Tuesday 22 January 2013

HELLO

Oh hey, remember me? Yeah I nearly forgotten I did nails too, it's been around 2 weeks according to how long it's been since I've uploaded to my (personal) facebook. Yikes D:
I guess I've just been trying to readjust to being back at uni, and dealing witht he workload again. I have a library project this term, which is kind of like a practice dissertation for next year, so I've been trying to get some research done for that. The essay and the poster presentation for the project is only worth 10% of ym grade, but I want to do well in it since I'm not too good at presentations, plus my average got pulled down by me barely passing a report that was worth 10% too.

 I haven't been feeling really inspired lately, hence why this design isn't as good as it could've been...I felt like doing something pastel and black but didn't really have any ideas, I wanted to try a super simple aztec design and made it vertical instead of horizontal since I suck at drawing horizontal stripes lol. I  kind of like it vertical, and might try a more detailed aztec design at some point.

Mint: Essie - Mint Candy Apple
Lilac: Collection 2000 - Sugared Almond

I used Mint Candy Apple and Sugared Almond as my bases. Both are lovely pastel colours (Mint candy apple definitely lives up to the hype, I think!), and are opaque in 2 to 3 coats. It may seem a lot of layers, but I've got a few polishes that take up to 4 coats, and 2 to 3 is a good average I'd say. I applied sally hensen's mega shine topcoat to provide a barrier between the base and the acrylic paint. It dries really quick and it is pretty shiney, but it streaks designs, so I tend to use it for plain colours rather than designs. I then used acrylic paint to  do (or in this case, slop on...) the design. I then used models own clear polish to topcoat it as  I've never had it streak on me, and I wasn't sure how acrylics react to topcoat since it's the first time using I used them.

Anyways, thast my kind of pretty bad attempt at a nail design..I really need to get more inspiration from somewhere. I may just start doing the 31 day/week challenge...hmm...

Saturday 12 January 2013

Rambling Apologies...

Okay, so I didn't quite do as many extra posts during the holidays as I'd hoped...lol. Mainly cos I enjoyed just lazing about, and I was actually enjoying christmas for once, with my boyfriend and his family (my dad usually works during the holidays, and my mum isn't the biggest fan of crimbo...). I've kind of enjoyed the break from doing nail designs, it's gotten to the point where I feel people expect something from me every time I see them, so I started feeling pressurised to do some form of design, which I really didn't want to happen as I love doing nail designs so much. Doing nail designs have been a bit harder for me since I started 3rd year at uni, not because I couldn't think of any designs, but having time to do designs as I get coursework a lot of the time, or I have notes to rewrite. And with me practically living at my boyfriend's flat, I obviously don't have my full polish collection at his, nor the little stick on gemmy/fimo thingies, so if I ever have a random epiphany for a really good design, I dont ever get to do it since I rarely have all the materials needed with me. I've been mainly wearing plain nails, or just easy designs like polka dots which I'm sure you guys have seen billions of times.

I'll be honest and say I'm not sure if I'll be posting much between now and May, when my end of year exams are. Both my modules are year long modules, so instead of having short modules where you get christmas exams and start a new module in the next term/semester, I carry on the same module, so it means I have TONNES of revision to do, plus I have a 2,500 word essay and a poster presentation to do this term, along with other coursework, so it'll be a super busy term for me. I don't want to shut down  my blog, since i've put so much work and time into this, but thought I'd let you guys know. I might start doing swatch posts so fill in the breaks between nail design posts, and maybe pop along to Boots more often ;)

But yeah, I'm kind of bummed out that I rarely have time to do design posts like i used to, like mroe complicated ones like my pokemon or first pacman nails. I've ntoiced my designs lately have become more simplified, which is still good as it shows that you don't need to be an expert to do nail designs, but I kind of enjoyed spending aaages doing my nails, and having everyone oooh-ing and aaah-ing. Gadz. Although come May, I should be free to do more designs.

So in conclusion to this ramble, I'm sorry for posting less designs as I have little time/resources, but will hopefully post more swatches/Boots hauls :)

Tuesday 1 January 2013

New Year Nails and Resolutions/Hopes

Hey guys, this is I guess what you could call my New Year mani, although it's not very interesting in comparison to the usual NY nails on google. I tried to do something firework themed, but that kind of went awry, so I decided on a metallic bronze and creme black marble with Essie Penny Talks and Barry M Black.



This was done with just a fan brush that I got in my nail brush set - it's pretty much the only reason I use the fan brush lol. Penny Talk is SO pigmented that I only needed the tiniest amount with tonnes of Barry M! Mr Lac. got Penny Talks off Extras.co.uk, where they sell the previous season's colour for a lot cheaper than instore, and they have a lot more beauty products too, so definitely check it out!


Anyways, onto the standard resolutions/hopes for 2013 chat!
2012 has personally been a bit of a standard year in comparison to my friends, with only a few minor, borderline un-important bumpiness along the way. But when I think back to how my childhood was, and to how things where merely a few years ago, I'm kind of glad that there's only been a few minor bumps now. All the big, dramatic events in my life have lead to where I am now. I wouldn't have met my new friends, my boyfriend, nor his lovely family. I genuinely cannot see my life without any of them, and I am so glad that these things have happened, because even though some say my life is boring, or that I'm boring, I'd rather be boring than be stuck where I was not that long ago. So if your job is horrifying, you're failing uni, in a really bad relationship with a guy/girl or your family, then yes, it's crap and it hurts. But you need to wait and ride it out and learn from those experiences. Because soon, everything will fit, and it will be okay. Sure, not everything is fine and dandy, but it's gotten better in comparison. You can't have that rainbow without the rain.

For once I'm actually going to make resolutions for 2013!

  • drink less fizzy juice, and eat smaller portions/be aware of how full I am. I've went up a dress size this year and I want to try and lose some of it. I#m not sure about the gym, as I have bad joints and it's a busy year at uni for me, but we shall see!
  • Do the 31 day nail challenge. As uni is getting a lost more important this year, I may change this to a 31 week challenge though, or maybe do it over the summer :)
  • Have more date nights with the boyfriend. We tend to just stay in and have take aways (maybe that's why I went up a dress size hehe), but I like getting dressed up for dinner and going to nice wee restaurants :)
Thats all I can think of now, as anymore would probably lead to me not doing them. I also hope that I do well in uni this year, as it's the start of the Honours portion of my degree. I want to also try and see my friends more, whether or not that means going to some shitty nightclub for a night out (their choice not mines lolol), and hopefully read a few more books :)

I hope everyone has a lovely night, and keep safe!