Mavala Black Diamond + silvers + small haul

First up the Mavala

Only it started yesterday with this

I had 1 coat Maybelline Silver Speed and a coat of Misa Dance Fever
But I thought I'd done a lot of silver recently so decided I'd better sling something over the top
Was going to go dotty over the silver but realised that I'd have to paint the dots with my left hand - yeah, right...
Looked at my Mavala Diamonds collection (6) and chose Black
It's nothing special but the silver speckles do show through and it's pewtery in some lights so it's growing on me as it is a bit of layering that has produced a finish I don't otherwise have in a single bottle. It's black without being a saturated black.

Further shopping shenanigans

As well as the iron we were pursuing the OH had noticed a GAP sale and OH likes GAP.
Did I want some stuff from GAP? Oh, go on then. Twist my arm why don't you.....
It's only basic stuff, I know, but shopping is shopping at the end of the day.

I have no idea what the top thing is. It was in the sale. It could be a nightie. Or a dress for a young, thin, brave person. Or a long top. Or something one dons at the seaside over a bathing suit. Whatever. Looking at it now I do rather wonder if I'll ever put it on. Hm. Some kind of mania takes hold when we go shopping. We ended up with a huge salad bowl too.

Forgive the creased shorts. Two different prints! How bold. I wore these yesterday around the house and for dog-walking but was warned by OH that they are see-through and not to attempt to wear them for work. I'd describe my style as casual but even I wasn't going to wear these to work. Except maybe on a teacher-training day??? I love shorts and I shall be in these for the next three or four months. I didn't try them on but they fitted nicely with room to spare which is the kind of fit I prefer.

So - does anyone else HATE trying on clothes in shops? I do not want to see myself. I don't have a full-length mirror in the house. It's not just the body-image thing though. Out of clothes, in clothes, out of clothes, in clothes. Keys fall on the floor. Wallet falls on the floor. Hanger falls....Twirl, twist, turn. Yes? No? Too tight? Too loose? What do YOU think? Maybe a bit expensive? And then do it AGAIN in more shops.

NO.

Jenni

For Leanne - Post 1

Picture Key:

1 On 2 nails but I decided it looked odd on just 2 so walked the dogs and then did the rest

2 Didn't clean up - naughty me, mustn't take pix until I clean up

3 The thumb worked quite well

4 Whole hand (well, duh)

I've been following nail blogs (mostly) for about 7 months now. Does the world need another one? Who cares! Here's yet another one.

So why this one?

• I need to stop spending time and money ebuying (ebaying) and require an outlet for all that saved time and mental energy to curb my expenditure so this is mostly for me
• There aren't as many blogs with a uniquely British perspective as I'd like to see

So the first post is a thank-you to all British bloggers (whether I have already found you or not), all inspirational bloggers out there everywhere and my second attempt at nail art. I used Leanne's tutorial.

http://www.donotrefreeze.com/2010/04/easy-peasy-nail-design-2-d.html#comments

This girl is 18! I admire creative people. Oh, especially creative people with a steady hand!

Tiger nails with:

Base coat Misa Bang

couple coats Attitude School Bus to begin

use the sponge applicator to apply a bit of Misa Ghetto Fabulous

then more sponge with Maybelline Mandarin Heat

Used a no. 1 paintbrush from a craft shop for black stripes (Miss Sporty black)

For silver stripes used Mercia nail art pen/brush in silver

Over the top is CG Fairy Dust

Lastly Misa Breakneck and CG Fast Freeze

Please note

• The Ghetto isn't obvious enough
• My cuticles etc are awful but I'm 54 and I had years of obsessive handwashing which doesn't do your hands a GREAT deal of good
• The black stripes are not fine enough but I hope to improve with that
• The Fairy Dust doesn't really work but it looks more subtle IRL

Where do I get my stuff?

I google a lot of brands and add UK to find an etailer (Venus Nail and Beauty is good)

I ebay

Sally's

Directly from websites e.g. Eyeko, Barry M, Overall Beauty (Kim is the BEST)

Boots and Superdrug

TJ Hughes has Bourjois very cheap at the moment

I've started to look at market stalls as well because I need to rein in this compulsion!

Love from Jenni