First Nail Tutorial: How To- Ikat Nails

Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE nail polish and doing nail art. I have never posted my results or how-to so I decided there is no better time then the present. Let me know how you enjoy this!!

I was browsing YouTube yesterday because I love to do that to find inspiration for my daily life. I happened to stumbled upon all of these awesome nail tutorials- some that were unnecessary and others that made me go "ahhhhhh" *angels voices*

I came across MissJenFabulous (links at bottom) and found a nail tutorial on Ikat nails. So I watched and fell in love and decided to try it. It just so happened to be time for me to do my nails for the week, eekk!

What I love about this design is that you can get creative with your shapes and your color pallet. Another thing I love is that this looks like it took forever to do but it is super easy. I did this watching a movie so I would be distracted while letting the polish dry in between coats and designs.


Here is a preview of what you will be doing!!

Not too shabby for my first attempt, huh?

Things I Used:

• Nail file
• Nail clippers
• Sally Hansen "Instant Cuticle Remover" Max strength 
• Cuticle pusher
• Base and Top coat (Beauty Secrets, from Sally)
• Nail strengthener (Sally Hansen's "Advanced Hard as Nails")
• OPI Over the Taupe (base color)
• "Black Sketch" nail precision nail art brush by Milani
• OPI "Alpine Snow"
• "White Canvas" nail precision nail art brush from Milani
• Sinful Colors "Hazard" (Walgreens or Target)
• Corrector pen or q-tip with remover 

How to Get the Look...

1. So as always take the polish off of your nails
1. Still rub your nails with a moist cotton ball of nail polish remover to the excess oil off the nail
2. Cut and file your nails- I use a glass nail file for my nails
3. Apply Sally Hansen "Instant Cuticle Remover" Max strength and push back cuticles 
4. I then buff and shine my nails
5. I then apply 1 coat of Sally Hansen's "Advanced Hard as Nails" nail strengthener 
6. Then I apply my base coat
7. I applied 3 coats of my base color (OPI Over the Taupe)



Base color

1. of course drying in between coats
8. I then applied my black lines with "Black Sketch" nail precision nail art brush by Milani

1. I started from the nail bed in strokes, making a triangular shape
2. I then did the top part of the nail in the opposite direction
1. I would recommend doing all 10 nails in order to give the black a chance to dry so you can continue the process
9. I then filled in the black area with OPI "Alpine Snow" 

1. I used "White Canvas" nail precision nail art brush from Milani to fill in any missing spots towards the top of my design
2. Do this to all 10 nails
3. I let them dry for an extra few minutes
10. I then placed a dot of Sinful Colors "Hazard" in the middle of the white of each section of the nail
11. Fill in any spots that need touching up
12. Take a correction pen or q-tip with remover to get access polish off skin
13. Let it dry
14. Apply your favorite top coat

Right hand

Left hand

Inspiration:

Polish and Pearls Blog

MissJenFabulous Nail Tutorial

So give this cool nail art design a try and let me know how it works out for you!!

Peace, love and nail polish.

-Asha Monet 

How to Get the Perfect Boiled Egg

Ok so I know that I was supposed to write about the essentials to a college student's kitchen supplies, but I was craving some boiled eggs after someone mentioned sulfur. Weird I know but I just wanted some boiled eggs so I whipped up two and actually peeled them (without a mess!) and they came out of the shell in one piece. I know you are asking how on earth I did such a thing, but it is possible and it is ever so simple. I have always been one to boil an egg and have to spend too much time peeling the shell and ending up getting craters.

I did a little research on how to peel a hard boiled egg: no I do not want to blow on a hard boiled egg that I may serve to others or whatever other gimmick there is out there. I read so many ways to peel the egg but some people had luck with the techniques and others did not. I had success with my simple (and no brainer) method. Below is everything that I did and I had some good luck with my eggs from the peeling to the color of the yolks and NO sulfur smell. The sulfur occurs when you cook your egg for too long and at a too high temperature. The smell of sulfur and a green yolk will result.

Note: the size of your egg will effect the cooking time. I cooked two XL eggs for 15 minutes.

How to Boil:

1. Start out with an older egg
1. Do this because you will have a bigger gap between the inner and outer membrane of the egg, thus making it easier to peel due to the distance between the membranes
2. Bring a small pot of water to a simmer on high temperature and place eggs within pot.
1. This will bring the simmer down a bit.
3. Add a few dashes of salt to the water.
4. Bring water back to a boil for two minutes.
5. Change cooking temperature to a little above your stove's medium setting but not quite at medium-high.
1. Your water should be at a slow boil here.
6. Cook for 15 additional minutes.


1. I turn the heat off about a minute or two before the end of cooking time.
7. Quickly remove the the heat and drain the water.
8. Run cold water over the eggs for a minute.
9. Cover the eggs in cold water for 15-20 minutes, or until completely cooled.

Now you are ready to peel your eggs! *yay!*

Let the Peeling Begin

1. Tap both bottom and top end of egg on a flat surface until it cracks slightly
2. Roll the egg on the flat surface
1. You will hear the egg shell cracking
2. Use enough pressure to crack the shell but not too much
3. Gently squeeze your egg
1. You will feel the shell begin to separate from the egg
4. Gently pull at the egg shell in one direction
1. I focused on pulling the top off and then squeezed the egg out of the bottom
5. Your egg will be crater free and the shell will come off in one piece!
6. Rinse your egg in water or rub the egg under your bowl of water you used to cool the eggs
7. Eat and enjoy!

The yolk color I prefer .

The perfect peel!

Super easy, right? Tell me how successful you were at cracking your eggs using this technique. This was my first time doing this and both of my eggs came out perfectly and were cooked to perfection. Did this technique work out for you or do you have another way to perfect a hard boiled egg? If so, tell me so!