It should feel like Spring somewhere…

It’s been a while, and I figured it should start feeling like spring somewhere, so I will start with my nails. I am no longer counting on Mother Nature to make it happen. But hints of spring have been around, despite the frigid temperatures and snow covered streets. For one, our days are getting longer! Yay for more sunshine (when we have them!). Day light savings is approaching this weekend, so the days will be even longer!! My apartment has been awkwardly placed, overlooking court yard surrounded by other buildings, and I am on the 2nd floor. All winter, I practically had no sunlight in my room, but slowly and surely, the sun rays are peeking in when I leave the blinds open. It makes me happy. And the dreaded U of C winter quarter is coming to an end in a couple of weeks 🙂 It’s been the most challenging quarter so far; I hope spring quarter has better weather (and therefore, pleasant attitudes of people) in store.

On a Throwback Thursday note, it was exactly at this time (down to the hour) that I received my graduate school acceptance. And here I am, slaving away under the books. But it’s exactly what I would have wanted a year ago, so it is kind of exciting to see things have progressed since then. Chicago has treated me well 🙂

I apologize for the hiatus; the Broncos have lost miserably since the last nail design post -my nails have suffered a bit -I have taken a short India trip – my cousin has gotten married (!!) – amongst other awesome things that has happened in February. For now, I am happy to March into spring! (ALL the pun intended!)

 

My new friend, Mitz!

 

 

A nail polish & life review: So matte about you! Major lesson learned this past week: never go more than a week without a design, or people who know you will think that something is majorly wrong with you or you are ill. In my defense, I was having a swatch week, where I was using some of the colors I had not used after a while, and admiring their shade. That’s how I can excuse my neglect (?) OR I was just saving my nails for the excitement what finally arrived in the mail today. Meet Zoya’s Mitz! She is a beauty, lime green with a matte finish. It’s the first time I used a matte nail polish, and I am in loveeeeeee with her.  I like the dullness from the matte finish on a bright color. I had to calm its loudness with a simple black stamp (S9 Plate!). Mitz is better off topless I think because her point is to not be shiny, but still be loud, like a rough around the edge personality. She still stands out. Anyways, the application required a 2-3 coats to get the full color. She kind of dries like a crackle polish I think with its streakiness. Anyways, the color dries quickly so the multiple coats were a smooth process. The stamp on the other hand were tedious…they were a hit or a miss in peeling off the plate, and I don’t know why. Maybe because how small the design is? Anyways, I liked the simplicity at the end. I will let Mitz do the talking for now, until I think of other designs!

Also, it’s officially time to start kicking the winter blues with bright happy colors! Chicago is beginning to be too cold to handle! On the upside, it plays to my lazy side to stay in and not do a whole lot except cook….and read and study and research. Can’t complain if that’s what I have signed up! It’s been quite the journey. Hope the east coasters are enjoying the snow! Stay warm as always!

What’s your textuality?

I know in my last post I wrote that I am using nail art as a way to look at something else beyond words (to get my mind off of reading). It was an on/off love affair for a while (I have not always been consistent), but nail art had its resurgence in my life a few weeks ago when I was knee deep in my reading halfway through this quarter. I was going stir crazy sitting in one place all Sunday and just reading. To take time off, I went for a walk by Lake Michigan. (One of the best perks of living in Hyde Park). And I am so glad I did because it was a gorgeous fall day, and fall foliage had finally arrived. I was walking around to to take my head out of the reading. It turns out though that I couldn’t take the reading out of my head. I suddenly remembered the newspaper print technique my friend had shown me a couple of years ago. (It was part of her halloween costume one year where she dressed as a leather bound journal–a super cute & successful costume I should add!!). You paint your nails with a base color, and when it dries, put a piece of newspaper on top. Then you dab on rubbing alchol, and the ink comes off the newspaper and onto the nail. You add a top coat once it all dries and voila!  (My only warning would be for those who have OCD. The text comes off the newspaper as a mirror image. But who will be reading your nails, anyway?) The next time I do this, I want to try it with a Hindi/Urdu newspaper. It would be cool to see how different scripts will look on the nails.

Textual nails with fall foliage by Lake Michigan pictured above

Color: OPI’s “Going Nude, eh?”

Text source: New York TImes

Back to the reading I go!