Special Announcement - Short Hiatus

Good Morning ladies.

Wow... Already I have to take a break from the blog...?

Anyways.

I have a very special Announcement. I will be moving out of my current apartment/basement into my new one on February 22nd. My boyfriend and I are starting to pack up our belongings and items and we are very excited about moving out, however this will prevent me from blogging for the next couple of weeks. Instead of playing with all of my lovely beauties I will be safely packing them for the move.

But as soon as everything is settled I will be back to blogging. My boyfriend and I will actually have a lot more room and I will actually have a place dedicated my space.

Wish me luck and I'll see you all soon~

Chanel Stamping Design

Good morning Ladies. As most of you know yesterday was my 24th birthday. I had a wonderful time and my boyfriend is possibly the best boyfriend in the world who loves me so much! He got me the CICI&SISI Plates sets 1 and 2. LOVE THEM!

Now usually I wouldn't do a fashion inspired stamping design but I've been craving to use my plate with the Chanel logo. So I thought I'd give you a my version of a Chanel inspired nail stamping design.

This is my first time ever trying a quilted nail look, because each time I found a bag I loved or to get more inspiration it was always the quilted looked. So I've tried it on my nails. I've seen many lovely Nail artist do this design but my main inspiration was from Nail It and the original Artist was DullLikeGlitter. I really like the quilted look. It was super easy to do!

The color choice I used is white, black and gold. This look is very classy and it's look great for a nice night out, or to a party. You can even take your Chanel bag if you want to match.

Materials Used:

• Poshe` Super-Fast Drying Top Coat - Sally's Beauty Supply
• Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear "White On" - Walmart
• China Glaze "Mingle With Kringle" 
• Wet and Wild "Black Creme"
• NYC "Matte Me Crazy" Mattefying top coat
• QA1 Plate - Light in the Box
• SH214 Plate - Shany Plates - Ebay
• Kand Black Stamping Polish - Born Pretty Store
• Kand White Stamping Polish - Born Pretty Store 
• Metal Decals - FiveBelow
• Painters Tape - Dollar Store
• Floss Fork - Dollar Store

I have fun trying out the different textures and effects this manicure can give you. Let me know what you think And I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday.

(Personal Note: I will be taking a Hiatus due to the fact that I will be moving out of my current apartment and into another one. I will resume posting after I move on the 24th of Feb. Thank you all so much for the support so far.)

China Glaze - Ski Collection Swatch

Good morning Ladies! It's Monday again and believe it or not tomorrow is my 24th birthday. Yay~ Another year old... Wait... :(

Anyways today I will be talking about the China Glaze "Ski Collection" which was featured back in Winter 2007. Wow I'm surprised they still have a few of the polishes from this collection. Either way I have three very beautiful polishes I'd like to show you.


The first swatch is FROST BITE

It is a beautiful bright frosty finish blue thats kinda in your face, but super gorgeous. The coverage was great with 3 coats for full coverage, it was a little on the thin side but it wasn't difficult and it still gave great coverage with no streaking.

My second swatch is AVALANCHE

This is a beautiful Lilac/Silver Metallic. It was great coverage in two coats, however it was a little streaky because metallics have a habit of showing flaws of the natural nail when applying. Which sucks, but you kind of get used to it. 

My third swatch is called BLACK DIAMOND

This is a beautiful black metallic polish. Like the Frost Bite it was great in three coats for full coverage but it was on the thin side. Similar to a jelly polish but not really. Its a hint of black and gray but amazing color.

Well I hope you enjoy this short swatch. I really want the others, however I believe they discontinued a lot of the older ones. But who knows, maybe I'll get them.

Happy Monday~

Favorite Fridays - Base coats and Nail Strengtheners

Good morning ladies! Happy Friday~ This Friday I will be talking about Base Coats and Nail Strengtheners.  (Even though I currently have acrylics. I still love my Basecoats/Nail strengtheners.) The reason why I put these two together is because they kind of go hand and hand with each other. Lots of people use Nail Strengtheners as a base/top coat. I use it primarily as a base coat. So today I will be talking about some of my favorites.

The first one I use the most out of all is "Nutra Nail With Green Tea Antioxidants". Because my nails tend to split and peel, I need a strengthener that will help bond my nail layers together and fill in some weak spots.

The next one "Sally Hansen Maximum Growth". I thought this was actually discounted, however I just realized it was just a different bottle. but this was the polish I used the most before I got my "Nutra Nail Nail Strengthener". This really helped my nails grow faster, but it didn't really help strengthen my nails. It's kinda why I went to the Nutral Nail.

My last favorite is actually grouped together. They each do different things but they all make what my nails are today. It's from a brand called Nail Aid. They are  "Nail-Aid Triple Wrap Thickener" which helps with peeling nails. "Nail-Aid Extreme Steel Hardener" help prevent breakage of long nails and makes your nails really hard. Almost gel like. And the Last is "Nail-Aid Ultra Fast Growth". It helps with nail growth to at least 5-7 days. The great things about these is that it is 3 free, really inexpensive, and available at either Ross, TJ Max, or even WalMart.

I do use others such as "Nailtiques Formula 2", "Sally Hansen Triple Strong", "Poshe` Nail-Strengthening Treament Basecoat" and "Seche Base - Ridge Filling Base Coat". I usually kinda go back and forth with my nails because it's not always the same. Sometimes they break, other times they split, and even break off completely. My nails gives me more trouble then they worth, however I love what I do and I'll do what I can to keep them strong, long and beautiful.

I really hope you enjoyed this post! HAPPY FRIDAY! 

Barbie Stamping Design

Hi Folks! You can't honestly expect me to not do a stamping design based off all our childhood, did you? Yes, this morning I will be showing you an awesome stamping design that I did based off every girl's favorite childhood doll/beauty inspiration; Barbie.

Lets face it, most of us all wish we had the hair, the eyes, the beautiful clothes and accessories that Barbie has. Some of us even achieved that. But the true beauty is believing in yourself, being independent, having self confidence, and staying strong. So without further a do. Here is it!

Honestly, I think the most challenging part of this manicure was deciding what to do with the color scheme. I was debating between pink,  white, and black, or pink, shimmer white, or pink, shimmer white and silver. Gah! Colors! I was having trouble on whether I should use half moons or french tips and god... The planning process of this manicure took the longest. (Two weeks I think.)

But in the end I decided on this one. It has a combination of Pink, Light Pink, Silver, Black and White. I personally think that this came out better then the Winnie the Pooh design I did two weeks ago. If you couldn't tell I love my Glitter accent nail. I think it bring everything together.

Alright now to the Materials.

Materials Used:

• Poshe` Super-Fast Drying Top Coat - Sally's Beauty Supply
• Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear "White On" - Walmart
• Color Club "Platinum Record" 
• AC-NED-91 Bright Pink Polish - Daiso
• AC-NED-74 Light Pink Jelly Glitter Polish - Daiso 
• Cosmetic Arts "Silver Bells" - Ross
• SH214 Plate - Shany Plates - Ebay
• M71 Plate - Born Pretty Store/LightintheBox
• Kand Black Stamping Polish - Born Pretty Store/LightintheBox
• Kand White Stamping Polish - Born Pretty Store/LightintheBox 
• Silver Rhinestones - Born Pretty Store

The design didn't take as long due to the fact that I actually practiced this design on glass flat so when I finally liked which one I put together I did it on my natural nails. I don't want to put too much polish remove on my natural nails if I messed up and It helps keeps my nails less brittle... *sobs at her poor pathetic nails*

Anyways! Hope you enjoyed the design! And remember.... YOU ALL ARE BEAUTIFUL! 

Orly - Naughty and Nice Collection Swatch

Good Morning my lovelies!
And its' Monday... again. Good news is that it's swatch time! This morning I will be showing you my swatches from Orly's Naughty and Nice Collection. It's from the Winter 2012 collection I believe.  Same with my last collection swatch I'm only showing you what I currently purchased and not the entire collection.

The first swatch that I watch to show you is  called UNLAWFUL 

This is a beautiful candy creme red. I'm not a big fan of reds but this is a beautiful creme. It applied nicely and it was opaque in one coat, however I would use two just to be on the safe side. Because this polish can be opaque in one coat it's pretty good for stamping. I've tried in on multiple times and it work beautifully.

The next swatch I want to show you is MISS CONDUCT 

This polish is my favorite out of the entire collection. Its a beautiful bright pink halo. With PLENTY of small/fine glitter. As you can see in the photo, you can see beauty of the polish. It can be opaque in one coat, however again I used two here. Better to be safe then sorry.

The next swatch I wanted to show you is called ANGEL EYES

I was really disappointed with this. On its own it took me almost 3 coats and it's still not opaque. This polish is great for laying as you can see, its currently over my Nina Ultra Pro called Blue Blaze.Though you might get lucky like The PolishAholic. Be sure to check out Jen's swatches if you want a little more accurate photos. Maybe I just got a bad bottle. (Or I suck at Polishing lol)

The last swatch I want to show you is DEVIL MAY CARE

This is similar to the formula for Angel Eyes. Small fine glitter and large gold hex glitters. Except the large gold hex glitters are a little easier to come out. And this polish transforms all my old red polishes. This is perfect for layering and I wouldn't change that for the world. This is swatched over Unlawful.

So maybe this collection will work for you, and maybe not. Overall I like the set. I'll be sure to use the glitters for layers over some stamping designs Maybe when Christmas times comes around. 

(On a more personal issue. My boyfriend and I finally found our own place for rent. A nice spacious apartment. Finally I get my own "Bigger" Corner with all my nail supplies and polishes and such. I'm Really excited to be able to move out and get nail mail so my boyfriends mother doesn't judge me for having so much polish related items... Though I have to keep within my budget. Also on a facebook group I joined I will be participating in the Sunday Challenge. Every week they have a poll and you have to create a stamping design based off the topic of that week.)

Thanks again for hanging out with me! And let me know what you think of these colors in the comments below.

Favorite Fridays - Lotions and Moisturizing Cream

Good morning folks! Hope all is well today! Today on Favorite Fridays I'll be discussing with you some of my favorite Lotions and Moisturizing Creams to keep my hands young, healthy and moisturized.

Believe it or not I have to be particular careful when it comes to lotions or creams. One reason is because I have Eczema on the back of my hands, and it gets really irritated when I use certain products with lots of scents or certain chemicals that can cause it to flare up. So I look for lotions that can help with my Eczema but also keep my hands and cuticles moist.

One great product that I use religiously is "Aveeno Active Naturals, Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream".

It helps relieves dry, itchy, irritated skin due to eczema and it's clinically shown to soothe skin with eczema. Its steroid-free and fragrance-free. The bottle that I have is about 5oz and I use it close to 4-5 times a day.
This works for me because of my skin condition and it keeps my cuticles in check. Since I've been using this it leaves my hands super soft through out the day. The cream of this product is thick and it can get that oily feeling, but I recommend washing your hands and after you dry your hands use the product that way your skin has time to absorb the product. This product works well even without people with Eczema, if you have an itch or a rash this can help soothe the skin of any sort of irritation.

If you have different conditions for your skin try the Aveeno brand anyways. They are on a expensive side. (Bought this bottle for close to $9.99 at Rite Aid.) But the the brand itself is really worth it. And if you go go through bottles like I do, I would recommend going to a Sam's Club/Costco, or wholesale store and get the big bottles for a cheaper price.

Another product that I snag if I didn't bring my Aveeno is "Eucerin Original Healing".

Like the Aveeno this helps sooth and repair the skin and it's rich with Emollients. The formula for this particular lotion is more "watered down" the constancy is very much more liquid then a cream based. Also the feelings is a lot more greasy. its great for people who's skin is really dry, cracked and damaged. And I would only use this particular lotions during the winter season where the air is dry and cold.

The last product that would constantly use, (Almost out) is the Sally Hansen "Nails & Cuticles Hand Creme" with 24HR Moisture.

This product works really well and it doesn't leave that "Greasy" feelings like the Eucerin. Its has a similar consistency like the Aveeno creme, but it leaves that same soft healthy hands that you crave. Its very good for your cuticles and it benefits your nails.

Other particular lotions I love is "Pink" Lotion from Victoria Secrets and Bath and Body Works. I love the scents though I can't wear it as often only because it really irritates my Eczema. I would do this for my legs, or my arms, but avoid it on my hands.

If you have some serious skin issues, either your skin is sensitive, dry, or you get reactions please see your dermatologist and ask to see what kinds of lotions will work for you. Everyone's skin types are different and no one is ever the same. Use what you think works best for you or what your doctor recommends.

Hello Kitty Stamping Design

Good morning beautiful ladies. I hope you are all having a fantastic wednesday. So far this is my 2nd design on the blog and I'm really happy with how it turned out. This Hello Kitty Design was actually inspires from the lovely Elleandish who is my nail stamping hero. She's a fantastic nail stamper and she really knows her nail art. I an always excited to try her designs.

I have loved Hello Kitty ever since I was a little girl, and even to this day I love her. Everyone has that one childhood memory they always hold on to and my just so happens to be a white kitty cat with a cute bow in her ear.

With this design I tried the girlie Hello Kitty color scheme which is Medium Pink and Light Pink and White. I used a pink glitter accent nail and this came out beautifully.

I purchased the image plate from Born Pretty Store and it transferred the image perfectly. I was very happy with the results and I was very happy I made the purchase. Also check out my coupon BPS5 and get an additional 5% discount on your total purchase at www.bornprettystore.com WITH FREE SHIPPING

Materials Used:

• Poshe` Super-Fast Drying Top Coat - Sally's Beauty Supply
• Essie "Good Morning Hope"
• Essie "Check Up"
• Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear "White On" - CVS
• QA12 plate - BornPrettyStore
• Kand Black Stamping Polish - LightintheBox/BornPrettyStore
• Kand White Stamping Polish - LightintheBox/BornprettyStore
• Dotting Tools - Ebay
• Stamper and Scraper Set - Ebay

Sorry I got lazy with copy right my photos, and my cuticles were not a happy camper. Its been super cold lately with the snow and the wind. I hope you like the design My nails are a different shape due me trying out my own acrylic job!

I also used the Essie 2012 Breast Cancer Awarness Collection. My heart goes to the people who are either fighting, survived, or have passed from this terrible cancer.

Hope you have a great day!

China Glaze - Anchors Away Collection Swatch

Good Morning Ladies! Happy Monday! This morning I will be showing a swatch of the polishes that I have from China Glaze. The polishes is from The Anchors Away collection which was done in the spring of 2011. I don't have the entire collection I'm only showing you what I was able to to purchase.

Believe it or not one of these polishes was actually my very first Polish EVER from China Glaze. At the end I'll let you know which one it is.

So the first swatch I want to show you is AHOY!

Its actually a beautiful intense pink with a flash of what looks like gold shimmer. Against the light its absolutely beautiful. With two even thin coats I was able to get it full opaque and it came out so pretty. Perfect summer color~

The next swatch I want to show you is FIRST MATE

If I honestly had to define this color. Its that its a true navy blue polish. Its has an amazing cream finish and even without top coat its still shiny. I think this blue will go well with any time of the season. Maybe its because I've had this collection for a while, but it might be thick and opaque enough for me to stamp with. Hmmm, something to try.

The next swatch I want to show you is STARBOARD 

I think out of the collection I own, I don't care for this color. I'm not a big fan of Greens (I have a lot, but they never look good on me) And it doesn't match my skin ton that well. But the formula was great, this is with two coats and I didn't have issues with coverage.

And the last swatch is LIGHTHOUSE

I love this yellow glitter/shimmer polish. Its has enough shimmer and I'm sure if I used more then two coats it would have been the perfect color. The only issue I can think about with this polish is that because it is a shimmer/glitter polish that it tends to streaky when applying. So in order for me to get the best results I had to really wait for each layer to dry before I applied the second coat. This polish reminds me of how bright the sun can be when your near water. It's blinding.

Now I will tell you which color was my VERY FIRST China glaze Polish.... It is "First Mate" This was the very first polish that I picked up to start this madness I call a love/obsession. (I wasn't kidding when I said I have 500+ polishes...I lost count after 500... I'm sure I have more then that.)

Well that's it for my post! Thanks for hanging out with me!

Favorite Fridays - Top Coats

Good Morning Folks! HAPPY FRIDAY! *Still watches a tumble weed blow by* Today I will also be starting a series called Favorite Fridays that was inspired from the lovely Jen from ThePolishAholic. She was able to show her viewers her favorite ways to maintain her life and her polish such as; how she stores her polish, how she gets that perfect swatch manicure, etc. (BTW Jen, you are fantastic!)

To me this is a good way for my future viewers to understand why I use certain products to achieve my stamping nail looks.

My all time favorite top coat is by far the "Poshe` Super-Fast Drying Top Coat". It meets all my requirements when I'm looking for a top coat. (Yes I have others.)

1. It drys quick.
2. It leaves a beautiful glossy finish.
3. It NEVER smears my Stamping Design. ***
4. It's chip resistant.
5. It doesn't have harsh chemicals.

I've used Poshe` for about 2 years now. I always get the bottles from the super nail supply store where it comes in a 16oz glass bottle. (I just refill my tiny bottle.)

I first purchased the Poshe` top coat at Sally's Beauty Supply after watching a review from Meliney on YouTube. The bottle is .5oz and it cost me $6.49 with my Sally's card. I was using Seche Vite prior to Poshe`. And it gave me the same results as Seche Vite without the toxic chemicals Formaldehyde, Toluene or Nitrocellulose. It drys fast, if not faster than Seche Vite with zero shrinkage to the nail tip that can cause chipping. Like any bottle of polish it will get thick as it reaches the end of the small bottle. Little bit of polish thinner helps restore to its normal consistence and I just add more from my giant 16oz of top coat when the bottle is empty.

I do use other top coats when I'm just wearing a regular manicure because sometimes if you use the base and top coat of the brand it makes a difference of the wear time. For example; If I am wearing China Glaze "First Mate" just to swatch the color, I will use China Glaze's Base and Top Coat. However, if I have a stamped image on China Glaze "First Mate" I will use the Poshe` Top Coat. Any future swatches I will use the top coat of the brand.

Another top coat that I favor is Seche Vite. This was my very first fast drying top coat. This top coat is also very good with stamping designs and drys really quickly. My only problem with this top coat is the harsh chemical and how it shrinks back the polish when it's drying and has my nail design chipping in less then two days. I would prefer to wear my designs a little longer then 2 days. (Though it doesn't matter because I'm always changing my polish.) Over all its a great top coat. You can also purchase this top coat at Sally's Beauty Supply for $6.99 with a Sally's card. Like the Poshe` top coat it will get thick but it starts to get thick at the middle of the bottle, not at the end. Seche Vite has its own brand called Seche Restore which is a thinner that should be used restore the consistency for this top coat. Again, the chemicals in the Seche Vite Top Coat and the Seche Restore works well with each other. Some brands work within it's own brand others you can use generic things.

Thats it for today's post, I really hope you enjoy this! And remember, its not easy to find the perfect top coat and everyone is different. Use what you think works best for you.

Winnie the Pooh Stamping Design - First Post EVER~

Hello people~ HAPPY NEW YEAR! *watches a tumble weed blow by* Oookay... Well I guess I'll be talking to myself for a while.  (Not that it matters... I talk to a plant at work. Hehe)

It's very nice to meet you all! My name is Katy and I am a new aspiring nail stamping blogger. I hope to use this year to test my nail stamping abilities and see what kind of interesting designs I can come up with using my nail stamping plates/polish/ideas.

Well before I show off my cute "Winnie the Pooh" nail designs, I wanted to tell you a little bit about what to expect from me this new year. I am an organized freak. What that means is that I have a set schedule for many things of my life. (My phone is my life. It has everything set for when I wake up, when I take my lunch break, and when I get home to relax.) I like being repetitive because to me it's a great foundation.That is what I'm hoping will happen with this blog. If I'm consistent and dedicated then I don't think that this will fail (like my previous blogs *coughcough*). So this is what will look like for the first few months till I'm comfortable to branch out.

Monday: Collection Swatch

Wednesday Stamping Nail Design

Friday: Favorite Products

Because today is Wednesday I will be showing off a cute "Winnie The Pooh" Stamping Design. I will also give you a general idea where you can get all the materials if anyone is interested in recreating this design or you can still recreate this design with your own collection.

Originally I was going to just keep it rather simple, but because my inspiration is from Janelle on elleandish on YouTube I decided to do ALL my stamping manicure likes this. She is a very big influence on me but I also want to put my own creativity in it.

Believe it not, stamping can be a PAIN IN THE BUTT~! (No point in lying by saying it's "super easy") This one design for both hands took me 2 hours to get right. The reason why it took me so long is because I'm impatience, but also a perfectionist. Probably two of the worst combinations in the world. But in the end, if you practice, HAVE PATIENCE, and work through it, it will come out the way you want. 

Hehe, as much as I'm not a big bragging person. I really love how these came out. They are cute and honestly I think anyone who loves Pooh Bear can wear them. Though I don't recommend wearing these if you have to be in a professional work setting at all times. 

Materials Used:

• Nutra Nail Strengthener with Green Tea Antioxidants as Base coat - RiteAid
• Poshe` Super-Fast Drying Top Coat - Sally's Beauty Supply
• Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Fast Dry Nail Color in "Lightening" - CVS
• Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Fast Dry Nail Color in "Rapid Red" - CVS
• Sally Hansen Hard as Nails "Sturdy Saphire" - Walmart
• Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear "White On" - CVS
• Cosmetic Arts "Naught/Nice" - Ross
• QA3 plate - 
• Kand Black Stamping Polish - 
• Dotting Tools - Ebay
• Stamper and Scraper Set - Ebay

Even though this design took a long time to achieve, I still love it. And I believe that's what life should be about. Do something you love, and if you love it so much you'll keep working at it.

I hope everyone has a fantastic new year and let me know what your New Years resolutions are in the comments~