Feelin' Myself

Hey Lovelies! I have definitely been MIA for a while. Lately, I have been contemplating continuing the blog or just making it outfit and hair posts only. Between two jobs, unforseen financial issues (just in time for X-Mas...geeez), and love troubles my plate has been overflowing. Yet, somehow, I still have time to look pretty. :-) This hair style started out as a super-defined bantu knot-out on lightly flat-ironed hair, but ended up as a poofy super fro due to the insane humidity that morning. It actually GREW as the day went on, but I dug it nonetheless.

Observe:



If it look like I am feelin' myself, it's cuz it's true!

Have a great week and Happy Holidays!!

As if I haven't been doing it already...

...I need a little break! I am taking this break time to refresh and become inspired again as I work A LOT these days and have little time to myself to actually become inspired. :-p

I will be back next week with updates, pics, and maybe even my first GIVEAWAY ever! I love a good giveaway and have won quite a few to make me a believer. I can't wait to spread the love!

I see you new followers! Check out some of my favorite posts from waaay back when:

Yummy Homemade Facial Treatments (still using and loving these!)

Ready, Set,Go (rollersetting)

Prepping for Crockpot Week (crockpot recipes)

Creamy Dreamy Hair Treatments

Show and Tell: Divine Inspiration (ladies who inspire me)

A snapshot at my third attempt at a flat twist-out on a roller set:



Ignore my husband's Harley in the back. I've been trying to get him to fix it up or get it out but he just won't listen!

Enjoy your weekend!

Fried rice and everything nice

Hey, I'm back! *waves*

Earlier this week, I made this amazingly delicious fried rice for my hubby and he ate it like a caveman. I think that he might have even had trouble breathing because he was eating it so fast. I took that as a good sign that I had done something right and I gave myself a good pat on the back for a job well done. I can't lie. The "pat on the back" was actually a snickers bar, but I digress. Onto the recipe! I got this yummy concoction from allrecipes.com:

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups uncooked white rice
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 cup small shrimp - peeled and deveined
1/2 cup diced ham
1 cup chopped cooked chicken breast
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots - peeled and diced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup green peas
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup soy sauce

Directions
Cook rice according to package directions. While rice is cooking, heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in sesame oil and stir in onion. Fry until golden, then add garlic. When garlic is lightly browned, mix in shrimp, ham, and chicken. Fry until shrimp is pink.

Lower heat to medium and stir in celery, carrot, green pepper, and peas. Fry until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in beaten egg and cook just until egg is scrambled and firm.

When rice is done, mix thoroughly with vegetables and stir in soy sauce. Adjust seasoning to your preference and serve immediately.

I really used this recipe as the base for my house fried rice. I used what I had in my refrigerator (spinach, ground beef from leftover tacos, shrimp, onion, carrots, garlic). I know that the taco meat may throw off some, but it really turned out to be HELLA good with all of the other ingredients. The celery, ham, and peas were not invited this time. I also reduced the amount of soy sauce to 1/5 cup. Next time I will make a veggie fried rice with chopped asparagus for a really nice crunch.

In other news, I went thrifting today and found a big bag of goodies for under $25 bucks. Here are some of the goods:

Wallet - $0.90
Vintage serving tray - $0.69
Swirly bowl - $0.49
Skinny faux aligator belt -$0.99
Oscar de la Renta silk scarf - $0.99
Brand new 80's sunglasses - $7
Cork wedges - $2

All items were purchased at Thrift Town in El Sobrante, CA.

I spent more on the sunglasses than I did anything else! I also found a pair of capris, a bustier , a plaid skirt from the 60's , a cute-comfy knit shirt, all of which are in the wash as we speak. There is a God!

Have a great weekend!

P.S. Remember to have at least three gut-busting laughs this weekend. Laughter (and sex...and chocolate) is medicine!

Creamy Thursday

Lemme just start by saying that my husband's fam is THA BOMB as they must've read my mind. Yesterday, to my pleasant surprise, a greeting card came in the mail along with...wait for it...a $100 gift card for Wal-Mart! That's right. A hundred bucks!
Now that may not be all that much to some folks, but for my broke ass it saved the week! I jumped in my hood-mobile and jetted as fast as I could to the nearest 'Mart' for a mini spree. Among the many, many rows of merchandise I found this little gem:



Let's just say I went a little crazy today and started to get inspired. o_O

First Inspiration? Hair of course! I whipped up a hair mask with some yummy ingredients:
*1/2 box of Kara Coconut Cream
*1 container of banana baby food
*2 tbsp of honey
*1 tsp of grapeseed oil
*2 tbsp of Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Conditioner (to thicken)
*1/2 tsp of hibiscus powder
*1/2 tsp of brahmi powder

This concoction is sitting on my head as we speak. My scalp feels soothed and tingly. I can't wait to see how my hair looks!

Second Inspiration? My morning coffee! Since I wanted to damn near eat the mixture I put on my head, I thought, why not put some of this yumminess into my coffee? This mixture is soooo good if you love a little coconut flavor with your coffee. The taste is very mild and adds a dairy-free richness that is divine. I encourage you to try this with your next cup of coffee for a little
extra treat to your morning.

Third Inspiration? Fashion! I really, really want to flaunt at least one of these coconut-inspired numbers this summer. Let the clothes speak for themselves:






















This is too cute. I adore this flowy, creamy dress from Lulu's. It looks like it would be so soft and romantic. Available at www.lulus.com.























I love this 1960's cream-colored wiggle dress by FemaleHysteria at Etsy. It is a knit dress so I know my curves will be nicely accentuated. Sexy!
This can be found at http://www.etsy.com/listing/63270816/1960s-beaded-cream-knit-wiggle-dress.



These brown and cream espadrilles by Prada are reaaaalllly cute. They look comfy too, which is always a plus when you are tryna maintain your sexy.

Ahhh there's the sunshine! As I write this I am drinking my coconut coffee with coconut mask running down the side of my face. The sun finally came out, I'm happy as hell, and I know it's gonna be a good day.

Happy Thursday!xx

Recipes: Crockpot Whole Italian Chicken

I am so proud of myself! I made a freakin' delicious crock pot chicken last night and I just had to share the recipe with you all. My camera is broken, so no pics. Sorry! Besides, between my husband and myself there wasn't much to photograph cuz we were little piggies last night. Soo..dust off your biggest crock pot and pay attention!

Things that you will need:

*1 3-5 lb WHOLE chicken
*1/4 cup of italian dressing
*one medium sliced onion
*8-10 cloves of garlic (chopped in half)
1/2 cup of mushrooms
1/2 cup of carrots
1 can of italian diced tomatoes
1 bunch of basil
*no-salt seasoning or poultry seasoning
*Salt
*Pepper
*2 tbsp of butter
*1-2 tbsp of olive oil




1. Start by washing the chicken inside and out. Remove the giblets and throw them away(or fry them up for a southern treat).

2. After patting the skin with a paper towel, liberally salt the chicken inside and out. Season the bird with the no-salt seasoning, olive oil, and pepper.

3. Place the bird in the crock pot. Stuff the cavity of the bird with the garlic, washed basil, and half of the onions.

4. Surround the bird with the mushrooms, diced tomatoes, carrots, and remaining onions. Pour the italian dressing on top of the bird and veggies.

5. Finish the bird with an additional small dash of salt and pepper if desired.

6. Cook chicken on high for 2 hours and low for 6-7 hours. Or you can cook it on low for 8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours depending on the size of the bird.

7. Enjoy with some white rice, potatoes, pasta, or alone!

Tips: Crock pot chicken leftovers make great great meals for the rest of the week. Try chicken burritos, chicken sandwiches, or just about any other meal you can think of!

Happy Wednesday!

Creamy Dreamy Hair Treatments

Hey divas!

If you like to style your hair frequently, your tresses probably crave some much needed TLC. Hairsprays, bobby pins, teasing, braiding, curling, setting...these hair helpers can all wreak havoc if over-abused. Below, I have listed some of my favorite hair masque creations to add some va-va-voom to your locks. These can be used as pre-shampoo treatments (left on for 15 min.) or deep conditioners (left on for 45 min. to an hour).

The Green Banana - For super dry hair
2-4 tbsp hempseed oil (ceramides, smoothing, shine)
1 container of banana baby food (Thanks Hell's Notes! Bananas add moisture and shine)
1 tbsp of honey (moisturizing, nourishing, adds shine)

Cinnamon Sugar Cookie - For dry, slow-growing hair
1/4 cup of your favorite cheapie moisturizing conditioner (V05, Suave, etc)
1/4 tsp of cinnamon (lightening, stimulating)
4 tbsp of whipping cream (softens, strengthens)
2 tbsp almond oil (moisturizing, emollient)
1 tbsp of honey
*Please do a skin patch test, as some are sensitive to cinnamon



Rosemary Coconut Creme - For dull hair and itchy scalp
1/2 can of coconut milk (smoothing, adds manageability & strength)
1/4 cup of Suave Naturals Coconut Conditioner (oldie but goodie)
2 tbsp of coconut oil (shine, nourishing, softening)
5-10 drops of rosemary essential oil (excellent for hair growth)

Sour Power - For oily hair and scalp exfoliation
1/2 can of coconut milk
Lemon juice from 1 large lemon (gets rid of excess oil, tones scalp)
1 tbsp of olive oil (moisturizing, nourishing)
*This recipe may loosen curl pattern



Everything you need can be found at your local grocery or health food store. Do you have any hair mask recipes that rock your world? Do tell!

Yummy Homemade Facial Treatments

As spring approaches, I am definitely focusing more on my skin. As should you!
Valentine's day is creepin' up on us and most of us want that flawless glow to set our lover's heart a-flutter. Here are some all-natural treatments that you can try at home to treat your skin.


A drop of grapeseed oil + drop of aloe vera gel = a great balancing facial serum for irritated skin. The grapeseed oil tones and evens the skin while the aloe vera gel moisturizes and soothes.


A drop of coconut oil + drop of honey + a dot of amla powder = A wonderfully nourishing facial scrub that softens and brightens the skin. Wet skin first, and apply the scrub in gentle, circular motions, then rinse with warm water. You may also leave this on the skin for 5-10 minutes as a masque.


A dot of shea butter + a dot of olive oil = A fabulous night time moisturizer that reduces fine lines and wrinkles while keeping skin supple and hydrated throughout the night. I like to use this around my eyes to keep laugh lines at bay.


A dot of brown sugar + a dot of almond oil = A lip scrub to die for! Apply to scrub to dry lips and scrub gently in a circular motion for 1 minute. Rinse with warm water and blot excess water with a soft cloth. Use your favorite lip balm to seal the moisture in. I like to use this before I know I am gonna be lovey-dovey with my fiance. Works every time!

All of the ingredients mentioned above can be purchased at your local grocery store. The amla powder can be purchased online at ayurnaturalbeauty.com or at your local Indian grocery store.

Happy Monday!