Getting Ready

The countdown begins!  Glitter and Gratitude's By Hand, For Hands launches in ONE MONTH on 14 September!

I've done a lot of work and research and have figured out the best way to work things for me, my schedule, and Mia's schedule!

There will be one massive restock of all the core products the middle of each month with smaller restocks of limited edition (bespoke) or 'test' products listed randomly.  If a test product does well, I'll probably move it into my core line!  Each core product will have an amazing Hindi based name so that you can identify them and be assured they'll always be around.  

I hadn't planned on making cp soaps part of my shop, but I've really love formulating them and will try my best to have a collection of them available each month! 

Right now it's looking like I will launch with:

• a selection of 5-6 cold process soaps
• three core hand creams
• three limited edition hand creams
• two whipped butters
• three core balms
• two different hair conditioners
• body spray
• three core bath products
• one core eye serum
• and three other surprise limited edition products

Happy World Yoga Day!

I'm a yogi!  I practice twice a day, without fail, morning and evening.  It's my exercise, my calm, and more and more my center.  Through yoga I've been able to find more of myself in the calm and in the practice and it's directly responsible for the new direction I'm aiming myself in life.

Glitter and Gratitude is that direction.  To life with purpose and to be present, to always give kindness (glitter) and to be thankful (gratitude).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday hailed the first International Yoga Day as a "new era of peace", moments before he surprised thousands in New Delhi by taking to a mat himself to celebrate the ancient Indian practice.
Yoga-loving Modi led more than 35,000 people, including bureaucrats, students and soldiers, performing poses such as the half camel and cobra in a 35-minute mass outdoor yoga session beginning at 7:00 am (0130 GMT) on a New Delhi boulevard.
 "Yoga is more than only physical fitness. We are not only celebrating a day but we are training the human mind to begin a new era of peace," Modi told the crowd at Rajpath avenue. He thanked the United Nations and the 177 co-sponsoring countries for adopting his idea for a world Yoga Day.
"This is a programme for human welfare, a tension-free world and a programme to spread the message of love, peace and goodwill," said the premier, wearing a crisp white outfit with a national tricolour scarf.

Modi then surprised the crowds by leaving the stage, removing his glasses, and securing a spot at the front of the massive session to mirror the stretches, breathing, and meditative moves beamed on giant screens along the historic avenue.

~from the AFP

The Logo!

Here it is, what is *probably* the final verion of the logo for Glitter and Gratitude.

I went through several similar versions.  It started with two Gs (one for glitter and one for gratitude) and sort of went from there.  I had to take into consideration how the results would cut out in vinyl, since the logo will be on bottles and jars.  Everything looked nice, but nothing felt right.  That is, until I literally drew it myself.  It's not perfect, but it's exactly right.

The G is tilted some to look like an elephant's massive ear and the tail of the letter turns into a trunk, symbolizing Ganesh, the 'remover of obstacles'.  He's a fitting symbol for my endeavor which I hope to focus on wellness inside and out.

It will be a little while yet until I can get things up and running, I'm working on some certifications and some classes as well as an apprenticeship with a local herbalist.  I'm so excited to show you what's coming, so please check back often and follow me on IG @giavolpe.

The Glitter Mafia

It started as sort of a joke.  Then the idea planted itself and although this year has brought about new challenges for me, I knew I wanted to dedicate myself to the concept.

With glitter and gratitude I am proud to announce that the first wave of Glitter Mafia boxes went out this week.

The Glitter Mafia is my personal mission to spread kindness.  To send smiles.  To encourage the same sense of gratitude I feel everyday in others.  In the box is a little kit, so to speak.  There's a Custom Apple, a pink and silvery glitter bomb as well as a couple other goodies.

When someone wears the glitter and sees the flashes of it on their fingertips I hope it serves as a small reminder to pay to pay it forward.  If the remembrance of the gift makes you smile, give a smile to someone else.

As time goes on and I'm able, I'll send more boxes to more friends.

Friday Favourites

I think I'm the worst blogger ever.  I have a list of posts I want to write and tutorials to create and this is only my second post this week... what am I doing with my time?!

This week only have one favourite, but I think it's a big one.

Candied Apple Polish

I placed an order for some customs as well as some polishes for my upcoming giveaway and when the box arrived, tucked inside was a special surprise!

This is Grata, the polish of #gratitude itself and a very thoughtful birthday gift!  It's so unique and I have to admit it had me crying as I opened it!  Wait till you see it on!

I've posted about CAP before, back last year on my old blog, but it's been migrated over.  You can read all about it: here.

I really love the style of CAP polishes.  They're very well thought out and full of a myriad of different glitter shapes and sizes and even the most complex colour arrangements look beautiful.  I've placed dozens of orders and have dozens of both Mystery Apples and Custom Apples and even using the same polish over you never quite get the same thing, which makes them, IMO, a good investment!  

This isn't even all of them, this rack is now full and overflowing onto a shelf.  Am I done collecting?  No.  As long as Alison makes polishes, I'll keep supporting her and creating amazing manis!

Above is my Audrey Hepburn series, Ann (from Roman Holiday), Holly (from Breakfast at Tiffany's) and the eponymous Sabrina!  I do hope to have more created but right now she's closed to taking custom orders in preparation for a move.

I had a chat with Alison the other day and I asked her a couple of questions about some specific polishes and she gave me some great insight into her process and as always, I was impressed at her integrity!

What are you grateful for this week?

Friday Favourites

This week I'm starting a new series, something to get me on a schedule! 

This week's favourites are: 

Sunny's On The Go Hand Lotion 

It's no secret Sunny's are my go-to nail and hand care products. This month she came out with a few new goodie to add to her line up, one of which being this On The Go lotion, a thinner formula in a tube for easy use. It's a great formula, absorbs very quickly without leaving a greasy mess or a film and really softens and moisturizes. I tend to be pretty sensitive to weird things in lotions so this simple formula is a God send.

The Mystery Polished Ladies

I discovered this little group on Instagram and knew I wanted to join in the fun!  It's a circle of polish enthusiasts who, every few months, sign up to send a 'mystery' box of goodies to another member. Each member fills out a little questionnaire, but the real fun comes in stalking the lady you're spoiling's IG page for things she likes, wants, might never have heard of in order to put together an amazing surprise for them!  I'm on my second round with them and am also a mentor and it's been so much fun.

China Glaze

From what I understand, China Glaze is a really popular and rather easy to get, inexpensive polish line!  Problem is, it's not available here in Italia and so every time I see swatches my little heart beats harder and faster!  Thanks to both Steph and Jackie I now have an AMAZING little collection of gorgeous shades to play with!

On Gratitude

I am so thankful and often overwhelmed by the community, support, and love shown by everyone I've come to know over the last few months... nearly a year since I've been nail art blogging.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to everyone.

Be Present

Ganesh, a custom Candied Apple Polish.

This year, my goal is to be present.

What does it mean to 'be present'?

To me it simply means to enjoy today.  To not live in the future, to constantly be looking forward, but to look at right now.

It means wearing the fancy undies you always save for an 'occasion'.  It means wearing the red lipstick you bought for 'when you're brave enough'.  Put it on, right now, even if you're just sitting an watching Netflix.  Why?  Because you are worth it, right now.

It means not wishing you were thinner/prettier/whatever.  It means accepting who you are NOW in order to be happy and in order to facilitate the change.

It means letting go of all the things you cannot change and all the things you cannot control.  That's a big thing.  That's anxiety, and I recognize that's hard to manage.  But I also believe in Nirvana which is liberation and freedom and letting go to let be.

This year I am going to start witnessing my life, in actually living it.