Vote!

It's the eve of the Presidential Election here in the US.  So in honor, I'm encouraging all and showing my intentions to vote on November 6th.

Three coats of China Glaze High Roller was the base.  I used China Glaze White On White for the check box and with Konad Special Polish in White and Coral Blue with Bundle Monster image disk BM14.  Seche Vite was the top coat.

Barbed

I had a clear picture pop into my mind to paint barbed wire on my nails and this was the result.  To me, not very accurate.  However, once I added the silver accent, I started to appreciate this manicure.  Maybe not what I envisioned, but something I liked in the end.

I painted three coats of China Glaze High Roller.  I then painted black with China Glaze Liquid Leather and added silver highlight with China Glaze Platinum Silver.  I finished the look with a coat of Seche Vite.

Tye Dye

I'm not sure I knew this was going to look like tye-dye, but that's what everyone called it and it certainly fits the finished product.  I only knew I wanted to use my neons and make something bright.  It truly turned out to be one of my favorite manicures of the year so far.  So bright!  So pretty!

I panted a a base two coats of China Glaze Surfin' For Boys.  I then added China Glaze Sun-Kissed, In The Lime Light, and Lolita.  Manicure was finished with a coat of Seche Vite.

Fun With Tape

I have been doing a bit with tape in my manicures and these two used the same technique, so I'm putting them together in a post.

Fun With Tape Green:

After taping off my nails, I applied three coats of Zoya Ivanka  on my tips.  I added with a brush stripes and dots in China Glaze Sun-Kissed, Surfin' For Boys and Zoya Jolene.  I painted over the entire manicure whit a coat of Finger Paints Motley and two coats of Seche Vite to finish.

Fun With Tape Pink and Orange:

I first taped off the orange side and painted three coats of Zoya Arizona.  Once fully dried I taped off the pink side and added three coats of Zoya Kimber.  I painted one coat of Orly Shining Star and two coats of Seche Vite to finish.

I Pledge Allegiance

It's Memorial Day here again in the states and I am continuing on with my tradition of doing a patriotic manicure in honor of those who fought to serve our country.

On the bottom nail bed I painted a base coat of two coats if China Glaze First Mate and then added Yofi glitter in  Caribbean Crush.  I added two coats to the top of my nail in Orly Au Champagne and striped, with a brush, Zoya Sarah for the flag's stripe design.  I used Konad Special Stamping Polish in White and Bundle Monster plate   BM14 for the stars.  I finished with two coats of Seche Vite for the top coat.

String Of Pearls

This manicure was inspired by an upcoming trip to the bead store.  It's one of those manicures that I am surprised that I hadn't done before and really like now that it's on my fingers.  The vision in my mind coming to life on the nail.  That's always gratifying.

I painted three coats of Zoya Jolene for the base pink color.  The pearl beads are made from a mix of China Glaze White On White and Orly Au Champagne and use of a dotting tool.  I added silver detail with China Glaze Icicle.  I painted Seche Vite for the top coat.

Flower Power

Immediately after my Easter Manicure, I continued with the theme of Easter bringing new things and spring bringing flowers.  I garden and have kind of been shocked with how early things started to come up here this year due to our unseasonably warm winter.  Of course, flowers aren't safe with frosts coming still and we always seem to be guaranteed a snow in April (we did have freezing rain yesterday).  But manicure flowers are always in bloom!

I painted three coats of China Glaze Dance Baby.  Using Bundle Monster Plate BM205, BM217 and Konad Image Disk m60 with Konad Special stamping polishes in Yellow, Apple Green, Coral Blue and Violet.  Other colors used for the Hand Painting were China Glaze In The Limelight, Mistletoe Me!, and Full Spectrum.

Let The Games Begin

Well, It's finally here.  The Hunger Games movie premier and the final installment of my Hunger Games manicure series.  The thought process and preparation for this manicure was actually thought of weeks ago and inspired my recent series in the first place.  I thought the perfect way to encapsulate the Hunger Games was with the perils and action of the actual games themselves (cuts, burns, scrapes, trackerjacker stings), along with a few key signatures themes of the books themselves.  Of course, I had to try to attempt to paint a Mockingjay.  I'm definitely no real artist and have sort of self-taught myself painting designs, but I think it turned out as good as I hoped (although I might get some better pictures up, I'm not sure about these...).  Enjoy the movie and Happy Hunger Games!

Manicure details:
My Wounded Flesh nails were done with a base of Zoya Skye, three coats.
My Mockingjay & Flaming Arrow nails had a base of China Glaze Smoke And Ashes, three coats.
My Smoke Diversion nails were a base of OPI I Have A Herring Problem, three coats.
Seche Vite was my top coat.

Wounded Flesh Extras:
Blood, Cuts and Burns: China Glaze Crimson, China Glaze Brownstone, China Glaze Foxy, Zoya Skye, Zoya Tamsen, Orly Au Champagne, China Glaze Smoke And Ashes
Tracker Jacker Stings: A base coat of Zoya Skye with a gemstone covered in another two layers of Skye.   I also used the colors Zoya Tamsen, Orly Au Champagne for shading.  

Puss: China Glaze Peace On Earth, China Glaze In The Limelight

Mockingjay & Flaming Arrow Extras:
Mockingjay: Using China Glaze Passion with the Bundle Monster plate BM07's peace symbol circle as a base.  Passion was also the base for the hand painted Mockingjay with China Glaze Riveting on top.
Flames for  China Glaze Sun Worshipper, China Glaze Foxy, China Glaze Liquid Leather, OPI A Roll In The Hague, China Glaze Riveting, China Glaze Go Crazy Red, Zoya Tamsen, China Glaze Passion is the arrow color.

Smoke Diversion Extras:
Smoke: OPI I Have A Herring Problem, China Glaze Electric Beat, Zoya Tao, Zoya Dove, China Glaze White On White, China Glaze Platinum Silver. 
Fire: Zoya Tamsen, OPI A Roll In The Hague, China Glaze Sun Worshiper.  

Spotlight

I have mixed feelings about this manicure.  It was a bit of a let down when I finished (I think I removed the tape to soon) because I wanted the lines to be more crisp.  However, this manicure totally got noticed by everyone.  It really was a spotlight to my nails.  For some reason, probably because I am recently re-obsessed, this manicure reminded me of The Hunger Games.  Its a spotlight to the Girl on Fire!

I first painted a base one coat of Zoya Pippa and sponged Zoya Ali on top.  I taped off once dry with small strips of masking tape and sponged until opaque China Glaze Liquid Leather.  Seche Vite was my topcoat.

Swipe

I needed a manicure that was quick and I would be ok if it chipped in a day since I knew it would after swimming.  This was it.

I swiped on my naked nail with Zoya Neeka and painted one coat of China Glaze Snowglobe atop with two coats Seche Vite to finish.

Polka Dot Road

Highlighting another new polish from China Glaze's Haunting Collection.  It was on sale, so it went in my cart.

I painted three coats China Glaze Crimson.  I added, freehand, two coats China Glaze Cheers To You with dotting tool adding back the base color as well as China Glaze Flyin' High.  Finished with one coat Seche Vite.

Jack O Lantern

I had this idea for a while. It's probably a spin off of my ghosts from last year. I think they turned out pretty well. Plus, at least these ones won't get eaten by squirrels or smashed on the sidewalk.

Left Hand:

Left Thumb:

Right Hand

Right Thumb:

I painted three coats of China Glaze Liquid Leather.  For the faces I painted a base of China Glaze Passion and then added China Glaze Free Love and Sun Worshiper. I coated the entire manicure with two coats of Seche Vite.

Magneffects

This upcoming trend of Magnetic nail polish is SOOOO COOL! I have been over crackle for a long time and hopefully this will replace it soon enough. It's so easy and the effects really are fantastic. I decided I was going to make a video because it's a process that still pictures don't do justice. Although I was originally going to do a cheap, quick tutorial, I live with a filmmaker and he wouldn't let me get away with my iPhone video. So check out this great product and finishing result (Here is a link if video imbed isn't working):

Magneffects is made in Italy, but there are online retailers that sell the products. I purchased mine from Brigette's Boutique and had a great experience. They are located in Wisconsin, which is close to me. I ordered on a Wednesday night and received my polishes via first class mail by Friday. So fast! Be warned, that the polish is $15.50, which is a on the high end for polish price points. But I'd keep in mind for nail art, it's comparable. Think about it--you need two bottles of nail polish for crackle, so $15.50 might be worth it!

Left Hand:



Right Hand:

These photos show two coats of Blue Gray Flow 03 and Golden Bronze 09 with one coat of Seche Vite for the top coat.

Thanks to Munqs for the background music for the video.

Spongy

I love this base coat from Orly's new line Mineral FX. It's so multi-faceted and pretty. It's a more pink red with awesome purple and orange glitter undertones. But I have committed myself to never just to a single polish, so I added some other purple colors via sponging. It was fun and a great final look.

Muted Light:

Flash:

I painted three coats of Orly Mineral FX in Emberstone and sponged the following colors: China Glaze Grape Juice and Zoya Valerie. Finishing top coat was Seche Vite.

It All Ends: Harry Potter VS Voldemort

I'm a huge Harry Potter fan and I had to do an honorary manicure for the last theatrical release of the series. I am pressed for time, so am doing a condensed version of materials used in order to the the photos to you on this day! I marbled the house colors of Hogwarts and hand painted my version of Harry and Voldemort. In my opinion, Harry looks like he's been stung with a stinging jinx, but I've never claimed I could really draw very well.....

Right Hand:

Left Hand:

Left Thumb:

Right Thumb:

Griffindor colors: Zoya Paris and China Glaze Passion

Slytherin colors: Ulta Envy and China Glaze Platinum Silver

Hufflepuff colors: Zoya Pippa and China Glaze Liquid Leather

Ravenclaw colors: OPI Yoga-Ta Get This Blue and China Glaze Ingrid

Harry Potter: From Zoya: Skye, Paris, Dove, Tamsen, Kelly. From Ulta: Envy, Black Diamond. From China Glaze: Below Deck and White On White.

Voldemort: From Zoya: Dove, Kelly, Tamsen, Paris. From Ulta Black Diamond. From China Glaze Liquid Leather and White On White.

Sensory Overload

This manicure was the result of a vague idea of a sort of patchwork manicure. I just started to paint freely random patches of colors and this is what the result was. Of course, then I took it one step further and added the loose glitter and on top of that added a glitter top coat. Needless to say, it was a very bright manicure but I'm not sure I loved the results--but that's what happens when you experience sensory overload.

As I said, I randomly painted small sections on my nail with the following colors: Zoya Breezi, Mira, Pippa and China Glaze Heli-Yum. I then added LA Splash Cosmetics Nail Glitter in Dry Ice to each nail and then one coat of Ulta Pinata-Yada-Yada. One coat of Seche Vite was used for my top coat.

Dad's Day

It was father's day on Sunday and I thought even though my dad isn't a lover of nail polish, I still owe him a manicure. I wish I would have had more time to post it on father's day. But he saw it in person and that's what counts!

I painted three coats of China Glaze Senorita Bonita and then hand painted the letters first with Zoya Tamsen and then to make it more noticeable, China Glaze Cheers To You. The heart is outlined with Zoya Apple and filled in with glitter I purchased from Esther's Nail Center. I used Seche Vite as a top coat.

X Marks The Spot

My nails are pretty long (for me) right now. I always think that long nails deserve red polish and that's what I painted. I decided to brighten it up with two of the colors from the China Glaze Island Escape Collection.

With Flash:

Shimmer Shot:

I painted three coats of China Glaze Go Crazy Red, used my dotting tool to add the dotted lines in Papaya Punch and Electric Pineapple. I finished the look with one coat of Seche Vite.

Blue Moon

I got the idea for this manicure while watching Water For Elephants. I can't show you any good screencaps from the movie of Reese Witherspoon's nails, but she had a version of a half-moon manicure using red nail polish and silver tips. I, of course, wanted more summery colors. This combo was fantastic and if you can't tell from the pictures, it was shimmery, bright and awesome!

Flash:

Indoor:

I taped off the bottom moon and tips of my nails with masking tape and then painted three coats of China Glaze Blue Iguana. I then freehanded the green tips using Zoya Apple. After I applied two coats of Seche Vite to finish the manicure.