So, I lied. Here's my New Year's Mani

Happy New Year! Now this is something I've never tried before, but I liked the idea, and after explaining it to my eldest daughter, and trying it out on a nail wheel I was informed I HAD to do it, lol. So here it is.

Orly's Miss Conduct, CG's Liquid Leater, and Stripe Rite in Black. Definitely need to pay more attention to the triangles next time around, but I'm happy with it for my first attempt.

An oldie but goodie

I am still lacking inspiration, but I need to figure something out for New Year's Eve to wear to work... But in the mean time, in my uninspired time I went to one of my go to favorites from 2012, thought it would be appropriate to be my last post of 2012.

Red polish, this time China Glaze's Long Kiss topped with China Glaze's Fairy Dust.

Again please excuse to cuticles, things aren't quite healed from Christmas.

Feeling rather uninspired...AND Sally's 50% off!!

Haven't had much in the way of inspiration the last few days. SO, I've been doing simple manis. I have this terrible habit of wearing polish for about a day, once in a while a day and a half. But the lack of inspiration made me realize I have some untrieds that I need to try! SO, here it is. Orly's "Decades of Dysfunction" with a top coat of a glitter from a brand I have NEVER heard of, there's no name for the color, but there is a number. The polish is 21 by yh BEJA cosmetics. Anyone else heard of it?

https://www.facebook.com/YH.Beja.Cosmetics

I found this color to be really easy to work with, I liked that it was neutral without being boring. I found it most odd that inside my house it looks like a nude colored polish, but outside there was a pink-ness to it. Please ignore the cuticles, my hands got tore up opening presents and putting toys together for the babies.

In other news...My wonderful grandma got me a gift card to Sally's for Christmas. That gift card combined with the 50% off clearance items at Sally's allowed me to get a pretty good haul of stuff yesterday!! Check it!!!

Hope everyone had a great holiday!!!
 

I've been nominated for the Leibster Award!

Inky Whiskers, one of the first people to follow my blog informed me via e-mail that she nominated me for a Leibster Award! You can find here at, http://www.inkywhiskersmusings.blogspot.com/

There were questions on her blog and I figured the easiest way to answer those would be to post something on mine. SO, here it goes!

1)     What is your fav polish color? 

 Anything in the dark red/burgundy realm seem to be my favorite!

2)     What’s your fav brand of polish?

 As of now, China Glaze, but I have recently discovered the world of Indies and I think that is going to change soon!

3)     What is your fav type of polish? (i.e. crème, shimmer, glitter etc)

 I LOVE Holos! But when I'm not in the mood, I like cremes, maybe with a flakey or glitter top coat.

4)     How many polishes do you own & how many are untried?

  At last count I had just over 300, that number is about to go up with gift cards that I received for Christmas. :) Untried? Probably around 15, I try all of them on color wheels. As far as my own nails, that number is probably closer to 40

  

5)     What is your current polish lemming?

  Current Lemming? Hmmmm.... Probably the Hologlam series that isn't out yet, lol but of currently released polishes, the Mari Moon Collection

6)     What manicure challenges you the most? (i.e. water marbling, braided etc)

        Animal prints seem to challenge me the most. Did my first one the other day, and I'm actually still wearing it, lol. Gradients aren't always easy for me either.

7)     What’s your fav type of blog post? (swatch, comparison, nail art etc)

          I can't say I have a favorite. I really and truly enjoy all things polish. But if I had to choose, I love looking at swatches. Gives me a better idea of what polishes are going to look like out of the bottle.

8)     3 words that describe you?

         Mother, Friend, Honest

9)     Do you have any pets?

         Does my husband count? LOL No, I have no pets. Had pets when I was younger, but after my cat, Sudio, and my dog, Nakita died, I just couldn't bring myself to get another pet. None have quite lived up to the fuzzy memories of my BIG Maincoon cat or my Akita.

10)   If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

    Honestly, in USA, Kentucky is where I'd like to live now. But if I could pick anywhere in the world? Worry free? Ireland for sure.

11)   New Year’s resolution?
     Generally speaking, I don't make New Year's resolutions.. But all my kids will be in school next year, so I'm thinking I need to finally decide what I want to be when I grow up, and go back to school. 

Now, 11 facts about me!

1. I am a mother before ANYTHING else, even polish, lol.

2. Burgundy, Red, Black, and Maroon are my favorite colors.

3. My first car was a Fire Engine Red 1966 Ford Fairlane

4. From the age of 3 until I was 19 I had the same cat. His name was Sudio, and he was awesome! He was trained, and even used to toilet! lol

5. I was a single, teenage mom, and managed to do so without all the crap you see on "reality" t.v.

6. I used to bite my nails.

7. There is a nervous system condition that runs in my family that causes our hands to shake (NOT parkinsons) I started doing nails, nail art, etc... Because the intricate designs, and just holding a polish brush helped me to steady my hand. I now only shake the morning after one too many beers, lol. Guess it worked sort of as a physical therapy. :)

8. I would rather go to the drag strip than to the mall.

9. I HATE shopping! With two exceptions, buying things for my kids, and polish, lol.

10.  One of my favorite possessions is a Don Garlitz (drag racer NHRA) autographed spark plug.

11. My family genetics are so mixed that I don't know what my heritage is, lol. Native American, Irish, and Scottish are the most pronounced so those are what I "claim". Also explains the pasty white skin, and the damn near black hair and eyes, lol.

and now, the 11 questions I want to ask the people I nominate!

1. Why did you start your blog?

2. What's your favorite polish?

3. Favorite Color?

4. Like me, did you start your blog because no one around you gets the addiction?

5. For or against matted manis?

6. Prefer longer or shorter nails?

7. Do you have tattoos?

8. Favorite car?

9. Opinion on animal print manis?

10. Favorite polish, or collection from 2012?

11. Who's blog is your favorite to follow??

Now the hard part...finding 11 blogs that meet the criteria to be nominated...

No More Holiday Nails!

After the 12 DOC challenges, I wanted to do something that would be a challenge to me. But I wanted it to be something that I could pick.
I love Christmas and the holiday season as much as the majority of other people, but I am also one of those people who once it's over, I'm done, lol. So, our tree comes down the day after Christmas and all other decorations (if any manage to stay up) are gone the same day.
One of the gifts I received this year was a new journal! I love writing, and my family knows it. The cover on the new journal was just kinda cool to me.

So, I used it as inspiration for a mani. This was a challenge for me because I have never done an animal print (i think that's what it's supposed to be lol) and gradient manis don't always work in my favor. But here it is.

I used Orly's "Liquid Vinyl", China Glaze's "Frostbite", "Creative Fantasy", and "white on white". I also used Kleancolor's "Neon Pink".

Did my base coat (Orly's Top to Bottom), then one thin coat of China Glaze's "white on white" in an effort to make the colors "pop". Then using a cosmetic sponge I made the gradient with the other 3 colors, finally using a thin dotting tool and Orly's "Liquid Vinyl" I did the shapes. When all was said and done I used Matte Me Crazy top coat by NYC.

Delusional Polish, part deaux.

A little while ago I posted a mani of Delusional Polish's "Candy Cane". I loved the look, but wished it was matted. I now have matte top coat!! SOOO a couple days ago, I did it!
China Glaze's "Liquid Leather" with Delusional Polish's "Candy Cane"

Until recently I was admittedly not a fan of the matte look, but I'm finding myself recently really liking how different it can make a mani look!
Hope everyone had a good Christmas!

12 DOC Challenge! Santa!!!

Orly's "Torrid"
Orly's "Liquid Vinyl"
China Glaze's "Blonde Bombshell"
Wet n' Wild "White Creme"
Rite Stripe "black"

Santa suit, Santa hat, Snow, yeah.....

12 DOC Challenge! Tinsel!

Happy Christmas Eve! Today's challenge is Tinsel. At first I had NO idea what I was going to do for this one, but I figured something out. It was quick and easy.

Pure Ice's "Silver Mercedes" and Wet n' Wild "white creme" w/ Kleancolor's "grand finale".

I couldn't think of an "artsy" design, other than a Christmas tree then putting the Kleancolor polish on it.

The only thing I think of when I think of tinsel is my cat Sudio (yes, like the Phil Collins song) that I had when I was a kid. He managed to eat some tinsel one year, and for about a week he was walking around with a string of tinsel hanging out of a certain orifice under his tail, lol. I thought it was disgusting, and I felt bad for him when I was a kid. Now it's just one of the many things that my cat did that make me smile at the memory. Obviously I didn't want to put that on my nails. lol.

12 DOC challenge! Elves!

I almost forgot about this today!

Wet n' Wild "white creme" & Chinca Glaze's "running in circles"

I couldn't decide what to do for an elf, then my 4 year old stuck her head around the corner and said "peek-a-boo!" and I thought "what a great idea!" I'm not entirely pleased with the outcome but it works...I think, lol

Matte Top Coat! Squeee!

As some of you may have read, I ran out of matte top coat. Not surprising since a small bottle lasts so long cause I rarely use it. Everywhere I went for my "go to" brands were sold out : ( Then I went to Target. I found matte top coat! Around $2.50! NYC's Matte Me Crazy, and I love it!! Works just as well as the other more expensive stuff I used before. I put it over the wreath mani I did yesterday and even with all the polish, topcoat, etc.. it still gave a matte finish! I'm planning to do a new mani later today and use the matte! Hopefully I can squeeze in some time to post pics of it : ) Merry Christmas everyone!

OPI DS Original??? Yes PLEASE!

http://swatchesandwhatnot.blogspot.com/2012/11/one-year-giveaway-opi-ds-original.html?showComment=1356110129552#c2932353799456290500

12 DOC challenge! Wreaths!

Decided for this one, rather than something on every nail, I'd just do an accent nail. I've acquired quite a few new polishes and I'm anxious to try them! Even bought my first set of nail art wheel things : ) I wanted to Matte this mani, but I am all out of matte top coat *sadface* and somehow, every one of "my stores" is sold out! I'm rambling, on to the photos!!

For the Wreath Nail I used: Pure Ice "Silver Mercedes", some green acrylic paints, and China Glaze's "Red Satin, and China Glaze's "Blonde Bombshell" for the little ornaments on the wreaths.
For the red nails I used: China Glaze's "Red Satin" and topped it with Color Club's "Snowflake".
And as always Stripe Rite black for the outlines of my attempted bow, and topped with SV and a couple drops of Sally Hansen's Dry N' Go drops.
4 Days Til' Christmas!!!

Quick dry drops that really work??

Believe me when I say I have tried all the fast drying top coats, oils, polishes, etc... Between kids, work, normal mommy/wife stuff, sometimes waiting for my manicures to dry is just annoying. Then I found these...
http://sallyhansen.com/products/nails/nail-care/complete-salon-manicure-dry-go-drops and let me tell you, they're AMAZING! Entire mani dry in just a few minutes. Every layer, not just dry to the touch! 1-3 drops after your top coat (even if it isn't a quick drying one) and BAM! Dry mani! :) :) :) They make me happy, lol.

Delusional Polish "Candy Cane"

The more and more I looked at it, the less and less I liked my ornament mani for the 12 DOC challenge, so I took it off, and decided to use my new Delusional Polish. HEHEHEHE : ) I was very surprised that I liked the polish so much, I'm not exactly a "pink girl" but I heart this polish! I didn't seem to be able to catch the variety of pinks, sizes, etc.. with my camera. But here's some pics. : )

China Glaze's Liquid Leather is the underwear for eight of the nails, and Milani's Digital is the underwear on the accent nails.

12 DOC challenge, Ornaments!

This challenge proved to be a pain in the rear.. I have done ornaments already this season, and I didn't want to recycle what I did before. I went through 3 different designs before I decided on the one I chose. When I think of Christmas Ornaments, I don't think of the ones on the tree. I think of the "forgotten" ornaments. The ones that fall to the floor due to a pet, child, plugging the lights in, whatever the reason, and they're left there until clean up time after all the presents and chaos are done. The tree "skirt" around my tree is white, it's supposed to represent snow I guess. So, without further ado...

Orly's "white tips", "torrid" and "Miss Conduct"
China Glaze's "frostbite" and "running in circles"
Color Club's "winter affair" for the gold & Kleancolor's Nail to Toe in "Retro Silver" for the ornament details.

Left & Right hands. With and without flash.

I got Nail Mail!

I entered an nail art contest a little while ago, the winners were based on the number of "likes" your photo got on Facebook. By a margin of four votes, I got second place! My prize, Delusional Polish! I got two! Court Jester and Candy Cane. The mail was delivered a whole 20 minutes before I had to go to work, which meant trying either polish meant having to wait until I got home. So, though I should be sleeping, I decided I could do a mani with at least one of the new polishes I got. So, here it goes...

I used Orly's "Decoded" for the underwear to Delusional Polish's "Court Jester". I love it! Though, i think it would look really good if it was matte! But alas, I am without any matte topcoat *sadface* I know what I'll be picking up this weekend!

I also had to cut down my nails, again *sadface*.. And for the first mani post nail homicide I decided Zoya's "Aurora" would be a good choice.

With and without flash. It's so purdy! : )