So I know it’s been a while since we got all up in somebody’s business but we are back with a fab gal who is sharing with us her aspirations for her new company & much more! Are you ready to be nosey? Well check out Ms. Kelly Goins after the cut!

Hi Kelly, welcome to The Diary of a Natural Gal! Please tell us about yourself 

Well…I’m Kelly Goins… a self-taught artist, a wife, an entrepreneur, and mom-to-be.  In my corporate life, I work as a program manager for nonprofits supporting youth and education initiatives.  My loves are thrifting, traveling, vintage costume jewelry, fabric prints, eye shadow, good food, and good people!

You are the founder & owner of the new on-line store Curl Safari, congratulations on your launch! I have perused your on-line store & I LOVE your hand painted pieces which are not largely seen in the shops that I visit. And let’s not forget about your greeting cards with such a cute theme for every natural gal! What made you open your own business & why did you pick this concept?

Thanks for all the love!  I recently introduced my business Curl Safari last month.  Right now our natural hair stationary and hand painted earring collection is in its pre-launch phase.  We decided to pre-launch so people could get a feel for what we’re doing and to tailor our hand painted jewelry collection based on customer response.  The idea for the cards came when I was looking for note cards to encourage my friends during their natural hair journeys.  I couldn’t find anything that fit what I was looking for so I decided to create my own stationery line.  And, the earrings were just a pure accident lol.  I’ve always crafted so one day I sat down to paint one pair…a few weeks later, I had over 50 pairs…and, here we are today

What inspires your creative side; how do you come up with your styles & patterns for your stationary & earrings? Is it safe to say that no two pieces are the same?

My inspiration comes from my own aesthetic and a mixture of other things.  The stationery is inspired by doodles that I’ve been doing since middle school.  The hand painted earring design inspiration is from ethic print fabrics, color blocking, my grandmother’s vintage clip-on earrings, and Solange Knowles’ mixed pattern style.  You’re right!  No two pieces are the same.  Since the earrings are hand painted, each piece has its own unique brush strokes and color variations.

Now you know I must ask you about that hair chile! You have GAWGEOUS tresses! How long have you been a natural gal?

Thanks!  This is my second ‘marriage’ to natural hair lol.  My first ‘marriage’ ended in a nasty ‘divorce’, where I shaved all my hair off because I wasn’t caring for it properly.   This time, I’ve been natural for almost 11 months and I’m loving my hair!

If you had to pick one pair of earrings to rock from collection every day which pair would it be?

My favorite pair is the Leopard Stained Glass earrings.  I’m a sucker for animal print and I think they’re appealing to the eye.  If it’s okay, I also need to add a second fave.  They’d be our ‘Forward’ earrings because they honor President Obama and we’re so happy he’s been elected for a second term!

What are your favorite hair products?

I keep it pretty simple.  I love oils…coconut, jojoba, castor oil, and olive oil.  My staples are Jason Aloe Vera Shampoo, Giovanni Leave-in conditioner, and the Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie.  All other products are interchangeable based on how I feel and the look I’m going for.

Before we go please share what your future plans for Curl Safari entail.

My future plan for Curl Safari is launch our signature collection by the second quarter of the New Year.  I’m looking to consign our products with indie retailers and natural hair salons.  And, I’m working on my calendar with plans forvending at various natural hair expos. 

Thank you so much for allowing us to get all up in your business! I wish you nothing but the best with your up & coming ventures!

Do you want to find out more about Curl Safari? Well then check her out on Facebook here & get the latest earrings & curlfriend stationary here.

Do you want to share your business with us? If so, please send an e-mail to jamila@naturalgalsdiary.com so we can discuss!