Stripe You Later Nails Did

So I have this wedding shower to go to tomorrow so I had an excuse to redo my nails today!

I saw a colour sample on Pinterest (so addicted) and thought I'd go for it. I'm taking a different approach to posting and thinking of revamping the blog in a big style way so let me know if you like it!

I have some french tip guides on order from Ebay but I really wanted to do some simple striping and I just couldn't be patient. For this mani I used OPI San Tan.Tonio, Misa Dirty Sexy Money, and China Glaze Lemon Fizz.

So to start off I put on the OPI and then a coat of Sally Hansen Mega Shine (like Seche but CHEAPER!), then waited...and waited....and got impatient...then had to redo my thumb...and waited... till finally it was really really dry. Then I took my pre-cut strips of tape and stuck them a couple of times to my hand first so it wouldn't be too sticky, then applied them to the middle of my nails.

I put the China Glaze and Misa on at the same time so that while they were still wet and using the tweezers, I could pull off the tape really really fast. Et voila! Stripy nails!

I think next time I'll put the lightest colour as the base since I noticed that its hard to get it even (and really it would need a couple of coats to turn out best) when you have to rip the tape before the colour dries. Live and learn :)

*Niki

Funny Girl Nails Did

It's funny how you never know how much you miss something until you finally get a chance to do it again! Man I've missed you polish blog! Life has been INSANE. And not  all the good insane unfortunately. But I have a very very low key wedding tomorrow so I needed to take the opportunity to finally polish my nails!

I looked to one of my favorite Momiji Dolls named Funny Girl to my inspiration.

As a base I layered China Glaze White on White with OPI Fit for a Queensland. Then used nail art pens to freehand on the circles.

I know its simple but I can't go too big for my first day back!

I hope everyone has been enjoying their summer so far and see you all soon!

Guest Mani's by Shelby

I'd like to introduce you to a guest artist Shelby who does some fabulous nails! I'd like to say that I inspired her but she is brilliant all on her own - and only 13! Check out her awesome designs below.

 

Futuristic Stripe with Rhinestones

 

Tropical Sunset

  

Easter Nails

  

St. Patty's Day Nails

  

 Stripe it Up

 

 Two-Faced

  

 Glamour Toes

  

 Flare

  

 Fishnet (Shelby's signature style)

These are my favourite! So awesome!

  

Odd One Out

Niki*

Kurosuke Soot Nails Did

Who doesn't love the Kurosuke Soot Balls from Totoro and Spirited Away? THEY'RE SO CUTE!

I recently re-watched some of Miyazaki's films and was kinda of mad at myself for not ever doing homage to his characters in nail art form! So basically look for more of these designs to come LOL. One of my favorite characters from Studio Ghibli are the Soot - I even have a plush one that rattles when you pull a string!

So for the base I used China Glaze Recycle, then for the black balls - Orly Matte Vinyl. To get the "fuzzy" edges I used a fan brush and dipped it in polish to sweep on the polish. For the white eyes I used a nail art pen.

Madame Butterfly Wedding Nails Did

So I have a wedding to go to tomorrow - the first of 8 this year! WHOOO?! My dress is this kind of olive colour that I bought from Dress Barn (most unsexy store name EVER). But it looks really good on me! So I wanted to do something green and reflective and I thought of butterflies! 

So to begin with, using a sponge, I did a gradient of Nubar Wildlife, Gosh Golden Dragon, China Glaze 2030, and China Glaze OMG. Then using a black nail art pen I filled in the black, dotted with a white, gold and light green nail art pens and topped it with Sally Hansen Disco Ball (really sparkly rainbow glitter).

Top: with flash to capture some of the holo. Bottom: trying to capture the sparkle

 

My pictures sadly don't do it justice and IRL it looks crazy holo + sparkly. I think it would also look ten times better if only my nails were longer but every time I try to grow them even a little bit they automatically break :( I think I have to start investing in some sort of strengthening serum.

Film Buff Nails Did

I broke my thumbnail this morning and in a calculated effort to not rip off the rest of my nails so that they're even, I decided to polish them! Besides its been a while right?

For the base I used China Glaze For Audrey (haven't worn this in literally a year) then used a combo of white and black nail art pens, CG White on White and Liquid Leather for the film reel.

Gettin' ready for the Oscar's on Sunday. I'd be excited if it was anyone but Billy Crystal hosting - seriously...he's still alive?

Little Things That Make You Feel Beautiful - Guest Post

Jackie contacted me and asked if I would be willing to have her guest blog on Polish, and I was delighted! Please read the below - and remember that regardless of what illness you have, you are a beautiful woman (or man) and nothing can rob you fully of that. N*

Little Things That Make You Feel Beautiful

By: Jackie Clark

Women have a keen understanding of how important the little things are. Cute underwear, a pair of jeans that fit just right, a new hairstyle—details like these are small ways that we boost our confidence and remind ourselves that we are women and we are beautiful; but there come times when life slaps us with something unanticipated—mesothelioma from years of asbestos exposure or some unlucky genetic twist of fate that finds us standing at a loss in front of a doctor discussing treatment options and a prognosis for surviving cancer.

It’s easy, in times like these, to feel like those little things are petty in light of life and death, but the truth is that it’s in those moments that the little things mean even more. A beautiful headscarf, a dash of red lipstick, a pair of dangling earrings—these are ways to remind ourselves and everyone else that we are women, we are beautiful, and we are not our cancer.

When you’re going through treatment there for cancer, it's easy to be discouraged because there are a lot of things you enjoy doing that you just can’t do. Food loses its flavor, you lose your energy and your hair, and you’re sometimes bound to your bed. It's true, cancer might change the way you look and feel for a time, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find ways to feel beautiful in your own skin. In fact it's more important now than ever!

One wonderful way to bond with your friends, relax, and feel pretty is to have yourself a little stay at home/hospital spa night. A gentle hand massage and a mani/pedi can do wonders for a girl’s heart and getting your nails done with a girlfriend is a fun, normal thing you can enjoy in the midst of the upside down world that cancer has made of your life. 

 There is nothing more feminine and lovely than a perfect French manicure or a bold set of bright red nails and it's a perfect activity for when you're sick-- it doesn’t require much energy on your part, doesn’t interfere with your treatment program and you can choose from a variety of fun colors, patterns and artsy details.

 

Cancer can rob you of a great many things—but not every thing. No matter your situation or your prognosis, there are simple ways to remind yourself of the reality that you are a beautiful, strong woman and you deserve to feel like one! The little things matter, nail polish matters. So get yourself some polish and flaunt those sexy hands!

A Whole Lot of Bento

I've been so slacking with my bento posts so I figured that I'd do one big post with all the pictures! I won't explain each one but just know its all made out of food. lol 

Fly like Paper Planes Nails Did

Oh man, I did these a bit ago I've just had NO time to post them till now. I found some inspiration on the web for these admittedly - since my idea machine is working on fumes lately because Kai REFUSES TO SLEEP!!! I also regretfully cant remember where I got the inspiration from to link them properly - so if you know it, let me know and I will!!!

I used China Glaze Solar Power as the base, White on White and Recycle for the plane and black nail art pens for the plane path.

I think its super cute!

Crabby Bento

So I've been looking at getting a sausage cutter until I thought "hey I an do that with a knife!". Well the answer to that is: you could, but it may look like ass. Well, I give you my ass-crab lol. Nah it's ok.

Bottom tier is a turkey dog crab on pasta with broccoli beside a bed of plain and blue tinted barley. He fishes are made out of cheese!

Top tier is a fruit medley next to cheese and jam sandwiches (which were apparently a hit!). Ben is getting quite fancy with his fruit presentation!

Night Garden Bento

Aren't peas fun!? Yea not really, but Kai loves em so we try to use them as much as we can!

So on the bottom tier we have pea flowers on a ground of pasta and a barley sky with a cheese moon. There is also a cheese bunny resting on a breaded chicken rock.

Top tier is fruit and cheese and jam sandwiches (which is an experiment by Ben. Not sure how those are gonna taste :/ )

Super Bowl bento

Whoo! Giants win the Super Bowl! And thank God, cause if not I'm sure Ben would have pitched a fit!

So to commemorate their win we did a Super Bowl bento!

The bottom tier is green tinted barley with mushroom soup, edamame bean players, cheese lines and logos and ground beef as the crowds!

Top tier is a strawberry and blueberry mix (Giants colours!), and foot ball cheese and chicken (ahem, left over chicken wing meat lol) sandwiches.

Football Family!

Did you guys watch the game?

Gold Wave Nails Did

I challenged myself to do a 15 minute manicure while I was still the only one in the office early this morning. I originally want do some sort of ornate dotting and swirling pattern then I realized it was 8am and I just wasn't going to get that to happen lol.

So I ended up thinking of the people on my 2nd floor at work, the good old people in radio! So in tribute to them who were all probably working as early as I was I did a take on the radio wavelength.

I used China Glaze 2030 as a base and then simply lined in some waves with a nail art pen in black! Simple, quick, modern, and I like it.

Chevron Nails Did

Well I set out to do a military kind of theme and then somewhere in the design things started to go wrong. And then I kinda just went with it. It actually looked much better than it managed to photograph...

Maybe I have to get some khaki polishes for actual military inspiration! lol.

I used Nubar Forest with a layer of Nubar Wildlife as the base, then used painters tape to block out some triangles and then used China Glaze 2030 to fill it in. Lastly to cover the edges I used a black nail art pen swiper.

Meh...its okay.

Not gonna lie, the other night was a laaazy night. I made some healthy shepards pie with mashed cauliflower and decided to just use that. But I spruced it up with spelling Kai's name in peas right? RIGHT?

 Next to that we have some edamame with carrots and little sesame seeds. Top tier is pineapple and kiwi with cheese and chicken melt sandwiches.

What Came First bento

We have to use up our quail eggs and left over chicken so we decided to do a chicken theme!

Bottom tier has a layer of orzo pasta with tomatoes, mushrooms, broccoli, and cheese. Then we hard boiled our last quail eggs and put carrot feet and noses and nori accents. The one yellow quail egg we stripped to just the yolk. The other chickens (and rooster) are cut out of pounded chicken breast and have carrot beaks and wings. 

Top tier is a fruit mix and tiny sandwiches of cheese and salmon cream cheese!

Seriously Kai gets more for lunch than I do.