Chocolate Hair / Vanilla Care : Natural hair care for kids, adoption, and family life.

August 31, 2011

Book Review: "Mama, When Will I Be Popular?"

Have you ever been bullied? Have you ever not quite "fit in?" Further, do you have a child who might struggling with these issues? Well Mama, When Will I Be Popular might be a great book to open up a dialogue with your little one on these very subjects.

Product Review: Goodbyn Lunchbox

It's back-to-school time! This used to be my favourite time of the year. I'm a geek. I loved school! Thankfully, Boo does too! What she didn't love, however, was the lunchbox that I had originally purchased for her (remember my post on "Buying Culturally Specific Items?"). Well, she grew to like it, but it was not what she originally wanted (she wanted the kitty lunchbox). So I bought her this new Goodbyn as a compromise. And I have to say, I'm really, really impressed with it!

Inspirational Message Monday: Monica, Dominique-Alexis, & Thomasina

(photo by Ffîon)

We've asked women with natural hair to take a trip back in time and share with us a positive and encouraging message regarding natural hair from when they were children. We so very often hear the horror stories so I thought it would be great if we could share some of the loving ones. May this series serve as an inspiration to new mothers, or anyone for that matter, who may be feeling a bit overwhelmed about caring for natural hair.

Tried and True Preschool Do's: Natural Hairstyles for Back-to-School

It seems like everyone is already back to school. Everyone but us. Yes, we still have a little over two more weeks of listening to, "Maw-um! I'm sooooo bored!" Even Daddy (who teaches) doesn't go back until after Labour Day. But with two weeks still to go we are busy planning for the next year. This includes packing lunches for the first time. Eeek! So I've taken the time to compile a collection of our styles that Boo wore for her first year of preschool last year, as reference for possibilities for the coming year.

Family Friday: Imaginary Friends

(photo by Alyssa L. Miller)

At three-and-a-half years old, Boo has taken on her first imaginary friend. As I've recently learned, this is not at all uncommon at this age, and the imaginary friends are just as diverse as the children who have created them. Take Boo's new imaginary friend, Clown. Yep, Clown is the clown's name. And he is a rather complex character. At this point I've come to expect nothing less.

Pinned Rosettes Update: Found Smaller Bobby Pins

Well, after very nearly a week, the "Two-Strand Twists Pinned Into Rosettes"have held up very well. In fact I'm very pleased that, thanks to some wonderful readers, I was also able to find some smaller bobby pins! So now the style looks just as had originally planned (without all that extra metal sticking out).

Inspirational Message Monday: Landa

(photo by Ffîon)

We're starting a short series here at Chocolate Hair / Vanilla Care. We've asked women with chocolate hair to take a trip back in time and share with us a positive and encouraging message regarding natural hair from when they were children. We so very often hear the horror stories so I thought it would be great if we could share some of the loving ones. May this series serve as an inspiration to new mothers, or anyone for that matter, who may be feeling a bit overwhelmed about caring for natural hair.

Two-Strand Twists Pinned Into Rosettes

We needed a protective style fast! We had last minute theatre tickets and were in need of something awesome before that evening's performance (see "Family Friday: Mary Poppins" for the full theatre look). I wanted something that could be completed quickly, keep the hair protected, and yet would still look super cute for Boo's first night at the theatre . I'm a huge fan of two-strand twists, although we usually do rope twists. This time I wanted to try something a bit different.

Family Friday: Mary Poppins

Last night was amazing. The opportunity arose to take Boo to her very first theatre production. And when I say "arose" I mean "free tickets fell into our laps"on Wednesday for last night's performance (thanks to my friend Kate over at San Diego Deals and Steals). Boo has never been to the movie theatre before. We have been putting that off because I'm a huge theatre person and I wanted for her to have her first entertainment experience be live theatre.

Share Your Fondest Chocolate Hair Memory from Childhood

Do you have chocolate hair (i.e., kinky-curly hair)? Do you have a special memory of having your hair done when you were a child? I'm looking to share positive stories that will encourage new mamas and their budding relationships with their daughters.

Comb Coils How-To Video

After doing my post yesterday on Setting Comb Coils in Longer Hair, it became increasingly obvious that a video instruction would be necessary to make it clear to those who've never done comb coils before. So I made my very first instruction video on hair. Hopefully the video will illustrate what mere photos could not. And if you've ever wanted to hear Boo speak, this is your opportunity to do so!

Setting Comb Coils in Longer Hair

I loved doing comb coils in Boo's hair when she was a baby. They were quick, easy, and lasted longer than my finger coils ever did. However, doing them on longer hair definitely had a learning curve; it took me a while to get the hang of flipping her hair over the comb to make sure that it would double-up. But I love the results!

Family Friday: Movies in the Backyard

Tonight marks the first official "Movies by the Yard," or movies in our backyard. This is our first year in our new home and we are hoping to start a family tradition of showing movies projected in our backyard for all of our neighbours to come and enjoy. We did a test-run a couple of weeks ago and tonight is our official start. It appears to be a hit!

One of the things that my attending the BlogHer Conference did was help fund Christmas and birthday. Seriously. I left with four bags packed full of swag, most of which was for my daughter. Yes, I will be wrapping most of it up and giving it to her as stocking stuffers and birthday gifts. I'm cheap, that's how I roll.

How to Do a Three Strand Twist

Is it a twist, or is it candy? Using the practice board I created, you can follow step-by-step instructions for doing a three strand twist (a rope twist, in this case). Using three separate colours of the practice board for illustration, following the different strands through the twisting process is clear and simple.

Mom Hair and the Sock Bun

It should come as little surprise that this last week has been a little bit more about me than about anything else. The BlogHer Conference has completely taken over my life and, seeing as how Boo is still successfully wearing her yarn extensions, I've decided to devote our "style day" to "mom hair."

Family Friday: BlogHer 2011 Conference

Here I am. At my very first blogging conference, and missing my little Boo like crazy. Fortunately (unfortunately?), she's having a great time at home without me. In fact, while I was settling into my hotel room last night, I received this message from my husband:"Black-out, neighbours, front yard, guitar player, chairs, and a lantern. Hope you are having as much fun." Nice. I leave for half a day and wouldn't you know it, they're already having way more fun without me.

Pedicures (and Letting Go)

Today I got my first pedicure in five years. It's been almost exactly five years. I know this because the last time I had a pedicure I was pregnant with my son and getting ready for our baby shower. He died in utero less than two weeks later. The last image I have of my toes being painted was staring at that them in the hospital as I was giving birth to a baby boy that I would never know. That pedicure was the last thing that he and I did together, just the two of us, before he passed. I haven't had one since. Until today.

My First Blogging Conference

(photo by BlogHer)

Chocolate Hair / Vanilla Care is not yet a year old, but here I am, heading to my first blogging conference. Why am I going? Hopefully to glean as much information as possible to continue to best serve you, my readers. Because when it comes right down to it, without you I'm (~~just a narcissistic girl publishing more rubbish that clouds the already saturated world of blogging)~~ nothing.

A Philosophical Discussion of Curls: Chaos versus Control

(photo by Andrew.Beebe)

It was funny. Yesterday I was listening to a message by Tim Keller (Made for Stewardship), which was obviously completely unrelated to hair. Or was it? Something he said made me stop and think about our cultural relationship to hair: “We are made in the image of a creator, and therefore we need to create.” He continued by explaining that this “creation” included making order out of chaos, giving several examples (e.g., a doctor putting a body back in order, a therapist helping put someone’s life back in order, and a stylist combing hair to put it into order, etc.).