a-England Princess Sabra (Tristam's Eyes) and Ascalon

When I first started getting into NP (last summer) I saw all these pics and raves about a-England and I knew I wanted to try them but couldn't bring myself to spend $12 (from llarowe) on a single NP (oh how times have changed). Eventually I decided to haul from llarowe and got five, five of The Mythicals which I'm sure I'll swatch sometime. Anyway, that was the beginning of my love affair with a-England and Adina.

When Adina announced The Legends collection and pre-orders I sat there and started at bottle pics for days before deciding on the 3 I was going to pre-order (why can't I find a rich girl to marry?); Princess Sabra, Ascalon, and St. George. Still haven't gotten to wearing St. George yet since I need the right mood for such a teal but here we have a boatload of Princess Sabra and Ascalon pics. I wish it had been sunny when I was photographing Princess Sabra as I'm sure she would have been even more amazing but ah well, she's still gorgeous. Just checking out other pics, I think I'm ready to declare these two as my favourites.

Tons of pics ahead, I just couldn't pick my favourites. These have really driven home the point that I have to start doing a proper cleanup. I will! Promise.

NOTD: Essie Play Date

I? Love this girl. You know how sometimes when you go a long time between wearing a certain brand you forget how well (or awfully) it wears on you? I totally did that with Miss Essie (I'm sorry girl! I know you were my first but I had to diversify!). Haven't worn an Essie since Cocktail Bling before Christmas and putting this on and remembering how long I can get out of an Essie mani was like coming home or some poetic shit like that.



Day 4 and I feel almost no need to jazz it up with glitters or shimmers or flakies or an accent. Just got my first chip while I was at the gym tonight (damn you free weights!) and even then it's barely noticeable. Haven't decided if I'm going to touch it up yet or glitterify to hide it. The fact that I'm even questioning shows how much I love this colour, I never touch up chips.



Story time! So on Sunday I went to Nordies determined to fulfill my Dior Waterlily lemming. Walked up to the counter and the sales lady was helping someone else so I browsed a bit. When she finally had a minute I went and asked if they had any Waterlily still and she gave me just this nasty "what are you doing talking to me" look and before she verbally responded the person she was helping said something and she turned back to her leaving me just standing there. I was like psh whatever and wandered over to the BL/DL display and had a lovely chat with an SA and had to convince myself not to buy Knackered and Slapper and Dosh and Disco Biscuit since I'd just bought the NerdLacquer mini colour library (OMG CAN'T WAIT!). Wandered back over and saw the Dior lady was free so asked again about Waterlily and they had it so I went to pay when she was like "you know I'm always surprised when women your size are into things like this."

...WHAT? What the fuck who the fuck even says that? I'm not even that big. I mean I know I'm not a size 2 or anything but I work out like 5 times a week and have lost 30lb in the last 8 months (still have another 20 to go til my goal weight though). Depending on brand and style I fit anything from size 10 to 14. Anyway, that's a lemming sufficiently destroyed. I'd never be able to wear it without thinking of sizeist bitch sales lady.

My response? "I'm always surprised when girls your size like losing customers. Have a nice day." And walked away. ANYWAY as I was walking past all the fragrance counters to leave one of the ladies called out "I love how your nail polish matches your jacket." I totally didn't even notice! Obviously I don't wear my jacket when doing a mani but they really do go nicely together.



Chatted with that lady awhile and she gave me a couple samples which was nice and at least that shopping trip ended on a nice note.

But yes, Essie Play Date, A+ lacquer.

Melmer pics!

Should have done this before the midnight skittles mani but here's my stash as it stands a few weeks ago (it's maybe grown some since then...I need to go on a no-buy. Or a low-buy. Self control where are you?)


The green box on top was my original np holder once I realized how obsessed I was becoming. By the time I got the melmer my collection had overflowed into 3 shoeboxes...oops. It's been re-purposed to hold my electronics now.


Top drawer: Miscellaneous brands that fall in the 3 or less category (including Nails, Inc., MAC, No Miss, L'Oreal, HITS, Ludurana, Deborah Lippman, etc), minis, treatments, TC/BC, supplies (those bottles on the side are my remover. I use loodie's acetone/glycerin recipe), miscellaneous nail related things.


Middle Drawer: Squareish Bottles: Zoya, Color Club, a-England, Butter London, Essie


Bottom Drawer: Roundish Bottles: OPI, NOPI, China Glaze, Revlon, CND, Orly, Cult Nails.

Honestly, I've about outgrown this one. I've started swapping and checking out blog sales and I want to haul Nerd Lacquer and Manglaze and with all the spring collections coming out...I so need another one before I'm cramming and things get disorganized.

A Midnight Skittles Mani

Wasn't I going to be posting here? Fail. Always. And I was going to use my shiny new camera (which I've been using! It's a Canon Rebel T2i and it's fabulous but I haven't actually started transferring photos from camera to computer...) but nope, you get crappy cell phone pic of an uncleaned up mani.

There I was last night hibernating away from the snow storm that decided to hit Chicagoland, laying on the couch, sipping a beer (Two Brothers The North Wind, fabulous Imperial IPA, if you're somewhere they distribute you should try it), catching up on two weeks of DVR (Oh Revenge, why are you so awesome? And how are EVC's lips so perfect?) and the day's blog roll. Had on a perfectly lovely Orly Au Champagne mani that was only a day old. I wander off to the bedroom to get ready for bed and I spot my latest Meijer purchases (Milani Orchidia and L'Oreal Paparazzi Pleaser) on my bedside table. Suddenly I'm cross-legged in front of the melmer pulling out purples and swatching over that lovely white (which I hadn't even taken pics of *shakes fist*)

Well what's done is done right? So I continue getting ready for bed and go to move the laundry into the dryer. I'm still kind of confused about what had just happened since I've never really had an inclination to do skittles before and really I think my body just does what it wants to with no input from me. So I'm staring at my nails while trying to figure out what happened when suddenly I realize, damn, the light in the laundry room is so much better than the one in the bathroom (where I normally take evening pics) So I grab my phone and snap a few pics.



Lol dryer lint on the nail. I was transferring laundry while taking pics.


Left hand; R to L; Zoya Danii, Zoya Nimue, L'Oreal Paparazzi Pleaser, Milani Orchidia, Orly Fowl Play




Right Hand; L to R; Revlon Scandalous, a-England Lady of the Lake, a-England Elaine, China Glaze Spontaneous, Butter London Marrow

Maybe now that I've made an actual post I'll work on getting my lazy ass to upload pics from the camera! Maybe...