frankenpolish "Sassenach" {inspired by Outlander}

So I've had quite an eventful month since I last posted.  Some friends and I started an organization, Missoula Solidarity Alliance, and organized a Unity March & Volunteer Fair, and generally stepped well outside my secluded little comfort zone.  Coincidentally, the story of MSA's logo actually foreshadows the first life of the Outlandish heroine who inspired today's polish.  For our symbol, we chose the white poppy, a peace symbol from Britain which was first distributed by the Co-operative Women's Guild in 1933, during the period of widespread fear throughout Europe that proceeded WWII.  The white poppy, therefore, is a reminder that we are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.  The world was indeed divided, though, in 1939, and as a result the fictional character of Claire Randall was deployed as a British combat nurse.  When she accidentally travels back in time through a stone circle, her medical skills are immediately useful in rebellious 18th century Scotland.  She is regarded with suspicion by her Scottish hosts/captives, and frequently referred to as "Sassenach".
 
Claire Randall: I distinctly heard the barman in the pub last night refer to us as Sassenachs.
Reverend Wakefield: I hope you didn't take offense. It only means Englishman, after all, or at worst, outlander.
― Diana Gabaldon, Outlander

After I made this polish, it reminded me of Claire's resilience and passion, while invoking the ubiquitous blues, reds, and greens of Scottish tartans.  Complex, enigmatic, fierce, bold, mysterious- that's Claire for you!

>>> Sassenach <<<

frankenpolish "at last I see the light" {inspired by Tangled}

And at last I see the light
And it's like the fog has lifted
And at last I see the light
And it's like the sky is new
And it's warm and real and bright
And the world has somehow shifted
All at once everything looks different
Now that I see you

I for sure cried during this scene the first time I watched "Tangled"; thousands of floating lights over the water and one seriously great song, it's just too beautiful to be believed!!  I was a freshman in college at the time, and no, I wasn't drunksy-faced in the slightest.  I was seriously completely sober, crying tears of the purest joy over a children's film.  This is not an uncommon occurrence for me, if I'm being honest.  I cry all the time (ALL THE TIME), and I don't even know if I mind; feeling things strongly makes me feel awake and alive to the world, you know what I mean?

This might be my favorite franken yet; or at the very least, its easily top three!  I'm not confident that I captured it completely, and then there are some elements like the "Fairy Violet" flakes that almost over-express copper in photographs, but overall hopefully you get the idea!  I didn't actually have this inspiration in mind while I was mixing, just an instinct that these components belonged together. ♥️ 

I might not have been really seeing the light before but I'm certainly seeing it now!

>>> at last I see the light <<<

Flynn Rider & Rapunzel

franken-polish "Molly Weasley" {inspired by Harry Potter}

The other day I randomly, without searching or planning or really even thinking about it, pulled China Glaze "Glimmer More" and Wet n' Wild "Undercover" out of my "for frankening" box together, and I thought, PERFECT.  It was immediate chemistry.  A beautiful blushing fall bouquet!  I'd been intrigued by "Glimmer More" as an autumnal component, but hadn't quite thought about how I might use it, and then it all came together at once.  I added China Glaze "Material Girl" for rosy sparkle, and Milani "Golden Romance" for a luminous glow.  It turned out exactly like I hadn't yet imagined!

After I was done, I thought about what I should name this autopilot franken, and the retrofitted inspiration came to me as quickly and effortlessly as the creation had: Molly Weasley!  Molly Weasley, the magical mother of six assorted wizards and one brave witch; warm, generous, fiery Molly with the heart of a lioness.  She is a woman brimming over with cozy sunshine and a fierce protectiveness for those she loves.  It's a glowing love that I thought this franken exuded with great joy ♥️

>>> Molly Weasley <<<

 

Molly Weasley

franken-polish "Fireside Dreaming"

For my very first frankens, I relied heavily on creative prompts such as favorite books and Pinterest boards for inspiration.  I found that an image helped guide my selections amongst the hundreds of polishes that I've given up to frankening, a task which was rather overwhelming at first.  I've also found that it tends to make those frankens more complicated, with more components, which I wouldn't have expected.

Then, about a couple weeks in, something I'd hoped for starting happening: I started to flow into my frankening, making a polish purely from creative impulse.  They didn't come from anywhere, and yet they did: they reflected the amalgamation of my moods and memories from the day or week or month or year, a translation into color and sparkle.  I find it to be a freer, looser, somewhat more relaxing way of creating; there are no constraints, no benchmarks, no right or wrong answers!  Sometimes it's fun to create something just for the joy of creating it.  This franken was one of those. :)

>>> Fireside Dreaming <<<

franken-polish "Laughing Aspen"

Happy Fall-Back Day!  No matter how many times it happens, I still find this day so bewildering.  It's such a strange thing to do, really.

I've been very much into the seasonal vibe when I've been frankening so far, and one of my favorite things about autumn are yellow aspen leaves!  We don't have terribly many aspen or birch or poplars right here in Western Montana, but I treasure the golden autumn laughter of each one.  Aspen are my very favorite trees, and I've been stockpiling an improbably long list of polish ideas inspired by their autumnal state alone.  This is my first attempt, guided and inspired by the image below!

"Autumn Gold" by Adam Schallau

>>> Laughing Aspen <<<

franken-polish "Pumpkin Juice" {inspired by Harry Potter}

BOO!!!  It's been a while.  A year and a month and a week and a day, or so.  I wasn't actually planning on blogging again, truth be told.  I posted my last post three days before I bought my house, and everything just got wilder from there.  It's been an astonishing year!  A lot of things have changed, but my love of polish and color and wonderment hasn't.  I did discover a different angle on it, though, and that's what brings me back here.

My third Helmer was overflowing (I know, I know), and I had all this drugstore/mainstream/dupes/etc. polish that wasn't getting enough love.  I wondered, could they be upcycled, rediscovered, reborn?  I had long dreamed of creating my own lacquers...  And thus, yet another craftsy obsession ignited my imagination.

The frankening bug has hit me hard these past few weeks since I started.  I've made over forty frankens already... jeepers!  Halloween seems an appropriate occasion to debut my first franken polish monster, so without further ado...

>>> Pumpkin Juice <<<