Henna Inspired flowers

Besides for the difficulty level in working with henna into super long hair WITHOUT help, I am a huge fan of henna. (Hubby says it reminds him of baby poo and refuses to help me) I can spend hours watching it be applied into patterns onto the skin in a daze.

Last night I applied Essie's Fishnet's Stockings and China Glaze's Ruby Slippers (One of my ultimate favorite polishes!). It was a hasty application and not entirely even but it worked -- I was in a hurry, I only had 20 minutes before day time and I was presenting myself to a new job today. I didn't want completely trashed nails.  (I'm still using the Vinylux's weekly top coat. That stuff's amazing. Last week's mani made it to Sunday before it began to chip.) While the mani looked cute and classic, I wanted MOAR.

I have to admit I have gotten spoiled by nail art.

Anyhow, I wasn't ready to do the cameo nails yet, although I have been practicing with both my left and right hands. Yes, I am ambidextrous but my pressure control of the brush with my left hand is to be desired. I can do some lovely designs as long as they are of silhouettes or very basic swirls. The moment I want to do something more complicated, say, a fleur de lis, a filigree or more complicated scroll work, you can see the difference. I start panicking, my hand starts to shake.. the art is just not as solid.  I can hide it in some designs but in others, its just too obvious.

Ironically enough, my left hand is usually better in detail. Probably because I *do* slow down considerably. I just have to take a deep breath and relax. But when it comes to the more fluid designs, I panic and hence... the shakyness.

But I am fucking AMAZING with pencil. My writing with the left is almost indiscernible from the right when it comes to block letters and sometimes, print. The speed in which I work is pretty decent too as long as I don't try to get too loopy... which I almost always want to do since I'm a cursive writer with my non-dominant hand. -- tldr; I was born a southpaw but due to superstitions, I was forced a rightie. I do just about everything with my left except write or brush my teeth.... and the right half of my face when doing my make up.


So, just as when I was about to call it a blah mani week, I found my sally hansen nail pens.. VIOLA, I knew what to do.

And this was born:

I'm not too pleased with the scroll work, but the design is still pretty awesome. 

Kitty Kat Nails

Really, to give the name justice, they should be lions but, whatever. 

Part of this inspiration is my ever loving, and always singing cat, Sir Beartholomew Watson III and his potato sister Patches (She's a fatty and looks like a sack of potatoes. Poor thing!). 

I have two version s of this mani, one with all purple nails and the accent on the ring finger. Which, I wasn't feeling very well. It was very 'mreh'. 

Then today I was surprised by an amazing present from my hubby, a NAIL RACK. I guess he got tired of seeing polish everywhere and me complaining I can't remember what colors I have, ever. 

So as I'm organizing, I run across OPI's Riveting, which from what I understand, that was from last year's Halloween or Fall collection. I can't remember. My friend Darlene, another nail polish freak like I am, got them for me for Christmas last year. I don't care if a collection is past its season, I *love* polish. Bring it on!

Anyhow, I wound up redoing my manicure after only 24 hours, but damnit, I WANTED THAT ORANGE!

So here you go. 

It is still no 'Robin Moses' quality, but damn it, the kitty sillhouette saved my damned manicure. And it was so easy peasy... AND I think it saved the purple kitty because quite frankly, he was looking a little silly and more Batman and less Feline. 

Lets call him Bat Kitty. (His eyes glow, too!)

Items used: 

OPI - Riveting

Vinylux - Grape Gum (can you tell its my favorite?)

Vinylux - Weekly topcoat

Gellish -base on orange

Black acrylic, pictured. 

PS: if anyone knows why I said 'this manicure doesn't do the name Kitty Kat justice', your'e freaking AMAZING and I love you and I think we should have babies! 

PPS: also, I wasn't kidding when I said her videos *saved* my manicure. Not only did she save it and ensure I'm happy with my little digits for the rest of the week, a lovely tip of hers saved a whole nail. 

After putting the camera down, I banged my pinky nail against my bowl of flaming hot soup. Instead of cursing, almost crying, then starting all over (Hey, that gellish base coat takes forever to dry, okay? ) I dipped one of my fingers in the cold water I was using to clean my brush, then rubbed it over the ding. It smoothed it out instantly.  Cool tip! 

Fashion Show

I'm glad I was asked to join Cat last minute. It was an awesomely fun fashion show contest thing and I met some very lovely girls.

I also discovered I have a nack and desire for photography so we'll see where this goes.  Anyhow, I'm supre proud of myself as this was the first time I actually photographed another human being with an artsy setting. Usually I shoot plants, my cats and I like to catch my human friends candidly.  This is my first time getting artsy fartsy. Bwuahaha

I put my hair up in a simple nautilus bun myself. I had a bit of a panic attack and didn't know what to do with myself. lol

Anyhow, here are some pictures of what I did last night. I still have a ton more to edit, but alas, my PC has half the ram it usually runs on so everything is *super* slow.

The model is Torri Fry-- she's absolutely amazing. Thank you for letting me experiment with you, miss thang! 

I really can't wait to work with this woman again. <3

I just rather like the super contrast in this. I like playing with shadows and lights. 

+

Hairbow !!

Time to punish Slayer of Things, by twisting her into a mother flogging HAIR BOW.

YAH!

And in the process of doing this, she destroyed two bobby pins and almost snapped the hair tie. Damnit.

Don't mind the dorky look. I was trying to find a decent angle and concentrating hard. Brows are a mess, Slayer an oil slick and the center part fighting the bobby pin to a certain death. It doesn't look too great, but I think I can work with it. 

I'm trying to salvage my Halloween costume. I WANTED a beard. I was going to be the bearded lady, but alas, ran out of time and money so now I can't go get the hair laying stuff. And I work in an office... having Slayer bearded all over my face would make it difficult and hot. 

I don't know what I'll do come next Thursday, but I'll have it posted. :D 

Left in Stitches

Vinylux Grape Gum and topcoat, Sally Hansen Nail Pen in Silver
black acrylic paint

This look was done on Sunday night. It is now Thursday night going into Friday (currently, my clock says 10:07pm) and the only repair I had to do was on the index finger of this same hand. It would have lasted longer but the integrity of the nail itself was compromised. I am sure I could have accomplished almost day 6 or 7 without issues.

See, I have dry nails. Superbly dry and while not completely brittle, they are fairly thin. The condition of my nails, while not completely fubared, is pretty sad to the point that I cannot leave my nails bare or they start peeling. Like onions.

I found Nail magazine online and I found myself lost in the client health section and I found my nails there. Well, not *my* nails but one of a pair of hands with the same issue I do.

http://www.nailsmag.com/article/1264/diagnosing-different-nail-types
And yes, my nails HAVE been like the dry and brittle ones pictured.

Now, if you look at the middle finger and ring finger of the right hand, see how there is a bit of nail peeled off from the free edge into the nail bed? Yeah, that's what happens to my nails. The index finger of my left hand just suffered something like that. No amount of polish and miracle glue would keep my manis from chipping when the nail itself is broken. All I can do at this point is condition my nails, keep them painted and trim back the damage. 

I also didn't realize that while I've been doing all I can to combat the peeling, some of what I was doing was wrong. My nails are splitting because they are dry as fuck. God, if this isn't sign number 1002 that I am dehydrated to all hell, I don't know what is. (That's another subject for a different blog post. Let us just say that it is a recurring theme. Fine, Universe, I get it... I'm going to go sip on some water now. blergh.)

I *can* say that the fact that vinylux does bond to the keratin of the nail, it adds an extra layer of strength to my weak little nail beds so they're doing better. I got the tiniest sliver of overhang on some of my nails today and I scratched. I scratched an itch and they didn't hurt! (Sometimes my nails are so bendy they break doing this). 

Anyhow, follow the link (click on the example picture) and read on. It is SUCH a fascinating thing to read.

In fact, I blame Robin Moses but I kind of want to become a manicurist now. Sadly, I have me some weight to shed to help relieve my carpal tunnel. I had a nice chat with B from work today (she's the nail tech instructor) and she said that while I do have the passion and talent, my career will be short lived if I don't take care of my wrist now. 

Alright, Universe, reason 1001358u093.4 ^pie why I should do this health thing seriously. I'm the artistic sort and having a bum wrist (or in my case, wrists) is preventing me from having a fulfilling career. Being as heavy as I am I cannot be on my feet to warrant a 12+ shift in a kitchen... and I can't have a nice 8+ shift doing hands and feet either. Sonofabitch. 

While I still do not feel up to going to the gym yet, I will uptake my water intake (again) and start the walking thing. I've been cigarette free for a few days now... and come to think of it, I haven't had coffee in as much either. 

Baby steps, Demise, baby steps! Ya don't want to fail again, do ya?

Spooky mani

Spooktacular evening!

I did this mani, I kid you not, almsot four days ago. Nary a chip. WOO! 

I've been struggling to take a decent picture of the damned thing, so here you go. It isn't the best, but whatever. 

As you'll see later, I wasn't too happy with the witch so I re-painted her.  Anyhow, the mudflap witch is not very mudflappish but I tried. I blame Robin Moses for that one. LOL 

I'm only keeping this last one here because its the only one that shows the pinky.

USED: 

Vinlyx polishes in the following --

Thumb - Grape Gum

Ring finger - Gilded Pleasures

Rest of fingers - purple purple

Top coat: 

Vinylux Weekly Top Coat

Designs: 

Black acrylic paint painted with a trimmed up 00 brush. 

Battle of the Detangling Brush!

ETA: 10/22/13 I had pictures ready to load onto the blog but I had a computer crash. I lost all my blog pictures, my programs and meh. I'll just have to take new ones. Its not that difficult, I'm just in a lazy mood. It doesn't help that I'm in the process of selling an old desk and setting up a new dresser from Ikea, and my dishwasher broke. I'm telling you, GREMLINS.

Now, as far as any of my reviews go, I have [b] never been given any product directly from the manufacturer for the sole purpose of reviewing. [/b]. I work for a company that handles a lot of beauty products so I get free stuff for whatever reason.

Either we have excess, the item is discontinued or for some reason or another the product simply does not meet our standards. Too new, patent pending, marketing doesn't think it fits our demographic, its strange, what have you. 

So, here goes. I'm only taking off points out of 10

Round 1

The name. 

Tangle Teezer -- Okay, I get it. Its a pun on the 'tease' as in, easing something out. It tells me its suppose to be gentle on tangles and help ease them out instead of tearing through them. 

The "Wet" Brush -- Is it supposed to be a dry brush only, meaning as it only supposed to be used on dry hair or can it be used on wet hair too? The quotations are throwing me off as they are often use to mark a spoken conversation or at times, used to denote deadpan sarcasm. 

Score: Tangle Teezer (10), "Wet" Brush (10)

Round 2

Construction. 

The TT 

• While it is fatter, and therefore 'larger' than the 'The "Wet" Brush' (henceforth WB), it is hollow. It is composed of two piece of plastic, the top being the dome 'handle' and the bottom, being the bristles.
• The bristles are composed of one solid piece of plastic of different shape. You got long bristles and short bristles. 
• These bristles are firm but quite bendy so it pulls a knot on the hair. However, it bends backward before it actually tugs at the hair making the knot tighter. The longer bristles pull at knots toward the center of the section of hair. The shorter ones onto the surface knots. 
• The bristles are so pliable I can brush my hair the way a person intuitively uses a brush, even when my hair is wet and tangled. Meaning, I start from root to tip. It doesn't tug, pull or snag my hair.
• I have a tender head. Sometimes, when using firmer bristles I hurt my own head. Not with the TT.
• It takes about 2-5 minutes to detangle my TBL, m, ii/iii hair. (that is Tail Bone Length, medium strand, thicker than average but not super thick dense hair.) That's a feat as it can take about fifteen to twenty with my fingers alone and a good ten with a wide toothed comb. 

 - It doesn't have a handle so when my carpal tunnel is acting up really bad and I'm wearing my brace, I cannot use it. I *can* use it when I don't wear a brace in the instance I do lose it -- which is quite often. So I guess its a weird pro-negative. 

Wait, that's a wash isn't it? Not really a negative unless I've been stupid with the video games/drawing. 

- I cannot use it to brush my hair up into a bun/pony tail. The bristles are just not firm enough to carry all the hair from the scalp to the center of my head. I can sometimes make it work by re-brushing the underside (nape to ear area) until I can feel all the layers of the hair are laying flat against my scalp. But not so much when my hair is close to wash day. At that point my hair is just too thick and unmanageable.  (I wash my hair once ever 5-7 days. I start getting grease ball headed around day 5 or 6 depending how hot it is.)

WB

• It is super light. 
• It has a handle on the days when my carpal has gotten so bad I need to wear a brace. Basically it comes in super handy post video game binging.
• I like the material the back and handle is composed of. It is firm like plastic just soft like silicone. I want to say it is almost velvety. I sometimes sit there and run my fingers across the handle. I'm a highly tactile individual, so  I find this a total plus. 
• The bristles are long and super bendy.
• I can gather ALL my hair to the top of my head without either a) having to bend over at the waist or b) having to re-brush the nape to make sure the bottom isn't bent and gathered in places. 
• It is amazing with knots on dry hair! 

- It is composed of three parts : A handle, a cushion and bristles. This three-part construction means there are three places my hair can get caught in. In the seam between the handle and the cushion, in the area where the bristles poke through the cushion (though honestly, it is really well made in this point so I can see this only becoming a problem when it gets older) and where the ball tip is glued onto the bristle. Again, this last point only becomes an issue with wear and tear but quite frankly, for a brush this expensive, I expect it to last a LONG ass time and perhaps, not even need a replacement unless something happens to it, like.. I break it.

-Its handle is super thin and not ergonomically friendly like the TT. When I feel a flare up coming, this brush actually hurts me when I use it.

- While the bristles are forgiving, yet firm, they are all the same length. There is no real give when a knot happens to cross the path of the brush. Most of the time it detangles easy but sometimes... it pulls, the knot tightens and then it hurts. 

- I cannot, CANNOT, use this brush on my wet hair. Even if I start from the bottom and work my way up, it simply tugs too hard. It hurts my scalp and I end up shedding a lot more than I do with the TT. I don't have this issue when my hair is dry, though.

Score: TT (9), WB (5) 

Round 3

weight

TT & WB:  They're both super light. Heavier than a plastic barber comb and lighter than a goodie travel brush. 

They actually weigh the same. 

Score: TT (9), WB (5)

Winner:  TANGLE TEEZER 

ding, ding!