ChitChatNails

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On Friday night I was invited to be a part of a really awesome customer/client appreciation event for a major Company here in London, Ontario.  The theme was “A Roadtrip to Vegas” and the event was so well organized that I literally felt the “Vegas” all around me.  There were many ‘stations/stops’ that addeded to the Vegas-feel (including Elvis, Showgirls, Magic show, Acrobat performances, massages, food and drink stations by various vendors, glitter tattoos and ME!  I was hired to do nail art for the guests   I know!  Super awesome right!?

I have a genuine passion for nail art and I enjoy painting other people’s nails as much as my own (I love seeing what combinations people come up with).  I was proud to inspire a few Lovely Ladies to try the ‘accent nail’ look.  But before this incredible experience, I suffered some nail-painting stage fright.  I swear, I brainstormed for days (literally) and then painted and repainted my nails a few times (okay, MULTIPLE times).  I’m normally not as antsy as this when it comes to painting my nails, but I wanted something edgy looking, something ‘sophisticated’, and I knew I wanted to play with Nails Inc Baker Street (which Karen made me WANT/NEED).

I ended up settling for something that has become so typical for me; I fear you will think I’ve gotten boring (a one trick pony).  I honestly and truly over-thought things to the point where I had to rely on my go-to or I would have to sport nekkid nails due to lack of time… lol

Okay, first things first! Nails Inc Baker Street is the most vibrant and AWESOME blue that I own.  Perfectly opaque in two easy coats.  Karen, I blame you and THANK YOU for making me need this shade!   Following the suggestions on Instagram and Twitter I added one coat of Fantasy Fire over Baker Street.  For the accent nails I painted two coats of OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls and added Baker Street and Soulstice Spa Venice using the saran-wrap technique (shocker!!!).  I dabbed on some SOPI Only Gold For Me glitter and stamped using Cult Nails Nevermore (which is the black used on my ring finger also) and Konad m72.

Overall, though a typical look for ME, it was a great HIT with the Ladies who attended the event!   It was great to paint nails, chat polish and meet a number of wonderful Ladies… my booth wasn’t all that popular with the men I honestly loved how excited the Ladies got when seeing the ‘stamping in action’ and how creative they ventured to be.  Did I mention I had my own sign!?!?!?

And I saved the BEST for last

Right after the event I went to visit my sister and brother-in-law to meet my new little nephew, only a few hours old!!!!  Benjamin is THE cutest little guy EVER, and as fun as the event was, meeting him and holding him was the highlight of my night! (this is baby number two for my sister and her husband and their older son Jakub was sooo excited to be a big brother)

Here is an iPhone photo that I would like to share with you

(isn’t he sooo sweet!?!)

Hope you have a great rest of the weekend!

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Anything exciting from this weekend that you would like to share with me?

Are you bored of my same old same old manicure look?

Do you own Baker Street? Do you love it as much as I do?

THANK YOU FOR READING!

Before you continue with today’s post I would advise you to reach for a pair of sunglasses, because today I will be showing you a highlighter-neon yellow which, by the way, photographed quite accurately for me… but it is a bit harmful to sensitive retinas

This is China Glaze Yellow Polka Dot Bikini… and I just HAD to get my hands on it after I saw THIS POST by Mary

Because I’m still just getting accustomed to neons and yellows, I worked this shade into accent nails (rather than a full on manicure).

Yellow Polka Dot Bikini is a highlighter yellow, there really is no better way to describe it.  For these photos I applied one coat of Sally Hansen Whirlwind White (which thanks to a sweet reader/friend I now have a stockpile of and don’t have to worry about running out) and two coats of this neon shade.  I will say that the formula on this one was quite runny and therefore tricky to work with).  Though the white base was dry, the neon almost dragged the white below… Moral of the story, gentle hand and patience is key when applying this shade.

Notice how around the edges of the nail this polish is so neon it almost gives off a green tint?!?!

Unlike holographic shades, which are most beautiful in the sunlight, neons are all the more intense in the shade… my accent nails were literally GLOWING!

I did four accent nails this time.  I took the advice of a fellow reader, and on my right hand I painted the ring finger and thumb while my left hand had a neon pinky and pointer finger.  At first I thought this would add to a ‘chaotic’ look, but with two hands side by side the manicure looked funky and uniform.  I LOVE IT! (unfortunately, I didn’t take a two handed photo)

For the rest of the nails I applied two coats of China Glaze Pelican Grey.  The stamping was done with Konad plate m72 (which you might remember was also featured in Monday’s post) and Sally Hansen Black Creme.  I hope you don’t mind me re-using the stamp twice within one week.  I just got this stamp (long lemming of mine) and really couldn’t help but try it again (this way hopefully you see it in a soft manicure as well as a vibrant one).

Do you ever start off the week full of positive energy just because you had a fantastic weekend?  That is me today   Though there is a bit of blue in today’s post… I am definitely NOT suffering from the Monday Blues

With the help of my brother and his girlfriend (who kindly watched the kids Sunday morning), Peter and I were able to take the motorcycle out for a spin together (my first time this year)!!! There is something so exciting about a trip to nowhere in particular, just the two of us.  We ended up driving to Port Stanley, a local beach, for breakfast and ice cream.  I took my sweet time enjoying the ice cream… only to notice a dark cloud looming over us.  The last 20 minutes of the ride were in full-blown downpour rainstorm… but I still had a BLAST.  How exhilarating!!! I’m not much of a dare-devil, but I am still on a high from yesterday’s mini getaway with Peter

But enough about my weekend motorcycle ventures , onto today’s manicure

I FINALLY found the purrrrrfect pastel peach shade in Essie A Crewed Interest!!! I’ve been looking for one for eons! I picked up not one but two bottles (this truly is a backup worthy shade), all thanks to THIS POST

 A Crewed Interest is part of the Essie 2012 Summer collection.  I bought the bottles at Walmart for $7.49 each.

This is a lovely pure peach pastel-soft shade.  It never turns too pink, staying true to the peachy tint in all light conditions.  What I love about this shade, putting aside its mediocre formula, is that it isn’t too milky or chalky looking.  This polish truly is worth the three coats of struggle, because it is absolutely, fabulously, peachy perfect!!!!

I have to apologize for the outdoor photos in today’s post.  I really wanted to take photos of this manicure, but didn’t have the opportunity to use the indoor studio lighting this weekend… so outdoor it is…

For the accent nail I used two coats of Catrice Sold Out Forever as the base.  I then stamped with Konad plate m72 (which I finally caved and purchased) and China Glaze Millennium.

It wouldn’t seem right if I didn’t give a quick shout out to Mara from Bar a Ongles who has been Tweeting with me back and forth on a quest to find “the perfect pastel peach shade”

This is it for me!!! I am soooo happy to finally have found it!!! Thank you for humoring my ramblings Mara, and I look forward to more of our chats

I did want to share a quick photo that Peter took of the two of us  on our motorcycle cruise

Do you like to wear pastel/soft shades in the spring/summer? Do you tend to alternate between bright shades and pastels (like I do) during these warm months?

Do you have a favorite pastel shade?

THANK YOU FOR READING!