Easy Nail Art St. Lucian Style

  

HAPPY 35TH INDEPENDENCE TO ST. LUCIA

St. Lucia - the Helen of the West Indies.. we celebrated our 35th Independence this past Saturday February 22nd, 2014. I am not in St. Lucia to celebrate but I am a proud St. Lucian to the bone and at heart. I wanted to find a quick way to represent my island in a cute manicure but not making it loud (ideal for work). This is what I came up with.

So this is what I used: 3 clear nail enamels (base coat, top coat & strengthener), blue, yellow, black and white nail polish (colors of my flag) and a toothpick (mine is what I use to add rhinestones, not sure what it is actually called but a toothpick works just fine). Make sure nails are clean and have been buffed so that the nail polish lay better and obviously look better.

Choose whatever brands you like and this style can be switched with the colors you like also

Nice clean and buffed nails to start

Apply your base coat then 2 coats of your base color - make sure it looks rich and stands out

 We are now going to apply one strip of each color diagonally across the nail (as pictured). Then apply one coat of the top coat over the applied strips of color and now use your toothpick to make several 'S' lines starting from the bottom of the first color to the top of the last color. This will cause the colors to bleed into each other. When dry apply your strengthener so that it can last.

This is the design that you should achieve

HOPE YOU LIKE :-)

Disclaimer - None of the products pictured were given complimentary, they are my own and can be substituted to your liking.

There's No "N" Train Service

NYC Subway System is one of the best transportation/subway systems in the world (and that is clearly my opinion). I love it and I hate it at the same time. There are days when the train ride goes so smooth, no one constantly saying excuse me or I'm sorry, no one getting shoved and hit while trying to get in a cart, no one squeezing up small to make room for someone else. As much as these may not seem to be a big deal, I personally can not handle it every single day.

So why I headlined my post -"There's No 'N' Train"- you wonder. It came while basically running (4) four avenues in the cold and windy drizzle to get to the train station, quickly swipe my metrocard and dash down the stairs. I see the local R train waiting so I slow down and take a breath and stood on the platform to listen to the announcement - THERE'S NO 'N' TRAIN SERVICE AT 59TH ST, TAKE THE 'R' TO 36TH ST TO CATCH THE 'N' TRAIN. I jumped into the train cart like I was scared for my life, but that was just a reaction to not wanting to miss this train (paranoid?). I am now struggling to put my wallet and metrocard back into my bag and look up to see an Asian couple just standing there. I look around and everyone else is watching them but continue about their way. So I shout to them "There's No 'N' Train", still looking a bit puzzled I shout again No 'N' Train. They hurried onto the R train as the door closed. "Thank You" the guy says, in which I reply "No problem".

This small gesture made me feel really good for some reason but yet I wonder why no one else could've told them. I mean it is as simple as saying "No 'N' Train", it wouldn't hurt anyone and it certainly wouldn't take anything out of you. Puzzled, I just sat down and relaxed my mind and wonder what if it was me waiting on the platform and unbeknownst to me would be standing there just waiting for a train thats never going to come.. I feel like a small kind gesture could go a long way for someone else..

Think about it!!

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HELP!! This is All About Hair

PHASE ONE - Research

Over the last weekend I have been doing lots of research on how to get started on strengthening, growing and maintaining my hair. I am not one to stick to my hair care regime but I am going to attempt it for at least 6 months. Now the first thing you have to know is that I am Black/African-St.Lucian/African-American, however you want to say it and I am not mixed with any other race. Second is that my hair has been relaxed, bleached, colored, weaved, braided, over relaxed, cut and shaved (so you can say it has been through it all).

After much research (which I am going to share with you) I have come up with an array of ideas that I am going to use in my quest. And I am looking forward to hearing what you think.. :-)

So I have now started mixing oils... castor oil as the main oil then vitamin e, argon oil, jojoba oil and tea tree oil.. now a couple of reasons why I need all those oils:

• Castor Oil to promote hair growth and thickening 
  
•  Vitamin E to promote longer, stronger & healthier hair
  
  
• Argon Oil to nourish dry hair & help manage over stressed hair
  
• Jojoba Oil to combat breakage & shedding
  
• Tea Tree Oil to use on dry, itchy scalp & re-hydrate the scalp
  

So my plan is to combine all these oils into an empty plastic bottle with a nozzle end so that application can be easy. I would apply the night before liberally all over my scalp and then massage. Applying more where necessary (thinning edges or nape etc). Then shampoo and condition in the morning.

Lets see how it goes.. Will update my results as I go along.. Wish me luck..

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MAYBELLINE DEALS ON AMAZON

So I am always looking for deals on Amazon and came across Maybelline Lip Gloss for $3.00 & under plus it ships FREE. Several different colors at different prices to choose from.


Maybelline New York Shinesensational Lip Gloss, Watermelon Punch 80, 0.38 Fluid Ounce
Maybelline New York Shinesensational Lip Gloss, Cherry Kiss 75, 0.38 Fluid Ounce

 Prices on Amazon are subject to change quickly so hurry.. There are lots to choose from !!

Taco Bell #BottledAwesome #SauceSquad

*Image belongs to Crowdtap & Taco Bell

I was chosen to have a Taco Bell #BottledAwesome Home Party for the Super Bowl 2014 by Crowdtap & Kraft. Which was AWESOME!!!!!.. I received the four (4) taco bell bottled sauces recreated from their taco bell packet sauces. I got Fire Sauce, Hot Sauce, Verde Salsa & Mild Sauce along with 2 recipes to try on the pamphlet.

I will be attaching the recipes so that you are able to try also, they are quick and simple and tasty also.

The first one "Taco Bell Chunky Chicken Dip" was so quick and was prepared about 5 minutes before the game started (Broncos & Seahawks if you didnt know). I used Berkeley & Jensen Chicken Breast as my meat which is just as tasty and combined both the Fire & Hot sauce. 

Before putting in the microwave. I kept in there a total of 8 minutes but in 2 minute intervals to stir.

 Finished dip.. Everyone loved it. 

Now what is using Taco Bell Bottled Sauces without having Tacos. We have our ground beef, hard taco shells and a bunch of toppings which include velveeta shredded cheese, homemade guacamole, tomatos, lettuce and of course taco bell sauces.

Follow the SauceSquad on Crowdtap for more info