I Can Haz Gumdrops?

On my fingertips, that is. ;)

I couldn't bear to wear that awful polish any longer and got busy and changed my mani. I haven't worn Orly Gumdrop, yet so I decided to take it for a spin. I like. :D

Gumdrop is a pastel green blue creme. It applies very nicely and is opaque in two coats. It was a little streaky in a couple of spots but I think that was due more to my application, not the polish. Any draggy spots smoothed to nothing with a nice topping of good old Seche.

This colour reminds me of China Glaze For Audrey. I don't know how close they really are. Maybe I will do a side by side, before I do a new paint job. Swatch them together.

Picture taken indoors in natural light not flash. Seche... Sooo shiny. :D

With flash. The flash really picks up the white base of these pastel cremes.

In other news of the day... I am having a good day. I am on track and in control and happy to be that way. Staying on an even keel continues to get a little easier and I have to think about it less and less. I know that this is no guarantee that every day will be the same but for right now it is good and I'll take it and be grateful.

I have come to accept that this is how I will have to eat for the rest of my life. I will have to keep my calories at a certain level while the weight is coming off and then at a certain level to keep it that way. I will always have to be mindful of what I am putting in my mouth and why and I will most likely have to track my food in one way or another, for always. And I am perfectly okay with that.

I get that I will never be able to eat like a "normal person"; whatever that means. If that means pounding double cheeseburgers and chocolate milkshakes whenever I want, then no. I will never be able to eat like a normal person. But I will be able to eat like a normal person. For my "normal". Whatever that normal is going to look like. Right now, in this moment my normal looks like it does, right now. As I change, so will my normal. And, when that day comes that I get to transition to maintenance, I will have a normal for that, too. It should be interesting to see how this all develops over time. :D

I kind of get a tickle out of knowing that my normal will not look like anyone else's normal. I am unique, I am different and special and I will have to have my own personal, fabulous normal. Custom designed just for me. :D :D :D

I wonder when I am going to be ready to get on the scale, again? The thought has begun flitting, oh so briefly through my brain, lately. Perhaps, one day soon, that little flitting thought will become action. I'll just let it happen when it happens. :D

Another Day in Paradise

Uh, you do hear the sarcasm in my fingers, don't you?

My day is going well. I am on track. In fact, I am way low. My calories are sitting in the 600's right now. I just haven't been all that hungry, today. And my gallbladder and pancreas are bugging me. I am tired of the discomfort and am looking forward to getting something done about it. I just need to hang in there and get more weight off. Surgery is safer when one weighs less. And I would like to be as far below 300 as possible, if things hold out that long. And yes, part of my reluctance is my attitude about being fat and asking for medical help. lol

Anyhoo. I need to be sure to get a good, nourishing dinner and I will have plenty of calories left that I can indulge in a Skinny Cow for dessert, maybe.

Today was kill my French manicure day. Normally, French manis die fast and quiet on me. I chip the heck out of the white tips and it looks like crap. This time, a little minor touching up and the thing was ready to go on and on. lol I did it in because I was tired of it.

First, before cleaning off my polish, I swatched Orly Lemonade. Pretty, pretty polish. Lemonade looks like sunshine and happiness in a little glass bottle. It is a soft, medium yellow creme. Application was not too bad, for a yellow. I have read a lot of complaints about yellow polishes and expected this one to be a real battle. I did have to apply three coats to get it smooth and opaque and top coat did improve it further. But, with a little care, Orly Lemonade is fairly easy to apply and is easy to clean up, too. I liked it when I swatched it and I will definitely be wearing it as a full mani. :D

Orly Lemonade, three coats with top coat. Indoors, in natural light through my window. No flash.

With flash. It is like having sunshine on my fingertips. :D

Am I the only one who thinks that the Orly Sweet collection polishes are like milk paints?

Maybe I'm koo-koo. lol

I did a mani today with Sinful Colors What's Your Name? It is black with teal blue shimmer/glitter. It's pretty. Not as exciting as say, Lubu Heels, but still a great looking polish. It applied very nicely. Two coats to smooth opacity. I was feeling very good about my application and applying Seche to my right hand when I somehow did a Doctor Destructo on my ring finger nail on my left hand. Dented that bad boy right down to the surface of my nail. I considered taking the whole thing off, as I knew that there was no way I could just clean off that one nail. More skilled polish divas could have done it with their eyes closed and one hand tied behind their backs.

Not I.

So, I licked a finger and smoothed the damage the best I could, and started to repair it. I applied a full coat of colour to the nail. Then I dropped a drop in the crater, smoothed it and let it sit a minute. Then did the same thing, again. A thick coat of Seche and you could hardly tell that minutes before the polish had a huge hole in it.

I took the usual pics, then thought about what to do about the flawed nail. Should I leave it? Change my polish? Uh, hello! You have decals! Nail art decals! :D Perfect cover for the spot. So I applied them and top coat over and Poof! Gone. :D I can live with it for a few days, now. :D

Sinful Colors What's Your Name? Indoors, in natural light through my window. No flash. Look at that teal shimmer just dying to burst free.

Outdoors in direct sun. I was trying to catch the sparkle and scintillation. Epic fail. This stuff dances in sunlight.

After adding decals to cover the covered crater. I like those decals but I am thinking that they don't really go all that well with this polish. Maybe I should have put some clear jelly "rhinestones" over the purple flower centres. The clear might have been better. *shrugs* I need to go shopping for more decals. :D

My nail post for today. :D

I didn't chip my polish when, earlier I tried with the aid of a circular saw to transform my big, hulking oak monstrosity of an entertainment centre into a stand for the flat screen. Epic fail. I got the initial cuts made, Husband and Son lifted the top off and the whole thing fell to pieces. We are borrowing Son's TV stand until we can afford a new one.

A good idea that just didn't work out. Not a big loss, really . We hated the big old ugly thing. And now, my living room looks and feels bigger and brighter. :D

Ick. I have fine sawdust on me. And I itch. I might have to take another shower. lol

Mani of the Day ~~ China Glaze Watermelon Rind

Dreaming of Summer, I am. And what says Summer more than... Watermelon! Lovely, sweet, cold, crisp, juicy watermelon. Mmmmm... I can almost taste it as I type this!

Can't you? :D

I like this polish. I wasn't sure if I would, at first. When I got it applied and the Seche on, I sat and let it dry a bit before I did my clean up and debated as to whether or not I would bother or just take it off. I decided to keep it on and I am so glad that I did. This colour has grown on me. The more I wore it, the more I started to really like it. Then I walked outside and looked at it in direct sun. And... Kapow! This polish just exploded. Shimmering, sparkling, dancing light up and down my nails. It is magical in bright light.

China Glaze Watermelon Rind is a cool, blue based green jelly packed to the rafters with silver shimmer. It applies nicely, as long as you don't have too much polish on the brush. It will flow, if you don't keep an eye on it. And, if you don't have mad polishing skillz, like I don't have mad polishing skillz, be prepared for a little clean up. But do not fear... Clean up is actually pretty easy. I made a bit of a mess and got done with my clean up in just a few minutes. :D

This polish is pretty sheer. I needed four coats to opaque. I still had quite a bit of that oh so annoying VNL after just three. Four took it over the top. I applied over my beloved China Glaze Strong Adhesion Base Coat and topped it with Seche.

Indoors. With flash. In front of a window. This polish tends to photograph a bit dark. It is closer to a true emerald, in person.

Here is a terrific example of how this polish looks and photographs different shades. This is the same polish. On my nail, it is definitely green and in the bottle, it looks teal. lol

Outside in direct sun. I tried and tried to get the scintillation and shimmer that this enamel throws but it just isn't possible with my poor old camera. It really did try. *heart* This stiff is magic, in the sun.

This is a good look at how you can definitely get the true bottle colour on your nails. :D

Indoors, with flash, not in front of a window. Look how dark and sparkly it looks in this picture. I would like to find a polish that really is this colour. Maybe Emerald Sparkle?

Hmmm...

Almost Forgot!

Da Nailz!

How could I forget the reason a girl lives? lol

Yesterday, I finally got rid of The Ugly Manicure of Doom. Boy, was removing that mess a project. Seriously. It took me half an hour and a pile of cotton rounds ten feet high and gallon of acetone (regular remover wasn't even touching that rock hard mess) or so it felt, to get six nails cleaned off. I was so frustrated and tired of it that I was ready to throw something.

Then I remembered reading on one of the polish blogs I haunt about a technique for removing a hard mani. I made four small squares of foil and soaked four cotton rounds in acetone, pressed the cotton to my nails ans wrapped them tightly in the foil. I wore my "robo fingers" for a few minutes, then using some downward pressure, I slipped them off my fingers. And, *insert angel choir here* the polish slid right off my nails, no effort needed. I was able to use a cotton round a little remover to finish cleaning up and it was just effortless.

From now on, when I do glitter or another hard to remove mani, that will be my method of removal. :D

Robo Fingers. Please forgive my dried out old hag hands. I was playing in acetone and wasn't too worried about lotioning up, at that moment. lol

Fresh, new polish. This is my usual base (China Glaze Strong Adhesion Base Coat) with two coats of OPI Friar, Friar Pants on Fire. A beautiful, warm mid tone red-orange with plenty of gold micro shimmer. Sooo pretty. Topped with Seche. This photo was taken indoors, in sun coming in through my window, no flash. This is the best shot I got and the closest to this truly lovely polish.

Outdoors, in direct sun. I was trying to capture the way this colour fires in the sun but it just came out looking like an orange creme. For some reason, this polish looks like something almost otherworldly in person when in direct sun, the colour comes to life and the micro shimmer sets it on fire. But when I tried to photograph it, it just fell flat. *sigh*

Indoors, with flash. Same problem. It just doesn't photograph well, at all. Especially in strong light. You would think it would be just the opposite.

This was two coats. I should have really done three. Tho it isn't visible in the pictures, I still have a bit of VNL. This polish is a bit thin and flowy and it flowed all over my cuticles. lol I had a lot of clean up to do and this colour doesn't like to be cleaned up. It took me a while. But, I think that the beauty pay off is worth a little extra effort. I don't mind putting in a little overtime for nails that look like this. :D :D Besides, it is a time to just be still, pamper myself and be indulgent. Every girl needs a little of that, now and then. :D

Manicure of Evil Ugly

Sometimes something is done that is just deeply, terribly wrong at a very basic level. This manicure is one of those things. lolol

Spring has sprung and I wanted to celebrate with something bright and pink and fun. As I spun my little carousel that holds my polishes, my eyes landed on my bottle of China Glaze Pink Voltage. A bright pink neon creme. I bought this polish last year and tried to wear it once. It was an unmitigated disaster and I can clearly remember angrily wiping this polish off with remover soaked cotton rounds and swearing that I would never open that bottle of enamel, again.

Pain diminishes over time. It is like that gorgeous but excruciating pair of shoes that you just had to have and wore for half an hour before kicking them off and swearing that you will never put them on, again. Then, a year later, you think, they couldn't have really been that bad. And they are soooo pretty! So, like an idiot, you put the shoes on and within half an hour, they are flying across the room as you violently kick them off.

That is what this polish is like. So bright and pretty in the bottle. So heinous on the nails. Three coats carefully applied resulted in VNL, uneven, streaking and a bald spot or two. It dried dull. Not matte. Not semi matte. Just... Dull. Blech! Yuk! Ew! As I looked at my freshly painted nails, I knew I had made a mistake. I was about to remove it. Then I realised it was dry to touch. That is the one redeeming factor of this horror show of a polish. It dries quickly. So I thought, well, maybe a little glitter will help.

Bwahahahaha!!!! I can hear the evil being inhabiting that bottle of neon pink polish laughing at me as I grab a bottle of Pure Ice Once Again. A sheer light aqua jelly with glitter. I began applying the glitter. And things just kinda went from bad to worse. Three coats were needed for even somewhat even coverage. The aqua slightly toned down the ugly of the base colour. But didn't do anything to improve or redeem it.

Pure Ice Once Again isn't my favourite glitter polish. It might be nicer over a prettier base colour.

Maybe.

I didn't bother refining clean up or with Seche. This mani isn't long for this world. It is coming off tomorrow. I'd do it tonight but I am over mucking with it, right now. God, grant me the strength not to peel. I haven't peeled polish is a long time. And I don't want to start now. lol

Want to see the Manicure of Evil Ugly? Surprisingly, this photographed prettier than it is in person. Usually it is the other way around. So, if you look at the photos and think, "What is she bitching about? It isn't that bad." Think of just how ugly a polish job can be and jack it up about 300%. And you will know what this one looks like. lolol

First pic is outside in sun going behind clouds. No flash. My skin looks dry and tight because it is. I hadn't applied any lotion or oil before taking pictures.

This is Pink Voltage alone. Taken indoors, with flash. It actually looks not horrible in the photograph. Don't let the photograph fool you. The index finger and thumb are closer to the actual colour than the other fingers.

My new Spring wreath. I was making my bed, this morning and remembered my storage container in my closet with some flowers and stuff in it. I hauled out an old grapevine wreath form I had, some random silk flowers and my dykes for cutting stems and got to work. A few minutes later, I had this. I took it downstairs and hung it on the front door. (I photographed it hanging on a kitchen cabinet.) It is white "silk" lilacs, daisies, a big daffodil and a few ivy leaves.

Hopefully, the stupid birds will not build a nest in it, this year. I don't want this one ruined. lol

Mani of the Moment: China Glaze Lubu Heels

Oh My Gosh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This colour is Gorgeous!!!!!!!

Seriously.

Gorgeous.

I am in love. The more I wear dark, vampy colours, the more I like them. And today I got as vampy as I ever have. Today, I wore black polish for the first time in my life and I really want to know what the hell took me so long?

I imagine I was looking for this colour. China Glaze Lubu Heels. More than likely the only Lubu heels I will ever own. lol That's okay. I can live with that, as long as I have this beautiful polish for my nails.

This polish is a black jelly, I guess it would be called; packed with deep, deep red fire in the form of fine glitter. To the casual glance, it looks black or deep, deep, deep burgundy. Let light... Any light hit it and the red glitter jumps to the surface and sets this enamel on fire. The effects are mesmerizing. I can't stop looking at my nails.

I have to get a back up bottle of this shade. If China Glaze ever discontinues this shade, I do not want to be without it.

I was a tad dismayed with it, at first. The first coat was thin, grey, uneven and streaky with little glitter and I felt a little nervous. Then coat # two went on and suddenly it started to look black and the glitter began to come to life. By coat # 3 I had the colour that the bottle promised me. And I was happy and all my doubts and fears melted like snow in the Spring sunshine.

I did today's mani with a coat of China Glaze Strong Adhesion Base, three coats of Lubu Heels and a coat of Seche. My Seche is suddenly turning thick and gloopy and so my finish is a bit... lumpy??? kinda looking in spots. Blech! What a time for my Seche to turn. :P

For the heck of it, I decided to post pics before clean up. Yikes! What a mess! But, with tips I have recently learned and practice, the pre clean up mess isn't as bad as it used to be. lol

Indoors, (post clean up, of course.. lol) with flash.

Outdoors, direct afternoon sun, no flash. Look at that dark, deep red fire. :D

Outdoors, in shade. No flash.

Close up, in direct sun. No flash. To show just how magical this colour really is. If you thought that you could/would never wear black polish, I encourage you to try this colour.

Super close up in direct afternoon sun. No flash. The deep red glitter looks like embers from a dying fire, shining softly in a blackened fire pit. (Ignore my awful ridges, please. Those ridges are a result of years of acrylics and harshly ripping them off more times than anyone ever should. Lessons learned. *le sigh*)

So, there you have it. China Glaze Lubu Heels. Off my lemming list and on my nails. :D :D

Celebrate Spring! Paint your nails some fabulous colour that you never thought you would ever wear. :D

I Can't Resist the Sparkle

I think that I have created myself a monster. I had to repair a small chip in my polish on the outer corner of the middle finger nail on my right hand. I don't know how it happened. It was there when I got out of the shower. So, I repaired it and the repair looked acceptable enough. Then I started thinking about how I could make the repair look even better. A thick, glossy top coat? Sure.

Or...

Glitter!!! Yes! Glitter. It would cover any sin, add sparkle and be fun. So, out came the Pure Ice in Don't You Wish. Two coats, letting them dry in between. Then a coat of Seche. I usually hit my nails with Seche immediately but I didn't want to drag a bunch of glitter into the bottle, so I let the glitter coats dry before doing top coat.

I like this. :D It is sparkly and fun and the Don't You Wish looks good over the Frostbite. Almost as if they were meant to be together.

Awww... :P

At present I have... Nine coats on my nails. Nine. It isn't uncomfortable, really. But I do think that it looks as if I am wearing acrylics. lol Should be nice and protective. :D

Anyway, on with the pictures:

Indoors with flash.

Outdoors. Shade, without flash. You can really see the glitter clearly, here.

Outdoors. Shade, no flash. I think that this pic best shows the depth of the base blue (especially on my thumb nail) and the shine of the glitter coat.

Outdoors. Direct late afternoon sun, no flash.

I briefly considered starting a polish blog, but I changed my mind. Honestly, I like having all of my random stuff in one place. :D :D I hope that you all don't mind the chaos. :D