Here's something a little different from the typical nail fodder you will find on my blog.
As you may remember, I spent last week/weekend planning out, purchasing, painting and assembling a newish workspace area for my nails.
What started out as a "hobby" last January now appears to be full fledged freakin' obsession, and it shows in my new nail space.
Let's start with what I was working with last August:
As you may remember, I spent last week/weekend planning out, purchasing, painting and assembling a newish workspace area for my nails.
What started out as a "hobby" last January now appears to be full fledged freakin' obsession, and it shows in my new nail space.
Let's start with what I was working with last August:
2 Melmers for my polish and a plastic drawer unit to hold my supplies.
Shoved into the corner and me, working on the floor with terrible light.
Now let's move ahead to February of this year:
I've now added a 3rd Melmer and painted the shells, drawers and handles. Still working on the floor, but my light has improved some with the purchase of a new Ott lite that doubles as my treatment polish caddy.
NOW - let's see what I'm working with RIGHT NOW:
a 5 foot wide workspace! A chair! Excessive lighting!
A new showcase cube! Actually, I went to Michael's to get a 4th Melmer to do this project, but BOTH of the Michaels near me were out of the 3 drawer unit, so I got this instead. Still has storage - great way to show off my indies and special sets!
Underneath I have a little place for my untried bin and some of my acrylic paints. The rest of my storage (box of small bottles of acrylic paints and my 2 stack storage of nail art supplies)are under my bed.
My tools, scissors, supplies I use all the time like polish remover, acetone, cotton balls, oil, lotion and a few items I need to review are all right at hand.
Side view - here you can see the lighting I installed underneath the shelf above my workspace. 3 new canister lights!
So my thoughts on this are almost all positive.
I did everything myself, painted, installed lights...all of it.
The things about this I don't like are mostly all easily fixed soon.
Because my chair didn't fit under the station, I had to stretch the Melmers further apart to accomodate the chair legs, which meant that the top piece of wood I use as the "table" is now shifted over and doesn't lay flush across the top. I am in the process of getting a smaller chair so I can fix this problem. I love that crappy Ikea chair, but man it is dirty.
I also don't like the fact that my boyfriend lost the on/off switch to my lights before I installed them, so now when I need to use them I have to plug them in/unplug them instead of just flipping a switch. Luckily, my Ott lite has an outlet in the back it, so I just plug it right there!
The best part is I have a chair to sit in, not break my back and great lighting for DOING my nails and for taking PICTURES of my nails!

Well...I have plans today to do some Mani's and start having them up tomorrow. Crossing my fingers!
In the meantime...this is how I spent my weekend...buying and assembling a new melmer cube and then painting it and my existing ones to finally all match and look pretty!
The leopard is some wrapping paper I decoupaged to the drawer faces. The cubes are all painted satin black, along with each middle drawer. Then I painted the handles with a red metal flake paint and added black glitter card stock behind each handle to give it some extra bling!
I don't guess this is talk so much as just a little ramble and something small that may or may not help you in your setup.
Depending on whether you are a fellow blogger, polish maker, nail tech or just enjoy to look at nails and paints yours for the hell of it, you may find this useful.
Let's say for about....2 years or so now I have been kindly bitching at my boyfriend to stop using my OTT lite. Mine is probably like most of yours, a child in a mans body that can't pick up after himself or turn a light off behind him. Case in point...he can't turn my light off whenever he is done or leaves the room.
It bugs me, its a good, expensive light and I don't want the expensive bulb to burn out.
Given, I've had this light for over 5 years, but thats not the point, right ladies?
Anyway, since getting back into my nails and taking photos, I have come to find in the last few months that he's put my light thru the ringer. He builds machines and is outside alot grinding metal and welding stuff, and he uses my light as a worklight when it starts to get dark. So you can imagine when I opened it up, my surprise at how gross and grimy dirty it had become.
Cut to this morning, we stopped in Walmart to grab a few snacks and were over the craft section when I saw this light. The first thing that caught my eye was the price, then I was like hmmmm I wonder if this Ott Lite is as bright as mine is. We proceeded to open it up and look and it looked pretty much like the same size bulb as mine, but where mine cost about 60 bucks, this one was $15.
But the selling point about this super cheap light was that it's a caddy!
So it can fit some nail stuff in there too!
Depending on whether you are a fellow blogger, polish maker, nail tech or just enjoy to look at nails and paints yours for the hell of it, you may find this useful.
Let's say for about....2 years or so now I have been kindly bitching at my boyfriend to stop using my OTT lite. Mine is probably like most of yours, a child in a mans body that can't pick up after himself or turn a light off behind him. Case in point...he can't turn my light off whenever he is done or leaves the room.
It bugs me, its a good, expensive light and I don't want the expensive bulb to burn out.
Given, I've had this light for over 5 years, but thats not the point, right ladies?
Anyway, since getting back into my nails and taking photos, I have come to find in the last few months that he's put my light thru the ringer. He builds machines and is outside alot grinding metal and welding stuff, and he uses my light as a worklight when it starts to get dark. So you can imagine when I opened it up, my surprise at how gross and grimy dirty it had become.
Cut to this morning, we stopped in Walmart to grab a few snacks and were over the craft section when I saw this light. The first thing that caught my eye was the price, then I was like hmmmm I wonder if this Ott Lite is as bright as mine is. We proceeded to open it up and look and it looked pretty much like the same size bulb as mine, but where mine cost about 60 bucks, this one was $15.
But the selling point about this super cheap light was that it's a caddy!
So it can fit some nail stuff in there too!
It has an adjusting arm, that lengthens up to like almost 2 feet in height or so, and it comes outward also! SO lots of lighting options there!
With the separating compartments IN the caddy, it held 8 polish bottles.
Then here is the light pushed back down into the closed position, and the compartments removed! Now it holds 16 bottles of polish!
SO...pretty cool! It's 13 watts, and I had before this an OTT lite that was also 13 watts and it has been the one I've used for all of my indoor pictures.
$15 - Walmart - Craft Section.
Hope it helps someone, I know I'm excited I found it!

I see TONS of posts every day of my fellow bloggers and nail fanatics posting stash photos and time and again I see them in these tupperware/plastic storage containers, cardboard boxes...you name it.
What if you could have something beautiful and functional that would save all that space and even look like a work of art?
I stumbled across a website called Deco Polish Racks (http://www.decopolishracks.com) awhile back and couldn't believe my eyes!
These individually designed high quality racks are made in the USA and come in an assortment of designs and colors. They are really well priced, too!
Personally...I live in a TINY space (think the smallest apartment you can find in Manhattan, and it's probably still bigger than what I live in) and these are perfect for my needs. Most of these fit between 60 and 90 bottles of polish, depending on what brand...
I'm loving that 2nd one. I can't wait to get a couple of these - I think they'd look great paired with a mirror in the middle and a cute vanity!

Don't forget to enter the Gnarly Gnails 400 Follower Giveaway!
Ends 7.31.2012 and is open Internationally!
And also the Gnarly Gnails 500 Follower Giveaway!
Ends 9.01.2012 and is open Internationally!
Late Sunday night I got the sudden urge to decoupage my Melmer's and add drawer liners to the drawers. I've had these for a few months now and the constant sliding of bottles everytime I open the drawers had finally taken it's toll on my organizational A.D.D.
So as I was organizing, I took some random pics and thought I'd share!
So first up are my new Melmer shots - I used some cool leopard wallpaper from a local shop in town:
And a random drawer opened to see the drawer liners. So much happier am I now!
Now - this was where my stash napped during this project! This is what 535 bottles of nail polish in a laundry basket looks like folks! My boyfriend estimated this weighed about 200 pounds.
And some random bottle shots I have from a month or so ago!

Don't forget to enter the Gnarly Gnails 300 Follower Giveaway!
Ends 6.15.2012 and is open Internationally!
On to Drawer 4 of 6 in my double stacked Melmers.
This drawer consists of a bin of mini's & my Sephora/Pantone Tangerine Box Set, which I forgot to shoot for this, sorry.
The rest of the drawer is Color Club and Kleancolor. Two of my faves!
There's the drawer. This and my OPI/China Glaze drawer are the only ones that are basically full. They could probably squeeze in 1 or 2 more each. The minis are some Kleancolors, a few Dollish Polishes, Bon Bons and Claires Glitters. Oh and my Konad Black and White stamping polishes. And a couple OPI minis. Think that covers it. And then my Sephora/Pantone set. I think I've showed you that before though.
Hooray for Color Clubbin. I love this brand, great price point and really good quality. I mean, their holos are pretty awesome and not one of them cost me over 5 bucks. Not to mention the 3 different sets I've picked up for 3.99 each for 6 polishes. They have great base and top coats as well.
Color Club count is at 33.
Some artsy shots.
My favorite bottle shot.
Kleancolors. Great quality, terrible smell. I can get past it though for their metallics and cool glitters.
Full size count is 23, minis I think are around 10..forgot to shot those too!
Here we go with some more spamzies.
This is Drawer 3 of my 2 stacked Melmers.
It contains Essie, Orly, Zoya, Fingerpaints, Nubar, Nails Inc and Sinful Colors.
(Zoya was omitted as I am awaiting an order from them so I didn't shoot those yet)
First up is Essie.
It contains Essie, Orly, Zoya, Fingerpaints, Nubar, Nails Inc and Sinful Colors.
(Zoya was omitted as I am awaiting an order from them so I didn't shoot those yet)
First up is Essie.
Essie isn't a brand I run to, it is nice, I just find myself drawn to brands with more bright things going on. I don't have issues with any of the Essie's I own (Ok, actually yes I do, I hate Cool Lots) - just need to bulk this collection up some in the future I think!
Cool Lots, Limo Scene, Sand Tropez, Barefoot & Topless, As Gold As It Gets, Shine of the Times, Armed & Ready, Over the Top, Dive Bar, Turquoise & Caicos
10 Essies. Woot.
Next up we have Fingerpaints. Also another brand I don't have much of. Most of their selection seems like things I already own. But they do have what I think is the best black polish ever.
7 Fingerpaints!
2 Flakies, Black Expressionism, Pop Rock Pink, Comets Collar, Blue Raspberry Taffy and Grape Gumball.
This is starting to feel like an episode of Sesame Street in my head...
Nubar/Nails Inc time! Nubar is a brand I don't have many of, but I sure do love the ones I have. I am slowly trying to expand my collection of Nubar polishes...they are awesome. Also Nails Inc. I'm hoping to get some more of these pretties soon as well!
This is Nubar: Reclaim, White Polka Dot, Black Polka Dot, Gem and Absolute.
The Nails Inc shades are Portabello, Connaught Square, Kensington & The Wyndham
Now on to some Orly spammers.
9 Orly's. Do you ever count your polishes and think for sure you had more? I know I don't, but when I think of Orly, I thought for sure I had 15 or so!
Le Chateau, Fowl Play, Stone Cold, Hot Shot, Au Champagne, You're Blushing, Luxe, Shining Star and Shine On Crazy Diamond. I've since added 3 more Orly's to this lineup. So thats 12!
And last but not least, is my ever growing stash of Sinful Colors!
I am not a nose turner upper at drugstore polish, if I was I would be cutting myself short missing out on these. Sinful Colors has some really awesome polishes.
36 Sinfuls!
Drawer 2 of my first Melmer is very special to me.
This one holds all of my Indie polishes, my failed attempts at frankening, my euro polishes and some of my higher end polishes.
Lets get right to it, this baby is packed with pics!
Here is the drawer. After taking pics of all of these, I am surprised it isn't fuller. Then again, last time I looked it was half this full! No idea why that little plastic box in the back has a $ sign on it!
Most of the polishes in this drawer may only be 1 or 2 of a brand. So there's lots of pics!
American Apparel polishes. This is Smoke Dazzle, Meteor Shower & MacArthur Park.
I love these bottles, and the polishes. I need more. I wish I'd been into polish when I worked next door to an AA store!
Butter London. It's getting there...most BL's dont wow me for their price tag, it has to be pretty special for me to drop more than $12 on a polish. But it does happen!
Wallis, Henley Regatta, Tart With a Heart, The Black Knight and Trout Pout.
Catrice! I owe my lovely new friend Angi a huge thanks for picking these up time and time again for me. If I could get these locally I'm pretty sure they would be the most collected of my stash, hands down.
Currently 16 Catrice Polishes.
Cosmetic Arts - never even heard of these until I found them in a Ross store and I loved the neon-ness of them! These don't have names on the bottles, sorry.
My precious Lippmann's!
Today Was a Fairytale, Across the Universe, Happy Birthday, Candy Shop. Sweet Dreams, Good Girl Gone Bad and Yellow Brick Road.
My small stash of Dollish Polish.
Zombie Flesh, Cold Winds are Rising, Random Dancing, Material Girl and Team Salvatore.
Essence.
Where's the Party, Gagalectric, Prism@tic White, Fruitys and a duo!
Hungry Asian - Sneeze Breeze and Sea Creature (these are AWESOME)
See? So Awesome they get 2 photos.
Illamasqua. If they had em at my local Sephora this would be exponentially larger!
Milf, Ranpage, Jo'Mina.
Julep polishes.
Randoms I've picked up at Llarowe. Lynnderella Connect the Dots, Up Colors Azul Arco Iris and Hits Hera.
Maaaaaaaaaaaaaanglaze!
The first bottle is Fatty's Got More Blood but it's in a Fuck Off & Dye bottle (my good friend Taylor gave me this for Xmas, I think they mislabeled some bottles and gave her freebies, so thats what this is, a bastard)
Fatty's Got More Blood, Santorum, Ilf, and Lesbihonest.
Randoms. A England Saint George and Models Own Green Tea.
Nerds.
Nebula, All of Time & Space, Hyperspace Bypass and Largo!
Misc. Indies, Nostalgic Nail Lacquers in Jem and Andie. KBShimmer in Newsprint and Dandy Nails in Funhouse.
Tonymoly. I love Tonymoly. They make some cool stuffs.
Pinky Star, Shooting Star and Mars.
And last but certainly not least, my Whimsicals. Whimsical Ideas by Pam is an Indie Polish I found out about a few months back on MUA. I'm sure if you've been around here much at all, you have seen numerous swatches of her polishes on my chunky fingers! She is awesome and she is blowing up so fast, I am so happy for her huge success, she deserves it, these polishes are REALLY good quality and unique. You can find a link to her FB page on my sidebar--->
From top:
Seuss, Kismets Pajamas, Kee Wee, Saturday Morning Cartoons, Georgia Peach Fuzz, Hatched, Peanut Butter and Jelly, Kitty Glitter, My Friend Carol.
Phew...thats that! I promise I don't think I have so many brands crammed into the other drawers!

























































