Easy Twist on a Classic French Manicure

     I love polishing my nails. I truly enjoy that nice "put together" effect it gives and although I'm partial to dark colors, sometimes a classic French tip is just what the doctor ordered. Now, when it comes to time consuming looks this one is defiantly towards the top of the list, but it doesn't have to be! I ran across a cool tip on Pinterest (of course) using hole reinforcement rings that creates the perfect border for a crisp clean line that will have your French manicure looking professionally done. Just head to your local Wal-mart or Target and pick up a good base coat, a high quality white nail polish (the cheaper ones can be to thin needing multiple coats), and a pack of hole reinforcement rings from the office supply section.

STEP ONE:

File nails so that they are all even and apply base coat.

STEP TWO:

The reinforcement rings are not expensive, but I like to cut mine in half with scissors or nail clippers because they will go further and are easier for me to place when they're smaller. Apply one to each nail. I like to line mine up with the natural line where the nail and nail bed end.

STEP THREE:

Working with one hand at a time, apply one coat of white polish (and a second coat only if needed) and promptly remove ring. If you allow it to dry to long the polish will start to dry and become gummy causing it to stick to the ring and come off of your nail.

STEP FOUR:

For the other hand, either wait until the first hand is dry and repeat step three or recruit some help and have someone repeat step three for you.

STEP FIVE:

Finish off both hands with a good top coat and enjoy!

Back to Normalcy!

"You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only option." -Unknown.

     Now, I know most people who come across this blog are asking themselves gastroWHAT?? You read right, GASTROPARESIS. Simply put, Gastroparesis is a paralysis of the muscles of the stomach. It can cause some pretty frustrating and debilitating symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, bloating, constipation, abdominal pain, weight loss, and even malnutrition. It's mostly compared to having a stomach virus 24/7, and I would definitely second that description.
     Because there is no cure and the few treatment options that are available are generally ineffective, my initial reaction to this diagnosis was to sit around the house, nauseas and depressed. I eventually decided the best way to deal with the nausea was to stop eating and began losing weight rapidly. My health spiraled downward for quite some time, and I kept waiting for any doctor to find a way to fix me and give me my life back. I finally realized that although having Gastroparesis sucks, there was so many worse things that could have happened!
     Yes, I have Gastroparesis, but it's not nearly as bad as it could be. My stomach is slow, but it still works. Sure eating makes me nauseas, but so does not eating. If I'm going to be sick anyway, might as well enjoy some food! Although my diet is still very limited, it is definitely a work in progress and I'm confident that with trial and error I will find a balance that works for me. I've decided that not only do I need to focus on my eating and nutrition, I need to focus on my whole self and that is where this blog comes in.
     Me and My GP is like a life raft that serves two purposes. One, to help me document my journey back to normalcy. Although I have Gastroparesis, I'm still the same person that I was before and REFUSE to let this condition dictate what I will do with my life. So to get back to enjoying all the hobbies that I use to love, I will be writing lots of post about things such as arts and crafts projects, natural/DIY beauty remedies, drawing, cooking, and something new that I plan to try this spring and summer, gardening. Basically whatever I can do to stay occupied and keep my mind off of my physical symptoms will pop up here.
     My second reason for this blog is to hopefully help others who are struggling with GP and the effects that it can have in daily living. Eventually I'll get around to posting my whole story, but for now I want to focus on the present and how I'm learning to conquer this condition and be happy. (Now, I'm not a doctor so any advice that I give is based solely off of my own experiences and anyone wanting to try them should definitely check with their doctor first.) My goal is to show people that not only can you live with a chronic illness, you can actually have a life!