Bright Nails for a Rainy Week

The final result!

A combination of my computer continuing to act up and the weather being absolutely miserable for most of the last week has meant that outfit posts have been impossible, but I hope to have something new up very soon. 

In the meantime, I decided to put on some bright nail polish so I would have something pretty to look at, rather than just looking out at the rain. I used a combination of a new MAC polish that my sister bought me from the Beth Ditto range (a light yellow called Near Beth Experience), an older hot pink MAC polish called Steamy, and Silver Shatter from OPI. Pretty, but with an edge.

The kit

Two layers of polish first

And done!

Roses by the Lake

Swans at Inverleith Park

The lake at Inverleith Park is one of my favourite places to go. Complete with (slightly frightening) swans, you can see the city in the background and on hot days, the lake is surrounded by people sunbathing. Even when the weather isn't so nice there is sure to be someone about: a toddler wrapped up in a scarf, gloves and hat feeding the birds with his or her parents, joggers, or people out walking their dogs. The park has a lovely community feel.

Cherry Blossoms

Clip from Accessorize, MAC nail polish in Steamy

Dress and cardigan from Topshop, boots from Schuh

Spring has (Almost) Sprung in the Royal Botanic Gardens

Wrapped up in my winter coat from Topshop: There's still a chill in the air. My bag is from Warehouse

Pretty spring flowers in the Chinese Hillside

Cardigan and shoes from Topshop; skirt and tank top from H&M

Flowers from the Rockery

Pearls and rings were my grandmothers, nails are Dior in Tuxedo

Whitebells in the Fairy Wood

The Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh are definitely worth a trip. Free to enter, the gardens are expansive and the famous rhododendrons are just coming into bloom. My favourite parts are the Chinese Hillside, the Rock Garden and the Fairy Wood which has sweet little doors hidden in the trees and shrubs. The Glasshouses are also worth a visit, although you do have to pay to go in.

(Born To) Have Black and Sparkly Nails

I've been having a problem with my nails lately. They keep splitting, and it is rather distressing when it happens as I go from having lovely strong long nails to thin short nails in just a few hours. I'm not sure why it happens. I did bite my nails for years, but it's been at least five years since I stopped. Surely the damage I did should have been rectified by now! I use OPI Nail Envy which seems to help sometimes, but at other times my nails seem to just give up!

Anyway, I decided that even though my nails are short I want to make them pretty, and it just so happens that I have been reunited with my favourite nail polishes this week when I collected some things from my last home. So black and sparkly they shall be, short or not!

First, a layer of OPI Original Nail Envy Nail Strengthener.

Next up, a layer of OPI Lady in Black.

And finally, a layer of Revlon Facets of Fuchsia.

I love putting a layer of sparkles over black polish. While I painted my nails I listened to Primadonna by Marina and the Diamonds and Lana Del Ray's incredible Born to Die, both of which I am addicted to at the moment.