Handmade Pendants (US $25)

Handmade Pendant (P3DPP01)Handmade Pendant (P3DPP02)Handmade Pendant (P3DPP03)Handmade Pendant (P3DPP04)
SHAPE: oval

ESTIMATED LENGTH: 1 in (without bail)

WIDTH: 0.75 in

I created these one of a kind pendants using acrylic powder on a metal tile. I then filed the pieces manually & did the final finishing with gel to make them shine.

These pendants comes with a complimentary 16in choker (while stocks last)!

All of my designs are either a one time piece or part of a limited edition. I prefer to keep my creativity flowing. I can also customize a piece for you.

Airbrush French Manicure - Before & After

Just did this set of french the other day. I had them airbrushed on. They looked more natural. Unlike with normal nail polish, which looks bulky and uneven at times. Airbrushing is actually a very fine layer and the nail tips all look consistent.

Designed Nail Tips, Flower

My latest Designed Nail Tips. The base was done with pink & purple glitter gel. I did a set of advance flowers on it. I spent quite some time on these beauties but it was worth it.
Check these lovely Designed Nail Tips & many others more out at NailzImage's Shop!You won't be disappointed...!

Nail Design - Wild Delight

I had this photo submitted today to a magazine. Actually, I had no intention of submitting this design in the first place so I did not pay much attention to the structure. This is more of a fun piece that I was doing.

To my surprise, some of the photos turned out very well. They speak to me!! So after much inner struggle, I decided to share it with other people. Enjoy...!!

Professionalism in the Nails Industry

- Don't use & sell inferior products to clients. It is not ethical & lowers your credibility.
- Have proper training. Years of experience doesn't mean that u know what u r doing.
- Don't tell clients that they have fungus infection just to sell ur products. U r not a doctor.

Discoloration of the nail plates

A student asked me the other day why her nails turned yellow. This is actually a question that is asked all the time.
In general, nail discoloration is caused by dyes, damage, drugs, disease, injury or illness. Basically, our nail plate can absorb a lot of substances as it is porous. For example, smokers will find that their nail plates turned brown because nicotine is actually absorbed. Intensity of the stain increases as nicotine accumulates. Other substances can also cause discoloration.
Dyes can also stain the nail plate which is why I always recommend using a high quality, professional nail polish. Some inexpensive brands cut corners & actually use large amount of dyes to reduce cost thus discoloration is more likely to occur. At the end of the day, you get what you pay for.
Some topcoats can also cause yellow or light brown stains when applied to the natural nails. Therefore, always use a good base coat as it also help seal & protect the plate from staining.
Damaged or injured nail plates also tend to be more absorbent.

Nail Design - Twilight Flowers

I just finished this set of nails & had the photos submitted today to a magazine. I am not too happy with the way the photos turn out. I did not have the time to take a lot of photos as I was rushing to go to a class later. I will take more photos of the design on Friday & post it up on this blog.

One of my students said that these are the empress dowager Cixi's nails. haha... The rest are shocked & they wondered how I did these pointed beauties. Well, they will know in time to come...!

Mini Cards (2 in x 2 in)

I have just finished some of my Mini Cards. These 3 are my favourites. I love the intensity of the colors. The PINK flowers also add a nice touch. I managed to get the last bottle of flowers in this color. LUCKY ME!

All are handmade by me. You can see more of these MINI CARDS at my shop.

I am now shooting in RAW format so I am able to capture the colors better. It took me weeks to learn how to use it. But the results is so worth it. At last, my photos are able to do some justice to my creations. Of course, there will always be room for improvements. On the bright side, I will have less sleepless nights because I do not need to worry so much that the colors in my photos are off.

I shown the whole collection to my colleagues & they went wild over all of them. Each of them has their own mini favourite. Haha.....!

I taught a new batch of students for ITEC today. They are one of the better classes in polishing. Signz..... I need to redo the ITEC nails tutorial steps one of these days. There is some revision.

I also need to do more Mini Cards. Need to clear my table first of them so I can then concentrate on doing jewellery later. Wow.....! Come to think of it, it seems like ages that I picked up a round nose to do a loop.....! Haha.....!

My Handmade Pendants

At last, after 1 month of starting this project. I have finished these beauties (9 new pendants in all). All are handmade by me. You can see more of these pendants at my shop.

Now, I am going to take a break. Doing them are neck breaking. Going to concentrate on papercraft for a while. I did a lot of mini envelopes the other day but i still need cards too so that will be my next area of concentration.....! I am going to die cut away.....so happily.....! Just finished die cutting a whole stack of baby bunnies & butterflies.....! I also need to get my hands on some black paper so I can start doing my HOLLOWEEN series.....PUMPKINS.....anyone?

I am also teaching a new nail course from 010709 onwards, it's going to take up a bit of my time but I LOVE NAILS.....!

My Handmade Pendants

These beautiful pendants are all handmade by me using acrylic powder. They are all one of a kind. I am currently doing more of these unique pendants. So do keep a lookout for them!
Colors may be a bit off due to screen differences. But don't worry, they are much more beautiful in real life!
For more designs, details & purchasing, please go to my ETSY store at http://www.nailzimage.etsy.com/.

Thank You Cards/Tags

I just got myself a papercutter a few weeks ago. It is so amazing. I had so much fun with it. It gives me such beautiful designs. The flowers shown on the cards/tags above are cut using this wonderful machine. I am going to fill my ETSY shop with them soon. Keep a lookout for them.....!

I did a craft session making bookmarks with my students just the other day. My colleagues went wild with the paper cutouts when they saw them. They asked me to decorate the office with them when I am free.....! haha.....

I still have 3 more sessions with the kids.....can't wait to see their creativity.....! I forgot to take photos of their work but you won't believe the work that I had seen. 100% for creativity. I can also see their inner soul through their pieces.....! No wonder, people have said that art is a extension of you. You expressed what you are at the core.....!

Hot Baths VS Cold Showers

The curative powers of water have been known since ancient times: archaeologists have identified bathing places where early cave dwellers treated the sick.

We used water for also everything.....drinking, bathing..... No wonder, Water is called the essence of life.

Hot Baths

A warm bath relaxes the muscles & eases pain. A hot bath serves the same purpose & also promotes sweating, which removes impurities from the body.

Cold Showers

A cold shower in the morning & at night increases muscle tone, speeds up metabolism, stimulates circulation & the glands, strengthens the nervous system, increases hormone production, improves digestion, builds up resistance to colds & infections, helps to prevent premature ageing & keeps you younger.

They were a popular health measure in the 19th century.

**I always take warm showers but now I think I will start having the cold showers. "prevent premature aging....." are the magic words! hahaha.....

Health Tonics

People once swore by health tonics which was believed to stimulate our body systems to function more effectively.
"Spring tonics" were especially popular & some modern experts believe that their effectiveness was because fresh fruits & vegetables were less available during winter so people were starved of fibre to keep the digestive system working efficiently.
Today, some of these health tonics are still drank by people because of their restorative effect on a slow digestion.

Barley Water

It helps to clear the kidneys & bladder & also helps to promote clear skin. It is also a good substitute for tea & coffee.

• 100 grams of pearl barley
• 3 cups of water
• lemon

Boil the pearl barley which is covered with water in a stainless steel or glass saucepan.
Pour through a strainer & throw away the water.
Add 3 cups of water to the barley & simmer for 2 hours.
Add the zest of a lemon & leave to cool.
Strain the liquid & refrigerate.
Serve with a slice of lemon.


Dandelion Leaf Tonic

This tonic stimulates gastric secretions & increases the output from the kidneys, creating a diuretic effect.

• 1-2 teaspoons of dried dandelion leaves
• 1 cup of boiling water

Steep 1-2 teaspoons of dried dandelion leaves in 1 cup of boiling water for 5 minutes.
Strain & allow to cool to lukewarm before drinking.

Herbals Teas for Detoxifying

Dandelion, Licorice & Ginger Tea

This tea can help after a night of binge drinking. The bitter dandelion root will rejuvenate the liver while the sweet-tasting licorice acts as an adaptogen for the adrenals, cleansing & nourishing the system. Ginger will help to unsettle that feeling in the stomach.

• 1 teaspoon dried dandelion root
• 1/2 teaspoon ground licorice root
• 1/2 teaspoon peeled & grated fresh ginger
• 2 cups (500ml) boiling water

Combine the dandelion, licorice & ginger together in a warmed ceramic/glass teapot.
Add the boiling water, cover & let it steep for 10 mins.
Pour through a strainer into a warmed cup & drink.
Drink 1-2 cups a day for a week to help the body regain strength.


Nettle & Clivers Tea

This tea is nourishing & cleansing for the lymphatic system.

• 2-3 tablespoons dried nettle herb
• 2-3 tablespoons dried clivers
• 2 cups (500ml) boiling water

Combine the nettle & clivers together in a warmed ceramic/glass teapot. Add the boiling water, cover & let it steep for 10-15 mins.
Pour through a strainer into a warmed cup & drink.
Drink up to 3 cups of this tea each day.

Footbath (Mint Footbath)

Mint Footbath

After a long day on your feet (especially after shopping), try soaking them in this soothing footbath. The methods for preparing it is relatively simple.

• 12 large sprigs mint
• 120 ml cup cold water
• 2.4 litres of boiling water

Place the mint in a food processor & add the cold water. Process it until it becomes a green paste. Pour this into a large bowl & add the boiling water. Once the temperature has cooled to a bearable temperature, soak both feet at once until the water is too cool to be comforting.
Massage your feet with an cooling gel after this.

Simple ways to detox your body

Detoxifying is about improving the digestive system (liver, kidneys & bowels) to provide an overall feeling of well-being. Years of dietary & lifestyle neglect can lead to a sluggish system. This can cause skin outbreaks, headaches, fatigue etc.....

A glass of warm water first thing in the morning after you wake up gives the kidneys a thorough flush. It is a simple & gentle way of cleansing your kidneys. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime for an extra flavour if you want.

To help digestion, mix 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar into a glass of warm water & drink this before each meal.

Oh Shit! My polish CHIPPED.....again.....I just had them done.....!

Well, I heard that quite often..... & I am always explaining the "whys....." to them. So today I will list the reasons down beginning with the most common culprit of them all.

• improper prep work
• polish was force-dried
• flaky nail plate
• no base coat or an unsuitable one was used
• polish was applied too thinly
• polish was thinned down too much

**Personally, I find that most of the time it is improper prep work that cause all these chippings. I am sorry to say but nowadays manicurists are produced in droves but where is the quality? Where is their knowledge? They are trained to do nails but are they trained to understand nails?

Why do we use Base Coat & Top Coat?

Base Coat

• improves adhesion
• protective barrier to prevent staining of the nail plate

Base coat is available in plain or ridge-filler formulas. Ridge-filler base coat is usually milky with a matt finish.

Base coat must be thoroughly dry before applying polish or peeling/bubbling may occur & the manicure/pedicure will not last as long as it should.

**I prefer the ridge fillers as they even out the nail plate thus making the following polish application looks more even but they will take a longer time to dry compare to a plain formula.

Top Coat

• gives a protective shield while increasing gloss/shine

Featured Nail Design

One of my featured nail designs. It's a step by step tutorial that I did for Beauty Cosmedica. This tutorial is available at www.freewebs.com/michelleyip.

Lint Free Cotton

This is one of the few brands of lint free cotton that I had used that is really lint free & also still reasonably priced. I just brought a new box for S$3.57 at NTUC.
Years ago, it was only available at a particular shopping centre in Orchard. Now, I am able to get it near my place. Lucky me!
A box can last me about a year depending on usage. I used it on my nails & face but I used it more for nails. I got a particular brand of cotton balls that I loved to use for face but sadly it is no longer available in Singapore. I was told by the salegirl that people found it expensive. Obviously, they have no idea what is quality!

Pros- no fibre will be left on nails when you used it to remove polish, cheap.
Cons- not absorbent enough, have to cut into small pieces.

I had some that are of better quality than this brand but those are in the high-end range.

Etsy Treasury

I am so happy. This set of Designed Nail Tips, Flowers (NNP2D11) is being featured on an Etsy Treasury.
Treasury- http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=56934
Item- http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23078704

My Nails

I did this set of acrylic nails on myself more than a month ago. I actually wanted to do 3D flowers on them also but I just don't have the time. I still have them on but they had been shorten. I'm going to remove them tomorrow & hopefully I'll have time to do a new set.
But first, I am doing to do a new set of gel for my toenails. I've removed my last set of gel(shown below) a few days ago. I didn't do a new set cause I've no idea what color to use...! I'm spolit for choice! haha... I got a few comments on flick for these 2 designs. Check them out!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nailzimage/3455211748/in/set-72157617030617016/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nailzimage/3455212272/in/set-72157617030617016/

Acrylic/Gel Nails

Fancy acrylic nails that I did before. I actually did this design for a good friend of mine for her wedding. She is also a trained nail technician but she has lost touch. She was so fed up with the nails that she did herself for her photoshoot that she decided not to do her wedding nails herself. She actually brought her kit to me so that I can use her products instead of mine. She has no idea what to do with them. Just the other day, she was asking me if there is anyone that I know who is willing to buy them from her. Haha... I remembered her saying "They are all white elephants now."