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

 

Quirk An Ocean Potion

Kleancolor Metallic Aqua and
Bundlemonster + Sloteazzy BM-XL210

HJ Manicure Blue Lagoon and
Bundlemonster + Lucy's Stash BM-XL209

February Challenges - Smooshing, LOVE! and Flowers that I Love

Another combined post here - starting with a Valentine's Day smoosh.
The colours were pastel yellow, bright light blue and bright purple - I don't really have a pastel yellow but the picture they posted looked just like the 3 Leighton Denny colours that were part of the summer collection a few years back - Shipwrecked, Blue Lagoon and Maroon Me Knot so i went with those. They didn't end up quite as vibrant as I'd planned but I was nervous of adding a second layer of smoosh and turning it into a mess. so I went with the soft watercolour look.
As soon as I saw these colours the next thought that went through my head was flowers - a prompt for a weeks time for #clairestelle8feb was Flowers that I Love and these looked like the perfect colours for sweet peas, which are my favourites! I found an image on Moyra 10 Florality 2 that I am certain is sweet peas and stamped that with Barry M Black Grape.
Then after a day, I disguised this mani with a single coat of Kandy Colors Hey Girl and then stamped hearts with Barry M Black Currant and UberChic UC4-03 for the LOVE! prompt for #clairestelle8feb.
So, the time line is a bit mixed up for this mani but photos are in order of how the mani came together.

#smooshattack 

 

Moyra 10 Florality 2 and Barry M Black Grape

UberChic UC4-03 and Barry M Black Currant

Nail Lacquer UK Ariel's Tail

What a beauty I have on my nails now. In the last few weeks something wonderful has happened...UK Indies!!!
I think they are all pretty new, and from what I have seen so far they are all fantastic!!!
My first purchase was from Charlie at pocket money polishes, then Kelly and Kerry at Iconic Effect.
Then last week I also heard about Tara's Talons and Nail Lacquer UK and so I had to give them a try too, just to be fair.
They arrived yesterday and what a dilemma, what would I try first, so I swatched them all, and this one particularly stood out - Nail Lacquer UK's Ariel's Tail. This is a stunning glitter top coat with a mix of greens, blues and white glitters in all sorts of shapes and sizes. It is just gorgeous and really sparkly.
I have used one coat over Leighton Denny Blue Lagoon, and the glitter distribution was great. It dried well and with one coat of top coat feels smooth to the touch.
Here are the pics, maybe a few too many but it is so pretty, I took loads!!

Nail Lacquer UK Ariel's Tail

  

 

 

 

 

 

Leighton Denny Blue Lagoon

Here is a nice bright shade for summer. Leighton Denny Blue Lagoon is a lovely blue, slightly teal cream. This painted on well; the first coat was a touch streaky but the second coat was perfect, and look how glossy it is even without a top coat.
I have worn this before in the winter but it is definitely more of a summer shade and I think I must finally have overcome my fear of bright colours as I am loving this :)

Leighton Denny Blue Lagoon

 

 

Leighton Denny Blue Lagoon and China Glaze Mosaic Madness

Its still Summer week on the facebook group so I have tried another if my summery polishes. I don't have many as I have a preference for darks or nudes but these themed weeks are great for encouraging me to widen my horizons a little.
I got Blue Lagoon in set for a brilliant price when I was looking for Maroon Me Knot, but I thought it would be perfect for a summery look and a good base for Mosaic Madness.
This is a beautiful shade, like a pale teal. It reminds me a bit of Notorious but I think maybe its a tiny bit more green, I don't have that any more so I can't compare and I'm not sure my pics are good enough to make a fair comparison.
Blue Lagoon went on well in 2 coats, but I do think my nails are a bit too short and my hands a bit too pale to to real justice to it.

Leighton Denny Notorius - taken about a year ago... lighting is not the same but look pretty similar to me :)

 

China Glaze Mosaic Madness is another of the Glitz Bitz 'n Pieces collection, this time blue and black hexes with black bar glitter. Its quite a bright blue and and I think in contrast, it makes the Blue Lagoon look more green. It went on quite nicely although you do have to be careful not to put too much on to start with and I do have 2 fingers with lots of bar glitter and 2 with none! I was getting better by the second hand, its more evenly distributed.

 And then a another shot with a new pair of gloves I've just finished.