Thursday 30 August 2012

Miss Sporty - Raindrops, Silver Stamping And Green Dots

Hey all! Happy Thursday! :]

I'm slowly but surely catching up on swatching or using my untrieds. Today we have a gorgeous teal, which has such a good formula; Miss Sporty - Raindrop. Since getting this polish at the start of June I've had it on my toes about three times. and on my fingers twice.

Today I'm showing you what I wore for a few days a few weeks back. I started with Raindrop, Stamped with China Glaze - Millennium, and dotted the centre of the images with Models Own - Slate Green.
Base Coat: La Femme
Base Colour: Miss Sporty - Raindrop
Stamp Colour: China Glaze - Millennium
Dot Colour: Models Own - Slate Green
Image Plate: Bundle Monster BM213
Top Coat: Rimmel 60 Seconds - Clear
Here's a swatch shot of raindrop, there's some marks in the finish cause I'd painted them before bed, but usually this has a nice glossy finish to it :]

Hope you're all having a good day =]

Tuesday 28 August 2012

Models Own - Slate Green, OPI - Warm & Fozzie & Black Dashica Stamping

Ahhhh today we have some nails I seriously loved wearing. I only wore them matte for one day, and I can't decide what I prefer, Scott prefers them glossy but I really like Warm & Fozzie matte!

First up the stamped nails, and then I'll show some swatch shots of the surprisingly squishy Models Own - Slate Green.
Base Coat: La Femme
Base Colour: Models Own - Slate Green
Sponged Colour: OPI - Warm & Fozzie
Stamp Colour: BYS - Black Satin
Image Plate: Dashica Big SpD-A
Top Coat: Rimmel 60 Seconds - Clear
With Rimmel - Matte Finish
Close up of OPI - Warm & Fozzie I love the warm rose toned specks of foil!
Here's some swatch shots of Models Own - Slate green. When I started applying this I was surprised by the formula. I was expecting the usual creme, but it turned out to be a bit more of a squishy almost jelly like creme. I think I actually prefer this formula though. I can't remember if this is two or three coats, but I believe it's two coats.


So which do you prefer, matte or gloss?

Hope everyone's having a good Tuesday!

Sunday 26 August 2012

Pulsating Pink And Purple - We Stamp On Sundays

This week's challenge for Adventures In Stamping was to use pink or purple, of the bright variety. I for some reason really wasn't feeling too inspired, so just kind of settled on using some of my new goodies.
Base Coat: La Femme
Base Colours: Essence - Shopping Trip In Soho
                          Essence - Party All Night Long
Stamp Colour: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri - Grape Escape
Image Plate: Bundle Monster BM301
Top Coat: Rimmel 60 Seconds - Clear
 
Then I added a coat of Party All Night Long, I loved the layering of this. I love Jellies with flakies. Just love love love them!
Here's what I used:
I hope you liked these! They looked a lot better in real life - brighter.

Hope you're having a good Sunday!

Friday 24 August 2012

My First Cloud Mani!

Very quick post from me today! I was just about to turn the laptop off when I remembered I needed to make a blog post! My bad!

This was my very first cloud mani (in fact only cloud mani so far) and while I was fairly happy with the results I was disappointed in a few things that I know to tweak next time.

I've been wanted to do a cloud mani for aaaaages now ever since stumbling across Nailside. I stumbled across Jane's blog following pictures from Tumblr of lightning bolt tape manicures and wondering how the heck all her mani's look so perfect. She's incredibly talented, and just has the cleanest lines evahh!

Now; the photo as I'm going to climb into bed and watch Bad Education and possibly sleep (yes it is only half 8!)
Base Coat: La Femme
Base Colour: Barry M - Black Multi Glitter
Other Colours: Barry M - Gold Foil
Deborah - Turquoise Fever
Top Coat: Rimmel 60 Seconds - Clear
So things I would change for next time would mainly be leaving more of the middle colour visible. And being more careful about colours bleeding. The gold foil left some little glittery streaks.

Anyhoo! I hope you're all having a nice Friday night!

Wednesday 22 August 2012

I've Got A Guest Post Over At Sweet Sugar!

Hi everyone!

Today I'm guest posting over at Sweet Sugar for the lovely Gwenn! So go check it out! She's always coming up with really gorgeous manis, so if you've not came across her blog before, you've been missing out :P

Here's the matte version! Check out the base, and the glossy version and what I used, and let me know what you think :]

And thanks again Gwenn for having me!

Tuesday 21 August 2012

Birthday Nails, Birthday Haul, & Layla Hologram Effect Spam

Hey everyone! I've not had a super productive time off, I mean I've not done too badly; but I've had a lot of sleep, and a lot of relaxing with Scott. So I'm feeling better, and more energetic, so my productivity can only go up this week =]

Today I have for you the Holographic spam of my first linear polish. I also have the nails I wore for my birthday (and all of last week.) And the birthday goodies I got off Scott, and Martine.

Layla Hologram Effect in Ocean Rush came to me in the swap I did with Susana from Blog do Verniz Amarelo I really love this polish so, so much. It's honestly the prettiest polish I own now. And it looks amazing under the lights at work, so the next time I wear it I'm going to drag my camera to work with me. The first few pictures are from my original swatches, and then some better pics from the start of my birthday mani.
Above is two coats, no base coat. And the last picture has a top coat on too. I didn't notice any difference in my top coat dulling down the holographic effect. But i think that probably varies with top coats and the holographic polishes themselves.
With Flash
With Flash
Another flash shot 
Another flash shot, and a blurry shot - but; just look at that beauty!
Subtle rainbow when not in direct light.
In the above photos I'm wearing three coats over a base coat. I can't remember if I had a top coat on or not. Below I added a coat of Color Club - Diamond Drops (I think) to my ring and thumb nails, and slathered on loads of top coat to try and get rid of the pointy edges the big piece left. I think this was only because of the curve of my nails.
Then I added some dog tooth stamping with BM322 the new large Dog tooth image in BYS - Black Satin. Later on in the week on Thursday night I stamped the rest of my nails with this image so I felt like I had something new to wear on Friday night.
Base Coat: La Femme
Base Colour: Layla Hologram Efferct -Ocean Rush
Holographic Shard on Ring: Color Club - Diamond Drops
Stamping Colour: BYS - Black Satin
Image Plate: Bundle Monster BM322
Top Coat: Sally Hansen - Advanced Hard As Nails
& China Glaze - No Chip Top Coat (Pre stamp)
I loove the way the holographic shards pop in between the stamping!

And last, but not least; here's my nail related birthday goodies.

My first every NOPI! Yay ^_^ I'd list all the colours but I'm just too lazy to get up and rummage to find these!

If any one knows what colours those Color Clubs are I think I'd love you forever if you'd let me know! I think they're Diamond Drops, Sweet Pea, Hydrangea Kiss & Blue-ming, but I'm really not certain, and it's so frustrating!

Hope everyone's having a good Tuesday! & I hope you all coped with the large post!

Sunday 19 August 2012

Can't Wait For Fall - We Stamp On Sundays

This week's challenge over at Adventures In Stamping was a Fall look ' Can't wait for Fall'. I had an idea for this when it was announced this was the winner, but I thought it would be way, way too much effort to try and get a lightning bolt to look like a path going off into the distance - and I didn't have a tree image to stamp. So for the sake of my sanity I changed my idea :P
Base Coat: La Femme
Base Colour: ELF - Desert Haze
Other Colours: MUA - Shade 23
                           Essence Colour3 - A Walk In the Park
Stamping Colours: Manhattan - Lemonade
                                  Sally Hansen Insta-dri - Quick Brick
Image Plates: Bundle Monster BM04, BM316
Top Coat: Sally Hansen - Advanced Hard As Nails
 Here's a pic of the gradient before I hid most of the prettiness with the stamping :]

 Here's what I used:


I hope you guys like them! This is the first Insta-Dri I've owned. Well; I bought two, but this is the first I've tried. I got so excited for the idea of owning a red that'll stamp over anything, and I love it. I need to try them both over black, but for now it will stop my lusting for a red that stamps. Annnnnd this is by far the prettiest red I own. Slap a top coat over that sucker and it really comes to life, it looks so juicy!

I know I said I'd be good and be organised, but I'm not feeling well ( I know; it's just one thing after another right?!) but will have my birthday haul post up this week for sure =]

I hope you're all having a good weekend!

Friday 17 August 2012

Lucy's Nails - Gradient & Stamping

Quick post today. I was all organised for posts and having photos blog-ready weekend before last, and then some how things snuck up on me again! But it's almost the weekend, and I shall be good, and organised :]

Here are some nails I did for my.. Niece-In-Law? I don't know. Brothers Girlfriend's Niece :P She already knew what kind of thing she wanted when it came to the gradient, and then went through my plates to pic out some stamps.
Base Coat: La Femme
Base Colour: Essence - Speed Of Light Blue
Gradient Colours:  Marks & Spencers - Unkwnown Mini
                            George - Hoax
                            China Glaze - Frostbite
Stamping Colours: China Glaze - Millennium
                            BYS - Black Satin
Image Plates: Bundle Monster BM316, BM314, BM311
Top Coat: Sally Hansen - Advanced Hard As Nails

On her little finger she had more silver stars, and on her thumb a silver pheonix - or is it a tropical bird? Anyways, I hope she liked these ^-^

Anyhoo I hope you're all having a good Friday!

Wednesday 15 August 2012

OPI - Louvre Me Louvre Me Not & W7 - Purple Dazzle Swatches

Little post today showing a beauty of a polish I've not shown here before. Also showing a new glitter I bought about a month back.
 2 easy coats of OPI - Louvre Me Louvre Me Not. This was such a hard colour to photograph on this day. It's such a gorgeous plummy colour with really beautiful shimmer.
 1 coat of Purple Dazzle over Louvre Me Louvre Me Not
2 Coats with flash.

I wish I'd thought a little more carefully about the base colour as I think it's a little too warm for the gltter. But I did enjoy wearing these. 3 coats would've looked better, but I really didn't want the hassle of an extra coat of glitter to remove :P

Hope everyone's having a good Wednesday.

Monday 13 August 2012

Batman Nails

Hi all! Happy Birthday to me!

I say this sounding upbeat because Cheese is home, and seems alright. We've still got to watch her, and make sure she's acting normal (so far she is) but she's got to stay in the house for a week, so all morning every now and then you can just her; a very annoyed Cheese growling at the door :P

Thank you all for your comments yesterday.

So yes, these are the nails I did for seeing The Dark Night Rises. Using more of the water decals I got sent to try at the start of the year from KKCentreHK.
Base Coat: La Femme
Base Colours: Rimmel - Black Satin (2 coats)
Index, Middle, & Pinky: Barry M - Black Multi Glitter (1 coat)
Batman Decal: KKCentreHK - WDDC061
Gold Glitter: Sinful Colors - Paris
Top Coat: Sally Hansen - Advanced Hard As Nails

Nice shot of Barry M - Black Multi Glitter
 

 So it was only when I was editing these photos I realised the Batman waterdecal was slighty off centre. But they looked fine in person I think. On my thumb I wore Rimmel - Black Satin, the glitter gradient with Sinful Colors - Paris & then had a Batman water decal too, as I had enough room for it not to look weird.

If you're interested in anything in the store use coupon code: goldspecknails for 10% off, this code is valid until January 31st, 2013.

*This product was sent to me for review

Sunday 12 August 2012

Using Two Stamps - We Stamp On Sundays

So this is going to be a bit of a muddled up post. I don't really have the attention span or patience to be putting down any thoughts currently coming from my head, but there might be a rant at the end of this post explaining why.

This week's challenge over at Adventures In Stamping was to use 2 stamps or more. I really didn't have any wild ideas or any ideas really, and was wearing Essie - Glamour Purse (my first Essie; yay) and wasn't too inspired. Then someone asked on my Facebook page about image plates with owls, and thought Glamour Purse would be a good base. So thanks Kerry!

Base Coat: La Femme
Base Colour: Essie - Glamour Purse
Stamp Colour: Konad Special White
Image Plate: Bundle Monster BM309
Top Coat: Rimmel - 60 Seconds Clear
 
 Here's what I used:

 And here's a better colour shot of Essie - Glamour Purse

So my first Essie was wonderful, two effortless coats above, no top coat. This dries darker on the nail than in the bottle, but is such a flattering brown.

I bought three Essie's at first, and I picked four that Scott's giving me as a birthday present. I found these at nail kiosk in Eldon Square for £1.99 each. They also have some Sally Hansen chrome nail pen things, I didn't find a green, but did pick out a gold one for my birthday.

So yeah, I'm not feeling so great today. Yesterday Cheese came in through my bedroom window as usual, and something just wasn't right. I'm not gonna go into how she was acting, or what's wrong with her or I will start crying again for, like, the 10th time today. She's stayed at the vets overnight, and has been kept in so far today too, as she's still not right, and they're still running tests, although organ tests have come back fine. I wish I went to the vets with her but I was trying to tackle a panic attack.

I was going to schedule posts for the rest of the week and for my birthday tomorrow so I could have some down time, and go out and see friends tomorrow. But I've cancelled plans so I can be here if Cheese comes home. That; and I'm not sure what kind of a mess I will be tomorrow either. I do have some photos edited so I'll probably try and muster some energy later to put a couple posts together so I don't totally abandon the blog.

That was a little longer than I thought - sorry. I hope everyone's having an alright Sunday.

Thursday 9 August 2012

Sinful Colors - Daddy's Girl & Hot Pink Chrome Konad

Very quick post from me tonight (Wednesday as I write this) as i'm super tired and just want to go to bed!

I finally got around to getting some swatch shots of Sinful Colors - Daddy's Girl, and although it's a pain to get colour accurate photos, I think I did okay. After that I really wanted to see what a pink chrome would look like stamped over it. It's strange though, as before I added top coat the colour was a lot brighter, and stood out against Daddy's Girl really nicely. Maybe it's the age of my top coat.
Base coat: La Femme
Base Colour: Sinful Colors - Daddy's Girl
Stamp Colour: NYC - Foil'er Up
Image Plate: Konad M60
Top Coat: China Glaze - No Chip Top Coat
 


Ahh Daddy's Girl is so pretty! I just love the pink glass flecks floating around this gorgeous purple jelly. The flecks take on almost a silver quality too at times.

I hope everyone's having a good Thurday so far :]