In the Nude

It's been way too long since my last post, but I *think* I have a good reason...
My poor nails are in the nude!!! The weather (finally) changed and I've been able to get out into my flower garden. Here in Saskatchewan we wait with baited breath for the winter to end. Which is like the end of may pretty much... We have such a short summer too, it's like every minute counts. At least I make them count as much as I can! So it's warm enough to plant and tend my pretty flowers.
And my poor nails have taken a BEATING! I've decided I have all winter to do my nails again, so I'm not stressing anymore about breaking etc. and since winter starts in October, I don't have that long anyways. Of course that won't stop me from buying or stalking nail polishes.
Instead of showing you my short, poor naked nails, I'm going to show you a photo I took in my garden the other day. We had a group of monarch butterflies in our yard for a few days. So beautiful and it reminded me of the awesome butterfly wing manis I've seen lately...

Does anything ever stop you from painting your nails for a period of time?

Royal Jelly & Rainbow Connection Sandwich

Here we have for your perusal: A luscious Royal Jelly and Rainbow Connection sandwich!

This is my very first attempt at any nail polish 'sandwiching'. I must say I will be trying this again soon!  So many possibilities and I love this look. (Why haven't I tried this sooner?!)

I have been wanting Revlon Royal for a while now and picked it up the other day (so glad I did!)  I have recently noticed I have a new found love of blue nail polish.  I'm a purple girl.  But I'll tell ya, there are some beautiful blues out there.  How could I not fall in love with them?!  After I bought two blue polishes it occurred to me I should count and see just how many blues I've *cough* 'fallen in love with'.  To my surprise my blues equal my pinks which are second to my purples... hmmm... anyhow... changing the subject... back to the jelly sandwich manicure....

I used two coats of Revlon - Royal to start.  (I'm thinking this is normally a three-coat polish. Dry time was good.  Maybe it's just me but it seemed easy to dent at first.  Colour = Gorgeous!  Literally a royal blue.)

Next I painted one coat of OPI - Rainbow Connection.  (Great coverage for a glitter polish and easy to get out of the bottle.  Not such a fan of the glitter colours per se, but I sure love the way they look under the royal blue jelly!)

Here's the work-in-progress:

Next came one more royal jelly layer and two coats of NYC topcoat (kinda thirsty after all that hard work..)

YES that looks like blue and green glitter in a blue jelly base! o.O

I really love how multidimensional sandwiching with this royal jelly polish looks.  Sooooo deep like an ocean... You know that blue that looks black, deep near the bottom?  That's what I'm talking about!

For this look I used:

Sally Hansen - nailgrowth miracle (already on my nails)

Revlon - royal

OPI - rainbow connection

NYC - grand central station (love this quick dry topcoat!!)

- 'Finished' photos were taken in rainy-day-light.  No sun this time around. -

Thanks so much for reading!  Hope you enjoyed :)
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Versatile Blogger Award

I recently received my very first blog award.  
I really appreciate the nominations, what a fun award!  Many thanks to Miranda from SPLAT & Liesl from Liesl Loves Pretty Things for the nominations!

7 Random Facts About Me:

1. I live in the Canadian Prairies.
2. I love flower gardening.
3. My favourite movie series is the Lord of the Rings and my favourite book series is the Dark Tower series by Stephen King (honourable mention the the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon [highly recommended!!!].)
4. I have two (rescued) chihuahuas, Lola and Chloe, and a Maine Coone cat named Cosmo.
5. I've seen Aerosmith, Young MC, Maestro Fresh Wes, Jethro Tull, Beastie Boys, Billy Talent, Sarah McLachlan, My Chemical Romance, K'Naan, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, K-OS, Busta Rhymes, LMFAO (and many more) live in concert.  I love live music!
6. I also love wild birds.  It's a bird buffet out in my yard with seven different types of food and a bird bath.  I *love* their singing.  I got my family hooked on watching the 'yard birds' too.
7. I went from 28 bottles of nail polish to 92 bottles way too fast! I blame all the great nail bloggers 0_o
8. ((bonus))  I've been collecting cool items for my first giveaway!  It's going to be a good one!

The Versatile Blogger Award rules are as follows.

1. Nominate 7 fellow bloggers who are relatively new to blogging.
2. Let them know that you have nominated them.
3. Share 7 random facts about yourself.
4. Thank the bloggers who have nominated you. 
5. Add the Versatile Blogger Award picture to your post.

I am happy to nominate:

1. Becca at The Lacquer Slacker 
2. Brandi at The Collegiate Nail
3. Elizabeth at Glitter Polish
4. Helena at Lacky Corner
5. Laura at World of Polish
6. Natalie at  Nailz Craze
7. Vee at Miss Vee's Nails

I look forward to reading more about you great new bloggers.  I hope you have fun with this award!

Thanks for reading and have a great day ^.^

Twilight Zone - Floam

Twilight zone-Floam nails.  I just had to do it...

I just got my very first Indie polish this past Monday - none other than the one and only Floam.  I had to see what all the fuss was about - and WOW is all I can say.  I love this stuff!!!  Floam did not disappoint! I'll be going into more detail about Floam for sure in a later post lol...

So I wore the *awesome* Floam for five days (great wear) and then my DRK-A stamping plate arrived in the mail Friday morning.  All I can say is the world stopped until I had my last finger stamped.  I really love the swirl design and knew it would look super cool over the Floam. (Side note: I finally have stamping images that will fit my nails.  Oh Happy Day!!)

I have just loved my nails for the past six days.  I guess enough to share my joy lol!

Soooo even though this is a week old mani...  and I took the photo with my phone...  and it's my non-photo hand too (done with my left)...... I thought I'd write this quickie post.  Ok.  There's my disclaimer lol.  I feel better about posting the photo now.

Have you tried Floam yet?  What's your favourite Indie polish?

Rasta - Crackled

So here's the story:  

I needed some nail art ideas and so I turned to my kids.  Rasta colours were suggested.  And well, it didn't take much to talk me into it lol.  A rasta manicure has been on my to-do list for some time now.  Combine that with the fact that I was in the mood to try a (gradient?) sponge manicure anyways and voila!

 Or so the story goes...

While the red and yellow worked beautifully, the green did not.  I blame the fact that I didn't have the right green polish!  In fact I didn't have anything close!  (I'm aghast at this point...)  My 10 year old daughter noticed my 'mood' and was quick to find me a green from her polish stash (oh yes I am creating some sort of polish monster)  

Indeed it was the right colour of green, but I didn't realise I would need to sponge it on a bit by itself first.  I knew to do that with the yellow, which turned out lovely - but well as I said... I blame the lack of green polish in my stash.  (every time I say that it makes me just a bit sick - how could I have let this happen?! No proper greens you say??  LOL... oh man what's happening to me?!)  So I decided to break out the neglected black crackle from my stash and give it a bit of an 'up-do'.  I liked how it turned out in the end and the crackle (though usually unused) did save the manicure imho.  I got a lot of wear out of this manicure too which was great.  

I am definitely going to try this look again soon as I really liked it without the crackle.  And well... <grins>  I'll be using one of my new green polishes...

Of course I used this opportunity to go out and buy some more greens.  And wouldn't you know I happened to hit an awesome sale at Chatters?  Two different locations of course... (I'm thorough lol)...   Sooo... the end of the story features *cough* four new green polishes.  I paid only $3.50 each so I don't feel too guilty... 

...And by the way keep reading for the very best part of the story...

All China Glaze left to right:  Glittering Garland, Holly-Day, Gaga for Green, and Agro.

So that evening while I'm (obsessing?) looking at my new nail polish bottles, I decide to swatch a bit.  And then I decide to spill a bit too!  I had to laugh.  The alternative was much much worse...

Did I mention the polish was all over my hands, pants and socks too? Good times...  

I'd love to hear your thoughts on my latest adventure!  Thanks for reading :)

Yum Yum Bubble Gum

GOSH that is...

I was in a super girly-pinky-type mood (for some strange reason) the other day.  Instantly I thought of Bubble Gum!  Off to my polish display I went! (Yeah, I just said display lol.)

GOSH Bubble Gum is a creme polish.  The application is pretty good (a tad streaky.)  The wear was excellent though.  This is a great polish for nail art - nice and opaque.  I love the colour - really pretty :)

(I'm wearing three coats in the pic - tho I could have gotten away with two me thinks.)  Also, this first pic was taken with my camera, so the colour is more accurate.

Soooo... once I had lovely pink nails... I just *had* to art them up a bit.  (I think I see a blank canvas when my nails are a solid colour like that... I just can't seem to leave them alone!)

Andddd...  Since I can always use the practise, I thought I would try more flowers.  I was pretty happy with the result but will definitely be practising more.

*wheels start turning*

For this look I used:

Nubar - foundation basecoat
Gosh - bubble gum (base colour)

Gosh - flamingo
Gosh - wild lilac

Gosh - early green
OPI - alpine snow

Seche Vite - dry fast top coat

So watcha think?  What's your go-to pink polish?

Galaxy Nails

Galaxy nails have quickly become one of my favourite polish looks to do.  I love how you can switch up the colours and have a new look each time.  I first learnt this by watching a great video tutorial done by Polish & Pearls: How To: Galaxy Nails.

The colours I used are a bit different (list at the bottom.)  I used only one polish for the 'stars'.  I also added a polish with some sparkle to it (DS magic.)

*Loves sparkles*

I hope you like my version of Galaxy Nail painting :)  Have you tried it yet?

In Order of Appearance:

Nubar - foundation base coat

OPI - black onyx

OPI - fly

China Glaze - for audrey

OPI - pink flamenco

OPI - DS magic

Revlon - stunning

Seche Vite - dry fast topcoat

Thank You Perilously Pale!

A great big thank you to Perilously Pale for the awesome prize!

I was lucky enough to win an April Topbox from a recent Perilously Pale blog giveaway.

It just arrived!

This is
a) the first item I've ever won on a blog &
b) the first Topbox (or other subscription) I've ever had!

 So needless to say I really appreciate the great giveaway win :)

Check out the Perilously Pale blog here: http://www.perilouslypale.com/

btw You can find another amazing giveaway there:

Cherry Blossom Nails

I am a newbie, and I'm still a little shy about posting my nail art...  (Is it good enough?...  Will they like it?...)

But that's why we're all here though, right?

So without further ado I give you: My 'Cherry Blossom Nails'

Nubar - foundation basecoat
Essie - turquiose & caicos

Wet n wild - black creme

Gosh - flamingo

Gosh - bubble gum

Gosh - early green

Seche Vite - dry fast top coat

I had a hard time capturing the actual colour of the essie on my nails.  Below is a picture showing the true colour 'turqiouse & caicos'.

Thanks so much for reading and please feel free to leave comments below :)

You Know You're Addicted When...

I have recently had a very profound self realization:  I have been in major denial for quite some time now...

I heard the term 'polish-aholic' and laughed.  "Pfftt...not me," I said...  "I can stop anytime I want to."


I now know "I'm addicted."

You Know You're Addicted When:

• You will swatch nail polish onto anything you can get your hands on.
  
• You are swatching in bed, with your head on the pillow, right before you turn out the light.
  
• You go straight to the nail polish aisle of every store you enter.
  
• You have more posts in your Facebook news feed from Nail Polish/Art pages than from your own friends.
  
• You just cannot forget *that polish* you saw in the store the other day.
  
• You are displaying your nail polish.
  
• There is always a certain polish/colour you are looking to find *somewhere*.
  
• You are showing the men in your family cool nail art you've seen online.
  
• You spend hours reading thru nail polish & art blogs.
  
• You are buying nail polish as your 'treat'.
  
• You buy nail polish online.
  
• Your mother asks you if she should be worried when you tell her you just bought eleven bottles of nail polish...
  

Soooo... What happens if you don't want to stop?

I ask you: Is there some kind of therapy for this kind of addiction?!

Please feel free to post a comment below.  I'm curious - do you have another way to tell you're addicted to nail polish and/or nail art?

And Awaaaaay We Go!

This is just a starter to say hello... And awaaaaay we go!

Well here I am in the process of creating a nail blog.  Who me??  Couldn't be... lol

I've been reading so many amazing nail polish/art blogs that I have been inspired to do a bit o' blogging myself.  I've learnt so much from these amazing ladies that are writing these great blogs, I have to give thanks :)  Which I hope to in the near future...

We won't even *start* talking about my nail polish addiction yet...  That's a long and twisted tale.

My mind is reeling with all the nail topics I could write about... Where to begin?...

As I talk about beginnings it's time for me to end this post.  A busy life calls, sorry...

I do look forward to discussing many nail adventures with everyone :)  And as always I will be reading on...

Over and out...