Day Eight - Gradient

Here's my first attempt at a glitter gradient using Color Club's Take Me To Your Chateau and Deborah Lippmann's Today Was A Fairytale. I liked the end result, but next time I think I'll use a glitter that doesn't have a tinted base.

Next time I'll use Crown Me Already - I didn't remember that Fairytale had a tinted base :( I do still like it though.

Day Four - Delicate Print

Back on track! I had ideas for all the other days in the challenge, and now I am rejuvenated!
I've been trying to go through my polish stash and use polishes I've only used once. To start the delicate print day, I used a base of Zoya Jo. It's beautiful cornflower blue! I don't know why I don't wear it more often. I then stamped using BM 310 and white stamping polish and came out with this...

 Much love for these nails! I tried stamping in silver first, but it didn't show up the way I wanted it to. I think the white looks even better though! It reminds me of porcelain plates!

Day Three - Inspired by a Tutorial

This was incredibly difficult for me. I could not find anything I had the time to do. I'm in the middle of second tests and projects at school, and I nearly forgot to do this day in the first place.

 I used the Nailasaurus' Simple Flowers tutorial - I used Girly Bits Cu Blue, Zoya Jancyn, and white stamping polish. I don't have a dotting tool, so I used a bobby pin.

Well...I like my thumb....my ring finger not so much. This is my first ever 'dotting' attempt, so I guess I can't be too upset. I flipping love Cu Blue though - that copper shimmer is to die for!!

Pretty and Polished Sand Art

What fresh hell!
It's sunny!!!!
I can finally take a photo of what my nails are wearing!!
I've had Sand Art for about a month, but I ended up moving it around in my polish closet and it was out of sight, out of mind. When I went and rearranged some stuff - I grabbed it and put it on right then and there.

I used Zoya Robyn as underwear, and put three coats of Sand Art over top.

This is a serious love for me - I love the colours in this polish! I also like that I can layer it over anything my heart desires :)

I never got Sand Art as a child, but I'm sure glad I have it as an adult! This may have to be in my top 10 for 2012.

Girly Bits Daddy's Little Girl

I wanted this polish so badly for so long. I always managed to miss it when Pam restocked. I got lucky and got it in a swap last month!
I used Zoya Song for underwear - and it is the perfect colour match!

Daddy's Little Girl is a mix of blue and purple glitter in a clear base. This is two coats on top of one coat of Song.

It was hard to photograph, because the purple glitter never seem to want to show up.

It is super gorgeous though!  It was also very easy to apply. A but messy, but I'm always messy when I paint my nails....

Erica's Challenge Day 10 - Recreate Your Favourite

Well, here we are! The last day of the challenge :( 
It's bittersweet, because now I can swatch polishes again. However it's nice to participate in a community where we have something in common. Like a decent clip of nail enthusiasts, this hobby has gotten me through some tough times, and because I'm a shy person, I haven't gotten involved like I could have. But this experience has created friends for me, and I'm truly blessed to have met the people involved.
Partly Cloud with a Chance of Lacquer did a braided mani for the favourite season day, and I've been itching to try it ever since. I used A-England St. George on my nails, then did the braided accent of St. George, Princess Sabra and Tristam. I think I actually nailed it!

I love love LOVE these colours together...A-England is so unique! I even think my photos are getting better too! Win-win! I know I've stepped up the game on my clean up - it's still not great but it's getting there.

Erica's Challenge Day 9 - French Tip Variation

Aloha polish people! Today I'm showing you my two favourite polishes from probably my favourite indie maker of all time. Enchanted Polish has awesome holos and multichromes so fabulous it would give you a polishgasm. I ordered Ocean Potion and Awesomeness from Harlow and Co. before they were discontinued. There is no way I will ever part with them.
For my variation on the French Tip I attempted a chevron design. I hate how it turned out. The lines aren't as crisp as I would like. I can only get better right?

My pinkie is a total blob. This was the better hand, my right hand is a disaster.
Tomorrow is the last day of the challenge. I'm rather bummed about it - it was motivating to participate with others. Erica says she'll do more, and I'll be the first to sign up!

Erica's Challenge Day 6 - Polka Dots!

I love me some spotted nail goodness. For someone who loves dots so much, you'd be surprised to know that I don't own a dotting tool...I'm an embarrassment to a nail art challenge. Don't worry, I will rectify this problem.
I really wanted to wear Zoya Myrta, which I just got half price! This completed my Surf collection! My OCD makes me very keen on finishing collections.
Something that stuck with me from childhood is that orange and blue go together, a la complementary colours. So I decided to Konad stamp polka dots using A-England Tristam. Unfortunately, I anticipated Tristam to be more opaque, but I still think it looks acceptable.

Sorry...my pinkie looks all kinds of jacked up. It looks fine in real life I swear.
Tomorrow's challenge is flowers, and I'm probably going to have to stamp....again. I am truly an abomination!

Blue Gradient Attempt

Hey! Long time no post. I decided to try my hand at gradients using the hot new tutorial by the Nailasaurus! However, I must have used old sponges, because I ended up with pieces of sponge on my nails :(

I started with three thin coats of Orly's Skinny Dip. Then I sponged China Glaze Up All Night. I'm rather impressed with my first attempt!

I intend to try again once I get better, newer sponges. I love the look of gradient nails! Also, the Nailasaurus is the ultimate tutorial queen! I am going to try more of them soon!

Sally Hansen Salon Effect 'Fur'ocious Vocals

Hey! This is my first attempt at using these strips, and I must say I am impressed. I saw the display for the Avril Lavigne inspired strips and snatched 'Fur-ocious Vocals' - teal and black leopard spots on a silver background. I forgot to take a photo of them in the box, and do you think I can find one on the interweb? Not of just the box, no. I did find pictures of Avril herself applying them - which I find hard to believe. She probably has people to do that stuff for her. Anyway - here is my first attempt with these strips.

See? Not too bad. They weren't as hard to apply as I thought they would be, and they look great. I'm definitely going to grab some more of these Avril ones before they sell out. They are handy for nail art I don't want to do.....

The only problem that I may have is the fact that I like to change my nails daily. If I was going on a vacation and didn't have the time, I think they would work great. I've seen wear tests that last over 10 days without major chipping or tip wear. Anyone out there used them? If so, what did you think?

OPI Swimsuit...Nailed It!

So, I have awesome nails going on - one hand is complete nubbins, and the other is pretty decent! I did swatch this when I had nails though, so I'll start posting old stuff until I feel they are worthy of being photographed again.

I love this awesome blue foil party! It's the one polish from the Miss Universe collection I'm glad I bought. Two coats and you're done :)

So shiny - I actually haven't had any staining with it (knock wood)

Just to show you how much it glows - I was screwing around with my webcam when I was wearing this, and it totally steals this photo. And yeah, I am a giant loser.

Day Five - Nubar Blue Hydrangea and Revlon Whimsical

FINALLY

I got this idea from the blog Caitt's nails - which layered Glitter in the Air over Blue Hydrangea...I'm too poor to afford the Lippmann, but I have the knockoff and today seemed like the perfect day to wear it.

 I'm ready to lose the two followers I do have over these next photos - my pointer finger is severely red and gross looking, and my middle finger isn't much better.

It hurts just looking at it.

Hidden equals better! I must have been stress picking my cuticles - I do that a lot without realizing it.

...Caitt's looks better I think!

Nerd Lacquer Event Horizon

I...love...nerd lacquer. I'll say it loud and I'll say it proud. Seems like a lot of people do too, because I haven't been able to place my next order because all of the polishes I want are sold out! I'm persistent though, so I'll be watching out for the next restock.

This is the lovely, dark, sparkly wonder called Event Horizon. It's a blackened teal with major glitter.

It's funny that I fancy myself a nerd, but I don't like regular nerdy things - sci fi being one of them. But I can appreciate the thought and cleverness of some of the polish names. I'm lemming the Monty Python Set quite badly. Anyway, back to this polish!

I do love it...however I bought Nebula, the sister polish that's burgundy, and I think I like it more. I'll show it off soon, I promise!

China Glaze Skyscraper

Hello - I've decided to give this another go - just to see how my pictures go! My camera isn't up to the quality of others out there, but I'd really like to nail blog, so here goes nothing!

I freaking LOVE Skyscraper. I don't own many from the Metro Collection, but I'm glad I got this one. It's a dark blue glitter and man, is it sparkly!



I was able to take a macro of one of my nails! So very proud of myself right now!

I really want to be able to do the 31 day nail challenge! Hope I can pull it off!