Kofi

I know you didn't give up on Kofi.  Still here, increasing my level of consciousness, learning to live my life out loud and help others do the same.  Evolving from BlaqKofi to Kofi.  More in love with my Sisterlocks than ever.  Well...you see why, THEY ARE SLAMMIN'!!!!     

Join me for the next chapter of Natural Awakenings...

New posts coming soon!

Caruso Curl Set
(Click photos for greater detail)

• Washed, conditioned & moisturized locks
• Air dry naturally
• Set with Caruso Curlers
• Roll Time: 10-15 min (Practice & you'll get faster.)
• Setting Time: 10-15 minutes
• Total time: 30
  
  One of my favorite sets.
  Pros: Fast, soft curls, shows more of true length
  Cons: Set last 1-2 days

 

 *Please follow your Consultants guidance regarding product use.

**Carusos are not useful or effective during the "plumping or fat" stage of the lock process. 

Don't Throw Away Da Carusos

I inadvertently discovered a way to get lasting curls with my fav Carusos (pic above, 27M and The Photo Shoot posts.)
I'm always hesitant to use any products on my locks, but I've been searching for something light to help hold my styles. My locks tend to go flat with the added weight of length.

While browsing "our hair product section" at my fav store, Target (I still do that, more from habit than necessity.) I came across Motions Light Styling Foam for Natural or Chemically Treated Hair. I checked for alcohol content - none. So I gave it a try.
I was freestyling but wanted to try to the foam. I applied some to my locks and finger styled. I didn't see any noticeable difference. The following day I set my hair for "the photo shoot" and I had great curls and body.
The curls still only last 1-3 days. But I've always loved the Caruso's for it's quick 10 minute set and the way they give my locks curl and body. I left the curlers in for an extended period as I got dressed and put on my makeup (maybe 30 minutes). Apparently the styling foam, combined with the steam and leaving the curlers in longer equals a great set. There was no residue or stickiness to my locks.

I don't use the styling foam often and I haven't noticed any difference in my locks. The foam is so light it might even work for looser curl patterns like Brunsli's and Leighann's.

27 month pics after a Caruso set using styling foam:

Click on photo to enlarge.

27Months To Da Day

27 months on loc'down and lovin my Sisterlocks even more. Check back with me shortly for tips on how I achieved this look and

don't throw away the Carusos!

The Photo Shoot

I asked X to take some pics of me to submit to a national magazine for an upcoming spread on "Ageless Beauty." The criteria - look 10 years younger than your age, submit a face and full length shot and your birthdate. I won't know if I'm selected for a few months, but I'll be sure to keep you posted. And YOU KNOW if I make it, I'm gonna give a shout out to all my Sisterlocks sistuhs.

We had a great time taking the photos and they all came out so nicely that I thought I'd share them . Here I am all dressed up, feeling pretty at 25 and a half months on lock down and still loving my Sisterlocks!

Style: Caruso set. Used all of the curlers including the tiny ones in the crown and used fewer locks per roller for more curl.

How Do You?

Now that I'm getting some length, I was curious how others maintain their locks. Please answer the following questions:

1. How do you wear you hair to bed?

2. If you cover your locks with anything, what?

3. What do you do with your locks during showers? Shower cap? Pull them up?

4. How often do you wash your locks?

This photo: At almost 21 months - Caruso set, locks pulled back and clipped

Blogging & Making A Difference

I often receive such wonderful blog comments that touch, move and motivate me. This past week I have been blessed with a renewed excitement about blogging and helping others to cross over to the world of Sisterlocks. One sister read my blog from beginning to end! That's something I would do. Their words below...

I have finished reading your blog from beginning to present. You have such an excellent blog. It is completely TOP OF THE LINE.

I learned so much here. I have been able to hold true to my desire to have Sisterlocks™. I actually used your blog and Creyole's blog to not only educate myself but my husband as well about Sisterlocks™.

In conclusion, please, Please, PLEASE keep doing what you are doing,because it is such a HUGE help for those of us who are "on our way home" to Sisterlock™.

Another wrote:

I enjoyed visiting your blogspot. You are an inspiration. Indeed, your entire site with you and your beautiful friends, makes a fine tribute to the beauty of having sisterlocks.

Another:

As I look at whom you are at this point and compare it to the BlaqKofi you were when you started your Sisterlocks journey. I am like wow look at how God works; first of all you were already inspiring, cool, with an awesome smile. But now, you are anointed with a "certain" glow.

Thank you for allowing the Holy Spirit to use you to inspire women on how complete we can feel when we stop trying to alter God's creations -- Ourselves!

These comments and the fact that one has made a consultation appointment with Gigi made me feel so good and renewed that excitement I had when I first discovered Sisterlocks and knew they were for me. You know, the "I want to tell the world about Sisterlocks feeling."

For me, this is what it's all about - helping others to learn about their natural hair, showing the ease and versatility of Sisterlocks and being proud of our God given features.

We don't need no "As The Locks Turn" or "Sisterlocksville" drama. It's NOT about who commented or didn't comment or who visited whose blog or how many hits one gets. The larger and more important work is as my visitor stated, it's about helping those who are "on their way home to Sisterlocks."

To our soon-to-be-locked Sister and everyone else who visits and comments - thank you for blessing me! You know what I always say, "It's natural to be natural."

In this photo: Almost 21 months, Caruso curl set with sides pinned back over the ears. Plus my new earrings. :-)

20 Month Looks

All of the styled looks were accomplished with the Caruso Steam Curlers. The set only last for a couple of days, but it's my favorite look. Someone wrote and asked how I accomplished my "styled look." Here's a pic of how I roll my locks with the Caruso's. The fewer locks per roller the nicer the curl.

Don't Get It Twisted

I'm enjoying my new camera. It has this neat x3 self timer that takes 3 consecutive pics. Needless to say I've been taking lots of them. I don't know if I've simply been in a writing mood, or the pics, cold weather, and being stuck home have stimulated my desire to write. Either way, I've enjoyed expressing my thoughts here of late. Besides, it's easy to write about my passion - Sisterlocks.
Nappy & Happy
The reason I blog is to share Sisterlocks knowledge and hopefully bring others to being nappy & happy. When I became interested in Sisterlocks and started my research, I wanted to see good, clear, close up pics of locks. That's my goal in the pic selection for my blog, and of course, I only choose the nicest . I took enough ugly pictures as a child, hated all of them AND my looks (an upcoming post). I read a comment recently on LockItUp - something about blogs with "only good or pretty pics of locks...that ain't real life." Well, just for the record, I don't always walk around with curled, coifed locks. So don't get it twisted.

I also DON'T spend a lot of time on my hair. I PLAY with my hair alot, but that's a joy not a chore...I can't keep my hands out of it. Sometimes I just stand in the mirror almost in awe that this is MY NATURAL hair. Not only is it my natural hair, but a wash, condition and a 4-6 weeks retightening is all it takes to maintain my Sisterlocks - no costly products, no hours wasted sitting in a salon. I have never been happier or more content with my hair and my overall personal look. I wish every sistah of color could experience this hair joy and freedom. You fellow lockheads know what I mean.

Here's how cloudnine expressed it through a post here:
I realize that my hair will never look like another sistahs locks...what I did not realize is that my hair could look like this period. There is not a day that goes by that I do not stop and thank GOD for this miracle. I have never been so completely happy with my hair in my life!

Any Day is a Good Hair Day with SisterlocksFor those of you just locking - don't get it twisted. There are some bad "lookin" hair days for me, but not "bad hair days" 'cause any day with Sisterlocks is a good hair day. When I'm at home, I don't do anything to them except put them up out of my way. This isn't a pic of a style - it's the same braidout from earlier in the week. I just quickly pulled my locks up with a scrunchie. You can see, I need a retightening and color touch up. (I'm thinking of waiting until my 2 year anniversary in June and getting highlights...don't know if I'll be able to deal with the grey hair that long, tho.)
It's casual Friday. Here I am at lunch, locks pulled back with my B-Tie. I've done nothing with my hair all week except pull it back and let the krinkles from last Saturday's braidout do their thang.


From Plain to Daaannnggg!
Four hours later, I came home and set my locks with my fav Caruso Steam Curlers for a dinner date. (Duh! Yeah, you read correctly - I said date....tehehe) The curls help hide the fact that I need some color and a retightening. This look is a result of the earlier in the week braid out, a Caruso set on large (front)/jumbo (back) curlers and the fact that I need a retightening. Both combined gives me more volume. I actually like this look very much. See how easily you can go from plain to DAAAAANNNNG with Sisterlocks? So don't get it twisted! (I didn't take the time to crop any of these pics. These were taken about 11:30 last night after my dinner date. You can see my messy bed and the man I came home to...tehehe!)

Best Pic Ever
Here's the best photo of me and my locks ever. It puts all of my digital photos to shame and really captures the true look of my locks. I'm proud to unveil it here in it's rightful place on my blog AND in my office. (The artists, "Lil Mamma" drew this while spending the day at work with Auntie Blaq while her mom had chemo.)




















So you see, your locks can have any look YOU want. And that's da real truth about Sisterlocks. So don't get it twisted!

Sisterlocks Reflections

Well, the first week of 2007 has come to an end. Work was busy, but rewarding.

I had a drink tonight with my best friend and I'm in a reflective mood. I stopped by Target, my favorite store, on the way home. In line ahead of me was a gentlmen with a happy, smiling, cute little girl about 18 months. I watched as the cashier carefully wrapped a dozen roses. As I surveyed this scene, I smiled and said to him, "you get big props tonight. You're grocery shopping, have the baby and bringing home roses!" He said, "it's been a hard week for everyone - it's the little things that count." I thought, now that's one lucky woman.

So as I drove home, I began to reflect on the "little things." I got a prime parking spot at the Super Target :-). I have a wonderful best friend who I can talk to, listens and isn't judgmental. I'm blessed with a great job, two awesome sons and I'm about to be a grandmother in May.

And through Sisterlocks, I've gained some wonderful friendships. Here's a photo of TRA, Creyole and me on December 21 at Brooklyn's Jazz Dinner Club in Dallas. We had dinner and drinks, listened to some great live jazz and had some good ole gurl conversation. Ain't nothing like sharing with like minded sistuhs!

Here I am a couple of nights later. I enjoyed Brooklyn's so much that I went back to hear more live jazz (Music is one of my passions). Creyole asked how I got this "look." Well during our dinner TRA demonstrated how she created her cute, curly look with bantu knots. My "look" here is a combination of a bantu knot set the night before gone wrong (and not half as cute as TRA's) and a Caruso Steam Curler set the following day resulting in this crinkly/curly look. I probably couldn't recreate it if you paid me to. But that's the beauty of Sisterlocks...they do their thing while allowing me to express mine, whatever that may be and sometimes totally by accident.

Here's how I looked for most of my 12-day winter break. No makeup and freestylin' the whole time, a first for me. I got lots of compliments and my oldest son, "really liked it that way." Which was a pleasant surprise. A nephew home from college said, "your locks look real neat, not messy like some of the people on campus." I even wore them freestyle to work on my first day back. My co-worker (who is African-American) asked, "how'd you get your hair straight?" Which I almost found amusing.

Just random reflections - thanks for reading....peace.

Proud Mom!

I attended a semi-formal function on Saturday evening. My son was the DJ so I was a proud mom. (My apologies for the quality of the event photo, the lighting wasn't very good, so I made it a sepia tone for better viewing.)

My Men & My Sisterlocks

I recently had an opportunity to spend some time with my sons, dress up for my niece's wedding and hang out at a family gathering at my house for my sister Teresa. I got these great pics of us that I thought I'd share.

My sons are my pride and joy and they are pretty proud of their mom also. They love my Sisterlocks particularly since I'm getting some length. Thanks to my men for supporting me when I did the "big chop," even though you both begged me not to, always being my biggest fans and supporters and for enduring all of my Sisterlocks stories.

Here's to my men and my Sisterlocks!

Caruso Set & Braid Out

Caruso Set



Friday night I washed my hair with Dr. Bonner's Peppermint Liquid Soap (diluted half-n-half with water). I conditioned with Avalon Organics Peppermint Conditioner since I couldn't find Dr. Bonner's conditioner. (I remember reading a post on Sandy's web site when she tried Dr. Bonner's so I decided to check it out.) The peppermint smelled oh so good, gave my scalp a tingly feeling and my locks felt so nice and clean!

Braid Out



I don't know if it was the Bonner's soap, but my ends tightened up - which is a good thing. I haven't been able to do a braid out in a long time because the bottom of some of my locks were fat. But since the wash, most are uniform and seem to be closing at the ends (you know that kind of rounded look that mature locks have rather than the little balls?)



Any how, I'm loving the look and feel of my locks since the wash. Here's a couple of looks that I've tried since Friday. The left shot is the braid out and the right is a Caruso set. My locks seemed to hang better and just looked prettier to me...or perhaps I was just feelin' pretty...or perhaps I just wanted an excuse to take another photo of my Sisterlocks, or perhaps all of the above!

Hopefully you can see the nice krinkly's from the braid out. Gonna have to work with the braid out some more. I felt it was a little unruly during the day or perhaps I just prefer the more manicured look of the curl sets. Regardless - well you know my song - I LOVE MY SISTERLOCKS!