Getting older.

I decided a couple weeks ago that it was time to break down and try some nail stamping.  I went with the Bundle Monster plates from Amazon (which you can find here).  At twenty-one plates for $17.99, it was definitely worth a shot.  My first few attempts were pretty disappointing, but I think that's to be expected.  And then I got this:

Thankfully this particular manicure worked out very well.  I love houndstooth.  It wouldn't be a stretch to say that it's my favorite pattern. :)  This was two coats of Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Black Out (I believe that's what it's called) with a stamped coat of Studio M French Tip.

 

You can tell that I didn't clean the plate before doing the index and middle finger on the second picture.  I know better now, hehe...  I stamped every finger vertically, and then stamped each thumb horizontally.  Since the stamping color was white, cleanup was the easiest thing. :)

I adored this manicure!  I believe that I wore it for three full days before I forced myself to take it off and put something new on, just so I wouldn't get out of the habit.  It hadn't even chipped, though. :)  A definite success, if you ask me.

As for the title of this entry, I am getting older.  Today is my birthday. :)  I don't yet know how I feel about turning twenty-five.  I don't feel like I've achieved the accomplishments that I thought I would have by now.  Shouldn't I have an actual profession?  Some sort of road map detailing the plans for the rest of my life?

Though I'm not always sure of where I'm going, I am always certain of this:  I love the life I've been given, no matter how uncertain I become.  I am blessed every single day, even when I'm being too self-absorbed to see it.  The good in my life outweighs the bad in an outstanding way.

I have parents that love me, and sibling that I connect with, and family that looks out for my well being.  I have friends that always listen and persevere, even if I'm the one that's made things hard.  I have an amazing man in my life that overfills my heart with joy every time I see his smile.

Even if twenty-five is uncertain, I do know.  If this year to come is as richly blessed as the year that's passed, I am fully ready for it.

 

:)

Thank you for reading!

Playing catch up!

I don't know if I've made a single polish post this week.  So sad...  Sometimes I just fall out of the writing mood, though.  The 30 Days of Truth posts will continue, too, when the motivation crawls back in.

I have, however, been sucked into blog sales.  Nicole over at MagicMaid has a massive sale going on, and she wants to get rid of everything.  You should check it out!  She has so many different polish brands up for sale, LOTS of discontinued polishes and polishes from outside the US, and ALL at great prices.

I'm actually up to my third order from her blog sale right now... >_>  I got three polishes in my first package, two of which I used for my weekend manicure and pedicure! :)

 This is Essie Pretty Edgy.  I think that I like this color.  I like China Glaze Four Leaf Clover better, though.  Pretty Edgy is a thin cream polish that required two coats.  Even after two, I feel like I had some weird balding going on.  That's likely a problem with the way I applied it, though.

I topped Pretty Edgy with NYX's Graffiti, which is one of the polishes that I bought from the blog sale.  This is my first NYX polish. :)  Why the Ulta in my town sells NYX makeup but none of their polish is completely beyond me.  What you see on my nails is one quick coat, though.  It applied well and dried quickly.

This was a fun combination.  This weekend was good and sunny, so I stared at it quite a bit

WARNING: Toes ahead! 

For my pedicure, I used Finger Paints Black Expressionism and Nfu Oh #54.

 I bought Black Expressionism from Sally Beauty Supply.  I don't think that the markdown to $1.99 was correct, but the girl there didn't have issues ringing it up as such, so whatevs.  And I bought the Nfu Oh from Nicole's blog sale as well.  I had some slight reservation about buying it, but I reasoned that it may be the only Nfu Oh I ever own, so it was purchased.  I was ridiculously pleased with it, so it may not be the ONLY one I ever own...  I love Sally Hansen's Hidden Treasure like everyone else, but that one generally flashes warm colors.  I love that this Nfu Oh flashes cool colors.

It's not the best picture, but I didn't figure anyone wanted some serious close up action on my feet.  Black Expressionism went on perfectly opaque in one easy coat.  (Why do they make black polishes that you have to use more than one coat for opacity?  Isn't the beauty of black the fact that it's... y'know... BLACK?).  Two coats of Nfu Oh #54 and one coat of Seche Vite later, and it's a super gorgeous pedicure.  I have to wear shoes to keep from staring at my tootsies. <3


You only have until Wednesday to enter my Mysteriously Multiplying Bad Fairy Giveaway!  If you haven't yet, get crackin'! :)

Thanks for reading!