26 Great Nail Art Ideas - Autumn

This weeks prompt was Autumn. I do love Autumn - despite not liking yellow or orange I love a good autumn leaves mani!
I was already wearing a dark red base, with some subtle red stamping so I went straight on top of that. I wasn't entirely sure how many layers I was going to do but I just kept going until I was happy with what I had done.
I used UberChic Lovely Leaves and started with Esmaltes da Kelly Bee. It's not a yellow I particularly like but it always seems to work well in an autumn mani.
Then I used Colour Alike Scary Pumpkin with the same plate. I do love this polish despite its annoying shimmeriness which makes clean up impossible!
Finally I added Esmaltes da Kelly Frogger, with two different images from the same plate again.

Uber Chic Lovely Leaves

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October Challenges - Halloween

I combined the final 2 challenges of October for #clairestelle8oct and #30daysofcolourchallenge as they were both Halloween.

I started with a base of Smitten Fire Burn which is quite possibly the most sparkly orange in the world ever, and such a gorgeous colour.

Then I added its partner from last Halloween's duo, Cauldron Bubble for a quick simple gradient - still super sparkly!

Then I stamped using the Nailways Darker Period and Monsters Halloween plates and a combination of Colour Alike Kind of Black, Colour Alike Scary Pumpkin and Avon Metallic Effects Platinum Petal.

I was really short of time to get this done in the daylight so I quite pleased with how well it turned out.

Smitten Fire Burn

 

 

Smitten Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble

 

 

40 Great Nail Art Ideas - Orange, Purple & Green with Pattern on Pattern

Well this weeks challenge sounded like an opportunity for some triple stamping - we all have the same colours but then we are on a rotating schedule for the pattern, how lucky was I with this combo!!
I have used Colour Alike Scary Pumpkin, Lilac Sweater and Fairy Forest with Yours Cosmetics Sascha Gossen YS07. The base is OPI Here Today...Aragon Tomorrow.
I chose the patterns quite carefully so that you'd still be able to see all three colours once I'd finished. I am quite pleased with how these turned out. I love building up the colours like this - sometimes it's hard to stop!

YS07 and Colour Alike Scary Pumpkin

YS07 and Colour Alike Lilac Sweater

YS07 and Colour Alike Fairy Forest

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October Challenges - Fall Gradient and Pumpkins

I have combined Fall Gradient for #30daysof colourchallenge and Pumpkins for #clairestelle8oct.
I started with the base of Jacava Shawfield Street and then I used the Jacava and OPI Skyfall to do my gradient. I decided to keep away from the more yellow shades for this gradient, not least because I was stamping pumpkins later and I wanted a reasonable contrast, but also because I think for a gradient sometimes its nice to just use two quite contrasting colours - in this case dark sage green and deep dark red.
I was pleased with my gradient - I didn't spend too long going for a really smooth one, but I was disappointed that it was raining when I was done so I was limited with choices for taking pictures.
Then I added the pumpkins. I had decided to use Colour Alike Scary Pumpkin and Esmaltes da Kelly Bee with my only pumpkin image, Cici&sisi 10, but then after doing the right hand, I got all nervous and wondered if the yellow was too yellow. On the left hand I switched  Bee for Virtuous Polish Glory, and I deliberately did not clean the plate after each orange stamp so the golden yellow stamping picked up a bit of orange too - it's a more subtle look but even now I still can't decide which I like best!
I am blaming my indecision on a slightly woolly head caused by the most stupid cold that is lingering well into its second week. I am also undecided on whether the matte or glossy finish is nicer - to be honest I really like all the versions - I need more days to wear all the options!!!
I'll be interested to see what the Instagram response is as you really get a feel for what people like and don't like :).

OPI Skyfall and Jacava Shawfield Street

CICI&SISI 10

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October Challenges - Autumn Colours

The challenge for #clairestelle8oct was Autumn colours and I planned to build on the glitter and yellow stamping from yesterday.
I don't have a red cream stamping polish but I remembered Nails Inc Gatwick which I got in a lucky dip. It is a matte red that I'd be unlikely to use otherwise so I thought it was worth giving that a try. I did a test and reckoned it would be OK over a pale base which is why I started with the yellow stamping.
I stamped another image from Pet'la Plate Golden Russian with Nails Inc Gatwick. It looked like this hadn't worked until I top coated it and then I think it looked pretty good.
Next I used Esmaltes da Kelly Frogger and the same plate to add some green leaves, and then finally I used Colour Alike Scary Pumpkin for the final layer of stamping.
You can only just see the glitter glinting through but I am happy with the way this went, and I like the final layer of shimmery orange. These Colour Alike polishes stamp nicely but they will leave shimmer on your skin if you skip the latex protection, or whatever you use when stamping, and then clean up is tedious! Sellotape doesn't seem to shift it.

Nails Inc Gatwick and Pet'la Plate Golden Russian

 

Esmaltes da Kelly  Frogger and Pet'la Plate Golden Russian

 

Colour Alike Scary Pumpkin and Pet'la Plate Golden Russian

September Challenges - Your Favourite Colour

The #30daysofcolourchallenge prompt was Your Favourite Colour - for nails, my favourite is most definitely blue. It is rare that I actually have an untried blue in my stash but I bought Glam Polish Bad Hair Day from Rainbow Connection last week so it was just waiting to be used! This is a limited edition polish for Alopecia Awareness. It is a gorgeous mix of glitters and holo micro glitters packed into a blue base. Overall it is a fairly dark blue but in some lights almost teal. It is stunning and so sparkly!
2 coats gave great coverage anf it applied nicely. Pictures are taken with one coat of top coat.
After half a day of glitteriness, I couldn't resist adding some stamping with Yours Cosmetics Sascha Gossen YS04 - I love this plate!! and Esmaltes da Kelly Doguito, a nude stamping polish.
Finally I added some more stamping with Yours Cosmetics Sascha Gossen YS04 and Colour Alike Scary Pumpkin, a gorgeous rust shade.
I did all the stamping quite randomly, it's really cool to see all the different patterns you get with the thicker and thinner lines and I love the fact that the glitter peeps through in between the stampings.

Glam Polish Bad Hair Day

 

 

 

Yours Cosmetics Sascha Gossen YS04
and Esmaltes da Kelly Doguito

 

Yours Cosmetics Sascha Gossen YS04
and Colour Alike Scary Pumpkin

 

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