Beauty Bonanza

It all started in seventh grade. I was going through an...awkward phase. To put it nicely. 

My hair was uncooperative. My body was just weird. I had braces and acne.

But - I had nails.

They were really the only part of my body that I considered "pretty".

I wasn't very skilled at painting them, so I decided to get fake nails. I just knew they would make me look older and sophisticated. I couldn't get the nail salon kind though, since I was 13 and had no money. So I begged my mom to buy me the ones from the drug store that taped onto my real nail. They were incredibly long and I painted them neon yellow.

People. Neon yellow.

I thought they were HOT, and that all the boys would be lining up to date me and my exotic nails.

I vividly remember standing at the bus stop with the cute boy from down the street who was a year older, and holding my hands conspicuously in front of my face, (which I'm sure looked very awkward to him), in an attempt to get him to notice my electric-colored talons.

In hindsight, they probably came across as more frightening than hip.

So, that was an epic fail. And, even worse, once I finally wised up and ripped them off, my real nails were pretty damaged. I promised myself I would never wear fake nails again, and began training myself to paint my own. I painted them every single day of the week. It became almost an obsession. After a while I was able to do it without even thinking, it was a relaxing activity for me. 

At my worst I would paint my nails three times a day.

In college I kept the nail polish remover and all of my polish colors in a drawer of my desk so I could paint and repaint my nails while working on homework or writing essays. 

People would walk in the room while I was painting my nails and make a face about the smell and tell me that we should open a window. I never understood what they were talking about. I couldn't even smell the paints anymore, my nose was so accustomed to them.

I've had to slow down a bit since having children.

It never fails, as soon as I finish my nails and am waiting for them to dry, one of my sons will need me right THIS INSTANT to change a diaper or fill a sippy cup with milk or change the batteries on a toy.

But I still love painting my nails. It's calming, and it is so fun for me to come up with new designs and colors to try out. I especially like coordinating my nails with holidays or special events.

So, without further ado, I have created this new page for your enjoyment ,(you can also get to it by clicking on the "Beauty Bonanza" Tab at the top of this page). 

I plan to post photos of nail designs I create, and discuss some of my favorites styles or brands of nail polish. I may also occasionally discuss other girly beauty topics on there as well for the fun of it. So if you, like me, enjoy trying new nail designs, then have a look and let me know what you think!

And don't worry, I no longer use neon yellow. For anything.