tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75172402024-02-20T07:43:08.565-05:00Confessions of a Shopaholic...Because variety is the spice of life!DarlinAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577027940761598594noreply@blogger.comBlogger221125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517240.post-730732605526785562010-09-11T12:00:00.001-04:002010-09-11T12:00:01.239-04:00Zoya DelilahYet another Zoya for y'all today...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Zoya Delilah</span><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_delilah.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_delilah.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_delilah1.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_delilah1.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br />(outdoors)<br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_delilah2.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_delilah2.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_delilah3.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_delilah3.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This one is a nice, sparkly, glittery, jelly red color. I am wearing two coats here, but three would have been better. What really surprised me with this one is that the removal was a piece of cake. It wasn't as complicated as I thought it would be. I think I just see glitter and think the worst. But, since this one is a jelly polish, it came off pretty easily.DarlinAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577027940761598594noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517240.post-75681864552078004762010-09-09T12:00:00.001-04:002010-09-09T12:00:00.196-04:00Zoya ToscaI think this color is absolutely perfect for summer! (well, what remains of it anyway...)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Zoya Tosca</span><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_tosca.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_tosca.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_tosca1.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_tosca1.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br />(outdoors)<br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_tosca2.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_tosca2.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_tosca3.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_tosca3.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The formula was this one was great -- I didn't have any problems with it. It was practically opaque in one coat, but I am wearing two here. It is a bright pink with a hint of gold shimmer on it. You can see the shimmer better in the bottle than on the nail, but I swear it's there!DarlinAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577027940761598594noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517240.post-55449349297506686042010-09-07T12:00:00.001-04:002010-09-07T12:00:01.098-04:00China Glaze ChocodisiacI'm a sucker for browns... I think everyone already knows that :-)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 0);">China Glaze Chocodisiac</span><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_chocodisiac.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_chocodisiac.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_chocodisiac1.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_chocodisiac1.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I am only wearing two coats here, which I initially thought would be enough, but after I took the pics and noticed some bald spots, I realized I probably should have slapped on another coat. I love the color -- it reminds me of a muddy brown, but it's still shiny and delicious, like chocolate. It's also got a touch of dark pink in there, which makes it decidedly different from your normal brown. Yum!DarlinAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577027940761598594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517240.post-82010296973563533282010-09-06T21:24:00.002-04:002010-09-06T21:27:08.704-04:00Zoya MercedesHappy Labor Day!! I hope everyone enjoyed a nice day off :-)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Zoya Mercedes</span><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_mercedes.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_mercedes.jpg" border="0" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_mercedes1.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_mercedes1.jpg" border="0" width="400" /></a><br /><br />(outdoors)<br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_mercedes2.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_mercedes2.jpg" border="0" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_mercedes3.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_mercedes3.jpg" border="0" width="400" /></a><br /><br />Mercedes is a nice, almost-frosty, slightly-shimmery light mauve color. The formula is a tad on the sheer side, so this took three coats for full opacity. I like it, but can't say I'm in love with it. I will have a lot of Zoyas to show over the next couple of weeks. I got a ton of new ones during their recycling program this past summer, so I am slowly going through them all :-)DarlinAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577027940761598594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517240.post-67970907504841240802010-09-02T10:38:00.002-04:002010-09-02T10:47:42.148-04:00OPI Magnifico MexicoEEEK!!! Sorry for the lack of posts, guys. Things have been crazy busy around here. That and I am (still) in the middle of moving and literally living out of boxes right now. I only get to change my nail polish every 3-4 days, instead of every other day like I used to do :-( And 2/3 of my polish is packed up right now, so I don't have a lot of choose from when doing my nails :-( But, hopefully all of this will pass soon and I will be fully moved and unpacked. In the meantime, does anyone want to buy a nice 2 bedroom/2 bathroom condo from me? :-D<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">OPI Magnifico Mexico</span><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/opi_magnifico_mexico.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/opi_magnifico_mexico.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/opi_magnifico_mexico1.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/opi_magnifico_mexico1.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I'm not really an "orange" person. It's actually one of my least favorite colors! But, since it's summer and it's been scorchingly hot around here, I figure this would be the perfect summer color. This is more of an orange/red than a true orange. It looks a lot more orange in the bottle than it does on the nail. The hint of slight shimmer is also great for summer as well. Application was good and took three coats to be fully opaque.<br /><br />I will try to be a bit better about updating... I have a huge backlog of pics... just have to get up off my lazy bum and actually post them! xoxoDarlinAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577027940761598594noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517240.post-10218103831577408062010-08-13T13:31:00.003-04:002010-08-13T13:34:34.628-04:00Sephora by OPI Mermaid to OrderThis is one of those posts where I wish I knew how to work my camera better, so that I could get more accurate pics!!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 153, 153);">Sephora by OPI Mermaid to Order</span><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/sbopi_mermaid_to_order.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/sbopi_mermaid_to_order.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/sbopi_mermaid_to_order1.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/sbopi_mermaid_to_order1.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This polish really does remind me of a mermaid -- the polish has a slightly frosty finish, and it flashes from teal blue to teal green -- it's absolutely gorgeous! Unfortunately, it only looks one color in my pictures, so you'll have to take my word for it :-) The formula was also really good - only took two coats, and the dry time and wear were both phenomenal. I do love $OPI polishes a lot - I just wish they were cheaper! At $9 a pop, buying a lot of them starts to add up!DarlinAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577027940761598594noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517240.post-86787798878208077462010-08-06T14:43:00.002-04:002010-08-06T14:45:17.309-04:00Some Photos From HawaiiHey everyone! I thought I'd take a minute to share some of the pics I took from Hawaii while I was there. It was a wonderful trip, and truly one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to in my life. I hope one day I'm able to go back and check out some more islands!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/37464_613634284828_1700844_35966070_6436797_n.jpg" width="475" /><br />A view of Waikiki/Honolulu from the condo where we were staying.<br /><br /><br /><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/33497_613636555278_1700844_35966363_3908362_n.jpg" width="475" /><br />Lots and lots of pineapples @ the Dole Plantation<br /><br /><br /><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/37903_613636205978_1700844_35966334_7965535_n.jpg" width="450" /><br />Pineapple FAQ!<br /><br /><br /><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/39702_613635212968_1700844_35966200_6682445_n.jpg" /><br />Manoa Falls<br /><br /><br /><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/38116_613638122138_1700844_35966456_3444543_n.jpg" width="475" /><br />Check out all the people hiking up Diamondhead Crater!<br /><br /><br /><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/38117_613638356668_1700844_35966475_4747311_n.jpg" width="475" /><br />Beautiful view of Waikiki from the top of Diamondhead Crater.<br /><br /><br /><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/39840_613636704978_1700844_35966380_7266600_n.jpg" width="475" /><br />Gorgeous Waimea Beach and some brave cliff jumpers.<br /></div><br />Now I know why so many people vacation and honeymoon there! The trip was a bit of a pain, coming from the East Coast and all, but the perfect weather, super-nice locals, and the gorgeous beaches more than made up for it!<br /><br />Aloha, Hawaii! Until next time :-)DarlinAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577027940761598594noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517240.post-3835477089238178812010-08-03T10:16:00.002-04:002010-08-03T10:19:17.787-04:00Essie Rock Star SkinnyI'm back!!! Sorry for the long delay between posts -- I actually got back last week, but have been using the extra time to catch up on everything and adjust back to East Coast time :-)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Essie Rock Star Skinny</span><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/essie_rock_star_skinny.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/essie_rock_star_skinny.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/essie_rock_star_skinny1.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/essie_rock_star_skinny1.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br />(outdoors)<br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/essie_rock_star_skinny2.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/essie_rock_star_skinny2.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/essie_rock_star_skinny3.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/essie_rock_star_skinny3.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I absolutely love this polish! I think it's awesome! After I put it on, I realized that it would have matched my bridesmaid dress really well -- it was a dark wine/burgundy color, and I like the hint of shimmer as well. The formula was consistent with most Essies -- very good, and applied evenly in 2-3 coats. I feel like I have a million other polishes that could very well be dupes for this shade, but for some reason, I still really like this one -- I think it stands out from other similar shades.DarlinAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577027940761598594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517240.post-91812398283179901052010-07-25T12:00:00.000-04:002010-07-25T12:00:03.019-04:00Orly Cherry BombI decided to give Orly another try, even though they haven't thoroughly impressed me as of late...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Orly Cherry Bomb</span><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/orly_cherry_bomb.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/orly_cherry_bomb.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/orly_cherry_bomb1.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/orly_cherry_bomb1.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br />While I can't say that they've thoroughly redeemed themselves, this is a step in the right direction. Cherry Bomb is a *bright* red with a slightly frost/metallic finish that glimmers silver. The formula on this one was actually very good and only required two coats. Wear was very good -- I wore it four full days before I saw any kind of tip wear. The pics above are just before I was about to remove the polish, so you can see how well it held up!DarlinAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577027940761598594noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517240.post-15955538357072179092010-07-23T12:00:00.001-04:002010-07-23T12:00:05.556-04:00China Glaze Flyin' HighHere's another polish from the Up and Away Collection -- and a polish that ended up being one of my favorite blues ever!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 204, 255);">China Glaze Flyin' High</span><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_flyin_high.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_flyin_high.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_flyin_high1.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_flyin_high1.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Based on the formula issues I had with the two pinks I tried from Up and Away, I was a little hesitant to try this one, but I'm glad I did! It applied perfectly and was smooth during application (unlike its two pink siblings). I am wearing three coats here, and this blue is definitely gorgeous. It is darker than a Tiffany Blue, but still reminds me a little of it. I probably should have gone the extra mile and done a white Konad design on top of it, but I was a little pressed for time, so I didn't have the chance to. I know Up & Away can be hit-or-miss, but this one is definitely a HIT!DarlinAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577027940761598594noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517240.post-76358563656209224372010-07-21T12:00:00.000-04:002010-07-21T12:00:04.803-04:00Orly GlamThis is what I wore as my Fourth of July mani. I know I'm a little late to post, but I wanted something that was a deep red, and I wanted some sparkle, so this seemed to fit the bill perfectly!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Orly Glam</span><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/orly_glam.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/orly_glam.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/orly_glam1.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/orly_glam1.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br />(outdoors, direct sunlight)<br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/orly_glam2.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/orly_glam2.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/orly_glam3.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/orly_glam3.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Sadly, I didn't love this polish. I can't really put my finger on it -- maybe it was the formula. It wasn't quite jellyish, but it definitely wasn't opaque in less than three coats either. I just feel like the red shimmer/glitter polishes have been done to death, and nothing really stands out about this out. I probably should have just stuck to China Glaze's Ruby Pumps or something.... This looked a lot prettier in the bottle than it ended up looking on my nails :-(DarlinAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577027940761598594noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517240.post-80215121216044390952010-07-19T12:00:00.000-04:002010-07-19T12:00:03.825-04:00China Glaze Strawberry FieldsHere's another beauty that's been sitting in my pile of "untrieds" for a while now. I figure the recent heat wave would be perfect to try it out!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">China Glaze Strawberry Fields</span><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_strawberry_fields.jpg%22" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_strawberry_fields.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_strawberry_fields1.jpg%22" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_strawberry_fields1.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br />(outdoors, direct sunlight)<br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_strawberry_fields2.jpg%22" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_strawberry_fields2.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_strawberry_fields3.jpg%22" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_strawberry_fields3.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I don't know if it's possible to fall in love with a polish and want to marry it, but if it were, this would be my mate of choice. It just screams "GORGEOUS!" in every possible way. The formula was great, and the color -- OMG the color! It is a medium-colored pink absolutely loaded with gold shimmer. It is a lot more visible outdoors than in, though the flash on my camera did manage to pick up the majority of it. This polish is from last year's Summer Days collection, and it is a must-have IMO.<br /><br />I will be MIA for the next week and a half. However, in my absence, I've scheduled some posts to go up, so you won't be without me for that long :-) My family is going to Hawaii to watch my little brother get married. His lovely bride is from the Aloha state and that's where they are having their "official" wedding. We will have another little banquet/celebration for them here in a few weeks also. I am SO looking forward to this vacation. My family will probably drive me crazy (as is always the case when we are stuck traveling and living together), but I am so happy for and proud of my brother. He deserves all the happiness in the world, and I'm glad we're all going to be able to be there to witness this blessed event. Not only that, but I've never been to Hawaii before and I am STOKED! We will be in Honolulu, so if anyone has been before and has any ideas/tips of what things are a must-see, please let me know.<br /><br />P.S. I can't swim, so I can't do any sort of under water activities :-( Also, I am under some physical restrictions, so nothing crazy like cliff diving, skydiving, strenuous hiking, or volcano jumping :-)DarlinAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577027940761598594noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517240.post-16138060455066799672010-07-16T15:32:00.002-04:002010-07-16T15:36:07.132-04:00OPI Crepes Suzi-etteHappy Friday!!! I hope everyone has a great weekend! :-) There's another heat wave expected here in the Northeast, so it's gonna be a HOT one out there!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">OPI Crepes Suzi-ette</span><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/opi_crepes_suzi-ette.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/opi_crepes_suzi-ette.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/opi_crepes_suzi-ette1.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/opi_crepes_suzi-ette1.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br />(outdoors, direct sunlight)<br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/opi_crepes_suzi-ette2.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/opi_crepes_suzi-ette2.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/opi_crepes_suzi-ette3.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/opi_crepes_suzi-ette3.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I don't know what took me so long to try this polish -- I've loved the majority of OPI's France Collection, and this one is no exception. The formula was excellent on this polish -- I am wearing three coats here, but the third was mainly just to even out the color. This polish makes me think "burnt sienna" when I look at it -- it is the perfect mix of orange and brown. I love it! I think this polish would be perfect for fall -- it reminds me a lot of the foliage here in New England :-)DarlinAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577027940761598594noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517240.post-73518240034755906452010-07-15T14:08:00.003-04:002010-07-15T14:11:08.335-04:00China Glaze The Ten ManThis polish is from China Glaze's re-launched Wizard of Ooh Ahz Returns Collection. I apologize for the huge chip on my ring finger -- I took these pics wicked late. Oops!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 153, 153);">China Glaze The Ten Man</span><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_the_ten_man.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_the_ten_man.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_the_ten_man1.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_the_ten_man1.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I am wearing three coats here. The polish was a little sheer, so it took a little bit to build up. I really like the color because it is subtle, but packs a lot of glitter without being overbearing. I think this color would be perfect for a night out on the town, or maybe a special occasion, like wedding or prom :-) It's pretty, but not gaudy. WIN!DarlinAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577027940761598594noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517240.post-66855359327077648832010-07-13T12:00:00.000-04:002010-07-13T12:00:00.432-04:00China Glaze VampyThis polish is *old.* I'm not exactly sure how old, but you can tell by the label on the front that it is from at least a few years back! Maybe that explains the formula issues I had...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">China Glaze Vampy</span><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_vampy.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_vampy.jpg" border="0" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_vampy1.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_vampy1.jpg" border="0" width="400" /></a><br /><br />The color can probably best be described as a wine-colored burgundy shimmer. You'll have to excuse the flaw on my index finger -- I was in the middle of moving/packing stuff, and something scratched across my nail :-( As I mentioned above, I had some issues with the formula. I think this polish is supposed to be jelly-like in consistency, but due to the bottle's age (or maybe it really is the formula), it was incredibly thick and difficult to work with. When I first took the wand out of the bottle and saw that the polish didn't drip off, I knew it was thick, so I added some polish thinner, hoping it would help. It did help a little, but the formula was still a tad on the thick side. I think I'm only wearing two coats here, which isn't too bad, but goopy formula is never fun to work with :-( Maybe I should just stick with newer collections from now on. Le sigh.DarlinAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577027940761598594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517240.post-60974947306400216412010-07-12T21:35:00.004-04:002010-07-12T21:39:35.886-04:00MAC Seriously HipI have no idea why I waited so long to try this polish -- I absolutely love it!!!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 102, 0);">MAC Seriously Hip</span><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/mac_seriously_hip.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/mac_seriously_hip.jpg" border="0" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/mac_seriously_hip1.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/mac_seriously_hip1.jpg" border="0" width="400" /></a><br /><br />(outdoors, direct sunlight)<br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/mac_seriously_hip2.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/mac_seriously_hip2.jpg" border="0" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/mac_seriously_hip3.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/mac_seriously_hip3.jpg" border="0" width="400" /></a><br /><br />I don't think I can find the perfect words to describe this polish -- the base is a dark, mossy green that borders on almost-black. What makes this polish really pop is the remarkable gold shimmer. You can see microshimmer as well as flakey shimmer as well. Outdoors, it really stands out a lot more. The formula was also amazing -- perfect in two coats, excellent wear (pics were taken after two days of wear), and good dry time. Score another one for MAC!DarlinAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577027940761598594noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517240.post-23194128746608128172010-07-09T12:00:00.001-04:002010-07-09T12:00:02.596-04:00My Favorite Things: GLEEAny other Gleeks out there?? I have to admit that I caught onto this show late -- I didn't watch from the very beginning, though now I am hoping to be able to catch up before the new season starts. I probably started watching about halfway through the most recent season.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Glee </span>is a show about a midwestern school's band of misfits who all sing in their high school's glee club. The club itself is comprised of a cross-section of all walks of high school life -- you have your super-popular cheerleaders, your jock, the wheelchair-bound nerd, the goth girl, the annoying-yet-talented girl, etc. The one thing that brings them all together is their love of glee club and their AMAZING talent.<br /><br />I must say that the musical numbers are what really won me over. Finding actors/actresses who can both act and sing is rare, and <span style="font-style: italic;">Glee </span>has managed to do that. I am completely riveted by all the performances! I am hoping to get a DVD of the first season soon so that I can catch up on all the episodes I've missed. I must say, when I was in high school (granted, it was half a lifetime ago, but whatever), I don't remember going through half the things that any of these kids went through, but this is a TV show and not reality, so that's OK ;-)<br /><br />The reason I thought about this is because the nominations for the Primetime Emmys came out the other day, and <span style="font-style: italic;">Glee </span>garnered 19 nominations! All of them are well-deserved, also! Another new show that I really enjoy that also got a lot of nods is <span style="font-style: italic;">Modern Family</span>. Both are great shows, and if you haven't seen either, check your local listings for when they're on and catch an episode or two :-)DarlinAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577027940761598594noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517240.post-18961099451037916142010-07-08T12:00:00.000-04:002010-07-08T12:00:03.181-04:00OPI Mrs. O'Leary's BBQI've been lusting after this polish for a while, so I'm glad I was able finally to wear it!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">OPI Mrs. O'Leary's BBQ</span><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/opi_mrs_olearys_bbq.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/opi_mrs_olearys_bbq.jpg" border="0" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/opi_mrs_olearys_bbq1.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/opi_mrs_olearys_bbq1.jpg" border="0" width="400" /></a><br /><br />(outdoors, direct sunlight)<br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/opi_mrs_olearys_bbq2.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/opi_mrs_olearys_bbq2.jpg" border="0" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/opi_mrs_olearys_bbq3.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/opi_mrs_olearys_bbq3.jpg" border="0" width="400" /></a><br /><br />I apologize for the poor condition of my cuticles. For some reason, my index and middle fingers are ALWAYS ragged, no matter how much conditioning or treatments I do. It's the darnedest thing....<br /><br />I really like this polish, though it doesn't quite remind me of BBQ. It is a deep dark red/purple/brown creme. The formula was great... only required 2-3 coats for opacity. As you can see, this looks much darker indoors than it does outdoors. I'm a little out of season here, because this is definitely a much better option for fall and winter than it is for summer. But, that just means I have another excuse to break it out again in a few months!DarlinAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577027940761598594noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517240.post-14153731032641951522010-07-07T23:26:00.002-04:002010-07-07T23:31:55.101-04:00Essie Angora CardiHi everyone! I apologize for the lack of posts (again...), but I am in the middle of selling my place and moving, so I haven't had too much time for anything else. That and I've packed away 80% of my polishes, so I don't have many left to try out and swatch :-( I normally wear a polish 1-2 days before switching it, but recently, I've been going 4-5 days because I simply haven't had the time to change it. Le sigh :-( But, I do have a backlog of pics to post, so here we go!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 102, 204);">Essie Angora Cardi</span><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/essie_angora_cardi.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/essie_angora_cardi.jpg" border="0" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/essie_angora_cardi1.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/essie_angora_cardi1.jpg" border="0" width="400" /></a><br /><br />(outdoors, natural light)<br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/essie_angora_cardi2.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/essie_angora_cardi2.jpg" border="0" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/essie_angora_cardi3.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/essie_angora_cardi3.jpg" border="0" width="400" /></a><br /><br />I have to say that I absolutely LOVE this polish! A good mauve is card to come by, and this one is absolutely perfect. It was opaque in two coats (but I'm wearing three here), and is a perfect pink/purple mauve creme. I absolutely love it!! The wear was also really good -- these pics were taken after two days of wear.DarlinAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577027940761598594noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517240.post-28530937225221028392010-06-29T12:00:00.000-04:002010-06-29T12:00:03.490-04:00OPI Bling DynastyMy first polish from OPI's Hong Kong Collection! Ooh, how exciting! :-)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">OPI Bling Dynasty</span><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/opi_bling_dynasty.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/opi_bling_dynasty.jpg" border="0" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/opi_bling_dynasty1.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/opi_bling_dynasty1.jpg" border="0" width="400" /></a><br /><br />I really liked this one! The formula was great, and the color is just outstanding. It's gold, but not a bling-y (despite its name), bright, annoying gold. It reminds me more of a mustard color, but with a kick of tiny multi-colored shimmer to it. It's gorgeous! My application wasn't wonderful, so please ignore the bald spot on my index finger. I was in a rush and really should have slapped another coat on that finger before I took the pics, but I ended up doing it AFTER I took the pics (of course, right??).DarlinAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577027940761598594noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517240.post-41067232348200357022010-06-28T13:41:00.002-04:002010-06-28T13:48:12.928-04:00Milani 3D DigitalHey everyone! I apologize for not having blogged for so long, but I desperately needed the short break :-) Now, it's back to business as usual!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 255);">Milani 3D Digital</span><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/milani_digital.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/milani_digital.jpg" border="0" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/milani_digital1.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/milani_digital1.jpg" border="0" width="400" /></a><br /><br />Milani came out with a line of six holographic polishes a few months ago. I spotted them in my CVS and ended up picking up three of them. They remind me a lot of China Glaze's Kaleidescope Collection. The formula on this one was OK, and required three coats. It has lots of holo shimmer to it, and the wear was pretty decent as well. It is most definitely pink, but sometimes when I look at it, I feel like it leans a little toward light purple as well. Either way, super fabulous color!DarlinAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577027940761598594noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517240.post-7987870760454926082010-06-21T12:00:00.000-04:002010-06-21T12:00:02.828-04:00China Glaze IDKI loooove holographic polishes. They are simply amazing! Such as this beauty here...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 255);">China Glaze IDK</span><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_idk.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_idk.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_idk1.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_idk1.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This polish is a part of the OMG Collection, from which I've mostly used just the blues and pinks. This color is a pretty light purple with a pink/blue holo effect. The formula was a little sheer, which I have found in other polishes from the same collection, so I'm wearing three coats. It also dries to a semi-matte finish for some reason, so you'll want to use a good top coat to get that "wet" look. Other than that, this is a great color and a wonderful collection!DarlinAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577027940761598594noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517240.post-20813497458124078832010-06-19T12:00:00.000-04:002010-06-19T12:00:02.696-04:00Zoya ToriHmm... I don't think I've swatched a Zoya in a while, and since I have so many more now because of the polish exchange, I figured it'd be the perfect opportunity to try out a new one!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Zoya Tori</span><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_tori.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_tori.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_tori1.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/zoya_tori1.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Tori is a wonderfully opaque jelly-red glitter polish. The glitter is not grainy, so the polish isn't a pain to remove. The formula was excellent -- it gave great coverage in just one coat, but I am wearing two here. I love the color as well -- it really POPS and has a hint of silver to it. Well done, Zoya!DarlinAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577027940761598594noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517240.post-41946459073330170532010-06-17T12:00:00.000-04:002010-06-17T12:00:01.048-04:00China Glaze XThis polish was released as part of China Glaze's Anniversary Collection. It was a series of 10 polishes, all named a roman numeral from I to X. After looking through the pics of all the colors, this one is the only one that stuck out to me.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">China Glaze X</span><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_x.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_x.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_x1.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/Nails/chg_x1.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Formula and application were good. I believe I'm wearing two coats here. X is a dark burgundy/brown with multi-color shimmer. The color isn't terribly unique, but it's nice, dark and vampy, which is nice. Another winner for China Glaze!DarlinAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577027940761598594noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517240.post-80573675545525201352010-06-16T11:36:00.001-04:002010-06-16T11:38:27.712-04:00Flowers to brighten up my day :-)Just wanted to share a picture of the flowers that my boyfriend had sent to my office yesterday. Aren't they beautiful? I love the variety and mix of flowers, and the smell is just incredible! He is such a sweetheart. What a lucky girl I am! :-) No special occasion... he did it just because. I think that's what makes it even more special! :-D He's definitely a keeper!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff57/apalindrome/flowers.jpg" width="425" /><br /></div>DarlinAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15577027940761598594noreply@blogger.com0