Monday 31 December 2012

Snowflakes Inspired by Spellbinding Nails

Hi all! Hope you've enjoyed some nice time off from school or work.

I've had a week off from blogging, and while I've enjoyed having time to relax, and family to distract me from missing certain people, I'm so far behind with reading other blogs that It may take me weeks! That being said; I'm not back in work until Wednesday and so I'm going to try and take today, and a (probably) hungover Tuesday to catch up and get some posts scheduled for the coming week.

Today though I have some nails for you that were inspired by the lovely Sarah over at Spellbinding Nails I was doing my friends nails a couple of weeks back, and was needing some inspiration, so I hit up Google images and fell in love with these.

Here's my nails:
Base Coat: CND - Stickey
Base Colour: Color Club - Cornflower
Sponged Colours: China Glaze - Frostbite
Manhattan - 67n
2true - Glitterati - Shade 1 Sapphire
Image Plates: Bundle Monster BM14 BM319
Stamping Colour: Special Konad White
Dotted Colour: NYC - Niagara Foils
Top Coat: Sally Hansen - Advanced Hard As Nails
Here's Zoe nails:
Base Coat: CND - Stickey
Base Colour: Color Club - Cornflower
Sponged Colours: China Glaze - Frostbite
2true - Glitterati - Shade 1 Sapphire
Image Plates: Bundle Monster BM319
Stamping Colour: Special Konad White
Dotted Colour: China Glaze - Millennium
Top Coat: Sally Hansen - Advanced Hard As Nails
These photos really dont do the 2true Glitterati polish in Sapphire any justice, the glitter looks like scales, it was so eye catching in person. But more on that polish when I review them :]

Hope you guys like these, I certainly did when I nabbed the idea from Sarah :D

Sunday 23 December 2012

Icicle Nails

Hi all! Happy Sunday!

No stamping challenge from Adventures In Stamping this week, I have family up so I'm sitting this one out :]

Today I have Icicle nails for you! I started these with a white base, added some striping tape and sponged over a mixture of acrylic paints to form the bricks, then I used acrylic paints for the icicles themselves. Basically you can see no polish!
Base Coat: CND - Stickey
Base Colour: Rimmel - French White
Sponged Colours: Acrylic Paints - White, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna
Icicles: Acrylic Paints - White & Phthalocyanine Blue
Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

Sadly I forgot to wrap my tips when I did these, and they started peeling off in the shower later that night :(

I'm not sure If i'll be very active over the Christmas period, so if not; Merry Christmas to those that celebrate :]

Thursday 20 December 2012

Red, Green & White Festive Stamping

Hi all! Happy Thursday!

Today we have some nail stamping that was inspired by Colores de Carol I seen these and loved everything about them, so I just had to try it for myself :D

Sadly I didn't pay enough attention to the way I was placing the colours, so mine aren't nearly as pretty as hers!
Base Coat: CND - Stickey
Base Colour: Rimmel - French White
Stamping Colours: Essence - Kiss On Top Of The Rock & Manhattan - Green Piece
Image Plate: Bundle Monster BM306
Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

Hope you're all having a good day. I'll be in the middle of a mad day at work while this posts - Away day, buffet, and Kerry's mad winter quiz.. Bound to be a good day :D

Wednesday 19 December 2012

Barry M Glitter Haul

Hi all! :]

A couple weeks back I decided it had been too long since I bought a new polish.. So I bought four new glittery goodies from Barry M :D
L - R : Barry M - Pink Sapphire (352), Rose Quartz (349), Yellow Topaz (351), SLE 2012


So far I've used Yellow Topaz Glitter, and SLE 2012 glitter. I'm fond of both, and although the limited edition one I bought from Superdrug has blue glitter in, it's still really festive =]

Hope everyone's having a good Wednesday :]

Tuesday 18 December 2012

Fesitve Leopard Print

Hi everyone! Officially a week until Christmas *squee*

I'm still wishing it will snow, but I doubt it :( it would totally make if for me if it did. But still; I'm looking forward to the family, the banter at the dinner table, the food, the drinkies ;] and all the bits in between :D Is anyone else excited?

These nails were inspired by a post I seen about a week and a half back, and I can not remember for the life of me from where :( So if you know where I got this idea please let me know!
Base Coat: CND - Stickey
Base Colour: Barry M - Gold Foil
Stamping Plate: Konad M57
Image Colour: BYS - Black Satin
Dotted Colours: Barry M - Red Glitter & NOPI - Fell From The Tree
Accent Glitter: Barry M - Yellow Topaz Glitter
Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

I took these photos at work, using my coworkers SAD lamp as the light source, I'm still not used to it, and I was leaning all the way over my desk, so next time I'm gonna try and pay more attention so not to get shaky pics.

The Gold/Holographic glitter is one of the new ones I've recently purchased from Barry M - I'll have a post up tomorrow showing the four I recently bought on some sort of glitter binge :D It's a really lovely mix though. Micro holo glitter, small gold and holo glitter, and medium gold and holo glitter, very sparkly in real life.

I hope everyone's having a good Tuesday so far!

Sunday 16 December 2012

Over A Red Base - We Stamp On Sundays

Hi everyone! I can't believe the weekend is pretty much over all ready!

This week's challenge over at Adventures In Stamping was to stamp over a red base. These are some nails I did for a date a few weeks back (though It didn't happen :c ) But the nails themselves I loved, even though my top coat was so goopy it almost ruined them.
Base Coar: CND - Stickey
Base Colour: Gosh - Berry Me
Glitter: Barry M - Red Glitter
Image Plate: Bundle Monster BM19
Stamping Colour: BYS - Black Satin
Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

These made me feel really festive when I wore them, and festive feeling  is something I need more of considering Christmas is only 9 days away, and i'm 99.9% sure i'll be missing out on one of my favourite things this year. Oh, mistletoe kisses I will have you again; perhaps next year. And I'm not talking about chocolate.

But now i'm ranting so I'm gonna actually get out of bed and make a cup of tea :] I hope everyone's had a good weekend!

Thursday 13 December 2012

The Polish Bar - Violet Sky

Hey all! Happy Thursday! So close to the weekend I can taste it! hehe.

Small post today to showcase The Polish Bar - Violet Sky. This is two coats over Manhattan - 67n.


I really love the combination of glitters in this one, and I imagine the purple glitter would really pop on a different base, which is something i'm going to try in the future, maybe in one of my Christmas mani's as I find this quite festive in the snowy sense :]

I hope everyone's had a good week so far, mine as flown by but I suppose that is what happens when you're only looking forward!

Tuesday 11 December 2012

The Polish Bar - Satellite Swatches

Hi all! Happy Tuesday!

So as I mentioned a few posts back I recently won two Indie polishes from My Nail Graffiti and here's the first swatch. Satellite is quite possibly the most amazing polish I own. I love the mix of glitters, I love the formula. It's just love in a bottle. These pics don't do it justice.

I wore this to go watch some fireworks on Bonfire Night, on the 5th of November. Yes that's how far behind I am with everything! But yeah, when it's on your nails you can't help but just keep staring :P
Base Coat: CND - Stickey
Base Colour: W7 - Black
Glitter: The Polish Bar - Satellite
Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails
 

Sparkle Sparkle!

Sunday 9 December 2012

Using Gold - We Stamp On Sundays

Hey all! I hope everyone's had a good weekend :] Mine seems to have gone far, far too quickly.

This week's challenge over at Adventures In Stamping was to use gold, either as a base colour, or as a stamp. I wore these nails on Monday  and knew I wouldn't have much time to do my nails today, so I decided to use them for the challenge.
Base Coat: CND - Stickey
Base Colour: FCUK - Bronze
Stamp Colour: Barry M - Gold Foil
Image Plate: Bundle Monster BM223
Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails 


Short but sweet from me today, I want to get my nails shortened and painted for the week ahead :]

Saturday 8 December 2012

Lovely Plugly Custom Plug Review

Hi all! Happy Saturday!

Boy do I have a treat for you lot tonight! 

I was recently contacted by Lovely Plugly Custom Plugs about reviewing a pair of their plugs, and needless to say I squealed in delight and jumped at the chance! I've wanted to buy some plugs from this company for quite some time now, and when I got the email from CJ I actually had several designs bookmarked for my Christmas list, although that didn't help me decide any quicker!

Lovely Plugly is run by one ex-IT contractor, and a tattooist, so customer service is very important to them. I think the greatest thing about this company (obviously apart from their amazingly pretty plugs) is that they take custom orders, and are always open to new suggestions. They also a great range of earring studs in most of the plug designs. 

Another thing I love about their website is how easy it is to create your plugs. You simply find a design you like, choose the size and style from a drop down, click on your preferred choice of colours, and choose how you want to front of your plug to look from four options.

Now, onto the plugs I chose!
Here's the beauty in my ear.
I chose Alien Skin - Psychedelic Breakfast and ordered them in 10mm double flare, with a glass domed front. I can't even express how happy I am with these. I thought they would be heavier, and something about the quality just really agrees with my body.

I usually wear silicone tunnels with little plugs in them, as they are comfortable, and don't make my ears sore. But when I wear different material, steel especially, I can only wear them for about 3 days before I notice my ears feeling a bit uncomfortable. These bad boys have been in my ears for over two weeks now, I've taken them out as I would my silicone plugs to clean them, but I've had no problems at all. I think it's because the little steel eyelet is filled with a lightweight resin, and is then topped with the slightly heavier glass, and just the quality in general.

Here's some more shots! Even though these don't even do them justice. I've had so, so many compliments on these.
 
 
 
 
I still can't fully get over how gorgeous these are, I honestly have glanced in the mirror 50% more in the last two weeks just to see them sparkle, especially at work, where the crazy bright lighting makes them ah-mah-zing!

Here's how my little package arrived:

Adorable right? They also sent me a necklace as I think they're venturing into other jewellery and are trying out ideas. This piece is a little bit big for me, but all is forgiven because of how effin amazing it looks. I think i'd buy pretty much anything with this sort of effect.

For polish lovers with stretched ears.. you're going to be in heaven, go check them out! So much glittah! But don't forget they do really pretty stud earrings too.

My bank account is going to suffer greatly from my future adventures with this company *Buy alllll the plugs!* I've already got 3 more designs bookmarked =3

Thanks again to CJ at Lovely Plugly Custom Plugs for sending these for review consideration.

Thursday 6 December 2012

Green Flakie Argyle

Hi all!

Quick post today, another mani from at least a month back now, this lack of daylight is starting to really annoy me! Also the flakies, and Diamond Drops looked so much better in proper sunlight, but there was literally not a sprinkle around when I had my camera near by.
Base Coat: CND - Stickey
Base Colour: Kiko - 296 - Meadow Green
Flakies; Catrice - C04 - Shake It! Flakie It!
Rainbow Shards: Color Club - Diamond Drops
Stamp Colour: Konad Special White
Image Plate: Konad M60
Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

I probably could have done with two coats of Catrice - Shake It! Flake It! I would have used two if I wasn't going to add Color Club - Diamond Drops, and then stamp too.



So above is two coats of Kiko - Meadow Green. Not really much to say on this, the formula was amazing, which is a running theme with every single Kiko i've ever tried. The colour's glossy and bright and evens out on the nail so nicely.

That's all from me today! Happy Thursday :]

Tuesday 4 December 2012

Kiko - Jewel Pink Holo & Sally Hansen Insta-Dri - TealyFast Stamping

Hi all!

Happy Tuesday! Hope everyone's having a good one! I'll be at work when this posts, but I'm feeling a lot better than I was on Sunday :] I still feel achey, and my bruises are crazy (all from falling down the stairs) but I'm feeling a lot better after quite a nice Sunday night ^-^
Base Coat: CND - Stickey
Base Colour: Kiko - Jewel Pink - 402
Stamp Colour: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri - Tealy Fast
Image Plate: Bundle Monster BM 314
Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails
I'd like to take this time to thank Susana for sending this in our latest swap. I love it so much; and I'm not much of a pink fan! I also NEVER wear pink on my toes, yet this was on them pretty much solidly for months!
 

So pretty! I also really love the formula on this type of holographic polish. Dries so nicely. I did find that the holo effect almost was more prominent after a top coat.

Sunday 2 December 2012

Winter - We Stamp On Sundays

Hi all!

I hope everyone's had a good weekend! This week's challenge over at Adventures In Stamping was for winter themed nails. Originally I was going to attempt the "winter jumper" look done with a lacey print, and a stag like these lovely nails by So long, kitty. But I had a bit of a fail with the first nail I did, so I picked a different stamp, and just got on with it as I'm feeling pretty horrific (fell down some stairs on Friday) so all I want to do is get this post done, and get back into bed :P
Base Coat: CND - Stickey
Base Colour: Models Own - Raspberry Crush
Stamping Colour: Konad Special Polish White
Image Plate: Bundle Monster BM 315
Top Coat: Rimmel - 60 Seconds Clear

And here's what I used:
 

I really need a new white, not much left! Also the Models Own Polish I got free in a copy of More this week :]

Happy Sunday!

Thursday 29 November 2012

Sally Hansen Nail Prisms - Blush Diamond Dark Swatches

Hi all, hope everyone's having a good Thursday!

Today I have some super sparkly swatches of Sally Hansen Nail Prisms - Blush Diamond (dark version). I'm pretty certain that's the right polish. I used NailXChange's Sally Hansen Nail Prisms Guide to help me figure out which it was, polishes without names, and with different versions is so annoying.

This is layered over Color Club - Sweet Pea, first one coat, two and then three for the full-whammy holographic goodness :]
One coat over Sweet Pea
Two coats
And three coats for full gorgeous linear effect.
Have you been lucky enough to stumble across any of the Nail Prisms recently?

Tuesday 27 November 2012

Giveaway Winnings

Hey everyone :]

Thought I'd share with you some pics of the polishes I was lucky enough to win not so long back. I'm totally in love with Satellite, swatches will be on their way soon. A big thanks goes to Amber from My Nail Graffiti for hosting the giveaway :D
The Polish Bar - Satellite & Violet Sky & the prettiest bubble wrap ever!

So yeah, I'm fully in love with Satellite, and now all I want to do is buy a huge amount of Indie polishes, as these are the first two I've ever tried, and if these are anything to go buy, I need to get some PVA glue as I'll be wearing glitter all the time!

Thanks again

Sunday 25 November 2012

Over A Blue Base - We Stamp On Sundays

Hi all! I hope you've all had a good weekend! I've been stuck without the internet, and I've been beyond bored, but I guess that's what I get for waiting for someone else to make plans!

This week's Adventures In Stamping challenge was to stamp over a blue base. This has got to be the most subtle stamping I've done to date. Trust me when I say it looks much better in person! I was actually going to stamp again over the holographic polish, but because I didn't think I was going to get a chance to put this post out today I didn't bother.

Base Coat: CND - Stickey
 Base Colour: Nicole by OPI - Loyalty To The Royal-ty
Stamping Colour: Layla - Ocean Rush
Image Plate: Bundle Monster BM 314
Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails
 Such a gorgeous blue. I got this for my birthday back in August, but I just haven't felt like wearing such a dark blue until now. This is three thin coats, drying time was really good :]

And here's what I used:

Well that's the quickie post for today, I hope you lot like them :]