Happy New Year! (from the missing blogger, kittytokaren)

Hello PoP readers!

If you are a new-ish reader, you will have no idea who I am. If you have been around longer, you may not remember me! Hi, I'm kittytokaren, aka k2k. I love simple, elegant manicures, Essie polish, and colours most would consider 'boring'. I gravitate to nudes and darks, and generally fear colour and glitter (with a few exceptions...). I rock short nails, and am constantly looking for better ways to keep my cuticles and hands from drying out.

I disappeared these last couple years in to the vortex of cancer and academia. As I'm sure many of you will understand, it is maybe not the healthiest thing in the world to ditch ones hobbies in the face of a mountain of stress, but it happens.

Now, at the end of 2014, it all came together. I was declared (almost - pending one more check-up!) CANCER-FREE, I finally (and surprisingly...interesting story) graduated with my PhD in Genetics & Molecular Biology, and life is going to be VERY different in 2015! I'm both scared for and excited about the future.

I wanted to share my NYE manicure with all of you, to ring out the wild and wonderful year that was 2014, and to say hello to 2015. I thought of you all when I applied it - I combined an old favourite, Essie Jazz (reviewed in this post with my favourite title of all time), with a gold glitter gradient using the classic Essie Golden Nuggets (also seen here and here) and newly released Essie Rock At the Top.

I don't know what my career is going to look like, I don't know where in the world I'm going to end up, but I do know that I want to take better care of myself in 2015. That includes indulging in the hobbies that I love, like writing on PoP, interacting with all of you, and sharing the polish love! I may not keep up with new collections as much as I used to, but I want to share my manicures and my passion.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I sincerely hope that each and every one of you have an amazing 2015.

Much love xx,
k2k