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 <<<

Rainbow Honey: March 2015 Mystery Bag!!

Hello, Twinklings!!  The Rainbow Honey store is open again, and with it comes a new Mystery Bag!!  As you know, I just love my mysteries, (ironically, I am obsessively re-watching Sherlock as I edit these photos) and must apologize for the lack of one last month...  the February mystery bag was fabulous!  (The fragrance Carnival Candy is my new love.)  Alas, time was not on my side :/  But we are back on track this month, and oh, what a great one it is shaping up to be!

OPI: Gwen Stefani Holiday 2014 Collection ["Rollin' in Cashmere" trio, etc]

Hello darlings, and Happy Monday to you!  What with school started up in full force once more (for the last semester of my life!!!) the posts will be fewer and farther between, most unfortunately, and despite a desperate backlog of swatches, holiday and otherwise :(  However, I just had to get this one up for multiple reasons: one, because all of these polishes were popping up for excellent deals immediately after Christmas at TJMaxx, Marshall's, etc, well in advance of when I would normally expect these to appear at discount stores (uh, usually next year!).  But indeed, the Rollin' in Cashmere trio featured here (incorporating "Rollin' in Cashmere", "Comet in the Sky", and "Snow Globetrotter") was snapped up at TJMaxx for *$9.99* by my savvy Auntie Deborah, who very kindly loaned it to me for swatching and news-sharing, before she tried them even.  Thank you oh so much, Auntie!!  You may consider this your bargain-hunting hit list, kittens.

Candy Lacquer : Halloween 2014 : "Pumpkin Fairy"

Hello, lovelies!!  In the spirit of the deepening autumn, I have a darling polish for you today from Candy Lacquer's 2014 Halloween collection.  Happy news: they are glow-in-the-dark for extra spooky fabulousness!  Naturally, my immediate favorite of the bunch was "Pumpkin Fairy".  I just love the idea of a pumpkin fairy.  I imagine her plump and motherly, and never without muffins or pies or warm creamy soup for anyone who wanders by her quaint thatched cottage nestled in the autumn woods.  I think she would knit cozy things with thick plooshy wool, and have a fat little Welsh corgi.  Her garden patch would always have at least one glossy, fat pumpkin at the ready, just in case some damsel in distress should need a carriage for the royal ball.  And she would never be seen without this polish on her nails!

Candy Lacquer "Pumpkin Fairy"

Rainbow Honey: "Calabaza" September Limited Edition Polish & "Great Pumpkin" Scented Topcoat

Well hello there, Twinklings!!  I hope you've been having a beautiful weekend <3  It's been nothing but glorious sunshine and blue skies here, with a bit of autumn spice in the air.  I think this "Calabaza" mani, scented with "Great Pumpkin", pretty much sums it up.

SpaRitual : Explore Collection [nail art]

SpaRitual's Explore Collection was inspired by adventures in the great North American forests, and by "bright flashes of color that punctuate the rich, earth colors of a well-worn hiking trail".  I love hiking my Montana mountains, and while this color palette is completely unexpected, it also completely makes sense.  Rather than a record of the literal hues of a forest, this collection is a powerful abstraction of the emotional experience of exploration.  For SpaRitual to communicate a feeling without relying on an image association indicates true color mastery, and with that I really cannot give higher praise to their creative team.

SpaRitual Explore Collection

While this collection was released for Spring 2014, there are two reasons I bring it up now; first, because *right now* is absolutely the best time to hike Glacier National Park, the crown jewel of this country's great parks.  And I think the Explore Collection is perfect for the occasion; and anyways, I feel the vibrancy of this collection is perfectly suited for the transition from late summer to early autumn.  The second reason is that these are HALF OFF on the Ulta website!!  Wheee!!  So in my mind, now is the time if ever to pick these up :)

SpaRitual Explore Collection [nail art]

Rainbow Honey: "Pink Lemonade" + "Watermelon Fizz"

Today the summer heat flicked off like a light switch, and in the deepening chill I abruptly noticed the reddening leaves, and realized that my baby aspen tree isn't dying after all.  Simply, fall has come.  But I'm not done with this season quite yet... only after my favorite happy summer colors have had their day will I concede to the brooding shadowed tones of autumn.  But for just a second, let's rewind a bit back to sunshine and lawn chairs and sparkling cold drinks, and no cares in the world... :)

Nothing captures the feeling so well as "Pink Lemonade" and "Watermelon Fizz" of Rainbow Honey's Summer Treats collection.  Behold:

Rainbow Honey: Summer Treats Collection

Rainbow Honey: Sea Star

Hello, sunshines!! What's on your nails this fabulous Labor Day weekend? It's summer's last big hurrah, though personally I'll be holding out right up until the autumn equinox September 23. I do love fall, but fall means school, and school means Oregon, and Oregon is great but it's not Montana. So in keeping with the spirit of summer I went for beachy and bright with Rainbow Honey's June Limited Edition, "Sea Star". The sun has been flighty the past couple days so when the mountain lit up at 7:30pm I made like Eep Crood and ran then climbed to catch the sunshine :)

Rainbow Honey "Sea Star" on Mt. Sentinel

Rainbow Honey "Sea Star"

Lilypad Lacquer: "Mixed Metals", "Great Things Ahead", & "Lemony" !!!

Thunderstorms rolling through Montana have made the sun a fickle and precious presence these past couple days, so whenever some sunshine breaks through the clouds I've gone tearing outside like a maniacal sparklefiend to capture the sparkle on my nails.  My yellow labs, May and Freyja, have found this to be highly entertaining, thinking it to be a great chase game, and so there is much excitement every time I take a swatch.  They are not alone in their enthusiasm; I have been dying to share these wonderful polishes with you all week!  Lilypad Lacquer, a five-free nail polish line that is handmixed in Australia, is one of my favorite new brands this summer (new to me, anyway).  Maybe these sun-worshipping colors will tease the sun out again :)