Japan Nailist Test Level 3

Recently I took the Japanese Manicurist Test at the beginners level. 

I've been doing nail art now for about four years. I first started at a community centre once a week and when that class was cancelled because there weren't enough members I started going to the teachers salon once a month.

(Usually I work on nail chips)

Last year my teacher suggested that I try for the Level 3 test. I'd never done nail care before but I thought it'd be interesting and a challenge!

The test has two parts, practical and paper. For level 3 you can take the test in Japanese, English or Chinese. I decided to do it in Japanese. In for a penny, in for a pound!

For the practical you need to bring a model with you. Before the test you paint their nails bright red. During the test you have to remove all the polish, file the nails to a certain shape, do cuticle removal, repaint the nails with base, red and top coat and do one nail with nail art. The theme was flowers.

(My teacher helped me improve my design)

You're graded on your technique and speed, you're also graded on using the tools correctly. For example, holding the nail file at a 45 degree angle. And you have to have all your tools labelled and set out correctly.

(I set up my kitchen as a salon!)

The paper test is easier, it's a multiple choice test with things like order of nail care, filing shapes, illnesses and treatments. There's a few weird questions though. Like 'How old must the model be for the test?' 

It's literally testing you about the test, not nail care. I actually got that one wrong because I knew from the start my model would be old enough so I didn't need to know the exact age requirement...or do I thought!

Speaking of models, I had a bit of a disaster with mine! You have to have nails longer than 5mm but my model broke two nails to the quick two days before the test! It meant instead of practicing or studying I was freaking out trying to find someone! Luckily someone I knew was free. Her nails were shorter than they needed to be but I had no choice!

I was so nervous during the test. Because it's hard to get people to practice on I had actually only done nails properly four times before the test, and I had never done taking the polish off before properly. It's my own fault for not wanting to put people out by asking for too much help. Anyway, the polish off took too much time and was messy, and with my hand shaking the polish was a bit messy too.

After the practical, the nailists go into another room to wait and study for the paper test and the staff examine the models' nails. Then we went back in and the models were told they could leave and we packed up our stuff and took the paper test. That part wasn't too bad do long as you have the JNA book to practice from and past tests.

Afterwards I met my friend to take photos for my teacher and remove the polish for her. I sent the pictures to my teacher and she just said "Did you not have enough time?" So I knew I'd failed then. :(

(The nails from the test)

The results came through and I passed the written but failed the practical, which I  already knew. I feel bad but I don't really pass things first time usually so I was  prepared for it. I think I will try again in October, hopefully I'll pass then!

Reverse Gifts

Here's one of those things that makes me feel like I'm very far down the rabbit hole.

A teacher at my school was hospitalised for minor surgery so he was away for almost a week. Unfortunately it was the first week of term and he has a first grade class and at our place the first grade stay over at a nearby center for bonding. So it was kind of tough for everyone to cover but can't be helped because the guy had emergency surgery.

He actually came back on Friday, which I thought was too early, and he had bought us all chocolate gifts to apologise for the trouble! Note that neither the school nor the kids sent any kind of get well gift or flowers, and I was looked at strangely when I asked if we were!

"If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense"

Nagoya

I went to Nagoya for the weekend to go to the Creator's Market. It's a twice yearly event where artists and craftspeople have stalls to sell their things. We went in July and were unprepared for how big and overwhelming it would be! This time we were a little better prepared! One of my favourite artists was there and I got to pre-order her exhibition pamphlet as I can't make it to the show. I bought a lot of postcards, mainly Alice-themed, a large sticker of a Japanese influence Alice and a couple of little gifts to send home.

There was also a live painting section where you could watch the artists at work. I'd love to paint something that big one day!

The rest of the weekend involved skating, ice-cream, pizza, purikura and of course lots of laughing and catching up!

Yosakoi Dance Festival

Recently there was a yosakoi dance festival in my city. It happens once a year and is really fun to watch. There's also festival food stands everywhere.

Graduation

I've been pretty busy at work with graduation prep this week, not as much as the third grade teachers but because the junior high section only has nine teachers we all have to pitch in.

Global Fair

So I went to a global fair in my city yesterday, I wasn't going to but two teachers I work with asked me seperately so I thought I'd just go say hi.

Japanese T-shirt design

All the interests...every single one!

Steam Train and Red Leaves

Yesterday was the autumn school trip. We went by bus to take an old steam train and see some red leaves. There were only a few trees with red leaves though. I think in the next couple of weeks it'll be more beautiful!

Tokyo DisneySea Halloween 2012

So my friend and I went to Tokyo for the weekend and we went to both Tokyo DisneySea and Tokyo Disneyland! Yay!
We arrived in Tokyo about lunchtime so DisneySea was just the afternoon to evening.

Bunkasai

So on Saturday it was my school’s “Bunkasai” or culture festival.

Most high schools in Japan have this. Each homeroom chooses a theme and transforms the classroom. The school is then open to the public all day Saturday and the classes and clubs present their themes. Usually the guests are parents, friends and prospective students.

In the past I’ve seen some amazing transformations at other schools. A hospital, a climb through Alice in Wonderland theme, a trip through an over-sized rubbish dump.

My school for some reason tends to mainly be food, it’s like there’s twenty-odd mini cafes! Each class serves only one types of food usually for between 50-100yen. This year of the ones I saw we had pancakes, frankfurters, parfait, a tapioca bar, yakisoba, okonomiyaki, yakitori, popcorn, tortilla chips and choco-bananas.

The non-food themes I saw were a giant Othello board in one class, a haunted house and my class, our theme was eco-crafts.

I made a bunch of samples and the students had to make their own version and an original eco-craft of their own choice.

My desk tidy:

All the samples I made:

Each student had their own crafts on their desks and we had a gallery. We didn’t win but I think the students had a good day interacting with the public!

Calligraphy Exhibit

Over winter break one of my friends asked me to go to a calligraphy show with her. She goes every week to study and her teacher was one of the people displayed I think.

Why Kanjani8 Inspire Me

I feel so lame for writing this at my age but whatever, this is my blog so I'll write what I like!

Why Eito inspire me in rainbow order:

Subaru - Subaru has been though some dark times, more I think that we the fans will ever know for sure. He's not your typical idol but after all the rough stuff in Tokyo when he was younger he pulled it back together and carried on and found his place in the world. He could easily have given up, and he says the thought about it but he didn't. He reminds me that you can go to hell and back and it makes you a better, stronger human being.

Maru - Maru is silly, perhaps sometimes too silly but he reminds me that you need to loosen up and laugh because it really is the best medicine. I think the fact that he can make 50,000 people smile with one gesture and one word is amazing. He is first to make himself look silly just to make other people laugh. He makes me want to make others smile too.

Ryo-chan - Ryo was temporarily put into a second group, along with Uchi then when Uchi left he had to do two groups plus dramas on his own. And he did it (mostly) with a smile. Now it's worked out that he is only in Kanjani8 so I hope his life is a little less hectic than before. He reminds me that you have to work hard sometimes, even if you don't want to, and that sulking won't help.

Ohkura - Ohkura joined Johnny's to be a dancer and an idol and was made the drummer. Now you can see that he truly loves the drums and that is exactly where we like him best. He reminds me that when you do something you have to rather than choose to that it can work out better than you ever imagined.

Yasu -Yasu completely ignores anything that society expects from him. He cries freely, he dresses insanely, he's cute like a child when he is a grown man. If you cut him he'd bleed music and rainbows. He reminds me that it's important to be yourself no matter what anyone else thinks.

Hina - Hina is fiercely protective of his friends, even though he teases them he will defend them to outsiders completely. Despite being the tsukkomi of the group he often gets teased and takes everything good-naturedly. Even though he is one of the best dancers, Kanjani are often the comedy sidekicks of Johnnys. Still he rolls with this and does his best. He reminds me that you can get through and do anything with the support of good people around you.

Yoko - Yoko has this amazing way of connecting with people, he can talk to a 50,000 strong crowd and make you feel like you're having a chat with a friend. He is alway thinking of the fans and what would make them happy, he takes control of MCs and is so good at reading who wants to talk, who doesn't, and who needs a little prodding. He reminds me that human interaction is one of the best things we can do.

Candydoll Nail Art & Tweet from Tsubasa

So last night I decided to do some nail art for the first time in months...

At The Beach

This is actually from the start of the summer, I'm just getting around to backing up my pictures now!

Hello Kitty x Kyorindo Drugstore

I go to this drugstore all the time because it's on my way home from work and it has a pretty decent food section so I can pick up bits and pieces. It also sells salsa which I haven't seen in my supermarkets.

Anyway, when you go in there's a big Hello Kitty stand now, the drugstore is collaborating with Sanrio for a whole bunch of Kitty-chan merchandise!

She's peeping out!

Here's some more pics....

Tokyo Nail Expo 2010

Well, Art Every Day Month seems to have fallen by the wayside, but it did give me a bit of a kick in the right direction, which is what I wanted!

Anyway, yesterday and today is Tokyo's Nail Expo 2010. I haven't posted much about my nail art here. I'm not sure why... like it isn't "arty" enough. Well, mostly this blog was to be for the postcards I guess.


Nail Art is really popular in Japan and I've been going to evening class for almost two years now. My strengths are in selecting colours, adapting designs, stonework and painted designs. My weak points are 3D art, detailed paintwork and gradiations.

The Nail Expo is for professionals, students, hobbyists and anyone with an interest. Though I think if you just like to look at the pretty nails you'd be better off with a magazine, it's crowded and the discount tradestands are what most people go for.

I arrived at Odaiba's Big Sight just after it opened and there was already a lot of people there and quite a lot already leaving with big bags off stuff! I made the rounds and looked at most of the stalls before jumping in to the Okamoto stand to pick up some bargins. OPI polish at half the retail price was the best part and I got some higher quality stones than I usually use! I also picked up two bowls for soaking just your fingertips, as I want to do more nail and hand care at home. It was a squash and I got stuck in the aisles a few times. You just had to wait til people shuffled along and then shuffle with! It's not for the claustophobic, that's for sure.

I wandered around watching some of the demonstrations for tips but they are almost always gel nails. My own nails are long and healthy so I really don't need gel. It's a shame there wasn't more old-school demonstrations but it was good to watch the professionals explain things. I also watched a bit of the contest where lots of top nail techs compete for the title. I'll have to wait for the magazines to see who won though.

I also saw my nail art teacher there and because she runs a salon one of the trade stands was giving her and her friend a free bottle of polish so I got one too! Nice timing! Some of the stand were giving samples of hand lotions which are now stashed in my desk at work.

It was crowded, hot, noisy and frantic but it was a great chance and I got some good bargins and I'll definately be back next year!

Diamond Fuji

Diamond Fuji, I think there's only one place you can get this shot...

Kim Schedule Book

Finding a good schedule book is always hard, you can never get a perfect one for what you need and in Japan at least there's a massive amount of choice!

This year I've bought the Kim Schedule Book. Kim does postcards and books of photographs combined with thoughts on life. I have a few of his postcards and was lucky enough to go to a book signing and get his book signed.

The schedule book comes in four or five different covers, the one I chose has the saying (roughly translated!) "Who decided you couldn't, who decided you wouldn't get used to it, who decided you won't, in your life you decide, you live your life"



Inside isn't as cute as most of the Japanese schedule books but it has more photos in the front and sayings throughout. What I really liked was that on the weekly pages there's a section for "happy and thanks" so I'm going to use this as a schedule book and a gratitude journal. Something I've been wanting to do without having a separate notebook.




It also comes with a free postcard. Not sure if all books come with the same postcard.




Here's to a better life in 2011!