Some spring time colors...because I said so!

I had such a clear vision of what I was going to create tonight that I was positive I would have no problem executing what I saw in my mind's eye. However, I came to find out that my brain and hands were not on speaking terms tonight and what ended up on my nails, while similar in concept and colors, is no where near what I had originally intended. That being said, I really love how this turned out! I am so ready for these bright colors and I love what I see when I look down at my fingers. I may have ended up at Sally's today to partake in their Orly sale and maybe I bought China Glaze's Re-fresh Mint and maybe I felt like I was going to explode if I didn't get this stunning color on my fingers immediately. After that, Lime Crime's Creme de Limon and L'OREAL's New Money began their incessant begging to be used with their new friend. Yes, I am personifying my nail polish. No, that's not weird. 

I can't quite decide which nail design I like best, but I think I'm between my ring finger and pinkie. What do you think?

Happy Polishing :D

Skull Dice

Lisa Smith wants us to take a gamble on her skull works and "roll them bones" with these skull dice. These handmade ceramic dice let you take a chance in life by rolling a pair of skull eyes.

I don't play any dice games when I do go to the casino, but I would spend what I had in my pocket to buy this pair from the dealer.  Luckily you can skip that trip and get your own pair here.  Lisa has a lot of other great skull pieces at her site as well.  Thanks for rollin' your bones our way, Lisa!

Yeesh! Indecision much??

Those who know me would not say I am good at making decisions (big or small...I'm working on it!). Tonight was yet another example of that. I went through three manis tonight. Goodness gracious! 

First up, we've got a simple black and white mani that I actually really love. Simplicity is always a favorite of mine. The black is my nail art pen and the white is, you guessed it! OPI's My Boyfriend Scales Walls.

Accidently bumped these and was going to have to restart...instead, tried two polishes I've had for a little but haven't gotten around to yet. This is Orly's Snowcone and Cameo Colours Lacquer's Stroke of Midnight. 

and finally...China Glaze's I'm Not Lion and American Apparel's Office. Super super simple and while I feel like so many people have done this color combo, there is definitely a reason for it. There is something so fun and pretty and classy about it. 

Have you got a favorite? 

Happy Polishing! :)

[CONTEST] Win a "Til Death Do Us Part" heart skull by Joshua Harker

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED,  THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING! 

In celebration of Valentine's Day this week and to show off his love for the the Skull-A-Day community for supporting his past projects, Joshua Harker is giving away one of his recently created  "Til Death Do Us Part" heart skulls to one lucky reader.

Sculptor, inventor, imagination architect, digital adventurer, and troublemaker. Joshua Harker is one of the most recognized artists working in the 3D printing medium. He became known for "making the unmakeable" with his Tangles series which hold rank as the very first organic forms of such complexity to ever be created. He most recently became an internet sensation using crowd-funding to disseminate his art and currently holds the #1 & #4 most funded Sculpture projects ever on Kickstarter (Crania Anatomica Filigre & Anatomica di Revolutis). Joshua's work has appeared in TIME Magazine, WIRED, Huffington Post, Wall Street Journal, The Economist, MSNBC, TED Talks, National Geographic, Cool Hunting, Venture Beat, Boing Boing, as well as countless others.

PRIZE INFO:  "Til Death Do Us Part" heart skull in red.

Depicting the bittersweet experience of love & loss as well as suggesting that love is what you make of it. The anchor & chain are intended to symbolize the security of steadfast loyalty in stormy seas and that which keeps you from becoming aimlessly adrift. The arrow is love's tool of capture and the weeping tear symbolizes the pain of loss. The suspended ring demonstrates the promise of commitment. The skull is the symbol of the end of us all and the reminder of living in the present.  Dimensions: 4.5" x 2.0" x 7.2" (11.5 x 5.1 x 18.3 cm) Material: 3D printed polyamide (essentially a nylon/glass powder fused together with a laser)

HOW TO ENTER: Leave a comment below telling us where you would take this heart skull on a date.

CONTACT INFO: If you win, we need to contact you. With your comment, please INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS!!! Entries are only valid with this information.

WHERE TO ENTER: All entries must be made on this blog post, on Skull-A-Day.com. You CANNOT enter this contest by commenting on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+.

CONTEST CLOSES: 11:59:59 PM Eastern USA Time Friday, February 15, 2012.

NUMBER OF WINNERS: One

PRIZE SHIPS: This contest is open to all skull lovers around the world.

IF YOU DON'T WIN: This piece is available in alternative colors as well as other work created by  Joshua in his store HERE.

[BONUS] 408. Recycle or Die

I was recently asked to visit the University of Wyoming in Laramie, to give a talk about my work and as part of my visit I agreed to create a new skull installation with the students of the graphic design department...

I was given access to the large lobby of the new Department of Art building and it was decided that I would work with a material that was plentiful in the building: paper. Specifically paper that had been collected for recycling purposes (including the posters announcing my talk previous in the week).

The piece was created anamorphically (in the spirit of Hans Holbein's The Ambassadors) so that it only looks correct from one spot in the room (in this case on the landing of the staircase between the lobby and 2nd floor). It measures 19'-3" x 7'-4" (5.8 x 2.2 meters).

The piece is a temporary installation that will of course be recycled after it is dismantled. Thanks to all of the students who skipped class to help me out and especially to my host Jenny Venn for suggesting it!

Benefits of Meditation

Meditation doesn't have to be a huge ordeal. Most sane people don't just start with 30+ minutes a day of seated meditation. In fact, meditation can be done lying down, sitting in a chair, walking down the street - or wherever. Start with this One Moment Meditation to easily jump start a functional meditation practice.

31 Day Nail Challenge - Day 6: Purple

I'm finding that the colors I most love painting my nails are giving me the biggest problems with this challenge! Perhaps I don't want to create something that doesn't do those colors justice. Regardless, I had to think a bit about what to do for the latest installment of the 31 Day Nail Challenge. I actually tried a few things before landing on this...and I think I like it haha I haven't done anything with taping in a long while so it was fun to get back into that. This is a pretty simple design and easy enough to recreate :) The base purple is Creative Fantasy from last night's swatching and I've added Lime Crime's Lavendairy, OPI's My Boyfriend Scales Walls (have I mentioned I'm obsessed with this color?!?), and the grey is my new OPI, French Quarter for Your Thoughts (also ridiculously obsessed with this color now). 

Joining up again with another Mani Monday over on JustLove.ly! I love participating in these and seeing all the other amazing manis ladies come up with. Check it out below!

Happy Polishing! :)