Celebrating 8 Years!

Today I celebrate 8 years since graduating cosmetology school!  That means I've been doing hair for 9 years now and I wanted to write a blog post to share some images over the years and just simply state how grateful I am for everyone that has been there for me all these years. 

If you don't know my back story,  I grew up in North Durham and went to cosmetology school right after high school.  I wasn't too far away from home, in fact I lived at home and commuted to Chapel Hill where I attended the Aveda Institute on Franklin St.  Oh Aveda, there were so many photos I had to go through to pic out a top few to share.  It's incredible how fast it all went by and how ultimately it laid down the foundations of my career, but I've learned so much more over the years from being out of school.

Those images above of the girl with the HUGE hair are from the Fashion show we were a part of.  We were put in groups of three and had to come up with a style based on a particular fashion icon.  (All things that if you know me, you know I am so bad at keeping up with any of that!) So, that girlie with the blonde bangs in the bottom middle picture, had the fantastic idea of us giving our model a huge, blonde afro.  It was AMAZING.  Would you believe we made this poor girl sleep with her hair up in bobby pins to get that z pattern so we'd have the texture?!  I think the fashion show is really the highlight for everyone in school.  It's a time to really get outside your comfort zone and do things you wouldn't do everyday.  

After graduation, I already had been working on my day off at a salon in Durham.  So I went full time there and started building my clientele of the sweet people that have followed me around the triangle.  Here are some images styles I've done over the years.  Note how the pictures aren't taken to really look good and the styles aren't my style today, but all these people have helped shape me into the stylist I am today!

We can't walk down memory lane without peaking at a few works from the cuts and colors all of you have let me do!

​And finally, I have to shout out the person who has followed me to every single salon I've been at since I was in cosmetology school!  I have so many people who have been with me since my first salon and I am so very grateful for you all!   Since my third month on the floor at Aveda, he has had only me cut their hair!  That is amazing!  Guys can be extremely loyal to a hairstylist as well.  For everyone, it's hard to find someone to trust.  So, meet Kevin, to your right.  My longest standing client who can say they have watched me grow since before I had my license!  

Thank you SO much for walking down memory lane with me.  If you read this whole blog and I do your hair, how long have you been with me?  There are some stories of those of you that have watched me grow up, I've watched you grow, we've grown together.  It makes me happy to have such connections with people and I thank you ALL for so much support!