Addicted to varnish

Ok, this post isn't about some subculture solvent addiction, but a love of nail polish. Over this past year, I've rekindled my love for nail polish, especially since you can wear open-toe shoes and sandals about 90% of the year in Austin. You might say addiction is a strong word, but I just counted and I bought 45 nail polishes over the past year that I could remember. Practically all of these were on sale and about 30 of these were small, sample sized but they gave me the opportunity to play around with different colours and techniques. Last summer I tried a very bright blue on my toes, followed by black crackle on hot pink toes (photos below).

 

Since I picked up most of the new colours over the holidays (yay Black Friday sales), I was looking for a way to organize and came across these round nail polish wheels. I used them to paint out all the colours that I had collected and now I don't have to dig through all the bottles when I am ready to change my nail colour. It took me a while but once it was done, I felt quite accomplished :) and am super organized for the next nail season in TX. Check out my colours below.

One year in Texas

The beginning of January marked one year since we moved to Austin, Texas, from Norwalk, Connecticut. Since we've moved here, we have had such a wonderful experience that the only negatives I could think about Austin was the lack of public rail transport, seasonal allergies and the summer heat; one you can actually do without and the other two, you can't help, so in reality, there is nothing bad to say about Austin.

Austin caters to so many different types of people, but I'll speak to what the hubby and I love. Our number one favorite is probably eating and Austin is one helluva place for that. You can find almost every type of cuisine and then some. To be honest, food was one of the reasons we decided to move to Austin. Al loves BBQ and I love burgers, so it was an easy decision along with the fact that both of us love to watch (and play) music and Austin is known as the 'Live Music Capital of the World'! Just this past weekend, we were out downtown on the well-known 6th street and caught an up-and-coming singer, Ben Cina and his band (left photo). When we walked down the remainder of the traffic-closed street, we came across a brass band (right photo) and people dancing in the street to their music. How fun is that!

The fact that you have a great work-life balance here, and warm weather to do all those outdoor activies is simply a bonus. I don't miss the snow and know my north-east friends are freezing at this very moment in 33F and below temperatures, while I bask in my 75F January heat.

And no place can be mentioned without talking about the people. Austin is a melting pot of people that have relocated from all over the US. I've met fewer people that were actually born in Austin than I can count on one hand, but I have met some. Regardless of where these 'Austinites' are from, they are all a very friendly, and fun-loving bunch. We've made some great friends over here and I'm looking forward to the next year, filled with food, friends and fun!  

Craftiness with clay

So I've been really bad at blogging. I keep thinking of things to write but haven't quite figured what I'm going to focus on. I have quite a few interests mostly revolving around art. I love to create and accessorize. While that is a simple statement, it really encompasses a lot. I've always loved to draw, paint and sketch. I even did woodwork with my dad and needlework another year. I've learnt the piano, guitar, organ and a summer on drums.

After getting married and looking for other fun hobbies, I found cake decorating, crafting and pottery. Yes! I create bowls, plates and other functional forms from mud and I absolutely love it. It's one of the most relaxing things I get to do after a long work day and the new studio, Firepit Ceramics, I've found is just fantastic. Here's a chip and dip bowl I made today. Mind you, it's the widest item I've ever thrown on the wheel, roughly over a foot long.

Welcome 2013!

I never thought of myself as a blogger, but with this new year, I've decided to use this blog as a journal of sorts to share my adventures with the world. I hope whoever reads it, finds it somewhat interesting but mostly entertaining. I'd love to hear from you so don't feel shy and drop me a line or two.

Cheers!