February 26th, 2013

Nail Colors to Transition from Winter to Spring!

Posted by Pam

Last week, we got a delicious taste of spring! Temperatures hit 12 degree Celsius (that’s about 54 degrees Fahrenheit for our American readers). That’s uncharacteristically warm for our West Coast winters….but reality hit two days later when it tried to snow again! February sends such mixed messages…..so what to do about my nails? I called Lo the other day to ask what color I should paint my nails. Does it really matter? Well, no, but I just was conflicted….do I go with a dark wintery color or do I start breaking out the bright cheery tones in anticipation of spring? What to do?? Lo had some very wise advice….find something in the middle. Ok…I could have probably figured that out on my own, but thanks Lo!!

So, I went through my nail polish bin….seriously I need to find a better storage and organization system….I have a bit of a “problem” when it comes to nail polish!!! Here are some of the colors that have stood the test of time for me and are great “middle of the road” colors to transition from winter to spring!

BRIGHTS, from top to bottom

Essie “Where’s My Chauffeur” (love this Tiffany blue..looks awesome with purple, red and neutrals)

Essie “Snap Happy” (this color does just make you happy….a nice cheery red)

COLORS, from top to bottom

Essie “Island Hopping” (a neutral with a hint of plum….a fave of Mary J. Blige)

OPI “I Have a Herring Problem” ( a denim-y blue with a slight sparkle..goes with anything just like jeans!)

NEUTRALS, from top to bottom

Essie “Miss Fancy Pants” (a light, warm gray with some mauve)

OPI “You Don’t Know Jacques” (a gray-brown….rich!)

These are some great nail colors to try while we are awaiting spring collections to surface. Essie’s spring collection drops on March 1! Can’t wait!

No comments yet

December 28th, 2012

Friday Find ~ Sharpies for Manis!

Posted by Pam

Nail art is big right now and I found this idea on Pinterest and researched it further on The Beauty Department . You can use Sharpies to create nail art! And it’s SO much easier than using polish or nail pens. I particularly love that Sharpies now come in gold and silver…perfect for adding metallic touches to your nails. Here are a few ideas from The Beauty Department….

Love, love, love the polka dots!!!

Who knew you could get your mani supplies at your local stationary store…in fact Staples carries a metallic three pack for $6.39 both online and in stores…less than a bottle of nail polish!

3-pack of permanent metallic Sharpies in gold, silver and bronze $6.39

This is the perfect way to get your nails spiffed up for New Years! A few things to note…

You can use it over your top coat.
Make sure it’s completely dry (it takes a while) before you put another coat of top coat over the Sharpie design.

Berkeley created this chevron look for me..

Berkeley used the gold Sharpie over OPI’s “Tomorrow Never Dies”

Give it a try!

No comments yet

September 25th, 2012

Fall 2012 Nail Polish Faves!

Posted by Pam

Laurel and I LOVE nail polish!! Maybe because our mom always had the most beautifully manicured nails…never a chip! Seriously! And one of the best things about the change of seasons is the new collections of colors that come out!! We wait in anticipation of what new shades, sheens and shimmers will be seen on our fingers and toes!

Fall gives us permission to leave behind the brighter shades of summer and delve into deeper tones! This year, OPI is the king of the metallics and Essie is the queen of rich creamy shades! The great thing about nail polish is that it can update your look and be a quick and inexpensive pick-me-up. Here are a few of our fave fall shades….

Fall 2012 Nail Color by sugarplumsister featuring essie nail polish

You can NEVER go wrong with red and our pick for red this fall is Essie’s Head Mistress.

This red has blue undertones and will look fantastic on everyone! Red is ALWAYS in fashion when it comes to nails!

No comments yet

July 9th, 2012

Ombre Nails

Posted by Laurel

I’m loving the trend of ombre nails right now… it’s fun, of the moment, AND gives me a chance to give more of my embarrassingly large nail polish collection some air time!!

Here are some that we’ve been experimenting with:

So start digging through that polish collection (I can’t be the only one who’s got an inordinate supply!) and start painting’ those pretty nails of yours!!

No comments yet

April 29th, 2012

Mother’s Day Ideas

Posted by Pam

Two weeks today is Mother’s Day!! I remember as a kid looking forward to celebrating my mom, but 13 years ago TODAY (yes, I have a teenager!) the day took on new meaning as I was a mom now too! I’m not a very sentimental person, but my favorite Mother’s Day treats have been the ones with meaning and I know that I enjoy giving my mom and Jason’s mom little things that are more about how I feel about them than monetary value.

Here’s a hint men….skip the cut flowers. They are overpriced at this time of year and they don’t last long. Instead of flowers, consider a bush that can be planted….maybe one that flowers around Mother’s Day like a lilac bush or a magnolia tree. I know that one of the favorite things that Jason has ever done on Mother’s Day was to buy a bunch of herbs and plant them for me. I’m NOT a gardener and don’t enjoy gardening, but I love having access to fresh basil, rosemary, thyme and sage in the summer. Flower pots work great for this too!

Photo courtesy of http://www.squawkfox.com/2010/03/29/drying-herbs-garden/

Another thing I have enjoyed as a mom is getting breakfast in bed….there have been some interesting combinations when the kids were really young, but you still feel so appreciated!

Breakfast in bed from the kids makes me feel so spoiled! They know what I like all too well!

If you would like to get your mom a little something, here are some ideas….none of these are big ticket items. Just special little things that she will use and love. They are meant to bring a smile to her face as she uses them and thinks of her kids!

Mother’s Day Gfits by sugarplumsister featuring tote handbags

One of the biggest treats I enjoy on Mother’s Day is getting a rest from regular household duties! If you really want to spoil your mom (or men…your wife) look after the laundry, tidy up and don’t make her cook!!! I don’t need to go for the traditional Mother’s Day brunch…lunch at Cactus Club or dinner at Brown’s Social House is great for me!

No comments yet