Blogaversary -- Um, I Forgot.

I missed my Blogaversary.

Happy Belated Birthday Bloggy !

Here I am at 1:15am and I realized that I totally overlooked my Blogaversary! 

October 8, 2013 was the two year anniversary of the blog. It feels like I haven't journeyed very far but looking back I see just how far I've come.

I have no clue how I forgot. Well, actually I do,  I've been less focused on the blog and I just forgot all about it. There are just so many ideas and things cluttering up my mind and I feel like I'm going in a zillion different directions.

Weeks here and there have been difficult of 2013. I've felt confused and torn between where to go and what to do in a few aspects of my life. There were times when I just stopped completely but that didn't do anything but make it worse. When I began to confront those feelings, well that's when those clouds began to clear. I decided to open up a bit on here on the blog as well.

Things were still stagnant though but I was trying to get back into the habit of blogging regularly. My two check in posts (here, and here) helped me to get back into the groove of things.

I remember how excited I was for the very first Blogaversary. I can't believe it's been two years ! How amazing is that ? So much has taken place between October 8, 2012 and October 8, 2013. I think it's high time for a bit of reflection just to see how far this blog has come.

Native Love Company Logo

Evolving in Native Love Company -- Many of you know that I began this journey as Simply Care. There came a point that I felt that Simply Care just wasn't "cutting it" anymore and I made the decision to do a complete rebrand. I realized now that I really didn't dedicate a post to introducing it, it was more tweets and facebook posts. If in fact you would like the backstory, just leave a comment and I'll be sure to post it for you. The shift just seemed right and now I feel like with the change everything just seems to work better.

Ebony Entrepreneurs 

Ebony Entrepreneurs -- My latest endeavor into supporting and showcasing black and brown small businesses. You can read more about that here and view our first feature small business here.









Journey To A Small Business -- I have goals that I have sidestepped while getting in my own way. That's ended. Now I'm focused, I choose to be great. I choose to look at the big picture and not let the small details get in the way. I'm probably forgetting some other important things that have taken place since my last Blogaversary and that's fine. It felt good to take a step back though, reflection is key for growth.

Now, watch me work.

Top 3 Viewed Posts ! 
1. Our 100th Post 1,663 views
2. What Is Your Acne Telling You? 1,256 views
3. Can Kinks Get Love Too? 240 views

Top 2 Pinned/Viral Posts !
1. Let's Make A Conditioner
2. What Is Your Acne Telling You?

Top Views From Around the World ! 

United States 10326     Russia 5997

Germany  461           United Kingdom 347

Ukraine  278               France  194

Canada  167               Kenya  81

China  71                   Netherlands  66

136 posts and over 20,000 views. I remember my hype over 1,000. 

I can't say it enough, so I'll just say it over and over again.

Thank you for your support, tweets, comments and likes, you all are amazing.

Spring Revamping

Native Love Logo Design and New Web Banner Design. 

Hello curlies !

I know I've been gone for a couple of months, but it's all for the greater good. If you aren't filled in with all the updates going on right now, check out this post.

This blog is the last of the social media bunch to receive it's make-over. I've been through site after site trying to find the best, but without forking over some major coins or losing your mind over code; I've resigned to just stick with blogger for now. There are some amazing things you can do with blogger, it just takes a little bit more time. I might be sharing a few process photos and screenshots this week.

So be ready for a BRAND NEW Blog, with a new domain, new features, links and everything! The So You Want To Go Natural Series and the What The Fuss series will be restarted as well. I also have some new posts and some oldies yet goodies that are good to review heading into the warmer months.

Thanks so much for sticking with me. I really do appreciate it. Right now the new blog is going live June 28, 2013 unless I hit a few snags. Also, if you are subscribed using Google Reader, it is going bye-bye as of July, so it might be a good time to subscribe via email !

This way you won't miss a beat !

What do you think of the new web banner ? 

Are you excited to see the new website ?  

Are there things you would like to see here that you don't see now ? 

Happy Birthday Bloggy ! + A Retrospective

It's a celebration y'all !

365 days.

So many things can happen in a year, that's a lot time.

Yet it passes by in almost a blink. Just like that, it's gone and you have another year to progress, strive, and continue moving forward.

Today this blog turns 1 year old. Can you believe it ? I certainly can't. I remember my first post like it was yesterday! Literally.

Sometimes when I am writing posts, and I need to back link or reference a past post, I am shocked by how long it can sometimes take for me to come across the right post.

Have I really written that many ?

I wonder how many people have read, shared, or even actually liked what I have posted.

In  year's time what are some ways that I can gauge the effectiveness of this blog, it's growth, and reach ?

I definitely have more readers, comments, and subscribers. Yet somehow it's not enough. I'm still the new kid on the block, but maybe I haven't asked enough people to play ! Lol.

This blog and I have come a long ways together! Our first series, blog challenges, Black History Month, a little bit of Frolicious Mixtressin'. I can't wait to see what another year will bring! 


Enough of the retrospective, let's move on to candles and cake !

This year celebration really creeped up on me. It's like I knew it was coming but subsequently forgot about it. It doesn't feel like I've been blogging for a whole entire year.

So, I guess this means a celebration is in order, for a number of things.

1. Reaching 100+ likes on the Facebook page
2. Surpassing 150 Followers in the facebook page
3. One whole year of bloggity bloggin'

I'm excited about this giveaway but more skeptical than I should be. I didn't write a really in-depth post about the mishandling I encountered with the United States Postal System, and I don't intend to now. I just hope that this time around things run much more smoothly.

This giveaway won't be "huge" like some 1 year blog celebrations that I've encountered but I do intend to have more than one winner. That's big to me !

So go tell all your curlfriends, while I finish up the details for the giveaway!

Questions ! 

What's one or two of your favorite things about this blog ? 

Do you have a favorite post, or maybe a post that taught you a new thing or two ? 

I would LOVE to know ! 

What would be one or two things you would like to see on this blog in the future ?

SimplyCare's 100th Post !

Whoo hoo !

SimplyCare has reached 100 posts ! How exciting ! This blog has come such a long way and I'm so excited to see what the future holds ! 

So, my question to you is, what is something that you would like to possibly see on this blog? Any comments, or tidbits, or nuggets of advice for me ? 

Please feel free to leave any of the above in the comments section ! I would love to hear from some of you ! 

I hope you are all having a great week ! 

Thank you for all of your support thus far! 

KCCM Check-In #3 coming tomorrow !

Back to Business

Afternoon lovelies !

I hope you all have a wonderful Friday followed by a great weekend !

I am almost to 100 posts here on my blog ! I love the fact that this blog is reaching milestones (1000 readers, 1st Giveaway, Growing through Social Networks, 1st Youtube video...) but there is one thing that I need to address. Which is the fact, that this blog took off on its own and evolved into something that I really didn't have in mind when I wrote my first post.

Introducing Frolicious Mixtress (Mix On !)

I’m always coming up with new things for my company and for this blog. One of those new ideas I mentioned in this post along with a goodie for you. You can check that post out here. 

Anywhoo,

I’d like to introduce Frolicious Mixtress…formally that is. This is yet another brain child of mine. (If you haven’t noticed, I have a lot going on in my afro-puffed brain).

Monday Funday !

Hello all ! 

I hope you all had a great weekend !

A Growing Social Network Addict

Welp !

You can now find SimplyCare on Youtube and Facebook ! 

Things to Come !

Hello all!!

First of all, my apologies for the lack of posts ! I have been slacking and busy at the same time. I also celebrated my birthday! 

Yay !

I’ve been working on some new things and I just thought I would show a sneak peek ! My mind is in a whirlwind and sometimes it’s just hard to choose between what idea I should focus on…

Lately, I haven’t been feeling creative so I’ve kind of stopped working on illustration and design and such. I pretty much just have been focusing on the hair side, although that’s hard to tell with the lack of posts.

Newsflash !

SimplyCare is now linked !! Look right below the header and you will find links to all sorts of great information. Now, please remember that I just made these pages. They are a work in progress ! I would be oh so happy if you would just bear with me !

I noticed that these new pages received some traffic and I didn't want to put off viewers by not having any content up. I have added a little bit of quick info on some of the pages.

As always, thanks for taking the time out to view my blog ! I hope everyone had a fantabulous weekend !

:0)

Pardon the Dust !

Quickie Post,

You might have noticed that I am making some slight changes and additions to the blog ! Everything will still be up and running though. I am working on new pages and new ideas which I will blog about for your reading pleasure !

If you have any feedback, comments or anything, don't hesitate to leave a comment. I would love to hear from you !

Take care ! :0)

Please Accept My Apologies : 0 )

HELLOOOOOOOOO Everybody ! 

First off, I would like to apologize for not posting for a whole entire week ! Shame on me ! Shame.Shame.Shame. 

Now, where to started to get you all up to speed........ *taps chin* hmm.

Okay, first things first,

 I would like to say yell “THANK YOU” to my newest followers ! I appreciate it so much, you have no idea !  : )  Also, we are now up to 547 total blog views ! It’s incredible, and in less than two months ! So, thank you again, to my new subbies and to all my viewers ! [ I hope those viewing do choose to subscribe as well though. ;) ] As a result, I think it is high time that I put Google Analytics to use !  It will show me  insights into my website traffic and marketing effectiveness.

Next up are the business side of things;  I have located a couple of located Small Business Association branches, and I plan on paying them a visit. I don’t know why I didn’t think to find a SBA branch near me sooner… SBA also has some online courses and certifications as well, which is OH SO exciting. Lol. I have already taken one *pats self on the back* Yay Me ! So there is one more site that will be added to my weekly stalking  learning list.  I was doing some random twitter searching during this week and I found new folks to follow with a lot of great information on small business, blogging, marketing, etc. I also found some great books that I will be hunting down on Amazon preeeetttyyy soon!

On to the hair side( but if you want to be technical, it’s all about hair. Lol ).

I recently purchased a BOATLOAD of new toys, trinkets, and goodies for mixing and such. I might have possibly went a little overboard. We will see when I do my Haul Blog Post. As of right now, the verdict isn’t in.  Speaking of hair ingredients, I have been putting my mixtures to use and I must say although, one of the ingredients I might be leaving out the next time, so far the results have pleased me. Plus I have gotten positive feedback from the 3-4 people who have tested them out.  I will be making another batch though, with different ingredients, and to serve different purposes. I am pretty positive that this batch will come out even better than the last. Oh, before I forget, I am not so sure if I am a strong lover of Eucalyptus, it is a pretty strong smell ! Possibly in smaller doses I could be a fan though. We shall see !

As for my hair, I finally put my lovely kinky curlies in mini-twists and I LOVE THEM ! They came out so well and I was surprised with the length. I wasn’t aware my hair had grown that much! I still trimmed the ends though, because I have a problem with split ends and Single Strand Knots. Death to SSK’s !!! Ugh, they are the BANE of my existence. I tweeted my mini twists btw, are you following _SimplyCare_ ? 

Go ahead and make that move ! : )  I always tweet when there are new blog posts, random moments in my life and the life of SimplyCare, and  #naturalhair chats too ! Which are Wednesday and Thursday ! It's a quick and easy way to stay up to date with SimplyCare's progress !!

Well, I think you are all up to speed now !  I can assure you that I will not go this long without posting!

Any new news from my readers ? I would love to hear about it !

Mixing Products and It Feels So Good !

Lol, btw the title is sung to the tune of  'Reunited' by Peaches and Herb... Hahahah

That is how I feel after tonight, I had a chance to put in some work in the kitchen and I just feel all light, fluffy, and happy.

Also, my hair feels as soft and as smooth as a baby's butt. Butt ( haha) more on that in a paragraph or so.

I have come up with two different gels with different products folded into the base of the gel. One mixture of gel yielded a light, thicker, smooth consistency. I took two sections of hair and I braided and twisted it with Mixture A. The braid is very smooth with little fly-a-ways with a curly end and the twist is tight, and fluffy. Mixture A has seemed to stretch the twist also.
     The second mixture, Mixture B is a darker, thin, liquid-y consistency that might better suit as a spray or foam wrap. I braided and twisted two more sections with Mixture B.  The braid is also smooth with little fly-a-ways but the end gave way to an 'L' shape( which my hair often does, it's crazy like that). The twisted section is loose, fluffy and shrunken, and curled up at the end.

I am going to take both out and see how the braid/twist out looks, feels, and how much definition each Mixture gave me. So, stay close by to see the results !

It's so exciting coming up with and testing new products ! Yay.

Now on the the "babys butt" hair.....lol. I deep conditioned with a mix of Coconut Milk, Mayo, Egg, Vitamin E, Banana, and Sweet Almond Oil. I left it on my hair for about an hour, then I rinsed it out and followed up with  a Chamomile Black Tea rinse.



Lawdamercy, my scalp feels amazing, hair is butter soft.... mmmph ! Pictures down below. No pics of finished hair yet because I am getting ready to put mini twists in. Hence all the prepping.

PLUS Thank you to ALL OF MY SUBSCRIBERS & VIEWERS ! I can't believe I have over 500 views and this blog has only been live for 1 month !!! : )

30 Days of Blogging

Well Folks, I did it ! 30 days of blogging ! This was a really fun way to become a more regular blogger ! I might just do another one, just to stay on task !

Anywho, if you happen to be the 500th viewer of the blog, please leave a comment and tweet me ! @_simplycare_ I would love to know : )

WOW !

Almost 500 page views ! This blog has only been online for a month! Thats great, I wish I could get my subscriber and follower count higher. I'm working on it though. At least I know people view it, now the trick is to get those viewers  to subscribe !

I had a great time at the Small Business Seminar ! I learned a lot and I'm glad I had the opportunity to go. Now I'm hanging out with my family : )

I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend !