Acrylic Unicorn Nail

Bonjour, Hello, Howdy, G’day…

How the devil are you lovely lot? I do apologise for the slight absence, as luck would have it I’ve been having a blooming headache of a time with my trusty laptop which seems to have all the symptoms of old age setting in *sigh* You know… slow to start, easily confuddled, muddling information, not remembering passwords, cripplingly slow – hmmm, actually it sounds scarily like me and I’m only 34… anyways…. I’ve spent the last few days cleaning the darn thing out before undertaking the monumental task of video editing; which is something I can only describe as wandering through an unchartered circle of hell when your laptop is as slow as mine. Needless to say after sprouting a few more grey hairs, shaking my fists vigorously in the air and clearing the kitchen of all other human life I emerged victorious! A video was born!

So this week I decided to attempt my own version of a unicorn nail… ‘A what?’ I hear you say… yes, a unicorn nail. Well, the unicorn’s horn, though mine started off looking more like a teeny Mr Whippy cone before somehow evolving into (what I can only describe) as a glitzy seashell. The thing is, the gorgeous Kirsty Meakin from Naio Nails, was the inspiration behind my attempt as her recent upload made the whole darn thing look so blooming easy. However, when you’re as awkward at acrylic nail art as I am, it simply shows what an utter dog’s dinner can be made compared to the seasoned pros. Okay, so it’s not the worst thing I’ve clamped my lamps on lately, but let’s just say 2017 is most certainly the year for me to get my practice hand out a little more than I have been. Hmm, maybe this is the beginnings of a little mini series… a first attempt kinda thing?! Something the world can chortle at as I try wholeheartedly to broaden my skill-set. Who knows.

Anyhoo if you’re waiting on the number 10 bus, sitting patiently in your local takeaway with a rumbling tummy or simply figuring out how else you can procrastinate for the next few minutes then why not press play. If you’re feeling really generous you can even *click here* to subscribe so you never miss out on any future snigger-inducing videos 😉

As always, whatever your thoughts I’d love to read them in the comments below, so do stop by and say a quick howdy

Cheerio Chums…

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My New Life Book & Personal Organiser for 2017…

If there’s one thing I love when a new year roll’s in, is that with it, rolls shopping for a brand new diary… including an array of accessories: pens, dividers, post-it-notes etc. *happy sigh*

As I’ve stated MANY times before I’m a self-confessed stationery addict. There is (almost) nothing that fills me with more satisfaction that filling in a blank info page of a brand new personal organiser for the very 1st time. I even deliberate over the most ridiculous of details… what style of handwriting I should adopt, what colour ink, where I’ll be positioning my little sheet of mini post-its… the whole event in its entirety is a complete & utter joy AND this year it was even better as I finally got my hands on a planner I’d been lusting over for weeks on end. Is there ANYTHING as painful during a ‘no spend December’ than that horrid panic from wondering if your other half has managed to pick up on your sledgehammer hints and get their order in on time? All to avoid the utter catastrophe of seeing those dreaded 3 words: OUT OF STOCK *eeeeek* Painful huh?

However THIS year I succeeded in ‘taking control’ of the situation… long story short, the Personal Planner is now mine ‘Mwah ha ha’ *evil laugh* Unfortunately, the spend on a brand new Erin Condren was just out of the question. As utterly beautiful as her planners are, when I totted up the shipping etc it was just ridiculously expensive and couldn’t be justified. I’m not a spend-thrift but I know when silly-spending becomes apparent in the grand scheme of things.

So, after taking to the interwebs (for a good old personal organiser browse) my lamps finally caught sight of this little gem – it’s the Organised Mum Life Book. Now before you protest that you’re not a mama, calm your jets, as although they have a wonderful range of helpful planners for busy families, this one is personal! It’s one on one. Perfect.

So if you’re still on the lookout for a personal organiser that doesn’t cost the earth but has lots of helpful planning features then take a peek at this little beauty. However, be quick if you’re ordering as stocks are sold-out on Amazon and extremely limited on the OM website. I’ll link it below if you’re on the verge of treating yourself 😉

www.organised-mum.co.uk

Hope you enjoy the video tour of my new Organised Mum Life Book – don’t forget you can *CLICK HERE* to subscribe to the Confetti & Curves YouTube channel so you don’t miss any future uploads!

Have you treated yourself to a new personal organiser? What do you use to plan ahead with? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to read them in the comments below, so do stop by and say a quick howdy 🙂

Cheerio Chums…

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Ps: This is NOT a sponsored post. Above item was personally purchased as a Christmas gift.

What I Got For Christmas…

 

Hello lovelies,

How have you all been? I trust everyone has had a fabulous Christmas jolly hols? Well, it was certainly a busy one in our house with the clan visiting for their festive dins, and of course, Santa making his annual stop too…  yes, lots of fabulous new goodies and happy faces all round. A successful day I’d say!

My gorgeous little sis, Leah, even stayed over on Christmas Eve to join in the celebrations and experience the magic of waking up with a very excited little girl (Ems) ready to open her pressies! As for me, well I mustn’t have been too bad this year at all seeing as I had a lovely little pile of goodies with my name on the gift tags… and of course in true YouTube style I thought I’d share my stash with you guys… tell me I’m not the ONLY one obsessed with these types of videos. Either that or I’m far too nosey for my own good 😀

So if you’ve a few minutes to spare and fancy taking a peek at some of the beauty & nail goodies I received then just grab your cuppa and press play. Don’t forget to hit the subscribe button if you don’t want to miss out on the exciting uploads planned over the new year!

Which, reminds me… wishing each and every one of my subscribers a happy & healthy 2017! Thanks so much for all your support over the last year, let’s make the next 12 months even more fabulous 😉

How was your Christmas hols? Did you get any favourite pressies that you’re super excited about? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to read them in the comments below so do stop by and say a quick howdy 

Cheerio Chums…

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USPICY 48W UV/LED Nail Lamp: Unboxing & Review…

 

Regardless of whether you’re a well-seasoned pro, start-up nail tech or simply obsessed with a glossy gel polish; there’ll be one thing that’s top of your equipment ‘must have’ list – a fabulous nail lamp. But what to choose when there’s so much choice out there? Does affordability mean cutting quality or does sticking with the salon established names mean you’re paying over the odds? Does it have to be LED or UV? Is there room for an entire hand, and what about toes too? Is it able to travel well if you’re out on the road a lot? So many questions, and that’s just the tip of the Iceberg! *sigh*

Digging a little deeper into what (most) nail techs want from a lamp, and it’s no surprise to find out that my needs are exactly that as a majority of nail artists out there – a reliable, spacious, easy to use lamp that can cope with a wide range of gel products without taking up half of my desk and draining my bank account! Doesn’t seem an overly ambitious ask, right? However, over the last 9 months alone I’ve blazed my way through 3 lamps – all of which have turned out have more cons than pro’s when it comes to assessing my needs.

But could my curing woes be a thing of the past?

Cue the USpicy nail lamp… a 48W, sassy little lamp that fits neatly on my desk, looks smart and seems to tick all my shopping list requirements. In fact, it even has a bonus item of coming complete with its own little USB light which is perfect for any mobile nail tech, or notoriously badly lit area!

So this week’s upload is taking a peek at this fabulous little lamp that could just be the answer to our curing prayers… an affordable lamp that actually does the job! Grab a cuppa, nestle down, press play & find out for yourself…

Ps:  You can *Click Here* to check it out on Amazon UK for yourself!

Cheerio Chums…

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Opening My ‘Secret Santa’ Swap Box

Hello, how are ya, come in…..

I know, I know, it’s been (quite) a few days since I’ve taken my leave of absence BUT in my defence, I’ve been up to my eyeballs in wrapping paper, receipts, deliveries and all other festive paraphernalia organising.  You wouldn’t believe the past few weeks I’ve had girls – but my gosh it’s good to be back and into the swing of things yet again… though I must warn you all I’ll be taking another short jolly hols over Christmas as we’re hosting the family dinner once again, so instead of my head being stuck in a laptop it’ll be popping in & out of the oven to check on the Turkey instead! Sounds wonderful right? Well, it is – as long as you’ve a hearty glass of prosecco close to hand to keep the energy levels up!

However enough waffle from me… how the heck are you lovely lot? Can you believe there’s only 15 days left til Christmas?!?! To be honest, if one more retail assistant asks if I’m “all ready for the big day?” I may have to use my newly purchased rolls of wrapping paper in ways I didn’t intend *sigh* However moving swiftly on to slightly more positive festive tidings… MY SWAP BOX ARRIVED!!!! 

Yes, some of you may be scratching your heads thinking “What on earth’s this all about?”… okay, so let me explain… I’m a member of a fantastic nail group on Facebook & a few months ago the opportunity arose to take part in a Secret Santa Swap Box. Basically, there’s a £20 budget, you’re allocated a name and your box had to be sent off by a certain date. Mine, however, was almost TWO WEEKS overdue… no thanks to Royal Mail having a good old rummage. However all is explained in the video, and all the goodies are revealed too. So if you’ve a few minutes to spare and fancy seeing what my very generous ‘Secret Santa’ sent me then just make yourself comfy & press play!

Ps: Don’t forget, you can *Click Here* to subscribe to the Confetti & Curves YouTube Channel so you don’t miss any future uploads 😉

Okay, I’m off to grab myself a hot chocolate and get on with some more wrapping! What’s your plans for the weekend?

Cheerio Chums…

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How To Promote Your Nail & Beauty Business On A Budget…

Be prepared, be very prepared… as today’s chatter is one heck of a verbal marathon gals! How I managed to whittle on for that length of time without stopping for water (or air seemingly) is beyond me, HOWEVER, it may be a really useful chatter for many budding beauty enthusiasts out there, as well as being one that’s close to my heart…

So many of us, every day, make the brave decision to go self-employed. It’s an exciting aspect, but it’s also one that fills many of us with dreaded thoughts such as… What if I don’t get enough customers? What if I don’t make enough money? What if it fails? Usually, a lot of these fears are united around one aspect – advertising to ensure enough people know your business exists. But how do you do that when you’ve already emptied your pockets on making ends meet, stock & paying general bills etc. It’s tough, really tough.

Over this past year, I’ve spent quite a lot of time on Facebook interacting with others in both nail tech and beauty groups. For many that either dream of freelancing, are in the process of setting up or are struggling to fill their appointment book it can be a stressful and frustrating process. But what if you don’t have to spend the earth letting people know you exist? Cue today’s upload of useful promotional tips…

Okay, so I may not have a masters degree in marketing or business studies, but what I do have has certainly been worth its weight in gold for me – hands on experience. Heck, I’ve made mistakes, BIG mistakes – but each time it was part of a learning curve. Get your fingers burnt once and chances are you’re not going to be stupid enough to repeat the process. However, it does make celebrating the successes even more meaningful!

So in a nutshell, if you have a dream to be your own boss and fear is holding you back, stop and evaluate exactly why. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t achieve your goals, and furthermore never give up on them. For those that are embarking on their journey in the beauty industry, in whatever role that may be, I really hope you find this video useful in helping to inspire you to promote your business without having to spend a fortune – which may make reaching your goal seem that little bit more achievable. Who knows 😉

Once again guys, a huge THANK YOU for helping me reach my YouTube goal of reaching 1000 subscribers! Wow, I still can’t quite believe it! And if you haven’t done so already, why not *CLICK HERE* to pop by and subscribe too – you’d certainly make my day!

Have you ever wanted to set up your own business and become your own boss? Do you have fears that hold you back? Is self-employment a goal you’re aiming for in the near future? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to hear from you in the comments below so do stop by for a quick chatter 🙂

Cheerio Chums…

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1000 YouTube Subscribers… THANK YOU!!!

SO, I’m casually browsing around the interwebs this morning and to my shock and surprise discover that 1000 of you fabulous folk have subscribed to my little corner of YouTube! Naturally, such a revelation caused for celebrating with a mars bar square and cup of tea… aren’t I just the modern day party animal!!

So thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! All those that have taken the time to stop by my channel, watch a video, leave a comment, hit the like button and of course (the golden ticket) subscribe. Like most YouTubers, taking the plunge to launch a channel wasn’t an easy step – my nerves were as solid as grated cheese as beads of sweat lashed from my forehead at the mere thought of a nasty comment (I’ve had a few but life goes on)… isn’t the block button a wonderful invention chums?! 😉

Thinking back to my very first video I almost cringe at how horrendously nervous I was. Revealing my blog to friends and family was one thing, but actually putting myself out there on YouTube was something else as a whole new world of realisation dawned… it isn’t like taking a selfie; you can’t sit still and hope for the best angle… everything is on show! Looks, personality, surroundings. Not that I’m in any way ashamed of myself, how I act or the home I live in – but there’s always that looming fear that some nasty critter stumbles across your channel and leaves a horrid comment that will make you hibernate below a duvet for months on end, pondering how on earth to rectify a smashed confidence. Thankfully that hasn’t been the case. If anything I’m more confident now than I’ve ever been about myself… at the end of the day, I’m a mere mortal, just like everyone else. I’ve good days/bad days/crappier than crap days but also days that I’m unbelievably thankful for what I’ve achieved in building my self-belief. Isn’t it amazing the influence a bunch of people who you’ve never met (and scattered all over the world) can make in building such positivity in your life?! Every time I’ve reached a blogging or YouTube goal it’s because of the support of others (aka YOU guys) and that’s something I’m incredibly grateful for.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m under no illusion that 1000 subscribers is a mere spec of dust on the moon compared to other channels – but for me, it’s a HUGE milestone. So once again THANK YOU blog buddies – for being not only the biggest part of my blogging journey but also my YouTube one too!

If you enjoy a sprinkle of beauty chatter and have a quick moment to pop by the Confetti & Curves YouTube channel then *CLICK HERE* to subscribe! Do feel free to say a quick hello and if you have a channel too, leave the link below and I’ll go check it out 🙂

Cheerio Chums…

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How To: Chrome Powder Nail Tip (with a dash of sparkly holo)…

If you’re a nail tech, or even if you’re just obsessed with nails, you’ll probably be only too familiar with the chrome powder trend that’s been sweeping the nation over the past few months. Now while I’m not personally a huge fan of it on my own talons (it doesn’t seem to compliment my pink sausage like fingers) there’s no denying it does look impressive elsewhere… a hefty mix of futuristic meets chic.

Having invested in a few pots of powder, I’ve been playing around with it over a number of weeks – some clients love it some just aren’t so sure. However, for those that simply want a touch of chrome, this funky metallic nail design could be just what the nail tech ordered! And yes, it’s super easy peasy – no degrees in artistic nail studies required!!! *hooray*

So if you’re thinking of investing in some mirror powder or a little pot of chrome, then why not check out this week’s chatter as it may help sprinkle some design inspiration when creating a few eye-catching looks for yourself!

Is that the kettle I hear? 😉 Time to grab a coffee and get comfy… don’t forget, you can *click here* to subscribe to the Confetti & Curves YouTube channel so you never miss an upload!

What’s your thoughts on chrome nails? Are you mad for metallics? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to read them in the comments below so do stop by and say a quick hello gals 🙂

Cheerio Chums…

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The Nail File: Gel Polish Vertical Ombre with Mermaid Dust…

Howdy nail addicts & beauty buddies…

If like me, you spend far too much time deliberating over a trio of gorgeous colours, why settle for one when you can have all 3? Yep, my thoughts exactly chums 😀 as this week I talk through one of my favourite nail looks for virtually any season – a gorgeous vertical ombre *happy sigh* However, not only have I combined three of my most coveted colours; being the sparkle-obsessed magpie that I am, I just couldn’t resist a sprinkling of mermaid dust to give the finished look a gorgeous subtle shimmer.

Note for fellow Nail Techs: If you haven’t already invested in mermaid dust then I insist you treat yourself on your next nail art spree. This stuff is SUPER popular, gorgeous over virtually any shade of gel polish and perfect for any season. Whatsmore, it’s the perfect compromise for those clients that like a hint of shimmer without going full bling. Voila!

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Anyways, time to grab your cuppa and nestle back into your comfiest chair for a few minutes as I chatter through how to create this easy peasy nail art look that is a must-have option for those who either can’t decide on a delicious range of shades or those who simply love to glam up their nails with an eye-catching paint job 😉

Are you a fan of the ombre look? What trio of colours would you opt for? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to know, don’t forget to say a quick howdy in the comments below🙂

Cheerio Chums…

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***CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE CONFETTI & CURVES INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY***

Nail Tech Haul & Giveaway…

Howdy chums,

As most of y’all know I’m in the business of making nails look pretty, and so to keep up with the latest trends its important I keep my nail stash up to date with the latest and greatest goodies. Chrome powders, stamping plates, new gel colours – you get the idea!!

 

Over the last few weeks I’ve been investing in a shopping list of nail products that every tech should have to hand. From Moyou London to some of Ebay’s greatest glitter guru’s, there’s something in here to satisfy almost every talon. Don’t forget to let me know if you’ve tried any of my recent haul products or if you’ve any requests on some of the products you’d like me to review!

Do you have any lustings for nail art lately? What’s your favourite way to dress your nails… glitter, gel, polish? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to know, don’t forget to say a quick howdy in the comments below 🙂

Cheerio Chums…

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Catch me on:

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***CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE CONFETTI & CURVES INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY***