Red-dy steady Goldmine!

I couldn't wait for the weekend. I needed a break, as I am tired. But as damn Murphy would have it, I got called in to work. So no rest for the wicked. At least I have some nails to show.

Top Nails South Africa is again having a competition on their FaceBook page. The only thing you have to do is, paint your nails. No art, no accent nail, nothing, so basically a swatch.

I chose Tip Top Red-dy Steady Go. I honestly just love this colour. It's the perfect dusty rosy colour.

I did do some art, obviously...

I used a decal from BPS and an image off stamping plate BP-08, also from BPS. I used Tip Top Goldmine for the stamping.

As usual let me know what you think.

Competition Entries

Glamore Cosmetics had a weekly nail art competition for the past 3 weeks, the last of which ended yesterday. Each week had a theme and I managed to enter each week.

The first week's theme was SPOTS and STRIPES. I really wanted to do something different. I mean, anyone can make spots and stripes. Eventually I decided on this.

There's spots and stripes. I think it's original, right? I used a matte top coat for it, to give the impression of paper, which at the beginning it was very cool and then it started to bubble. So I bought myself a new one and I can't wait to try it out.

Week 2 was of course VALENTINE themed. I had some ideas, none of which quite went according to plan. I had to change and redo some of my nails and by the end of it I was annoyed and just wanted to give. I did submit my entry as I did put a lot of effort into it and it did have a valentine theme. Ish.

I love how my marble turned out, even if it was my second option.

The last theme was marbling. If I had known that, I would have saved the valentine (ish) mani for the marble theme. Anyway, I again wanted to do something different.

I hope this is classified as different. I don't think it's often that you see this colour combination together.

I waited until now to post these, as the competition has ended and the last winners will be announced tomorrow. Wish me luck!

And as always let me know what you think.

Llarowe winner

I haven't mentioned this on the blog before or at least not that I can remember....

But back in August last year, early one Saturday morning (before 6am, early) I got an email from a lady named Sheila telling me that I had won a $500 Visa Gift Card from Llarowe. They had this competition on their FaceBook page for getting 1 million likes. I read the rules, luckily there was some international prizes available and I took a chance.

Instead of getting the actual Visa Gift card, we opted to pay the money into my PayPal account. Which was awesome!!

Naturally I had to buy me some nail goodies!! And a lot of it. And I bought BF something too. This post is to show what I bought with the prize money. And it's in the order I received it. Obviously this took forever and a day with the postal strike that we had at that time. So some of these packages took months to eventually reach me. So obviously this post has been a draft for forever and a day too. So I'm am super stoked to finally share this!!

Firstly, the gift I bought BF. A robot from Portal.

Yea, BF is a real nerd sometimes. Although he claims he isn't.... This connects via USB to a pc and is motion sensitive. I've posted two videos to Instagram if you want to have a look. When it's activated it says some of the things the real ones do in the game.

Next I got me some Mont Bleu Crystal Glass nail files. I've been hunting for a decent glass nail file for a while and when I saw it, I think, on Lucy's Stash, I decided to take the plunge and buy it. I got two sets, one of which I gave to my mother.

Now I just need to learn how to shape my nails properly myself, because I totally suck at it.

Then I finally received the package I ordered from BPS back in August I think. Dotting tools, nail art brushes, decals, new stamping sets, stamping plates, stamping plate holders and decals. Some rhinestones and the glitter that you use for glitter placement.

If you want a close up of anything, or if you want to know what stamping plates it is, just drop me a line and I'll happily send you some shots.

Next up, is a package from Parental Advisory Polish. I ordered this back in November because there was an awesome discount going as it was Maranda's birthday. When I got this box, I for the love of me couldn't think who it was from. Imagine my excitement when I opened it! (I actually got two packages on the same day, but I opened this one first.)

I ordered fuck me boots, happy ending, dirty pickle and tiff's tush. OMG don't you just love those names! And Maranda was so kind to throw in some metallic studs and french tip guides. I love it, as I don't have any metallic studs and the tip guides are the skinny ones, which I think works better for some art than the thicker ones. Of course my mother claimed one of my happy endings (sigh).

The other package was from BPS. Some awesome decals and a nail polish bottle holder. To keep it from sliding around, which is a problem for me. I ordered two glass nail files here too, but obviously I'm sticking to my Mont Bleu ones. My mother claimed one of these ones already, even with the set I gave her.

There was also this random little packet with the package, that I (again) for the love of me don't know where it came from. In this packet was a stamping plate, decals, silver hexagon glitter, 3D flowers and loads of rhinestones. BF was like, I probably got some one else's order too. I actually think that when I placed this order BPS had a thing going that if you spent over a certain amount, you got a free gift. It's the only explanation that makes any kind of sense. Or there is actually some one out there that didn't get their BPS order.

I also ordered some polishes from Llarowe. I felt that I needed to order something from them, for the awesome prize I got. 

Isn't that just to die for? I mean, I have Emily de Molly polishes!! I got some vinyls as well and I can't wait to try them out.

There is some lightning, chevron and starburst ones.

And lastly, at least I think it is the last I ordered with my prize money. I mean it took forever!! Stamping plates and decals.

And more stamping plates!!

Road map to nowhere?

I went for an interview the other day and because of the area that it was in, we popped in at Gael's place. The lovely (yes I called you lovely again Gael) lady behind Glamore Cosmetics. Finally got to meet her and see the face of a person that I've been having an online relationship with (yea, me and  my online relationships).

Anyway, Glamore Cosmetics only had Omega and Robanda products on their website, until recently when the launched their new site. The new site launched 26 Jan and with the new launch came some new products. You can now purchase Hean and also Oceanic products.

Besides that Gael is very evil (said in the nicest way possible) and an enabler, making me walk away with 4!! new bottles of nail polish, she is one of the nicest people I've met in a long time. She also asked me if I wanted to try out a top coat that she had, as the one that I was wearing bubbled.



I wanted to try the top coat with some art and full nail decals to see how it would react. I know Seche for example shrinks decals sometimes and other top coats smears art. I showed BF the decal, got it from BPS, I wanted to use and asked him what colours I should use with it. He decided on Tip Top Hap-Pea and for the stamping he chose Tip Top Cherries in the Snow.

So the colour scheme is a bit weird, but hey, BF chose it and I was happy wearing it. There is some smearing of the stamping, but as long as you use the floating technique, it won't bother you that much. I did stamp both hands before I applied the top coat.




I wore this mani for almost a week. I did it the Sunday afternoon and by Friday is was dying to take it off as I was kinda tired of having the same nails for so long. But if that's your thing, then this is for you. It was super easy to work with and I was very impressed by how long it lasted. I am actually very tempted to purchase it for myself, as all my topcoats are quick drying and there are certain times when you need one that isn't...

I believe the top coat is R70 (might be wrong), you can order online or you can email Gael and order directly from her.

Double Stamping

I decided to have some back up mani's, for those times that I don't have time for a new mani or when I'm just being lazy. This is one of my back ups. I was super excited about this one, as I did stamping and it was exactly as I pictured! That doesn't happen very often for me.

I started with two coats of PAP's (Parental Advisory Polish) Fuck Me Boots. Again, how gorgeous is this polish?! Then I used the bottom right image on BPS M78 plate.

I used Sinful Colors Snow Me White and Tip Top Gold Mine to stamp with and I'm very impressed with how this mani turned out. Sure the white is a bit patchy here and there, but I don't care! I love it.

Here is a quick look at Fuck Me Boots again.