I love my Cath Kidston IPad Case

I love my iPad case.  I don't really know how else to say it, so I will leave it there.  Cath Kidston always has such fun prints and my case is no exception.  It is from her Garden Birds pattern.

Here it is up close and personal from the Cath website.

Whimsical....Cute...colorful......I LOVE IT!!!

So of course I needed to do nails....

I did do these free hand.

I think they came out cutesy.  The base is OPI's My Vampire Is Buff,  The remaining colors are a mix of acrylic paints and some polish colors.

I also tried my hand at some Cath inspired vintage roses....they came out okay.  I think I will try this again a bit more precisely.  Originally, I saw a video somewhere...sorry, I forget where at the moment...when the artist completed her roses with two colors at once using a dotting tool.  I tried this technique, and this was the result.  It didn't quite work, so I went in and added a bit more depth to make them look right.  Next time I will attack using a detail brush and color individually.

Oz inspiration for a now gone challenge

I did this mani as part of the weekly challenge category in one of my Google+ communities.  The challenge for the week involved the Wizard of Oz in theme.  I was excited for this as I have a couple of OPI's Oz polishes and love the movies.  AND Rachel Weisz's nails were killer in the movie, and this mani was inspired by that.

From Oz the Great and Powerful

Pretty bad a$$, right??

The colors I used were all OPI: 

- base- My Vampire Is Buff

- Gold glitter on middle finger- When Monkeys Fly

- Bronze glitter- actually a liquid sand color, What Wizardry Is This?

I should't love my own work, but I love this manicure.  It was a tape manicure to achieve the slashes of bronze glitter which also sparkles more with top coat.  The gold glitter....that has some seriously large gold hex glitter in it.  

But I have lost my enthusiasm for this manicure as there is some unknown drama going on within the community, leading to some fantastic and supportive moderators no longer being involved.  Pardon this part of my post as I am climbing up on my soapbox, but it is sad to see when support wanes in a community such as this one and personality takes over.  I like this community, but something seems off here in spite of the "open dialogue" currently taken place regarding these changes.  The changes seem to go against what a community such as this would be about.  So, I am probably going to engage more consistently with other communities and hope to still keep in touch with those who are no longer involved as this was a great sisterhood of support and an inspiration to always improve your skills/art.

With that said, and thank you for listening.  I am bringing the manicam back for its weekly installments, going to continue to be inspired by others and hopefully inspire others, and finish this post with a little dose of cute.  :)

Galaxy Nails...Aurora Borealis.

One of the things I love about doing nails is all the folks out there that love to do nails as well.  In addition to following all the lovely blogs out there, I love to share on Instagram and see what others are also doing.  I also like participating in Google+ communities.  One, Nail Polish Lovers, is a great place to share what they are doing and in addition they do a weekly challenge.  I need to start doing more challenges more regularly.  The challenge last week was  Galaxy Nails.  Yay!  I love this technique!  If you remember, I did these for the new release of the Star Trek movie this year....

and

I love this look.  I can't help it.  It may actually be my favorite mani.  For the challenge, I wanted to do something a bit different, but sticking with the technique.  So I decided on a lighter version.

For this I used:

- Sinful Colors: Amethyst [purple] and Soul Mate [pink]

- OPI- Can't Find My Czechbook [light blue]

- China Glaze Turned Up Turquoise [turquoise]

- Julep Adrianna [green]

- China Glaze Fairy Dust [micro glitter]

- Color Club Club Platinum Record [larger hex glitter]

The base coat is Sinful Colors's Amethyst with the other colors sponged on and layered for the nebula effect.  I get in such a groove when I am doing this, that I always forget to take pictures to document each step of the process.  I will make a point to start doing this with more regularity.  I promise!!

This effect was achieved by using a small amount of polish on a make-up sponge and applying the color gradually.  The more polish, the more opaque it will tend to be and the less you will be able to blend the colors.  I actually re-did the ring finger and thumb in order to correct this issue.  I wasn't happy with the color layers.  I like when it looks airy; the color wispy.  

After the color is applied, I use a coat of the Fairy Dust by China Glaze.  This may be my favorite small glitter nail polish out there.  No, I am committing.  This IS my favorite small glitter out there...I then placed the larger hex glitter by hand and finished with a top coat of Seche Vite.

What do you think of it with the lighter color/purple base coat?  Do we like the remix?  Or is classic black background still the way to go?

Back To School Part 3

Part 3 of my back to school inspired nails are Bring an Apple For Teacher...

Colors used:

nude- OPI's My Vampire Is Buff

red- Julep's Delaunay

brown- Zoya's Dea

green- Sinful Colors's 

I used a dotting tool for my thumb and pinkie fingers.  The apples were hand drawn with a paint brush.   I know they tell you not to pick favorites, but this one may be my favorite so far in this theme.  

You Purple Stud!

I went on a purchasing binge last month and made an impulse purchase of what I thought were a pot of glequins.  Interestingly enough, when I arrived home I realized they were actually studs.  No matter!  I love the color and have never played with a 3D object on my nail before.  So what the heck, let's give these a whirl!!

Colors used:

Gray- OPI's Nein! Nein! Nein! OK Fine!

Purple- OPI's Palermo Purple

Glitter- OPI's Polka.Com

I used a non-quick dry clear coat to serve as my base for placing the studs.  Although, I may have used too much on my thumbs because the studs started to drift off center a bit.  I cemented them on with more clear coat.

My middle finger is an adventure in glitter gradients again.  :)

I actually enjoyed the look of these studs.  I thought I may be fussing with them throughout the day, but that was not the case.  They stayed put and never popped off for the week that I had this on my nails.

Partly Cloudy

Two weeks ago, a friend and her awesome daughter were coming down to Florida to visit family.  I haven't seen them in a few years, sadly.  I was super excited when the fates aligned and I was actually able to go to see them while they were in town.  I packed up my car with car snacks, made a super long playlist full with jams to sing along with, and got ready to drive the almost 5 hours to get there.  But first, I needed to do up the nails!!

Colors used:  The blue is OPI's Can't Find My Czechbook, gold is Zoya's Pixie Dust in Solange, and the white is Essie's Blanc.  the clouds are hand drawn.

Weekly Challenge Continues...Glitter Gradient Part 2

Okay, so let's talk about glitter and my ability to spread it across my nails...I have set myself up with a skills challenge of the week and this one is for improving my skills with glitter gradients.  I have not been good at this seemingly easy skill  I tend to have it get all blobby on the nail.  With my last post [and my first] in this challenge, I think I got off to a great start.

If you remember....

I got this....

or....

maybe...

I don't.

I thought I would continue the process and reverse it up a bit.  Seemed like a good idea.  I started with OPI's Pamploma Purple and my glitter was Julep's Vivien.  Both polishes I like independently.  This should be an easy marriage of deep purple cream and multi textured gold glitter...it wasn't.  I have my suspicions that I did two bad things in combination to lead to this semi-disaster.  :)  I think I started with glitter that was too thick on the brush and then I couldn't pull it own the nail with much success because I was already all blobby.  

This was a great learning experience.  I can't wait to try to try again!!

Weekly Challenge: Glitter Gradients

It has been a year now that I have made the transition from occasional nail painter to nail art explorer and overall polish enthusiast.  I have always been a process person.  I love to knit not for what I create, but the process of making it.  Same with when I make jewelry.  The process of creation is just as much fun as the end result.  The same is true for me and creating manicures.  That is part of what attracted me to going down this road to begin with.  Now it is time for me to up my game so to speak.  I have toyed around with different techniques that I have seen on others' sites and played around with some of my own designs.  I think it is time for me to embark on some mastery of skills.   I am going to set challenges for myself to attempt to become better at technique.  And this week I am going to start with glitter gradients.  I feel like this should be simple enough.  But for some reason it has not always turned out as I would have liked.

My 4th of July mani looked more like clumps of polish rather than a gradient.  

I decided to see exactly how others are creating these fab looks.  I love this video from EmJustLikeYou.  

I started with Julep's Annette, which is a light creamy dove gray.

I then added a coat of Sinful Colors's Frenzy, micro glitter of purples and blues.

I finished it off with OPI's Polka.com.  [top coat Seche Vite]

I think the finished product has turned out pretty well.  I like this as the beginning of this challenge for myself.

What I have been up to lately...

I feel like I have been a bit more busy over in Instagram land than I have over here on Blogger in the past 5 days or so.  Probably as I have been running around so much since the end of last week, it has just been a bit easier to take that snapshot of life and keep moving.  Now that I have had a chance to sit down, let me catch you up!!

Sharknado....OH! Sharknado! 
I can't help myself, I love cheesy movies.  The worse they are, the better for me.  I totally jumped on board for the SciFi Channel's Sharknado.  In case you haven't heard, Tara Reid and Ian Zeering both have jobs again for this movie where a hurricane turned tornado carrying man-eating sharks descends upon Los Angels.  oooooo!!!!  I am getting goose bumps as to how bad this had the potential to be.  And when I heard they had it on demand, I knew I needed to have the girls over for some good food and bad movie viewing party.  About 30 minutes before people came over, I suddenly had time to sit.  MANICURE TIME!!!  

I whipped this bad boy up in a jiffy.  I must confess, not my best work.  But as I looked at it, I could not stop giggling and the fact that these nails were not good art, and it made them even more special.  Yes, those are open-mouthed sharks on my thumb and ring fingers, choppy waters on my index, bloody red on my middle, and shark bites on my pinkie.  Oh, and the movie was a great, horribly bad success!

Pretty Neutral

I let my nails breathe this weekend.  Since I was not doing any manicures or swatches, this naturally lent itself to my buying nail polish.  I actually got in the car and drove an hour to a little supply shop I love in Miami and picked up some new colors.  Even though the colors have been out for awhile, I have all of a sudden fallen in love with OPI's Euro Centrale Collection.  I picked up My Vampire Is Buff, Can't Find My Czechbook, Polka.Com, and Suzi's Hungary Again for a friend....I also grabbed a glitter from the Minnie Couture Collection, some gelquins, and Seche Restore.    All this retail therapy added up to me starting this week off with a neutral manicure staring My Vampire Is Buff.

My Vampire Is Buff with two accent nails with Zoya's Solange

It's A Royal Baby!!

I don't want to get caught up in the comings and goings of the Royals, but sure as heck, I got up super early and watched Kate and Will's wedding a few years back.  And Babywatch 2013 has had me keeping an eye on my notifications of my phone.  When they finally had the baby yesterday, I thought, Viola! Baby nails!!

Can't Find My Czechbook stamped with silver crowns.

And their baby is so cute!

This has been my week in nails.  

Mani Monday: Pretty In Pink Monday with Zoya Dita.

It's MONDAY!!!!!!!!!! More specifically: MANI MONDAY!!!  New start to the week = new manicure, but of course.  I am starting this week off pretty in pink.

Sadly, I broke my middle finger over the weekend.

Colors used for this manicure:

Zoya's Dita-  rich, deep pink cream

OPI's Pirouette My Whistle- Multi-dimensional hex and micro glitter mix

I topped off Dita with Essie's Matte About You to give the beautiful pink color a different dimension.  This color is usually pretty glossy, even without top coat.  The pink color is really receptive to the matte top coat, which gives it a rich and velvety look.  

I can never leave well enough alone, so I then added two accent nails in which I topped Dita off with glitter.   As you know, I always need more glitter in my life.  This is two coats of the OPI polish.  I do like this glitter because as you see it is how it goes on the nail.  With some larger glitter or glitter mix nail polishes I find I have to place the larger pieces so it doesn't do its own thing and clump up on the end....which can be nice if you are looking to do a glitter gradient, but not this time...Pretty In Pink Monday!!

Who Photobombed who?  

Mani Monday: Orange Crush

Mani Monday time!  New week, new manicure.

Today is the last day off from work for my birthday mini-vacay.  It has been really nice to not be worried about work for five days.  Sadly, my time has come to an end.  Vacations really do ALWAYS go too quickly.  To cap the time off manicure wise, I wanted something bright.   

Orange Crush Ombre on a Bright Sunny Day!

Colors used: Julep's Parker, Zoya's Sharon, Butter London's Jafa, OPI's Brights Power, and little OPI Jinx.

Bright little orange ombre manicure to end the day.  Yay!

Sadly, I need to work with my camera a bit more.  It is not managing reds very well.  I noticed this when photographing flowers outside as well in good sunlight.  If anyone has any photography tips, I would LOVE to hear 'em!  

Side note...

For my birthday, I received a new rack for nail polish to up my total to two.  Hung this bad boy today so that my stash can have some breathing room.  I am trying so hard to fight the urge to fill up the space up!

Playing around with OPI Bond Girls Liquid Sand Collection

In the middle of gluttonous nail polish shopping one day, I found the box of sample bottles of OPI's new Bond Girls Liquid Sand Texture polishes.  Sadly, this was awhile ago and I never played with them. Until now...Well, sort of.  I have two from the set to explore right now.  I let my mom borrow Solitaire and Vesper.  So I will have a part two coming soon.

This glittery, orange pink texture polish is Jinx.  This one may just be my favorite of all of them.  It has a gold glitter sparkle mixed with the vibrant color.  I think that the contrasting glitter in a texture polish tends to give it more depth, but that may just be me.  

Pretty in pink is Pussy Galore.  If you like pink, this is your color!

I know I have said it before, and I will most likely say it again but I do love texture nail polish!  I am looking forward to seeing what fun things I can do with these Bond beauties.  The texture is rich with these nail polishes, with a fine grit and lots of sparkle.