NOTD: Ulta Love My Blackberry + Finger Paints Flecked

Time flies - as those of you who follow my other blog know, I recently got promoted at work & while it hasn't been a huge change, it's been enough that I feel justified placing the blame for my hiatus there =)

Anyway, you'll remember I just finished procrastinating my way through 2011, this is the actual beginning of my 2012 manicures.  I started off with a base color of Ulta Love My Blackberry, a lush vampy purple:

Then I topped it with Finger Paints Flecked, from the Special Effects collection & fell in love:

Of course it was gorgeous with some Matte Magic too:

Here's a look in motion:

I'm really going to try & make time to get caught up here on the blog.  But a lot of responsible-type things still to do also, like my taxes (blech).

Thanks for reading.

~Colette

China Glaze Magnetix Collection & Swatches (& the Rest of my Huge Nailogy Haul)

I need to put myself on a no-buy ... soon LOL.  But probably not until after I snag some colors from the Hunger Games collection =)  I placed a rather large order from Nailogy after I saw the China Glaze Magnetix collection swatched on The Nailphile.

So hard to resist filling up the cart to get free shipping =)  The original reason for the order was obviously the China Glaze Magnetix collection:

Attraction, Drawn to You, Instant Chemistry, Pull Me Close, Cling On, You Move Me.

Here are the Essie colors that I picked up:

Navigate Her (from the Navigate Her collection), and Armed & Ready (from the Go Overboard collection).

& finally the Color Club colors:

Top:  Glitter Envy & Wink, Wink, Twinkle (from the Starry Temptress collection).  Middle:  Alter Ego (from the Alter Ego collection), Nouveau Vintage (from the Back to Boho collection) & Cold Metal (from the Foiled collection).  Bottom:  Sugar Plum Fairy, Beyond the Mistletoe & Holiday Splendor (from the Beyond the Mistletoe collection).

Here are all of the colors from the Magnetix collection swatched with all 3 of the magnets:

And here are some close up shots:

I don't feel like I'm getting quite as much done this weekend as last, but still - some progress is better than none =)

Thanks for reading.

~Colette

Happy Valentine's Day!

... I guess LOL.  You want to know what single people call Valentine's Day?  Tuesday.  *rimshot*

Joking aside, still playing catchup, and as I mention in my last vlog I started my "new" postion yesterday (basically my same job but with some additional responsibilities & a new title).  So for now you can amuse yourself if you want with my Valentine's playlist:

If you are someone's Valentine then I hope they hook you up!  & if you're single like me - well, hang in there.  It will be over tomorrow =)  

Thanks for reading.

~Colette

Zoya Fleck Effects Matte-ified

Just a quick supplemental swatch vid, with a look at these lovely Zoya Fleck Effect flakies with some matte top coat added:

Thanks for reading =)

~Colette

Haul & Swatches - Icing & Claire's Magnetix, Glitter Crackles, Etc

This is around hmm, probably half the hauling I've done lately LOL.  I'll be posting up the other half, which is mainly an order from Nailogy, a little later.

Here's a closer look at the Icing polishes:

Pink, Blue & Silver Magnetix & Purple Glitter Crackle.  I really don't like that Icing doesn't name any of their polishes that have effects.

From Claire's:

Gold Magnetix, Fuchsia & Turquoise Glitter Crackle, & Night Sky - which did in fact turn out to be a dupe for Icing Epic Winning, as you can see in the swatch vid below.

From Hot Topic:

Warpaint Beauty matte top coat Mattify & glow in the dark Glow Turq.

The China Glaze Ulta Exclusive Holiday colors I was so thrilled to find:

Fireside Glow, Ultamate Holiday & Mistletoe Me.

Zoyas - my 2 free bottles & my 2 clearance bottles:

Holly, Izzy, Ali & Paz.

And those that I only had one of each brand:

OPI DS Temptation, Nails Inc magnetic Whitehall, Sephora by OPI Blasted Opalescent Gold, Barielle Pink Sherbert,  Wet n Wild Disturbia (which had something of an accident when I was marbling with it LOL - right into the cup so that's why it's go pink all over).

Lastly (for now), here's a look at a comparison of Night Sky & Epic Winning, swatches of all the Magnetix, and swatches of the glitter crackles:

Thanks for reading =)

~Colette

Guest NOTD: Ulta Smoke Screen

Not only behind with my own NOTDs, but also Mom's.  This is perhaps the most demure of her NOTDs lately that I have pics of - Ulta Smoke Screen:

Thanks for reading =)

~Colette

NOTD: The Evolution of Revlon Dreamer

I was on such a roll yesterday with getting things done, and videos edited, and just as I turned my attention towards this post - the power went out =(  The electrician was working the bathroom, lord knows why my room had to be turned off for the process.  But I am trying to keep momentum & so I'm finishing this today =)  It is my last manicure from 2011

Revlon Dreamer is a perfectly nice blue all on its own:

But I wanted to add some shimmer & I'd just picked up the Special Effects collection, so I added a coat of Finger Paints Motley.  It added a tiny bit of shimmer.  The shade pic shows it best, a lot of the day it was, like in the other pics, nearly invisible:

Without time to fully changed it, I tried one more time for bling, bringing out the big guns - Essie Shine of the Times (aka the easiest to find dupe for Hidden Treasure).  And I finally got my sparkles, lots of them - you can also still see the blue glimmers of Motley underneath in a few shots:

Here's a look in motion:

Yay!  OK, so I know it's February, but I've just been busy.  I am so freaking glad to be ... well, obviously not caught up, but at least operating in the right year LOL.  

Thanks for reading.

~Colette

Friday I'm in Love

Well, I decided that I see no reason not to spread this YouTube-wide collab throughout the blogosphere as well.  Robinmoses & ProfessionalDQ organized one for winter/Christmas that turned out wonderful & as you may have guessed by the title, this one is for Valentine's Day.  Check out Robin's video:

So if you're a blogger join in!  Even if you're not, join in & feel free to share pictures on my Facebook fan page =)  Spread the nail art love this Valentine's!

Thanks for reading.

~Colette