Mani Monday

Even though the official start of fall isn't until tomorrow, I've been celebrating the season for weeks.  I switched out my summer wax warmer scents to decidedly more autumnal scents.  I hauled out my fall stash of decorative owl friends (which are different than my year-round decorative owl friends.)  I baked apple crisp (with bourbon) and had a Maple Spice Latte from Copper Rock Coffee. 

By the way, I really love Copper Rock's fall creations and if you like maple and you like coffee and you like warming your body from the inside out with tasty, delicious autumn in a mug, I recommend checking out their seasonal brews while they are still here. I suppose, also, "if you live in the Fox Valley."

Full-on immersing myself in fall is a head to toe process which, of course, involves autumnal manis and pedis.  I typically don't limit myself seasonally to mani/pedi colors.  I generally just go with what feels "right" at the time.  Sometimes that means brown in May and sometimes that means pink in December.  I mean, who cares?  There are no rules, really.  I do find myself gravitating towards darker, more brooding hues once the chilly air moves in.  Maybe subconsciously I think darker polish will keep me warmer?  

I was gifted the 2014 Essie Fall Collection Cube by a very sweet, very thoughtful, very wanting to be anonymous family member a few weeks ago.  A package arrived for me and I was worried my son had accidentally bought a Rolex or something when he last was screwing around on my Kindle.

I was very relieved and very, very genuinely surprised and touched when I opened it to find this little beauty!  

Still swooning.

I've always shyed away from getting the seasonal cubes from my favorite brands.  I always think, "Well, they are mini-sized so that's good for like, what, two applications?  I should just buy the big size in my favorite new color." I've been wrong, friends.  I've been very, very wrong.  In fact, cubes are now my new favorite thing.  You get to try four shades for the cost of two and honestly when is the last time you used an ENTIRE bottle of nail polish in a season or even used up half of it? I think these mini bottles will probably even get me through a year of use if not more.  I'm sold on these. 

Many brand make cubes and cube variations including OPI, Butter, and even Sally Hansen. 

However, we already know I'm partial to Essie.  I'm working on branching out.  Promise.

I couldn't pick what color to try first so I tried two!
Essie, Take it Outside/accent nail also Essie in Partners in Crime

Take it Outside is a warm neutral.  It's a taupe/grey polish with almost a hint of pewter to it.  It's a gorgeous neutral.  Partners in Crime is a rich espresso.  It may sound silly but I felt like my little accent nail was a friendly coffee bean and it made me smile. A lot.

I had an unfortunate run-in during work last week when a scissors razored off my mani on two nails so over the weekend I did a quick mani to get over my OCD about having chipped nails.

Essie, Sable Collar
This color is from a winter collection.
I was also gifted this rich, velvety crimson/blackberry hue (which just a hint of iridescence)

It's the Christmas 2013 gift that keeps on giving!

What nail statements are you making this fall?  Any recommendations?