I received my nail polish jewelry from
Star Trinkets about 10 days ago and have been dying to blog about it, but I've been very busy at work this week, and I had a bunch of doctors' appointments, too (not for illness, just regular follow-ups and check-ups) and errands and chores, and I also spent some time with family, so I have not had time until now to blog about the gorgeous jewelry Susan made for me. She made a set of earrings and a bracelet for me using Lynnderella Cauldron Drippings.
Here are some pictures of the package from Susan:
The black bag was such a pretty touch! And, everything was securely bubble-wrapped.
I had to adjust the earring loops to make them longer because my ear piercings are set in far from the edge of my ears. I also adjusted the length of the bracelet. Sometimes you just can't know how you're going to want to wear a bracelet until you have it on. I took out about ten or eleven of the extension links. It was easy enough to do just using a pen at my desk to pry open links. A few days later, I started wearing the bracelet with the clasp on the end of the actual larger bracelet links with the smaller extension links hanging down from the clasp. I liked it that way because then it didn't move much and stayed nicely centered on my forearm a few inches above my wrist. Originally I had ordered a toggle clasp because it's manicure-friendly. But, Susan had to substitute a lobster clasp instead. I am so glad! With the lobster clasp, I was able to try out different lengths on the bracelet easily just by changing where I hooked up the clasp.
I took some of the pictures below as I did my manicure, so some of the pictures don't have any clean-up yet.
It took me a long time to choose a polish to use underneath Cauldron Drippings. I finally settled on China Glaze Cross Iron. The color, with its brilliance and glow, is gorgeous. It's an orange that looks metallic. It did not dry quickly, though. I messed up a few nails on my first try and had to redo them.
I used a coat of Sally Hansen Age Correct Growth, one coat of China Glaze Cross Iron on my left hand, and two coats of China Glaze Cross Iron on my right hand (that's the hand I start with, but I thought it looked too dark, so I didn't do a second coat on my left hand), two coats of Lynnderella Cauldron drippings, one coat of Gelous, and one coat of Seche Vite, and it dried smooth and glassy. The next morning I added another coat of Seche Vite. The next four mornings I added a coat of Revlon Quick Dry Top Coat. I had some shrinkage from the Seche Vite but none from the Revlon. Usually it's the other way around for me.
The colorful manicure made me think of Mardi Gras. With the Seche Vite, the manicure was much shinier than the jewelry and therefore difficult to photograph.
I wore the jewelry on Monday to work with an orange suit, I wore it Tuesday with an orange top, I wore it Thursday with a blue top, and I wore it Friday and yesterday with blue tops. I got complimented on the manicure yesterday by a woman at the post office, and I showed her the matching jewelry!
I have been wearing this polish for a week, and I have no chips, just tip wear. I will be taking the polish off later today. Wish me luck! This will be my first time removing this much chunky glitter. If I can't get it off with just a cotton ball and acetone, I will try the foil method.
Here are some pictures of the manicure and jewelry:
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One coat of China Glaze Cross Iron
(manicure in progress, no cleanup) |
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| One coat of China Glaze Cross Iron compared to the color of Cauldron Drippings |
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| One coat of China Glaze Cross Iron and one coat of Cauldron Drippings |
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| One coat of China Glaze Cross Iron and two coats of Cauldron Drippings |
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The finished manicure a day later.
I had forgotten to take a bottle shot of China Glaze Cross Iron the day before. |
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| In the sun, day after manicure. |
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| In indirect sunlight, day after manicure. |
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| Sunlight |
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| Office lighting |
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| Office lighting |
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| Office lighting |
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| Office lighting |
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| Office lighting. You can see a bit of my orange top, part of a three-piece pants suit. |
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| Sunlight, day three of manicure |
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| Sunlight, day three of manicure |
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| Sunlight, day three of manicure |
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| This was the ring finger of my *right* hand. I don't usually photograph that hand. I love the glitter piece near the bottom with two other little glitters on it; it looks like a button to me. |
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| Thumb of my left hand, trying to get an angle shot so you could see the dimension of the layers of glitter. |
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