Look What I Made!

As I've mentioned before, my 22 year old son moved to Seattle almost a year ago. I haven't seen him since April and I'm really looking forward to spending some Christmas time with him. We celebrate the American Christmas...all the fodder without the religion.

He has expressed that he prefers gifts that were made for him rather than purchased and for that I love him even more. But still, I like to get him something unexpected and purchased when I can. Things that will help him accomplish the goals he's set for himself.

This year, for his handmade gift, I thought it would be kind of cool to give him ornaments that symbolized...well.. Me! That way, he could have his mom nearby even while we're apart, and when the time comes that I leave this life, he'll have these to put on his tree each Christmas and remember me by. What better way to give him something to remember me by than to use nail polish in the creation? Yep, I did! I got into my stash, picked some of my favorites and I made these: *click to make 'em BIG
The pictures aren't the best they can be, and I'll probably take better ones and post 'em up here again...these were taken with my cell phone at work today.

All colors are listed Clockwise from the top left.

OPI Merry Midnight, Sally Hansen Opulent Cloud (GORGEOUS), OPI Shim-Merry Chic and 

China Glaze Emerald Sparkled.

 Close up of the Shim-Merry Chic bulb.

 Essie Huckle Buckle, Sally Hansen Sea and Be Seen (Scene?), Milani 3D Holographic Gold, 

Diamond Cosmetics Canyon Sunrise, Borghese Stellar Notte and China Glaze Good Witch?

Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure, Orly Space Cadet, Zoya Delilah, My LOVE: China Glaze Atlantis (this photo doesn't do the bulb justice at ALL), Sally Hansen Prisms Diamond, My Sage Franken that I made HERE (because my son really like desaturated colors...I suspect this one will be his favorite.)

This last is a Franken I made. I call it "Lights on the Tree"

I mixed equal parts Orly Enchanted Forest and Clear, just a tad less of OPI Shim-Merry Chic and a few drops of China Glaze Atlantis (about 6 or 8). This added holographic sparkle and brought some of the blue back that was lost from adding the Shim-Merry Chic.

I got the idea while looking at Ambefrski's Franken she made with Shim-Merry Chic and some red.

My kiddo doesn't even look at this blog so I'm not concerned I'll spoil the surprise. I am loving the way these are turning out and have 6 more I can make...the fumes though... WOW. My husband came home yesterday, and our little house was so gaseous he asked me if I was feeling ok.  I was getting a headache and so we left the house for a while so I could breathe fresh air. Small house + fumes = not good. We slept with all the windows wide open last night and that helped a ton. They are sitting in my office at work tonight...should be interesting tomorrow. :) 

Any suggestions for other colors I might use? I was thinking De-Luxe-ious from Color Club might be good. I think I need a few more reds though...ideas? I also think the Delilah bulb could use another coat. Amazingly this isn't using much of my pretties. There is some waste, but it's not unbearable and I'm happy to share it with the ones I love, even the ones who don't wear polish. 

I sure hope he doesn't think it's a silly thing to give him...he is, afterall, a young MAN. Something tells me he'll love it though. I think they'll be good for next year...then they won't be flammable anymore. LOL

Please comment your suggestions! I have trouble when I open up my stash and try to decide, it's almost as hard as doing a mani!

My Stash, My Heart, My Passion for Polish!

I know I've told most of you, and it's no big deal (I thought it was when I first got the news but I've adjusted since) but I will be going into the hospital on Wednesday, November 10 at 6:30 am local time for a procedure in my heart at 8:30 am. It's called Cardiac Ablation. It's not a "surgery" per se but a "procedure" LOL... they'll go up thru my artery (from my groin) to the heart with three skinny wires: one to stimulate the suspect problem and cause the problem reliably...one to see what they're doing, and one to do the freeze burn of the offending cells. Takes a minimum of 1.5 hours, maximum of 2. Then I'll be in the hospital for the rest of the day under observation to make sure they didn't break anything. They say I should be able to return to work the next day and I won't have to take medication for this problem EVER AGAIN!!! I am soooo looking forward to that, the meds make me retain unhealthy amounts of water and I have fat lower legs, ankles and feet. I'll probably lose 20 lbs the first couple weeks just from water retention. :)

No more meds, no more worries about SVT, hiking and biking can resume without worry, (just attention to injury prevention) and that will be a very very good thing.

So that is what I'm focusing on, but once in a while...the scary stuff creeps in and I just remember that there are good people out there thinking happy thoughts for me and it helps calm me down. Odds are in my favor, not fantastic, but not bad. So keep a happy thought for me tomorrow, okay?

After the Nail Polish Party with my co-workers, I had to reorganize my stash. So I dumped it out, sorted it and took some photos. I have not yet taken photos of my organizational choice, I guess I need to get to that next.

I do sort by color family, I find it easiest for me in my super tiny space. I have no need to sort by brand then color, just put the color families together and I know where to go for a purple, red, pink, blue or whatever thank-you-very-much.

Here begins the spam...bail now if your computer is slow. :) Remember: all of my pictures are clickable for your viewing pleasure. :)



So here's the stash in all it's not so organized glory: I sorted them by brand first but here's the whole shebang!

 Then we have all the China Glaze

 Followed by the lovely Zoya

 The nail polish pile of a price I swore I would never pay for a bottle of polish...and a stray bottle of Poshe?

 My beloved Essie collection.

 The "not found in drugstores but maybe sometimes in other lands" pile

 The Diamond Cosmetics pile...oh so small

 The "what I can get at my local drugstores" pile (lots of Orly in there)

The pathetically small OPI collection. (Told you, I am NOT a fan.)

 My Del Sols. I love these...I live where it's more sunny than anything else...except for the odd 10th year or so. These polishes belong here. It's just too bad that so many of them just turn the same shade of purple.

 Ahhhh, Nubar, my loves

 Sweet Color Clubs, such a great formula, such great pigments, so affordable!

 My favorite treatments, base and top coats (the rest were in the drugstore pile)

Then I sorted thru some of the piles, starting with the "I will never pay that much for nail polish" pile

Here are my Lippmann's, but one of them (the one beside the box) isn't really mine. I just took it out of the box to get a bottle shot. That's "Don't Tell Mama" and it belongs to someone else..yeah, you know who you are! The rest, left to right: Hit Me With Your Best Shot (I had to, I am a HUGE Benatar Fan), Wicked Game, Across the Universe (LOVE), Bad Romance (meh)

 My Rescue Beauties. 3 I won, 1 I got in a swap. I'll have a few more soon! Not many though...just um...6 I think?

 Who doesn't love Nfu Oh?

 Models Own...purchased during the 50% off sale. So far, from the ones I've tried, I like them. I think Peacock Green is my favorite. It's the exact color of that 'eye' of the peacock feather. 

 Assorted others that I only have ONE bottle from the makers. I think it's pretty funny that the one color I did bring home from my trip to Seattle last April out of all the polish I bought up there, I brought home the SH LE dupe. I didn't even know it, just really liked it and hadn't worn it yet. :) 

After I pulled out the Models Own, Miss Marion (you've seen that entire collection already) The 3 Misa's I own, the Gosh and the Finger paints, this is what was left. (I thought I took pics of those too, but apparently not.) Many of these were attained through swaps with some really great new friends. I wish I knew where my H&M Bella's Choice went off to...I'm sure it's around here somewhere.

There you have it, my stash. So far. I don't need a Helmer...don't have the space for one. As it is, this is too much for my little home, but I love them and so I let them crowd me a little...for now. But who knows? Maybe there will be an amazing blog sale at some point. I have to say, probably 50% (or more) of these are untried!  Do you see one I should try soon? Which one?

Culling Continues with Corals

These are, according to my notes, the Light Corals. The players are, in order of appearance from left to right: Zoya Calypso, Essie Shindig and Zoya Cassi.

In natural light, no flash pic this time. and below on my nails in the same order, left to right in shade...a little too much shade for Cassi, but still you can see her color.

One more shady pic to try to let Cassi show her shady side...(I really dislike the uneven length of my nails here.)

And below in the sun: Ka-POW says Calypso!

All were 3 coats to this coverage.

The Zoyas were both a bit thin and watery but easy to control while the Essie formula was buttery and it also had a fuller brush.

Zoya Calypso is a very pretty orange/coral base with multi colored shimmer. This one is VERY pretty and I am fond of Orange so it's a favorite. Lizard Rating: Toasty!
Essie Shindig is soooo pretty in the bottle. I love just looking at the bottle and swirling it around. It also has a multi colored shimmer but the base has more pink (truer coral) and not as much shimmer as Calypso. Lizard rating: Balmy
Zoya Cassi is a soft coral with a gold shimmer, nice but it loses to Calypso for me. Lizard rating: Tepid

I think all three are still in my stash, but after taking a second look and doing this comparison, I'm thinking I can let go of Cassi.
What do you think? Which one or two would you keep...or would you keep all three? And if so, why?

Some More Reds compared

These are bit deeper and richer than the last set. I like a true red, and a blue-red sets my heart afire. I find them very hard to resist. Here are a couple of each...(and, Yes I do have the Nubar Reds!)

The contenders:

Essie Fishnet Stockings, Miss Marion Mamey, Essie A-List and OPI Xmas 2009 red with no name. Help is welcome. Natural daylight (but indoors). And below is with flash.

As you can see even with the flash, Essie Fishnet Stockings is the bluest-red and I think I love it. Did I mention it's also a jelly?

In the same order on my nails: Fishnet Stockings, Mamey, A-List and OPI in the shade and below is in sunlight.

HAHAHAH! I just found my notebook and I have ZERO notes on these except what I've already noted above. I checked and they are ALL still in my stash...I guess I love them all and can't let them go. I do love a red jelly. Still, I have to let a couple go...I think it's going to be A-list and the OPI. I love Fishnet Stockings and Miss Marion holds a special place in my heart...

The Lizard Rates these like so:
Fishnet Stockings: Toasty
Mamey: Toasty
A-List: Toasty
OPI: Tepid

Which ones did you like best?

Stay tuned, next up I think will be the corals.

Haul!

I always forget to post up my hauls, but I did take a picture of my winnings from the giveaway that I won from Nail Addicts Anonymous

How fun is that?? Some lemmings fulfilled right here folks: Shower Together and Tree Hugger are now mine, Jade is the New Black, oh yeah. Sno Cone? You betcha! The Essies are all so pretty, I wouldn't have picked them myself, but now that I have them, wow...so pretty! And Awaken? Sweet! Lemon Fizz? Almost a complete set of Up and Away. Mint Mojito is pretty too as are the other two blues from ChG who's names escape as I type this.

I have already swatched a couple of the Essies, so you'll see those in a few posts.

I love Giveaways and I'm currently putting together a rather large one in honor of my 200 follower mark.
I have a question: Any one have an issue with a combined winnings package including new and never used polish as well as one time swatched? (usually just on one nail...I've been swatching and culling to reduce my overgrown stash and my polishes need a happy home.

Let me know your thoughts PLEASE!

VD Fail #2!

Hi there!
As I mentioned in my last post, I spent last night giving myself a new manicure. I used The Manicured Manatee's Tip found HERE (THANK YOU for that one Lady!), and started with my usual base coat (more on that in another post) followed by 2 coats of Diamond Cosmetics Nice 'n Naked, 3 coats of Essie Huckle Buckle, two coats, sort of applied gradiently, of the pretty Borghese Holiday sparkly stuff and a little bit of Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear In the Spotlight on the very tips.

I think the Xtreme wear was overkill, but I was having fun and kind of in a ZONE...does that ever happen to you? You just start trying this and that and your in this space where it's just relaxing and your just painting away and the next thing you know you have the unbelievable 12 or 13 coats of nail polish on your nails!!! ROFL!!! I sit here in amazement just realizing this! That's a zone alrighty!

I give you the results of my relaxing creativity that just seemed to flow out of me and out of all the different bottles and onto my nails. :) And I'll tell ya, the zone flowed so well, that I had to do absolutely NO cleanup. I love the formula of Diamond Cosmetics and Essie. They go where ya tell 'em to and stay there quite nicely. After years of using nothing but drugstore brands this is such a sweet treat!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Polish Porn starts NOW!

Shade, and yes I am showing my rings here on purpose. Both were gifts from my husband. The opal was our first Christmas together, and I think it's so cool that the wedding set design is so similar to the very first ring he ever gave me. :) Close up to show the blingtasmness of this lovely color. I love Huckle Buckle.

See those little holographic strips from In the Spotlight? overkill, but oh well. :)

Have a colorful, sparkly and shiney day!

Valentine's Day Manicure FAIL.

I am jumping on the Valentine's Day Manicure bandwagon. We don't do much for Valentine's Day, the Husband and I...we figure we need to be showing each other romantic thoughts all year long and not just saving it up for one hallmark holiday. :) Though I am not against a little something for the day. So we exchange cards and sweet sentiments and that is enough. Of course, if he wanted to give me a gift, I would certainly accept it! :D

This year though, he is off on a lone motorcycle ride clearing out the cobwebs of his mind while I enjoy some alone time at home - doing my nails, hanging out with my son, relaxing - So we'll share our cards later, when he gets home.

The manicure you see before you is already changed. I did say I was doing my nails while hubby is away! This is Essie Fishnet Stockings - an absolutely gorgeous, sexy, back to the 40's red. I love it. Picked this lovely up along with Berry Hard and a mini ridge filler at Ross a few weeks back. I then ATTEMPED to Konad heart tips using Konad #M73 and China Glaze Good Witch? and that was a horrible fail. So I grabbed a striper brush and did a messy angled line across to try to make it look fun...then used a dotting tool to put some dots on the thumbs...thought about other fingers...actually did a dot or two and decided against more... And so here I give you: Valentine's Day Fail #1!! The ONLY reason this stayed on for a couple days is because I loved the Essie color! Then I noticed some of my dog's hair in the topcoat...stuck in there til I removed the mani...so it had to go.




My dog has the softest fur...it's like cat fur...floaty, soft and gets into EVERYTHING. It's a good thing I love her, because she has such a sheddy attitude! Always making more fur, that one! But I'd rather she make fur than the alternative. :) HEHEHE, if you click on the bottom pic and look really carefully at my middle finger...you'll see that darned hair!

As I said, I've already changed it, and I took my time last night...relaxing and creating something pretty for today...and I just kept going and going and going until I created Fail #2!!! It's sparkly and fun, but a little overdone...however, the point was relaxation and that is what I did...I spent at LEAST 2 hours, just playing with polish and creating the fail...pictures in the next post.

I hope all of my readers enjoy a special moment today, whether you are single or attached, take some time to share some love with someone you care about today/tonight. And think of ways to keep doing that all year long.

Wishing you a colorful, sparkly and shiney day!

Opal tips

Back in the early part of December 2009, I got my first Nfu Oh. I really wanted #51 but it was not available. I searched and searched on Fabulous Street for something that would hold me over. I found it in #49. I love opals, all kinds, and I'm lucky to have a friend who buys rough stone and grinds it into lovely gems for me to buy. :) I shared these pictures with him and he agreed my tips were quite opal like, but of course he wants to see this color over black. I've seen Nfu Oh's over black so many times, I wanted to try something different.

I decided to put it over Essie Waltz, a soft, creamy white. I love Essie's formula, it stays where I put it and has this wonderful flow about it. Waltz was so pretty, so squishy and marshmallow-y after it dried. I almost didn't want to put anything on top of it, but I was on a quest, so I did.

I present to you: Opals on my fingertips. This was truly like having glittering opals to look at all day long..I couldn't keep my eyes off of my fingers.

Blurry shot for flakie wonderment. :)

Has anyone else layers their Nfu Oh's over white? or maybe some other light colors? Point me to your photos!