Category: cc by

Making Nonmedical MasksBecause I’m in the front lines just now,…



Making Nonmedical Masks

Because I’m in the front lines just now, I’ve thought about masks a lot, and believe they are essential.  But I’m a maker, not a seamstress, so I’ve been learning as I go, redesigning and trying this and that so I can mass produce a big pile of masks to donate to people who need them. 

One thing is finding the right fabric patterns.  I loved this cat fabric, but wasn’t sure if it would make good masks, so I only picked up a half metre.  And when I went back it was gone.  Oh well.  

Shiny A couple of times a year I suddenly start having trouble…


My adventures in nail art...


Best efforts begin with a strong base coat, + 2 colour coats then a top coat,


I started this because I've been having trouble with hangnails and fragile nails


The polish


Holographic nails in sunlight


Starlight


Getting fancy with star stickers... and an Incredimom banana sticker :)


It's important to apply stickers to wet nail polish or this can happen.


Suncoat Plant-based Nail Polish Remover makes it all possible

Shiny 

A couple of times a year I suddenly start having trouble with hangnails.  My hands will be fine one day, but within a week every finger will develop hangnails. Some time later they’ll all be fine again.   I’ve asked doctors and friends about it, so I’ve been trying out various vitamin combos and eating biotin like candy.  (To be fair, it *is* gummy biotin.) 

Right now I have a particularly fragile middle fingernail that shattered where the nail plate meets the distal edge of the nail. It has been in and out of bandaids for weeks and I keep hoping it will grow out.  But I keep reinjuring it.  So I started using some clear nail polish to strengthen and protect it. 

I had stopped using nail polish years ago because one of the chemical sensitivities I developed was to nail polish remover. 

When my nail diva sister-in-law discovered my problem, she sent me a nail art care package… complete with vegan nail polish remover that doesn’t make me sick.  Yay! 

My first foray into nails with distinction worked a treat.  I hand painted a sunflower with gold acrylic paint on holographic black polish, making my shattered nail feel strong, and looked distinctively awesome to boot.

So I got cocky.  My next go round I applied stickers, including a Mrs Incredible sticker off a banana. Unfortunately relying on the sticker adhesive was not adequate.  Even with atop coat of extreme nail polish, they peeled off.  

I’ll do better next time.  (Just now I’m taking a break, and sticking with plain polish as I’ve many things I’ll need active hands for over the next few days.