Music Love| Emeli Sandé

Image sourced from Google

Some time ago, I began looking for new music to break the monotony of  my months-old SoundCloud playlist.  During my search somehow, some way I came across an aspiring artist covering Emeli Sandé's Heaven.  This, in turn,  led me to wonder just who this Emeli Sandé is and what the original track must sound like. 

Boy, was I in for a treat when I discovered this Scottish girl  with a dope haircut hailing from the UK.  Upon my initial search, I'd read quite a few articles, watched interviews and there I was, an instant fan.  

In August of 2011, Emeli Sandé's debut album released and soared to the number one spot in the UK.  Absolutely no surprise there.  Emeli's music is beautifully soul-filled and passionate, impeccably wrapped with her sweet yet powerful vocals.  With lyrics both relatable and validating, I'm in love with her music all around and estatic to share this.  

At the time of my discovery, the release of Emeli  Sandé's US debut album, "Our Version of Events" was set for June 2012.  I'm not sure if that's the case anymore though I'm certain that it'll be released before 2012 is over.  And if you like her just as much as I do, you can tide yourself over with a few of her singles now available on iTunes.  The album "Our Version of Events" is also available for pre-order from her website. 

If you haven't yet checked out Ms. Emeli, please do as I'm certain you won't be disappointed.

Here are a few of my favorite tracks:

Daddy

Heaven

My Kind of Love

Easier in Bed

You may also check out the videos for Daddy, Heaven and her newest single My Kind of Love on her YouTube Vevo channel.

Officially a "Curly Girl"

Almost one year ago, I stopped the use of silicone-laden hair products as part of my weekly regimen.  Since then, not only has the condition of my hair improved but the issues I had with my itchy scalp have greatly diminished.  Although my hair was in pretty good shape while using silicones, I noticed a problem with my scalp when I started using Aussie Moist 3-Minute Miracle. 

 I loved the deep treatment for my hair but it did a number on my scalp causing itchiness and build up.  It had gotten to the point where I'd find myself washing my hair every 4 days which quickly became a pain.  It was then that I decided that I decided I'd leave products with silicones alone for good--whether water soluble or not.

Even though I've nixed silicones from my weekly regimen, I have found that their use has been seriously beneficial as a heat protectant and have resigned to use them only when straightening my hair.  Last time I straightened my hair, it lasted nearly 5 weeks frizz free and unaffected by humidity.

You've already seen the pics of my successful hair straightening experience, now here are pics of my hair going back to curly:

In order to keep my hair from tangling as it reverted back to curly, I seperated my hair into four sections and braided each one, securing them with a bobby pins at the end. (I never use rubber bands on my hair)

After dousing my hair with water in the shower, my curls began to revert.

That's water droplets, not dirt by the way...I'm just sayin' LOL

Complete curl reversion success

The curls as back and in full affect.  My first twist out wash day.

More on my new regimen and the products I currently use coming soon.

My Hair| Straightened and Cut

What I needed was a break from the curls, coils, kinks, tangles and single strand knots and that's just what I got.  5 weeks ago Gah! I've been away for that long?!  I'd gotten totally fed up dealing with my hair.  It was either cut it or straighten it for a while and after complaining to Chief about my hair "getting on my nerves", I chose the latter.  Of course he wants me to be Repunzel but I don't have the time for that much hair and I really want an edgy cut sooner rather than later.

After using the Denman brush to detangle my hair for a few weeks, I realized why CurlyNikki has dubbed it a nickname "The Shredder".  It really does do a number on your strands if you're not particularly careful.  The density of my hair is already at medium but over time, it started to feel more like low density.  Upon further inspection I  noticed, especially at the top of my head, that I had chunks of strands that were only 2 to 3 inches long.  Tell-tale signs of my recklessness with the Denamn brush.  On top of that, my hair was still in a layered style so my already thin hair was looking and feeling even thinner.  Even my usual flat twist out styles were lack luster and limp-looking.

I hightailed it to the salon and had my hair straightened and trimmed and after seeing that my hair was still too many different lengths, my stylist advised that I have my hair cut closer to one length.  This way, as it grows out, it will look fuller. Grand idea!  I was happy to have it done.  I had 3 inches cut to bring the longest pieces closer to the length of the rest of my hair.

To maintain my style over the 4 weeks that I kept it straightened, I either pinned curled it or wrapped it at night and of course tied it up with a silk scarf.  Other days, I wore a bun and when I was in the mood, I'd put my hair into Bantu Knots to create soft waves.  Check it out (some of these already made their way on to Instagram so if you follow me there, you've already seen these):

Day 1

Pin-Curled on Night of Day 1

Day 6

View of Back - Day 6

Somewhere Between Day 8 and Day 10

Somewhere Between Day 8 and Day 10

Bantu Knot Out to Make Waves

Needless to say I'll be staying away from my Denman and I've also began a curly-girl regimen since going back to my curls. Of course I'll share that in my next post.

-xoxo, Vee-

On The Horizon

31 X 31 | #3

I miss you.  Do you miss me too?  *semi-long post alert*

I've been wanting to post but I promised myself that I wouldn't blog or make a video until we got this house settled.  Now that our furniture is in, I can really focus on other things like the wedding which is only 3 weeks away.  Remember the date kept changing?

First it was November but that was too long to wait, then March but that was entirely too soon. At the time, we were still dealing with the house and wanted to wait until we went to settlement in April to get married.  So then we thought of the perfect date; June 8th which would be our 5 year anniversary. We said, "why not make it our official anniversary?!" And so it will be.

Although the wedding will be super small (about 45-60 people), I've been dealing with the typical wedding stress that goes with the planning.  I assure you I'm not being a bridezilla although I have been a bit moody which is another reason why I haven't blogged.  I couldn't bare to bring to you anything less than what I felt was absolute positivity.  Today, I'm feeling wonderful though and I jumped at the opportunity to blog and give you an update.

On another note, this semi-hiatus has helped me to realize a few things about the path that I'm on.  A few posts ago, I talked about how I was waiting to hear from God about my next steps and part of that was about my purpose in life.  What am I supposed to be doing with my life and is what's one my heart the right thing for me? What will ultimately help be fulfilling to myself and inspire/help others?

Funny how God works because he sent me quite a few clear confirmations in this month's time.  I know it is God speaking to me when something's on my heart and in my spirit but I've yet to reveal it and the next thing I know the words are being spoken back to me through multiple sources and people.  These sources and people--each that have absolutely nothing to do with the other.

I didn't put four and four together until only yesterday afternoon when the final confirmation came from one of my best friends--again even she knew nothing about what was on my heart and came out of nowhere and said the words I needed to hear just after talking about her own recent blessings.  I took that as God saying that it's really not too late.  I'll tell y'all now that I was this {} close to resigning my dreams to working at a job that is not fulfilling. (thanks, I'm crying now, lol) The job has it's perks but its a job that when I wake up every morning I think of every reason why I shouldn't go to work.

My current dream is the dream that I've always had and it's the path I'd originally set out on years ago and now that dream, that yearning has come back stronger than it was before.  I really do sense that God is telling me "now is the time to make strides".  I can't reveal it all to you now, honeys, but I'm telling you here and now that this here blog is part of it so I won't be going away.  The blog is a very small portion of it but it is included.

I'll share more and more along the way and I hope you'll be here to share in this with me.

-Vee-


p.s. I've well surpassed 100,00 lifetime views since I posted last and I'm quickly approahing 150,000 and as well, I'm approaching 300 subscribers.  I think a giveaway is well past due, don't you?  Stay tuned for some goodies!


You know what this means: One more thing slashed off my list of "31 Things"

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