Stay Ready Studio - Nail Professional

Make an Appointment at Stay Ready Studio

 In a previous blog post, Entrepreneurial vs Consumer Mentalities, we spoke of the great need in the United States for the creation of new small businesses as an imperative part of a sustainable economy. The Stay Ready Studio in Houston, Texas is an excellent example.  A few years ago Cynthia "ccain68", dissatisfied with the quality of products and service she was receiving from some local nail salons, decided to learn to do her own acrylic nails. Her experimental nail videos were a welcome addition to her  already popular YouTube montage of hauls, friend tags, cosmetic reviews, weight loss tips, rants, rambles and "Look Good Fridays". Taking the popular concept of, "Stay ready so you don't have to get ready," and combining it with her her previously untapped talent for nail artistry, Cynthia opened the Stay Ready Studio at the end of 2014.

On YouTube we followed her to manicurist school, cheering her on through the year as she completed 600 hours of class in preparation for the Texas  Board of Cosmetology exams (under the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation [TDLR]).  In one video "The Truth Behind the Nail Industry" she gives us some insight into the experiences she had during the written and practical exams. In another video, "How to Prepare for Manicurist School" - Cynthia explains that to prepare for the state board exam, going to an accredited nail technician school is required in order learn proper sanitation methods, safety measures, nail anatomy, bacteriology, skin diseases & infections, legal issues and professional practices.  To develop the artistic and creative side of the business however, it is absolutely necessary to do independent study and practice on one's own time. One must, for example, keep up with the current trends, learn to create a variety of nail shapes, apply glitter, adhesions, inlays, enamel designs, create 3-D acrylic sculptures and more. It takes hours of practice to perfect any application. One of the most requested nail shapes right now is the almond-shaped stiletto, which happens to be Cynthia's specialty. Properly shaping a square acrylic tip into a stiletto is one of the most difficult and time-consuming processes in nail design. Consider also that all ten nails need to match. Cynthia's drive and passion for her art propel her to continuously create new and unique designs for each and every customer. When in Houston do not miss your opportunity - get one-of-a-kind made-to-order nails by Cynthia!

Stay Ready Studio Houston, Texas - USA
To book an appointment:  https://stayreadynailsstudio.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php
See more of Cynthia's art on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/stayreadynailsstudio/

PetitPoix has received no payment or compensation of any kind from Stay Ready Studio.

All Participants Win in the Petit Poix Contest!

Tommy Sotomayor Durag &
Transformable Tailored Pet Coat
Patterns available on  Etsy or Craftsy.

Take this opportunity to win publicity for your website, blog, online shop, YouTube channel, charitable cause or other website of your choosing. All participants in the Durag/Hat contest and the Tailored Pet Coat contest will have their entries published in our contest gallery and linked to the URL of your choice.  This could be your website, online shop, blog, YouTube channel, charitable association or any other URL.

1.  Random Drawing 
Rules. No purchase necessary.  For each download from petitpoix.etsy.com or PetitPoix's Pattern Store on Craftsy.com between January 1, 2015 and May 31st, 2015 a chance will automatically be entered into the random drawing. (Disclosure: Craftsy is compensating PetitPoix for some of the business generated by this blog. i.e new subscribers or enrollment in craftsy.com online craft classes. You may alternatively enter the random drawing by writing to petitpoix@gmail.com with your name, street address, phone number and email address. Put "PetitPoix Random Drawing" in the subject line. Within the email you must include two complete sentences. One sentence should be your brief opinion of controversial public figure Tommy Sotomayor. The other sentence should be brief opinion of the PetitPoix blog.)

The winner of the random drawing will receive:  

Choice of a either a Visa Gift Card or a paypal credit for USA $30.

2.   Durag or Hat contest 

Rules (Winner and Runner Up prizes)
Create a hat or durag using the Tommy Sotomayor Designer Durag pattern available on Etsy or Craftsy. Send up to 5 pictures of your creation shown from various angles for judging.  Please email them to petitpoix@gmail.com and include your full name, email, phone number and full address, city, state and country where you live. All entries will be uploaded to our contest gallery within 24 hours of the contest deadline  which is May 31, 2015. (Entries will not be uploaded before that date to avoid copying between participants.) Winners will be notified by email by June 14th, 2015 and posted on this blog. If you would like your entry linked to another website - such as your online shop or blog - please provide the correct url address along with your entry. The entries will be judged 50% on originality, 25% on pattern transformation and 25% on photography.  Since we will only be judging from photographs, your sewing skills (or lack thereof) will not affect the final score. Your email and phone number will not be used for future purposes nor shared with any other entity. See the video tutorial for how to use the pattern.

The winner of the Durag or Hat Contest will receive:

1. A phone call with Tommy Sotomayor himself during his live show "Your World, My Views" where he will introduce you as the winner of the competition and shout out your online shop, blog, YouTube channel, charitable cause or any other cause of your choosing.   The live broadcast runs three times weekly and maintains a very large and loyal following. 
2. A free 250x300 banner link placed in a prominent location on petitpoix.blogspot.com and linked to the website of your choice for six months.
3. A blog post on petitpoix.blogspot.com, also with direct links, about your online shop, blog, YouTube channel, charitable cause,  or any other url of your choosing. This post will be reviewed and approved by you prior to publication.

The runner up will receive:

A free 250 x 300 banner link in a middle spot on petitpoix.blogspot.com for 6 months.  For example this could be a linked to your online shop, your YouTube channel or your personal blog.

3. Transformable Tailored Pet Coat Contest 

 Rules (Winner and Runner Up prizes)
Create a tailored pet coat any size using the PetitPoix Transformable Tailored Pet Coat Pattern available on Etsy or Craftsy. Send up to 5 pictures of your creation shown from various angles for judging.  Please email them to petitpoix@gmail.com and include your full name, email, phone number and the name of the city, state and country where you live. All entries will be uploaded to our contest gallery within 24 hours of the contest deadline  which is May 31, 2015. (Entries will not be uploaded before that date to avoid copying between participants.) If you would like your entry linked to another website - such as your online shop or blog - please provide the correct url address along with your entry as well. The entries will be judged 50% on originality, 25% on pattern transformation and 25% on photography.  Since we will only be judging from photographs, your sewing skills (or lack thereof) will not affect the final score. Your email and phone number will not be used for future purposes nor shared with any other entity.

Watch the video tutorial for how to transform the tailored Pet Coat pattern

The winner of the Tailored Pet Coat Contest will receive:

1. A free 250x300 banner link placed in a prominent location on petitpoix.blogspot.com and linked to the website of your choice for six months.
2. A blog post on petitpoix.blogspot.com, also with direct links, about your online shop, blog, YouTube channel, charitable cause,  or any other url of your choosing. This post will be reviewed and approved by you prior to publication.
3. A two minute YouTube video by PetitPoix shouting out your online shop, blog, YouTube channel, charitable cause, etc. 

The runner up will receive:

A free 250 x 300 banner link in a middle spot on petitpoix blog for 6 months.  For example this could be a linked to your online shop, your YouTube channel or your personal blog.

Note:  You may enter both contests, but only once in each.

Deadline:  Midnight (USA Eastern time) May 31, 2015.

The Things we Take for Granted

Are Women the Answer to Ending Poverty in Africa?

There is a very simple item that you can sew that will help women in third world countries complete their education. Without education women are much more vulnerable to abuse, rape, early-age maternity and poverty.  In the United States, there are many things we take for granted such as the right to go to school. In some parts of Africa however, gender barriers to education are very prevalent. While there are various complex sociopolitical, cultural and religious reasons for this, in many cases teenage girls in Africa drop out of school simply because they have reached adolescence and do not have access to disposable pads during their monthly cycle. See the Little Dresses for Africa website for more information on how you can sew to help these girls.

Also visit Nancy's Notions for other projects to consider for how you can create and sew to improve the quality of life for someone in need. Maybe you have a neighbor or family member that could use a little kindness as well.

Remember, it is NEVER OK to charge someone who is suffering such as a person undergoing chemotherapy, a parent with a sick child, a homebound senior citizen or someone with depression. If you do not have money to purchase supplies to assist someone in need then use your imagination to find other ways to obtain supplies. The Goodwill Store has inexpensive men's shirts or bedsheets for example which are often of very good quality fabric with beautiful textile designs. Also try church basement sales or asking for donations from friends.