MLIT's 2nd Birthday - Nail Art + NEW Nail Shape + GIVE AWAY

Yes, you read that right! My Life in Turquoise (MLIT) turns 2 today and that is definitely a reason to celebrate. As the title suggests, I have a nail art look to celebrate the blog's birthday, a fresh new nail shape AND a giveaway at the end of this post! I think it is also good time to relfect on the last 2 years and appreciate all the wonderful things that have happened since I started this blog.

PS. I am going to start referring to my blog as MLIT going forward... hope the acronym catches on!

Reflecting on 2013 + 2014

I don't often share details about my personal life on this blog or spend too much time delving into my feelings. The start of a new year, however, feels like the right time to start! I feel like I accomplished a lot for MLIT these past two years but at the same time, I know I want more. Here's a quick list of all the good things that have happened to MLIT:

• I successfully completed the 31 Day Challenge for the first time in 2014!
• 2 of my designs were selected in the Bundle Monster Create Your Own 2014 stamping set!
• I have swatched and reviewed quite a few nail polishes/collections (some purchased by me, some sent to me for review)
• Some of my favourite brands chose to share some press samples for me to review!
• I hosted my very first giveaway
• I finally learnt the stamping nail art technique
• I made new friends in the nail art community (Some even created guest posts for MLIT!)
• My nail art skills and photography have improved so much sinve my first nail art post (if you don't believe me... click here to see how I started)
• AND best of all, so many of you chose to start following MLIT through various social media

Outlook for 2015

Like I said... I want more! I don't have anything defined but I do know that sharing what I would like to achieve in 2015 will help me stay accountable and achieve the goals I set out for the year. So here's a shortlist of everything I want to achieve in 2015:

• Review more nail polishes and collections to keep this blog relevant
• Create regular nail art posts! (I may need to join a challenge to find the inspiration)
• Improve my photography skills
• Create a new blog design/layout and update the graphic elements
• Post a weekly/monthly/seasonal feature or series
• Maintain my nail health by regularly caring for my nails (too make breaks and chips in 2014)
• Host more giveaway(s)
• AND Make more friends and meet other nail art/polish enthusiasts!

Nail Art

What better way to celebrate a nail art blog's birthday than create a celebratory nail art?!

I strarted with a base of Dashboard Dreamer by China Glaze (from the Spring 2015 Road Trip Collection, which I am giving away at the end of this post). It is such a delicate and pretty colour wit the most beautiful subtle rose gold shimmer.

I then added the stamping with my favourite colour, Turquoise by MdU using 4 stamping designs from the Happy Birthday - 02 stamping plate by MoYou London. I finished the look with one coat of Seche Vite!

I love all the party-themed images in this nail art look from the confetti on my pinky finger to the cupcake on my ring finger to the party hats on my middle finger and even the bunting on my pointer finger!

New Nail Shape

You must have noticed the change in nail shape in the images above! I actually suffered terrible chips by the end of my vacation earlier this month. Since I didn't want to cut my nails into nubs, I gave the oval/almond shape a try to salvage my nail length! I feel nostalgiv every time I look at my old picture qith the square nail shape but I am excited at how lady-like and elegant this new shape looks too! So I guess the new nail shape stays... until I get bored of it and change it back!

PS. You may see a few posts with square nails in the next week or so since I have a few old posts that are sitting in my drafts folder.

Give Away!

Woo hoo! I want to thank all of you for being a part of my little corner of the inter-webs! And to show how much I appreciate all of your support, I am giving away a little prize to a lucky reader, who will be winning the ENTIRE China Glaze Road Trip (Spring 2015) Collection!

It is a gorgeous collection and I can't wait to show you my swatches of it either tomorrow or early next week!

GIVEAWAY RULES:

• Entrants must be 18 years and over
• This giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY
• One winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter and win the entire China Glaze Road Trip (Spring 2015) Collection
• The giveaway ends on February 20, 2015 at midnight
• The winner will be selected on February 20, 2015 and will have 48 hours to respond and claim their prize or a replacement winner will be selected at random.
• I will ship the prize right away and I am not responsible for damanged/lost packages once it is shipped.

GOOD LUCK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway