Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Natural Hair Recap [Months 1 - 6]


It's officially been 6 months since my Big Chop last August and I couldn't be more happy with my progress!! I'm still in the process of getting settled in ATL, so this update will be a quick pictorial... nonetheless, even in pictures the growth is apparent and amazing!



I get a lot of questions about the products I use to make my hair grow... honestly, I don't do anything special! I don't even twist the fro every night as I should... I just love and take care of my hair! I co-wash and deep condition weekly and I don't overwhelm my hair with products. Quarterly trims (it's about time for one now) and keeping my hair stretched and free through twist-outs may be contributing to the growth, but it's nothing I'm doing on purpose, I promise!

I've gotten a few updated regimen requests from my YouTube subbies, so I'll whip that up and post soon (:

Where are you on your natural hair journey? Comment below!

Friday, February 24, 2012

[OOTD]: Don't Sweat My Dress!


Happy Friday loves! I uploaded a little Outfit of The Day quickie to my YouTube channel last week and totally forgot to share with my blog readers! It's nothing much, just something I threw together and thought was kinda cute [; Hope you like!



Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Baby Let Mee [Update] Ya..

Hello my loves! I know it's been like forever since my last real post, and I must apologize to my faithful followers! I'm sorry I had to sacrifice some time and attention, but your girl is back and in full effect!! Hair is getting biig too [=


This little spur-of-the-moment hiatus of mine was not in vain... A lot has happened over the last couple of weeks that has placed me in a totally different lane in my life and I'm looking forward to this new journey that I've embarked upon.

Last Friday, February 17, 2012, marked my last day of employment. I am now 100% self-employed now and as frightening as that sounds, it is also quite liberating. I feel like the world is mine and now it's really up to me to go after what I want... no excuses! Now that I'm no longer wasting my time away at a desk in somebody else's office, I can fully focus my creative energies on PynkLayce, Naturally Mee, and my other endeavers. I've been like a kid ready to bust out of the classroom to get to recess!

So, yes - I've quit my job and I'm ready to skip lunch and head straight to recess. And I've decided to play in a totally different schoolyard... Atlanta, GA! I'm packing it up and heading to ATL to expand my horizons and my business there... March 1st, I'll be an official NOLA Peach [=

Words can't describe how happy I am about this transition I'm making in life... I've been wanting to move to Atlanta for the past year now, but I've surprised everyone (boss included) and just decided to snatch up the reigns on my life. I'd been working at the same job for the past 6 years, and although I've been truly blessed, I also know that God has more in store for me. Going to the same office, seeing the same negative people, doing the same things for 6 years of my life had become stagnant. Without being challenged constantly, I became lazy and absent-minded. I just didn't care about what I was doing and that showed in my performance these past few months... I had to make a change.

I found myself at a cross-roads - I could either stay working that monotonous job and living this stagnant lifestyle, or I could take a step out on faith toward my dream. Welp, I'm stepping out [=

I just ask that you keep me in your prayers... pray that I remain focused and favored! I'm doing this for all of my sistahs (and brothers, too!) out there who have a dream of a better life! Eff what America is feeding us, this can't be life! This WON'T be life... I have to show my daughter that in life, nobody gives you a chance. You gotta TAKE chances! No matter how it goes down, life goes on... and I'd rather have the upper hand on life and do things my way! With direction from & my faith in God, I know I'll succeed [=

Make the most of your day loves!

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

And the PynkLayce 'Be Mine' Giveaway Winners are...

Hey my loves! It's been weeks, I know smh - but the wait is ova [Rihanna voice].


This contest was a fairly easy one since there were only 2 successful entries this time around.

Congratulations to Natural Hair Latina and Queen! You lovely ladies each get a pair of the earrings you wanted as well as a discount on your next PynkLayce purchase!

Please send mail your mailing info to pynklayce@gmail.com by 11:59pm CST Wednesday, February 22, 2012 to claim your prize. Prizes will be shipped out on Thursday morning :)

Be on the lookout for more contests / giveaways soon...

Thursday, February 2, 2012

The PynkLayce ‘Be Mine’ Giveaway! [CLOSED]

Yep, yep… it’s giveaway time!! Today marks the 2nd day of the month of love and because I LOVE my followers sooo much, I’ve been secretly planning to give away a pair of PynkLayce earrings for quite some time now hehehee [=


If you follow me on Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube, I’m more than sure you’ve heard about my PynkLayce Accessories line. My passion is creating beautiful, custom jewelry pieces that SCREAM exclusivity without breaking your budget.


I have received so much love and support from the natural hair community that I feel compelled to give something back. Interested in entering super easy this giveaway? Here are the rules:

• You MUST be a registered member of this blog site… If you haven’t done so yet, be sure to hit the ‘Join This Site’ button at the top right corner to register.
• You MUST ‘Like’ the PynkLayce page on Facebook!
• You MUST follow the PynkLayce page on Twitter (don’t worry, I’ll follow back).
• Once all of the above is done, please leave a comment below (along with your FB and Twitter usernames) explaining which PynkLayce piece you would like to be yours and why. You will find more pictures and the names of available earrings through the Facebook, Twitter, or Etsy sites.
**Example: I’d love for the Fire and Desire Earlaces to Be Mine because they’re the perfect combination of my favorite fall colors! (Twitter:Mee_SoBadd, FB:MeeMahrii)

This isn’t required, but anyone who follows the giveaway rules above AND ALSO subscribes to my YouTube channel will receive 1 BONUS entry. .. this means you’ll be assigned 2 different numbers, which increases your odds at winning! Sweeeet.



Super easy right?! Please be sure to leave your Facebook and Twitter names as they’ll be my way of confirming that you’ve completed the required steps. Each person who completely follows through with the rules will be assigned a number and the winner will be chosen by a site that generates random numbers. What does this mean? You’ve got a GREAT chance of winning if you just follow those few simple rules.


This contest is now [OPEN] until 11:59pm CST Monday, February 13th. The winners will be announced here on my blog by 6:00pm CST Tuesday, February 14th. Be sure to check back on Valentine’s Day to see if you’re a winner!! [=

Monday, January 30, 2012

When the week[end]s...

Happy Monday my loves! I hope you all enjoyed your weekend as much as I did mine [=

I participated in my first art showcase at the Inner Recess Recording Studio here in New Orleans last Friday... I was sooo nervous; I really just didn't know what to expect! Now, don't get me wrong - I am confident in my jewelry line and the pieces I've created, but as an artist I am still sensitive about my shit [in my Erykah Badu voice lol].

Mee in my Fire and Desire feather earlaces [=

This was a new experience for me (as well as the hosts) considering the fact that the once-monthly Friday Night Mash events usually showcase still, visual art pieces like portraits and paintings. With PynkLayce being one of the featured artists this month, I was able to incorporate a sense of art in motion... free flowing pieces that held their own and definitely made a statement among the other artwork [:

Just a few pieces of PynkLayce [=

 
The ever-popular 'Phenom' Basketball Wives Inspired peacock feather earrings

Varied 'ButtonDown' fabric button earrings


One of my personal fav pieces, 'Lillies' (left) and 'Free Spirit' (right)


As you can see, PynkLayce was definitely in the building! There was a pretty decent crowd and I was able to snag a few sales, so I can check this event off as a success! It was great to get positive feedback from an audience I may have never reached had I not decided to participate in this show and for that alone, I am thankful [=

With my weekend starting off so great, I had no choice but to be motivated to continue striving to make my dreams a reality! So with that said, do something productive with this beautiful Monday! One of my co-workers sent me a message this morning that is just too appropriate for this post:

There are natural consequences that accompany every choice we make in life. Some opportunities inevitably pass us by, but we can take advantage of others. Many people feel powerless, but this is rarely the case--some opportunities just require a little thinking outside the box. Today, reflect on the doors you are opening in your world and which ones are closing. You have the power to create the life you want if you are willing to set goals and take steps toward them. Rarely does fulfilling our hopes and dreams happen overnight, but you can take one tiny move towards them each day.

Thoughts?

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Head Over [Heels].

OH. EM. GEE! I saw these shoes and damn near had a heart attack! I absolutely adore them [=

The Iris van Herpen X United Nude product is a glamorous ankle bootie with smooth round lines and golden leather detailing on the front and back of the shoe, with three-dimensional characteristics. Transparency, reflections and movements create the effect of visual estrangement. The construction of the shoe is so complicated and precise that each pair is 100% hand-made with the highest grade Italian calf Nappa available.


With an almost 6 inch heel, the shoe is a collab of designers Iris van Herpen and United Nude. It is currently available in black nappa with chains (pictured), as well as plain black, off-white, and tan nappa. Kyla Pratt rocked the chained daddies posing for pic with some of her Let's Stay Together crew mates.


I'd seen the pic a few weeks ago and FINALLY ran across the designer today on FBD. As much as I love these shoes, I couldn't see myself paying almost $1000 for em. A girl can dream though, right? [=

Happy Wednesday.


Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Bring that Bush Back!

Happy Tuesday my loves! I hope everyone is having a productive day... I fell asleep last night pondering new ideas for blog topics and woke up with the answer staring me directly in the face:


Yep, I did it again... another night of falling asleep without re-twisting my hair AND without Bonnie (my satin bonnet). I know I'm messing up big time and it's a slowly-forming habit I'm determined to break.

Anyway, of course I woke up to a flat, misshapen, wiry mess that I had to sprucen up with the quickness if I planned on making it to work on time (or at all). What did I do? I broke out the old faithfuls!


Coconut Oil
Taliah Waajid Curly Curl Creme
Water


I started by spritzing my hair with a little water... I didn't want to get it soaking wet; just a little damp to add some moisture. I then took a little cococut oil on my finger tips and massaged it through chunky sections of hair preparing to two-strand twist. After twisting each chunky section, I sealed the ends with Taliah Waajid Curly Curl Creme by twisting (twirling) around my index finger.


Once this process was done over my entire head, I tied my hair down with a silk scarf and continued on with my normal morning duties. I think it's important to highlight that I tied my hair tighly with a silk scarf, not my normal loose-fitting satin bonnet... it somehow makes a huge difference. Fast-forward about 30-45 min later and I'm pulling out of my drive way looking like this:




It's kinda hard to break the habit of sleeping without re-twisting my hair when I know I can get results like this in under an hour... It's just awesome! I've tried this method a few times using different product combinations and I think this just may be the perfect one. Using just a little bit of the Curly Curl Creme just to seal the ends of the twists really pays off in curl definition! I got so many compliments before I could even make it to my office this morning... not a bad way to start your day off huh? :)

With that being said, it's time to make this day work! Hope you make the best out of the rest of your day! Comments or tips? Leave 'em below!!


Friday, January 20, 2012

5 Month Natural Hair Update

Yep yep, it's update time! I'm actually like a week late and I didn't get a chance to shoot a video, but I couldn't let this month go by without dropping an update.

1.12.2012 marked the 5th month since my Big Chop and Mee & my fro have been through quite a lot... I'm talking more than just styles or products. It's like every day I'm falling deeper and deeper in love with my hair (and myself); even when it doesn't want to do what I want it to, I still totally DIG my hair. That's such a great feeling...

Alright, so let's get down to it. If you've seen any of my other natural hair updates, you know I usually do a comparison of progress... this time let's compare a Month 1 Wash and Go (left) to a Month 5 Wash and Go (right):


Crazy right? You probably can't tell because my hair was wet and shrunken when I took those pics, but it has grown a lot. If it wasn't my own hair I probably wouldn't believe that such growth has occured in less than 6 months... it's wonderful. You can really see the progress just by the new growth under the honey blonde color I did just before the BC.

I'm finding that the longer it gets, the more curly it is so even my blown-out stretched twist-outs have fallen victim to shrinkage. And if I thought I did before, I'm definitely having a problem keeping my hands out of my hair now more than ever [=


Thanks for growing with Mee my loves... I appreciate all the support I've received through your visits and comments here on the site, kinds words and Re-Tweets of my links on Twitter, purchasing my PynkLayce jewelry, or whatever you may have done in support of my endeavors. The natural hair community is a great community to be a part of [=

And if your natural (or considering taking the plunge), hang in there! It's challenging at times, but it's so worth it! I'm pretty sure you've heard that famous natural hair statement: my only regret is that I hadn't done it sooner [;

Happy Friday loves.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

My Flexi-rod #FAIL!

Hey loves! I know it's been a few days since my last post... I've been really sick and extremely tired since this past weekend. However, your girl is back :)

If you follow me on Twitter you probably saw me tweeting about my daughter's makeup-themed 4th birthday party and all we'd planned to do to celebrate 'Another Year of Fabulous'. I also announced an upcoming flexi-rod set tutorial... NOT gonna happen!

Well, not this week anyway. I'd planned on doing the trial run for my daughter's party last Saturday before recording the actual turorial on Sunday, but I knew I wouldn't like the results before I even took the rods out... I just wasn't feeling it. Now, I'm not sure if the fail was due to the amount of hair I sectioned, the product I used to set the hair on the rods, or the rods themselves. Either way, I don't think I'll be re-visiting this method any time soon =/

I achieved this look using 3 sizes of flexi-rods: Grey (large), Blue (med), Red (small); and Organic's Lock & Twist Gel.



Before she went to sleep that night, I could clearly tell the ends were going to be an issue; they were already unraveling... My baby was a great sport tho [=


I used different sized rods because I wanted the curls to have depth and get smaller in size towards the crown / front of her hair. That was sooooo NOT the case when I took them down... had I known this, I would have set her entire head of hair using the large rods to save myself some time and effort. Welp, you live and you learn [shrugs]. Here is the final result:




The curls were so small and tight, it gave the appearance that her hair isn't as full as it is and I really didn't like that at all. I did my best to separate the curls, but they just wanted to do their own thing so I let them. And although I didn't like the size of the curls, everything came together beautifully and my baby (and all of her friends) had a blast!

So what do you think... should I try it again or is this a lost cause? Wanna share some tips? Comment below!

Friday, January 13, 2012

[Inspiration]

Let me tell ya'll how I love EVERYTHING about this pic. From the hair down to the shoes... Lawwd the SHOES!! I don't know about you, but I feel pretty damn inspired right about now lol.

Happy Friday [=

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Head over [Heels].

I have fallen in loooove with these 5 1/2 in. wedges I spotted over at GoJane.com. The only reason I'm not posting a picture of me in them is because they've sold out in my size in both black and beige :(



I've really been checking the site for new stock like everyday lol... stalk much? Looks like the only chicks in luck are those who wear a 6 or 6 1/2. If anyone knows another site where these shoes are avaiable I'd appreciate the link! Hope you had a happy Wednesday [=

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

[OOTD]: Red Skirt.Cheetah Cardi.Ankle Boots

Another boring Tuesday at the place of employment, so you know what that means... today is an 'Outfit of the Day' day (= [click pics to enlarge]



The Deets.
 
.:Cheetah Print Cardigan ~ Victoria's Secret $20:.
 
 
.:Red Pencil Skirt ~ Forever XXI $12:.
 
 
.:Brown Ankle Booties: Rue 21 $30:.
 
 
.:Earrings: Abalone Shells purchased in Cozumel $15:.
 


I originally planned to wear my nude pumps with this outfit, but it's kinda rainy and nasty outside so I opted for the ankle boots instead. I've never worn them with a skirt before so I was a bit skeptical, but I really am pleased with the overall look! Tied a brown belt (AKA ribbon) around my waist to keep the cardi in place and voila! Hope you like (:

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