NOTD for 11/30/2014: Alchemy Lacquers Allspice

Sunshine has been so scarce here lately, so I had to rush to try to get photos when the sun finally decided to peek through the clouds today.  This beauty is Alchemy Lacquers Allspice.  Oh. My. Gosh!!  I just got this in the mail on Friday, and I just had to put it on.  We've already had snow here three times, and I'm fighting against winter tooth and nail.  For me, this is a perfect fall polish.

Two coats with topcoat

AIS - Adventures in Stamping November 2nd Challenge

ADVENTURES IN STAMPING - WILDLIFE NAILS

NOVEMBER 9, 2014

Another stamping challenge from the AIS group.  I have a Cheeky plate I've been wanting to play with, and this week was perfect!  I took some liberty with the colors underneath the animal print because I've been wanting to use the collection, but who needs realistic?

AIS - Adventures in Stamping November 2nd Challenge

ADVENTURES IN STAMPING - GOLD & WHITE

NOVEMBER 2, 2014

Hi everyone!  So as I commented a bit in my last post, I have some major, major virus/malware that got on my system, and I am more than a little pissed about it.  I am religious in taking care of my laptop, and in 5 years I've had it, I have never had a problem.  The ONE time I get on the wifi at school because my USB wasn't picking up a signal, and this bug wormed its way into my system, passed Norton, Windows Security, and undetectable by MalwareBytes.

Anyway, I have a quickie post.  Adventures in Stamping is a group I am in on Facebook, and it's all about...wait for it...stamping.  First off, I am not good at it.  Nope, no, not at all.  But I am working on it.  Every week there is a vote for the Sunday challenge, and this Sunday, November 2nd, was white and gold. 

Crumpet's 52 week challenge - Week #5

Week #5 - 80's and/or 3 dark colors

I'm back with a short post.  This past week has been just awful, and I barely have time to breathe, let alone do a manicure.  I somehow managed to get this done before 8pm, which meant something last week, but not this week.  More on that in a minute.

I decided to do the 80's portion this time.  I like to combine the prompts, but there is no way dark colors and 80's can be said in the same sentence.

TNCC - October 2014 Stripes #3

Time for another challenge mani for October...this is my 3rd striped mani for the month, and I'm not so sure I like it.  It's probably because I liked the base of this so much, I hated covering it up.

Crumpet's 52 week challenge - Week #4

Week #4 - 70's and/or grey + color

I'm back, and this is a week I've been dreading.  I didn't want to do the grey & color theme, because that would be easy.  I decided at the beginning that I was going to do the 70's, but how do I do it without it looking like...the 70's?  Avocado green, mustard yellow, rust, shag carpet...if you were alive and cognizant in that decade, you know what I'm talking about.

I ended up searching for some images, and came across 3 that I incorporated into this week's challenge, and I gotta say, I'm pleasantly surprised.  This works as an OK fall mani.  Yay me!

TNCC - October 2014 Stripes #2

I've got another Nail Challenge Collaborative post for the October 2014 theme of Stripes.  I went monochromatic this week, and I think it looks pretty cool.

Crumpet's 52 week challenge - Week #3

Week #3:  60's and/or Matte or Texture finish

We're up to week #3 already...actually we are close to week 4, but I'm posting this right under the wire.  I have one more final tomorrow, and then I have some breathing room for a couple of weeks.  So this one is another quickie post.  

TNCC - October 2014 Stripes #1

Back with another challenge mani, this time for The Nail Challenge Collaborative.  Every month a new theme is voted on, and October is stripes.  I've had this one on for a few days, because there has been no sunshine here for about a week.  This is day 6...it's been touched up though, so don't think it looks like this after almost a whole week.

Crumpet's 52 week challenge - Week #2

Week #2:  Gradient and/or Pink

Week #2 - here we are.  And I'm caught up.  Yes, I was behind already...don't judge me.

This is going to be another quickie post, so shall we?

Crumpet's 52 week challenge - Kick Off week #1

Week #1:  Gradient and/or Teal

Here we are again...hello everyone!  Long time no blog.  Things have been a little spastic this year, and I stepped away from blogging to try to get some things finished before I graduate and move on to the second and last career of my life.  I'm not exactly finished, but I'm close; and I miss blogging. 

So to start back up, I've joined in a couple of weekly challenges, the first of which is this baby right here. 

It's 52 weeks long, and it's gonna be fun.  It's got some flexibility built into it, which will let me take it easy on the weeks I need to.  Let's get to it, shall we?

Polish Addict toppers and final GIVEAWAY!! reminder

Whew!  The last post!  Seriously, how do you ladies who review do this?

So here it is, the last post for the prize package I contributed to the giveaway at Over The Top Coat.  Head over and enter - you've only got a couple more days before it's all over!!

I decided to do these last two polishes in one post, since it would be easier and we are so close to the giveaway being over.  So read on for Polish Addict Holo Top Coat and Polish Addict 80's Baby.

Polish Addict Neon Moon and GIVEAWAY!! reminder

Here it is folks - the last of the colors in the prize pack I contributed to the giveaway going on at Over The Top Coat.  Giveaway ends on July 29th, so you still have a bit of time to enter.  Hurry over and get in on the fun!

I have a sneaking suspicion that this one may be the favorite color of the ones I've shown.  It is a deep blue jelly, with a generous amount of micro glitter that flashes oh so brightly when this baby is top coated...I give you Polish Addict Neon Moon.

Polish Addict Bikini Bottom and GIVEAWAY!! reminder

I've got another polish for you today...Polish Addict Bikini Bottom.  I love the name of  this one!  This is part of the prize pack I donated in the big giveaway that Natalie has got going on at Over The Top Coat.   There's still plenty of time, so head on over and enter!!

Sunshine was abundant today in Chicago, and what better than to wear a nice bright yellow?

Polish Addict Sea Witch and GIVEAWAY!! reminder

I'm back again, and this time with polish #4.  Over The Top Coat is having a giveaway that I'm participating in, which is why I'm showing these polishes on my blog.  I almost wish that I could enter...there are some nice prizes to be had!

Today's polish is Polish Addict Sea Witch, from the summer NEON collection.  A red-leaning purple jelly, with some sparkly glitter.  Very pretty!

Polish Addict Caution and GIVEAWAY!! reminder

Time for another polish in the prize I contributed to the giveaway going on at Over The Top Coat.  If you haven't entered yet, go!  Hurry up!  There are a lot of prizes up for grabs.

Polish #3 of the group is probably my FAVORITE!  I wanted to show this one last, but I've been wearing it the past couple of days and figured I may as well post some photos.  This is Polish Addict Caution, and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!

Polish Addict Barbie Code and GIVEAWAY!! reminder

Hi all!  I'm back with another polish that is part of my prize package in the awesome giveaway going on at Over The Top Coat.  Go check it out and enter, and while you're there be sure to wish her happy Birthday and blogiversary too!

Polish #2 of the 8 in my prize pack is Polish Addict Barbie Code. Hot Pink. Neon. Glitter.  Yep, I'm loving this one, so let's take a peek...

Polish Addict Lime Light and GIVEAWAY!! info

Hello all!  So the toes are dipping back in to the pool, so to speak, but it is only going to be the kiddie pool for a while.  I didn't forget the time that goes into blogging on a regular basis, and that kind of time?  I ain't got.  So posting won't be regular like clockwork, but I'm not planning on disappearing for a couple months again either.

A fellow blogger and friend, Natalie from Over the Top Coat, is having her 2 year Birthdanniversary on her blog (blogiversary and birthday combo), and I decided to contribute this year.  It gives you guys a chance to win a great prize (yes, I am biased), and me a chance to get back into the swing of blogging again.  It just went live today, so you've got plenty of time to get in on it!  It runs from today, July 14 to July 29.  To enter and see the details, just head on over <<here>>.

Lots of pics, so let's get to it!

Back to blogging!

I hear a lot of crickets chirping out there...hello?  <<hello.>>  <<<<hello!>>>>


Work is DONE!  I'm taking the rest of the year off to put in the final kick to finish and get my degree in December.  It was a mistake to go back to work; well, at least for as long as I ended up staying.  All the reasons why I left in the first place kind of came roaring back to me, and I realized that the job and career that I once had is really - no doubt about it! - over. 


It's been a long time, and I am dumping a whole buttload of knowledge from that life.  I'm sad, scared, nervous, worried, motivated, excited, and so many more emotions right now...really none of which I'm concerned about.  The one emotion I'm working for - and it's been more than a little elusive - is confident.  But the classes I've got lined up for this final sprint should bring that one out of hiding.


Anyway...I will be dipping my toes back into blogging, starting tomorrow.  I've decided to be a part of a giveaway a buddy is having, and it is going live tomorrow.  So, I'll be announcing it here on my blog, and will be putting up some posts showing the polishes that will be my part of the prize goodies.  And don't worry - I am NOT using the polishes I am giving away for my swatching.  I already had them in my stash.  I liked them so much, I decided that they would be a great prize for the giveaway.


So...same time tomorrow?  See you then!!


Liz

Spring Cleaning time!

It's been a long time since I've been here...that saying "time flies when you're having fun" is true, but it also flies when you're busy as hell and are miserable.  But spring brings me a sense of renewal and some much lacking ambition to get back to doing thing that are fun and I enjoy.


My "temporary" job that I though would only last a couple of months back in January has finally got an end date - 1st week of July.  Still a bit of a tunnel, but I can see the light and it is OH SO GORGEOUS!! 


So folks - whoever is still around - I will be cleaning out the cobwebs and dusting off the polish bottles and just waking this sucker back up from it's very long hiatus.  My nails are almost recovered from this harsh winter that is STILL trying to linger here in Illinois, and I've just got to let them grow out a little bit.


See you all soon!
Liz

Paint It Blue: April Autism Awareness #1

April is Autism Awareness month, and I'm joining in by doing some blue manicures.  My first one is simple, but it is such a pretty blue glitter polish...I love it!

GOT Polish for 4/3/2014: Pastel

Whew!  Getting my GOT Polish challenge post up in time.  It really feels good to get a couple of blog posts up, but they will be pretty sparse with school and all.

This week is pastel, and I've had these Hard Candy polishes for...I really have no idea how long.  I know I picked them up last year, but whether or not they actually fall into the specific 1+ year old category for this challenge is beyond me.  I'm gonna plead ignorance on this one, OK?

NOTD for 3/26/2014: Creations by Lynda Chantelle's Rainbow

**Thunk, thunk, thunk**  Is anyone still there?  I know my blogging has gotten wildly sporadic lately, but I am hoping that I will be back to some kind of regularity.  I've started working again - part time (yea, right) - and I have just let my schedule completely fall apart.  School is eating up all my off time, and everything else is just getting squeezed in haphazardly, or worse, not at all.  It's obviously not working.

I have made up a list for myself on a daily basis.  I'm only going 2 days out, because really I can't plan on things going well enough to go much further than that.  I'm counting on it to keep me focused on what I need to get done, and then the extra stuff can just shuffle in when it can fit. Only a few things are getting hard scheduled time, and blogging is one of them.  **crossing my fingers**

So, enough of my boring life, and on to some polish, yes?  I saw this polish in my newsfeed on Facebook, and I am a sucker for candy colored glitter.  Add to that it is a fundraiser polish, and I jumped on and bought a bottle.

Creations by Lynda Chantelle's Rainbow

GOT Polish for 2/27/2014: Orange

It's Thursday again, time for the GOT Polish challenge.  It feels good to start getting back into some easy-going challenges, although fighting to get motivation sometimes is a little tough, since winter just does not want to leave the Chicago area.



This week is orange, and it's a tough one.  I don't have many orange polishes at all, and I have almost none that are over a year old.  So pickings for this week were very slim.  I'm toeing the line here with the color choice, but it's the only color I have that I was willing to wear out of the house right now.  It's a fiery orange...like a dark fire opal, or an orange-y tomato red.  And just FYI, my camera was NOT happy with this polish.  I did the best I could to get the color correct, so my skin tone may look a little weird.

NOTD for Tuesday 2/25/2014: Orly Androgynie

Going from bright and sunny yesterday to dark and sparkly today.  Like day to night...  This is an Orly polish that I really like, but I am a *little* disappointed with it.  All the gorgeous glitter you see in the bottle does not look the same on the nail.  That black jelly base swallows up a lot of it, but there is shine that still pokes through on your fingers.  I just wish there was more:

NOTD for Monday 2/24/2014: Sinful Colors Orange Crush

I have a pretty orange polish for today - a little bottle of much needed sunshine.  Anyone that knows me knows that I ABSOLUTELY! LOVE!!! texture polishes.  When these first came out from Sinful Colors, I hunted for them forever, only to find out that they were exclusive to Rite Aid. UGH!!!  There are no Rite Aids anywhere near me, but thankfully my friend Dionne @ Glittery Fingers and Sparkling Toes came to my rescue and picked up the whole set for me.

NOTD: Sunday, February 23, 2014 Polish Addict Banana Colada

Happy sunny Sunday!  Temps here are still well below average for this time of year, but I'll take the sunshine!  Just wanted to share my mani for today...I recently got my mystery box order from Polish Addict Nail Color, and this is one of the colors:

Spotlight Saturday for 2/22/2014: Shimmer Jasmine

Polish won in a giveaway.

It's Saturday!!

For today, and in the upcoming days, I will have some Shimmer polishes to show you.  During the first tsunami of the Share The Love movement, I somehow won some polish.  I think it was a random draw of names from all the new likes on the page...but regardless of how it happened, I am completely THRILLED that it did!  I had to wait to wear this, only because my fingers have been so brutalized by the winter this year, they haven't really been presentable.  They still aren't great, but they are better than they have been in weeks, so I think I may be back to blogging a little more regularly.  For today, I picked Jasmine - an aqua, green and gold glitter.  So pretty, and worked really well with the green I wore and posted yesterday.

Front & Center Friday for 2/21/2014: L'Oreal Mint Glacee

Hello everyone!  Blogging has been sporadic lately...I need to work on that.  This endless winter has taken its toll on my hands.  They are raw and painful, and my nails just refuse to grow.  I've finally got some healthy nail edges, but they are still a little short for me, but not so painfully short as they have been for the last couple of weeks.  I feel comfortable showing them off here finally.  But enough of that...on to the polish, shall we?

I'm not in the mood for pastels just yet, but I'm wearing this color for my Spotlight Saturday glitter. I was expecting this polish to be a problem, but I was pretty pleasantly surprised.  It is a pretty, soft minty, sort of pistachio, green from L'Oreal:

GOT Polish for 2/6/2014 - Green!

It's another GOT Polish challenge, and I've got a couple of beauties this week.  Just doing a quick browsing on the internet, reviews for both of these popped up in 2009-2010.  I had done a trellis type of design over my ring finger, but I just couldn't cover up this beautiful green holo...

Spotlight Saturday for 2/8/2014: Piggy Polish glitter

It's the weekend!!!  For my Spotlight Saturday, I'm going to keep the post pretty quick again.

I jazzed up my pale Friday polish, and I have to say that I like this soooo much better now.  I was not really happy with that base color on it's own, but this?  DEFINITE YES!

I would love to tell you the name of the polish I used, but there is no tag on the bottle, and after searching for a bit on the internet, I did not find a photo of this particular glitter combo.  It's a shame, because it really is a nice polish...

Front & Center Friday for 2/7/2014: Color Club Sugar Rays

Oh my gosh!  I think I'm FINALLY getting back on track here.  I've got a quick Front and Center Friday here today...

Mish Mash Challenge #27: Green, and YES, I am late AGAIN!

This was supposed to be a Wednesday post.  Yea.

This weeks' theme is:  Green.  Pretty simple, but I really do like the way this came out!  Except for my finger nails.  It is making me very unmotivated to polish.  I have had the worst luck with trying to keep everything hydrated...my nails, my hands, my skin, and me.  It is so freaking dry, cold, snowy.  Yes, I know it's winter, but we haven't had a winter like this in a very very long time.

Spotlight Saturday 1/25/14: Sally Hansen Big Money

Spotlight Saturday!!

I'm almost caught up - yay!  This is a little different than my usual Saturday glitter polish post.  I usually pick a glitter that needs to have undies with less than 3 coats, but this one today?  Full coverage at 1 coat.  I was surprised and a little shocked.  It was like a deer in headlights...once I did one nail, I wasn't sure what to do.  I wasn't prepared for that, and it was kind of funny that I just froze. So I decided on a small heart on a couple of nails...whew, crisis averted. If only all my problems were this easy to fix!

Front & Center Friday for 1/24/14: Orly You're Blushing

Front and Center Friday...Sunday edition.

I am hesitant to make any blog posts, because my poor hands have been so beaten up these last 3 weeks, they look awful to me.  Today is no different...they are so windburned they hurt.  Shoveling...I hate shoveling.  Especially on a really windy day.  My gloves are pretty good, but my fingers still froze.  Gotta love Chicago!

Only a couple photos and a quick blog post for this.  I wanted a nice neutral palate cleansing kind of color this week for some reason; maybe because of all the natural collections that are coming out for spring.  This isn't a recent one (I think 2012 collection), but you'd think I'd picked it up today.

GOT Polish for 1/23/2014, and....my 100th POST!!

I'm squeezing in some easy challenge posts in the middle of my goals to 1) do some home improvement chores and 2) try to stay warm.  This is my first contribution to the GOT Polish challenge.

Oh, and this is my 100th Post!...I feel the clouds parting and the angels singing.  There is a giveaway in the works, but it will not be the usual.  I'm sure you will either like it, or hate it.  But, more on that later when I have it more firmed up!

GOT stands for Golden Oldies Thursdays, as you can see in the graphic.  Basically, you pull out your 1+ year old polishes, and shine a little spotlight on them for a moment.  For the ones I chose this week - well, at least one of them - you'll need a search light.  I contacted Maybelline, and one of these has been discontinued since before the turn of the most recent century.  I'm pretty sure the second is also discontinued, but their website is being a little bit testy...

 

Another break (((sigh)))....

Hi everyone.  So, I just finally got my head out of my ass.  Things were looking up, and I was getting on a schedule that was working out pretty well.  Until today.

The Bob Villa who owned my townhouse before me thought he could put in a shower.  It was in a 3rd bathroom on the 1st level of my house.  It's a level I really only used for storage - the furnace, hot water heater, washer/dryer, etc. are all there.  I honestly have not looked in that bathroom for at least a year - my bad.

Up on the 3rd floor, I was getting ready to leave for school - my first night of class.  I walked in the bathroom, and heard a really faint noise, but it was strange.  I couldn't quite place where it was coming from.  I went down to the 2nd floor, and it was a little easier to hear, but I still had no freaking clue what it was.  I got down to the first floor, and there it was...my new indoor pool.

The pipes that the previous owner tapped into the main line failed in multiple places and I had a geyser going on.  I couldn't get the main water shutoff to close, and the water company couldn't guarantee when they could get a man out to shut the water off from outside my home.  And someone has to come out - there is no way to shut if off as the homeowner.  I checked.  Fighting with the main shutoff, I finally got it to close after ripping up my hands pretty good.

So what does all this mean?  It means my blog is going to be neglected for a while.  Hopefully, not more than a couple of weeks, but, there it is.

I'm going to need a roll off container for all the damaged wallboard, flooring, boxes...this is just making me sad.  But, if I'm going to get a roll off, I am going to fill that fucker to the top and take this opportunity to get rid of everything in my house that needs to be replaced or is damaged.  It will probably take me a good week to get it done, but if I'm paying $350 for it, I am going to get every single dollars' worth.  Spring cleaning isn't ideal in January, but it's gonna have to happen.

Thanks for letting me vent this out - I am beyond angry, but I think good will ultimately come of it.  And I'm not being a smart ass either...shocking, I know.  I really do think that.
Bye for now everyone.  I hope life treats you all well!
Liz

Spotlight Saturday 1/04/14: China Glaze Whirled Away

Morning everyone!  I'm caught up now, thankfully!  This is going to be a very quick post, because I have to get my house ready for the deep freeze that will be the next 72 hours of my life, and start prepping for school starting again Monday.

*NEW* Front & Center Friday 1/03/14: Spoiled I'm So Jaded

My new weekly post that's taking the place of the now retired "Try It On Tuesday".  Front & Center is a way for me to show and wear my untried non-glitter polishes - I'm going to need to keep a post like this, because I have a LOT of them.  Why on Friday?  Because my Saturday post is for untried glitter polishes, and I always use a base color underneath.  I get to knock out 2 birds this way, and I get to wear the base polish for a day by itself. 

So, this week, I am 1 day off.  Big, HUGE, computer problems.  A virus corrupted the software for my internet access, so I had to get out to someplace with WiFi to get the driver re-installed.  I've relapsed in my sickness, so I had to haul my butt out to shovel before I could go anywhere.  Hell will indeed be freezing over between Sunday night and Thursday morning in the Chicago area, so had to get this done today.  I think it's going to knock back my recovery time.  So much information I'm sure you didn't want to know.  Anyway...

My first "Front & Center" polish:

Mish Mash Challenge #23: Favorite Color

Mish Mash Challenge Day on the first day of the year.  HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!!!  I've got a couple of things I am going to focus on for my blog, and one of them is to try to do a little bit of nail art.  Don't expect flawless water marbles on my first day, but little touches of something extra to start out with is probably a smart way to start.

So this week's challenge is Favorite Color.  Mine is Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Pacific Blue.  LOVE this color still!  But I went to look for the bottle, and I'll be damned if I know where the heck I put it.  I'm betting that I left it out, and my cats found it.  It's probably under some piece of furniture somewhere... I had to go with the next best thing this week, and it's a color that's similar, but not really close.