As September Lurks...

I'm about to make a video of me dying the lace. Baby bought a camcorder yesterday. We're definitely going to venture into comedy skits. He cracks me up all the time, when I feel like laughing. He's so funny. Aside from that, and completely off topic, I created a new social network called Swirl World. It's a community dedicated to interracial relationships. I've been in them most of my life, but never really fellowshipped with other like minded individuals. At first, I directed it towards black women only, then I opened it up to everyone. It should be fun.
I'm also going to try to cornrow my hair today because I'm putting that sucka on tomorrow!

Featured Reader - Natty

Natty contacted me a while back, and I was very impressed by her blog. She is a designer who crochets and creates various crafts. I asked her a few questions, and here's what she had to say:

1. How did you learn to crochet? Today its very easy to learn crochet/tricot, the world of Internet brought us that blessing. I first learned the basics from my family (grandmother and mother) but the Internet is where I most learned and where I learned to expand my creations into "modern" creations. I read blogs, participate in google groups and watch youtube videos. There is teaching in every language, from the Latin and German languages, to the Arabic and Russian. For English speakers here is a start and I cannot forget to mention my first online teacher Elaine Crochê (Portuguese).

2. How do you decide what you are going to make? Well it is hard I confess... I have a list of things I want to make and I try to start on the things I need for me at that moment. Now that its summer, I tend to make more bikinis and tops in terms of clothing.

3. Do you sell your items? Or make custom orders? I sell my items, but they are custom made because I don't enjoy that factory feel of making the same product over and over again. And this is an advantage for the people who buy from me because I do it especially for them. I don't use patterns as a sure thing, I try to adapt the design with and to the client and try to make every piece special.

4. What part of the world do you live in? I live in Portugal, which is a country in the southwest Europe. We form a peninsula with Spain - Iberia Peninsula. So to North and East we have Spain, on the South the Atlantic (and Morocco’s) and to West is the Atlantic again. We also have two sets of islands - Açores and Madeira.


5. How has your culture or environment influence your creativity? I guess I am a mix of many cultures that my country has. Portugal has been under the power of the Arabs, Romans, Celts, Spain and others - all those cultures left their legacy here. We cannot forget the role that Portugal had during the "Conquer of the Seas" during the XV century and of course our African/Asian colonies. In my works I try to show myself as the citizen of the world that I am and not just Portuguese, even tough I love and embrace my nest. My biggest influences comes from Africa, I have a heart connection to Mother Africa ever since I was born (my mother says so). My family is a big influence as well. Both my great grandmas made loom work, crochet and other crafts. One of my grandma’s hand-made jewelry and the other is a seamstress, who crochets and does beautiful traditional Portuguese rugs - Tapetes de Arraiolos. I guess it's genetic as well!

To read more about Natty, check out her blog at Natty Crafts. The blog is in the Portuguese language. For assistance with translation, go here. She has also been featured on the Naturally Beautiful Hair Website: Reader Appreciation & Style page.

Sheltie Agility Fun Match

Today Saskatoon Area Shetland Sheedog Association (SASSA) hosted a CKC sanction agility match as a fundraiser for the Canadian Shetland Sheepdog National to be held in Saskatoon next spring.

Since Romeo is entered in a couple of agility trials at the end of September, I am taking every opportunity possible to get him running in "trial conditions". Even if this is CKC and he will be running AAC for his first few trials. Plus, I like to get out and support the Sheltie club whenever possible. I'm SUPER excited about the National in May, so it's fun to be around other people that are just as excited as I am!

There were lots of Shelties at the sanction match today, even though all CKC breeds were allowed to run. Seems like all the local Shelties wanted to come out and support the cause as well!

A veritable shaggle of Shelties!

Among the furry crowd was Romeo's momma! She is a super sweet girl, and her and Romeo love to play when they see each other. Now that Romeo has grown into a "big boy", I wanted to get a picture of him and his dam. They look so much alike, and have very similar temperaments (and love for agility!).

Baby Romeo and his mom, Holly.

Big boy Romeo and his mom, Holly.

Like momma, like son.

As for the actual agility part of the morning, that went really well also! I am very pleased with my little man! We ran a standard course where Romeo plowed through the chute after not having seen one for nearly a year. He also met a few new jump types (like the plank jump) that he had never seen before. Those tripped him up a bit, but certainly didn't slow him down. Just a knocked bar, but he kept on his way. Everything else about the standard run I was very pleased with, no complaints for me! Our jumpers with weaves run was also very nice, in my uneducated opinion. Romeo LOVES weaves, it's just a matter of getting IN them. We are working on entries, and they are coming along nicely, but don't always hold up in exciting "trial" situations. But once we were past the weaves, everything else was very nice! I messed up and forced an off course by sending him "go" jump instead of calling him into me and sending to a different jump. He did exactly what I told him to do, so can't blame him at all. I just need to learn to handle on the fly.

I'm quite happy with the outcomes from this morning! Makes me feel better that we might not make fools of ourselves (read: I might not make a fool of Romeo) in our first trials in a couple of weeks!

Now off to a Rally-O fun match that I am hosting out at a friend's acreage!

Blog Neglect

I have been settling in to college life and so have had little time to devote to hairstyles. When I have a bit more free time, I will start some new posts. I have some pictures of an embellished Regency turban that I'll post soon.

Growth Regimen

1. Shampoo weekly
2. Deep condition weekly
3. Moisturize length & ends nightly with Shea Butter/Olive Oil mixture
4. Keep check on ends and trim when needed.
5. Style in Protective styles
6. and the biggie...........keeping my hair off my shoulders & no heat.

It's Saturday, and it's hot as hell outside!

What to do, what to do? I'm feenin' to put my new Rex Virgin Malaysian Straight on, but I promised myself that I wouldn't until September 1st (Tuesday). I want to really let my hair breathe for a bit, and it's at a cute length to where I'm comfortable wearing it out. That hair color is calling me, and I'm trying not to hear it just yet. I sprayed some Sun-In on the RVMS and it should lighten up just a bit.

Introducing my shop

Well, actually it's more of a wardrobe sale. I decided to do one like so many other bloggers have because I really do need to sell some of my clothes (and shoes) as I plan to move in a few months time and then I cannot take everything with me. The things are quite reasonably priced, I'd say, but I also welcome offers (more info on that in the shop). So far I've listed five items but I'll be putting up more over the next few days, so do check back to see if there is something that might interest you. Anyway, enough talk, check it out for yourself here

I ship worldwide!

Therapy Dog Demo Day

I love dog demo days!

Every summer I try to organize a dog day at one of the care homes that I take the boys to visit. I gather a bunch of dog-sport friends and we cart out portable agility equipment and cross our fingers for good weather.

This year was a fabulous turn out, great dogs as always! Thank you to everyone that came out to participate, those that brought jumps and other equipment, and most of all to the staff and residents of Eamer Court for having us out!

Here are a few photos of the festivities. Sorry for the blurriness of some of them, use your imagination.

The whole crew!

We started with introductions and a couple tricks ...

Ruth and Bentley (English Cocker Spaniel)

Emily with Sophie (Poodle cross), Lily (Miniature Poodle), and Nym (Border Collie)

Gisele with Gina and Kate (Miniature Poodles)

Gwyn with Casper (Miniature American Eskimo) and Buddy (Poodle cross)

Dave and Kennedy (Standard Poodle)

Venessa with Sparky (Border Collie)

Kalie and Nola (Afghan Hound)

Jeannette with Gem and Bailey (Cairn Terriers) and Kody (Golden Retriever)
(Kody LOVES his Rally-O sidestep!)

And me and my boys!
(Romeo takes a bow)(Romeo backwards heeling)(Gio backwards heeling)(Gio spins)

Many thanks to Venessa and her superb trigger finger (guess clicker training is good for people as well as dogs, eh?!). She successfully got not one by THREE pictures of Gio and Gina doing their special trick!

Gina goes over ...

Gina goes over again ...

Then Gina goes under!

Yes, the pictures are accurate ... Gina doesn't just jump over Gio, she launches off his back. Such a good boy, Gio, for holding his stand stay! The dogs really like this trick, and the crowds love it, too!

Then on to some agility. Even the non-agility dogs get to play. The course is just a couple bar jumps, a high jump, a broad jump, a tunnel and a set of weave poles. (Here is where things get blurry!)

Lily (Miniature Poodle)

Sparky (Border Collie) Romeo (Shetland Sheepdog ... oh how I wish this picture were in focus!)Kody (Golden Retriever)

Kennedy (Standard Poodle)

Buddy (Poodle cross)Bentley (English Cocker Spaniel)
Nola (Afghan Hound)

Then the REALLY fun part ... socializing! This, folks, is what it is all about. Look at those smiling faces!



Thanks to everyone that came out, and special thanks to Kathy and the folks of Eamer for having us over to play!