Some days....even I need simplicity

While on my lunch break, I reached into my purse, to see what I had with me to play with. Well I pulled out my OPI Mod About You & OPI Significant Other Color, which I have yet to use. So I slapped them together. I just wasn't in the mood to get complicated, probably, because I have sooo much work to do, and didn't even want to take my whole lunch hour. I like the combo though, it gives just enough uummph, to Mod About You, and also matched my new giraffe rain/snow boots, pink tank and black sweater really well.

Back to Basics....

So this might not exactly be basic to some of you, but it was one of my very first 'edgy' manis I did, lol. I never used to wear dark colors. I actually think this mani is what helped me fall in love with the matte polishes. Now, I know this is posted in my 'Playing Catch Up' post, back when I started this blog, but I decided to re-do it. For this I used OPI Lincoln Park After Dark Matte and just Seche Vite for the tips, to make them extra shiny :) I also noticed that my older version's pic was floating around on Tumblr a while ago, and some post had wrong info about it! This is not done with a black polish and matte top coat, although you could very well achieve the same mani using those, nor are the tips photoshopped in any way.  I do have to say, that this mani, when I wear it, gets me more compliments than any other so far.

The Adventures of Gemma

So the other day, Zoya Nail Polish posted on facebook and twitter that it was 'Bring your Zoya Nail Polish to Work' day. I decided to participate, and document Gemma's day at the office (and the aftermath) Check it out! :)

To start off her day with me at work, Gemma decided to help out. Here Gemma is totally helping me out by doing some stapling.

She helped cut some stuff up for me too.

She DID have some issues with the tape though.

Not cool, Gemma, not cool.

She's a great little note-taker, too.

Lunch time! Gemma is totally ready to go outside in the Vegas sun!!

On the way to lunch, Gemma took over my car radio and made me listen to her favorite song. (Yeah.... NKOTB)

After lunch, Gemma wanted to try her hand at photographing some nail polish swatches!

Gemma totally forgot her facial waxing appoint this week. What's a polish to do?!

Gemma decided to go for a walk while holding hands with her 'buddy' Domo on her break.

She took it off-road when nature decided to 'call'.

Next, Gemma decided to help me out with some typing that needed to get done.

Too bad she stopped a few keystrokes in because she was hungry...

Gemma decided to show me her skincare regimen...she definitely understands that moisturizing is key.

Now she's just showing off. 'Look! no hands!'

Come on in, the water's fine!

Gemma really wanted to do some nail art on me...

Bedtime!! All the work and excitement wore Gemma out! Goodnight!!

I hope you enjoyed the 'Adventures of Gemma' as much as I did!! :)

More polka dots!!

** If you have emailed me, or plan to, I'm having trouble sending messages. I can open your message, and attempt to reply, but it won't send. I'm not sure why, but hopefully it will be fixed soon, I'm so sorry**

While I was at Sally's picking up some Gelous for a friend, I saw they still had the free China Glaze with SV top coat purchase!! YAY, so I picked up Secret Peri-wink-le, and I don't know why I never grabbed this before!! I love it!! After I did my mani with it, I just had to spice it up, I can't seem to leave any mani alone, lol. For the polka dots I used Sally Hansen Blue Blast :P

I just adore this combo and the subtlety of the polkie dots, from afar :)

Possible V-Day mani and Konad tutorial

I decided to do a tutorial on nail stamping, since I have had a few request. This is the mani that I did. For this I used China Glaze Naughty and Nice as the base. Then for the red/pink lip image, I used Sally Hansen Color Quick pen in Red Chrome, Silver lips are China Glaze Millenium, and the tips are OPI Lincoln Park After Dark Matte.

I get all my items together first

This is the image plate I'm using

Once you choose the image, you take your polish and and cover the image.

Then with your scraper, you scrape over the image, removing the excess polish

Then with your stamper, you place the rubber part and press, transferring the image to your stamper

Excuse the pup hair, I didn't remove it before I took the pic, eeek

Finally, all you do, is place the stamper above your nail, where you want the image to appear on your nail, and in a rolling motion, press it onto your nail.

The best tip for stamping, is to only use 100% acetone. After you stamp, wipe the scraper and stamper onto a cotton ball/pad, that has been soaked in acetone. I use a green coaster, and pre-soak the cotton pad in acetone, and set it onto the coaster. Then after I scrape, I swipe the scraper onto the pad, removing the polish, and then after I stamp, I wipe the stamper on the pad as well. You should also clean the image plate in between each stamp. Although I'm guilty of not doing this, lol. Oh and you do need to work fairly quick, because the polish, since being so thin on your stamper, dries quick.

Here I did the rest of my nails, and then did it over again with China Glaze Millenium.

Once I'm done, I take my mani double pointed q-tips, dip them in acetone, and clean up the excess polish from stamping, around my nails. I then do a coat of SV, and TADA

Last of all, I added tips in OPI Lincoln Park After Dark Matte



Hello Kitty Funky French Nail Art thanks to Born Pretty

Here is another item that was sent to me for review from Born Pretty. It's their nail stamping image plate, M71, stamper & scraper.
Here is the mani I did.....How freaking cute is this!?!?1 You know what....I might actually leave this on all day! Yep, that's a record for me, lol.

Here is what I received. The stamper, scraper and the image plate

Most image plates have a very thin film that you might not even see. Just make sure to remove it.

and here is my nail stamping set-up, lol. I've taken control of one of our TV trays, can you tell. It works perfect though for stamping. Then I always make sure to have 100% acetone, my green coaster, for the cotton ball/pad soaked in acetone, image plate, stamper, scraper, and polishes I plan on using. Oh and after I took this pic, I decided to not use the Konad polish in white, but instead used black.

Grandpa, the pup, well 16 years young, we adopted a few months ago, just had to watch, lol.

Before I started stamping, I applied 2 coats my base coat of Brand 10, color #415, Pinky Promise

Now on to stamping. I used the flower image on the plate first, and used China Glaze Millenium for them. Then I used the cute Hello Kitty image, and Konad polish in black for that :)

Finally I did my black tips with Sinful's Black on Black and added a tiny rhinestone to her bow :)



I LOVE this!! What do you guys think???

Also don't forget, if you plan on ordering from Born Pretty, don't forget to use my code: CHLOEK31 to receive 10% off.