Skip a Step

Since V only wore the 8 large cornrows for a week, I decided to skip a step with her next style and recycle those parts.  I was not yet sick of the style, it just had to be redone because it was such a mess.  So I kept it simple and just doubled the amount of braids going into the ponytail!

I have been avoiding beads this summer.  Trying to really rest her ends and gets some growth.

The 4 cornrows going up the back of her head became 8.  Similarly the 4 cornrows in the front became 8. The difference being that for every 1 cornrow I replaced it with a set of Criss-Crossing cornrows.  Well, Crissing cornrows I suppose, they don't actually Criss and then Cross.  (It's ok if you don't think I am funny.)  

The other change I made was that I took the 1 cornrow from her bang area and split it into two.  I had these two cornrows continue back into the criss-crossing ones behind it.  

If you would like to watch an OLD video of ours with the instructions on how to do Criss-Cross Cornrows, Go For It!  Miss V was quite little when we made this video and I think it is the one where she has a cold and makes a bunch of gross nosies for your listening pleasure.  This is also the one where I don't realize I was in my pajamas until I was uploading it to youtube.  Good Times.  

Katie

Not Always Picture Perfect

Today's post is to let you all know that HAIR is NOT ALWAYS PICTURE PERFECT IN THIS HOUSE!  You all get the benefit of seeing freshly done styles, but the reality is that that only lasts so long.  And I am the queen of stretching a style.  It took me years to get comfortable with the idea, but fuzzy hairstyles are no longer my worst enemy.  I surely have occasions when I want my kids to look their best.  And I also have my moments where I find myself suddenly wishing my girls were looking a bit tidier - eek!  But for the most part, I have learned to let go of obsessively caring about what other people were thinking about my kids hair.  It's a good feeling.

So after 5 1/2 weeks with V's second set of box braids I decided to take them out because it was one of those moments where I wanted her looking her best.  We spent last weekend in Illinois visiting with family that we only see every couple of years.  I needed to do something simple due to time restraints so I went with an old favorite, 8 large cornrows into a ponytail.  Click the link to see the last time this style made a blog appearance.  The difference this time is that I wanted to show off Miss V's big beautiful puff!  So instead of braiding or twisting to the ends I only braided up to the ponytail and than banded off each cornrow.  Which I then gathered into one ponytail holder for a GIANT puff!  Gorgeous!  This is a picture perfect moment.

Our second day in Illinois was a beach day.  I was not keen on the idea of this much free hair playing at the beach.  That is why I banded off each cornrow individually.  It made it easy for me to go back and continue each cornrow into a hanging braid.  It was a pretty fast process and looked cute.  Also fun to be able to sort of show off 2 different styles in one weekend.

Now for the not so pretty part.  These bigger cornrows are only meant to last a week - TOPS!  V was pretty rough on them over the weekend, I had her wear a swim cap at the beach because I still have fears of sand and seaweed, but unfortunately I think putting the cap on and off can mess the hair up a bit.  Then she had swimming lessons on Monday, where we have NOT been using caps.  I am proud to say I am no longer afraid of water!  On top of all that I have been super sick the last few days and she has not been getting her hair sprayed daily.  So this is how V looks after a week of all that....

Thank goodness I am feeling better.  Looks like tomorrow will be hair day.

Katie

Removing Floss Hair Wraps

I have had many people ask me how to take out the hair wraps from my last post.  To tell you the truth, I was wondering the same thing!

I consulted my friend that I got this idea from and she said, first of all, that she leaves the wraps in her daughters hair ALL summer.  So no need to rush and take them out!  She also said that she un-knots them and makes little snips with her scissors to get them out.

Well, I took little E's out yesterday because I was worried about it damaging her baby fine hair if I left it in that long.  I was NOT interested in untying every single knot  - NO THANKS!  On E, I was able to slide/stretch the knots down about 3 or 4 at a time.  This made an opening in the wrap between knots that I could grab her braid and pull it out of the bottom three knots.  Then I moved up another 3 knots and slid them down a bit and pulled the hair out again.  It was still a bit of a slow process but faster, I am sure, than actually untying each knot!

I ended up taking V's wrap out today because we will be saying goodbye to the box braids tomorrow.  Her second set of braids lasted 5 1/2 weeks without a problem, but we are going to visit family this weekend and she needs a new 'do!  So out came the floss!  I did the same thing with her as I did on Little E.  First snipping off the bottom knot and then working my way up from the bottom sliding her braid out of about 3-6 knots at a time.  Occasionally I hit a stubborn spot that I used my scissors to very carefully make a little snip at the floss.  It took a few minutes to take it out, but as a mom of a curly girl, I am not a stranger to spending a lot of time on V's hair.  This was really quite simple!

If you are curious, I am planning to leave B's wraps in for the remainder of the summer unless they start looking yucky.  My friend doesn't have curly daughters so she probably isn't spraying their hair with oils daily like I am.  So far, the oils aren't having a negative effect of the floss wraps.  They still look bright and fun!  I will probably take B's out in a month or more when we get ready to do her back-to-school tightening.

Katie

Hair Wrapping with Embroidery Floss

Oh you guys - I am so excited about this!

It is EASY, EASY, EASY!  I have seen this done since I was a kid, but somehow I never knew that it was so simple to do.  I am even more excited to tell you that it is even EASIER to do on locs than on straight or loose hair because you can skip the first few steps of the process!  Just look how cute this looks with B's locs!

Not only is it easy, but it requires very few materials, is inexpensive and doesn't take too long to do!  It doesn't get much better than that!  This technique can be done on ANY hair type and on just about any length of hair.  As long as the hair is long enough to get a braid in, you can do this.

Little E - Little Braid

Cousin G

We wrapped V's box braid!

I have to give a shout out to our special guest, my niece, who helped us out with this video - Thanks G!  And Thanks to my sister who filled in as Camera Girl too!  I also can't neglect to give credit where it is due.  A friend of mine posted the written instructions for hair wrapping earlier this week on her cute blog, Practical Praise, and now I am obsessed!

The video explains it all.  So enjoy!



If you try this - PLEASE send us your pics or put them on our facebook page!!!!

Katie

Tidbit Tuesday

DID YOU KNOW???????

That July is B's Locaversary!  Yes, ALL of July, because it took me that long to put her locs in!  This is B's 3 year Locaversary and her locs are more gorgeous than ever!  She loves them, I love them, everyone who meets her loves them!

In honor of B's beautiful locs I am going to try to do a few loc related posts over this month.

For today I wanted to share a video I found on youtube a while back about this girls 5 favorite loc accessories.  I liked it because she was using some things I had never heard of before - like a Dreadsock which looks like a great alternative to the sleep caps my girls use.  I also LOVED her idea for how to use multiple thin headbands.  Unfortunately, although we have those same headbands and love them, I tried to use them this way on B and it didn't quite work.  I am not sure if it is because he locs aren't as big and fluffy as the girl in the video, or just because she is an active girl and I knew that they would fall off in a matter of minutes.  I still love the idea :)  I also love, love, love the hair wrap.  I want to wrap B's locs so bad because I think you can get some really gorgeous looks this way, but we haven't invested in anything to wrap them in yet.

Hope you enjoy the video and stay tuned for more of B's locs, coming soon!!!!

Katie

Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery

Hello my neglected on-line friends!  Yes, the summer madness goes on!  But I am here today with a cute post about my daughter B.  I also want to warn you to watch closely, because in spite of my bloggy neglect, we have TWO giveaways coming at you soon!

So here is the story - During the last week of school B's grade was hosting a Marketplace for two of the younger grades.  They were given free reign to choose whether they wanted to sell a good or a service.  Many kids chose to sell trinkets and food items, but not my B.  She was dead set on having a Hair Styling Booth!  I just find this adorable.  And as my title suggests, I find it very flattering that my daughter would want to do something that she sees me spend SO MANY HOURS doing!  And this isn't the first time in the last few months that she has shown an interest in hair styling.  I noticed on a school paper awhile back that she stated she wanted to be a hair stylist when she grows up!  Isn't that cute!

We used V's buddy Miss A (a frequent after school guest who has made an appearance here before.) as a hair model.  B chose 4 different hair styles and took pictures of them to put on a poster.  I picked up a few packs of cheap combs and hair things at the dollar store, and anyone who got their hair done was able to keep the comb!

These are the hairstyles she was offering:

This one B came up with on her own.  I think it is cute!  It is a pigtail style if you couldn't tell.  

This was a suggestion from me, also pigtails.

This was B's idea and her most popular seller.

Another idea from me.  This one is a twist into a ponytail.

Unfortunately for B, her booth wasn't the most frequently visited.  It is pretty hard to compete with Root Beer Floats when you are selling to 6-9 year olds!  As a matter of fact, B's own sister didn't even visit her booth, but she did buy 2 root beer floats!  Oh that girl!  Overall, B had a good time with this experience and I think she could definitely have a future in hair!

Happy Independence Day!!!!!!

Katie

Box Braid Update

Hey friends!  Hope you all still consider me a friend even though I have been neglecting you big time!  Besides trying to squeeze in every little bit of quality time possible with my kiddos now that they are home on break, we have also had a wedding, funeral, birthday, anniversary, end of school year, soccer, soccer, and more soccer going on here the last few weeks!!!!!

I have to update you on V's box braids though because she is SO in love with them, that it finally happened.  The girl asked for locs.  Yup, she did.  She was able to put two and two together and realize that all the freedom I have been allowing her with her braids was pretty much what her sisters life is like with locs.  My reply to her was, "But wouldn't you miss your puffs and other styles?  Maybe we should give it a few more years and then think about it again?"  My powers of persuasion win again, because she thought this was a brilliant idea.  Isn't it great when your kids are still young enough to think you are SO SMART!

What we did decide to do was to keep the box braids for awhile longer!  I was going to switch to a different style and then come back to the box braids later in the summer, but I had a plan that I thought would be easier and V was so pleased to keep the braids!

I just gave her hair a really thorough washing with the first set of braids in.  Then I took out the braids a few at a time and put them back in.  I took out a few at a time because I was making them a little bit smaller this time.  So in some places where I had 2 braids, I put in 3.  Or where there were 4 braids I put in 5.  In some spots where there were really large braids I just split them in half.  But when I did this I made triangle parts this time.  Just to change things up!

The last set of braids we had in for 4 1/2 weeks.  I am hoping since these are a bit smaller I can stretch them out for 5 or 6 weeks.  At the end of the life of the braids when they are looking super fuzzy, I just keep them in french braids or pigtails and they are fine!

Here are a few pics of how we have styled the braids:

Half up French Braid

Two French Braids

With Bangs

Wavy Pig Tails (from the French Braids)

Two Cornrows into a Ponytail

Bangs only on one side

Those were all from the first set of braids.  These are the newer braids.  They have been in for almost a week now.  Last night she rinsed them in the shower and afterwards when they were wet we put them into 5 big braids to make them wavy.  From the pics it looks kind of sparse (especially in comparison to B's full locs) but in person this looks darling!  

I have a few other posts in my brain waiting to be written.  But I am making time with the kids my number 1 priority this summer!  Last summer I was going to school and I barely saw my family.  NOT GONNA HAPPEN this year!  So, please be patient.  If you don't hear from me for a bit, just know we are having a good time!

Katie

2011 Natural Hair Show in Atlanta, Part 2

Hi everyone, happy Monday! Here is part 2 of Lydia's adventure at the Natural Hair Show put on by Taliah Waajid in Atlanta:

Hello again!  In this segment  I would like to talk about products I learned about while at the World Natural Hair and Beauty Show.  Those of you who follow Nandikids on Facebook know that I am a huge fan of Taliah Waajid’s products.  They are all natural and really do live up to their promises.  Nandikids is mainly directed at the needs of kids.  The recommended products at the show for kids were: Protective Mist Bodifier (my personal fav), The Great Detangler (a truly amazing product), Lock it Up, Kinky Wavy Natural Very Berry 3-in-1, and Kinky Wavy Natural Herbal Style and Shine.  

The most important point they stressed was that your child should not be crying when they get their hair done.  Yes it takes time and patience but it shouldn’t hurt.  The children’s line of products has more emulsifiers to make the hair more manageable and easier to work with.  

Every child’s hair is different.  So while the products will work on everyone, the way it’s used and how much product is needed will vary from person to person.  The workshop I attended used a volunteer model to show how to comb and detangle using Protective Mist Bodifier or The Great Detangler.  She then added a generous amount of Kinky Wavy Style and Shine and worked it through the hair.  This is to keep the hair moisturized while it is styled.  Simple rolling twists were put in the front of the model’s hair.  Lock it up was used where the hair texture required it.  The stylist left the hair at the back of the head loose and used a massage tool in a circular pattern to define the natural curl pattern.  She mentioned that the Very Berry 3-in-1 shampoo is gentle enough to be used every week and is not supposed to require additional conditioning.  Again this depends on your child’s hair.  I find that my little H still needs to condition her hair after using this shampoo.  

One of the volunteer models from the audience was a 7 year old girl who had just started growing her hair after it had been cut very short (because brushing and detangling made her cry).  Using the products mentioned, the instructor combed and detangled her hair and used the style and shine to bring out the girl’s natural curl pattern.  The very best part of the whole experience is not only that she didn’t cry, but she had an ear to ear grin when she looked in the mirror afterward.   

Other products I found included strawllers.  

This product lets you get the long loose curls (depending on the size you use) that a lot of our girls want.  I’ve tried them on H using Taliah Waajid’s Crinkles and Curls.  I found that I didn’t get the results I wanted but I think that her hair has to be a lot longer for it to work properly.  Currently her hair is only about 5-6 inches long when fully extended.  The product was being demonstrated at the show so I do know that it works.  The nice thing about this product is that the rollers have holes throughout that allow the hair to dry quickly without having to be under a hooded dryer.  

For those of you who like Kinky Curly Curling Custard, I found a comparable product called BlairCare Curli Jelli.  This product works the same way but is half the price and you don’t have to use any special shampoo and conditioner.  Nandikids has just added this product to their website.

Other things I brought home with me are a book about hair (Kids Talk Hair by Pamela Ferrell) and a natural styling instructional video .  These are exceptional tools for any parent learning how to manage their child’s hair.

The best part of attending the show is that you get to sample the products and ask any question you want.  My only regret is that I didn’t take my little girl H with me.  Given her age I didn’t think it would work out so well.  Next time she’ll be coming for sure!

Lydia

We hope you enjoyed Lydia's review of the World Natural Hair and Beauty Show. Maybe if you are near Atlanta you'll check it out! The Fall show is coming up Sept. 10 and 11.

Tidbit Tuesday

Did You Know????

That my son has wanted to get designs shaved in his head....FOREVER!

I have always said "no" because I knew I couldn't do it, and I thought it was sort of a waste of money to pay someone else to do it when I figure it will grow out pretty quickly.

If you all recall, when I posted about my experience with doing boys hair in the past, I told you about the time two years ago when the Young Man had grown his hair long enough for me to cornrow.  It was finger cramping work trying to get his short hair into cornrows that reached from front to back but I did it.  ONLY to have him turn around and take them out the next day!  I was so upset I shaved his head!

A few months ago he started growing it again, saying he wanted me to braid it again.  I kept saying..."are you crazy?"    Well, it is starting to get VERY warm here in Michigan and my boy really works up a sweat during a soccer game under normal conditions.  I figured he should shave his afro so that he wouldn't be so hot.  (I don't really like the way he looks with an afro anyway, I think he is much more handsome with short hair!)  I thought maybe bribary would work.  My money hungry son took the bait!  He would shave his head for $20!

He went to school the day after we made this deal and came home with a new plan.  He would be happy to shave his hair off if he could use the money to get designs in his hair.  DARN IT!  He got me!  I didn't really feel I should say no.  I want him to be able to express himself through his hair as long as he isn't asking for something inappropriate.  So here is the result -

My husband has a friend that doesn't have a barber license yet but is practicing cutting hair in his house.  He did a great job.  Young Man C LOVES it and got plenty of attention at school with this new style!  My sisters response was, "Katie, you could do this!"  I agree, I could do this, if I had the proper tools.  But even the hair cut and line up that C got from this friend is so much nicer looking than mine.  I just don't have the fancy top of the line clippers and trimmers!  Nor can I afford any new ones!

Young Man C has all sorts of plans for future designs that he would like in his hair.  His club soccer team just took second place in the WHOLE STATE OF MICHIGAN, and is headed to regionals in Wisconsin in a few weeks.  He might be sporting a new design for this very important event!

Katie

2011 Natural Hair Show in Atlanta, Part 1

Hey there everybody! We have a guest poster today, it's Lydia, the owner of Nandikids! She recently returned from someplace any KMC reader would LOVE to go, the Natural Hair Health & Beauty Show put on by Taliah Waajid in Atlanta! WOW! She is going to tell us about her trip to the show, in two parts....here's part 1:


Hi!  This is Lydia from Nandikids.  I’ve posted here once before on Tidbit Tuesday.  I started Nandikids a year after I brought my daughter H home from South Africa.

Being in Canada meant that we didn’t have great access to products needed to properly take care of her hair and skin needs.   I quickly tired of having to spend a fortune to import products only  to find I didn’t like them.   We are a huge fan of Taliah Waajid’s products so when I learned of their annual Natural Hair and Beauty Show I really wanted to go.

The World Natural Hair and Beauty show was held in Atlanta Georgia.  I wanted to attend for several reasons.  First, I wanted to scout out new products for Nandikids and to learn more about caring for Black hair naturally.  Secondly, I wanted to put myself in a situation where I was the minority.  My daughter is the minority every day.  At school, at home, at dance class…..  I thought it necessary for me to experience this first hand.

Attending this show was a terrific experience.  Yes it was a little strange to be one of four non-Black attendees (2 of the others were half of a mixed race couple).  And yes, we did get some inquisitive looks.  However, we were not made to feel uncomfortable.  Some vendors treated us like any other customer explaining the benefits of their product.  Other vendors took a minute to figure out why we were there.  Armed with that information, they were all over us.  This was especially true at the workshop that I attended.  The instructor made the class feel very comfortable asking questions.  My sister-in-law and I were the only non-black, non-hairstylists in the class.  I explained that I had a daughter that was Black and I wanted to learn more about caring for her hair needs and how to style it appropriately with my limited skill.

The next thing you know I was in the front row, then standing by the instructor watching as she worked, asking questions as she went.  Then to my amazement she told me to go ahead and practice cornrowing on her son’s hair.  I am terrible at this and have only attempted it once on H. 
In the end I got some great tips on managing H’s hair (how much product to use, what products to use) and styling tips ( how to maintain locks, how to tighten locks, better cornrowing and twist techniques) and some new cool products (strawllers for example).  I can’t wait to go again.

September show, anyone???

Stay tuned for Part 2 of Lydia's experience at the show!