Afternoon Tea
Tea time is me time, and I've been having a lot of it.
Afternoon tea is a newly found pleasure for me. I love the little cups, I love the smell and taste of new exciting teas, and I love feeling fresh and fancy. There's definitely a part of it that just keeps your hands and taste buds busy, but also a time for being mindful.
Whenever you go to a tea room you are seated at a beautiful table with nice, shiny things everywhere. You wear nice clothes, you talk with your friends about nice things and you're served with delicate tableware. Not to mention the "tablescaping" which I could get into on a whole other thing about that. Fresh flowers and an arranged, moody table really does something to me.
As you're having your afternoon or any time of day tea, it is customary to have other things along with it. When I say customary I mean in the UK where it started, they have this ritual for special occasions. But I think some people choose to have this tea ritual whenever they feel like having it. Anyway, it is customary to bust out the nicest tableware, the flowers, and the finger foods to go along with your tea. This usually consists of cakes and small sandwiches with the crusts cut off.
This is an atmosphere we're creating to enjoy life a little bit more. Once I realized that I wanted this in my everyday life, I set up a tea table and I started collecting the things I needed to enjoy my time at the table, ambient YouTube music included. How nice it's been to explore interesting teas, play a board game, and enjoy someone's company while collecting a tea set and feeling all kinds of sensory fun on an average day.
So my recommendation is to explore what sensory pleasures you can draw from a simple activity such as afternoon tea with a friend or even on your own. If you really aren't sure about it yet then 100% go and check out a tea room and don't forget to invite me.
Press-On Nails
How about some fresh nails to go with that tea?
How expensive does it have to be to get your nails done on the regular basis?
I never felt the need to have acrylic nails all the time, plus I always felt that they got in the way. But recently I've had a change of heart and I really enjoy the idea of having that extra bling on my fingers. But at what cost?!
The last time I wanted to try something crazy I bought a false nose ring and wore it around to see if I liked it. This urge to have long, blingy nails is no different. So I went to my favorite store, the Dollar General and found some really cute press-on nails. They offer really nice looking press-ons these days especially on Amazon. My daughter likes to wear them too, but then I remembered how quickly they pop off when she wears them. I thought that there had to be ways to extend the life of your press-ons so I got on the internet and found something that is currently changing my life.
The press-on nail Tik Tok hack. So, normally if you're doing a press-on you just need to prep your nails right. You scrub, file, and cleanse with an alcohol pad before applying nail glue and a nail. These preparations will provide you with a longer lasting press-on nail, which may be enough to last a week or so. Which is fine, but the durability factor probably would not withstand a lot of common chores and accidents. What I found on TikTok though, is this additional step to ensure professional sticking quality even if you're rough with them.
You Need:
Super glue from Dollar Tree (super strong)
Any press-on nail that fits your nail bed
Acrylic nail powder
Nail file to file the shiny layer off the tops of your nails along with alcohol pad for the preparation of the nail.
If you aren't sure what acrylic nail powder is, it is the powder that is used to mix with a chemical when creating acrylic nail sets. You can buy an acrylic nail kit for cheap at Walmart. But all you need is the powder.
In the TikTok hack you just prep your nail (super important) then you put the glue onto the press on nail and then dip the glued nail into the powder. Apply a little glue to your fingernail then place the press-on nail onto your fingernail and hold for a few seconds. That's it. That thing will be stuck on there just like an acrylic nail. Here's a link to the TikTok video: https://www.tiktok.com/@jjjells/video/7086194881235815722?_r=1&_t=8fGCscT032I
Here's what mine look like
I got these nails for a few bucks at the DG and they aren't going anywhere. They feel very strong. I was actually unsure how to get them off. But if you file it off or soak it in nail polish remover then they can be removed.
The only thing that has happened so far is that I broke one end off of my nail when wrestling with an extra tight pair of pants. But the good part is that it broke down past my fingernail not splitting my actual nail like an acrylic set would do. This is because the plastic press-on nail is weaker than an acrylic nail. If you'd like to improve its strength, just add some clear coats of gel polish and stick it under a UV light. That's what I did and I think that helped.
I'll be trying other methods of nail art as well. Such as gel tips, actual acrylic sets, and whatever else I find. But I'll be doing it all myself at home. Because it's probably 80% cheaper than paying a nail tech.
These plastic nails will serve the purpose I need them for and it's so far so good. And now I can get creative and make them as crazy as I like. I also don't have to make small talk with the nail lady aggressively attacking my cuticles, although that lady is nice.
Thanks for Reading
I didn't have a movie recommendation this time because I've been listening to just so much ambient music on YouTube. There are even ambient videos of people doing things that I am really into. Like a lady cooking in an 1800's kitchen check out the channel Early American for that.
Or a fabulous English gentlemen named Nicolas Fairford who teaches you how to have a proper afternoon tea and I'm completely hypnotized by him. Here's a link:
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