Friday 20 February 2015

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



Wednesday 18 February 2015

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.

Monday 16 February 2015

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!


Friday 13 February 2015

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.

Thursday 12 February 2015

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.



Thursday 5 February 2015

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





Wednesday 4 February 2015

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.

Monday 2 February 2015

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!

Sunday 1 February 2015

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!