Sunshine & Smiles - For Kris

I did this manicure in honor of my friend Kris.  She is one of the most uplifting, positive people I've ever met.  And she's extraordinarily funny and always has a way of brightening my day when she comes around.  I always tell her she spreads sunshine wherever she goes, which is what inspired me to do my nails in a bright sunshine yellow, and stamped with some smiley faces from a Bundle Monster plate.  I had quite a time getting these little smilies centered on my nails.  It took me numerous attempts.  Luckily, I was prepared with 3 coats of the yellow so I was able to remove messed up stamps without damaging the base color.

Anyway - here's to Kris, whose friendship I cherish. 

Bullseyes

This is China Glaze IDK stamped with Konad black and a Red Angel plate.  I got tons of compliments on this manicure everywhere I went with it.  The lady at Subway wanted to know all about stamping and luckily there wasn't anyone behind me in line so I was telling her all about it.  It was fun to share my limited knowledge! 

My nails are finally back at a length that doesn't make me cringe with disdain every time I look at my hands.  This length is great for trying stamps that cover the whole nail. 

Sponging & Stamping

Major photo fail.  After I'd removed this mani from my left hand and one finger of my right hand, I realized I'd never taken a picture of it.  Therefore, the only pic I have is the above, which is horrid.  But, you get the idea.  This was 3 different China Glaze colors (I can't remember them all but the turquois color closest to my cuticles is For Audrey.)  The leopard stamp was from a Bundle Monster plate.

Playing with Matte

Just playing with my matte topcoat.  It looks good under direct light but in a normal room it just looks like purple nails.  Might work better with a darker color. 

Broken Heart Valentine's Nails

China Glaze - Fuscia Fanatic

OPI - Panda-Monium Pink

White Konad Polish

Black Nail Art Pen

So, I'd say it's pretty obvious I'm not in a relationship...  if I was I would hope that I wouldn't have nearly this much time to do my nails! LOL  So instead of doing a Valentine's Day mani like everyone else is doing right now, I decided to do an anti-Valentine's mani.

I started by painting all my nails with Fuscia Fanatic, except the ring fingers where I used Panda-Monium Pink.  Then I did the polka dots with the opposite colors.  Then I stamped the heart with Red Angel plate RA120 and Konad white polish, then used the nail art pen to outline and "break" it.

I love these colors together.  And even though it's a broken heart, it's still using a V-Day color scheme, and I do love having pink on my nails. 

I'm still holding out hope for true love, though.  I'm not ready to give up on finding it just yet.  And when I find it, I know my nails will look GORGEOUS!  :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Things That are Easier with Nubbins

OPI - Ink (the dark color)

FingerPaints - Flecked Topcoat

1. Typing
2. Playing piano
3. Texting
4. Putting in contacts
5. Dialing the phone
6. Blending eye makeup
7. Wearing gloves
8. Using the remote control
9. Changing the radio station in my car
10. Buttoning jeans/shirts/coats

Other than these things, I am not of fan of having my nails this short.

But I can type like the wind, and I've been playing piano more in the last week than I have in the last few months.  When my nails are super long I don't like to play, because they get in the way of me playing the right notes, and I've had a nail get caught in between the keys before.  It's just a lot easier to play when my nails are this short.

Besides, I've been asked to play at my friend's wedding in a few months and I need the practice time anyway.  So maybe cutting my nails short was a good thing.  Still, I'd rather have cut them short of my own choice and not becuase one broke.  And even then I would never have cut them this short.

Oh well.  I guess if this nail drama is the worst thing I have to worry about, my life isn't that bad.   Moving on, I promise.  :)





Nail-Tastrophie

Tragedy
When the feeling's gone and you can't go on
It's tragedy

 -- Bee Gees

Waaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!  I don't even know how it happened.  I'm so annoyed!!  Last week when I was wearing the jagged tips mani, I came out of the restroom at work, went back to my desk, and saw that my right index nail was barely hanging on by a tiny little piece.  I don't recall hitting or snagging it on anything, and I didn't even feel it happen.

Of course I didn't have any nail glue so I put two bandaids on it and glued it when I got home.  Then I repainted my nails with two coats of China Glaze Gothic Lolita.  Later that night, I completely forgot about it and opened a soda with that nail.  STUPID MOVE!  It broke again and I was forced to re-glue it.  I just didn't even think about it and my nails are usually really strong and I wouldn't worry about opening a soda.  I'm so mad at myself!

Anyway, the next morning, it ripped off at the tip when I got to work and took the top layer of my nail halfway down.  OUCH!! 

I couldn't stand to look at it all day so I put another bandaid on it and then hacked the rest of them off the minute I got home.  If it had been a thumb or a pinky, I might have left the rest of the nails long, but it just felt so weird to have my index finger SO short and the rest of my nails so long.  I was having trouble typing! 

So, I'm down to nubbins. I absolutely hate my nails this short and I can't wait till they grow out some.  The broken one is going to take a while to regrow because the top layer of the tip is completely ripped off and is now super flimsy and flexible.  Here's hoping it will grow fast!