My Plead for Autumn

Hello, dearies!

I have a quick post for you today.  I've been feeling nauseous for the past couple of days and sitting here typing is giving my head the spins :(  Anywhosy...

I'm ready for For Autumn/Fall to come.  I'm over the hot weather, I'm tired of running the AC, I'm even over the iced drinks.  It's time for the season to change danggit!  So, I've set aside my bright/neon polishes in the hopes that better weather will be coming soon ;)

 Colors Used: Julep - Karmen, Otte and Daria

I received Karmen (shimmery red) in my September Maven Box and quite honestly I wasn't thrilled.  I thought to myself, "Well, what the heck am I going to do with that?".  It almost ended up in the giveaway pile, but something clicked yesterday and I suddenly realized it had great potential for being a leaf color...

 I did 2 coats each of Karmen and Otte (camel/tan) and then with my striping brush I applied my red leaves.  I outlined them with a black striping polish and then as an after thought I used Daria (a grey polish that accompanied Karmen in my Maven Box) to make  wispy wind swirls.  I top coated with Color Club Clear.

I'm surprised at how much I like this mani.  I'm not sure if Karmen is my favorite polish in the whole wide world, but she can stay for now haha.

Hopefully I'll be feeling better soon and there won't be a long break between postings.  Please forgive me if that is a complete lie...

Until next time!

Stef <3

April Julep Maven Box 2013

Helloooooo!

Man oh man has it been a busy Saturday!  My hubby and I went to a bunny rescue to start the adoption process for our new baby bunny :D  It was an extremely long to-do getting everything started tho, so I'm slightly irritated.  And then we had to come home and clean because I am expecting a couple of gal pals over to do a belated birthday celebration (I'll elaborate on my birthday in a later post haha).  I was able to sneak in time to do a mani with my new Julep's...

 Colors Used: Julep - Ally and Janel

I... love... these... colors!!!  The inspiration behind this months colors are neon lights and rainbows.  I can totally get down with that lol.

I started with 2 coats of Ally (blue) and Janel (fuchsia) and then used my striping brush to paint my lines.

Here's what came in my box. 2 polishes and the new "Mighty Stick".  It is a nail and cuticle serum that should be applied twice a day.  I've only had it for one day and already I can't imagine being without it!  I also received a rock candy sucker, but that immediately went into my mouth hence... no picture lol.

I am so sad that I have to take this mani off :'(  But I have 3 Easter services that I'm singing in tomorrow so subtle nails I must have *sigh*.

I hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend :)

Until next time!

Stef <3

My July Maven Box

Hey there, everybody!  I'm so very happy it's Saturday, I could cry lol.  It has been a very long and exhausting week so it was a nice surprise to come home from work yesterday and see my Julep box waiting for me on the porch :)  For those of you who are just recently following, I became a Julep Maven back in April and I've bought every box that they've put out since.  I have a problem.  I know.  Lol.  Here's what I found it the box....

As you can see from the grass and hose in the background. I couldn't wait to get inside and open it!  In my box I found the Boho Glam collection for this month, 2 Atomic Fire Balls and a lip gloss.  Julep did something new this month and sent out a matching gloss to go along with each polish set this month.  Brilliant!  I got so excited about this concept that I added on another gloss (a rich wine color) that will hopefully be coming along soon :)

From top to bottom: Georgia, Mischa, America and Poppy

Another fun treat that Julep threw in this month was America, a compacted glitter (red and blue with silver stars).  Very cool of them and it's arrived just in time for the 4th of July (Independence Day here in the States)!

You can't really see the stars very well on the swatch but they're there in the upper left on the nail hahaha.

Naturally I had to play with my new pretties!  So I took Georgia and Mischa out for a spin...

I used Georgia as the base (2 coats) and then, with Mischa, I tried out this "Frame Nail" technique that I've been seeing a lot of ladies doing recently.  I just recently became sold on this look, so I completely understand if it's not your cup of tea lol.

One last thing...  Georgia has this really prettty gold shimmer to it that I just love!  I'm hoping that it picked up a little bit in the pictures...

That's all that I have for you today, I hope you are satiated for now haha :)  I have church tomorrow which means there will be a church mani post to follow (here's hoping my idea is executed well!).

Until next time!

Stef <3

May the 4th Be with You!

"Why you stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf-herder!" - Leia, "The Empire Strikes Back"

It's (unofficially) National Star Wars Day :D  I am secretly a BIG nerd, hence my ridiclousness.  I'm also typing this up with an addled brain that is lacking rest. Pshh!  Who needs sleep on Star Wars day!!

Funnily enough today's mani has absolutely nothing to do with anything nerdy o.O  I recieved my Julep Maven box in the mail and this is what I found inside...

 Bombshell box...

It came with with this cute little bag and inside I found these pretties (Sarah and Fina)!  I fell in love with the instantly and had to wear them.  I didn't have any designs in mind, so after applying 2 coats of Sarah I busted out a striping brush and went to town with Fina...

 

I really really really love this color combo!  I think this mani has a similar look to the "Laser Mani" I've been seeing on nail blogs recently, but my approach was a little bit different?

I hope you all have a spectacular day!  May the force be with you ;)

Until next time!

Stef <3

Nail Mail and Rainy Day Mani with... Snails?

Happy Tuesday everybody :)  I have a fun little mani to share with you this morning!  But before we get to that, I wanna talk about mail...

Update:  The forecast now states that it's supposed to rain Wednesday and Thursday... the clouds are taking their time I guess!

Sometimes it's quick and sometimes it's irritatingly slow but, I love receiving things in the mail!  Especially if the mail delivery contains something for my nails haha.  It's like opening a wonderful present that I bought for myself ;)  So here's what I received yesterday afternoon...

 I ordered a new set of nail art brushes and some M.A.S.H tweezers from Amazon, on Friday.  I've just started playing with the brushes and  I'm very pleased.  The tweezers (which I purchased to go along with a thuper duper fun mani, and whose counterpart should be coming in this week) have already come in handy a few times.  I'm a happy lady :)

I also signed up to be a Julep Maven this past week and I these lovely polishes also came in the mail yesterday...

Boho Glam Intro Box Contents:  Meryl (gray creme), Blake (yellow creme) and Julep Facial For Hands Glycolic Hand Scrub.

I saw this in my mail box as I was on my way out the door to go to work.  I almost snatched it up to take with me because I was just so excited!  Instead I just took it in the house and sat around anxious at work, waiting until I could come back home to play :)  But then my quartet had a rehearsal at the house and then we went to dinner and needless to say the only thing I've played with so far is the scrub (which is fantastic!)  I will be using these in a mani at some point in the near future!

Ok, enough about mail / purchases.  Let's get down to the nitty gritty :D

The mani for today was inspired by a train of thought brought on by the weather forecast.  It's supposed to rain here in the Orange County area today and tomorrow and it got me thinking about snails.  Yea, that's right... snails!  I think that snails are adorably cute (Although I refuse to pick them up because they're slimy, I ask my honey to move them if they're in harms way.  I've got problems lol.)!!  I worry about them on rainy days and so I thought, "why not do a snail mani?".  Here it is...

I was pretty sleepy when I did these and it's not as neat and perfect as I would like it to be but... it'll do :P

That's all I've got for this post.  We've reached the end.  There is no more.  So very sorry and sad am I!  I'll be posting again soon, if not later today then probably tomorrow :)

Until next time!

Stef <3