Christmas Mani with Nicole by OPI

I wanted to do something fun and sparkly for Christmas this year. It took me a few attempts to find exactly what I was looking for but I made it work!!

This is two coats of "He's A Keeper" with one coat of "Orna-ment For Each Other" on top.  The glitter coat is from Nicole by OPI's recent Holiday collection, Holiday Glitters. You can see the other colors here. I'm not a gold person but this glitter with gold looked great and made them so sparkly!! "He's A Keeper" is from the Walmart Collection; you can see the other colors here.

In person this reminded me of the ruby red slippers from the Wizard of Oz.

Kiss Me At Midnight - Nicole By OPI

A little bit older shade but one of my favorites! I think it's a cranberry-ish color with a tint of brown and sparkle. Perfect for the Holidays!! The brush is super thin in this polish and if I wasn't short on time I would have done another coat. Picture below is 2 coats.

Pepe's Purple Passion - OPI Muppets Collection

I was so excited to try out some of the fun colors in the OPI Muppets Collection. Shown here is Pepe's Purple Passion. It's not as purple as the name implies, but more of a burgundy wine color. In the bottle it looked like a lot of shimmer or sparkle but that didn't show up as much on the nails. It's not a super shiny finish but I liked it a lot...and it lasted so long without chipping!! The picture below is two coats of polish, which I think is plenty because it went on really thick.  If you want to see all the colors in the Muppet Collection, check out this post here.

Khloé Had a Little Lam-Lam - Kardashian Kolors

Here's a picture of "Khloe Had a Little Lam-Lam" from the Nicole by OPI Kardashian Kolor collection. You can read about the entire collection here. I have to say, I really like the Nicole By OPI shades that have the angled brush, which this collection does not have. I had a hard time for some reason with the brush in this bottle and kept getting it on my skin. This is 2 coats and the color reminds me a little of "Ski Teal We Drop", which is one of my favorites. I really like the color but I have to say, it was messy taking it off. I ended up chipping it really quickly so it was only on for 2 days and I still had faint greenish color stains on my nails.

OPI - Holland Collection

OPI is launching their Holland Collection for Spring/Summer 2012.  The collection consists of 12 shades offering a mixture of sophisticated neutrals and highly-pigmented brights. The collection is inspired by the Holland's range of stunning shades - vivid tulips, windmill-dotted hillsides and bustling canals.

I'm not sure I've been this excited about a collection since the Touring America collection!! Check out the blues and purples!! Can't wait for Spring!

The collection consists of the following shades and will be available Feb. 8, 2012.

A Roll in The Hague

Take advantage of this frisky little orange.

Red Lights Ahead…Where?

This coral-packed red is the hottest in the district.

Kiss Me on My Tulips

A smooch-worthy shade of hot pink.

Pedal Faster Suzi!

This pink lavender shimmer will have you “wheeling.”

Dutch ’Ya Just Love OPI?

All of Holland hollers for this crowd-pleasing plum.

Vampsterdam

A deep purple for a divine diva.

 

Did You ’ear About Van Gogh?

Rumor has it…this sandy bisque is a work of art.

Thanks a WindMillion

You totally deserve this breezy sea green.

 

Wooden Shoe Like to Know?

It’s no secret…everybody loves this shimmery chocolate-brown.

 

I Have Herring Problem

What’s that you say? I need to “sea” this shimmery green-blue?

I Don’t Give a Rotterdam!

This sassy steal-blue shimmer means business!

Gouda Gouda Two Shoes

Take a walk on the wild side with this robust rose.

Get In The Expresso Lane - OPI Touring America

Here's a picture of "Get In the Expresso Lane" from the OPI Touring America Collection. It's such a dark brown that in doors it's hard to tell that it's brown. But in natural light, it's a really pretty chocolate color. This is actually three coats of polish as I saw some white/lighter spots still peeking through after two coats. The Touring America collection is one of my favorites, you can read about all the other shades in this collection here.

Nicki Minaj by OPI

OPI is partnering with recording artist Nicki Minaj to launch a limited edition collection. The collection consists of 6 limited edition shades including a purple Shatter. Inspired by Minaj's unique style, love of bright colors and her debut album Pink Friday, the Nicki Minaj by OPI collection will feature an array of bold hues from neon lime green to pink.

Super Bass Shatter (purple)

Inspired by graffiti art and works when painted over any dry OPI hue

Pink Friday
Kick off the weekend with this pop! of bubblegum pink.

Metallic 4 Life
This charcoal sparkle flies with the stars in the skies.

Save Me
I drove for miles just to find this silver-rainbow glitter.

Fly
I came to win, to fight…and to wear this aqua.

Did It On ‘Em
A lusty little lacquer that loves the “lime”-light.

The collection will be available January 2012.

Nicole by OPI - Kardashian Kolors

Let me start off by saying I'm not a follower of the Kardashian's and I really know nothing about them. But with that being said, I'm still all for their Nicole by OPI collection! The Kardashian Kolors collection includes 14 shades which you know I can't wait to get my hands on!!

Kardashian Kolors includes:

It's All About the Glam

Shimmering-white glitz for the glamorous gal!

 

Kim-pletely in Love

Finally! The pink of her dreams has arrived.

All Kendall-ed Up

Powder your nose and get some pink on those toes!

Wear Something Spar-Kylie

Glitter-ly the prettiest pink ever!

Sealed with a Kris

Handle with care: This klassy red is top-of-the-line!

Rainbow in the S-Kylie

Girls just wanna have…glitter in every color!

Disco Dolls

Glittery gold glam gone wild!

Kendall on the Katwalk

A head-turning blue-green with a “sparkling” personality!

Listen to your Momager!

If you don’t, you’ll never see this fabulous blue again!

Follow Me on Glitter

A glittery deep gray that always has something to say!

My Empire...My Rules

This take-charge taupe is always on-trend.

Khloé Had a Little Lam-Lam

A deep dark emerald worth falling for.

Hard Kourt Fashionista

This delicious deep brown is the chicest hue in town!


Kourt is Red-y for a Pedi

And this captivating coral looks “fab” on everyone!

These will be available for the 2011 Holiday season and will retail for $7.99.

Nana Smith Designs

I recently stumbled upon Nana Smith Designs while I was googling for random triathlon stuff. Right away I found myself looking over all the jewelry pieces she has created and wanted them all!! I'm not a big jewelry person, I don't do the big necklaces that are popular right now and I've been wearing the same pair of diamond earrings for 10 years now. But I do like really simple necklaces and love ones with motivational sayings/numbers on them.

Nana, who happens to be an incredible athlete and tennis player, creates adorable pieces of handmade jewelry. Knowing each piece is handmade means you know it's made with care when you receive it and you can tell that right away from the care she takes to package each piece up! Nana goes to the extra step and packages it up in the most adorable way!! When she sent me my necklace the packaging alone made me smile. This is how it arrived:

Inside this adorable little package was a necklace with a pendant that says "believe" on it and on either side, two peridot stones.

(ok, ignore the leathery looking skin!! I used tanning lotion this morning and had a long run so I was a little chaffed up!)

If you haven't already, please check out Nana's site. There is definitely something for everyone and she can create unique pieces based on your preferences. She also hosts contests where she gives away a piece of jewelry; there's a Halloween contest going on right now so check it out!

Huge fan of Nana Smith Designs!!

A-taupe The Space Needle - OPI

Here's a picture of "A-taupe The Space Needle" from the OPI Touring America collection. This line has a bunch of colors I love and am wearing a ton lately. You can see the whole collection here. We had an event last night and I was wearing a camel color sweater dress so I wanted brown nails. After I put one coat of this on, I wasn't sure I liked it and almost took it off instead of finishing. I'm glad I didn't!! I put on 3 coats and love how it looks...and it went perfectly with my dress. :-)

OPI - Pink Shatter for Breast Cancer Awareness

I've been seeing a lot of pink lately, which is always a good thing!! It's amazing that a single color can raise such awareness for such an important cause. Which is why I think it's so great that OPI is raising awareness once again with a limited edition Pink Shatter; see press release below.

"OPI launches the limited edition Pink Shatter: Pink of Hearts Nail Lacquer to support Susan G. Komen for the Cure^® in its promise to save lives and end breast cancer forever.  The 2011 Pink of Hearts edition will follow in the footsteps of its namesake 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 Nail Lacquers in raising awareness of breast cancer for the fifth year in a row, during the months of September and October (National Breast Cancer Awareness Month).  Unlike previous shade incarnations, this year’s Pink of Hearts Nail Lacquer marks the debut of fan-favorite Shatter coat in OPI’s first pink shade." 

Each bottle has a special pink ribbon tag and pink cap wrap to call attention to breast cancer awareness and will be available September through October. Additionally, OPI will also be making it's annual donation of $25,000 to Komen for the Cure^®

Designer Series by OPI

Two new shades will be added to the Designer Series by OPI collection this Fall. The Designer Series shades include vivid hues and sparkling, glitter packed textures which feature OPI's diamond-dust formula. These new shade became available September 2011 and join the other 9 shades and top coats already a part of the collection. Below are the 2 new shades...of course I'm excited about the purple!! Can't have too many purples!

NEW! DS Temptation

A provocative sparkle of deep purple

NEW! DS Bold

A brilliant sparkle of rich, shimmering red

Nicole by OPI - Holiday Glitters

I can't believe it's that time of year but once again, the summer flew by. Getting us in the mood for the holiday season, Nicole by OPI is launching their new, limited edition Holiday Glitters collection. The collection consists of 4 shades packed with intense glitter. From traditional holly red and a warm fuchsia hue to metallic gold and inky blue, these shades will make the perfect gift or stocking stuffer!! The names alone are making me excited for the holidays!  These will be available November 2011.

Glitter In My Stocking

Give the gift of gold-glittery goodness!

My Sleigh’s in the Shop

In the meantime I rely on this mesmerizing magenta.

Orna-ment for Each Other

I can’t stay away from this tomato-red twinkle!

Snow-man of My Dreams

The “spark” was instant with this rainbow-packed blue.

OPI - Uh-oh Roll Down The Window

I wasn't quite sure of this color in the bottle but with a name like "Uh-oh Roll Down The Window", I had to try it out! This is from the OPI Touring America collection which has some of my all time favorite colors in it. You can read all about the other colors here.

In day light this was VERY mossy looking and I'm not sure it went with my pale skin. However, in doors I liked it much better. I think it would look good on the toes with some white shatter on it to break up the green a bit.

OPI - Miss Congeniality Is My Middle Name

Here's "Miss Congeniality Is My Middle Name" from the OPI Miss Universe Collection. Bright purply-pink, very vibrant in day light. This is two coats and when I look real close, it probably could have used another.

I know I don't have nice feet; my toe nails are destroyed from running. But I love my ugly feet, they've carried me many, many miles.

You can read about the entire line of OPI Miss Universe here.



French Quarter For Your Thoughts

I don't know why I didn't try this color sooner!! I'm very light skin and didn't think I could pull off a grey but I was wrong. This is two coats and the picture below was taken after 4 days of wear...not a single chip!Some colors hold up so much better than others and this is definitely one of them. For the full review of the Touring America Collection, click here.

Good Life Granola

I'm a huge fan of granola but tend to steer clear of it because I have very little self control around it. Case in point, a bag of Good Life Granola barely made it a weekend in my house (but I did have a little help from the hubs in finishing it off!). Good Life Granola is an all natural Artisan blend of granola which uses ingredients like Michigan maple syrup, almonds and pecans.

I tried out the "original blend" which contained oats, maple syrup, brown sugar, canola oil, almonds, pecans, vanilla, sea salt and cinnamon. While it does contain added sugar, I do appreciate that the ingredient list is short and I can pronounce everything on there. A half cup serving has 250 calories, 11g of fat, 4g fiber, 12g sugar, and 6g protein. Like all granola, it's a little high calorically but at least it's not filled with junk.

As for how it tastes...really, really good!! The granola was actually a lot softer than typical granolas and the pecans really made the difference. We ate it right out of the bag and even as a small bowl of cereal with milk, which was delicous! You can find Good Life Granola at health food stores, speciality stores and on line. It comes in Original Blend, Apple Crisp and there's even a nut free variety. A 4oz bag is ~$3 and a 12oz bag is ~$6.50.

I think it's a good thing that this isn't dirt cheap, if it were, I'd eat way too much of it!!

Road House Blues - OPI Touring America

"Road House Blues," my new favorite color!! Like it so much that when it came time to change it, I put it right back on! This is from the OPI Touring America collection which you can read about here.

Not the best photo, but you can at least see how dark it is and in natural light you can really see the blue. Toes are done w/ OPI white shatter on top.

OPI - The Muppets Collection

OPI is celebrating Disney's "The Muppets" with a new holiday collection!! Inspired by the film's namesake lively and colorful characters, OPI is launching 12 limited edition colors for the 2011 Holiday season. This is what Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director, had to say about the collection:

"Not only do The Muppets characters inspire fun, bright and joyful colors, the fashionable Miss Piggy lends her name to three high-shine pink-based hues, ranging from bold red flecked with silver to a multi-dimensional strawberry shade."

"Colors packed with micas and sparkle give a 3-dimensional textured look that makes nails look like jewerly. With shades ranging from textured glitters in rainbow, red, green and blue to softer shimmers in copper and bronze metallic hues, these 12 colors provide the perfect accessory for the holiday season." Here are the descriptions and images of the collection:

Animal-istic
This wild bright red cannot be tamed!

Meep-Meep-Meep
Missing out on this fuchsia would make you weep, weep, weep!

Wocka Wocka!
The popular deep berry makes everything fun and merry!

Pepe’s Purple Passion
This deep, decadent shade is the best purple ever, okay!

Designer, de Better!
And this light metallic bronze is ready for the runway.

Warm & Fozzie
A feel-good shade of metallic copper.

Rainbow Connection
The rainbow glitter of your dreams.

Excuse Moi!
Ahem! This pink glitter has something to say!

Gone Gonzo!
The aqua-blue glitter is taking over the world!

Fresh Frog of Bel Air
A glitter that prefers the greener things in life.

Divine Swine
The finest, most fabulous magenta glitter ever.

Gettin’ Miss Piggy With It!
Red glittery fun for everyone!

The Muppets Collection will be available beginning November 2011!! I love the names and colors and can't wait to get my hands on these!!