Flashback Friday

Far ..far ..far away from here...(reminiscing)
my plate and his

Jennifer Hudson on the set of 'Where You At?' !!

More pics from the set of Jennifer Hudson’s new song “Where You At“!


Here’s a first listen of Jennifer Hudson’s new song “Where You At“!
The ballad, written by R. Kelly and produced by Harvey Mason Jr., is off the 29-year-old singer’s upcoming sophomore album I Remember Me, out March 22.




“This song to me is like what I always wanted to do vocally. As an aspiring writer, just the subject of it means so much to me. It’s simple and it’s something we say every day,” Jennifer shared.




SOURCE: http://justjared.buzznet.com/2011/01/24/jennifer-hudson-where-you-at-premiere/

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Source: http://theybf.com/2011/02/18/on-the-set-jennifer-hudsons-where-you-at-video-performance-on-ellen

Winter Protective Styles: WIGS

Protective styles make it possible to prevent breakage since your hair may be breaking off faster than it grows. Protective styles keep your ends "protected." It doesn't matter which way you wear your hair, just as long as your ends are put away. Keeping the ends of your hair put up and out of sight protects the ends as well as retains moisture. My hair seems to grow faster in protective hair styles.

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I love wigs, I usually buy the long layered styles...Here lately the shorter wigs are more fun!! Straight, curly, wavy, asymmetrical or whatever...I love em' all!

My hair is safe and secure in LOOSE cornrows, under a satin wave cap.

I have no idea what these wigs are called or what brand. I have a bad habit of pop'n tags and tossin' them in the trash before reading it. Womp. LOL!

Tryin' to act Sessy! LOL!

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Winter months tend to be harsh on my hair so I usually wear protective styles when its cold.

This wig is my least favorite. Its asymmetrical like the others but because its new the curls were too tight...I'm going to try to manipulate the curls to look more free flowing and not so "wiggy". I don't like wearing "wiggy" looking 5wigs...it shouldn't look like you are wearing a wig at first glance.

Songs I'm feelin'...

What is Argan Oil? Sally's Haul::: Product Review

Argan oil is high in Omega 3 and Omega 9 unsaturated fatty acids providing a boost of vitamin E when applied to the hair.

With frizzy or damaged hair, the hair strand is split and jaded. When the oil is applied to the strand the outer hair sheath is nourished and the cells flatten. Due to the dis-order of the outer sheath the oil readily enters and is absorbed by the hair strand.

The hair strand is immediately nourished providing hydration and elasticity. With the immediate repair of the outer hair sheath, each hair strand lies flat and combined with other strands reducing frizziness and tangle.

Proclaim Natural 7 Argan Oil

The hair strand will take on a nourished shiny look as the hair is rehydrated with locked in moisture. The Omega fatty acids and Vitamin E provides nourishment to each hair follicle that increases strength and protein bonding.
The application of argan oil is very simple. After washing your hair you apply the oil and massage the oil through your hair using your fingers. A little oil does go a long way so when applying the oil try to judge the least amount required to cover each hair strand.

Hairtrition Bodifying Shampoo , Hairtrition Moisturizing Conditioner , Hairtrition Color Protect Leave-In Detangler , One 'n Only Argan Oil Moisture Repair Conditioner , Hair One With Olive Oil Packette , Denman Classic Styling Brush plus a FREE pedometer!!

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I purchased these items a few weeks ago and wanted to try them all before giving my two cents. After researching Argan Oil I went to Sally's and bought every product with Argan Oil that my pennies could afford! LOL! I was pleasently pleased with ALL of my selections. I loved the Natural 7 Oil so much that I went back to buy three more bottles. Go to http://www.sallybeauty.com/ because they are having a sale. The three bottles of
Proclaim Natural 7 Argan Oil (pictured above) are buy 2 get one FREE!!! I love free stuff..The Hairtrition was pretty good, the leave-in conditioner worked great as a detangler!! I give it two thumbs up! These products can be used on relaxed or natural hair.

SOURCE:: http://newhairstyleswomen.com/argan-oil-for-hair

Anthony David "4Evermore" feat. Algebra & Phonte Official Video

I finally found this brand new video that premiered this week!! I LOVE IT!! A few of my favorite neo-soul artists doing a collabo... SWEET. Take a peek behind the scenes .

Family...Friend.... Sisterhood!!!!!

Yo! These chicks right here....I don't even have the words, ya'll!

The one on the left is my first cousin/BFF...the one on the right shares a Mom and a Dad with me. That is my bratty kid sister.... Epitome of Sisterhood.

BFFz

To confirm how goofy we are, this Saturday at a women's conference my sister decided to take a pic of my shoes and then texted this pic to me!! LOL! Lawdhammercy! I was rolling!!! Good thing we were taking an intermission otherwise I would have gotten escorted to the nearest exit for laughing so hard!!

We have taken similar poses in the 80's, 90's and now in 2011...Our bond is sealed tight.


At the Farmer's Market/Flea Market...acting up!! LOL!

Oh Mi Goodness, we have rubbed off on my child. BFF and my oldest daughter doing what we do best, act silly. lol

Most of you probably don't even recognize me...Around my peeps I am a free bird. Certified Nut. LOL!

My Sissy loading up on fruits and veggies...

My babies with the infamous, "Auntie".... she spoils my kiddos rotten!!

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These two have held me down, stood in the gap, prayed for me, stood up for me, loved me more than I've loved my self at times, and most importantly they understand my breed of crazy! Isn't it grand to have people in your corner who "get you"?? I mean they understand me even in silence, they can read me like a book when I get outta line too... They both have birthdays this month so I wanted to show them love. Let the celebrations commence! Shout out to my Chi-town homie, Kellan (Kellz) Happy Birthday luv...you my girl 100 Grand!! Enjoy your day today, girl!!

(Even though you girls aren't Libras, life goes on. Pisces is the next best thing! LOL! ) *wink*

Valentine's Day::: DIY

I bought this little heart patch at Michael's for less than $5 bucks.. Its an iron-on that took about 3-5 minutes to make.

I bought this plain red Cardigan from Target, it needed some V-Day flair so I ironed on the sequined heart, Worked like a Charm!! .....I also added the red gem brooch that I purchased from Goodwill (Brand New) to my hat to spruce it up a notch. When my hair is looking crazy these hats always save the day!

Happy Valentine's Day ya'll!!!

Are you a Chocolate Bride?

Are you single, married, boo'd up and thinking about marriage? Are you TTC, preggers, or a Mommy? Are you a sexy single looking for sisterhood?? Are you buying a house or redecorating your home? Have your children and husband worked your last nerve?? Are you looking for a classy upscale website that celebrates ALL of your chocolateness? Have you gained weight and need support as you press on with your weight loss journey? Would you like to be among some of the most uplifting praying sisters God has ever created? Well you need to visit Chocolate Brides dot com!! I can't begin to tell you what those women have been to me over the last 5-6 years!! It's THE best website for African American Brides. Its something for everybody over there, even a Grooms Corner for the menz!! Head on over and introduce yourself ..tell em' Michelle sent ya!!

4/2010 Raleigh, NC

Its a a inside joke why CB's call my hubby Christopher Williams!! LOL!

(pic taken 4/5 yrs. ago)
Me in my Chocolate Brides t-shirt that I absolutely cherish!!!

www.chocolatebrides.com

JUNK to FUNK:: Recycled TRASHION!

What is Trashion? It’s fashion, accessories, art, and crafts made from trash and upcycled and recycled materials.

This garment was created using 30 copies of the Financial Times

gary harvey, newspaper dress

via Escama Studio http://www.escamastudio.com/

Believe it or not, this stylish handbag is made from hundreds of recycled aluminum pull-tabs. Yes, those tiny tabs we throw away without giving them a second glance after opening a can. Luckily, San Francisco-based company Escama Studio and various Brazilian crafts cooperatives have been working together since 2004 to create great fashion accessories from them. And their approach is personal: Each fashion piece comes with a tag bearing the signature of the person who made it. Customers can then click on that person’s profile on the company’s website to find out more about the artist. I love it!

Fashion made from recycled cassette tape string


These Tea Cup Bangles first surfaced on Twitter recently and demanded to be shared. They are made from real tea cups, adapted by designer Abigail MaryRose Clark.

Did you know??

**Each year, the average American throws away about 70 pounds of clothing each year and make up about 3% of our household waste. They end up in landfills and most don’t decompose.**

I blogged about these bangles a WHILE ago...they are made from recycled magazines. So fly! Check the archives for this post.


The Denim Kimono was created using recycled denim jackets and jeans.
gary harvey, runway, greenshows



Gary Harvey is the former Creative Director of Levi Strauss and Dockers Europe designer for Levi's. He began designing his environmentally friendly dresses during a freelance fashion campaign. He needed something dramatic for a shoot so he took 42 pairs of Levi's 501's and made them into a dress. He has continued designing eco-fashion since.




He doesn't just recycle clothing to make his innovative designs. This dress was made with cans, bottle tops and cardboard boxes.

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Source(s) :::: The Trench Coat Is Dead.Long Live the Trench Coat (Dress)!

EnvironmentalGraffiti.com & Treehugger and Telegraph

You can check out the philosophy and some of the work of these artists here.

Henna...Indigo...BC!

These are the supplies, I ordered from the links below... The small packages are samples that were like a $1 buck each...Its great to order the samples so you can see how your hair responds to the treatment before buying in bulk...Henna is all NATURAL. =)

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http://tapdancinglizard.com/ ....... http://www.mehandi.com/shop/index.html

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Samples .....Indigo for Hair...

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Don't be creeped out by the website, the images are kinda spooky but its all good. Ive always had a pleasant experience purchasing from them...They even except Paypal which is awesome.

I mixed 2 boxes of Henna, Honey, EVOO, conditioner, scented oil, and lavender for fragrance (not pictured)


It looked really gookey...the smell wasn't as overwhelming as I imagined...


Coated each strand with the mixture, from root to tip...



BEFORE::: Over processed, split ends, damaged hair.... My hair is relaxed in these photos. (pics taken approx. 3 years ago)



After Henna treatment, I clipped my ends....

I was very pleased with the results. My hair was soft, bouncy, and full of luster. One downside of the henna was that my hair was extremely thirsty afterwards. Nothing major, just had to generously oil my scalp.

A few months after the Henna I put a Cherry Cola rinse on my hair. I posted this pic to show that you can color your hair after using henna,...

The pic was taken after using Indigo...It turns your hair like a blue-black hue. Its 100% natural as well, just add water and apply!!

This pic is a request from a follower of the blog, she wanted to see how my hair looked after the BC!! This is for you girl!!! This is a month or so after cutting my hair..around 8/2008... Rockin' the Florida Evans fro!!! LOL

First attempt::: Straightening my Hair since the BC!!!

Deep Conditioned/Hot Oil Treatment..



Detangled and Air-Dryed



After I pressed my hair I braided two semi-loose plaits on each side.. I used satin covered sponge rollers to curl the ends..


Straightened my hair on low-heat... I was going to press my hair from the heat of the stove but chickened-out, I pressed my hair with a plug-in pressing comb on Med/Low.



After my hot shower my hair shrunk and I lost some of the sheen/silky look...




Day 2

Day 3 I'm channeling my inner 1980's chick...mushroom hairstyle!! LOL! It started as a joke, DH loved it so I wore it out like this. Groovy Dude.

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I enjoyed the "straight" look for the 3-4 days it lasted. LOL! My hair is a 4b so it takes more heat or a higher temp to get the pressed look I was going for. My hair can be resistant to heat but it was very soft and VERY manageable. I will proceed with more confidence next time. I had no idea how to straighten my natural hair because my hair has been permed my whole life. I didn't want to burn my hair off so I was super cautious this time with how much heat I put on my hair. After recently washing my hair my naps are back in full effect!! LOL! Does anyone recommend a flat iron that gets really hot with no damage? I love having options with my hair...I welcome all suggestions..