Pink! Purple!

....were the words my pretty, lovely, three-year-old niece gave as color suggestions for this manicure.  I love that it looks like girly, birds eggs.  She approved.

I painted three coats of China Glaze Dance Baby and used Bundle Monster plate BM211 with China Glaze Gothic Lolita.  Seche Vite was my top coat.

Romantic Purple

I needed something easy and quick and Bundle Monster (or Konad) is always a great way to get a fun manicure with minimal hassle. And spicing up stamping is by using multiple colors in the design.

Flash:

I painted three coats of Zoya Neeka and added Konad Special Stamping Polish in Violet and Orly Luxe. One coat of Seche Vite was used to seal the manicure.

Purple Tips

Tip One: Wear purple often. It's pretty in all variations

Tip Two: Adding an iridescent glitter makes purple glow

Tip Three: Don't expect purple polish to love you as much as you love it. I don't know if it's just me, but I find my purples have the least wear of any of my colors. They chip faster than most. I guess it's just a lesson that you can't always hold onto beauty.

For this manicure I painted two coats of Zoya Mira on my tips. I cleaned the edges with a soaked Q-tip in acetone remover and then added a layer of LA Splash Cosmetics nail glitter in Dry Ice. I painted two coats of CND Super Shiney over the entire nail to finish.

Purple Lace

I know I have been behind in posting. Rest assured, my nails have been polished ;) I just have been either busy or lazy. And this weekend I was totally caught up in baby birthdays and book reading. So I'm going to catch you up with the manicure that is currently on my hands. I'm patiently waiting for my three free Zoya polishes to come in the mail and I'm hoping that by wearing a color it will speed up this process.

I coated with three coats of Zoya Mimi and used Konad image disc m69 with China Glaze Millennium to create the lace look. I coated once with Seche Vite.

Princess [Drag Queen?]

I was with a seven-year-old and when I asked what I should paint on my nails next, she said "A Princess!" So I thought I could handle one quick, two-fingered princess (which was also in the request) and some Bundle Monster fauxnad for the rest of the design. I think the princess has a little too much "makeup" on and her lips are quite big, which is why I nicknamed her Princess Drag Queen....

I first painted three coats of China Glaze Light As Air. For the Princess face (and body) I mixed China Glaze Ingrid and Ulta Angel Baby, China Glaze Liquid Leather for black detail, Evening Seduction for the hair, Entourage for her eyes, Orly Glitz & Glamour for the crown and hair highlights, Zoya Lisa for the mouth. For her dress I painted Zoya Charla, Orly Winter Wonderland and Luxe for the gold detail. I used Bundle Monster plates BM14, BM21 and BM08 for the designs with colors in Zoya Charla and Yasmeen, China Glaze Flip Flop Fantasy and Sun Worshiper and Orly Luxe

Glowing Tips

So my Elves stayed actually for quite a while without chipping. Of course that could be because the last few days all I've been doing is recuperating from the stomach flu and really have been confined to my couch watching TV. With low energy and low motivation, I needed a simple manicure. Done and done.

I painted two coats of China Glaze Harmony. Then used La Splash Nail Art Glitter in Dry Ice on the tips. Sealed with two coats of Seche Vite to smooth out the roughness (but it's still catching on my knitted blanket).

Autobots and Decepticon?

I finished this manicure and put my hands in front of me and the first thought that was in my mind was Transformers.  I had to google Autobots and Decepticons just to see if my hunch was right, and lo and behold, the images were pretty similar--even down to the colors.   It was just one of those things when you imagine things like color combinations or simple design techniques and the way your nail art will turn out in you mind and then the final result is something quite familiar in a totally unexpected way.  

Sparkle Highlight Shot:

I first used three coats of Zoya Sarah and used Mimi for the purple detail.  I lined the design with China Glaze Cheers To You and sealed the manicure with one coat of Seche Vite.

Gumdrops and Lollipops

Well, really just lollipops.  Maybe you don't think immediately of lollipops in association with Halloween--and your instincts would be right in my opinion.  But I went to a Halloween party and I dressed up as Katy Perry from her music video "California Gurls."  If you have watched the video, you know it's all about candy and sweets.  So to keep with the theme of all things sugary, I painted lollipops.  I'm attaching some low quality pics the costume and a screen cap of Katy for comparison so you get the idea!~ 

Katy Perry

My Version

Base coat color was China Glaze Light As Air and I used Ulta Angel Baby for all the white accents and the colors used for the pops were Zoya Jolene, China Glaze Sky High-Top, Entourage, Sun Worshiper and Orly Mirror Mirror for the gray pinwheel forms.  I coated the whole look with a sparkle polish Fairy Dust and a top coat of Seche Vite.

Creeping Up

'Tis the season...for ghouls, goblins, witches and spiders, that is.  I thought it was time to start doing some Halloween posts since it's just over two weeks away and the themes can be pretty fun.  I picked up some new colors today from Sally Beauty from the China Glaze Awakening collection for the season in preparation.  Also, I wanted to marble since it's been just a little while.  For basic tips on water mabling click here for my tutorial video.  The design I used for this look was found on another polish blog I visit "My Simple Little Pleasures" (she's a fellow MN blogger, which is great) and Colette made a great tutorial video to show you how to do it, which can be seen here.  

Left Hand:

Right Hand

I first coated with Zoya Sienna and also used that color in the marble with Yasmeen and China Glaze Mummy May I.   To seal the deal, I painted two final coats of Seche Vite.

Golden Weave

Ok.  So three weekends, three weddings.  This is the last that I am attending for the year (at least I think so).  I'm switching up the dress and going for a vintage, high waisted gold and black skirt--as briefly shown in the photos.  I'm very excited because I'm doing the bride's make up.  Maybe I should also express nervousness, but I am hopeful she will be completely beautiful with or without my help!

I first painted a base coat with Ulta Purple Reigns.  On top of that I painted one coat of China Glaze Sexy Silhouette.  I used Bundle Monster Plate BM20 placing Black Diamond as the base and Orly Luxe as the gold overlay.  I used one coat of Seche Vite to finish the look.

Mermaid

I was on vacation for the past few days and with no computer--thus no posting.  Although we had pretty crappy weather on the lake, I couldn't resist swimming in the lake, diving off the boat at 59 degrees.  If I could live in the water, I would.  I will post the manicure I had at the cabin as well as a manicure I did for my friend, Kari.

This one had a shine I had to post

Polish focus.

I used Zoya Yasmeen for the base color and a decal from Cina (this kit) for the mermaid scales.  I used two coats of Seche Vite on top.

Shaky Hands McGee

I was chatting with my friend, Erin.  She is great AND has the shakiest hands (and no, she doesn't have Parkinson's--or anxiety).  Her hands just shake.  She wanted to be my muse and I wanted to oblige.  I am always looking for inspiration (and Heather, I am considering what to do for memorial day--don't know yet).  In keeping with the theme, there has been no clean up on my nail bed (in picture only) in honor of channeling Shaky Hands McGee.  

I first used China Glaze Light As Air and then layered Grape Juice and finally Let's Groove on top.  I striped each color on top.  Finished with one coat Seche Vite.

Unzipped

I needed something simple, since it is so late.  I actually really like the look.  Of course, you can't tell in the picture, but it makes my manicure look almost 3D .  Plus, I think I have taken one of my best nail photos yet.

pretty pretty.

Base color is Essie's Perky Purple with So Easy Stripe Rite in Aqua or Sea Green Metallic (I can't tell based on their color chart).  I used two coats of Seche Vite.

Star Power

I wanted to try some new nail decorations I had picked up.  I love the idea, but it (as you can see) they make your nails textured due to them not laying flat.  If you can handle that, it looks pretty cool.

I painted the base color in China Glaze Light As Air.  I then added nail decorations from Cina.  Topped with two coats of Seche Vite in order to attempt to cut down on the texture.  And that's what I got.

Steam Crunk

I was commissioned (again, by Kari--well mostly cuz I asked) to do steam punk.  But it was kind of a hard concept for me on the nails--hence the "crunk".  I wasn't sure if it was quite "punk", so in case it's crunked up, then I was right not to give it an official steam-punk label.  But purple nail polish rules!  Too bad it seems to be the color that chips on me the fastest.  But then again, chipped polish is definitely punk...

I used a base coat purple of China Glaze Grape Pop, I then added a layer on top of Flying Dragon (Which has an awesome, subtle sparkle I hope you can see in the close up).  I used Konad plate s6 with the color Awaken and applied gemstones to each nail.  I coated twice with Seche Vite.

Shattered

I wanted to use this glitter or large confetti pieces in a manicure.  To me, it turned out looking like broken glass.   It' a bit textured because the confetti pieces aren't all flat, but I tried to press them into the polish, and I'm hoping they will stay put because it's kind of an interesting look.

The base color is China Glaze Grape Pop.  The confetti is Art Club Nail Flakes in Iced Silver.  I coated twice with Seche Vite.

So Nice I Striped Them Twice

So I have been MIA from the computer.  My kitten-cat spilled my water all over our laptop last week and it has been drying out since then.  (We were both in the dog house)  But thank God, it's okay now.  I tried to post from the desktop computer but it is slooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwww....  I got so frustrated, I gave up after 45 minutes of trying to upload photos and not being able to multi-task on the Internet.  But I'm back!!!!!

Anyway!  I am now ready to show you what I've been up to.  Water marbling!  Except without the marbling.  I have listened to your requests to make a tutorial for water marbling, and I hope to do that some day.  I do have a budding film-maker in the home, so maybe he'll come in handy someday....but not today.  For now you just have to enjoy the pictures.

Royal Stripes:

Left Hand:


Right Hand:

Close Up:


Silver and Gold:

The "Royal Stripes" manicure was done over the weekend and I really love the results.  I call it water marbling without the marbling, because I didn't swirl the colors together.  I just put my finger in the color circles and it took on the appearance of stripes.  The colors I mixed were China Glaze Emerald Sparkle and Let's Groove and Orly's Rage.  Coated twice in Seche Vite.

The "Silver and Gold" (my current manicure) was done with China Glaze Twenty-Four K and Tinsel (thanks Jes for the gift), and OPI's Brand New Skates.  Topped with two coats Seche Vite.

Improving my Gradient

So I wasn't satisfied with calling my last manicure gradient and decided to try to fix it, since it was my intention to do a gradient manicure.  Here is the fix:

Also, because I threw it out there and "Purple Pride" is still on my nails today and the Vikings are playing tonight (and mostly because I am redoing my nails tonight), I have added some Vikings flare to my manicure.  I know it might not be as awesome as Prince's song, but it's the best I can do.  And in case you want to know who I'm supporting 4=Brett Favre, 28=Adrian Peterson, 8(which you can't see very well on my pinky) = Ryan Longwell, 18=Sidney Rice and 69=Jared Allen.  All who will play an important role is us winning tonight.  Is it an oxymoron to be so girly about nail polish but then also care about things like sports?

Purple Pride

I've been wanting to do a gradient polish for a while, but just haven't yet. I got my China Glaze "Up in the Air" polishes this week and decided to use two of the colors to complete the look. But, I'm not sure how much I like it. I also am not really sure it's gradient, it's more sponge painted. For better examples of gradient check out Nihrida's Blog. But no matter the style, I thought it was relatively on point since it's purple and the MN Vikings are all that people are talking about here. I guess if I wanted to make this uglier I should put the number 4 on my pointer fingers--haha!

I used CG Grape Pop and Light As Air. Topped off with two coats of Seche Vite.

In a related story, I found it amusing when I got my polishes from transdesign, this is how they arrived:

(China Glaze polish in an OPI box)