Updates and what I am working on

I started to work on the polka dot cardigan again.  I had to unravel it, because the tension was too tight, especially from doing the stranded knitting to form the polka dots, I also did a steek, which will be sown on a sewing machine to reinforce it, so once I cut the middle of the steek, the knitting would not unravel.  I am knitting with 4 ply cotton.   I may knit this pattern again with a bamboo wool mix.

I am also working on a shawl.  The wrap part of the shawl the idea taken from the Iris pattern from Kim Hargreaves book "Smoulder", plus I added trebles (or double crochets) in US crochet terminology, the edging is taken from the Sky Shawl by Annelies Baes (Vicarno) shown in Crochet volume 5 from the makers of Inside Crochet. The yarn used for the shawl is Rowan Kid silk Haze in the colours, Dewberry (600) a rich purple, Royal (613), Royal blue, Degas (669) pale lilac.  I plan to eventually use the colour Prune, shade 314, from Ito yarn, sensai which is very similar to Rowan's Kid silk haze.

I am working on the second sleeve of the Leopard print cardigan. 

Stray Beret Andi Satterlund

Stray by Andi Satterlund, is well written and very easy to follow.  However I would knit a longer brim as I would like it to cover my ears,  Apart from that it is a very lovely pattern. Andi Satterlund can be found on Ravelry.

Tiny steps into makeup

I don't wear much make up, but I have been looking on youtube at make up experts, such as Jackie Aina, she is a brilliant artist, her channel on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/user/lilpumpkinpie05/featured 

I was very curious to see what the drugstore companies have to offer and which is affordable.  I came across, Make up Revolution by Superdrug.  Make up Revolution have a lot of palettes, the one I choose is Fortune favours the Brave by Jane who is a British Beauty blogger, she worked in collaboration with Superdrug.  She is available on https://britishbeautyblogger.com

The colours is a mixture of warm and cool tones, on dark skins, they look very pretty indeed. The palette costs about £10.00.

The lipstick are from Freedom Pro Lipstick Kit, Vamp Collection, the colours are very pretty and they cost £5.00, they range from deep red to dark grape and they are very comfortable to wear. 

Protective styling

I have been doing a very simple protective style.  Part my hair in two and part it again, so that I have four sections, which I either flat twist or cornrow and tuck in the ends. I have a stocking cap, which I sleep with at night and I rinse my hair with conditioner mixed with water.  When I rinsed daily before, I had good results. 

Happy New Year and New Hair challenges.

First of all Happy New Year and welcome to 2016.  I hope that 2016 turns out to be prosperous and successful year.  I have started two new challenges.  Fiona of Love your tresses (on youtube) is doing a six month protective style and OhValerieMonCherie (on your tube) is also doing a six month hair growth challenge, which is 8 inches or about 20 cms in 6 months.  Valerie's one starts on Sunday 17th January and finishes on 17th July and Fiona's one starts on Monday18th January and finishes on 18th July.

As both challenges are very similar, I will still be taking my supplements, so there is no change there, but I will be incorporating more massage of peppermint, ginger, rosemary and tea tree essential oils and moisture on a regular basis and protect my ends.  

Things I will incorporate, I will definitely get a hair length measurement t-shirt.  Incorporate more water, plus more green smoothies.  I am looking forward to seeing my results.  

Products I am using for my new regime

Hair supplements, Hair essentials:- vitamins and the Fo-Ti drops, Viviscal Professional, Hibiscus oil, Great Lakes Collagen Hydrolysate. Henna white powder, or the proper name, Cassia and Taya shampoo, conditioner, hair mask, spray and volumizing elixir or resin.  I should be receiving lotus powder or Sedr very soon. 

It is too early to say, how the supplements are working, before I started these new supplements, I was using Viviscal maximum and my thinning area is getting fuller.  With a new regime, I will only able to see more results, probably towards the end of the year, although Viviscal say you must give the product 6 months to work. 

The Taya hair products are available from QVC.   They are a brain child of the actress and model Patricia Carola Velásquez Semprún.  She played in the films "The Mummy" and The Mummy Returns".  I have been using the products for some weeks now and the smell is just unbelievable, it is so delicious and they seem very rich.  The hibiscus oil seems very nice, seems to keep my hair very soft.  The Great Lakes, Collagen Hydrolysate has very little taste, but I mix it with juice.   The hair essentials and the Collagen hydrolysate  are available from Amazon.  The hibiscus oil is available from www.sheabuttercottage.co.uk.

New Regime for the Autumn 2015

I have started a new regime.  I think because I have been under a very challenging time and I have not had time to blog as I usually do, plus I was having problems with my computer.  I have bought myself and new one. I am using Great Lakes Gelatin Collagen Hydrolysate, Hair Essentials, hair vitamins, the Fo-ti herbal supplement and Professional Viviscal, which is obtained from hair salons.  The previous supplements, Hairburst were very good, but it did not really solve the problem of my thinning crown.  Since taking the supplements, there is an improvement, but it has been a long progress. I will be seeing more progress the beginning of next year.