June Challenges - Jewels (or maybe not...)

The challenge for #clairestelle8june today is Jewels but I only have one jewel stamping image which I have used before so I decided to be a bit naughty and do a mani inspired by one of my favourite pieces of jewellery instead. 

I've had this necklace and bracelet for so long, I can't even remember where I got them from but I love the big chunky beads and the pretty floral pattern, and I thought it might make a nice design for a mani.

I used the wonderful Apipila Super Plate B with Nails Inc Madison Avenue and Virtuous Polishes Mercy Seat and Ruth over a base of Nails Inc Sao Paulo Streets.

Apipila Super Plate B
with Nails Inc Madison Avenue
and Virtuous Polishes Mercy Seat and Ruth

 

 

June Challenges - Tribal Nails

Yesterday I did tribal nails for a weekly challnge in one of the facebook groups. I started with an orange gradient of Kandy Colours Look at Me, Virtuous Polish Ruth and China Glaze Red-y to Rave (picture at the end)
Then I added Emily de Molly EDM11 and A England Camelot and finally, QA88 and Essence Stampy 001.
I am quite pleased with these, although not a great orange wearer, hidden under some black and white stamping I like it.

Emily de Molly EDM11 and A England Camelot

 

QA88 and Essence Stampy 001 over
Emily de Molly EDM11 and A England Camelot

 

 

Orange gradient - Kandy Colours Look at Me,
Virtuous Polish Ruth and
China Glaze Red-y to Rave

April Challenges - Shimmer and Retro

Today's challenges are Shimmer for #30daysofcolourchallenge and Retro for #clairestelle8april.
For the shimmer I have chosen Danglefoot Polish Grandma's Dress. I bought this polish recently in the Vintage Trio from UK Indie maker, Danglefoot Polish. The trio included this polish, a gorgeous mid-blue and a lovely darkish nude.
Grandma's dress is a pretty pinky nude shimmer, quite a dusky shade and very wearable.
This applied really nicely and pictures are taken with top coat. Although a bit wary of pink, I like the duskier shades like this and the shimmer is lovely.
The retro part of the mani was all planned out but the first image wouldn't stamp nicely, the first polish looked wrong, so after a couple of false starts I made it up as I went along. I had googled retro patterns and had an idea of the colour combinations I wanted - they all reminded me of 70's wallpaper!
In the end I stamped with Virtuous Polish Ruth (peach) and Naomi (teal) and Moyou London Back to the 20s 05 over the vintage dusky pink. I wasn't entirely happy with that - something was missing so I stamped Born Pretty Store BP L-003 with Essence Stampy 001. I liked that a lot more- the white seemed to bring it all together.

Danglefoot Polish Grandma's Dress
#30daysofcolourchallenge

 

 

Retro - Moyou London Back to the 20s 05
and Born Pretty Store BP L-003,
Virtuous polish Ruth and Naomi, Essence Stampy 001
#clairestelle8april

 

An InLinkz Link-up

April Challenges - Orange and a Skittle

Today the #30daysofcolourchallenge was orange. There are not many oranges in my collection, and only one untried so that's what I have gone for.
Kiko Cupcake 650 Peach (ok so it's peach, not orange but close enough) is one of the limited edition textured polishes Kiko brought out last year. I really wanted them all but only managed to get 5.
I am not sure why I wanted them so badly, I don't really like pale pastelly shades but these were so pretty and I love textured polishes.
I have to say, peach is probably not the best colour for my skin tone, certainly not at this time of year but I do like it. This is not at all glittery, the finish is matte but it has a really nice look and feel to it. Not too gritty and the sandy particles are mix of peach and a darker orange.
Application was good, 2 coats gave great coverage and they dried nicely.

Claire's April challenge is actually for the 8th so I am cheating a bit but I decided I would stamp over the Kiko for the skittle mani. It was either that or skip it - I am afraid I am way too conservative to wear 5 non-matching nails but I thought I might bear different stamping combinations. I went for a combination of Essence Stampy 001 (white), 002 (black) and Virtuous Polish Ruth (peach).
I chose some of the flower images from UberChic Beauty 1-02.
I am quite pleased with the result but still really uncomfortable with non-matching fingers so I think I'll be skipping future skittle manis.

Kiko Cupcake 650 Peach
#30daysofcolourchallenge

 

UberChic Beauty UC1-02 - the first layer of stamping

Skittle mani - UberChic Beauty UC1-02, Essence Stampy
001,002 and Virtuous Polish Ruth
#clairestelle8april

 

 

 

An InLinkz Link-up