Fall leaves fauxnad/Konad

Hi Kids!
I can't believe how much dust was on my nadding plates! It's been too long, but I'm back. Business has slowed down at the restaurant enough for me to exit "machine mode" and enter an artsy state of mind. Yay!

Mani is 2 coats Ruby Kisses Neon in Yellow Bikini. Plates used- Konad m66 and Bundle Monster bm04. With the exception of Sally Hansen Insta Dri Orange You Fast! and Color Club Ms Socialite all stamping polishes are frankens, and topped with 1 coat Seche. Although this is not one of my best nadded manis, I really wanted something ultra colorful, quick and easy.

Please excuse the condition of my hands. My new BP meds are making my skin peel. I slathered on a thick coat of Mango Mend over damp hands for relief. Oily-ish hands and taking pictures at my tree covered in ivy = speckley fallout and a cobweb that I could not get off.
Also, pay no attention to the nasty, dirty old cycle grip I'm using as a prop/grip in some pictures. My aging fingers are twisting. In order for me to get them straight, I have to manually adjust them and the texture of the grip helps keep them in place.
Pictures taken under cloudy skies. 

I'm still not feeling "myself"...trying to get to the bottom of some health issues and job stress is still in the red zone.
You all know about my health stuff, but I've kept work stuff to myself cause it's usually boring if one is not in the business. This time I'm going to make an exception...only because it's "juicey".
One of my super ambitious servers is doing all she can to take my job. Unfortunate for her, she actually told someone "I'll do whatever it takes to get her out and then take her place." Mistake #1. She also stalks the owner's house, riding by it up to half a dozen times a day. Mistake #2. Mistake #3, and this is the biggest, she has an attribute inherent to her personality that the owner despises in his employees- the need to dominate.

Her mother works as a secretary at my husbands job, and I hired her as a favor. She's a great server, so I don't have regrets and I don't hate her. I have to laugh...Her mother started screwing the Director in order to oust another secretary and to make $1 more an hour than the highest paid secretary.
How's that for the apple not falling far from the tree?

I have no fear about losing my job. After 3 years as manager, the owner, George,  gave me a key to the office yesterday. While it may not sound like a big deal, it is. Not being family, I am the only "outsider" person in charge at the restaurant. Even the 3rd owner, who *is* family, does not have a key.

Ruby Kisses Yellow Bikini

Hi Kids!
Does a 2 coat, non-streaky yellow creme exist? Is it possible to find such a polish for under $2?  Yes, YES!!!
Since seeing is believing, I'm showing you what 1 coat of Ruby Kisses Neon in Yellow Bikini looks like. Before I do, though, I have to say that this is not a neon yellow, but a straight-up, well pigmented, Primary yellow, that dries to a gloss finish. The formula is thick-ish, but not too. It's also a bit sticky...perhaps stretchy would be a better adjective to use here.

Yellow Bikini has the potential to be a 1 coater on shorter nails than mine...if one takes advantage of the super loadable brush and work with the viscosity rather than fight it. What I mean...with brush loaded, set aside some polish by puddling it with the flat side of the brush dead center of the nail, to avoid flooding the cuticle area. Immediately create your gap and apply soft pressure to cover nail with polish. At this time you will notice that more polish is making it's way down the brush...don't stop- go back over the nail- do not let brush make contact with nail, but "stretch" that additional polish overstroking what you have already laid down. Dragging will not be a problem because this superb formula has a wonderfully long "open time" and does not "skim over" very quickly.

Yellow Bikini is the second polish from Ruby Kisses Neon I've worn, and I have to say, I'm truly impressed with this collection- right down to the gorgeous label on the bottle! You can see the orange mani here.

Now that you've listened me hype Yellow Bikini up, here are some quick pictures.
I have a few bubbles because, my bad, I shake my polish bottles. It's also repair day for me, so my cuticles are torn up *and* since this is about to get coat 2, no clean-up.
Remember...this is 1 coat Kids!

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How's that for a $1.99 yellow polish?

Stay tuned...fauxnading to come with this one!!!!! YAY!!!!!

Concrete, Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear

Hi Kids!
I'm 2 for 2...2 cremes in 2 weeks, a new record for me! I was going to say Idkw I have on another creme, but I think I figured it out. Like Nina Ultra Pro Salsa, the formula of Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Concrete is a wanna-be-jelly. Not as dense as a true creme, both of these polishes are one step away from being semi jelly. For me, this type of formula flows on my nails like silk, and any application mistakes I make are easily corrected with spot touch-ups.

Concrete is one of the new Xtreme Wears from Sally Hansen. Not being a greige lover, I would have passed on this one had I not seen it swatched on someone's Blog. The slight, warm, mauvish tone to this color, makes it unique and very complimentary to my skin tone. Along with this one, I also picked up Purple Gala and Mystic Lilac. I started to layer Mystic Lilac over Concrete, but it wiped out the pretty, warm, mauve-y thing going on. I wasn't ready to explore the cool tone it added to my mani, so I quickly removed it.

I did come up with a "Mystic" (green shimmer) layering solution for Concrete without sacrificing the mauve tone...1 coat of Pure Ice Heart Breaker. As evidenced by my fakey top-to-bottom swatch, a mauve-y version of Mystic Lilac can be achieved...Mystic Concrete!!!

I love everything about this 2 coat mani! For now, I'm happy with Concrete in it's pure state, but who knows...I may "mystify" it tomorrow.

No sun- overcast...first 2 are not quite color accurate.
I think the blue morning glories had something to do with this.
As always, pictures are all clickable for giant view.

This next one is color accurate!

Concrete, Purple Gala, Mystic Lilac

Top half, Mystic Lilac
Bottom half, Concrete with 1 coat Pure Ice Heart Breaker

Everyone loves pretty!

Deeper

Flakie Ms Socialite pedi, and NOTD

Hi Kids!
Fall is officially here, and while I don't ascribe to seasonal fashion rules, once evenings get cooler, I wear closed toe shoes. With that, I tend to get lazy where pedis are concerned.
It feels weird that on Tuesday, I wore boots to work, and today,  I'll be wearing sandals. My area is about to be blasted with a heatwave. Fine by me...I actually love heat and humidity...not to mention, I get to wear my favorite sandals and boho India shirts again!

I also get to show off yet another flakie pedi. I love flakies on my toes- not my tips, and my number 1 choice has been the ever popular and spectacular Nfu-Oh-s and Hidden Treasure. I've worn them over almost all my pedis this past summer. This time, though, I went with something different....Claire's mini in purple, one of a set of 6, that came out in the beginning of summer. These Claire's flakies are similar in texture to Sinful Colors Green Ocean...chunky and bumpy- not something I like, however, the sparkle payoff of the flakies and multi colored glitter is fab, so they are redeemed in my book.
(Debris on my feet from walking in wet grass)
2 coats Color Club Ms Socialite from Spring 2010 Rebel Debutante, 1 coat Seche, 1 coat Barielle Manicure Extender.
Sun;

Shade;

Sun;

Bottle pic...really pretty enlarged!

And, my NOTD, Milani 3D Hi-Tech.

Thank you all for comments and links to your Blogs in my last post! Blogs that I was not following are now added!!!

Wanna see my underwear? Bloggers shout out!

Hi Kids!
I've had one heck of a stressful week. I won't bore you with the mostly work related details, except to say that my blood pressure is an out of control, 186/118, even with my bp meds. (more health stuff after nail stuff)
First, though, I want to show you my "underwear"- 
Instead of my nails going "commando" under sheers and problematic polishes, I'll now be using 1 or 2 coats of Milani Angel Pink. Please excuse how dry my hands are. I had a molar pulled, and the towel I wrapped my pillow in sucked all the moisture out of them. 
I'll be wearing this soft and feminine color as my NOTD for work tonight. I've set aside a half dozen plates in hopes that I'll feel well enough to do some stamping after work. x-crosses fingers-x

All full sun...

Medical/Doctor/Dentist
I saw my Dr yesterday, and he upped the mg dosage of my current script, in addition to setting up appointments for some general baseline testing...mammogram, colonoscopy (or as my husband calls it- the kaleidoscope), bloodwork, and a much needed appt with a specialist to check out a large and bothersome lump located on a lymph node where my upper thigh meets my lower groin.
Right after my Dr visit, I went to see my dentist and had a molar pulled- but not before waiting 2 hrs in the office while he tracked down my Dr for an "OK" to extract. Because of my high bp, I had some major bleeding from the Novocaine injection site. After signing 3 release papers, my dentist went ahead and reluctantly pulled it out.
What an ordeal....I bled for 17 hours, and feel like total crap today. 

Do you have a Blog????
At this time, the *only* stress reliever I have in my life is my Blog and Blogs that I read. I cannot tell you how much Joy this brings me. Time is precious, and I appreciate all those who Blog and those who comment. Recently I accidentally found (and joined) several Blogs that belong to my Followers- some, of which, are old time Followers.
Please- if your Blog is 80% or more about nails- I want to be following it. Leave your link in this post!!!

*Heart* Nina Ultra Pro Salsa!

Okay Kids, you won't be seeing this too often...check it- I am wearing a straight-up Creme!

It's ironic that at 49 I can still pull off wearing mini skirts (with tights, of course) and not look silly, but cannot and almost will not wear a creme without a glitter, shimmer or some other sparkle-y topcoat. Like mini skirts, Creme polishes scream youth to me. With a few rare exceptions (one being OPI Sapphire In The Snow), Cremes look out of place on my nails, not to mention that I royally suck at applying them.
It bears mention that I don't see glitters and other sparklies as youthful. To me, they say "fun, party, happy"...things that an old timer like me needs in abundance.
In a nutshell...While I'll never be a youthful Creme again, I am still an amazingly active, crazy, party animal.

Hah! All that rambling because I found another Creme I can wear... Salsa, the green 2 coater from Nina Ultra Pro, and I just *love* it!!!
First coat went on semi streaky but was manageable. Second coat went on smooth as silk and adhered to the first coat as if it were a magnet. 1 coat Seche.
I don't think it gets any better than this for me....Perfect!

Revlon Glitter, Galaxy over H&M Goddess On Stage* edit

Hi Kids!
I have another drive-by post with my NOTD. Today, I am wearing 1 coat Revlon Galaxy over 3 coats H&M Goddess On Stage. I received Goddess On Stage in a swap with Tiana .
 I have a lot of glitters in my stash, and Galaxy seemed similar enough to China Glaze Techno that I thought I did not need it.  And being on a low buy, I passed on this Revlon glitter half a dozen times. Then one day, suffering from nail polish withdraw, I caved and got my fix with Galaxy and several other ds polishes. :)

I'm happy that I got Galaxy. It's made of large holo hex glitter and blue based fine holo dust. It's super sparkly and the fine blue holo dust looks much better over darks than the all silver holo in Techno.
Anyway, I'll be removing this mani tonight. I was in a hurry doing my fill and repairs yesterday, and did not notice how thick I left the nails on my picture (lefty) hand. I'm thinking about going a third shorter as well.

Edit....I'm not so sure all the fine glitter dust in Galaxy is holo. After taking a drive and looking at my mani from all angles, there is a definite blue haze over my nails. I don't like glitter that looks like freckles. Galaxy, however, has a nice mix of dark glitter dust making it perfect for for layering over dark colors. I really like this one a lot! Click on the second pic for a better view of the dark glitter dust.

 Shade

Revlon Matte Suede Ruby Ribbon

Hi Kids!
Just a quick, drive-by post with the mani I've been sporting for 3, maybe 4 days- Revlon Matte Suede Ruby Ribbon.
Ruby Ribbon looks red in the bottle, but dries much richer and deeper and is very similar to the Signature color of vintage Etienne Aigner leather items.  The shimmer in this polish makes it more of a satin finish rather than a matte or suede, which I really love. I think Ruby Ribbon looks super sophisticated.
I've had a half dozen of art ideas for this mani, and I'm really bummed that I did not have any time this week to art this one up...hurry up October!
Anyway, mani is 3 kind of slow drying coats. As you can see, I definitely need more practice in applying matte, suede and satin finish polishes.

Not too shabby after 4 days...pics are clickable

2 NOTDs- Let's Groove and Photo Flash

Hey Kids!
Still super busy at the restaurant...so much that I had to don a dusty apron, pick-up pad and pen to wait tables on Monday. Although my sticker mani got ruined from the heating elements above plates of food, I actually enjoy getting back to my roots- waiting on tables. My time on the "floor" was short-lived, though...The owner, George,  got sick from taking one my pain killers for his blown out knee, and I had to get back to the door and register. Once George was out of the "picture", stress levels went down and the rest of the day ran smoothly.


Labor Day is the end of our busy weekday business, however, weekends are still slamming busy. We still have Fireman's weekend, Irish weekend, Biker's weekend and a couple of other themed weekends until summer is officially over at the restaurant.

I'm not happy about that...summer coming to an end. It's a perfect 86.2 degrees at my PC desk. There is a wonderful cross draft going on with my windows open, ceiling fan on and another fan in a far window pulling air through the house. It's depressing to think that I'll be turning my heat on in a short, few weeks. I will, however, have more time for nadding and nail art.

My current NOTD is China Glaze Let's Groove. I purchased my bottle last year at Sally's, from the clearance bin. This color is so right up my alley...a cool blurple base with a warm, red purple shimmer. I have 2 coats on...a thin first coat followed by a very thick second coat and 1 coat of Seche. I applied this right before getting ready for work yesterday and was pleasantly surprised that after all was done, I had relatively few dings. You *may* be seeing Let's Groove as the base for some nail art tomorrow...if all goes well with an idea I have.
Anyway, here it is, no clean-up. The Moonstone necklace I'm holding is my favorite. I've had it for 10 years and very rarely take it off.
Full sun (pics are clickable)

Indirect light really brings out the blurple base and red purple shimmer...

Mani from Monday- Milani Photo Flash (3 coats). I wasn't crazy about the color once I had it on, so I added a bazillion nail stickers.

Semi gradient stripes, green holo dots

Hi Kids!
I thought I found the perfect brown with Savvy Chocolate, when the bronze shimmer magically turned my nails into lit within Tiger Eyes. Unfortunately, when my 2 coats dried, the shimmer became a glimmer, the Tiger Eyes disappeared, and my mani looked almost black. Sad!

I had high hopes for this brown that looked so great in the bottle....Speaking of- I absolutely *love* Savvy glass bottles... Square and heavy like a high end polish bottle. Anyway, I decided that Chocolate needed help, so I dumped a bit out to make room for some CND Copper Shimmer. It did help, as in it doesn't look almost black anymore. It did not give me that lit within, Tiger Eye look I so wanted.

I toyed with adding a faux Tiger Eye by laying down a verticle, center stripe with CND Copper Shimmer, when I remembered a certain picture I had saved to my hd some time ago. Mani saved by inspiration! I *love* how this turned out soooo much!
Click to make them bigger!
Flash...colors are true and saturated exactly like this first pic.

Inspiration pic...iz small

Stripes done with a Milani striper brush in;

Sally Hansen HD Resolution

Claire's Magic

CND Copper Shimmer

Nicka K Magical (glitter) on Resolution

Green Holo Dots by Jones Tones (from the 80's Kids... when *everyone* had glitter and sequins attached to every article of clothing and accessory they wore, head to toe)

Such a simple mani, yet it pushes all the right buttons with me. And I'm extremely happy that the first picture turned out so well color wise. I've been reading the instruction manual that came with my camera and have been messing around with color settings. About time, I know!

Purple franken with glitter, flakies and shimmers

Hi Kids! I have a killer purple franken for you today!
My pictures look terrific, but they're not accurate. I wish I could figure out *why* my camera decided that the low-lying micro-shimmer should be so prominent. Irl, it's very subtle.
Irl, the red, holo, hex glitter, fine, square red glitter and flakies take center stage.
Pictures were taken under all kinds of lighting conditions, and even after a color tweak in ps, they're still not accurate.The red glitters and flakies take up much of the space in this franken and positively glow like mad in the jellish base.
Here's the list of ingredients;
Sally Hansen Purple Pizzazz
Nfu-Oh 51
Sally Hansen Prism Ruby Sapphire
CND Effects- Crimson sparkle, Jade Sparkle
Funky Fingers Hyper!
Red holo hex glitter
Fine square red glitter from Aromaleigh Hothothot

Click them!!!

Make the next one big. Look at my pinky...camera is trying to pick up the red glitters and flakes. Imagine it more metallic, brighter and sparklier...