Making your own template for your Jamberry Nails to get that perfect fit!

Gather your supplies:
1. Book rings (and feel free to just ask me for one because they came in bulk so I had to buy a ton)
2. Scotch tape
3. Sharpie markers fine tip
4. Hole punch
5. Scissors
6. Clear plastic folder

Ruffles aren't the only thing with ridges. Look at those ridges on my nails and they're even pigmented. So far the wraps I've used have disguised this issue very well and I haven't even applied base coat. But I did order some and may try it next time if I use a wrap that it's an issue like a clear one or who knows? They have a smoothing coat which sounds like it was made for me.

So you outline your nail with a sharpie. Now try to get as close to edge of nail or you might even want to just stay on edge of nail. In fact, do that it makes more sense.

Now you just stick the tape on the plastic folder. Then you cut it out. Make them long enough that you have a handle to hold when you are sizing your nails. 

Label them. I made L1, L2, L3, L4, L5 and then R1, R2... you get my drift. Then I did my toes and just made them shorter handles and different colors. I used a different color for each hand or foot.

Whallah!
Then you use these to cut your wraps. I should have one a picture of that but I was alone and since that's a two handed job I couldn't figure out how to do that.

If you are also a patient of mine and want to make these then let me know next time you're in the office or just email me and I can give you a book ring. You can even use my sharpies but bring your own plastic folder I'm running out.

My Nifty Nail Kit Holders!

Because one of my goals of this Jamberry Adventure to give things away, I am making these cute little holders for manicure application kits. First I made a template of what I thought should go in them. Admittedly, I wasn't sure yet what the silver packet or the white square thing were. I wasn't lying when I said I was new to the pretty nails scene.

Then I bought all this flannel from Joann's in 1/4 yard increments. Next time I'll go for 1/3 a yard I think or not. They are about 1/4 yard wide it's just that leaves no wiggle room.

So each 2 patterns designed to complement each other cost me $1.75 a peice but then 20% off of that because I had a 20% off entire purchase coupon! Yeah me! So $3.50 yields 3 holders. I already had interfacing and fusible web at home but did use all that I had before I finished. So when I replenish that I'll add that cost in. Plus thread and sewing machine but those items are not "used up" by my project. Well a couple spools of thread will be by the time it's over. So you get my drift though the cost is LOW! 

Here's are my pattern combinations so far:

The last two pictures show when it's all stitched and then I'm tying them with a long peice of knit yarn made with my "embellish it" spool knitter and yarn I have lying around. It also gives me great pleasure to use up some of this stuff I have put into my sewing and craft room at my mom's rather than just hoarding more and more. 

I gave one away already with matching bean bag to a participant in my Online Launch Party (on Facebook). Well I still have to mail it but you follow me hopefully.

And I sewed up 5 total tonight. Previously I had finished just two and I gave one of those to my daughter, Rylie and one to my bestie, Jeanna Fearon. 

So production has definitely picked up! I can sew about 5 more then I have to pick up more interfacing and fusible web to finish up all the flannel I bought. Then I'll need more flannel. And so on and so on....

But can't wait until next Knit Club night when I'm giving them all one for Christmas!!!! Yippee!

Wow Long Time No Post!

First it was an amazing year for us Cubs Fans and that was my main focus through end of October. 

This outfit so embarrasses my daughter that I enjoy wearing it entirely too much!

Go Cubs Go!

The players in their PJs. Joe Madden sure knows how to have fun.

Then November started and I got all caught up with Jamberry nails. I love these things. I am always the last to know about new trends so I realize many out there may already have heard of them. But not me. So anyway, I am totally excited because as a doctor, gardener and artist that makes for a lot of handwashing and most manicures could never stand up. BUT Jamberry can and does! So now I get to have pretty nails too!

This is Ombre lotus (the purple ones) and Diamond Dust Sparkle and don't they go well with my PJ's!

And they match my bedspread too! How awesome is that?

Then because whenever I get into something "I go big or go home"... I became a Jamberry Independent Consultant. Because I was so excited I felt I should tell everyone about them and because I planned on wearing them a lot I thought it made economical sense. Then I started to think about it more and more and it just became an even better idea. Here's my thinking. 

I am a physician and obviously that is my main career. I thought at first people might think it was silly for me to get involved in Jamberry since most would think I have enough on my plate. And actually I do in fact have an overflowing plate. But here’s the thing, I am interested in socializing with women outside of my regular office visit and figuring out how do women juggle so many hats and maintain their health? Are there any women out there that are doing it successfully? If so what fields of work are they in? How do they take care of themselves and their family? What can I as a physician do to help myself do that better and help my patients do that better?

Also these nail wraps were inspiring to me. I have always wanted to invent something or create something that serves a need however small or big. Yeah you all think doctor isn’t enough? Isn’t that the American dream though? And do women want that to happen so they can strike it rich? I bet most women it would be so they could get out of the kitchen and laundry duty. Did you know that despite women entering the workforce and most of us working full time that men haven’t picked up 50% of the work at home? Hah! No not even close. I don’t know about you but my mother thinks I should somehow be all things to Rylie and have dinner on the table every night, have a spotless house, be available whenever she needs me (she did do all of these things) BUT she didn’t work full time! She started part-time work when I was in fourth grade.

Many of you have may have already raised families. You may be married, single, divorced or widowed and not be at the time of life I am. Some of you are just starting that stage of life. BUT surely if we as women all pooled our talent, wisdom and sisterhood we could come up with real solutions. I also would like to offer people advice for navigating the complicated world of healthcare now that I see is really going down the tubes fast! So I think we should have Jamberry parties in homes and discuss this stuff. I don’t care if you buy wraps or not. Some will and some won’t but every nugget of information we share will be worth far more than my weight in gold.

However, I also don’t want to cross any ethical boundaries as a physician. I just have always wanted to find a way to sit down with 4-10 women at once and talk and then this fell in my lap. But I’m also believe it or not shy and could never get myself to go to another knitting club for some reason. So I was trying to get input from some of my Launch Party on Facebook and a friend that's also a PhD in Ethics said she had ideas. You can't get better advice than that!!! 

My mom’s experience in the hospital this time was very eye opening for me and also at 89 years of age I’m realizing our time left together is short. Even though her expectations of me are unrealistic, I know they are based on her generation’s experiences and a different kind of America than where we live now. So I work to not take it personal. But for some reason I just really got fed up this week not with her at all but with “the system”. But I don’t want to be a complainer. I want to be a changer. And I think we have to take care of this ourselves. Politicians aren’t going to help. Our husbands unfortunately aren’t helping like we want them too. The healthcare system sorry isn’t going to help. Your insurance isn’t going to help and in fact will fight you every step of the way! So we have to take this into our own hands.

Rylie's hands with mine. 

I guess I'm longing for sisterhood and community.

Latest art journal and pastels

Pastels, art journal, Caribbean reef fish, Tim Curry, Jamaica

More Art Journal Pages, Chicago really is a great place and Suicide, the ugly truth

Watching a show called Hidden Chicago, Vanishing Chicago or it may be vice versa. After cemeteries very cool they are now on murals of Chicago and realized that could be a theme for an upcoming month of journal entries. You wouldn't believe all the murals around Chicago and there finding more and more that were painted over and restoring them.

I was going to do diseases in January and left my journal in Chicago for most of the month so it never happened that may happen in future as well.

Did you know they still have elevator operators at the Fine Arts Building in Chicago. And there's still a full service gas station but dernit I didn't get the address or I'd be going there.

This show is so interesting! So many parks in Chicago. I realized when they showed Jackson Park, the park that is on the lakefront of the South Side, that I actually tried to kill myself there. Or planned to do that and passed out before I was able. THANK GOD! And unfortunately then realized shit I guess I tried to do that twice. Forgot about that one. Oh depression, I will take zoloft for the rest of my days to keep you away! Live and learn and better living through chemistry and counseling and art therapy!

but m

Pride Weekend!

Well it's another beautiful day in the neighborhood, would you be mine?

Up for the Pride Parade with Brea, Jeanna and Rylie! Butterflies love Jeanna.

This year's parade I'm sure will be huge with the recent passing of same sex marriage rights. 

So many interesting sights!

The creativity is just amazing!

Makes me think of Project Runway!