Fabulous Fro Friday: Krista Elle

Today we get to visit with an inspiring young lady. I had

a big smile on my face after reading her words.


AT: Hi, tell us a little about yourself? What makes you tick?

KP: Well, I’m a lady from the South and I currently reside in Atlanta, Georgia. I’m an Early Childhood Education major and love the kids! I want to be an elementary school teacher, then go on to become a principal further into my education career.

But honestly, my Heavenly Father makes me tick. He gets me up everyday and gives me life. He’s made me unique and orchestrated my desires, passions, and loves. I love God, my life, my family, my friends, and everyday, I try to learn more and search for exposure to new experiences. My hunger for knowledge keeps me going.

AT: How would you describe natural beauty?

KP: We are all God’s creations! The way He made us without the manipulation of humanistic beauty enhancements, such as chemicals on our hair or skin, surgery, makeup, etc. is true natural beauty. Natural beauty is looking out my window and seeing the trees, flowers, birds, soil, the sun, the sky. God’s visions are natural beauty. We are His visions. God is beauty.

AT: How has that definition of natural beauty true in your life?

KP: Since becoming natural back in January of 2009, the beauty in the eye of this beholder has shifted! No longer do I see lighter skin complexions, long straight locks, light eye colors, and European features as the most beautiful of them all. Since I grew to understand what true beauty is, how to love my own beauty, and accept it exactly as it was made, my whole view on how I live and see life is different. I encourage any and every woman I know to become natural and love herself.

Being that I work with children, I also encourage and compliment little girls who have the tighter coils, the darker skin, and the shorter hair. I tell them that they are beautiful and encourage them to love themselves. Also, I encourage mothers of children who I care for to not chemically process their hair. I’m always advocating for the children who don’t have the “mixed” or “biracial” look. I want self-love to start from a young age.

AT: What inspires your style?

KP: My hair! And that might sound strange, but the freedom and boldness of my hair has started to manifest into my style. When I was relaxed, I was always very plain in my clothing choices, always going for the “safe” look. My look was always very flat, just like my hair. Now, I am a million times more confident! I’m much more adventurous. The look I’m rocking now is more vintage but still very classy. It’s fun! I’m not into brand names anymore, so I’m a huge thrift store fanatic now. I love finding interesting little boutiques to buy one-of-a-kind pieces now. Also, I love supporting my naturalista entrepreneurs! They have the best online stores for jewelry, clothing and fabulous accessories!

AT: What are your most valuable qualities?

KP: My confidence, my nurturing spirit, and my care and concern for others. I bend over backwards and go out of my way to help my friends and family. I have a big heart! I love people, even if I don’t know you. If I consider you my friend of family, you’re taken care of.

AT: If you were a superhero, what would be your superpower? And how would you change the world with it?

KP:  My superpower would be to end all of this hatred! It might sound really hokey or corny, but I really hate hatred. People hating others because of them being different from themselves results in separation, turmoil, war, and ultimately, the taking of someone’s life. It is so unnecessary. If people would stop being so scared of others differences, learn from them, and just learn to love, then this world be a whole lot better off.

AT: When and Why did you go natural with your hair?

KP: I decided to go natural in November 2008, and did my big chop in January 2009. I kept seeing all of these beautiful women with this beautiful curly hair and I was intrigued and quite frankly, jealous! My best friend had decided to go natural the previous year, so I was getting encouraged by her to go natural. Back then, I was rocking a short pixie cut and I just got tired of the frequent relaxers and wasted money. My hair grows way too fast for all that maintenance! So, preparing myself mentally, I transitioned, gradually snipped off the relaxed ends for about 2 months. Then, I got tired of the “transition” and just cut the remaining relaxer off. I fell in love with my curls!

AT: What are your favorite hair products?

KP: Well, I use only a few products. I avoid any parabens, silicones, and sulfates in any products that I use. I use Avalon Organics shampoo and Aubrey Organics Shampoo and Conditioner. Then, I make my own styling and moisturizing products. I make a whipped shea butter mix, a smooth shea butter mix, and flaxseed gel that I got as recipes from one of my favorite YouTubers, Naptural85. Then, I got my moisturizing spritz recipe from another loved YouTuber, Seemyhealthyhair. Check out their YouTube channels for recipes, they are super easy!

AT: What is your favorite hairstyle?

KP: I LOVE braid-outs! They make my hair big, fluffy, and sexy! The bigger my hair, the better. Also, I love doing mini-braids on my hair. I leave them in for a week or two as a protective hairstyle, co-wash every 4-5 days, then take them out for a big, fabulous braid-out!

AT: What movie is guaranteed to make you laugh?

KP: “Kings of Comedy” is hilarious! It always makes me laugh, never gets old.

AT: What do you love about wearing your hair natural? Greatest challenge?

KP: I love that it has a personality. When you put a relaxer in your hair, you take away the funkiness, the fun, and the soul of your hair. I also love the volume of it! The bigger my hair is, the happier I am. I love humidity now! The biggest challenge is making sure to give it the time and love it needs to prevent from damaging it. I have to schedule my time every 7-10 days to ensure that I am able to go through my routine of cleansing, detangling, and deep conditioning my hair.

AT: How does the media influence your self-image?

KP: I relish it, actually! I actually see a lot of women in ads, on television, and models that are naturals with big, curly hair. But also, it makes me feel exotic, unique, and somewhat elite. I don’t mean to come across as arrogant, but seeing myself as not doing what’s popular, not trying to fit in, and being my own woman actually makes me hold my head up higher! It’s not that I feel as if I’m superior to other women, but I do like the feeling of being unique, or one-of-a-kind. I don’t like blending in. I get noticed a lot more being that I wear my hair natural, it’s interesting!

AT: What is your victory statement or positive self-talk? What allows you to rise above inundation of negativity. What keeps your beauty pure on the inside?

KP: Three words: I AM BEAUTIFUL!! I am what God intended when He made me and I choose to be what He made for me to be. How can you get any more inspirational than that? God is perfection, pure, and without flaw. He does not make mistakes, so he sure did not when He made me! That’s what keeps me my head up, my shoulders back, and a smile on my face!

AT: Is there anything else you would like to add?

KP: I want to encourage every woman out there, no matter your race or ethnicity, to love who God created you to be. You are beautiful and absolutely perfect in your most natural form. Don’t allow anyone to steal that from you or tell you otherwise, it is the truth! Be who you are, embrace the differences of yourself and others, and know that diversity is beautiful. Peace, love, and much blessings to all of my sisters! 


If you are interested in being featured as a fabulous fro woman simply send me an email tinascott@me.com

Joyful Star

Early on we agreed that we would not find out the sex of our baby. So we did everything for both boy and girl: room décor, few days of clothes, and of course two names. The boy name we were solid on but the girl name we waivered on for months.  The name I wanted is timeless and classy, STELLA. The name my husband wanted is cute and popular, SIERRA.  Until now we had never had a problem agreeing on a name but this time it wasn’t coming so easy. For whatever reason he pictured a Stella as a untamed haired bag lady wearing mismatched clothes.

One night a friend came over who is a fan of the name Stella and gave him a new vision, a vision I was unable to communicate. I think it had something to do with a Stella looking more like Zoe Saldana rather than a bag lady....hmmm. And within moments he caught it and fell in love and wanted nothing else but his little girl to be named STELLA JOY.  I was thrilled! Thank you Miss Saldana.

From that moment on I was convinced we were having a girl. And Stella Joy would be her given name, meaning ‘Star’… ...

Joyful Star.

I tell you this story because it came as a shock to me when she popped out that I second guessed her name. She was so little and slim, 6lbs 10oz, and it just seemed like I should name her muffin or pumpkin. Stella seemed like such a big name, as if I were naming her Barbara Bush. So I called my husband over to the bedside and confirmed our choice of Stella.  Thankfully he didn't waiver. Because, while she looked like muffin at the moment, in 10 years she may be slightly embarrassed to introduce herself as muffin ... but my friends call me muffy.

Welcome to the world Stella Joy*

Tyson and Paul Frank go to school

My 4yr old boy started pre-school this year and for any controlling loving mom this is a big day. No longer are you the soul authority and one and only in your child’s life, now you are sharing your pedestal with a teacher. I was very much looking forward to getting school supplies and clothes ready for his big day. As I have mentioned before, I have been on bedrest for 4 months and I think I overbuilt this event in my and Tyson’s mind. With that being said, the backpack shopping day arrived and I was on my feet and ready.   

Now usually when we shop for something of this nature the “no cartoon character policy” is in effect. But sadly I forgot to mention it this time.

So he and my husband reach the backpack station before me and by the time I waddle over, my son is running to me with his choice securely fastened to his back… and yep you guessed it, it is an over the top bling bling shiny plasticy gaudy batman back pack. With hopeful pride in his eyes and glee in his voice he says “Mom! This is it. I found it.”  As I attempt to match his excitement I am thinking… how am I going to get out of this one? As I began to pull out other options, my son is kindly accommodating me but is sticking to his initial choice. 5, 10, then 20 minutes go by as I try to negotiate with him.

Now....

I know, a 1/3 of you moms understand me and the other 2/3 of you are saying, “really, Tina. It is just a back pack, let it go, he is 4yrs.” I also had this thought but embarrassingly I couldn’t let it go. So finally I tried to pull Mommy rank and say “Tyson we are getting mom’s choice,” which is this fashionable Paul Frank design.  As the tears started to swell in his eyes I sensed I had pushed this too far and that if he didn’t own the decision of the Paul Frank pack it could potentially be a lifelong emotional scar. So I compromised and walked away from the backpack station with both bags. Resolute that by the time we reached checkout an opportunity for me to sway him would present itself.

As we finished up our shopping, every time we passed a Paul Frank item I would say “Look Ty isn’t that cool” and he would say “ya!” At the last moment we passed a rack of Paul Frank shirts and he said, “Mom, those shirts are cool!” I said, “if you get the Paul Frank backpack you can get two of these shirts.” He said, “Cool.” He picked his shirts and said, “this is cool mom, my shirts match my backpack” and took the batman pack out of the cart.

Mission accomplished. 

He was happy, I was happy. 

For the 1/3 of you moms out there who understand me I found this website while I was researching for this entry www.coolmompicks.com and for the other 2/3 who don’t, would you please send me a dose of your chill out pills.  

.....and then there were 5

Our home is buzzing with excitement as we welcome our 3rd child. Stella Joy arrived Tuesday at 3:00pm. 6lbs 10oz. I apologize for the lack of posting as wet diaper and nursing schedules have taken over my mind. Please stay tuned, I look forward to getting back in the groove shortly.... More fabulous fro's and relevant family posts to come. In the meantime, here are a few pictures from the Maternity photo shoot I had two days before Stella's Birth Day.

This swing went up in our back yard at the beginning of summer.... every dayI looked out our window and thought "I will do that" and.... I did! 

After the swing... I needed a little help up the hill 

... and then there were 5. More on baby Stella soon