May Challenges - a smoosh and some stamping

Technically this wasn't a challenge, I just stamped over my smoosh to test a new plate.
The smoosh was made up of Leighton Denny Brick Road, Leighton Denny Graycious and Above the Curve Don't Blink.
I stamped over it using Ejiubas EJB-02 and China Glaze Liquid Leather. I haven't heard of this brand before but all of a sudden they seem to be all over my IG feed and my first thoughts are that I really like them - the plates are well etched and easy to use.
I couldn't help thinking this needed some purple so I lead-lighted the silvery areas with Barry M Purple Pop, which really gave this the look of pansies.

Smoosh!

Ejiubas EJB-02 and China Glaze Liquid Leather

Ejiubas EJB-02 and China Glaze Liquid Leather
with Barry M Purple Pop

 

When Colours Collide - Yellow and Grey

I can't say this was my favourite #whencolourscollide challenge - yellow and grey... well I love grey but I really don't like yellow.
Anyway, I gave it my best shot, trying to keep it fairly simple so I did a gradient of Leighton Denny
Brick Road and Leighton Denny Graycious and then stamped with Esmaltes da Kelly Topolino and Messy Mansion MM20

Messy Mansion MM20 - Yellow and Grey

 

 

 

May Challenges - Weather

Today's challenge for #clairestelle8may was weather. Now, I wouldn't want to wish more snow on us, the UK is pretty rubbish at dealing with snow and we didn't have much this year, thankfully, but I did feel a bit cheated at the lack of opportunity to stamp endless snowflakes on my nails. So, the weather prompt is clearly a sign to do snowflakes. My daughter was horrified that I was going to stamp snowflakes in May!!
I decided I'd go for a dark stormy sky so I started with a base of Leighton Denny Graycious, a beautiful dark grey creme.
Then I did a saran wrap mani, adding Leighton Denny Zero Gravity, a lighter grey creme. I love saran wrap, such a quick easy way to get a really cool effect.
Then I added the snowflakes using Pet'la Plate Flake No More and Essence Stampy 001.
Finally, to appease the outraged daughter, I stained the snowflakes red with alcohol ink, and then stamped over them with Hit the Bottle Absinthe Minded and a different image from the same Pet'la Plate. This looked cool I think until I top coated it and the alcohol ink went all funny - I probably should have top coated between the ink stage and the final stamp - that will teach me to cut corners. Never mind - it's colourful!!

Leighton Denny Graycious

Saran wrap mani with Leighton Denny Graycious
and Leighton Denny Zero Gravity

Pet'la Plate Flake No More and Essence Stampy 001

Pet'la Plate Flake No More and
Hit the Bottle Absinthe Minded

Iconic Effect Tortoiseshell

Today I am showing you my beautiful custom polish, made by Kelly and Kerrie at Iconic Effect. I was SO lucky to win a giveaway which included a polish of  my choice from their range (I chose their Extreme Holo top coat) and a custom polish. On the day of this exciting win, I was actually wearing Iconic Effect Turtle Shell, and as I lay in bed thinking what would I like, I thought, something similar to Turtle Shell but more autumnal in tone.
What they came up with is this stunning beauty, russet brown hexes, bright pink squares, plum squares, small magenta hexes, gunmetal and gold hexes and tiny weeny red and brown glitter - I think that's everything!!
I dithered for a while whether to do my first mani using this over a dark red, or what I eventually chose, Leighton Denny Graycious. I felt that this lovely polish deserved a bit of a contrast, it blended beautifully with the likes of Nails Inc Victoria, but the russet reds and deep pinks stand out so well against the lovely dark grey of Graycious. (I also swatched it over Femme Fatale and it looked gorgeous!)
I love this, love that is special because its custom made and it is just so stunning! Kelly and Kerrie really did make me something utterly beautiful, thanks girls!!

Iconic Effect Tortoiseshell

 

 

 

 

 

Leighton Denny Graycious

Most of the time I put  a lot of effort into deciding what colour I am going to paint my nails but on Saturday I just opened the drawer looking for something dark. I do love darks and feeling a bit sorry for myself with a stinky cold I wasn't in the mood for anything bright and cheery.
I went straight to this one, never been used, sat there waiting patiently, Leighton Denny Graycious.
I absolutely love it, it went on nicely in two coats and is a lovely dark shade of grey, very sophisticated I think.
It hasn't lasted fantastically well but I blame myself for faffing around doing a number of different things and just finishing my nails before cooking dinner, it wasn't the best plan! but on the plus side a chipped manicure is an excuse to put something on top of it - haven't quite decided what yet.
It's Matchy Matchy week on the facebook group and although I am guilty of flooding the wall with old pics of all my matchy manicures, I did think I'd better do a matchy pic for this week.
Out come the grey gloves that I actually made because I had nothing suitable to wear with A England Ascalon. The gloves are actually a bit light for a proper match but the camera decided to lie in my favour so it looks OK.