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~ Navigating Rheumatoid Arthritis through Beauty and Nail Art

the Rite of Aging…early

Category Archives: Nail Art

Abstract Halloween | #nailart #neon

24 Saturday Oct 2020

Posted by MonicawithRA in Nail Art

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dry brush, Halloween, Nail Art

Nothing to disclose.

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As many may know, I detest Halloween. As a kid I had a very vivid imagination so anything spooky came to serious life for me. I don’t like dressing up for Halloween, I don’t like haunted houses, I don’t like scary movies. The only thing I enjoy is the large assorted bags of candy. (Want to hear a secret? I’m still eating Halloween candy from last year!)
Regardless of my personal feelings on Halloween, I kind of love the color scheme so I participate in some abstract style “Halloween” nail art. I have to say, my most recent one came out PERFECTLY. It took a bit of time to photograph because neons are notoriously difficult to capture and I still had to color correct my skin a little. Even though it has a bit of a green-ish hue to it, the polish colors are accurate (which is an accomplishment all on its own!)
What do you think? Do you like them as much as I do?? Let me know in the comments!

Abstract, Dry Brush Easy Halloween Nails with Orange Brushstrokes and Black Dots | Monica with RA Rheumatoid Arthritis Blogger

Base: China Glaze Delta Darlin’ (Trolls World Tour collection)

Details: China Glaze Orange Knockout (neon orange), Essie Blanc (white), Formula X Nails Naughty Newton (discontinued)


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Red Velvet Sugar-Spin Nails | #nailart #sugarspin

19 Wednesday Aug 2020

Posted by MonicawithRA in Nail Art

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Nail Art, sugar spin

Nothing to disclose.

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I love painting my nails and doing nail art but sitting down and doing them has been like pulling teeth during this pandemic. I think the reluctance comes from how much I wash my hands right now. I already do a lot of that because of the pets but now it’s twice or three times as much and nail polish does not stand a chance.
I change my nails often but I do want wear them for at least a couple of days. LOL.
That being said, sometimes, the call for nail art is just too strong and I have to give in. I had an overwhelming urge to do a sugar-spin (which I do have to take off immediately because it takes too long to dry). ‘Why do you do it then, Monica??’ You may ask. Well, there is something really soothing about this technique for me. It’s my favorite. But, let me say in no uncertain terms. It is NOT an arthritis-friendly technique. Let me repeat, this technique is not arthritis-friendly. As much as I would love to do it all the time, my poor swollen, rheumatoid arthritis-ridden fingers can’t manage it.

It’s been a while since I last did this kind of nail art but I am thrilled with the result. It looks like a delectable red velvet cupcake with frosting and sprinkles! What do you think? Do you like it?

If you are interested, scroll down to see the products I used and watch a short tutorial on how I do my sugar-spin nails!

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Sugar-spin Frosting Nail Art, Sugar Spin Nail Art with Wet n Wild and Zoya Nail Polishes | Monica with RA Rheumatoid Arthritis Blog

Base: Wet n Wild Burgundy Frost

Details: Zoya Aspen (sugar-spin), China Glaze #thisismystreet (sprinkles)

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Say His Name: Elijah McClain | #blacklivesmatter

30 Tuesday Jun 2020

Posted by MonicawithRA in Nail Art

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black lives matter

Nothing to disclose.


Neon Rainbow Nail Art - Justice for Elijah McClain, Say His Name | Monica with RAOn August 24, 2019, in Colorado, Elijah McClain was walking home after buying an iced tea for his brother. He was anemic and wore an open-faced ski mask to keep himself warm. Police officers responded to a call about a “suspicious person” and, without cause, restrained Elijah, placed him in a carotid hold, threatened him, and then dosed him with ketamine. All these actions resulted in Elijah’s eventual cardiac death.

All instances of racial injustice are horrifying but this one hit a little differently with me.

First, this took place in CO, a state I call a second home because I went to university in Fort Collins. Second, Elijah was ill and took precautions to keep himself safe. I often wear sweatpants, sweatshirts, and hats to keep myself warm, even in the summer. I understand what Elijah was doing. These circumstances do not make him a “suspicious person”.

The officers responded aggressively and unnecessarily because apparently, Elijah was fighting back. From the video footage, it is clear Elijah did no such thing. He was a scared kid who was assaulted by power-drunk policemen who used any excuse to detain a black man.

Elijah was sick and vomiting. He couldn’t breathe. He said these things and the police used them to threaten canine action and dope him. He was too weak to fight back. Why did they need to sedate him?

Ketamine could be deadly to anyone with anemia and in conjunction with a carotid hold, Elijah never stood a chance.

It’s devastating that a kid who contributed so much to life was robbed of it too soon because of his race. Being black did not make him a person of interest. Being black did not make him a questionable character. He was ill and tried to live the best he could given the circumstances. A racist person called the police because they thought a black man, walking alone did not belong in their neighborhood.

Neon Rainbow Nail Art - Justice for Elijah McClain, Say His Name, Black Lives Matter | Monica with RAColorado, you failed. How can you keep these officers in the field knowing they could murder someone else. You are placing the safety of your residents in the hands of criminals.

Fire the police officers involved. Try them for murder. Put them away. Administrative leave pay is not okay. People you hired to uphold the law killed an innocent person.

Colorado, you scare me. I used to be so proud to call Colorado my home. I was excited to go back. Now, I am scared. I wear sweatpants and sweatshirts because I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and I cannot always wear “acceptable” clothing. I wear hats, even in summer, because I get severely cold. I wear sunglasses because my eyes are really sensitive to sunlight.

Are you telling me I cannot walk around with my sweatshirt hood pulled over my head because some white jackass will call the police on me? They won’t see a girl or a veterinary medicine student. They will only see a person of color who doesn’t fit in. Are you telling me it’s okay that when the police officers respond to the call they will restrain me first and ask questions later? Is it okay that the same people you think keep your citizens safe will definitely hurt me because I am small and sick?

Think about that. That sounds absurd written out like that. But, you caused this.

Instead of enjoying student life, working towards vet school, and helping others, I have to worry that in minutes all of my goals and dreams could be snuffed out because I am not white.

The people you employ to keep your citizens safe killed one of them for no other reason than the color of his skin. You want me to trust that they will keep me safe, too? They are murderers. By definition these officers are NOT SAFE.

To the police officers who killed Elijah McClain – you murdered a very special person. He was a massage therapist who took away other people’s pain. He was an animal lover. He was a musician. He shared love and positivity. He had family. He had friends. He was only enjoying his life which you then took away without any thought.

Say his name. Bring justice to Elijah McClain.

 

Below are a handful of resources to bring awareness to Elijah, including the petition link to re-open the investigation, the GoFundMe page for the foundation in his honor, and the numbers of the CO representatives to demand change.

Petition to Re-Open Elijah’s Murder Investigation

GoFundMe Fundraiser in Honor of Elijah

Demand Justice by calling CO Representatives

Official Instagram Account – Justice for Elijah McClain

Campaign Zero

The National Police Accountability Project

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.


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(All contributions to this post will go directly to  the NPAP.)

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16 Saturday Nov 2019

Posted by MonicawithRA in Nail Art, Reviews

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Born Pretty Store review, stamping

Products mentioned were sent for review. Opinions are my own.

Y’all know I love abstract designs so it’s no surprise this Born Pretty Store stamping plate called out to me!

I had no issues with transfer or application except a bit of smearing during top coat application but that was pure human error.

Scroll down to see my design.

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Born Pretty Store Stamping Plate Yellow Nail Art ReviewBorn Pretty Store Harunouta stamping plate L081 ($3.59 here)

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

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Born Pretty Store 10% off code - Monica with RA @monicawithRA

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Yellow Floral Design || Born Pretty Store Review

16 Saturday Nov 2019

Posted by MonicawithRA in Nail Art, Reviews

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Born Pretty Store review, stamping

Some products mentioned were provided for review. Opinions are my own.

I have tried many a stamping plate from Born Pretty Store but I have never tried a stamping nail polish from the company! I was very interested when I saw the new versions so I immediately added one to my list for review.

It’s a little thin for a stamping polish so it’s a bit sheer on darker nail polish (not pictured) however, on light colors it looks very nice. I haven’t tried darker shades but this specific yellow is easy to clean up and does not stain my cuticles or nail beds.

Scroll down to see the look I came up with! I say it’s floral but it reminds me more of a 70’s wallpaper…

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fullsizeoutput_3101fullsizeoutput_3104Born Pretty Store Stamping Nail Polish in AC03 ($3.59 here)

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

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Born Pretty Store 10% off code - Monica with RA @monicawithRA

 

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Spider Gel Try Out || Born Pretty Store Review

16 Saturday Nov 2019

Posted by MonicawithRA in Nail Art, Reviews

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Born Pretty Store review, spider gel, sugar spin

Some products were sent for my review. All opinions are my own.

If you’ve been around for a while you know I love a good sugar-spin nail art. Using this technique is fun, rewarding and relaxing….And, a major pain in the ass. I spend hours waiting for the polish to thicken, getting the consistency right, pulling it across perfectly, cleaning up around the cuticles and then waiting for the entire thing to dry. It’s a process but one that I love (for whatever reason).

Lately, I’ve seen “spider gel” on Instagram and a lot of people taking on the art of the sugar-spin. Spider gel is supposed to make sugar-spin hassle-free by taking out the guesswork of it all. I can just dunk a toothpick in the bottle, pull the polish over my nails and voila. A home-made sugar-spun manicure in half the time. Now everyone can have that cool abstract design!
I was thrilled to try the spider gel, from Born Pretty Store, because maybe it would make my favorite technique easier. No. Spider gel sucks and here’s why.

Here are the pros first. The product is easy to handle. It picks up and moves easily. It’s a good consistency for sugar-spin which means there is no wait time to start.

Here’s why I hate (edit: strongly dislike) it. First, it’s hard to get a nice thick line. While it is easy to handle and maneuver I don’t like the stringy nature of the product. Yes, I prefer thick lines but these ensure there is an even amount of polish from one end of the nail to the other. I struggled with this and it was very frustrating.

Second, it’s sticky and a little messier. It smears easily, gets everywhere and stains! It is also very difficult to clean.

Third, it never dries! I don’t wear topcoat over sugar-spin designs because a) it destroys the design and b) I like the 3D effect. I got quite a bit of the gel on the outside of the container and legitimately (I do not exaggerate) the next day it was still sticky. What?

Thinking about it a bit more…is spider gel actually gel? Am I not having good luck with it because I treated it like regular nail polish? Let me know if you’ve tried it and your thoughts in the comments!

Scroll down to see my design and a YouTube tutorial on how I make sugar-spins!

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Born Pretty Store Turquoise Spider Gel Sugar Spin Nail Art ReviewBorn Pretty Store Spider Gel in UR-08 ($2.99 here)

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

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Born Pretty Store 10% off code

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Giving Thanks November | 11.1.19

16 Saturday Nov 2019

Posted by MonicawithRA in Nail Art

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Nothing to disclose.

rainbow reflection on water flowing over rock

I’m back-peddling a bit but here is my gratitude post for the first of November and Giving Thanks month!

Scroll down to see the prompt and my response for the first day! But…of course, before you do…

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gratitude november calendar 2019What do you love about yourself?

I am pretty proud of my resilience. No matter what, I come out the other side. Maybe a bit banged up, maybe a little torn down but I still manage to keep going. I am grateful for that!

 

Hi, I’m Monica and I have RA.

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