40 Great Nail Art Ideas - Coral and White - Waterfall

This week's colour prompt was Coral and White and the pattern / style was waterfall.
I stated with a pale peachy base of Barry M In a Flash and then I did the waterfall part with Golden Rose Holiday 53 - a lovely corally sand, OPI My Chihuahua Bites and Colour Alike Kind of White.
I think they worked OK although my white wasn't really crisp enough against the peach and maybe I should have tried a darker base.
I did stamp over them later for another challenge but I don't think it's one of my better creations. The prompt was Beach for #clairestelle8june - and I used DRK Seasons to add some beachy bits.

Coral and White Waterfall nails

DRK Seasons

An InLinkz Link-up

June Challenges - A Smoosh and Unicorns

Right, I think I will give blogging a rest, except for those that have to be blogged. I have thought long and hard about it, but there just never seems to be enough time to do it well and I don't want it to be a scrappy effort (although a few recent ones have been brief to say the least)
This week's smoosh was pink, blue and gold - I used Nails Inc Sugarloaf Sunset, St James Square and A England Holy Grail.
Unicorns for #clairestelle8june - well I started with UberChicUC 6-01 and Esmaltes da Kelly Fox Fur over my smoosh - and I think that unicorn poops might look a bit like this!!
UC 6-01 is my newest UberChic plate - I know I am a bit behind!! I couldn't quite make up my mind if I needed this set but there are so many images other people have used that I liked I decided to go for it and I love how Esmaltes da Kelly Fox Fur stamps!!
There don't seem to be many unicorn plates, perhaps as rare and shy as unicorns themselves - I found an image on Apipila Super Plate C but to be honest I preferred the previous stage. I am not that keen on single images on my nails, much prefer a pattern and my nails are a bit too small for this unicorn anyway,

Smoosh!

UberChicUC 6-01 and Esmaltes da Kelly Fox Fur

Apipila Super Plate C

'Ard As Nails Park Ranger and Dixie Plate DP 02

I think 'Ard As Nails is becoming one of my favourite UK Indies and the Safari Collection is lovely.
Today I have used Park Ranger which was the polish in the collection that first grabbed my attention when I saw swatches - a lovely khaki holo (although no sun today so just khaki!)
Excellent coverage, beautiful colour but really let down by poor lighting on the photos. I will obviously have to wear this again soon and get some better pictures.
I bought some new plates too so of course I had to try them out. Kate Dix has just brought out her own range of plates, Dixie Plates so I had to buy a couple - I used Dixie DP 02 with Colour Alike Fresh Mojito.
I chose one of the most intricate images on the plate and it stamped really well. I am delighted. I am not sure if I will stamp over this, I think it would be a shame to cover it up and I really like these two greens together!

'Ard As Nails Park Ranger

 

Dixie DP 02 and Colour Alike Fresh Mojito

 

40 Great Nail Art Ideas - Summer

I toyed with the idea of posting a woolly jumper and an umbrella since the British summer can be a bit disappointing but decided I should be a bit more optimistic!
In the end I went with flowers from the summer section of the DRK Seasons plate, and used a brand new thermal polish for the base.
For Your Nails Only is a UK Indie brand and Sharon has just brought out a lovely thermal collection called Climate Control.
I do love thermals although they can be stubbornly frustrating, and often stay in the warm phase too long for my liking especially in the "summer" even if it isn't that warm! However I am delighted to say Strawberry Bellini is very responsive and I was able to catch it in every stage - hence I have a folder of about 50 photos with and with out stamping.
I did use a pale base, as my nails are still very stained at the tips and often thermals are quite sheer in their warm phase.
I stamped first with Avon Iceberg White and then used the same images again with A England Lancelot (very dark red but not quite black)
I am just going to post one shot for the Summer challenge and then share my collages with you, otherwise this could be the longest post ever!

DRK Seasons with A England Lancelot and
Avon Iceberg White over
For Your Nails Only Strawberry Bellini

For Your Nails Only Strawberry Bellini

DRK Seasons with Avon Iceberg White over
For Your Nails Only Strawberry Bellini

DRK Seasons with A England Lancelot and
Avon Iceberg White over
For Your Nails Only Strawberry Bellini

An InLinkz Link-up

June Challenges - A Smoosh and some UberChic stamping

For last week's #smooshynailsunday I used Leighton Denny Brick Road, Nails Inc Peach Sorbet and Barry M Bikini.
Then I had this bright idea to stamp over my smoosh using versions of the 3 smoosh colours.
Stage 1 - Uber Chic UC 4-01 and Nails Inc Queen Victoria Street - this was the best stage in my opinion.
Stage 2 - for the yellow fans! Uber Chic UC 4-02 and EDK Bee.
Final stage - Uber Chic UC 4-03 and Barry M Flamingo. A bit of a #nailfail as the stamping was a probably too subtle, it looked better in real life - but I wish I'd used a stronger peach / orange.

Smoosh!

Uber Chic UC 4-01 and Nails Inc Queen Victoria Street

Uber Chic UC 4-02 and EDK Bee

Uber Chic UC 4-03 and Barry M Flamingo

June Challenges - Inspired by Cassis_p

I joined in a collaboration of ladies in a facebook group to send good wishes to Cassis_p who has inspired many but is unwell at the moment. We all recreated a mani of hers.
I chose a mani done by Cassis when she received her first UberChic order 55 weeks ago. I used UberChic UC1-02 with Leighton Denny Supermodel and Essence Stampy 002 over A England Her Rose Adagio and then coloured the flowers with Barry M Purple Pop, Pink Candy, Orange Fizz, Kandy Colors (custom) Knitty Malty Tiger.

UberChic UC1-02

 

 

 

original mani by @cassis_p

June Challenges - Green and Purple manis

Once I'd worn my Mint Green Watercolour mani for while it was time to stamp on it.
I decided to stay with green so I used UberChic UC 5-01 and Barry M Black Pistachio to stamp the large rose pattern over the smaller freehand roses. I really liked this effect.
Then, later I added the more solid rose image from the same plate, UberChic UC 5-01 using Barry M Black Currant. I love this image and the look you get when there is something going on underneath the stamping.
Finally, Purple for #clairestelle8june - I added a coat of Barry M Purple Pop - it changed the look completely but I have to say, I loved every stage of this mani. As you can see from the varying light, these manis spanned a number of days.

Mint Green Watercolour

UberChic UC 5-01 and Barry M Black Pistachio

UberChic UC 5-01 and Barry M Black Currant

Barry M Purple Pop

40 Great Nail Art Ideas - Mint Green Watercolour

Mint Green Watercolour for #40greatnailartideas - This week's colour was mint green and my prompt was watercolour.
I used Barry M Bikini, Avon Peppermint and Nails Inc Queen Victoria Street over Avon Iceberg White  - I am not sure if they looked watery enough but having free-handed flowers that actually looked remotely like flowers, I was reluctant to mess with them.
I did go on to stamp over them but I'll save that for another post.

Mint Green Watercolour - Barry M Bikini, Avon Peppermint
and Nails Inc Queen Victoria Street over Avon Iceberg White

 

 

 

An InLinkz Link-up

June Challenges - A Smoosh and a Galaxy mani

The week before last the smoosh colours were pink, green and black - I used China Glaze Treble Maker, China Glaze Liquid Leather, and HJ Manicure Candy Pink.
I really liked this smoosh and that particlar week there was also a challenge within a facebook group to do a galaxy mani. It seemed to me that my smoosh would be a great base for a galaxy.
I sponged SV by Sparkly Vernis Blurple Ice Cubes over the smoosh and then stamped with Avon Iceberg White and Vivid Lacquer VL 040.
I think they ended up OK.

Smoosh!

Avon Iceberg White and Vivid Laqcuer VL 040

 

June Challenges - Colours you don't usually wear and Fruit!

Colours you don't usually wear for #clairestelle8june - well, having done so many challenges there really aren't a lot of colours I don't wear, including the dreaded yellow but it is still the colour I would choose not to wear so I've done yellow with a bit of white!
I used Colour Alike Lemonade and Moyra Plate Florality 2 over Virtuous Polish Chastity and then Colour Alike Kind of White and Moyra Plate Florality 2.
I don't think I liked it at any stage - sorry yellow lovers!! Anyway you can see them below - they did look a bit better in real life, the stamping was clearer.
The second challenge was Fruit for #clairestelle8june and I used Moyra Florality 1 and Barry M Blackcurrant over the yellow mani (never waste a mani!)
I coloured a few of the fruits in with a Sharpie and I really liked the final mani - despite the yellow :)

Colour Alike Lemonade and Moyra Plate Florality 2

Colour Alike Lemonade and A Kind of White
with Moyra Plate Florality 2

Moyra Florality 1 and Barry M Blackcurrant

 

When Colours Collide - Brown and Pink

I decided I'd use the layering plate by Clear Jelly Stamper - CJS-02 for this mani. I started with a base of  Leighton Denny Supermodel, and then stamped with Above the Curve Friday the 13th, Colour Alike Sweetheart, Hit the Bottle Magenta at your Own Risk and Avon Polished Pink.
The choice of polishes was restricted by which pink and browns I could actually get to work with my clear jelly stamper, I think it needs a bit more washing as it's a bit choosy with what it will pick up.
Finally I used Hehe Fairytale 002 with Barry M Surfboard to add the lacy layer and then to finish it all off I added Barry M matte top coat.
These took a long time, all that individual image stamping! I like the idea of the clear stamper but I think it will be saved for occasional use, at least until I master it a bit better!

Clear Jelly Stamper CJS-02

added a few more roses

Clear Jelly Stamper CJS-02 and Hehe Fairytale 002

with matte top coat

June Challenges - Squares and the most awesome green!

I might have just found a new favourite green! Itsy Nails Green with Envy - I bought this last week along with a gorgeous slate grey, Cosmic Dust and a pretty light grey, City Girl.
I used the green first as it was the least like any other colour I own and I love it - it is so vibrant!! It applied beautifully, and dried nicely. It also seemed pretty well pigmented to I decided to see if the other 2 would stamp.
The prompt was Squares for #clairestelle8june  - I tried the beautiful slate blue grey Itsy Nails Cosmic Dust with Ejiubas Modern Geometry to stamp squares over the green mani. The squares were part of a tower block with lots of tiny windows and I think they worked well for this prompt - I don't have many plates with squares on.
Then I did a bit more stamping with Ejiubas Modern Geometry - this time quite a subtle addition with Itsy Nails City Girl, the lighter grey and a concentric circle pattern. The polish was not completely opaque but I really liked the look that I got. Although from the angle in the shot you can clearly see the concentric arcs, from many other angles you got more of a camouflage look.

Itsy Nails Green with Envy

 

 

Itsy Nails Cosmic Dust and Ejiubas Modern Geometry

Itsy Nails City Girl and Ejiubas Modern Geometry

June Challenges - Uber Chic !

Lovely Jolene @superninjaflyingmonkey had this great idea of showcasing Uber Chic manis on a Sunday so this is my first entry - Uber Chic UC 1-01 and A England Spirit of the Moors (over UC 1-02 and Leighton Denny Supermodel that I did for my 40 Great Nail Art Ideas Wedding mani )
And then for my second entry - Uber Chic UC 1-03 and Avon Iceberg White - I was frustrated with this one - it looked so pretty but the camera just couldn't capture it.

Uber Chic UC 1-02 and Leighton Denny Supermodel

Uber Chic UC 1-01 and A England Spirit of the Moors

Uber Chic UC 1-03 and Avon Iceberg White