So... when I'm supposed to be sleeping but can't...

So... when I'm supposed to be sleeping but can't I sometimes go on YouTube and watch nail art videos.  I bet that's a shocker to you all.  😂

Well, I've never tried acrylics (wearing them OR doing them).  But I've seen some video tutorials and it looks REALLY fun.  I feel like I want to try my hand at doing them.  I have no time or money for that right now, unfortunately, but maybe I can go to school for that after I finish the school stuff I already started.

I don't think I'd have the patience to do that as a career, but I could definitely see me enjoying doing it for fun or for some side cash.  I don't want to do stuff like plain French tips, though.  I want to do the crazy stilettos and the aquarium nails and stuff like that.  OBVIOUSLY.  😛

I've been trying for several days...

I've been trying for several days to get a photograph of these to put up.  This is not the original manicure - I had more stones and one more finger full of hearts, but because I took so long to get pics a few fingers were starting to look crappy.  I decided to take them off and accent them in other ways since I don't have time to make more decals at the moment.  It's really ok with me - I'm digging these.  I usually have have pretty predictable "accent finger" patterns, but this time I think it's harder to tell what's an accent or not.  Maybe they all are!  Woohoo!  😂

Now I'm off to study.  Probably can't do nails again until after finals on Tuesday, but then I'm gonna go nuts!  THE END OF THE SEMESTER IS IN SIGHT!  😃

Research polishes;
Maniology plate BM-XL210;
Embellishment from BornPretty
Stamping Decal technique

This pink / purple / red glitter...

So I've been studying super hard for tests lately and two of them were yesterday.  When I got home from class - late though it was - I painted my freaking nails BECAUSE I DESERVED A TREAT!

This pink / purple / red glitter is a polish I bought on clearance from Sally's.  It's an Orly called "Explosion of Fun."  It's layered over some kind of bright pink L'Oreal that I will go look at and write the name of if anyone actually cares.  😛

Since I was so tired last night I used whatever was at hand.  The new Orly was within reach (as was my box of pinks), so I went with it.  I thought it looked kind of bright and tropical so I went with flowers as decoration.  I filled them in with white because it, too, was close at hand.  I probably could have been more creative with colors if my brain hadn't been fried from both a Biology and Trigonometry test in the same day, but it is what it is and I'm ok with how it turned out.  🙂

Members Only by L'Oréal, Explosion of Fun by Orly;
Born Pretty plate BP-54;
Stamping Decal technique

Well I did some things this weekend, but of course it's never enough.  I feel like I'm going to be perpetually behind until this semester is over, which is, thankfully, less than a month away.

I did take some time and clean up our hangout room yesterday.  My nail polish shelf looks AMAZING.  It took hours to organize my polish by color, but I think I'll like it better this way.  Fun Fact:  I have more blue polishes than any other color.  Green comes in second.  Purple comes in third.  Before yesterday I honestly had no idea!

With everything so clean and organized I'm fighting the urge to stop and do my nails, but I really need to get back to Trig and / or go to sleep.  I have Biology class in the morning.  I'm drowsy (despite having some coffee a little earlier), but I feel that it's a little bit ridiculously early to call it a night - especially considering how late I slept.  😕  I guess I'm gonna crack my book open and see if my brain wakes up or not.  I'm not in the mood to struggle.

I hope you all had a lovely weekend.  I do feel accomplished despite being behind on everything still so at least that is something.  🙂

I'm off to take (more) Ibuprofen and...

I'm off to take (more) Ibuprofen and maybe clean up our hangout room.  I've, um, made a mess in there.  😂  I had help, though!  My lap table had a ton of nail polish and other stuff on it and Boo Bear knocked it over while scratching his butt like an Actual Bear.  So nail polish, stamping plates, etc, are all scattered about.  I still have a box of pretties that I got around my birthday last year that I never filed away, either.  So now I'm contemplating a change.  Help me.

All of my nail polishes are grouped by brand / bottle shape.  My brain works well with that system, but most people tend to group by color.  I'm CONSIDERING doing that, but I just don't know.  It seems like a legit system - especially when you're looking for a color and you might not remember what all brands or bottle shapes you have that contain that color, but it might actually drive me crazy.  I have no idea.  But whatever I do it'll probably have to stay that way for a while because I'm about 99% sure that I topped 1000 bottles as of my birthday last year and I just don't have time for that much re-re-arranging.  Don't judge me.  😂

Suggestions?

The kitty cat nails didn't last long.

The kitty cat nails didn't last long.  The collar glequins and bowtie started coming off so then of course I started picking at them and just had to take all the polish off so that I didn't do actual damage to my nails from picking at them.  I'm the worst about picking.  Once I start it's all over with, so they just had to go.

So I did these last night.  I showed them to my guy today and he was like, "What made you do that?"  He looked truly baffled.   😂  Honestly, I saw something very similar in a blog and I liked the way it looked, so there you go.  They used totally different colors and no stones, but as you know I can't just leave well enough alone.  😁

I imagine that I will have the same problem with these as the kitty cat nails because of the stones, but that's ok.  I don't mind doing one last awesome mani before spring break ends.  😃

Research polish;
Research plate;
Embellishment from BornPretty;
Stamping technique

I was in the mood for something silly and fun

Ok, I guess I was in the mood for something silly and fun.  And also big because my nails are long enough to accommodate these big old kitty stamps (but just barely, as you can see from my ring finger).

I wanted a background that wasn't too crazy since I wanted the kitties to pop so I went with pale blue stamping over gray.  I used a few different cat-themed plates for that.  There are various paw print patterns, etc, and the middle finger says things like "Meow" and "Hiss."

All I really knew when I got started is that I was wearing these damn cats one way or the other.  😂  I had no plans for collars and bow-ties, but it just wasn't done until I added those touches.  How's that for spring?  They look quite dressed up for some reason!  Maybe they have a date!  😃

PSA Time:  Everyone make sure to spay and neuter your Ms. and Mr. Kitties because too many animals are killed in shelters.  It's a totally preventable problem - so don't be part of it.  There is no excuse.  Help is out there!

Recycle by China Glaze and Various polishes;
Bundle Monster plate BM-S161 and unbranded plate Kst-22;
Glequin and Bow Embellishments from BornPretty;
Reverse Stamping and Layered Stamping techniques

The lace and butterfly nails are coming off tonight.

The lace and butterfly nails are coming off tonight. The polish is starting to lift where I chipped the thumb earlier this week. If I don't remove it I'll start peeling my nails - which is terrible for them. Other than that they still look great - much to my surprise. As rough as I am on my hands with all of the cleaning and everything else I do they usually only last 4-ish days. I did the lace / butterflies on Thursday last week - so that's a record. I really don't mind when my polish starts coming off because I enjoy painting them as much as looking at them so it's no surprise that I was starting to get impatient with these. 😂😂😂

Anyway. I have no clue at the moment what I will do next. Gonna play with my plates and see what I come up with. I might be too tired to really do my nails tonight, but maybe I can at least settle on what I'll do at some point this weekend. We'll see.

Spring and Butterflies

I felt like I deserved it so I treated myself last night.  I painted my nails!  Woohoo!  😃

I didn't go with the whole "butterfly on each finger" thing.  I just can't.  It feels so wrong to try to match my nails.  And when I inevitably fail it will look dumb, too because they won't be perfect, so... there's that.  😂

I wish this lighting would have captured the beauty of my base coat, Demure Vixen by Essie.  I know it's not the best match to my skin, but I love the pink / lavender undertone.

I also meant for one of my butterflies to turn out blue (the one on the thumb), but the way I layered the colors it didn't work out that way.  Oh well.  At least it is somewhat different than the green and purple on the ring finger.

Anyway.  I did it.  And I like it.  But I wish I could take it off already and paint something else now.  😂  I'm terrible.

Demure Vixen by Essie and Various polishes;
unbranded plate BC-10 and konad plate m36;
Stone Embellishment from BornPretty;
Reverse Stamping and Layered Stamping techniques

Me, in dragon form. 😂😂😂

Me, in dragon form.  😂😂😂