Manicure Monday - Tape Nail Art

This is another easy manicure to do - all you need is a bit of sticky-tape.

I couldn't decide which colour combination to use - this is what I love about all these posts I have done over the past few weeks - the combinations are endless.

I cannot wait to go back and revisit all the designs with different colour combos! :-)

Today's nail-art was fairly easy when I got the hang of cutting the tape into little triangles.

Pink base: OPI All Kendall-ed Up. Top colour: Essie Chinchilly

What you need:
Sticky tape
Scissors to cut tape
2 colours - 1 base, 1 top colour
1 Topcoat

1. Paint your nails with 2 coats of the lighter colour. Allow to dry very well. (Choose the lighter colour as the base because your last coat is only 1 coat and if it is lighter than the base, the underneath colour shines through - I learnt this after swapping the colour combos on my other hand.)
2. Cut sticky tape into long, skinny triangles and stick to each nail on the 1 hand (You don't want to let the tape stick onto your nail for too long, it leaves traces of glue behind.)
3. Paint 1 coat of the darker colour over your nails.
4. Peel the tape off before the polish becomes tacky - otherwise it makes  "melted cheese off a pizza" strands.
5. Repeat on the other hand.
6. Finish off with a top coat to give the nail a smooth finish

The professional result:

Website

 

Mineral Make-up: Fad or Fact

I recently read a blog about a lady who had stopped using regular foundation and switched to Mineral powder. It was one of those blogs I stumbled upon in the early hours of 1 of my insomniac phases and I cannot for the life of me remember her blog name.
She had stated that the chemicals in regular foundation actually contributed to a bad skin and showed photos of her skin.
There are conflicting views as to whether mineral makeup really is better than regular foundation.
If something has less chemicals in it, how can it not be better?

This convinced me enough to give it a go.
I had run out of foundation and needed to buy more, so I decided on the Extra Virgin Mineral powder from The body Shop instead. At R190 (about $19) this was a relatively low capital outlay for a "foundation"

I have always been self concious of my skin.
Besides my really pale complexion which makes the redness so much more conspicuous, I suffered from acne when I was 13. As a result I have never been able to shake the insecurity.

I have been using the powder for about 2 weeks and boy can I see a difference!
I wish I had taken a before photo.
My skin tone has improved dramatically. It is more even and less mottled. The skin is smoother and softer to the touch.
I have very oily skin (even makeup promising matte results for 12 hours do not last) and within the 1st 2 weeks of using it, I had a very shiny complexion - needing to touch up during the day.
It seems to have settled down a bit and although still oily, a light extra dusting covers it completely.

I may have found a new favourite product!

Dark Sides

Oh oh oh, there's a place that I know
It's not pretty there and few have ever gone
If I show it to you now
Will it make you run away?

Or will you stay
Even if it hurts
Even if I try to push you out
Will you return?
And remind me who I really am
Please remind me who I really am

Sometimes I feel like an imposter.

I talk to people, I smile at them and I laugh at their jokes. All from behind a veil.

The “other me” whispers in my ear, not unkindly, that they don’t understand me. They think they know who I am, but in reality they are seeing the side of me that they expect to see.

For many years I have struggled with my dual personality. I joke about Geminis and our split personalities and in many respects I do have the split personality. More so than 99% of the even-tempered population out there.

But deep down, a secret I have never discussed with anybody. I know that I have another personality. A personality that is… Dark. Misunderstood. Restless. Lonely. Selfish. Driven.

Some days it threatens to consume me. I find myself with an unexplained melancholy deep in my soul. I cry for no reason. I have no inclination to make an effort to do anything.

I retreat into my own little bubble where I escape into another world by reading or watching tv.

I sit with my dearest friends and watch them talking. I am disinterested. I don’t participate in the conversations because I have nothing to say.

I am behind my veil.

This personality has become more prevalent over the past few months. I am under tremendous stress at work (I have been constantly for about 2 years) Perhaps this is my breaking point? My mind is cracking?

Travel Tuesday - Hoedspruit

Tee hails from Hoedspruit -  about a 6 hours drive from Johannesburg.
They are situated in the Limpopo province - and are predominantly a farming town specialising in mango and citrus.

In 2009 we decided to take a break and visited her family for a long weekend.

I had been under a lot of stress at work (as usual) and the best part about the mini-break was that Tee brought me coffee in bed every morning!

I had no cell reception and got a few hours to myself every day just to read or relax. I needed the time-out and Hoedspruit is a perfect place to visit.

Tee took me around to see some of the sights and 1 of the best was the gigantic Glencoe Baobab tree. It is the 2nd largest tree in South Africa, but sadly seems to be dying.

The trunk diameter was 15.9m (with a circumference of 47 metres) before it split

Here is the tree taken from afar:

This is closer with me in the shot to give you some perspective:

Baobabs are found only in South Africa, Madagascar and Australia and are not the prettiest trees. Bushmen legend has it that God was angry with the Baobab tree and pulled it up and stuck it back into the ground upside down. It's a clever story as the limbs do look like the roots of a tree in winter.

A walk at Dusk

Gorgeous view of the lake

We went on a hike through some beautiful forest and came out at this waterfall. I have always had a thing for waterfalls - they make me insanely happy.

Pretty waterfall

We visited the Silkworm factory where you can buy something pretty.

The wildlife rehabilitation centre was also a great outing. Sadly there was a sick little rhino there. He ran around amongst the people just like a tame dog. It was very sweet.

His tummy would not work and they had tried everything. They feared that he would not survive much longer.
I'm not sure what happened to him...

Little baby

Manicure Monday - Sweetheart

This week's manicure was a bit of a fail.

The Sweetheart Manicure sounds simple enough - 2 lines, 2 dots and you're all set.
NOT.

I've committed to showing you every manicure I do as an amateur & hopefully with some practise I can 1 day show you professional-looking results.

Colours you will need:

2 complimenting colours - I chose Blue and Grey

White (for the stripes)

Paint your index finger with main accent colour

Paint remaining 3 fingers and thumb with 2nd colour

Draw 2 white stripes along middle finger.I definitely need a professional Nail "stick/paintbrush tool"

To make the heart: Dot 2 drops of nail polish next to each other and drag down the middle with a stick/toothpick/bobbypin to create the heart. (I couldn't quite get the heart shape right)

This is the professional version:

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