Now How Did That Get Here?

I have been purchasing nail polish very slowly right now because I'm unemployed.  Its good because I'm wearing polishes that I never wore before.  I can only break the rules if I come into some extra cash like finding $40 bucks in my jeans... I suspect my mom put it there because I don't put anything in my back pockets. I don't think she gets that I'm supposed to compensate her for hemming my pants, but she may have felt bad for my broke ass. My hubby didn't know about the extra cash and he will not know about the new polishes because he doesn't read this blog... but when he does oh boy! Is this me technically coming clean about lying? Yes.

So starting today December 1st I am on a no-buy.  I got such good deals recently that I  don't want to jinx my good polish luck by buying duds.  I am an addict clearly, but when I see Color Club for $3-5 and it is Christmas stuff (well Christmas collections of years past and older stuff on clearance at Jessica Nail Supply on Orfus Road) there is no way I can pass that up! So this is a compilation of my most recent haul.  There is also some Claire's glitters because the Claire's at Fairview Mall must have found some old stock during the renovations.  They had their usual buy 2 get 1 free or whatever, but the one I picked was on sale for less than two bucks so I was encouraged to get another (damn that salesgirl twisted my rubber arm).

I also had to get Flushed by Cult Nails because Marta from Chit Chat Nails made me do it! Marta inspired me to start this blog and when I saw Flushed on her I had to have it.  See? Addicted. With addiction there also comes shame because I picked up this one from Essence:

Jacob's Protection from the Twilight Breaking Dawn collection.

Oh man I am never going to live this down, but it was such a deal! Only $2 and I was buying mascara anyway (Loreal Voluminous in Carbon Black, can't look alive without it). I'm so embarrassed to have purchased this because I'm not a Twi-hard at all.  I managed to choke down the first book and could go no further because it was so poorly written.  All computers have a thesaurus so I have determined that she hand wrote it or it was type written.  No wait! That is no excuse because you can buy one at the dollar store or go to your local library for writing help.  It was so bad that I couldn't bring myself to watch the movies.  I know it is geared towards teens, but how stupid does Stephanie Meyer think teens are?  Its insulting and Bella was the weakest character I have ever encountered. Hey my blog, my opinions : ). This probably won't gain me any pageviews, but if I can't say what is on my mind here then where can I?

Anyway back to pictures of shiny things!

Nail of the week: Love and Beauty Safari (the only one with a name!), stamped with plates BM07 and BM20 using Essie As Good As Gold.  This one is awesome for stamping!  I was dreaming of something baroque after looking at some Mary Katranzou  dresses.

From L to R: Cacee BFE Motion Dazzle (I have never heard of this stuff before but it is 3 free), Color Club Wild at Heart (a longtime Lemming thanks to Scrangie), Color Club Art of Seduction, Color Club Gingerbread

L to R all by Claire's: Marshmallow Dream (iridescent micro and hex glitter in a clear base, a dupe of China Glaze Make a Spectacle), Mystical (magenta and light blue microglitter), Ultraviolet (lilac circular glitter and hex holo pieces, a few silver squares for good measure), Pinata (mutlicoloured shards of gold, silver, magenta, blue green and red)

Closer shots... look at pinata! How fun!

Loving these two : )

My very first Cult Nails! I hope Santa brings me some of the Convert Packs. I really want 1, 3 and 4 as they aren't available individually.

 

 

So pretty! It reminds me of the paler cousin of Rimmel's Night before. 

How about those, huh? So pretty I can't wait to swatch!  I will be using my laptop for my blogging instead of just using it for TV (well that and the Wii... Netflix is pretty awesome and we don't have cable!).  My phone is not very good with closeups and as you can see I need better photos.  The desktop can't read the camera memory cards and the cords are long gone (maybe we never had them?). The laptops ports are still in good shape so hopefully my next posts will have better photos.  I mean my Nokia C6 is not terrible but it is not that great either. I will try and get my next post out ASAP because I have some electrical work to do around the house and I can't get bogged down in my job hunt.  Wish me luck!
-A.C.

Hair Care (Tips and Tricks)

I'm going to share a bit of how I take care of my hair.  I have Natural curly hair that is dark brown with a bit of auburn in it (ends and highlights from sun/ swimming) type 3c/4a/4b.  I have put henna in my hair a few times for strength and to darken it if I swam too much (not this year!).  I hate having my hair straight and I hate tight braids.  I loathe any form of heat styling including blow drying, flat ironing and especially the hot comb.  The few times anyone has ever approached me with that medieval torture device nearly resulted in me going to jail, losing my mind or jumping through the roof at the sensation of my hair being Kentucky fried.

Before: relaxed hair.  My hair was fairly healthy because I only relaxed 3-4 times a year and I would press only the parts showing when my hair was down. Look at my ends though... gah!

I like easy maintenance that comes with natural curly hair (no more heat styling! wash and go!).  I like that if my style is jacked up I can just wet my hair and start over again.  I like that I can wash my hair as often as I like or need.  I have eczema on my scalp and I have learned what to use in moderation and what to avoid in general.

After: natural hair after my first henna treatment.  My ends were a bright coppery orange before due to swimming and sun.

Here is my typical routine:
-Wash sectioned hair with Dr. Bronner magic soap (I dilute .5 oz tea tree oil and .5 oz lavender in 7 oz of water in a squeeze bottle) once a week
-Immediately after washing each section apply Tresemme Naturals Nourishing Moisture Conditioner and some olive oil
-I leave my hair clipped in sections with the conditioner and oil while I shower, shave, exfoliate and moisturize (I add a shea oil mix to my skin while it is wet to keep in moisture) which takes about 5-10 minutes
-I detangle each section with the conditioner and oil in using my modified faux Denman brush (I removed every other row, but hopefully Santa will bring me a Denman D41 Freeflow) starting at the ends and moving up
-I rinse out each section and add a leave in conditioner like Giovanni Direct Leave in or Queen Helene Royal Curl Conditioner
-I wrap my head in a microfibre turban or an old T shirt to dry my hair while I dab my body dry
-If I'm going out I will add coconut oil and put my hair in a bun or a puff when mostly dry (if it is warm out I'll just leave it out)
-If I'm staying in I will use oil, gel or a curl pudding and twist my hair while damp, then I'll take out the twists the next day
- Once my hair has been out for 2-3 days I will wash my scalp with just conditioner and finger detangle the ends, then I will style as usual

I know it sounds a bit complicated but it is actually better for my hair and easier than the straightening and wasting the money at salons for relaxers.  The products I try to avoid include sulfates, silicones and mineral oil.  They show up in ingredients as sodium laureth sulfate or ammonium lauryl sulfate, dimethicone or amodimethicone and parrafinium liquidium.  I also try to avoid parabens because they mimic estrogens and can cause hormonal imbalance. I only use a shampoo with SLS once a month to clarify (clean any buildup) because it dries out my hair and irritates my scalp.  I try to avoid silicones because they don't allow hair to breathe and lock out moisture.  They cause further buildup and the only way they can be removed is with SLS (which dries out the hair and continues a vicious cycle).  The only one that is water soluble is Amodimethicone, but it still causes buildup.  I don't use mineral oil on my hair for the same reason. Washing your hair less is actually really good for it especially if you colour because your hair uses its own oils.  After a few weeks of it seeming greasy your hair will balance out.  In the meantime you can use a dry shampoo in between washes which has the added benefit of adding body to fine hair (trust me I have a flop fro lol).

If you have any scalp problems I recommend staying away from these products as well.  I had traction alopecia from braids a few years ago but I oil my scalp 2-3 times a week (after washing) with castor oil and a few drops of tea tree oil mixed in. I have seen tremendous growth and retention with this mixture.

I hope these tips help because they can be applied to any hair type and the baddies I try not to use are not good for anyone! If you have any questions please leave a comment or email me.

-A.C.

Better Late Than Never!

Spooky Decor at a house in my friend's neighbourhood!

Well both Halloween and the Feast of All Saints have both passed us by, but there is no reason to not show off the manicure I had!  I won't show my costume because I was a lame witch (it kept me relatively dry) and it was just an uncreative unremarkable costume.  Like I mentioned before I was not feeling very creative, but I did use a shimmery green MAC pigment all over my face and I did not break out : )

One of my favourite Halloween movies is Nightmare Before Christmas and this manicure was inspired by the movie.  The first time I did this manicure I rushed and it just looked terrible.  I took my time and surprise, surprise it looked pretty good.

From L to R: Sally Hansen Whirlwind White with Jack's face drawn on with a black striper polish, China Glaze Riveting and black striper , Nina Ultra Pro Black and white striper polish, Whirlwind White and OPI black crackle, Wet'n Wild Buffy the Violet Slayer with Nicole by OPI Make a Comet-Ment

The Pumpkin King!

From L to R: Wet'n Wild Buffy the Violet Slayer layered with Nicole by OPI Make a Comet-ment, Urban Outfitters Slime stamped with a spider from plate BM13 and stitches painted on with black striper polish, Nina Ultra Pro Black layered with Ardene Hollywood Star, Nina Ultra Pro Like Butta stamped with witch from plate BM 13, Oogie Boogie is Slime with Nina Ultra Pro Black dotted and painted on.

Nina Ultra Pro Like Butta and BM13 stamp... these Nibs were eaten shortly after the photo shoot.

My favourite mug, Sally side

My favourite mug, Jack side

Crystal Skull Vodka : )

Pumpkin King cookie and the original nail fail.

Candy and Harry Potter Lego. Look at me and my hubs in the background!

A jar of rats, a jar of eyeballs and a Jack O Lantern.

Halloween Tablescape.

Guess Who's Bizzack?

I am! Sorry for the absence, but I had to deal with illness (in my family as well as myself) and I was immersing myself in job hunting.  I don't consider this blog a distraction, but rather a creative outlet and there will be times that I don't feel very creative.  I've learned from the bloggers who came before me that I should keep a few posts on hand for when I don't have time or energy to write.  Also I should keep some edited photos of swatches or give a quick update so that I'm not absent for a month without notice. 

I have also been learning more about using blogger so I haven't posted much but I have done a lot of photo editing and site tweaking which you will notice in future posts.  Later this week I will sort of do a catch up showcasing Halloween, Thanksgiving, Breast Cancer Awareness and of course Prostate Cancer Awareness for Movember.  I will split them up a little sot that the post is not just some crazy photo filled extravaganza... but then why else would you be here!

I awoke today feeling really good and closer to "back to normal".  I felt focused and not anxious and very optimistic.  This round of job hunting has been difficult because I'm not working and I don't have much of a safety net.  Another thing that I am noticing is the lack of stability and how little companies are willing to pay someone.  After taking a paycut by taking my previous job, I don't think I can take another.  I want to have kids but not until my debt is paid off by at least half.  At the time I didn't want to quit with nothing lined up, but when it comes to ethics I would rather keep my name out of the mud.  I am an amazing employee with good moral sense and I think that it is better to be able to sleep at night knowing that the patients I took care of are safe. I am a registered Lab Technician with a lot of experience in patient care as well as customer service and I am knowledgeable in terms of Lab Technology.  I have a little something more up my sleeve and I'm sure that I'll get some bites soon because I'm a catch ;)

-A.C.

Nuit Blanche 2012

Well this past weekend was Nuit Blanche (all night art exhibits around downtown Toronto) as well as one of my sisters' birthdays.  I made her a yummy cake but forgot her present so my sister of the year card did not get punched lol.  I really need to practice making frosting more because I know how I want my buttercream to taste but it is not quite there yet. If you have any tips please add them to the comments.  I am basically trying to make it less sweet and more creamy.

So after hanging out with my sister and her friends and having yummy dinner, the texts began to flood my phone (Can Adria come out to play?).  I ended up missing the bus (really I don't know how he didn't see me) and waited an hour for the next one.  I want to rant but I will save the TTC rant for another time. I finally met up with my friends and my Hubs and we went to find some art.  We didn't see many of the exhibits and were a bit disappointed with the lack of displays this year, but we had fun anyway! We drank Mulled Cider tea and I spiked mine with a bit of Whiskey.  Something about 40 Creek Whiskey and Cider... it just screams fall! Don't worry I don't drink to get drunk so I really enjoyed it :)  So after wandering around the financial district in search of art (the most concentrated area of exhibits).  We ended up on King St. at around 3:30 in the morning and I was starving! There was no way I was going to make it with that long lineup at Tim Hortons... I just wanted a bagel!

Stop motion film of different vegetables growing.  Very informative and relaxing :)

Can you guess what this is made from?

Frosting!

Humber Bay Exhibit... It was on the Humber Bay Bridge since this summer.

It looked like a weird sea creature.

It had colour changing LED's that you can control with an App.

Messages on floating blocks with Throwies inside.  Throwies are LEDs with a watch battery electrical taped to it.  I barely went to the bathroom all night because I was scared of lineups.

This one just looks cooler than it sounded.  It was a suspended electric guitar that was being raised and lowered with amplified feedback.  Worst mass ever... I didn't even receive communion!

Drunken Streetlamps near the Cloud Gardens.

This one was really cool: It was a drive through fun house with projections and a guide.  The line was crazy though!

There were guys with microphones attached to their sweater cuffs as they speed solved a Rubix Cube.

Space invaders! Apparently you could play along.

Thumb: Sally Hansen Whirlwind White, Color Club Smash Hit and Wet 'n Wild Silver Frost Index: Nina Ultra Pro Black, Revlon Silver Dollar, and Essie Set in Stones Middle: Whirlwind White, Love and Beauty "Cannonball", LA Girl Glitter Addict  Uninhibited, Sally Hansen Glass Slipper  Ring (sorry about the chips!): Color Club Worth the Risque, Claire's Holo Topcoat Pinkie: Nina Ultra Pro Black, Ardene Paris Nights (I'm holding a Kozik Smorkin' Labbit vinyl art toy in my left hand)

Thumb: Nina Ultra Pro Black with Claire's Silver Crackle  Index: Whirlwind White, Love and Beauty "Cannonball", Essie Set in Stones  Middle: Nina Black, Revlon Silver Dollar and OPI Servin' Up Sparkle  Ring (gradient): Sally Hansen Pewter, Ardene Hollywood Star and Sally Hansen Glitz Gal  Pinkie:Whirlwind White LA Girl Uninhibited and OPI Servin' up Sparkle (right hand)

I did some art inspired nails.  I chose to do black and white because that is the colour of all the Nuit Blanche billboards.  I wanted to capture the vibe so I also did some abstract stamping, but it looked so bad I should have just done a plastic wrap mani.  I could have called the whole thing a failure because it turned out so different from the original idea, but art is art and it was salvaged by GLITTER! I did each nail different because it is something I have never done before and it had a greater effect in the end. I wish I could have taken close up shots but my nails were jacked up! I promise I will do this again because it was so fun doing such an obnoxious mani :)

-A.C.

Fall... in love!

I love fall! Fall in the Treehouse (my apartment) is absolutely gorgeous because I am facing part of the Don Valley and I get to watch the leaves change colour from my living room.  I was so inspired that I started putting up my Halloween and autumn decor.  I also busted out the autumn scents from Bath and Body Works such as the Leaves Wallflower and the Cinnamon Nut Bread Candle. Then I baked and lived under my Bay blanket with a giant mug of tea lol.

Another thing I love about fall: I get to wear dark colours again! I am one of those weirdos who does things really seasonally: baking, nail polish and makeup.  For example I only make anything involving lemon poppy seed in the spring/ summer and I only wear darker nail polish and lipstick in fall and winter.  Right now I'm in love with metallic wine and copper colours.  As I keep posting you will see how much I love glitter and how my colours change with the season.  One day this summer I was in a bad mood and I wore black with holo glitter... I ended up taking it off during my lunch break at work!

Some fall faves: Orly Buried Alive, Sally Hansen Wined Up (worn on toes), Love and Beauty "Disco Inferno", China Glaze Harvest Moon

Orly Buried Alive with Love and Beauty "Leaves"

You can see the bubbles here because Buried Alive is a draggy bastard!

China Glaze Harvest Moon covered in Finger Paints Fall of Surprises

All photos taken with my Nokia C6

Forever 21 is not known for giving their polishes proper names so I renamed it "Leaves". I think a gorgeous green microglitter with flakies that shift from orange to green deserves a better name than Light Green!  I have renamed all the Forever 21 polishes that I own and I'll post those with swatches soon.  Maybe they will hire me as the person who names their nail polishes in the future!

-A.C.

Welcome to my Blog!

Hello visitors!

You are probably all new or friends that I have bribed to visit here.  I'm just going to be posting about beauty, fashion and life.  Basically if it interests me it is going on this blog and right now I am into nail art.  I am so full of ideas right now and I can't wait to show you all.  I have some exciting things coming so expect this to be a little different from most nail blogs.  I plan to post at least once a week and I hope to see you back here soon!

-A.C.