Thursday, January 30, 2014

AVON Nail Art Stickers Review


Avon recently sent me a swathe of nail art stickers to try out.  Naturally, I picked the most retro looking ones to play with first! 

This pack came in 2 styles of 9 stickers each; an all over 3D 'gemstone' effect in gold and Ruby Pink on a black base with gold detail. I put the second style on my ring finger, which has more of a black base with side detailing.


These are your basic nail sticker.  They are quite thick, making complete flat application very hard to achieve.  You can see slight wrinkling on the edges on the ring finger, and this was impossible to keep flat.  The overall sticker is extremely 'sticky' and was really hard to remove.  Eventually after buffing with acetone, that sticky residue came off, but it resisted!
So if you are after a fabulous nail art sticker for a couple of days then Avon has it 'nailed'.  If you are looking for a long wearing week long sticker, these will stay on BUT the wrinkling at the edges may bug you too much.


Has anybody ordered these from their Avon representative yet?  What did you think?

Monday, January 27, 2014

A Very Fantastic Bidding Auction You ALL Need To Know About!

After reading my blog post on my cousin's fundraiser night, Kristy from The Polish Haven has chosen to auction off three beautiful rare polishes to help Angie's family - OPI DS Original, OPI Peel Me A Gobi Grape and Pretty Serious Naughty Night Shift Nurse, all from her collection.


Auction is open to Australian bidders only and you can find out how to bid here:
http://thepolishhaven.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/fundraiser-polish-auction.html

 BUT wait, there's more!  Kaz from Pretty Serious would also like to sweeten the deal by throwing in a $50 gift card to the winner of the auction. Thanks so much Kaz!

Please check out Kristy's blog post, and make a bid for some beautiful polish, and help a gorgeous family at the same time.

 Friends and family have organised a fundraising auction for Friday, February 28 at Jackson’s and Co, 201 Mair Street, Ballarat.
Dress code is wear something glittery or sparkly. Cost is $30. For more information call Kelly Wakeling on 0409 871 251 or Rachael Mahoney on 0412 223 608.
 

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Pastel Gradient with Ulta3


So, this is my FIRST gradient attempt!  I know, right?  Nail art doesn't hold the same appeal for me lately as it used to, so I've been lazy attempting new styles.

 
This gradient was used with the Ulta3 Nail Art kit, pictured above, and the following Polishes from Ulta3: Soft Hydrangea, Pale Dahlia and Spring Blossom.  The glitter on the ring finger is Butter London Tart with a Heart over White.
 

If you are interested in any of these Ulta3 products, they can be ordered from The Heat Group website.

Friday, January 24, 2014

Let's Rally To Help Angie

 
Hello Vintage Queens.
 
If I have any followers in Ballarat, Victoria, please consider booking a ticket for the below event.  Brett is my first cousin and his family needs all the help they can get in this very difficult time.
xx
 
Angie and Brett Edwards with their children, Brodie, 6, Jameson, 5, Chelsea, 2, and Tristan, 18 weeks. PICTURE: Sharee Stevens Photography
Angie and Brett Edwards with their children, Brodie, 6, Jameson, 5, Chelsea, 2, and Tristan, 18 weeks. PICTURE: Sharee Stevens Photography

THE Ballarat community is rallying behind a young mother struck down with a rare and inoperable cervical cancer only months after giving birth to her fourth child.
A fundraiser is being organised for Angie Edwards’ family – her husband of eight years Brett and their four children aged between six years and 18 weeks – to help them financially after Mrs Edwards was diagnosed with cancer late last year.
The ferocity of the cancer has astounded Melbourne specialists. They have told the 31-year-old, who is already bedridden in hospital, there is no cure.
In just a matter of weeks, Mrs Edwards (nee Clifford) has gone from a vivacious woman who was busy looking after her growing family, to being unable to complete even the simplest of tasks, such as getting in and out of bed.
Just 18 weeks ago, the Edwards family was celebrating the birth of their fourth child.
It had been an easy pregnancy and an uncomplicated labour, but their new son Tristan was rushed to Melbourne’s Monash Medical Centre after he was born not breathing. Soon after, doctors gave Tristan the all-clear to go home and the Edwards, who met and fell in love while at school, returned to their busy lives of raising their little brood, believing the worst was over.
However, four weeks later their world was turned upside down when Mrs Edwards was diagnosed with the rare and very aggressive form of inoperable cervical cancer.
Her husband has been given leave from his job at MaxiTRANS to look after the children, and her mother Kerry McNeight has also taken leave from her job at Ballarat Health Services to be there for her daughter.
The first sign something was wrong came four weeks after Tristan’s birth, when Mrs Edwards complained of a sore neck, believing she had slept the wrong way.
It was initially thought to be an infected cyst, but an ultrasound showed it was a blood clot. She was immediately hospitalised and, after many tests, a biopsy showed it was cervical cancer. 
Doctors first told Mrs Edwards a hysterectomy and radiation treatment would be the answer.
Further investigations by a top Melbourne surgeon showed that operating to remove the cancer, which was not responding to chemotherapy or radiotherapy, was not an option as it was too large and wrapped around organs.
“We were told a couple of days before Christmas that there was no cure. They sent Angie home and we all fell to pieces,” Mrs Edwards’ mother said. “We tried to make it a nice Christmas for the kids, but it was very hard.”
Mrs McNeight said before the diagnosis, her daughter was a very independent woman.
“She was the best mum I know ... nothing would faze her,” she said. “At the moment, the odds are stacked against her, but we need to stay positive, to keep our hopes up.
“Some days are easier than others but we have to power on for the children.”
Mrs Edwards’ biggest concern for the future is how her husband will deal with the financial strain her illness has caused. The family is receiving Centrelink payments, but there is still a worry for their financial future.
 
Friends and family have organised a fundraising auction for Friday, February 28 at Jackson’s and Co, 201 Mair Street, Ballarat.
Dress code is wear something glittery or sparkly. Cost is $30. For more information call Kelly Wakeling on 0409 871 251 or Rachael Mahoney on 0412 223 608.
 
An NAB bank account has also been sent up for the Edwards family. Anyone who wants to make a donation can go into an NAB branch and quote BSB: 083 532 account number 397507917.
 

 
 

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Florals and Leopard Print



It was raining, my hair was starting to frizz and I was a little cold.  I'm afraid these photos do nothing to soften the cheezed off look on my face.  I do apologise.




50's Peplum Dress: Bells Belle's Vintage
Leopard Shoes: Ebay
Leopard Belt: Thrifted
Nail Polish: Cult Nails Captivated
Bakelite and Celluloid Bangles: Etsy, eBay

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Wedding Anniversary Nails

So, I've been ball and chained to the same man for 18 years now!  With no time off for good behaviour! 

It's all in jest, there's a reason why he has his very own hashtag over on Instagram: #thesexiestmanontheplanet  :)




Obviously a Love theme happening here with 3 coats of Ulta3's Fairy Floss and stamped with Konad Red.  Finished with Cult Nails Quick Dry and a few rhinestones.

Friday, January 10, 2014

OPI Gwen Stefani Love, Angel, Music Baby




Just plain swatches of Love Angel Music Baby without nail art.  Sometimes it's nice to just see what the color is instead of covering it up :)

L.A.M.B by OPI dries to a satin matte finish and is a unique color in my collection.  After a few days I layered a couple of coats of Lancôme 366 over it for a super blingy look.


 

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

OPI Gwen Stefani Over and Over a-Gwen


I got excited by nail polish for the first time in ages when I heard that Gwen Stefani was collaborating with OPI.  I knew that I *must* own her shade of red and was ecstatic when OPI sent me a bottle.  I did not know that it also came with nail studs!


The box comes with an assortment of nail stud shapes along with a tube of glue.  I didn't use the glue for the studs as I couldn't get the lid off my tube, so I just used top coat.  There is also a little leaflet enclosed with a few suggested nail stud art looks.


Please bear in mind that I am still renovating my house and my nails are still suffering, so don't look too closely at my cuticles.

The shade of red is a fabulous, staple Vintage color.  If you don't own a true vintage red then this one is for you.  If you own a dozen of them like me, well.....you just want to get this one cause Ms Stefani herself made the color....and it comes with nail studs to play with.


Sunday, January 5, 2014

Sand Sculpted Storybooks

Frankston Waterfront has it's annual sand sculpting exhibition on so we took a drive down for a couple of nights to check it out.  A town nearby, Tyabb, has an amazing antique mall which we scored well at....another post can show my finds.
 
This year's sand sculpting theme was Storybooks.
 
 


This was my second favourite; The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.


Check out the detail in his eye!


Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory


No explanation needed.


Angelina Ballerina.  Miss 5 was trying to show she didn't really care but secretly she was excited to see this annoying dancing rat.


My very most favourite.  Where The Wild Things Are had the most amazing carved detail.
 

The Fairy Garden


Peter Rabbit of course.




And making sand pictures of our own.
 
Has anybody else been to the Frankston Waterfront out to see this exhibition?