Lest We Forget

Lest We Forget.

It's Remembrance Day here in Canada; the day we honour those who fought for our freedoms and those who continue to serve so we can continue with the freedoms we enjoy today.  

This is the 12th year that I'll be sharing Remembrance Day nails; I try to do at least one mani every year as the day holds great meaning to me.  I think of what my grandfather must have gone through fighting in WWII and am thankful that he made it home.  Quite frankly, I wouldn't be here if he didn't as my father was born after he returned being one of those families who had pre and post war babies, with my dad being a post war baby.  But I am more thankful that him and others risked their lives or unfortunately lost their life so we can have the freedoms we experience today.  Our world could be a whole lot different if they hadn't fought for our freedoms so we thank them and remember them as well as those who continue to serve.  We should be thanking them everyday, not just one day a year, quite frankly.

Started with a base of two coats of Different Dimension Everything I Brew, I Brew It For You.  First, I thought this was gray, only to discover when I found the gray from this collection after I finished these nails, that in fact, this is a pale blue.  Second, I had to laugh when I read the name; all I could think of was the Bryan Adams song as it was one of the significant dance songs with my husband at our wedding so many years ago and it made me think of that.  

Topped with KBShimmer Clearly on Top.

Stamped with images from Clear Jelly Stamper CJS H-026 using Konad Red and Painted Polish Midnight Mischief, then topped with KBShimmer Clearly on Top.  I thought this was going to be the final mani but decided to do a little more.

After making stamper decals using Wistonia W-04 using Painted Polish Midnight Mischief and filling in with Colors By Llarowe Sweet Beginnings, applied sticky base coat, then applied the decals on the nails directly from the stamper.

I added a bit of the CbL on the middle finger to had a glint of holo on those poppies and touched up the words on the middle finger (wished my lettering skills with a brush were better!), then topped with a final coat of KBShimmer Clearly on Top to finish.

Lest We Forget.

Digit-al Dozen Does Thankfulness; Day 2/Lest We Forget

Today's mani serves a dual purpose; a Remembrance Day mani as well as a thankful mani for Digit-al Dozen Thankfulness. For Day 2, I'm thankful for all those who gave their lives and continue to serve so that we enjoy the freedom we have today.

Polishes used are Pahlish Mind Like a Diamond (gray), Duri Taming of the Shrew (red) and OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls (white), all two coats topped with KBShimmer Clearly on Top.

I applied a stamper decal I had made on the thumb from Big SdP E, then stamped on the rest of the nails using Marianne Nails n.56 (index), MoYou Gothic Collection-04 (middle), Marianne Nails n.22 (ring) and Wistonia W04 (pinky).  The black voids on both the middle and index finger did not stamp fully no matter how light or which direction I scraped on; even with trying several polishes, stampers and scrapers so I eventually gave up and just filled in any bare spots with polish and a brush.

Added a few dots to the poppy centre on the pinky, then topcoated.  I thought I had better take a pix now because I had purposely planned to stamp some letters and if I messed it up, this was the end result mani I would be showing!

Stamped using letters from Nailways Back to Basics 123 ABC for words on the thumb.  While not 100%, I didn't do too badly for Lest We...then it went downhill from there.  I stamped the F and other letters numerous times until it got to the point that if I removed the lettering anymore, I was going to remove the base polish.  I eventually got the placement of the F somewhat where I wanted and just hand painted in the rest.  (I was pretty happy with my handwriting as I have no skill with a brush and these didn't turn out that badly).   It took me longer to stamp those few letters on the thumb than doing the rest of the nails combined. (If only plate makers would do these words like I have suggested so many times!)

At this time, I touched up the poppy on the thumb a little bit, then top coated the thumb.  

I liked how this turned out, but found I couldn't get a good, clear shot of the mani so added a layer of OPI matte.  

There was no way I was attempting anything like this on my right hand; this is what I did for it.  (Please excuse the hangnails and terribly dry skin; as soon as the cold weather hit, my hands have been a disaster!)

Top coated again for wear.

Plate pix of some plates that have poppies used as well as others that I thought I might use but didn't.   

Marianne Nails n56

Marianne Nails n48

Marianne Nails n22

Vivid Lacquer VL038

MoYou Gothic Collection-04

I find as I get older, I have more appreciation for Remembrance Day, recognizing exactly how fortunate we are for the freedom we have as a result of the veterans in their fight for us as well as those who continue to serve.  I'm also thankful that my grandfather, who fought in World War II, made it home safely; otherwise, I wouldn't be here!  My grandparents had pre and post war babies; my dad was a post war baby and he (and in turn I) would not be here if my grandfather hadn't returned from war.  I don't know a whole lot (anything really) about what my grandfather did in war, where he was stationed, how long he served, etc; he never talked about his war experience even if he was asked. I'm surmising to keep the horrors he witnessed from surfacing and keeping the demons at bay.  I can only imagine how horrific it was to go through; what little I have seen from film footage from the war years is enough to visualize never mind having to fight and live through it. 

I am truly thankful for those who fought, and continue to fight, for our freedoms.  

Lest We Forget.

Here's what the other ladies are thankful for on Day 2!

An InLinkz Link-up

Thanks for looking!