Like last year; I'm going to list a few highlights from the past year and outline a few goals for the coming year. While I'd love to share my favourite polishes or brands or whatever, I could never narrow it down to a reasonable number and I'm sure you don't want to see my top 500 or anything like that; I know attempting to do a Top 20 would be pointless. I do love to read others posts; unfortunately, this just increases my wish list as I discover polishes I previously had no interest in before lol, but always interesting to see what floats others boat!
As I sit down to type this, I realize I don't have a whole lot of highlights to list; not nearly as much as last year. Not that that's a bad thing, just is what it is!
1. Lint Roller for Squishy Stamper
Many thanks to Beaching Nails for this awesome tip to clean your squishy stamper after stamping! Squishy stampers aren't acetone/remover friendly; as I use a squishy stamper for all my stamping except placement of a few accent stamps, this has been an invaluable tip! Speaking of squishy stampers, there are more options and sizes available than ever before!
2. Different Dimension Oils
There was quite a bit of buzz about oils in general this year; a lot of it was about Bliss Kiss oils. I've tried a few different oils now (and not Bliss Kiss) but after reading the review from Pointless Cafe here about the Different Dimension oils, placed an order for the same scent. I've been really happy with it and just placed another order of a few different scents and a replacement of white truffle raspberry. I seen recently that she's releasing a brand new scent, Hot Apple Pie which sounds amazzzzingggggggg!; I hope it is still available the next time I need to order...and of course, it was announced just days after I made my last purchase of other oils - always the way!! My only wish is that it would be available in a polish bottle as I prefer to apply with a brush. So far, I decanted into a small bottle and applied that way.
3. Increasing/Decreasing Stamper Size Using Squishy Stamper
I don't know who to credit with either one of these tips, but I do remember a post in a FB stamping group showing a video from a gal who didn't speak English doing the decrease in size; the increase in images on stampers had been "discovered" shortly before. I've only used this technique a couple times but it is a fantastic discovery to use images that are either too big for your nails or too small; there are so many plates generally that it could be beneficial.
4. Digit-al Dozen
Such an honour to be included in this extremely talented group of artists although I feel most of the time, I'm barely keeping up! But some of my most creative stamping has been as a result of the challenges - and every month, regardless of the theme, it is a challenge! Looking forward to another 12 months of challenges!
5. Indie Polishes
I own a lot of indies and have been buying them since some of the first makers starting selling them way back when. What I have noticed looking at the first ones to the ones being sold today is that the polishes (the good ones, anyway!) are much more complex and the makers creative in their end product compared to years ago. It is interesting to me to see how some of the makers have grown over the years. Several years ago, there were a lot of makers just adding a mix of assorted colours of glitter in a clear base and selling it - and this was new and exciting back then if you think of Lynderella Connect the Dots for example! Some of the formula's weren't the best; to be honest, I don't know if the formula on some polishes are now better because I bought once and never again. Now, I pretty much only stick to buying from a group of makers that I've had consistent good results. I may buy one or two here and there from places like llarowe or Harlow & Co. to try a brand out, but I never buy half a dozen polishes from an untried brand like I did years ago. Lesson learned. But the complex mixing of glitters, the addition of shimmer to holo, the interesting colours coming out is just kicking up indies a notch....in my humble opinion! I'm looking forward to the amazing polishes that these creative geniuses are going to be creating in the next year! Oh, and this year is also the year of nail vinyls....I've yet to own any but certainly do want to try them out!
6. Spring Meet Up at Girly Bits Headquarters!
Meeting up and talking nail speak with other nail/polish fanatics is always going to be a highlight and this year was no exception! In May this year, I had the pleasure of joining the ladies from nailxchange, Frazzle and Aniploish, @traceyloveslacquer, and @honeybee_nails where we went to the Girly Bits headquarters and made polish!
This is where all the magic happens!
The wall of glitter....and this is just a small portion of it!
These are the polishes that we made; the two I made are bottles 3 and 4 from the left on the bottom row (as you can see, I won't be quitting my day job to make polish any time soon!)
An unposted mani still, but these were the nails I wore for the event; Girly Bits Roger That! stamped with stars as tribute to meeting up with the US ladies!
No nail meet up is complete without the mandatory mani pose!
7. Stamping Plates, Stamping Plates, Stamping Plates!
Infinity, MoYou, FUN, MJ, Wistonia, Chez, BFF, DRK, Bunny Nails, Apipila, Bundle Monster, Emily de Molly, LilyAnna, Messy Mansion, Marianne Nails, Pueen, Vivid Lacquer, UP, Pet'la, Handy, Sugar Bubbles....the plate releases have been amazing this year! I'm sure I've missed a few, but oh, so many releases of plates! Great to see some new plate makers, too! The images are becoming more interesting, there are full size images galore, the makers are making the images long enough for those with long nails, not to mention designs for more and more themes! Can't wait to see what will be released in 2015!
8. Polish Shaker
I purchased a polish shaker early last year - what a headache in some regards! First of all, the Amazon seller only shipped to US. So I ordered it and drove to US to pick up....then had massive interrogation at the border about my quick trip there and back solely to collect this item. Customs couldn't figure out why I needed it, why I would have to drive to US to collect, why it wasn't available in Canada; they searched my vehicle, searched the contents of the box, etc etc. All for the sake of a polish shaker. Then, after only a few short weeks of use, it stopped working. Contacted the seller who advised they only have free shipping within the US....after the hassle I had a the border getting it, I didn't look forward to driving there again to return it! Thankfully, Karen agreed to take my shaker back with her to the US when we did our meet up and mail from there so I was refunded my money. In the meanwhile, the product became available in Canada and I found a local supply place that sold the shaker (hoping that the issue was I got a lemon) and bought another and have been using it ever since with no issue! Such an arm saver and time saver for mixing up polishes...and Mundo de Unas stamping polishes, for sure! There are a lot of sinking glitter polishes that you have to sit upside down for a day or two, then mix up; none of this is needed with a shaker. Really great investment!
Goals
Here's my 2014 goals with a few updating comments in red; seeing how I didn't accomplish much, I'd say my goals are the same for this year!
Anyway, from January 1, 2014, this is what I said; not much has changed!
I'm not a great resolution maker but I do have a few goals; some nail related and others, not so much. I don't really make a whole lot of goals about my nails or blogging in general; this is my hobby and I'm happy just to continue doing it! I guess if I have any nail related goal, it would be better cleanup and less hang nails!
I want to eat healthier and exercise more (and hopefully lose weight in the process but that's not the goal; the eating better and more exercise is). I lost absolutely no weight this year so really failed on this! Still a goal in 2015; hopefully it will be a reality this year! Although I did quite a bit of swimming this past summer; more than last year; so better than nothing! Travel out of country at least once a year. Another fail unless you count cross border shopping, but hopefully will be a reality in 2015 as my brother is getting married in a tropical locale this summer! I do want to make it to the llarowe store too! Work less. Another fail; the workaholic in me doubts this wil ever happen! Spend less money/save more. *checks bank account; still another fail! Too many plates and polishes! Get more sleep. Yet another fail (am not doing very good!) Less FB and internet surfing; hopefully the trade will off to less internet will be to read more (and not until 4 am!) I do my nails a lot so there is no related goal needed but I need to get the mani's I do posted...I think right now, I have 36 draft mani's and I know I have pix of many more that haven't been uploaded yet. Have about 69 posts in drafts right now as well as more that haven't been uploaded yet so fail again and I still spend a fair amount of time surfing! Spend more time with my kids before I'm an empty nester; teach them to cook wholesome, homemade meals so they aren't eating out once they leave home! Fail again; mainly because the kids are rarely home with school, working, sports and very active social lives! Declutter the house and get better organized. I did spend some time on this in 2014 and made good progress....but there's still progress to be made! Take all my vacation time! I took about half my entitled holidays in 2014 and really want to take it all in 2015! Try a few mani methods that I've never done yet...waterfalls, marbling...probably more, but I can think of those off the top of my head. Oh my; yet another fail; still haven't done waterfall or marbling or anything new! Attend CosmoProf 2014 in Las Vegas....I'm not in the biz and have no idea about how to go about this if not in the biz, but really want to attend! Didn't attend in 2014 either; hopefully will in 2015! Use my untrieds...I know I have a lot of incredible polishes but so many have never made it to my nails! This is still true; I have so many awesome looking polishes that have yet to be worn but keep on buying new stuff and have so many untried; one day, I'll gt there! Have a blog sale....I've needed to do this for some time now and I hope I can find the time in 2014 to get a sale posted! A failure again! Still haven't done this but it is so long overdue! I did make a board on Pinterest for this so hopefully it will happen in 2015! And lastly, after reading this post, maybe in 2014, I'll learn to be less wordy! Still am wordy but my posts have been less wordy than before, mainly because of time restraints so just do bare bones words; if anything, perhaps my goal this year would be to have some interesting content? Not sure if this will ever happen as my whole blogging attempt was always to share mani's and am sure no one wants to hear about my boring old life! Not much happens anyway!
One final 2015 goal would be to spend as much time as possible with my parents. I'm middle aged; they are retirement age; I need to spend as much time as possible with them while I can; I don't want to have any regrets!
Have a fantastic 2015!
I want to eat healthier and exercise more (and hopefully lose weight in the process but that's not the goal; the eating better and more exercise is). I lost absolutely no weight this year so really failed on this! Still a goal in 2015; hopefully it will be a reality this year! Although I did quite a bit of swimming this past summer; more than last year; so better than nothing! Travel out of country at least once a year. Another fail unless you count cross border shopping, but hopefully will be a reality in 2015 as my brother is getting married in a tropical locale this summer! I do want to make it to the llarowe store too! Work less. Another fail; the workaholic in me doubts this wil ever happen! Spend less money/save more. *checks bank account; still another fail! Too many plates and polishes! Get more sleep. Yet another fail (am not doing very good!) Less FB and internet surfing; hopefully the trade will off to less internet will be to read more (and not until 4 am!) I do my nails a lot so there is no related goal needed but I need to get the mani's I do posted...I think right now, I have 36 draft mani's and I know I have pix of many more that haven't been uploaded yet. Have about 69 posts in drafts right now as well as more that haven't been uploaded yet so fail again and I still spend a fair amount of time surfing! Spend more time with my kids before I'm an empty nester; teach them to cook wholesome, homemade meals so they aren't eating out once they leave home! Fail again; mainly because the kids are rarely home with school, working, sports and very active social lives! Declutter the house and get better organized. I did spend some time on this in 2014 and made good progress....but there's still progress to be made! Take all my vacation time! I took about half my entitled holidays in 2014 and really want to take it all in 2015! Try a few mani methods that I've never done yet...waterfalls, marbling...probably more, but I can think of those off the top of my head. Oh my; yet another fail; still haven't done waterfall or marbling or anything new! Attend CosmoProf 2014 in Las Vegas....I'm not in the biz and have no idea about how to go about this if not in the biz, but really want to attend! Didn't attend in 2014 either; hopefully will in 2015! Use my untrieds...I know I have a lot of incredible polishes but so many have never made it to my nails! This is still true; I have so many awesome looking polishes that have yet to be worn but keep on buying new stuff and have so many untried; one day, I'll gt there! Have a blog sale....I've needed to do this for some time now and I hope I can find the time in 2014 to get a sale posted! A failure again! Still haven't done this but it is so long overdue! I did make a board on Pinterest for this so hopefully it will happen in 2015! And lastly, after reading this post, maybe in 2014, I'll learn to be less wordy! Still am wordy but my posts have been less wordy than before, mainly because of time restraints so just do bare bones words; if anything, perhaps my goal this year would be to have some interesting content? Not sure if this will ever happen as my whole blogging attempt was always to share mani's and am sure no one wants to hear about my boring old life! Not much happens anyway!
One final 2015 goal would be to spend as much time as possible with my parents. I'm middle aged; they are retirement age; I need to spend as much time as possible with them while I can; I don't want to have any regrets!
Have a fantastic 2015!
great post - loved reading this, and didn't realise a polish shaker was affordable. That will be next on my list! xx
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