Bipolar Ramblings, CCL, and Nail Art

For those of you who don't know, I am bipolar, and pretty much live in a bubble. I have no friends, and I don't work. If I get to leave the house, it's usually for an appointment of some kind. I currently do not have a phone. I have an ADHD 7-year-old, who I am a single parent of (even though I am married), who has been through a lot over the past year. I'm trying to help her simply deal. And my 2-year-old is in the midst of some kind of "stage" where she wants nothing to do with me. She only wants her dad. I am lonely, I am depressed, and I've been back & forth between manic & depressive for days, now. Don't be surprised to see posts from me every once in a while where I babble, just as I'm doing now. As I said: I am lonely. And hey, it's my blog for a reason, right?

Now, I know my blog isn't the greatest thing around. I don't have a computer, and do everything from an iPad. And there's only so much you can do from an iPad. BUT, I am slowly but surely learning new things, and just kinda feelin' my way around. My photos still suck, though. My brand new camera turned out to be a hunk of junk (that happens when you buy off of craigslist.com sometimes), and every single light in my house sucks. I can't afford to build a light box, so if I want to get decent photos, I have to be out in the sun. Which doesn't come out around here much, these days. Which tends to work fine for me, I think. Considering the limited equipment I have, I like to think that my photos are pretty decent. This works fine for swatch photos.

The only opportunities that I get to do my nails are late at night when my kids are in bed, and when the husband is settled. I literally sacrifice sleep to do my nails. So, in order to show you guys some nail art, I have to suffer through the terrible lighting. Unfortunately, so do you, lol. I hope to improve in the future. (It's a goal!) But I wanted to show y'all some nail art, dangit! So, please forgive these awful photos.

I've been stuck in a rut for several months, now. This manic-depressive shit sucks. I stopped taking care of myself (not eating right, not taking my vitamins, not drinking my water), and my poor nails have suffered. I haven't attempted any serious nail art since Halloween, and I've just been so down lately, that I decided that I finally wanted to play with my nails. It's the one thing I seem to be able to get right most of the time. 

So, I started with a nice, blank canvas. A couple coats o'white, coat of topcoat, take a break & let 'em dry! :)

2 healthy coats of SinfulColors "Snow Me White" *pre-cleanup, sorry!*

Now is as good a time as any to publicly admit that I only do nail art on my left hand, 9 out of 10 times. Hell, sometimes I don't even bother polishing both hands. (Don't judge me.) So, while my polish dried on my ONE hand, I got out everything I needed, lol.

I had decided to do a Valentine gradient, then go from there. I had seen a post on Facebook where someone had used a peel-off base coat to protect their skin when doing a gradient, to save from having to do some hellish cleanup. So, of course, I decided to try it!

Now, I know a lot of people just use plain Elmer's glue as a peel-off base. But that never worked for me. So, I was so tickled when my good friend, Cameo sent me a bottle of Cameo Colours Lacquers' "Take It Off!" Peel-Off Base Coat. It works great for me. I've even got a little stash of some previous nail art, because when it peels off perfectly, it's just a tiny little work of art, lol! *Is it weird that I've saved some? Lol* I usually only use mine as a base coat in warmer weather, though. It just works better for me when the air is warmer. But it worked PERFECT for easily cleaning up my gradient mess!

It didn't take too long to dry enough for me to start my gradient; maybe 10 minutes.

I really detest every single light in my house.....

And I still don't think I'm using PicsArt right when trying to add my watermark. But, hey...I'm gettin' there!

How cool is that?! The messiest part peeled right off! I only had a little bit of cleaning to do around my cuticles!

I added some China Glaze "Fairy Dust" to try to mask some of the little imperfections from the sponge, and from cleaning up my cuticles.

Added a coat of HK Girl topcoat...

I messed my thumb up, but was able to hide it with a stud & some rhinestones, strategically placed. :)

I practiced some glitter placement on my accent nail, and this was the final outcome...

Blurred to show off the sparkle :)

I still need LOTS of practice doing glitter placement, but I enjoy it. It relaxes me, believe it or not. And that's coming from someone who tends to have very little patience sometimes.

Haha. My poor Stubby still looks cute together with her sisters! *hee hee*

I know this post has been all over the place, but I hope the three of you who read my posts will still come back & read again, lol. If you're bipolar, then you'll understand, lol. If you're not, maybe you'll get a giggle out of it. You never know unless ya read it, anyway! 

Jolie Polish

Hi guys! Today, I want to show you guys a couple of polishes from Jolie Polish.

 One of my sweet Instagram friends, Kate, ordered "I <3 U Grandpa" and had it shipped to me last month when my grandfather suddenly passed away. I was so touched when I opened the package and read the name, I was instantly in tears. It never ceases to amaze me how supportive everyone in the nail polish/nail art community is of each other. We always stick together, cheering each other on & help to raise each other's spirits when one of us are down. It's an amazing sister*and sometimes brother*hood that I am honored to be a small part of. *Love you guys!*

Now, on to the swatches! 

1 coat of "I <3 U, Grandpa" over Sweet Heart Polish "Sands of Time" & two

coats HK Girl topcoat

"I <3 U Grandpa" is a beautiful glitter bomb, which has pink holographic butterfly glitters, small black glitter shreds, tiny holographic hexes, as well as an assortment of larger hexes. I layered it over Sweet Heart Polish's "Sands of Time" here, but I am sure it looks amazing over just about ANY color. This is one coat, with very minimal "fishing". The only "fishing" I had to do was for a couple of the butterfly glitters. And, I didn't have to do any dabbing at all. This glitter bomb is quite easy to apply!

In addition to "I <3 U Grandpa", Bory (Creator/owner at Jolie Polish) also sent a mini-sized bottle of "Choji" from her Naruto collection. 

Three coats and HK Girl topcoat (3 finger swatch courtesy of the bag of 

groceries I was carrying in a couple of weeks ago that snapped my index

nail)

Neon orange stud from BornPrettyStore

"Choji" is a white Creme, with a rainbow of different sized matte hex glitters. I wish I had the ability to buy online, because this is one that I would LOVE to have in a full size! I added a small, square neon stud that I bought myself from www.bornprettystore.com to my accent nail to dress it up a little more, even though this polish really doesn't need to be dressed up! I just took it as an opportunity to use the studs since I've had them for a couple of months, and hadn't even opened the package yet. I can't wait to play with those a little more!

Thanks again to Kate & Bory for allowing me the opportunity to own these two beautiful polishes! 

I hope you all have an awesome week! Happy polishing!

Sweet Heart Polish - I'm A Librarian!

Hi all! Today, I've got one last Sweet Heart Polish to show ya! This is "I'm A Librarian!", which is another polish from the Death is Only the Beginning collection, available in her shop.

I hope you all don't mind that I'm only showing you guys three fingers, as I had a bad break on my index fingernail last week. I know it's some people's pet peeve for not all of the fingernails to be the same length. I filed them down as much as I could stand, but I had to file Stubby McStubster down, as well.  So, I just could not bring myself to file the rest of them down to match, lol.

Two coats with HK Girl Topcoat

Check out the shine with the HK Girl topcoat!

I'm A Librarian! is a deep pink, holographic polish. The first coat went on a little streaky, but the second coat smoothed it right out. 

I have thoroughly enjoyed swatching these polishes from Sweet Heart Polish, and I thank her for sending them to me. I love the formula of these polishes, and oh my word, the holo! If holo isn't your thing *Are you crazy?! Lol*, there are plenty of other gorgeous polishes in the shop to choose from. I can tell you this: Regardless of which polish(es) you choose, Sweet Heart Polish will not disappoint!

I hope you all have enjoyed these Sweet Heart Polishes as much as I have! Which ones are on your wish list?

Hope you all have a great week! Happy polishing!

Sweet Heart Polish - Sands of Time

This week, I have another Sweet Heart Polish to show you guys :)

Sands of Time is a holographic shimmer, champagne colored polish. It is part of the Death is Only the Beginning collection, which you can find in the shop. I think it's a beautiful neutral color, especially with that holographic shimmer!

Two coats and topcoat

Please ignore my stubby little index finger. I had a bad break carrying groceries in the other day, and I just couldn't bring myself to file the others down to match it :(

This polish goes on very smoothly, with no streaks at all. I love the formula!

If you haven't tried Sweet Heart Polish yet, you really should! I have one more from the Death is Only the Beginning collection, which I will share with you guys next week.

Hope you all are having a great week! Don't forget to follow me on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook! Just search for Polishedaway ;)

Sweet Heart Polish - Drink From the Nile

In my attempt to post more regularly, I've decided to showcase ONE new polish every week. This week, I'm reviewing Sweet Heart Polish "Drink From the Nile", part of the Death is Only the Beginning collection, available in her shop.

This, along with two others that I will showcase in future posts, was sent to me a few months ago for review. But, as most of you know, my life hit a major bump in the road and I was on hiatus for a couple of months while trying to get "Life" back in order.

This polish is a gorgeous blue with scattered & linear holographic glitter. It goes on relatively smoothly, as long as you let each coat dry completely before applying another.

This is 3 thin coats, plus topcoat

I have a huge weakness for blues, but add holographic glitter, and it am SMITTEN!

Be on the lookout for other swatches from part of this collection soon!

I'M BAAAACK!!

After a long hiatus, I AM BACK! *Back in the Saddle by Aerosmith plays in the background*

The last two months of 2013 through me for a loop, but I am so excited about what 2014 has to offer. It's gonna be a great year!

In today's post, I want to share with you guys what I got in my very first Influenster box!
**These products were sent to me for testing purposes**

December 2013 Influenster Jolly VoxBox

Being as this was my first time getting a VoxBox, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. But, I have to say, I'm impressed! 

Skinny Cow Chocolates - Peanut Butter Crème

These things, oh-em-gee, were SO good! You would never guess by tasting them that they're only 130 calories per serving! This was my first time trying anything by Skinny Cow, and it did NOT disappoint. They sent a box of 6, but this is the only bar left, lol. And yes, I am hiding it. *My precioussssssss....*

The Duck Brand "Mini Ducklings" Mini Duck/Duct Tape

Okay, we all know that duct tape is an absolute God-send sometimes, but you don't always need some gigantic piece of tape, and it's harder to cut, get off the roll, etc. Well, now The Duck Brand has little baby rolls of duck/duct tape! How stinkin' cool is that?! 

I used mine to repair the box that holds the tiny little antique China tea set that my MIL so lovingly bequeathed to my 2-year-old. *LOVE my MIL!*

It only took four small pieces, and was the perfect little size to use on this box. I have since stored this little set to give to my daughter when she's older. *And when we no longer have a glass-top coffee table.*

Puff's Ultra Soft & Strong To Go Tissue Pack

I haven't needed to use these yet, but I really like the little Puff's packs like this. I can keep one in my purse, in the diaper bag, in my daughter's backpack, in my car....the possibilities really are endless, lol. Mommies are all about convenience! *Can I get an amen?*

NYC New York Color HD Color Trio Eye Shadow -

Long Beach Sands

I was really excited when I seen this eye shadow set from NYC New York Color, because I've never really worn a lot of makeup because I never learned the proper ways to apply it. So, I've always stuck to the more neutral colors. My hair is auburn, and my eyes are dark brown, so I always thought that browns and neutrals kind of highlighted my hair & eye colors. 

I have recently taken a slight interest in learning new ways to wear/apply my makeup. I even started wearing fake eyelashes, using liquid eyeliner, and using an eyebrow pencil, which are all HUGE steps for me. When I got my Jolly Vox Box, and saw that the eyeshadow was in my "safe colors," I was pretty excited. I couldn't tell you the last time I bought eyeshadow. *Yes, I've been wearing the same eye shadows for a couple of years, now. Don't judge me...*

I'm not much on selfies and my makeup skills suck, so this 

picture doesn't show off the real potential of this eyeshadow,

but hey...I tried, lol.

I was also wearing....

Rimmel London NEW Show Off Lip Lacquer - Stargazer

I'm not much of a lipstick girl, but I love a nice, light, neutral shade of gloss, with just a subtle bit of shimmer. And this was seriously perfect for me. Easy to apply. Lasted longer on my lips than I thought they would, too. My new favorite :)

All-in-all, I am SUPER pleased with this Influenster box! I can't wait to see what they have in store for us next! 

Have YOU signed up for Influenster, yet? I have THREE invites left! Just go follow my Facebook page, and direct message me with your email address ;) 

Did anybody else get the Jolly Vox Box? Did you like it? What was your most favorite? What was your least favorite?

Change of plans?

Okay, I know I don't have a HUGE following, so I wanted to ask you guys a question before I make any rash decisions...

A lot of you know that my home life isn't the best. Well, due to stress, no sleep, not eating like I should, and not taking my biotin like I should, I broke three nails today. They're super-nubs, now, so they're gonna have to grow out a bit more before I feel like I can show you guys some really good swatches. 

My question for you all is this: should I just stick to nail polish, or would you guys be interested in reading reviews of other beauty products? Hair, skin, whatever? Should I stick to beauty, or would you be interested in reviews on pretty much anything? Your feedback is greatly appreciated. I want this blog to be a success, but, you know...life happens *shrug*

If you are make anything other than polish, & would like to have your products reviewed, feel free to contact me. I could use something to help me get my mind off of stuff, and get out of this funk :-/

Hope everyone is having a good week! Don't forget to share the blog and my Facebook page! If I can get a pretty decent following, I plan on having a giveaway after Christmas. And if you've participated in my giveaways on Instagram, you know it will be awesome!

Happy polishing, and I'll talk to you all very soon! ;)

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Halloween Nail Art 2013

I need to invest in a light box before I start posting tutorials, but I wanted to show you guys the Halloween nail art that I did this month :)

My first Halloween mani was a simple jelly sandwich with French tips. I then used some acrylic paint & a nail art brush to add some stitches to make it more Halloween-y.

Polishes used: Zoya "Coraline", Maybelline Polka Dots "Clearly Spotted",

and Wet n Wild Fergie Collection "Glowstick", topped off with my favorite

topcoat, HK Girl "Glisten & Glow"

I'm a HUGE fan of glitter placement, so it only seemed fitting that my next Halloween mani include this nail art technique!

Polishes used: SinfulColors "Cloud 9" and Zoya Pixie Dust "Dahlia"

My poor ghost didn't come out quite like I saw him in my head, but I feel like my letters were spot-on! And, thank God, my nails are slowly getting back to this length.

For my next Halloween nail art, I decided to do an orange & black gradient, then I free-handed some bats following Cutepolish's YouTube tutorial. (I really need to learn how to embed links into my posts :-/)

Polishes used: SinfulColors "Secret Admirer" and "Cloud 9", and

China Glaze "Fairy Dust". I painted the bats using acrylic paint and

a toothpick :)

Being that this was only my THIRD successful gradient, I was super proud of these! So proud, that it entered them into a Halloween nail art contest on Instagram & won in the "Newbie" category :)

My next Halloween inspiration came from another YouTube tutorial. This time, from ArcadiaNailArt, (Seriously, how do I embed a link?!) called "Witch's Brew".

Polishes used: SinfulColors "Secret Admirer" and "Innocent"

Glitter was a mixture of China Glaze "Mosaic Madness" and

"Grafitti Glitter" Topped with HK Girl "Glisten & Glow"

*Am I the only one who is bothered by the fact that "Graffiti" is spelled wrong on the label of that glitter? Lol!*

I used acrylic paints to add the creepy eyeballs. This was my personal favorite. My mom liked this one so much, she asked me to do this design on her nails. In my 36 years on this earth, I have never even seen my mom with polish on her nails, so I was so excited to do this for her. I did switch hers up a little bit, though...

Polishes used: SinfulColors "Secret Admirer"and "Cloud 9"; China Glaze "I'm With

The Lifeguard" and Salon Perfect Neon Collision "Kaboom"; topped with HK Girl

"Glisten & Glow"

*Awkward hand pose courtesy of trying to explain how to hold your fingers for a photo to someone who has never done it before, lol*

She wanted a brighter green than what I used in mine, that's why I went with "I'm With The Lifeguard". When I did mine, I mixed two glitters together (trying to achieve a similar look to what ArcadiaNailArt used in hers) and completely forgot that I had this glitter. I definitely like this glitter better. After I won the Instagram contest with my gradient & bats, she decided she wanted those too, so I did that on her thumbs as accents. It was so cute hearing her giggle like a school girl when I did the gradient, lol. "It's like magic!" she said, lol.

Please excuse her poor cuticles. She works in retail, often unloading trucks & stocking shelves, and her nails take a beating on a regular basis :(

I also used acrylic paints to do these creepy eyeballs, but I used a red nail art pen from a set that Mom bought for me at Sam's Club, so the red veins didn't come out as well as they did in my own "Witch's Brew" manicure.

Next, I did a simple manicure using textured polishes and a dotting tool...

Polishes used: Julie G Frosted Gumdrops "Tangerine Dream" and Zoya Pixie Dust

"Dahlia"

Next, I decided to try something a little different, trying to practice my free-handing skills...

Polishes used: SinfulColors "Precious Metal" and "Smokin'" &

Maybelline Polka Dots "Clearly Spotted"

Again, I used acrylic paints for the black & white. This was my least favorite out of all the Halloween manicures that I did, but being that it was my first time trying this, I guess it came out okay.

Finally, for my last Halloween nail art, I did the free-handed bats again, but this time I used a new detail brush that my best friend got for me instead of a toothpick. I used acrylic paints to add them over a white base with a glow in the dark polish.

Polishes used: NK "Really White" and SinfulColors "Glow in the Dark",

topped with HK Girl "Glisten & Glow"

This is the best shot that I could get of it glowing...

My camera freaks out with glow in the dark polishes, lol!

So, there you have it! All of my Halloween nail art for this season! Which one is your favorite?

Thanks for reading, and happy polishing!

Julie G Frosted Gumdrops Holiday Collection

When I saw that Julie G was having a special preorder sale on their website for the new 2013 Frosted Gumdrops Holiday Collection, my heart sank. You see, I don't normally have the option to shop online. My name isn't on any account; I don't have a card or even a checkbook. So, I took the husband on a little trip. A guilt trip. Yes, I turned into THAT wife. (Don't judge me...)

No, I do not work outside of our home, but I do work inside and FOR our home. My job is stressful, exhausting, and more often than not, thankless. But, I chose this life, so I do it without question and completely out of love. I don't ask for much. But I was going to have this collection. Oh yes. 

 I pointed out the fact that next month, he will be spending around $60, just on himself, for a video game. I explained that if he let me preorder the set, it would save him money. I really didn't think he would bite, but to my surprise, he pulled out his wallet and handed me the card.

I swear, I heard angels singing.

Three days later, my package came. I couldn't wait to get inside & tear it open, just knowing that they would be even more beautiful in person. And, Lord, were they ever!

Pictured L-R: Gift of Gold, Ho Ho Ho, Silver Bells, Sleigh Ride, 

Mistletoe, and Sugar Plum Fairy

Of course, I got right to swatching! I don't have a light box yet, and the lighting in our house really bites, so I have to take my swatch photos in the sun. I used Cameo Colours Lacquers' peel-off base coat called "Take It Off!", which made swatching so much easier! I was able to swatch twice a day a couple of times (I wanted to get this post ready & posted), all thanks to this base coat. Keep an eye out soon for a review! *wink*

I am a HUGE fan of textured polishes, and I have quite a few from various brands. But, the Julie G Frosted Gumdrop collections are my absolute FAVORITE! Now, I really like the Zoya Pixie Dusts, but they're harder for me to get. Like I said, I don't normally have the freedom of buying online. And, I recently found out that an Ulta opened up near me, but haven't had the pleasure of going yet. So, Julie G, being exclusive to Rite Aid, is much easier for me to get. Heck, there's a Rite Aid just a few blocks away from me, lol. And the fact that these polishes are affordable AND easily accessible, gets them brownie points with me.

And, when it's on your nails....

Sleigh Ride, 2 thin coats

It only takes a couple of coats, and my nails were dry within 10 minutes of polishing them. More brownie points :)

Silver Bells, 2 thin coats

Sugar Plum Fairy, 2 thin coats

I love how, even though it's a textured polish, it has so much glitter in it that it literally twinkles. So, I went a little bipolar, & started adding a top coat to a few of them. I was anxious to see how much more it would twinkle, because, you know, hehe, I do love me some glittah!!

Then, this happened....

Gift of Gold, 2 thin coats. Bottom photo is with one thick coat of topcoat

Ho Ho Ho, 2 thin coats. Bottom photo is with one think coat of topcoat

Mistletoe, 2 thin coats. Bottom photo is with one thick coat of topcoat

I think I hear those angels singing again...

And brownie points? Off the flippin' charts...

Seriously!! What is NOT to love about this collection?! I'm STILL drooling over them. I'm so glad I was able to get the entire set, and I can't wait to work on some Christmas nail art designs using them. If you like textured polishes as much as I do, you NEED this collection! You'll thank yourself for it later, I promise ;)

Hope you all enjoyed this post! Feel free to let me know what you guys think, what I could improve on, what I'm doing right OR wrong, etc! It's going to take me some time, but I'd really love for this blog to eventually be a success. Constructive criticism is always welcome, as long as you're nice about it!

Don't forget to find me on Facebook and Instagram! Search both for 'Polishedaway' <3 See y'all soon! 

*hugs*

Shanna