Not many people can say their company takes everyone on a weekend holiday getaway every year. I feel lucky enough to say that we can as a part of the Konnect PR family! This year, our fearless leaders took us wine tasting in Temecula, complete with horseback riding, wonderful food and a sunrise hot air balloon ride.
After I toss everything in my suitcase, my final task when packing is always picking my nail color and book to bring with me on the trip. This might be just me, but I place way too much importance on my nail polish when I go on trips, because it really helps set the vibe of my outfits. The mani needs to be subdued enough for day activities, but turn on the fun at parties and nights out.
Gorgeous views
With the holidays as my inspiration, I grabbed Essie Blanc and Nails Inc. Buckingham Square for a clean, yet festive look. And I brought John Green’s Paper Towns along to keep me company. From yummy lunches to winery tours, I had my book in tow (although I didn’t get TOO much reading done! ).
Flat-bread + Wine Tasting
We had a couple of incredible activities planned, aside from the delicious wine tastings and tours! First up, horseback riding! Meet my new bestie, Squirrel.
My new bud Squirrel
And the grand finale of the trip: sunrise hot air balloon ride!
Up, up & away over the wineries of Temecula!
This incredible ride was one of the most exciting moments of my 20-some year life! The views were outstanding, and the weather was perfection! Pictures truly don’t do it justice.
Views from the top!
What are your weekend getaway essentials? Happy Reading!
Winter chill is harsh on all skin, especially your cuticles. And it’s so easy to pick and pick at dry cuticles, trust. I know ALL about that life, and it’s no fun. So today, I felt like sharing the products I use to keep my skin picture perfect and from feeling like absolute death!
This little silver tube has dual benefits, strengthening nails while moisturizing and repairing dry cuticles. I personally use it for repair, as I may or may not bite my cuticles when they get dry and cracked! Ever since the start of Novels and Nail Polish, doing that is a definite no no, and this has helped me so much. It’s recommended to use at least twice daily for two week, but I find the effects happen quickly enough that I just use it whenever my tips start to feel dry.
Similar to the Julep cuticle oil pen, another one of my favorites is the NailsInc. Vitamin E Cuticle Oil Pen. Just like their pretty bottles, I love the look of this guy! But he’s not just good looking, because I’ve seen both nail and cuticle benefits from this pen as well. And it has a really nice and fresh fragrance, where as the Julep pen is odorless.
These delicious smelling lotions are an office favorite, especially this time of year! They are fantastic moisturizers, but don’t leave your hands sticky, which is one of my pet peeves! If you’re looking for a portable and quick solution for dry hands, these are perfect for your purse!
What is your favorite item when it comes to cuticle care? Happy Reading!
What is a niche blog without a holiday gift guide? Not much, I can assure you! I’m happy to introduce the very first Novels and Nail Polish Gift Guide for book worms and polish lovers alike. ENJOY!
Litographs The Great Gatsby Book Poster ($24) – A good book is a work of art, but this takes it to a whole different level! The Litographs book posters use the text of classic novels and turn them into a gorgeous, visual display of the book. Grab this for the artsy-fartsy book nerds in your life!
Litographs Temporary Book Tattoo ($5/set of 2) – I adore these temporary tattoos from Litographs! I joined the lucky group of backers for their tattoo Kickstarter campaign, and am now a part of the world’s longest temporary tattoo chain. These tattoos are made to be entertainment quality, just like the ones makeup artists use in the movies and TV shows. They apply easily, and if you’re a commitment-phobe, you’ll finally be able to live out your tattoo dreams!
Nails Inc Winter Wonderland ($29) – There are two main reasons I love NailsInc. One, the polishes apply beautifully. Two, their new bottles are absolutely gorgeous! I definitely bought this set for myself on Black Friday, and it is perfection for the holidays! For ladies that want to sparkle and shine their way through December, these are a must!
Rifle Paper Co. Puffin in Bloom Collection ($16 each) – Those who are familiar with my previous post about cover redesigns know my love for the Anna Bond designed covers runs deep! Whether you’re looking for shelf candy or actually want to read these classics, they’re a must-have for any serious book collector.
Fangirl ($19) + Mint Polish in Original Mint ($12) – If you love YA Fiction, chances are you love Rainbow Rowell, or have at least heard of her. She’s written a handful of incredibly popular and moving stories, and Fangirl was the first, and favorite, I’ve read of hers! The cover is the perfect mint, so it’s no surprise that I paired it with Mint Polish’s Original Mint! I am a huge fan of this brand and their products, and if you’re going for mint, why wouldn’t you grab it from a company who shares the name?!
I’ll Give You The Sun ($18) + Essie Polishes in Capri, In The Cab-ana & Blanc ($8.50) – I’ll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson was one of the most highly anticipated YA novels of the fall. It’s two stories in one, each half told by a brother and sister. It’s high on my TBR list, especially because I already have a couple of great ideas for a cover-inspired manicure! I paired Essie polishes with it because the brand is one of my go-to lacquers. White, aqua and orange effectively capture the essence of the cover, without looking like a circus!
AngeliqueInk Custom Book Stamp ($40) – I received this stamp for my birthday six months ago, and it quickly became one of my prized bookworm possessions. The simple type paired with the custom hand-lettered calligraphy embodies everything I love in design. Stamps like this will bring the biggest smile to any book hoarder in your life!
R. Nichols READ Candle ($45) – How many people would raise their hand if I asked who loves the smell of libraries and old books? A TON, I’m sure. If you’re one of those bibliophiles, this beautiful book candle will be the perfect addition to your reading nook!
ThinkGeek Book Pillows ($10) – Pillows are important, but they’re not all created equal. That’s where these ThinkGeek book pillows come in! This set is their holiday collection, and they’re completely and totally necessary for your next all-night read-a-thon!
Hogwarts Travel Posters ($15 each) – Harry Potter. Minimalist travel posters. Enough said, my friends.
Tell me, what’s on your Christmas list? I’m always looking for more book/nail polish things to add to my already massive collections! Happy Reading!
I have exciting news! Novels and Nail Polish has its very first feature! This morning on BiblioSmiles, an adorable blog that is dedicated to sharing the joy books bring to our lives, you can check out an interview with none other than me.
Danielle (@DanielleVillano), creator of BiblioSmiles, reached out to me and asked if I would like to tell her readers about my inspiration behind Novels and Nail Polish. Of course I said yes! I’m up for any chance to connect with fellow bookworms. I had such a blast answering questions about how I came up with the idea for the blog, tips on nail art and what fictional character I’d love to have dinner with! Now head over there and take a look!
There is so much to be thankful for in my life currently. I have the most incredible family, a job I love, friends I can count on no matter what and enough nail polish to last for a long time! But there’s one other thing that has done so much for me and asked nothing in return, and it’s books. I wanted to take the time today to shine the spotlight on a couple novels and series that have meant so much to me through the years.
First, I want to send my love and prayer to the community of Ferguson, and say that I’m Thankful for the Ferguson Public Library for knowing that books can change and save lives.
What can I say about the Harry Potter series that hasn’t been said before? I was one of the lucky ones that grew up as Harry, Ron and Hermione did, and I can honestly say that I don’t think my love of books would be what it is today without this series.
Gone with the Wind was the first classic that I truly fell in love with, and it gave me a story that I can come back to time and time again. And with her sassy and bold personality, Scarlett is my favorite literary heroine!
The Hunger Games series came to me when I needed it most. I’d just started college and recently moved away from home. On top of that, the end of Fall Semester brought a breakup for me and my then-boyfriend. I wasn’t happy, and I was looking for something to pull me out of that really hard time. That was The Hunger Games for me. My best friend let me borrow it, and it was so incredible, I went out and bought it for myself! Catching Fire and Mockingjay were no less amazing in the following years, and the movies have added, not taken away, from their magic.
What books are you thankful for? Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Reading!
Lights out, plague, birds. Would you have survived the first 4 waves? NOPE. I definintely wouldn’t have! The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey is an intense, Sci-fi YA thriller packed with action and adventure. Of course, since it is a young adult book, you have to throw the love interest and strong familial ties in there too!
I feel like I’ve really been looking for a book like The 5th Wave recently; one that isn’t so much dystopian, but more action/science fiction. I mean, who doesn’t love a good alien takeover? I was intrigued right away, it held onto me the whole time and left me wanting more as soon as I realized I only had a couple more pages left!
I’ve just started The Infinite Sea, so a review of that will be coming later. But once I had both of these books together, my manicure inspiration hit me almost immediately, and I couldn’t wait until I finished the sequel to do it.
One thing I do want to mention before we get into the manicure is that my inspiration for this look really came from the colors of the naked books, as opposed to literal interpretation of the dust jackets! I will talk more about that below, but I wanted to throw it out there first. Now, let’s get to the polish!
Tools I Used // Essie Jiggle Hi, Jiggle Low + Ciate Ladylike Luxe + Julep Cleopatra
Lining up the two naked books next to each other, you see there’s one main color, black, and two accent colors, silver and gold. Those three colors together ARE MY EVERYTHING! That is what really got the inspiration wheels turning, even before I’d left Barnes & Noble with the book!
I rounded up three trusty colors: Julep’s Black Latex Cleopatra, Essie’s Jiggle Hi, Jiggle Low from their Winter Collection and Ciate’s Ladylike Luxe. Now, Essie describes Jiggle Hi, Jiggle Low as a bold molten gold, but I’m really not sold on that description. It’s definitely silver, possibly with a hint of gold, but not much more than that.
One of the classiest AND easiest nail art techniques I’ve tried is the Ruffian manicure. It’s a reverse French Manicure that follows the shape of the nail bed. I’d only tried it once before, but I adore the striking look it creates if done with the correct contrasting colors.
To create the Ruffian look, start with your base coat. Try to concentrate the color closer to your cuticles, as you will be covering the rest of the nail with a second color. Once it dries completely, you have two options. The first is using tape or a stencil to create the look, and the second is doing it free hand. I chose to run with it free hand, which speeds up the process because you don’t have to wait for the full dry you need when sticking tape to your nail.
If you free hand the design, start with a good amount of polish on the brush. Place it where you want to start the second layer, and gradually spread it out from the center of the nail to the edges in one smooth movement. You can always go back in with a smaller brush and touch up any rough edges, but it works best if you can do it all at once.
In The 5th Wave, one overarching theme that really resonated with me was that of hopelessness. I took that fear of the unknown, as well as the clean lines of the naked covers, and created this manicure. The black represents the fear the aliens have instilled in the human race, and it is covering up the gold and silver, which is their hope for the future. On my accent nail, I drew from Cassie’s strength, which is the reason for the reversed colors, covering the desperation and letting her perseverance shine through.
Have you done a Ruffian Manicure before? I’d love to hear your techniques! Happy Reading!
I have a little story for you today. Picture this…
Once upon a time, a fair maiden lived in the enchanted southern region of California. She longed to see something she’d only heard tell of in her mother’s stories: Autumn. You see, where she lived, there was only one season: warm. But she knew there was a way to make her dream a reality, by making the pilgrimage to the mystical Tree of Fall.
And you know what? She did just that, and there she was rewarded with leaves of scarlet, gold and orange. She was filled with joy and contentment , and she lived happily ever after.
The ‘once upon a time’ of that story was this past weekend, the magical princess is me and the ‘Tree of Fall’ is the ONLY tree on my street that makes it look like November. All I wanted was a few pictures of my new TBR list additions with the pretty fall leaves, but that’s a tall order in SoCal. All of the damn leaves by my house are GREEN, just as the sky is still blue. But I found the perfect tree, which allowed me to take the perfect pictures.
Have you read either of these contemporaries? I’d love to hear what you think of them! Happy Reading!
Not many people can say their company takes everyone on a weekend holiday getaway every year. I feel lucky enough to say that we can as a part of the Konnect PR family! This year, our fearless leaders took us wine tasting in Temecula, complete with horseback riding, wonderful food and a sunrise hot air balloon ride.
