Hot Off The Stamping Press: Bundle Monster Occassions Christmas Holiday Nail Art Stamping Plates!

Hey stamperistas,

Happy Monday dears! Just another plate press release for you today :)  I always feel like right at the bottom of the year platemakers go crazy.  Lol releasing lots of holiday and new years related plates. Then we get a tiny little lull and it goes crazy again around spring.  Today I have the latest holiday plates from Bundle Monster from their Occasions Collection along with a discount code you can use, but more on that later first lets take a look at the goods!

Like the last Occasions Collection this one is also a 10 plate set.

Hot Off The Stamping Press: New Bundle Monster Occasions Collection Halloween + Thanksgiving!

Yo stamperistas,

I have some new stamping plates to share with you all from Bundle Monster! These are bit late in the game Halloween wise for these to be coming out.  I believe they launched at the end of last week, and honestly I had other things planned and didn't get the press up till now.  I will say though even last week felt a bit late in the game for a semi Halloween themed release when we are half way through the month.  But hey always more time to squeeze in last minute nail art right ;)?  Lol ok let's go!

I speculate The Occasions Collection seems like its going to be offering other plates in the future.

Hot Off The Stamping Press: Bundle Monster Around The World & Time Machine Master Sets!

Hey stamperistas,

Continuing to my catch up bit by bit.  Today I'm looking at the 2 new sets Bundle Monster released called Around the World and Time Machine Master sets.  Each set consists of 5 plates which you can either purchase all together or individually.  They have the feel of MoYou London styled thematic landscape plates without the complete cohesive execution of them.  At a glance I felt the Around the World Collection was more successful at this undertaking than the Time Machine one, but let's take a closer look.

Press Release: Sneak Peek at Bundle Monster's Polynesia Nail Art Stamping Plates!

Hey stamperistas,

You have no idea how EXCITED I am to share this post with you.  I am always always a fan of stamping, no duh right? But when a collection comes along that resonates with something I love I get way way way too excited and way way way too freaking happy!  I'm bouncing on my toes right now I swear.  Bundle Monster has created a new collection of plates themed around the Polynesia culture! This makes a perfect and absolute sense to me.   Its a brand that originates from Hawaii an island culture rich with Polynesian heritage.  I AM SO EXCITED - its going to be tribals for days! And you know how I feel about tribals!!!  Right now all I have are mockups to share with you guys and some press information which is definitely a teaser but I still had to share anyway :) The best part of this latest collection is that they will be made from the XL stamping plates - hallelujah!!!! Ladies you just don't know the church hymnals that are erupting in my head right now lololol!  I'm ready to go tell it on the mountain, over the seas, to the cashier at my grocery store, everywhere!!!

Elevation Polish Wyoming The Wild Collection Swatches & Nail Art

Happy post Easter stamp champs,

Press Sample

Today I have swatches and nail art of the newest collection getting ready to release tonight at 9PM CST from Elevation Polish! Usually I'll try to get my swatches up a little earlier but between call and the horrors of my schedule this last week and this week as well have been hellish.  In any case such is life.  Now get excited as there are a lot of gorgeous colors in this collection as well as a highly requested SBP and just some purely special sparkle.  Get ready to fall in love with Wyoming The Wild!

Bundle Monster Secret Garden Nail Art Stamping Plate Review

Hey stamperistas,

Press Sample

Happy Saturday!  Apparently this weekend is Easter?  I'm so off of a normal schedule I have no idea what's going on anymore lol.  But today I have another review of recent plates to show you.   This time from Bundle Monster and the new Secret Garden Collection.  Honestly its been a very long time since I posted a Bundle Monster review, years in fact, though I do have all their plates except one collection and some of the new rectangular plates.  Generally speaking since I'm blessed I've had a friend give me the last set and I didn't feel a need to rush to swatch though generally speaking its a good idea to do so when you first purchase these plates so that if there's a problem you can do an exchange within the time limit.  Bundle Monster and Amazon (where I often purchase) both have wonderful exchange and return policies as I've posted about before.  Now let's get started and don't forget to leave feedback or questions if you have them!

Bundle Monster Rectagular XL Nail Art Stamping Plate Holder Review

Hey stamp champs,

It might just be me but I feel like these  days things are getting BUSY!  I'm just hectic at home hectic at school, and now even hectic with my nails.  Lol so far behind on everything and scrambling to make the magic happen.  And speaking of magic today I'm gonna talk about these new XL holders from Bundle Monster that literally stole my breath right away from me.  Its rare for me to just jump up and buy something these days because the market is so saturated right now!  But when my friend Yvette messaged me about these in the morning I was like "add to cart"---> "add to cart" ----> "check out with paypal"-----> "done".   Yes I was that impressed.  So now that I have my holders of course I'm going to share them with you.  As usual I try to break my review up into parts so that you can scan. through.  Mainly I will be doing plate comparisons and measurements.  I did also create a short video just to show you a few things so sit back and enjoy and don't forget to leave me some feedback darlings!!!!

Hot Off The Stamping Press: Bundle Monster XL Nail Art Stamping Plates!

Welcome back stamp champs

Today I just wanted to share a quick post with you about the newest plates released by Bundle Monster today.  If you follow Bundle Monster regularly you know that they just released the Secret Garden Collection about 2 weeks ago then last week announced they would be releasing the another set of rectangular plates with XL sized imaging for us longer nailed ladies.  For those that were expecting new designs thats not the case, but rather Bundle Monster is taking their most popular images from prior collections and resizing them for these plates.  Frankly as someone who has always enjoyed the BM plates but felt that the images have been a bit on the smaller size of things this is a welcome change.

Hot Off The Stamping Press: Bundle Monster Secret Garden Nail Art Stamping Plate Collection!

Happy Wednesday stamp champs,

I'm running behind on plate posts since I've been busy dealing with a few side projects ;)  In any event I wanted to let you guys know about the new Secret Garden Collection that just released from Bundle Monster before their sale finished.  I'm sure lots of you ladies already know about these since Bundle Monster has been teasing us with hints about them since the end of January but here they are at last available for purchase.

Hot Off The Stamping Press: Bundle Monster Create Your Own 2014 Collection!

Happy Hallloween stamp champs,

I'm so bummed I wasn't able to create more Halloween nail art for this year.  It's been hectic in more ways than I can describe, but one thing always cheers me up when I'm feeling bummed....that's right new nail art stamping plates.  I think a lot of ladies look forward to the Bundle Monster plate releases.  They are affordable and offer a nice array of images that you can use in collection over and over again.  To this day my favorite BM Collection is the 2012 plates and the HD Collection.  Useful and so cute! Plus it doesn't hurt that they are uber affordable.  What's great about the CYO plates is that they are created, for the most part, by the fans who entered their own designs.  I have promised myself that if they do anymore I will try to enter some, but for now let's take a look at this new collection, and later I'll tell you how you can save a few bucks while you're at it..

Unfortunately I can't zoom in on the images any further than this so you will have to go to the website and check them out with the automated zoom for a closer look.  But what' I've seen on the zoom I really love. They have a few stock images that are par for the course but a lot of these designs are very unique and cool looking!

Hot Off The Stamping Press: Bundle Monster Sun Kissed Collection Update!

Deleted Post Reposted

Happy labor day lacqueristas,

Just a quick post to show you all the plates that Bundle Monster has released thus far for the upcoming Sun Kissed Collection.  As you may know from the press release I posted late last week this collection will be limited to 10 intricate and unique plates.  Thus far they have shown us five out of the 10.  I'd previously only posted the first two so here are the rest...

Hot Off The Stamping Presses: Bundle Monster Sun Kissed Collection Press Release!

Hey stamp champs,

Press Release

I have a few updates via press release from Bundle Monster!

Bundle Monster Releases the

Sun Kissed Nail Plate Collection

With the inspiration of the ocean in mind, Bundle Monster created

the ultimate beachy Nail Plate collection for endless possibilities of nail art designs.

Hot Off The Stamping Press: Bundle Monster Sunkissed Collection (UPDATED)!

Hey stamping fanatics,

It's a two-fer today because I just had to share some exciting news with everyone as soon as I saw it! Apparently Bundle Monster has been working in secret on TWO fabulous collections! I think we all knew that about the Create Your Own Collection for 2014 that is in the final stage of selections, but apparently there was a mystery collection that we didn't know about as well.  Yup that's right Bundle Monster has given us the first official sneak peek at their Sun Kissed Collection!

4th of July Nail Art #2 - Bundle Monster Stars and Stripes

Hey lacquer ladies,


I know it's rare for me to put up back to back nail art posts, but I managed to squeeze out one more manicure for the 4th of July holiday.  This one was a touch more intricate than the last while still remaining relatively simple.  It's been a while since I broke out my Bundle Monster plates so I decided to finally put my Holiday Collection set to good use.

Mani-louge

Basecoat/Topcoat: Duri Rejuvacote / Poshe Fast Drying Topcoat

Basecolors: Zoya Carter, Zoya Pixie Dust Godiva, Zoya Dream, Rica Whiteout, China Glaze Happy Go Lucky

Stamping polish: Sally Hansen Rapid Red, Mundo de Unas #1 and #30

Stamping Plate: Bundle Monster HD25

I chose to accent the french tip using patriotic colored star rhinestones and I think it turned out well.  I kept looking at the pinkie, but thinking hmm I just want to let Blaze sparkle.  Honestly I do not spend enough time using my Zoya polishes so every time I pick one up I'm blown away but the finish and the quality of these polishes.

What do you think? For a simple 4th of July mani I think this came out well especially as I have been really pressed for time these days.  I hope everyone is having a happy Friday and 4th for those who celebrate it.  Thanks for reading and I'll see you next post...

Happy Birthday Bundle Monster: 5 Year Celebration & Nail Art Contest

Hey stamparistas,

Bundle Monster is turning 5 years old this June! How awesome for them.  I can still remember Bundle Monster was the first set of stamping plates I ever purchased almost 5 years ago.  Prior to that I had been buying the individual Konad plates and wondering when another brand was going to hit the scene.  Then along came Bundle Monster with a 25 plate set at such a good price.  It was game over and I was in love.  Now 5 years later I have every single set they have created and still love the brand today! Since Bundle Monster also wants to celebrate their anniversary and decided to host a 31 day birthday themed nail art contest.  Let's take a look...

The challenge will run from June 1, 2014 to June 30, 2014.  You can post your mani's on  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest.  You just have to make sure to use the hasthtags #BM5thBDay and #BundleMonster and make sure to use at least ONE Bundle Monster product in your mani.  Pretty easy right?  The best part is once a week for the month of June Bundle Monster will pick 5 random winners to receive a mystery nail art prize package. Plus you can enter as many times as you want.  Not bad eh?  So get excited ladies and start thinking up some good ideas for Birthday themed nail art! Thanks for reading and see you nest post...

Stardust Polish Supernova Winter Butterfly Nail Art

Happy Sunday ladies,

I wish I could say my Sunday is going to be spent indoors basking in warmth and drinking chocolate chai while working on fun manis, but I know how this jazz is going down.  I'm gonna be filling out templates, chasing down electrolytes, and doing goodness knows what else.  Doesn't that chocolate chai sound nice though? I've been making it at home lately from unsweetened almond milk and the Starbucks mix and it's totally heavenly! Just like the mani I'm about to show you.  It's another Stardust Polish mani and today's dalliance into Drema's world features my favorite of the 3 polishes sent to me - Supernova.  Check out swatches here.  I wanted winter to be a little more glamorous, beautiful, and whimsical.  I think I hit it spot on.

Supernova Mani-louge

Base: Stardust Polish Supernova

Stamping polish: Konad Special Polish in Deep Blue and Black Gold

Stamping plate: Bundle Monster CYO BM424

I did a little gradient stamping for the wings because I knew I wanted the butterfly to transition from dark blue to black at the edges. What blows me away is how blue this polish it!  It's bright and exuberant and every time I looked down it made me happy to see the blue and various colored matte glitters shining back at me. 

So what do you think?  I also took this opportunity to once again break out some of my Create Your Own Bundle Monster plates.  I am so impressed by this set.  The rhinestones and gold beads were simply the final touch required for embellishment.  Over all I love what I created!  In any case thanks so much for reading.  I'll have my last installment of nail art up tomorrow and see you next post!

Stardust Polish Lavender Dream Winter Nail Art

Hey lacqueristas,

As promised I'm back with some nail art for the Stardust Polishes I reviewed yesterday.  If you didn't see my swatches and post check it out here first.  Normally when I create nail art for a brand I swatch I tend to push them together into one post and it's hard to figure out whether to give swatches or art priority and because of that I decided it's probably best to give each an equal billing especially when I love the polish and the art so much in different ways.  So here I am and here we go!

Lavender Dream Mani-louge

Base: Lavender Dream

Stamping polish:  Konad Special Polish in Black Gold, White and Purple

Stamping plates: Bundle Monster BM14 & BM407

Again Lavender Dream is a subtle scattered holo with a blue shimmer.  I love everything about it and for some reason when I saw it I knew a winter inspired theme would suit it perfectly!  I have to say this came out so gorgeously.  I wanted to create a gradient purples sliding from dark to light along the light base which is exactly what I think I achieved.  I have to say I am also really loving my new CYO Bundle Monster plates!  The images on them are just so cool and workable.  Love em to death!

So what do you think?  You can get Lavender Dream here in the Stardust polish store.  Stand by for more awesome nail art from the brand.  Thanks so much for reading and I'll see you next post!

Protect The Tatas!!! Ahem I Mean Breast Cancer Awareness Mani Ahead...

Hello lovely ladies and possible gentlemen,

As you know in the lovely month of October we raise awareness to protecting ahem the tatas.  Ok so here's the deal-e-o.  I'm going to take this opportunity to educate because this is actually the arena that is a familiar domain for me in a professional sense.  So here we go!

Breast cancer, like prostate cancer for males, is the leading cause of death for women in the United States.  If you are a lady with lovely lady humps you owe it to yourself to regularly think about your breasts.  I rarely share this side of my world but I have a lot of experience with breast cancer patients.  I have scrubbed their mastectomies and the subsequent repairs.  I have held their hands while they have agonized with these decisions and unfortunately had a very close friend diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 25.  If you are a female aged 50 and over you need to have an annual mamogram.  If you are experiencing abnormal discharge from your nipples i.e. clear, greenish, blue, black, or brown you need to be evaluated.  Surprisingly bloody discharge is less likely to be a cancerous/malignant process.  If you feel a lump or mass that is NOT painful but constant and possibly growing over time you need to be evaluated.

What are things that increase your risk of breast cancer?  Earlier age of menarche (menses), age over 50, age at first childbirth (can offer protective benefit against breast cancer), personal history of abnormal biopsy such as ductal carcinoma in situ or lobar carcinoma in situ, first degree relatives (think mother, sister, brother, father) with breast cancer, breast density, estrogen and progesterone use, smoking, history of radiation to the chest (very pertinent for girls who had a childhood history of lymphoma or other types of cancer), post menopausal obesity and many more.  Let me say clearly these risk factors are completely inappropriate to gauge your possible future risk of developing breast cancer if you are a BRCA-1 or BRCA-2 gene mutation carrier.  African American ladies we are also at increased risk of developing breast cancer and having it detected at later stages with worse outcomes.  Be attentive!

Mani-louge

Basecoat/Topcoat:  CND Stickey/Poshe Fast Drying Top Coat

Base colors:  Essie French Affair and Fancy Gloss Barbie Girl

Stamping polish:  Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Fast Fuschia and Konad Special Polish in White

Stamping plates:  BM 315 & 321


 
 

Ok.  I'll stop there I don't want to turn this into a sermon, but this is a serious matter and should be taken as such.   My goal in life is proactivity not reactivity so there we have it.  Now interspersed through this little preaching session is my mani.  I wanted to step it up this year.  I went to my tried and true bundle monster plates and holographic polishes.  Thoughts?  I hope I didn't scare anyone here and if you want to know more information about breast cancer and your possible risks there are tables that can help you with risk stratification that you can check out this article here.  It's a bit science heavy but is one of the guidelines standard to current clinical practice!  If you want to skip all the jargon and just get to the meat and potatoes click here for a risk assessment tool provided by the national cancer institutes.

 I know I didn't talk much about this mani but.  The accent features an pink to white transition from Fancy Gloss.  It's opaque in 2 coats and has a very slight holographic shimmer than you can see faintly in the sunlight.  Despite my best attempts I couldn't really capture it.  You can find Barbie Girl by Fancy Gloss here.  In any event thanks so much for reading and protect the tatas!  See you next post

Why H8 Is Never GR8...

Hello polished prisoners,


Today or rather yesterday was a special day for the nail polish community.  In an effort to eradicate negativity and hatred in our very big and yet oh so small community women everywhere were donning their purple polishes and just saying no to h8.  I couldn't agree more so here I am.    I had the unfortunate or fortunate fate, depending on how you look at it, to be a bullied kid.  Ah the days when I was chubby, buck toothed, four-eyed, unfashionable, poor, and unpopular.  I didn't have a friend on my side (not counting my brothers), and so all the way from 5th grade of elementary school up until mid-way through high school I was very much alone.  The bus rides home were torture.  I'd be teased mercilessly, rocks would be thrown at me, and I can even remember one occasion where I was knocked down into a huge puddle of mud and my mother had to come to school to bring me a change of clothes.  Those days were so horrible and something that plagued me for years, but I was blessed to have a mother who always believed in me and encouraged me to be myself.  Despite all of the ugly things that happened my confidence in myself never shrank and I was able to stand up and continue standing up and say, "Damnit! I am who I am and you can either take it or leave it! I won't bow or bend for the sake of approval from anyone."  I owe my mother a lot.  She helped me become the woman I am today and never once let me feel like I was anything other than special when others told me I was everything but.

BM317, BM311, Essie Nothing Else Metals, Essie Play Date & Boxershorts, Butter London Knackered, Konad Special Polish in Pastel Purple and Purple

Bullying is ugly and a behavior driven by mob and crowd mentality.  Better to be the one accepted in a group tearing someone else down than be the one being torn eh?  Wrong!  It takes one person to open their mouth and stand up for what is right and possibly change the scope of someone's world.  I cannot abide the seemingly strong picking on the weak or disadvantaged nor the tearing down of someone else's esteem to build up my own.  I don't want to be involved in a community that does such things and I'm glad to see bloggers stepping up and taking an active role in making this community a more positive place.  And here I am to do my part as well - purple polish and claws up!  For all the Jake's, Tom's, Mr. G's, and Sandra's out there this is for you!  Always always be proud of who you are and let your actions toward others be the measure of your own virtue.  My last name may not be Lannister but Hear me Roar!

You can find other bloggers who participated in the No H8 movement HERE  as well as resources to anti-bullying sites and support.  Thank you so much for reading and I'll see everyone next post!

Halloween 2012: Ghoulish Glam

Happy Saturday polished prisoners,


This week has been a mother...ah let's just leave it there.  Suffice to say I'm so thankful it's the weekend as I'm exhausted and I get a one day reprieve from the shade of it all ;) Man oh man I have been so psyched up for the manicure I'm about to show you since I saw the announcement for the Bundle Monster Fright Night Competition!  I literally thought I have to do something that leaves me gagging (um in delight not because it's gross I don't do gross...) - lol.  You can vote for my entry HERE.  Oh my a shameless plug but I do need your votes to win! In any case this was such a labor of love and evolved so slowly every nail took me forever, but it was worth it.  Now onto the art...

Mani-louge

Thumb: Base: Orly Liquid Vinyl stamped with Konad Special Polish in Light Green, Light Purple and Purple

Index: Base: OPI What's With The Catittude? sponged with Orly Velvet Rope and Sinful Colors Daddy's Girl and Orly Liquid Vinyl, freehand accents: Cm Nail Art Brush in Black stamped with China Glaze Millennium

Middle: Base: INM Northern Lights in Gold with OPI I Have A Herring Problem sponged with Sinful Colors Daddy's Girl and Orly Liquid Vinyl; Floral vines: Cm Nail Art Brush in Black and stamped with Konad Special Polish in Black.  Rhinestones: 1-3mm rhinestones in various colors

Ring: Base: Essie To Buy Or Not To Buy; Gradient: Sinful Colors Daddy's Girl and Orly Liquid Vinyl; Stamped: Konad Special Polish in Yellow and White; Accents (dots): Essie Blanc

Pinkie: Base: Essie Navigate Her sponged with China Glaze Near Dark and Orly It's Not Rocket Science and Liquid Vinyl; Freehand accents: Cm Nail Art Brush in Black stamped with freehand accents: Cm Nail Art Brush in Black stamped with Konad Special Polish in White

Stamping Plates: BM14, BM211, BM223, and BM305 

That mani-louge is something else right?  So many polishes and plates and tiny detail work.  I can't remember the last time or if I have ever done such a complicated mani before.  Every single nail was thought out and thought out again.  I wanted to create something pretty and a little spooky and of course extremely unique.  I couldn't even figure out the colorway for this mani which I usually always do before I start.  I just made it up as I went along which I have to say at least to me is so much harder to do.

Notice how I "snuck" some bling into this jazz hehe!

So what do you think? Once again if you like it please vote for me over on the Bundle Monster Facebook page under the Fright Night Contest here.  I'm pretty happy with the results though in all honesty I doubt I'll do a tutorial for this manicure as it'd be over 30mins long even condensed down :/  Totally worth it though since I cannot stop staring at my nails! How am I ever going to be able to take this off?  In any case thanks for reading and I'll see you next post! Toodles...