My July Favorites – Showcase

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Each picture links directly to the original web post!

 

I wanted to start a favorites showcasingg other people’s nail art, products, etc that I loved throughout the month. I wanted to do this for a while but always forgot which things went with which month! I remedied this by starting Pinterest monthly boards (one for nail art, one for everything else) so I could easily organize everything. Finally, my unhealthy addiction to Pinterest came in handy! Check out all my nail art favorites here and my favorite everything else’s (well, it’s a word now!) here.

Below I compiled ten. This is not to say I don’t love everything in my Favorites tab but if I do not narrow down the list I will talk forever and ever! In no particular order…

 

Mordor Nail Art 4

Jacki from Adventures in Acetone created this amazing Mordor nail art! She completely stole my heart when she said Mordor was a worthy “land” for the Digit-al Dozen prompt this month. As you all know, I wholeheartedly believe Middle Earth exists in a different dimension so I could not stop gushing over this manicure.  Jacki’s freehand is wonderful and the matte top coat adds to the effect. Check out her amazing pictures where the lava glows under the black light!

 

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I finally said a sad farewell to my Blackberry and upgraded to a true Android, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. Everyone makes fun of me because the thing is bigger than my face. That aside, the voice recognition is superb which is great on my flare-y days but the phone comes with a stylus which is just plain cool. As any normal 20-something girl I set out to find a case for my new technological monster. Where is the best place to look? Etsy, of course!  And, because I am a huge nerd, I wanted to showcase my love of Lord of the Rings.

This case is absolutely perfect. The picture is not stretched or blurred. The thick silicone wraps around the phone so I imagine it is well-protected from a fall. Did I mention shipping is ridiculously fast? I received the order within a week of placing it!

 

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This is my FAVORITE quote from any book, movie, spoken or written word ever. (It would be from Lord of the Ring’s Fellowship of the Ring…) I have never been a full-time kind of person. I get bored quickly and like to move around so this quote describes my life motto. This is my next tattoo, if I get another one, so it makes sense it would be my phone case as well.

The details are not stretched and the case wraps around the phone. It is made out of plastic like the “barely there” case so it may crack with impact but it sticks like glue. I have trouble removing it when I switch cases. I did not notice the map until I received the product but it is not the typical world map. I am not really sure which map it is, to be honest. I also received the shipment a week within ordering!

 

9aa626d65174b2afa6bb6750a8afe5c6Neons! ‘Nuff said. I absolutely love toothpick marbles. They always look fun and fantastic and Sheila did a fabulous job. (Yay alliteration!) The colors work so well together and they do not mix or become muddy! This manicure is really amazing.

 

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Neons and abstract are the secret keys to my favorites. Pearl created a great manicure with an awesome color scheme and precision I can only dream of achieving. There are no smudges and the glitter does not spill over onto the base which is always a difficult avoidance! Pearl’s water-spotting is a work of art. I would love to re-create this look for an evening out!

 

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I love plaid designs and the ones on Marta’s nails are no exception. Her stamping is exceptional and her splatter is gorgeous. It is well-defined but melts into the background. There are many layers but they come together for one great look.

 

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If am not loving abstract art I am loving clean cut geometric shapes like the ones from Mireia. This is her submission for the “round and square” prompt from the Nail-Art-A-Go-Go challenge. Her freehand is so well-done it looks stamped!

 

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While I am not a fan of florals on myself, I adore them on other people. I have a soft spot for Cherry Blossoms which is probably a side effect of growing up in Washington DC! Sheila’s flowers look real but her gorgeous black and white background steals the show. The shading and gradient are to die for and it reminds me of the traditional watercolor paintings on Japanese rice paper.

 

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Wow. Just wow. This amazing freehand “Aurora Borealis” from Emma took my breath away. The colors danced on the nail. Words cannot express how much I loved this manicure.

 

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I love this teeny dotticure from Jemma! This was one of her manicures for the Oh Mon Dieu 2 Challenge in July and I swooned when I first saw it. I love tiny dots. They are cute and wonderful and these are no exception. Jemma’s dots are even and the colors are bright and defined. Even though white nail polish never screams subtle, the nail art does and makes anyone do a double take at your nails.

 

I hope you like my new take on monthly favorites! Please check out my Pinterest boards for the full list!

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

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Just like most bloggers, I gush over the Nordstrom Anniversary sale. Almost every department experiences price slashes with a great selection of online and in-store products.

I compiled a collage and list (with links) to the items I have my eyes on. As you probably guessed, I am flaky about purchasing clothes, accessories, skincare, beauty, okay, everything so my shopping cart changes on an hourly basis. I wish I was kidding. I find my mind and mouse wandering back to the website!

 

9d46e8245347caf8191317509f9c4aa6_fotoricon1. Under Armour ‘Ultimate’ Shorts (I bought these in blue and green! I would have bought all three if the pink came in my size!)

2. Halogen Solid Cashmere Sweater (I like the color Navy Limoges but there are a ton to choose from.)

icon3. Nike ‘Legendary’ Print Dri-FIT Tight Fit Capri Leggings (These leggings are on the thin side but they do not bunch and fit my perfectly at the calves.)

4. London Fog Iridescent Double Breasted Trench Coat (I still cannot decide between the green or red…)

5. Elie Tahari ‘Carmen’ Print Silk Georgette Blouse

 

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6. Nordstrom ‘Sunglasses’ Scarf

7. Hinge Plaid Scarf

8. Nordstrom ‘Hemmingway’ Scarf (This scarf is great in both colors!)icon

9. Argento Vivo Birthstone & Personalized Nameplate Pendant Necklace

10. Vince Camuto Abstract Print Scarf

11. Sara Bella Multistrand Stone Pendant Necklace

12. B Brian Atwood ‘Ingrid’ Snake Embossed Leather Clutch

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13. Gift with Purchase – Yves Saint Laurent (with any $125 purchase it is a perfect chance to stock up on my favorite mascaras!)

14. Laura Mercier Mini Lip Glacé Set (I love the Laura Mercier minis because they are perfect to keep in my purse!)

15. Blissliving Home ‘Nyla’ Pillow

16. Jo Malone London ‘Blackberry & Bay’ Collection (while I am not the biggest fan of the candles this is a very good deal in a great scent)

17. Gift with Purchase – Estee Lauder (Valid with any $45 purchase. I always take advantage of the gift with purchases. I get way more product than I spend for!)

18. Estee Lauder ‘Advanced Night Repair’ Synchronized Recovery Complex II

 

These are my picks from the Anniversary Sale! There are, of course, loads more but these are ones that peaked my interest and hopefully they peaked yours as well! Don’t forget, the sale ends Monday August 4, 2014!

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.icon

Oh Mon Dieu 2 Challenge – Day 31: Signature Style

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I cannot believe July is over! I had such a great time this month doing all the fun prompts. This month featured a ton of “firsts” for me and I found out they were super fun designs to try! To be honest, I am very proud I managed to catch up on four manicures! I did not know whether I would be able to…but I did!

 

A huge thank you to Jacqui, Brijit, Jemma and Lindsay for hosting this great challenge/contest!

What is my signature style? I have not blogged for long so I am not quite sure of the answer. Then, I realize, I always return to sugar-spinning! Oh, how I love my sugar-spinning. I love drying the polish, I love spinning the polish, I love cleaning up. Weird, right? But, I love manipulating the strings to look exactly how I want!

I hope you like my manicure for today!

 

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I used 2 coats of Pop Beauty Pacific Hoot and 1 coat of Sinful Colors Nail Junkie as my base.

I sugar-spun with (from cuticle to tip) Sinful Colors Chick ChickChina Glaze Sun WorshiperIn The Lime Light, and Zoya Giovanna.

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

Oh Mon Dieu 2 Challenge – Day 30: Fashion Inspired

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I am in the middle of a horrendous flare. I could barely breathe and my hands were shaking like mad. Originally, I wanted to do something based off Chanel’s Spring/Summer 2014 collection but I was just not focused enough. I decided on my favorite scarf. I am pretty pleased with how this nail art turned out but, I think I should have softened the lines between the colors a little more.

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DSCF0424_fotorI used 2 coats of Julie G White Orchid as my base.

I water-colored with China Glaze FuchsiaPop Beauty Pacific Hoot, and Color Club Mrs. Robinson.

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

FingerFood Themes Buffet: Rainbow

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I really tried to use the whole rainbow for this week’s FingerFood’s Theme Buffet but then I couldn’t fit it on my nails…Okay, I did not really try that hard. As you know, I am not the biggest fan of the traditional rainbow spectrum.

I hope you like how I incorporated the dots within dots theme for SIMPLES as well.

DSCF0394_fotorI used 2 coats of Julie G White Orchid as my base.

I dotted with Wet n Wild I Red a Good BookColor Club Wham! Pow!Urban Outfitters Westside, and Color Club Almost Famous.

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

 

Check out the other rainbow-rrific manicures below!

Oh Mon Dieu 2 Challenge – Day 29: National Pride

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I forgot to take camera shots of my bridal nails for a blog post but you can check out pictures on my Instagram at the top of the page!

I could not decide where I wanted to go with today’s prompt. I am from DC so National Pride is, well, DC! I considered doing a Christmas tree so I could use my water decals. You can feel the city light up during the Christmas holidays. You can feel the community.  But, I still want to work on my freehand work so I decided to go with fireworks. I did not do a Fourth of July manicure this year so this will be my be-lated one.

 

As always, my pinky crowded a little but I hope you like it anyways!

DSCF0408_fotorI used 2 coats of Wet n Wild Black Creme as my base.

I detailed with a small artist’s brush and Julie G White OrchidColor Club Almost FamousMilani Quick Teal, and Pop Beauty Pacific Hoot.

I finished with Seche Vite to seal the design before I added a generous coat of INM Northern Lights – Silver.

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

Oh Mon Dieu 2 Challenge – Day 27: Nautical

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I was all over the place for this theme. First, I wanted bubbles to double as an IV infusion nail art. Then, I wanted purple octopi because everyone needs purple octopi in their life. Afterwards, I wanted simple navy/white stripes. Finally, I landed on the one below.

I hope you like it!

 

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I started with 2 coats of Sally Hansen Blue My Mind as my base. This blue is so so gorgeous but I rarely use it because the brush sucks! The polish brushes of the Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure lines are so big and blotchy! The bristles are uneven and hard to manipulate a clean line. I dislike the brush so much I rarely reach for this polish!

Which of your polishes fit this description?? 

I detailed (foam eyeshadow applicator, paintbrush, and dotting tool) with Sally Hansen Blue My MindZoya DreamCrystalMilani Power PeriwinklePop Beauty Pacific Hoot, Wet n Wild Blue Moon, and Sinful Colors Nail Junkie.

I stamped with MoYou London plate 08 (Sailor collection) and Urban Outfitters Westside. I am so pleased with how well this stamped. The Urban Outfitters polishes are great quality for only $4!

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

 

Don’t forget to check out the nautical-themed manicures below!

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