Big Hair Problems

Big Hair is all fun and games until.....

1. You close your hair in your car door.
When my hair was long and straight, I thought getting my hair caught under my purse or bookbag straps was a nuisance. Nope. Closing my car door and turning to look for my phone in my purse, only to get yanked back cuz my hair is still outside. SMH

Yes. This is an actual bug that I
found in my hair. :-(

2. Wash day
I've got a pretty simple and effective routine but....you still have to mentally prepare. No one ever feels like tackling that alladat hair. Even the shampoo girl at the salon rolls her eyes when I walk in the door. Sorry. Not sorry.

3. Finding bugs in your hair.
You finally get yo mind right to comb your hair only to feel something crunchy in the back of your head. You think "No. My fairy knots are towards my ends. Is that popcorn? We haven't had popcorn. No. Wait! It's a bug!" Aaaahhhhh!!!
Big hair is no different than "grass" to bugs. You have been warned.

4. You can't be cute at the pool.

Pool day swag. I don't care. I don't care. I don't care.

I mean you can be cute. But be prepared for the "post swimming" detangling struggle, which is way worse than the regular "wash day" detangling struggle. I'd rather not. So, I detangle and plait before hitting the pool. I look ugly but my post swimming life is way more convenient.

5. You gotta master the duck and move Matrix type back bend.
For whatever reason, people are fascinated with big hair. They want to touch it. They wanna feel if it's soft. They wanna feel if it's a weave. But no. Get yo nassey hands away from my hair. This is not a petting zoo. I do not want to hurt you by doing the karate chop hand block, so I duck and move like the Matrix to avoid the scalp assault.

On a serious note, I love my hair. The good. The bad. The ugly. We work well together. LOL! At Fancy Free Natural Consults, I specialize in helping women get through their big hair struggles and embrace it, the way I have. Check out our Fancy Free Shea Pomade for Hair & Skin at www.fancyfreehair.com.

We care about your big hair. You should too. 

Who's Going to Save the Hero?

I am a music head. I LOVE good music. Music gets me through my day. Music gets me through tough times. I can have a whole conversation just by citing different lyrics. I'm not the biggest fan of ballads. I prefer booty popping and trapping music. However, I am a musician deep down inside, so every now and then a slow song will catch my attention. Not often but it does happen. So, the first time I heard "Save The Hero" by Beyonce, it instantly caught my attention. Mainly because I am drawn to music that is in a minor key but then I started to listen to the lyrics and I teared up a lil bit. I may have shed one thug tear, but that's it. Cuz I'm a G and G's don't cry.

What are the lyrics to that song? Let's have a look:

I lay alone awake at night
Sorrow fills my eyesBut I'm not strong enough to cryDespite of my disguiseI'm left with no shoulderBut everybody wants to lean on me.I guess I'm their soldier.Well, who's gonna be mine
[Chorus:]Who's there to save the heroWhen she's left all aloneAnd she's crying out for help.Who's there to save the heroWho's there to save the girl...After she saves the worldAfter she saves the world.
I bottle all my hurt inside,I guess I'm living in lie.Inside my mind each day I dieWhat can bring me back to life?A simple word, a gestureSomeone to say you're beautifulCome find this buried treasureRainbows lead to a pot of gold
[Chorus]
I've given too much of myselfAnd now it's driving me crazy(I'm crying out for help)Sometimes I wish someone wouldJust come here and save me...Save me from myself

WOW! That is deep. It really hit home because I my maternal grandmother died of a heart attack while being the care taker for my great grand parents. Not her parents. Her husband's parents. I watched my mother do for everyone else and then have to short change herself because she gave so much. Most women find themselves in this position. We are givers and nurtures. It's in our genetics. We are more than willing to put our own hopes, dreams and desires on the back burner so that we can support our children, husband, family, friends, community and anyone in need. 

I found myself beginning to walk in the same footsteps of my mother and grandmother. Sacrificing to see smiles on everyone else's face until one day it hit me that I was not smiling. I was not doing the things I wanted to do so that I could make sure everyone else had what they wanted and needed. Although I did those things with love, I recognized the sacrifice that no one else could see because I always made it look so easy. *adjusts crown* So when I didn't feel like it was appreciated I would go OFF!!! Like cussing people out and cutting them off. A protection mechanism of sorts. Yes. Very extreme but it seemed healthy to me......until I talked to my therapist about it. LOL!

Guess who saved the hero after she saves the world. A therapist. I learned that my "crown syndrome" made me feel obligated to go out of my way for people that I care about even at times when those same sentiments weren't being reciprocated or even really appreciated. Therapy made me realize that it is perfectly fine for me to "worry about myself" and that I could not help anyone if I wasn't happy with my own life.

There is a reason that you have to put the oxygen mask on yourself first, in the event of emergency. How can you save anyone if you can't breathe? You can't. Save yourself. You are responsible for yourself, hero. Get in therapy. Therapy is like the best thing ever. They are legally obligated to keep aaaaallllll your secrets. LOL! Learn your limits. Don't feel guilty about saying "no". "No" is a complete sentence.

Yes. Life comes at you fast. Sometimes things can get overwhelming even when you are taking care of yourself. Crying in itself is a sort of therapy. Let it out, in private, wipe your tears, then get back to business. You can't save yourself or the world if you spend too much time crying about it. LOL!

I say all of this to say, Fancy is trying to save you from yourself. You can be the hero. We need more heroes and heroins in this world. Just make sure you aren't saving everyone and losing yourself. Save yourself. Save the world. Cry when you get overwhelmed. Fix your crown. Fasten your cape. And get back to saving.

Open Minds Learn More

One of the things that I've learned in life is that everyone can teach you something. EVERYONE. I pride myself on adding value to all of my relationships. However, always being a giver can be draining. The blessing in being a giver and a helper is that you attract other givers and helpers. I am surrounded by awesome people who are always willing to lend a helping hand offer knowledge.

In the past 3 months, I have learned a LOT about people around me as well as learned a lot from them. 

Most importantly I learned two very pertinent things that have changed the way I look at my health and how I take care of my hair. Priorities. LOL!

http://www.foodandtravelfun.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/fruit-smoothies.jpg

Lesson #1: All smoothies are not created equal.
I have a girlfriend and business partner who battles with high blood pressure and has to watch her diet so she does not become an insulin dependent diabetic. We're having girl talk at her dining room table and she's telling the story about how her doctor tried to come for the nutritional supplement we are marketing. The doctor compares the ingredients to one of the products they are marketing in the doctor's office and sees that what we have is better. My girlfriend had been putting the product, a protein shake, in her breakfast smoothie. And just like me, the breakfast smoothie had been consisting of mostly fruit and maybe some kale or spinach. We all know fruit has natural sugars but what we didn't consider is that making a fruit smoothie may overload you with sugar. Even though fruit sugar is not bad for you. Too much of anything is not good. The doctor explained that the breakfast smoothies should have more vegetables than fruit to avoid sugar overload. 

https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7418/11026441715_35960b97b4_b.jpg

Imagine that. All these years, I've been doing the breakfast smoothie and was going it wrong. Now I know. LOL!

Lesson #2: Beauty secrets in unexpected places

With my natural hair consults business, I also make a product. Whipped shea butter with some added oils to help with the most common problem in our natural hair community, keeping hair moisturized. I was at my cousin's birthday dinner, talking with her friends about hair and different products and techniques. My mother just so happened to have some of my product samples in her purse. Gotta love mothers. Then, my cousin's friend tells me one of the best products to seal moisture in skin and hair. This product helps protect from heat when heat styling. Something else you can get from the grocery store. The product is......Crisco. Yes, the Crisco shortening that our grandmothers use for cooking. Go ahead and Google it. People have been using Crisco for YEARS in their beauty regimen. Just don't eat it. LOL!

I am always listening and learning. My way is tried and true for me but I know there could be a better way out there. Life teaches us everyday. All lessons aren't taught in the classroom. Education can be anywhere. Have an open mind and you will be able to learn beyond what you ever imagined.

We would love to work with you at Fancy Free, LLC. We specialize in health and wellness but the personal growth you gain from working with us is phenomenal. Contact us at (410) 929-0302 today for your complimentary consultation to see how we can help you expand.

The Fancy Life On Fleek

Lordt. Jesus. Can time slow down? Life comes at you FAST!

Two years ago, I officially started my company, Fancy Free, LLC. I initially started it to operate my rental property expenses and my direct sales business but things happened and now it's an umbrella company, I like to refer to it as a lifestyle company. That includes "managing" my husband's Turn Up-ologist gigs and selling hair product and more. It's so funny how life hits you all at once. Like, it's literally feast or famine. In the times of famine, I don't get discouraged. I work on building my online campaign, generating content online and creating an online presence for my businesses. In the season of feast, I am a crazy person. And when I say crazy person, I mean, I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Always doing something. No days off. Gotta book me at least 2 weeks in advance. Show nuff crazy person. And what makes me so crazy is I LOVE every bit of it.

When I begrudgingly made Fancy Free, LLC. official, I had no idea that I'd be doing all of the things that I do as a part of my business. It goes to show that my daddy and aunties were right. Do what you love and don't worry about money. The money will come. I've discovered the underlining common theme is in all that I do that gives me fulfillment. So....how does that look in the Fancy Life?

Fancy Talk. I have a podcast that I record weekly with my god brother on his internet radio station VVCRadio.com. We talk about life stuff and give tips for improvement. Depending on the topic and who is
in my network that can speak on it, I bring guests and let them to give input. It's like having a conversation about life with your good friends, bouncing ideas off of each other, recording it and posting it on the internet for everyone else to hear how insightful and goofy your are. LOL! It does take effort and preparation though. A good thing about it is, I have been able to practice my non-regional dialect since the show began. No longer can visitors hear IMMEDIATELY that I am from Baltimore.

Direct Sales. We have two different companies. One of them, I run with my husband. The other one, I run it by myself. We have picked up momentum with both of them, so we spend some time on the evenings and weekends with my business partners helping them build their businesses. We pour into them because helping them get what they want is fulfilling in itself. Getting paid is just a small perk.

The Woods Entertainment Group. The training associated with building a direct sales business is so phenomenal. You begin to feel invincible, like you really CAN do anything you want to. My husband being a DJ/Turn Upologist is a perfect example of that. He practices, all the dayum time, and is getting very good. Now, he has a regular spot on the Friday night live stream on VVCRadio.com. His show is called The Preparation, what to listen to while you get ready to go out and party, the party before the party. LOL! The number if parties he's been requested to "Turn-Up" are becoming more frequent. I manage him and make sure all of the business is handled appropriately so he can focus on keeping the party popping. I go to most of the parties with him. Sometimes as the photographer, sometimes just as the "manager/hype woman" to get the party started. We are out with the people. Forming new relationships. Sometimes they even support our other ventures.

Natural Hair Consults. Originally, Fancy Free Hair Consults was something I started just to give a business card when someone asked more than three questions about my hair while I was out and about. It's amazing how there's so much information out there but we still prefer a personal touch and a plan catered to you and your needs. The consults have been picking up, face to face and virtual, and my clients are very pleased with the services.

Fancy Free Pomade. I started making it for my own hair because I couldn't find a product that met the
needs of my hair, was affordable, was easy to work with, and smelled nice. Then I started using it as lotion instead of my trusty Palmer's Cocoa Butter with all of those additives that don't really moisturize. Then I started making it for my friends. Then I started giving a sample of it to my hair consults clients. Then I put some samples in a swag bag for an event I helped plan and it's been moving like hotcakes ever since. I mean, I was gonna make it anyway, now I just make more and let the whole world enjoy it.

Real Estate. I have always invested in real estate but as an owner and landlord. I never ventured into investing and flipping because...well...I didn't think I had enough money to do that and I didn't know how to get started. So, when a really good friend of mine, who is VERY successful in real estate investing, offered a hands on mentor program, I was all in. It's been an amazing experience and I've started looking at real estate with a whole new set of eyes. The potential is limitless.

And don't forget, Fancy friends are being great, so I am often supporting one of their events and Fancy LOVES her a good vacation. So factor in a couple girls weekends or surprise getaways. BOOM! Calendar packed.

Surprisingly, I don't feel overwhelmed with everything I have going on. It may sound silly but I feel like my purpose is to expose as many people as possible to the Fancy Life and show them how they can have it, then help them along the way. When you're living in your purpose, you never feel like it's too much. Everything fits. I love to see people flourish. I am a helper. Is it your money? Is it your hair or skin? Do you need some pictures of your event? Do you need your party to be turned up? Is it just getting the courage to get started at whatever you're passionate about? Fancy to the rescue.

What do you want to do but just haven't gotten started yet? Contact Fancy Free, LLC. by phone or text, (410) 929-0302, or email fancyfreellc@gmail.com.

Sooooo....my husband is a Certified Turn-Upologist

When did you first fall in love with hip hop? Hahahahaha!!! Naw. That's not how we met. But close enough. As corny as it may sound, my husband and I were band geeks. Our friendship/crushing began on the drum line of Poly/Western's combined marching band back in the late 90's. Being in the marching band was so much fun in high school. No hanky panky back then, just friends. All the way through college we were just friends. We always shared the love for music. Well, for us, it is a love for 808's and dope beats.

Fast forward 15 years after high school, we debate what song is the hottest. We sit in my car after I got my sub woofer installed to listen to the latest trap music at ignorant volumes. No dining room table in our first house, that was replaced with a drum set. We panic when the surround sound at the house isn't working because we can't listen to our "housework" music. We travel long distances to go to concerts. Our current home even has a music room with assorted instruments, were we have private rock out sessions. To those who know us, we are fans of good music. Music of all genres. Not that being a DJ is a natural progression but it's not a surprise. 

After finishing school and residency, we were able to go out a little bit more. We even started having more parties at our house. He keeps an ongoing list of "party songs" or "bangaz", that's what he calls them, in his phone. That guy always ends up in the DJ booth, giving suggestions for what to play next. When he was asked to be the Hype Man for a Raven's play off party, he did such a good job, he was invited back for the Raven's Super Bowl party. That was confirmation for him. So, when his father gave him an iPod Touch, that was all she wrote.

I really don't pay much attention to what he's doing on the internet. But, I quickly realized what he had been spending his evenings searching for on our 7th anniversary. I wanted to buy him a new coat and was disappointed when it sold out. His response to my explaining that I couldn't get him the gift I wanted to buy him was, "Eff dat coat. I already know what I want." and proceeded to log on to MY eBay account, found his mixer and purchased it, using MY PayPal information.

The mixer arrived the next day and he's been practicing his mixing skills almost every evening, faithfully. Practice makes perfect and he is getting really good. He knows what to play and when to play it. His blends are on point, so we decided to share it with the people. His official debut as a DJ/Turn-Upologist was on a cold Friday in February at our house. We had a ball. My doctor DJ rocks! Shout out to Devan for capturing the fun while Fancy Fotos was on hostess duty.

Being a supportive wife can be overwhelming sometimes. I'm glad I just kept my mouth shut and only offered words of encouragement. My husband is stepping out of his comfort zone and trying something different. Yes, he is a doctor but he needs to feed the music lover in him. I couldn't think of a more productive way for him to do that, mainly because I'm a hustler and this is a hobby we can monetize. Tee hee.

Everything you want in life is right outside of your comfort zone. That's what living the Fancy life is all about. We can support you on your Fancy journey. We have the tools you need for personal growth that give you the confidence to do what you REALLY want to do, live Fancy. 

Check DJ P.O.P. out, live on vvcradio.com on Sunday, March 1, 2015 from 2a-4a.

Text WOODS to 55469 if you want our help on                                                                                           your journey to Fancy living.

Different Strokes For Different Folks

A lot of people refer to me as "Fancy"...hence the name of the blog. However, I don't think of myself as the definition of "fancy". I just like what I like and I'm unapologetic about it. Why should I apologize for enjoying the spoils of my labor? No one should. Shoot, Beyonce didn't apologize for taking a year off to enjoy her life. Hmph!

I am not a person who brags, when I talk about something, it's because I am genuinely excited about it. When people are excited about what they have going on in their lives, I get excited too. I do partake in some luxuries and I invite people in my life to enjoy them with me. I am appreciative of my blessings. I try to point out blessings in people's lives when they feel down. I know that at a moment's notice everything can be taken away. Appreciating what you have leads to increase. Of course, there are things I am striving toward but I am also secure in knowing that what is for me is for me. I don't wish I had what someone else has and I hope that people do not look at my life wishing that they had what I have. Please believe, my life ain't been no crystal stair. I'm just smiling through it all and crying in private. There are also things and activities that I prefer to not partake in. That is not to say that I am above or better than, it's just not my preference. Sorry. Not sorry.

I am simply enjoying life. I don't do it for the Vine or Instagram Grammy awards. I live my life for my own pleasure. Some of it is entertaining, so I post it for a few to be entertained as well. Some times I feel like things in my life can add value to someone else's life, so I share. There is never any judgement, on my part, of people who have different preferences than I do. No matter how you slice the pie, there is always gonna be someone who just prefers broccoli. And that's ok. Imagine how boring the world would be if we were all

doing the exact same things.

I want everyone to win. Of course, I want you to win with me and be on my team but everything ain't for everybody. Believe me. I'm cool with that. I still what to celebrate your success with you. When people choose not to partake in what I have to offer, I am still supportive of what they are pursuing. If I see where there is room for improvement, I do my best to try to help them improve or at least point them in the right direction. If they choose not to take my advice, that's fine too. I ain't always right and I know that I don't know all sides of the story because I'm looking at it from the outside.

No harm. No foul. What's for me is for me. What's for you is for you. There is enough out here for all of us to be successful with whatever we decide to do. I am always willing to lend a helping hand when I can and support other people's efforts.

Working with us at Fancy Free, LLC. will help provide a vehicle for you to live life how you want, as well as tools to help others do the same. Text WOODS to 55469 or visit www.fancyfreellc.com.

Fancy's Hair Horror Story

Yes. Me and my perfect hair have horror stories. LOL! I'm being dramatic but I was kind of traumatized. Let's start from the beginning.

Bantu Knots

I did not do the big chop. I transitioned. Like straight transition with no weave or anything. My philosophy is that you should enjoy your hair at each phase of growth and naturalness. When I first cut the last inch of my relaxed hair off, I mostly wore my hair as a wash and go. My Go-To product at the time was Kinky Curly. As my hair grew, the twist out became my style of choice. Stay with me, I'm going somewhere with this.

Bantu Knot Out

Like I said before, I don't do much to my hair but I take care of it and make sure it's healthy. Healthy hair grows.....like weeds. So, now I'm experimenting with different styles for my even longer hair. Well, I have to because a wet twist out, that used to last for about 2-3 weeks, now only lasts for about 1 week. I can push it to 2 weeks but it gets dry really fast and dry hair leads to breakage. And Fancy hair is healthy hair. Lately, I have been blow drying it and styling it in an up do. Here is where the Horror Story begins.....

Sticky Flexi Rod Set

I decided I wanted to try flexirods on my natural hair. Only problem is, I gave my flexirods to my mother and then my sisters lost them. So, here I am all ready to rock and roll with the rods. I had watched the videos, figured out what kind of product I needed. I was ready. Since I didn't have my rods, I decided I would do a bantu knot out. The YouTube girl used flax seed gel and I ain't feel like making that so I looked in my product stock to see what I already had that I could use. Low and behold, I had some Shea Moisture Gel Curling Souffle from when I was experimenting with replacements for Kinky Curly. I was sold when I saw it had flax seed oil in it. Flax seed gel, gel with flax seed oil in it....same thing to me. I whip it out and get to bantu knotting.

Stick Nasty Flexi Rod Set
After 2 days in
Tampa Humidity

The bantu knots are perfect. And I let them out and they LOOKED perfect. However, they felt damp and sticky even though I didn't use that much product. *sigh* We all know that damp and sticky natural hair will never end well. You have 2 choices, push through and deal with it or shampoo it out. I decided to push through. My knot out fell and started to swell as soon as it got a little
warm in the party we went to. I tried to  one more time before I gave in and just bought some flexirods. I didn't add anymore product, just sprayed with a little water. Flexirods looked great. My hair still felt a little sticky but not as sticky as the first day.

Then......we went to Tampa, FL. It was all down hill from there.

After my emergency shampoo
and blow dry.

It was so humid. I could feel my hair swelling as soon as we got off the plane. We had to stand outside to wait for the rental car shuttle. It got bigger. So big that my husband looked
at me and asked if I packed my hair stuff with me. Got to the hotel room. It was just as humid in the hotel room as it was outside. So I whipped out my flexirods, spray bottle, and another archived hair product, Design Essential Defining Creme Gel. I kept my rods in my hair for the car ride to the convention center. It was so humid in the hotel room and outside that my hair was STILL WET when I took my rods out. I got compliments on my hair but I was not happy when I thought about how my hair looked before we arrived in Tampa. So that night, I did the same thing. Rods, spray bottle, product. But this time, I was getting this nasty dirt gunk on my hands while I was rolling it. I was so disgusted. I started plotting how I was gonna shampoo my hair with no hair products or tools.

Finally got it right!
Flexi rods with Shea Moisture
Curl & Style Milk

The next day, I didn't have any form to my style. It was a full on bush. I loves me a bush but it was a sticky, dirty bush. No go. So, I got on google and found me a natural hair stylist. Confirmed my walk-in appointment and go that guck outta my hair. She did a great job with my shampoo and blow dry. Was even open to my instructions when it came
time to style it. Thanks Ms. Nancy!

Moral to the story: Even Fancy has bad hair days. Natural hair is trial and error. Don't be scared. You're not gonna die because you had crazy looking hair. Having a bad hair day, or two, is not the end of the world. Make light of it, wash it, and try again.

Don't be afraid to do something different with your Fancy hair. That's what the Fancy Life is all about, taking chances.

Text WOODS to 55469 to schedule your consultation with Fancy Free Hair
Consults.

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