Review 2: Hands Down nail wraps

I will preface this by saying this may be a slightly unfair review as I had my nails shellacked almost a month and a half ago and the woman who did the job made it almost impossible to remove the damned thing.

Now, any of you who have gotten your nails done either professionally at a reputable salon (key word: reputable) or have DIY'd the gel polish in some fashion *know* that roughing up the nail is not necessary. Stripping the nail off all oils and dirt, however, is non negotionable.

Friend and I went to a little salon that while it was not completely 'cheap' it was still reasonably priced but still cheap in comparison to other salons. Now, I've had Shellac (tm) done before per the CND standards and while I *loved* that manicure, I was not fond of the price of $45 for just the manicure. Hell to the no. So I was thrilled to find gel polish at this particular, clean salon.

I asked her to not roughen up my nails because I've seen this done even for *nail polish*. I suppose it was the language barrier but she did it anyway. And I would not have been as upset over it if she'd used a regular nail file (which ladies at the other salon have done since my nails have a tendency to split and and peel so we sometimes have to file off a broken flake) she used a black block. If any of you have gotten your nails done with enhancements, you know that this black block is absolutely rough. Its horrible. It leaves grooves on the nails -- better for whatever type of enhancement to latch onto.

But my nails are thin enough as they are and I didn't want to do this step. They're also super dry. I honestly don't *need* this step at all. Gel manicures have  tendency to adhere to my nails super easy.

Ugh, it was brutal. I couldn't take off the damned thing completely.

A few weeks ago I bought my own lamp and gellish base and top coat. See, I love the way gel polish strengthens my nails and gives them that extra thickness they so need. (You can use a cuticule oil just fine with these and it hydrates the nail bed just fine). The intent was to do a gelly sandwich but I decided to just do the clear base and top coat then add regular polish on top with a simple top coat. I can remove the nail polish after a week and still have the base underneath to keep my nails strong.

I tried the foil method this time and it *WAS HORRIBLE*. I had to scrape, scrape, scrape the stupid thing off and I was still left with chunks of the stuff on the nail bed. I just added the clear stuff over it and called it a day.

So far, that base coat has lasted about two and a half weeks and the only place it started to chip was on the regrowth that had not been filed to death by the manicurist. Figures.

Foil method failed me again and I was experimenting with just teeny tiny bit of a cotton ball as I'd seen used at Reputable Salon (and Shellac's training videos). -- The other reason was that that was the last cotton ball I had.

So I went off to sally's, originally looking for the Orly Glitter and soak off gel envelopes but they were sold out. Instead, I picked up the HandsDown wraps.

They come with a thick cotton pad glued to self-adhering ace-bandage type material.  They're about the height of a standard bandaid.

The instructions say:

Saturate pad with acetone. Hold pad on nail. Wrap tightly around finger and press to seal end.

How badly could I fuck this up?

Pretty bad.

Wrap one: I overloaded the pad with acetone. Wrap would not adhere on itself. I tried to fix it by tying a clear elastic over it. (DAMN IT, I knew I forgot to pick up something!)

 I ended up cutting the circulation off my finger. 

Wrap two: couldn't get the 'end' to seal and that's because I misread the instructions and wanted to seal the actual tip to keep the acetone from evaporating at the tips.

Wrap three: finally got the damned placement right but I still wrapped it too tight and pinky started turning purple.

I managed to do okay with the other fingers until I got to the other hand and I just kept floundering by making them too loose.

Results:

The gel that had been applied to the regrowth that was not roughened up came off superbly easy, as expected. The rest had to be scraped off again, though it was removed a little easier. I managed to get more of the purple glitter off. Its still visible in one thumb and part of forefinger.

I had one hellufa time at the tips though. I suppose part of it is due to the heavy filing but the other part is due to the fact that the tips are open on this so I did notice that the acetone evaporated rather quickly on the overhang.

Good thing I went with two packs of  ten wraps each for about four bucks.

I give this product 4 out of five stars.

I am sure this would have been a total winner if the tip was encapsulated in the wrap.

ion Anti-Frizz Solutions leave-in-conditioner review

The LAST time I dyed the ends of my hair I also renewed my Sally's card and as I was talking to the cashier she told me I had earned a freebie of something on the counter. I typically don't pay attention to this section as it usually full of product I don't use, chiefly because of silicone as it weighs my hair down too much.

In this section, though, it did notice this leave-in-conditioner from ion. Now I've been using ion color for about a year now and while I can't say I'm super pleased with their bright's line in terms of longevity, I like the way my hair feels after. 

So I picked it up because it was free and I wasn't too sure but I thought I read somewhere that amodimthicone is one of the nicer silicones. 

I didn't try it for another month or so.  I tried it on, it felt amazing and then hand damage.  

It wasn't until recently that I started using it again when one of the girls from LHC reminded me of a curly method I'd taken last winter and modified for my non-curly hair. (The method is LOC, Leave in Oil Cream)

However, I was STILL worried (though not too much since it is on a leave in and such products tend to be rather light) about the amodimethicone so I decided to dig up some info and I did this on the LHC boards by looking up Luxe Piggy's info because she is the Queen of Cone and knows her stuff. Like, she knows the first-hand what silicones can do and the science behind it. I respect and bow down to the fountain of knowledge that she is. 

So I found it

LuxePiggy : Amodimethicone is my favourite cone of all! \(^(oo)^)/

Unlike other types of silicone, amodimethicone carries a positive charge, which results in targeted conditioning of damaged areas and the formation of a shine-enhancing nanostructure (ETA:Formation of nanostructure on hair surface, Journal of Cosmetic Science). Once deposited, the positive charge helps repel further deposition, so amodimethicone does not build up on the hair.

I've tried a few other leave in conditioners but have not been that great. My favorite have been the Johnson & Johnson no tear leave in an detangler but that stuff isn't very cheap. The bottle may look big but its only because its wide.

I was given a sample of Big Sexy Hair leave in and that smelled *amazing* and did a fantastic job but it was waaaay too expensive.

ion's stuff smells almost the same as the Big Sexy Hair leave in, works just as well and its cheap. A large 12fl (355mL for any non-US readers) is about $5-$6 and with my discount its about $4 and some change.  Not bad and I may end up picking up another bottle when I'm done... though honestly, I probably won't. I have been making my own leave in for a while and that just comes out to be like $0.05 to make. I just now have a bigger bottle to use.. 'cause its a pain in the rear to fill up the travel BSH bottle with my own concoction every week.

On to the method I've been doing, LOD:



1) On damp hair, apply a Leave in conditioner.
2) Add Oil of choice to the length.
3) let air Dry or blow dry on low.

My ends still feel super silky, like I did when I cut it weeks ago.

New cut and Color!

I'm sick. I'm miserable and I should be going to bed right now BUT... I just finished my sleep braid which reminded me to share what I just accomplished.

About two months ago, I did my bi-annual trim and not too long after that I felt my hair feel like straw. I thought it was just dry and had planned to do some more maintenance when I fell down and sprained my wrist a few weeks after the trim, ruining my plan. And good thing too!

the ends kept feeling dryer and dryer. I finally stopped to look and I saw an ABUNDANCE of splits, which angered me. WHY!? Why was I having such problems when I do my best to care for Slayer without being a little too crazy and over the top.

Turns out Manthing, my beloved husband, had been using my hair scissors on paper.

Which irritated me because scissors are not cheap. Mine were cheapish but still not cheap. So I decided to pay to have them sharpened and realized the fee is MORE expensive than my pair of scissors. They were like, $25... which is a lot for my cheap little heart.

After months of hemming and hawing, I finally spent the $150 on a Kamisori student kit. It was a *steal*, considering that one of their regular shears is upwards of $400 or more... so much so you can actually *finance* a damned pair.

It was $150 and it came with a razor. Good for cleaning up and shaping men's hair-- razors don't touch Slayer. My hair is way too long and my goals too extreme for me to use razors. I'll explain more on that in a different blog entry, I promise. Its too lengthy and I'm falling asleep.

I gave myself a cut. A legit cut. Long layers, length, bangs. I even thinned in some places.

And if that wasn't enough, my cut came out so perfect I felt emblazoned, emboldened even! I bought bleach and did my OWN bleaching. I did an amazing balayage on my bangs  (the only place I actually would test such a thing since bangs get cut frequently anyway).  I added my red and BAM, gorgeous hair.

It came out so amazing a friend asked me to dye her hair. We did it all black with peekaboo red blayaged in around the crown and nape of the neck.

I wont' share her pictures without consent, but here are mine.

Do you like my beard, my sexy beard? I think I can place in contests!

I don't know why I keep thinking to go purple. Red's too amazing. 

Also, I love this dye. Its 'N Rage in Neon red. This lighting does not do it any justice. Its amazing. And the 'beard'? The last dye job on that was back in MAY.

Cold pin curl set

When you have hair as long as I do, about twenty four pins ain't enough.

So I got about halfway through my pin curls when I ran out of pins so I undid them all and decided to do bandana curls.

Can't find my bandanas either.

So I start to panic... and I find regular duckbills used to hold pins. About half of them, and then I realize I need about two per curl since I'll be sleeping with this set. Thankfully I have the other bobby pins I couldn't use and once I finished the whole damned thing.... I find the other bobby pins I knew I had.

DAMN IT

I should have done a practice run before tomorrow!

Its 11pm and the madness has begun

Sadly, I'm not talking about hair or beauty... although I should put on my mask as soon as I finish this.

See, we're having this night construction going on and I can hear it all the way over here. I'm like halfway down the property of my complex and all I can hear is the backing up of trucks, the honking of horns. It really makes me want to avoid the bedroom although I have a very comfortable, soothing, sexy Manthing to cuddle up to.

-sigh-

Lately I've started to spruce up a bit again. I've started to wear dresses that I've missed. Part of it is because, well, its easier to pull a dress over my head and let it fall than it is to pull up a pair of pants in my condition. Hopefully with therapy and rest my sprain (and ganglion cyst) will get better. Its almost crafting time for the Yuletide, damn it. I want my hands to work.  That, among other things.

So I did a very simple manicure today. Hurt like hell, but damn it, I'm tired of having dry, chapped hands with naked, brittle nails and as of late, superbly bloated and swollen as well.

I love the color, its by Finger Paints and a fantastic fuschia-purple. Its color is Pop Art Purple.

Maybe, if I could find my card reader, I'd be able to share.. as well as get some stuff out of the card on my camera as well.  I had a nice trip with my girls to the Pacific Science Center and I got some lovely shots of us being kids.

MY MUSE!! She has returned

For a little while at least.

I can't say that I've been doing much of *anything* at all.

Letsee..

It took us months to get settled into the new apartment.

Finally went on vacation after 3 years of nada. Let me just say that maybe I *don't* hate Disney as much as I thought I had. I suppose the trick is to keep me the FUCK away from Small World.

Hell, I even had a BLAST with my mom. I know. right? Shocker.

Then shit went downhill quickly.

I somehow injured my back during vacation. My balance off, I fell once, twice, THREE times on the same hand. I have a nice, gnarly sprain, an injured tendon (Thank the gods its only bruised, not torn) and a fanfuckingtastic Ganglion cyst on the underside of my wrist.

Work has been busy as hell too.

BUT I joined Dames for Dreams and my Muse has returned a little.

I cannot believe I'm doing a nude, artsy photoshoot with the possibility of the images being printed in publication. O.O;

I also cannot believe I'm writing again. That's super amazing.

WHEE.. I'm rambly again. I spent about three hours getting up the new blog up and going. Just as I thought I was about to get some friggin' sleep I realize there's this night construction going on and I get to hear everythign bright as daylight because .. I ain't asleep yet.

Great.

Imma go try and doze off some. I have only slept like, two hours in the last 72 hrs.

I am feeling like. *shit*

My allergies this season have me confused. Is this an allergy bout or is it a cold? I can't tell anymore. I just know my voice went bai bai at some point in the night. Tonsils are sore. I had a fever this morning. BAH. Just hate it.

The new place is somewhat organized. Its liveable. And now, I need to go back to editing portraits of the cats because the land lord demands them. -sigh-

I don't see what the point is for that, but I suppose is either child decides to run out of the house at least he'd be easier to find. It has also taught me that I have a pretty good eye for pet photography.

Whee!

So, the move had been somewhat done. It's more liveable, though still somewhat topsy turvy.

Anyhow, I've been busy with a new type of art. Here's a sneak peek, a patio of earrings for my bish.

I think I may make myself my own pair, but maybe kitties to hi with my new pendant!

Doublebuns

Whee...

I'm in the middle of a move. Im going nutty....and I decided to do a quick, easy,and pretty. Luanna buns.

Besides taking photography of gorgeous people and sceneries, I take shitty pictures of my hair with my camera phone. 

This is how I've been sporting my hair the last few days. This is the Luanna braid version but I've gotten lazy enough to simply dutch braid further back and coiling the braids around like this. I can't help but look at this and realize that it wasn't that too long ago where my two buns would be about half the size of one of these put together. 

I've also been working on some hair sticks and hair pins. I'll have to show pictures of that later. My phone is over there -waves hand about idly- and I'm *here* -leans back against her comfy desk chair- So there. 

Sunshine is deceiving

Yesterday I awoke to a beautiful, sunny day. The skies were clear, there was no breeze it was just... fantastic. I'd already made plans to go shooting at my local park with Heather for company a few days before and I could only count my blessings at how beautiful the day was.

Then I froze my tulips off.. the ones that go on top of the organ, if you know what I mean.  It was SO cold that the iced  coffee I bought at 11:45 still had ice in it by 3:30. It was just ridiculous.

But I had some amazing shots. Nature was just breathtaking and it always helps a photographer when they have a model who is not only photogenic but has a tendency to forget there's a camera nearby.  I do hate posed photography so much. It often looks stiff and it just drives me bonkers. I like organic shots.. things that just work out because model and photographer are on the same, fluid vibe. Stiffness just... I don't know. I like to photograph real people. I like the images to tell a story and not just visually, but emotionally and spiritually.

Attack of the flying fish! 

Down the rabbit hole

Her face was freezing. I did the same, but with my hair.

Speaking of hair, I'm glad I left my locks down in braids. I didn't realize how cold it was until we got out of the car and into the parking lot of the park. I was hit with the cold breeze and I gathered my plaits then wound them around my neck. 

Long hair perks 100,304 : instant scarf in cold weather. 

Of pinks and Roses

I was at Target the other day and I found myself staring at the Herbal Essences Rose Hip shampoo.

I walked away and kept coming back. So I bought the damned thing.

I can't say that I regret it.

Since I've been trying to strip the color out of my hair so I can make it more magenta, I've also been using more heavier conditioning items. My usual V05 condish, followed by a heavy oil or serum, chiefly something with lots of protein since I'm doing so much heavy stuff to my hair and its bleached. My regular diluted, sulfate free shampoo wasn't cutting it.... and I'm not a fan of clarifying my hair if I don't have to.

Its bad enough I'm washing in hot water, y'know.

So I figured I might as well go back to a sulfate shampoo, not dilute it but to make sure it has some form of oil in it. And I remembered the original formula had jojoba oil in it. So I read the ingredients, realized it really was the old formula and yanked it. (I had tried the hello hydration stuff 'cause I bought the wrong one last year and I hated it it. It was too drying and coating!)

Lets just say my hair is back to its silky stuff.

Its just lathery enough to remove the junk from the leave in conditioner and hair serum and gentle enough to lift out the color I need without stripping the lovely shit out of my hair. I hate that strawish feeling of super, duper clean hair. One it just means I have to hydrate it further with more heavy duty stuff and two, it often makes my scalp get pissy, itchy and greasy.

Perfection. We're going on four days of no washing and my hair still looks squeaky clean. Its starting to feel slightly greasy though... that's okay. I'm willing to compromise. I mean,  it just means I have to work my way up to the 7 days of washing all over again. Now that I know how to do it, and have dry shampoo to help (if I remember. I keep forgetting) it'll get back there in no time.

Also, Mani Monday! I forgot to post it, so here goes. I was aiming for 'girly'... and I only think it would have gotten girlier if the design was in white and I had added some hearts to it.

Base: Nailtek II

Color: essie 'need a vacation'

design: Sally hansen's black -- hard as nails line

glitter: Sinful Colors Pearl Harbor (<3) 

Plate: bundle monster bm-22

Also: note to self. clean up my desk. I just spilt half a bottle of acetone from my acetone dispenser all over it. ruined half the mani and destroyed a few combs, the varnish on the desk, a pen and a ruler. that shit's serious. 

Sweet mask

I keep forgetting to take before pictures when I do this. Anyhow, I've been breaking it pretty bad lately. Too many changes of the hormonal type. Stupid insurance changing their minds about what type of bc it will cover. I don't care if they are generic, they are not the same formula,ok?

I break out whenever I change prescription. Just when my body gets used to it,I get changed pill pack.

So here you go, tried and tested hike remedies. Honey, turmeric, and cinnamon. Antibacterial, antibiotic, anti inflammatory and humectant....just what my skin needs right now.

Wheee

Its been three days, two showers, one super hot hair washing session (it was cold, okay? That and I'm still trying to fade out the dark purple), hand dishwashing event and several boxes of packing and unpacking and all I have to account for it is one tiny microchip on my mani.

That's even better than usual.

I changed my base coat, kept my usual top coat. I've been oiling every day like I'm supposed to (and hardly ever do). I can't tell what the difference was but I'm guessing it was filing the tips of my nails on the surface ever so slightly.

As I mentioned before the tips are prone to peeling. They split and peel like layers of onion skin. I picked up a tip from a fellow blogger whose bit of the web I ran into last week. She advised to file the nail as usual but to bevel the edge just slightly at a 45 degree angle to keep the layers from splitting. I tried that and I do have to say polish application went more smoothly. I usually have a bit of a problem of the tip not getting enough or too much polish from where I try to compensate for the splitting.

Its hard to explain. I'll have to make a video some day.

Nail stampage

I've had a cheap set Jouji bought me over a year ago on a whim during a freddys trip for for food. I tried it, sucked and tossed it with forgotten nail tools. I found them again and discovered how to properly stamp. I was so happy....and bored with the shitty selection, I bought me a bundle monster disc set.

Let me tell you, I am in love. I am beyond thrilled with the results. I just wish I had chosen gold instead of black. Gold would have given me a brocade effect, but lace is nice too. I have so many designs I want to change the mani every day, but I refuse too. One, because it isnt good to use so much acetone in one week. Two, because I dont have much free time anymore. Turns out moving takes time...

Date Night & Braided Lazy Wrap

While I've found myself doing the same hair style over and over because I'm one lazy bitch, I found a new variant with which I am quite happy with. It keeps my hair up and out of the way AND it shows off the fun tips. I mean, what's the point of having long, healthy, gorgeous hair if 1) I'm going to hate it and 2) can't do shit with it?

So despite the conventional thought that I should not bleach or dye my hair, I do it anyway. The problem is that its gotten so long that most updos hide the color. The ends are bleached once a year and maintained with my color of choice through out the year. I've gone from a plum to a fire engine red to a blue that went so dark it looked black to my current color, an odd mixture of a fuschia-purple.  I'm finally with a color that I am satisfied but I keep going back to the whole question of 'why, if I can't show it off?'

I was at work, irritated with my hair and thinking of chopping it ALL off because a) it was in a shitty braid and b) I didn't have a comb/brush to get rid of it. See, I had woken up late and had no time to style my hair. It looked, like shit. Thankfully, I had the eduard sticks that Seeshami gave me in December still sitting in my purse. So I tried to do a bun. Sadly, my hair's too thick to do a full braided bun and hold it with the short sticks... so I did a half lazy wrap. And just like that I had the edgy, fun twist to an updo that showed off the color so well.

I'd show pictures on how it look sin the front but dumbass me deleted it. Anyhow, enjoy the look from today's date night!

I'm a sexy cow... even if Des says its more of a flower pattern

I'm just glad I can wear this guy again! 

One of the few pieces the hubby has gotten me. 

Landslide

This song... oh, it hits me right in the feel and it makes me hurt. Its a rather bitter sweet feeling though. This song was remade and sung by the Dixie Chics right when my own heart imploded, crashed and fell apart. At the time I didn't quite rationalize what this song was about, but I know it spoke to me.

"I've been afraid of changing
'Cause I, I've built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Children get older
I'm getting older too oh yes
I'm getting older too"

This part would just make me cry.

I knew what it meant, I just wasn't ready to admit. I wasn't quite ready to let go, if that makes sense. I knew the moment that silly little dream, when that one-sided love was to end but.... I just was not ready to admit it.


I am glad that I did eventually. I finally saw the amazing young man standing next to him and I gave him a chance. Its so silly, isn't it?


Anyhow, I suppose I'm just feeling a tad nostalgic because of.. who the hell knows?

In the spirit of the season,  this week's mani. I finally got around to actually buying myself more base coat.

And I finally used my stamping kit.

AND I got myself the most awesome magenta color from fingerpaints. While I still don't like the matte finish, I love the color pay off.

Despite the nostalgia, and my strange desire to sing along to Landslide ( While I hate my own voice, my cats don't. That's a good thing as I didn't want to wake up the man thing.) I also felt it was time for change. 

I think that's what's bugging me, now that I think about it. I feel the universe tugging me in a certain direction -- which one , I don't know yet, I just feel the tug -- and its time to stop fighting it and just go with it. I started the year with a nice change : a great job. I'm working on another one : a new apartment. 

I might as well throw the friggin' blog into the mix with a new lay out and fresh pages. I'm going to start organizing this fucker a little better. I'm tired of feeling so all over the place in my head. I don't know if that makes any sense. It does to me. 

And with that... I'm done. Whee! 

Moh

I'm having a series of days where everything irritates the shit out of me. Birds singing, rain falling... my own breathing. I feel easily irritated and all I want to do is curl up in a soft blanket with hubby and have myself a good cuddle-snog-fest and call it an existence.

But even the thought of that and my impending shift change makes me want to scream all over again. I barely have a few hours a day with him as it is and now I'm going to have zip, zilch, zero, nada.

I swear, if I find myself having some potential time and he's off with his friends I'll be tempted to kill him. Instead I'll just put itching powder in all his fucking boxers.

Apparently, I *am* in a shit mood. -le sigh-

I need me a glass of wine.

ps; I also am annoyed at the fact that I finished this week's mani... and I totally forgot the nail art. 'doh!

Now thats more like it!

A lot less blue and more red. Love it!

Land of Oz

I suppose that's a good way to describe the garden. Breathtakingly beautiful in one hand and downright frightening in and another.  The self guided tour, at this moment, is a scare. Many trees have been felled to give way to renovations, plants have been destroyed and there's an overwhelming sadness that grips my heart when I see these things. I suppose I really am a giant hippy. If it were up to me, I'd like to live off in the boonies, surrounded by wildlife without a care in the world.

But I'm married to a man who loves his creature comforts, so that's not going to happen anytime soon.

With that said, as long as I can visit Mother Nature, I'm okay with being stuck in the city. And that's the crux of it, the real reason why I won't move back to California again. Its too hot. Its too icky and I just don't like how nature isn't so readily accessible to me. Sure, I can have some gorgeous beaches and fantastic food -- let's not forget family -- but the truth of it is I hate the smog. I hate the trash that I see whenever I visit the beach ... and most of all, I really hate how dead things get during the summer.

Maybe if I ever do move back I'll be stuck in the northern part. That would be nice... I do quite love the redwood forests. ^-^

I wanted the tree to feel a giantess. :D 

And we're off to see the Wizard....

Now, on the hair front... I managed to strip some of the more stubborn blue out to the point that my hair started to look really light brown. Still not light enough but I was sick of the color. I slapped some ion brilliants in Magenta. It came out highlighter pink from the tube and everything it touch got stained that hue. My hair? Because of the sheer amount of blue in it its more of a fuschia-brown. Not exactly pleasant, but not very unpleasant.

I think from this point onward I'm going to have to baby my hair, stop attempts at stripping color out of it and then rebleach again in a few months.

Another Hike

Yesterday I went out with a few friends on yet another hike.  (Maybe that's the theme for this year?) It was nice catching up with a friend and reconnecting with one after realizing we're both a little too stubborn and stupid sometimes. Thankfully we've both matured and can now be in the same room without discord. In fact, after a while it just felt like old times. Yay!

That just comes to show you that sometimes, a friendship is just not over. They're merely on pause.

I took some fantastic shots, and like always, I limit myself to only three pictures. It takes way too long to edit over 180 images, y'know? That and I'm super self conscious and some shots go straight to the trash before even editing. I doubt I'll be showing all 180. Fuck, I've already dumped at least ten and that's simply from a mere glance. They just weren't what I wanted... and a few more are still under consideration. They're amazing but I don't know WHICH one I want. -ugh-

Today I'm going to try and strip more of that purple out of my hair. I got me some vitamin c tablets and coconut oil ready as I know I'll be needing to baby the crap out of my ends once everything's said and done.

I'll post pictures of that later.

While this tree was gorgeous head on, I wanted to
see it from an ant's perspective.

The color's brilliant but I'm whisked away by the
wood nymph hiding in there. 

There really wasn't anything too interesting besides this
cool statue thing. 

Randimosity

Its almost time for me to ship off my package for the LHC hair swap... and I'm feeling antsy. I feel like I got *nothing* to show for except the three sticks I made. I wanted to make more but then I got that new job and its suck a killer lately, my hands are -fucked-. I could hardly brush my hair this morning.

By the way, I am glad I did a deep conditioning last night, even if I did it so late to the point I had to not only sleep on it but have super icky hair at work. Nothing much a simple bun could fix. -shrug- Oh well... and if anyone was grossed out by my 'greasy' hair today, it sucks to be them.... 'cause I have super soft, mega shiny,  wavy hair. It seems that's what my hair needed.. a ton of coconut oil after a bleach and clarifying nightmare.

I still haven't been able to bleed out the purple enough. It shows up better, but only in patches. I'm kind of bummed out, but whatever. I'll just have to invest in vitamin c tablets and honey for next week. This clarifying shit is only drying out my hair.

Well, after much thinking and working on it, I have managed to make a charm for my giftee. Fucked up my fingers and I couldn't close it properly so I'll give her instructions to keep an eye on it. She may have needle nose pliers to work with, which I do not have. I have no clue what happened to them... but I had to use a monkey wrench, eyebrow tweezers and ingenuity to get it to work. I had to open one of the hair products she wanted to try to make sure it didn't stink too much. She said she wasn't fond of super strong smells and neither am I. It had to pass the sniff test... barely. I'm not fond of almond scent. Well, at least the fragrance crap, not the real smell. Its like banana flavour. The fake shit is just shit and the real stuff is delicious.

But for some reason I still like grape flavour-- fake and real-- to the point that I sometimes crave the shit stuff. LOL

Whee.. I'm rambly!! :D

Tomorrow I hit up Sally's and pick up another product she wants to try. Then swoop in for some delicious dark chocolate then ship off it goes on Friday.

Self indulgence

Sometimes I go through life feeling sorry for myself and annoyed that I'm too much "this", not enough "that", or heavens forgive me, just plain Jane. (And I am wrong about this as there is nothing wrong with either except for the feeling of inadequateness.)

Hardly do I ever consider myself sexy, hot shit, side of fries or let alone ever cute. Usually, I only look into the mirror to clean my face or put on makeup as I otherwise find myself nit picking every flaw I find, real or imagined.
It's a really painful observation to admit. My insecurities get the best of me.

But I'm really done with that. I'm just sick of hating myself. I'm sick of how we all have been conditioned to self loathe (note,I say "we all" because it is something that affects us all, men and women alike). ...really, the more I add to this entry the more I think this should be moved to fabulush, but I digress.

So, here I am. Without make up, hair in a messy bun, pock mark, pimple and all. Damnit,I am more than just skin deep. I am one, sassy, nerdy, beautiful broad.

Today I was lazy

And did nothing that I wanted to do except maybe drink me some tea and wash the bedding. 

I've done some light cleaning but not enough for me to go on a hike/shoot tomorrow and NOT feel antsy that nothing was done today. I hate those days. I don't even understand why I've been so anxious lately, but I have. I go to make myself some tea and I find myself putting away dishes, doing another load, scrubbing the counters and .. then my tea's cold. -.- 

I go to use the bathroom and I find myself  distracted by the grout that needs cleaning, and the ton of beauty products that need cleaning. 

Ugh. I hate it when I get like this. I can't seem to enjoy the little things at that point. I find myself nit picking them. 

That just means I need more social time with people. Play some games like Party Jenga or go crazy building mazes in which the object of the game surreptitiously moves from trying to get to the temple and be safe from being eaten by the Minotaur to see how many times we can get this beast laid by sacrificial lambs.

And now, we spice things up!

So this whole time I didn't have to eat them? 

Mommy, what is that black thing doing to the human thing?

 Sorry Watson, I forgot you're still a baby.

The duck is back~!

And I don't know how to feel about it.

Its been years since I've updated either Duck & Chicken or even Green Flamingoes. Partly because the damned host server crashed on *both* strips and I just gave up on it.

But the duck's back, on a better server to boot and now I'm itching to get started on the drawing again. Chiefly because a) I'm feeling more creative.

Thing is I don't know what to do. Should I start a new comic all together, mash up D&C and GF or just do a GF reboot? Damn.. too many choices!!

It doesn't help that I've no fucking clue what I've done with my tablet either. DAMN IT!

Photography -- continued

Maybe I should just change the name of this blog. Its become less about hair and more about random things in life with my photography on top of it all.

I can't blame myself, really.. photography is a *great* stress reliever. It gets me out and about, my creativity gets satiated and it lets me forget about my daily life. If only you'd know half the shit I'm dealing with but I promised it'd be kept offline so.. I guess I will keep it so.

Those of you who know and or care, thank you. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Just when I feel like I need to go home and drown my sorrows in chocolate or something like it, I look back at the pictures I've shot in the last few weeks. It makes me smile and I can't wait for my Saturday because that means I get to go shooting again.I don't know what it will consist of or where it'll be, but damn it, I AM GOING TO HAVE FUN.

The Little Things

I suppose its a selfish thought, but I figured I'd start doing things for me. It doesn't have to be something huge, but just things I once used to do that bring me enjoyment. Like a pampering day with my pearl face masks, shaving my legs or better yet, go for a walk in the rain.

Why did I stop walking in the rain?

Ah. yeah. Walking pneumonia.

I guess that just means I have to invest in a better coat, dryer shoes and make sure to bundle up when I come back with a good cup of tea.

In the meantime, I'll keep on photographing.

Here are more pictures from the other day. I really, really had fun and I felt relaxed by the time I turned in for the night. It felt refreshing. I really do have to go back. It is one of my favorite places on Earth, just like the lovely spot off the i10 in the Santa Anita mountains. It wasn't very far in, but I loved parking in the turn about, watch the sunset and the lights of the city twinkle on.

Because, you know, star gazing isn't really a thing near LA. ^-^

I call this rock gazing. I can't believe the water was so clear.

Also, I really need to start blogging about hair. I suppose I felt I was getting too obsessed. I also need to photograph the awesome purple. Its finally faded enough that it is obviously purple.

I suppose I'll do that tomorrow a long with some silly shots of lego time.

Mother nature is Serenity

The past few months have been nothing but stressful. We're talking the usual wear and tear from the fiscal grind on top of more serious, personal matters. While I've pretended that everything is 'o.k' and I keep toiling with my mouth mum in a very misguided attempt to keep the monsters from becoming reality, my little universe has begun to unravel.

But see, I've been down this road before. I can see the outcome from miles away and I don't want to end up there again. I am done with the panic attacks, the self-harm and the belief that I'm not worth enough to seek help in any shape or form. These demons I've come to know so well are there, ready to pounce, tug, and pull me down the rabbit hole. And I have no desire to let that happen. Ever. Again.

I have more tools at my disposal this time. Whereas before all I had was my writing -- and now that I am feeling more powerful than I did before, I have searched and searched for the Muse that kept me alive. She's nowhere to be seen... or at least I thought she was gone. But like the caterpillar she's just found a different incarnation to help me along with and so far its been the shape of a camera.

Since I've gotten this camera I've been out and a bout more. I've also started to see the world in a different way and I've also found myself doing things I haven't done before.

Since I left SoCal almost thirteen years ago, I have not been as in tune with mother nature as I used to . My hikes have been less. My sense of adventure muted. I used to run around in the forests of Santa Anita or swim along the waves of Long Beach and I'd be fueled with so many images that I'd go home and write for ages. Now that same desire to create has returned in a way I never expected it. I do not go out there to be inspired. I leave my house because *I am* inspired.  In the last two weeks I've been out and about. I've seen friends I haven't in a long time.... and I find myself balanced for those few precious moments I'm walking along with Mother Nature.

The sound of her streams, the feel of her tear drops on my face, the way my feet sink into her pathways. I love it all. Why, the hell, did I not do this with more frequency?

I suppose I wasn't ready yet.


Anyhow, I figure I'd share more of the lovely landscapes I have always adored.

2014 changes

A few days after Yule, I decided to try something different. Roomie, henceforth known as Ninja, helped me come up with a new look. He balayaged my hair, fairly light then slapped some purple instead of my red. Sadly, we didn't estimate how blue-loving my hair would be and instead of it turning purple, it turned black. Purple black.

So, I'm kind of rocking a cholita purple right now. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy it, but neither Ninja or I are happy with the over all change. We wanted something brighter. We're now currently waiting for most of this stuff to bleed out before we try lightening my hair a few more shades and then putting in a more red based purple versus the blue based we used the first time.

I cheated on J. Ninja gave me a trim. Its slightly layered, but I have more movement. He also commented on how healthy my hair is and how refreshing it was to see someone with such length... such healthy length. And no, I don't let just anyone touch my hair. Ninja is a licensed professional. He and his girlfriend live with us and he's always dying her hair. I figured he can't suck because at that point, we'd hear the slaughter if it goes wrong.

Anyhow, I've been enjoying my present a lot. We visited the Tsubaki Grand Shrine for New Year's (hubby's shinto so we like to go for the yearly blessings) and I took the opportunity to shoot a little bit.

The only editing on this was to change the brightness level slightly.I didn't even change the 

white balance... this is how *every one* of the shots of this tree came out. I'll have to 

post the rest later.