roots...aka my hair saga...

I have to admit that I was pretty devastated by the fact that I would lose my hair during chemo. When I finally decided to get a short hair cut I cried and cried. But I was tired of running my hands through my hair and find clumps of it in my hand...and hair brush for that matter. The day I went to the salon to have my hair cut short I needed a good half hour of hand holding and prayer by a wonderful friend. She talked me down from my crying fit.

Why should hair matter so much anyway? Well, it was my favorite physical feature about myself. I had long wavy hair. Since then my hair has continued to preoccupy me. It grew back curly and when it felt clownish I went to the salon (the same one that gave me my short 'do) however the stylist who had cut my hair then had left. The stylist I agreed to see cut my clownish curls into a very short style. Once again I cried. It took me a year to grow that hair and it was gone again. So I let it grow and grow, refusing to let anyone come near it with scissors. But yet another dialema crept up. Should I get my hair cut before Jess & Geoff's wedding or just continue to let it grow, still somewhat clownish in style?

I was wandering around Ulta, the one in Horshamgate Shopping Center when a stylist named Karen approached me. Had I ever heard of DevaCurl products? Deva Cuts? Well, I was a perfect candidate for both! She did a little demo of the product on my hair and I saw immediately how my curls were shinier and bouncier and looked so much better. I was sold. I bought the Deva One Condition and AnGel right on the spot. I even let her talk me into booking an appointment for a cut. With great trepidation I arrived a little early for my appointment, hoping that she wouldn't ruin my hair. Hoping that if it looked awful I could always resort to wearing my wig for the wedding. Thinking that if all that failed I could shop for a hat for the wedding. Seriously. All that worry was for naught. Karen cut each curl shaping my hair around my head, allowing my curls to fall into their place. She styled my hair, stuck me under the dryer (no blow-out for curly girls like me) put little clips to hold my hair up at the crown and polished it all off with some pomade. No more clown! It looked wonderful. Once again my hair was my favorite physical feature. Since then I've seen Karen numerous times. I think I am her favorite example of the DevaCurl product line. All I need is a little One Condition after washing and I'm good to go. I don't even use the AnGel any more. I also use the pomade and Mister Right on days I don't wash my hair. Enough of my personal hygiene.

At some point after my revelatory experience with Karen I discovered a photo of myself as a young girl. The resemblance was uncanny. Obviously my hair was reborn after chemo and I once again had my baby hair. Now if only I could have my baby skin. That's another story. lol This photo shows how little my facial features have changed since 3 or so--there was no date on the photo and no one to ask for a date stamp--and how my hair has gone back to it's roots.

I used lots of Tim Holtz products and techniques on this layout. The tag is from Tattered Angels that inked and spritzed and inked and spritzed some more until I was happy with the result. I stamped a little bit too, using Distress Inks. The ticket is from Tim Holtz as is the button in the center of the flower. The lacy flower border is from Prima as is the white flower that I inked to match the rest of the layout. The butterflies were punched from a Martha Stewart punch and the flower "stem" a Sizzix die. I really like the grungy feel of this layout which went well with my black & white vintage photo.

Enjoy!