Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Dark Blue & Gold Glitter Gradient

I attempted nail art again. Well, my idea of nail art. I didn't paint Raphael's School of Athens on my nails, so don't get too excited! My nail art skills are limited, but I've become somewhat comfortable with three techniques--glitter gradient, saran wrap nails, and water marble. I did these nails a few days ago, and I really like them. Blue and gold is my favorite color combination too.

I used L.A. Girl Disco Brites in Dance Studio as the base. Dance Studio is a deep berry blue. Then I used NYX Girls Gilded Glitter for the gradient. Gilded Glitter is a mix of irregularly shaped small gold glitters. 

This was my result.


I'm really pleased with this! It's not a perfect glitter gradient, but my blog is Imperfectly Painted, so I don't care. I'm proud of it, and I like when I try something different! I used Nailed It blog's tutorial to achieve this look. I love tutorials like this because they're easy to read and all in one graphic. 

Have you tried glitter gradient nails before? 

Happy Tuesday! 

Monday, April 29, 2013

JulieG Frosted Gumdrops Collection

I have the entire JulieG Frosted Gumdrops collection to show you all today. These are a great assortment of colors with that sandy/gritty texture. Yadda. Yadda.  Who am I kidding? I'm sure most of you know about these already. Let's get started!

Hot Cinnamon
 Hot Cinnamon is a warm red shimmer.

Sugar Rush
Sugar Rush is bright red-coral shimmer.

Tangerine Dream
Tangerine Dream is a orange shimmer.

Rock Candy
Rock Candy is a teal shimmer with silver glitters. 

Blueberry Fizz
 Blueberry Fizz is a berry blue shimmer with silver glitters.

Crushed Candy
Crushed Candy is a purple shimmer with silver glitters. 

Color & Finish: The Frosted Gumdrop line has a perfect assortment of colors. I love the sparkling finish on all of these, and the textured appearance really suits these colors. I will add, that the warm toned colors have a fine gold glitter added to them, and the cool toned colors have some larger silver pieces. Great line up!

Formula: The formula on all of these was great. These were easy to work with and were a breeze to apply. I used only 2 coats on all of these except Tangerine Dream where I used 3 coats. Top coat is not needed on these, but if you'd like a smoother finish, go for it! 

Texture: These are very textured. The only other textured polishes I have tried are the Milani and OPI ones, but the JulieG ones are a lot grittier and rougher to the touch than the other brands I've tried. Personally, if it weren't for these awesome colors I'd be bit turned off by the texture. I know the texture thing is personal, but I felt a need to share that. 

Price: I pre-ordered this set awhile ago for around $20, but they are $3.99 individually on the Jesse's Girl website and at Rite Aid stores. 

Overall: Love the variety of colors and sparkling finishes on these polishes. The price is a steal for such a great on trend collection, and I think many people will love them. The texture of these is a bit much for me, but I'm willing to overlook it because everything else is so great!

My Ratings: 4.5 out of 5 Paint Splatters. 

Happy Monday!

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Share With You Sunday: 4/21/13-4/28/13

I just woke up from the WORST dream ever. I dreamed that my bf dumped me, and said I was basically this horrible and psycho person, and that he's was only pretending to love me all this time. He did this all in front of my family and friends. I then dreamed that I was in some weird classroom, and the teacher announced to the class I was biggest failure there with the fewest accomplishments. I yelled at the teacher for announcing that to the class, but the class cheered her on saying that maybe now since I was embarrassed I'd be pushed to do something with my life. H O R R I B L E. Ugh I woke up crying. Terrible. Hug me? Glad it wasn't real, even though it felt very real.

There is a common theme there of being publicly shamed and humiliated. Someone want to analyze my dream? :P

On to happier Share With You Sunday things. I just needed to share because it was that bad!

Imperfectly Painted Posts:
Mon- New BadAss Polish
Tues- Revlon Mai Tai Ask?
Wed- NYC Fuchsia Glamour
Fri- Hard Candy Piece of Papaya
Sat- Volunteering & Connecting 

Posts I'm Loving:
did my nails shows us her rose nail art.
Fierce Makeup and Nails shows us her blue nails using Lancome polishes
Frazzle and Aniploish shares with us some end of April nail displays.
Haute Lacquer shows us her gradient spheres nail art.

You can submit your blog posts for Sunday posts here

Posts You're Loving:
Brightest Bulb in the Box compares nail appliques.
Love, Varnish, chocolate and more... shows us her mani using Bondi and Hare polishes.
The Polish Playground shares with us her pastel floral nail art.

Reader Manis of the Week:


Name: Lisa N. / The Polish Playground
Location: Canada
Manicure Description: This is one of my favorite manicures I've done so far. Its a reverse polka dot gradient. For the base color, I used Jessica Tangerine Dreamz. For the dots, I used Sally Hansen White On and Orly Ancient Jade. I just love how the colors go together!
Favorite Polishes: They include Orly Rage, Orly Ancient Jade, OPI Pros & Bronze, Essie Shine of the Times, Windestine Jeweled Sand, and many more!
Blog: http://thepolishplayground.blogspot.com/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/thepolishplayground

I need manis for May! You can find information on how to submit your manicures for Sunday posts here

Happy Sunday!

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Talk it Out Saturday: Volunteering & Connecting

*This is not nail polish related. This is just a personal share.


I know some of my personal posts I've made have a lot to do with feeling lonely, not fitting in with others, worrying about people judging me, but wanting more genuine connections with other people. As you know, I'm an introvert. I'm not a social butterfly, and my list of friends is very small. The types of relationships I seek out are deep and genuine. I don't do well with small talk and casual friendships. This can be hard, because I can't and don't want to change who I am, but I also want more people in my life. I noticed when I made posts like this many of you relate, and share these feelings and similar challenges. I want to offer up a possible an idea that has helped me with some of these challenges. 

About a month ago I started volunteering with the SPCA of Central Florida. My official volunteer title there is "Kitty Cuddler". Cute, huh? I go in 3 hours once a week, and help to socialize kitties and find them new homes. Now, I'm going to try to find more time to go in because I love it so much! 

What I've found in just my short time of volunteering is not only helping animals brings me joy, but the people I work with there bring me joy. The great thing about an volunteering environment is the people who are volunteering with you are there for the same reasons as you. They want to help others. They want to bring love, care, and happiness to someone/something else.  These are admirable and genuine qualities. These are not people who are looking to get ahead or for some sort of personal gain. You know the intentions and the character of many of these people right off the bat. This is already a shared connection and common interest. 

In the short time I've been volunteering. I've been welcomed and accepted by a group of strangers who genuinely want to get to know me, are happy I'm there, and enjoy having me around. This is the best feeling in the world. I can't even tell you. I've never felt like I "fit in" somewhere before, but I do there for the first time in my life. It is absolutely such a double win because it feels good to be able improve the lives of the cats I work with, but also improve my life at the same time. There is so much to gain from volunteering that is beyond the obvious. 

The reason I bring this up, is not to be preachy about doing good and being selfless. I'm not out to gain any attention for what I'm doing because I know there are millions of people who do so much more than myself. That being said, volunteering is very rewarding, and if you have time I recommend it. The reason I really bring this up is because I really think for those of you who have struggled with making friends or are looking for me authentic and deeper connections with people, I think you will find a lot of what you seek in a volunteer setting. 

Like I said, people who volunteer already have kindness in their hearts. The environment is not about each other or yourself, it's being there for others. The volunteer environment is a already a positive, welcoming, and friendly environment. You have a lot of guarantees there that you will not find in other social settings. Of course, I know not everyone is going to be your friend or a great person, but I think it's a great start. If you have an organization you are fond of, look into volunteering for them! I highly recommend it, and I think you will find it provides a lot more reward for you than you ever would of thought. I know for me, this is probably one of the happiest I've been in my life. 

Happy Saturday! 

Friday, April 26, 2013

Hard Candy Piece of Papaya

* I received the following product for my honest review by Hard Candy.

It's time for another new Hard Candy polish! I know the Candy Sprinkles line of these polishes is favorite among many of you, but I have to say I'm pretty partial to the Itzy Glitzy line. I love sparkling intense shimmers in bright colors especially as we start to head into summer. This next polish is a stunner.

Hard Candy Piece of Papaya
Piece of Papaya is a warm pink-coral with an intense golden shimmer. 

Color: This is much more pink-toned than some other polishes that might come to mind when you see this. This is a warm punchy pink that leans a bit to the coral side. The shimmer in this is undeniably beautiful, and really is the highlight of this polish.

Formula: The formula on this is really nice. I did not have any problems, it applied well and evenly. I used 3 coats in the swatch. 

Price: This can be found at Walmart and the Walmart website for around $4.00.

Overall: This is one of those polishes that has a real wow factor  This is beautiful, shimmery, and all around great polish. No complaints. I highly recommend it! 

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Paint Splatters
* I received this product for my honest review by Hard Candy.

Happy Friday!

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

NYC Fuchsia Glamour

*I've added a new rating system on my blog. I'm now breaking down my review, and rating the polishes on scale of 0-5. I hope you like this change! 

I would say the trickiest category of nail polish I've found over the years are sheer pinks--the "your nails but better polishes".  I don't want a sheer pink that is going to show every flaw and stain in my nails. I don't want sheer pink that is streaky and uneven. I don't want a sheer pink that takes 5-6 coats to get any sort of opacity, only to find out 3 hours later that it hasn't dried fully and is smudged and full of cat hair. No. I want a sheer pink that can build up nicely in 3 coats, cover up my nail flaws, dry in a reasonable amount of time, and make my nails look fresh and clean. That's what I want. This has been almost impossible to find. I did find it recently with JulieG Bubble Bath, but I also found it with NYC and for under $1!

NYC Fuchsia Glamour *
Fuchsia Glamour is a pale sheer pink with a golden iridescent glass fleck glitter. 

Color: The color of this is beautiful. I absolutely love the addition of this gorgeous iridescent glass fleck glitter. I  also find this shade of pink to be very forgiving and flattering. 

Formula: Pretty spectacular considering how elusive good quality polishes like this can be. I used 3 medium-thick coats in this swatch, and I got almost full opaque coverage. I'd say you'd need 4 if you're doing thin coats, but I don't find that unreasonable   There are some thinner areas, but nothing that I would make a fuss over at all. This formula was smooth and easy to work with.

Price: I paid $0.97 for this at Walmart Neighborhood Market. I think in other stores it's $0.99. This price is amazing for a polish like this. I can't get an $8 sheer pink Essie to even get remotely close to this type of coverage in 3 coats. 

Overall: Absolutely awesome polish! I really can't complain for that price!

*I've read on Nouveau Cheap that this polish is actually supposed to be called Pink Champagne. That makes sense since there isn't anything fuchsia about this, but from what I gathered they were all mass mislabeled as Fuchsia Glamour. Ooops NYC!

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Paint Splatters!!!
Happy Wednesday! 

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Revlon Mai Tai Ask?

Lately, drugstore trips have been pretty boring. I've hardly gone to CVS or Walgreens because whenever I would go in I wouldn't find anything. Last week was a different story. I walked into Walgreens and saw many displays of new and limited edition drugstore polishes. This was a little too exciting for me, and I did go a little crazy shopping them. One new limited edition collection I spotted was by Revlon called Haute Tropics. Haute Tropics has a mix of bright and bold colors. I really liked the assortment because the colors definitely are on trend for the season, and the major pull here is at a drugstore price. I picked up this next color from the collection.

Mai Tai Ask?
Mai Tai Ask? is a bold creamy orange creme that leans a hint to the coral side. 

Color: I'm not typically an orange person, but I do really love those creamy oranges though. This is a great orange color, it's not neon, but it's bold and vibrant. 

Formula: The formula of this and I will go ahead and say the others in this collection too, left a lot to be desired. I'm trying to remember if it's Revlon in general who has a formula like this or if it's just these? The formula was very much on the thin side. I prefer a thinner polish formula, but this was too thin to the point it was very hard to control and would pool up in my cuticles. I was so frustrated at the application of this I almost gave up on swatching it. Not good. 

Overall: Beautiful pigmented color, but a pain in the behind formula. :-/

My Rating: 2.5 out of 5 paint splatters
I honestly don't remember how much I paid for this,but I think it was probably around $5.00. 

Happy Tuesday! 

Monday, April 22, 2013

BadAss Polish Copper Waters & Chocolate Covered Cherry

* I received the following products for my honest review by BadAss Polish

I have some new polishes from BadAss Polish to share with you all today. I absolutely loved the first polishes I received from BadAss Polish. If you remember, the color Dusk  made it in my Top 20 of 2012 list last year. These next two colors are stunners also. I think you all will love them!

Copper Waters over Cult Nails Time Traveler
Copper Waters is a mix of blue, copper, and holographic/iridescent glitters in a clear base.

This is brilliant. I'm not 100% sure what the other glitters are in there besides the blue and copper, but I'd be willing to bet it is pixie dust. There is some extra special color-changing flashing amazing glitter added to this that makes this just magically beautiful! Must have. You need this. Yes, I've added this as a contender already to my Top 20 of 2013. I used 2 coats over a base.

Chocolate Covered Cherry over Sally Hansen Cinna-snap
Chocolate Covered Cherry is a mix of deep red, bronze, and pink holo glitters in a clear base.

This is another great color. Chocolate Covered Cherry is rich and luxurious  This definitely falls within the same idea as Dusk (linked above). I'd consider these to be cousins. Chocolate Covered Cherry also has a lot of depth and complexity to it. This isn't a flat boring glitter at all! I used 2 coats over a base.

Colors:  Copper Waters and Chocolate Covered Cherry are both original and beautiful colors. I do not have any polishes even close to these in my collection.

Formula: Top notch. These glide on so smoothly and effortlessly. These can be used on their own in 3-4 coats for full coverage, but I personally find they stand out better against a base. The glitters do try matte, so a top coat is a must!

Overall: Amazing. You all know I love a lot of polish, but I am so impressed by BadAss Polish. I love that  there is an indie creating micro-glitter polishes that are unique, high quality, and beautiful. I can tell a lot of thought and heart were put into these. I think why I love them so much, is because in a nail world of indie glitter bombs this something so refreshingly different. So, so, so , so genuinely impressed everyone. You all need to check out BadAss Polish!

You can purchase BadAss Polish from their website for $8.75 each. Copper Waters is not in stock currently, but should be available Wednesday. Be sure to follow BadAss Polish on Facebook for updates.

*I received these products for my honest review by BadAss Polish. 

Happy Monday!

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Share With You Sunday: 4/14/13-4/21/13

Imperfectly Painted Posts:
Mon- JulieG Sharks Cove
Wed- Maya Cosmetics Once in a Lullaby
Thurs- Franken Femme Merlin's Magic
Fri- Hard Candy Pink Taffy
Sat- Guest Post: I Feel Polished

Posts I'm Loving:
Ten Little Nubs shows us her polka dot gradient nails.
rebecca likes nails swatches the Color Club Kaleidoscope summer collection. 
melva.sg shows us some nail wheel swatches of the China Glaze Sunsational Summer collection.
Swatch and Learn swatches the OPI San Francisco Fall 2013 colelction.
Jessica's Nail Tales shows us Liquid Lacquer The Rain Song.

Posts You're Loving:
The Nail Art and Beauty Diaries shows us her fruity orange nail art.
The Polish Playground shares with us her pastel polka dot nails.

You can submit your links for Sunday posts here

Reader Manis of the Week:
Name: Christina
Location: Midwest
Manicure Description: I saw this manicure a while ago on The Lacquerologist, so I decided to recreate it! I used a base of Deborah Lippmann Waking Up in Vegas. For the flowers, I used Sephora by OPI Seeing Pink Elephants and OPI Dim Sum Plum. The dots were made using Revlon Knockout. The stems were made using an It's So Easy striper in black.
Favorite Polishes: Essie Penny Talk, Essie PLay Date, OPI What's With the Cattitude?
Blog: thebubblybrunette.wordpress.com

Name: Lisa N. / The Polish Playground
Location: Canada
Manicure Description: This is a reverse glitter gradient manicure. I used OPI Its My Year for the base color. Then with OPI Rainbow Connection, I concentrated the majority of the glitter on the base of my nails and faded it down halfway on my nails.
Favorite Polishes: They include Orly Rage, Orly Ancient Jade, OPI Pros & Bronze, Essie Shine of the Times, Windestine Jeweled Sand, and many more!
Blog: http://thepolishplayground.blogspot.com/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/thepolishplayground

I need manis for April and May! You can find information on how to submit your manicures for Sunday posts here

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Guest Post Saturday: I Feel Polished

Today,  I have a guest post for by Heather from I Feel Polished!



Hello, everyone! I'm Heather from I Feel Polished! I usually post nail art so I have some really easy nail art to show you today! One of my favorite nail art tools is a dotting tool. This simple tool makes fun designs really easy. For these nails, I started with a base of Chirality Quarks, a fantastic purple-blue holographic polish. Then, I used my dotting tool and Zoya Purity to make five dots in a circle, making flowers. I made one or two flowers on each nail depending on which nail it was. :) Then, I used my smallest dotting tool to put dots between the flowers. Finally, I used Chirality Convergence for the center of each flower. Enjoy! :)



Be sure to follow I Feel Polished's blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest!

Thanks Heather! This is a great mani! I love the holographic base!

Happy Saturday!

Friday, April 19, 2013

Hard Candy Pink Taffy

*I received the following product for my honest review by Hard Candy. 

Today, I have for you another polish from the new Hard Candy nail polishes. This one is from the Candy Sprinkles line. I know this line is favorite among many of us!

Pink Taffy
Pink Taffy is a bubble gum pink base with black, red, and silvery-white glitters.

This is probably my favorite of the Candy Sprinkles line. I know many of you are fans of the blue and green versions, but I love a pink that is spiced up in such a fun way. It's always nice to see classic nail polish color given a twist.  I used 3 coats here, and found this applied nicely.

You can purchase this one at Walmart for $3.97. You can also find these on Walmart's website.

*I received this product to review by Hard Candy.

Happy Friday!

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Franken Femme Merlin's Magic

Today, I want to share with you a franken that was made for me. Becca over at the blog Franken Femme is an awesome frankener! Becca's blog is almost entirely made up of her own frankens. If any of you have been around the nail polish world for awhile, you might remember Dr. Frankenpolish. Dr. Frankenpolish shared her own franken creations on her blog, but she hasn't posted in years.I think it is awesome to see a new nail blogger taking on this awesome concept. This is the color she made for me. 

Merlin's Magic over Sinful Colors Endless Blue
Merlin's Magic is a blue tinted base with a mix of blue and iridescent glitters and shimmers. 

This is stunning! My only complaint, is that my mean jealous camera could not pick up how truly beautiful this polish is! Merlin's Magic looks like a sparkling magical sea. I'm always a sucker for blue, and even more of a sucker for a blue as sparkly and special as this one. This is a great franken! Thank you so much for making this one for me, Becca! 

Be sure to check out Becca's blog Franken Femme to see her wonderul franken creations! You can also follow her on Facebook and Instagram

Happy Thursday! 

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Maya Cosmetics Once in a Lullaby

I think we all are aware there is not any shortage of rainbow glitters out there these days. Mainstream brands, drugstore brands, and indie brands all have rainbow glitters. I love them, but I like to see a different twist on them. I found that different twist in a rainbow glitter with Maya Cosmetics Once in a Lullaby.

Once in a Lullaby over NYC Tudor City Teal
Once in a Lullaby is mixture of rainbow satin glitter and micro holo glitter in a clear base.

I really can't help but smile at this polish. This isn't an in your face blingtastic glitter, and that is why I like it! Once in a Lullaby is very a soft and sweet glitter. The name suits it perfectly. Whenever I pick up this polish, that song "Once Upon a December" pops in my head from that animated movie Anastasia. I guess the name of the polish makes me think of that, and that song is very lullaby-esqe :). I used 2 coats in the swatch above, and it applied beautifully!

Because it's in your head now too....

I purchased this polish on the Maya Cosmetics website. Maya Cosmetics polishes are $9.50 each. 

Happy Wednesday! 

Monday, April 15, 2013

JulieG Sharks Cove

I haven't been on a vacation in almost 2 years. I normally don't feel a need to have a vacation often, but I'm feeling it today. I saw someone's cruise pictures on Instagram, and I wanted to cry. Crystal blue waters, sunshine, and not a care in the world....-cries-. Sometimes you just need a change of scenery and routine. I think with a move coming up in 4 weeks and the end of a school semester approaching I'm a little overwhelmed. Life in no way is bad, and I have nothing to complain about, but a change of pace for a few days would be nice! This next polish makes me think of those crystal blue waters and tropical locations.

JulieG Sharks Cove
Sharks Cove is a minty blue-green with a silvery shimmer.

This color is so refreshing. I want to jump right in. It's seriously hard while writing this post not to start daydreaming of being on vacation. This is definitely one of those colors that makes you happy. I love the addition of the shimmer because we all know there are plenty of shades like this that are cremes. It is nice to have one a color like this something special. The formula on this is a bit sheer, but built up nicely in 3 coats.

I purchased this one from the Jesse's Girl website for $3.99, but you can also find it at Rite Aid stores.

Happy Monday!

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Share With You Sunday: 4/7/13-4/14/13

**Please check out my feature/interview on The Beauty of Life blog!

Imperfectly Painted Posts:
Mon- Hard Candy Jelly Bean Blue
Tues- NYC Tudor City Teal
Wed- Imperfectly Painted Turns 3
Fri- Essie Braziliant

Posts I'm Loving:
Icy Nails shares with us her first ruffian manicure.
rebecca likes nails shows us her swirly whirl nails.
project swatch swatches some L'Oreal Miss Candy nail polishes.
Globe & Nail shares with us her sloth nails.
Luster Lacquer shows us her neon leopard nails.

Posts You're Loving:
Polish Obsession swatches Cirque Cape Liz and Galinda.
thenailartandbeautydiaries shows us her pink chained nails.
The Lacquered Lady swatches China Glaze Don't be a Lunatic and Sci-Fi By.
Manicurity shows us her Reptar nail art.
A Little Polish shares with us her pastel stamped nails.
The Polish Playground swatches Orly Ancient Jade.

You can submit your links for Sunday posts here

Reader Manis of the Week:
Name: Lisa N. / The Polish Playground
Location: Canada
Manicure Description: This is a simple polka dot gradient on the tips of the nails. For the base color, I used China Glaze Below Deck. For the polka dots, I used a dotting tool and dotted on Sally Hansen White On, Sinful Colors Folly, and Orly Ancient Jade.
Favorite Polishes: They include Orly Rage, Orly Ancient Jade, OPI Pros & Bronze, Essie Shine of the Times, Windestine Jeweled Sand, and many more!
Blog: http://thepolishplayground.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepolishplayground

Name: Beauty Writer
Location: Canada
Manicure Description: I used Zoya Rory as a base. For the floral patterned nails, I used my Konad image plate m64 and Konad Special Polish in White. I lined the rest of the nails with white half pearls.
Favorite Polishes: Zoya Jaime, Zoya Gei Gei, Zoya Rory, Essie Neo Whimsical, OPI Play the Peonies, Essie Van D'Go, Essie Mint Candy Apple, Butter London Teddy Girl.
Blog: http://putbeautytowords.blogspot.ca/

I need manis for April! You can find information on how to submit your manicures for Sunday posts here

Happy Sunday!

Friday, April 12, 2013

Essie Braziliant

One of my favorite things about meeting up with other nail polish bloggers is our swaps. There are so many swap boxes I go through, see a polish, and think "OMG Why would someone not want this one?!?!". I know many of the girls in our blog group have said the same about some of the polishes I wanted to do away with. It's funny to see how my "trash" (ok not really trash, but you get the point), is someone else's treasure and vice versa. I found this Essie beauty in a swap box, and I couldn't believe someone would not want this! That's ok though, it found a good home!

Essie Braziliant
Braziliant is a bright orange-cral with a subtle pink shimmer.

This polish came out in the Essie Braziliant summer collection in 2011. This was the same collection one of my hands down favorite of all time polishes, Smooth Sailing came out in. I've always had my eye on this one, but never got around to purchasing it. I was glad I found it at the swap. This gorgeous color. Braziliant is bright without being a neon, and it has a creative edge with the pink shimmer. The formula was nice and easy to work with. This is definitely a cheerful and fun shade for spring and summer. No complaints here!

Happy Friday!

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Imperfectly Painted Turns 3!!!



Three years ago today, I started Imperfectly Painted. I had no idea what I was doing. I had never been able to (still not)  keep any type of journal EVER. I never thought I'd still be blogging 3 years from now. In fact, I don't think I've ever gone more than 3 days without a post on this blog. There are times I stop and think to myself "I wonder if I'll still be blogging a year from now"? A year goes by after that thought and I'm still here. I know there may come a time in my life where my blog may not be what is now, but I do not see that in the foreseeable future at all. I absolutely love blogging. I love sharing with you my pretty polish, goofy stories, geeky self, and even the my more personal challenging stories.

In my first ever blog post I wrote the following that you could expect from my blog:

"-Sense of Humor (I know it's just nail polish, but I find some of my experiences with it to be rather humorous.)
-Affordable products ( Thanks to the blogger Nouveau Cheap I have discovered the beauty and wonders of drugstore products so I will not review/mention nail products over $10.)
-Tips,tricks, and ideas (Share different ideas for layering nail polishes, holiday nail ideas, and etc.)
-Reviews (I will do reviews of newer products I find. Now, I can't get my hands on full collections or every new collection, but I try to sample a few new products I can find in stores.
 -Reader involvement (I want my readers to have a place in my blog. I will read comments and reply to them. If I find some comment interesting or relevant to something I want to blog about I will incorporate your comments,ideas, suggestions into the blog
 -Favorites/Not so favorites
-Future giveaways
-Miscellaneous (I may bring up some non-nail related products or information I may think everyone may find useful.)"

I can honestly say I feel I have accomplished almost all of these. Tips,tricks, and ideas--not so much, but that's OK! I'm really proud of what I've achieved with my blog, and what I'm even more proud of is I've remained true to myself this entire time. I've certainly improved and grown, but I feel the essence of why I started this blog and the foundation of it remains the same. One of the best things from this blog I've gained is all of you. I'm so thrilled with  all the genuine connections I've made with my readers. The cool part about this is hasn't all been about nail polish. Many of you, I've connected with through sharing my insecurities and challenges not only as a blogger but throughout life. That to me is so rewarding. I really appreciate all of your kindness and support through my blogging adventures. I hope there are many more years to come!

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I appreciate all of you!

P.S. I will have a giveaway for you guys probably sometime in late May. I'm in the process of packing for a move in less than 5 weeks, so money is tight now and I'm surrounded by boxes!!!

Much love and polish!