"I Enjoyyyy Beeeing A Girl!" (by... someone... wasn't this song on a movie? maybe? i don't know...)

I remember going with my mom to get her nails done (acrylic nails). I remember the smell (yuck) and how BEAUTIFUL they were (oooh ahhhh) and how she'd sit and girl talk with the lady who did them.

I remember when my mom would sit on the couch with her little nail tools and push back her cuticles, file, and paint her toes the perfect shade of pink. I remember her doing my nails (dang that cuticle pusher backer hurt the first time or two! lol) and how special I felt. And I REALLY felt special when she'd let me put some of her pretty little nail stickers on my nails.

When I was a little older, I always had my nails painted. And being me... who must always take a project a little too far.... I spent several hours decorating my nails with various colors (using toothpicks to apply) in various designs according to each holiday. There were no nail stickers involved here. It was a seriously in depth art project! LOL

And as I got older and busier in high school the intense nail art faded away. For prom in high school I asked my mom if she'd do my nails (acrylic, by that point she had her own materials to do them herself). I'd never had acrylic nails before and I wanted them sooo bad! She agreed. And later... disagreed. Only to tell me that she decided she'd pay to let me have them done professionally! I was so excited! I loved the whole process! It was so fun having them done!

As an adult... I still really love having fake nails... but... DANG they're pricey! I just can't bring myself to pay the money. I have bought several kits and done them myself and I think I manage pretty good for an amateur! But I don't do them often.... since I have found it difficult to type fast, do up itty bitty zippers and buttons and snaps on my babes clothes, and other little tasts a mommy does. I still don't have time to go all out with crazy intricate designs either.

So what have I resorted back to? The beauty and wonder of my childhood days. Stickers. : )

I found a fabulous brand of nail polish called "Pure Ice" that is $2 a bottle and lasts every bit as long as any other 'fancy' brand of polish I've ever used. PLUS they have super fun names for the different colors. (Is this important? Why, yes it is!) And I purchased a few packs of little stick on designs and 'jewels' to top it off. I put one on my ring fingers in the lower outside corner and one on my thumbs on the lower outside corner... just like mommy taught me back in the day. : )

Though I don't keep my fingernails painted ALL the time (though recently I have been more often)... my toenails are painted 99% of the time. I can't stand not having my toes painted. (Toes are gross with out some 'pizazz'... let's just face facts here.)

So here I am, sitting with my lovely lavender painted nails with pretty white and purple flowers... my toes are a dark greyish silver with colored sparklies... and I must say I find myself enjoying being a girl. : )