Fingernails | Knitting With Strangers

and other assorted pastimes

Archive for the ‘Fingernails’ Category

Painting my nails

I call it nail therapy. My nails grow thick and fast. There have been years in my life when I called my claws a curse. They can grow thick enough to double as screw drivers (which they often did in the Navy) and they chew up nail clippers at an alarming rate. I never tried to tame them until last year and now I can’t stop playing with them. Did I mention I also have an annoying habit of ripping and chewing my cuticles? I paint my nails to try and control the overwhelming desire to rip my fingertips to shreds. That’s why I call it therapy.

When I found nail art tutorials on youtube I became totally entranced. I was starting to get better at applying nail polish with my left hand and became brave enough to actually try something a bit more artistic than solid colors. [Enter crackle stage right] The Fourth of July, red and blue polish, white crackle, and a Doctor Who marathon later and I had my first nail art. It probably took 4 hours to paint these but most of that time was waiting for each layer to dry. Not only did I really love the finished look, I enjoyed the process. I discovered 10 tiny canvases to play with and an amazing array of colors available to paint with. Call it a hobby, call it an obsession, I like to keep calling it therapy.

I have enjoyed every foray into nail art I have attempted and i have no doubt I will continue working on my nail therapy as long as I am able. Who knows? Maybe my left hand will eventually figure out how to do what my right hand is doing.