Essie Alligator Purse, Essie Nutcracker Sweet and Boots 17 Sphinx and Kinetics Coral Reef

And this is the muted version with a random FlorMar. I think I prefer this.

I'm sure you get the idea. Sellotape. All this gubbins went on top of the Boots 17 Bared. No need to remove it.


Not sure if I've worn Alligator before. I rather like it but I did spend the entire evening attempting to clear my brain of the irritating and repetitive strains of the rhyme so I may not be able to bring myself to use it again.  Stop with the music, I say!

Jenni

Barry M Nail Effects in Pink, Diamond Cosmetics Rubies & Diamonds + Bourjois Une Seconde

 

I got myself in 57 kinds of trouble with this. I tried to manufacture a stencil from a paper label. Nah. Ended up with red splodges on a couple of nails and had to stage a rescue operation.

Hey, it's bright. It's alright. 

 Jenni

Boots 17 Supreme Shine Bared

 

Turns out you can see the sparkle on the nail. Hurrah! 2 coats. Maybe 3. I really like this. Not an awful lot you can say about it other than that. Hardly a head-turner....But a decent-enough polish. Admittedly I've now sellotaped it into oblivion but it's very likeable. If it were a person it would be...Princess Anne.

So, who's planning to feature any or all of the following?

A a bridal-type mani

B a patriotic mani

C a "Will you shut up about the bleedin' wedding?" mani

I'm thinking B or C. Not sure yet. Maybe both.

Jenni

Pink Wednesday - er, NOT - 2true Fast Dry Shade 1

 

I'm not a Pink Wednesday-er. Got nothing against it. Just hate committing to things. No way I could guarantee always to wear pink on a particular day.

2 coats of lusciousness. This is my 3rd 2true polish. OMG these are fabulous. So glossy and highly-pigmented. I never trust "quick dry" claims and put them to the test by prodding at my nails but I think it probably IS fairly quick to dry. These are lush!

There are 9 shades in this range. I now have 6 and even though the remaining 3 are not unusual colours I'm going to get them because the texture/finish is so good.

Choose one shop. Superdrug or Boots?

Jenni

Small haul...looking rather boringly beige....

Just because...

This is Bared. Hope that sparkle translates to the nail. Or there'll be tears before bedtime.

• Contradiction 30ml. I love this.
• IsaDora Apricot - a Swedish (?) brand, new to me, probably very sheer, I shall let you know
• Boots 17 Bared
• Astor Mattitude - SPF 22 - 22? I thought SPFs came in multiples of 5. What's with 22? Bonkers. Hope this works because my skin's as greasy as bacon. Nice.
• Barry M Nail Effects- the pink one is meant to be popular, but not in my crappy little town
• Boots 17 Sphinx - I am already regretting this as it's too cool and (frankly) boring
• Mavala Nail Polish Remover - Boots only had 3 bottles of polish remover in the entire SHOP! Is this to make us buy the expensive brands? Well, I'm a sucker. This WAS expensive but it is more effective than the cheapo stuff I habitually buy.
• And a Hard Skin Remover because I dropped my beloved pumice stone and shattered it

Off to paint my naked nails. I'm on twitter now so I'm busier than ever. So many competitions! So little time!

A bientot
Jenni

Tips with 2true shade 1

A partial remediation of an abysmal effort at French tips. Not so much "French" as the back end of some downtown rundown colonial French outpost in the middle of nowhere. Algeria? In the spirit of PC I would now like to apologise to all Algerians everywhere. They're probably a bit too busy right now to spend any time agonising over my lame (and utterly uninformed) insults however so I just may get away with it.

 

I was due for a fail. I estimate my success rate at about 25% maximum. How could I get this so badly wrong? It's only sellotape! Just too much of a rush. But I didn't even get it straight. MUST DO BETTER.

Should only people with immaculate nails and perfect application techniques publish their photos to the net? Is it a discourtesy to readers (if any) to display photos of dodgy manis?

To conclude:
What is the relative importance to you of pictures and text? I'd say a ratio of 4P:7T whereby I'll gladly accept less than superlative pictures if the text entertains and informs. (Sounds like the mission statement of the BBC).

Jenni

beauty uk Frozen Kingdom

This is BYOOOOOOOTIFUL.

 

This is 2 sloppy coats. Or 3 more careful ones. Ivory with a definite golden warmth. So flattering. SO pretty. But not in a girlie way. Obviously. I love China Glaze White Cap and this is no dupe. This is........way better! Hurrah.

Kate, I don't know what you'll be wearing on your nails next week but this is brilliant. And better still - it's made in the UK! Not that mealy-mouthed designed in the UK and made in China. Who do we think we are? We can design stuff because we're all arty-farty artistic but we can't manufacture stuff because that's far too plebeian. No. Manufacturing should be valued - as should service industries and child-minding. Feel free to add your own undervalued profession.

Furthermore it's (back to the nail polish) £1.99 from Superdrug. The bottle is tiny, 'tis true. However larger bottles are available online from the beauty uk website and there's a discount code. More will be revealed when I receive my mini-haul.

I am such a snob sometimes but 2true and beauty uk have rubbed my nose in my snobbery good and proper this last week. Shame on me.

Cosmetic snobbery?

• A snob? Moi? Quelle idee!
• I do have a penchant for high-end, yes
• I take products on their merits, I don't consider myself a label-freak
• Confirmed bargain-hunter on the whole
• Pay mega-pounds for a fancy name? I think NOT

Jenni

Sellotape mani with beauty uk Frozen Kingdom (my current fave)

 

For once something that works! The accent nail is Nubar 2010. Remember when Hidden Treasure was all over the shop? Now it's crackle. What next? 

What would you like to see next in the nailiverse?

I'd say: a polish that really DOES dry within a minute.

Oh, and stencils. I know they exist but not much of a range. I'm too useless to do Konad. I need something simpler.

Jenni

2true Fast Dry Shade 4

Flippin' heck. ANOTHER great polish from Superdrug. 3 for a fiver. 2 easy, quality coats. As easy as an easy-thing in Easytown. There are 9 polishes in this range. I now have 6. Simplicity itself.

It seems a bit brighter irl which made me think of China Glaze Electric Pineapple (which I do not have) but after checking the blogs I can see at once that this is far less yellow. I am to colour-matching what Gordon Brown is to stand-up comedy.

Jenni

The wrong day for a "St George" mani...

 

It's better than it looks. Honestly. It would be better with a top coat but I actually quite like the textured effect. And although you'd expect it to flake off - it doesn't. Curious.

Jenni

Weird animalistic mani...

The base is Nubar Wildlife. Sea Spray on the left of the nail which produces a rather interesting gold effect. An envelope recycling label made the stencil up the centre of the nail. Well, a strip cut therefrom. Sorry about the shocking cuticles. Sticky labels I find easier to cut and stick and restick than sellotape.

I like it. It's sludgy. It makes me think 'animal' but I have no idea why.....

Tomorrow? There's a 'dragon' connection. That's all I'm saying.

Jenni

2true Fast Dry 03 from Superdrug

Only 2 coats. 3 for a fiver from Superdrug. Crikey. You can't turn it down. As recommended by Helen of Just Nice Things. And she knows a good polish when she sees one. I know the bottles are only 7ml (a mini in US terms) but stap m' vitals and knock me down with a nail buffer if that isn't a fair bargain. The flash has washed this out slightly. In sun it's almost neon. But shiny!

http://www.just-nice-things.co.uk/

I know I was moaning about pink (MO Lili's Pink, to be precise) making me feel really 'old lady' but this is coral. And it's not frosty or shimmery. So I feel cool about it.

Do you feel awkward wearing particular shades? As if some colours simply don't suit your 'image'? Too edgy or not edgy enough? That kinda thing....


Jen

Nubar Wildlife

3 coats but 2 is fine. Heck, one would do if you were careful. This is the 3rd day of wear.
I never met a Nubar I didn't love. I'd show you all my Nubar  polishes but I've sorted *snorts* by colour not brand so I can't. I got this from the guys below. Prices include P&P and this was on the Sale page. It isn't now (sorry). I'd say this deserves to be a cult classic.

http://www.nubar-nailz.co.uk/

Jenni

Models Own Lili's Pink

Yuk. This colour is just awful on me. 2 coats. I'm the problem. Not the polish. I wore it 'as is' last night and all the women of my age were wearing plain pink nail polish. I felt so old. I'm not doing that again. So I tried to funk it up. Don't know which was worse. The original or the 'improvements'. Gloom. Gloom.

Just see where a hole punch and some sticky labels gets ya...

Upcoming will be some 2True polishes, Nubar Wildlife, Benefit Dr Feelgood and a trio of Models Own.

Your most shocking mani?

Jenni

Not so much nails...

...as me posting something for the hell of it...
Oh, Models Own Champagne was the right answer for yesterday. How I love that polish.

 

 I absolutely loathe all this wedding shenanigans but have to admit this set is cute.

Reasons NOT to be cheerful about the RW

• I suspect my taxes are paying for a lot of this. Boo.
• I don't even like the Royal Family. (I respect the Queen as she seems to be fairly hard-working but that's the best I can say about them.)
• It gives a false idea of marriage - it's not all about the dress and the champagne and the photographs
• All the RWs seem to be blighted by subsequent death, doom and disaster (only a slight exaggeration)
• It makes the rest of the world think we're a nation of half-wits - ogling at some daffy couple who are probably intrinsically slightly less interesting and amusing than a jar of boiled sweets

Only good thing about it
It will probably be very well organised and a logistical triumph unlike 2012 (Olympics, yeah) which I just KNOW is going to be shockingly bad. Do watch 'TwentyTwelve' on BBC. It's a hoot. Hee hee.

Oh, you'll now need some reasons to BE cheerful.

• Sunshine
• So many polishes out there calling your name
• Dr Who starts again soon
• You don't live in a war-zone (unless you do and then I wish you good fortune)

Jenni
Do you like the little toyset or do you not?

Going to Post Office to post nearly all the blog sale parcels + a guessing game...

 

What it says on the tin. See above. I'll email you all later to confirm. Thanks, everyone!

Had this mani for days and days as I've been busy with this'n'that. 4 days? 5? So what is the base polish? Any ideas? 

Jenni

Charlotte's Web silver rings

Two new rings. Both silver as I'm hideously allergic to lots of other metals. Both adjustable because I couldn't be bothered to measure my index fingers and size them properly. With turquoise. But you knew that. I found this website by googling 'fair trade silver ring'. I try to buy fair trade whenever I can. Oh, and I love the book by EB White. I cried at the end and I'm hard, let me tell ya, hard as the proverbial nails. But I cried! Great service. Fast delivery.

Charlotte's Web

This female is sporting an enchantingly entitled 'cow bag'. The clothing is not very 'me' (but then what DOES suit a tubby little dwarf?) but I do like the jewellery. And the bag.

PAYPAL note/ BLOG SALE UPDATE
I now realise some of the blog sale purchasers may be worried about parting with their cash using the paypal Personal Gift method. If you've any doubts about me I have an ebay identity. It's jayannlay. I have 100% feedback for 200+ transactions. The 'gift' is to reduce my charges. Not for me to rip people off. I once sold some expensive shoes on ebay and they didn't arrive so I refunded the entire amount to the purchaser. They still haven't turned up after 18 months! But then I suppose that's what the con artists DO say. So check my feedback.

As of this moment I have gmailed all purchasers and received 2 payments. I'd like to post them all out tomorrow but no worries if I have to wait a wee while before payment. Thanks to everyone for their prompt responses and general efficiency.


Jenni

Big Blog Sale - 58 items

All prices include P&P to the UK only

For everywhere else you will have to email me and I will calculate the cost for your part of the world 

U = used and that will be once only and usually only on the fingers of one hand

UnU = unused

BB Couture (used) all £4.50

Sea of Cortez, Opposites Attract, Redwood Forest, Studio 54, Poison Ivy, Hermosa Surfer Girl SOLD

OPI 

Clubbing 'til sunrise UnU £3 SOLD, Suzi skis in the Pyrenees UnU £3.50, Pamplona Purple U £3.50 SOLD, Tease-y does it U but still totally worth it at £5

OPI

Hopelessly in love U £3.50, Flower to flower U £4, Bronzed to perfection U £3.50, Barefoot in Barcelona U £3.50 SOLD, Can you tapas this UnU £4 - sorry about the pix but these are easy to google

China Glaze (all used once) £3.50
Red Stallion, Ingrid, Agent Lavender, Cowardly Lyin', Lasso My Heart SOLD

China Glaze 
Phat Santa £3.50 (used once), Jolly Holly £4.00 as it's unused

Nails Inc
Marco Polo House £3 UnU, Portland Place £2.50 U , Duke St £2.50 U, Victoria £3 UnU



Next and below? Essie
Bermuda Shorts UnU £3.50 SOLD, Pink Parka £3 SOLD, Be Right Bag £3, Luscious Lips £3, Steppin' Out £3

Above
Color Club Feel The Beat £2.50 U, LA Girl Addict £3 U, UD Hotpants £2.50 U, Rimmel Play Fast Camouflage £2 U, Barry M Silver Sea £2 UnU

Zoya

Divincia UnU £3, Kaufda U £2.50, Casey U £2.50, Blyss UnU £3 SOLD

CND Effects Gold Sparkling and Silver Sparkling U £3 each
Illamasqua Scarab UnU £4.50, Viridian U £4 BOTH SOLD

Barielle (all used - and all my Barielle polishes seem to separate in the bottle - just shake them) @ £3 each
Gelt me to the party, Blossom, Cashmere or loose me
American Apparel
Hunter U £2.50, Passport Blue UnU £2.75 BOTH SOLD

QRS
Black Coal U £2, Roose Flambe UnU £2.50, Lucy Diamond UnU £2.50
Accessorize
Crystal Shimmer U £2, Bronze U £2

Jessica (all used and £2.25 each) - the 3 tints are sheer
Red Tint, Coral Tint, Pink Tint, Soak up the sun

T&Cs

• For everyone else other than UK residents it'll be a bit more expensive
• Paypal only
• State what you want in 'comments', this stakes your claim
• First come, first served, so check to see if anyone has reserved your chosen item already before you 'claim' it
• Follow the comment with a back-up email to nuttyteacher@gmail.com - no need to list the items as I will know your requirements from your comment, just make it clear how you match up to your ID on comments and remind me of the price and any other arrangements and your address and I'll tell you my email ID and you can paypal me as a gift 
• DO NOT PANIC if nothing seems to be happening on Wednesday or Thursday, I'll try to acknowledge your orders but I have two very busy days ahead so I may not be much in evidence until Friday, everyone will be able to see from the comments who wants what and I'll stick to that...
 

Jenni

 

Kinetics Butterfly Wing Velvet

 

3 coats. This is another Wunderkind of a Kinetics polish. The quality of these is superb. Metallic brown with gold/amber flakies.

Enough said. Blog sale tomorrow. I'll post at 5pm UK time. It's 'first come first served'. Reserve a polish by using the 'comments' box. Easy. Paypal. Open internationally. Oo, hark at HER.

Jenni