Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Winter Wonderland Giveaway (#WWgiveaway)



So the time has finally come for me to bring you, My Fabulous Fans, an epic giveaway. I can't express to you how excited I am to do this great giveaway with some of my fellow blogger friends. It is going to be up to you to check all the other blogs in the linkies at the bottom of this post. There is also a Grand Prize entry form over at Untrained Hair Mom's page. UHM is the main mastermind although we all contributed to making this Winter Wonderland Giveaway as great as it is. You are going to have an opportunity to win so many wonderful things.

Good Luck, the giveaway will run from Dec. 1st to Dec. 6th and will have multiple winners here and an additional winner for the Grand Prize over at Untrained Hair Mom.

2 people will win a Handmade Feather Hair Piece by FLS Designer Fashion Jewelry

Gold Feather Earrings from FLS Designer Fashion Jewelry

Ada"s Sweet Bows Green Tinkerbell Flower clip

Ada"s Sweet Bows Spike Bows

Beautiful Curls Gift Basket

$25 from Erin Condren

Sponsor Spotlight: Erin Condren

I am one person who love to be organized, so this sponsor, Erin Condren, is one I really hope you like. Erin Condren is a company that I found while searching for planners. I am lucky enough to have one of the Life Planners that they make. I love it, I carry my Life Planner everyday because I am juggling "life." Please go by and check out their product line and stop by their Facebook page. Erin Condren has all sorts of personalized stationery, labels, growth charts, iPhone cases, etc. Their Customer Service and quality of product is outstanding and makes a statement, you will not be disappointed. Erin Condren is giving one lucky person a $25 gift certificate to their website. Don't forget to come back tonight at midnight (Dec. 1st) to enter for this prize and many more.

Sponsor Spotlight: FLS Designer Fashion Jewelry


I am super excited to tell you all about my next sponsor, FLS Designer Fashion Jewelry. I met the designer, Felicia, at Killeen's Natural Hair & Health Expo a couple of weeks ago. Des was admiring her shirt and we began conversing. This young lady is truly a sweetheart, she found out that Des was going to be walking in the Hair Show later that evening and offered Des the opportunity to wear one of her beautiful feather hair accessories. Long story short, Felicia has decided to sponsor two similar feather hair pieces, cause no two pieces are the same, as well as, a pair of stunning feather earrings to some very lucky winners. Please go by and check out FLS Designer Fashion Jewelry on Facebook to check out some of her other wonderful creations. Don't forget the Winter Wonderland Giveaway starts at midnight tonight (December 1st) so make sure you come back and enter.



Sponsor Spotlight: Beautiful Curls

I am happy to say "Thank You" to Beautiful Curls for sponsoring this lovely Curl Nurturing System for Babies & Up gift basket featured in the picture. I have to say that this product is wonderful. I have used it on Des, JoJo, and Baby A, as well as, myself. I have not been disappointed. Please check out Beautiful Curls and look at their product line up and stop by their Facebook page. Then, make sure you come back tomorrow, December 1st and enter the Winter Wonderland Giveaway for your chance to win this and many other wonderful prizes.

You could win everything included in this picture (color of basket may vary)

Basket will include:

1- 8oz. Curl Activating Cream (worth $14)
1- 10oz. Curl Reviving Tonic (worth $11)




Sponsor Spotlight: Ada"s Sweet Bows

I wanted to tell you about one of our sponsors for the Winter Wonderland. I was contacted by Ada from Ada"s Sweet Bows and she was generous enough to sponsor two different items for the giveaway. One of the prizes is this really cute set of pink polka dotted spike bows and the other is a pretty green flower clip with a Tinkerbell center. Ada and Maria make some really pretty things including tutus, bottle cap jewelry, headbands and even custom orders. Go by and check out Ada"s Sweet Bows!
  



Be sure to come back on December 1st to enter the giveaway for these wonderful items in our Winter Wonderland Giveaway.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Curly Hair (a Poem) Written by Des


Curly hair is sometimes called nappy

(Source)
Unless it's yours

(Source)

Reactions are sometimes rude but sometimes astonished too

(Source)

Likely they LOVE it

(Source)

You'll just have to wait and see

(Source)
You should feel all of the following things about your curly hair

(Source)

Happy

(Source)

Amazed

(Source)

Intrigued

(Source)

Really Pretty

(Source)

Note: Des and I would like to thank all owners of the pictures shown. If you wanna see more to them click on the "Source" caption under the pic. 

Des wrote this poem Saturday while I was doing her hair. Hope you love it as much as we do. 

Until the next time, Stay Blessed. 

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Conditioning Queen

 Hello Bloggies,

This is Des again, and I wanted to tell the steps of how I recently started taking care of my hair. First, I decide whether or not I am going to be shampooing. Then if my hair is up I go to my mom and ask her to take it down. Now it's time to start conditioning. This is the set of steps I use to condition my own hair.

1. Let warm water rinse through my hair for 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Start at the ends of your hair with conditioner.
3. Let the conditioner sit for 3 minutes (longer if you feel necessary.)
4. Rinse the conditioner out with warm water.
5. Finish by rinsing with cold water.

         These are the steps that I use to condition my hair.

                                        Love,
                                             Des

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Sunday= Fun Day (written by Des)

Dear  Bloggies,

This is Des. I wanted to share my experience from Sunday with you. On Sunday, I went to Killeen's Natural Hair & Health Expo, there we met lots of people that had natural products or were interested in curly hair. We got stopped by many photographers and I got my picture taken. People asked my mom who did my hair and that was an obvious answer, she does it. Then they lectured her because she has no hair license. They were trying to tell her she should get a hair license cause there are not enough people who know how to take care of curly hair.

Des and Aazia at Expo before walking in the Hair Show.

Des and DRamZ84 after her "Natural Hair Styling 101" class.

We then went to a Hair Styling class given by DRamZ84 and there we met a lady, Ms. Felicia, that was staying for the Hair Show. She customizes feathers hair pieces and offered me one to wear in the hair show. I was able to chose a feather to match my outfit. We ran to get ready for the hair show right after talking to Ms. Felicia (missed out on taking a pic with her).

Beautiful yellow feather hair clip made by Felicia of FLS Designer Fashion Jewelry.

For the Hair Show, I wore a shirt that says "Diva" and a multi-colored tutu (my mom made) worn over a black petticoat. I also had blue ruffle flats on and in my hair I wore the vibrant yellow feather hair piece. I walked down the runway and then scurried to dressing area to get changed. For my dressy outfit, I changed into a brown and gold dress. For accessories, I wore bangles, a flower necklace, flower petal earrings, and taupe colored shoes. At first, my hair was out and then my mom put my hair up in a loose french twist held in place with a brown dangling hair pin. When I went up the second time, I had to answer questions and walk one more time. It was over as quick as it started, that was my night at the hair show. Hope you enjoyed.





                                                            HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
                                   
                                                Love,
                                                        Des

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Wordless Wednesday: Diamond

Diamond, a girl's best friend

Des and her dog, Diamond. Diamonds are a girl's best friend, Right?


Be sure to check out the other Wordless Wednesday post at the blogs below. Until the next time.... Stay Blessed.

Review: Beautiful Curls Curl Nurturing System

Beautiful Curls

First off, I want to thank beautiful curls for the opportunity to review these products. I used these products on Des and I over a couple of months worth of time. The one thing I must say off the bat is I love how these products smell. It is a light citrus scent, that initially I could not place, but came to realize it was Mango and Vanilla extract.

I have used the shampoo and leave in conditioner numerous times. I love the way that it works on me. I used the Curl Activating Cream on my hair to do a flat twist out. The results were great, the curl pattern held without making my hair hard or too oily and it helped it last for a few days until I washed it out. I know I will continue to use these products on my hair since I received very favorable results every time I have used it.

Flat Twist Out 

Now on to Des' hair, I have used these products at different times on her hair and it has been a process of trial and error for me before I got down my technique. As with any new product, the way you apply plays a large role in how well it performs; well at least for me that is the case.

I would like to say that the very first remark I heard from Des in regards to the Shampoo is that she loved the way it felt on her scalp and that she enjoyed the smell. She also said the same for the Leave In/ Detangler. I have done quite a few styles with these products. I am sure you all can remember our pony tail with the big bow for our Breast Cancer Awareness style, well we used the Shampoo, Leave In/ Detangler and Curl Activating Cream to create it. In order to keep the curls fresh we used the Curl Reviving Tonic, it worked well to help keep the frizz down for us.

Well it is one thing to wear the majority of your hair up in a style but the real test is how well it preforms with all the hair worn out. Well I shall show you our experience. First, I applied Macadamia Nut Oil to her hair and scalp as a pre poo, letting it sit for about 10 minutes before I shampooed Des' hair with Beautiful Curls Shampoo. Upon her getting out of the water I wrapped her hair in a t-shirt to take some of the water out of her hair and proceeded to apply the Beautiful Curls Leave In/ Detangler. I finished her hair off with the Curl Activating Cream applied to small detangled sections of hair from root to ends using a raking method with my fingertips. I did this till her whole head was done and then let her hair dry naturally. The results were good. I think in some areas I was a little heavy handed which caused her hair to be stiff but it was no longer like that the next day. To preserve her curls while she sleeps, I "pineapple" her hair and she covered her hair with a bonnet.

Beautiful Curls on Des' wet hair.

Gotta love shrinkage.

After hair was dry with Beautiful Curls

Just love this pic
The shampoo is very thick so it does not take much to get the job done. The leave in/ detangler is also very thick which is great, it makes it much easier for me to distribute when I don't have to worry about conditioner slipping out of my hand or through my fingers. The curl activating cream is thinner than the conditioner but not so much that it slides off your fingers or drips. The actual curl reviving tonic has to be shaken but when it is sprayed it did not make her hair sticky or tacky feeling. The spray covered the area evenly and with a fine layer of tonic.

So after all the uses, I still have more than three fourths of the containers of products. I have also used them on JoJo and her baby sis, Baby A. I am sure you can tell by the pics that the products work well.

Curlformers on third day, product used Beautiful Curls

 Baby A's curls popping with Beautiful Curls Leave In/ Detangler.

JoJo's twists using the whole line with a little Eco Styler too. 

Aside from the products working well, the company is doing so much to help people better themselves and their communities. Here is a little of what they strive to do:

Beautiful Curls was created by Alaffia to further their goal of empowering individuals and communities through the fair trade of handcrafted shea butter. With simple formulations, honest ingredients, and fair trade principles, Beautiful Curls strives for healthy hair, healthy communities and a healthy planet.


Beautiful Curls is based on the belief that beauty comes in all forms – and Beautiful hair is no different. Beautiful Curls are loose waves, big curls, medium spirals, tight springy coils and all things in between. Beautiful Curls are healthy curls. Just as diet and internal health are important for hair, so is external care. Our rich shea butter formulas moisturize and nurture for healthy, shiny and happy curls of all types.

I really hope that this review helps you. In the near future, you will have an opportunity to win your own since they were kind enough to give me a gift basket containing all the products I have discussed in this review for a giveaway. Stay tuned for the giveaway in the days to come. Until the next time... Stay Blessed.









Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Wordless Wednesday

Texas Fall
mid November 2011
Somewhere in Central Texas 





Stay Blessed.


Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Hair Carnival: Winterizing Hair

Loving these Hair Carnivals. This time around we are talking about what changes in our hair routine do we make once it gets to be Winter. I must admit first off I struggle writing this post due to the fact where we live the winter is not really as harsh as it is in other parts.

Well one thing I have noticed in the last few years that we have done is around the beginning of December Des tends to get her hair straightened. This is due largely to the fact that the first part of December is when her birthday falls and since we rarely straighten her hair she usual request it for her birthday. I must say that take all the precautions I can think of to insure that she does not get heat damage. I know using heat doesn't sound like it could be at all beneficial but honestly it seems that when it is straight I don't have to do much with it. I make sure that I keep it moisturized with oils. I apply them by rubbing the desired oil in my hands and then my hands through her hair. Since it is colder out there tends to be less humidity which in turns means her hair doesn't revert for quite sometime. As for keeping it straight when she bathes, we just wrap it up and she does her best to keep it from getting wet. I have noticed that we can keep her hair straighter longer than we can keep it in any style which in the long run mean less manipulation and it doesn't tend to tangle much when her hair is straight.

Des' 10th Birthday, early Dec 2010

Since we do not continuously apply heat to keep it in this condition we of course must also take care of her hair when it is curly and "cold" outside. One change in our routine that we make is to use heavier products. For example instead of oils or creamy based moisturizers, I tend to use butters because the butters keep her moisturized for longer periods of time. Des doesn't get her hair shampooed often but it is even less when it is winter out. We do co wash with conditioner though.

Around Christmas time in 2010. 


Another thing that I try to keep on top of is making sure that although it is colder outside that Des drinks water. It is much easier to remember water when it hot or warm out but when it is cold out it is a different story. Water helps keep your body hydrate which includes your hair.

I hope that you enjoyed hearing my insights on winter hair care. Be sure to check out the linkies below for other tips which will help too. Until the next time... Be Blessed.


Saturday, November 12, 2011

Stunning Strangers: Mommy "B" and Big Girl "B"

Today was a great day, Des and I attended the "We are Girls" Conference in the city were we live. This is the first year we have ever been so we were sight seeing more then networking. During lunch break, we went around to check out some of the vendor's tables. I bet you can guess where this is going... LOL. Yup! We some some beautiful curls on a beautiful girl and when I look up I see her mother has beautiful curls too. Well I couldn't let the opportunity pass to get a picture of these two together. Here they are...

Big Girl "B" and Mommy "B"

Hope that you enjoy seeing these Stunning Strangers and if you see a beautiful girl make sure that she hears that she is beautiful *not in a creepy way*. We must instill in our girls at a young age that they are beautiful so that they will know this when they become beautiful adults. Till the next time... Stay Blessed. 

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Winter Wonderland Giveaway


We are presently looking for Sponsors for our Winter Wonderland Giveaway.  This particular giveaway will be held along with several other bloggers who will all be linked together but each Sponsor will have a separate "Spotlight." If you are interested in our blog doing a review/giveaway of your products, all while promoting your business, please contact us at GirlyandCurlyblog@yahoo.com, we would love to work with you. Thank you in advance for reading and we look forward to hearing from you. 

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Monday, November 7, 2011

Girly and Curly Attending Virtual Play Date


We were invited to this Virtual Play Date by our good friend and fellow blogger, Kandy from Kandy Land Kurls. We are going to share some answers from the children behind the blogs and invite six more friends to do the same. Be sure to check all our friends out too. Thank you Kandy for inviting us to play along. Those we invited need to answer the following questions.



1. Favorite Toy?
iPad

2. Favorite Animal?
Jaguar

3. Favorite Game to Play?
Pet Hotel 2

4. Favorite Snack?
Apples, Cheese, Peanut Butter, Grapes

5. What Makes You Happy?
Spending time with my mom.

6. Favorite TV Show/Movie?
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

7. If you could chose a new name for yourself what would it be?
Nalia

8.  Favorite Book?
The Prophency of Stones by Flavia Bujor

9. Favorite Hairstyle?
Upside down french braid with twists in bun on top of head.

10. Favorite Thing to do?
Hanging out with friends. 

Here is the list of the six bloggers I would like to invite to this Virtual Play Date in no specific order.

Boys and Girls Natural Curls
Once Upon a Curl
Love Your Girls Biracial Curls
Beautiful Biracials
Girls Love Your Curls
Cherish My Daughter

If you happen to have been invited by someone else and you have more than one child fill it out for one of the others. Don't forget to thank the person who invited you and invite six more friends. 

I enjoyed this and hope that in the future we will be included again, Thanks again to Kandy from Kandy Land Kurls for inviting us. 

Till the next time... Stay Blessed.