Long time, no faff, eh? As I stated in my last post back in June, things have been pretty busy for me trying to start up my own nail technician business. I can report that things are moving along, perhaps a little slower than I'd like, but forward motion is progress nonetheless. I've been throwing my energies into advertisement and getting my name out there, as well as training on new techniques and treatments to add to my services list. But, enough about me, because I haven't come out of my cave just to give you an update on what's going on inside it. Today, I wanted to share with you a nail art look I created in response to a call for action from one of my blogger buddies and all-around neat chick, Emma from Em's Little Corner. You see, last December, Emma's husband was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer, of which she'd never heard, called Neuroendocrine Tumors (NET). Because the symptoms of NET are similar to other conditions (and can therefore be misdiagnosed easily), the International Neuroendocrine Cancer Alliance has chosen the zebra ribbon to represent the cause - because when you hear hooves, you assume horses, but what if a zebra comes along? The INCA wants to spread awareness among medical professionals and the general public to think zebra when it comes to screening illnesses.
To that end, a few of us nail blogger types are participating in a pink zebra mani linkup to help spread awareness of this overlooked condition today, which is NET Cancer Awareness Day.
In Emma's own words:
"In my husband's case he was misdiagnosed with assumptions of IBS and diverticulitis, plus a haemangioma in his liver. This was over a timescale of seven years. It was only when he was hospitalised twice last year that one consultant thought zebra and had three second opinions of a scan that the diagnosis was made and realisation that it had spread from his large bowel to his liver. Two surgeries later the outlook is more positive, although some is still in there and inoperable; it could be many years before he has any issues because of how slow it grows. NETs are often curable if caught early."
Although not the focus of the post, I'll give you a few quick details about the nail art look I've created for this linkup. I started with two coats of Madam Glam white gel polish, curing each layer for 2 minutes under my UV lamp. I then stamped a zebra pattern from the Apipila Super Placa A onto my ring finger, which I then sealed under a coat of UV gel (more on this later). I then added a coat of Models Own Chrome Cerise to my thumb and stamped the zebra pattern over top with Konad black. On my index and pinky fingers, I added two coats of Seche Blackened Burgundy, and secured pink swarovski crystals into the topcoat. On my middle finger, I added one coat of OPI Pinking of You and then dipped the finger into a pot of my own custom pink glitter mix while the polish was still wet. While it was setting, I did three coats of Pinking of You over the ring finger. When full opacity was achieved, I then took a cleanup brush dipped in polish remover and carved out the ribbon design. Because I sealed the stamping under UV gel, I was able to protect the zebra pattern from the polish remover and reveal the hidden design!
I hope today's post has encouraged you to seek out more information about NET cancer so that you'll be more prepared should that zebra come by one day in the future. For more information about NET Cancer, the INCA, or how you can help to spread awareness, please visit http://
Additionally, please take a moment to peruse the gallery below for other pink zebra manis and hop over to visit some of my nail blogger buddies in the process.
I hope to be able to come back and visit with you all at least once more before the holidays, but if I'm unable, I wish you all the best during the upcoming holidays and into 2016.
Thanks for stopping in! Be well, and be safe.