Clearing the decks for 2013

So I am taking a few moments to do some long awaited, and I might add much enjoyable, jobs on my to do list (which I might have to carry over into 2013) and I wanted to do a last post on my blog for 2012 and perhaps just sit and review just what we have achieved over the last 12 months...

Then I took a look at what I had actually have done over the last 12 months, and realised new years eve is tomorrow and I doubt I would get in done in time......! Phew I have been a busy girl!

So I thought I am going to try and do it in brief.....see how far that gets me!

2012

JANUARY

Be Inspired in USA - Long Beach workshop.

Nail Pro front cover shoot

Butterfly Effect Front Cover created with nail art pen and gel paints

FEBRUARY

Judging nail professional of the year awards

Filming for Nailgasm documentary

Professional Beauty show - Excel

Judges for Excel Competition

MARCH

Filming for Gel Paint DVD - find your inner artist

Daily mail interview

Gel Paint DVD cover

APRIL

Facilitate the enrichment program for EzFlow

Operation

Launch the Velvet manicure

MAY

Spain - Malaga educator training

Training for Original Sugar at Urban Retreat Harrods

Ann Summers press launch - velvet manicure

Mercedes & me in Spain

JUNE

Be Inspired USA, Orlando, Vegas and LA

Became an Orly Ambassador and met Jeff pink

Was on nail Talk radio with Naja

Nail Talk Radio interview with Naja

JULY

Malaysia Be Creative educator training and show

Introduce Be Creative distributor in Asia

Changed my hair colour

Demoing in Kuala Lumpur

AUGUST

Australia - Be inspired workshop and introducing new Be Distributor distributor

Slovenia - be creative launch

Launch New gel lamps

Rihanna wears our Velvet manicure

Breakfast in Sydney with Tracey Boyle our new Be Creative distributor

SEPTEMBER

Family Holiday

Nail Olympics - judging and seminar ( which I couldn't attend)

Rushed into Hospital for a week

Be creative educator training

Pink Wears our Velvet manicure in her new music video

Scratch front cover

Hot Tubs, Games and long walks .....perfect

OCTOBER

Launch new website

Be Inspired in Belgium

Launch Chameleon pigments and Arabella forms

NOVEMBER

Launch Original Sugar Pro

Be Creative launch in Lithuania

Be Creative refresher training

Original Pro Kit is released

DECEMBER

Harrods urban retreat press launch

College Enrichment showcase day at Graftons

Creating a Velvet manicure for Sky Living in harrods Urban Retreat, Original Sugar press launch

All this fitted around a lot of Be Inspired workshops, one to one's and many many photo shoots, filming and some phenomenal press.  I would like to wish everyone whom I have worked with this year a very happy New year and I hope I can work with your again in 2013. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Diary of an International Nail Artist Part 3

This is Part 3 of a Diary of an international nail artist. for part 1 click here and part 2 click here. 

Malaysia

I had just got back from the states, and a few days later I received a rather intriguing invitation to bring Be Creative out to Asia. 

Working with Jasmine Ng, Joey Chen, Sam Eng and Erin Eng who joined forces together in April of this year to setup JJ Nail Professional Training Centre and Trinity Beauty. Trinity beauty is the late Tom Holcomb’s new line, something which he had been working on with Erin and her husband Rich before he died last year. 

Now working with the Holcomb family they continue the legacy, and to launch the brand they held an international competition, run my head judge of nail pro cup Carla Collier. 

So packing my suit case once again I prepared for another long haul, this time 19hours. we didn’t have time to ship stock as it was just a 7 day turn around for me, so this meant a suitcase full of nail art pens and gel paints, wedged in with my knickers and very little clothes. managed to fit in my heels though. 

Arriving late on Saturday night, I had a nice reunion with Carla, having only just said good bye a week or so before, it seems no matter the miles or continents we live on this industry is small and as travellers and educators we are constantly crossing paths, and becoming firm friends.   With a day off to look forward to the next day, I headed to bed to catch up on some beauty sleep and try and fool by body that I had indeed not circumnavigated the globe. 

Sight seeing is always a must, and I headed out to Kuala Lumpur's twin towers, then we all met up and had some very local food, it was an amazing experience and I do feel blessed. 

But I was not there to party, the next morning was the Trade fair and Be Creative was going to be apart of Trinity's stand.  With me spending a majority of my time Demoing.

 The competition produced some stunning results, I am always in awe of the sheer talent and detailed work that this part of the world produces, it is very humbling and I am very lucky to be able to be apart of it. The awards where especially emotional, as this was in honour of Tom Holcomb....some tears and laughter where heard as Richard showed a very emotional video of Tom and how much he has effected this industry of ours.

Be Creative where one of the sponsor of the event, and this is me on stage along with the team from JJ's Erin Eng, Jasmine Eg, Joey Chen and Sam Eng.

The final day was spent educator training, and building up the Be Creative Asian Educator Team for JJ. Louis Lim who came first place in nail art tried out the gel paints.....and loved them.

It was finally time to say goodbye and head home.This was a learning curve for me, and certainly a trip I will cherish, I met some amazing people and am very excited to be working with Erin and her team...Be Creative in Malaysia is a massive hit and I hope to return and offer more training.

Diary of an International Nail Artist Part 2

Orlando, Las Vegas and LA

I was looking over my blog posts for 2012, and making  bit of a plan and yes perhaps a news years resolution to post more regular, when I realised that the diary of an international nail artist part 2 and 3 have not been uploaded... so if you have yet to read part 1 heres the link; PART 1, and I hope you enjoy part 2 and 3. 

6.00 am UK - Waking up at 4am is never a pleasant experience, especially when there is a two hour car journey and a 12 hour flight ahead of you. Well actually two flights with a short layover in Boston. This is the first day of my 2 week trip to the states. Looking over the schedule this time I wonder how I
have managed to cram so much in.
But before I even contemplate the next few days activities I have to endure Heathrow's terminal 4, an over booked flight and small children. Who said my job was glamorous?

15 hours later - It seems I brought the rain with me, after a brief 2hrs visit to Boston I finally arrive some 12 hours later in a rainy Orlando.

     

Saturday - When ever I visit another country I try and get as much in one trip as possible and today is a busy one, but I have time to grab asmoothie and a lemon and poppy seed muffin and sit by the pool, I was soon joined by a friend who also wanted my breakfast. Today was spent mostly in my room, with some product demonstrations booked with new USA distributors of Be Creative and a one to one class in the afternoon. Then I was able to grab a couple of minutes by the pool for some much needed Vitamin D before heading off the nail tech networking event. I just loved
seeing old friends, meeting new ones and being able to put Facebook profile pictures to life. It is a small world and the nail industry is a tight niche community which all have one passion. I love it when I visit different countries but we are all speaking the same language. It seems it truly is a small world, as I hear a fellow English accent, and there is Denise Wright, who was in Orlando and would also be working in Vegas with NSI. now that is a small world and a welcome sight. The nail tech networking event is a fabulous 3hours of networking, people from all over the USA coming together before the show. We should have one in the UK.

Sunday - the alarm goes off at 6.00am, arrrghhhhh this is going to be a long day. The premier show in Orlando is massive, combining nails, hair and beauty it is very noisy and busy. I am heading in early to help Carla Collier head judge for nail pro judge the gel polish category, boxed nail art and 3D nails. Wow this show always seems to produce the best entries and it is always a joy for me to see what nail techs in the USA come up with. This trip is not just for my class, but I have also been invited by Orly to join their education team. During the show between judging commitments I was delighted to be working on their stand and demonstrating the amazing gel FX.

The one thing about these shows it is an opportunity to get together and this evening was no exception. However little did we know that is was about to take a sinister turn of events. Whilst waiting for the town car we had booked to collect us, we where misled and got into a different car. The driver said he was sent by the hotel, but it was only when we saw our driver turn the corner than we realized we had been abducted. Now my refined Englishness would have let it go, shrugged my shoulders and hoped for the best, this however was unacceptable to my fellow passengers......and suddenly the reality of the situation was
dawning on me.

“Kidnapped in Florida” stop the presses english female and party
held against there will by an unknown male, now that was not what I was expecting on this trip. After 20 minutes of demanding he stop the vehicle and open the doors we finally escaped the clutches of this deceiving taxi driver. Of course I am here alive and retelling the tale, after police involvement and an APB released...it seems this American gentleman messed with the wrong ladies.

Monday - I was enraptured this morning, the early start and exploits of the night before forgotten, Fantasy category is why I enjoy my job so much. With a healthy batch of phenomenal entries including competitors such as Catherine Wong, who’s work I get lost in and the amazing Viv Simmons. Judging this category both novice
and veterans is very hard, I feel the pressure as it was a close call, and the responsibility on our shoulders as judges to be fair and recognise individual talents is always at the for
front of my mind. I spent the rest of my day working with Orly and demonstrating their Gel FX. 

After the awards we make a quick dash to a new hotel and then I was going to appear as a special guest on nail talk radio with Naja Rickettes and Millie Haynam. We discussed the new velvet manicure and the veering trends we are seeing emerge in fashion today with nail art and design. It was a fabulous interview made easy by Naja.

Tuesday - this was the first day of the be inspired classes we had running. The Be Creative Distributor in the USA is Carla Collier, who also runs all the be inspired classes in the USA, working together for the past 3 years. Each class has a maximum of 12 people so it allows me to deliver an intense training day. Today; Day 1 we covered gel design, showing the ladies some fabulous things they could achieve with the be creative gel paints. Traveling is always an assault on the body along with varying time zones, temperatures, humidity and stress, so it was no wonder I was feeling very under the weather. Brewing since sunday it hit me full blast today, chest infection...arrrrghhhhhh. So after the class I booked in to the hotel spa and had a massage.....I promise it was for medicinal purposes only (is this tax deductible?)
Wednesday & Thursday- This morning I felt much better, We worked with acrylic today and the ladies who attended created mini master pieces. But the day always ends too soon, and we all race off to the airport and catch a flight to Las Vegas.....this was going to be an 8 hour flight, goodness it would take me the same amount of time to fly home. 

Arriving in Vegas at midnight couldn’t be more different, the temperature and dryness was a blessed relief from the humidity of Orlando, but as soon as I walked off the plane I was presented Tomorrow was the next be inspired

class, with the first day being hosted by Pauline
Feaurer from Germany, having flown a few days earlier to show us all some beautiful water colour nail art.

Friday -the final class of the be inspired USA tour, we
had a a lot to fit in to just 8 hours. Working with both gel
and acrylic we created some beautiful salon viable designs, pushing the design boundaries. working on the Green man, butterflies and roses. Its the
IBS show and this meant another hotel move, so far
each hotel has increased in size
by 100% this is no exception, it was like a city, very large and at every turn you had an opportunity to gamble..mmmmm might need to try this out!
Saturday - today I was judging most of the day  After work it would be rude not to visit the Strip and eat at the Bellagio.

Sunday - another day at the show and more judging, it is very nice to catch up with some nail friends too. Darcey fixed me up and refreshed my nails with a new gel polish colour from Light Elegance. But I am now starting to miss home, this time next week I should back in good old Blightly.
Monday - night at the awards was tremendous, congratulations to all and everyone who entered and to those who won.

Quick dash to the airport once again and a flight to LA. This would be the final leg of my journey, where i was going to do some training with Orly. Pulling up in my cab at the Luxe hotel on sunset blvd made up for not going home, Wow I could get used to this luxury, a celebrity hideaway i felt quite spoilt. I was going to enjoy 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep, and since training wasn’t scheduled until 12, some serious catch up emails and face book time was required.

Tuesday - I was delighted to receive an email from Catherine in May inviting me to join the education team for Orly. Orly is one of the polish companies I prefer to use, and with their launch of gel FX was excited to learn more and became their European educator. Today we had a tour of the facility, wow very impressive and learnt about Jeff Pink the founder of Orly and how he created the french manicure. The first thing he asked me was did I know AlexFox, it seems that she impressed him a lot some 10 years ago when she interviewed

him.
Wednesday , Thursday & Friday - training with Orly is a beautiful experience, their love for the product and execution of their information is

second to non. Also meeting some like minded people, Markus and Rachel where a delight to work with and I enjoyed their spirit and company
very much.

But the ends comes around so quickly, yet another hotel change, this time my last one before my flight home and some teary good byes.


Saturday - flying home via detroit, I hate lay overs, although it does give me an opportunity to write this, I am very impatient to get home and see my family. Along with 682 emails waiting in my inbox and a full diary until friday....I won’t have time for jet lag.

Whats coming up in part 3...
Malaysia - taking Be Creative to Malaysia and working with Trinity, and the Tom Holcomb competition.
Sydney - I am very excited to be taking be inspired workshop to sydney, I will be there for 2 days before the show and during the show hold a small seminar.  So watch this space and find out what really goes on, in this oh so glamorous job of mine. 

Why does negative comments shout?

Do u know why negative comments always seems so loud, powerful or hurtful?  We might have 5 positive comments but we only hear the one negative one, like it is screaming in our face......do you know why? 

The positive comments are the truth, they are your truth and deep down you know it.  It does not matter how much you deny the fact, your sub conscious knows this to be true. 

But that one negative comment is a lie and your brain and sub conscious is saying Hay that's not right.....that's not true...and instead of listening you allow  your heart and emotions to believe it, and maybe just maybe it might be true...! 

That pit in your stomach, that churn of emotions is actually an inner conflict ....of course it is not your truth! and deep down you know it, that's why it is so uncomfortable.....

So your lesson..... ignore the negative comments it is aomeone' else truth, someone elses insecurities talking.....not yours! You are quite capable of delivering your own negative comment if you choose without listening to others! Instead listen to those positive whispers, the ones drowned out by that one negative comment....because there is a lot of them...listen hard....and then turn the volume up. 

Sx

How to make your nails sing out...

How do I make my nails sing? I often say in my class a good nail design sings to you...you can hear it chorus like a well tuned choir. 

That means the combination of back ground and foreground works in harmony, the detail is the ballad and the shape suits the hand like it is intune.

It is obvious that you need a fundamental knowledge and talent to create the most beautiful nails, nails that when people look at them they go wow....ooooo....ahhhhhhhh

I am talking about design nails, something which is very different from the structure and rigidity of a P&W

Design nails are very different and the beauty within them does come from the beholder, there is an element of taste and personnel preference.........but there is something else, a little bit of magic that goes on when you create a design nails and this becomes an important part of developing your nails. 

When your creating a nail what are you thinking of, are your thoughts negative or positive?  Do you worry about what others will think of your nail, this unseen audience, are you hating the colours, critical of the detail...did you know all this negative energy is being absorbed into your design! 

It is said we are made just of energy....if we are then that negative energy is transposed into the items we are creating. Imagine now if that energy was positive and the person looking at the nails could feel it on a sub conscious level. 

This is when your nails will start to sing. 

Diary of an international Nail Artist Part 5

Lithuania & Orly

As an Orly ambassador I get sent all over the world to hold seminars and training,  Last Month I was sent to Lithuania by Orly to talk to the nail technicians about the range of treatments, Orly pro manicure and of course the fabulous gel FX, of course I had to throw in some gel polish designs in there too. 

 One of my first tasks was to sign the certificates, now normally we would be talking 25-30 a day.....when I arrived at the venue I had over 600 to sign......thankfully I had to do it over 3 days.  Each seminar would have an average of 200 people, this was going to be a road trip from Villnius to Klaipeda and back again.


Working with Domas and  Viktoras Lygnugaris  from Vitrina - www.vitrinaprof.it, a family run distribution for nails, hair and beauty products.  Their team couldn't be more welcoming and friendly.  


Now one of my musts on any trip is to try the local foods, and one of the best dishes...and I say one, because there was a number of delicious meals to choose from, was the sauerkraut soup in a rye bread bowel.....just perfect after a day of seminaring. 



Coming home with some super strength honey mead, enough to blow your head off...a great ingredient for a hot toddy.  Along with some amazing cheese, and some great history information, I didn't realise just how rich the Lithuanian history was....worth a return visit with the family. 


 I love these trips, they are enlightening and a lesson.  I had never spoken in front of such large crowds before not to mention 6 hours of it. But you know what I loved it...and looking forward to next time.....getting out of your comfort zone is hard...but well worth it. 

It is interesting ......I promise

My beautiful Interpreter