31DC-D2 - Tape Mani

Hey y'all!

Happy Friday!  Today I got to do some experimenting with the new camera Mr. Faff got me for Christmas.  It's my first DSLR, and aside from an old 35mm that I briefly played with in high school, it's my first foray outside of the compact, point-and-shoot cameras I've owned up until this point, which should explain why my pictures are about to start looking a bit different from what I've been posting.  With a bit of luck, by next year I'll have this macro photography thing figured out!  In any event, today's prompt for the 31-Day Challenge is Tape Mani, so I created this fun look.

Romantic Roses and Diamonds nail art

Hey y'all!

I'm probably way late for most Homecoming nights, but that's okay, too.  Today I wanted to share with you some romantic roses over a sparkly diamond base that would be perfect for a formal event of just about any occasion!

Hey, Swatch It! Orly Galaxy Girl

Hey y'all!

I've had today's swatchy beauty sitting in the back of my stash box for several months, waiting for autumn to come around because I think it's a color that screams falls.  This little baby came to me via a Geeky Owl blog sale, and let me tell you that rarely have I been so happy to take someone else's cast offs!  Today is all about Orly's Galaxy Girl!

Metallic Wood Grain nail art

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Happy humpday to all!  Today's nail art look takes a decidedly different turn.  I really wanted to play with creating a stamping gradient.  This is where you blend different polishes on the stamping plate as you swipe, so that your resulting image blends smoothly from one color to the next.  My results on this attempt were subtle, but I think the metallic wood grain makes a really cool effect.

Lifting the veil: Double-Stamped Glittery Purple Butterfly Nail Art

Hey y'all!

Alright, it's time to get back in business.  New month, new nails, new giveaway, and new order of business.  This afternoon I will have a special post going up to thank you all for staying with me during my radio silence and to help celebrate all the stuff going on around here this month.  Today I start my nail tech training, which is really exciting for me, and I will definitely be posting about the experience as well as posting some snapshots on IG so you guys can see what's up.  Because we're going to be practicing on each other's nails, I decided I needed to trim mine down a bit to make life a little easier on my classmates.  I also decided to break my nail art embargo with a manicure that embodies everything that makes me feel good right now - purple, glitter, and butterflies!

Tutorial: Using Orly Nail Rescue to create an extension

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Travesty of travesties, I broke a nail!  Unfortunately it was the end of a nail and it snapped off, so I couldn't just "repair" it.  Since it was late in the evening, visiting a salon for an extension wasn't an option, and I didn't want to hack off all my other nails, so I used my Orly Nail Rescue repair kit and a teabag to create an extension.  If you'd like to see how, check out my YouTube tutorial.

Hols Haul!

Hey y'all!

First off... today's my birthday, but I'm finally going to the doctor to take care of the lingering sinus and sore throat problems that we brought back with us from Texas last month.  As promised, I wanted to give you guys a haul post that trip, and today's your lucky day.  I certainly did quite the spree, beginning in January by online ordering things and having them shipped to Momma Faff's house.  By the time it was all said and done, there were a few too many boxes and she got onto me about it.  I couldn't help it - I needed things!  Anyway... the morning after we arrived, I sat down to the most wonderful breakfast of coffee and opening boxes, and managed to consolidate everything into one tiny pic that went on my Instagram feed immediately.