Alright bellas, let me get my Tyra on and close this TJ Maxx contest!

I have only one TJ Maxx card in my hands…and that card goes to…

Commenter #5 – Nikia!

Congratulations!! We’re going shopping!! I can’t wait!!

I need to qualify that by saying this — all of you who entered this particular giveaway REALLY helped give me some fashion direction, and reassured me that I too can survive this winter thang with style. And it was EXTRA hard to choose a winner because I actually KNOW some of you who entered! So please don’t take it personally and PLEASE know we’re gonna hang out soon. Hopefully REALLY soon — there’s a fabulous Red Pump Project event coming up and I really really want you all to come out and party with me!

And if you didn’t win THIS giveaway, hang in there kitty — December is bringing the best giveaways I’ve ever had! So keep reading and keep entering!

Isn’t she lovely?

The beaming bella you see above is my homegirl Andrea — brilliant blogger of Fly, creator of awesome natural hair You Tube videos, and now creator of unique art that you can proudly adorn your walls with.

These prints are available to you at Andrea’s online store for the I Love My Hair project! This all began as a project for her thesis class, as Andrea herself explains in this post.

I love learning about the artistic process, and Andrea remains a continual inspiration. Her prints range from $25 to $30, and would make a fabulous gift for any Afrobella in your life during this holiday season (don’tcha think?)

Click here to get yours!

One of the most popular questions I get from my Trinidadian afrobellas is – where can I get these products you speak of? It’s true – in the USA we’ve got a wealth of natural hair goodness at ready disposal. When these products are imported and sold elsewhere, they’re often marked up to high heaven or imported in quantities that don’t meet demand.

Well Trini bellas, there’s a new store for you to check out. Body Beautiful, a brand new beauty supply store has just opened on Ariapita Avenue. I learned of this via my high school listserv — yes indeed, the owner is an alumni of my high school. Hilarians forever!

The store is offering natural bath, body, and hair care products. I’m not sure if Miss Jessie’s or Curls is available yet, but one of my favorite brands, Kinky Curly, is finally available for sale. Click here to read my review from 2006. Since then the brand has expanded to include some new products (the shampoo, the children’s line, and Midnight Miracle which I think I NEED in my LIFE). For now I’ll just say, start with the Knot Today. It remains one of my natural hair must-haves because it is THAT good.

Click here to check out Body Beautiful’s Facebook page, and if you’re in the neighborhood stop by and get what your hair needs!

Every day I gaze out of my window and notice the trees. Green soon faded to gold, orange, some became fiery red. Gorgeous. And now most of the foliage has fallen, and the trees have bare (yet still beautiful) branches.

Chicago has been having an unusually warm autumn and this bella is not complaining! It just gives me more time to rock my late-summer gear, and get ready for the cold weather that is inevitably a-coming. I’ve been thinking long and hard about the items I need to enhance my wardrobe, and I realize that I need HELP!

True story: I don’t know how to layer. I think I have it down pat, them my husband looks over my outfit and lets me know that ain’t it. (and he’s not exactly Tim Gunn, so I KNOW I’m struggling).

I apparently don’t realize what kinds of garments I need to get through the upcoming wind and cold with style and self-expression. And I don’t quite get how to put it all together to the most fashionable effect.

So I need help from someone who knows how to WORK IT in Chicago’s unfriendliest season. I’m on the look out for Chicago’s most chic, curvy fashionista, to join me on a shopping spree at TJ Maxx!

For this very unique giveaway, TJ Maxx has provided a $250 gift card for one lucky winner’s purchasing pleasure. The winner will use that $250 and join me in shopping for fall fashion essentials. And we’ll film a little video about our coolest finds, to share with Afrobella readers!

Does that not sound FUN?

So Maxxinistas — mount up! Do you have this cold weather fashion thing down? Leave me a comment describing your personal cold weather style. If you’ve got links to photos online, share with me! I’m going to leave these comments open until Wednesday, and choose a winner ASAP so we can go get our shop on! The air’s getting chilly and I’m ready to be in style before Christmas!

*** edited Wednesday at 8:05 CST – Bellas!! You blew me away with your AWESOME suggestions. I’ll choose a winner by the end of today from the 15 comments received so far, so hang in there! And guess what — I have some GREAT giveaways coming up next, so keep reading, keep entering and if it isn’t your turn this time it might be the next time!

Sesame Street has been a tremendous influence on my life, and throughout the history of this blog I’ve celebrated the series on several occasions. Today I take special pleasure in giving tribute to the Children’s Television Workshop, Jim Henson’s genius, and Sesame Street. Today the legendary program turns 40 years old.

That’s HUGE!

Sesame Street taught me my alphabet, it taught me how to count, how to share with others, and that natural hair and brown skin is just as beautiful as any other kind. Allow me to share some Afrobella highlights from the last 40 years of arguably the best children’s TV show of all time!
Read the rest of this entry »

I love what I do, and I love spreading the word about natural beauty! Recently I’ve had some awesome opportunities, and have been interviewed by and featured in some truly amazing ways online. Please allow me to share with you!

A while back I was contacted by the folks at WowOWow.com with a specific beauty question. What is the biggest beauty mistake the over-40-year-old woman makes?

I just turned 30, so my own style identity is evolving from twenty-something, I-still-see-clothes-I-like-in-the-juniors-section sneakers-and-jeans-to-every-occasion into something more toned down and true to my life experience. So how could I answer this question? I spoke to all the women in my life who are over 40, before formulating a response. Click here to read my answer. I think I did them all proud.

Anyone who knows me knows that I love clothes. I love shopping, I love pretty things and just because I am full figured doesn’t mean that I’m not a fashionista. So when the Silhouettes blog wanted to interview me about plus size fashion I was SO! EXCITED!

Click here to read my interview which is all about being plus sized my whole life, and the kinds of fashion that we women of size DESERVE.

The Silhouettes Style blog is written by the fabulous Sarah of StyleIt — she is giving me pure LIFE and so much fashion inspiration with her On the Plus Size feature. Two snaps in a circle for Sarah, and for Silhouettes!

As a strong believe in blog sister love, it was an honor and joy to interview Curly Nikki recently. And it was wonderful to be interviewed back! Curly Nikki recently featured yours truly on her blog, in an interview all about natural hair, my current favorite products, and what the future holds for me. Click here to read it, and click here to support Curly Nikki’s next big move — she’s blogging for Tyra, y’all!

Writing is my main avenue of expression, but of late I’ve been seriously missing being a contributor to radio programs. RIP News and Notes! There still isn’t another program that fills the void. Lately I’ve been lucky enough to participate in some awesome radio interviews.

It began with a special AOL Black Voices podcast on Good Hair. It was fascinating to hear our varied perspectives, and I look forward to participating in future AOL Black Voices podcasts!

The Good Hair discussion continued when I was asked to be on one of my favorite radio programs — Cocoa Mode with Shawna Renee. And even better, the other guest on the show was my girl Deanna Sutton from Clutch! It was a great show and I’m happy to be part of the extended Cocoa Mode family. Call me anytime, Shawna!

And just last night I was honored to be a guest on Womanist Musings on Blog Talk Radio. Wanna hear the show? Click here to listen to the broadcast, which featured myself, the bloggers of Womanist Musings, and professional stylist Shaha, who blogs at Natty Locs by Shaha. Show these bellas some love!

2009 has been a brilliant and blessed year. I can’t wait to see what 2010 brings!