ONE YEAR BLOGIVERSARY! China Glaze Glitz 'n Pieces...and other surprises!

Good evening ladies and gentlemen, long time no see! I'm RIDICULOUSLY sorry to be posting so late, and so infrequently. I just simply run out of time to post amongst everything else going on with internship and the time I'm away from home (I leave my house at 6:30 in the morning and often don't get home until 7 at night or later...).

BUT I have some fantastic things for you all tonight! First of all, tomorrow, March 1, 2013 (or today depending on when you're reading this!) is my ONE YEAR BLOGIVERSARY! I can't believe I've been blogging for a whole year already! I remember clearly my first post (which is really funny to go back to) was done when I had a snow day at the school I work at, and I tried a water marble for the first time.

Since that first post, my polish collection has doubled, or possibly tripled. I'm close to the 300 mark on polishes, which may not seem like a lot but probably more than anyone I know has. (Except maybe one of my friends, she knows who she is!) I feel like I'm getting a good routine down with my pictures, I'm getting bolder in my polish purchases, and overall learning much more about formula, color combinations, polishing technique, brands/types of polishes, and even certain nail art techniques (though nail art is still not a strength of mine).

And NONE of that would have happened if I didn't have sweet readers like YOU GUYS, who have followed my Facebook page and read my blog posts over time. While my numbers are still small, that is my own doing: I am not active enough for my readers, my pictures always seemed mediocre, and my nail care was never amazing. But those that have still followed what I post: THANK YOU SO MUCH, YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING!!! Also, following other bloggers has helped me hone in on what I should be doing. For example, The Polish-Aholic did a post on taking and editing pics, and it helped tremendously!

This evening is probably some of my best pictures I've done, but this polish is probably one of my new favorites. Being that I'm Sparkle and Shine, this polish certainly fits the bill! I have China Glaze Glitz 'n Pieces over OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls (perfect barely-off-white for layering!). Glitz 'n Pieces is from the new Glitz Bitz 'n Pieces collection (I'm not 100% sure I have that name right), which are 6 similar glitters. This one has small and medium silver hex glitter, medium and large black hex glitter, and black bar glitter (which doesn't come across hairy at all in this combination). The other colors in the collection have the same black "pieces" with different colors of glitters or "Glitz" I know putting this one over a white wasn't the most creative combination, but it's neutral enough for matching outfits at work, and I've gotten TONS of compliments from co-workers and my high school students! 

You'll have to pardon the rough cuticles and booboo on the ring finger, it's been a rough winter, but I found a six-pack of OPI Avojuice lotions on clearance at Ulta the other day, so I'm trying to stay lotioned as much as possible!

Sooooooo,do you like Glitz ' Pieces? Want your own bottle? Wellllllll, for my one-year blogiversary, I'm going to give one lucky winner three of the colors from the Glitz 'n Pieces collection that they want! From a blog called Sparkle and Shine Nails, it was only necessary! Just a few ground rules:

1.) Please follow the Rafflecoptor instructions for entry (they aren't very demanding :-D) Giveaway runs until March 17, 2013 at midnight EST (St. Patrick's Day!). Winner will be announced Monday evening on Facebook and e-mailed. They will then have 48 hours to respond, or a new winner will be chosen.
2.) Please only US Residents for this one :-( My goal was to have international shipping figured out by the time this came around, but alas I cannot (someday ladies!)
3.) Please remember this giveaway is IN NO WAY AFFILIATED WITH FACEBOOK.
4.) Have fun, thanks for supporting me for the past year, and good luck! Feel free to e-mail me with any questions at sparkleandshinenailz@gmail.com

Peace!
-Jessica (Sparkle and Shine Nails)
a Rafflecopter giveaway