The Curlie In 3C - One Mo' Gin!

It's been a long time. I shouldn't have left you...

You know the rest.

I'm moved to blog again! Not sure how long it will last, but if you're down to enjoy it while it lasts, I'm down to give one more try!

For my loyal followers, I always start my blog posts with one of Five Headers:

Soul Survivor
Kiss My Glass
Black Girl's Think Tank
*The Curlie In 3C
*Foodie Call (Tales of a Foodie)

I'll start by replacing my header Naps, Mishaps and Product Caps with my new hair persona, The Curlie In 3C (@CurlieGirl3C on Twitter and there's a Facebook page too!) This is for you and me: if you're interested in how I care for and present my hair, I will be bothered to care for and present my hair.

We'll start with me not only trying new products, but new styles. My comeback hairstyle experiment is the Bantu Knot Out. I've heard mixed reviews - some of my friends have tried it and were not pleased with the results. But YouTube and other blogs and pics have shown me that a successful Bantu Knot Out can be done. Now whether or not I have mastered it is a different story. I also tried three new products on this style: I co-washed with Oyin Handmade's Honey Hemp Conditioner, then styled the knots with a combination of Dr. Miracle's Curl Care Strong Hold Gel and Elasta QP's Olive Oil and Mango Butter Moisturizer. These products are all courtesy of my Nov, Dec and Jan CurlBox shipments.

 

As you can see by facial expression, this was not an easy task for me. I didn't get that you had to twist them and wind them counter clockwise until I was halfway done. So the ones I did right were tighter and more secure than the ones I had done wrong. So me being the perfectionist that I am went back and re-knotted the first half. By this time, I was forced to re-wet and re-gel the ends (smh...curly problems). It only took me 2 hours and 15 minutes to finish. 

I was forced to sleep like Regina King did in Friday (remember the opening scene when she was sleeping like she was laying down reading a book?) because every time I laid back on my head, one of the knots would dig into my scalp. The knots and I survived till morning. 

This is what it looked like when I first took them out:

As you can see, I was underwhelmed. They were tight little coils and I had no idea what to do with them! Then I asked myself, what would one of my hair gurus do? (Mine is Jenell of KinkyCurlCoilyMe) So I scrounged up some bobby pins and started pinning!

Not too shabby for someone who has no real talent for styling hair. Below is the 2nd Day - I only tied it up with a silk scarf for bed. All us natural gals know and understand that the Sleep Test is the real test! 

So that was my adventure with Bantu Knot Out. Overall I would say its a win - now that I know how to do it, it shouldn't take me nearly as long, AND I know the style lasts at least 2 days. I shall file it away and pat myself on the back for doing something new with my hair! I may even try some variations, such as knotting it on dry, blown out hair.

Please share your Bantu Knot stories with me - was it a success or a fail? Did you try it different ways? What made the difference? How do you think mine turned out?

Soul Survivor: The Reasons

God determines who walks into your life....it's up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay,and who you refuse to let go."- Anonymous

I saw this quote somewhere, and it really made me think about how people are placed in my life for a reason...

but I never think about me being placed in someone else's life for a reason. The concept sounds simple enough...but alas...it is not.

How do you know? Sometimes I look at people around me, at how I treat them, how they treat me, how they behave...and I look heaven-ward and ask...really Lord? WHY?? If nothing else, it is my desire to fulfill God's purpose in life for me...so if this person is supposed to be here...so be it.

But what is my purpose in other people's life? Am I supposed to be teaching lessons? Setting examples? Being a friend, being a shoulder...and most importantly...

what happens if I fail?

It's one thing to muck up my life...it's something else to not do right by someone else's. Lord knows I've let some people stay when they should have been exiled from my life, and let some people go that maybe deserved a second (or third...or fourth) chance.

I guess God's greatest gift to us is free will...and patience is a virtue...and guidance is divine.

Tales of a Foodie: Tea Time! An Interchangeable Recipe for Tea Breads

I'm a big fan of quick breads - it takes half the time it does to bake regular bread, and there are so many great recipes for it! I came across a recipe for tea bread a while back, and decided to try it with some variations. They came out great! Tea is definitely not just for drinking anymore! A few great things about tea breads:

* they can be made just like tea - the recipe I use requires honey instead of sugar to sweeten the bread. It really makes the flavor of the tea the star of the show, and is a great sugar-free snack. 

* they make great gifts! Divide the recipe batter up among mini loaf pans, wrap them in pretty cellophane, add a bow and tag, and you have a perfect little gift! 

* This delicious recipe is amazingly simple, so it's a great beginning project for the novice baker. 

First I'll provide the base tea bread recipe. For the tea bags, you can use whatever kind of tea you think would taste great as a bread. 

Base Tea Bread Recipe

3/4 cup  2% milk

2 tea bags

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup honey

3/4 cup butter, melted

3 large eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a large saucepan, combine milk and tea bags. Heat milk over medium-high heat until steaming. Remove from heat. Let stand 10 minutes. Discard tea bags. 

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl, combine tea-infused milk, honey, butter, and eggs. Gradually add flour mixture to milk mixture, stirring until blended. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. 

Below are my favorite variations:

Vanilla Chai Tea Bread

Use vanilla chai flavored tea bags. Add a 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon.

Lemon Ginger Tea Bread

Use lemon or lemon-ginger flavored tea bags. Add 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger and a 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest. 

Green Tea Bread

Use green tea bags. Add 1/2 teaspoon of lime or lemon zest

You can have a slice for breakfast, or have it as a delicious snack! If you come up a variation that works for you or that you'd like to try, please share it with us! Enjoy!

Kiss My Glass - But I Just Opened That Bottle!

I can't tell you how many times I have opened a bottle of wine, had one or two delicious and satisfying glasses, and put it in the fridge. I go back a week later, pour myself a glass, and spit out a mouth full of vinegar. I'm going to share a few tips on storing your bottles of wine.

You don't need a special refrigerator or cellar to store wine that you want to age, or just don't want to drink right away. Any cool, dark place, such as a closet or pantry, will do. Keeping the wine out of the sunlight and at a consistent temperature is key. You should also invest in a wine rack - when the bottles lay flat, it keeps the cork wet so air can't get in through cracks and promote spoiling. Wine bottles with screw tops don't need to lay flat. 

Once a bottle of wine has been opened, you want to limit the amount of air exposure. Re-corking and refrigerating a bottle of wine shortly after opening it will keep it fresh for up to 2 days. 

A vacuum pump wine sealer (shown above) is relatively cheap and can keep wine drinkable for up to a week. They run around $10, and it includes a pump and a couple of stoppers. 

Hopefully this little handy post will keep you from drinking a glass of vinegar or tossing a half-full bottle of perfectly good wine. Cheers!

Black Girl's Think Tank - The Hardest Part of Being Human

A while back, I came across an interesting concept that really got the wheels in my head turning: The 4 Hardest Tasks for people are not physical nor intellectual, but spiritual:

*Return Love for Hate - it's easy for us to identify and crucify our so-called "haters." But how difficult would it be, after that, to love them anyhow? Most of us don't realize how hard it is because we can't wrap our brain around loving someone who objectively or directly "hates" us. We're not supposed to, right? Its ridiculous for us to even entertain the idea. But if you are a spiritual person, or even try to live by the Golden Rule (Do unto others as you would have them to do unto you) then you will understand that however hard this might seem, it is necessary to get along in our lives if we have a shot at true happiness.

*Include the Excluded - I was always the kid that felt sorry for the other kid that was eating lunch by his or herself - and sometimes I would go so far as to go over and sit for a while, or have lunch with them. But only if my friends were on board too - good thing I had good, compassionate and like-minded friends. As adults, we hardly ever acknowledge the Excluded. We're not all in the same lunchroom anymore, so why bother? But it's even more important now that we do this. At church, at work, wherever. These are the things that just generally count as a good deed, and make you a better person.


*Forgive without Apology - So wait...I have to forgive this person, even if they don't apologize or ask for forgiveness? I know, it seems crazy. But you don't need me to tell you that holding grudges does nothing to the other person, and is absolutely poisonous for you. Don't feel like you're doing them a favor by forgiving them - you're doing it for YOU. Because after you do, you're free of it.

*Say "I Was Wrong" - Nobody, I mean NOBODY likes a Know-It-All. Some might think it makes you look weak and stupid to be wrong. But it makes you look stupid AND obnoxious to be wrong and not acknowledge it. 'Nuff said.

I check myself on all of these every now and then. Maybe if we all conquer the 4 hardest parts of being human, mankind will be restored...or maybe folks will just be happier. ;-)

Tales of a Foodie - The Perfect (and EASY) Pancake

Whenever I find out that a friend is using a pre-packaged shortcut to make a favorite dish, it is not uncommon for me to immediately exclaim "but you can make that from scratch, and it's SO EASY!!!" This usually prompts a disgusted look from said friend, followed by an eyeroll. I will admit, as a self-proclaimed foodie, I have been cooking and baking long enough to find things easy that may seem a little difficult to the novice cook. However...

...pancakes from scratch are the easiest thing from scratch you will ever make! I can make a whole batch in them in under 30 minutes, and they are fool-proof if you follow this simple recipe.

Fool-proof Pancakes From Scratch


1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)*
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 Tablespoons melted butter
1 large egg
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil


* it's very important that you spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup and level it off. If you scoop the flour and level it, you may have a denser measurement that is not accurate for this recipe. 

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees; have a baking sheet or heatproof platter ready to keep cooked pancakes warm in the oven. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside. It's important to use a whisk, or at least a fork to ensure that all ingredients are mixed well. 

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, butter, and egg. Add dry ingredients to milk mixture; whisk until just moistened (do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine.)

3. Heat a large skillet (nonstick or cast-iron) or griddle over medium heat. Fold a sheet of paper towel in half, and moisten with oil; carefully rub skillet with oiled paper towel (you may have to repeat this after each batch if the skillet looks a little dry.) 

4. For each pancake, spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of batter onto skillet, using the back of the spoon to spread batter into a round (you should be able to fit 2 to 3 in a large skillet.)

5. Cook until surface of pancakes have some bubbles and a few have burst. 1 to 2 minutes. Flip carefully with a thin spatula, and cook until browned on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a baking sheet or platter, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and keep warm in oven. Continue with more oil and more batter. Serve warm, with desired toppings (syrup, confectioners sugar, honey, jam, preserves, whipped cream or chocolate syrup.)

See how easy that is? In five simple steps, you can have homemade pancakes! Below are a few extra tips that will help enhance your fabulous pancake-from-scratch experience:

* remember, to keep pancakes tender, take care NOT to overmix batter; a few small lumps are fine.

* the skillet is at the right temperature when drops of water jump a little on the surface.

* use as little oil as possible in the skillet; a quick wipe with an oiled paper towel is enough.

* for thinner or thicker pancakes, add more or less liquid; respectively.

* if you want to add extras, such as blueberries, sliced bananas, strawberries, chocolate chips or nuts, sprinkle on pancakes before flipping. 

* To freeze left-over pancakes, stack cooled pancakes between squares of waxed paper; place in a resealable plastic bag or airtight container. Freeze up to 3 months. Reheat on a baking sheet in a preheated 350 degree oven or toaster oven. Don't reheat pancakes in the microwave - they will get rubbery. 

This basic pancake recipe was found in the September 2006 issue of Everyday Food (one of my all-time favorite food publications) and I have been using it ever since. I hope you find it to be as helpful as I did! 

Naps, Mishaps & Product Caps - The Lazy Curly Girl's Guide to Daily Styling

Aaaannndddd I'm back! Since the rapture has been postponed, I figured I would start up my blog again!  And what better way to come back from a 5 month hiatus than with a lazy-themed blog post! You know what they say - life happens. This is often my excuse for not spending more time on my curls. So here are a few tips for my Lazy Curly Girls (LCG) for daily hair styling.

I want to take this opportunity to throw in a disclaimer - while I have the upmost respect for my curly girlies that spend at least an hour or more on their hair daily and nightly, and have an endless repertoire of cute and intricate natural hair styles...this post is not for you. This post is for my can't ever find more than two bobby pins, don't even know how to corn row, don't have the patience to two-strand twist, had to ask someone what a "YT channel" was,  thinks a tuck and roll is something you do when your clothes are on fire, need a ten-minute or less hair regimen CURLY GIRLS!!!

Now if you fall into this category, you must be willing to have a certain "freedom" to your look. You must not be afraid to rock your hair in its natural state, as long as it looks supple and moist. Also, I have what is often referred to as "3c" type curls. So these tips are ones that work with my curl pattern. But don't let that discourage you from experimenting!

The Co-Wash 'N Go


Before getting out of the shower in the morning, I wet my hair just a little - enough to make it wet, but not too drippy.

- I divide my hair into four rough sections, and apply a good leave-in conditioner (right now, I'm partial to Mixed Chicks Leave-In Conditioner - it has a tiny bit of hold in it.) Then I shake it out a little, part it on the side and allow it to air-dry.


The Curl Re-Charger

This technique is good for the 2nd or 3rd day after a fresh wash 'n go. At this point, my curls have lots of volume, so it tends to be a little big - but that's how I like it. ;-)

- Before getting out of the shower, wet your hair with your hands, just enough to make it damp. Then add some moisturizing cream to it (I like Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Cream; it has a bit of hold) or a curl-reviving spray (I like Curls Lavish Curl Moisturizer; it has glycerin, which makes it good for redefining curls.) I often use this technique on the second or third day after a regular wash 'n go.  I sometimes put on a large elastic headband and push it just past my hairline so the curls kind of frame my face.






The Flirty Pull-to-the-Side


This is one I use when I really needed to have washed my hair about three days prior to doing this style. A very cute hair accessory is needed here - as well as some large, funky earrings. This pic didn't come out so great, but you get the gist:

I wet my hair with my hands right at the sink, and used regular hair gel to smooth and brush it all to one side (Pro Con Protein Gel or Olive Oil gel is what I use - but any gel with conditioners and hold in it will do.) It also helps to wet the brush a little. I secured the tiny puff with a Goody's black elastic, and pulled out the curls a little to surround the elastic. Then I pinned the flower on the side. Quick and cute!

Ok LCG's (Lazy Curly Girls), chime in - let me know what you think, and if you have any suggestions to add!