Cobalt Coordination: Nails and Handbag

For Wednesday's NOTD (Nails of the Day) I finally wore Essie "Mesmerize," a rich, glossy deep cobalt color. I originally purchased this color at ULTA a few weeks back when I was first buying polish, inaugurating a series of equally exciting ULTA hauls! I was excited when I spotted "Mesmerize" since it seemed an excellent match with my cobalt "Carla" handbag from Ignes Handbags. Starting late in the summer, I've been toting my laptop to work each day using my Carla, and it has worked amazingly well. Thus, it was time to honor good old Carla by coordinating my polish and busting out the Essie Mesmerize.



The colors are close but might be slightly deeper than in these pictures, which were taken in my light-filled office. The light is mostly overhead florescent lighting with a dose of waning daylight coming in through the windows. I find that handbag colors generally wash out a bit in pictures when I'm doing "photoshoots" in my office.

Not currently listed on the Ignes website, the Carla was introduced last fall and was based on the Chiara style. The Chiara features studs and some drawstrings going around the top through loops, while the Carla is the same shape and style but simplified and featuring two zipper pockets on the outside, as shown above. Below, the other side of the Carla is plain. It has double rolled handles and a detachable shoulder strap.

Ignes handbags are made to order, and I chose this leather, which was in stock but not offered in the regular spring/summer leather collection, with a bright yellow fabric lining for maximum contrast. The leather is super-structured and thus ideal for carrying a heavy laptop every day. My Chiara, on the other hand, is a soft, gorgeous puddle of slouch dark chocolate leather---the leathers can make the same Ignes styles completely different from each other.

Below is the interior, showing one of the pockets (more pockets are on the other side, and all Ignes bags include key fobs.)


Below I am showing off my cobalt thumbnail and the Carla's outside zipper pockets!


I love this opaque, glossy cobalt blue polish. I anticipate slapping this on when I am not sure what to do for my nails but will be carrying my Carla and wearing a color that will go with this gorgeous and versatile shade of blue!

Nail Noob - - ULTA Haul, Y'all! September Edition

(Sunday, September 13, 2009) After a busy morning of trying to photograph my eye with HIP Duo eyeshadows for my upcoming magnum opus, I ran out for a bagel and to pick up a couple of things. I then was planning to make myself do some yardwork. It was warm and sunny, definitely not as cool as it had been but still pleasant enough. A fabulous day, in short. A nice day to go for a drive (or, rather, to take a shortcut through the country and get a bit off track, but who is monitoring these things?).

Well, I ended up at the plant nursery doing some unplanned research for possible fall perennial planting, then I got an inspiration!! Go to ULTA!! I was close by, and I wanted to pick up my Orly "Mirror Mirror" which I managed not to buy when I got the rest of the Orly fall collection.

Um, I am now announcing a haul, and, no, "Mirror Mirror" nail polish does not constitute a "haul." You see, ULTA did not have it. Argh! But, they did have an Essie buy 2 get 1 free. Well, naturally I NEEDED to take advantage of this opportunity. Because, well, there were plenty of gorgeous Essie polishes, and I ended up getting six---all shimmery and divine. I spotted a China Glaze that seemed to be a garnet version of "Ruby Pumps" as well as a turquoise, which I needed, natch.

OPI Lincoln Park After Dark was on my agenda, as was OPI "Russian Navy," and I brought them home. The China Glaze and Essie were completely unplanned buys. But essential building blocks in my color collection, nevertheless! Ahem.

From left to right:


Essie "Over the Top," a metallic dark pewter; "Sexy Divide," a shimmery deep purple; "It's Genius," a shimmery pinky purpley color (not sure how to describe it!); "After Sex," a shimmery pinky red color; "Wrapped in Rubies," a bronzey red color; and "Tea and Crumpets," a shimmery nude (my nod to the huge selection of pale pinks and nudes from Essie). Woo hoo!! They are all astoundingly pretty!! So irridescent, so shimmery, so gorgey!

In the back where you can't really see are the two aforementioned OPIs, China Glaze "Aqua Baby," which is not aqua but a deep turquoise, and "Stroll," the dark red glitter.

I also picked up some much-needed Almay eye-makeup remover, so it was a very responsible stop to make on my afternoon outing. But I had to come home afterwards since I didn't have money left for the stuff I originally intended to get. Oh well!! A Nail Newbie must make sacrifices to get to the top of her game. Um. Yeah.

I can't wait to try them and do a reveal right here on "Travels with Euridice." This is coming soon!!