MARILYN MINTER on my fingernails?!!

check out my cosmic nail art...this was surprisingly easy to do!!! all i did was buy some press-on nail strips...a friend tells me the cheaper ones work better ...these are from"kiss" and this set is "strength and beauty" (it cost only $3, found @ my local drugstore.)

some tips:

-i cut the pre-cut strip down even further with maincure scissors after putting it on my nail-- my nails are very tiny and short...i could use one strip for 2, sometimes 3 nails.

-i lifted them off the backing with a pair of tweezers. and set them down just above the cuticle.

-after pressing them on, i trimmed the edges with a nail clipper.  i used the edge of the tweezer to smooth them into shape, working from the center, out.

-pressed the remaining edges down, folding any small ragged edges down over the edge of the nail

-filed the nails after doing all that...carefully and using a very fine salon board.

all painting/photography in this post (xcept the 'nails of course) is by marilyn minter...she has collaborated with MAC cosmetics in the past. check out more of her artwork

here

the spirit of a dress.

one of the things i  LOVE about thrift shopping: sometimes i find a garment with a life of its own. i found this authentic bohemian dress at a Maine goodwill thrift store last year. i believe the dress is from the late 1970s-early 80s. i made the bone necklace this morning for the shoot. (will have to make it more permanent). my mom gave me this soup bone, just wrapped a chain around it.

(and, i finally decided on the neon pink
nail polish)

Life's tough decisions.

nail polish from the ***dollar store***.  these colors all cost only $1!! (i am kind of a spaz when it comes to painting my own nails, so i can't make any designs yet. in brooklyn, the cashier at my local market had THE most incredible nails. wish i had taken some pics of her! i asked her once and she said that it took about 3-4 hours to have them done)

salvation army STYLE !

HAVING AN EYE:
OK. so ...
i realize many of us have ENDLESS good taste, style, and creativity (!!!) but we lack an ENDLESS suppy of $$$$$$$$$$. sometimes, even getting things on sale, or "for less" is not helpful or, even possible!!! being an artist by trade i am always trying to find ways to get around having NO cash. so, i'm starting this new tag "$0.99 store STYLE". i mean, this is REALLY tight budget, as in NO budget

---->i am a FAITHFUL THRIFT-SHOPPER  (my past two trips have been AMAZING, i have found a SONIA BY SONIA RYKIEL dress with THE TAGS STILL ON IT and what i believe to be, AN AUTHENTIC GUCCI BAG !!!)(see pics above--if anyone knows how 2 authenticate the bag, please, lemme know in comments)




Remeber my friends:: NEVER STOP LOOKING FOR INSPIRATION 'CUZ U NEVER KNOW WHERE YOU'LL FIND IT !!!!!