Friday 28 September 2012

5 facts.

I saw this on social cam this morning and thought it was a great idea, thats easy I thought...but writing down 5 facts about myself though was harder and more cathartic than I imagined.  Yeah it's all good I can say I love blue and enjoy a glass of wine......but that's not new, it's those facts about the real you that had  me thinking a whole lot more about myself. 

Some facts I liked and some I didn't care so much for.  I suddenly became me again and not a sum of my problems, worries and stresses.  I said Hi Sam, how you doing today......so try it for your self please just take a moment today and write them down and if you want share them,  please tag me.  

Find yourself today and say hello, if you like give yourself a hug, your a really lovly person. 


5 facts about me!

1. 
I play the glad game every day. I find something positive out of every situation, even if it is small and silly.  if I am in a negative situation this especially helps, cause I turn a negative into a positive and let it grow. I read a book when i was about 9 called pollyanna, and I have been playing the glad game ever since.  I gave the book to my daughter Devon on her ninth birthday and I hope every so often she plays the game also. 

2. 
I hate doing my own nails, I hate other people doing my nails also, but I love having nails. I love coming up its the ideas but its just spending time doing them, I always feel there is something more profitable I could be doing with that time, then at the end of it all when they are done I am never satisfied, I am so over them....my husband John just gives me that look! Ha .....you know the one Lol.   So that's when the glad game comes in and I find a positive, like it gives me 3 hours of total me time, and I get to come up with a bag full of new ideas whilst I am working on my nails without distraction. 

3. 
One of the reasons why I make my self do social cam everyday is cause it means I have to make an effort with my appearance.  I would get up, shower, head downstairs make a cup of tea and go straight into the office, but when I know I need to film myself I spend some time doing my hair and makeup.  For the rest of the day I feel so much better and look a lot more presentable. 

4. 
I am not overly keen to talk about myself, I love talking to people with the same passion as me, but when your in that situation and someone say's "so what is it you do for a living" I find it incredibly difficult to know what to say to people when they ask me what I do for a living. Do I do nails, am I in adult education, do I have a distribution company....I tend to say I run my own business centring around the nail industry, and hope the light of interest fades from their eyes and I swoop in with a question of my own to distract them. I know i can talk alot when i get started and ramble....but its getting me started.

5. 
I hate cooking, I actually am not interested in food, and find it an chore that I get hungry and need to eat. Surprising I know since I have an obvious weight problem. I love comforting myself with food like wine and chocolate and white bread, it hates me and makes me feel really bad.  I have to force myself to eat breakfast, and am generally too busy to prepare my own lunch, so when it comes to dinner I just can't be bothered. Hense my issues with weight, food is a negative in my live and dominates it at the same time. My ultimate wish would be to have a chief prepare my food for me at all times, so when I travel it is the only time I actually eat 3 meals a day! 

A bit of a self indulgent post today, but i hope it gives you the inspiration to go look within, there are so many beautiful things inside its a shame we spend most of our time looking outwards and missing them.  Let me know what you think! let me know if it helps and have a great day Sx

Sunday 16 September 2012

The Velvet Manicure

With Pink wearing our New Velvet Manicure in her new video, and Rhianna sporting her new Velvet look on Twitter,  Be Creative's Velvet manicure is on a ride of it's life. it seems we just can't pack enough of it. Featuring in popular Magazines such as More, Woman, Cosmoplitan, Company magazine and even in the Sun newspaper...so many more I don't have the space to mention them all... isn't it high time you used this media coverage and sold some Velvet manciures to your clients. 

The Velvet manicure in Lilac











A simple way to cash in on a popular trend is to scour the magazines and beauty blogs for great looks and simple techniques, if they are worn on a celebrity or as an accessory to a fashion trend, then tear it out or print off the page...grab your self some prit stick and stick it on a A4 sheet of paper with the words;
YOU CAN RECEIVE THE VELVET MANICURE HERE
as seen on Rhianna and Pink this month! 


Its as simple as that...turn the media's enthusiam into a marketing tool for your self and give your customers something relatable to talk about. Hay it doesn't matter if your client she doesn't go for the latest look or colour, but you know what,  she knows you know whats hot and on trend, she knows to come to you or recommend you next time.  Most importantly she will be thinking of you the first time someone talks about nails, cause you gave her something to think about. Try it and see what happens.  

To help you in this quest I have a fabulous special offer which you just can't refuse, but hurry we only have 10 sets available. 


Get all 12 colours of the velveteen range currently available
Get 4 of the BRAND NEW velveteen colours - not yet released
Get Free postage
for £50
only availble to the FIRST 10

The new colours are delightful, a dark cherry, reminds me of a rich burgundy and I think this is going to be a very popular colour this winter, for me anyway. Then we have the lilac which I think teamed with some glitter or Swarovski crystals will look really cute to wear for the Christmas parties. The apple green worn with the aqua is quite sumptuous, and together looks very hot.


Another fabulous way to sell your Velvet manicure is to combine it with a gel polish, apply the gel polish as normal and then apply the velveteen with regular topcoat.  This way your clients can enjoy the velveteen manicure for a weekend or evening out, and then remove it when she is ready and still have the beautiful polished fingers until her next appointment. If you want some more great tips on incorporating nail art into your service menu and your heading up to London next weekend, please stop by the Nailympics on Sunday, I will be running a short seminar on this very subject. 

For more information check out this video and the step by step using the new Lilac velveteen. To get your kit you just need to click on this link and hit the buy now button.

 

Nail pro magazine cover 2012

Nail Pro Magazine Cover 2012

On my trip to the States at the beginning of the year, I was honoured to create another front cover for Nail Pro magazine using my new gel paints and demonstrating how to use the nail art pen. As always it was a great experience.


Using the gel paints I created the back ground, these paints work brilliantly blending together effortlessly they have the workability of paint and the advantages of gel. they are highly pigmented and so easy to crate a whole new pallet. check out my website for more information and colour recipe videos. there is also some other fabulous step by steps using the gel paints. 
i then used the Nail art pen dipped in Be Creative acrylic paint and drew and drew and drew, this pen is a gift that just keeps giving, and on a shoot when time is of the essence, i was able to save a bunch of it.  Check out this short clip and steps provided by nail pro of my day. 



Tuesday 4 September 2012

Proud to be British!

Rule Britannia

2012 is the year for Great Britain. The Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics. What could be better than adorning yourself with the famous London sights to shout out to the world that you love your country? 
This design will show you a clever trick on how to antique your nails, making it look vintage. Perfect for the British flag as the background!










 Paint the whole nail with a water based acrylic paint, alternatively you could use polish. I am using blue from Be creatives paint range. 


Using white acrylic paint, apply a white band across the middle of all four nails. 

Then apply the diagonal stripes in white, this time half the width of the white strip. Only apply to the top half of the nails. 

This is an optional step, and perfect if you want to create an antique look to your flag. This is also great to use if you where creating an wooden surface for example. Paint the nails with a gel polish top coat and cure. DO NOT remove the inhibition(sticky) layer. Now apply the red down the middle of the white bands, you will find as the red paint begins to dry it will shrink away
from the inhibition layer on the gel. If you do not want to create this effect, apply a top coat or wipe away this sticky layer and then apply the red. 

Now you will need to reapply the gel polish top coat. Cure and wipe away the inhibition layer. 

For the detailing, use the gel paint from Be Creative, this is perfect to be applied on top of the gel polish. If you prefer you can apply this detailing in acrylic. I think the best advice would be to research silhouettes of London on the internet, and find the shapes suitable for your design. Use the iconic shapes such as Tower bridge, London eye and Parliament, not to forget St Pauls either.
  

Now for the fun bit, apply a thin coat of gel sealer, this must be a sealer which does not leave a inhibition layer such as Intense Seal from ibd. Only apply this to the black areas of your silhouette. Use a small brush to apply to the details of your silhouette. 

Velveteen is a unique product from Be Creative, it is completely suitable for the surface of nails, it is water proof, solvent proof and extremely hard wearing, therefore it is with some surprise that is feels soft.
Simple sprinkle this fine material onto the wet gel and then cure for 2 mins. Brush away the excess and return to the jar. 

This design would be great to wear when heading off down the streets of London to show off your love for this country, or even if you just want something pretty and patriotic your nails.