Help Me Update

Blog family,
I am looking for suggestions on ways to update and modernize my blog. Now, I am not very computer savvy so I have no idea how to do all the fancy stuff. I could really use suggestions or instruction on a few things in the following areas:

Where to find new free blog templates
How to upload pictures and place them where I want them
How to create slide shows
How to link YouTube videos
How to create and post my own videos

Any help would be greatly appreciated :)


Lock on wit yo bad self!
HN

2 Years With Locks

Hello again so soon!

I am coming up on my 2 year mark with locks! Wow! The actual date isn't until June 20th but I though I would get this post in early. My locks have really come a long way. They have thickened, puffed, and are finally starting to grow longer. I have absolutely no regrets about locking my hair, only that I didn't do it long ago. I know that everyone says that but it is soo true.

I used to faithfully tighten my locks every 4 weeks for the first year until I became a DIY'er. Now, I just re-tighten when I feel like it. That is usually between 6 and 10 weeks. 10 weeks!!! I know that sounds like a long time but my hair is very slow growing and I really enjoy the new growth. I love to put my hands in my hair and feel the soft fluffy roots. I also don't really like the scalppy look of a freshly tightened head although I love the way it feels when the water runs over my scalp after a fresh retigh. I am also happy to report that I have never lost a lock! Yay! I have however, combined and added a few new ones in areas where there used to be no hair but it has now started to grow in.When I say the words 2 years, it seems like a long time, but when I think back over my journey, it went by so quickly. I look forward to each year to come.

The pictures that I have included are of the first day after install, the first year (shown with my lovely hubby), and today, 4 days before my 2 year lock anniversary. I tried to put these pictures in order from beginning to now but blogger changed them when I published the post so just bare with me please:)

***Feel free to click on the pictures for an enlarged view to see better detail. ***

Until next time,
Lock on wit yo bad self!

HN

Introducing the Graduate

So.....Introducing...Hibiscus Niki who now holds a Master's Degree in Health Care Administration...YAY! This is the reason for my absence as of late. I have been busting my butt to finish my work so that I could participate in the commencement ceremony on June 13, 2010. My family is also in the middle of a big transition as we move from one Army duty station to the next. I look forward to posting more regularly again now that some of the stress has been relieved.

Lock on wit yo bad self!

HN

The Birth of Two Baby Locks

Hello Blog Fam,

I have been MIA because my family is in the middle of a move from Honolulu, HI to Raleigh, NC :( I am currently on a long stay with my parents in Cleveland, OH for the summer while we look for a home to purchase in North Carolina.

As far as my hair goes, everything is still the same. I was getting tired of my locks for a while and thinking of starting over until I completed my re-ti this evening. Now my scalp is feeling refreshed and I am back in love with my locks. Although I love my fuzzies and the way my hair looks when it needs to be tightened, there is no feeling better than having a freshly tightened head and letting the water run over my scalp. Love...love...love i t! Better yet, I was able to start two new locks on my hair line. My mother, my sister, and I all have a thinning hair lines. I was a bit bumbed about that but then the fuzzies started growing in and Yay, two new locks are born. I am now thinking that the thinning had less to do with genetics and more to do with the danaging affects of a relaxer, LOL! Starting the new locks coupled with all the many compliments that I have received since being in town is giving me reason to continue to have patience and to continue on this journey that I so love....I just get side tracked sometimes (hee hee!)

My hair line still has some growing to do but it is looking much less stressed with the addition of the baby locks. Now my followers know that I have been thinking of combining for a while. I secretly combined quite a few of my locks in the front and in the back of my head just to get a feel for combining because this is where the locks were very tiny (This was done months ago). Although I like the bigger locks, combining in the front reduced my density because my hair is very thin and fine there. If I had it to do all over again, I would not have combined at the hair line but rather more in the middle of my head.....it's a learning journey as well. The good news is that the roots of the tiny locks that I combined seem to be much stronger, so that's always good right!

Until next time,

Lock on wit yo bad self!
HN

I Stand Corrected

Hello All,

Today my mother came to Hawaii to visit me for the last time as we will be leaving with a permanent change of duty station (my husband is in the Army) going to North Carolina some time in May. The first thing she said to me was "Wow! Look at all that hair you have!" Now this took me by surprise as you all know that I have been wondering lately why everyone else's hair is growing and mine is standing still. The last time I saw my mother was about 10 months ago and she said that there is a big difference. So I stand corrected, my hair IS growing :)

My mother is newly natural again. She was natural for years and a few months ago added a wave neuvo (SP?) to her hair. The chemicals thinned and took her hair out in spots so just before coming here, she had it cut off again and is now sporting a TWA. Lucky for me, I will now be able to try our the Nudred that I purchased on line with her in mind before she added the chemicals. I will try it out and update you all with pictures after we try it.

Until next time,

Lock on wit yo bad self!

HN

In a Hair Funk!

Well Blog family, I just thought I would let you guys know that I am really in a funk right now with my hair. I have been looking at other blogs and everyone's hair seems to be showing so much growth. Mine on the other hand, is at a stand still. I will be 2 years locked in June and where is the length? I...Need...Growth!!! I don't have any cute styles, and it wont stay curled either. This must be another one of those stages that it just has to go through. I guess I'll just have to let it do what it do! I still really love my hair but I just need so UMPH!!! What kind...and where to get it from...I'm not sure, but "I'm gone need my hair to say sumin' babae!" (Sorry for that outburst, LOL, but sometimes these songs just pop into my head, LOL!) Anywho...It just seems to be blah! On a positive note, it is feeling healthy. I keep it clean and moisturized so I guess that's something to be proud of. I am graduating with my Masters degree in June, Yay me! ...and I am trying to get into nursing (RN) school in January. So my life is taking so many changes right now but my hair is staying the same. I have got to put my thinking cap on and come up with something to give this hair some life.

I just thought I would add this picture of my furry babies because they love me no matter what my hair looks like:) See how they were posing for the picture.

Until next time....

Lock on wit yo bad self!

HN

Lock Loops....UGG!

Hello all,

I have only been away for about 2 week and it feels like forever. I thought that I would try a bunch of styles and post them for you all but....nope. I am growing to love my freestyle more and more these days. It just feels right and its no fuss. Got to love that! I do however, love to accent with little clips, hair pins, and barrettes. They make me feel like my hair looks different everyday even though its in the same style.

I retightened my hair (I truly dislike the scalpy look after retightening) on the evening of Easter and then tried giving my lock loops another try in hope that it would give me some great style this time.

But, as before, I did not like the results. It looks too Grannyish, if you know what I mean. I need something new and different and my hair seems to only like free styling at this point so I guess I will have to stick with it. I wanted to try the perm rods again, a style that I often wore in the past, but as my locks have matured a bit, they no longer fit nicely around the rods. Many come out uncurled as a result. Although I am loving the free style look, I have to attend a military ball for my husbands Officer School graduation at the end of the month. (Yay! Hubby) Any suggestions on ways I can do my hair for a formal event. The last ball I went to, I used the lock loops and then did an updo. It was OK, but I need a style that doesn't make me look so mature.

I have also been in somewhat of a funk because one thing that is usually great about me is my skin; to my surprise, it has broken out like something terrible. I mean, I didn't even get acne in high school so why is it that now, at age 3? (thirty WHAAAAT?), am I getting skin breakouts? I don't even have a clue as to what to use. I wash my face daily with Noxema and that is about it. I don't know what to use to clear it up because this has never been an issue for me. Maybe some of you great makeup queens can give me some cool makeup tips so at least I can still feel pretty for the ball. I wear eye shadow every now and then but I have no clue on how to really wear makeup. I guess it's time to go back to youtube, LOL! Cinderella's fairy god mother needs to show up QUICK!

PS: Sorry that my pictures are never of good quality but I take them with my camera phone. Shhhh, don't tell anyone that I have a digital camera but have no earthly idea how to upload the pictures. My Hubby usually takes care of all that technical stuff. Since he is away, the camera phone will have o do. I will try to get better y'all. And, don't mind my Alvin and the Chipmunks shirt either, I was only chillin at home all day. I just wanted you all to see the results of the lock loops. I promise I didn't go out like that. HA! At least the kids thought it was cool!.........Aaallll-viiin!

Lock on wit yo bad self!

HN