Tips & tricks for curly haired chicks

I know from experience , curly hair is a challenge to mange . Whether you are Black , White , or Mexican , curly hair is simply different from straight . There are just certain things you cannot do with curly hair , some things that aren't healthy for it , and ways to make it grow that people wit straight hair don't have to worry about .
Growing up as a bi-racial child , I have endured the curls , the kinks and the poof my entire life . As I got older , my best friend became my hair straightener . I have never been very fond of my curls , and I always wanted long , bone-straight hair like my friends and step sisters . However , as I have gotten older , I have learned to embrace my hair , and take healthiness over personal thought .
I used to be extremely hard on my hair . Straightening it everyday on the highest setting , dying it  , perming it , washing it with sulfate enriched shampoo daily ... These are all HAIR DO NOT'S . I have changed my hair care ways for the better , so here are my tips and tricks for healthy , soft , growing , curly hair . (:
1 : DO NOT wash your hair every single day . I know there is sweat and oils in your hair ; however , the more you wash it , the more you are stripping your hair of it's natural moisture and making it more brittle and susceptible to damage .
2 : Don't flat iron your hair every day . Make it a two or three times a week thing if possible . It's really hard on your hair having it pressed between two plates at 350 degrees , and it breaks down it's strength .
3 : LOVE YOUR HAIR ! Yes , curly hair can be hard to manage , hard to brush , hard to style , it gets frizzy , etc . But it's the hair you were born with , so rock it !
4: If at all possible , avoid relaxers . Yes they are a temporary fix , but they are probably the most damaging thing you can do to your hair , right next to bleaching it . Relaxers , although they don't say it on the box , break down the structure of your hair . It goes into each strand it touches and tells the hair 'Dont Curl !' , but it's breaking and thinning your hair . The relaxed part of your hair will never be the same , and regardless of what you do , it wont be healthy until it grows back out .
5 : By good products ! The worst thing to do to your hair is to fall into the trap of 'If it's expensive , it must work really good' . FALSE ! Read the labels ! I cannot stress that enough . There are things to look out for . For example , you don't want shampoo with Sulfates of any kind in them . Also , avoid conditioners , gels , and foams with Alcohol in them . Although these products may claim to help your hair , the sulfates and alcohol are going to make your hair brittle and breakable . However , you should look for things like olive oil , vitamin A , and vitamin E .
6 : If you are going to use heat products , such as blow dryers , frequently , by a heat protecting spray . Spray it on your hair prior to applying heat , to avoid extensive heat damage .
7 : A common misconception about curly hair , especially in African-American culture , is that their hair doesn't grow . Poppy cock ! It grows just like everybody else's , but curly hair take slightly longer to show progress . The reason for this is that curly hair growing out of the skull has to curl out of the skull , so it takes longer to see progress , whereas straight hair just comes straight down , there for it's faster and easier to see the results .
8 : Trim your hair often . Once a month is recommended , but it is always good to chart the growth of your hair , and see when it is best to trim for you (:
Enjoy your hair , take care of it , love it ! (:
-Elle ♫

Friendship , When is it real ?

When is a friendship real ? A friendship is real when you know no matter what happens , that person has your back . A friendship is real when you can laugh together , cry in front of each other , make bad decisions together , and fix them as a team . A friendship is real when they become more like family then just a 'Friend' . Finally a friendship is real when you can tell each other everything about one another without fear of rejection or judging .
How can you tell ? Sometimes you wont know with out trial and error . As heart breaking as it may be , sometimes the only way you find out is by having a 'friend' bail out on you or judge you . It happens to every one at one point in time or another .
I have been thinking a lot lately about memories I have acquired over the years , then 7th grade came to mind . See , in English class one day , a friend of mine and I came up with these candy nick names for one another and made one for one of our other friends . By mid-lunch period , everyone at our school had a 'Candy Name' . We decided it would just be us three , though . As time progressed , we added two more girls to our group . We called ourselves 'The Kandi Krew' . These girls were the four closest girls to me at that point in time , and I was ecstatic about our group . We would tell one another things we couldnt tell another soul . The problems comes in here . As I look back on it now , I realize , the entire foundation of that group was ... almost fake . I mean , our commitment to the group was real , but our commitment to each other was misguided . We didn't tell all of the group everything like we had promised , and we didn't try getting closer to the girls we didn't know as well . Sure we had cool name , but looking back on it now , we were fooling ourselves all year . Guess hein sight is 20/20 huh ?
But today , a girl , who was never in that group , is now my closest and best female friend . She is a true friend , and she is basically my sister . She is 3 days older than me , shares my same personality traits , and most importantly is always there for me . Of coarse , I will never forget my Kand Krew friends , but this girl , that I met at the same time , is the one I truly look to when I'm in need , and she's always the one to fall back on . And that , is when you know you have a true friend . <3
-Elle ♫

Respect ... Expected or Earned ?

I'm sure over the years you have been told to respect your elders , but the question is ... Are they all respectable ? See , there are people that believe that you should respect your elders simply because they are older , and have been around longer , so it is assumed that they are wiser and know more . But is that always the case ? Because I know from experience , old age doesn't automatically make you a wiser person .
There are people that will argue both sides of this story . Where do I stand on this topic ? I believe respect is something a person must EARN not that it should be handed to them for any one reason . I have never been one to tolerate bullshit or disrespect , regardless of age or social status , so the idea that I should respect the 'Adults' in my life has never been a followed philosophy . I understand the reasoning behind it , though . Back in better times , the older you were , the wiser you got . You aquired information about life , learned little techniques and short cuts for things , and you were a looked up to and respected person in your community . However , times have changed . Not ever older person , or even 30 year old you meet is smarter or wiser than you . A lot of them are simply as immature today as when they were fresh into high school . So what about these people is respectable exactly ?
I am not the 'Turn The Other Cheek' kind of gal either . I don't give respect unless it's do , but I don't take disrespect , EVER . There are certain lines you do not cross with me . You don't talk badly about me or my family , you don't put your nose in my business , and you dont bring people into a debate of ours , that has nothing to do with them . Those are the main things that get me upset faster than any other thing . And I assure you I will go rounds with any person who tries to test that theory .
This recently got my mother and I into an argument . See , my mother was raised in the 80's with strict , military parents . So , respect your elders is kind of tattooed into her skull , not to mention she is way less confrontational than I am . I recently had a run in with a man on Facebook , a GROWN man , who decided to cause problems with me for no reason over a loving status directed towards my boyfriend . I wanted to correct him , cause not only was it none of his concern , he also had his facts wrong . I was told by my mother that it was disrespectful of me , that I had no right , and that if I started anything with people outside my age group , she was shutting down my social media networks ... ALL OF THEM ...
Well , that's just a risk I am willing to take . So where do you stand ? Do you believe that any one older than you deserves your respect because they have been around longer , or do you believe that respect is given where respect is due ?
-Elle ♫

Oh wherrrreee is my hairbrush ? ♫♪

HAIR ! Yes , hair . A four letter word , yes I know . But did you also know , its also my passion ? ♥ I have been doing hair since I was about 8 years old . I do everything from cutting , to dying , perming ( relaxing , not texture perms ) , styling , braiding , and I'm learning extension and weaving . I am intrigued by everything about doing hair . Long hair , short hair , all hair . I've even worked with a couple people to get their hair healthy again .

My long term goal is to eventually own my very own hair salon , get big and well known . More short term , I am just focused on getting graduated from high school . I had determined I wanted my own salon , at a young age , in 7th grade . I knew I wanted to do hair , but who wants to work UNDER someone else forever ? Honestly . I wanted the recognition to be on me , I wanted the reputation of being a good quality , trust-able salon . Some people don't want to put in the work or the extra school time to get the degrees to be the owner of their own business , or don't have the time , or can't afford the extra loan debt . I want to be the salon that they want a booth at , that they can feel comfortable working at , so they can start making the money to pay back the loans from their cosmetology degree , cause let me tell you , those degrees are not cheap !




I know a lady right now currently enrolled in Marinello school of beauty . This is a private school , which means no state funding . No Cal Grant , No Pell Grant , No SEOG ... Only loans . That's $32,000 ! Here's the kicker though ! This loan occurs interest over the span of time they have you pay it back in . They normally put you on a 10 year pay back plan , which means if you have a really good loan , it has a 3.5% interest rate , by the time you get to ten years you have payed back $112,000 .
So I completely understand not wanting to go to another school afterwards and occur more debt . However , I am passionate and driven . I will stop at nothing to make this happen for me , and once it does I will be able to hire others who just wanna do hair , not have to bother with business and accounting .
I have gained so much knowledge about hair over the years , and I have done so much with hair . I am happy to give someone a new look that highlights their features and makes them more confident . To me it's not about the pay check . I mean yeah , some salons make bank , but to me the real payment is seeing the look on a clients face when they fall in love with their hair . That's the look I want to see everyday of my life , and know that I made it happen , it's the most amazing feeling in the world <3
Hair can be expensive , it can be hair to manage , it can be a lot of things and propose many of problems . That's where people like myself come in . Yes I know I am only 15 , but you're never too young to be good at what you do . Sometimes with hair , it just needs direction , or color , or a new style . Sometimes thick hair just needs to be thinned , sometimes frizzy hair needs a special treatment , or split ends removed . Things people don't think of that a hair dresser would just envision . That's what I do (: I hope to one day see my blog readers at my salon , I may even give you a discount if you show me this post in the future (;
-Elle ♫
P.S. in this blog post is pictures of work I have done on friends and family , these are not pictures off of Google , and I will link you to my Facebook page for proof .

Determnation is KEY

How many times have you said you wanted to do something , or that you were going to do something , and then you never followed through ? How many times have people said they'd do something for you , and it never happened ? The reason why is more than likely lack of motivation . Which is not to say other things don't come up . I , of all people , know that things happen . People move , people die , you know ? Shit happens . But honestly , a lot of failure comes from lack of interest , lack of discipline , and lack of determination . If you seriously want something , you make sure it happens , right ? Right .

I know it can be difficult , and not always something you wanna do , but if you don't set a goal , you will never reach one , and what the hell kind of good does that do ?! When I first got into high school , I slacked off , I didn't do shit , I didn't wanna be bothered and I thought nothing of it . You know where that got me ? With 65 credits by the time more than half of sophmore year was over . I've been in high school 3 years now , and only have 100 credits . I was a terrible student , and I lacked discipline and determination .
Never believe you can't rise above a funk you've fallen into ! It is always possible (: You gotta have a strong support system , and you have to be able to admit that you have a problem . Once you know there's a problem and can address what it is , you have to be able to take responsibility and not blame others . I spent a lot of time blaming my lack of success in freshman and sophmore year on my parents , on my friends , on society , on the work load , I used every single reason in the book why it couldn't possibly be MY fault . However , when I look back on it and really reflect , I could have done more , I could have pushed myself . I do admit , I was in a bad place at that point . I was homeless , my mother and I had just recently lost our car , we had no internet , at one point I was asked to live with my dad and help raise his son . So was I in a tuff spot with a lot going on ? Absolutely ! But the more I blamed others the worse off I was .
Do you wanna know I fixed it ? I STOPPED blaming others . I took responsibility for my own actions , faced the consequences , and found a program more suited for ME , that was going to make ME successful and gt ME through high school . When I left my first high school , my GPA ( Grade Point Average ) DIDN'T have a number before the decimal , if I'm not mistaken it was a 0.8 . Today , my GPA is a 3.43 !! In 6 months I have brought my grades up , my test scores up , and my GPA up . But this isn't just about school ! You can do absolutely anything you set you mind to ! IF you make a goal , and DETERMINATE !! Don't let anything hold you back . No matter what anyone says to you , you ARE strong , you CAN do this , and you WILL be successful , and any one who tells you otherwise , is simply not worth your valuable time (:
-Elle ♫
P.S. Below is a link to a song called 'Determinate' from the Disney original movie , 'Lemonade Mouth' . Yes , it is a , for lack of better terminology , a 'KID' song , but it speaks to the message I am trying to portray , and it has a wholesome message <3 Enjoy (:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OtatoYRMGc

The Story of a Girl Pt.4

To fill the time she wasn't spending at her father's house , the girl spent time with her mom , friends , and grandparents . Most of the time she spent her days with her grandfather . They were practically best friends . From the time she was born until now , they did everything together . They ate together , they played Lego's with one another , they even watched tv together . But soon that would all change .
Her grandfather had a graveyard shift as a janitor , and every night as he would get ready for work , she would get ready for bed . She would give him a hug and a kiss and say , "Goodnight grandpa , see you in the morning." But this night ... This one night , her words differed . You see , this night she sad "Good bye grandpa , I love you." The last words he ever heard .
That night on his way to work , her grandfather died in a brutal car wreck . He had already had a stroke due to his smoking , which triggered a brain aneurism , his brain shut down causing a lead foot affect . The car took an unmentionable speed towards a stop light pole on the off ramp of the freeway . He hit the pole , flew into the air , caught fire and the car landed upside down . Although this happened fairly close to a fire house that heard the crash , it was too late to save him ... He flat lined on the way to the ER , then the coroner knocked on the door . It was a very early Sunday morning . The little girl had always been alight sleeper , but for some reason , she heard the knock at the door . Her mother told her not to worry and to go back to sleep . They went to church hours later , and the girl thought everything was fine . However , when they got home there were visitors , people she had never met before .
Her mother took her into the back room and told her that her grandfather had passed , and the girl fell apart . She locked herself in the bathroom and cried for an hour . With every scream and teardrop , she could feel the wall closing in around her , and it becoming a hassle to breathe . Her 9 year old mind couldn't comprehend how anything could come between her and her grandpa , she was simply devastated .. I mean , who wouldn't be ?
-Elle ♫

The Story of a Girl Pt.3

Some time had passed and she had become quite fond of her new , soon to be , family . She was even giving her dad a chance to prove himself again , but she should have known , there's no second chance at a first impression . She went through a tough move with her mom where they ended up in her grandparents house , which made her mother .. different . It was definitely odd to live in her grandparent's house , because they did things way beyond different . The were more old school and strict , where as her mom was more laid back and took different approaches to situations , this caused quite a bit of tension in the household . Around that same time she began spending every weekend at her dad's house .
Before long , she could hear wedding bells , that was if her new born brother wasn't making a total ruckus . It was finally time for the wedding , but there was an uneasy feeling in the pit of everyone's stomachs . Something didn't feel right but , hey ! Who wouldn't be a little nervous on such a big day ? The girl by now was 9 and her younger sister to be was her fellow flower girl , but no one brought their flowers to the garden , so they just smiled and waved as the walked down the isle .
The little girl could see that the kids were unhappy , that something was not right in her dad's marriage , but who's gonna believe a little kid , right ? She kept her mouth shut for most of the time , but then she realized , it's hardly worth it to be here , and canceled weekend after weekend .
Then tragedy hit at her mom's house , and her thoughts were flustered . She just found out her father had died in a car accident on his way to work . The girl was crushed , this man was the father she never had . The best friend she hadn't yet met , and the person her spoiled her to no end , and now he was gone ? She needed an escape , so she went back to he dad's house . Funny how humans always seem to try and run away from one drama by running straight into another .
After the weekend there , she discovered why she no longer went there , and began canceling weekends again .
The little girls dad was a control freak . He always seemed to have good intentions , but he never went about achieving them properly . He would tell her that her siblings were upset with her cause she wouldn't visit , and that they wouldn't talk to her if she flaked again , but the girl was strong so she said no , and she stuck on that .
She kept away from the house for a while , until they moved , then she was curious to see the new house . Never once did that poor girl feel comfortable in that house , and she was always terrified to go to sleep . She was uneasy , and knew she belonged with her mother . She visited way less often in this house , than in the last one . Imagine that .
-Elle ♫

The Story of a Girl Pt.2

These things alone weren't enough to set her off , but together , she knew she was being treated unfairly . Her father came to her house to make sure this was what she wanted and it was . She looked him straight in the eyes and told him not to come back .
For the entire amount of time she was not speaking to him , he then got the clue he was in the wrong . He would call her sometimes , leave messages , hoping it was just a phase she was in , but his attempts failed . She was completely content not seeing her dad any longer and it annoyed her that he kept buggin' about this subject .
One day there was a message from the little girls dad , but it was not for her , it was for her mother . The mother called her ex to find out what this message was about . When she finished the phone call she told the girl that her father was going to be coming over that Sunday , because he had some important news to share with her . The little girl was not happy her dad was coming back , but what could really be done for her ?
Sunday afternoon , just like planned , the man showed up to the apartment once again . He had shocking news for his daughter . He told his daughter he had met a woman , and that he had asked for her hand in marriage . He told the little girl that the woman had four children of her own , and that he was adopting them as his own . To top off his big reveal , he wanted the girl to meet the woman and her kids .
By this time the little girl was only about 7 years of age , and although she still wasn't sure she could be fond of her dad , she was thrilled to no longer be an only child . So just like that , she agreed to meet this new family of his  if her mommy could come of coarse . So he drove them to the apartment they were currently living in , and from the second she walked in , she was ecstatic !
These kids were everything she could have hoped for , and then some . There were two older girls , and older boy , and a younger little girl . All loving with wonder in their eyes . The kids spent the evening playing , laughing , and running around this tiny apartment . She thought this would make everything perfect .. Boy , did that thought back fire .
-Elle ♫

The story of a Girl Pt.1

This is the story of a girl , who didn't cry a river , nor did she drown the world . No , she knew that all the tears on Earth wouldn't solve her problems , so she saved her tears for necessary moments . This story is one of a girl who didn't know how strong she was or could be , she just knew she was .. different .
As a young child she lived with her mom and their roommates . The roommates had a son a year older than her , the two were a dynamic duo , the very best of friends . They played together , made messes together , even potty trained together . These roommates ; however , were different than her and her mother , and the girl knew this . She noticed that in their family their was a dad , and in hers , there was not . She never really noticed until she was about 4 years old . One day she asked her mom , 'Mommy , how come we don't have a dad?' At that moment her mom knew , that it had hit her . She saw the signs that her daughter was become aware of the fact her dad was gone , but how do you explain to your 4 year old baby girl that you have no clue where her dad is ?
One day , some time after their roommates had moved away , there was a knock on the door . The little girls mom told her to get it and she couldn't believe her eyes . A tall , thin man , with blue eyes and long hair was standing there . She called for her mom who then came and picked her up . After inviting the man inside the little girl looked at him and said , "You're my daddy aren't you ?" , and when he smiled at her , she leaped into his arms and said , "I missed you daddy."
From that day on , her dad would come over every Sunday afternoon and sit in the living room and talk with her . This went on for months until one day he suggested they go to the drive ins and see a movie . She was so excited to go somewhere with her dad finally ! Until .. He called her at her mom's work and told her he couldn't make it , to which she replied , "I never want to see you again !"
This decision seems a bit rash to you doesn't it ? He cancels one event and all of a sudden he's a bad dad ? Well , it was a bit more complex . See , this little girl called her daddy just about everyday . Sometimes she would get him , other times not  so she would do what any other person does , and leave a message .. But he would never call her back .
To be continued ...
-Elle ♫

Arts & Crafts

What are arts and crafts to you ?
Do you consider them two different topics ?
To me they can be connected yet very separate .
So , I am in high school , and I am about to take an Arts and Crafts class with my best friend .
My teacher says that we will be doing paintings , working with charcoal , and making collages . Now that all sounds very crafty , but art is a little different to me . Not that art can't be any of those things , but that it means more .
To me art is an expression of personality , an outlet so to speak . Art is a way of saying out loud what your words have failed to communicate . Not to mention , art is not just about coloring and glitter . Art is music , dance , painting , drawling , opera , poetry , art is in everything . I'm not sure who it is that made the activity of crafting , "Arts and Crafts" , but they obviously don't see it from the perspective that I do , and I know I am not the only one .

I had a friend in middle school who talked a lot , but could never really say what she meant , but she was and amazing sketch artist . Her pictures are some of the most amazing things you could imagine coming from such a young girl .

I had a few friends that wrote poetry when they couldn't articulate how they felt . It's not just an outlet for depression or anger . It can be a way of saying how happy you are , or how much you love someone . Art just makes things easier . Even if you aren't the best at drawing or painting , you may be good at writing or sewing . That's right , sewing is art too ! Anything you conjure up with your hands is ART !
The most important thing about art , is never , EVER , being ashamed of yours . If you draw something , write something , sew something , mold something , OWN IT .
That is your masterpiece , your work of art , and you should take pride in it . Not everything will come out the way you picture it in your head , and you may not always posses the same artistic abilities , but you should always own your art , because your art , is YOU . ♥


-Elle ♫

Let's talk ..

Lets talk about something everyone seems to have a formed opinion about . Homosexuality . Yep , i said it .
I wanna talk about being gay . Now I know many people try to avoid this topic cause so many people get heated over it , well im one of those heated people . Because I believe that love is love no matter who you love .
Speaking from someone playing for both teams , i know what its like to want to be with someone and not be allowed to .
My first girlfriend . She was tall , and beautiful , bright eyes and soft hair . She was perfect and all I wanted was her . When i found out she wanted me too , i had butterflies for weeks . But those butterflies fluttered away after a while . We couldn't tell her family , cause they would never accept it , i wouldn't tell mine cause i feared the same thing , even though my oldest brother is gay i still had a fear . Then there was school . We couldn't kiss or hold each other , cause for every one person who would've supported us there would've been 5 shooting us down . I lived in constant fear til it led me to end our relationship . A special place in my heart will always be for her .
I had never in my life been attracted to women , but i fell in love with that one . You can't control your feelings , so bagging on someone dating within their same gender is like telling a Black person not to date a Mexican , or an Asian not to date a Russian . Are these things common ? Not really , does it make you double take a little ?
Sure , but who are YOU to tell someone else who to love ?
Love is in the heart and in the soul .
I have family members who stayed in the closet so long , the dust fell around them , and when they came out , they left a trail of dust and pain as they exited their closet .
So , before you judge someone for who they date , ask your self , how YOU would feel , if it was you .
-Elle ¥

The love of family

Where do most people stand on step families ?

The majority of people I know feel they would be better off without a step family .

I had seen horrible step families , I had seen movies like Cinderella and just figured if they’re not blood family , they won’t love you the same . I had this idea etched into my brain for years . 

In 2004 , my father told me he was getting married and he wanted me to meet his fiancé and her kids . The day I met them I was practically in love . ♥♥♥ We played for hours , talked , and ran around the apartment . Rachel , my soon to be step mom , had four kids when I met her . A teenager , a pre-teen , an elementary grade kid , and a toddler . When I met them , I had no idea how much they would mean to me later on in life .

In 2005 , my dad rented a 4 bed room house for them to all live in . He then wanted weekend visitation , so in the beginning I spent every other weekend there , then after some time , it was every weekend .

 It didn't take long for my siblings and I to start fighting like cats and dogs , especially me and the second oldest girl , Lielani . However , the oldest , Ashley , and I weren't exactly seeing eye to eye either . See , my parents would leave Ashley in charge a lot , which considering she was only 14 , it was hard to accept that 4 children should be under her control . My siblings got out of control while my sister was babysitting , and they would give her the worst time about everything , me included , until one day I realized just how much stress she must be under having to hold down the fort .

One day we got into a big tiff after which we made a pact to never blow up on each other again , to always respectfully pull each other aside and talk out or differences , and since that day we have only had two or three fights .

My older brother , Tyler , was at the only boy at the time , which had to be hard having 3 half-sisters and a now a step sister . We still don't always see eye to eye , but when we were younger we used to play Game Cube for hours .

My baby sister , Mystie , was always like Ashley's mini me , which in a way makes her a lot like me , cause Ashley and I are a lot alike . Mystie was a very clingy child , she loved to hang on my legs and get piggy back rides , the whole nine .

On February 4th of 2006 , my baby brother Kelric was born . He was 10lbs and 10onces , and definitely a C-section .

On June 21st of 2006 , my father and his bride to be got married in a beautiful outdoor setting . Mystie and I were supposed to be flower girls  , but our flower petals were left at home ..

Four years later , due to dramatic legal reasons , my dad and Rachel were force into separation and eventually divorce , and I honestly thought that would be then end of my relationship with this family . Oh boy , was I wrong ! 

In November of 2009 , I moved in with my former step mom , my three oldest siblings , and my baby brother , along with my older sisters fiancé . My mom and I were having troubles finding a living situation , so Rachel was kind enough to let me stay there .

During my stay , my older sister and her fiancé had their first baby girl , my first born niece ♥

After I moved out , my second oldest sister popped up pregnant , on June 18th of 2011 , my second beautiful niece was born .

And just this Monday , Ashley gave birth to her second baby girl . ♥

My step family is my life , even though they technically aren't family anymore , they are family in my heart . I have gained so much from my 8 1/2 years with this family .

My siblings and I are still super close and my nieces are my whole world <3

I guess the moral to this story is , never judge you outcome , by another person’s situation . Remember to approach everything with an open minded , and even if something happens to the marriage , don't let it ruin your new relationships .
-Elle ♫

Lights , Lens , Photography

Have you ever take an picture so amazing ? With the perfect lighting ? And just wondered how you captured such beauty . I have , and it is just the most amazing feeling . When you see beauty and just  capture it perfectly . Everyone has their favorite thing to photograph , mine is nature .
Flowers are my most favorite thing to take pictures of , but I also take pictures of trees and lakes , cause to me it's all beautiful .

Photography is all about lighting . The way the light reflects on the object you're capturing , and hits the lens of your camera is the key to a perfect picture . An interesting fact that I've learned over my picture taking time , no matter what you are photographing , sun light is always the best light . The picture looks more natural and the lighting is almost always perfect .

Shadows are pretty cool in photography as well , when the light deflects the image on to another surface , is just beautiful . If you couldn't already tell , picture taking is a passion of mine ! I cannot go one week without taking pictures . I find beauty in every aspect of nature and I do anything to capture that beauty on camera . A lot of people think you may need an expensive camera , and extra lights , a flash , a gyroscope , etc . Honestly , all the amazing pictures I have taken , I took with my cell phones .

If you want to get into photography find something that you like to take pictures of , something that you capture well , and take tons of pictures of it . As with any other thing , practice makes perfect ( :

-Elle ♫

Music ♪♫♪

Music , music , music !!
This is a topic I could talk .... type about all day . Music means different things to every different person . For me , music is my entire life ! I can't go a day with out singing . I've been singing since I was about 9 years old , and it's my dream in life to get my song Heaven , that I wrote for my grandfather , produced and in the music market . ♥
Music can change your mood without you even noticing it . It's all about expression , that's why a lot of people get emotional when a certain song is sung . Music can be a great way to build yourself as , or a better way to break yourself down .
See , as much people love to sing the next cool song on the radio , but very seldom do people listen to the words , or inflection in the artists' voices . I , personally , use music to tell story . For every person there is or will be a song that exactly mirrors how they feel or think . I honestly think it's important for every person to find that mirroring song , cause it will help you feel like there is someone else who connects with you , who can interpret how you feel even if you cannot .
For aspiring singers , no I'm not a professional .. But I don have some very important tips for you ..
1. Learn how to take deep breaths , in short amounts of time
2. Hold in your diaphragm , it's makes you voice more projectile without you sounding like your shouting ..
and
3. No matter how amazing your voice is , you will sound that much better if you relate to what you are singing .
If you sing a song that has no meaning to you , it will be harder to be master .
I've been told I have a good voice , which honestly unless you are tone deaf , most people can sing fairly well ; However , I get more compliments on songs that I sing that have some sort of effect on me , that resinate with me on a deeper level .

And that , for me , is what music is about . Connection , understanding , and communicated through an alternate source .
-Elle ♫

Fathers Day Tribute To MY Papa

As we all know Sunday, June , was Father's Day. Also known as the hardest calendar day for me.
 Growing up for the first 5 1/2 years of my life, I had no paternal family. My parents split up while my mom was pregnant with me, and my father and his family in no way, stayed in contact with my mom or I.
My mom raised me as a single mother with the help of her parents and younger brother. My grandfather, Filder Lloyd Johnson, was the father I never had. He treated me like his best friend and his own daughter at the same time. My mom always says that the relationship I had with her father, exactly mirrors the relationship she had with her father.
He would play legos with me, he would watch tv with me. Every morning, after we moved in to my grandparents house, Fil and I would watch The Price is Right and Family Feud, and at night we'd watch Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. This was our ritual. Even I was only about 9 when we moved in, I as convinced I knew how to cook and bake and other miscellaneous things. So I would go in the kitchen and concoct some random semi edible thing and ask my grandpa to try it, and he did ! Every time!
 My grandfather was honestly my favorite person. I remember sometimes it would be late on a night when he didn't have to work, and we'd both start to fallin' asleep watching television, and he'd poke up his head and go 'Lenelle, no sleepin'.", then fall back asleep. I even have a picture of him wearing my PINK River Cats baseball cap, cheesing like no bodies business.

Just like there's picture of my mommy as a little girl being used as a fish ruler. My grandfather loved to fish, and whenever he'd come home, he would compare the size of the fish to the size of his baby girl. It's incredibly adorable!!
My life with my grandfather was amazing, even after my father came back thinking he was just going to swoop in and be "Super Dad". My grandpa was always the REAL man in my life.... Until March 11th of 2006.
My grandpa, my friend, my companion, the war veteran, the devoted father, was in a fatal car accident after having a brain aneurism. I blamed myself for years for his. You see, every night while I was getting ready for bed, he was getting ready for work. I would give him a hug and a kiss in the kitchen and say, "Hurry back grampa! We can't miss The Price is Right.", but this time .. This time I didn't. Subconsciously I knew, he wasn't coming back, so I didn't say it. The day I found out he had passes I locked myself in the bathroom and cried for hours. And to this day there's a song that I can't sing without crying, So far away by Avenged Sevenfold.
I wrote him a song this year titled Heaven, which I revised in to a poem for a Facebook note. It's definately been hard not having him around but, I know we'll see each other again.
Happy Father's Day , Grandpa <3

http://www.facebook.com/notes/lenelle-johnson/heaven-i-miss-you-3/397157696963003
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7ry4cx6HfY
-Elle ♫

No barking Barbie !

The things you see while you're out on adventure !

So , my mom and I went out yesterday to visit my grandfathers grave. I had originally asked to go on Father's Day , but with the special occasion and the heat, my mom decided it would be better to go the day after . The reason for my going there is that my mom's father was the dad I never had , he was a Vietnam veteran , Air Force Officer , and a devoted family man.

On our way their , we were stopped at the light on Sunrise Blvd., and Fair Oaks Blvd. There was an old abandoned parking lot with a small concrete wall spray painted to say , "No Parking". However, someone thought it would be clever to trn the P into a B, so as we drove by, I hysterically laughed at the fact we were being told not to "bark", and snapped a picture.


 After our trip to cemetery, we headed to K-Mart to do some shopping. Driving around the parking lot looking for shade to park in, we drove past the K-Mart auto center, only to fine a car entirely painted in Barbie!! Again I took out my camera and got to snapping pics.
Maybe I am just picture crazy, OR maybe people are crazy and I just like to capture the moment !


I wonder, do YOU snap pictures of crazy things you see on your busy days ??? ( :
-Elle ♫