60M SL

I am STILL digging my Sisterlocks. 5 years, 4 cuts and a completely different perspective on hair like I've never understood before and I LOVE my Sisterlocks. I have been to countless natural hair care conferences, Sisterlocks and/or Lock meet ups around the U.S., and indulged in classes on styling, maintaining and promoting natural hair through Locked styles. I have met and continue to converse with numerous Locticians who are AMAZING with their talent and creativity. You know what? I made the right decision 6 years ago when I decided to stop altering my hair texture by putting chemicals and straighteners in it. My regimen is simple. I retighten my hair every 5-6 weeks (I actually schedule an appointment with myself in my own studio chair). I wash my hair every 7-10 days. I don't use any products outside of shampoo and a dark brown rinse that I MUST use until I decide I want to rock grey Locks. :o) I have been wearing updos, braid outs, roller sets...you name it. Even my sweet grandbaby loves my Sisterlocks. It's the first thing he goes for when I pick him up. ;) I just wanted to do a quick post. My clients have been very fussy about my blog. Take a look at the pictures and you can tell...I am Happiest Nappy. Blessings to you from my heart!

52M SL
Wow! I haven't blogged in over 6 months. So much has happened since I have been away too. Before anything, you should know that I am carefully considering my blessings each and every day. Nothing is promised to us. Nothing. With that being said, I encourage you to live your life to the fullest.

In 6 months...we had a flood. My Mother passed away. My very first Grandchild was born (pics below). He didn't get to meet my Mother before she took her flight, but he was right there with her through my daughter until the very last moment. She would have fallen in love with him! I took a few risks only to appreciate my courage later. Through it all? I have not one single complaint. God has the best plan for me and my family. His course is mine and I am satisfied with it. RIP Mom. I miss you and cry everytime I pick up the phone to dial your number from work. I miss our morning conversations that end up with both of us cracking up at family & life situations.

Hey! How is your natural hair journey coming along? I am still enjoying my Sisterlocks! I "trimmed" my SLs and gave myself a deep cleansing and twist set today. The results are the pictures in this post. I love providing Sisterlocks as well. To my clients, are you keeping your SLs clean and covered? Are you shampooing properly and using the techniques we talked about? Are you sitting in my chair for regular maintenance and upkeep? Are you eating properly and drinking lots of water? Those are all key steps to healthy SLs, but you know that right? :o)

I just needed to swing through my blog. I still enjoy blogging and plan to make more time to do so now that things are calming down a little bit. Hey! God bless you! Blog you soon.

46M SL

Hi! It's been a while huh? Life has been super busy and fast moving. Just wanted to drop by and let you know that I am still enjoying my hair peace! I have so much respect for those of you who decide to go chemical free. It's not an easy thing to do.

Guess what? I am now a Certified Sisterlocks® Consultant. I must tell you that I LOVE sharing this Lock experience with others. I want to say a very special thank you to ASKIA. You were the one who convinced me that SLs was the answer to my hair issues back in 2006. After many years of perms, braided extensions, cornrows, kinky twists, buns, ponytails and what not, I was able to gain quite a bit of knowledge about Sisterlocks from Abena, Blaqkofi and Creyole. I will NEVER forget their encouragement and willingness to share information with me once I reached out to them. They blogged their own experience which made me start this very blog.

Through my own Sisterlocks journey I have encouraged/referred nearly 40 people to get them and they have followed through. 3 family members are now rocking SLs that I installed personally. Quite a few personal friends...and let me say this. THANK YOU SHEILA & JEWELL! Because of your loyalty and patience with me, you two are the very reason I am certified to install Sisterlocks as a professional! I could NOT have done this without you. You trusted me with your hair and knew I would never do anything other than provide you with the highest quality kind of service. No tricks, games or lies. Just an opportunity to give you Locks from a well trained and informed person. You will never know how much your support means to me. That is why I love you guys so much. Plus, you had my back no matter what I was dealing with and we know that the enemy presented some foul things to try and prevent my blessings. God is real. I thank God for praying friends like you two who sincerely believe in the power of God.

And can I tell you that I have the very best clients in the world? They respect my honesty and passion for this hair lifestyle. They will personally tell you that I am a perfectionist. I love providing SLs. Come get your hair done too! LOL! A quick comparison shot for my clients. My SLs at 3 months and 46M. See? I told you. I went through the same thing you are going through. It gets better every day. Just stay encouraged and trust me. Listen to your Consultant! LOL! Follow all instructions. I would never tell you anything that I have not tried myself. It's so true! I am Happiest Nappy! Blog you later! Be blessed.

37M SL

It has been a while since I posted on my blog. Face Book happened and...well, I like it. I just wanted to do a mini post update and say that life is happening and evolving. I have had some painful and devestating losses since I last came through here. At the same time, I have had some beautiful and amazing things happening in my life. I thank God for it all. I know I am nothing without Him. He keeps me and that is enough for me to continue to give thanks.

My Sisterlocks are coming along. And, guess what? I took the Sisterlocks training here in Milwaukee so now you are looking at an "Official Trainee". Celeste Geary (in the picture below) was our Master Trainer (she is Dr. JoAnne Cornwell's sister). I learned so much about our hair! I have been working with clients and I must say it is extremely gratifying for a person like me. It is not like in my hairbraiding days when I would add bags and bags of hair to another person's head at all. This is more personal and it feels good to educate others about Sisterlocks and natural hair in itself. You will hear more about Happiest Nappy, LLC in the near future. I am very excited about going back into this line of work...and so are people from my earlier days of braiding. It doesn't take long for me to have them considering Sisterlocks.

I did a little poll a while back. I recieved nearly 50 responses in all since I did that here and presented the questions to other contacts I communicate with. The overall impression that was given to me is that we actually love our hair in a natural state. Some of us will NEVER pay over $300.00 for a straight style and some will never do the same for a natural style. A big majority admitted that they were subjected to perms/relaxers at a very early age (sad huh?). Some of us will never go to a natural hair care specialist. Unfortunately, some of us don't think they are needed at all. Surprisingly, very few knew much about the different types of Locks (which means that we really do need more natural hair care specialists even if it is for educational purposes...IMO). I was very pleased to learn from this small pool of people that more people like their hair in its natural state vs straight. And...some of you made very clear distinctions between Nappy and Kinky and shared that your hair is NOT nappy. Me? I am Happiest Nappy™. It took me a very long time to accept that and roll with it.

Getting out of here, but not before I tell you that God is real. I mean it when I say I really want you to be blessed. Life is so short and I hope you can appreciate each moment that you have with your loved ones. Take care!

NATURAL HAIR TESTIMONY-EPISODE 1
Cuz...I have to let you know! Stay tuned...

JUST POPPING IN...
...with something to muse about. Be Blessed!

34M SL



Just sliding through with a quick request. Wondering if you would be so kind as to respond to a few statements? Real easy. Copy, paste and email your answers to happiestnappy@yahoo.com. I am interested in gaining a little insight to things I wonder about. Thank you ahead of time if you do this. Be blessed! (BTW, I have some great news to share soon. Getting things in order first. Stay tuned)

Survey
The following simple survey is not meant to be scientific and was created by me. This poll on natural hair care is to accumulate a consensus and the outcome may have elements of truth to it. Please answer the following statement with a True or False response.
My hair is unmanageable.
1)I like my hair in its natural state.
2)I am satisfied with the state of my hair.
3)I hate my hair in its current state.
4)I love my hair just the way it is.
5)I prefer my hair straight.
6)I wish I never straightened my hair.
7)I prefer to cover my hair up.
8)Someone put chemicals in my hair when I was a child.
9)I maintain my own hair care.
10)I prefer someone else care for my hair.
11)My hair is nappy.
12)My hair is Kinky.
13)The cornrow style is a professional hairstyle.
14)I have worn braids with my natural hair in the past.
15)I have worn cornrows with my natural hair in the past.
16)I have worn hairstyles with “added” hair in the past.
17)Natural hairstyles can have a professional appearance.
18)I am familiar with the different forms of “Locks”.
19)Locks are “dreads”.
20)“Locks” are natural.
21)I am interested in “Locks”.
22)I would pay more than $300.00 to get a natural hairstyle.
23)I would pay more than $300.00 to get a straight-looking hairstyle.
24)We need more information on natural hair care maintenance.
25)We need factual information on “Locks”.
26)I know how to take care of my natural hair.
27)We need more natural hair care specialists.
28)I have had my hair “done” by a natural hair care specialist in the past.
29)I would go to a specialist for natural hair care if the opportunity were available.

Definitions
Nappy - Covered with nap; Kinky.
Kinky - Full of kinks; Closely twisted; Closely or tightly curled.
Natural - Not treated, tanned, refined, tinted or colored, etc.; In its original or raw state.
Cornrow - To arrange or style hair by dividing into sections and braiding close to the scalp in rows.
Lock or Loc - Tress, curl, or ringlet of hair bunched or tied together in some way.
Professional - Appropriate appearance as it pertains to a profession.
Dread - Greatly feared; Frightful; Terrible.

OPEN LETTER TO MY DAUGHTER

July, 1985. I went to see my physician for what I thought was a severe case of the flu and doubled as a follow up to a strep throat infection I recently had treated. Boy, was I in for the shock of my life. After routine procedure, the physican had a couple of questions for me. So, in my nonchalant way I answered them. The doc left the room and returned to inform your father and I that I was pregnant. Just like that, "You are pregnant...that is why you are feeling ill...I'd like you to get this prescription filled for vitamins...". I had tuned out at "pregnant". Never quite heard anything after that. Instantly, my life changed. I learned of you right in the middle of attending college, planning goals, life and a career. I was so scared. I was petrified. I thought, what am I going to do? I knew I couldn't panic because in the instant my life changed, I was worried about you! I knew I had to try to keep my cool and think rationally. So, what did I do? I cried. That was the first of many more crying "spells". How rational is that? I wanted things to be perfect and right and I had some decisions to make QUICKLY. It took me less than 2 seconds to acknowledge my impending motherhood. I was going to be a Mother. I wanted to be the best one possible, so by the time I got home I already had a plan in place. I would eat right, not hang around smokers, stop going out to dance clubs, stop entertaining nonsense and stop engaging in anything that would affect how I brought you into the world. Afterall, I was preparing to be the best Mother I could be. My home environment was not the most stable one I must say. So, I moved into a small apartment and made it as comfortable as I could. I actually worked all the way up to two weeks before you were born. I can't begin to tell you how nervous I was though I had taken care of many children in my young life. I fed you healthy foods while I carried you and I apologize right now for the not so healthy. You had your share of Vienna Red Hot Polishes topped with the hottest peppers found in these parts. It's true. That along with two cans of ring pineapples a day was what I had to have. I was so sorry when I layed eyes on you and realized, your little system was just not prepared for all that garbage I ate the night I went into labor (A combo mix of Hot Stuff Potato Chips/Doritos/Cheese Popcorn with a Welch's Grape Soda and that was only behind Chinese Food, Tuna & Oatmeal----I know disgusting right?). But, you taught me to not be selfish when I did become a Mother. That labor episode lasted from 9:30 p.m. until 5:57 a.m. At 5:58 when I was able to put my eyes on your face, I had yet ANOTHER crying episode. The moment you cried, so did I. It was the sweetest sound I ever heard. I had become a bonafide MOTHER. Your father in his effort to support me during the delivery tried to offer comfort, but he himself was overwhelmed when he saw you. He assisted the doc and was so proud that he held you before I did. I could not wait to hold you. Nothing mattered in the world to me anymore because I had you and I knew my quest to be the perfect Mother was on. Fast fowarding, you started walking on me. Literally, you scrambled up my legs to get in my arms. Funniest thing ever. You were so tiny and fiesty! Barely ten months old. I used to wonder, what kid does this? Then, you starting singing to me. ~Let me tell you how I feel bout you night and day...~ Al B. Sure had a hit single that made you wiggle, dance and sing. So funny! The books I read to you...I still have them. Your very first book, you read back to me at right around 18 months old. It's true! How can I forget how sweet you sounded when you said, "Cape Capes and Sausage Please-No Ro Ros Mommy" in your request for breakfast! So, Pancakes & Sausage-no Cheerios it was. And the peeled grapes and watermelon that I had to make sure no seeds were in! Cocoa Beauty, you had me making sure you had your snacks in front of you before Sesame Street came on! Fast fowarding, you threw a tantrum in Kohl's Department store because the outfit I picked for you was "ugly". Your words, "It's uggggggly". Just because it did not have matching ribbons, barrettes and socks. The color was a different kind and hard to find at that store Ms. Lady. Wheeeeewww, just a mess! Fast fowarding, you went to Louisana for the summer. I was sick every day about it. It seemed like the summer was two decades without my Baby! How am I supposed to be the best Mother I can be if you are down there in the Bayou catching frogs and firing shots in a makeshift range? Fast forwarding, you joined the high school track team. My my my...all those years of putting you in sports programs actually paid off! So cool, calm and collected before the starter pistol popped. Then, you got all grown with your lil job at Fun World. Hilarious. Got your lil paycheck and couldn't wait to go shopping. Got the nails and hair done. Just too grown. Then you hot tailed it to Parkside. Slipped right past me on your way to college and got all "Sisterly" with the Deltas. Fast fowarding, now you are planning your wedding. Okay, I am crying. Must be one of those spells that comes along with being a Mother! Who would have thought that I would let anyone get close enough to you to steal you away from me? Well, I must say I am still seeking to be the most ultimate Mother I can possibly be. Happy Mother's Day to me. I celebrate it every day! It has been an extreme pleasure and I would do it all over again if I were promised you! I love you so much Pumpkin! YEJIDE! And that is a beautiful thing! LOL (The throwback is of you at right around 2 months old and below is at the First Saturdays Comedy Show we surprised you with. We got you good for your birthday! Comedian B-Flat & Your Best Friend!)