peaks of otter winery preview

[7.30.2011 at peaks of otter winery in bedford, va]

getaway day pt.1 - smith mountain lake

[7.30.2011 view from one of the many marinas at smith mountain lake]

i love to swim, but i don't get to swim often because most pools use chlorine which will wreak havoc on my hair(i know, i know...) so when our yearly smith mountain lake trip comes around i get really excited!  now i'm pretty new to this lake.  it's a man made lake that was constructed in the 1960's.  it's about 3 hours away from where i live in virginia, but it's a pretty drive and this lake is worth it.  

we always go with my biological mum, step dad, and little sister who lives in CA.  it's nice to be able to spend time with all of them because our schedules are so different, and we don't get to see meg much because of distance.  yesterday was one of the first days in a long time where i truly felt like i was getting a break and actually able to relax.

[our favourite cove to swim]

[same cove - from the beach]

[weirdo...where did my ass go..?]

[meg and jem]

[meg tubing]

[me tubing. terrified.  last years try didn't end so well.]

[sisters - lake aftermath - couldn't find my water proof liner, oh well!]

lake day preview

[7.30.2011 - smith mountain lake near lynchburg, va]

retro

a different type of post.  more of a hello, because of the last little while i've noticed new faces showing up, and i just wanted to say hello and thank you :)

style evolution

[christmas trip back home to VA 12.2004]

[2002-2004? not sure the year.  while i lived in albuquerque, nm.  i remember this being taken before we went to the state fair]

[7.9.2011]

[5.22.2011]

it's funny when you come across old photos of yourself that you had honestly forgotten about.  while i updated info on my flickr account last nite, i happened to see that my old webpage was listed on there.  now this little piece of the intrawebnetz hadn't been updated since 2004, so i decided to peek around.  i remember when i set that page up i decided to not have many photos of myself on it.  the few that were there made me smile and made me realize how my style has transformed over the years.  maybe not as playful as it used to be, but it's still there.  maybe just a little more sleek now..or....?  but that said, that doesn't mean i've packed away all my crinolines and petticoats away just yet!

wearable

[4th of july.  i was making halloween inspired jewelry]

play back - my birthday

[my favourite purple with the milani "gems" pink version]

to ease away from all the blood and pain i've been blogging about lately due to saying goodbye(not to mention good riddance!) to my wisdom teeth, i thought i'd share some photos from my birthday that happened in june.  yes, yes a little behind, but that is okay.  i'm getting better!

[woe woe, another birthday?]

[obligatory birthday sushi! the roll in the middle was on the house from chef soon]

[6.13.2011 showing off my dress]

[birthday face]

[sanrio doc marten's - shock!!]

despite it being a birthday, which i normally don't handle well at all(i don't know...), i did really well and was not a crankyass all day!  i'm sure everyone around me appreciated that as well.  it was a nice and quiet day with not a lot planned but to see family as we could.  the day ended with the perfect strawberry amaretto cake that my mum makes every year.

wearable - hello xray kitty

[7.20.2011 new ring i made]

so i've had these halloween hello kitty stickers in one of my many(there are so many..too many) craft/etc. boxes.  i've also had these ring forms with clear cabs that fit them perfect.  solution?  hello xray ring!  i'm really in love with it despite the fact that there are a few tiny air bubbles that got caught in the adhesive when it was glued.  at least they aren't noticeable enough to take away from the cute!

nails are: sinful colors - verbena, which is a dupe for OPI's - planks a lot.

nearly a week

[7.17.2011 bruised.]

[7.16.2011 my teeth in a ziploc bag.]

so it's been nearly a week since the removal of my 4 wisdom teeth, and things are slowly getting back to normal.  yesterday and today i've been really trying to push myself back into a normal routine.  i've been able to sleep more since i've not been taking as much medication for the pain, and last nite was the first nite that i was able to sleep without being propped up like the elephant man.  this morning the swelling had gone down even more, but it made the bruising more noticeable.  so of course, i took a photo.  

i start back at work tomorrow, which is going to kill me with having had all this down time and actually needing it.  i'm thankful that at least i'm off the following 2 days to recover from that and the memories/heartache.  hard to believe it's been a year already.

7.12.2011 operation wisdom teeth : blood ahead

[ this is bigtoe.  bigtoe has gone through some pretty heavy things in the past year.  this is also my amazing manicure that i had to remove before surgery.  they said that sometimes the heart monitor can't read through poilsh.]

[passed out once home.  cosette hasn't left my side since the 12th]

[after my first gauze change at home and after a huge clean up.  pretty good bloody spit string though.  i hardly remember this being taken, but glad it was.]

[after the second gauze change.  i quit bleeding by 10pm or so.  the teabags helped a lot.]

in short, i survived.  really proud of myself for actually going through with it.  2 of the 4 teeth had to be broken so they could be removed.  but they gave me all of them, which makes me happy.  now if this massive amount of swelling would go down.  at least i'm able to sleep today.

it's been a weekend for leopard print

[my neice and her leopard print mani 7.2.2011]

[my left hand.  7.3.2011.]

used: OPI, sinful colours, and the colour club neon stripper set.

nail art has been a big thing in our class.  me, i'm content on playing with the classic french in different ways.  the other week i decided to try my hand at leopard print since everyone else in class had mastered zebra print, and stuck with it.  first try at free hand leopard print, and i was pretty surprised with myself.  now, i know, it's no konad, BUT i'm pretty pleased with this.  this is my left hand.  i'm left handed, and i think i did pretty good.

it's been awhile

[7.2.2011 how i started my day.  i needed the big cup.]

[a mix of patterns]

it's been awhile.  a long while.  not as long as i wanted to go without an update of sorts.  shame!  i partly blame life in general(work, school, etc.), and the link to the left that says tumblr.  i added that because it's almost like a daily blog through photos.  either my own, or others found that are relevant.

a lot has been happening.  i have one week left to go of school.  throughout school i've done more than 30 manicures and more than 20 pedicures, over 200 fingers of various nail enhancements like tips, fiberglass wraps, hard UV gels, and acrylic overlays and sculpts.  my current GPA is a B+ and i will take that considering how much has gone on in my life these past 5 months OUTSIDE of school, and with working 45hrs a week and not missing one day of class.  

i am hoping that sometime in august will be when i attend my state board practical, and my state board written i'd like to be done with sometime in july.  

then there is this:

[pano xray, left side 6.16.2011]

my wisdom teeth.  one of the top things that i have feared since i was 18.  it happens on july 12th at 9.10am. this is a HUGE deal for me, but i think i'm ready for it.  the left side will be the worse.  the right has my upper grown through, and the lower sitting upright, not sideways.  it's nice to know that it will be happening when i've taken time off work.  mostly for this.  

so yes.  things and stuff, and more things and stuff.  i'll try much harder, and will have more time once next week is out of the way.  maybe