Meet My New Protective Style!!

I worked on my hair for approx 16 hours between Friday and Saturday, and here's the results!!

Started out with a fresh wash, condition, deep condition, and blow out

It's long, but it can be longer ;)

  

A few braids in and I'm feeling much more confident

One quarter down and I'm already sleepy...

The back is complete! I'm sure it's after 3a now lol :/

I'm liking it so far!

Fresh face and on bag #5

Only one quarter left to go...I'm missing my loose hair!

Last two braids!! I think it's close to 7p here

DONE!!! DONE!!! DONE!!! I'm delirious but I'm glad to be DONE!!!



Tonight :) Still trying to find a way to wear them lol!



It was a well worth it project, although I went to the beauty supply store way too many times and spent way too much money...not sure how I did that lol!  I used 8 bags of the Equal Freetress Marley braid hair...$5.99-$6.99/bag (between the 2 stores I went to, neither BSS store had everything I needed)...20 pieces per bag...160 braids total.  That's a LOT of hair!!  I thought I was not going to like the hair at first, it seemed rough but then again I'm used to my own texture.  The braids are a bit bulky, and I'm still trying to find a way to style the hair without it looking crazy.  My plan is to keep these end through the end of June, but who knows what'll happen.  I do miss my hair, but my plan is to get a good & professional trim when I take them down.  I didn't do much videoing during the installation because it was hard enough trying to look at myself in the camera and braid straight smh!!!  I did take lots of pics and was able to record some of the important steps. 

So these Kinky Twists are here for a little while...if anyone has styling options for these bulky braids/twists I will be greatly appreciative :)  Hope everyone has a great night!

Lisa Michelle





What a BUSY week...

This is going to be a semi-random post...I'll do better this weekend (hopefully lol!)

First off, the weather is heating up here in Houston, and the change of the seasons always comes with crazy allergies too...I need Mucinex AND Vitamin C on tap!

There's been so much going on this past week and I want to cover them all, but I'll just briefly do a rundown.

• A week ago I was in Austin spending time with my sister, mother, sister-in-law, and niece...we had a great family picnic on the lake, and my aunt debuted her new natural TWA :)
• Sunday was Mother's Day and I was featured on Black Girl Long Hair!!! AAAAHHHH!!!!!
• Monday May 14th the This Hair Of Mine facebook page reached 1,000 family members!!! AAAAHHHH!!!!! If you aren't following me there, it's as easy as clicking the "Like" button to the right :)
• Tuesday May 15th was Women Are Gamechangers 1st Gamechanger Fusion event!  Although I wasn't able to attend, I hear it was a fantastic turnout at an awesome venue!  I hope I can catch the next one :)
• Thursday May 17th was the Welcome To Houston: Kim Coles Celebrates YOU! event at Natural Resources Salon.  I cannot begin to tell you how much fun it was to connect and reconnect with beautiful naturalistas!  The highlight of the evening was spending it with THE Kim Coles...she's fabulous, funny, talented, eloquent, gorgeous...it was really something special to be part of.  She was also gracious enough to do an impromptu Blogger round table where we were able to ask questions and interact with her on an even more personal level.  I think it really gave us all a peek into the person behind the comedy, and it was really special.
• Saturday May 19th (tomorrow) is the Houston NNHMD event at Pappadeaux, 6015 Westheimer Rd.  This will be a casual event to mix, mingle and CELEBRATE being natural!  Be prepared to chat, laugh, share stories, and enjoy some great Pappadeaux food (I'm needing a Swamp Thing in my life!)
• Sunday May 20th is the cherry on top of a great week for This Hair of Mine!  The Brunch with EDEN event is taking place with the EDEN BodyWorks team and I am serving on the Host Committee with my favorite Houston Bloggers!!  It's going to be a great networking opportunity and I'm super excited for it!

See what I mean!!  I can't wait til I can take a break!!  I've been playing around with the idea of doing twists or braids extensions to get me through a chunk of the summer since it's already getting so hot...I haven't done them in a long, long LONG time so I don't know how that'll work lol!  Y'all pray for me!!

I do want to send a special thank you to ALL of you that follow my blog...I'm coming up on my 1 year Blogiversary and I definitely couldn't have made it without your support.  GROUP HUG!!!

Lisa Michelle

I'm on BLACK GIRL LONG HAIR

Guess who made it to the pages of BGLH? ME!!!!! AAAAHHHHH!!!! Check it out if you get a chance.  Thank you guys SO MUCH for your continued support of This Hair of Mine, it means so much :)

http://blackgirllonghair.com/2012/05/lisa-natural-hair-style-icon/

World Natural Hair Show...Picture Time!!

I realized as I created the album on my Facebook page that I have a LOT of pictures...seemed like I took more than what I actually did, but it's still a crap load of pics for a 5-6 hour span.  I'm not going to post them all here, but I will put the link to the album here.  For inquiring minds, here are a few of my favorites...enjoy!!

I'm sure this isn't giving the best idea of how many people there were trying to get in, but this is only 180 degrees!

Yes...the line goes ALL the way down, then back up again like we're at Six Flags

She was absolutely the fiercest person I saw this entire event

SISTERS!! Quick break for a photo op :)

Being interviewed by Crystal of Naturally Happy Hair for the Social Circle

Got to meet Ylorie (C) of EDEN BodyWorks

...and the beautiful Jamyla of Oyin Handmade

It was an awesome experience and I can't wait to do it again!

Please make sure you tell your friends about This Hair of Mine.  I love and appreciate your support and hope that I'm bringing good information, humor, and curly hair inspiration!  And please make sure you "like" my Facebook page too, since that's where most of the good stuff is lol!  Nighty night ;)

Hello 2012!!

Hey! Hey! Hey! What do you say! 2012 is here today!

I'm in a great mood...maxing and relaxing in probably one of my favorite Christmas presents... FOOTIE PAJAMAS :)  Yes, I'm grown but they are THE best!  I hope an pray everyone had a great New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, I know I did!  Seems like the week between Christmas and New Year's always goes by the fastest, maybe it's just anticipation? 

Christmas was great and a bit bittersweet for me, but I always have a good ole time kicking around with my family.  The hair?  Oh, it was something like a hot mess but I didn't have the time nor patience to do anything fabulous with it.  I didn't have time to wash so this was just an old twist out SCREAMING for some TLC and detangling lol!  Crazy hair and all, I just couldn't resist a few webcam snaps :)  Can you tell we had a good time?

Check out the PJs

Take 2: Me & baby cousin Jayda

Take 3: Introducing Sis (l) Jayda (m) and ME!

I, in true Lisa fashion, waited til the last minute to try and do my hair before the Natural Resources Salon photo shoot.  A quick wash and detangle was all I had time for, but the unfortunately the shoot didn't pan out for me.  However, my friend Jessica was able to participate and I must say I can't wait to see the final pics!  In the meantime, enjoy a few pics from the shoot :)

 Jessica's style for the photo shoot.  S!!

Flawless and ready for the cameras!

 Naturally Nicky serving up all kinds of  FIERCE!

Fabulous twist out...another natural beauty. Hair, jewelry, outfit...CHECK!

Now that my hair was half done and with no real styling options in mind, I was left to come up with some sort of style for New Years...last minute Lisa again, I know!  I had intentions of going out to celebrate a friend's birthday Friday but that didn't happen since it took me forever to come up with a style.  I still wasn't fully satisfied with it but since I love y'all I'll share :)

Decided to revisit the braided pompadour style

The back was a little big but I didn't have the patience to work it out lol!

Since I wasn't completely satisfied with this look for the New Year's Eve party I took to messing around with it...not always the best choice with only a few hours left in the year right?  Unfortunately I didn't have any webcam snaps of the end style, but basically instead of a pompadour I had the hair in the front hanging to the side, left the braid intact and created a high bun.  I've got to do better taking phone pics but this is one snapped by a nice guy on the way out of the event (pardon the photo quality lol!)

NYE 2012 with my girls and random gentleman

I brought in 2012 with a couple of my favorite girls and I hope this joy continues throughout the year.  I wish happiness, health and prosperity to each of you who's eyes this may reach.  I do believe in putting positive affirmations into the universe and I do believe 2012 should be a great year for This Hair of Mine :) 

Thank you so much for your continued support, I hope to become even more interactive with y'all.  Please feel free to email me any questions or topics you'd like to discuss on This Hair of Mine, I'm open to all your comments, concerns and feedback!  I would like to participate in more natural hair events and meet-ups and I hope to meet more of you guys out and about.  It really makes my day :) 

Jill Scott Hairstyle Rocks VH1 Divas

Jill Scott graced the stage Monday December 19th during the VH1’s Divas Celebrate Soul show with flawless performances and a stunning new hairstyle.  This year Divas brought recognition to some of the top soul cities in the world and highlighted their influences on the music industry.  Jill, a Philadelphia native, captivated the crowd with her stunning ballad “Hear My Call”, where she controlled the stage with ethereal grace and elegance.  The soulful songstress performed several times during the evening but it was her natural style and flair that stole the show. 

A hot new style trend was revealed during the Divas showcase.  Never afraid of changing up her style, Jill Scott combined classic and chic into one of the most unique styles of the evening.  She flaunted shaved sides with two strand twists rolled up into a bold up-do.  I say this was a fabulous style and she pulled it off wonderfully!  Confidence radiated on her face and through all of her powerful performances.  This signature style is sure to generate a buzz throughout the natural hair community.

If you aren’t afraid to brave the clippers, this style will definitely set you apart in the crowd!  You can add extensions to the middle section to create the volume that Jill has achieved.  For those who don’t want to drastically cut their hair you don’t have to be left out of style.  You can recreate this look with flat twists on the sides going towards the back, then flat twist the back up towards the crown.  Tuck, roll, and pin the hair in place on top of your head.  If you’re rocking a twistout you can even leave the top loose, creating a textured, structured up-do.  Thank you Jill Scott for giving us impeccable style inspiration!  Happy styling!

Do What Comes Naturally!!

I had the absolute pleasure of attending the Do What Comes Naturally workshop held on November 6^th in Houston, Texas.  This event was coordinated by none other than Uncle Funky’s Daughter, one of the premier natural hair salons in the Houston area.  Established in 2003, they are a sustainable and chemical free salon, offering services to cultivate and pamper your curls.  This event, done in an ever so Funky fashion, aimed to “empower women to free themselves, embrace their natural beauty and follow their passion.”  I’d say they accomplished their mission!

Heading into the private art room

Conversing around the art displays

The Rice Hotel provided the perfect backdrop for this cultured event celebrating natural freedom.  Upon entry to the building we were greeted by lovely hostesses and directed up a grand staircase to enjoy all of the activities of the evening.  There was a space set up with art installations from local artists and there were also tasty hors d’oeuvres and beverages being served.  Next, we were welcomed into a vast meeting area where there were numerous tables, activity stations, vendor booths for us to visit.  They had even created a boutique area for us to shop!  You may not know, but Uncle Funky’s Daughter is not only a salon but a chic boutique where it’s easy to find all things fashionable.  We were invited to peruse the many tables and racks stocked with all sorts of clothes and accessories as we conversed among ourselves about how fantastic the fashions were.  I mean, who doesn’t like shopping!  All this and I haven’t even made it to the good stuff yet!

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Attendees browsing in the boutique area

The spacious main gathering area is packed!

Being the host and primary sponsoring brand, Uncle Funky’s Daughter had a major presence throughout the building.  They had a large area set up offering their top products like Curly Magic and their signature tee shirts.  I even picked up a shirt with the theme of the night, “Do What Comes Naturally”.  As I went around the room, I viewed many of the patrons interacting with the vendors.  I bought a pair of handcrafted earrings from ChariT’s Inspirational Creations, the Lamik Beauty team offered free mini makeovers and beauty consultations, Green Seed Vegan kept the green drink shots coming, and I stood in line for a good 20 minutes for my fabulously free Minx manicure by Queen Minx.  I also booked an appointment to have my eyebrows pampered after having a free consultation at the Eyebrow Energy booth.  Many visitors also took the time to create artistic paintings and vision boards at those interactive stations.  We even got to be part of the Supernatural Power Photo shoot, capturing individual personalities with our very own natural signature phrases.  And that’s STILL not all!

Uncle Funky's Daughter!

Lamik Beauty with free mini makeovers

Queen Minx table with free manicures

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Artistic painting class

ChariT's Inspirational Creations

Eyebrow Energy doing free consultations

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Tonya doing a Curly Magic demo

Tonya Reed, co-founder of Uncle Funky’s Daughter, showed us how to use their top products during several product demonstrations on a few different types of hair.  She took the time to answer questions from us in the audience and, believe me, there were many!  Most of the ladies watching the demo primarily wanted to know what types and how much product to use while styling and how to maintain the style.  Tonya was very helpful and informative, and we all appreciated her candor. After the demonstration we were then energized by a few quick Zumba sessions which really got the crowd moving! 

I really enjoyed this event!  All types of naturals were represented, from the newly natural to veterans, from 2c to 4c, short hair, long hair, locs, and all things in between!  I especially loved seeing all the different hair styles and fashions of the attendees.  It was a joy networking and meeting new people, and generally just seeing people enjoy themselves.  If you ever have an opportunity to attend a natural hair or health expo don’t pass it up; it really is an awakening experience.  Events like these encourage people be free, be themselves, be healthy, and to “Do What Comes Naturally”. 

Yes...those are what you think they are!

 Tonya  & Ray Reed, pictured with Nnete of 97.9 on the left and Tonya's lovely mother on the right

Nnete (L) ME!! Tonya Reed (R)

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My quick self portrait on the way out :)

Did you miss the Do What Comes Naturally event?  You still have an opportunity to attend the largest natural hair event in Texas, which is coming to Houston on December 10^th and 11^th, 2011.  The Nzuri Natural Hair, Health & Beauty Showcase, sponsored by Miss Jessie’s, is going to be a phenomenal event to include: workshops featuring some of the top natural hair stylists, fashion shows and competitions for both stylists and attendees, an opportunity to meet the world’s largest afro record holder Aevin Dugas, interact with the Blogosphere featuring several natural hair bloggers (including myself!), and even a Little Miss Happy Headed pageant for young natural girls!   Of course you’ll also have lots and lots of vendors to shop from and did I mention the first 500 attendees will receive a free swag bag?  So mark your calendars and get your tickets early, they’re just $10 for adults and kids 13 & under are FREE!  You can buy your tickets right HERE from This Hair of Mine! Hope to see you there!


Lisa Michelle
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Enjoying my new Uncle Funky shirt!