#radiantorchid Julep Anne + Snow Weekend Pics

  Hey everybody!!  It's entirely by accident that I've had back to back #radiantorchid posts.  One of my very favorite Julep polishes fits the criteria for Pantone's 2014 color of the year, though, and I've put off wearing it again for, seriously, two years because the formula is LE WORST (maybe something a couple drops of thinner could amend).  But the color...It's a bright, beautiful orchid purple creme that stops just short of turning neon.  We've had the biggest snowstorm since I was a single digit this week, though, and the last time I wore it was at the tail end of a mild snowfall a couple years ago.  I hold that association, and so, here we are!  Plus, I keep seeing my blogger friends talk about the natural lightbox we have with all this bright whiteness outside and I had to go give it a shot :) So, here is Julep Anne, first shown in my regular lightbox...

Polished Components Azalea

Just as I knew it would, my manicure from yesterday looked pretty terrible by the end of my work day.  I thought about going bare today, letting my nails breathe a bit, but I just couldn't leave well enough alone.  This is Polished Components Azalea.

I love dark, rose-toned pinks, and this one is slightly sheer (I used three coats), shimmery, and gorgeous.

The little snowstorm from yesterday didn't turn out to be so little.  The snow kept falling for something close to 24 hours.  It didn't actually stop until sometime very early this morning, and there's a few inches on the ground right now (it didn't start to stick until dusk yesterday.)  The sun is shining now, too, and it is absolutely beautiful outside.  I took a ton of pictures, just loving being out in my backyard in my galoshes and bathrobe.

Pretty sheer (and pretty snow.)  The thing I love about Polished Components is that very quality, though.  The colors are beautiful, fun, and elegant, never loud or over-the-top.  

Blurry pictures are a little silly, but seriously, sparkles in the sunlight!  How could I resist posting that? 

This one's in a little bit of shade.  On top of their amazing colors, Polished Components has a consistently good, easy to work with formula. 

And one indoor shot.  Boring! lol.  I'm ready to go back outside.  Think the snow will last until my three day weekend?  It's only got to stick around ten more hours. ;)

Spring Paint on a Snowy Morning

It is totally awesome to wake up to snow, even if it's a day into spring and I was looking forward to taking pictures in the sunshine.  It seldom lasts more than a few hours around here, so when it comes it's special and exciting.  According to my facebook page, the novelty is wearing off with some of the locals, but not so in this household!  C actually couldn't believe I didn't get up to look out the window when he announced the weather before he headed to work.  Well, fun and pretty as the snow is, nothing comes between me and my sleep.  Nothing.

It's way too easy for me to default to another darker color, so I asked C to help me choose between one of two bright pastels I own.  We decided on Julep Anne, a super vivid, Easter egg shade of violet.  I've only used this color once, on my toes.  The whole idea of bright colors on my fingers is quite new to me, but this color is absolutely gorgeous.

So gorgeous that I'm totally bummed knowing that, true to Julep form on me, this will be chipped by mid afternoon.

Here's an outside shot, while it's snowing (see the droplets?). :)

Here's the thing.  This polish was an absolute nightmare to apply.  Julep's formulas, even their cremes, I'm learning, are highly inconsistent.  I've had this one for a little over three months and it is already ridiculously thick and in need of thinner.  This paint job was a brushstrokey, clumpy mess, pre topcoat, and I seriously thought I'd have to do most my nails over.  But, Seche Vite is amazing!  My nails are smooth as can be, and for that, I don't even mind the inevitable tip shrinkage while I sleep that Seche causes.  

Aaand it's still snowing!!  If only work wasn't looming overhead....