Thursday, March 8, 2012

hands

the moon in her hands

I've just spent an hour watching videos on vimeo and clicking around the blog block. I keep noticing hands, beautiful hands. And, all the hands I love have gorgeous nails. Just beautiful. Look at the hands here. And here.

My own hands are long and with nicely shaped fingers, but my nails are never beautiful. What about yours? Do you paint your nails? Are you able to keep them gorgeous? If yes, what is your tool of choice? Do you have a secret weapon?

I took the above photograph at the Crystal Bridges museum last month.

26 comments:

Debbie said...

Ah my hands. They look just like my mother's hands! I love nail polish but I never wear it anymore because one chip on one nail sends me to the bathroom to redo all ten nails. And in the summer when I spend a lot of time with my hands in the dirt in the garden it is just better to keep the nails short and clean.

Tracy said...

LOVELY hands...*swoon*... My hands look like my grandmother's. I keep the nails short, as long ones just get in my way. I love polish, but never wear it and haven't for years--mostly due to the very un-eco-friendly factor of most polishes & removers. There are eco-friendly ones, but I can't get them locally, so don't bother anymore...LOL! But I do try to keep my hands pretty. During dry, cold winter, I sometimes rub in a couple drops of extra virgin olive oil into my hands for extra moisturizing--sit and watch a movie, massage the oil into the hands and cuticles and sit a while until it soaks in...a drop of lavender oil in with it, lovely... Happy Weekend, my friend ((HUGS))

Angie Muresan said...

What is it about hands? My mom and my grandmothers had the most wonderful ones. But I believe it was the feel of them rather than the look.
My hands and fingers are nice enough, but I wish I had beautiful fingernails. I don't have time to take proper care of them, though, so I keep them short and clean.

Amy said...

My hands don't get the most attention. Curel hand therapy keeps them soft. And since I haven't the patience to paint my nails an actual color, Sally Hansen Maximum growth gives them a hint of shine--AND helps keep them strong.

beth said...

oh my poor hands :(

i used to have great hands, french manicures on my fake nails and they looked like a million bucks....but now....well they look dry and a bit old.

come summer i'll love them more then i do now...winter seems to just ruin my hands and my nails :(

xoxo

Mac n' Janet said...

I have been a serious nail biter all my life, I've tried to stop, it's harder than quitting smoking was.

Anonymous said...

My hands are slender, but beginning to look old-- like my mother's hands. It is a bit disconcerting, to say the least. Not sure that I like this development in my life.

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

-chuckle- Are my nails lovely? Nope! I got in the habit of cutting them off, just as *tight* as can be. That makes for a neat look, but not a pretty look.

To have pretty nails, I think they need to be nicely shaped, with a pretty curve.

But I can't let mine grow that *long.* I start to *feel* them. -grin- And off they go, again.

"Nature goes her own way, and all that to us seems an exception is really according to order."
~Goethe

HKatz said...

I generally don't paint my nails. Right now my main concern about my hands is that they get regular applications of moisturizer, because in winter the knuckles crack in the dry air.

I love that image of the hands by the way. Beautiful.

Marilyn Miller said...

Impressive photo. If I put polish on my nails on my hands it is clear, as I don't want people looking at my hands. I use to have nice looking hands when I was young, but now they are very crooked with arthritis. Now my toes still look good, so during sandal months I have RED on them. Love it.

Anita said...

My mother had beautiful hands even though she worked as a waitress for over 20 years. I am not so fortunate and have fought my nail-biting habit for years. I've quit several times and grew out my nails (I was so proud!). I'm doing better, no nail color, just Burt's Bees hand cream and a cuticle pusher, which I love.

Sandy K. said...

My hands are square and useful, not very attractive. I will paint my nails occasionally, to cover the aging lines and waves. When I was a young girl I bit my nails, and would run water over my fingers, letting the drips act like long nails:). Wishing. Now I keep them short and practical - lots of computer time and the clicking drives me crazy:):)

Anonymous said...

What an interesting topic. I remember hating my hands as a teenager, they were so wide and seemed so big on the ends of my arms. Then there was one day in my 20s when I looked down and saw that my mother's hands were on the ends of my arms! Now I really like my hands, and think they look nice (if a bit wrinkly) and most of all I appreciate that they can DO so much and hardly ever feel arthritic! I try and massage my fingers when I remember.

I grew up playing the violin so always kept my nails short and to this day I keep them very short. Gave up on nail varnish very many years ago but I did buff them a lot in my 20s and that is really good for them.

Also, the ridges on my thumbs are a good indicator of my stress level!

Sending you a hug, Relyn!

Jeanne said...

Life is slippery take my hand.
Love and hugs love your postings and you
Love Jeanne♥

Sally Wessely said...

I've mostly taken care of my nails because I love to have a manicured hand. I do have my manicured professionally these days. I sometimes think my nails were healthier when I did them myself. I try to make sure I keep them moisturized. I think that helps the natural nails stay strong.

Unknown said...

Hands are the first thing I notice about people. Michael Gambon...now there are a pair of beautiful male hands. Mine are my mother's...everytime I look at my hands I see hers. Certainly not beautiful, but always appreciated...as I like to say, my hands are the tools of my heart's content.

Jennifer Richardson said...

I notice hands, too.
An entire life wrapped up
in a body part.
I have strong hands....they look
well used and as if they've made
a contribution
and I like that.
Usually speckled with paint
or ink
or soil.
But they're not manicured.
I save that for my toes
which generally just come along
for the ride.
I always wanted delicate, willowy
looking hands,
but mine have served me well.
Happy Sunday to you, dear Relyn:)
-Jennifer

Mrs. E said...

I'm all about hands, too. It is one of the things I miss the most about my mom. When teenage hands are at my desk asking for help on something, I find myself memorizing what their hands look like. Weird habit!

Me? I'm a nail biter. I wear acrylics so that I won't bite them. I get lots of comments on how pretty my nails are. I keep them short and rounded so many people think they are my real nails. I have to fake having good nails. It beats bloody stumps!

Unknown said...

So funny I should come here to say thank you for your lovely comments on 'Snippets' and you mention Vimeo. I just learned this weekend how to film a video from my camera and I JUST uploaded it to Vimeo. What a learning curve for technically challenged me!

rachel awes said...

hi dear dear lovely relyn,
oh, the topic of hands!
i tend to keep my nails shorter
+ paint my toes in summer + only sometimes my hands (because the color comes off so quickly!).
in my 20s i was a hand model for a brief time, on the side, but it was too stressful to fit in jobs w/my main job...(a fascinating whole little world out there!).
sending BIG love to your hands!
xoxox

Kirsten Steen said...

I wish mine looked like my mother's! Hers were long and beautifully narrow with long, rounded nails. My nails are short and squat. Of course, I am a massage therapist so I have to keep them short but even when they grow out, they grow square. My father's nails.
Thank you for your visits! And enjoy your week!
xoxo,
Kirsten

Gayle at Planet M Files said...

I have my mom's hands. They are not beautiful hands but I love that they remind me of her. I keep my finger nails short and haven't polished them in many years. I do polish my toenails, though!

Unknown said...

I was so much better about keeping my nails done in LA since you're always out and about, and now that I'm working at home and commuting a lot there seems to be less and less time--but my new polish I have to say lasts a good 2 weeks, so that helps.

xo Mary Jo

susanna said...

Ooh these are both good videos. The girls in the first video are so pretty - I like that tattoo that goes down the dark-haired girl's arm. And I may have to try out that rag curl technique. And maybe the braid technique on my sister who has longer hair. Thank you for the links, Relyn.

Oh, and regarding nails... I like the look of dark nail polish on short nails. I find, though, that it never lasts long on my fingernails as I like to get my hands into paint, plaster, any art supply. BUT I have high hopes for polished toenails this summer!

Gigi Thibodeau said...

Clearly this is a great topic, Relyn! I've loved reading everyone's comments.

I inherited my father's short, French peasant hands. They're not pretty, but I don't mind one bit because they remind me of him, and of his father, every time I look at them. I love to wear rings, always white gold or silver, and I try to take good care of my skin, always moisturizing with my favorite lotions and oils from Aveda, Neal's Yard, or Lush. I've never been one to get manicures, but I do love to paint my nails about once a month for a special night out or just because. Usually I go with a neutral color, but this month I've done a dark red that I adore! And once the weather is warm, I always, always paint my toes! I have cute feet (I guess the benefit of having short hands is you get cute, little size 6 feet) and I like to show them off! :) They are the part of my body I like best.

You always post about such great stuff! xo

Jeanie said...

My nails are awful, I bite my thumbs. SOmetimes I care. Mostly, I don't. till I see someone who looks amazing!

Oldies, but Goodies