Christmas Giveaway!!! yay.

Super awesome Christmas China Glaze giveaway at http://nailtalez.blogspot.com/2010/10/china-glaze-tis-season-giveaway
Check it out and enter!  I'm soooo excited.  16 new China Glaze Christmas colors. 

Few more Halloween looks

Just a couple more Halloween design ideas I did.  Hope they're enjoyed.  

Until next time.

Halloween designs and miscellaneous stuff

Ok so today I was inspired by some you tube gals who do great nail tutorials and I broke down and started to try my hand at some Halloween designs.  I have sort of a mish-mash of a post today because it encompasses some of the designs I've attempted so far and also a sort-of review on China Glaze Awakening collection as well as a few words about the online nail supply store EZ Nails. 
Let me start with the EZ Nails thing.  Now I have ordered one or two other times from them and received ok service.  I ordered a lot of my acrylic nail supplies from them and was very satisfied.  This time....sadly, is not the same.  About two and a half weeks ago I ordered the three China Glaze Awakening colors from them and after two weeks I emailed them (last weekend) with an inquiry as to where my order might be...as I hadn't received it nor any word from them.  In their behalf, I received a quick response reply from them this past Monday telling me that these colors were popular and they'd just received another shipment and my order was being shipped.  I was happy. Well this morning they finally arrived (Fed Ex) and when I opened it I immediately saw they didn't send me "Zombie Zest"...I was sent some nameless CG clear/gold glitter polish.  I was not happy.  So I've sent off a stern email to poor Stephanie (who emailed me on Monday) of EZ Nails stating my disappointment.  I thought of sending it back but don't want to have to pay for more shipping.  I'm hoping they do the right thing and send me the correct color. 
Now the CG Awakening colors I did receive:  Mummy May I and Ick-a-bod-y were true to color as far as I can tell as compared to other bloggers' pics.  I've swatched them on some fake nail tips as my own nails are under repair as you may know from a previous post.   I like these two colors.  My teen daughter will love them.  Out of the two I received I like Mummy May I the best.  I just prefer purple right now.

The other pics I am going to post are of a couple nail designs I did today.  Some are on acrylic and some are just over polish.  I hope you enjoy.

Mummy May I and Ick-a-bod-y.  1 coat SV topcoat taken outdoors

 and overcast

black holo glitter acrylic mix on nail tip as base with black widow spider made of black acrylic w/ red swarovski crystal

orange glitter acrylic on nail as base w/ painted black web

Mummy May I with web painted on top

This is a purple glitter acrylic mix (I know, in sun it looks pinky) w/Jack Skellington character (my daughter loves that movie)

CG Mummy may I and Ick-a-bod-y and the "bogus" polish I got instead of

 Zombie Zest 

 

 

Until next time.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Every 15 seconds in America a woman is beaten or injured in some way by a partner or ex-partner.  That is a staggering statistic.  In the United States there are 1,500 emergency shelters for domestic violence victims...there are 3,800 shelters for animals. 

October is "awareness month" for several important issues, as we all know.  I'm not sure many people realize that October is also Domestic Violence awareness month.  This subject is one that many are uncomfortable talking openly about (understandably) but for me it is close to my heart as I worked in  my local domestic violence shelter for 5 years as a woman's advocate and I have witnessed both professionally and personally the effects of this horrible, insidious crime.  I worked daily with women and their children who fled their homes to escape further harm and injury or the threat of it by a man who claimed he "loved" them.  Many times they would come to our emergency shelter in the middle of the night with only the clothes on their backs.  Children, babies, women (young and old) would show up on the shelter's doorstep.  I've seen women as young as 17 w/ a baby in their arms to a 75 year old woman w/ her frozen Thanksgiving turkey in tow who decided they couldn't take it not one more second.  I've known women who have been killed (some in front of their children) by their spouse, ex-spouse or intimate partner.  If you have been hurt or threatened in any way by a partner or ex-partner or by a family member then please know my sisters, there is help out there for you!  You don't have to be afraid in your own home anymore.  Here is the number for the National domestic violence hotline.  1.800.799.SAFE (7233).  There is someone there to answer your call 24/7.  They can give you the number for your local shelter who also is there for callers 24/7.  They will listen to you and believe you!  They will also support and comfort you. 
Please let's not forget or overlook the women and their children in our communities who are terribly affected by this crime.  It's real, it's valid, it's prevalent and it's devastating.
I am including a couple of links just in case anyone is interested in reading up on what constitutes abuse and for more statistics. 

http://www.thehotline.org/

http://www.clarkprosecutor.org/html/domviol/facts.htm

http://www.domesticviolence.org/

Purple is the designated color for Domestic Violence awareness month.
For those who have indulged me, I thank you.  
Until next time.

October is depression awareness month

By this point in time, most of us are aware that October is breast cancer awareness month and rightly so.  However, October is also depression awareness month and I support this because I am one of millions who is a victim of this dark, dismal,lonely and little understood disorder.  No one specific thing causes depression, it is a combination of things.  Genetics, biochemical, environmental and psychological factors.  Depression affects almost 10% of the population that equates to 19 million people!  34% of women are diagnosed with depression!  Imagine how many more go undiagnosed!  There is help out there.  Don't suffer alone not one more day!  Many family doctors can help diagnose and treat depression.  There are community mental health centers in most communities that have "sliding-fee" scales so anyone can be seen no matter your financial circumstances.  Please seek help if you have suffered with what you think is depression.  I am posting links to two great sites on this subject that give more information and directions for assistance. 

 http://www.upliftprogram.com/depression_stats.html

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression/complete-index.shtml

FYI:  Green is the designated color to represent depression awareness month. 

Until next time

I'm so new to this...

that I just realized that I didn't mention in my last post about the Nailene glue on nails about how to remove them.  I'm so sorry.  So here it is.  What I did was soak my finger tips in pure 100% acetone for at most 10 minutes.  No need to remove polish before hand if you have painted them.  Just fill a small container (I use a small glass bowl dedicated to this activity) with the acetone.  While they soaked I used a metal cuticle pusher to scrape the melting nails off and then I used a cotton pad soaked in the acetone to wipe them clean and I kid you not it took 10 minutes from start to finish (for each hand).  The Nailene nails are very thin plastic so melt off easily and quickly.  But they are strong and durable while wearing them.  I like that.  Anyway, afterwards I washed my hands well, put cuticle oil all over them and then a good hand lotion and that was it.  Simple, simple, simple.  Compared to soaking of acrylics, soaking off these glue on nails was a piece of cake only because with acrylics you have to let them soak for a very long time and each finger is wrapped individually with acetone soaked cotton pad and then wrapped in foil.  That method works great but it just takes about 45-60 minutes for the whole process and even though I have done it many times....I find it difficult to sit that long with my fingers rendered useless.  :o)  I can't knit or ipod-inate or surf or anything really while I have foil covered fingers.  If anyone out there knows of a more effective less hindering process for removing acrylics please let me know in comments or email.  I would love to hear about it. 
I'm planning for upcoming posts to review different fast dry top coats I've tried and also to post pics of my nails with the nailene glue on nails that I did have on a few weeks ago.  At the moment my daughter and I are anxiously and excitedly awaiting our three China Glaze Halloween colors for the Awakening Collection to arrive from EZ Nails.  So I will do a post on that in the upcoming week or so as well. 
To those who read this.....Thanks you so much!  I'm so grateful. 

nail stuff

Hi everyone (by everyone I mean the three people that sometimes follow me),  :o) 
I haven't done a post of my own nails lately because I've removed the acrylics and for a few weeks I was wearing glue on Nailene fake nails.  I wanted to try them out and see how they held up.  I was happily surprised.  I wore them a total of three weeks, not the same set.  I changed the sets out once a week but that was mainly because I was sooooo bored with whatever color I had painted them not because the actual Nailene nails gave me any problems.  Not one popped off at any time and I have to say that I do not baby my nails.  I do common every day household chores and just live my life and that involves doing a lot of things with my hands that can be rough.  The only thing I don't like is that they don't come in longer lengths.  At least I can't find any in my locale.  So if anyone who reads this is contemplating glue-on-nails then try Nailene nails.  Sorry I didn't take any pics of the box nor the nails while I had them on.  Right now I'm taking a bit of a break from any false nails just to get my own nails in shape.  I've started taking Biotin 5000mcg daily.  Will keep you updated on how that works.  I've read other blogs and you tube vids that recommend Biotin so I thought I'd give it a try.  It is a really inexpensive supplement to invest in.  I paid like less then $2 for a bottle of 100.  I don't know how long I can go with no nails though....I usually give in and put something back on.  I hate my fingers nekked.  :o) 
My teen daughter has gorgeous hands and nails and she loves nail art and with Halloween fast approaching she is taking pics of her NOTD's so I will be posting them soon.
Until next time...

breast cancer awareness giveaway at Magic-maid :o)

Nicole of the blog magic-maid is hosting a giveaway with Overall Beauty and BB Couture in honor of October being breast cancer awareness month.  How cool is that?!  I adore pink and being a part of raising awareness of such a crucially important issue is an honor.  Please click on the links and check out this giveaway and the Magic-maid blog.  You will not be disappointed.  Below is a picture from Nicole's Magic-maid blog of the beautifully pink BB Couture colors. 

  

Oh how I covet thee!  :o)

Halloween Nail Products Give-a-way !!!

Hello everyone! 
I am so excited!  Diana from the wonderful blog Painted Lady Fingers is having a fantastic nail products give-a-way that includes wonderful nail stamping plates from Chez-Delaney as well as a really cool Halloween picture painted by Sarada of Etsy!  You can enter to win 5 BB Couture polishes of your choice from the Lovers Collection along with 4 nail stamping plates and a really cool painting entitled "Nail Polish Tree" by Sarada.   Here's a link to Painted Lady Fingers if you would like to take steps to enter or to begin following this wonderful blogger.   http://paintedladyfingers.blogspot.com/ .  Her pictures of nature rival her nail art designs.  It is definitely worth checking her out.  She's my fave.   Below is a picture of featured give-a-way items. 



Here is a picture of the featured give-a-away items.  Oooooooh


Until next time.