Nails - Do you Lilac it?

O.P.I. Do you Lilac it?

I'm not normally a purple person. I usually stay far, far away from purple, but this is a new favorite!

It is the perfect creamy lilac. It reminds me of the enormous lilac tree in my parent's front yard. I am absolutely in love.

I was cruising around Ulta yesterday and this one just spoke to me, which is weird, because when I went to Ulta last week and was specifically looking at nail polish, nothing spoke to me. I ended up buying two polishes last night and have two more on my mind to go back and buy.

I must have just been in the mood.

Look of the Day - Marilyn Hair

I feel like I looked like Lady Gaga in most of the photos
This is the only one that turned out okay.
I hate taking photos of myself

So I've been wanting a red lipstick for a while, Ulta had a 20% off coupon, so I went for it.

I had been thinking that I could bust out the old hot rollers and see if I could Marilyn it up.

It turned out better than expected.

I am loving my blonde hair even MORE now.

Here's a Photo Booth shot.

What's up?

I have been updating things over at Tumblr, but I don't quite have the hang of things there, so I'm not ready to make the grand announcement that things have moved. I'm still trying to decide if I even want to move.

I'm still blonde, still growing my hair out, and still going through all my nail polish. I have 4 more colors to go and then I'll be through all my O.P.I. and moved on to my Essie polish.

I just bought two NYX eyeshadows and some new eye shadow brushes. I am in LOVE! I bought a perfect matte pink, ballet slipper pink, and a gorgeous gold glitter. The brushes are perfect.

I'm really looking forward to new fall clothes as I am super bored of my summer wardrobe.

That's all.

How are you?

Fingers and Toes 7-1-13

O.P.I. Chicago Champagne Toast

This one is another Mom color. It's very close to Mauving to Manitoba. A frosty neutral.

O.P.I. Going Ape-ricot

Apricot with so much gold glitter I almost consider this a glitter polish. This one is one of my favourites. A perfect colour for summer.

O.P.I. Louvre Me Louvre Me Not

The true colour of this one didn't come out so hot. I've blogged this one before. This is a really red purple.

O.P.I. Yoga-ta Get this Blue

I've blogged about this one too. This went perfect with Going Ape-ricot on my fingers, I loved the combination.

Look of the day - Black Lace Skirt

Tshirt - ModBod
Skirt - Minka Rose
Shoes - BCBGeneration

*Sigh*.

So I bought this skirt at Costco.

(I actually bought the shirt at Costco too)

I think I have a problem. (not really)

The shoes are my Mother's Day present to myself.

I wanted a black skirt with a batten burg lace overlay, and I happened to be in Costco picking up milk, and there they were. I went back the next day, and there were only a few left, so it's good I didn't wait around and think about it, or they would have been gone.

This skirt is so comfortable. I am in LOVE. It's the perfect lady-like length, and I think it looks great. The right side of the skirt looks weird in this photo, but I think it's just the way I'm standing.

I did a Polyvore set of this outfit over a year ago, that's how long I've been wanting a skirt like this.

I'm so glad I bought it.

Look how long my hair is getting!

Weight 166.

Fingers and Toes 6-24-13

O.P.I. Chocolate Shakespeare

This is a great nude, but with sparkle. It used to be my go-to nude, I even have the matching lipstick, but I've grown away from frosted colors. This is a really old color; I've had it for a long time.

O.P.I. Jade is the New Black

I've blogged about this one before. It's a great color. Especially on the toes when you go to yoga and spend a lot of time looking at your toes.

O.P.I. Rosy Future

This is a gorgeous, sheer, iridescent pink. I love this colour because while it's light and delicate, it has a funky edge in that it's iridescent.

O.P.I. Bright Lights Big Color

This is a perfect summer color. It's bright, coral/pink with gold glitter. I like it much better on toes, as I feel it's too pink for me. 

O.P.I. Smokin' in Havana

I forgot that I like this color. It's a bronzy, coppery reddish color. I was hoping for something a little closer to coral when I bought it, so I was disappointed, however, looking at it now I like it so much more. This is one of my older colours too, and I have hardly ever worn it, but I think I'm going to add it into rotation more frequently.

Fingers and Toes 6-16-13

O.P.I. Innie Minnie Mighty Bow

I love Minnie Mouse like no other. From her red and white polka dots to her yellow shoes. When O.P.I. came out with a Minnie line, I had to get the red. It's the perfect Minnie red. O.P.I. nailed the colour on this one.

O.P.I. Mauving to Manitoba

This colour reminds me of my mum. 1) She always wears light frosty champagne type pinks. 2) She grew up in Manitoba. This is probably too much colour for my mum, but it reminds me of her.

Essie The More the Merrier

Saw this one cruising at the grocery store. It's the perfect lime green. I tried it on my fingers, but it didn't work so hot. Perfect for toes though. Especially with nude peep toe platforms

O.P.I. Tutti Fruitti Tonga

Another "Mum" color. She would love this one, it's her signature color. This one's perfect in summer when one is more tan than usual.

Barbie Pink

O.P.I. Strawberry Margarita

I'm not a big into pink person, but sometimes you just need a hot pink pick-me-up. This is the only colour that I have like this.

What’s been going on

Weight: 168

I gained a bit due to a caffeine binge, went off caffeine, went through withdrawals, lost a little, and feel better now. I’m trying to stay off the Dr. Pepper until Labour Day, and am hoping to stop drinking soda all together by the end of the summer.

I went on a nail polish buying fast for May and bought no new nail polish. As a reward, I bought 4 new colours – one Essie and three O.P.I. I bought the O.P.I. at my favourite place, ULTA, where I am a ‘member’. Turns out there was a buy two get one free deal going on, so I got 3 colours for $20.00! That made me very, very happy. I'm back on the fast and hope to continue through the summer.

I got a free sample of Sexy Hair’s Argan Oil with my purchase at ULTA. It smells incredible and I love it. It works great. I’ve been a Moroccan oil follower for years, so I’m wondering what the difference is. I’m getting my hair done tonight, so I’m going to ask Tristann. (She used to be a Big Sexy rep, and she is the one that turned me on to Moroccan oil, so she will know)

The centre where ULTA is located just had an H&M open up and are building a Gap and Old Navy. I am saving up my pennies over the summer and will reward myself with a shopping day if I’m a good girl.

I jumped on the BB Cream bandwagon, and after a few internet searches and magazine articles I have gained more of an understanding of how to use the product. I must say, I am very pleased.

I haven’t been to Yoga since the middle of April. Life keeps getting in the way and this is making me sad.

I got my craft room cleaned up and organized so I have room to create. I am so excited and hope to be able to work on some awesome projects over the summer.

DH was upset at me for spending $28.00 on nail polish exclaiming that I had more nail polish than I could use in a month. I haven’t counted, but I’m pretty sure I don’t have more than 60 bottles of nail polish. (60 equals one colour for toes, one for hands for 30 days in the month.) My response, however, was “challenge accepted. I will change my nail polish every day for a month and go through every colour I have.”  After we had this argument, life happened, and I went without colour for 3 days, so I haven’t started the challenge yet. We’ll see if I can put my money where my mouth is. I should be able to considering what a big mouth (literally and figuratively) I have.

I have been blonde for more than six months and I still love it. Six months is usually my limit when it comes to hair. I think the fact that I’m growing it out is helping with my tolerance level since even though I am keeping the colour, the style keeps changing.

That’s all for me. What’s going on with you?

Oahu Toes

Cookies, Milk, Netbook on the lanai with a view of the Ala Wai Canal

Here is my pedicure while I was in Oahu with my brother. This is also a view of what I did every night while there. It was most lovely, and my niece and nephew are adorable!

Essie Licorice, nail decals, Waikiki beach, flip flop blisters

Hawaii Nails

O.P.I. I Theodora You, Nail decals

I went to Oahu to help my brother and sister-in-law with their kids while they attended a wedding. It was wonderful. Since I was invited to the wedding, I wanted to have something lovely on my nails. This was it.

New Shoe Review - Shoe dazzle

I had seen ads on television and on the internet about Shoe Dazzle. The buy one get one free is what did it in for me. I can never escape a good deal, so I thought "what the heck?" and signed up.

I found the shoes to be reasonably priced, mostly at forty dollars. Seemed like a good deal to me. I have recently thrown out some shoes that were trashed, and that's how I justified the new purchase.

I signed up, but wished I hadn't. I had a hard time even finding two pair of shoes that I liked. Most of the shoes are the huge, platform, Kim Kardashian, Herman Munster type shoes that look great in a size five, but not so much in a size nine.

That being said, I LOVE the black Giselles! They are so comfortable! The straps dig nowhere, nor do they rub. I feel like my feet are being hugged. The shoes are well made. They don't seem like they will fall apart anywhere or any time soon. They go with pants, skirts, and jeans. I've worn them to work, on a date, and to church. They go with everything. I am totally in love with these. They are my new new NEW favorites!

I'm not sure about the other ones. I thought that they were denim blue stripes, but they're black. I was hoping they would go with jeans and casual skirts, but the platform is so huge. I look like I belong on Drag Race, what with my super short hair and all over tallness.

Seeing that I could hardly find anything I like, I'm pretty sure I will not be going back to this website, but the shoes are quality and worth the price. It's a good place to go if you like those kind of shoes. Not being a fan of the style, and the fact that they have no variety will keep me away.

Meet me at Sunset - Essie

Essie Meet Me At Sunset

This is hands down my favourite nail colour.

I was looking for a true orange, but came across this and thought I'd try it.

The formula is awesome. It goes on smooth and thin and not goopy or gloppy. One coat looks perfect, but of course two looks better.

It's the reddest orange you can get without being red. It's such a bright, happy colour! Every time I wear it, it makes me happy.

Plumeria Pendant Necklace

Plumeria Necklace

I bought this in Maui in January 2007.

DH and I had wanted to go to Hawaii for our honeymoon, but we were poor newlyweds and couldn’t afford it. DH went to school in Hawaii, and I had never been, so he wanted to show it to me. I had thought that we could save up and go for our tenth anniversary.

After we had been married for a year, my in-laws took us and DH’s sister and her husband to Hawaii and Oahu for a vacation. I fell in LOVE with Hawaii. To the point that I don’t know whether I would prefer my beloved home of Vancouver, or Hawaii for my ideal place to live forever.

The plumeria is my favourite Hawaiian flower. I love the simplicity of the shape of the flower. They come in many colours, but my favourite is the white ones that are edged in yellow.

We went to Maui for our tenth anniversary, and the place we were staying had a plumeria tree by the sidewalk on the way to the beach. Every day, I picked up a flower off the grass and tucked it behind my ear.

We were shopping on the actual day of our anniversary, and I found this necklace and some earrings. I bought them for myself for my annivearsary. It cost ten dollars.

I love the simplicity of the necklace. I love the black-and-white. It goes with everything. I dress it up, I dress it down. I love the leather thong - it gives it a little edge.

I have decided that all shirts should have snaps

Black Dickies shirt, White denim Ralph Lauren skirt

This is the third shirt with snaps that I have purchased in the last year or so, and I have decided that snaps are the way to go. Sure, they make a lot of noise in the dryer, but that's the only down side. They take seconds to snap, and even less time to undo. No more buttons for me!! It's snaps all the way.

I love Dickies. I know that most of their clothes are made for working stiffs, but that's what I am - a working stiff. The quality is top notch, and the style of some of their clothes is totally rockabilly retro and suits me just fine.

I liked this shirt so much that I turned around and bought it in white too. Can't wait until it comes in the mail!

Penguin Shoes

So. I told you about the Polyvore and I told you about the new shoes.

Here is the story about how Polyvore made me get the new shoes.

Right after I joined Polyvore, I was workin’ a set and putting together a black and white outfit (black and white is my favourite) when I did a search for Spectator pumps and these babies popped up.

OOOOOh! Those are cute! I thought.

So cute, in fact, that I thought and thought and thought about them. Then I dreamed about them and then I thought some more. I am familiar with the brand as I have two pair of shoes from the same brand and they are well made and affordable. Oh my GOSH did I think about those shoes and how cute they were and how much I loved them and how I would wear them every day and they were only $60.00, so I could justify the price and….

Well let’s just say that I could not stop thinking about those shoes and how cute they were.

A brief history of not buying something that I can’t get out of my head:

A long time ago, I saw the perfect white ballet flats. They had no heel whatsoever. There were no embellishments. They had a slightly pointy toe which fits with my pointy feet perfectly. They would have gone with everything. I had just bought a pair of shoes and had no more babysitting money, so I didn’t buy them. Years went by. I looked and looked and looked for white flats and could not find any that fit the bill. Either they had a weird heel or a dumb bow or there was no toe room. The main reason why no other shoes would do was because I had seen the perfect ones and couldn’t get the idea of the perfect shoes out of my head and nothing compared. I finally found a pair of Fluevogs that were perfect. I wore the heck out of them, befriended a cobbler, had them re-made, and wore the heck out of them again. I threw them out when I got married and moved from Canada to Salt Lake City and have regretted it ever since. To this day I have not found another pair of perfect flats and do not possess a pair.

What have we learned? That if you see something you LOVE, not like, but LOVE, you should get it. You should save up your money and think about it and if you can’t get it out of your head, then you should get it before it’s gone and you can never have it and it haunts you for the rest of your life.

I have similar regret with a pair of charcoal grey flannel pumps I saw at the Nordstrom Rack in 1998 and a pair of black and white houndstooth pumps I saw at Famous Footwear three years ago.

I always find what I’m looking for when I’m not looking for anything which is why I found these shoes. Seeing that I suffer from non-buyer’s remorse, I try to have a little extra tucked away for moments like this. Since I had thought of the shoes non-stop since I saw them, they would go with everything I own, and I LOVED them, I bought them. I had read the reviews saying that you need to go up a size, and since I already own two pairs of shoes made by the same company and they are super duper tight, I ordered a size ten and with the exception of some toe pinching on the left foot (which is normal for me when breaking in new shoes), they fit perfectly. I am VERY glad I went a size up. (going a size up is very hard for me because I already hate my feet, so admitting that they are also giant feet makes me very sad and want to crawl into a hole and die.)

I’ve had them two weeks and worn them three times already. Since I can’t wear my suede Steve Maddens in summer, these are my new New Favourites.

When dancing around the house with them on my feet, in my hands, on my head, and showing them to all the males in my house including the dog and forcing them to tell me how cute they were, the consensus of their opinions came down to this: they look like penguins.

You see why I have a blog? No one in my house appreciates me so I have to turn to the internet for validation.

White Manicure

Remember when we were in Grade seven and would paint our fingernails with Liquid Paper? Remember how goopy and gross it would look? Remember how we would do it on purpose so that our fingers would glow in the black light at the school dance?

Enter the White Manicure.

O.P.I. Alpine Snow

I had purchased Essie Limoscene thinking it was the perfect Ivory colour that I was looking for, but naive me, didn't look closely enough to the consisitency of the colour. It's sheer, not opaque. I was looking for opaque.

I'm wearing Limoscene in this pic

I just happened to be cruising the nail polish aisle at Smith's the other day and saw this one and paid attention to the consistency of the liquid to ensure it's opaqueness. I wasn't looking for anything in particular, just looking to see if something would jump out at me, the most successful way for me to shop, and this one jumped out at me. It must have been a return, because it was the only one there.

This is opaque, but the consistency of the polish is too thick. It goes on goopy and stripy and I. Am. Not. Happy. I look at my hands all day long as they are right in front of me, so when I have an imperfect manicure it bugs me. I tried shaking the heck out of the bottle thinking that maybe it had just been sitting too long or something, and trying again, but no luck. I'm afraid to try using nail polish remover to thin it out because I don't want to wreck it. I have faith though - I'm thinking that if I try another time that it will work out.

I really like the colour, and it's exactly what I was looking for and I'm usually not this disappointed in O.P.I. products, so I will keep trying to make it work. Worst case scenario I will have to use it only for daisys and polka dots, which is what I bought it for any way.

Sally Hansen Acrylic top coat, Alpine Snow, Pro FX base coat