~ The Retro Natural
Hello Lovelies!
I've made some more hair flowers for the Summer. Yellow and white are perfect colors that go with almost anything.
Next hair flower project will be getting some pretty reds and pinks into the mix! I think I'll show off my hair scarves next though. What are you current favorite accessories?
-RetroNatural
I've made some more hair flowers for the Summer. Yellow and white are perfect colors that go with almost anything.
Next hair flower project will be getting some pretty reds and pinks into the mix! I think I'll show off my hair scarves next though. What are you current favorite accessories?
-RetroNatural
Oh my Lovelies,
(Lovelies sounds better so, I'm changing it up!)
I've been many things lately... tired, giddy, lazy, frustrated, stressed. But as of today, I'm feelin' pretty good! Shall i say a bit more balanced? Life can be too much at times. So much to do and so little time for the self. I've been trying to do just that for the past month. May was my birthday month so that meant even more time for the self albeit with tons of partying ;)
So as an "oops, sorry for going MIA" apology, here's a visual recap of what I've been up to.
I'm still semi MIA as I've turned off my facebook and haven't been doing videos either. (Can I just say that even with getting the right cords for my pc, I ran into yet another issue regarding a broken port for my internet cable?!) But I've been on Tumblr because it's just more interesting to me at the moment and doesn't require as much attention. Ah, that's it! I think I ran out of attention to give! However, I'm slowly filling that tank back up. So thank you all for not unsubscribing!
Annnnd..now I'm just working and trying to keep it mellow.. Hope you enjoyed the visuals, do you forgive me for being absent? Do ya?? I totally would have failed grade school at this rate, huh?
May was crazy but June will be a simple month of simple activities. Don't confuse simple with boring though. I have an erotica reading to go to and while I won't be boozing it up nor dancing all night, it'll be very sensual indeed! So, til next time and it won't be over a month until "next time" comes around!
~The Retro Natural
(Lovelies sounds better so, I'm changing it up!)
I've been many things lately... tired, giddy, lazy, frustrated, stressed. But as of today, I'm feelin' pretty good! Shall i say a bit more balanced? Life can be too much at times. So much to do and so little time for the self. I've been trying to do just that for the past month. May was my birthday month so that meant even more time for the self albeit with tons of partying ;)
So as an "oops, sorry for going MIA" apology, here's a visual recap of what I've been up to.
I'm still semi MIA as I've turned off my facebook and haven't been doing videos either. (Can I just say that even with getting the right cords for my pc, I ran into yet another issue regarding a broken port for my internet cable?!) But I've been on Tumblr because it's just more interesting to me at the moment and doesn't require as much attention. Ah, that's it! I think I ran out of attention to give! However, I'm slowly filling that tank back up. So thank you all for not unsubscribing!
Went to a roof top party..dancing was performed. Fun was had!
I've been in the garden a bit with the Missus, I helped re-pot these aloe plants.
This is the before photo lol *dusts hands off*
The Mustang is back and running like a dream,
snapshot of a little trip to the market.
Went to eat at one of my favorite Thai food places that has really amazing customer service. Plus the clown fish is always entertaining, he snuggles in a bed of sea plants. Plus, plus, seaweed salad and sake are a nice pastime.
Had a Friday date night and walked to Congregation Ale House which has
tons of micro brews ...it's a bit blasphemous (I dig that!) and it's very fun,
also great customer service! T'was cold so we dressed warm and stayed toasty.
Met up with my sisters and visited the Pike.
We also killed zombies and monsters at the arcade and then headed to the beach. Easy breezy day!
Had coffee at a coffee shop I hadn't been to yet.
Nice atmosphere but the vibe wasn't really me. Next!
Though, her coffee was pretty good!
Made a crochet hair flower and finally put the thing to use
..a bobby pin was all I needed.
Stared at things I wanted to get working, like this kerosene lamp
that I still have yet to fill with kerosene. One day..
Used a fabulous coffee butter bar made by my friend Telle *waves*
Suuuuch supple skin after slapping some of this on!
Went to one of my fav Hollywood spots for my pre-birthday celebrations
...vegan shrimp and really good sour soup
After food noms and whatnot, I danced to drum n bass and got really sore..I look happy here but I think I was in pain the next morning.
I dance hard, wouldn't want it any other way!
I also
continued my dancing fever at a Flux Pavillion show,
this time, dubstep,
hard, loud, dubstep ..oh how I love thee! I was recovering from a cold
and a lot of youngsters couldn't seem to handle their alcohol/drugs/jealous lovers but I had a good time!
Celebrated Pride with friends and went to a very hot club, proceeded to sweat profusely as I danced, walked back to the car clammy and caught a cold!
Went on a artsy date to see Cafe Vida, it was a really good play!
I look awkward but I just wanted the poster to show lol..
Annnnd..now I'm just working and trying to keep it mellow.. Hope you enjoyed the visuals, do you forgive me for being absent? Do ya?? I totally would have failed grade school at this rate, huh?
May was crazy but June will be a simple month of simple activities. Don't confuse simple with boring though. I have an erotica reading to go to and while I won't be boozing it up nor dancing all night, it'll be very sensual indeed! So, til next time and it won't be over a month until "next time" comes around!
~The Retro Natural
Me and the misses are planting our sprouted veggies at home in our urban garden and it's lovely out! Super sunny, expect extreme squinting. What a nice combo though, right? We've got spinach, sugar snap peas, black seeded lettuce and yellow squash. They're doing really well and we can't wait to sample them! Is it just us or are baby plants just as adorable as baby animals??
Anyone else planting? What's the easiest thing you've grown?
Til next time!
~The Retro Natural
Anyone else planting? What's the easiest thing you've grown?
Til next time!
~The Retro Natural
Summery days are ahead...woo hoo!
And that's not the only nice news, my home pc is almost up! I just have to get it connected to the internet..woo hoo! I plan to post a bit more often..perhaps doing a hair tutorial a bit more often if I can continue to find ones that really inspire me or come up with some on my own.
I'm also working on another page for this site that'll link finished hair styles to their video tutorial. I thought that would be genius because that way, you don't have to look through the whole blog for a tut. Go me!
Soon lovies, reeeeal soon!
~The Retro Natural
I read a post by Lucy Mae some time ago begging the question, where do you eat lunch while at work? For me, the duck pond at my job is one of the most tranquil spots to have lunch at. It's scenic, (usually) quiet and the shrubs and water features are just so calming!
I call it the duck pond because a duck couple has pretty much claimed the the location as their castle. They do share it with the crows and seagulls though. They're pretty used to us humans too. They walk or waddle over to me often! I come out here to clear my head and get some air. Some people smoke out here and that can kill the scenic feel but otherwise it's a lovely little spot. It really has a pseudo feng shui feel to it. Very earthy, lots of shrubs and greenery, rocks, streams and waterfalls here and there. It's the best work lunch spot ever!
Do you take lunch anywhere nice?
~The Retro Natural
Hey lovies! I'm proud to announce that I'll be sharing more photos with you all because I've finally got a smarty pants phone and some fun apps including blogger and instagram! So even if I can't post a detailed blog entry, I can at least share a photo of something retro and fabulous :)
Here's a few to get the ball rolling!
1. A simple protective style with a retro scarf.
2. My beloved vintage lamp.
3. Vintage peep toe wedges from Ms. Vanessa of Sweet Leigh!
In other news, if you follow me on twitter, you mighta noticed that keeping up with the sites I manage has been a bit difficult for me. I'm seeing that I'm going to put some thongs on hold. I can't dedicate enough time to videos, I've been trying but I'm still lagging! So I'm gonna remain neutral about it. I won't close my channel or anything but I can't feel compiled to post if it just can't happen organically. So there ya have it. Nice to kinda get that off my chest. I'm gonna do what's easiest for me at the moment. As for the rest, que sera, sera! It's Spring time, so I'm alright with trying something new.
~The Retro Natural
Here's a few to get the ball rolling!
1. A simple protective style with a retro scarf.
2. My beloved vintage lamp.
3. Vintage peep toe wedges from Ms. Vanessa of Sweet Leigh!
In other news, if you follow me on twitter, you mighta noticed that keeping up with the sites I manage has been a bit difficult for me. I'm seeing that I'm going to put some thongs on hold. I can't dedicate enough time to videos, I've been trying but I'm still lagging! So I'm gonna remain neutral about it. I won't close my channel or anything but I can't feel compiled to post if it just can't happen organically. So there ya have it. Nice to kinda get that off my chest. I'm gonna do what's easiest for me at the moment. As for the rest, que sera, sera! It's Spring time, so I'm alright with trying something new.
~The Retro Natural
Hello, Lovies!
I recently won a raffle to have a hair styling session at Mahogany Hair Revolution here in Los Angeles so I scheduled my appointment for this past Sunday.. I was pretty happy to be able to have my hair done by someone else for a change, it can get a bit tiring doing it yourself all of the time, ya know? I wanted to get some big voluminous hair (a la Tracee Ellis Ross if possible - I didn't have a photo so that may have helped a bit more) but I actually ended up with tendrils..Shirley temple curls I suppose? It wasn't the look I was going for and they were pretty but I realized when I got home that my hair + Shirley temple curls = tangles after about two days. I've been noticing my hair tangling more often so I decided I had to brush it out before it got to that point. While I was initially happy to have my hair done at a salon, I wasn't used to being in a salon for such a long time and being there for 7+ hours was very daunting for me. It's awesome that I style my own hair on a normal basis I suppose. :)
Being in the chair did give me a bit of styling enthusiasm so I plan to get back in the mirror and see what I can come up with. I got some tips on helping my ends (even though I trimmed recently, grr!) and getting the product residue off my scalp completely so I was happy to get some suggestions that will help the overall health of my hair. I think I may have to wash my hair tomorrow as there's more oil than I imagined on my hair. I'm not used to feeling oil when I touch my hair so I think washing is the only way to go. I'm grateful to the Mahogany team but I think DIY is best for this gal. The best part though is getting your hair washed..best feeling in the world!
~The Retro Natural
I recently won a raffle to have a hair styling session at Mahogany Hair Revolution here in Los Angeles so I scheduled my appointment for this past Sunday.. I was pretty happy to be able to have my hair done by someone else for a change, it can get a bit tiring doing it yourself all of the time, ya know? I wanted to get some big voluminous hair (a la Tracee Ellis Ross if possible - I didn't have a photo so that may have helped a bit more) but I actually ended up with tendrils..Shirley temple curls I suppose? It wasn't the look I was going for and they were pretty but I realized when I got home that my hair + Shirley temple curls = tangles after about two days. I've been noticing my hair tangling more often so I decided I had to brush it out before it got to that point. While I was initially happy to have my hair done at a salon, I wasn't used to being in a salon for such a long time and being there for 7+ hours was very daunting for me. It's awesome that I style my own hair on a normal basis I suppose. :)
The Shirley temple curls
Today, after brushing out my hair
~The Retro Natural
Sorry for the missing in action, March is a busy month for me at work! However, I have something wonderful for ya to read sooo...
I had the pleasure of meeting the lovely and talented Vanessa Leigh through a mutual amiga (Hey Tasha!) at a get together. Vanessa is the oh-so-fabulous mastermind behind SweetLeigh - a line of beautiful hats and hair accessories and it's chock full of retro prints and fabrics and she's even coming out with a Grace Jones line! I picked Miss Leigh's brain a bit and have a little interview for you all, so enjoy!
TheRetroNatural - What inspires you when creating your accessories?
SweetLeigh - I am inspired by glamour! I start with a muse, like Frida Kahlo, or Marlene Dietrich, or Grace Jones who inspired the Winter collection (The Amazing Grace Jones Collection), always women with unique style. I love old movies, great music, art, and all of those things inspire me as they do everyone I suppose. I of course love current fashion as well, Valentino never disappoints for lady like fabulousness, Jill Sander is inspired this spring and fall as is Suno. But really it comes down to my interpretation of the muse. I don't really believe in trend, I worship at the house of style. In my world the hat never went anywhere, and women want to be seen.
TheRetroNatural - How long have you been sewing?
SweetLeigh - I've been sewing since, 2001? Not long really. Sometimes, I think it's a shame I never thought to go to Fashion school as a kid. I was super political, an activist for over a decade while working in non profit orgs and then moved into non profit case management which is a very different path that directly led me to sewing, so there you go. All is well.
TheRetroNatural - Where would you like to see your hats and accessories sold at in the future? (You know you gotta tell the Universe whatcha want lol)
SweetLeigh - Universe, I would love for my hats to be at the LACMA gift shop, as well the Craft & Folk Art Museum gift shop here in Los Angeles, which has the best gift shop ever! Universe I would love for my accessories to be sold at an upscale vintage boutiques where people love and appreciate craft! I would love to make a limited edition collection especially for a design house like Carven or Rodarte.
TheRetroNatural - What's currently inspiring you for a future line of hats/accessories/etc?
SweetLeigh - I am obsessed with Masterpiece's Downtown Abbey and it takes place over my favorite time in the 20th Century. The second season ended with the New Year of 1920. I have also newly started watching Boardwalk Empire. I am definitely considering doing a spin on the Cloche for spring. Which I need to figure out yesterday! Wink. And as of now, I am pretty committed that Carmen Miranda be my muse for Summer Cannot wait!
Anyone who's into retro hair styling would benefit from owning a piece (or seven!) from her Etsy shop. I had the pleasure of hanging out with Vanessa at a vintage and craft market and I even got to try on a few things.
Check out a few additional snapshots from the market.. I'm in love!
Though I dressed up a tad, it was really cold outside! On came the razzleberry sweater! Vanessa, you rock! I'm happy to support an ultra crafty designer who not only has an excellent eye for creating beautiful pieces but is also eco friendly!
You can learn more about Sweet Leigh and shop by checking out these fine, dandy links:
http://sweetleighsewn.com/
http://HelloSweetLeigh.etsy.com/
http://facebook.com/HelloSweetLeigh
Treat yourself to something pretty, lovies! I think the cherry print tilt hat is calling me!
~The Retro Natural
I had the pleasure of meeting the lovely and talented Vanessa Leigh through a mutual amiga (Hey Tasha!) at a get together. Vanessa is the oh-so-fabulous mastermind behind SweetLeigh - a line of beautiful hats and hair accessories and it's chock full of retro prints and fabrics and she's even coming out with a Grace Jones line! I picked Miss Leigh's brain a bit and have a little interview for you all, so enjoy!
TheRetroNatural - What inspires you when creating your accessories?
SweetLeigh - I am inspired by glamour! I start with a muse, like Frida Kahlo, or Marlene Dietrich, or Grace Jones who inspired the Winter collection (The Amazing Grace Jones Collection), always women with unique style. I love old movies, great music, art, and all of those things inspire me as they do everyone I suppose. I of course love current fashion as well, Valentino never disappoints for lady like fabulousness, Jill Sander is inspired this spring and fall as is Suno. But really it comes down to my interpretation of the muse. I don't really believe in trend, I worship at the house of style. In my world the hat never went anywhere, and women want to be seen.
TheRetroNatural - How long have you been sewing?
SweetLeigh - I've been sewing since, 2001? Not long really. Sometimes, I think it's a shame I never thought to go to Fashion school as a kid. I was super political, an activist for over a decade while working in non profit orgs and then moved into non profit case management which is a very different path that directly led me to sewing, so there you go. All is well.
TheRetroNatural - Where would you like to see your hats and accessories sold at in the future? (You know you gotta tell the Universe whatcha want lol)
SweetLeigh - Universe, I would love for my hats to be at the LACMA gift shop, as well the Craft & Folk Art Museum gift shop here in Los Angeles, which has the best gift shop ever! Universe I would love for my accessories to be sold at an upscale vintage boutiques where people love and appreciate craft! I would love to make a limited edition collection especially for a design house like Carven or Rodarte.
TheRetroNatural - What's currently inspiring you for a future line of hats/accessories/etc?
SweetLeigh - I am obsessed with Masterpiece's Downtown Abbey and it takes place over my favorite time in the 20th Century. The second season ended with the New Year of 1920. I have also newly started watching Boardwalk Empire. I am definitely considering doing a spin on the Cloche for spring. Which I need to figure out yesterday! Wink. And as of now, I am pretty committed that Carmen Miranda be my muse for Summer Cannot wait!
Anyone who's into retro hair styling would benefit from owning a piece (or seven!) from her Etsy shop. I had the pleasure of hanging out with Vanessa at a vintage and craft market and I even got to try on a few things.
Check out a few additional snapshots from the market.. I'm in love!
Miss Vanessa!
You can learn more about Sweet Leigh and shop by checking out these fine, dandy links:
http://sweetleighsewn.com/
http://HelloSweetLeigh.etsy.com/
http://facebook.com/HelloSweetLeigh
Treat yourself to something pretty, lovies! I think the cherry print tilt hat is calling me!
~The Retro Natural
By now you're probably quite aware that I really like old things, they're full of stories and I enjoy thinking about their uses, who had them in their possession and where they came from. I try not to think about the fact that a family pet may have perhaps peed on them at one point in time or another. I try to shrug that part off. Here's a very old chest from 1940 that belongs to my sweetheart (who also loves old things) and is now filled with seasonal clothing that shouldn't be worn at the moment. I'm focusing on the details, the details! Why? Because an old chest looks like a simple box but when you see the details, it becomes much more interesting...and I'll admit that I'm a fan of macro-esque photography. Close up shots of bees are just amazing!
~The Retro Natural
I love looking at Vaudeville photos. They tend to capture movement, great costumes and really great hair and makeup! Vaudeville came about in France and it was an entertainment comedy show about the trials and tribulations of life at the time. I feel as though we try to put on airs when it comes to entertainment nowadays but I suppose that's because we've become a society that greatly values escapism?
Here are a few photos I found via Google images. Aren't they great? I'm sure we had some amazing entertainers in the past....such a shame. Not to say there aren't great entertainers out in the world but they aren't in the spotlight much. We all know why that is so we'll just keep it moving. True talent doesn't sell as often in this world unfortunately. Looks and marketability matter more. Such is life though. I guess this is why I marvel at our entertainers of yesteryear so much and why I'd rather look at a million photos from the past than the airbrushed ones from last week. Oh and of course the clothes and hair have something to do with it ;)
Here are a few photos I found via Google images. Aren't they great? I'm sure we had some amazing entertainers in the past....such a shame. Not to say there aren't great entertainers out in the world but they aren't in the spotlight much. We all know why that is so we'll just keep it moving. True talent doesn't sell as often in this world unfortunately. Looks and marketability matter more. Such is life though. I guess this is why I marvel at our entertainers of yesteryear so much and why I'd rather look at a million photos from the past than the airbrushed ones from last week. Oh and of course the clothes and hair have something to do with it ;)
All Photos found via Google Images
Soooo...Happy Valentine's Day m'dears! :) I hope love is in the air for you all...whether it's your sweetheart, your bestest friend ever, your doggie or your turtle, always spread the love!
~The Retro Natural
~The Retro Natural
Hey Lovies,
I should have posted this last week, but a last, I have failed you. Not truly...just being a bit dramatic! Anywho, there's a great educational hair care seminar happening on February 18th. It's being put on by Mahogany Hair Revolution (a lovely salon whether you're natural or not) and I did a giveaway on YouTube (congrats to Karma and Kyma!) and I wanted to just post the details for the Los Angeles folks who want to learn more about haircare and the problems we all face from experts. At this event we'll learn about scalp issues, hair loss, growing longer, healthier hair and a bit about being a product junkie and how to overcome it. I'm excited because although I can do my own hair pretty well, I'm a bit ignorant to issues of the hair such as why we get dandruff or the type of hair loss we can experience. I'm ready to learn! A warm fuzzy shout out to Nicole Harmon of Hair Liberty and Dr. Kari Williams of Mahogany Hair Revolution for allowing me to offer tickets to my subscribers and attend the seminar. Check out the details of the seminar below.
Hope to see some of ya there!
~The Retro Natural
I should have posted this last week, but a last, I have failed you. Not truly...just being a bit dramatic! Anywho, there's a great educational hair care seminar happening on February 18th. It's being put on by Mahogany Hair Revolution (a lovely salon whether you're natural or not) and I did a giveaway on YouTube (congrats to Karma and Kyma!) and I wanted to just post the details for the Los Angeles folks who want to learn more about haircare and the problems we all face from experts. At this event we'll learn about scalp issues, hair loss, growing longer, healthier hair and a bit about being a product junkie and how to overcome it. I'm excited because although I can do my own hair pretty well, I'm a bit ignorant to issues of the hair such as why we get dandruff or the type of hair loss we can experience. I'm ready to learn! A warm fuzzy shout out to Nicole Harmon of Hair Liberty and Dr. Kari Williams of Mahogany Hair Revolution for allowing me to offer tickets to my subscribers and attend the seminar. Check out the details of the seminar below.
(Click to view larger)
Hope to see some of ya there!
~The Retro Natural
I've been a little busy lately and pooooped when I arrive home so I'm taking this time to work on some posts. One thing I've been excited about it the fact that it's Black History Month and via the various blogs I follow, I'm bound to see oodles of articles on Black Americans who educated themselves, fought for opportunity and busted down a few walls too. History reminds me of what once was and what could potentially be should we choose to forget. There's a lot going on in the world today and people are noticing the the power that they lack. From the Occupy movements to the fight for marriage equality, people are angry and they're demanding change as well as respect and equal rights. So, I'm happily celebrating victory from the historical past and hopefully for the near future.
In the mean time, Afro Glitz rocks my socks for showcasing these wonderful ads from the 60s and 70s featuring the afro . Can I get a "I'm Black and I'm proud!"? *high five* Happy Black History Month everyone. :)
~The Retro Natural
In the mean time, Afro Glitz rocks my socks for showcasing these wonderful ads from the 60s and 70s featuring the afro . Can I get a "I'm Black and I'm proud!"? *high five* Happy Black History Month everyone. :)
~The Retro Natural
I got my waves back a few weeks ago..it was nice to don them again, they make me feel really glam - even in jeans! My hair is rolled up all over at the moment, photos forth coming of course. I'm gonna be working on my blog soon, I'd like to make it easier for you all to find tutorials/pictorials and I think a page dedicated to that should suffice. Sooooo...it's in the works. :)
~Til then!
~The Retro Natural
~Til then!
Couldn't leave without posting a dorky photo..I think we all should all post one every now and again. ;)
~The Retro Natural
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
