A Busy Few Days of Swatching!

While writing out full length posts for my blog has been a bit difficult for me lately, I have been keeping up with my nails. The last couple of days I've started working on swatching my polishes for my pinterest collection. I thought I would share them with you all here and remind you that if you like my swatches, you can find them regularly on my Instagram. Once I've completed the projects I owe for Christmas (crochet requests from my Etsy shop - details in the future) I will get back into my normal programming for blogging.

So without further adieu, some of my swatches this week.

Eat Sleep Polish - You Can't Sit With Us

Eat Sleep Polish - Great Sexpectations

Eat Sleep Polish - The Turtle and the Hare

Aly's Dream Polish - Hottest Pink

It has been a month.

You know one of those ones where life intervenes and everything you want to do is sidelined for the important and super un-fun stuff? Yeah, one of those.

I miss blogging. I miss writing. I miss having time to do my nails every day. But I have been working on some fun stuff.

A scarf for a friend, nicely tied in a bow here:

A few pairs of slippers, some fingerless gloves and several bathroom oragnizers have also been keeping me quite busy.

I know this isn't my usual nail related post, but here are a couple of mani's I have done recently to tide you over:

Carpe Noctem Cosmetics - South Haven Sunset

I know I've shown this one before but it's just so gorgeous! I needed to wear it again. Look at that gold shimmer come through, it really does look like a sunset doesn't it?

I have high hopes that in the coming week I will be finishing up many of my near-complete projects which should open up some free time to get back to my nails and my blog. I hope you're all doing well, tell me in the comments how has the past month been going for you?

What? October is almost over?

What a terrible host I've been for the October mani challenge. I'm -still- sick! I can't believe this nonsense, but regardless, sick or not, I'm going to upload all of my photos so far tonight and update by week. Back to regular programming after that, I'm done letting this cold win!

Benefit 2014 Advent Calendar "Candy Coated Countdown"

Quick post, not back from my little break, but this one was an easy one.

I've noticed a lot of people talking about the Benefit 2014 Advent Calendar already. Last year's calendar was great and came with a price tag of $79. This year's advent calendar has a whopping $40 markup coming in at a massive $119. What's with the markup? Is it really worth it?

So here's what it looks like in the package, quite pretty, as usual for Benefit.

Now for the good stuff. The contents. Spoilers, my dears, if you don't want to know what's in there, don't read any further.

All of the products are sample sizes.

Day 1: Heart Paper Clips

Day 2: Ultra Plush Lipgloss "A-Lister"

Day 3: They're Real Mascara

Day 4: Stay Don't Stray (lt/med)

Day 5: It's Potent

Day 6: Porefessional

Day 7: Silver Hair Tie

Day 8: Holiday Post It Notes

Day 9: Ultra Plush Lipgloss "Dandelion"

Day 10: Stay Flawless

Day 11: Benetint

Day 12: Total Moisture

Day 13: Posietint

Day 14: Hair Tie w/ bow

Day 15: Ooh La Lift

Day 16: High Beam

Day 17: Holiday Notepad

Day 18: That Gal

Day 19: Pink Polkadot Hair Tie

Day 20: Ultra Plush Lipgloss "Fauxmance"

Day 21: Watt's Up?

Day 22: Bad Gal lash

Day 23: ChaChaTint

Day 24: Fake Up Concealer in 02 Medium

So what's different from last year? Not much, honestly. Here are the differences:

2013 contained the following products that 2014 does not:

Girl Meets Pearl

Hoola

Dandelion

Coralista

BadGal Liner in Black

Ultra Plush Lipgloss in Coralista 

Ultraplush Lipgloss in Sugarbomb

2014 new products:

They're Real Mascara

Ultra Plush Lipgloss in Fauxmance

Stay Flawless

Watt's Up

Fake Up Concealer

You might notice that this advent calendar has actually lost products. In 2013's Advent Calender there were three days containing non Benefit products (a bracelet, a necklace and a barette). In the 2014 Advent Calendar we see six days without Benefit products (paperclips, post it notes, 3 hair ties, notepad).

Is it worth the price hike? Well, that's up to you, but I think I'll be investing in a David's Tea Advent Calender this year instead. Which holiday products are you excited for?

Quick Update

I'm so sorry I haven't been posting my daily swatches like I planned to, I have literally been sick since the first of October and still am not quite well. Hopefully I will be able to play catch up soon and get back to regular posting. In the meantime I have still be uploading daily mani's on my Instagram. I'll be back soon!

Amazing Autumn Mani Challenge Day 1 - Moss

Day 1 of the October Amazing Autumn Mani Challenge! Today's theme was "Moss" (green).

I've used two coats of Colors by Llarowe Army of One and a tiny bi of saran wrap stamping using A England Dragon.

I apologize for the lack of great quality content today, I have a really nasty cold and this was all I could muster. I promise more fun in future.

Amazing Autumn Mani Challenge! - Participants

As promised, before we begin our month of fun, I have a list of those participating and where you can find them.

Myself, here on the blog as well as on Instagram.

Tina with We Didn't Miss It, and Instagram.

Deb with The Bold and the Beauty Fool, and Instagram

goddessofblue

Natalie

Laura

I will edit this post if others decide to join in. 

I'm looking forward to getting started tomorrow!!