Gnar Pow

These bright nails are inspired by fashion. Not high-fashion fashion though, or anything you'd normally wear. This is season-specific fashion appropriate in only some places. No, it's not black tie. It's ski season chic!

Tomorrow morning is the first ski for me for the season. I just got brand new skis, boots, beanie, face mask, socks and jacket. I'm ready to go out, enjoy some snow, or as my friend Mable calls it, "gnar pow", and come home absolutely exhausted from it all. I'm by no means anywhere close to being a good skier, but I enjoyed the first times, and probably about 4-5 times I've gone (all last year from January to May). Now with a season pass and gear in hand, it's time to start getting good and comfortable out there.

My jacket, as shown below, is bright yellow and purple. My new nails, match it perfectly. Too bad they'll be in gloves all day.

Click for more life-like coloring.

The colors I used include:

• Lightening from Sally Hansen Insta-Dri
• Senorita Bonita from China Glaze
• Bubbly Bombshell from ORLY
• Bad Chick from Sinful Colors nail art brush

The thumb in the first picture was actually inspired by this morning's miracle hangover cure, Snooze. If you don't live near a Snooze, I feel sorry for you. Their food is absolutely some of the best breakfast food I've ever eaten, and breakfast is my favorite meal. I mean come on...red velvet pancakes? Breakfast pot pie? De-licious.

Nude Nails Revisited & a Little Holiday Cheer

The very first post I did on this blog featured my nude nails.

Since it's been almost 2 months, I thought I'd share the progress my nails have made. They're longer, a bit stronger, and overall, I believe they're healthier.

True color I never achieve, because there's no way I could get this kind of sun normally.

 They're also obnoxiously bright in this photo because we had a big snow yesterday, and with the sun out, the albedo effect is out of control.

Our view of the famous Flatirons in Boulder, CO.

With the snow falling, the lights going up, and the endless loops of Christmas carols playing in every single store you walk into, it was obviously required that a holiday manicure accompany the merriment, gaiety, and joy.

Today's interpretation was done using Glittering Garland from China Glaze, and three polishes from the Sinful Colors nail art collection-Bad Chick (white), Flower Girl (gold), and Be My Valentine (red). Patience was key here, as it is in most manicures. I didn't realize how long it took, until after I noticed I had watched an online episode of a one hour show and another of a half-hour episode. Oops.

Time well spent though before the festivities tonight. Friends have told me that there is an ugly sweater beer crawl in downtown Boulder. After some thrifting and this paint job, I'm all set.

Non-nails: Makeshift Vanity

My apartment that I share with my boyfriend is tiny. We only have one locking door besides the front door (the bathroom door). The rest is sort of one large area, so I guess it's technically a studio apartment. We make do though, but it requires creativity.

I'm not big into makeup, but I do like to have a place to do my morning routine. My solution to this is what I'm showing you today.

Everything is on top of my dresser or slapped up on the wall behind the dresser.

On top of the dresser I have everything I need. Makeup (all Bare Minerals), necklaces, unused necklaces, earring backings, bracelets, lotion and deodorant. This pretty much completes my routine.

On the wall behind the dresser I attached four corkboards that I stick all of my stud earrings in. The backings are placed in a little tupperware. It's a pretty effective system, and lets me see all of the earrings I have.

Also on the wall, I attached a mirror from Ikea. It's adhered with sticky strips that came with the four-pack of mirrors. The one thing about the location of my dresser is that it's dark, and directly under the bar that shirts and dresses are normally hung on. Leaning in to look at the mirror makes my face really dark, so putting on makeup can be rather obnoxious. I mean, I'm already exhausted enough, so squinting in the dark doesn't help.

My solution was to get a small pack of battery-powered Christmas lights with a switch I can turn on and off. Did I mention there are no outlets in the wall of the closet?

So now, when I lean in close, there's a great ring of light around my face, and my reflection is much brighter! The switch to turn the lights on and off is also really easy to get to.

The battery box is also adhered to the ceiling of the wall the bar for clothing is attached on. It's a simple setup, but it makes life a hell of a lot easier!