On Memorial Day

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

-John McCrae, 1915

I remember every memorial day weekend growing up my mom would always have a crepe paper poppy attached to the strap of her purse, and I remember that whenever I was with her, she would give me a dollar to donate so i could have one too. I loved those little paper flowers, though I hardly understood their significance way back then. Memorial Day is for remembering, for honoring, and for thanking those who have given their lives, or are risking their lives to make sure that we have the rights and liberties that we have here in America. My grandfather was a veteran, and I remember visiting his and my grandmother's graves every Memorial Day and looking at the flags pushed into the earth of their graves. My sister played TAPS on her trumpet at the cemetery, so it was mostly my mom and I, since it was her parents. I suppose that I'm blessed in the fact that not many of my loved ones (friends or family) are in any branches of the military, I have a couple of friends serving in various branches, and for that, I thank them, but I never have to worry about a family member not coming home, like so many others in this country. Regardless of that fact, I extend my thanks and eternal gratitude to those serving this magnificent, though sometimes flawed, country of ours. In honor of our armed forces, I did the logos for the Marines, the AIr Force, the Navy, and the Army, as well as the American flag accented with what else, a poppy. :) I apologize that the logos aren't perfect, but I did what I could with the space I had. ;)



I used:

Thumb: American flag & poppy

American Apparel Cotton as a base with CND Anchor Blue for the blue, and China Glaze Salsa for the red of the stripes as well as the poppy. for the black I used American Apparel Hassid, and for the green, I used CND Green Scene .

Index: Marines

American Apparel Passport Blue as a base, with China Glaze 2030 from Khrome Collection for the gold, and China Glaze Salsa for the red, over Sally Hansen All the White Stuff, so the red popped.

Middle: Air Force

China Glaze Millennium as a base, with CND Anchor Blue for the logo.

Ring: Navy

Sally Hansen All the White Stuff as a base, with American Apparel Passport Blue, China Glaze 2030 from Khrome Collection for the gold, Sally Hansen All the White Stuff for the shield, with CND Anchor Blue for the blue on the shield, and China Glaze Salsa for the stripes on the shield.

Pinky: Army

American Apparel Hassid as a base, with Sally Hansen All the White Stuff for the star, and outlined in American Apparel Manila.

Topped everything off with 2 coats of Seche Vite top coat.

Lime Line

Today is another simple one, my apologies- it's been a super busy weekend- I made about 10 dozen cookies along with a bunch of other stuff!! :-P I used another of the new ULTA polishes that I got, In the Limelight, a lime green foil finished polish. Anyway, sorry for the short write-up, it's been a long day and I think its about bedtime.



I used ULTA In the Limelight as a base, with American Apparel Hassid for the lines. Topped it all off with 2 coats of Seche Vite top coat.

ULTA-mate!

Today's manicure is simple, because I was busy busy today! :( I did get an AWESOME new Ulta Professional polish though, so I had to use it- unfortunately it was the only one left in the cardboard display (it's part of a special collection), and there is no label on it, so I don't know what the name of the color is, but I plan on investigating tomorrow... so not to worry, I'll update it in the info. It's gorgeous- a vivid pink with a LIME GREEN reflect?! Sign me up. Awesomeness. LOVE. Anyway. They also had in the same display a lime green FOIL polish- which had a label (In the Limelight), which is gorgeoustastical, I can't wait to use it too...I LOVE foils.



I used ULTA Professional awesome color with no label as a base, with China Glaze Cherish applied with Bundle Monster plate BM03 just to the upper corner of each nail. :) Topped it off with 2 coats of Seche Vite top coat.

Schlongs & Songs

(sorry dad) :-P Tonight I'm going to a show called Naked Boys Singing here in Las Vegas. If you haven't heard of it, it precisely what it sounds like- buff, attractive men singing in the nude. Should be a good time. ;) So, today, for shits and giggles, I decided to attempt to paint the poster on my nails. What is it with me and naked men on my fingernails, seriously? :-D BTW, it is effing HARD to paint tiny little naked dudes on fingernails. HARD! (hee hee) Luckily, because I added the 'censor' bar to make it PG, I didn't have to paint any tiny penises.... or is it penii? ;)

the inspiration:



the nails:



I used OPI Who the Shrek Are You? as a base, with American Apparel Cotton as a base for the dudes and the orange stripe. For the orange stripe, I used essie Tart Deco, for the boys, I used MAC Abalone Shell, then shaded with Nubar Milk Chocolate Creme. For the black bar, I used American Apparel Hassid. Topped it all off with 2 coats of Seche Vite top coat.

How do you like your boys to sing? :-D

Getting Carried Away

I'll admit it...I'm a HUGE Sex and the City fan. Love every fashion-filled, cosmopolitan-sipping moment of it. (especially those moments that include Aidan, AKA John Corbett... *drool* <---been dreamy since Northern Exposure) I would kill for Carrie Bradshaw's wardrobe and shoe collection (mostly the shoe collection- I'm a big shoe collector in addition to my nail polish ;)) Anyway, my roommate and I, along with a few other girls, are going to see Sex and the City 2 tonight, I'm super excited!!! I'm curious to see what happens with the Aidan bump-into. (hell, I'd pay the $12 just to stare at him on screen for 2 hrs). The ring finger nail in today's design is way over the top (hence the 'Carried Away' tie-in in the title). Hope you like them! :) Sorry they're a tad shaky though, I was shaking so badly while I was doing them that it was impossible to draw straight lines!! Also, check The Daily Nail: REVIEWS later tonight for a review of the ULTA Glam Goth collection! :)



I used American Apparel Hassid as a base for the black nails, and Zoya Trixie for the jeweled nail. For the pink of the skyline, and logo, I used Massini Power Pack (an inexpensive brand that midwesterners can find at Meijer, but I'm not sure where else to purchase it), and the rhinestones were from Michaels Crafts. :) Topped it all off with some Seche Vite top coat, and away I go. :)

Who's your favorite SATC character- male or female?

Aidan....*sigh*

Mum's the Word

So today I did some swatching of some new colors I snagged at ULTA (post will be up tomorrow), so I didn't have a ton of time left in the day to do an awesometacular design, but I love how simple and striking the palette and image I used for today's design are. I used another of the Bundle Monster plates for this design, I think that it looks like a stylized version of a Chrysanthemum, or 'Mum'.



I used American Apparel Cotton as a base, with American Apparel Hassid for the black mums and Essie Foot Loose for the pink mums, which I applied with Bundle Monster plate BM02. Topped it off with 2 coats of Seche Vite top coat.

Today was an awesome day- the story that was written about me for the Las Vegas Weekly Magazine was posted online, and the print version hits newsstands tomorrow here in Vegas!!! :) I'm thrilled!!

Las Vegas Weekly: Nailed It!.

I loved the article- and the last line was a perfect ending! :-P

How Geeky!

For those of you not in the know, today (May 25) is known as Geek Pride Day! :) So in honor of the day, I painted 'geeks' on my nails. Not the carnival sort of geek, but the nerdy sort... since there are two definitions. ;)



I used MAC Abalone Shell as a base, with American Apparel Hassid for the frames of the glasses, as well as the eyes and outline of the nose. For the shading/mouth line, I used a mix of MAC Abalone Shell and Nubar Milk Chocolate Creme. For the lenses of the glasses, I mixed Sally Hansen All the White Stuff with Orly Snowcone, and for the unibrows, I used Nubar Milk Chocolate Creme for all but the ring finger, which I used CND Electric Orange mixed with a touch of the Nubar Milk Chocolate Creme, also, for the teeth I used Sally Hansen All the White Stuff. I topped everything off with two coats of Seche Vite top coat because who doesn't like shiny geeks.

So, how many digits of pi do you know? Do you speak 1337? What is your character in World of Warcraft? ;)

The Collection as of 5/24/10

I get quite a few requests asking to see my collection of polishes, so for those of you that are interested....


The Daily Nail polish collection, modest compared to some, excessive to some people (like my mom ;)) but perfect for me (until the next pretty polish comes along)....

China Glaze:



Zoya:



Essie/OPI:



American Apparel (not all are shown- I have all but the topcoat and Rose Bowl, just thought the polish rainbow was pretty ;)):



American Apparel/butterLONDON/Sinful Colors/Color Club:



Nubar/MAC/Creative Nail Design (CND):



ORLY/Piggy Polish/Milani:



Sally Hansen:



Urban Outfitters/Pure Ice/ULTA/Barielle:



Dare 2 Wear/ALDO:



Miscellaneous 1 (Nfu Oh, Hot Topic, Kleancolor, Goldie, BB Couture, etc):



Miscellaneous 2 (mostly minis, with some striper polishes):



There ya go. :) Hope you don't think I'm as nuts as my family does. ;)

Beware the Koopa Troopas!!

Proof I'm a nerd, but the totally rad kind of nerd: if you call my phone, instead of you hearing ringing, which is a normal thing, you hear my ringback...which is the Super Mario Bros. theme. Awesome, right? Anyway, from time to time, I forget that I have that ringback, so when people comment on it after calling for the first time, it always makes me chuckle, and today, it provided inspiration for my nails!! (I didn't even know that there was a new Mario game out recently- I'm behind on things, obviously) I did the question mark blocks on one hand, and on the other hand, I did coins and a growth mushroom! :)


I used



Left hand - Question Mark Blocks

American Apparel Palm Springs as a base, then mixed with American Apparel Pinto for the question mark symbol. For the black, I used American Apparel Hassid.



Right Hand - Coins and Growth Mushroom

Orly Snowcone as a base, with Love & Beauty Bronze for the coins (from Forever 21), Sally Hansen All the White Stuff as a base for the mushroom, China Glaze Salsa for the red, then American Apparel Hassid for the black on all 5 nails. I also mixed a little of the American Apparel Hassid with the Sally Hansen All the White Stuff to shade the stem of the mushroom.

Topped everything off with 2 coats of Seche Vite top coat to make it gleam. :)

Now get going- you have to save the princess!!!

YELLOW WITH WHITE ANCHORS

WATERMELONS