Friday 30 December 2016

Nail Crazies Unite - Ugly Sweater

This week's prompt was Ugly Sweater. I do have a few Christmas Sweater plates but I just received a new one along with a whole lot of beautiful pates from Messy Mansion so I had to try this one.
I had ordered three of the new XL plates (the knitty ones of course) but the lovely Messy Mansion people sent me seven other plates to review - this must have been my best Christmas present!!!
MM82XL has 12 images on it, all really large and actually since I had just cut my nails down, larger than I needed but I always love large images as I can use parts of an image. There are 2 sweater images on the plate, one is virtually a negative of the other which is great, I always love that option and because my nails are so short I was able to use the top and bottom parts of each image to create different images on 4 nails.
I had a dark red gel base on (I thought it was black when I bought it) so I went with the bright limey green 2 True Arete for the stamping. The images stamped really nicely. I did have to swipe sideways to get the full image on the "negative" pattern, when I went up or down I didn't spread the polish well enough but I loved how these looked when I had finisged and quite frankly, not "ugly" at all!!
Messy Mansion MM82XL
Messy Mansion MM82XL
 Messy Mansion MM82XL
 Messy Mansion MM82XL


Friday 23 December 2016

26 Great Nail Art Ideas - Pastel Christmas

I had a few ideas about pretty pastelly wintery scenes but I was a bit worried they'd be too pale and the detail would be lost so I went for a more clashing pastel thing with a pastel Christmas Jumper.
I started with a base of Barry M Laguna and Barry M Bikini and then I used Dixie Plate DP06 with Esmaltes Da Kelly Bee and Colour Alike Sweetheart.
No step by step photos this time as I freehanded the blue/green split and it wasn't worthy of a photo.
Not quite sure what I think about the outcome, probably a wintery scene would have been better!
I look forward to seeing what everyone else comes up with.
Dixie Plate DP 06 with pastel shades
Dixie Plate DP 06 with pastel shades


Friday 16 December 2016

Nail Crazies Unite - Candy Cane

This week's prompt was Candy Cane.
I have some lovely plates with striped images that would be perfect for this and because I love stripes I was tempted to use them but I also have Messy Mansion Merry Christmas which has actual candy canes on, and they can really only be used in the Christmas period so I thought I'd better use them.
I am wearing a white gel base this week so I though I'd keep it simple, but I couldn't resist having red and green ones, and yes I know most candy canes are red and white.
I decided to be brave with some reverse stamping so I stamped with A England Saint George and Rose Bower and coloured the stripes with the same alternating colours.
They looked a bit bare either side of the main image so I added some Christmassy glitter with Magic Goose Reindeer Dance.
Messy Mansion Merry Christmas
Messy Mansion Merry Christmas
 Messy Mansion Merry Christmas
















Saturday 10 December 2016

26 Great Nail Art Ideas - Christmas Preparations

This weeks prompt was Christmas Preparations - I hate wrapping and am no good at baking so for me the best Christmas preparation is decorating the tree.
We haven't done ours yet this year, but I always dream of a nice dark tree with silver/white decorations, so that's what I did on my nails.
I started with my fanbrush base of green, red and blue (Ard as Nails Missy, 'Ard as Nails Lazy Afternoon and Barry M Laguna) and then I used a lovely plate I got last Christmas Messy Mansion MM30.
I used A England Proserpine for the dark boughs of the tree and then used For Your Nails Only Snow Queen for the decorations.
I was really pleased with the outcome but it was so dull outside I did struggle to capture this one, despite taking over 100 photos.
fanbrush base
Messy Mansion MM30 with  A England Proserpine
Messy Mansion MM30 with  A England Proserpine
Messy Mansion MM30 with  A England Proserpine and For Your Nails Only Snow Queen
Messy Mansion MM30 with  A England Proserpine
 and For Your Nails Only Snow Queen
Messy Mansion MM30 with  A England Proserpine and For Your Nails Only Snow Queen




Friday 2 December 2016

Nail Crazies Unite - Holiday Movie

This week's prompt was Holiday Movie and to be honest absolutely nothing sprang into my mind until I was looking at my new Christmas plate from Dixie Plates and it hit me, of course! The Snowman - we watched that year after year and I love it as much now as I did back when I was about 14. I know it isn't technically a movie but it is such a part of Christmas.
So, I started with a base of Colors by Llarowe Chasing a Unicorn, which I can finally wear because I have a pale gel base on underneath, and then I stamped the snowmen from Dixie Plates DP 06 with A England Camelot.
I top coated and then coloured in the hats, scarves and noses with Sharpies. I did not top coat again as that usually results in smudges and I find the Sharpies last pretty well anyway.
I did also add a matte top coat (ignoring or forgetting that it will smudge! - looks like I almost got away with it so I took a couple of matte shots too)
Dixie Plate DP06
Dixie Plate DP06
Dixie Plate DP06
Dixie Plate DP06
Dixie Plate DP06


Friday 25 November 2016

26 Great Nail Art Ideas - Winter Warmth

I really don't like the winter, I hate being cold and could happily have summer all year long except for one thing... my knitting. I am not much fussed by summer knitting, I like thick warm chunky knits and I guess without cold winters there'd be no chunky knitting!
So, of course I was going to do a knitty thing for the Winter Warmth prompt.
I hadn't quite decided on colours but the #fanbrushfriday colours for this Friday were cream, brown and red and I thought they'd be great for knitty nails.
I went for quite a patchy hit and miss fan brush pattern (not least because my fan brush loses bristle every time I use it and it's getting quite bald) but I think it made a great base for the knitting stamp.
I used Avon Tender, Avon Desire and M.Y.N.X Vixen for the base and then stamped with Moyra 02 Fabric Texture and Esmaltes da Kelly Fox Fur.
Such a simple mani, but I really liked how it turned out and for once I was up to date with manis so it got 2 whole days of wear!
fan brush base
Moyra 02 Fabric Texture and Esmaltes da Kelly Fox Fur
Moyra 02 Fabric Texture and Esmaltes da Kelly Fox Fur
 Moyra 02 Fabric Texture and Esmaltes da Kelly Fox Fur
Moyra 02 Fabric Texture and Esmaltes da Kelly Fox Fur
with Emily's Christmas Jumper!

Friday 18 November 2016

Nail Crazies Unite - Fall Foliage

I am a bit disappointed with the end result of this mani.
In my mind it was going to be wonderful and to be honest in real life it did look nice but it absolutely would not photograph.
I started with my fan brush mani as a base as the colours white, gold and burgundy seemed a reasonable base for an autumnal mani, and I do like to try and be efficient and combine where I can.
I added an outline leaf pattern with Uber Chic Lovely Leaves and Esmaltes da Kelly Bee.
Then I added a different outline leaf with Hit the Bottle Absinthe Minded and finally I added a negative image with Hit the Bottle Copper Haired Girl.
I also added a matte top coat to see of that would help but really I should have used a darker polish for the final layer and typically I broke my own rule and didn't top coat between layers so I couldn't rethink the final layer. The macro looks OK though 😉
I didn't do a full step by step for this mani either - I took a part way photo with each nail at a different stage, so I'll include that here so you can see the layers.
Uber Chic Lovely leaves
Step by Step with Uber Chic Lovely Leaves
Uber Chic Lovely leaves
Uber Chic Lovely Leaves
 Uber Chic Lovely leaves
Uber Chic Lovely leaves
Uber Chic Lovely Leaves


Friday 11 November 2016

26 Great Nail Art Ideas - Black Base and some Gothic Stamping

This weeks's challenge was Black Base which rather conveniently coincided with #clairestelle8nov prompt of Gothic.
So, I started with a black base... of A England Camelot.
Then I stamped a lacy pattern with Colour Alike Venus and Dixie Plate DP 01.
Then I added a rather Gothic image from DP 04 using Colour Alike Supernova.
These two Colour Alike polishes are gorgeous duo chromes: I don't think Venus had much of a chance to do its magic with the pattern I stamped but I loved how Supernova looked and was delighted to see the camera catch the browny gold and the pinky red.
Finally I added a matte top coat.
A England Camelot
A England Camelot
Dixie DP01 and Colour Alike Venus
Dixie DP01 and Colour Alike Venus
Dixie DP04 and Colour Alike Supernova
Dixie DP04 and Colour Alike Supernova
Dixie DP04 and Colour Alike Supernova
Dixie DP04 and Colour Alike Supernova - matte


Sunday 6 November 2016

Nail Crazies Unite - Coffee

Well, in a crazy moment I joined a new group with another fortnightly challenge which will fit neatly between the Crumpet Challenge, so not so crazy after all.
This was the first week and the prompt was coffee. Luckily for me I had just done a brown, chocolate and cream fanbrush mani so it was a pretty perfect base for some coffee stamping.
I stamped coffee beans using Hit the Bottle Espresso Martini and Uber Chic UC 2-01 on my index and little finger. Then I used the same cream from the base to stamp the coffee cups image from the same plate on the other fingers, and then stamped over that with the same image and Espresso Martini.
I was a bit worried whether the stamping would show up but I think it looked OK and I was really pleased with how they turned out.
I also added  matte top coat and now I am not sure which I preferred :)
Uber Chic UC2-01
Uber Chic UC2-01
 Uber Chic UC2-01
 Uber Chic UC2-01


Friday 28 October 2016

26 Great Nail Art Ideas - Halloween in the Wrong Colours

This week's prompt was Halloween in the wrong colours. I went for the least Halloweeny ones I could think of, neon blue and pink over a pale nude base.
It wasn't a huge success, the contrast wasn't great enough for some of the stamping so some intervention with a Sharpie was required.
I started with a base of Virago Exposed, a really pretty mauvy nude. This is such a lovely colour and a wonderful polish, virtually opaque in one coat. As I was adding to it and stamping I left it at one coat and no photo I am afraid as the light was appalling when I did these.
I then added Virago Unclad which is a lovely warm brown. I sponged this over Exposed, again no photo which is a shame as it looked so pretty.
Then I stamped blue cobwebs from Ejiubas Halloween with Colour Alike Cobalt Kick and then added pink witches, ghosts, pumpkins, spooky castle and spider with Colour Alike Fuchsia Flash.
This was where I had contrast problems, the eyes and windows were not that clear so I added them in with a Sharpie but I am not sure it made it any better.
If I had gone with idea no.1 I would have used neon pink over dark blue or vice versa but mani advisor (daughter Emily) said dark blue was too halloweeny - thanks Em - blaming the #nailfail on you :)
Anyway, three pictures - one just with stamping, one with Sharpie addition and one with a coat of Barry M Mani Mask Bashful Pink, just to see what it would look like.
Ejiubas Halloween
Ejiubas Halloween
 Ejiubas Halloween
 Ejiubas Halloween



Friday 14 October 2016

26 Great Nail Art Ideas - Blue and Silver

So, this is the start of a new challenge and I decided I would try to blog it- we'll see how I get on.
It is once a fortnight so I ought to be able to keep up.
I was recently quite extravagant and bought the whole Virago Varnish 77 Collection - 7 gorgeous autumnal shades, two of which were blue so they had to go in this mani, since early every other challenge is orange at the moment!
I did 2 nails on each hand with Virago Disco King, such a gorgeous glitter and I left them with no top coat. The other 3 nails were Virago Blue Vinyl which did dry to a vinyl like finish but I top coated them to get them super shiny!
I then added stamping with Avon Platinum Petal and a new plate, Ejiubas Celtic - in collaboration with Opal Hazlett. Love this plate!! I think I will be using it a lot!
Originally this was how I was going to leave the mani but it didn't look right so I stamped the same image again with Hit the Bottle I Blue it all on polish. The tone of the blue stamping was a better match for the blue glitter and I was happier with that look.
(and please ignore the white/grey toned flesh - at least the blues are the right colour even if my hands look dead)
Virago Blue Vinyl and Virago Disco King
Virago Blue Vinyl and Virago Disco King
Avon Platinum Petal and Ejiubas Celtic
Avon Platinum Petal and Ejiubas Celtic
Hit the Bottle I Blue it all on polish and Ejiubas Celtic
Hit the Bottle I Blue it all on polish and Ejiubas Celtic


Thursday 29 September 2016

40 Great Nail Art Ideas - Earth Tones and Circles

Well, this is the final post in this series.
There is a new challenge starting but if blogging is not a requirement I will probably just use Instagram and Facebook for it.
The final colour prompt was earth tones and my pattern prompt was circles.
I started with a base of Itsy Nails Cosmic Dust, a gorgeous slate blue grey.
Then I sponged Nails Inc Fashion Fawn and Nails Inc Moonlight Shadow over the base for a nice sludgy earthy look :) no picture as it was quite sludgy!
Then I stamped with Itsy Green with Envy and Loja BBF 46. I liked it but wasn't sure it was earthy enough so I added  a second layer of stamping. I used the same image and Hit the Bottle Copper Haired Girl. I really loved the finished mani:- the different finishes of polish looked great I think, and quite autumnal.
Loja BBF 46 and Itsy Nails Green with Envy
Loja BBF 46 and Itsy Nails Green with Envy
Loja BBF 46 and Hit the Bottle Copper Haired Girl
Loja BBF 46 and Hit the Bottle Copper Haired Girl
 Loja BBF 46 and Hit the Bottle Copper Haired Girl


Thursday 22 September 2016

40 Great Nail Art Ideas - Autumn

Autumn!! well according to Google today is Autumn so what better than an Autumn mani, although it wouldn't be my first this year. Once I got my hands on Uber Chic Lovely Leaves from Nail Artisan I think I have already used it 5 or 6 times!! I love it and just like a snowflake plate it's pretty seasonal so you've got to use it while you can :)
I started with a very Autumnal base, my very first Painted Polish which I got as a store exclusive from Rainbow Connection.
Jumpin' Jack-O'-Lantern is a gorgeous cream crelly with beautiful autumnal glitters in orange, green and gold! I love it!!! I used one coat over a pale base as there was plenty of glitter in one coat.
I didn't take any macro shots as my macro lens does not seem to like my new phone but I have blown up a couple of pics to try and show this beauty!!!
Then I stamped with Hit the Bottle Copper Haired Girl and Uber Chic Lovely Leaves. I was really happy with the colour match of the HTB and the glitters but really struggled to capture it on camera. In the end I resorted to a matte top coat, I am still not happy with the pictures but it was the best I could get. Such a shame as this was a really pretty mani.
Painted Polish Jumpin' Jack-O'-Lantern
Painted Polish Jumpin' Jack-O'-Lantern
 Painted Polish Jumpin' Jack-O'-Lantern

Uber Chic Lovely Leaves and Hit the Bottle Copper Haired Girl
Uber Chic Lovely Leaves and
Hit the Bottle Copper Haired Girl
Uber Chic Lovely Leaves and Hit the Bottle Copper Haired Girl
Uber Chic Lovely Leaves and
Hit the Bottle Copper Haired Girl
Painted Polish Jumpin' Jack-O'-Lantern
Painted Polish Jumpin' Jack-O'-Lantern

Thursday 15 September 2016

40 Great Nail Art Ideas - Red, Yellow and Green Chevrons

This weeks colour prompt for 40 Great Nail Art Ideas was red, yellow and green and my pattern prompt was chevrons.
I decided to go for a red and green gradient and stamp yellow chevrons. I used Pet'la Plate Basics with Colour Alike Yellow Glow over A England Perceval and Bear Pawlish Scar.
They were seriously bright but I was really pleased with them - except that my middle 2 nails were very slightly too long for the stamped image - don't look too closely!
Pet'la Plate basics with Colour Alike Yellow Glow
Pet'la Plate basics with Colour Alike Yellow Glow
Pet'la Plate basics with Colour Alike Yellow Glow
 
 

40 Great Nail Art Ideas - Books

Not many of these to go now - where did a year go? and my poor blog has pretty much fizzled to nothing!
This latest challenge is almost a week late because last week was one of those weeks when so much went wrong to absorb all my free time that usually gets frittered away on nail stuff, and then when I thought of what I might do it involved striping tape which means an overnight drying of the base coat and time consuming placing of tape so that idea fell by the wayside (to be recycled when I have more time!)
The book I am reading is the Bourne Trilogy - good book but it failed to inspire me for the nail prompt. However Mr Knitty Nails is reading Game of Thrones - ah ha!! that's a bit more inspiring. I know my friend Iva had done some great dragon's egg nails so I thought I'd do that.
I used Pet'la Kaboom and For Your Nails Only Bullion over A England Proserpine. The stamping wasn't as crisp as I would have liked and I have no idea what I did wrong but some days you just just have to go with it and move on, so here are my dragon's egg nails.
Pet'la Kaboom and For Your Nails Only Bullion
Pet'la Kaboom and For Your Nails Only Bullion
 Pet'la Kaboom and For Your Nails Only Bullion