Count your blessings as we say ByeBye 2012

Photo courtsey of Google Images

Hey Guys,

I couldn't let the year end pass without saying a few words. I'm not a fan of new years eve if I'm being honest. But I do find its a good time to reflect back on the year that is about to end.

i also feel that we (as a whole) tend to focus on the negatives rather than the positives and as i think back over the last 12 months, there have been more high's than lows, which is great :)

2012 was a good year for me mostly. Besides hurting my back and being in bits for nearly 4 months.


I've struggled weight wise, but I feel that now I've gone public with my battle that 2013 will see me slimmer and trimmer, I will not loose and gain back the same stone 3 more times!! That stone has haunted my 2012 and so I'm promising that I WILL loose that stone (and keep it off) plus the 3 others that I could do with dropping. its not a resolution as such, more like a present to myself and my health.
I will continue with my weekly weigh in's and I will try some exercise classes and see which I want to take up as a hobby for 2013, that will keep me going on the day to day, having something to keep me busy in the evenings.


The support and feedback I've received since I started this blog back in September has been over whelming, it has also put me back in contact with pals that I hadn't spoken too in a while and for that I am very thankful, my friends and family have been a huge support to me also, my mum being my personal chef and my boyfriend walking me when I really didn't want too. Having a support network is definately a big help. they remind me of my achievements when I'm having a bad day and feeling negative. Its good to know that they're only a text away.


My Nail Art attempts/ hobby is the reason that I started this blog and I do enjoy thinking up and trying new ideas, it has been a life saver when I've been starving with the hunger of an evening also (lol)
I've received lots of really cool and pretty polishes for Christmas, which I will no doubt be showing  off in the new year...

So I hope as you read this your smiling and thinking back over your 2012 I hope it was filled with good health, happy times and that you've made some fantastic memories that will always stay with you always.


2012 for me was great, I fell in love with an amazing guy, I discovered a gra for nail polish and nail art, I went to Westlifes Last Ever Concert (sob, sob), I started this blog, I went on holidays, I welcomed my lil niece into our family and I got the all clear on my back from the Chiropractor.
My best friend bought a house, got engaged and set her date for next november, eeek and my other best friend is expecting baby number 3, wooo hooo

So here's to a fab and busy 2013 :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR xxx

Essence Nail Art Peel Off Base Coat

Essence Nail Art Peel Off Base Coat

The best invention/ find of 2012 has to be "Essence Nail Art Peel Off Base Coat"
I have been raving about this product for the last couple of weeks, I'm not sure why I haven't done a post on it before now!! So here we go :)
This cost me €2.79 in Penneys and its worth every penney and more.

 

 

Why is it so great I hear you asking?? (sorry I do tend to go on) Well this is a base coat, it goes on white and is essentially PVA glue, but give it a few minutes to dry and its drys to clear.
you paint your nails with whatever you want, I recommend glitter polish.
Do all your business, glitter, nail art, top coats etc.

Then when your ready to change your colour, you break the seal up around your cuticles and push it with an orange stick and other beauty bloggers say it comes off in one go.
I haven't tried this technique, you see I'm a picker, so I'm loving this method of removal :)
I break the seal at the cuticle and I pick/ peel off the layers of polish off my nails, finger by finger.
I find it to be great fun and the best bit???? (apart from the fact that you can do it anywhere, my mother can vouch to that!! her poor car, oops)  It doesn't do any damage to your nails :) Yip, you heard me, so you can pick and peel and your nail bed doesn't suffer AT ALL.

 

 

I have been raving about this stuff since I discovered it, I'd read about it on an Australian blog a few months back, so I was thrilled when I spotted it by accident on the Essence stand.

I think every girls should have a bottle of this in their collection, you don't have to be doing nail art to have this.
Its made the removal of glitter polish's fan-ruddy-tastic tho, I used to avoid glitter polish's because, as pretty as they are, they're a total nightmare to remove.. but no more.. Now I get to enjoy an hour of picking when I want them gone and then I just use nail polish remover around the edges.

I've been changing my nail colour a lot more frequently over the last few weeks, purely because the knowledge that I can pick my nails clean makes me happy... Sad but true..

I'm thinking this could be a holy grail product for 2013.

have you tried this?? Are you a fan?



***I can't add comments to my photos at the moment, but I'm sure they're self explanatory

Nail Art Kit - Home Made

Hey Guys,

Just thought I'd share this with ye today..


It was my friends birthday a few weeks ago and she asked me to make her a nail art set, she was mad to try out dotting.

This is what I came up with for her.




The Birthday Pressie

I used the box that I got my perfume in, I even made a lil sign for the top of it...



Home Made Sign

4 differnt colours

Manicure Set, Dotter & Hand Cream

4 Glitter mini polishes

Pedicure Set & 2 x Striping tapes

What do you think? I thought it was a good present and home made too, and my friend really liked it :) So it was a good result.. I enjoyed making it and she'll enjoy playing with it..


So all in all, a good outcome.. I find its getting tougher to buy for my friends, so this lil idea worked out well for me.

My Xmas Day nails

Merry Christmas everyone :):) I hope your day went well.. Mine was lovely and peaceful and I got some amazing presents too :)

Just thought I had better post up my nails that I done for Christmas day before its too late..

They started just being red. Then I decided to try putting santas belly on my accent fingers, then I decided that my other nails looked a lil naked.. so I decided to jazz them up too..

So here's what I ended up with.. what do you think???

 

 

LEFT HAND

 

 

This was how it was meant to stay!! OOPS

 

 

LEFT HAND

 

 

RIGHT HAND

RIGHT HAND

RIGHT THUMB

 

LEFT HAND

Xmas nail art‏ - Presents, Bows & Santa Hats

Happy Christmas eve eve everyone :) I hope yer all enjoying the festive season.

Time got away from me, so this week I've been wearing two different designs.
Presents on my right hand and Christmas trees and Santa hats on my left.

I think they turned out pretty well :) have a look and let me know what you think :)

Be warned, I took A LOT of photos :):)

                                       My Left Hand

Christmas present nail art

                                        My Right  Hand

Santa Hats 

Christmas Tree nail art

Christmas Tree nail art

Final Weigh In of 2012

Hey Guys,
The last 6 weeks have flow by I must say and I know I've said that almost every week!! but its sooo true J


Well I had my last weigh in yesterday at lunch time and it wasn’t the best news, but I had a pretty rotten week. So not a total shock to be up 1lb..
but I’m still questioning it. This is why……


I wasn’t feeling great on Monday afternoon, ate very little that day,  it turned out to be a touch of the vomiting bug! I slept most of Tuesday and I managed to hold down 4 pieces of toast that evening.

Wednesday I was starting to come round but I was very careful about eating because I was afraid!!

So there were no walks all week and I had to cancel my two pre booked spinning classes.
I had hoped that because of my illness and lack of eating that I would at least be the same, if not down!!


And so I faced the scales on Thursday lunch time (3 hours later than usual and 2 days early) and I was up on those scales.


Now one pound doesn’t bother me, that’s just a good poo really. What I’m wondering is……


I was weighed in a different clinic and so on a different scales to normal. Does this make a difference?
They say you should pick one scales and stick to it, I believe this to be through (yes I’ve tested it out)


So that’s what’s putting me off… had I gotten to be weighed on my “usual” scales, I feel like I would have been reporting good news.


But there’ s feck all I can do about it.


So my total weight loss for the last 6 weeks is 8lbs.. I had hoped for 14!! But least I’m not up 8lbs!!


Onwards and upwards, its all still very positive and the new year will bring a new weigh loss challenge for me.


Thanks for reading.

Enjoy Christmas & The New year J xxx  


TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS TO DATE: 8lbs

The Liebster Award

Hey Guys!
I was nominated for The Liebster Award by Sarahlou  and Eve over on Nutty NewlyWed       

It's just a question/answer sort of thing to get to know some new bloggers! Thanks girls

 

The rules are:

1. You must post 11 random facts about yourself.
2. You must answer the 11 questions that the person who nominated you asked.
3. You must then come up with 11 new questions and tag 11 other bloggers with less than 200 followers to keep the ball rolling. No tag backs, however!

These are the11 random facts about myself:

1. When I know a song on the radio, I sing the first line before the singer does!! Annoying much!

2. I can’t iron!

3. I’m a daily weigher!!!

4. I get bored with my nails the second I’ve finished whatever I’m attempting

5. I roar and scream at bad drivers from the safety of my locked car!

6. I’ve yet to meet a cake I didn’t like!

7. I hate sleeping with my socks on

8. I always have a tissue on my person

9.I hate people touching my stuff

10. I don’t share food

11. Starting a blog was a big scary step for me!! But I’m glad I’ve done it.

SarahLou’s questions:

1. If you could walk in anyone's shoes for 1 day, who would it be?

That’s a tough one!!!

2. If you could have any 1 materialistic item for free what would it be?

An Audi A4 please

3. How many bottles of nail polish do you own?

Oh god! I’d be afraid to count! 4 container/ boxes! Maybe 100++

4. Who is your celebrity crush?

Michael Buble or Bradley Cooper or Kate Hudson

5. Why did you decide to start a nail blog?
     Because I felt like I was pestering my friends showing them my nail art attempts

6. Besides nail polish, what are you obsessed with?

Losing weight, being fit and Home & Away

7. Who are some of your favorite bloggers?

A tough one, Nailside, Lovely Girlie Bits, CherrySue Doin the do, Let them have polish to name a few….

8. Have you ever done any extreme activities? (Sky diving, Bungee Jumping, River Rafting...etc.)

God No!! I’m a total wuss!!

9. Is there anything on your bucket list that you've accomplished? (If you have one)

I lived in Oz for 6 months, it was something I’d always wanted to do

10. What is the weirdest compliment you've ever got on your nails?

That I’ve a lovely big nail bed!!! Not sure if that’s good or bad!! lol

11. Do you have any pets?

Used to have a Jack Russell, now we just have fish!

Unfortunately I can’t open Eve’s page to get the questions at the moment….. But I’ll do them when I eventually get to it.

The nominees: if any of my followers would like to do this then please feel free, I won’t tag or nominate, so no pressure

Here are my 11 questions:

1. Are you an early bird or a night owl?

2. Would you rather be without your phone or your laptop?

3. Sun holiday or Ski holiday?

4. Daddy or Chips?

5.Would you rather be a fish or a bird?

6.Would other people call you a nice person?

7.Would be rather be poor and happy or rich and unhappy?

8.Whats your most annoying habit?

9.Whats your pet hate?

10.Whats your favourite pizza topping?

11. What’s your favourite ice cream?

Weekly Weigh In Results #5‏

Hey hey hey, very tempted to put HoHoHo..

Yip, with one week to Christmas I definitely have the Christmas bug. The time is flying past and it was a very busy week for me work wise, I must admit.

But I did find time to hit the scales on Saturday and I’m happy to report that I was down 2lbs.

I was disappointed last week, when I was up on the scales and I must admit that hung over me was not a good girl last weekend at all!! I was tired and starving and I gave into temptation!!

Aren’t two day hangovers the devil??? I was a total write offL

But I was back to it on Monday, I had make a new vegetable soup on Sunday evening to try and redeem my sins!! And it was very tasty I must say and it kept me going for the week. I also did 2 spinning classes and got in 3 lunch times walks when it wasn’t raining!

As always I was expecting to be down a stone; after managing to avoid all the Roses and Biscuits at work all week (so tempting) I may have opened the biscuit tin and had a sniff of the choc to get my “fix” but sure there’s no calories in that!! So I had to settle for the 2lbs that I had put up the previous week. BUT at least the scales move and if they continue to move down rather than up, then I will hit my target eventually.

Given the time of year and the mental weather ( I think I may have that SAD thingy or it could be just another excuse) I was pleased with the result. I’m enjoying my mid week spins too, they make me feel like I’m moving my ass and doing something (I love writing it into my food diary, it looks better than an X and rain!)

I have one more weigh in this Thursday and then I have 2 weeks off. If I was down 2/3 lbs this week, I’ll be happy. Although I won’t hit my target of 14lbs before Christmas, I will still be down almost a stone and that’s not a bad thing, yes I’m disappointed that I “failed” but I won’t give up because although my progress is slow, its still progress.

Given it’s a short week for me, I’ll be cutting back on my soda bread (having 1 instead of 2) with my soup and I’ll be putting less potatoes into my soup and watching my dinner portions. There’s no harm in that. I have 2 spinning classes booked and I hope to get in at least 3 walks if the rain fecks off!!

So watch this space… I’ll report back on Friday.

How have you been getting on? Did you have a blow out for your Christmas party and decide to stay off the wagon till the new year? Or are you putting in the extra effort this week before the selection boxes are opened???

TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS TO DATE: 9lbs

SNOWMAN NAILS - Xmas nail art‏

Happy Hump Day J only 2 more weeks to SantyJ eeeeek

So this week, I decided to try and replicate what I saw Lynnie do over on Beaut.ie       

I had attempted a lil snowman last week on my thumb, so then when I saw these, I knew they would be next, and to be honest they were a lot easier than they look, probably thanks to the tutorial that they have on Beaut.ie  So I followed the instructions and here are the results.

SNOWMAN NAILS

SNOWMAN NAILS



SNOWMAN NAILS - LEFT THUMB

Outlining the nose I found to be a little bit tricky (possibly I need more practice) So I didn’t even attempt to chance it on my “bad” hand.

SNOWMAN NAILS

SNOWMAN NAILS

I left my cute reindeer from last week on my left thumb as I couldn’t bear to get rid, So he’s staying for now… But the other 9 nails are all newJ

SNOWMAN NAILS - RIGHT THUMB

What I used
Base coat                Essence peel off base coat
White polish            OPI Alpine Snow
Iridescent polish      Jessica – Le Vernis Coleur
Black polish             Essence – Colour&Go – 144-Black is Back
Dotting tool             Dotter with 2 different sizes
Orange polish          Essence – Colour&Go – 46 – Wake Up!
Detailing tool           Cocktail stick + nail art pen (top shop)

Top Coat                   Seche Vitae

WHAT I USED TO MAKE MY SNOWMEN

You can see on my left hand that the nail polish is chipping around the cuticle area, I’m blaming my clean up efforts and also the peel off base coat!

I’m very tempted to start picking already to test out the base coat (I’ve heard great things) but I’ll resist for now at leastJ

I like this I think, I wasn’t liking it when I painted my nails white first (2 coats) it looked like tipp-ex!!!!! 

But adding the glitter and sparkle had me coming around, I sealed this with top coat before I added the face

Have you tried this or any others???? I’m thinking Christmas tree’s will be next for meJ

watch this spaceJ

Weekly Weigh In Results #5

Hey Guys,

Aren't the weeks flying past??? Christmas is coming J a few things happened me this week.

1. My soup was a disaster
2. I started a new spin class
3. My work Christmas party


I decided to make my soup last Sunday evening, so I’d be prepared for the week ahead, it as only when I got to the blending part that I thought the soup looked very watery! I was wracking my brain trying to think where had I go wrong  (this took me a while, trust me) I’d forgotten to add the two potatoes in, which thicken up the soup and makes it nice!! Oops!! So for the week  I stank out the kitchen at work with my mushroom and garlic soup!! It was just bits of mushroom and garlic in flavoured water!!! Silly Silly me!! 
I had such a busy week, that I didn’t have time to pour the lot down the sink and start a fresh batch, and so I was a trouper and just had it everyday to tide me over!!
Yip, I learn everything the hard way! But at least I’m learning!



I bought myself one of those online bargain deals last week , 6 spinning classes for 25 euro (usually 10 euro per class) Sure I couldn’t NOT buy it J
My first class was last Wednesday night, it turned out to be 40 minutes of spinning and 20 minutes of ab work, which I thought was very goo, to be honest it was a relief to get off the bike after such an intense work out, so to be told to lie on the floor was just lovely, that was until I had to do all the floor exercises!! Needless to say it gave my body a right old shock!! I haven’t attempted a sit up or a plank in over 6 months, but I managed, the following day I felt every minute of the “crunches” even breathing hurt!
BUT its nice to know that there are abs in my jelly belly somewhere, after that class they were screaming hello out at me!!
I was still sore on Saturday. So I’m doing two classes next week… No Pain No Gain eh..
Being sore means its working, my “muscles” are waking up.. eeeek!  (Thats what I tell myself)



I knew that my Christmas part was at the end of the week ,and so I made sure that my food  right up to it was good (hence the watery soup) and the  torture spin class plus 3 lunch time walks.
I was being prepared and not writing off the week just because I’d be going out for dinner and a few drinks. (I’m trying to be sensible in my old age)
So we got ready to go out from work. Had a drink before dinner, I picked a chicken dish over the lovely looking steak.
I didn’t have starter or dessert. I didn’t focus on the food for once, I was out, I got a few compliments on my appearance in my new dress, I had a few drinks, I chatted with my colleagues and had a laugh and I DID NOT feel deprived that I only had one course instead of three.
That’s definite progress for me J it was a good fun night out, just how Christmas parties are meant to be J




The following morning was weigh day! I was a little delicate to say the least!! But I hopped on the scales and hoped for the best.


I was up 2lbs on the scales and up 3lbs in muscle. The muscle gain is good and probably down to my spin and abs class, the weight gain she put down to the booze still being in my system and said that the reading wasn’t accurate because I had been out the night previous!!



So I don’t know what to make of this weeks result. The weigh in is essentially null and void because of the booze still being in my system. So I don’t know if I am up, down or wrong this week.


To be honest I was too hung over to give it much thought on the day!! But I guess the muscle gain is a good thing and it could be possible to gain 2lbs from having a big chicken dinner and a whole lotta vodka!! Then so be it. It won’t put me off!!


I’m back on the wagon and the water, I’ve made a new batch of soup for the week (yes I remembered the spuds) and I’ve 2 spinning classes booked.


I’ve 2 weigh in’s left to Christmas and 7lbs to get rid of.


Have any of ye had yer Christmas parties yet? Are ye getting into the Christmas mood? I definitely am.

Stay Strong and keep going xxxx


TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS TO DATE: 7lbs

CHRISTMAS NAIL ART ATTEMPT

Hey Guys,

Since the Toy Show last week, there has been loads of really cute and cool nail art floating around the blogosphere. So I've been inspired and decided to have a go at it myself.

Reindeer Nailart

Snowman Nailart

Gutted that my snowman went wonky :( The eyes and mouth weren't dry when I put the top coat on!! D'oh.. poor Snowy!!

I used the nail art pens for the snow flakes.
I free handed the Reindeer and used the dotter for the eyes
I free hand drew the snowman on my thumb

Christmas Nailart

Red nose Reindeer

What I used:
Base Coat: OPI Nail Envy
Leighton Denny - Supermodel
Sally Hansen complete Salon Manicure - Dorien Grey
Essence Quick Dry Top Coat
Top Shop Nail Pens - Black & Gold
Essence Tip Painter - White
Top Coat: Seche Vitae
Dotter
Little diamond that came from nail art pen (you can see them in the pic below)



What I used



Leighton Denny - Supermodel + Sally Hansen complete Salon Manicure - Dorien Grey

These are a little bit dodgey and you can see where I messed up!! But from far away they look ok!! and I'm kinda impressed how they turned out of a first go... I sat and watched tv and played..
These took me 2 hours in total.. I was lazy tho and just painted over my re-painted nails.
Next time I'll start with a brighter base coat, maybe red or green or gold and they will be brighter and nicer.

What do you think? have you attempted any yet?