Winter Routine

So I joined a growth challenge on naturallycurly.com about two weeks ago. Mostly because I knew if I didn't make some kind of commitment to do something with it soon I would end up with some bad breakage...I was getting too lazy. So from now until April I'm going to be making it a point to keep my routine and wear a lot of protective styles. I went a head and put my hair in genie locs last Wednesday, and while I was doing I discovered I'm actually to armpit length....that's what's up.

I'd never done a length check before so needless to say I was pleasantly surprised. Especially since I'm not even at two years yet. So here's my routine:

1. Wash: weekly/bi-weekly (depending on my hairstyle and how my hair feels)
2. DC: weekly/bi-weekly
3. Seal: acv rinse and my leave in
4. Moisturize: every other day with my water, shea/oil mix
5. Wear protective styles 

6. Vitamins: Flax seed oil, biotin, glycerin, omega 3,6,9, multi, and garlic
7. Exercise daily

 Now about these yarn braids....I've been on the fence for a while now about locs and I gotta say these are really pushing me in that direction. I'm really feelin the way they look, so don't be surprised if you see me locking it up sometime soon lol. I think I'll keep these in till the end of next month. My head has been itching like crazy and I know I'm not allergic to yarn so I have no idea why but it's driving me nuts!

Diva

From the great Steven Lopez, The After Midnight Soul Series:

Alicia Keys, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Erykah Badu, India.Arie, Jill Scott, Minnie Riperton, Sade and Tina Turner.

I'm Gleamin

I told you all a little while ago about a body painting photo shoot I did back in September. Well I have been able to get a hold of some my photographers favorite shots and I HAD to share.

 

Body Paint: Dave Smith  Model: Jackie Keller

 

Body Paint: Andy O'Hare/ Melissa Darling  Models: Melissa Darling/ Scot Allen 

 

Body Paint: Jessica Bloom (she also painted me)  Model: Maggie McLaughlin

all photography done by LP Photography

Just to be apart of something this beautiful was amazing. I hope every ones holiday was wonderful =)

Jay.

New Additions and The First Giveaway!

So I thank you guys for your emails about the site and giving me your honest opinions. They were ALL much appreciated! That said, I've made a lot of changes and I've added a lot of great new items. So please check everything out and let me know what you think about everything.
Also, because I finally got to ten...actually past ten counting Networked Blogs on FB....and we are apart of the Light it Up Blog Event..... you know what that means? Giveaway! I love that it's in time for Christmas =). So I'm thinking that up for grabs should be:

One winner will have one choice of these three items. To join the give away you must:

1. Be a follower of this blog
2. Leave a comment to this post
Giveaway will end December 31 @ midnight.

Winner will be selected at random and announced January 1st

 GOOD LUCK!


 New Arrivals

Jay

Toes # 1

I can't paint my nails any more because of my job =(. I do understand why though. As the kitchen manager I'm cooking, washing my hands and cleaning ALL the time! I wouldn't want somebodies nasty nail polish chips in my food so I dare not subject anyone else to that kind of horror. Any way now I'm going hard in the paint (literally) on my toes. So I'm going to start sharing some of my favorite tutorials with you guys from now on. Hope you like.

Love

via fashiontribe via nickelcobalt

Me All Day

I was born and partly raised in Los Angeles, Ca, but also partly raised in Tucson, Az. During most of my younger years I was natural. Long hair down my back natural, all the way up until I turned about 12. In California I remember there was always some boy in my ear about how pretty I was. Then I turned 10, moved to Tucson, and everything changed. Black girls aren't received, or at least weren't when I was growing up, with open arms there. Little black boys have the pick of the litter. White girls, Mexican girls, Mixed girls (Asian...yes there was a few), so where was there rooms for us? Especially with so few little black boys? 

Now don't think your going to start dating other races young lady. We don't get down like that....

So where am I left?

It wasn't until I got older that I realized how bruised my self esteem was from all this. I didn't have a great family life so unfortunately my self worth came from places it shouldn't have. And while it really shouldn't have matter what those little boys thought it did.

I tried everything I could at the time to get someone to notice me. That long thick hair.....I cut off until I had little 1 inch baby curls all over my head. It grew back, then every couple months I relaxed it and dyed it every color I could. I never felt beautiful. I repeated this process, cutting, perming, and dying every year until I turned 18.

I had a bun in the oven!

Ever since I could remember I heard the old wives tales, not to perm/dye your hair when you were pregnant. I was so conflicted with what to do. I hadn't seen my really hair color in years, let alone texture. What was I supposed to do for nine whole months? After much debate with my then husband I figured that my little baby didn't ask to be here. So I have to try and give it the best and healthiest start I can. I started what I now know as transitioning. I was always planning to start back relaxing though as soon as the baby was born and I was done breast feeding. Except, a couple months later I was pregnant again, and my whole life changed.

This time my pregnancy was different. My life was crumbling around me. I was all alone in a new state with no home to return to, and no family to turn to. Over the next nine months I began a journey with God that I never knew was possible. By the time I was ready to have my son I was mentally and spiritually stronger than I had ever been. Because I was only at home I hadn't learned to do anything different with my hair. I wore it in cornrows, puffs and ponytails. Outside of that I had no clue what I was doing. So after Jeremiah was born, and I was done breast feeding, I just went ahead and texturized it.

But I didn't feel like me anymore.

Over the course of the next year and a half I did everything again. Cut it, permed it, colored it and did it again. No matter what I didn't feel like me.

So in March of 2009 I big chopped.

I will NEVER look back. For some people it's nothing more than just hair. For me it was more than that. It was me accepting and being exactly who God made me to be, and being content with that. I'm me all day. I can't and won't be anybody else, and if you don't like that....well....that sounds like a personal issue lol.

Artists Feature: Betsy Otter Thompson- Walking Through Illusion

 

First off I must apologize! I should have read this book a LONG time ago....and I did sort of. I started it, then stopped, then started, then stopped, then last week I started, and completed. From beginning, to end. It was amazing to read. Now that I have read it through I now understand why it took me so long. I wasn't spiritually prepared to read it before. 

This uniquely formed self- help book was inspirational for me to say the least. Ms. Thompson's base was a conversation with Jesus, taking stories of the people He knew throughout His life, or came into contact with and used them as a platform to give direction and enlightenment from their life experiences. For me it personally gave a new perspective to the art of the self help book by showing that in order for your life to change you can not constantly be worried about others action in your life. You can only control your part in it, and how you react. Beautiful.

I was also blessed enough to be able to interview Ms. Thompson, this is what she had to say =).

J: Where are you from?

B: I returned home to Philadelphia four years ago after being in California for 23 years.

J: How do your surroundings affect your creative process?

B: Other than making sure I’m comfortable in them, my surroundings, per se, have little to do with it. For me, it’s about focus: sitting down, and putting my attention to the task.

J: How long have you been writing?

B: I’ve been writing for 23 years.

J: What is your favorite piece and why?

B: I always think the article or the book I’m working on is the best one because it’s the one that’s answering my momentary questions.

J: Where do you draw inspiration from?

B: For me, it comes from within. Without my communication with spirit, there wouldn’t be any product. I’m a vessel. The information comes through me, I write it down, and I share what I am given. Not to say there isn’t an editing process, there is, just as there is, and needs to be, in any kind of writing.

J: What do you think makes you different from the next writer?

B: I’m only different in that I write what comes through my creative expression. Many spiritual self-help authors are doing the same: expressing ideas through their creativity. Many themes are similar, but the results are never the same because each of us writes form our own individual perspective and personal growth.

J: If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only take 3 things with you, what would they be?

B: I’d take my peace of mind, my joy to be alive, and my gratitude for having a beautiful island on which to live.

Pic of tha Day

via: http://stylepantry.com/category/my-style/

Ms Pinkie and Her Cd

I already knew I didn't like this female but I gave her CD a listen. I don't know why I wasted my time. SMH it wasn't my cup of tea and I'm a little upset that I wasted time that I can't get back. =(

Pic of tha Day

via http:avidcourtesyleague.com

Finally!!!

Finally got the site up. Hope you guys like it.

clevabella.weebly.com

You Sho Right

ReArrange Your Face

Oh that's right you already did that....now why you go and do that now love?

Life lesson of the day. Be yourself, everybody else is already taken.

New Job and Other Shit

I finally found another job, thank God! I know I'm blessed cause there are still people out here looking in what people pretend is not a recession.(Dummies) So that's what's up. I am exhausted. I spend my days pretty much working and the weekends at the studio. Still haven't figured out how to get my music on this bitch. o_O But I am almost done with my jewelry website so hopefully it will be up in the next two weeks.....and there goes my free time....

Do I look as tired as I feel?