Swimming pool nails - Saran Wrap manicure

Hey there!

I'll just post a quick entry today because I've been moving out this weekend and I'm on the middle of what you could call nesting. Forget all the tiny bits uf rubbish, only nice things allowed!

Well, before nubbinizing my dear nails, which makes me utterly sad, I tried the so called Saran Wrap manicure. I was amazed at how easy this is, and at the super cool effect it gives. I must say: I'm in love. Sorry, striping tape. I think you've just been replaced by the new ultimate crush.

I used China Glaze For Audrey and a Kiko polish of which I can't remember the number. Whose fault is it, really? Why can't they just name the bottles?! I usually look for the name in their web page, but the bottle in question is lost in the middle of a backpack, amongst all the other lovely bottles I own... Attempting to locate it is suicide right now. And I need to assemble the hundred of things I just bought in Ikea, so I'll leave that for later if you don't mind.

When editing the pictures I noticed the effect is just like the water of a swimming pool. Right? Right?! I was really sorry to take it off, so I might give it another try sometime this week. BTW I'm on holidays for the week, which is totally orgasmic if you ask me. I didn't remember the effect free time had on me, how sad is that? Anyhow, I've plenty of free time, and I intend to make the most of it :D

So take care,

M.

Myrta over Ivory

Hey there!

Have you been rocking the weekend? I hope so. I've been lazy as hell, it feels so good sometimes...

The Boyfriend and I headed to the mountain where we treated ourselves with a marvelous lunch, it was legendary. I must say that we had many things to celebrate: his good grades, me being promoted to Junior Associate in my firm, being young and happy and so on. 

So, I've been playing around with the Zoya Surf collection, and this time I sponged Zoya Myrta over Dior Ivory. I really felt like wearing a bright orange. I confess, it was the first time of my life. So yeah, it was quite shitty that the polish came with an awful brush; then I decided to sponge it and all was good again.

Be bad, always.

Nude, fishnet and roses.

Hey Ladies,

Today I'm going to do a quick post, for it's my first weekend in a month that I'm actually free of work. Or, to be more accurate, that I take for myself and pretend it to be work-free.

I wore that mani for five days a couple of weeks ago. I was in a rush and wasn't even in the mood for a mani. Shame on me. But I was not as agonic as to be ready to wear anything. Or worse: nothing. No.

So I remembered those stickers I had bought at Blanco half price (that is Eur. 2.49 I think) and put them on. It was easy peasy, which I highly appreciated because sincerely I'd start crying otherwise. KO on a Sunday; man, I don't even want to remember the week that followed.

I'd give them a 9/10 overall. The lacking point is because they truly stinked the first day of wear; otherwise I was very happy with them.

Have a wonderful weekend!


M.

Striped Zuza

Señoritas,

I hope you enjoyed your weekend at least half as much as I did. This afternoon, seated in a cafe in one of the main streets of Barcelona, in one of those sunny perfect days that only early July can bring, I had a smoothie in my hand and I realized a full life is made of such tiny moments of happiness. On my nails, I had Zoya Zuza.

I'm so happy to have this beauty in my stash; I won a bid last week on eBay and now half the collection is mine (evil smile)! 

But well, as many lemmings of mine, Zuza was a little disappointing IRL. More green than blue to my eyes, not exactly what I had been expecting, yet beautiful.

I enhanced it with one big silver stud on each of my thumbs and two fine lines done with silver striping tape in each of the nails. Simple and quick. Yet effective. 

Here's Zuza on its own. I swear photoshop has nothing to do with this picture. I know you've seen her a hundred times. But, again: wow.

Now, brace yourselves. Monday is coming.
M.

Liebster Award!

Hello Ladies,

Today I have an award post for you :) The sweet lady over at Never naked nails nominated me for the Liebster Award, which is given to upcoming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. The Meaning? Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome. Yay! I am so thankful for that!

So here are her questions and my answers:

1.What is your blog about, and why?

My blog could be called a nail art book; I just post pictures of my NOTDs, my thoughts and comments, and some occasional off-topic chat. This is all about sharing. I don't want to become the slave of my blog, I just want it to be the means through which I share what I love to do. I recently discovered it is also the way of getting to know at least one side of a lot of interesting people out there who are really supportive, and that's what is most rewarding to me.

2.How old are you?  This mostly applies to how old you feel.

The civil register says I am 23 years old. For some things, I feel I am much older; circumstances in life have made me grow too fast, too responsible. But I don't know if I can give an age to that part of me. Some people won't get to live my experiences in a lifetime. And when I am truly me, which applies mostly when I am with The Boyfriend, I can be a 6 year old. Playful and with a seriousness rate close to zero. 

3.Would you please tell me a short story of the last time you really really had some absolute fun in your life?

I'd define the absolute fun just as the unlimited, unbound fun. And I'm constantly on it, I'd say at least once a weekend. I love to do little pillow wars with The One, it's just so fun! And I believe it helps me release some stress, I truly do.

4.Where are your favorite places to shop, and what are your favorite brands of things to buy?

Well I'd say eBay! I don't need to move, I just need my visa, a computer and wifi. How fabulous is that? Now, I'll confess some recurrent thoughts I have: (at work) "Damn, I nailed those Articles of Association; I need to buy some polish" / "I can't see the end of this due diligence. I'm going to buy some striping tape". (at home) "I need some dress to match my future pair of shoes; choose-the-brand.com" / "I don't want to do the dishes. eBay here I come". Is it bad, doctor?

As for the brands, I really don't care that much. And I'd rather not make free advertisement here :p

5.Do you have any crafty hobbies, or something you're just good at?

I write. I've always needed to write down memories, worries and thoughts; I started in a really early stage, and I keep doing it now. And I'm in the middle of a novel now. But hey, that doesn't mean anything. Anyone can write a novel nowadays, AND get published.

6.What did you expect to be doing at this time, five years ago?

The plan was that I'd be doing my master in Paris, and I finally postponed it to work in this law firm I'm in actually. I still think it was the right thing to do, which is a great thing.

7.If you use youtube, what types of videos do you watch the most?

Lana del Rey. No doubt. I think I'm totally virtually stalking her... The official clips of Born to Die and Blue Jeans, and a new video I discovered which is a semi live of Video Games she sings with stunning blue nails and a guy playing piano (please note my priorities in listing).

8.What is the song(s) that you must play full blast, windows down, belting it out, don't nobody better get in your way, driving down the road?

Man, I truly thought about skipping this answer. I'm about to bring shame on me for all eternity. I mostly listen to rubbish music (no offence for those who listen the same as me). It's just that music really influence my mood and I NEED to listen to danceable and singable songs. So, big confession. Hit me baby one more time (I do a Singstar every time) reminds me of my adolescence and I just love to sing it. As a more recent major hit in my shit list of songs I adore: Shakira's I'm addicted to you.

Yeah. Shame on me.

9.Kids?

No.

10.Best day ever?

I'll answer with my best summer ever. Last summer. I had finised University. I had my job starting in September. I had an amazingly big flat just for me. No parents. Just freedom. Legendary.

11.Who taught you to do something you really like doing?

My grandfather made me a decaffeinated coffe (which was mostly milk) in secret when I was around six. I still remember that as it was yesterday. I was in awe for I thought I entered the world of adults (how innocent of me) and I had so much complicity and love for that man that it made altogether a memory I will treasure all my life. I love to prepare myself a cup of milk, with two teaspoons of sugar and the perfect amount of soluble coffe, just like that day.

So now I will list 11 questions and my nominees :) Feel free to adjust the questions to your liking!

1. Why did your start your blog?

2. How do you rate your experience so far?

3. Tell me one thing that is still on your life to-do list?

4. What is your favourite book?

5. Tell me one of your foolish dreams?

6. Back to polish, which was your major discovery in this polish world?

7. Tell me your life, in a nutshell.

8. Tell me something you're really good at?

9. What do you do for a living?

10. Best moment of the day?

11. Do you have a polish-related wish we other bloggers could help to fulfill?

And I give this award and invite to answer those questions to:

Ana, from A lacquerphile in the Ryukus.

Abbie, from Abbienail.

Miss Love, from Miss Love.

Jin from Superficially Colourful.

Viktorija, from Vique's Varnish.

The sneakerette, from Lacquers and Laces. 

As you see, I'm not tagging eleven people. I'm tagging (without tagging back) 6 blogs I truly love and follow on a regular basis, which belong to 6 of the most interesting people I've found out there. Keep it up ^^

M.

My stash.

Hey there,

Thank. God. It's. FRIDAY.

So, in order to welcome this weekend where I'll have to work from home and take a legal english exam (nay...) and get to sleep some more than usual, be with The Boyfriend and do my nails (yay!) I wanted to show you how I order my stuff.

Now, I don't know what volume of polish you expected, and it's really a tiny collection compared with the amazing stashes I've gotten to see through the net. It's all I have for now, and I amb happy to say I am no longer in a crave for buying new polish, so the family is not growing as fast as it once did.

Those are my 140 bottles of pleasure:

I store them in those two nail polish racks I bough off eBay which are supposed to hold 50 bottles each, but as you see hold at least 20 more each. I try that the polishes follow a chromatic order (does that make sense?) but it's not always easy. I think I managed pretty well overall.

Then those are my nail art things:

As I said, I'm not all crazy for trying new polishes all the time anymore; I discovered I can play with the colors, textures and I love it. It's my time for being creative and express my mood and personality, a time that I take for myself and that is gratifying every time I take a look at my hands. It makes me feel good.

So at the top there are some studs and chains, some decorative fruits (never used), some reinforcement stickers and water decals (in the little pot which is actually an eye cream pot), some stickers and rhinestones and a whole lot of french manicure and chevron guides (those are essential). In the middle you can find my dotting tools, nail stickers of various brands and nail art brushes. And at the bottom we have the striping tape, glitter and glitter stars, the one magnet that I own and finally my make up sponges.

Then I have the stamping bazar:

So here I have the cheap and heavy pigmented polishes I use for stamping, some Konad plates and the second release of the Bundle Monster plates. Not much.

And lastly, the stuff I don't use and thinner. Some nail wheels, some base coats, top coats, empty bottles, false nails, spare nail files and cuticle removers. All that crap I can't throw away just in case I might need it. And after all, when I need it, I don't even remember that it's in there, and I buy it anew. So this bag keeps growing bigger and bigger. C'est la vie.

Well that's all. Let me know what you think, you curious creatures!

Have a GREAT weekend!

Clouds with Péridot

Ladies and Gents,

I hope your weekend rocked in an inversely proportional way compared to mine. I lack time lately, and that makes me value even the time I get to wait for a cab. I tell myself that I wait because I can, and I try to take a deep breathe. It doesn't always work though.

So, I had to choose between my nails and my adored BF this weekend, and I chose him. Thus, I am showing you something I rescued from my archives... It's from last christmas I think. 

I used Nailside's cloud technique, you should give it a go if you haven't tried that yet :) After reflection, I think I prefer to use that as an accent nail and not as a full mani, but it looked pretty good either way. So here it is.

I used China Glaze Sea Spray as a base, Chanel Péridot and China Glaze Liquid Leather. 

You all take care, enjoy the sun, and keep smilin'