beauty/nail mail & simple V-day manis

Happy Valentine's day!

normally i think this holiday is totally dumb & overrated, but it has a whole new meaning for me now because-

1 year ago today is when I found out I had a bun in my oven xD

now my little munchkin is my Valentine.

Anyway, I got a few goodies in yesterday.

My Feb. Birchbox!

stamping plates

stamp set

yay! can't wait to use these, although I've still got to get some Konad polishes :/

And I haven't even had a chance to really look in the Birchbox yet,

but I'll try to do that soon & devote a whole post to it :)

On to the nails.

Both of these are super simple and were done, obviously, in light of Valentine's Day.

NOPI's "Hard Kourt Fashionista' ( a rich, chocolate-y creme) & Milani's Jewel FX in 'Red' (clear base with very large red hexagonal glitter)

I just bought the Milani yesterday because it. is. phenomenally. pretty.

so ridic.

I used 2 coats of the NOPI & one coat of the Milani- then one of SV.

It reminds me of a V-day chocolate box, for some reason.

Super simple, but I really really love that red glitter.

Fabulous! <3

Next up,

* daylight, it's a gloomy day :/

* artificial light w/ flash- messed up on middle finger... this cold has really dried out that one

So this is apparently all the rave right now- using 3 colors from the same color family and going from pinky to thumb with the lightest to darkest colors. The lightest on your pinky and ring, medium shade on your middle and pointer finger, and the darkest on your thumb.

Again, totally simple... but I like the effect.

NOPI's 'Kourt is Red-y for a Pedi' on pinky & ring

CG's 'Ruby Pumps' on middle & pointer

PureICE's 'All Nighter' on thumb

Then just for kicks, I used OPI's Designer... de Better' and a dotting tool to make little hearts on my thumb.

I like the simplicity of both of these.

Hope everyone has a fantastic V-day!

:)