Bookworm for a reason

Well my name does say bookworm doesn't it, so I thought it would only be right to throw some book stuff in every once in a while. Like the nights that I spend hours doing homework with my youngest daughter and I do not have time to do my nails. Like, um, tonight and last night. 

My love for books started at a young age. The first book that I can recall reading was A Wrinkle In Time. After that it was your regularly assigned books in school. How To Kill A Mocking Jay, Where The Red Fern Grows, James and The Giant Peach, and Little Women. 

When I got to junior high my taste in books greatly changed. I discovered True Crime novels. Most people would think that this is an odd choice for a 7th grader, and maybe it is, but I knew nothing of what the world or the people in it was really like until I started to read these books. My choice in books didn't change until I was 29. Yep never read a non fiction book all those years. Not once(well not for myself at least). 

After running out of movies to rent at Blockbuster I broke down and rented Twilight. I had no clue what it was or anything about the books until I saw the movie. Being a little curious I went and got some cheap paperback and decided to see what all the fuss was about. It was all downhill from there. It was so different having a break from reality. I read book, after book, after book. I bought all of the Twilight books, and then I moved on to the books of my most favorite movies, Harry Potter. I read all of them in two weeks. 

Over the past three years I have read a handful of series. I seem to gravitate more towards paranormal smut as I like to call it. The Black Dagger Brotherhood series is my favorite so far. It has vampires, smut, and it throws in some ass kicking. Some other great series are; The Hunger Games, The Fallen Series, Sookie Stackhouse, The Mortal Instruments, and The Dark Duet series. There is also Fifty Shades of Grey. While the story line was interesting and kept you wondering what the outcome was going to be, the writing sucked. Not saying I didn't enjoy the books, because I did, just saying the writing was a little off. 

So there you have it. A little look into some of the books I read and how I became a bookworm. And now with an insanely fast growing polish collection, I am The Polished Bookworm. 

What are some of your favorite books? I am always open to reading something new :)

Thanks for stopping by my blog, Crystal :)

Waiting on Snow

The one thing I hate most about winter is the cold. I think that if it is going to be cold it should be snowing, but so far we have only had one snow storm. Here it is November 25th and there is no snow in the future forecast. The Weather Channel does predict some snow on the 9th of December, but not enough for a white Christmas. What?!?! I live in Utah, know for the greatest snow on Earth, um where is my snow. LOL Okay on to my mani. 

Due to the lack of snow I decided to create my own with this mani. This is my first attempt at doing stamping that didn't use a full nail stamp. I am semi pleased with it. I originally had three plates picked out for this one, but no matter what I did I couldn't get my Bundle Monster plate to work. I used two coats of China Glaze Frostbite and Finger Paints Paper Mache for the stamping. For the snowflakes I used RA-119 and Konad m59. 

(China Glaze Frostbite and Finger Paints Paper Mache)

It is not the cleanest stamping ever, but I like it anyway. Hope you you like it :)

Perfect for Monday

Today's mani is perfect for Monday. I don't know what it is about Mondays, but they always suck. It always feels like there is so much to do and not enough time in the day. 

For this mani I used Running in Circles from the new China Glaze Cirque Du Sole collection. This color was one of my must haves from the collection. To me it seems to be a mix of glitter and metallic. It took two thin coats to get full opacity with this color. I wish I could have captured the true beauty that this color is. 

(China Glaze Running in Circles)

Super Late Pink Wednesday :)

This weeks Pink Wednesday....... 

I originally wanted to do some stamping when I pulled out all of my polish stuff, but once I put this polish on my nails I knew I couldn't cover it up (just yet) with anything that would take away from how amazing this polish is. 

For this mani I used Color Clubs Halo-Graphic. I absolutely love this polish. This is not my first holo polish and it will definitely not be my last. I own several Laylas and was once the proud owner of several of the China Glaze OMG collection. But I can say that the Color Clubs are by far the best formula out of the ones I own or have owned. It went on smooth with absolutely no streaking. I still can't get my Layla polishes to go on without streaking, no matter how long I wait in between coats. 

(Color Club Halo-Graphic and Orly MISS CONDUCT)

For my accent finger I used Orly MISS CONDUCT. I also love this color. 

(Orly MISS CONDUCT)

Thanks for stopping by, Crystal :)

In remembrance

Today's post is one that is very personal to me. It is for my cousin Winda. 

On November 13, 2006 my cousin took her own life. It was an event that changed me forever. Winda and I were close as kids and also as adults, but things happened. People and there pettiness got in the way of our relationship and things were never the same. I never got a chance to tell her how much I loved her or how much she meant to me. I never got to say goodbye. 

She was a beautiful woman with an infectious laugh and smile to match. Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me and I think I see her places. The lady at the end of the isle looks like her, the lady walking across the street, even the lady in the car next to me. Why do I think its her? Their smiles. Any other time I would not even notice the people around me, I don't even think I notice anything else about them other than their smiles. She was an amazing friend, a faithful wife, and a devoted mother. If you were to get her and her dad in the same room telling jokes you were guaranteed to pee your pants. There was no situation that those two together could not shed some laughter on. She also had the amazing ability to forgive. Something that not a lot of people are able to do. She was also an amazing shit talker, piss her off and you better duck and hide.... LOL

One of the best memories that I have of me and her is one of our many times going to the damn. We loaded up the kids right after work and went and sat on the beach while the husbands fished. I remember sitting there cracking jokes with her about how they thought they were Bill Dance. Ha Bill Dance, see my uncle use to record his shows (along with others) when we were kids. Oh yeah we knew who he was. I remember looking over at her and the only thing I noticed was the smile on her face and the way the sun made her hair sparkle (yes I said sparkle). Its a memory that will never fade. The other memory that really sticks out is the time we taped the November Rain video over one of her dads home improvement shows. We were so excited to show it to him when he got home. She went on to explain that it was a really beautiful video, and it was something Axle Rose had never done before. HE WAS PLAYING THE PIANO!!!!!!! Hello Axle Rose was sitting at the piano and he was playing it, and the melody was soft, and the video was meaningful. Ha kids, what were we thinking. I think it was the way she worded it and the look on her face that did not get us in trouble for playing with the VCR when we knew we shouldn't have been. 

I remember the day I got the phone call. It was not like any other day, it was my daughters birthday and I kept telling myself over and over that I needed to stop and get her cake on the way home from work. I had just walked into the break room to get my phone out of my locker when it started to ring. Even to this day I can't recall what was said to me. All I remember is getting sick in trashcan after my coworkers picked me up off of the ground, getting sick in the parking lot, and my driveway once I had finally made it home. The next few weeks were mind numbing. 

I miss her so much. 

See my cousin suffered from bipolar disorder. Something I myself suffer from, friends of mine suffer from, and millions of people worldwide suffer from. Having bipolar disorder is a life altering struggle  There are days where one feels lost and questions why they exist. Days that you don't want to get out of bed, days when you don't even know who you are. Your moods can be high and they can be low. Sometimes you're not even sure if you will make it out of the lows. And not matter how hard you try, you can't control how you feel. You snap and yell at those closest to you, you alienate yourself from friends. Weeks can go by without any alters in your mood, and then there can be weeks where you are manic and there seems to be no light at the end of it all. This is something that someone you may know struggles with. 

Hundreds upon hundreds of people every year create their own light at the end of the tunnel by taking their own lives. That is what she did. I have never been angry at her, and I have never blamed her for doing it, because it is something that I have tried to do myself. Bipolar Disorder or Depression should not be taken lightly and it should never be ignored. Become familiar with the signs. If you or someone you know suffers from either of these there is help.

Every 18 minutes someone dies from a suicide. Every 43 seconds someone attempts one. If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide please call 1-800-SUICIDE for help and hope.  

Now I know this is a nail blog, so there will be nails. My mani for today is in remembrance of Winda. The color green is for Bipolar Awareness and Mental Illness Awareness. The yellow is for Suicide Awareness. 

Kleancolor Holo Yellow, Metallic green, and Green with Envy.

Here is a video with a collection of picture of my beautiful cousin. Winda I love and miss you very much. The second song on this video crushes me every time I hear it. It was our song when we were kids. She found the CD when we were older and we jumped up and down like kids :) 

(This video is a private YouTube video and can only be viewed here or clicking on the video itself. It is not searchable on YouTube)

November 8 for No H8

Bullying is not funny.  It is not cool.  It is not right.  And more importantly, it is not okay.  

Most of us are thankfully residents of countries that support tolerance and many of our families have settled in these places simply for that reason.  Generations later, it is our responsibility to perpetuate that message of tolerance across our new social platforms, including the internet.

As members of the nail polish community, we all share a love of beauty, color, and lacquer.  Other than that, we are remarkably different: from our race to our religion to our hair color and even to our polish application techniques.  To look down on anyone because of those differences is completely unacceptable and today I take a stand against that.  I refuse to allow other people's view of "normal" dictate how I behave, believe, and blog.  

In solidarity with a multitude of bloggers linked below, my purple manicure represents my proud commitment to the No H8 movement.  Today, November 8, I dedicate my post  to ending bullying of any kind and to encouraging diversity and imperfection among our colorful community.

For this mani I pulled some of my untried polishes out of their drawers. I decided to do a subtle gradient mani. I started with Wet n Wild On a Trip and then Finger Paints Peaceful Purple for the gradient.  The brush on On a Trip is different from any of polish brush that I have every used. It is really flat and really wide, but it does seem to give good even coverage in just 1-2 brush strokes. This is definitely one I will be using again. 

If you or someone you know suffers from bullying, there is help.  Please visit the following sites for support and encouragement:
StopBullying.gov
Report Cyber Bullying
National Suicide Prevention Hotline - 800.273.TALK (8255)
Eradicate H8

Bloggers Against Hate and Bullying!

1.	Harajuku Girl FL Beauty	60.	SoFlaJo	119.	Polish Etc.
2.	Amandalandish	61.	Andra Williams	120.	Abominable Attempts At Pretty Nails
3.	Claudia @ Nailingthis.com	62.	Amber Did It!	121.	Polly Polish
4.	Beauty Info Zone	63.	Kristina Masten	122.	Lifes Little Blessings
5.	Peace Love and Glitter	64.	Rebecca Likes Nails	123.	♥ KT world Music ~ Life ~ Beauty
6.	Leona Carolina	65.	...And Then There Was Polish	124.	NAIL ME
7.	Cosmetics Aficionado	66.	EntirelyNails	125.	Horcrux Nails
8.	Pinked Polish	67.	Rin's Nail Files	126.	Bunny Nails
9.	Fox Claws	68.	Spellbinding Nails	127.	MandysSecrets
10.	Nory from Fierce Makeup and Nails	69.	Sincerely Stephanie	128.	Lucy's Stash
11.	Ishah x Beauty	70.	lovenailpolish for NO H8	129.	ManicuredSlayer
12.	Captivating Claws	71.	Très Beau Glamour	130.	Ruiva Cohen
13.	Polish Ninja	72.	Beauty and Fashion Tech	131.	The Blahg
14.	ChiChi	73.	Myfashionality	132.	Polish Insomnia
15.	MakeUpMom123	74.	MommyLovesNailPolish	133.	The Daily Lacquerista
16.	Nailing it by mystie	75.	Painted Pixies	134.	Sirantha's Nails
17.	Meredith Anne	76.	Erica's Nails and More	135.	a teachers secret nailblog
18.	shortwidenails	77.	NailpolishHeaven	136.	Polish Pauper
19.	Posh Nail Art	78.	Nail Craze with Dayze	137.	JanMLoves
20.	Nailant	79.	Makeup Chic, Literary Geek	138.	Jennie
21.	Lacquer Buzz	80.	Ambibugs nails	139.	Nailphotos by Lani
22.	llarowe.com	81.	The Beauty Delicacy	140.	Nails done by a blimbo
23.	Nails by Carol	82.	Taneja's Bride	141.	The Nail Adventure
24.	Never Mind Suzi	83.	Lozlosa (Lisa Chakan)	142.	NailsLikeLace
25.	Gatita's nail art	84.	The Ides of Polish	143.	Once Bitten Nails
26.	Angel	85.	Older Ladies Like Color Too	144.	Just for fun
27.	Kimpelling Beauty	86.	My Beauty Dish	145.	Nail Polish Wars
28.	Belessa	87.	Crystaliciousss	146.	Jazz at Glitter Infatuation
29.	Natasje.nl	88.	esstur	147.	The Colours in my World
30.	Marlevi	89.	Dema Pixie	148.	Nails N Stuff
31.	Inky Whiskers	90.	Paperbacks and Polish	149.	Ooooo Shiny!
32.	Nails by Ms. Lizard	91.	LinvanT	150.	Nail Loopy
33.	TheFabZilla	92.	PishPosh and Polish	151.	Sonoma Nail Art
34.	Lacquer Or Leave Her!	93.	VWolfe	152.	nail crazy
35.	Polarbelle	94.	Packer Lacquer	153.	Danielle at Totally Nailed
36.	nailsandstuff-shannara	95.	Supermaxxx	154.	Annie
37.	Melanie's Fancies	96.	Sonya Parks	155.	Natalia
38.	Beauty by Miss L	97.	Imperfectly Painted	156.	Oh! Look at my Nails
39.	Neverland Nail Blog	98.	polish insomniac	157.	Cel
40.	Lacky Corner	99.	Karine's Vernis Club	158.	Saving the World One Nail at a Time
41.	DeltaCephei.nl	100.	PrettyKittyClaws	159.	Enigmatic Rambles
42.	Jen of Sweet Tips Nails	101.	embellished nails	160.	ChrissyAi
43.	JennaFroggy	102.	Its' All About the Polish	161.	Cakepie
44.	GoingtotheShowing	103.	Jen's Wonderland	162.	Epitome of Feminine Allure
45.	Nailart-Addictions	104.	Every Sensory	163.	I Relish Nail Polish
46.	Art Evolve	105.	Nothing But Nail Polish	164.	Glitter Me This
47.	Confessions of a Sarcastic Mom	106.	StyleInspire.nl	165.	See Jodi Polish
48.	Moxie Reviews	107.	Hand-y Feats and Other Treats	166.	Gelic' nail art
49.	Lacquered Lover	108.	Go Polish Yourself	167.	Nail Polish Goddess
50.	The MakeUp Diary	109.	Lydia's Nails	168.	Nails for the Sake of Sanity
51.	Superficially Colorful	110.	Menina	169.	JenerallySpeaking
52.	A Ginger's Nail...	111.	Pamela H	170.	Thoughts of Beauty
53.	Beyond Beauty Lounge	112.	Omg! Polish 'Em!	171.	Mimi Manicures
54.	Beauty by Arielle	113.	The Crumpet	172.	iHeartPrettyPolish
55.	Lacquer Dreams	114.	Oooh, Shinies!	173.	Nailed
56.	MixedMama	115.	The Sweet Escape	174.	gl0ssy
57.	Nails Adored	116.	Lisa Nail Polish Creations	175.	Esmaltoterapia
58.	Red polish or bad polish	117.	The Lacquerologist	176.	Mimi's Mani's
59.	Sonya Parks	118.	Polished Grad	177.	College Polished

Pink Wednesday

Eeepp my very first Pink Wednesday post!!!! It's a little early, but I only get the chance to change my polish at night for the next day. For this mani I did layers and layer of polish...LOL I started off with Orly Sterling Silver Rose, then I did three thin coats of Layla Retro Pink, and to top it off I did a coat of Sephora It's Real.

I really like the way the gold flecks look in the Sephora polish. In person when you look real close at it it looks like the gold is floating. I am a big fan of this effect. I wore It's real over Flash Black a few weeks ago and loved the way it looked.  I hope you like it :)

NOTD for Tuesday and my second try at blogging :)

I am still trying to get the hang of this blogging thing. My biggest issue so far has to be my pictures. For some reason I cannot figure out how to hold the bottle correctly, place my fingers correctly  or get a good angle with my camera. I also need to get the right kind of light bulb because all of my pictures are turning out really yellow. 

Anyways here is my mani for Tuesday. It is an oldie but goody, Orlys Fowl Play with Hard Candy Matte-ly In Love topcoat. 

Test post

This is going to be my very first blog post. It is just a test to see how my blog layout looks. I am going to add a picture for good measure..... :)


Here is the mani that I wore for Halloween. It was inspired by a tutorial on Cutepolish.