4th Of July Glitter Glitter Glitter

Hello P&P friends,

Glitter glitter, oh how I love glitter. Red white and blue just wouldn't do.  A simple adjustment and...prefect. Switching out white for silver turned this patriotic mani into a sparkling star spangled banner.



I'm featuring a super dazzling glitter polish by Little Black Dress Nail Lacquers.  I used two coats on my pinky fingers for a bright flash of silver white. I also used it over vinyls on my ring fingers.


Have a happy 4th of July and,
Ciao for now!

Sneak Peak: Kerry Washington and O.P.I. Coming Soon

Hi friends,

You know from previous posts that I love O.P.I. -fact. Well, now I have something new to be excited about.  I'm sure you've heard that O.P.I. is linking up with Kerry Washington to do a line of polishes.  Guess what?  It's coming real soon.  The fall 2016 line will appear in stores soon, and from what I see,  it's pretty extensive.  I thought the line would have 8 or so polishes, but instead there are almost twice that- 15. Looks like O.P.I. won't have a busy fall since the colors cover every seasonal color you can imagine. What's left? The names of the polishes are in true O.P.I. fashion. Yay!  I believe there is an embargo on details about the line, so I won't say more than what's available, but I can show a pic from Tumblr.

Like I said, the line is scheduled to come out in time for the fall season. I can't wait!
Ciao for now.

And The Announcemen is....

Hello friends, neighbors and family,

Today, I'm making an announcement. It's big.  It's huge.  It's tremendous! It's earth shattering!  Hold on to your seat. Hold on to your hat. Hold on to whatever you hold onto when a category 100 hurricane is coming your way.  No, I'm not running for office (this year), nor am I expecting a little Paints and Polish, and no, my kids aren't going off to college just yet...pity.  This is even bigger. I'm announcing the birth of a little nail polish company named Little Black Dress Nail Lacquers that's due to launch July 1. That's only a week away, so get ready. The owner, assistants and testers have worked diligently to create quality, 5-free polishes that are affordable and attractive. The premise behind these polishes is flexibility of the lacquers. They can be combined and layered to make several different looks just like you can when you accessorize that versatile black dress hanging in your closet. The colors are diverse, and more and more sets will pop up as time progresses.   

The online store is Little Black Dress and the brand is scheduled to make a debut in a few salons in Maryland. Visit here often for more information and swatches from Little Black Dress Nail Lacquers. 

Ciao Bellas!

Beach Vacation: Under The Sea Manicure

Hi friends, it's been years since I had a vacation.  It was well overdue. So, last week, I caught some rays at the beach. Soooo relaxing.  The kids thought it was the best vacation ever. But it's been so long since we had one that they really don't have a solid reference point.

I wanted to wear a sea life manicure for my trip, so I used a pretty teal blue glitter flakie base color with multi-color stamping, reminiscent of ocean life under the sea. And here's the shocker: I wore this manicure for the entire week! I can't remember the last time I wore a manicure for an entire week. Great achievement.

My next mani is a summery gradient with a touch of sun.
Ciao for now!

O.P.I-athon: What Does It Mean?

On Point Inc., Obviously Proven Intensity, Omnipotent Polish Indulgences, what does O.P.I. mean?? Does anybody know?  Well, I'll tell you what it doesn't stand for - Opulent Polish Innovations. You were thinking that one, weren't you? 

Odontorium Products Inc. Yes, that's what the acronym means. I'd have never guessed that one, myself. O.P.I. didn't start off as a nail polish company. Nope, O.P.I. got it's beginnings in the dental industry as a dental supply company, and didn't move over into nail polish until 1989. Their very first polish launch consisted of 30 colors, and had names like Pink#3. This was before color naming became their signature, obviously.  Their most popular color ever was I'm Not Really A Waitress, a beautiful vibrant red. I have a hard time with reds, as red is not one of my favorite colors (can you believe that?) I only own a handful of them. But, since this is the last polish in our O.P.I.-athon, I figured I needed to include just one red...or reddish polish. Thank Glogg Its Friday is a fuchsia/wine shimmer from the Fall 2014 Nordic Collection.  In case you're wondering, glogg is a European mulled wine beverage.  Yup, I had to look that one up. 

This concludes our look into the world of O.P.I. and a few of my favorite O.P.I. polishes.  If you enjoyed this mini series give me a comment. I might do another mini series for your favorite brand. Thanks for reading, and ...
Ciao for now.

O. P. I. - athon: Tiramisu For Two... And A Cup Of Java, Please

Hi friends,
Ahhh... tiramisu, that light creamy, rich, cocoa, espresso flavored, choclatey goodness. Who can say no to a teeny tiny taste? My mouth is watering thinking about it. The name tiramisu means "pick me up" probably because of the espresso and cocoa in it. This polish is from the Fall 2015  Venice Collection inspired by the great city itself. So, this is how it works. Our eloquent O.P.I. team of polish naming magicians were taken to a top secret, national security level, Quantico sealed, undiscoverable location where they perused maps and viewed the art, architecture and any other notable treasures of Venice, devoured the local foods (hence tiramisu) while brainstorming names to suit the chosen polish colors. I take vacations that don't compare to their brainstorming sessions. Polish Naming Magicians who are you and how did you get that job???  Those powers cannot be taught. Are you Chosen Ones, groomed from birth to bless the world with your creative talents?  I believe they actually have true magical abilities to pull those names out of the hat. They couldn't have attended Hogwarts could they?  I mean that is a fictional place...right?

The magicians must have gotten fat from tasting, testing and sampling the local cuisine judging by the fact that many of the names in this collection seem to have been food inspired.

Since coffee is one of the main features to a good tiramisu , I decided to do a coffee themed manicure.  It's my personal Ode To Starbucks, with whom I have an ongoing love affair.

I think I'll make a coffee run now. Bucky misses me.
Ciao for now.

O.P.I.-athon: Designer Series Tourmaline

DS Tourmaline

Hello O.P.I. lovers,
The last polish we looked at was a neutral cream, so today I have something a little more exciting.  This O.P.I. polish is one of my favorites because...? You guessed it, GLITTER! It sparkles, it shines, it puts you in a daze if you stare at it too long (like I do).
Tourmaline is a sparkling rose pink glitter polish from the 2014 Designer Series, Polished Quartz.

Pink is often symbolic with breast cancer awareness, and although this particular hue is not bca pink, it reminds me of a souped up fashion forward version of it.  So, I decided to do an awareness manicure and I think it turned out pretty nice.  O.P.I. has supported breast cancer awareness since 2006, and in 2014 created a small awareness collection called Pink Of Hearts.  For this campaign, O.P.I. donated $25,000 to help fund research and promote awareness. O.P.I. is no stranger to charity. They have contributed millions of dollars to charitable causes, focusing mainly on women's health, but also including diabetes and blood cancer. Their charity extends beyond health issues though. At the launch of their Nicole line, O.P.I. raised money benefiting environmental causes. You feel good buying from a company that goes over and beyond.

Until next time,
Ciao for now.