Smashed

As I mentioned earlier, I smashed my hand in a car door a few months back. Initially my hand was swollen and sore for a few days and after a i finally took off my shellac manicure a few weeks later my thumb looked like this:

A little black and blue - but nothing polish couldn't cover :)


However as time went on my nail started to lift and I decided it was time to let it breath and removed all polish which unfortunately resulted in the nail completely separating.

Completely disgusting and I am totally surpised I didn't pass out.


But now a bit of time has passed and the nail has started to grow and I decided to venture back into the manicure world. I couldn't be happier with the result and wish I had gone in sooner!
Hello to a transplant nail!

Just a little acrylic and a fresh Shellac Manicure and it is good as new!
Woohoo!
<3

Shellac it up!

It was been a while since I have talked about a product that I love so I figured it was time! Back in November 2011 I accidentally smashed my hand in the car door. Im still not totally sure how it happened, but it hurt and broke the skin and turned my nail all black and blue. Luckily at the time it happened I had a fresh new Shellac manicure, bummer because my mani was new, but on the upside I think the shellac actually helped to protect my nail!
I can spends hours (literally) walking around the drug store looking at new nail products, polishes, and any other new technology in the beauty world. Which means I have tried countless nail products and this is one of my favorites! I love it almost as much as the nail strips I wrote about a few months back [even though they are spendy they are more cost effective than the shellac manicure]. Anyhoo back on track -
The specific shellac i am in love with

It is called CND Shellac and is available at most nail salons, and if you are patient you can even purchase the three step process online and do it at home with a uv light.
What to expect when you go to the salon: They start it off like a regular manicure, soak and clean your cuticles, file nails, and moisturize, then start the process. Shellac goes on just like nail polish, first there is a base coat, two coats of color, and a top coat. The nails are cured in the UV light after every coat which makes for a lengthy process but it is totally worth it! After all four coats are applied and cured they use alcohol to remove the buil up that occurs on the nail and then you are totally done! There is no additional dry time or any worry of bumping and smudging a nail! And the best part [drum roll please] the Shellac lasts atleast 14 days with out chipping!

I have tried other gel/shellac manicures and this by far is my favorite!
<3

Eeeeee!

I'm blogging in complete happiness right now! I just purchased the Limited Editing Singer Sewing Machine celebrating 160 years.

Omg. Isn't she beautiful! Since a friend showed it to me a few weeks back I have been slightly obsessed with it. I have been checking the home shopping network daily to see if they posted any more information about it, I even created my account early to ensure speedy ordering. :)

So needless to say when I saw it finally posted I ran to the room where my lap top was, sliding into a door way or two along the way- but I ordered it and she will be here in a couple of weeks! Eeeeee SO excited. <3

Bling Blong

I love all things that are sparkly and glittery. I mean what girl doesn't!? Over the years I have rhinestoned everything from drum sticks to my phone, and even to my college graduation cap. So when an opportunity to bedazzle comes along - it cannot be passed up and when Z's new computer arrived it was the same size as mine [newer and much shinier]. I knew we would need an easy way to distinguish them to avoid grabbing the wrong one while rushing out the door, and I had just the way!
Rhinestones of course!
Bedazzling is super easy to do. I used Amazing Goop Glue, Rhinestones in assorted sizes from the craft store, and handy dandy tweezers.

My favorite glue to use [but I was out of it] is called E4000 Glue. Its only available at craft stores - home depot and lowes do not carry it anymore due to the fact that it has components that *may* cause cancer. Thats why from this point on in my crafting adventures it will be referred to as Cancer Glue.

Anyhoo after a couple of hours of layout and careful placement using tweezers my computer was now fabulous!

<3

Isn't that the truth

"Absence is to love what wind is to fire; when its a small fire, the wind kills it but when its a real fire, the wind intensifies it."

- Diane Von Furstenberg

I just had to share

Babycakes <3

For those of you who know me, know how obsessed I am with my little dog -Baby. I probably take more pictures of her than most people do of their kids. It's amazing how much joy one little dog can bring but believe me she makes me very happy, even on the bluest of days. Baby was a gift from Z, and he often tells me that she is my dog- just as dramatic, demanding and neurotic. You are probably all wondering why I am babbling on about my dog- well you see today is her birthday :) she is 4! Happy Birthday to my little dog! <3

Project Runway All Stars

Okay so my first semester in college I took the basic fashion class they had to offer [obviously it stuck], and my love for fashion only grew from that point on. During those first few semesters my teacher at the time became obsessed with a new show and it became a weekly discussion in class - that show was Project runway. I have been a faithful project runway watcher - following it season to season and never missing an episode! I always look forward to the new season of fresh designers, Michael Kors' critiques and Tim Gun's "make it work", and you cannot imagine how excited I was when they launched the new season of Project Runway All Stars - especially because Mondo is a designer they brought back!

However, I was thoroughly disappointed when I sat down to watch only to find that there was no Tim, no Heidi, and completely new judges. AND to top it off Mondo didn't even win the first episode. He is really the only one I am rooting for on here, and if he loses again [when he totally should have already won two seasons ago] I might just start to lose faith in Project Runway. I mean he made a dress out of garbage bags, electrical tape, and cowboy hats ALL from the dollar store! I <3 him.

Do YOU watch project runway?
<3

Doilies?! Oh yeah!

Of the many, many, many things that I love, one of them is taking something old and fitting it into our modern life. Today this particular item is what you ask? Well doilies of course, hence our week end adventures to thrift stores! I remember when I was little having to always remove the doilies off of dresser tops and end tables to shake out when I dusted, and believe me - I hated them! Then as time when on and my mom modernized the house the doilies seemed to disappear and I really hadn't thought about them much until I saw this post:

http://ashleyannphotography.com/blog/2009/12/16/diy-doily-table-runner/
[you will have to copy and paste the link - I still cant figure out how to make it clickable]


AND I totally and completely fell in LOVE!!!

Annnnd since I have a newly refinished table that I wrote about a few weeks back I figured it was time to but out the doilies. I only found one that my grandmother made [and will try to find more from her next time I visit my parents house], and the rest I found that the local antique store. :)

After I brought all of my doilies home, I hand washed them with a little detergent and luke warm water and dried them on low. Once they were totally dry I ironed and starched them.

Then laid them out on the table to help find a lay out I liked! It took rearranging a few times to get them to lay how I wanted, then I hand stitched them together in all of the points where they overlapped. I made small stitches so that they aren't visible from the top of the runner and TA DA!

I have a few more that I am working on and will be posting on Etsy soon! <3

Estate Sales, Thrift Stores, and Antiques!

Yesterday, and Saturdays in general, was my day off with Z! I started my day with a little cleaning up and then off to target for one of my many weekly trips [i <3 target]. On my way to target I saw a sign for an estate sale just off the freeway and while I was waiting at the light I did a bit of quick investigating on line and discovered it was the estate of a musician! Score! Z being a musician and all I am always on the lookout for good deals! While I only found a few things for the studio it put me in the mood to go hunt for treasures :) I woke Z up when I got home and it was off we went! I have a huge love for estate sales, thrift stores, and antique stores. There is something about the possibility of finding something that you just cannot live with out that is completely unique and meant something to some one else at one point. Don't get me wrong I don't just buy anything, I am usually on a hunt for something and this was one of the first times that I have brought my other half along - and boy was he amazed at what you can find :)

At our first store, after finding a projector screen, he proclaimed "Wow! That is such a good deal! I have no use for it but feel like I should buy it just because its such a good deal!!" I giggled and told him that is how people end up on hoarders. We soon moved on, two thrift stores and an antique store later our trip was complete. We walked away with an old Singer sewing machine, dog stairs for the little dogs [which I heavily sanitized/bleached], and doilies [which is actually why the hunt began in the first place].

I find that I usually have to be on a mission when I head out on these adventures, otherwise my bag lady tendencies could easily lead me to hoarderville. Things that I am ALWAYS looking for:
1. Old band T-Shirts [specifically Simon Says, Far, & Deftones - they all have significance to Z]
2. Fine China of Japan in Suzanne [I have full service for 12 - which is an estate sale find- but am always on the look out for random pieces]
3. Vintage Jewelry & Vintage Handbags.
4. OLD solid wood chests [I have a serious obsession with trunks, once again channeling the bag lady in me]
5. Samsonite Train Cases [I have more than enough, but its fun to look]

I am in the middle of my doily project and will post soon!
<3

Table and Chairs! Oh my!

Happy Tuesday! I have been forever working on refinishing a dining table and six chairs and have finally started to see progress which i cannot wait to show you!
But first let me fill you in on this wonderful table... Last January a lady that I work with was moving and no longer needed such a large dining table, one conversation led to another and she told me that i could have it free of charge - all i had to do was come pick it up! This is a solid oak table that is nearing 25 years old, it has two leafs, six chairs, and what i thought was white washed blonde oak.


So with the help of my dad we loaded the table and all of it's components in to the truck and brought them home! I was very excited about the project and began to strip it right away. I found that the wood was painted a tan color then white washed and finally sealed, but it was nothing a little Jasco couldn't get through. This set has lots of detail and groves that were time consuming to strip, and after two chair my motivation began to dwindle. Now there was a huge dining set occupying our garage [for months and months] and my sweet husband at one point even offered to purchase me any tools I may need to help complete the project.

As the spring months transitioned into summer and then into fall I realized I needed to start making progress by my December Deadline [so that we could hold Christmas at our house]. Burnt out on the chairs I started again but this time on the table. I striped, sanded, sanded some more, and tried out three different stains to find the right one.. but TA DA! I completed the table just in time! And I found a fabulous fabric to reupholster the chairs!


Now I'm not 100% complete as i still have four more chairs to strip and stain, and put my final coat of polyurethane on the table top - but i am getting there!
<3

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! I have really failed on the whole blogging about my adventures recently but that is all about to change! To start the new year off right I have made two new years resolutions!

1. Stop eating so much sugar. Now I am not going to completely cut out sugar because that is just not even attainable for me, but I'm simply going to practice the whole "in moderation" idea. I am hoping to win the never ending battle of jeans that are just a bit too tight.

2. Blog more! Not only have I had many new ventures and tried new beauty products lately, I have also worked very hard on my ongoing projects!

Wishing every one the very best in this new year and you will definitely hear from me soon! <3