New Pinky nail- Zoya Reece

Hi again Kids!
So sorry to be spamming today...I'm  really excited - not only did I get my Zoya order today (Reece, Adina, Happi, Maya & Jo), but my pinky nail turned out great using my new brush!!! What a difference!
AND- I did not apply nail tips...I used a nail form.

I had great results in using a form when I needed to extend a crooked sidewall. My natural nail doesn't have much of a c-curve, and with a form I can create a deeper one. In addition to aesthetics, I think a rounded c-curve takes some stress off the artificial nail making it stronger- and I don't feel like I have to apply the acrylic as thick.

This nail is just a test. I'm going to remove this after work because I *know* I can make this look better, more natural. Not bad though, eh?
Direct overcast-

For those that are interested, I use clear powder-

Shade overcast-
btw- all the little black specks you see when pictures are enlarged, is the grit from my black file

Hi Kids!
Wow- I don't log-in to Blogger for a day, and look at all the pretties I've missed! All I have is "how I spent my day off (changed to Tuesday this week)" and a haul.

It all started late Monday night when I followed a link to You Tube, and got caught-up with related links.
Would you believe that for all the time I spend on the internet, I never thought to check out "acrylic nail application" tutorials? Duhhhhh!


Anyway, on one of the channels I watched, the nail tech used a large, flat, squared tip brush. I got to thinking about how a brush like that may help me with my application issues. I have 2 brushes- one round, one flat-ish. They both come to a point, and to me, they seem narrow. My nail beds are very w i d e, and because I have to make 3 to 4 passes with my brush (in addition to not being an expert) my application is very uneven. To compensate for the un-eveness, I add more acrylic. In the end, I spend hours sanding, sand in between manis, and just when I get them to look acceptable, they're due for another fill...and the process starts all over again.


Soooo, yesterday, with a list of BS stores in hand, I drive 35 minutes to S. 11th St, Philadelphia. I've never been to that section of Philly and was surprised to find that the area was Vietnamese. With names like PA Nail Supply Inc and US Maxim Wholesale Supply, Inc- who would have thought? I got great cs at the first place, so I purchased lots of stuff there, including a #16 brush that they crimped for me. The second place was not so friendly. I bought their own brand of polish (surprisingly- well pigmented) and some way freaking cool ceramic, nail art teardrops.
After that, I headed back to NJ to check out another bs store, (they carry Barielle) only to miss my turn. I did not have the chance to turn around due to it being rush hour, so I made the best of it and stopped at a Sally's, Dollar Tree and Rue 21 in the area.


As I write, I'm working on removing the acrylic from my last nail. I won't have time to apply my full set before work today, however, I am going to try at least one nail.

Flash

No flash

Hi Kids!
I'm feeling very emotional and mushy today, and because I have a fierce and hardcore image to maintain, I'm going to blame it on the weather...dreary days, rain, & thunderstorms.

Anyway, for Readers who have not been with me for long...I don't have much of a "life" outside of my job. I'm a restaurant manager, working for a Greek who, in a nut-shell, cannot do anything by himself. His name is George, and he "leans" on me hard- for everything. To give you an example- When his wife is away on vacation with their kids, I have to call his house to wake him up for work. He knows nothing in regards to an alarm clock- how to turn it on, how to set it, how to snooze, how to turn it off. He's a "mamma's boy" who delegates everything that makes him impatient, and things he doesn't want to learn or deal with. Aside from his wife, I am the only one he trusts to get a job done and to make him look good.

I used to have a great life that included my own corset business, friends, clubbing, concerts, shopping and traveling. I've had none of that life for the last 4 years. I am married to my job, and it sucks. I'm not trying to whine and complain...these are just the facts, and it is what it is. Ideally, I'd rather be working at a job that makes me happy...something that allows for creativity and pays well. Sadly, New Jersey does not have much to offer job-wise for someone like me.

Having said all that, as pathetic as it sounds, this little Blog, and loose-knit community of nail polish lovers means the world to me. Honestly, I feel as though I've been in a vast ocean, no horizon in sight, and coming upon a buoy to hang on to.
This Blog is for me...I'm not looking for anything but to have a place for creativity and LOOK!- 297 souls are interested in what I do next! AMAZING!
Thank you ALL for keeping me company!!!

Now that I have that off my chest...although there is no art to show today, I can at least show you what I've had on my nails since Saturday. Savvy (Femme Couture), French Cafe. I would never have worn a nude a year ago, however, since Blogging, my color world has expanded beyond blacks, greys and vampies.
Thank you Girls!
I absolutely LOVE wearing nudes...especially after sporting a series of layered, multi-color manis.
Anyway, this is 3 coats. After the first coat I added polish thinner and some Wet N Wild topcoat because the formula on this one was stickey and gluey. It helped bunches!
I got that pretty ding on my index from opening a creamer for my coffee at work.
With flash-

overcast-

Oh, I almost forgot!
I have 25 new fauxnad plates coming from Chez-delaney and another 21 fauxnad plates from an Ebay seller.
Woohoo!
I am also expecting my first BB Couture polishes from Overall Beauty in addition to my second order with Zoya!

Earth Day Garden- layered fauxnad

Hi Kids!
You know, I hadn't planned on doing an Earth Day mani- in fact, I didn't even know it was Earth Day until I logged in today! Having green on my nails today was a fluke..I only swatched this color yesterday because the formula was so nice. Anyway, since there's a "built-in, no brainer" theme of the day, it would be silly not to take advantage of it.

Readers who have been with me for a while know how much I miss my gardens. I think it is fitting that I should have one on my nails this day. As always, pictures are clicakable for largest view.

I love how the light makes this jelly glow.

Weird shot of my index above....it looks like a bubble...actually all my nails look weird in that shot. I loved how the colors turned out though, so I included it in this post anyway.











All photos were taken in my lightbox, and surprisingly, the colors turned out quite accurate.
**Mani- 3 coats Ruby Kisses, Neon Green. Obviously not a neon- more like a grass green. It's a jelly, and has an amazing formula!
**2 coats Nfu-Oh #50 layered over RK. Although the base of #50 is a lavender, it did not change the green. I really liked this combination...it looked very much like the green and blue found on a globe of the Earth.
**All stamping colors are frankens, with the exception of Konad Special Polish, Wine Red.
**Konad plates- M21 & M66
**Fauxnad plates-A07, A13, H29 & P55 ...from chez-delaney
**Essence Plate
**1 coat Seche

Test stamping aside, my garden took me about an hour to complete.
This mani looks slightly different in real life. There is more depth than my pictures show. The Macro mode seems to isolate each element in this mani and brings them to the front. The garden seems busy in these pictures, especially when viewed at full size.

Green jelly

Hi Kids!
I know...weird thing to do, posting an unfinished mani...
Several months ago, I purchased 2 bottles of Ruby Kisses, Neon Green for frankening. I swatch all my frankening polishes on fake nails and put the bottles away in a drawer. Anyway, earlier this evening, I finally got around to doing the swatch, and then some. I really liked the color a lot, so I applied 2 coats on my own nails.

I knew by the bottle that this was a jelly, however, what I didn't know- this cheap, $1.49 polish has an outstanding formula! It is virtually streak free on the first coat and almost vnl free on the second coat! RK Neon Green is definitely not a neon, but more on the lines of the New York Summer Amaranth swatches I've seen...maybe a tad warmer.

Sooo, ya...this color and formula was a total surprise, and I wanted to share. 
I'm going to sleep on these 2 coats...maybe I'll keep this mani and add fauxnad.
What do you think?

Petites Color Fever, Fairy Pink- a gossamer holo!

Hi Kids!
I'm back with an actual mani w/fauxnad, albeit a very simple one...one of my "quickies". My original idea for this mani included some layering over the full image stamp I used. Changed my mind, because this color is total  awesome-ness, and it would have been a crime to cover it up.

I hauled a bunch of  Petites Color Fever about a month ago, swatched them on fake nails and immediately ran back to the DS for a back-up of Fairy Pink and Black Diamond. Both are scattered holos and totally unique. Anyway, I had some buyers remorse with this haul and 2-3 other DS hauls in that same week. I'm always shocked at checkout...DS polishes are not cheap anymore!!! I think I spent well over $200 on polish that week, plus my prescriptions, car insurance, and a couple of other bills. Sent me to the Poorhouse as you all know! I have absolutely no discipline when it comes to spending money...but it's all good now! My bank account is back in black, mailing out my Giveaway hauls are back on schedule.
(At the end of this post, is a pic of my Petites haul...Black Diamond has been decanted into an old Maybelline bottle.)

Finally, on to Petites Color Fever, Fairy Pink. When I look at this color, the first description that comes to mind is- gossamer holo...and it fits so perfectly... I don't think I need to go on and on, except to say that this polish is oh so pretty, and you need to get it.  You'll have to click these pictures to make them larger and to see the pretty scattered holo and red flash.

Please excuse the cuticle wounds...I have yet to learn how to sand my nails without being so aggressive.
Anyway, this mani is 3 coats Petites Color Fever, Fairy Pink.
Fauxnad plate- H23
Stamped with Sally Hansen, Aqua Chrome
Nail jewel decals double stacked on tips. (can't remember the brand)
1 coat Seche

RIP Peter Steele

Hi Kids!
This whole not feeling well is driving me nutz!
Making everything worse, this past weekend, Peter Steele from Type O Negative passed away. ToN , along with Alien Sex Fiend are the 2 bands I listen to on my way to work every day. Both of these bands are the best at dark, dramatic, sarcastic, funny, cheezey, tongue-in-cheek music.
Saturday morning, I walked into the restaurant with tears in my eyes, a lump in my throat, and an all day pass to the Loo.

My mani of the weekend was Orly, Iron Butterfly. On Saturday evening, I tried and failed at a ToN tribute mani. I had hope to re-create the thorned canes on the cover of October Rust, but did not have a brush fine enough to freehand the thorns. Not that I could see my nails through the tears anyway...pathetic?....not really...

 I am an excruciatingly intense soul, wound up tight and internal. For all this internal drama, ToN has always been a welcome relief and release from seriousness.
And on the 28th day, you sing, and I can laugh!

143 Peter Steele~ RIP

Not well

Hey Kids!
Still wearing Quirius Cruiser, and the art planned for it is on hold. I am not well....a condition that hit me last April has returned. I'm not sure why I have it again, as I've not changed anything in my diet to bring it on, save for taking (very good) vitamins for a week. Maybe my body likes being deficient, I don't know.

possible tmi ahead...
I have severe digestive/intestinal issues and a damn furry tongue. Because it sits at the back of my tongue, my gag reflex is involved. Last year it took me months to get back to normal and only through eating yogurt morning, noon and night.
So I'm feeling very weak and more than run down. I *still* have to go into work which really sucks. It's just me and the owner at the restaurant.

I went to my Dr last year for this condition, and he prescribed an antibiotic. From everything I've read in my research, antibiotics cause this condition! I don't believe in taking antibiotics unless absolutely necessary, so going to the Dr for this is out of the equation. I will do as I did last year, and help my own body heal itself.

Just to let you know how really sick I felt last night- I put on my jams as soon as I got home from work and went to bed! If I'm a little mia, please forgive me.

Quirius, Cruiser

Hi Kids!
As you can see, this ain't no Milani holo, or the pink I thought I'd use next. The weather forecast said dreary and rainy on Tuesday...definitely not a good day for holos. And the pink?...well... my appetite changed after seeing Sasha's post HERE with BB Couture, Zuma Wave Rider. That's a Baby Blue I can get into!

The 3 baby blues I have in my collection are; Claire's pastel blue, Quirius, Cruiser & Maybelline, Pie In The Sky. Out of the 3, I'd say Pie In The Sky comes closest to Zuma Wave Runner. Since that one has been swatched to death, I tried Claire's pastel blue, and immediately gave up due to the brush size. So, I went with Quirius, Cruiser, and what a nightmare! Before I say anything else about this polish...I am not a creme fan!
I don't apply them well, nor do I think they look nice on my nails. I think they look fabulous on everyone else, but on me, cremes tend to look ...um...flat and one dimensional. I dunno, perhaps my dislike for cremes stems from the fact that I grew up in the age of frosts, and that is why I prefer shimmers.

Anyway! Quirius, Cruiser is a pretty creme, however, it is definitely super-streak-city for me. I did not add thinner to this...my instincts tell me that this polish would benefit from the addition of thinner and a bit of clear, and a decant into a bottle with a better brush. (This polish doesn't "level" well, and thinner is not enough, therefore my reasoning for the addition of a clear) I've decanted one of my Quirius polishes, Paris Night(?) into one of the new Sally Hansen Complete Salon bottles, and it did  wonders for application.

This mani is 3 coats and done 1 hour before I went to bed. Drying time was great! I love the color of this polish, and I *really* wanted this lacquer to redeem itself, so I did not apply Seche. Upon waking this morning, I had NO sheet-marks and miraculously a lot- but not all of the streaks disappeared with curing overnight.

What do you think of this color on me?

Bottle comparisons

I believe that with a brush like this, even the best formulated polish would have streak issues;

NOTW(eekend) Milani Holographic Hi-Res

Hi Kids!
I hope everyone had a nice weekend!
My weekend was crazy busy at the Restaurant...actually, I'm being too nice with that statement. Working in the Service Industry sucks. I cannot get over just how rude people can be.  My weekend was really a nightmare, and from here on, so will the rest of them until mid September.

On Friday, I had to stay at the restaurant until the wee hours of the morning for a scheduled ventilation/hood cleaning. I brought everything I needed to change my mani, and chose to wear Milani 3D Holographic, Hi-Res.
When I do my manis at home, I usually rush through it. Some kind household thing is always calling for attention- usually my husband. Anyway, I had no distractions Friday night, so my mani turned out virtually clean-up free.

I love the way this holo looks! It's very pretty and really different from the other holos in my collection. It's almost as if the holo particles were misted onto the surface of my nails. In fact, several people thought that I had done just that, and were compelled to touch them.
I didn't have time for art-stuff on this mani, however, I may get to some when I change this later in the day. I was thinking about using the other 2 Milani Holos together for my next one, but I'm not sure. Pink is also calling out to me.

Asian Garden- multi layerd fauxnad

Hi Kids!
I am ecstatic that so many of my new Followers are still  here post Giveaway! Thank you for taking an interest in my Blog! As you probably have noticed, I don't really do swatches, comparisons and reviews of collections, aside from the polish I've chosen for the base of my Konad/fauxnad/nail art. This Blog is my creative outlet...actually, it's the *only* creative outlet I have these days, so it's going to reflect a lot of BIG ideas. And because nails are such a tiny canvas to work on you will be seeing just about too much of anything I can put on them! All that said, whatever nail art I post here is just that art. I'm not making any fashion statements here.

Those of you who won a haul will have to sit tight and be patient. The unexpected expense of having to purchase my Blood Pressure medicine because my doctor did not have samples put me into the poorhouse. My doctor does this as a courtesy to me as I don't have any insurance. In the 5 years that I've been on BP meds, I've never had to lay out money for a prescription. I know I'm getting way off track here, but, GEEZ! The cost of a full price script of my BP meds *MADE* my blood pressure skyrocket! I'm still in shock and angry. I feel like I've been scammed and taken advantage of...mind, I filled my script at Walmart too! I know I need to let this "go"...before the summer is over, I will be married and insured. But, I can't help but be bothered by this. 
Anyway, I think I counted 104 bottles of polish to be mailed. I don't have address specs yet, but I am estimating shipping will be probably average out to $1.00 per bottle. Please be patient!

Onward~>

Tons of pictures. All are clickable for the ginormous version.
I need to get ready for work...specs will be added in later.

***3-4 coats L.A. Colors, Pink Sizzle. See prior post for more information on this polish.
***Orly French Tip Guides applied to the tips to mask off are from a full nail fauxnad stamp
***full nail stamp fauxnad #H20, center image (one of my favorites) stamped w/Franken(?) from prior post
***Tip guides peeled off, I applied Sinful Colors, Green Ocean(a flakie) to my tips & layered Claire's glitter in Diva over that.
Since my plan changed at this point, the whole tip thing became overkill...I could have sponged the color on.
***From here on, I basically "winged" it. Seems quick and easy? Not really. Over the course of 2 days, I practiced and played stamping tons of images over a swatched piece of plastic. At this point, I had a hazy idea on what I wanted, and about 6 colors and 6 stamping plates set aside for this "project".
***fauxnad plates H14 (leaves), & H25(2 coordinating flowers) stamped over the french tip seam and sidewall in Konad royal blue(?name is not correct & this is a semi-franken)
***Bamboo, butterfly and water lily images, Konad plate M66 stamped w/Sally Hansen Gold Chrome
***At this point, I knew I needed "something else". I tried stamping white flowers on my swatch plastic, tried some freehand flowers w/an art pen, rhinestones...nothing looked right until I found a set of nail decals with white flowers.
These white flowers "make" this art work. Bold, but simple, the application of these white decals "push" all the prior stamping into the background. Pictures 6-9 are accurate examples of what this mani looks like irl. The flowers are the focal point, followed by the bamboo, and everything else just becomes "color".
***Purple, oblong rhinestone jewels for the butterfly bodies
***Mani topped off with 1 coat Seche Vite
I LOVE doing layered stamping like this!

L.A. Colors, Pink Sizzle- awesome color!!!

Hi Kids!
L.A. Colors, Pink Sizzle is a gorgeous, soft, duochrome. This color is formulated a lot like my beloved Bleach Black, Dickweed, and is the type of polish that pushes all my buttons.
Pink Sizzle is a berry shimmer that flashes copper- but more. The shimmer is suspended in a hazy purple base, similar in shade to, but not as pigmented as,  Milani, Totally Cool. This color is nothing short of stunning, and would so be in my Top 20, were it not for the extremely thin formula and narrow, stumpy brush. I think I paid $1.49 for this polish- cheap enough for an experiment with a decap to see if evaporation will help thicken the formula.

Anyway, as you can tell, I Love this color! In real life, the purple base translates to having an obvious  purple haze around the edges of the nail. Both the purple haze and berry shimmer are cool toned, -the copper flash, however, is warm.

Pink Sizzle has been hanging around my mani desk, patiently waiting for the perfect purple stamping color. While looking for a bottle to empty for another go at franken-stampen purple, I came across a set of 3 colors I hauled last year. In that set was one of those tri color polishes meant to look like marbling. Out of curiosity, before I dumped it all out, I added 3 ballz and shook it. The resulting color was a neon, red purple- like China Glaze Flying Dragon but a bit redder. Thinking that this new color could be a keeper, not a dumper, I swatched it on plastic and noted the superior pigmentation.  A few fauxnad test stamps over swatch nails, Pink Sizzle included,-and  I knew I found my perfect stamping purple!

All pictures pre-clean up (why bother when I have stamping to do?)
Just look at this glorious color!!!

Here's a sample stamp over Nina Ultra Pro, Mermaid;
fauxnad #B22

I can't wait to get stamping...unfortunately, I was called into work early :(

On another note...I'm really freaked out by the obvious twisting of my fingers- my pinky being the worst. Let me explain...
My paternal grandmother suffered from extreme arthritis. By the time she was 60 years old, her hands were monstrosities. I'm sure there is a proper, medical term for her condition. Gnarled fingers, huge joints, each segment twisted- some at opposing angles. They were very debilitating and way beyond hideous.
I have arthritic pain and ache, and I can see the visible start of that same condition. I cannot close my hand without fingers overlapping either.
:'(

Konad Flower Power

Hi Kids!
Tis the season for pastels...everyone is doing them! They're really not my cuppa tea, but I did pick up a few- Claire's Pastel set, Orly Lemonade & Pixy Stix, Maybelline Pie In The Sky & Goody Plum Drop, and Love Bites #050.

Since you've seen most of the popular ones swatched already, I used Love Bites 050, an orchid with a pearl sheen for my mani base color. It's very pretty- totally reminds me of Rhododendrons.
All pictures taken outside;

The sun ate the pretty pearl shimmer. You can just make out a hint of it in this next picture;

Shade-

I did this konadicure about an hour before I left for work this morning, so I did not have time to clean up the Seche that pooled at my cuticles and sidewalls.

I used 2 coats LB 050, broke out Konad plates M26 & M51, and stamped with Color Club, Where's The Soiree?. Flower petals were filled in using a dotting tool with the following pastels from Claire's set; pink, blue, green, coral, Orly, Lemonade and Sally Hansen nail art pen in white. I must have added too much thinner to my Seche, because it smudged CC WTS on my ring finger. I re-stamped a flower over the smudge and made a mess. which looks worse on Macro than in real life.