially in the area of bloggers! Members of Rocket City Bloggers, Rocket City Moms are just a few that passionately share events, news, travel and more throughout cyber space. Huntsville is a hub of technically and science, we offer great shopping, dining, culture, history and finally some of the most amazing people!

 So stop what your doing...Go over to Facebook &
                                                                          VOTE! Click here ----->  SOMET13US

If you love March Madness but your bracket looks like mine then here's your chance to get with a

true winning team!

Vote Huntsville! 












Spread the word on twitter & Instagram using the hastag #SOMET13US & #MeetMeAtTheRocket

More reasons to Vote Huntsville....

There's help on this Journey!

The process to re-introduce yourself to your natural hair can be a scary, amazing and comical journey. I began mine back in 2007 and I felt like a fish out of water trying to breathe. There was mostly negativity around me (except my husband & kids) and everyone was treating me like I had an undiagnosed mental condition. Luckily for me I realized that it didn't matter what others thought.. I would have confidence in my decision and faith that it would be what I needed and wanted for myself.  I found refugee in YouTube, blogs forums and trial and error.

Last week I received my copy of CurlyNikki's Better than Good Hair and it made me remember the fear of the unknown I had at the beginning... So I decided I must give away a copy of this book!


So Yes its time for a Giveaway! U.S. Residents only sorry...


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Yes I will Smash that Burger!

Well let me begin by saying I am not a food expert but I am particular when it comes to what I put in my mouth...I don't like just anything so when a restaurant catches my taste buds its a big deal.  My family and I were roaming the streets of Madison (Alabama that is) with our stomachs in an uproar when we saw a line of people outside of a place I had never heard of.  It was called Smashburger and everyone seem to be happily waiting for a chance to get their meal.  I sent my husband in to get a menu so we could decide if this would be the place to fill our bellies.

My crew has a few restrictions when it comes to dining..1st I am extremely allergic to seafood so I don't like to dine in places that offer it ( I will make some exceptions but not many) 2nd my daughter is Vegetarian and wants more than just  a salad...I quickly scanned the menu and Smashburger was doing good so far..No seafood & vegetarian options..YES! We decided to give it a try with my son, husband and I ordering the BBQ Bacon & Cheddar burger while my daughter gave the Spicy Veggie Black Bean burger a spin.  They gave us a option of either a "smash" or "double smash" size for each burger and we chose the smash (well everyone except my greedy husband)..They also carry my husband's all time favorite sweet potato fries, which he ordered and my kids and I went  with  their signature Smash Fries. Finally I noticed they offered milkshakes made with Haagen- Dazs ice cream so I ordered a vanilla one and was ready to get this meal going.

I truly enjoyed my meal at Smashburger! The burger was larger than most, seasoned very well and that egg bun was the best I had ever eaten.  The smash fries weren't my favorite, they were a little too oily for my taste but my kids loved them.  The milkshake was great with them serving  it old fashion style with the mixing cup, it was rich a creamy like I expected from Haagen-Dazs.

* If you go to their website and join their club you will receive a great coupon in your email that you can use on your visit to the restaurant. *

I returned to try a salad and I ordered a Baja sald with chicken and it was superb! It was served in a deep bowl with knife and fork and I couldn't find anything wrong with it. I had to say no tomatoes but that was it, I ate it served the way it came otherwise.   Smashburger has become one of my favorite places to eat.


 Have you tried Smash Burger? What did you think? 

Madison Location: (in plaza with Target)

8135 Hwy 72 W  Madison, AL 35758
(256) 726-0031

I will!..I will try that style...

Have you ever found yourself watching natural hair tutorials like its the Food Network? The food looks so good, you jot down the recipes, you say you "must" try it but then file it in the Ooh Awe Maybe One Day folder?... Well I am Guilty! I watch my favorite vloggers faithful a few times a week and get excited about the styles they create but fall short of making time to give the look a try. Well its time for me to change that! I will start my journey of re-creating  the styles on my natural hair To Try List ...Hopefully I'll find my Spring/Summer look....

I debated between my girl (in my head) MakeupanBeautyJunkie's spiral curl set and my homegirl (don't know her but she is a Detroiter) CharyJay's flat twist out. Both styles were gorgeous and had a lot of body and volume, so I decided to let my hair supplies decide for me.  Perm rods were needed for both but CharyJay's only required a few for the ends so with the mysterious roller bandit hitting my house in the last few months  the decision was made.  I watched her video twice and was ready to get to work.  I didn't have the products she used but I figured I could make it work.  My natural hair product stash is so bare but I was able to pull out a few things to hopefully keep me from looking like a hot mess.

I used Jessicurl Cleansing Cream to wash my hair, Tresemme Naturals to condition and detangle, Lustrasilk Moisture Max Leave in & Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie to create the twists..I told you my cupboards are bare! I don't have a complete line of anyone..so sad

Note: I have done flat twists before with great results but this was the first time I did it on dry hair and created the twists in this direction of on the side and a section in the back.

I really like it! I however realize that I have a bad habit I must break immediately! When doing flat twist, I unknowingly switch to grabbing the hair in 3 sections for a moment but then go back to 2..Its crazy, so when I remove the twist there is one portion that seems like a braid causing a bit of frizz...I will practice on my daughter's hair and see if I can correct this..

Here's MakeupanBeautyJunkie's video!

What do you guys think? Have you tried to re-create styles? What are your favorites?

Leave your comments! I enjoy reading them!

Product Review: Elasta QP

Today I would like to share my opinion of the Elasta QP Olive Oil & Mango Butter.  I had the opportunity to try this product when I won a giveaway on www.itsarkeedah.com

I heard about the product from other naturals and couldn't wait to give it a try.  This product was used on my hair ax well as  Miss Tia's. 

 I decided to use the product on wet hair to do a two strand twist out after a washing & conditioning it.  I liked the consistency and the way if seem to incorporate moisture into each strand. The twists were beautifully defined and frizz was no where to be found.  The only problem I had with this product was the scent.  It was just unpleasant to me and seem to linger everywhere I went. My husband found the scent overwhelming but Miss Tia did not.   The price point is about $7 and I would say its worth the cost. There was no need for additional oils or anything with this butter. If the scent was changed I would add to my arsenal but I don't want my husband to tell me my hair stinks. I would give this product a 6 only because I won't buy it. If the smell is pleasant to you then this will probably be a 9 for you especially in the colder months.

*Miss Tia used the butter with a 2 strand twists in Bantu Knots*

Have you tried the Elasta QP Olive Oil & Mango Butter? Did you like it? Please leave your comments and let me know what you think!

Love is in the air..Naturally!

Valentine's Day (Thursday February 14th) is almost here and I wanted to surprise my husband with something different.  I wanted to make this Valentine's Day one that we could really enjoy each another and bond intimately. Now don't worry this post isn't X-rated...but with the stress of everyday life, kids, and schedules sometimes we forget how important intimacy and simple gestures are.  We will be married 17 years this June and together 20 years so it is very easy for us to take one another for granted. I began searching the internet for gift ideas and then it came to me...I needed to reach out to my new found friend LeAnn for the ultimate sensual and seductive gift!

LeAnn has an amazing company called Jordan's Treasurers as well as a  gift for helping people create the perfect ambiance. I reached out to her and she suggested one of her Romantic Encounter Gift Sets...this was perfect! The set is made for any romantic moments you want to create so it was an ideal fit for my Valentine's Day rendezvous. The set comes in 2 sizes (small & large) and can be centered to romance a women or a man..well you both will be romanced in the end (wink)...I decided to go with the large set and the fragrance to be "Alpha" to cater to  enhancing the pleasures for my hubby...The products from Jordan's Treasures are handmade, natural and the scents are truly intoxicating so trust me you can't go wrong with this one!

I will share with you guys a video of me giving my husband the Romantic Encounter Gift Set on Valentine' Day on my YouTube channel but don't wait until then to get yours! Jordan's Treasures have been kind enough to offer my readers a discount on the set. You can save 15% on either the small or large by clicking this link (click here) and using the code JTLOVE

Check out other products also by Jordan's Treasures (click here)

Do you have special plans for Valentine's Day? Share them!
                            I love reading your comments!

Do you Viggle?

Viggle has taken over my family! What is Viggle you ask?  It's an mobile app available for IOS (apple devices) & android that gives you points for watching television. Not useless points but points that you instantly cash in for amazing gift cards and prizes that you will want and can benefit from.  I have used my points for free pizza at Papa Johns, bought medicine with my gift card at CVS, loaded my iPod with music with iTunes gift cards and I even took my hubby to the movies with Hollywood Movie money passes. This is the most used app on my device.

How it works: Everyday they feature a few programs they would like you to watch that offer bonus check in points and these are the best! You tune in to the show, press check in on your device (within the app) and when the app is finished listening to your television it will confirm the name of the program. You click confirm and your in.  You receive one point for every minute you watch the program and if its a bonus check in show, you get those additional points. Whether its a feature program or not you receive 1 point for every minute you watch the program.

Now of course they can't see if you check into the program and then turn the channel...LOL..but as long as you are logged into that show you will get 1 point for every minute the show is on. Check out the video below as I show you how I use Viggle.  

Tip: You can check into multiple shows.  If there are 4 shows featured with bonus check ins for example at 8pm...you can check into a different show every 15 minutes and you will receive the check in bonus for each show :)

Also if you love sports (like I do) playing "My Guy" is a fun way to earn extra points. Its like playing fantasy sports but in real time.

* Viggle does have a maximum of 720 watch points daily ...Don't worry it doesn't include bonus check-in points, viggle live points or my guy points*

Do you use Viggle? What do you think of this app?

Influenster did it again! Palmolive - Mmm!

As many of you know, I am a member of Influenster, a website that allows you to try products for free in return for honest reviews of the products while sharing that information with friends, family & social media.

Well I  recently had the pleasure of trying Palmolive's new Fresh Infusion dish detergent. They sent me three 16 ounce bottles to try and I was pleasantly surprised. The scents were all inviting and extremely pleasing to the nose. The first scent that I tried was the Ginger White Tea. I loved this scent! It took very little detergent to fill my dish pan with white bubbles and have the kitchen engulfed in the wonderful scent. The dish detergent easily performed its job of getting my dishes sparkling clean and it even managed to get my daughter a little less upset about doing the dishes! My hands felt soft after finishing a sink of dishes and my mood seem to mellow & relax too...

Palmolive has hit the mark with this line and I thank Influenster for selecting me to try this product..... it will be a new item on my purchase list.

Have you tried this new line? How important is scent to you when choosing detergent? 

Lose Weight & Win Money?

Lose weight & win money?..Yes you can win money by simply losing  4% of your body weight. Wait, did I say simply? It's not simple but its an achievable goal if you discipline yourself and set your mind to making it happen.  This diet bet is hosted by myself through the website www.dietbet.com .

Here's how it works.. The game host (me) sets an amount that each player must pay ($10 for my game) and sets a start date (1/21/13). The goal is to lose 4% of your body weight in 28 days. If you make your personal 4% goal you split the pot with all the winners! You must submit photos of yourself in tight fitting clothes and a picture of yourself on a scale that are kept private and used to verify that you lose the weight.

I am excited about this game, I think its a great tool to motivate myself and I hope you guys will join so we can cheer each other on! Join today, and invite your friends! Let's create a big pot to motivate us to get rid of some unwanted weight.

Smaller jeans..bigger pockets!

  Will you join me? Are you inviting friends, co-workers or family? Share your thoughts!