Slick Manicure | Mixed Media Project

Do you enjoy allowing yourself the pampered pleasure of an exquisite manicure? It's been a while since I indulged in that activity. Perhaps because I don't like long lines and endless gossip while waiting in salon parlors.

I prefer to take care of my own pampering in the quiet of my home. I purchased all the required tools; even a small pedicure soaking tub with a pulsating jet stream. However, I can't quite seem to get the professional salon effect I see others displaying so proudly.

I sighed, resigned to my streaky brushstrokes and messy cuticles, and decided it was time to put my drying tools away. Glancing down at my undeniably amateur, yet perfectly functional hands, the realization finally settled in. The true luxury wasn't a flawless finish; it was the sacred, uninterrupted silence.

So, I decided it was time to up my game. I've never shied away from a difficult project. Frustrated by my wobbly non-dominant hand, I decided to embrace the challenge rather than give up.

It took some reading, but I finally ran across some useful and simple instructions.

First, I swapped my favorite polish for a thick, ridge-filling base coat. Next, I angled a tiny concealer brush dipped in acetone. Lastly, I slowly erased the smudges.

The polish finally locked in a glassy, salon-worthy reflection.

Then it struck me. I realized the only thing my sanctuary needed was patience.

Finished with the top part by applying a quick-dry spray, I spied the bottom. Dipping my feet into the pulsing jets of the store-bought tiny electric basin, I reached for a glass of diet peach tea, and smiled. Oh so careful not to smudge my newly manicured nails. My polish might have been slightly uneven and a little chipped around the edges, but as I sat in the tranquil peace of my den, I knew I’d never trade it.

The truth is that I hate salons with the long wait times and endless gossip that was TMI (shorthand for too much information) given out in an inappropriate setting. I neither cared nor was interested in other people's personal romantic, family, career, or social conquests or mishaps.

I'll not go so far as to say I'm now an expert, as I've yet to master the intricate nail designs Ii so admire. For now, I'm satisfied with the at-home salons treatment.

I was perfectly pampered, entirely at peace, and entirely alone...which is exactly how the best indulgences should be.

For my current mixed media project, I wanted to project an over-the-top manicure. I believed I achieved this with the free-sourced image I discovered of manicured fingernails. Placing it with a striking female meshed well.

Below are my steps:

^{Female with blue hair ~ Manicured nails ~ Cloudy Skies - Contributed to the #LIL by @seckorama ~ Pure Fractal titled "Puffy Clouds" ~ Pure Fractal titled "Snake Skin"}