So to start things off, I have an Interview with the lovely Sarah Waite from Chalkboard Nails, that I'm sure you all know of. If you are not familiar with her blog, this will be a great starting point for you, and even if you do- you'll get to know a bit more about the blogger behind the nails.
So let's start!
-First of, tell us a bit about yourself, aside from the nail artist side.
I live in Arizona, USA with Sean, my boyfriend of seven years, and my darling bichon poodle mix Chowder. I love reality TV, cheese scones, and sleep. When I need to unwind a bit, I like to play video games.
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| Nail art for Chowder's 6th Birthday |
-What was the first nail polish bottle you owned?
I don't remember the very first, but when I first started getting into nails I bought two together: Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Gunmetal and Sinful Colors Dream On.
-What is your most precious bottle of polish? Why?
Clarins 230. Not only is it rare, expensive, and beautiful, it's the only bottle of polish that Sean has ever given me!
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| Clarins 230 |
-What is your worst nail-habit?
Sometimes I am guilty of picking off my polish if it chips!
-Which nail shape will you never try, and which one you are just building up the courage to change to?
I just gathered the Courage to change my nail shape to round from my usual square, and I can't believe I waited so long to do it! I love round nails! I would like to try going a bit more almond someday, too. There's not much I wouldn't try, as long as they weren't too long. Long nails drive me crazy.
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| Reinventing her own nail shape |
-Why and when did you start your blog?
I started blogging in July 2011 after I saw a leopard print nail art tutorial online. I thought it was the coolest thing ever and rushed out to get the materials I needed immediately. I decided to start a blog to document my adventures in learning about nail polish, and it all just kind of grew from there!
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| Leopard nail art from July 2011 |
-How did you get into nail polish it the first place?
After the initial tutorial got me hooked, I joined a polish group called Polish-aholics Anonymous on Facebook. Oh my goodness are those girls enablers! I saw so many shades, finishes, and brands that I didn't even know existed. They definitely nurtured my polish addiction (indirectly).
-Where do you get inspiration from?
Some of my favorite manicures to do are the ones inspired by pop culture or fandoms that I like. I've done Mythbusters, Adventure Time, Lord of the Rings, Mario, and Despicable Me nail art, just to name a few. It's always fun for me to share those with people, especially when they like the subject as well.
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| Despicable me 2- Minions nail art |
-You've claimed yourself quite a spot in the nail art community. How do you feel about the fact that so many of us look up to you? Does it add any pressure?
I honestly can't believe how much my blog has taken off as much as it has. I feel really lucky to have made this little space for myself in the nail art realm. Having people look up to me only motivates me to keep improving and coming up with new ideas!
-Not so long ago, Nicole by OPI did a big interview with you and shared it online. What did you feel when they first approached you? How did you prepare yourself [and your nails] for such an event?
Oh god such a range of emotions. I was excited at first, and then nervous about doing a live video interview, and then conflicted about what to do on my nails. The videos were filmed in my house, which really helped put me at ease, and I made sure to look my best so I could just focus on answering the interview questions. I chose to do a simple but eye-catching nail art look with Nicole b OPI textures; I wanted it to be something anyone could do but that still had impact.
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| Sarah's manicure for the Nicole by OPI interview |
-Share with us some of your favorite bloggers.
Basecoat Topcoat- The things this woman can do with polish are mind-blowing. She has a really wonderful painterly style.
Adventures In Acetone- Jacki is a nail art machine! She creates tons of content & is blessed with a great eye for balance.
Nails by Mei- Mei is one of the most innovative nail artists right now. Her work is so fine tuned and precise, and her line work is unbelievable. I recommend keeping up with her Instagram for the latest pics!
Mr. Candiipants- Candice's work has such an effortlessness that I really admire. It's carefree without being messy.
-What is your favorite manicure of yours?
My favorite manicure in recent memory is the freehand radiant orchid that I did to celebrate Pantone's announcement of the 2014 color of the year.
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| Radiant Orchid nail art |
-How do you organize your stash? Do you have any tips as to how to store a growing collection?
I store my collection in IKEA Helmers, sorted by brand. I have lofty dream of organizing by color but honestly I know that I just won't naitain that. My best advice is that you shouldn't invest a ton of money in a solution that isn't scaleable. I like the Helmers because they are all uniform and I can stack them on top of each other if needed.
-Any tips for the nail artists out there?
Be original! There's nothing wrong with taking inspiration from your favorite nail artists, but you'll make a name for yourself by creating things that are unique.
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| Sarah is not ALL about free hand |
-Any tips for the bloggers?
Don't over-commit yourself. If your blog starts to take off, it can be tempting to say yes to every opportunity that comes your way. However, my advice is to take it slow and figure your personal limits so you don't get overwhelmed. Blogging shouldn't feel like a chore!
-Is there a goal in the nail art world that you want to achieve that you haven't already?
It would be awesome to have some of my designs used as inspiration for nail wraps (with permission, of course)!
Cool, this is such an interesting segment! (I could have sworn I already liked your page on Facebook but I must have missed this) I'm impressed that you're pulling in big names, congrats :D this was a lovely interesting interview.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Sarah was an absolute delight to interview, and happily, she agreed to this right away!
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