Another Easter Treat (NOTD)

I always get great feedback on posts that are non-nail related, but we all know it has to come back to the manicure =) I thought about trying some little freehand flowers with my dotting tool, but the test run indicated that I need a little more practice before I got anywhere near a real mani. So I went with good old Konad.

Keeping with the pastel Easter theme of my last mani, the base is China Glaze For Audrey, Konaded with China Glaze Emotion & plate m8. I had the temptation to go wild with the color I used plus another lighter pink & covering my nail with flowers, but I came back to an old lesson of less is more & so I stuck with just one color & after testing multiple stamps to make a tip pattern on my thumbs ended up just using the stamp twice in the corners (this is only part of the design, it's also got a little curlicue coming off the end that I didn't want to use):

Here's the tip test on one of my thumbs:

Also, went shopping today, and apparently turquoise is the color for spring in all kinds of things because I came across 2 things that My Nails Look Like. First a dress - that I did actually end up buying ... now I know at least one polish option when I wear it =) :

Then at Target this pair of gardening boots that I've got to give credit to my mom for spotting:

Shopping also included a stop at Ulta thanks to a 20% off coupon. I managed to control myself because I know most of what they have can be had cheaper online, but I needed cuticle oil sooner rather than later & couldn't resist the OPI Breathe Life polish:

So, busy day today, but a gorgeous day for running around, I didn't even take a jacket with me it was so nice. Supposed to be pretty much the same tomorrow too. Thanks for reading & I hope everyone enjoys a happy Easter!

~Colette

Flower Show

Pics as promised ... we started off with lunch, a lot of times we go to a restaurant that's right at Macy's, but this time we went to a place called Granite City & I got this gigantic burger w/ waffle fries:

Then on to the show:

I think this next one is my favorite that I took today, I actually kind of composed the pic as opposed to my normal point & shoot & move on style:

Coming to the spring flower show has been a family tradition for as long as I remember, back before it was Macy's when it was Marshall Fields & before that when it was Dayton's. There have been a couple that I missed, but I was lucky enough to be able to get a half day at work, and starting at 6 that means I got out of there at 10 which was enough to put me in a good mood all by itself.

Tomorrow is shopping ... since I was unable to find any Solar Oil at any of my local Sally's, I'm going to take advantage of the 20% off Ulta coupon that they got & go get it there. Then I've got a Kohl's coupon & a Lane Bryant coupon & a couple other errands to run, probably the library & etc. After all that, I'll come home & relax & take care of my nails with a fresh mani for Easter.

Thanks for reading.

~Colette

Books 20, 21, 22

#20

Magic's Design

Cat Adams

Cat Adams is the pen name of the writing duo of C.T. Adams & Cathy Clamp. And while I like the authors, it really took me about half the book to get into this story, since it's not set in their normal world (the Sazi series). I was actually kind of disappointed with the ending too, they left too many loose ends hanging, but at the same time they didn't seem like the kind of loose ends that pointed towards a sequel. This ended up being kind a a "filler" in between getting other stuff from the library, I don't exactly regret reading it or anything, but I wouldn't break a leg for the next book if they did decide to do a follow up in this world.

#21

Mortal Sins

World of the Lupi Book 5

Eileen Wilks

When you get into urban fantasy, there's basically two kinds; the kind where magic is real but the normal people are all willfully ignorant, or the kind where the gifted (and/or werewolves, vampires, etc) have become the latest favorite minority to discriminate against. This is the first of the 2nd type that I've read in a while, where the lupi (werewolves) in this world are recognized as legal citizens - in their human form - but yet it's still legal to fire one with no other basis from a job.

At this point in the series, there has been a Turning, basically kind of a change in the level of available magic, and they're having to learn to deal with a lot more of something not everyone is comfortable with. Among other things - like the main plot, which I don't think I can talk about without spoiling the first 3 books. I've said it before & I've said it again, it's really kind of hard for me to give a good review without giving huge spoilers, and I want to avoid that. I think I've been getting better? But it's still a little weird for me because I'm not quite used to talking about what I'm reading, it's been a solitary habit for me for such a long time.

#22

Spell Games

Marla Mason Book 4

T.A. Pratt

Another wonderful series/author that I discovered due to the amazing cover art of Daniel Dos Santos. While things usually work out for Marla eventually, she doesn't ever really get what I would call a happy ending. But she breaks a lot of heads trying to make one.

& Yes, I'm still slogging through Dresden #10 though it's not due to lack on interest, rather just the fact that I'm trying to draw out my enjoyment as long as possible. Sometimes I read a book almost too quick, then I'm sad that it's over. But #11 came out Tues, and it is currently in transit to my local library, so I've got to finish up & get ready as there's no renewing books with waitlists.

Tomorrow I'll be going to see the flower show with the family & take lots of pics, so I'll have something pretty to show, even if it's not polish =) Thanks for reading.

~Colette

NOTD: Easter Cuteness

You know how usually when you get a lemming, you have to chase it down? Well, I lucked out, and when I saw Nina Ultra Pro Mermaid swatched over at Steph's Closet all I had to do was unearth it from my mound of unworn polish. A great fresh, springy color that also reminds me of an Easter Egg. I ended up using 4 coats & might have gone for #5 if I wasn't trying to also Konad before bed since I could still see my nail line a bit:

Yes, the text is upside in the last pic because I decided after cropping & editing that I'd like to show the Konad from that angle so you could see it from the perspective I do when I just look down. Don't ask me why but for some reason the weird bow french tip pattern - plate m62 - is also giving me an Easter vibe. The one downside of this color is that as close up as the pics are you can see the imperfect buffing of my index finger patch (well, maybe you couldn't before I pointed it out ... but it's glaringly obvious to me). The one on my pinky is much less noticeable, at least from this angle.

I will probably change my nails one more time before Easter ... For Audrey also reminds me of an egg, I might go with that next. Thanks for reading.

~Colette

Sallys Trip & The Puppy

I got a lot of great feedback from my readers when I asked for recommendations for a cuticle oil. I ended up deciding to give Solar Oil a try because it seemed to get the most recommendations, and also would be pretty easy to get since Sally's carries & it also has a great discount with the Sally Card.

Yeah ... except I went to freaking 4 different Sally's & they didn't have it! I was supremely irritated ... although I did manage to find a few other things at Sallys:

I'd been meaning to go back after my last trip, because I couldn't stop thinking about Orange Marmalade & yesterday I decided I needed to get it even though orange is pretty low on my favorite colors list (like, at the bottom). It so happens that this month is buy 2 get 1 free on all polish. Yeah ... that's not tempting or anything. So I also picked up Blue Sparrow & For Audrey (bottom row). Clearance polish is unfortunately not included in the promotion, but I still picked up Orly's Golden Maharajah & Midnight Star (top row).

That was yesterday, which was pretty nice, but today it was just gorgeous outside, I'm talking driving around with the moonroof open nice, and I decided on the way home from work that it was a perfect day to take the dog for a walk. And so I did, and snapped a few pics to finally introduce you all to the family dog, Dude:

Here he is with his leash, ready to go for his walk:

And here he is afterward, mellowed out (if you look closely ... you might have to zoom in ... you can see actual green grass growing! Yay spring!):

He's a mutt, a chow-mix (the pound said mixed with boxer, I have always maintained mixed with pit bull), and he's usually a sweetheart, but he's also a good guard dog. He's got a bad hip - at only 3 years old =( - so he's a little gimpy & goes around on 3 legs some of the time, but thankfully it doesn't seem to bother him much.

Now that I'm all caught up with posting, I've got to go get caught up with comments, I don't think I've replied back since like Friday (sorry!). Thanks for reading.

~Colette