Turquoise Gemstone Manicure

I posted a photo of my first ever foil manicure on the Silly Bee's Chickadees Facebook page and got such a great response, that I thought I'd share the super easy tutorial with you! I love the turquoise stone, it's just so earthy and natural with beautiful flecks and veins. The gemstone comes in several colors and variations.  Some has veins with minerals that look like gold.  That variety is the inspiration for this mani.  Enjoy!

 
You'll need Silly Bee's Chickadees Always Azure, Gold holo foil, foil glue and a clear top coat.

First, I started with two coats of Always Azure, which is full of gold and copper glitter and compliments the gold foil nicely.  Make sure you let the polish dry completely before you move on.

1. Take your foil glue and wipe off most of the glue from the brush. We don't want giant splotches of foil on the nail-- it should look jagged like the cracks in a rock.

2. Dab the glue onto the nail like you are stippling. Don't brush it across. You may not even see the glue at this point and that's ok. Foil just needs the tiniest bit of glue to stick.

3. Allow the glue a minute or two to dry. The glue should be clear by this time. Then, press the foil, shiny side up, onto the nail.

4. Gently lift the foil.  If bits of foil stay behind, that's ok. The texture of the polish makes the foil look crackle-y and natural.

5. If the foil doesn't look perfect, that's perfect!  (hee hee) Turquoise stones aren't perfect and that's what makes them beautiful. Do one or two more spots and you're done!

6. Add a clear top coat to seal the foil. If you don't, it will rub off.  That's it!

Doesn't it look like a turquoise stone?  I love it.  Thanks for following along!

IPA Mega Giveaway!

AWESOMENESS ALERT!

Lacquer: The Best Medicine and Miss Mani Monster have joined forces to promote indie polish awareness by hosting a huge giveaway!

Here is a little excerpt from the hosts:

About a month ago, I saw a post from Cassandra of Sweet Heart Polish on her Facebook Page asking if any bloggers would be interested in hosting a giveaway for her nail polish. I have used several of her polishes, and I absolutely adore them; so, of course I jumped at the opportunity! I figured it would just be a simple 1-prize giveaway as usual, but then we got to talking - she said that if anybody else wanted to participate that would be fine.

I told my good friend Heather over at Miss Mani Monster about this, and we got talking about indie polish brands and how there are so many wonderful ones out there that don't get enough attention - and usually it's just because people don't know they exist! Heather and I are SERIOUS fans of indie polishes, which is pretty obvious if you browse through our blog posts!

So, we thought it would be a great idea to help promote indie polish awareness - and what better way to do that than by giving away some of the actual polish!? Heather and I believe that direct interactions between seller and customer is the best way to spread the word about a brand - so that is exactly what we are doing!

This giveaway is about some of our all-time favorite indie polish makers coming together to help one another gain some well-deserved recognition in the nail polish community - and we think it is going to be a great success! (Borat, anybody?)

I would not have been able to organize this without Heather's help - I have been too busy studying for my MCAT! (you're probably sick me of telling you this.. don't worry, my test is in a week!)

Well, enough of my yapping; lets get to the good stuff!

The giveaway is separated into two separate parts - US only and International. The first Rafflecopter widget you'll see is the US only widget; please make sure you only enter that one if you're from the US! (or if you have a friend in the US we can mail it to) ... The second widget is for all my lovely international ladies (and gents, maybe) out there.

Here is a quick peek at some of the prizes you can win, along with all the wonderful indie sponsors!

US ONLY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

INTERNATIONAL:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Silly Bee's is Treasured!

Leche, my white crelly polish was featured in a treasury this month! Etsy Treasuries are small collections that etsy members put together to feature their favorite items from different shops. It's such an honor to be included in one! Anyhoo, I thought I would share it with you. So, here ya go!

In Love With You by LizM

Cafe, Te o Leche, Crema y Azucar?

Introducing The Beverage Cart, a unique collection inspired by the lovely and capable flight attendants (men can be lovely too) that take care of us as we take to the skies.

Think of these jelly polishes as undies and outerwear designed to add more flavor to your already beauteous polishes!  Don't waste those precious one-of-a-kind limited edition indie polishes! As undies, Té and Café serve as primers to help build up a color without using layers and layers of more expensive polishes. And as an overcoat, they're great for jelly sandwiches with glittery polishes.


Café and Té in Action!
Check out the photo above--wear a couple coats under your favorite jelly to create a totally different polish color! They can turn a cool-toned color into a warm shade in minutes.



Leche over Bananamelon Thump Cocktail.
Have you ever had trouble with white-based glitters dragging and streaking?  Crema and Leche are the solutions! Use one coat of Leche as a base coat, then one coat of your fave crelly glitter (that would be Bring us a Figgy Mango Smoothie), and finally top it off with a layer of Leche (or Crema). You'll have the smoothest cream crelly/glitter sandwich ever!


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Chickadees, me gustaría conocer a Café , Té y Leche, Crema y Azucar
(Chickadees, I would like you to meet Coffee, Tea and Milk, Cream and Sugar)


Café (coffee in Spanish) looks just like a delicious cup of joe. While you can definitely wear Café on its own, I created it to enhance other colors that you already own. 

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Té (tea in Spanish) looks just like a cozy spot of tea. Like Café, you can wear Té on it's own (it's very elegant in 3 coats) or layer it to create dozens of different looks.

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Leche (milk in Spanish) is a smooth crelly that can be worn on its own, used for jelly sandwiches, AND used as a top coat to smooth over white-based glitter polishes.

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Crema (cream in Spanish) is the cream version of Leche and can be used in the same plethora of applications!  (Sorry. I just watched the Three Amigos the other night.)

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Finally, Azúcar is a clear top coat filled with slightly transparent hex-shaped matte white micro glitter in two sizes.


A coat of Azúcar over your favorite polish is like a sweet dusting of sparkling sugar!  It is a little gritty like sugar, so if you want it as smooth as glass, I suggest using the top coat Seche Vite.

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There are virtually dozens of uses for The Beverage Cart, so buy the full set to extend your polish stash's versatility. At only $5.50 a bottle, it's a great bargain!

Ready For Our Closeup!

Seriously, these are super duper closeups! Dulcie, the awesome chickadee behind the popular nail blog ohthreeohfour.com, published a blog review of Orange you a Honeydew Smoothie and Melly's Mix and took these fabulous photos that I just had to share with you.   Click on the link to see more pics!




Aren't her hands beautiful?! I love seeing how nail bloggers wear my polish and the different combinations they come up with. They're so creative! If you are into nail polish, you must jump over to her blog and subscribe. She really does have some of the best manicure photos out there and she reviews tons of indie polishes that you probably have never heard of! Thank you Dulcie, for the awesome review! 

Chickadee Polishes are Here!

Woo Hoo!  I'm pleased to announce that my new nail polish line is now available in my etsy store! The line launched at the end of December and have received great feedback on the polishes from beauty bloggers and indie nail polish collectors.  I currently have eight polishes on the virtual shelves:  Melly's Mix, Mystery Mix Vol. I and The Fruit Basket Collection.


I make all my polishes in small batches of 8 bottles and test the glitters and pigments for at least three months to ensure a quality product.  The polish base is 3 Free which means it is free of the Big 3 toxic chemicals that were previously found in most polish formulas.  I also include stainless steel mixing balls in each bottle to help out when your shaking the bottle to mix up the glitter.

  First up we have Melly's Mix, my signature cullahhh (I'm trying to be all Steel Magnolias).  This polish is a clear base with a fun mix of matte glitters in different shapes-- pink squares, white diamonds, light blue, green, orange and just a bunch of different colors of hex-shaped glitters.  It's like a party in a bottle!


Next we have Mystery Mix, Vol. I.  Here's the deal with this polish:  when I'm trying out different polish formulas, I end up with a lot of duds.  I like to call them misfit mixes like the Island of Misfit Toys.  Anyway, I hate waste plus polish base, cosmetic-grade glitters and pigments are NOT cheap.  So, I decided to poured all the misfits into one big jar and when it's full, I bottled it and christen it Mystery Mix!  I've already started a new jar of misfits and once it's ready to bottle, that will be named Volume II.  Since there's no formula for these, I can't make more, so when they're gone, they're gone which makes them what polish collectors call LEs (Limited Editions).

The next polishes are part of a collection called The Fruit Basket.  These come in two finishes: the Cocktails in a clear base and the Smoothies in a milky white base. The Cocktails are perfect for layering or wearing on their own; whereas the Smoothies are opaque in just two coats. The Cocktails were inspired by the beautiful dishes everyone used to make for baby and bridal showers. You know the stuff-- the colorful concoctions of fruit and marshmallows displayed atop a bed of lettuce at Luby's.  The Smoothies are inspired by, well, smoothies because they are soooo yum.

The Fruit Basket Cocktails




    The Fruit Basket Smoothies



So, there you have it!  Please visit my etsy store-- www.sillybeeschickadees.etsy.com-- to see more photos and pick up a bottle or two! 

Nobody Wears it Better- Audrey and Millinery

Beauty, Brains and Benefit! Part I

This year I hosted my first House Party and it was a blast! The party was for one of my favorite beauty brands, Benefit Cosmetics.  I've been using the stuff since I first discovered Benetint about 15 years ago.  I still love their quirky packaging and product names.  They're too cute. 

THE SWAG


When I got the Party Pack from House Party I was blown away! Look at all the beauteous goodness! Unbelievable. And totally free. 9 full-size Hello Flawless, brightening foundation

• 1 full-size Benetint, lip & cheek stain
• 1 full-size Big Beautiful Eyes, eye contour kit
• 1 full-size Hervana, blush powder box
• 1 full-size PoreFessional, pore minimizing balm
• 1 full-size Speed Brow, quick set brow gel
• 1 Raising Eyebrows book
• 1 limited edition cosmetic bag
• 14 vials, cards and labels for Hello Flawless samples
• 14 deluxe-size PoreFessional samples
• 14 gift bags
• 14 magnet picture frames
• 14 coupon sheets

THE DECORATIONS
I started working on these as soon as I found out I was selected as a hostess.  Which was like a month before the party date.  hee hee.  I couldn't help it.  I was excited! 



Miss Betty:
Miss Betty greeted guests on the porch so they knew they were in the right place, and later joined us inside for photos ops. Along with a tulle skirt that was once a bridesmaid outfit, I dressed her up with frosted tissue paper roses, organza ribbon, a Benefit sign (which I downloaded from House Party) and some blingy yumminess.



Streamer Curtain:
I wanted to create a pretty photo backdrop that incorporated the various shades of pink and yellow from Benefit's logo while covering up the yucky backyard. The streamer curtain completely transformed the room. Guests could see it as soon as they walked in the "salon" and it totally set the fun and frilly tone for the rest of the afternoon.

 

Place Settings:

Next were the makeup stations. The table was covered with a yellow tablecloth, a length of funky floral fabric and little votives with frosted tissue paper roses running down the center of the table. At each place setting, I set out all the Benefit goodies including little pink mirrors from Party City and drinking glasses--Starbucks Frapuccino bottles--with the cutest paper straws from Cakes and Kids Too. 

THE MENU
The menu was a mix of savory and sweet tea party bites.  All in shades of pink and yellow, of course!


We munched on cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches, artichoke mascarpone sandwiches, rice krispie treats drizzled with white chocolate dyed pink, shortbread cookies with lemon icing, lemon Jello marzipan and scones with lemon curd and strawberry butter. Our party beverage was strawberry lemonade. I HIGHLY recommend the strawberry butter recipe. I could eat scones with strawberry butter forevahhh!
Check out my Pinterest board for more little details.

So, that's the set up.  Watch out for Part II of Beauty, Brains and Benefit!

Nail Wraps Now on Etsy!

Chickadees!  It's time for a shameless plug.  My nail wraps are now available on etsy!  There is a limited quantity and when they are gone, they're gone.  So, head on over to Silly Bee's Chickadees and check them out.  These are the designs in store:

Silly Bee's Frankies- Iona's Beehive

 
It's Silly Bee's Frankies time! This time, I have created a frankenpolish in honor of my absolute favorite movie of my Jr. High career, Pretty in Pink, and more specifically Annie Pott's character, Iona (who really steals the show)!



I made this one solely with Sally Girl minis which you can get at Sally Beauty Supply so it should be super easy for you to replicate. First, I started with about 4 parts 812005, a clear polish with pink glitter called In Love, and 4 parts 812021, a sheer pink. Then, I added 1 part 812112, a rose/raspberry holographic polish, to add a little shimmery magic.





I love this polish.  It’s feminine, it’s dainty, and it’s inspired by the beauteous polka dot prom dress that Molly Ringwald massacres into what I can only describe as a bogus shame. Without further ado...

Presenting Iona’s Beehive

Iona's Beehive Formula

House Party at Mel's!

Last weekend I threw my first House Party and it was a blast!!!


I'm not talking about a glamorous in-home sales party.  You don't have to buy a thing.  No burping lids or spinning lettuce. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.)  I'm talking about the awesome, fantastic, too cool for school company called House Party. 


House Party makes it possible for brands like Kraft, XBox, and Martha Stewart, to introduce new products to a large group of potential customers.  They give HP a bunch of samples and swag (enough for thousands), and HP passes it along to consumers while encouraging hosts to spread the word on Facebook and Twitter.  The only requirements to participate are that you have a party on a predetermined date, take plenty of photos and fill out a brief survey afterward.  Brilliant.  Sign me up!

It's so easy to participate and it's totally free.  You fill out a profile including your likes and interests, and you're ready to go!  You choose which parties to apply for and cross your fingers that you get chosen.  If you are accepted, you'll be able to set up a party page, invite guests and download printable party favors to help make your party a huge success.  Plus, there is a forum where you can swap ideas with other hosts as you are planning your party.  Brilliant, I tell you!


Last year, I applied for a couple parties and wasn't chosen.  So, imagine my excitement last month when I finally got an email telling me I was selected to host a House Party for one of my fave brands-- Benefit Cosmetics!  I'm working on a blog post all about the party, meanwhile, check out houseparty.com to learn more and sign up. Right now, they are offering parties for Blue Bunny and the nonprofit, Because I am a Girl.

Silly Bee's Nail Wraps!

Great news!  My own line of nail wraps is now available on inquenails.com!  Here is the lineup (the rounded end goes toward the cuticle):







Inque Nails are made of vinyl and adhere to nails with heat.  They are very easy to apply, last two or three days and peel off for easy removal.  I love that they are super shiny.  They are $15 each, Buy 2 Get 1 Free, or 6 for $35 which comes out to $5.84 a set.  With free shipping for orders over $30.  Not too shabby!

To check out my designs...

1. Go to inquenails.com

2. Click on Pick Out Some Nails

3. Click on Designer Collection

4. Click on Melissa Garza-Allen

To order a set...

1. Click on Get Em

2. Select a length

3. Click Add to Cart

Inque Nails also offers custom fit nails.  Just click on Size My Nails.  There, you will find directions on taking photos of your nails and uploading them so they can be measured for a perfect fit.  Once you do that, they will keep your size on file for future orders.  Inque charges $35 to size nails, but it comes with 6 sets of wraps, so you end up not paying for the fitting.

Thanks for checking them out!  Annnnnd, keep an eye out at the end of the month, there just may be a giveaway on the horizon!

True Beauty - Dolly Parton

OPI Designer De Better

The second polish from The Muppets collection by OPI that I want to share with you is Designer De Better.  OPI calls it a metallic bronze, but it's more like pewter with tiny pink micro glitter in it.  Like Warm & Fozzie, it's a bit thin, so in order to get full coverage you'll need two or three coats.  I like that it's not a pure silver foil.  In fact it really looks like silver leaf and it's very pretty in sunlight.



click to enlarge 
Again, I used Essie's Matte About You on top to change it up.  It's a little difficult to see the difference in the photo but trust me, it's amazing in person.  With the matte top coat, Designer De Better has a dull satiny finish.  I actually think I prefer it this way!




So, there you go!  Two easy ways to wear OPI's Designer De Better.  Just one more reason I'm Matte About You, Essie.