Author Archives: MonicawithRA

Born Pretty Store Review: Nail Accessory Lovely Tiger Pattern Water Decals

15 Saturday Nov 2014

Posted by in Nail Art, Reviews

≈ 14 Comments

Product provided for review. All opinions are my own.

I have some exciting news! (Born Pretty Store) contacted me about reviewing a couple of products for them! Born Pretty Store is a large online (nail art) & beauty supplier that ships worldwide! They graciously sent me three products I will review separately over the next couple of weeks.

As you know, I am not really into freehand detail work so one of my favorite cheats for cute, fast and easy nail art is water decals! BPS has an absurdly large assortment of them and I love looking through them.

In this post I will review a set of tiger decals I fell in love with while choosing products. I hope you find it helpful!

lovely tiger water decals from bps

Product: BLE586

I forgot to take a picture of the decals before I dug into them so I took this picture (it links to the item’s web page) from the website. Aren’t they cute? I have a soft spot for tigers. I may have mentioned this before but after I finish vet school and my residency I would love to work with a conservation agency specializing in the White Bengal Tiger!

Anyways…on to the nail art I created!

DSCF1717_fotorI started with 2 coats of Color Club Twiggie and 1 coat Serum No. 5 Forest Lights as my base.

I distressed with Zoya Giovanna and Color Club Twiggie before sealing everything with Seche Vite.

I applied the water decals on the middle and ring fingers. I waited 10 minutes before gently sealing them with Seche Vite.

Applications & thoughts:

I cut out the individual decals before removing the protective plastic cover.

I soaked the decals, one at a time, in a cup of water for 15-20 seconds. If that was not long enough, I just stuck them back into the water until the decal slid easily of the backing paper.

The first time I applied the decals they slipped all over the place and refused to stay put. I dunked my fingers into the cup of water and the extra moisture seemed to help them stick better. The decal did not sit completely flat on my nail but top coat fixed that issue. I did not experience any bubbling either.

I waited about 10 minutes before applying top coat as I have had trouble with smearing the image in the past. I even used a blow-dryer on one of them to see if it made a difference. (It doesn’t!)

DSCF1717_fotorI have to say I am so pleased these decals did not smear! I bought a few water decals last year and they smeared every time I applied top coat which was a huge bummer.

I tried to use the year-old decals recently. Not only did they not adhere to the nail, even with the above method, the images  smeared so badly I ended up with bald spots. Not a cute look! I heard the decals dry up over time and do not work properly which is slightly annoying since nail art supplies should not “expire”. I hope this does not happen with these tigers! Though, I may end up using them before they get a chance to.

Now on to the nitty-gritty about shipping, etc. –>

BPS ships out items quickly after placing an order. However, BPS does not track packages so the shipment can get lost. It should only take 3 to 5 weeks for the package to reach it’s destination (this latest order took 5 weeks). Unfortunately my first order ever placed took 2 months to reach me! I had honestly forgotten about it until one day it just appeared in my mailbox. Okay, sometimes it happens. I placed a second order. I never recieved it. I emailed customer service and they promptly replied and re-shipped the order. I still have not received it. I wish there was a way to track orders to make sure the package ends up in the right place!

However, I am okay with the trade-off. The items on the website are super cheap. These decals only cost $0.99/sheet and with free shipping, the price is right.

Take a look at the website. They not only have a large selection of nail art goodies but a very diverse selection within each category. If you place an order don’t forget to apply my 10% off coupon code below!

unnamed

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

Flashback Friday: A Whole New Chew Toy

15 Saturday Nov 2014

Posted by in Animal Sciences, Just for Fun

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

,

I have not done a Flashback Friday post in ages! How is this possible? I love talking about my pets and most times, in person, nobody wants to hear it! So…I take to the internet! I am going to re-start these posts because they are fun to write and reminisce about!

 

We adopted Affie at 8 months. She came to us set in her obstinate, pig-headed, Coton ways and it took months and months to train her. I nearly lost my mind. However, looking back on that time I realize she was actually very well-behaved. Sure, she would sneak off and poop or pee all over the house but she never got into anything she was not supposed to, or wrecked other havoc on the house.

We adopted Saachi at 2 months. Of course, by the time she was 2.5 months she was thoroughly spoiled. She, on the other hand, was house and command trained in weeks. Just like a cat! On the flip side, though, when she could she destroyed anything she got her paws on.

 

I should probably interject at this point, whenever I left the house, I used all the tricks. I left squeaky toys out, I left hard rubber toys out, I left the lights on, I left the TV and radio on. She still showed her displeasure at being unsupervised. One evening, despite my attempts at making her feel less alone, I went out to dinner with friends. I returned home to find Saachi did some gardening. She re-potted every single plant to the white carpet. Seriously, dog? Really…I mean…really??

However, this is next to nothing to her piece de resistance: the chair leg.

 

I should probably say this did not happen over one evening…It took her weeks of stealthy chewing to completely eliminate a chair leg. We did not watch Saachi as carefully as we did Affie, because she was house-broken and slightly better-behaved….except, of course, when she got a tic in her head to complete some sort of project…

 

In our living room, we had a matching set of blue chairs. It was the “nice” living room which we used to entertain guests. However, during the first few months after adopting Saachi we rarely invited people over. Saachi was crazy aggressive to people and animals alike.

One day we noticed one of the chairs look a little skewed and when we took a closer look we noticed one of the legs was missing! Saachi had chewed and probably swallowed a whole chair leg!

 

Now, my father and I have strange attachments to our inanimate objects and could not bring ourselves to trash the chairs so instead, we sanded the left-over stump and placed books underneath to prop the chair up! Let me tell you, it was a conversation starter!

 

Smiling

Look at those crooked teeth!

 

Saachi’s adult teeth were fairly new so the constant wood chewing resulted in major cosmetic changes on her lower mandible!

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

Inspire Me Nails – Inspired by a Cause

12 Wednesday Nov 2014

Posted by in Community, Nail Art

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

Check out the sidebar for more information.

I have been part of this Facebook group for months but never participated. I wanted to but always felt like my ideas did not execute well as nail art. The current prompt is “Inspired by a Cause” and since November is Stomach Cancer Awareness Month, I finally decided to do some nail art!

 

I mentioned before my mother passed away over 12 years ago but I do not think I said how. She died of stomach cancer. She was diagnosed about two years before her death but went into remission after a little over a year. The cancer returned with a vengeance only after a few months and spread to almost every major organ.

Stomach cancer has one of the highest mortality rates of any cancer. This is in part to the lack of research behind it. Early symptoms are consistent with those of other gastrointestinal issues and the disease is difficult to detect in early on. And, as you know, once the cancer progresses to higher stages the survival rate decreases drastically.

 

Periwinkle symbolizes stomach cancer awareness so I opted for an all over purple color palette. I was in the mood for sugar spinning and stamping so I combined both. I hope you like it!

 

inspired by a causeI started with 3 coats of Pahlish Mind Like a Diamond as my base.

I used Sephora by OPI Metro Chic, Caffeine Fix and a mixture of Milani Power Periwinkle, Vivid Violet for the sugar-spin.

I stamped with Sephora by OPI Caffeine Fix and Pueen plates PUEEN37 & PUEEN43.

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

 

Check out the other manicures at the Facebook page or the Inlinkz below!


Nail Art: Shimmer-y Saran Wrap

11 Tuesday Nov 2014

Posted by in Nail Art

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

Affliate Links.

For today’s nail art, I decided to go with a little shimmer cling wrap as I continue to ease my way into holiday manicures. I have so much fun with this technique. It is an easy way to get cute nail art without strain on my fingers or wrists and because it is abstract it does not have to look perfect which is some of its charm.

Of course, I could not leave well enough alone so I added some stamping. The stamping came out great but my trusty Seche Vite failed me! I thought I had waited long enough for the stamping to dry (about 15 minutes) but it still smeared the design! Oh well, it is pretty hard to tell in person.

I hope you like it!
shimmer clingwrapI started with two coats of Milani Spotlight White And one coat of Revlon Parfumerie Fresh Linen as my base.

I used bubble wrap, Essie No Place Like Chrome, and Julie G Peep Toe Pumps for the saran-wrap effect. I sealed everything with a coat of Seche Vite.

I stamped with Pueen plate PUEEN46 (from the Love Elements collection, linked [here]) and Konad Special Polish Black. I am seriously loving these Pueen plates. The images transfer well to the stamper and it always looks like my stamping is five times better than it actually is!

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

Nail Art: Icy Weather

08 Saturday Nov 2014

Posted by in Nail Art

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

I spent the day very cold. It was chilly outside, the perfect fall weather but I was freezing. I just could not regulate my body temperature! The heat is on in the house yet here I am sitting with two sweatshirts, leg and feet warmers…

Ever since I started the Methotrexate injections I get random chills…even in the summer. I felt very ill today, unfortunately, but it inspired the start of my holiday manicures! Excuse the stamping, I am a little out of practice and a little shaky from a flare but I know I will be stamping a lot more often over the next couple of months.

 

I hope you like it! (Anyone with a WordPress blog…is it just me or have the default picture sizes gotten smaller?)

 

Icy-Blue Watercolor | The Rite of AgingI started with three coats of Zoya Dream as my base.

I watercolored with Zoya Crystal, Sally Hansen Blue My Mind and Essie No Place Like Chrome and glitter topper Sephora by OPI Lights, Glammar-a, Action!

I stamped with Konad Special Polish White and Pueen plate PUEEN28. 

52-Week Pick n Mix Challenge: Three Shades of Blue

07 Friday Nov 2014

Posted by in Nail Art

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , ,

Check the sidebar for more information on this challenge.

My participation in this updated challenge has definitely been spotty. I am hoping to participate more regularly in the future, though! Every week there are two prompts. You may choose to do both over the week, only one or a combination. I generally choose one or the other but I may try my hand at a combination!

I hope you like my “three shades of blue” manicure…I thought a “Picasso-Swirl” would work perfectly for this!

3 Shades of Blue Picasso Swirl | The Rite of AgingI started with 3 coats of the long neglected Urban Outfitters Mystic as my base.

I swirled with a toothpick, Anise Neon Blue, Pop Beauty Pacific Hoot and Essie No Place Like Chrome. I first placed dots of every color on each nail. I allowed the polish drops to dry slightly before I dragged the toothpick back and forth through them. I continued to apply polish in stages until I was happy with the final result.

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

NORMAN ROCKWELL x KIEHL’S

05 Wednesday Nov 2014

Posted by in Just for Fun, Skincare

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,

Contains affiliate links.

Updated: 11/15/2014

 

I have really exciting news!! Kiehl’s beauty brand teamed up with the Norman Rockwell Estate to create limited edition holiday sets! Better yet, Kiehl’s will donate 100% of profits to Feeding America!

 

trimming the tree

 

I don’t usually care for collaborations because they cater too much to the “hottest” thing at the time but Norman Rockwell is classic and absolutely perfect for this time of year. Sure, you can argue he was the “pop” illustrator of his time but there was something very relatable about his work. During a time of political uncertainty and economic struggle family became even more important. There was a certain fairy tale-like feel to his work that gave people hope. His artworks represented the struggles of the middle class family but there was something very calming about them.

 

dog and his owner

 

I saw a Norman Rockwell painting, for the first time, at a Smithsonian museum exhibit. I don’t remember now, for sure, which museum but if I were to take a guess I would say the Newseum when it first opened. I was mesmerized. At my young age I was first drawn to the dogs and their children but as I learned more about the inspiration for his art I realized there was more to the happy exterior.

 

 Now that I have rambled on about nostalgia let us get on to the products!

The picture is also the link.

 

kiehls x norman rockwell greatest hits

If you are new to the brand this is a great place to start! This set includes many travel size favorites including the concentrate and body lotion! Not to mention, this is one of my favorite paintings!

 

kiehls x norman rockwell creme de corps

If you’re just interested in one product the best-selling Creme de Corps lotion comes in this limited-edition casing, in three sizes! I think I may get the biggest size so I can re-purpose the bottle later on.

 

kiehls x norman rockwell set

Another great painting houses the best-selling original scent lip balm and heavy-duty hand cream. The perfect duo for the upcoming winter! Just keep in mind, the lotion is on the greasier side (I would wear it at night) and the lip balm is petroleum-based.

_9782046The “Hydration Essentials” is one I have my eye on as it contains some of Kiehl’s best-selling moisturizers! A cute gift box and sample-size essentials for all your holiday travel needs! I wanted to purchase the lip balm hand salve duo but given this holiday set contains both, plus more I think this is definitely a better value! I also have a thing for travel-sized products. They are so easy and convenient!

 

_9650886Are you a fan of the heavy duty “Ultimate Strength Hand Salve”? Do you want others to love it too? This trio is a great idea if you want a quick, inexpensive stock-stuffer for your friends & family!

 

Can you tell I am excited about this? If it was not too apparent…YAY! THIS IS AWESOME….I want to buy them all. Buy all the things. Seriously. I will sleep on it tonight and maybe tomorrow I will feel less spend-y…But I will tell you right now, I am purchasing the body lotion and Hydration Essentials! Don’t forget, Nordstrom currently offers a Kiehl’s gift with purchase as well!

 

Hi my name is Monica and I have RA.