March Challenges - Sunshine

Sunshine for #twinsietuesdaynailart - I used Virtous Polish Glory and UberChic  UC3-03 over Ciate Party Shoes and Leighton Denny Brick Road - yellow isn't really my colour and my camera objected strongly to the goldenness of Glory!
The collage is pretty cool - dome wonderful interpretations of sunshine.
I couldn't really have yellow on my nails for too long without stamping over it -I used  Uberchic UC 3-01 and A England Camelot to stamp sunflowers (?) over my sunshine nails.

UberChic UC3-03

UberChic UC3-01

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

An InLinkz Link-up

October Challenges - Pink Glitter and Psychedelic

The prompt for #30daysofcolourchallenge was Pink Glitter. This should have been easy but really I don't have many pink glitters and the one that would have been perfect I used about 2 weeks ago, so I had to think again.
I went for a pink base of Nails Inc Notting Hill Carnival and added a couple of layers of the very pretty Barry M Pink Sapphire Glitter. In the past I have used this over very dark colours but I think it looks good over the pink.
I combined this with the prompt for #clairestelle8oct - Psychedelic.
Firstly I stamped with Yours Cosmetics Sascha Gossen YS07 with Esmaltes da Kelly Bruce, and then Virtuous Polish Glory.
Then I added a third layer of stamping using the same plate and Virtuous Polish Holy City.
The colours were a lot more vibrant than they seem in the pictures but I love how all the swirls on the Sascha Gossen plates have combined.

Barry M Pink Sapphire Glitter and
Nails Inc Notting Hill Carnival

Yours Cosmetics Sascha Gossen YS07 with
EDK Bruce and Virtuous Polish Glory 

Yours Cosmetics Sascha Gossen YS07 with
Virtuous Polish Holy City

 

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

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