Wrap Up Your Christmas

Merry Christmas!!! So typical of me, that I get to do my first proper Christmas manicure on the Christmas day... But I did it!!

This wrapping paper design isn't mine. I saw it in a blog a few days ago, and I have a vague memory about the blogger writing she saw the design on Pinterest. Anyhow, I'm loving it!
Edit: I think the blog was the always inspiring Smashley Sparkles, and the design there is her own. And I'm loving it, too!

The base is China Glaze Ruby Pumps (which I wore on its own on the Christmas eve). The gift wrap designs are all from BM322, stamped with Konad black special polish. The bows from m59 were stamped with Barry M gold foil, and the ribbons hand painted with the same polish.

I'm hoping you are all still at peace with both your family and your stomach on the second day of the festivities. I surely am! We've had a wonderful weather here (ooo I had some hard times trying to take these pics in the evening sun..), and the dinner we cooked together with my hubby was just perfect. After all the Christmas delices, we're going to dine in the Chinese restaurant today...

PS. What can you give to a girl with more than 200 bottles of nail polish? More nail polish!!!!! Thank you, J&J!!! <3

Finished products - November

A bit late it comes, but here's the first "finished products" post of my quest for less clutter in my bathroom. (see the original post here) I'm feeling it for you, if you aren't too keen on these cosmetics posts. I promise to post nails soon... very soon.

In November I finished two products. That's not much, but that's something, eh? One of the products was a conditioner from TiGi. Gorgeous scent and did its job just fine. What more can you ask for?

The other one was a body moisturizer from Joik, an Estonian company. I liked it, but it smelled so strongly of my good friend T - coconut, fruit, vanilla - that I felt really odd wearing it. Plus it  went really runny by time.

Ok, ok... I give up... Here's some nails to you all  - just to wish you a happy Christmas season with your loved ones wherever you are. Oh, and the green blurp is supposed to be a Christmas tree...

D – Dorian Gray

The D-polish comes from one of my favourite brands, A England.

A England Dorian Gray was one of the two polishes I simply needed to have from the Gothic Beauties collection. This one I picked up for the unique colour, but the other one was a must have for it's name - Jane Eyre. Ok, I like the polish, too, but the book Jane Eyre means a lot to me. I'll tell you more some other time (like when presenting the polish, for example), but now I just have to blurt out how the book with al its levels and nuances has influenced my view on the world more than probably any other cultural object. Go read it, if you haven't already!

But let's get to todays polish, shall we? Dorian Gray is a beautiful, shimmery pewter gray on its own. It applied like a dream and was almost a one coater.

I added some sponging to the tips with Essence Nail Art toppers in You're a Gold Mine and Mystic Mermaid.

Lastly, I did some stamping with Barry M Gold foil effect and Essence Nail Art Twins Romeo, using the BM plate 314.

I really like the combination of pewter and gold here. And I regret not using my regular silver staming polish, Gosh silver, instead of Romeo. I'd love to see more of that silver stamping.

C - Colorblind

This third post in the ABC-series is dedicated to Dandy Nails, and Sandy's great creation Colorblind.

I began with two coats of Nicole by OPI Celebration in Red - a great festive colour.

Speaking of coats with these kinds of glitters is a bit evasive, so let's say I added a generous dabbing of Dandy Nails Colorblind.

 I loved the result so much, that I wanted it to last for days...

 ...so of course I had to try it sandwiched with one thin coat of Flormar U14.

And then I had to try matifying it...

And then I had to try a black/clear water marble on the ring finger...

And then, having at least 7 coats of polish on my nails, I had to reach for the remover. End of story.

PS: I've added a new board to my Pinterest. I hope you'll enjoy my pins!!

B – Be Brave!

This manicure – the day 2 of the ABC challenge – was the first time I tried the DIY glue peel off base coat for glitter manicures. I brushed on one coat of glue (Scotch Hobby- och skollim), let it dry and then proceeded to polish.

I'm wearing one coat of Manhattan lotus effect 61V, with four coats (!) of Orly Be Brave! Stamping was made with Konad black and BM plate 322.

 This mani really, I mean REALLY sparkled IRL. Here's an unfocused pic to show you all the holo goodness. Sorry for any nausea this might cause..

 Removing the glue basecoat by peeling was easy with this mani, but my later experiments were al disastrous. As you might know, I'm sporting gel nails, and it's extremely difficult to peel only the glue, not the gel. Ouch. But I'm going to make it work one day, and reveal you the trick when I find it.

There might be people, who would call this manicure names, and those names would not be "classy", "stylish", "adult" or "work appropriate". 

I'd say to those people: "Be Brave!!". Obviously I don't want anyone to go running around insulting other people on purpose, wearing the wrong nail polish in the wrong funeral, or ignoring other people's values. But in most cases nails polish is just nail polish. Believe me, I've gotten my share of odd looks, like when I wore neon pink nails with black zebra print and glitter to an important work meeting. But neither the polish I wore nor the looks made me anything I wasn't before. So be brave, girls and boys, and wear whatever you want!