Friday 29 April 2016

40 Great Nail Art Ideas - 3 Shades of Red / Orange and Tie Dye

I really wasn't sure how I was going to tackle this one but then wonderful @dreamymm did a stunning rainbow tie dye mani about a month ago, so basically I just did what she did! Thanks Mary!!
I used Moyou London Kaleidoscope 06 and Barry M Cotton with Above the Curve You Call me …Sexy, Donna and Akiko - 1 red and 2 oranges.
Mary has a great tutorial video for this on her You Tube and her IG, but basically it involves sponging the colours, stamping, sponging again, stamping again and a final sponging. Sounds simple if you say it quickly! I got through a lot of top coat as I top coated between each step being so nervous of smudging!
It looked really messy as I went along but I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome.
Moyou London Kaleidoscope 06
Moyou London Kaleidoscope 06
 Moyou London Kaleidoscope 06
 Moyou London Kaleidoscope 06


Thursday 28 April 2016

April Challenges - Nautical

I tried another of the new Barry M Coconut Infusion range, this time Aloha, a lovely corally pink. Beautiful polish and a lot more wearable than I was expecting, so pretty.
Nautical for #clairestelle8april - I'd been thinking about not doing red or blue for this and then I saw Iva @secretjewelgarden do purple, so I used the corally pink - I used UberChic UC 2-03 and Barry M Cotton and ... for the very first time... my Clear Jumbo Stamper from Nail Artisan  - for a first go I am really pleased with it. I need some practice but I am encouraged by my first use.
I couldn't quite resist the urge to test the Clear Jumbo Stamper a little bit more with some shadow stamping using 2 true Pro Metallica Aglaia and the same  UberChic image. I probably should have chosen a better contrast but I thought subtle was good in case it was a disaster! One to revisit, I think.
Barry M Coconut Infusion Aloha
Barry M Coconut Infusion Aloha
 Barry M Coconut Infusion Aloha
UberChic UC 2-03 and Barry M Cotton
UberChic UC 2-03 and Barry M Cotton
UberChic UC 2-03 and 2 true Pro Metallica Aglaia
UberChic UC 2-03 and 2 true Pro Metallica Aglaia

April Challenges - A Smoosh and Dreamcatchers

Catching up with #smooshynailsunday from 2 weeks ago using Nails Inc Atomic, Leighton Denny Brick Road and HJ Manicure Lavender.
I then used this as a base for Dream Catchers for #firedazedchallenge - I used Bundle Monster Festival BM-S301 and Moyou London Black Knight.
#smooshattack
 

Bundle Monster Festival BM-S301 and Moyou London Black Knight
Bundle Monster Festival BM-S301 and
 Moyou London Black
Bundle Monster Festival BM-S301 and  Moyou London Black

40 Great Nail Art Ideas - Animals (and a few other manis along the way)

I hadn't actually planned to do the #40greatnailartideas over the green manis but I think it worked out OK.
Well, it is year end - hence the blogging is sparse and the manis are trying to be efficient so here goes.
I started with Barry M Coconut Infusion Bikini - A beautiful wearable green - I am loving these shades and when I have worn them all I will do a summary post.
Then I sponged on Nails Inc Moonlight Shadow, a lovely khaki green, one of the freebies from Marie Claire magazine earlier this year.
Then I used Barry M Black Pistachio and DRK Magic Garden for the Earth Day prompt for #firedazedchallenge.
Then Esmaltes da Kelly Bruce and DRK Magic Garden for the Green prompt for #clairestelle8april. The DRK Magic Garden plate is so beautiful, the images are just lovely and a bit larger than some of the other similar DRK plates which I think makes them so much more usable.
And finally, Barry M Cotton and Bundlemonster BM-S167 for Animals - these are so cute - really loving these Fuzzy and Ferocious little plates!
Barry M Coconut Infusion Bikini
Barry M Coconut Infusion Bikini
Nails Inc Moonlight Shadow and Barry M Bikini
Nails Inc Moonlight Shadow and Barry M Bikini
Barry M Black Pistachio and DRK Magic Garden
Barry M Black Pistachio and DRK Magic Garden
Esmaltes da Kelly Bruce and DRK Magic Garden
Esmaltes da Kelly Bruce and DRK Magic Garden
Barry M Cotton and Bundlemonster BM-S167
Barry M Cotton and Bundlemonster BM-S167


Tuesday 26 April 2016

St George's Day Mani

St George's Day - this seemed like a good idea in my mind!!
I started with a base of A England Cathy, sponged a cross with A England Let Me In and then stamped using A England Saint George and  Camelot with Vivid Lacquer  VL020.
I did glossy and then matte - I think the matte was my favourite and it was easiest to photograph.
St George's Day
 

Friday 15 April 2016

40 Great Nail Art Ideas - Pink and Lilac Tape Mani

OK, so pink and lilac is cool - when I saw tape mani my heart fell :( I really struggle with striping tape but there was no way I could twist this one and stamp instead. So I just worried about it for about a  month or so and then I saw something by lovely @kynsitic that inspired me so much I decided I'd give it a go. (pic included)
I was concerned I wouldn't get sufficient contrast if I used lilac glitter and pale pink polish so I used one of my darkest most vibrant pinks, Jacava Blackberry Fool, a scrummy blue pink.
I used Glam Polish Which Witch? as I thought this one was dense enough to give decent coverage with one coat.
I am in utter shock! it worked, better than I could ever have hoped although I still hate striping tape and will certainly stick to stamping where possible!
I have included pictures of both hands so you can see I really did do all 10 nails!
Jacava Blackberry Fool
Jacava Blackberry Fool
 Jacava Blackberry Fool

Pink and Lilac tape mani
Pink and Lilac tape mani
 
 

original by @kynsitic


Thursday 14 April 2016

April Challenges - Cities

Cities for #clairestelle8april - I decided to do the stained glass window from Coventry Catherdral as Coventry is where I was born and the Cathedrals (old and new) are the things I remember most about the city.
I used Pet'la Stained Glass and Petla Basics, with Colour Alike Kind of Black over a selection of Kandy Colors Jellies.
I think the idea was OK but it ended up a little on the dark side.
Pet'la Stained Glass
Pet'la Stained Glass
Pet'la Stained Glass and Pet'la Basics
Pet'la Stained Glass and Petl'a Basics
 

April Challenges - Barry M Sunkissed and Mehndi / Henna Inspired

On a bit of an impluse I bough the new Barry M Coconut Infusion polishes last week and today I am showing you Sunkissed, a warm toffee nude.
I wasn't too sure about this in the bottle but it is lovely on, really wearable for those days when you shouldn't really be wearing polish. As with a lot of nudes maybe not for everyone's skin tone but I liked it on me. Coverage was great and I wore it for a day before stamping on it. As usual the pictures do struggle with colour accuracy, the sunny shot is probably the best.

Mehndi/Henna Inspired for #firedazedchallenge - I was so far behind with my challenges but I knew exactly what I was going to do -  I used Moyou London Explorer 22 and Above the Curve Friday the 13th over Sunkissed and I was really happy with the outcome - nice simple mani.
Barry M Sunkissed
Barry M Sunkissed
Barry M Sunkissed
  Barry M Sunkissed
Moyou London Explorer 22 and ATC Friday the 13th
Moyou London Explorer 22 and ATC Friday the 13th
 Moyou London Explorer 22 and ATC Friday the 13th



Monday 11 April 2016

April Challenges - A Smoosh and some neon

Well you might notice the posts have slowed down and actually some manis may not even get a blog post. I am trying to keep up but it's just not happening.
You can always follow my blog facebook page, my personal facebook page and my instagram to see what I am up to, just with less words!!! that might be a good thing!
Anyway, this week's smoosh was black, white and hot pink - I used Nails Inc Nottinghill Gate, Barry M White and A England Camelot. Nottinghill Gate didn't turn out that hot, maybe I should have added a second layer but I don't like to mess with smooshes! The end smoosh was quite pretty I think but more subtle than I planned.
Then I stamped with with Bundle Monster BM-S301 and A England Camelot. It was quite tricky to choose what to stamp over black and white - I didn't want to add more colour and I think maybe there are a couple of black patches that don't look so great but overall it was OK.
Then I made it Neon for #clairestelle8april with my Kandy Colors neon jellies - Grape Much?, Hey Girl and Retro. I did it all detailed like lead lighting on my left hand and just blobbed it on messily on the right. I actually preferred the messy version so I added a second more random layer of colour to both.
smoosh!
Bundle Monster BM-S301 and A England Camelot
Bundle Monster BM-S301 and A England Camelot
Kandy Colors neon jellies
Kandy Colors neon jellies
Kandy Colors neon jellies
More Kandy Colors neon jellies



Friday 8 April 2016

40 Great Nail Art Ideas - Kids TV

Kids TV for #40greatnailartideas - well this was a toughie - in the end I went with my favourite TV programme when I was little, and even then you have to use your imagination a bit! I always loved this pink stripey cat and it is no coincidence that my daughter is called Emily!
I used Bundle Monster BM-S161 from the Fuzzy and Ferocious set 2 and Moyou London White Knight over Nails Inc Sugarloaf Sunset.
I showed my husband and asked him which children's TV show this was and he got it staright away so hopefully not too abstract!
Nails Inc Sugarloaf Sunset
Nails Inc Sugarloaf Sunset
 Nails Inc Sugarloaf Sunset
Bundle Monster BM-S161
Bundle Monster BM-S161
 Bundle Monster BM-S161


Thursday 7 April 2016

April Challenges - Water

Water for #clairestelle8april - I used all the watery polishes and stamps I could find -
Leighton Denny Blue Lagoon, Quirk An Ocean Potion, Kleancolor Metallic Aqua and Bundlemonster + Sloteazzy BM-XL210, HJ Manicure Blue Lagoon and Bundlemonster + Lucy's Stash BM-XL209.
Leighton Denny Blue Lagoon
Leighton Denny Blue Lagoon
 Leighton Denny Blue Lagoon

Quirk An Ocean Potion
Quirk An Ocean Potion
Kleancolor Metallic Aqua and Bundlemonster + Sloteazzy BM-XL210
Kleancolor Metallic Aqua and
Bundlemonster + Sloteazzy BM-XL210
HJ   Manicure Blue Lagoon and Bundlemonster + Lucy's Stash BM-XL209
HJ Manicure Blue Lagoon and
Bundlemonster + Lucy's Stash BM-XL209
HJ   Manicure Blue Lagoon and Bundlemonster + Lucy's Stash BM-XL209

Monday 4 April 2016

April Challenges - Royal Blue / Autism Awareness

Jacava Midnight's Secret was my first Jacava polish - I won it in a giveaway hosted by Lucy's Stash and Jacava supporting Autism Awareness in April 2013. I still love it! such a vibrant colour and what better polish to contnue raising awareness of autism. If you follow the link you'll see that 3 years later I am still matching it with the same gloves :)

Royal Blue / Autism Awareness for #firedazedchallenge - I used the puzzle image on Moyou London Princess 14 with 2 True Pro Metallica Athena.
Jacava Midnight's Secret
Jacava Midnight's Secret
 Jacava Midnight's Secret

Moyou London Princess 14 and 2 True Pro Metallica Athena
Moyou London Princess 14 and 2 True Pro Metallica Athena
Moyou London Princess 14 and 2 True Pro Metallica Athena