Let it Snow! Challenge #4 Christmas/ Holidays

Merry Christmas!!!

I hope you all have an amazing day full of love, joy, warmth, blessing, and good food!!

I wanted to quickly post my next challenge completion. This one is inspired by Christmas!
I went with a nice light blue base of Zoya Kristen then took my dotting tool and made some lovely ornaments! I used Zoyas for all of these (Trixie, Elisa, and Holly).

I really like how the blue snowy background works with the other colors!

Enjoy your holiday!!
-Amanda

Let it Snow! Challenge #3 Ugly Christmas Sweater

I had this manicure ready for your viewing pleasure for over a week already! Life has a way of throwing many unpleasant things at you that prevent tasks from being completed. My grandparents were in a nasty car accident last week and I've been in the hospital every day visiting and praying. It's been taxing and draining and so very stressful. If you can, please sent prayers and positive thoughts for my grandparents and my mom and uncle (it's their parents who were injured). It's greatly appreciated.

 I have a moment to breathe right now and just really wanted to post this completed challenge. Again, I had to use mostly cellphone pictures. I don't mean to slack like this, but I just need to work with what I have.

This challenge was difficult! It took me 2 or 3 attempts before deciding on this one! Initially I was going to use my stamps but gosh darnit, I SUCK at using them! I scrapped that idea and went with a freehand approach. I used my nail art brushes to complete this design. My idea was to have it look like a crazy knitted or plaid sweater. I showed my sister my nails and said she would want the sweater that looked like them. I guess that's a good sign! 

I used Zoya Trixie, China Glaze Velvet Bow, and China Glaze Holly-Day. The white is an It's So Easy nail art brush.

Thanks for reading!

-Amanda

Let it Snow Challenge #2- Inspired by Holiday Song/ Movie

I need to just preface this post by saying that it's so funny how things have a way of working themselves out! It's a long story and I'll attempt to sum it up so we can get to the nails!

It all started with the amazing nail polish deals on or around Black Friday. I had been eyeing up a few of the A Christmas Story themed polishes at DarlingDivaPolish (specifically Soap Poisoning and Fa Ra Ra Ra Ra). Well now, I LOVE A Christmas Story. It's an amazing movie. Naturally, I snatched these two polishes up when a nice discount was offered!

Now, I looked and saw that the next challenge was "Inspired by a Holiday Song/ Movie/ Carol". I received my two new lovelies in the mail (crazy quick shipping, may I add!) and looked at Fa Ra Ra Ra Ra and had an idea! See, these polishes are based on a Christmas movie, Fa Ra Ra Ra Ra is in reference to Deck the Halls being sung in a Chinese restaurant (a Holiday song!) -----> LIGHTBULB!!

I looked through my other nail polish and grabbed Zoya Isla and Zoya Holly (see what I did there? Deck the halls with boughs of HOLLY! I'm so clever!). I decided on an accent of Isla with Holly being the main star of the show.

I got so many compliments on this manicure! I loved it! It was so very festive!

Now, to continue my story!

My fiancé had told me a week or two prior to this challenge that he had an early Christmas surprise for me on December 1st. Everyone in both of our families knew what it was, except me. My family found great joy in tormenting me :). Well, I happened to have this manicure on the day of the big surprise!! As it turned out, he took me to NYC to see A CHRISTMAS STORY THE MUSICAL!!! Ahhhhhh!!! It was AMAZING! I love theater and have never seen anything on Broadway so this was fantastic and I found it hilarious that I had this manicure on that day. I got to wear something named Fa Ra Ra Ra Ra and Holly while watching the story that inspired one of the polishes! 

So there you have it! My manicure that is inspired by both a holiday song and holiday movie!

Thanks for reading!
-Amanda

Let it Snow Challenge #1 Snowflakes

I've taken on another nail art challenge! Some amazing women in a Facebook group I am a part of, came up with this new challenge and I love it! I'm really hoping I can stay on top of this one.

Challenge #1 is Snowflakes. I thought I would be able to just reach for a stamping plate and use that, but man was I surprised to find that I don't have any snowflakes on any of my plates! Back to the drawing board I went and decided on a nontraditional look. PLEASE excuse the poor lighting and blurry pictures. My house has sub par lighting and I don't have a light box.

Take a look:

This last picture is the one that shows my base polish's true color. It's a gorgeous polish! I used Lex Cosmetics Peabow. The colors in this are so shimmery! They kind of get lost when you apply more layers, but with the right light, it glistens! The blue is an acrylic paint I recently picked up, and the silver is Zoya Trixie. I topped it all off with HK Girl.


Thanks for reading!
-Amanda

My Backup Thanksgiving Manicure

After my first Thanksgiving manicure chipped off in less than a day, I set out to create my replacement! I've always wanted to try the cloud design that I first saw on the Nailside, so I began with that. I altered it slightly, but overall, I like the outcome.

I used China Glaze Velvet Bow, NYX Girls Chocolate Taupe, and Cult Nails Tulum.

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!
-Amanda

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you have a wonderful holiday with friends and family! I'm thankful for so much, including my 2 new followers! Thank you!!

This design that I am about to show you is what I intended to use as my Thanksgiving one. I thought the colors were "harvesty" is nature and went with them. I know, it looks similar to my Retro Halloween Nails, but I did substitute some colors. Sadly, this manicure didn't last more than 8 hours. Tragedy struck and I broke two nails and 7 out of 10 nails have chipped!! Oh the humanity!!!! 

I was able to snap some picture (with a cell phone again, I'm sorry!!!!!) before it got too bad. I won't show you my pinky nail because it's the saddest little nub of a nail you've ever seen! 

Macro of my thumb. No idea what that smudge is, but I can assure you it's not on my nail now.

On the left, you can see the corner break of that nail. I was so happy they were growing back and getting healthy again and then BAM! Not today sister! I've since filed it down, shed a few tears, etc..

I used all china glaze for this design. I used Agro, Riveting, Smoke and Ashes, Fast Track, Champagne Bubbles, and Velvet Bow. I'll be working on a new Thanksgiving themed/ inspired design today so hopefully I'll have something nicer for you tomorrow! And I'll take the pictures with my actual camera this time too. What do you think?

Thanks for reading! Hope your holiday is joyous!
-Amanda

Cell Phone Pictures

I promise I've still been doing my nails! With everything going on, I keep forgetting to grab my camera! Any free moment I have, I just quick snap a picture with my cell phone, which obviously produces sub par images! I still wanted to share them with you all though!

First up I have Rainbow Honey 20% Cooler (an absolutely gorgeous color!) over a black polish and a which polish. I don't like how it came out over the black, but I'll definitely use it over white again. It added such a glimmer!

Next, is Dandy Nails Funhouse over a purple polish. I hate that I can't remember which purple I used. It was so long ago!
I love Funhouse. It's such a gorgeous glitter!

I hope to have more for you in the next couple of days!

Thanks for reading!
-Amanda

Oops!

Just a quick announcement:
    I made an oopsie!! I had the wrong email address provided on my blog! I'm so sorry...no idea how that happened! I'm such a newb. If you were trying to reach me via email, I'm so sorry. I have remedied the issue and things should be fine now.

Also, welcome to my 2 new followers! Thank you so much!

Hope you're all doing well!
-Amanda

Autumn Trees

Well, here in Northeastern PA, I'm still without power and I'm typing this from my fiance's house. His family has been gracious enough to let my sister and I stay here a few days as they were lucky enough to keep power throughout the hurricane. We've had so many people without power here and so many trees down. I can't complain though because what we experienced just can't hold a candle to the utter destruction of New York and New Jersey. 

On a happier note, I was going through my blog feed this afternoon and clicked on A Girl and Her Polish's most recent post. Katee did a feature on some up and coming bloggers that she enjoys and I'm reading through the post, admiring the work of the other bloggers, scroll down, and BOOM! There's my stuff!!! She included my blog in the feature! I couldn't believe it! It's such a huge honor! If you've never been to her blog, you NEED to go now. She has such gorgeous nail designs and they always look impeccable!

On to the nails! I did this design at the beginning of October. It was the first "seasonal" manicure I did and I just wanted to share it with you all! I went with a neutral color (Zoya Jana) and used some nail art brushes for the designs. I wasn't sure what kind of design I wanted so I just started making lines and I love how it turned out. I think they look like abstract trees against a dark autumn sky. 

Thanks for reading!

-Amanda

Happy Halloween with Serum No. 5 Day Glow

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to snatch up a bottle of Day Glow by Serum No. 5.
I knew it would make an amazing Halloween manicure! I also knew I had to add dots because I love them!

2 coats of Day Glow over white.

Man oh man is it hard to photograph a glow in the dark nail polish!! Let me just say it's THE BRIGHTEST glow in the dark anything I have ever seen. The fact that it's on my nails is sick!

Thanks for reading!
-Amanda

Ocean Shine

I'm typing this as the winds whip and howl around my house thanks to Hurricane Sandy. Before the power goes out, I just wanted to share this gorgeous combination that I did a few weeks ago.

Cult Nails Let Me Fly and Rainbow Honey The Worst Possible Thing. LOVE!

Thanks for reading!!
-Amanda

Dreaming Tree Soapworks

I've been searching high and low for great bath products. I have sensitive skin that breaks out in rashes and hives when exposed to certain soaps, body washes, and hair products. It's horrible, frustrating, and expensive having to look for products that don't do this to me.
I decided that handmade products might be less irritating to my skin and I set out on a search for the ideal bath products. One chance day, a month or so ago, I was reading a blog (I feel horrible saying I can't remember which one, but I don't...is that a sign I read too many of them?) and they mentioned Dreaming Tree Soapworks. Things sounded good and I wandered over to their website and ordered a few products to see how they worked for me.

I'm going to apologize now for the photo quality. Lighting has been horrible in my house lately, but I worked with what I had.

Here's my order as I unpacked it. I've tried a few of the products since taking these pictures, and I will leave my reviews under the pictures.

Everything came packaged in plastic wrapping, bubble wrap over the glass product, and packing peanuts galore. Very secure.

Up first we have Under the Lemon Moon soap. Notice the gorgeous shimmer at the top? Gorgeous! I haven't used this one yet, but the smell is divine. It's a soft lemony sugar scent. It's not overly sweet or too lemony. I can't wait to try this one!

A macro of the top of the soap. Heavenly!

This one is called Dark Goddess Luxury Shaving Bar. I have used this for the past few weeks and I'm in love! It's moisturizing and has this gorgeous scent that fills the shower and lingers afterward. To me, the scent is lavender with a smooth amber finish. It helps to ground the lavender and keeps it from getting that medicinal scent lavender can sometimes have. 

This one I was the most excited to sniff! I've been using this for the last few weeks as well and I'm in love with this one! I'm truly a sucker for anything with marshmallow in it. This scent isn't just sweet, it's not just smoky...it's so hard to describe. To me, I can smell the smoothness of the marshmallow and vanilla, but the sandalwood and other spice notes definitely make this scent autumnal. It's calming and comforting and I never want them to do away with this scent! I'm hoping to order all the other products that this scent comes in shortly.
As for the quality of the soap itself, HOLY CRAP! I have never had a bar soap that lathered as beautifully as this and moisturized my skin! Usually bar soaps dry my skin right out but this doesn't even come close to that! Amazing!

This is a macro of the top of the Fires at Midnight soap. I'm silly and left the shrink wrap on it...but you get the idea. Gorgeous glittery ember goodness!

This is also one that I have used. Fairy Glen is a gorgeous scent. It strikes me more as a feminine scent. When I smell it, I envision walking through a green forest after a summer rain. It's herbal sweet and just divine. The lotion itself is light, cool, and moisturizing. I like it!

This is a Fires at Midnight soy candle. I need at least 12 more of these! It's the ultimate autumn scent and I simply adore it!

This is a sample sized whipped sugar scrub. I wanted to try this scent and this product, but decided on a small size on the off chance it didn't agree with me. I need not have worried! I'm wishing now that I had gotten a larger size! The scrub itself is made of oils and sugar granules that dissolve as your scrub. Left after is nothing but soft and silky skin! The scent Voluptas is described as:
Named for the Goddess of everything sensual and pleasurable; this is a blend of two of the most amazing vanillas. 

This is a sinful scent! It's definitely sensuous and not your typical cloying vanilla. This is deep, this is decadent, and this is gorgeous! After I used it and dried off, I had this linger smoky sweet scent that was just lovely!

I received 2 fun Halloween themed stickers and a purple plastic bat ring! Love the little additions like these!

This was also a special treat that was added to my order. It's a lip balm in the scent Under the Lemon Moon.  It's a lovely scent and I like the texture of this balm. It's more of a melty formula and not at all a thick mess. It isn't sticky and leaves a lovely sheen on your lips!

I ADORE these products and this company. The quality is top notch and a serious added bonus is that these products do not make me itch, do not make me sneeze, do not break my skin out. I cannot say enough about this company! Love them!

You can browse their website HERE.
You can like them on Facebook HERE.