Canada Day Mani!

For my compadres in Canada - a Canada Day Mani...

Stolen from Wiki!

Canada Day (French: Fête du Canada) is the national day of Canada, a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the British North America Act, 1867 (today called the Constitution Act, 1867, in Canada), which united threecolonies into a single country called Canada within the British Empire. Originally called Dominion Day (French: Le Jour de la Confédération), the name was changed in 1982, the year the Canada Act was passed. Canada Day observances take place throughout Canada as well as internationally.

Frequently referred to as "Canada's birthday", particularly in the popular press the occasion marks the joining of the British North American colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada into a federation of four provinces (the Province of Canada being divided, in the process, into Ontario and Quebec) on July 1, 1867. Canada became a kingdom in its own right on that date, but the British Parliament kept limited rights of political control over the new country that were shed by stages over the years until the last vestiges were surrendered in 1982 when the Constitution Act patriated the Canadian constitution.

Under the federal Holidays Act,^[12] Canada Day is observed on July 1 unless that date falls on a Sunday, in which case July 2 is the statutory holiday, although celebratory events generally take place on July 1 even though it is not the legal holiday.^[13] If it falls on a Saturday, any businesses normally closed that day will generally dedicate the following Monday as a day off.

I'm heading out of town and I can't draw a maple leaf that tiny on my finger to save my life, so instead of trying that one and failing miserably, I've taken the easy way out. Just a red mani with a red and white accent nail.

I used Milani Rapid Cherry for the base and Milani White on the Spot for the accent white.

Canada Day Manicure

Canada Day Manicure

Canada Day Manicure

I freehand painted 2 red stripes on either side of my ring fingernail - over my dry mani - and one white stripe down the center and then used a toothpick to rake the wet polish back and forth in quick motions across the nail. Sealed with one coat of Poshe and voilà!

I so much wanted to participate with my other blogger friends in this collaboration for Canada Day. I am sure you will enjoy the others' Canada Day manicures...give them a look!  ↓





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China Glaze Hyper Haute from the Tronica Collection

China Glaze's Tronica Collection was released January of 2011 and were touted as "holographic" polishes. Many people were excited because China Glaze's OMG Collection were linear holographic goodness and already much collected and harder to find. The Tronica Collection disappointed many people because they were not linear holo polishes. BUT in my opinion, they are pretty special on their own! No, they're not linear holo. I'd call them very tightly scattered holos and the formula is AMAZING. Much better than the OMGs. Of course it's a trade-off, but aren't most things?

Tonight I'm showing you the last one I received, Hyper Haute...from a sweet friend (THANKS SANDY!)

Hyper Haute is a great raspberry scattered holo and applied perfectly in one coat! I did apply two coats out of habit, but it really wasn't needed.

China Glaze Hyper Haute - Tronica Collection

China Glaze Hyper Haute - Tronica Collection

China Glaze Hyper Haute - Tronica Collection

China Glaze Hyper Haute - Tronica Collection

China Glaze Hyper Haute - Tronica Collection

China Glaze Hyper Haute - Tronica Collection

China Glaze Hyper Haute - Tronica Collection

These are still hanging around here and there on eBay and at some nail supply stores. If you see them, grab them!  They're definitely worth it, in my opinion. My favorite China Glaze Collection so far!

What do you think? Did you get these when they were released?

I'm taking Saturday (tomorrow) off to have a little fun. See you Sunday night!



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Thrifty Thursday Starring Milani and a Polka Dot Mani!

Well I'm not sure what got into me exactly, but I'm wearing YELLOW!  Yellow hates my skin tone, but I decided to give it another shot and maybe tone it down a bit with some easy nail art.

So for today, I have a polka dot "gradient" of sorts using yellow!  And since it's Thrifty Thursday already again, it's wallet-friendly!

Polka Dot Gradient Mani

Milani Yellow Whiz is what I'm using for the base and I used two coats. Milani's formula is usually amazing. This one is a tad thick and not self-leveling, but if you know that going in, it's fairly easy to work with.

Milani High Speed Fast Dry One Coat  Polish in Yellow Whiz

And then I used a double-ended dotting tool to make small and large dots in a random pattern, concentrated at the tips and tapering off toward the middle of the nail. The dots are Milani White on the Spot and Nails Inc.  Tavistock Street.  For a total thrifty manicure, you could use Milani Just Grayt, which I understand is a CVS exclusive and I don't have a CVS here in PoDunk. But I will get it. Pure Ice Kiss Me Here is another grey that would work fine for $1.99! My inspiration was Sarah at Chalkboard Nails. Once again, I fall short, but practice makes perfect, right?  Here's her polka dot mani. Isn't it gorgeous?  (And she's now done an easy tutorial with pink and blue dots!)

Chalkboard Nails Polka Dot Gradient

And my version...

Polka Dot Gradient Mani

But there was still too much yellow, so I changed it up a bit by putting the grey as a base on my thumb and ring ringer and reversing the dots...

Polka Dot Gradient Mani

Polka Dot Gradient Mani

Polka Dot Gradient Mani

Polka Dot Gradient Mani

What do you think? Of course you can use any colors to do this easy polka dot mani. Give it a shot and post your polka dots on my Facebook page!

Milani polishes are available at milani.com and at various retailers. I purchased these at my local Walgreens for $4.79.


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SoFlaJo Open All Night and Girls Night Glitter - Swatches and Review

This evening I'm showing you a couple of polishes from SoFlaJo's new Life's a Beach Collection 2012!

Open All Night is an iridescent green hued polish with gold glass flecks that can be layered or worn alone and it glows in the dark too! I'm showing you Open All Night alone over all but the accent finger. There I've layered it over a medium green creme. I used 4 coats alone and one coat for layering. Polish flowed smoothly and I had no issues with application. No top coat.

SoFlaJo Open All Night

SoFlaJo Open All Night

SoFlaJo Open All Night

SoFlaJo Open All Night

SoFlaJo Open All Night

And of course I had to attempt to show you the glow in the dark properties! I really didn't have a clue how to do it, but thankfully Sarah with Chalkboard Nails came to my rescue! I still didn't manage to capture it like she would have, but I'm learning! (Thanks Sarah!) Not sure why the accent finger didn't show!

SoFlaJo Open All Night

Then I decided to try Girls Night Glitter for a "reverse gradient." Girls Night Glitter is a blue-based polish with blue, black and hot pink glitter pieces.

SoFlaJo Open All Night with Girls Night Glitter

SoFlaJo Open All Night with Girls Night Glitter

SoFlaJo Open All Night with Girls Night Glitter

SoFlaJo Open All Night with Girls Night Glitter

So what do you think? Have you tried SoFlaJo polishes yet? What's your favorite of the new collection?

SoFlaJo polishes can be purchased through her site here. And be sure and follow her here and on FB here for information and updates! Polishes retail for $10 for a full sized bottle and $5 for a mini.



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Enchanted Polish Across the Universe - Swatches and Review

Today I'm going to show you a polish I wore a week or two ago. Not sure why I didn't show you then, but I just found the photos!

Enchanted Polish Across the Universe is a bottle just full of multiple personalities! The color-shifting pigments make this one flash blue, purple, burgundy, brown, gold and green and with a LINEAR HOLO!

I layered one coat over black creme and took photos the first day and two days later to show tip wear. I didn't wrap the tips and I type a LOT, so I was honestly pleased with the wear. The application is one-coat easy over a base color and I had zero issues. The only color shift I wasn't really able to capture was the green, but it's there!

Enchanted Polish Across the Universe

Enchanted Polish Across the Universe

Enchanted Polish Across the Universe

Enchanted Polish Across the Universe

Enchanted Polish Across the Universe

Enchanted Polish Across the Universe

Enchanted Polish Across the Universe

Enchanted Polish Across the Universe

And on the 3rd day, showing a bit of tip wear, but it's not bad and it's probably due more to the coat of black creme I used underneath.

Enchanted Polish Across the Universe

Enchanted Polish Across the Universe

Enchanted Polish Across the Universe

Enchanted Polish Across the Universe

Enchanted Polish Across the Universe

Enchanted Polish Across the Universe

Enchanted Polish Across the Universe

Enchanted Polish Across the Universe - bottle shot

I think it's amazing! What do you think? As stated, I layered over a black creme, but it also layers nicely over other colors for even more personalities.

Enchanted Polishes can be purchased through llarowe.com and be sure and follow Llarowe on Facebook and Enchanted Polish on Facebook for information and updates. Enchanted Polishes retail for $15 for a full .5 oz bottle.



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Chanel Canicule, the Heat and an Unwelcome "Guest"

Well today was definitely MONDAY. I started out not quite "up to snuff" and everything went downhill from there! Ah, really it wasn't a bad day but I did have my "moments." Today would have been my 19th wedding anniversary. (Next month will mark 7 years since his passing.) And I could almost hear him laughing at me today. He, of course, was the designated "killer of all things creepy-crawly." Yeah, he would have really laughed at me because at one point I ran from the room screaming like a lil girl. Yes, yes I did. Why?

Because THIS was on my kitchen floor when I got back from running errands in 106 degree heat.

Unwelcome Scorpion

He was smaller than the others I've found in my house before, but he was an aggressive lil bugger. He  curled up his tail and came at me! So after my freak out, I grabbed the can of insecticide and pretty much drowned him. #winning!

ANYWAY, in honor of the HEAT (and because Bill liked red,) I pulled out an OLD Chanel.

Chanel Canicule. I'm not sure how old this one is but it's gorgeous. It's a candy apple red with red shimmer and silver micro glitter and when I googled "canicule" I knew it must be my mani for today. Canicule means heatwave or scorcher in French. Approprié, n'est-ce pas?

Chanel Canicule

Chanel Canicule

Chanel Canicule

Chanel Canicule

What do you think? Red is supposed to be empowering! Guess that was what gave me the courage to kill the scorpion myself. LOL!



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