ABC Challenge 'S & R' - The Red Angels are Sew Psyched

Hi all!

NOT DEAD! How about that? Sorry for my super extended absence, between work and getting everything done for graduation in two weeks plus my own personal down-time, it's been harder to get a post up. The biggest reason for my absence though? The sad sad state of my nails :'(. They've been peeling so badly recently and just brittle and dry that they're pretty nubtastic at the moment.

However, since I don't want to just disappear from the challenge altogether, I have a half-assed attempt to cram two challenges in one post! My base color is Essie Sew Psyched (for the S day) and I did a little accent stamp from RA-107 (for R day). I also stamped with Essie Good as Gold.

If the tips look weird its because I wore this for almost 5 days (!!) before taking the pictures and I had to retouch the tips a bit. Still, 5 days with barely any tip wear is pretty fantastic if you ask me! I never knew how to appreciate a long lasting mani until now.

Have a great day and (SPOILER ALERT) I'm actually wearing my 'T' mani as I type so be on the lookout for that post soon! (Could it be? Two posts in a week? EGADS).

Thank you for reading!

ABC Challenge 'P' & 'Q' - Pueen Q=17

Hi all!

So, since I missed two challenge posts in my absence, I decided to mash 'em up into one! I've known what I wanted to do for the 'P' challenge for a while but 'Q' was impossible, so I slightly cheated. I knew I wanted to use one of my new Pueen plates so I counted which letter Q was in the alphabet and decided I'd use that number plate. Luckily, the plate had a quilt-like image so it all worked out!

Started with two coats of OPI Russian Navy Suede (got really lucky at a beauty supply store recently and found 3 of the OPI Suedes!) then stamped my pointer and ring finger with PUEEN-17 and Essie No Place Like Chrome.

Tried going for a half-moon look with the stamp since the bottom edges on this plate are all half-moons. Not sure why, full review on the plates to come. I swear I did not like Russian Navy Suede until that macro. Just look at that depth and it's only one coat!! Only thing I'll say is that I didn't love the formula. Got thick fast and if you brushed one certain spot one time too many, it would pull the previous polish clean off, as seen on my ring finger macro.


See you soon for day R of the ABC Challenge! :)

ABC Challenge 'O' - OPI Gradient!

Hi all!

Getting the hang of this schedule.... I think. Not really.

Anyway, for about two weeks now I've been staring at three polishes on my table determined to do a gradient with them but I kept putting it off because I just didn't have time or was too tired. Imagine my joy when I sat down all determined to gradient it up and realized HOLY CRAP, this totally fit this week's ABC challenge prompt! That just gave me the boost I needed to get it done and I love the results!

All 3 polishes are from OPI, You're Such a Buda-pest, Can't Find My Czechbook and Eurso Euro.

My original intention was  to stamp over the gradient but I wanted to wear it on its own first. I wore it as is for maybe two or three days (because I was too lazy to stamp and afraid I'd ruin it) and then I had a bad-ish nail break on my middle nail so I had to remove it :'(. It was pretty while it lasted!

Have a great weekend loves! I heart you all for your comments, I really, really do.

ABC Challenge 'N' - Nails Inc. Sweets Way

Hi all!

Still being a pretty terrible blogger/nail enthusiast but I did manage to find a super old post that coincided with this week's challenge so here it is!

This mani was done in a rush for my neighbor's baby shower and while I truly enjoy the braided nails look, for the love of polish, don't ever use a sheer base glitter polish for the braid. This mani would have been so much better if I would have just used a solid white as an accent nail. Oh well.

Two coats of Nails Inc. Sweets Way, Essie Bikini So Teeny and Bettina Cotton Candy.

Thank you all for still being here despite my slightly irregular/sparse posting and I will answer all your comments soon, it annoys me to no end to have unanswered comments! I'm actually  pre-scheduling this and I'm nodding off as I type so I'm off to bed and feeling productive :D

Have a great day!

ABC Challenge 'M' - Catrice Mint Me Up

Hi all!

Thank you all for your well wishes on my previous post about the new job! I've been working since Monday and it's good so far but getting used to the schedule is killing me. Its definitely an adjustment and I'm working on finding a new rhythm for blogging and doing my nails that doesn't exhaust me too much so posts might be random for a bit but I promise I'll be back to full force soon!

Today I have my first Catrice polish on the blog! I have four of these beauties to show you soon but I couldn't wait to wear this one in particular and, fortuitously, it was also great for a challenge post! This baby is Catrice Mint Me Up and it's like Butter London Two Fingered Salute's long lost sister. Very similar base color (from what I can tell in pictures) and coppery flecks but this has the added golden shimmer. The effect is very subtle and from afar it looks like a dusty minty green with pretty shimmer but I know it's more special than that :D. Many many thanks to Deborah from Love, Varnish for making me need these and then actually helping me get them!! <3

This was just ONE coat! I should have done two since I see the ridges on my nails a bit but time is SO sparse lately that one coat is really all I could do and coverage was fantastic at just one.

Doing this post made me realize I missed blogging more than I thought so I'm going to take another moment to thank you all for reading my blabbering, it really does make me happy to see all your comments (which I'll respond to soon).

Have a great day loves!