OOTN- Holiday Party

Seasons Greetings! 

It is the time of year where people gather together to enjoy the holiday season: Tacky Sweater parties, Holiday Dinner gatherings, and Tree Trimming parties are just some of the many events people like to enjoy around this time

Every year the company I work for hosts a Holiday party which is a perfect opportunity to catch up with employees that you don't get to see on a regular. Also doesn't hurt that there is free food and door prizes.

With this being an "event" I did attempt to get jazzy for the occasion. I strayed away from being Festive and went more towards being cute and comfy: 

yeah, creepy pic with my head cut off

Dress: Statement Making Letter Dress from Forever 21

Black Blazer: Torrid

Tights: Avenue

Boots: Citi Trends (had them for years)

Stretch Belt: Came with a dress purchased from Dots (years ago)

Earrings: Return Of the Curls wooden earring purchased this summer at a expo

Excuse the "Im over it" look on my face. I was sleepy at this point.

I really enjoyed this outfit as it pulls me out of my comfort zone of pants and slacks. I was comfortable and warm thanks to the tights and blazer. I'm in love with the dress because you can layer it or wear it by itself and considering this is a short sleeved dress, I'll be wearing it year 'round.


MERRY CHRISTMAS!
xoxo
Creatively Coiled

Pick 6 - Fall 2013

Hello November and Greetings to FALL! 
I know time is flying and Fall will be over before we know BUT I want go ahead and do my #Pick6 for Fall. This new addition to the blog will allow me to share items I'm loving on for the season. Some of the items I own...Others, I want. So let's jump into it:

Fashion - I'm obsessed with scarves and can wear them all year round (depending on the material). For me this is the perfect time if year to wear them because I have a lot of scarfs that fall under the category of
"Fashion over Function".  They're a nice statement piece for dark denim and plain tops or any outfit you feel they will suit. I recently purchased this sheer Leopard Scarf from Payless and I pair it with so many outfits to jazz them up.

Hair- Dry air...Protect the hair. I never get tired of my whipped Shea Butter ( <<< click the link for details) to help protect my hair during the colder months. Also works great to moisturize your body









Skin- An old classic that still works great for my skin is Ponds Cold Cream. My mother used it on me as a child and I am introducing it back into my skin care regimen.

Beauty- I'm choosing nail polish. When it comes to polishes, I'm in love with pinks of all shades but, I'll be moving into darker and richer colors for the fall. I've chosen "Jazz Hands" by Fresh Paint which can be found at Five Below. I was surprised as these are some decent polishes as far as quality. The coats aren't thin and it dries quick. Not to mention they're always on sale 3 for $5.00






Accessory - More items purchased from Payless: Flower/Fireball Trio earring set. I love stud earrings however, I'm slowly moving out of my comfort zone of all silver jewelry. These earrings are too cute and again, can be used to jazz up the simplest of outfits.




Random - A item that I'm adding to my wish list for this season are these two tone rider boots that can be found at Avenue. I was there last week looking for a dress and wondered into the shoe section. My eyes immediately gravitated to these cuties. I tried them on,walked around in them... Boxed them up and put them back on the shelf (sigh*) "I'll come back for you".



There you have it. My #Pick6 for Fall.

Tag! You're it Ms Naturally Random and Brand Nu Start and anyone else that wants to share! What are your favorite or must have items for this season?

11.12.13

Happy 11.12.13!

Today is a big deal to a lot of people as it is such a unique date in history. Browsing the Web you will see there is BIG talk of couples rushing down the isle to have this date be memorable for their wedding anniversary.

This day is also significant as it marks the 91st anniversary of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. (Happy Founders Day to my Lovely Sorors)

This day is certainly numerically pleasing and there is only one more unique date coming up in our lifetime; December 13, 2014 (12.13.14).
After this day another one will not roll around until January 2, 2103 (1.2.03)

Whatever it is you have planned on this day remember...

Make it a GREAT day,

Creatively Coiled

Eden BodyWorks - Review

In September I won some items from Eden BodyWorks Jojoba Monoi line. This line claims to "replenish and restore moisture to dry and brittle hair" all while improving hairs elasticity and balancing the hairs natural oils. 

The products received were:

• All Natural Moisturizing Shampoo
• All Natural Revitalizing Conditioner
• All Natural Deep Conditioner
• All Natural Hair Milk

Moisturizing Shampoo: Naturally formulated to cleanses hair from oil and dirt buildup. The shampoo has a regular consistency BUT lathered well the 1st time... which I was surprised by it being a all natural shampoo. I was cautious about using this because it also states that it leaves your hair with that "squeaky clean" feeling, and it did HOWEVER, my hair did not feel like straw after rinsing as other squeaky clean shampoos do, so I was impressed because my hair still felt moisturized.

Revitalizing Conditioner: Penetrates the hair from root to tip leaving it full of body and restores shine to dry hair and scalp. This product has OK slip and  I did notice after the rinsing my hair did have shine but [for me] there was no wow factor for this conditioner. 

Deep Conditioner: Replenishes hair strength and natural oil balance leaving you with stronger, healthier, and more manageable hair.  This conditioner is T H I C K.  It comes in a tub and you can literally turn the tub upside down with no worries of the product spilling. The thickness for me was a pro and a con. Pro: it coated my hair really well and once I rinsed it out, my hair felt really moisturized. Con: with the thickness it didn't give good slip for detangling so I fought with my hair and the product.

Hair Milk: Leave in conditioner that assist in restoring moisture to the hair without weighing it down. I was a bit bias about this product after the 1st use because I have somewhat thick coarse hair and heavy products are my thing. I use the product for a full week applying to my hair at the end of the day and re twisting before bed. It did leave my hair feeling soft at night but in the morning there was no real difference (maybe I have have extremely thirsty hair...I don't know). I do like it as a nighttime moisturizer but I've learned that along with the hair milk, I need to add oil.

***All Natural Pudding Souffle***: Reduces frizz, enhances textured styles, and provides a soft and shiny finish. This is a bonus product that I purchaed in July.  I did give this product the side eye at first because its a light weight formula but I must say that I'm sold on it. It gave a nice soft hold that last without me reapplying product at night to keep my definition. I went 3 days (which is good for me because I sleep like a child) before adding more product to my hair.

Overall, I like the line because its reasonably priced and natural (petroleum, mineral oil, sodium sulfate free). I'm not a Natural Nazis or anything but, I do try to lean more to natural products because my hair responds well to them. Along with the great prices these products can be found in Walgreens, Wal-Mart, and Kroger.

Other lines Eden BodyWorks has are:

• Coconut
• Peppermint

I'd consider buying the shampoo and souflee.

Check out their website for more information:  edenbodyworks.com

Thanks for reading!

 - CreativelyCoiled

My World

I ride through downtown Raleigh 5 days out of the week going to and from work and one day traffic was a little backed up so I took some of the side streets to get home. I went down South West Street and came across the Dillon Building. I had to get out of the car and snap a shot of this installation: 

This project began in September of 2012 by BEST (Beautifying Emerging Spaces Together) which is a group that "is transforming overlooked, vacant storefronts and spaces in downtown Raleigh..." into lovely works of art. The painting you see here is a train platform. 

#IHeartArt

Form more information on BEST and the their work  check out the links below: 

Raleigh Emerging Spaces

BEST on Facbook

FabEllis Soiree Mini-Haul

Saturday I was able to attend A FabEllis Soiree hosted by Ms FabEllis  (click click here to view information about the event) and walked away with some items:


The 1st 25 attendees received swags
bags with products samples from Eco-Styler,
Beautiful Textures, Organics Oyl, coupons,
a go green bag from Value Village Thrift Store,
and more.





There were lots of giveaways and
I was lucky to win the shampoo, conditioner,
deep conditioner, and hair milk from
Eden Body Works Jojoba Monoi line









I browsed the racks while at the event and
spotted a black Lane Bryant skirt.
That was scooped it up for only $7.99  (ow!)

A FabEllis Soiree

This past Saturday I had the pleasure of attending A FabEllis Soiree hosted by Ashley Ellis, also known as FabEllis. This event took place in Raleigh so I couldn't pass up a opportunity to attend this local event!

The event was held in downtown Raleigh at Cofre Consignment located at 224 Martin St. which i was super excited about because a new found love for me is thrifting and this would be my first time going to this shop. I was certainly pleased with the merchandise in the shop.

The soiree was excellent as it was packed with networking, shopping, fellowship, customize scented oil making, swag bags, and giveaways.

Check out both Ms FabEllis and Cofre Consignment at the links below: 

FabEllis 

Cofre Consignment

Castor Oil

...Its not just used as a laxative (lol).

My introduction to Castor oil was in the early 90's as my mother would keep a bottle in the refrigerator in case the family had "trouble going" . And at the time I hated it however, Castor oil has many other uses:

• Flavoring agent in food
• Pain reducer
• Immune system stimulant
• Used in hair and skin care products (shampoos, lipsticks, soaps and more)

(referenced from Mercola.com)

Castor oil is one of my favorite oils to use during the colder seasons due to its thick consistency. With the oil being so thick I utilize it better in my mixture which consists of the following oils:  

• Olive
• Jojoba
• Argan
• Almond
• Castor

This mixture is used for my hair and body.

Castor Oil alone can be used for a pre-poo, hot oil treatment, and simply as a scalp moisturizer. I have issues with dry scalp and applying this oil directly to my problem spots and massaging keeps dandruff and itchy scalp at bay. 

This oil also helps stimulate the scalp to promote hair growth, give shine, and when used on a regular, leaves your hair soft and easy to manage. 

There are different types of castor oil on the market. I use Home Health's Castor Oil (Cold Pressed, Cold Process) which can be found at Vitamin Shoppe.

So, has we roll into to the cooler part of the year take into consideration Castor Oil.  See if it works for you

-Creatively Coiled

Review

CharyJay, MsVaughnTV, WhoIsSugar, Backsyncfan... These are just some of the curly girls of Youtube that use these products and trust me...There are more. I've seen women use the Entwine Couture line and I was really impressed by their style results so of course, I wanted to check it out myself. 

Entwine Couture is product line that caters to Natural and Transitioning hair. It states to be a "highly functional, salon professional hair care and styling product" for many different curl types.  The company was incorporated in 2009 and since then, have received rave reviews from many naturals and transitioners in social media.

 I had to pleasure of attending a natural hair event in July and Entwine was one of the vendors. Again, I've heard so many good things and wanted to try it out myself to see if the hype was real.
The 3 product I purchased were:

• Butter Creme Hydrator
• Creme Jelle Styler
• Afrodisia 9

Exotique Butter Creme Hydrator  - A hydrating creme that helps promote hair growth, reduces breakage and frizz and can be used as a heat protectant. I have a tough time keeping my hair and scalp moisturized so I'm definitely looking for a product that I don't have to reapply every day. This is a good item to have in your arsenal as it kept my hair feeling soft and moisturized for about 4 days before adding more product.

Creme Jelle Styler -  known as "The Manipulator", this product helps improve style definition. This is the truth. I've tried a lot of gels, puddings, and curl cremes and this is one of the best. The product is light weight, adds shine, and leaves twist/braid outs with great definition. I love that it doesn't leave my hair feeling sticky, greasy, or crunchy after application. This product not only gives a nice soft hold BUT I've noticed that my twist/braid outs stay elongated throughout the day in comparison to others I've used.

Afrodisia 9 - This is new addition to the Entwine family. This leave in conditioner claims to revitalize dry hair instantly and combat shrinkage. First thing I noticed is the formula is runny (like V05 conditioner) and comes with a pump (like lotion) BUT it works wonders! Along with keeping my hair moisturized, I'm terrible when it comes to taking care of it.  I'll shampoo, skip deep conditioning, slap on a leave in with some oil and leave it at that until I'm ready to style.
I recently shampooed my hair and again, skipped deep conditioning AND I let my hair air dry with NO product because I was tending to something else and simply forgot (O.O). Needless to say I had a tangled mess on my hands. I went ahead and cracked this product opened and applied it to a section and was immediately able to finger detangle my hair with ease. Afrodisia 9 has great slip, helped me with the abuse I put on my hair, and left it feeling delicious (lol).

Results from using Afrodisia 9 and the Creme Jelle Styler.
My hair still had definition at the end of the day.

I really like this line and as of right now this is the 1st (of what I consider) High End Product I've purchased. They are pricey but considering the results I'll pay. Definitely sticking with the Afrodisia 9 and the Creme Jelle Styler.

Check out Entwine Couture for products and how to guides on styling:
http://www.entwinecouture.com/

Anniversary

I realized that my"Nappyversary" has come and gone. July 2nd marked 3 years of me being chemical (relaxer) free. I must say that I'm loving every moment it!

I know every curly girl doesn't have the same story. For me, I was fed up with the results I was getting when relaxing my hair. For more information Click Here to view year 2.

This past year has been mostly experimenting with styles like top knots, braid outs, twist outs, flat twist , and Marley hair.  I've also tested different products to see what works for me and what doesn't. I do however have certain products that are the core of my hair care routine and I do not stray however, I do try different curly puddings.

Length check? Nah. I'm not too pressed about how long it gets. I'm just enjoying the ride. there is clearly a length difference between this time last year and now and with the length I am itching to do something extreme like shave the sides or get a wild color BUT I'm going to hold off... For now.

My World

We all know there are terrible things in this world like natural disasters, famine, and war, just to name a few. And I'm sure we are all guilty of not appreciating the little things in life. The"My World" posts will be a way of letting you into just that, my world, and introducing you to the the beautiful, crazy, hilarious, and sublime things I get a chance to see. 

Photographed by my sister LSH. Edited by Creatively Coiled

With that being said, the first look into #MyWorld comes from a recent visit to the parentals (mom and dad) while on my vacation/staycation. My sister and I have a love for Sheetz...yes, the gas station. We took time out of our errand running to swing by and pick up a slush. On our way out we noticed this very classy car. At that time all I knew was that is was a Jaguar. But thanks to a Google Image search and a web search I found out this is a Jaguar MK2 (Mark II). This model was made between 1959 and 1957.

For more random pics from #MyWorld, follow me on Instagram @ms_creativity.

Operation No Buy Update

 ...UPDATE!

If you read my last post you'll find that I did end up purchasing some products from the Curls Gone Wild event in Greensboro. HOWEVER, before you boo and hiss, Operation No Buy is still in full effect. I'm happy to report that I went 5 weeks without the purchase of products. This includes lotions, fragrances, and hair products. I've put a pretty good dent in my collection. Along with using up what I already had at the house, I've gave away majority of the free products that I received from the Expo to friends and family.

And with that being said I'm still on a mission to get rid of as many products as possible. 

#OperationNoBuy

Curls Gone Wild Haul

While At the Curls Gone Wild event on July 13th I was able to pick up a few items and wanted to share my mini haul.

The 1st 1.000 people received Swag Bags (yay!) that contained full size Curl Max shampoo, conditioner, and African Pride's Olive Oil leave in conditioner. There were also sample packs of Eden Body Works, Curls, African Pride, and 4 Naturals.

I did partake in a little retail therapy and purchased a few items: 

• A pair of gold and navy anchor earrings and a pair of silver knot earrings from September Jewel. 
• A pair of wooden hoop earrings (I unfortunately can't find the business card of the vendor but when found I'll post it in the comments box). Lastly a pair of Wooden "Return Of The Curls" earrings that were sold by the organizer of the even Keenya Kelly. 
• I also purchased some hair products from the Entwine Couture Table: Creme Jelle Styler, the Butter Creme Hydrator, and  new addition Afrodisia 9.

Curls Gone Wild 2013

I had the pleasure of joining Ms.Naturally Random on a trip to Greensboro, NC for the Curls Gone Wild Natural Hair Expo event on July 13th.  The event was to showcase all areas of beauty whether it be hair, makeup, or fashion. It was an awesome event and I am glad that I was able to attend.

Vendors covering every area of beauty were in attendance. From Eden Body Works, Entwine Couture to Clinique, many jewelry/accessory booths, and style demonstrations.

Along with vendors there were panel discussions that covered vlogging and blogging, head wraps and the different wrapping techniques, how to dress to flatter your figure, men and their views on natural hair, and how to maintain healthy hair and scalp.

It was a awesome experience. I was able to to meet and talk with some YouTube vloggers and web bloggers such as Fabellis, and The Trendy Socialite. And there was a special appearance by the Author of Better Than Good Hair Curly Nikki.

If you're in Louisville, KY get your ticket for the Curls Gone Wild event as it will be there September 14th. 

I'll certainly be in attendance next year if the Expo comes back to North Carolina and hope to see you there!

DIY

"Boo Thang" and I purchased a new bed and are now attempting to decorate our bedroom. If you have ever been our house or you are a follower of my blog you know that I love to make my own wall art. So it is not a surprise that I would look for a DIY art project for our bedroom.
I was on Pinterest and came across a pin that showed an assortment of DIY home decor projects for any room and I  immediately repinned it when I saw a DIY for fabric wall panels:

The post on Pinterest was done with [what I believe was] canvas so it would sit off the wall.
I recreated this using foam poster board.

Items you will need:

• 2 foam poster boards
• At least 1 yard of each fabric (of your choice)
• Glue gun (and glue sticks)
• Ruler
• Box Cutter
• Scissors
• Iron

*And some assistance if needed. My sister helped me*

I purchased 2 poster boards in order to make 3 panels. Both poster were cut in half  using a knife (had to improvise because I have no clue of where my box cutter is *whomp whomp*). Each panel measures 15x20 inches.  The sections didn't come out clean cut but once you wrap them you wont notice the rough edges. 

Once your panels are cut you can start wrapping them in fabric. However, I'm one for attempting to utilize and item as many times as I can so I took the width of the ruler and traced it around the perimeter of the panel to  turn it into a frame (so the insides can be used for another project.

Once you have cut the panels to your preference, you can begin wrapping. Our fabric measures 22x23 inches the extra inches around the perimeter of the frame help with stretching the fabric around the frame for a smoother finish when it is time to glue. There is not a special technique when it comes to gluing. Take your hot glue gun and run a line of glue along the edge of the frame and then apply the fabric.

Once you have finished applying your fabric to the panel you can then hang them. With the panel being cut out like a frame you can use nails, push pins, or  double sided tape to mount the on the wall. 

And there you have it! We spaced our panels out with the intention of adding something between the panels (perhaps another DIY project). Happy Crafting!

Operation No Buy

Just a sample of some of the hair products I now own.

Curl pudding, Gel, Oil, Pomade, Shampoo, Perfume, Body oil/spray, and other products. I'm sure a lot of us have a nice collection where we own more than one of the same item (ie: two curl puddings that are made by different companies). I noticed that I've slowly accumulated more and more products and I'm not sure when this happened. Anything from sample size products to Full sized (either purchased or gifted) items have slowly taken over my small vanity...And the floor space next to it.

Over the past 5 years or so I have been able to keep a cap on my somewhat compulsive shopping habit. You know what I mean: You go shopping and end up buying a bunch of other stuff that was not originally on your shopping list. But you buy it because it was on sale or just because you wanted to try it.  Learning to really evaluate if I actually need an item or not has helped me out a lot. That and the fact that bills are more of a priority.

Since I am now the owner of all these lovely items the game plan is to use them. Seems simple enough right? Well,while using said products I plan to be on Operation No Buy. For me this means no other products will be purchased until I have successfully finished what I already have *bites lip*.  I know I can do it but the truth is...THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER ITEMS I WANT TO TRY. But I'm going to practice restraint and see if I can complete this. 

While on my No Buy mission,  for every week I complete I'll reward myself an extra $5.00 that will go in what I call my "Petty Cash" [Thanks to my little sister for this idea!]. Soooo, once I am done I'll have a since of accomplishment and [hopefully] a nice amount of pocket change...To re-up *smiles*

JOIN ME!

DIY

Hello and HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

Sending positive energy up for everyone in 2013. 

So, I have this easy DIY project for cute pom pom earrings. I created these earrings from a hair bow purchased from Old Navy. I'm not a fan of hair bows but immediately thought of an alternative use when I spotted this piece.

What you'll need:

• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Earring post and backings (I purchased a bag from AC Moore for less than $4)
• Hair bow

Simple enough right?

The pom pom hair bows at Old Navy are pieced together by felt and hot glued to the the hair clip/clamp. Majority of the bows I've seen there have two pieces to them, so you will end up with two earrings (not to mention I caught this one on sale for $2.99 yay!)

You will carefully remove the bow by pulling the felt piece that holds it together from the clamp. If you fear tearing the felt, take the tip of your hot glue gun (while it is hot) and run it between the felt and metal of the clamp. This will reheat the glue that was already applied to make for   easier removal.        

Once you have removed the bows from the clamp, you can mount your post. You can choose to place your post either in the center of the bow or on the edges. I chose the edges so the fabric doesn't tickle the ear as much...Don't judge me :).

...There you have it.... A fabulous pair of pom pom earrings.

ENJOY!