Yay America!

So this past 4th, I was lazy and didn't go through the effort of a patriotic manicure, so I finally took my Julep America for a test drive, on top of an old NYC Glossies red and Sinful Colors All About You, and just did a simple accent nail for Olympic spirit and all. I was planning on going a little fancier, but my dad and I are going fishing tomorrow and it feels a little bit like a waste, considering how rough it's going to be on my nails, you know?

I'm also trying out a new top coat this week-the two I had were failing me and I had heard a lot of good things about inm Out The Door, so when I saw a Sally's yesterday I popped in and came out with the biggest bottle of polish I've ever owned. 

LOOK AT THAT SUCKER. I think it was a little less than $11 for 2.5 oz, and almost $6 for .5, so I decided, what the hell, and went for the big bottle. In just the day I've been using it I'm pleased. It has a super thin formula, so I did end up using my Sally Hansen on my glitter nails. I'm interested to see how well it holds up-so far only one nail is chipped, and that's only because that nail decided it wanted to peel. It is also extremely quick drying like it promises, which is defs a plus in my book.

DIY Gold and Turquoise Handpiece

I've been seeing these bracelets around for months, but had never really wanted one until I stumbled on a few gold and turquoise ones on Wanelo...but I still didn't want to actually BUY something I could make on my own.

And when I found a wrap bracelet I made a few weeks back, sitting neglected in my crafting stuff, it sparked an idea. Look after the break for materials and steps!

She looked like someone had just set her favorite city on fire.

I'm currently on a Kelly Link kick, and the title is lifted from her story The Hortlak, about zombies and convenience stores, unrequited love and pajamas. Just read the first paragraph. That line almost, kind of, relates to what my nails look like right now:

The red and gold is a little fire-y, don't you think? The base is Julep in Mischa and my favorite Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Golden-I. The triangles were done with Scotch tape and I really like the minimalist accent they add. In sunlight, my nails look like they're foil, not just shiny like they are in the picture.

I'm A Little Drunk On You, And High On Summertime

I know Luke Bryan might be talking about summer love in Drunk On You, but his lyrics describe how I felt about this manicure to a T. I was infatuated for the entire week my nails looked like this, not just because they were AMAZING but also because they didn't chip. At all. I only took it off because the gap between my nail bed and the polish had reached an unacceptable width.

The prettiest.

I'm not sure whether the longevity was due to the base coat (Julep in Georgia) or the top coat, which I am still SO EXCITED ABOUT. Ludurana is a Brazilian brand that I could only find online, and only on two sites at that. I bought Flash from Ninja Polish, who also has a great selection of other hard-to-find polishes. It's a flakie with orange, green, and blue, but it definitely takes its color from the base coat-my nails gave off an orange, peachy reflection that didn't photograph nearly as well as I had hoped it would...regardless, I'm OBSESSED.

love. in a bottle.

DIY Galaxy Print Sneakers

After my post on DIY tribal print sneakers, I found another pair of the canvas shoes I used-unfortunately, they were a little bit dirty.  I've mentioned Wanelo before, but it is absolutely one of the best sites for inspiration, and one day when I was kicking around the site, I saw at least three different pairs of galaxy print sneakers. My first post on this blog was about galaxy nails, and it's a pattern I really like. Since I have the basic knowledge on how to create it, I thought "I can do that", looking at all those other shoes. And it turns out...

I TOTALLY CAN.  Because I'm just a badass like that. Side note: the above picture is them after a day of wear. This is important because...well, you can find out after the jump! (materials, etc., will be shown)

Sunshine, Sunshine Is Fine

The lyrics in the title (Sunshine by Atmosphere) are the opposite of the weather right now, but oh so accurate on how my current mani makes me feel.  The blue-green-yellow gradient just feels like summer, you know?

Unfortunately, my camera is lost in my messy, messy room, so I ended up taking pictures with my iPhone, but they're still pretty decent.  I used a tutorial from Teen Vogue that uses a cheap brush instead of a makeup sponge, since every time I've attempted to use a sponge I've ended up with a lot of polish in the sponge and none on my nails. It's probably the sponges or polishes I've tried, but now I have a tutorial that works for me! 

Check out the polishes, etc. after the break:

Taking a Break...for Kittens

Not that anyone in particular will read this, but I haven't been posting lately due to the fact that I've been hand-raising two feral kittens so they can be adopted by friends.  The precious babies have absolutely MURDERED my hands, but they're getting big enough that I think I'll have time to try out a gradient mani today!