Lilac And Lavender Ombre Manicure

Greetings Lovely Ladies!

I'm loving the lilacs and lavenders lately.  Lastly, a little layer of floral stamping, leaves a lingering impression on this lightly holo ombre look.  I had to let loose with the L's because who can say 'lilac and lavender' without wanting to string a slew of L words after it?  Right?  Ok, it's out of my system now.

I'm doing a little (a lot) fall cleaning this week, in preparation for a visit from my Dad.  I don't mind my house being a bit out of sorts on an average day. Functional disorder is acceptable for me because we're a pretty busy family and I gave up any delusions of environmental perfection years ago. I have two boys so perfection doesn't exist anywhere in my world.  But when Dad and Mama D say they're coming to visit, my head explodes and I convulse into fits of panic because I know it's impossible to pull my house together enough to make them think that I run a tight ship and have it all together.  Nope, the truth comes out when they come to town. As much as I try to pretend, I don't have it all together, and most of the time I'm just floundering through each day trying to keep order and get the important things done in a reasonable amount of time.  I know they don't have crazy expectations and I'm sure they don't think my home sucks, (because it doesn't) but I have this thing about impressing them.  It's this unnecessary and unrealistic compulsion that I have to make them proud of me that I can't seem to put into perspective.  And it's just them.  Anybody else could come visit and I straighten up like everybody does before they have company.  But Dad and Mama D aren't just anybody. They're the two people in my life who I respect and look up to more than anybody else.  What they think matters.  And even though they are the most non-judgmental people on the planet, that somehow makes it even more important that I don't screw up.  It's a vicious cycle. 

To keep myself from driving myself crazy, I have to make a reality list of things to do and not do. I can include things like washing the dishes and scrubbing the floor and cross out retile the kitchen backsplash and add wainscoting around the walls.  I can add vacuum the carpet and take out the trash rather than repaint the walls, strip the paint off the furniture and re-stain the tables.  See how I have to keep things in perspective?  So, I will refrain from rushing out to buy new dishes, new curtains and new furniture and instead, settle for something more along the lines of picking up groceries and a jar of Dad's favorite instant coffee.

With reasonable expectations on myself, I can feel my blood pressure going down.  Ok, I can see where to start now.  Toss in a load of laundry, do the dishes, and vacuum.  Great start. Oh, I can't forget, Mohinder Suresh needs his fish bowl cleaned, and the plants could use a drink of water. 

I'm out of panic mode. Now I just have to stay sane and stick to the revised, realistic list.  Wish me lots of luck.

Ciao for now!

 

I Said No No No: Polish By Little Black Dress

Hi Ladies,  I'm finally getting into the swing of things this school year.  Of course we're about a quarter in, but better late than never right?  In my desperate attempts to pull myself together,  I started wearing one manicure for two weeks at a time rather than my usual two manicures for one week.  And with no nail art!  Not a single stamp or rhinestone.   Not even glitter.  It's a travesty!   Although the world did not disintegrate, the cosmos was definitely unaligned.  Yeah, my head is still spinning.

What's been keeping me so busy, you ask?  Well, aside from my kids' usual extra-curricular activities, I've been wrapped up in senior year activities to get my oldest into college next year.  He's excited to go away and experience college life, and I'm excited to get another room. I might be more excited than he is.  The other thing that's taken up so much of my time is my latest nail polish collection.  It's called Back To Black, inspired by one of my favorite singers, Amy Winehouse.  This unadorned manicure showcases one of the polish sets from the collection.  For more pics and detail about the polish or the collection, visit the listing here.

Ciao Bellas!

Sneak Peak: Back To Black Collection By Little Black Dress

Hi Ladies
I'm so glad to announce the latest collection by Little Black Dress Nail Lacquer.  It's called Back to Black, a collection of black based colors inspired by Amy Winehouse, and it will be available for sale mid October. Check the online shop www.etsy.com/shop/littleblackdressnail.  Let's take a look.

The collection includes 3 singles and 2 sets. The sets are dark based colors with coordinating holographic toppers. Here are the names.



I said no no no
I won't go go go
You know I'm no good
No greater love
No heart so true
What kind of *ery is this?
I told you I was trouble




I said no no no and I won't go go go set (available here)


The first set has a dark teal cream base color (not quite black) and a gray tone holographic topper. The dark cream, I said no no ,  applies smoothly and is opaque in two coats. The topper, I won't go go go , is a gray tone holographic polish.  Applied over the dark teal, the duo creates a midnight teal holo.

I told you I was trouble

This is a deep blue flakie polish that has flecks of green and blue.



No greater love and No love so true

This dark rosy set has a dark shimmery rose base color and a holographic pink topper.  The topper can be worn solo and is opaque in two or more coats.

 

You know I'm no good is a shimmering purple/blue polish that applies opaque in 2 coats.

What kind of *ery is this? (Available here)
This one might be my favorite.  It's a shimmering green/gold that sparkles and shines

If you simply can't wait for these to go on sale,  send an email to [email protected] for a special pre-release purchase.
Ciao Bellas!

Back To Fashion For Inspiration...Where's My Muse?

Hi friends,
It's been a super busy summer for me.  I can't tell you how many times I've tried to sit down and prepare a post just to find out (at the last minute) that my oldest has a basketball game/practice , or my youngest needs a ride across town to hang out with his friends.  And when I finally get settled in to do a manicure, I run into painters block. Color minus the creativity. Let's face it, that's probably not what you're here to see. I can't even decide on a simple stamp to use.  I've got nothing ladies. I'm drawing a blank here. Zero, nada, nani mo, nichego, niente, rien. Or in the words of my childhood friends,  not a doggone thing. So what do you do when your brain and all your creative energies have gone on vacation?  I pull inspiration from any place I can, that's what I do.  After a recent shopping trip (much needed retail therapy), I used colors from a new outfit for my muse.  Peach is a popular color this year, so I pulled out a peachy polish, a coordinating plum and a splash of gold. The design didn't come out quite like I planned, so I threw on a clear holographic topcoat because nothing solves a problem like holo or glitter (or both in this case).  And voila! A light, summery peachy mani.

Either I keep shopping for clothes and bust my budget, or I do what I did last year and flip through magazines and surf the net for drool-worthy furniture and room decor that I can't afford.  Now that's inspiration! So you might be in store for a few upholstery recreations. Odd, I know. But it works. Go with it.

Help me out. Tell me what you want to see.  Drop me a comment below. Until next time,
Ciao for now!

O.P.I.-athon: Memorial Day Tribute: Going My Way Or Norway?

Going My Way Or Norway?

Good Memorial Day Morning O.P.I. lovers,
Our O.P.I.-athon will not break because of holiday festivities. No, instead we're honoring the men and women who served our country.  Pools open, and the kiddies are wrapping up the school year soon, but this is the day to remember those who served in the U.S Armed Forces. I live near an army base, and here, we do just that. Which leads us to my contribution to this holiday of observance.

Going My Way Or Norway? is the perfect mannequin hand match for me. I lucked up on it by accident and fell in love immediately.  It's the perfect neutral for showcasing a little patriotism. Did I overdo it a bit? Yup, I did, but if it''s not overdone, then it just wouldn't be me, would it?

Because this short series is to delve into the world of O.P.I., here's a little not-so-well known fact.  O.P.I. is sold in more than 75 countries around he globe. Not so hard to believe, but did you know that they fill about 150,000 nail lacquers each day, about 55 million bottles a year? I'll let you know how they do it when I start working there. They don't know it yet, but they're getting a new hire soon. I just need to put in my two week notice.  Then I'm off to sunny CA.

Until next tme, Ciao for now!

Biker Chick Manicure

Hi friends,
Today I'm enjoying watching the rain fall outside my uptown office window (neighorhood Starbucks).  Sometimes the rain can be so soothing, and this is that type of rain. Reflecting on my week I think this was a good one. I got a lot of work done at the job, and at home. I got though prom, and I've been checking things off my To Do list (slowly, but surely). I had some enjoyable moments as well. I hung out with a few of my YouTube friends, and I'm looking forward to a grown up play date next week in a YT friend's makeup room.  Can't wait. (I promise I won't go to Ulta, Sephora or MAC to buy more makeup. I promise, I promise, I promise...this is my mantra for the week)

Awww, budget be damned, I'm gonna get me some makeup! A girl can never have too much eyeshadow. UD here I come!

But really, even though this rain today is cleansing and refreshing, I'm inclined to think of hopping on a motorcycle and riding off into the sunset. I call this manicure Biker Chick. A hot purple blend glitter over a sweet neon pink. Add matte black vinyls and silver studs, and voila!! A perfect manicure for a biker chick.

Anybody here a biker chick? I see more and more ladies on the road each year. Girl power!
Ciao Bellas!

Prom Revisited

Hi friends,

Yesterday's zen moment is officially over and I'm back. Got my cake face on, my hair is out of its ponytail, and my nails are once again fierce. Bold blue, a touch of holo action and of course, rhinestones (it was either that or glitter, and rhinestones won). I'm out of my drab gray sweats, and I'm totally recognizable. Looking good, feeling good, and all ready to go to...drum roll please...nowhere. Maybe the grocery store to pick up a few things for dinner, drop my kid off at practice...uh, yeah, gotta fill the gas tank...yup, that's about it.

But that's ok, because I'm living my life vicariously through my kid. Prom was great!. I had ...I mean, they had a ball.  Most importantly, they looked fantastic! She was a beautiful Barbie Doll Princess, and he was all Men in Black, minus the shades and the alien demolishing weapons.

Guys, seriously, I wish you could see my dress...I mean her dress. Any description I give would be an injustice to the dress. Just know that it was fab!

The afterparty at D&B was so much fun. We...I mean they hopped from one game to the next, wining so many tickets until we couldn't...I mean, they couldn't hold any more.

I can't wait for next year's prom.  I'm going to...no, wait. I'm not really going. They are. Well, another chance for me to look back at my proms and dream about the good old days. Ugh, I sound like I'm a hundred.  That's ok, because one day I will be, and I'll look back at the good old days long ago, when my kids went to prom.

What do you remember about your prom?  If you haven't gone yet, then what are you planning to wear? How will you do your makeup.  Most importantly, how are you doing your nails?

Ciao for now.

My Funny Valentine

Kiss kiss, mmmmwaaaahhh!  Can't have Valentines Day without the kisses. On the cheek, in a card, on those horrid little heart candies, or right on the smackeroo. So pucker up.  But, if you aren't into that (yes, there are people who hate kissing), then you can wave away the smooches with this manicure. They'll have all the kisses they need, and a hug too.
I'm surprised that the red on red showed up on camera, but I'm glad it did (I really didn't want to do it over).

I have no plans, no date, and nobody to kiss, for Valentines Day (boo hoo), but I've got something better. I get to spend quality time with my little guy...while his brother takes his girl on an expensive date...THAT I'M PAYING FOR!

What are your plans? Once again, I want to live vicariously through you.  Flowers, heart-shaped boxes of chocolate, cards, balloons, dinner and dancing, or even those little nasty heart candies. I want to hear all about it all.

Ciao Bellas!  Have a fantastic Valentines Day. Mwwahhh.

I just realized that you can see the reflection of me taking the picture in the photo above. How's that for shiny?

China Glaze Hologlam OMG A UFO

Hello friends,
Guess what? I have another China Glaze Holographic polish for you today. I think I'm on a CG roll here. So, let's just go with it.

This is OMG A UFO. Cute name. You guys know that a well named polish goes a long way with me. Unfortunately, the name isn't enough to carry this one. Nice color? check. Fair application? Check (although a bit streaky), Consistency? Check. Holographic? Not quite. I have this Color Club Halo Hues meter, and this polish falls a bit short of the mark. In the light you can see a bit of the holo affect, but indoors it becomes just a gold colored polish.

OMG A I GO by China Glaze

OMG A DUO by China Glaze

For this manicure, I was inspired by fabric swatches.

Would you try out this collection or do you already own a few? What's  your experience?

Color Club Halo Hues Holographic Polish Review

Happy Manic Monday  friends,

I hope you had as pleasant a weekend as I did. No activities for the kids, no classes, and minimal errands to run. I'd say I had a pretty restful weekend. Today I'm playing catch up. I've been eager to write this review for some time, but quite a few things pushed it further down my To-Do list. Finally, it's time to talk about Color Clubs Halo Hues polishes. I fell in love with these gems on the first stroke of application. As far as holographic polishes go, Color Club is top of the line. The smooth application and rainbow effect put them far ahead of most. There's holographic, then there's Holographic and my rating scale starts at Color Club. If a holo polish comes close in comparison to Halo Hues, then it's good. I purchased a set of six from Live, Love Polish, and I used four of them in the designs below.

Over the Moon

Over the Moon is a soft blue holographic. I used two coats for all of these, that's all you need.

Eternal Beauty, Harp On It

Eternal Beauty is a lovely lilac. You can see how sunlight captures the holographic effect. Harp On It is a reflective silver.

In direct sunlight

Cherubic, Beyond

Both Cherubic and Beyond are holo nuetrals. Cherubic is a light beige with a holographic finish. Beyond is a dark gray holo. All four of these polishes require only two coats and apply smoothly. I experienced no pooling or streaking. And a clear top coat did not diminish the holographic effect.

These are hands down, my favorite holographic polishes. When and if that changes, I'll let you know. But until then, I'm going to enjoy Halo Hues.
Ciao for now.

31 Day Challenge: Day 15 Delicate Print Nails

#31DC2015 Delicate Print

Well, I think this counts as delicate print, don't you think? Delicate, yet still flashy and non-work appropriate. Just how I like it. Could have splashed on a bit of glitter, though. I knew something was missing. Honetly, I was itching to use striping tape. So, I fit that in there too.

I'm going to keep this sweet and short because we're at Buffalo Wild Wings waiting for our order. My mouth is watering and my flashy nails are flashing.

Here'swhat I used.

Essie's No Place Like Chrome is an excellent silver stamping polish.  One of the best after MdU. Remember my eggplant purple mixture?  Well, it's back and it stamps well.

Ok, gotta go, my order's here. Bon Appetit, and
Ciao for now.

31 Day Challenge: Day 12 Stripes

31DC2015 Stripe Nails

Welcome back polished people! This is day 12 of the 31Day Nail Art Challenge and I'm excited about these stripes. This manicure reminds me of women's sporty workout gear. The Holo Pearls over white polish creates a shifting gray effect under the sporty stripes. The fact that I got to use my favorite Holo Pearls by Revlon makes this one a favorite for me.

Here's what I used.

Konad Yellow, High n Dry, Holo Pearls, Purplexed

Tomorrow, I'll have an animal print design for you. Hmmm, what animal will it be?

Ciao for now.

31 Day Challenge: Day 9 Rainbow nails

31DC2015 Rainbow Nails

Why are there so many songs about rainbows

And what's on the other side

Rainbows are visions

But only illusions

And rainbows have nothing to hide.

Those are lyrics from The Rainbow Connection. You know, the song Kermit sings in the Muppet Movie. Had to stick that in there. Can't have rainbows without the Connection right? ...No...not really. I won't pretend to be deep and pontificate the meaning because I have no clue. Liturature class was a long time ago, and frankly, I didn't care then. But, it's a cute song and it fits today's rainbow nails manicure.

Here's what I used.

For this design, I used all the pretty MdU polishes above (oooh, prittty) and Revlon's Holo Pearl Transforming Effects polish, which is my favorite holographic polish of all time. I used a white base, of course.

I'm craving Skittles now, gotta go get some. Mmm, taste the rainbow.
See you tomorrow for gradient nails.

NEW!
Check me out on Nail Art Gallery  http://nailartgallery.nailsmag.com/paintsandpolsih
Ciao for now.