A2Z Series - O Is For Old

Greetings All!

All my boasting about posting on time was for nothing, as once again I am trying to play catch up! Thursdays are just not a good blogging day for me. However at least this week I am only a day late.


The prompt for this week is old, and despite currently trying to use up my older polishes and this being a perfect excuse, I went with an old technique instead. The first nail art technique I ever tried in fact! Back then I though it looked very striking, and yet something I would have been capable of doing (although only just!). It's still one of my favourite styles, because it is quite simple and versatile, but I really like the way it looks.

Good old leopard print!

I used very similar colours to my first leopard print attempt, a bronze base, in this case Butter London The Old Bill, a gold glitter, Sally Hansen Gilded Lily (which is actually very similar to OPI Goldeneye!), and then Barry M Black for the detail.

You can catch up with all of the manicures in this series  here

An InLinkz Link-up

Miss Sporty Pop Fiction With Stamping

Greetings All!

One of the brands of polish I'm trying to use up at the moment is Miss Sporty. Most of them I have had for years and are half used anyway so it makes sense to try and use them up. I've been trying to use them as a base or in nail art at least once a week, so you'll see them popping up fairly regularly!

Pop Fiction is actually a really pretty shade of blue, bright and powdery at the same time. I don't wear a lot of blue polish, because I don't wear a lot of blue anything else, and although they don't have to match, I don't like my nails looking...out of place. However I do like blue polish and I do have quite a lot of it!

I added some simple stamping with MoYou Pro 10 and Konad Black.

Work Appropriate OPI Water Marble

Greetings All!

It's official, I have learned to water marble. I won't go as far as to say mastered, still a way to go before that happens. But finally it has all clicked into place and I can do it. I have now done three that have been successful, and I plan to do many more!

So here is my latest attempt.

Please excuse the tip wear, I've been wearing these for two days!

I used OPI Don't P My B, one of my very favourites, along with Alpine Snow and Going My Way Or Norway? With matte topcoat. It's not the most subtle work appropriate manicure ever, but then I suppose you kind of want people to notice it!

Colourful Dots

Greetings All!

Today I have yet another pale based manicure, because I'm just really liking them at the moment. They're just a really good canvas for...well, almost anything really!

Such as some colourful dots.

I've been using Ciate Snow Virgin as my go to white, purely because it's a small bottle and I'm trying to streamline my polish collection a bit. In fact all the polishes used here are from my 'use 'em up!' collection - Miss Sporty Popcorn, Pop Fiction, Paparazzi, 323 which I couldn't find a name for, and a green Primark polish.

A2Z Series - N Is For New

Greetings All!

I'm managing to post on time again for this challenge! Only because I am off work this week though. So I have no excuse.

This week the prompt is New. I've decided to try something...not new exactly. Succeeding at it would be new! Something I'm terribly put off by, I have failed at in the past (more than once), and can strike fear in the heart of many an experienced nail artist. The dreaded water marble. I actually tried to water marble.

I tried and succeeded! On both hands! Which feels pretty good. I have been trying to 'up my game' a little bit for this challenge (mostly trying to keep up with everyone else!) and so far it's mostly going to plan.

I used Barry M Gellys in Lychee and Guava, and Barry M Bright Purple.


You can catch up with all the manicures from this challenge here.

An InLinkz Link-up

A2Z Series - M Is For Multicoloured

Greetings All!

I am determined to post on time for at least one week of this challenge, and we are now halfway through! So even though it's later than I like to post, I'm on time!

This week the prompt is Multicoloured and not only have I used multiple colours but I have also experimented with a technique I'm not very experienced with. In other words I put in a bit of effort. Which is nice once in a while, and makes it that more satisfying if you get it right!

So here are my multicoloured nails.

I've only tried stamping with more than one colour/gradient stamping once before, and in fact that was also for this challenge! Somehow I convinced myself that five colours would be easy. It wasn't.

I started off with Barry M Gelly in Coconut for an off-white base (again!), then stamped with MoYou Pro 10 and Konad Red and Yellow, Sally Hansen Insta Dri in Lickety Split Lime and Brisk Blue, and Barry M Gelly in Plum. It isn't quite straight, but I'm just pleased I got all five colours on my nails. It was touch and go for a while!

You can catch up with all of the manicures from this series here

An InLinkz Link-up

Skulls And Stars And Sparkle

Greetings All!

I don't know what's happening to me lately, but I have been favouring a white base for my nails. I never liked white nails but I just seem to keep using it!

Luckily it does make quite a good black canvas for all sorts of nail art, as you will be seeing with all my white nails!

Here are some.

The white base on this occasion is Ciate Snow Virgin, a little mini bottle I'm trying to use up. I then added a coat of Butter London Stardust for some sparkle, then stamped with MoYou Punk 04 and Konad Black.

Work Appropriate Manicure Monday With Indy's Indies

Greetings All!

It's aaages since I've posted a WAMM. I haven't worn all that much work appropriate polish lately, and when I have it's been a little plain. Nothing wrong with that, and I have been enjoying the simplicity but the cold weather inspired by to dig out some white glitter. And what better than white snowflakes.

One coat of Indy's Indies Snow Is Falling over Boots No7 So Simple. It's stuffed with icy snowy glitters - snowflakes, circles, shards, and lots of iridescent frostiness. Very well matched to the weather I've been experiencing lately!

Girly Bits Ermahgerd Flerkers!

Greetings All!

Just a quick swatch on this very cold Sunday. Flakies, more flakies, must have all the flakies. This one especially.

Ermahgerd Flerkers! 2 coats over black, with matte topcoat.

I don't have any words! But luckily I don't really need them. Looooooooooook. Rainbow flakie awesomeness!

A2Z Series - L Is For Lines

Greetings All!

This weeks prompt is Lines and so of course I had to use striping tape. I never seem to use it frequently enough to perfect my technique. That alone makes me want to use it more, but it's such a fiddly, faffy, time consuming technique that I do get put off a little bit. Combine that with how they never come out perfectly and that explains why I use it so infrequently! I am going to put it on the To Do list though - I do like my Beetlejuice nails.

Anyway here are my Line nails.

I used OPI Alpine Snow, W7 Black and some striping tape to create a simple reciprocal gradient. I can't help but feel it would have looked so much better if I were just a bit handier with striping tape. As they are...I can live with them.


You can catch up with all the manicures from this series here

An InLinkz Link-up

Red And Gold Houndstooth

Greetings All!

I'm doing my best to get back into posting regularly. Let's see how it goes!

Today I have some simple stamping. I'm currently trying to use/use up my Miss Sporty polishes, as the majority of them are from four or five years ago and they often get overlooked for...well, better polishes. Sorry Miss Sporty, don't get me wrong you're great, but you aren't OPI and that's just how it is.

It looks like I've always had decent taste in colours though. At least, this red is rather nice.

So this is Miss Sporty 160, possibly called Deep Wine. I did a little bit of research then gave up! It has just a hint of golden shimmer which is quite nice. I stamped with Barry M Gold Foil and MoYou Pro 07. Oh, and matte topcoat. Can't forget the matte topcoat.

Girly Bits Refresh! Refresh! Refresh!

Greetings All!

This year I am making the effort to buy less polish and use more of the polishes I already own. Having said that I did absolutely need some of the new Girly Bits flakies. Because flakies. That is all the justification I needed. And I stand by that!

This is 2 coats of Refresh! Refresh! Refresh! over Color Club Artsy Crafty with matte topcoat. I always wear flakies with a matte finish because it lets you see more of the magic at once. It also makes taking pictures easier!

I might just wear flakies forever.

A2Z Series - K Is For Kitsch

Greetings All!

Late with this week's post again, of course. This week the prompt is Kitsch and thankfully I have what is really quite a large amount of nail art bits and pieces to prepare such a manicure. In fact it was a brilliant excuse to use some of them!

So here are my Kitsch nails.

When I think of kitsch I think of bright blue and pink, lime green, polka dots, bow, flowers, those little hula dolls...so this is my own little version! The polishes are Collection Hoola Hoop and Blue Hawaii, and the bits and pieces are from all over. As I said, I have quite a lot of them!


You can catch up on all the A2Z manicures here

An InLinkz Link-up

UK Indies - Freckles Polish New Collections Swatches (Plus Matte Topcoat!)

*These products were provided for review*

Greetings All!

Today I'm very excited to bring you swatches from the two latest collections from Freckles Polish. The Coven Collection is a collection of holographic polishes based on the third season of American Horror Story. The Love Me, Love Me Not Collection is a limited edition Valentines collection. I'm also very excited to show you the brand new Freckles matte topcoat. I do love a matte finish, that is no secret, and I'm always happy to find a new one!

I'll start with the holos. I haven't actually watched American Horror Story. I may start. People tell me I would like it, but then I recently watched Breaking Bad and I didn't like that *ducks* so I don't know! Anyway I'm going to take a leap and assume that The Coven Collection has witchy connotations

First up is Descendants Of Salem. As with all the Freckles holos this is two easy coats with topcoat.

This is a lovely moody Winter colour, matching really well with these cold grey days! I did try to get some pictures in sunlight, but Winter was having none of it! Still this has a lovely amount of holo while still being a nice deep dark colour.

Next up is Burnt At The Stake, again two coats.

The holo isn't quite as strong with this one, but the red-orange family are notorious holo killers. This is still very pretty with a scattered holo effect, and I really love the colour. It's just hovering in between orange and brown and it's just a really nice shade. I'm not a huge orange fan outside halloween but this one is very wearable.

Next up is The Valentines Collection. It feels like we've only just had Christmas, and now Valentines. Soon we'll have the Easter polishes! Time. It just keeps going. I just know that in no time at all at will be Summer and I'll be referring back to this time like it was last week.

First up is Love At First Sight. This is two coats with topcoat.

Love at first sight indeed! Perfect cherry red squishy jelly loaded with holographic glitters. Lovely application and just my kind of polish. I always kind of want to eat jellies like these though. I know they wouldn't taste good, but they look like they would...

Next is Fractured Heart. This is just one coat over grey.

I was very impressed with the coverage of this polish. This is one coat, no touchups or evening out. The hearts also came out easily without any fishing. And of course I love the combination of black and red, with grey holo. I believe they call it gunmetal. Neither of these Valentines polishes are overly 'seasonal' and they can be worn all year round, which I also like.

Finally, You Make Me So Matte, the new matte topcoat. As a big matte fan I can be a little fussy over my finishes so I was a little worried trying this one in case it didn't come up to my standards haha. I've worn it over Freckles Polish Anne Teak because a) it's the same brand haha, b) it looks great matte and c) it's one of my favourites so any excuse to wear it really!

I am impressed. It has a very matte finish, still just a hint of sheen but it looks good and definitely matte. It dries quickly, but not too quickly. One of the problems with a matte finish is that sometimes you have to polish with lightning speed to get it on before it dries. This gives you a chance to get a nice even coat on. It gets a big matte thumbs up from me!

These collections are both being released on the 30th of January, along with the matte topcoat. You can buy Freckles Polish here.