NOTD: Stacy by Zoya

Disclaimer:  I purchased this.

Something about really hot summer days has me gravitating towards wine colored polishes.  I think it's because I'm starting to crave cooler weather.  Wouldn't you with a heat index of 105 and 90% humidity?  It's like a sauna in here :-)  I associate deep burgundies with fall, so out came Stacy by Zoya, one of the polishes I picked up during a Black Friday haul in 2014.

Stacy, Anaka, Sarah

I wish I could say I love the crelly Stacy, but it's not as easy to work with as I would like.  I used two coats but can see some bald areas from where I must have applied too much pressure with the brush.  Matters were not helped with I used a past it's prime Zoya topcoat, which caused some drag marks/bumps.

Oh well, on the plus side this is a really shiny polish all on it's own.  I started getting chips after about 3 days though, which is really subpar for me as I can usually get 5 days with just minor tip wear from most polishes.  Stacy, Stacy, Stacy.

NOTD: Autumn Goodness with Julep, Zoya, and OPI

After over a week of bare nails due to laziness, I gravitated towards colors reflected in the turning leaves here on the Gulf Coast.  We don't really get the spectacular colors other areas do, but this year has been one of the better ones, no doubt due to a some early (and unusual for this area) cold snaps.

OPI's Orange You Fantastic from the Coca-Cola collection just slays me.  Gold and red glitter in a sheer orange tint, this is fall in glitter form.  Julep's Sheila was a bit of a revelation in that it's an easy one coater, and Zoya's metallic gold Ziv rounded out the trio and helped tie it all together.

I hope everyone is enjoying fall in whatever form it takes where you are at.  It's supposed to be in the sunny 70's on Sunday, so I'll be soaking that up while it lasts :-)  Linking up with The Nail Files hosted by Jennie Shaw:

NOTD: Audrina by Zoya

Audrina was one of the color cutie mini polishes I got from Zoya last spring, and I'm just now getting around to wearing it.  I think the Pantone Radiant Orchid color of the year brought it back into my consciousness, as it looked to be pretty darn close in color, although Audrina leans a bit more fuschia.

Source:  Zoya.com

 Zoya describes Audrina as

"a very bright funky mix of medium pink and purple with a milky cream finish", whereas Radiant Orchid has been described by color specialist Leatrice Eisemanan as an "enchanting harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones". 

Radiant Orchid type shades are not normally ones I'm drawn to nor have much experience wearing, but Audrina does look great on my nails!  The formula was very easy to work with and this is two coats with Zoya's base and top coats.  I love how glossy it is, although unfortunately I did get some sheet creases in it :-(

I wish Zoya would come out with some more mini's, as they are actually my preferred way to accumulate polishes.  I can't envision making it through a complete bottle of polish in my lifetime!

Linking up with The Nail Files hosted by Jennie Shaw!

A very bright funky mix of medium pink and purple with a milky creme finish - See more at: http://www.zoya.com/content/item/Zoya/Zoya-Nail-Polish-Audrina.html#sthash.JIVWYaZE.dpuf

A very bright funky mix of medium pink and purple with a milky creme finish - See more at: http://www.zoya.com/content/item/Zoya/Zoya-Nail-Polish-Audrina.html#sthash.JIVWYaZE.dpuf

A very bright funky mix of medium pink and purple with a milky creme finish - See more at: http://www.zoya.com/content/item/Zoya/Zoya-Nail-Polish-Audrina.html#sthash.JIVWYaZE.dpuf

A very bright funky mix of medium pink and purple with a milky creme finish - See more at: http://www.zoya.com/content/item/Zoya/Zoya-Nail-Polish-Audrina.html#sthash.JIVWYaZE.dpuf

A very bright funky mix of medium pink and purple with a milky creme finish - See more at: http://www.zoya.com/content/item/Zoya/Zoya-Nail-Polish-Audrina.html#sthash.JIVWYaZE.dpuf

NOTD: Noot and Cassedy by Zoya

I'm pretty sure the cold weather influenced my choice of nail color this week, as when I see gray I think "cold".  The Gulf Coast got it's share of the arctic blast, with a low of 14 degrees Tuesday night here in Mobile.  I know that's mild compared to what other parts of the country are experiencing, but we're one of the places people come to get away from that nonsense.  It feels positively balmy at 45 degrees as I'm writing this, and we may top 60 this weekend.  Bring it on, as us thin blooded southerners need to thaw out!

Noot (love that name) by Zoya is a dark, glossy shark gray creme.  I've seen descriptions of it as a gray green, but to be honest, I wouldn't have picked up on that on my own.  I used two coats and it was problem free.  Cassedy is a dark pewter gray shimmer and I used one coat over Noot as an accent nail.  I used Zoya's base and top coats along with the Qtica quick dry drops, and I'm happy to see zero sheet creases even though I went to bed not long after doing my nails.  This cold weather wears me out, must be all the shivering :-)

My dogs are getting a little stir crazy, glad it's warming up so I can take them for walks.  What's it like where you're at, and what are you doing to stay warm?

Linking up with The Nail Files hosted by Jennie at Well Shut the Front Door!

Zoya Black Friday Haul

I limited my Black Friday hauling to Zoya, knocking out one Christmas present in the process! I also, um, acquired more than a few polishes for myself, as Zoya had a spectacular GWP.  With any $72 purchase, you also received a "Cheers to All" Dream Box of 12 polishes, plus a mini Color Lock System, plus a mini bottle of polish remover, plus the Qtica Half Time Polish Drying Accelator, plus free shipping.  So all told, I ended up with a boat load of polish:-)

First up, I purchased a create your own box set of six polishes for my aunt.  She wears only light pink/peachy/beige frost polishes.  I kid you not, that's her preference and she's quite particular about them.  So, I hope she likes these, as it's not easy to find frost finish polishes these days. 

Gie Gie, Hermina, Lily

Fortunately, Zoya allows you to sort polishes by finish on their site, so that helped, but I spent HOURS going through polishes selecting these.

Austine, Meadow, Clara

To get my purchase price to the specified amount, I ordered a make your own 3 set for myself.  I've got to say, I'm loving the boxes these come in - such nice presentation!

Cynthia, Amber, Fei Fei

The "Cheers to All" Dream Box contained only one dupe - Sarah - and all the other colors are ones I really like and will totally wear. 

Ziv, Timo, Black Swan

Dream, Cassedy, Payton

Stacy, Anaka, Sarah

Dakota, Rekha, Noot

Did you do any Black Friday hauling?  There are soooo many good sales going on right now, I've totally overindulged :-)

NOTD: Cynthia by Zoya and OPI's Wondrous Star

Less than 2 weeks until Christmas, but I wasn't in the mood to do a holiday inspired look this week.  So, I settled for using one of the OPI Mariah Carey holiday polishes as an accent nail, just to kind of keep that holiday spirit going :-)

I was in the mood for dark, and Cynthia by Zoya satisfied that craving quite well.  A blackened peacock blue, Cynthia was part of Zoya's 2011 fall Smoke and Mirrors collection, but I just acquired it during their black Friday sale.  The first coat was streaky, but the second filled in everything nicely.  I used Zoya's base and top coats, as well as the Qtica quick dry drops.  These are supposed to completely dry your nails in 7 minutes, and while I don't think that was completely true, they did help as sheet impressions were minimal.

I picked up Wondrous Star as part of the Mariah Carey holiday mini set, and what you are looking at is 3 coats.  A shiny crystalline with black glitter, the polish was easy to work with and I'm liking it more than I thought I would.   I actually thought it was My Favorite Ornament from the same collection, so imagine my surprise when I saw the black glitter peeking out :-)   Have you found a favorite holiday polish this year?  My favorite holiday collection so far is from KBShimmer, but I haven't picked up any yet.

Linking up with The Nail Files hosted by Jennie at Well Shut the Front Door!

NOTD: Louise with Maria Luisa by Zoya

Disclaimer:  I purchased these.

I broke out Louise by Zoya again, second time in about a month.  This could be because my short term memory is going, or it could be because I love a chocolate cream polish.  Probably a bit of both.

I then dabbled the gold fleck Maria Luisa on the tips of my nail, for a bit of sparkle and shine.  It's just enough detail without being in your face, dark with a flash of glint.

I've been battling a mouse that has moved into my house, so I'm a little sleep deprived.  He/she likes to gnaw on things, namely the containers of my organic lotions and potions, at about 3 am.  One of us is going to have to go, and since I can't afford another house, it needs to be the mouse.  At least I hope it's a mouse, and not it's larger rodent cousin. 

Do you have a polish you revisit over and over?  You might want to check out some other NOTD's via The Nail Files, hosted by Jennie at Well Shut the Front Door!

NOTD: Chyna by Zoya

Disclaimer:  I purchased this.

I'm not one to wear red polishes often, but here it is two weeks in a row.  I think it's the time of year and the upcoming holidays, where red is always a dominant color.  Or maybe I'm just now developing a proper appreciation for how gorgeous red can be on my nails!

Case in point - Chyna by Zoya.  Part of the Pixie Dust Fall 2013 collection, Chyna has a deep red base with flashes of fire and the occasional glint of silver.  Quite the beauty, she is, and I'm dubbing Chyna a perfect Christmas polish.  She can join China Glaze's Ruby Slippers in the gorgeous red with attitude category.

I've also got to say that I'm loving Zoya's Pixie Dust polishes.  I was late to jump on that bandwagon, but they are so easy to work with.  This is one coat over Zoya's base coat.  They dry in a flash and you are done.  The perfect "I'm in a rush and don't have time to wait for polish to dry" option, with the plus of not looking like you cut corners. 

So, if you like the textured polish look, give these a whirl.  I wore Godiva on my trip to Albuquerque and it wore great, so throw low maintenance into the mix as well.  At $8 a bottle, I can see more of these in my future!

Linking up with The Nail Files hosted Well Shut the Front Door!

NOTD: Louise by Zoya

Disclaimer:  I purchased this.

I've got a thing for chocolate brown cream polishes.  So, when Zoya recently had a special offer going on, I made a beeline for Louise from the fall 2013 Satin collection. 

Zoya haul

Louise is a beauty, without a doubt.  Extremely glossy, this is two coats with no top coat.  The polish felt thin so I had to be careful not to get too much on the brush or it would pool, but was also very self leveling.  I was curious if China Glaze's Mahogany Magic was a dupe, so I've posted a picture of it below to compare.  Louise looks like dark chocolate compared to Mahogany Magic's milk chocolate, so not a dupe!

Louise by Zoya

Mahogany Magic by China Glaze

I used Louise as the base for some nail art (I know, unheard of for me) I was doing for Adopt a Shelter Dog month, but I'd wear this alone gladly!

 Linking up with The Nail Files hosted by Well Shut the Front Door!

Well Shut the Front Door!

'My Pack' Nail Art in Honor of Adopt a Shelter Dog Month

You probably know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and even that it is Domestic Violence Awareness month, but did you know that it is also Adopt a Shelter Dog month?  I didn't, but when it was brought to my attention, I decided to join in with some nail art to commemorate the event.

Lulu

You see, dogs are an important part of my life.  I've got a small pack of them:  Lulu, Lily, and Maggie.  I volunteered for about 4 years with a no-kill shelter in Mobile called the Animal Rescue Foundation.  I rescued Maggie and her brother Archie from a cemetery, the only two of a litter that I could manage to coax out of the opening of a raised grave they were hiding in.  They were about 7-8 weeks old and full of worms.  The vet told me Maggie, whose gums were gray due to anemia, might not have survived much longer.

Lily

I was able to adopt out Archie, who was much more outgoing and social.  Maggie was not as social and I had to work with her on both fear and food aggression, so I decided to keep her, fearing it would be much more difficult to find her a good home.

Maggie

Although not something I had been planning on, it was a good decision, as she's a wonderful dog.  You'll often see her in the background of the pictures I take, as she likes being near me wherever I go.  Smart, completely devoted to me, and bossy of Lulu and Lily, she's got many of Border Collie traits, which is part of whatever mixture she is.  She's now 9 years old and I'm very happy my "cemetery dog" joined our pack!

So, this is my attempt at nail art for Adopt a Shelter Dog month.  I'm calling it "My Pack", as it incorporates the colors of my 3 dogs.  The chocolate brown Louise is the color of all three dog's eyes, Bunny is an off white for Lulu, Vera a taupe for Lily, and Black Creme by Wet 'n Wild for Maggie.  I'm a novice at nail art and lack the patience and talent for anything complex, but I can manage dotting, for the most part :-)

Louise, Bunny, Vera, Black Creme

Has anyone adopted a shelter animal before?  I'd love to hear your story if you have!

Maggie's 1-year Birthday Party