You have come so far... You've got so far to go...

I started this humble blog nearly 3-years-ago. Motivated by a love of nail art, a love for Lupe Fiasco and boredom, it has become a nice little online diary...

In an effort to reflect, I was looking back on my old posts and I noticed that I have really come far in my art. I have gone from it just being a hobby that I wasn't very good at to being a sought after licensed manicurist...

I took a break in December but I just started back up doing regular nail appointments this week. Check my work from this past Monday:

She had to go home and put on her rings before she posted a pic on her instagram. Shout out to Mai. She was my very first non-friend or family client!

I have come really far since I started this blog. My art has really improved... But I have so far to go... I'm trying to be like Spif...

Anyway, as always... I will try to post more often but we all know I make that promise often and never actually do it... We'll see though. I've done a lot of nails lately so we'll see... Not that it matters. It's only me reading this.. Lol...

In the meantime and in between time...

Stay classy.

Peace. And much lacquer to you.

The Perils of Sisterhood

I have two sisters.

It has always been my pleasure to be a big sister. I pride myself on being an exceptional big sister. Often sisters fight and argue a lot but we have never had those issues. I am much older than my sisters but I still think that sometimes sisters just dont get along, whether close in age or not. That's why I have always been fond of the close relationship that I have with both of mine. There has never been a time where I would hesitate to do a good deed for either of my sisters (whom I often refer to as little sister 1 and little sister 2). This week, my sacrificing nature was tested.

I love rap music.

Love.

I mean, the title of this blog is a reworded Lupe Fiasco album title. I think it's pretty obvious how I feel about music. Especially rap.

Lupe Fiasco is my favorite rapper. But there are a select few of other rappers that I go hard for. Danny Brown is one of them.

I saw him live last year and it was fantastic. And we all know that when I think an artist is fantastic, I tend to over indulge.

So I've seen Danny once but I wanted to see him again. He was in the Bay Area a month or two ago but the tickets went on sale during a time where I was kinda broke (I'm paying for nail school out of my own pocket so I'm not able to be as free with my money as I usually am) so by the time I had the funds to purchase a ticket, it was sold out... I vowed to never miss him again and then a few weeks after that I saw this...

He's old and reckless... So am I!

There was no way I was going to miss Danny again. And of course I bought my ticket in a timely manner...

I also informed little sister number 1 that her favorite rap group, OverDoz was opening for him so she should purchase a ticket too. In fact, I reminded her frequently for two weeks to make sure she purchased a ticket...Fast forward to Tuesday, May 21st.

I was so excited! I even made a new ring for the occasion.

I went straight from work to the venue. I was the first person there. My sister showed up about an hour after I did. At which point, she informed me that she had not bought her ticket but she was just going to get it at the door.

After nearly four hours in line, they opened the doors and I was way too excited to go in. I was finally going to get to see Danny again! And then security delivered a crushing blow with the utterance of two words: "Sold Out"...

Now I had my ticket. And this should not have been crushing to me. But it was. Because I knew immediately what I had to do...

Yep. I gave her my ticket. And I went home and went to sleep. Now don't get me wrong. I was super sad and super pissed... But there was no way I was going to go in there and leave my sister outside. She'd never seen OverDoz live before. I've seen Danny Brown live. Her group doesnt have a regular touring schedule. Danny Brown will be back around in September. None of this makes me feel any better, but it just helps remind me that what I did was the right thing to do.

I was so upset that I did some Danny Brown nail art to lift my spirits. Check it:

I really love that eye on my thumb. It's from his XXX mixtape cover...

Anyway... I'm glad my sister got to enjoy the show and meet her faves. And I hope she knows that a sacrifice like that on my part will never EVER happen again. I LOVE YOU, DANNY BROWN!!!

This post has so many words! Ugh... I'm done... Lol

Stay Classy.

Peace... And much lacquer to you.

Sky's the Limit: Happy Birthday, Biggie

In my previous post I talked about how Kris Kross were the first celebrities that I really loved and went super hard for. I also mentioned that after them the next celebrity I went hard for prior to Lupe Fiasco was Biggie...

Then came the worst day May 21st

2:19 thats' when my momma water burst

No spouse in the house

So she drove herself to the hospital

To see if she could get a little help

Umbilical cord wrapped around my neck

I'm seeing my death and I aint even took my first step

I made it out

I'm bringing mad joy

The doctor looked and said

He's gonna be a BAD BOY!

Yep, it's Biggie's birthday so I celebrated the best way I know how... On my nails... He was known for wearing Coogi sweaters so I replicated the colorful designs. Check it:

He also has a pretty famous picture of him wearing a crown so I did that on one of my thumbs...

I just so happen to be going to a Danny Brown show today but I still wanted to rep for Biggie so I wore my Mighty Healthy Biggie Tee today with this same picture showing through the quote on the shirt...



The V-Nasty face is my favorite picture pose... Staring at my watch cause I am so ready to go... It says Dumb Rappers Need Teaching. I totally agree...

Happy Birthday to one of the best to ever do it in the rap game. Rest in Peace, Biggie & Mac Daddy...

Stay Classy.

Peace... And much lacquer to you.

Live and Die for Hip Hop: RIP Mac Daddy

So, I think it's safe to say that we all know how I feel about Lupe Fiasco.

But before there was Lu, there was Biggie...

And before there was Biggie, there was Kris Kross...

I kid you not, the way I feel about Lupe, it was (is)  x10 for Kris Kross. When I was in junior high school, a local radio station had a contest where all the local schools collected canned goods and whichever school ended up with the heaviest weight of cans would win a concert from Kris Kross. I had to drag my mother to the grocery outlet where we filled a cart full of those humongous cans of beans. I was determined that Juan Crespi Junior High School would win that concert... And we did!

After that show I completely fell in love with Mac Daddy and remained loyal to him even now. Up until last week, he was definitely still my first choice and I had every intention of dumping my husband in the event that I met Mac Daddy and made him fall in love with me. Meeting him has been on my bucket list consistently since 1993...

1996... Still repping for Kris Kross in the whole school picture for the yearbook

Voted "Future Picasso" Junior year... But I just wanted Kris Kross to get the love...

Sadly, it will never happen. Chris Kelly passed away last week. I was doing one of my classmates nails at the time that I got the call about it (did I mention I'm in nail school? Yeah... I am...) and I was so shaken up I had to take a break from doing her nails to calm my nerves.

Being a Mac aint easy...

Though I never met him, I was devastated by the news. It's funny how you never realize how much of an impact that someone you never even met or knew personally could have on your life. Especially during those formative teenage years...

Anyway, since I couldn't make it to Atlanta for the public viewing (and believe me... I weighed all options and tried my best to make it happen) I decided to honor him the best way I know how... On my nails...

Not my neatest work but I love it... The red hand is in honor of my favorite Kris Kross album, Da Bomb...

TMZ streamed his funeral live and I made the mistake of watching it at work. I was in tears the entire time...

I still can't believe he's gone...

So many people loved you... Including me...

It broke my heart to see the other half of Kris Kross, Daddy Mac, getting choked up...

A befitting message on his obituary...

To Chris Kelly I just want to say...

I'll never forget you...

I'll never let you go...

I'll never forget you... 

I'll always remember... I hope you know...

Rest well, James Christopher Kelly... You will forever and always be da bomb to me... I pray that you made it safely to the other side and that everything is alright...

Stay Classy.

Peace... And much lacquer to you.

2Pac Thursday: I'm a Soldier

I didn't end up painting my nails for my birthday. However, I did want to show you the design I did on my nails a few weeks ago...

I wanted to do camouflage but then when it was finished, it was too plain for me so I decided to do this. Check it:

I like it a lot. I kept it on my nails a whole week, which is unheard of for me...

Sending peace and blessings up for Tupac and all the fallen soldiers on this rainy 2Pac Thursday in the beautiful Bay Area of California...

A coward dies a thousand deaths. A soldier dies but once...

Stay Classy.

Peace... And much lacquer to you.

NO WIRE HANGERS!

I kinda can't stand Halloween. I actually despise most holidays. But I love kids and every year at my job, the kids from the school around the corner come over and parade through the office. So in the spirit of Halloween, I decided to dress up...

Me as Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford in Mommie Dearest

I love my Martin Nails so much that I decided to keep them for Halloween. But seeing as how tomorrow is Dia De Los Muertos and Friday is my birthday, I'll have at least two new nail designs to post next week...

Stay classy.

Peace... And much lacquer to you.