I didn’t go out for dinner on Valentines Day. Instead I decided to share the holiday’s theme with one of my furry best friends.  Little Lola was due for a bit of a wash and a set so we decided to give her a Valentine’s hair do courtesy of a little food dye!  Rest assured, she was completely complient in the act (as much as a dog can be at bath time) as we took all measure of appropriate safety precautions.  Using a little Queens Rose Pink food colouring mixed with dog conditioner, I was able to apply it strategically without too much mess.  I left it on to soak in for about 8 minutes, then rinsed well and dried off.

A few dog treats and a bow later it was all cuddles from my Pink Doggy Valentine!

Love!

It would look something like this.

Insert Self Here for Blissful Time.

Last Saturday in honor of the delightful Violet Le Beaux being in town, a group of like minded bloggers (and a pair of well trained partners) got together to enjoy and afternoon tea in true girly style. In a little known corner of Collingwood, Melbourne, is a lovely store that is bringing girly back. Christina Re is well known for her stunning DIY stationery collection that let’s you create customised pieces of correspondence magic on paper, vellum and quilted card to name but a few.  To make the experience of selection and creation much more enjoyable, they have recently launched a small in store cafe to supply tea and cakes to weary crafters.  After popping in for a much needed lemonade the other week, I was overwhelmed by the serenity and light of it all, promptly making a note to bring back a bunch of appreciative friends.  And so we did.

left to right: Aurora Hime, Violet Le Beaux, Jimmy America

left to right: Esme and the Laneway, Fables in Fashion, Petite Valse

Super Kawaii Mama and Esme and the Laneway, doing what bloggers do best. Photo by Jimmy America.

Also in attendence were Kitty’s Drawings and Circa Vintage to help us improve the vintage lover versus princess contingent.  I met the two styles in the middle by wearing a 1960’s pink square dancing dress and vintage blue petticoat!

It was as fun and fancy as it looked, there is no doubt we’ll be doing it again. In fact, I think I shall declare this weekend;

DIY Tea Party Weekend

So have a little tea and a cake or two with me.

This week’s nails.

Yes, my nail art has been getting progressively more intense of late which surprises me as I’ve never been a fan of traditional nail art. You know the kind, airbrushed palm trees applied by a suburban nail salon – it just isn’t my thing.  But my trip to Japan in late ‘08 opened my eyes to the wonders of full deco style, Japanese nail art and a whole new level of craziness ensued.

At first I thought I’d be destined to forever look and not touch, or perhaps only get the chance to wear them on a special occasion.  Lately, though, all my experimenting has paid off and I can now wear something this OTT without any dramas and they last up to three weeks!  Of course, all this be-dazzled fun has lead to numerous stares, smiles and of course questions.

Who does your nails?

I do.  I have had some great support and advice though from friends like Violet Le Beaux and her nail adventures ( she makes awesome sets of these for Etsy if you don’t feel up to it yourself), as well as brilliant inspiration from forums like this.

I can’t afford the time or the cost to have them done in a salon every week, so this is the best solution for my lifestyle.

Are they real?

No, they are stick on acrylics.  This means that I can make several sets of different styles all at once, like a craft project to wear later.

How long do they stay on?

Generally, with a bit of care, they will last 2-3 weeks.  Occasionally one will pop off but I carry glue in my makeup bag for emergency touch ups. The glue I use is “Fingrs” with the red top, they say it is professional strength.

Do they damage your natural nails?

To a degree. Just like applied acrylics or gels, they leave the natural nail softer underneath.  It pays to remove them and give them time to breathe between sets to ensure that the nail beds stay healthy.

How do you get them off?

I don’t use any chemicals like acetone to remove them, simply warm water.  I soak my hands in a bowl for 10-15 minutes and the water gets in and separates the glue, then I can just peel them straight off!  This also means that washing dishes and activities like that should always be done with gloves to extend their life.

How do you do anything with nails like that? I couldn’t possibly do anything!

You’d be surprised just how much I can do.  Washing, cleaning, washing dogs, typing, playing with kids, crafting, cooking, threading needles…. just about everything! The only tricky thing is stuff like trying to peel stickers and do up fiddly little buttons.  The trick is all in the length you choose which is why for me, I generally choose the short sqaure length and only have long ovals for particular occasions.  I do get a few more typos wearing these nails, but nothing too serious.

But what about all the bling, does it stay on?

Pretty much. I may loose a diamante or two in three weeks, but overall they are great.  It is all in how well they are applied and how long you let them dry.  I apply the decorations with superglue, give everything a finishing lacquer coat and let them dry for at least 24 hours.

Where do you get your ideas?

From that dangerous place called my brain! Seriously, sometimes I know exactly the result I want, other times I start with a colour or mood in mind and spend a few hours in front of the T.V painting one by one as ideas strike.

Are they expensive?

Not at all. A box of 200 nails is available at Priceline for $14.95.  I tend to buy $3 polishes with the odd fancy $20 bottle thrown in. Diamantes, pearls etc I get from various craft supply stores, eBay, even the Reject shop.  So each set comes out at only a few dollars if that.  Pretty great for a three week manicure!

So, that should just about cover it, but if you have any more questions please feel free to ask away in the comments.

If this has inspired you to give it a go, check out these blogs for loads more information, polish reviews and great colour ideas.

Nixxy’s Nails

You’ve Got Nail

Sterling Nails

Never Too Much Glitter

You’ll remember me slaving away over a new creation here right? Well, here is the final product!

It was the perfect outfit for a summer’s evening dinner with friends.

As I was making the dress I was imagining all the combinations and different ways of wearing it, but one of the problems that always happens here in Melbourne with our unpredictable weather is deciding on short or long sleeves.  Thank goodness for Friends of Couture ;and their brilliant range of cardigans that came to my rescue.  This little darling is called “Daughters of Pleasure” and has the most delightful cotton lace detailing as well as cut amber coloured buttons. They come in a few different colours including greens and pinks, and if you’re quick you can still get your hands on them while they are on sale – reduced to $39.99!

Outfit Details

Dress: Made by me to a vintage pattern in a cotton sateen fabric

Cardigan: “Daughters of Pleasure” by Friends of Couture

Shoes: Grey patent leather bow shoes from Shoo Biz

Earrings: Vintage 1960’s clips on beaded earrings in  sea green shades. (Divine!)

I love this dress pattern so much, and I’m feeling so inspired at the moment that I’ve bought a whole new selection of fabrics to make some different varieties!

Let’s see how it translates into a whole range of looks!

Yes, it isn’t an elaborate creation behind the scenes to rival Project Runway, but it is my suburban sweatshop. Lots of you have asked me to post more about all my projects and design endeavours.  Most of what I create I create only for myself and my family.  But don’t be fooled into thinking that this was just some natural talent I was born with, oh no. It has taken many years of trial, effort, failure, study and stabbed fingers to get where I am now.  It is infinatley reqarding though, as it seems that more often than not I don’t really want what I find in the stores and must resort to my own skills if I want the pictures in my head to come to life.

Sometimes I work from patterns, some times I just make it up as I go along, and then occassionaly I combine the two and alter basic patterns to make them do what I want.

I do have a cutting table, but more often than not is just isn’t big enough for the scale of the projects.  I tend to spread right out on the lounge room floor, shoo the puppy away and try not to cut the tassles off the rug!

I am very lucky to have a dedicated studio space that serves both for blogging as well as all my other creations.  It isn’t the tidiest but then, I can always find what I need and I fit an astonishing amount of stuff in there!

But just what am I making….?

Stay tuned to see this week’s creation in the next Daily Outfit!