Snowflake Nails (plus bonus Christmas dog!)

 

I have been very lax recently - no excuse, but my nails have been shocking.  Partially cos I keep doing really stupid things, and knocking the corners of them off!  And then I decided to try thinning scissors out on my cocker spaniel, and ending up thinning my index finger instead - ouch!  You might notice in the pics below that I am tucking my index finger a little out of view - no-one needs to see that....

But it's December and I am seeing snowflake mani's everywhere, so thought I would try out my Bundle Monster plate 323 that I have been saving for a suitably festive period!

To start with though, I started with two coats of OPI Cuckoo For This Color, a gorgeous teal green shimmer.  Over the top, I tried something I have been waiting to try for ages - Models Own Jack Frost, a fine - medium irredescent glitter.  Really lovely and I wished I had taken some pics before I stamped over the top, as the snowflakes somewhat obliterate it, but I may try it on its own over another colour another day.  Really pretty and insanely sparkly!

Then the final stamping, with a few accents using bits of glitter from OPI I Snow You Love Me.  Very festive!

Base coat Orly Bonder
2 coats OPI Cuckoo For This Color
Stamped with BM323 and Konad Special Polish White
Top coat Seche Vite
Glitter accents from OPI I Snow You Love Me

 

 

And completely off topic, here is the pic I took of Lottie, my eleven month old spaniel, which I am waiting to arrive on custom printed Christmas cards!  The portable studio lighting and tripod I use for photographing my nails came in very useful!!!   However, Lottie is in her first season at the moment, so is mooching around like a hormonal teenager....  oestrogen has a lot to answer for!

Team Helmer!

I can finally join team Helmer - picked one up the other day, put it together without too much swearing and then even managed to customise it a little with some wall stickers I picked up from Ikea at the same time.  Fits in beautifully underneath my desk (Ikea desk as well, so guessing it was made to fit as standard) - I think it looks okay! 

And of course, Lottie had to get in on the photographing - my pup is such a poser.  I am still figuring the best way for me to organise it, but I still have a relatively small collection (less than 200) so currently it is separated by various brands in four of the drawers, I have a nail art drawer and a nail care drawer.  If you have one, how have you organised yours?

 

Off Topic Thursday: Meet Lottie!

Lottie - 9 months

I've been asked a couple of times about the puppy on my avatars, so thought I should get round to showing her off a bit! Her name is Lottie, and she is a nine month old English Cocker Spaniel in red/gold.  And the name of this blog is a small tribute to her! The Paws bit, that is, not the Polished bit - she would live in mud if she could!

 

I had wanted a cocker for many, many years.  Decades in fact, since I fell in love with a little golden girl at the age of seven, but until a year ago I lived in London where it simply wasn't practical (second floor shared flat, no garden, dog walkers expensive etc).  Then, my job relocated to Milton Keynes, and after not enjoying the daily commute for a few months, decided to up sticks and move to a little country village on the outskirts of MK.  And within a few months, a tiny ten week old furbaby came home. 

Every day, I think I struck gold with Lottie - she has a beautiful temperament, is obedient and just loves every man, woman, child and dog out there, although I have dedicated quite a lot of time to training.  As I type this, she is curled up on my feet - I love this little lady to bits.  She does go mud-snorkelling, as one of the pics will attest to, but I am becoming expert at seeing the bogs before she does!!   Enjoy the pics below - a selection from 6 weeks to today.  Please excuse the photo quality - nearly all of these are mobile snaps. It is so difficult to photograph a bouncy puppy! 

First day home - 10 weeks

 

The day I knew she was the one - 6 weeks

Helping in the garden - 12 weeks

Posing with a new collar - 14 weeks

Looking tiny in a new bed - around 20 weeks

Working those eyes - 24 weeks

A week or two before her first groom - 8 months
 

Guess who's been mud snorkelling!  8 months

Turning into quite the little lady.  8 1/2 months