It's a disaster-I broke a nail!

Why is it that people freak out so much over a broken nail? Yes it sucks, but you know what? It'll grow back, I promise you!  I've seen several blogs now actually quit blogging until their nail grows back.  I tell them, you can still put polish on a short nail and it'll help protect it while it grows back.  They don't listen.

Did I really break a nail? Yes.  And a useful one too.  It's my 'gesture' nail.  You see, I am a road rager.  I do the finger gestures QUITE frequently.  I have even been pulled over by the man for it. At least my nails are nicely polished when doing it.  My mom will be so proud that I'm sharing this with you. Sorry mom!  I drive an hour to and from work and I drive fast.  I am proud to say that I have never had an accident because I am a damn good driver.  My dad says I should have been a race car driver instead of a nurse.  So if you are a slow driver and in the left lane-GET OUT OF MY WAY! That lane is not for you.

So, yes I broke my gesture nail but I still have my other one. Am I giving up blogging? No.  Will I take pictures of my other hand, yes.  I did file down the rest so they are more in the same length family.  I don't want to look stupid!  By the way, did anyone see the woman on Strange Addictions who hasn't cut her nails in 22 years? They are 19" long! I kid you not-google it. It grosses me out so I can't bring myself to put a picture on my blog for you.  Sorry.

By now, you are probably wondering if I will ever get to the nail polish.  Well here it is.  I have on Deborah Lippmann Billionaire from her fall collection.  The first layer went on patchy and gross.  I really thought I was going to have to start over.  But the second layer really made it nice and dark hunter green.  Love it.

Please excuse the lint on the last picture-I didn't see it until too late.  But isn't this a pretty green? I am loving it.  Plus I got my new nail art brushes in so I thought I'd try something out.  But you know what? I got a little nervous, and didn't have any ideas to try.  But then I went through the new stamping plates I got with it and found the perfect one for me. It is M 73 from the Born pretty store.

I told you that I am a pianist and I love classical music.  This stamp is a music score.  It is perfect.  I grabbed that and my Chanel Khaki Vert and went to town.  This stamp is very delicate with its fine lines so it's hard to see.  I then topped it off with a funky french.  I have to say that this may be my favorite mani I've shown you yet.  I am really digging this.  I think the two greens just go so well together.  Don't you?

I read on a blog (sorry I can't remember which one) an easier way to do a french without tape.  You turn the brush  and go left to right and move your hand instead of the brush.  I have to say, my lines are a lot straighter and I didn't have to worry about the tape pulling off the design. Did that just make sense?

I'm sorry but this is a freakin cool look if I do say so myself. And I do!

Any thoughts or comments?

Giveaway is Closed!

I have reached 54 wonderful followers! Thank you so much for showing me the love! In return, I promised an awesome blow out of a giveaway.  The first one at 50 then 200 then 300.  If during the entry period I reach 200, then that prize will be added.  If I hit 300 during the entry period, that prize will be added!  This is open internationally to all my lovely followers!

There will be two prizes for each giveaway.  When you fill out the form, pick if you'd rather have A or B if you win.  Here is the breakdown:

50 prize A

 50 Prize A- Sinful Happy Ending, Essie Sand Tropez, Butter London La Moss

50 prize B

 50 Prize B- Butter London Chimney Sweep, Essie Topless and Barefoot, OPI Tease-y Does It

200 prize A

 200 Prize A- Sally Hansen Angel Wings, Midnight in NY, Prolana Quick and Slick Topcoat

200 prize B

 200 Prize B- Rescue Beauty Lounge Treatment system (prep, base and top coat)

300 prize A

 300 Prize A- Essie Pink Lemonade, Eternal Optimist, Carnival

300 Prize B

300 Prize B- Rescue Beauty Lounge Anne, Sally Hanson Commander in Chic, Sephora OPI Mermaid to Order

The rules are simple:
1) Fill out the entry form
2) You Must be a public GFC follower or an email subscriber-1 entry
3) If I am on your blogroll-1 entry
4) Not to fear, if you don't have a blog-then tweet, facebook, do something and link it to me for your extra entry.

Total of 2 entries per person. The deadline is 8/24/11- 12 midnight EST. Good luck to you! At that time, I will have mastered spreadsheets and random number generators to pick the winner!

It's a Dupe Day Trilogy!

Before we get started, I wanted to say thank you so much for all my followers! I am officially up to 50 now.  You know what that means right?!? Giveaway time! I will hopefully get my act together and have it up tomorrow- if not at least this week! I never thought in a million years that I'd even have this many followers! It means a lot to me! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Now on to the business at hand! This is part three of my famous Dupe Day posts. I love doing these, but my nails take a beating every time.

The first comparison is between Chanel Steel and Essie Over the Top.  I saw that someone had searched for this Essie and I thought they may be dupes.  I do believe they are damn close. The Chanel may be slightly darker.

Next up are my browns.  The new Zoya Codie, Essie Little Brown Dress and OPI Suzi Loves Cowboys.  Now it's hard to see in these pictures because they are so dark, but the Zoya is a blackened brown and the OPI is a lighter shade of plain brown.  The OPI doesn't match at all.  The Essie is similar, but doesn't have the black in it. Ignore the smear on the OPI-I smacked it taking these pictures.

Lastly, we have the deep burgundy challenge. I did four colors for this one.  Zoya Anja, Essie Wicked, Essie Material Girl and Deborah Lippmann Dark Side of the Moon.  I think the Zoya and the DL are dupes.  The Essies may be dupes between them, but are lighter.  The Essie Wicked seems more like a jelly and the Zoya and DL are cremes.

I hope you have enjoyed my trilogy of Dupe Days. I have more that I can do so let me know if you want me to keep going with these or not. And if you have any special requests. If I have them, I'll do them for you!

Butterfly Award!

Guess what?!? I got another award! I am definitely rocking a streak here.  Not to toot my own horn, but yeah I rock! HAHAHA! I'm not really that kind of person-I am really grateful and honored to get this award.  Who gave it to me you ask? Well Nails By Courteney did.  You ought to check out her blog, it's really cool.

Now every award has rules to follow. But I'm gonna break them, cause I can! I'm supposed to tell you 7 things about myself, which I will.  But answering the tedious questions? Not happening here today folks.  I just did those for my Sunshine award and the questions are eerily similar.  I then need to pass this on to 15 other bloggers.  Damn, that's a lot.  Not sure I'm gonna get to that number, but we'll see.

So seven things about myself:

1) I am always right.  Always.

2) I hate stupid people.  I'm not talking smarts here, I'm talking mean, angry, jerky people.

3) My cats are my life.

4) People hate me because I'm smart.  I always ruined the curve in high school.

5) I have a very sarcastic humor. I get it from my dad.  I also say what I want when I want.  I don't make a lot of friends that way! Plus I can belch better than anyone! (thanks dad!)

6) My hair is never the same color red from month to month.

7) Every year in September, I go fishing in Canada.  My mom says it's my 'mountain man' time.  I eat what I catch.  Yes I kill fish for my supper! And damn is it good.  It's my favorite place in the whole world.  Nothing makes me happier then being there. Sucks that I only get to go once a year.

There you go, now don't you feel like you know me just a little better?

Now on to the blogs I think deserve this award.

Girly Bits  Pam does some awesome nail art
Laura's Lacquers (I don't think she quite has enough-but her blog IS awesome)
Polish and Charms Meredith makes some awesome jewelry to go with her nails
Loodie Loodie Loodie  Anna is one smart chic-who makes us learn while we blog
A Place for my Nails Paulina rocks some awesome art
Nail Stories Vanessa also rocks awesome art
My World Sandra is awesome in Estonia
I'm Feeling Nail-Venturous Amy's art rocks and I love her banner
The Polish Haven Kristy is my "downunder" Aussie blog and a fellow nurse
Nailside  I love her art!
Polish Amor  She has such a pretty background, plus her nails rock
Short n Chic Stephanie's wit makes my day
Ya gotta hand it to me This blog is pretty new, but her sarcasm reminds me of me!

OK, I'm stopping here at my lucky number 13!  Thank you again to Courteney for giving me this award.  It really makes my day!