Stuff's Best of 2012 in Review

Happy New Year! I know it's a new year, but yeah, I said it -- it's a "best of" post.  Getting sick put me behind on what I wanted to do not just in terms of my Christmas posts, but also with something like this.

Here are some of my favorite polishes I blogged in 2012. (I say this because I wore a lot of polishes I loved, but didn't blog due to time constraints.)

Ready, bbs?

The end of January saw another stash swap with my favorite new mama, Courtney. This polish was my absolute favorite of the three I tried this time around -- I eventually bought a bottle of my own after the stash swap because I loved it so much!

China Glaze Swing, Baby

I also did a stash swap with Jacqui. Thanks, girl!

Illamasqua Load

Essie Bonded

OPI Baby It's Coal Outside

Jacqui and I began Fug Friday. We'll try to get this going again soon!

StrangeBeautiful's unnamed cheap foundation color

Anna started a blog and now I have a wonderful partner to blog nude polishes with once a month! (Skinny Dipping is scheduled to return on Jan. 21.) Here are two of my favorites so far:

Rescue Beauty Lounge Grunge

Essie Case Study

I'm super thankful to have some fantastic nail blogger friends who filled in for me by writing some guest posts while I was in the motherland this May -- some even were guest posting for the first time. Thank you again, ladies! If you ever need someone to write a guest post for your blogs, I'm happy to return the favor. <3>

Nerd Lacquer Masonic -- L. @ Adventures of a Mad Scientist
Essie She's Picture Perfect -- Anna @ Business Lady Polish

Six China Glaze Babes in Toeland polishes -- Janice, soon to be @ I'm Just Here for the Polish

China Glaze Dorothy Who? -- Madeline @ The Quest for the Holy Nail

Dollish Polish Cold Winds are Rising -- Noelie @ Noelie's Nails

Three Aussie Purples -- Kristy @ The Polish Haven

Nfu-Oh 65 -- Grace @ Lacquer & Lattes

OPI Mermaid's Tears layering fun -- Tara @ Tara Loves Colors

butter LONDON No More Waity, Katie -- Chelsea @ Nailed: A Nail Polish Blog

Hard Candy Pulp -- Jacqui @ The Scholarly Nail

I found my HG Zoya top coat, Cult Nails Wicked Fast. Here it is over some great Zoya polishes.

Zoya Kristen

Zoya Midori

Zoya Paz

I realized having the right glitter polishes made layering really fun ...

Essie Sure Shot + Lynnderella The Glittering Crowd

... that not all duochromes were completely out of my wheelhouse ...

Nicole by OPI Mer-maid for Each Other

... and I found a blackened vampy I couldn't get enough of.

BB Couture Sloth

My copper/bronze metallic obsession really peaked in 2012.

OPI Warm & Fozzie

China Glaze Harvest Moon and FingerPaints Fall of Surprises

Glass flecks continued to make my heart (and wallet) stop.

Nicole by OPI Nothing Kim-pares to Blue

China Glaze Riveting

butter LONDON Scouse

OPI You Only Live Twice

My love affair with bright red cremes also showed no sign of stopping last year:

 China Glaze Hey Sailor


Rescue Beauty Lounge Chinoise


Nicole by OPI Kourt is Red-y for a Pedi

And you know it wouldn't be my blog if I didn't try to sneak a pop culture tie-in into every other post. My favorite mani from my unofficial TV week in October was my "Bitchin' Kitchen"-inspired skittle look ...

Thumb to pinky: MAC Obey Me, Orly Beach Cruiser, Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Cherry, Cherry, Bang, Bang!, Zoya Malia, and China Glaze First Mate

I can't pick a favorite, so I'm just going to go ahead and link you to the most effort I've ever put into a post, but it was completely worth it. At the beginning of October, elbee and I collaborated to present

Horatio Hornblower Appreciation Day

elbee's post: "Frogs & Lobsters" nail art

my post: "The Even Chance" episode pre-cap and swatches

I'm not going to include my Christmas movie and polish posts because I just finished them and I'm a little tired of looking at them right now. They were a LOT of fun, although I did get sick. :/ I do hope you check some of those movies out! Even if you end up not liking them, at least you can say you've seen them, and who knows ... they might come in handy on your next trivia night. ;)

BUT! All of this, and three giveaways -- I'd say 2012 was quite a year for Stuff! Here's hoping 2013 brings just as much fun and excitement, and better photography skills. Thank you for reading my blog! And thank you to all my nail blogger friends for talking everything from the latest collections, nail polish dramz, your pets and pop culture with me. Y'all rock so hard.


P.S. If you're wondering what my absolute favorite movie was last year or what my favorite nail art was ... look no further. OF COURSE THIS IS MY FAVORITE. Fuck you, science!