Lovehearts

Hi guys,

I know it's been a while, but to tell you the truth I've been doing some thinking recently about maybe just posting things on my instagram account instead of keeping this blog.  I'm doing an exceptionally bad job of being part of the blogging community these days, which is very sad, but it seems to be just how it's happened.  I haven't fully decided, and I still have a huge backlog of photos, and i'm still continuing to do my nails, but these days I'm just not into it as much as I used to be.  I blame the fact I'm a lot more sociable than I used to be, but when I decide what I'm doing I'll post about it.

Today we have my nails I wore for Valentines Day.  I've never been one to really celebrate Valentines Day, always just using it as an excuse to definitely do something with the person I care about.  Last year was a solo one for me, and although this year I had a partner for it, it was considerably worse than being alone haha; but that's another story!

Less ranting, more photos:

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colour: Liz Earle - Knockout

Stamping Colour: Konad Special White

Image Plate: Bundle Monster Holiday Collection BMH16

Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

Matte: Rimmel - Matte Effect

This lovely polish was actually part of a present that I received at Christmas from one of the Psychologists that I work with, so thank you Dorothy =]

This was my first time trying any Liz Earle products, and was very pleasantly surprised at the formula on this very creamy polish, two coats and it was perfect coverage, which for some reds (and my nails) is hard to come by as I have a slight dip in my nails where the free edge begins, and reds tend to make that obvious for some reason.

I'll be posting more soon. Hope you all have a good weekend :]

Interview Nails, Barry M Vanilla & White Stamping

Hi all,

Yay Wednesday. I say yay as It's a four day week for me, with a four day weekend, followed by another short week, and yet another long weekend! Thank eff for Bank Holidays!

I'm still working through a backlog of manicures I've done over the last four months, and today is the turn of the nails I wore for my interview at the end of January. Interviews are one of those lovely times I do a nude or peach base with subtle stamping. This isn't because I don't like the combo, but I'm such a fan of bold manis. Oddly enough as I already knew the people I was being interviewed by, and they both love nail art themselves (now!) I still chose to do a nude to go with my outfit.

On to the pics:

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colour: Barry M - Vanilla

Glitter: Nails Inc - Electric Lane

Stamping Colour: Konad Special White

Image Plate: Bundle Monster BM419

Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

Everytime I look at this particular stamp all I want to do is stamp it in a blue over white and have china nails!

Please excuse the dry hands, Winter was taking it's toll on me! Hope you've all had a good week so far :]

Gradient and Aztec stamping with Cheeky Viva Mexico

Hi guys, hope you've all had a good weekend, I've not had the most productive but I thought that after a very stressful two weeks worrying about the interview I mentioned in last post I thought a long chilled weekend was the best call.  Especially as I've been in a particularly good mood as I totally nailed the interview =D so after I write this post I'm going to watch a film and maybe colour in, carry on the chilling.

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colours: Cliché - Opala, Alessandro international - Pomegranate

Glitter: Essence - Space Queen

Stamping Colour: Konad White

Image Plate: Cheeky Viva Mexico

Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

 

Not the best quality pics as these were taken on my phone, but you get the idea :] Here's a picture of the base pre-stamp:

Born Pretty Store Review - Holo Shade 12 & White Stamping Polish

Hi all. Hope you've all had a good weekend like I have so far :]

I've been putting off doing this review for weeks now as I've not managed to see a single scrap of sun on my days off when I've had a chance to swatch this polish. And as you all know, holographic polishes must have sunlight photos, or else they don't make me fall in love or make my face look like this: *.*

The Born Pretty Store were kind enough to send me this lovely holographic polish in shade 12 which is a gorgeous greeny-teal. They also sent me some stamping polishes to try, and for the testing of these below I used the double ended stamper they sent me the last time.

Born Pretty Store Holo Polish in Shade 12

Just so pretty! The formula on this is really great, and I'm really impressed with the drying time. I feel with Holos they're either super speedy, or deceptively slow at drying, but this was quick drying, but not so quick that you wouldn't be able to stamp using it (I have major difficulty trying to stamp with Gosh - Holographic Hero).

When trying the white stamping polish they sent me I noticed a few things; the formula is very good, stickier than most stamping polishes I've tried so it really gets to the edges. The downside of this polish that it's just not as white as Konad White (ring finger) but it's a really good polish if you're looking for a manicure that's not as harsh. I'm yet to try the black, but I will be testing that out soon.

Base Colour: Born Pretty Store - Holo Shade 12

Stamping: Born Pretty - White Stamping Polish, Ring finger - Konad White
Image Plate: Bundle Monster - BM406

Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

 As you can see it really can't compete with Konad White, but it does give a very different look, so I will definitely be using for future manicures. Using the double ended stamper was an experience.  I have no idea now how I managed to live so long using the small Konad stamper. The double ended stamper is just much more comfortable to handle, and it definitely gives a lot more control when rolling across the nail, almost because it's longer you have to use less pressure because of the leverage.  I haven't compared it to my Konad stamper, but I feel no need as it stamps perfectly.

And for good measure heres' a shot of the very pretty shade 12 with a flash.  This is from a few weeks ago when I was hovering by the window most of the day trying to catch the sun!

Born Pretty Store - Holo Shade 12

To check any of these products out simply click on the links within the post.

If you're interested in anything from the Born Pretty Store, don't forget to use my coupon code DS5X31 for 10% off your order.

*These products were sent for possible review*

A Few Christmas Manicures

Hi all.

I've been lagging in posting all of the Christmas-type manicures I've been doing recently so I thought I'd throw three in one post!

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colour: Essie - Muchi Muchi

Gradient with NOPI - Gumdrops Blueberry Sweet On You

Stamping Colour: Konad White

Image Plate: Bundle Monster BMH02

Top coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

 

The next manicure is one that I wore for a week solid with only minimal tip wear (see pic) I loved wearing these. I honestly Just adore My Cherry Amour so much, iPhone pics do not do it justice at all!

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colour: NOPI - Gumdrops My Chery Amour

Stamping Colour: Barry M - Gold Foil

Image Plate: Bundle Monster BMH03

Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

This purple manicure only stayed on for a couple of days as it just bored me to high heaven!

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colour: Sinful Colors - Amethyst ( I think!)

Stamping Colour: NYC - Niagara Foils

Image Plate: Bundle Monster BMH03

Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

My favourite has to be the first snowflake manicure. It reminds me of some nails I did back in 2011. I was going to link to them but man I used to keep my nails so long back then I'd rather not!

So do you have a favourite from these three?

**Nicole by OPI Gumdrop polishes mentioned were sent to me for consideration of review**

Christmas Pick & Mix

Hi all, happy Friday!

This week has been a loooooong week, but I'm hoping that this weekend will help me recover further from my cold/cough and a night out with the bestie will get me into the festive mood further!

I've been sporting these nail since Sunday, and while they are currently chipped on a few corners, they're holding up quite well!

The white base on most of the nails is Rimmel - French White, and the glitter on those nails is Nails Inc - Electric Lane. Not sure why I love white with glitter like this, but I do! I really still need to buy a new white as this one has been thinned so much it smells more like thinner than polish!

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Coats: Rimmel - French White, NOPI - My Cherry Amour & W7 - Night Suede (pinky)

Image Plates: Bundle Monster BMH01 BMH03

Glitter: Ciaté - Sequin Mistletoe Magic (thank you Debbie-dumpling for this :D)

Stamping Colours: W7 - Suede, Konad White, Rimmel Black, Revlon - Emerald City

Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

 And for funsies here's the stamping without dotting or a top coat. Rudolph freaked me out so much at this point with his zombie eyes!

Hope you's like these :] I'm hoping to post more festive-themed nails soon when I do some more peoples nails!

Candy Coloured Splatter With Skull Stamping

Hi all.

How's everyone doing this murky Sunday? I'm particularly gloomy, and still feeling rough with this horrid cold, but I'm going to try and be productive and maybe even get some Christmas themed nails done later!

This mani is something I did back in August, and I loved these, quite a lot. I'm a little obsessed with the using the method of using the rough side of a sponge to "splatter" colours on for a base before stamping.

The base colours for this mani were all from the Nicole by OPI Selena Gomez range. I used Selena, Love Song and Pretty In Plum, and used Konad White and the Cheeky Viva Mexico Plate for stamping.

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colour: Nicole by OPI - Selena

Splatter Colours: Nicole by OPI - Pretty In Plum, Love Song

Stamping Colour: Konad White

Image Plate: Cheeky Viva Mexico

Top coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

 Here's the splatter mani:

And here's a picture of the pretty Selena

I think I'm gonna settle myself in bed with some nail supplies and a film and see what I come up with! Hope you've all had a good weekend.

Pink & Orange Vertical Gradient with Stamping

Hi all, happy Friday.

Today I have some nails I did something like last July maybe?  This was the first vertical gradient I have done, which while close up you can't really tell, from a distance you can. I started with a base of 2True - Mila, which is one of their salon shine polishes, and sponged with a mixture of Mila, and Jacava - Raspberry Bavarois, then stamped with Konad White with Bundle Monster Image BM208.

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colours: 2true - Mila & Jacava Raspberry Bavarois

Stamping Colour: Konad White

Image Plate: Bundle Monster BM208

Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

 And here's the orange to pink gradient before stamping

And here's the base:

Hope you've all had a good week so far - I'm just happy I'm off today! Yay!

Eyeballs, Bats & Zombie Costume

Hi all,

So I haven't posted for a few days now, and although I've had some photos ready I just haven't had the chance.  Part of that is because It's my favourite time of year - Halloweeeeeeeen! Although technically we've passed Halloween, and are on to Dia de los Muertos I like to take any chance I can in this week to dress up, and I will show you my costume later, but for now, I have some nails for you that I did a couple of weeks back now.

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colours: NOPI - Hit The Lights & W7 - Nightsuede

Stamp Colours: W7 - Nightsuede & Konad White

Image Plate: Bundle Monster Holiday Collection BMH06 & BMH08
Top Coat: Advanced Hard As Nails

Apologies for these almost murky photos, the lens on my phone was dirty and I hadn't realised.

And now on to my costume, this year after a lot of debate I settled on Alice In Wonderland//Zombieland as my bestie was going to be the white Rabbit, and I had no other sort of direction.

Here's my face:

And here's the before and after of the wig, to the full costume. Annoyingly I fell in love with this particular dress because of the collar, but I just couldn't stand the feel of it at all. So I cut that off.

For reference, here are the zombie costumes I have done since I started blogging: 2011, 2012. Last years costume makes me wish I'd done more with the prosthetic piece, but i'm happy with how it turned out. I mean, people didn't know it was me which is always a win :]

You guys do fancy dress this year?

Zombie Hand Nails - New Bundle Monster Holiday Plates

Hi all.

It's a Sunday, which would normally mean "boooo" but I'm not working tomorrow, I almost have normal function of my injured finger (mentioned in last Sundays post) and there is new Walking Dead.... Who's as excited as I am?

This was the fist image from the two new sets of plates I bought from Bundle Monster recently. Honestly it was the one I was the most excited about, and I thought it would help to really get into the swing of Halloween nails.

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colour: 17 - Forever

Sponged Colours: Beauty UK - Purple - No. 5

2True - Shade 12 - Mushroom

Matalan - G - Storm

Image Plate: Bundle Monster H08

Stamping Colour: Konad White

Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

And just for funsies, here's a picture of my injured finger. I haven't had it checked out yet, although some movements bring tears to my eyes I can type relatively normal (which is good considering most of my working day is spent typing - especially at Neuropsychology where I'm typing up reports).

Sunday, Tuesday, Friday.

That's all from me today, I shall be back with something later in the week.. And so the count down for Norman Reedus dreams begin!

Purple Gradient with Pink and White Stamping

Hi all

Yay Thursday! Almost the weekend! Sorry again for the lack of posts recently I really feel like I have zero energy when I'm home after work, and all I want to do on the weekend is relax!

These nails aren't really as good as they should have been, but I think that has something to do with the image plate itself. I think It may been etched too deeply, I think I need to maybe get in contact with Cheeky and see about getting a handful of plates replaces. I'm not having much luck :(

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colours: Collection 2000 - Angel Wings & Beauty UK - Jelly Bean

Stamping Colours: Konad Special - White & Psyche Pink

Image Plate: Cheeky CH50

Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

See what I mean about the image? There's meant to be lines between all petals, and the ends are meant to be pointed like Cherry Blossom, and it just didn't really work at all :( These did look really quite fun from arms length though as the colour combo was nice and bright.

Here's a couple pictures of the base gradient:

Well that's all from me today. Hope you're all having a good one :]

Christmas Pick n Mix

Hey guys!

I think this is my last Christmas mani, so I'm posting it now so It doesn't get neglected until next christmas!

Base Coat: CND - Stickey
Index: Barry M - Red Glitter

Stamp Colour: Konad White

Image Plate: Bundle Monster BM 20

Green Striping Tape

Middle & Thumb: Barry M - Gold Foil

W7 - Black

Barry M - Yellow Topaz Glitter

Ring Finger: Essence - Kiss On Top Of The Rock

Nails Inc: Electric Lane

Stamp Colour: Konad White

Image Plate: Bundle Monster BM 318

Ohter Colours: Acrylic Paints

Pinky: W7 - Black

Stamp Colour: Barry M - Gold Foil
Image Plate: Konad M57

Other: Barry M - Red Glitter

NOPI - Fell From The Tree

Top Coat: Sally Hansen - Advanced Hard As Nails

I really loved wearing these, the index finger was amazingly bling and pretty. However the flash washed the glitter out a bit, and after a day and a half the striping tape decided it was gonna start coming off. Does anyone have any tips for this?

Hope everyone's had a good Wednesday :]

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

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 :]

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!