May Challenges - Green and Black Stripey nails and some flowers

Last weekend was a very important day for my son's football team - they made it to the final of the local league cup - sadly they lost on penalties but it was a great match and I am a proud mummy!
Anyway, having promised my son no shouting from the sidelines or cheer-leading, I was allowed to do my nails in team colours.
They play in green and black stripes so I started with Nails Inc Emerald Street and then added the stripes with Essence Stampy 002 and Lealac LLC-A which is probably my most used stripe image - I like it as the stripes are wider than any other plate I have.

Then after the weekend I tried out one of my new Hehe plates over the green and black stripes - I am still a bit undecided how I am going to use these plates as they combine florals with other patterns so generally not conducive to double stamping but I am quite pleased with how this turned out.
I used Hehe 074 with  Moyou London White Knight, and then coloured the white with Kandy Colors Hey Girl and Glovelovers (my custom dark green).

Lealac LLC-A with Essence Stampy 002
over Nails Inc Emerald Street

Hehe 074

 

 

40 Great Nail Art Ideas - 3 Shades of Green and stripes - and a St Patrick's Day Mani

Well I love green and I love stripes so I was really happy with this prompt for 40 Great Nail Art Ideas and obviously it lends itself well to a St Patrick's Day mani too.
I started with a gradient of 2 of my favourite OPIs - Thanks a Windmillion and Here Today...Aragon Tomorrow.
Then I added stripes using Lealac LLC-A (my favourite stripe image!) and Esmaltes da Kelly Bruce.
I am so pleased with them!!!!

Then, with a couple of St Patrick's Day prompts, I went on a bit of a stamping spree -
Avon Metallic Effects Gold Leaf and DRK A
2 True Pro Metallica Aglaia and Messy Mansion Symetrika 03
A England Saint George and Vivid Lacquer VL036

OPI Thanks a Windmillion

OPI Thanks a Windmillion and
OPI Here Today...Aragon Tomorrow

Esmaltes da Kelly Bruce and Lealac LLC-A

St Patrick's Day stamping

An InLinkz Link-up

October Challenges - Denim and Leaves

I've combined two challenges for #30daysofcolourchallenge.
The first one was Denim and as I had just received the most gorgeous denimmy holo polish in the September Paint the Rainbow Box, I though it would be perfect. Grace-full Second Star is a beautiful mid blue holo, and a real denim blue shade. Although I have lots of blues I don't have many blue holos which is probably why the September box tempted me so much!
I have not used a Grace-full polish before but first impressions are good - it was easy to apply, dried well, and good coverage in two coats. This blue is perfect, very wearable and I love it!
Although rain had been forecast all day, there was a window of sunshine which for once coincided with me finishing my nails, so I actually got a reasonable photo.
Apologies to long nail fans! they were making me nervous so they've had a trim, but they grow so quickly, I am sure they will be long again soon.
The second challenge was Leaves. As I had just done an Autumn leaves mani with fairly solid stamping I looked for more of an outline this time.
I started with a skeleton leaf image from Apipila Super Plate B and Virtuous Polish Glory, a vibrant golden yellow and then added another layer of leaves from Lealac LLC-A with Virtuous Polish Diligence, a very bright neon orange.
The golden yellow against the blue does look more of a brown shade, but it's a perfect leafy brown so I am happy with that and because the stamping is much more open, the blue holo is still very apparent. I think these are a lot more subtle than the last Autumnal mani and I decided to leave well alone and stop at two layers of stamping.

Grace-full Second Star

 

 

Apipila Super Plate B and Virtuous Polish Glory

Lealac LLC-A and Virtuous Polish Diligence

 

An InLinkz Link-up

An InLinkz Link-up

September Challenges - Colour of Your Socks

Today's prompt for #30daysofcolourchallenge was Colour of Your Socks. As I was in the mood for stripes, I dug out a pair of stripey socks and then set to work recreating them.
I started with a base of Leighton Denny Brick Road, and then added blue stripes with Esmaltes da Kelly Wendy and Moyou London Pro XL 01.
Then I added more stripes with Colour Alike Red Wine & Lilac Sweater and Lealac LLC-A. The image on LLC-A is quite large so it was possible to paint the actual stripes in alternating colours on the plate - a bit tricky but worth it I think. The resulting stripes were not that tidy, a bit wonky in places but overall I thought they were OK..
Then I added the knitted look with A England Lancelot and Messy Mansion MM40. I do like this plate!!
Finally I added a matte top coat. I still can't decide whether I prefer this mani matte or glossy but I was pretty pleased with it anyway.

Moyou London Pro XL 01
and Esmaltes da Kelly Wendy

Lealac LLC-A and Colour Alike Lilac Sweater and Red Wine

Messy Mansion MM40 and A England Lancelot

 

 

Messy Mansion MM40 - matte

 

 

An InLinkz Link-up

September Challenges - Plaid (or Tartan)

This weeks prompt for #wnac2015 was Plaid ( or Tartan if you are English).
I added stripes with A England Briar Rose and Lealac LLC-A to Glisten & Glow Electric Lemonade. Then I used A England Proserpine and Moyou London Hipster 05 to add the tartan pattern.
I am quite pleased with how these turned out - I love tartan and I think the colours work well together.

A England Briar Rose and Lealac LLC-A

A England Proserpine and Moyou London Hipster 05

 

 

 

June Challenges - Stripes, Glitter / Tropical and another Hawaiian Shirt mani

It's another of those combined posts so I'll try to keep it brief.
2 scheduled challenges and a little extra one thrown in at the last minute.
I started with  Smitten Angstrom, the most stunning teal glitter. Full coverage, very sparkly, beautiful colour - just perfect.
I added stripes using Lealac LLC A and 2True Pro Metallica Aglaia for #clairestelle8june's challenge. This was a great combination, two quite similar colours but very different textures, fascinating to look at although the camera hasn't quite picked that up - it looks like the 2True is just floating over the Smitten.
Then I set about the hawaiian shirt mani for  #hawaiianshirtmanifriday. I added some foliage with Pueen SE01B and Hit the Bottle Absinthe Minded, and then the flowers with Pueen SE03B and Hit the Bottle Magenta at Your Own Risk.
This had been my plan for #30daysofcolourchallenge which was Glitter/Tropical but having done the hawaiian shirt mani, I thought I'd better try to add something for the 30day challenge.
One step too far I think! I tried to reverse stamp some more Pueen SE04B flowers with Virtuous Polish Naomi and filled in using the gorgeous glitter, Dark Metal Lacquer Bright Eyes but it didn't quite go to plan. It does look better in the pictures than on my nails but not a huge success. As it was so warm today the Virtuous Polish kept drying too quickly to pick up, so I didn't have  a clear outline to fill with the glitter - the end result was not as crisp and tidy as I would like, but it is glittery!

Smitten Angstrom

Lealac LLC A and 2True Pro Metallica Aglaia

Pueen SE01B and Hit the Bottle Absinthe Minded

Pueen SE03B and Hit the Bottle Magenta at Your Own Risk

Pueen SE04B Virtuous Polish Naomi and
Dark Metal Lacquer Bright Eyes

An InLinkz Link-up

June Challenges - Squares

The challenge for #clairestelle8june for tomorrow was Squares. I had 2 other challenges for the same day so I decided to sneak this one in early.
It's one of those many part mani's - I like to take pictures along the way in case the next step is a disaster but then it seems a shame not to share them all!
I started with a base of Nails Inc Power Pink and then added a coat of Hare Polish Why So Igneous? the most gorgeous combination of green and purple square glitter, along with smaller green and purple glitters in a sheer purple base - square glitter!!! I love it so much!
I then stamped using the overlapping squares on Moyou London Artist 04 and Essence Stampy 001, not the neatest stamping ever but I am blaming Essence for running low again! - I need a bucket load of white stamping polish!!
Then I added a coat of Kandy Colors Grape Much? I love the way this softens the look and did I mention I am turning this into a pond mani :)
Then I stamped with Lealac LLC-A and Essence Stampy 001. I really love this Lealac plate with its huge images, I am amazed at how many times I have used it. The image I chose is actually diamonds but turned 45 degrees they are almost square!
And finally, another coat of Kandy Colors Grape Much?
I love the build up of colours here, and I can just see the odd glitter peeping through!

Lealac LLC-A and Essence Stampy 001
with Kandy.Colors Grape Much?

Hare Polish Why So Igneous?

Moyou London Artist 04 and Essence Stampy 001

Moyou London Artist 04 and Essence Stampy 001
 with Kandy.Colors Grape Much?

Lealac LLC-A and Essence Stampy 001

Lealac LLC-A and Essence Stampy 001
with Kandy.Colors Grape Much?

June Challenges - Neon / Splatter

The challenge today for #30daysofcolourchallenge was Neon / Splatter.
I decided that despite the fact I know neon polishes work best over white, I'd go for black, I haven't had dark nails for a while and they were calling to me!
I started with a base of China Glaze Liquid Leather, and if you look closely there is a layer of flakie next (for another day!)
Then I took Virtuous Polish Green Pastures and Patience and stamped green and then pink or pink and then green on each nail with Lealac LLC-A which has a cool splatter image on it. Although these polishes are perfectly neon, and will stamp on black they really need a more detailed image, the colour was just too thin with this image. They look OK, but not very neon, so I added 3 more layers of stamping with Virtuous Polishes Glory, Miriam, Naomi. Building on the earlier layers the neon started to show  and I've ended with some very colourful nails - the coolest thing ever according to my daughter!
No apologies for all the macro shots - have a new lens and have to test it out!

Virtuous Polishes Green Pastures
and Patience and Lealac LLC-A

Virtuous Polishes Green Pastures,
Patience, Glory, Miriam, Naomi and Lealac LLC-A

 

 

An InLinkz Link-up

May Challenges - Nautical

The challenge for #clairestelle8may was Nautical, so I went with the first thing that came into my mind - blue sailor stripes and red anchors and ships wheels!
I love stripes, despite the fact that my mum always told me horizontal stripes will make you look fat! So, I started a white base of Barry M Cotton and added some nice fat blue stripes, with Avon Classic Fit and Lealac LLC-A.
They might be rather bright but I liked these and they reminded me of old fashioned milk jugs!
Then came the tricky part. I love stamping but placing individual images is hard! (the other hand is worse). I used A England Perceval and Apipila Super Plate A to add the anchors and wheels.
Not my best ever stamping but they do look quite cute.
Finally I had to add a bit of a matchy pic with my fishermans sweater.

Stripey nails

Nautical