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 ♫