Ooooh Baby

With all the nude OPI swatch pics being posted from their new Femme de Circque collection, I thought I'd give us Aussies a cheapo alternative.

Australian brand Mode has released some amazing colors recently, the formula has been divine and the pigmentation has been amazing at almost everything I've swatched being a one coater.
And all this for $2. In Australia a $2 nail polish is a big deal...nothing here is $2 makeup wise. The last Mode nail polish I wore was while on holiday and it last for 6 days without chipping....seriously.

So it may come as no surprise that everytime I pop into my local chemist I may stock up on a few...some....lots???

Artificial light and flash

Sunlight, no flash.

After all of that, this new one from Mode called Ooh Baby was a 3 coater. If I wasn't going to stamp over it, a fourth coat would have been necessary to cover the last few bald spots. Other than that, this has been on for 3 days now and it hasn't even got any wear let alone any chipping.
I Konaded it with China Glaze Emotion from the Romantique collection and added 1 coat of Seche QD.

Even tho I am not a pink girl AT ALL, don't own any pink clothes or particulary like the color, I am loving this color on my nails.  After bright colors all the time a nice pale, nudish pink is a lovely change.

For my Australian followers, my local Chemmart chemist stocks dozens on dozens if not hundreds of these babies with a 2 for $4 deal. Also I have seen them in Price-attack hairdressing stores. I am guessing all Chemmart pharmacies would stock these, if you can't find them and are desperate, email me and I can send some along!

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APOTHICA Giveaway!

Apothica are sponsoring my next giveaway! Yay for APOTHICA!


You have a chance to win a $25 gift card for Apothica.com. All you have to do is follow the rules and enter the giveaway.  They stock all the awesome makeup brands including Australian brand BECCA and Deborah Lipmann.

What is Apothica?
Apothica is an online beauty boutique, which carries the finest selection of skin care, body care, aromatherapy, and cosmetic products on the market. Some of the brands you can find on Apothica are: Barielle, Chanel, Clinique, Deborah Lippmann, Dior, Essie, Kerastase, La Mer, NARS, Shiseido, Smashbox, SpaRitual, Stila, Too Faced ... and many more. 

Entry Rules:
MANDATORY: You have to be a follower of my blog via Google Friend Connect. (2 entries)OPTIONAL ENTRIES:
Become a fan of Apothica on Facebook. (1 entry)

Follow Apothica on Twitter. (1 entry)

Retweet Apothica's tweet about my giveaway. (2 entries)

Write a comment about Apothica. (2 entries)

Subscribe to Apothica Newsletter - found at the bottom of the website. (2 entries)

Write blog post with a link directed to and about BECCA COSMETICS. Make sure you link to where you found the brand on Apothica’s website. (4 entries)

So, there's a total of 12 entries.

How to enter?
Log into your Google Friend Connect account and write a comment with all your entries in one post. Don't forget to add your e-mail address, so I can contact you if you win. Also: provide names (Facebook, Twitter) and links (retweet, blog post), so I can check if your entries are valid.
You don't have to state you Facebook name in the comments if you don't want to.  I can check that later if you win.

Giveaway ends 14th of April and is open Internationally, but only to those Countries that Apothica ships to.

Winner Information
Winner will be notified by me and will have to provide me with contact information to be forwarded to Apothica.

Apothica will contact the winner to verify information is correct.

After verification, Apothica will email the a code for the gift card to be used at SkinCareRx.com, Apothica.com and SkinBotanica.com.

Please make sure to save SkinCareRx as a contact in your e-mail box, so that their e-mail won't go to the Spam/Junk Mail folder.

GOOD LUCK GUYS!

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Revlon Scented GUMDROP

There's one downside to scented nail polish....smelling your fingers in public makes you look like you have just picked at your bum and need to smell to see if you scratched a bit too far in......get the picture?

This is Revlon's Gumdrop, a very pale lavender purple that comes out on the grey side.  These pictures are 3 coats and it was still patchy in places and definitely need at least another 1.  If I was to ever use this again, I would do a white base coat first.

Konading was with Warm Black using a chez-delaney and a Konad plate.  I couldn't top coat it as it would have taken away the smell...which in hindsight would have been a good thing cause at least then I wouldn't look like I've just scratched my bum walking down the street.

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MAC Earthly Harmony

This is MAC Earthly Harmony from the Jin Soon collection. I LOVE the Jin Soon collection and the forumla and all of them was superb. Earthly Harmony, however, was a bit sucky. My bottle was quite gluggy and as a result painted on unevenly. This should have been perfect in 2 thin coats...but it took 3 coats to try and even out the 'hills and mountains', and even then it didn't really do it.

The color too was a wee bit disappointing. I wanted all that lovely orange shimmer that is in the bottle on my nails, but it didn't quite happen.

I Konaded it with China Glaze 2030 using my Chez-delaney.com XL plates, and added 1 coat of Seche QD.

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MAC Obey Me

Yum, yum bubble gum. This perfect Vintage red shade, MAC Obey Me, is just scrumptious. Perfect formula and wonderfully opaque in 2 thin coats. And it has a Wonder Woman logo on the front....how more perfect can this get??

I konaded it with Warm Black and added one coat of Seche QD.

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New Shatter Colelction By OPI

Following on from the SHATTERING success of OPI's Black Shatter Top Coat............. OPI has released a range of 6 new shatter shades.

New shades include;

White Shatter; offers a new dimension to nail design, the cracked pattern effect, similar to a snow leopard in appearance.

Red Shatter; for a more dramatic effect that appears like a tropical sunset

Blue Shatter; a bold royal blue shade offers a nautical look

Navy Shatter; this dark navy blue top coat is similar to black shatter with a bit more of an edge.

Turquoise Shatter; a gorgeous shade of shimmery turquoise creates an aquatic theme on the nails

Silver Shatter, adds a sparkling dimension to nails that really pop and shimmer (released as part of the Pirates of the Caribbean Collection)

Nail art and nail applications is the latest fashion accessory, and what better way to achieve this look than through the easy to apply, Shatter Top Coat by OPI.

Have a bit of fun with your nails and design your own wearable form of art.
Shatter Top Coat retails for $19.95 at selected salons and David Jones from 1st May 2011

For stockist contact 1800 358 999 or www.opi.net.au

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Everything's Coming Up Roses

This outfit got me lots of comments the other day when I wore it shopping. It's always nice to have strangers stop and ask you were you got your dress from, or have an elderly lady say that I remind her of herself 60 years ago!

This dress was a cheapie from eBay and I spruced it up with a longer full circle white petticoat. I love how it showed underneath. The knitted boloero cardi was also on sale for $9 in a local clothing store. On principle, I never pay full price for something. Everything I purchase is on sale or Vintage picked up cheap......it has to be cause' I buy so much of it!

Dress: Le Bomb
Cardi: Seven Angels, Bendigo
Wedges: Naughty Monkey, Highpoint Shopping Centre
Lippie: MAC Russian Red
Earrings: Rhinestone cherries from eBay
Sunnies: Vintage style from a HotRod show

My Betty Page "Who Me?" pose!

On another note, I'm having a booth at the Handmade Market in Bendigo this Saturday at the Town Hall.  I have lots of lovely new jewellery and beads made, so if I have any local followers please drop by and say hello!

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*** 2,000 FOLLOWERS! ***

It's pretty mind boggling that 2,000 people want to see what's painted on my nails!

I started this blog because I was so excited to 'discover' Konad, and I wanted to show off my nails to my friends and family. Little did I know that posting a few pics to show 'Ma and Pa' would grow into something so big!
It's also heartening to see my followers grow when I'm not hosting a giveaway, so thank you VERY much to all you who log in day after day.

I'd also like to especially thank those of you who regularly comment. I know it's time consuming to do so but it makes me feel so much happier when I log in and find some comments, even on boring old 'plain nails'!!
Those I would like to single out for special thanks for regular commenting are:

*Lucy
*Zara
*Jackie. S
*Carolina
*ChaosButterfly
*Jenny$1983
*Letthemhavepolish
*ThatsSOfresh
*1xellus1
*Enamelgirl

I know there are more of you who also comment regularly and I appreciate every single one them, THANK YOU!

I guess this means I now am to organise a 2,000 follower giveaway right??! Hmmmm, maybe some Singapore and Hong Kong nail polishes from my recent holidays?? A group of Aussie brands? Maybe both???
LET ME KNOW!!

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FUSO 56 & More On Those Plates...

This is another polish from my haul while in Singapore. Lovin' this one, it's divine. A blood red jelly jam packed with red micro glitter, but when the light catches it you can also see teeny tiny rose pink and blue glitter. Yummo. It's from brand name, Fuso, and this was 2 coats. Unfortunately it stinks to high heaven, so it's definately not lacking in nasty chemicals.

In sunlight, no flash.

I Konaded it with ChG 2030 and added 1 coat of Seche QD.
Now, about these plates I got from Shirley. This Autumn leaf plate was another I purchased fom her and this also did not stamp properly. I tested out the rest of the 5 plates I ordered and the result is the same, the whole pattern does not stamp in full. The details get lost and end up in just 'blobs'.
Hopefully this was just a test batch run and the rest of her stamping line is OK. I have emailed her and will keep you up to date with the response.

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Armour Rain Glitter

I usually try and leave full on gritty glitter for the tootsies as the removal is a pain in the neck. I painted Armour Rain Glitter on my toes while watching a movie ( 1982 Deathtrap with Michael Caine and Christopher Reeves, it's really good!) and I couldn't be bothered getting up off the couch to go pick out something else for my fingernails.

This was 2 coats of Rain Glitter with 2 coats of Seche QD for topcoat. The glitter sucked this right in and after 2 coats of topcoat it still dry and gritty. Miss 2 loves my 'rainbow nailies'.

It's wonderfully sparkly tho and a super bargain. Who needs $20 bottles of Burlesque OPI or Mad as a Hatter when you can get this for only $2 at Transdesign???

In full sunlight, no flash.

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A Vintage Haul in Ballarat

I knew my Aunty D had a super cool shop but I forgot how seriously cool it is. I haven't been there for quite a while...sorry Aunty D...but visited her recently and did a major HAUL spending over 2 hours in there looking in every single cabinet and shelf!

I tried on this dress but unfortunately I couldn't even do up the front buttons. Boo big boobs.

Smile Aunty D! That's my haul there on the counter and she's holding up my dress!

My haul included a 60's Scooter dress in navy and white polkadots, a skirt with an image of 50's ladies all dressed up shopping, a long coral necklace, screw on rhinestone earrings, several scarves, carved celluloid bangles and a gorgeous little polkadot carry straw bag. Very happy!

Her shop is called D's Recycled Fashions in Sebastapol, Ballarat if anyone wants to go browse thru hundreds of vintage clothes. ( Next time I want an advertising discount Aunty D and remember to hold me any 50's swing stuff! )

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China Glaze OMG

I realized that I've always used OMG for stamping and never painted a full mani with it!  When in a holo mood I always reach for my Gosh Holographic (which I believe to be the bling-iest silver holo).

This was 3 very thin watery coats of OMG and I stamped Warm Black Konad using some new stamping plates I purchased from Shirley.

I'm not too sure about these plates just yet...I may have a review on them soon. The stamp I used didn't completely stamp the pattern, but this *may* have been me as the user rather than the product.....I'll be trialling it again tomorrow and if it does the same thing again with different patterns then I may have faulty plates. This pattern was a gorgeous flower with vine and leaves, but as you can see the flowers came out as blobs with a bit of wispy vine here and there....not very impressed.

1 coat of Seche QD to finish it off.

I would love to hear commenst from other followers who have used Shirley's plates.  Did they work well?  If not, what was the problem with them?  Thanks!

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Casual Outfit Of The Week

I now am making time to pop into a Thrift Shop every now and then after not bothering for several years. I still prefer to find my Vintage clothes on eBay and Etsy for the pure convenience of it, as you can do 50 Thrift shops and not find anything... which equals a big fat waste of time! Last week tho I had to eat my words as I had a fantastic week!  I got a bakelite bangle for 50c, 2 1970's blouses for $3 each, 3 50's scarfs for $5, a 50's beaded necklace for $1 and a gorgeous in almost new condition 1940's hat for $15.

This deadstock 1970's blouse I found in an RSPCA store for $4. Score! It still had original tags and the embroidery is beautiful. Until I find some high waisted jean capri's, my Target ones will have to do with my retro styled green wedges I purchased in Singapore for $12.

Because it was an errand running day my make up was minimal.  No eyebrow filling I'm afraid or eyeshadow and mascara....just my Russian Red lippie.

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MAC Spirit Of Truth

I'm not really 'into' makeup big time but when I saw promo pictures of MAC's Wonder Woman collection my heart went into overdrive. I knew instantly that I must own evey single piece no matter what it was!! I since calmed down and became a bit more level headed about what I wanted when I saw swatch pics, and ended up getting the 2 nail polishes, Amazon Princess blush and the Russian Red lippie...maybe I should get another couple of lippies as backups tho....????

This is 2 coats of Spirit Of Truth, the most wonderful Navy creme shade I own. It glided on beautifully and was opaque in one coat, I did 2 due to habit.
I Konaded it with China GLaze OMG and my nails have a seriously cool rainbow sheen design. 1 coat of Seche QD to finish it off.

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Mosaic G16

On the advice of a lovely follower, I kept my eyes open for Mosiac nail polishes while in Singapore. At the time only this one caught my eye and I am kicking myself I didn't grab some more.
This is a gorgeous deep red with bright blue and red glitter. It's absolutely gorgeous and needed no nail art. This was 3 coats with 1 coat of Seche QD. If you visit Singapore, keep your eyes peeled open for this one!

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