Double Wammy!

Good morning!


So incredibly sorry for the lack of update. I could make up excuses, but to tell you the truth, I was really tired from getting back to work and getting back into the routine of things. 


I bought a charger, so now I'll be able to retrieve my pictures! I have a few pictures taken with my iPod, and a few others with my cell, which have a very sad quality picture. I'm gonna upload all of them at the same time either tomorrow or Tuesday.


On to the manicures. Yes, with a "s" at the end: there will be 2 today! I wanna get back into the routines of posting at least once a week.


First: 

What I used:

- Sally Hansen 4-in-1 treatment (absent from photo)
- Color Institute Top Coat
- Sally Hansen New Lengths Ceramics - #02 White Tips
- Color Institute (no name, so  I called it Graphite)


It was the first time I really tried to hand pant something a little harder. I like it, but it has some place for improvement, that's for sure.


Second:

What I used:
(Sorry, no picture of what I used. I most likely forgot about it.)
- Sally Hansen 4-in-1 treatment
- Joe Gunmetal
- Joe matte top coat
- L.A. Colors Art Deco NA903 Silver Glitter

So there you go! I hope I'll get back into your graces! :P But seriously, though, I'm going to try to get a post out each week. Maybe if I use the scheduling function? I don't know. We'll see!

Ciao!


GabZ ♥

Happy New Year!

I know, I know, I'm 9 days off on this one, but I want to wish every single one of you out there, the best for 2011. May it bring peace to your home, love, happiness, and even more. :D



I'm not able to post pics from the manis from the past 2 weeks, 'cause I lost my battery charger for my camera, and I need to go buy a new one. I'm planning on going this week, though!


While we're waiting, here's a mani from back in October, when I used the Broadway Real Life Brush-On Gel Nail Kit. It's the only mani I did on those tips. I apologize for the poor picture quality. For some reason, my camera really doesn't like this red color. Here we go!

Here's what I used:

- Sally Hansen 4-in-1 treatment
- Joe Fig
- Sally Hansen New Lengths Ceramics - #02 White Tips
- Joe Matte Top Coat
- Nicole Top Coat Pro


I know it doesn't really picture well, but I tried to make the red matte, and the flowers shiny. It sorta worked, I think. This many made me happy.


I want to take this opportunity for welcoming my new followers! It always makes me super happy to see that people have an interest in my work. :D


Until next time, take care!


GabZ ♥

Holiday manicures

Hey!!


Whoo! Almost a week since I last posted! I guess time caught up with me, eh. 

Christmas is 2 days away, and for once I'm actually ready to welcome it with all my shopping done! I put up the tree on Tuesday, and we've put all the presents underneath it. I can't wait to see my Hun's face when he opens his main gift!! I really outdid myself this year, I think. 


Back to manicures! As promised, here are the manicures my sister-in-law and I wore to our men's job's Christmas party. 

 My sister-in-law's manicure

I forgot to take a picture of what I used, but I'll tell you. First, I put on a coat of Rimmel Base Coat Top Coat Plus. Then I put on 2 coats of Joe Fig. Then I painted half of the nail diagonally with Maybeline Salon Expert #700 Black Is Black. I painted the other half of the nail with Wet n Wild Wild Shine #435G Sparkled. Then I did the little dots with the same black. I topped it off with 1 coat of Nicole's Top Coat Pro.

My manicure

What I used

I started up with 1 coat of Sally Hansen 4-in-1 treatment, followed by 3 coats of Apple Bottoms Club Queen. Then I used  Nail Star Two-Way Nail Art Pen & Brush in green to make the leaves of the mistletoe, and added 3 2mm red rhinestones. I topped everything with a coat of Nicole's Top Coat Pro.

I enjoyed doing my sister-in-law's nails. It was different working on someone else's nails. I didn't quite know how to position her hand to make it easy. I'm super proud of the result, as you can see the lines aren't straight, and the little dots aren't the same shape and spaced the same. But she was happy with her nails and I was super excited to have done my first manicure on someone else! 

I'm not sure if I'll write another post before next week, so I want to take this opportunity to wish you guys the best Holidays, to you and all your family. ;)

Ciao!

GabZ ♥

Weekend Haul, Viva La Nail, Stamped Kisses

Hi!!


Since this will be pretty picture heavy, I want to apologize in advance. I have tons of new goodies I received/bought over the week, and I wanted to show you guys!


First, I want to say that Viva La Nail rocks, big time baby! Remember my last post about them? It was missing a water decal, and they kindly offered to send it to me. Well imagine my surprised when I got a whole new sample pack in the mail this week. I am so impressed with their customer service skills, and I will definitely buy from them again. Here are the stickers and decals I got this time:

Last weekend, I got to Rimouski, and while my sister-in-law was shopping for shoes, I went into the dollar store. Here's what I got:

 Ultra fine glitter!

 To store the glitter without a mess

 Different shape rhinestones

And when I came looking out for her in the Aldo, look what I found:

"Twilight Rendez-Vous Prune Givrée" & " Hit The Pavement Perfecto"

Now after that, we went to Winners. Have you ever been to one? Last time I went, I bought 5 Borghese polishes for $15.99, when the original price for just one of these babies is $13.99 at my local drug store. I think it's like the equivalent of Marden's in the US. Well this time, here's what I found:

Can you believe it?! Sèche Vite for $7.99! I thought I'd have to buy it online, as I don't have a beauty store in my area (the closest is like a 3hr drive..) So that's why I bought 2 bottles.


I also got these:

And this pack also came with 2 packs of stencils:

And then on Monday, I went to the mail box, and I picked up my stamper/scratcher combo:

So of course, with all these new toys, I had to try them on! Here's the mani I did 2 days ago:

This is 1 coat of Rimmel Base Coat Top Coat Pro, with 2 coats of Twilight Rendez-Vous Prune Givrée, 1 coat of Sèche Vite, stamped the kisses on BM02 plate using Hit The Pavement Perfecto, topped with another coat of Sèche Vite. I realize the stamping isn't that visible, but it's just because I thought that if I'd mess up the stamping, I wouldn't have to redo my mani. I have 4 nails with a little bandage, and I didn't want to spend time to redo them all again!

Twilight applied a little streaky for the first coat, but a second coat evened everything out. As for Sèche Vite, I have to say I now understand what all the fuss is about. Wow! By the time I was done my thumb, my pinky was already dry to the touch. The only downside to SV is the tip shrinkage.. It may just be a reaction to the Twilight polish, but I think I read another blogger having the same reaction. So.. If anyone has any tips to prevent the shrinkage, it'd be much appreciated!


So here's the giga post for tonight! Thanks for reading me, and for taking the time to come by!

Next, there will be the Holiday manicures I made last Friday, for the my Hun's and brother's Christmas party.


GabZ ♥

First water marble

Hi!


Today, I present to you my first water marble. I did this at the beginning of last week, and though I'm not entirely satisfied with the result, I think it's pretty good for a first try.

Whole left hand

Left hand

Right Hand

Here's what I used:

- Rimmel Base Coat Top Coat Pro
- Sally Hansen New Lengths Ceramics - #02 White Tips

- Revlon Top Speed Lily

- Revlon Top Speed Jade

- Nicole by OPI Top Coat Plus

- Rhinestones

I find the technic quite messy, and I still have to figure out how to fit the design I want on my nails, but I enjoyed the process thoroughly! Too bad these colors were a little too transparent for a WM. I will try this another time, though, with other colors.

Up next, my Christmas mani, and my sister-in-law's mani for our huns Christmas party, from last Friday!

Thanks for coming by!

GabZ ♥

Nicole by OPI Festive Fingers Contest Giveaway

Hi!


I'm pretty sure you guys are pretty much aware of this right now, but I thought I'd post it, just in case. 

For more info, you can go here: Click! I participated with a very simple design (that I will post here in the next few days), but there are really great ones. Go check it out!


Take care,


GabZ ♥

Tools Haul & BM Plates

Hi, people! :D


The more I read blogs, the more I discover tips and tricks about how to care for my hands and nails. So I've decided it was time I review my nail care routine, and I used the Shopper's Drug Mart gift card I received for my birthday and here's what I bought:

Let's take a closer look, shall we? ;)

Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover & Quo Expert Cuticle Pusher/Scraper. Looking forward to try these! I'm hoping the cuticle remover will take care of my middle fingers. For some reason, the skin keeps on lifting on both sides of both middle fingers, and it might help a little. I did try the pusher/scraper on my thumb, and it seems to work pretty well.

Revlon Shape-n-Buff buffer file & Quo Ceramic Nail File. Haven't tried the buffer, but I'm pleased so far with the ceramic file. A bit harsh on the skin around the fingers, to I have to be careful not to press down on the skin. But it files neatly, and doesn't leave any "pieces" of nail hanging at the end of your nail once you're done.

Nailene Brush On Nail Glue. So much easier than drop glue! I can only find this thing at Shopper's. I tried at Jean Coutu, once, and they only had a cheap store brand that was all dried out. But this one works very well.

Vaseline Cocoa Butter Deep Conditioning hand cream. This cream smells so freakin' good, I almost wanna like my hands! :P And it leaves my hands so smooth and moisturized.

Cover Girl Lash Blast Fusion mascara. Now, I know this has absolutely nothing to do with hand/nail care, but I just wanted to put it out there that it's *THE* best mascara I've ever tried. My lashes get extended, extra curled, and I seem to have much more lashes than I do, without the incredible clumps and crumbles that I've experienced with other ones.

Also, look what came in the mail for me today:

Yep! My Bundle Monster Plates arrived today!! *Happy Dance* I don't have a stamp/scraper combo yet, as I've ordered them from eBay, so I can't try them on. It'd be so awesome if they could arrive this week, though!! I just can't wait to play with them!!

My Hun and my brother work at the same welding shop, and it's their party on Friday night. My sister-in-law asked me to do her nails too for the occasion!! :D I've never done this on another person before, so I wonder how it'll go! I'm so excited!! I've already posted my pictures on my Facebook, so she saw my "catalog" (if I can call it that, lol!) She isn't sure what she wants yet, but we'll take a look at that on Friday. So exciting, isn't it?

So, sorry for the long post, I was just really excited about all these things! But then again, I'm easily excited, so you can't go by me! :P 

Until next time, take care!

GabZ ♥