Pick 6| Fall 2017

Better late than never right? Winter is basically over (not that mother nature got word of it) and I'm ready for Spring to ... spring. But before we move on, let's dive into some of the items from Fall that left a good impression on me.

Hair| Cantu for kids leave in condition
Button's hair loves moisture, as most of our tresses do. I've decided to revisit a product that I hadn't used since my college years. Her hair of course love water but with this product, her curls P-O-P.






Fashion| Denim Tops
I spent Fall dressing what I considered to be comfy cute. Thanks to my denim tops, I've been able to easily throw together an outfit and still be comfortable as I transition from day to night. I love Ava & Viv's denim tunics and button downs as they are long, loose and easy to iron. I wear them with dress slacks, leggings or skinny jeans.

Beauty & Skin| Kemi Organics Oyl
I was introduced to Kemi Oyl via an event's swag bag few years back and honestly forgot about it. I rediscovered it right before the start of Fall and started incorporating it in my hair and body oil mix. This oil blend mixed with what I normally use leaves my hair soft before I even add a cream conditioner. Not to mention, the fragrance is wonderful.




Accessories| Hematite Ring
I've been researching energy crystals/stones, their properties and benefits for a while and this Fall, added a hematite ring to my arsenal. Hematite is a stone that has been known to convert negative vibes/energy into positive vibes as well has help calm people during stressful moments. 
I have relied on this ring almost as much as my worry stone during times of anxiety and keep it close by for meditation. It now isn't so much an accessories but a necessity.





Random| Sweet Potatoes
I know I'm not to the only one that associates sweet potato with Fall. In all actuality, I eat them year round but this Fall I cranked it up and enjoyed many meat free meals that consisted of a sweet potato mash, spinach and basmati rice. They played savory role in my meals seasoning them with salt, pepper and garlic.




Share with me! What have been your recent faves? 

Pick 6 | Fall 2015

Happy [S]Winter to all the folks that live in NC and anywhere else that is experiencing warmer than usual weather. Side Note: I saw someone riding their dirt bike in nothing but shorts on CHRISTMAS DAY...no shoes, tank top...just shorts. Just wanted to share that.
Any-who, the warm weather has thrown me completely off and I realized that I hadn't posted my Pick 6 for Fall.

Hair | Shea Moisture Hair Color system
FINALLY was able to get my hands on a box of it and someone may be wondering "Why is she just getting is considering it has been out for a while?": I prefer to get my products on the ground and was not able to find this item in store for a while. I actually found it in Vance Co. at one of the beauty supply stores. 
I colored my hair a while back and as it grew out it began to get brighter and brighter and I was over it. Wanted to color it again however, wanted to try Shea Moisture's system to see how it worked: 

• Comes with Raw Shea Butter shampoo, conditioner and oil (samples)
• Fast acting system (color took quickly to my tresses)
• Smelled good (unlike other colors I have used)   

   I decided to go Jet Black to cancel out the previous color

*I am team Shea Moisture so as always, no complaints with their product*

Fashion | Sweaters
Again, weather really hasn't permitted me to wear a lot of layers BUT, I have taken advantage of the cooler days to rock my sweaters. My favorite would have to be my soft pink and grey leopard print sweater from Torrid (purchased last year). Love it!






Beauty | L.A. Girl PRO Conceal
This item can be found in some beauty supply stores and at a decent price. I use their concealer when doing my brows (which I am just getting back on). It blends well with my complexion. I have been using this for more than a year now and enjoy it.

Skin | Cocoa Butter Stick
Still rocking with it to help fade hyper pigmentation on my face from scaring. Butter stick of choice is Cococare (found at my go to beauty supply store).








Accessories | Faux Frames (glasses)
This has been a trend for a while and I finally found some really nice slight cat-eyed frames and have been rocking for a while now. I was actually wearing them a bit in the summer but the past few months I have rocked them as if they are real...Like seriously: walk out the door for work and come back in the house to grab them like is was a MUST (mainly because I was not doing my brows and thought I was disguising it). 

Random | 719 Walnut Avenue Candle (Mahogany Driftwood)
I enjoy watching shopping hauls on YT and The Bronze Goddess picked up this large almost Bath & Body Works-ish candle that she said came from Walmart. Figured I would give it a go since it would of course be cheaper than B&BW. 
I will say the first day I burned this candle I was disappointed because it wasn't as fragrant as she proclaimed however, after the first burn it lit up the house...Very impressed and will be buying more.


What items have you enjoyed this Fall? 

Pick 6 | Summer 2015

Well hello and welcome to Fall. This season came in with cold rain and wind from Hurricane Joaquin. It is really making me look back on the past weeks of warm weather. With that being said, lets jump into my...

Hair | Entwine Couture Exotique Butter-Creme Hydrator
No major changes with hair this summer as I'm still rocking with the Butter-Creme Hydrator from this past spring until it is all gone. I can apply the hydrator to my hair WITHOUT spritzing with water and my hair feels soft and rejuvenated.

Fashion | Tank tops
For years I wasn't a sleeveless gal because of the amount of fat on my triceps. It makes it hard to find blazers and/or blouses that fit properly so, I hid under tops that actually fit. This summer, I have thrown all that out of the window because... It is too hot to hide. Now, that doesn't mean I'm wearing halter tops but I have been in and out of Target buying tank tops. I like the Ava & Viv tanks and have them in grey, aqua, burgundy and black.




Beauty | Couture Couture by Juicy Couture
While this fragrance has been around for a while, I was introduced to it in December of last year. The top notes are citrus based (mandarin oranges and grace fruit) which for me fit perfect as a refreshing summer fragrance. I've really been observing the packaging of items and this bottle is very cute.


Skin | Water
I have shared water has being one of my Pick 6 in Spring  2014 when it came to hair. It has definitely helped me this summer in keeping my skin clear of breakouts. I fell off horribly and have been enjoying juice and SODA (yikes).



Accessories | My wedding ring
For a few months I hadn't been able to wear my full set due to *clears throat* fat[ter] fingers (lol). I have finally been able to wear them now and didn't realize how much I missed them. Sir upgraded me this past Christmas after he saw me [online] window shopping. (Sorry, I'm not giving details on where it came from).



Random | knee highs 
Now you are probably wondering "is she seriously TALKING about rocking knee highs... And in the SUMMER of all seasons?!" Yes I am, BUT... not the way they were intended; with me still rocking the undercut, a puff is my signature hairstyle however, I know it puts stress on my hair. To make it a little easier to wear and put less tension on my hair, I use a knee high in place of a ponytail holder; It gives me the ability to adjust it as loose or as tight as I want unlike a ponytail holder.
I simply tie the knee high around my hair and carefully pull it until I have the desired height and tension.

What items did you enjoy this summer?

Guess Who's Back?

Having a larger figure than the average person means there are limited choices as far as clothing stores with trendy items that are reasonably priced. So when I find a store I stick with it.

Unfortunately, in the later part of last year, a store that I would frequent for cute and simple items announced they were closing down HOWEVER, this past Saturday I received the following email:

Is this a cruel joke?: Sending me an email to a store that [last I checked] was long gone.

So, I followed the link and realized that there is an online ordering option. To verify, I did a Google search for news and discovered that dots was bought by a company in Florida that decided to give the chain another chance. Along with this, some of the store locations would reopen. 

(Source: crainscleveland.com)

So yes, dots is back and the location in Garner, NC has re-opened. I took the time to swing through to take a look at things and while speaking with a sales rep was informed that the store has been opened since January 30th.

Were you a dots shopper? If so what items do you enjoy?

Pick 6 - Fall

Seasons Greetings! 
We're officially in Winter and 'Tis The Season for shopping, family, and recapping on what has transpired this year BUT, before we move forward  I'd like to share some of my favorite items from Fall. So...

L E T S   G E T   S T A R T E D !  

Hair - Simple protective styles. It honestly took  me a while to go back to basics with my hair. Understanding that protective styles do not always have be complicated (ie: small flat twist, mini twist...styles that take more that 20mins to get together). With my new cut I have been wearing my hair out a lot but when I'm not in the mood to deal with it, I pin my hair in a simple pompadour and rock it out for a few days. So easy to do and it helps me keep my hair stretched.





Fashion - Cardigans and Sweaters. What more must I say? This is a timeless piece in any persons
wardrobe.  You can dress them up or down and they are great for layering. Not to mention they can be found EVERYWHERE. I'm particularly loving Merona's cowl neck sweaters at Target (purchased in both gray and black).




Beauty - NYX Setting Spray, Matte. I figured I would take a chance on trying this spray to help with setting my eyebrows. I've been filling in my brows for a while now and SHOULD be use to the fact that there is makeup on my face but I still have a habit of touching my face and then the desk at work and papers, thus leaving brown makeup streaks everywhere. NYX setting spray actually helps combat this. I will say that I wish it kept my face with the matte finish but I think its just my skin. Again, does the job at keeping the makeup on  my face and off my fingers so, thumbs up.






Skin - Sugar Scrubs. when the colder weather hits I slack off one task...SHAVING MY LEGS. Luckily my legs aren't that hairy so it isn't a big deal. To replace  this chore I do a nice full body scrub once a week to keep my skin feeling smooth in the colder months.
There are 2 scrubs that I enjoy: 1st is Shea Moisture Superfruit Complex scrub (still loving on this product from my Spring Pick 6). The 2nd scrub is Tree Huts Pomegranate Acai scrub. Both smell awesome and while it would be easy to make my own scrubs... I can't duplicate the fragrances.



Accessories - Gold! Over the past year, I have been buying more gold accessories lately to mix it up. Particularly loving my gold boyfriend watch from Charming Charlies, and my large button style gold earrings from Aldo.




Random -  iSound Twist Wireless Speaker. This rechargeable speaker has a long battery life and the sound quality is great considering the size of the speaker. It's also easy to pair it to your device(s). I take it around the apartment with me while cleaning when I need to keep my phone on the charger. I also bring it in the bathroom  for shower time when pretending I'm a singer ('cause you know, everyone sounds great singing in the bathroom).

What items have you enjoyed this Fall?

- creatively coiled

OOTD - Wedding Day

August 27th Marks the 2 month Wedding Anniversary for "Boo Thang" and I. We had a very small ceremony with our parents, grandparents, and siblings at the J.O.P. (Justice Of Peace).

The initial game plan was that we were not going to go all out (dress up and whatnot). But after talking with our friends and family, we decided to help make the day extra special, we would dress up a bit.




I knew for a fact that I was not going to spend a lot of money on a dress. So the hunt was on to look for a nice, simple, and cheap dress that could be re-purposed.





Dress:        "Something New" Lace V-                                 Hemline Skater Dress (Torrid)

Shoes:       Re-purposed from a friends                                wedding (Payless)
Pearls:      "Something Borrowed" (from                          my Sister)
Earrings: "Something Old" Pearl with gold                        trim (from Mother)
                     "Something Blue" stud earrings                        (gifted)

Thank you to all that gave us the side eye when I explained that we had not planned on dressing up because "We're just going to the Court House". I really was not that pressed about getting jazzy but it makes SO MUCH SENSE now looking back because we have photos...Decent photos to commemorate our day. I honestly have no clue WHAT we were thinking. Now before you all say "what the heck were you going to wear?" let me explain: I joked with a lot of people saying we were going to wake up and throw on some sweats then head to the J.O.P. That was so not true...But I was going to wear some dress pants/slacks, a nice top, and some flats and leave it at that. This was a much better alternative.





- Creatively Coiled

Random OOTD

Hey Hey!

I have been out a about just a tiny bit lately and it forced me to put on clothes to blend in with society. I was feeling myself so decided to snap some pictures to show my random Outfit Of The Day (OOTD).

For Mother's Day my sister and I took a trip home to surprise mommy with gifts and dinner:

Top: Hi-Lo chiffon button down - Torrid

Pants: Liz Claiborne denim ankle pants - JCPenny

Shoes: Tribal print flats - Torrid

Very comfortable outfit considering we spent a nice amount if time outside on Mommy's Day and it was rather warm. The top is sheer so my body was able to breath and stay cool *thumbs up*

Hope you enjoyed

-Creatively Coiled