Matte Glitter Tape Mani

Hi all!

I can't believe It's been so long since my last post! Happy New Year! I don't have any real excuses for lack of blogging other than being a bad blogger! :( Apologies.

This is a mani from the back end of November. I wanted something quick and simple for a night out, and as I was (still am) obsessed with Nicole by OPI - A-Nise Treat I really wanted to use it in conjunction with a nudienudie creme. So I reached for another favourite, Barry M - Lychee.

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colour: Barry M - Lychee
Base V-Moon: W7 - Night Suede

V-Moon Colour: Nicole by NOPI - A-Nise Treat

I started by painting two coats of Lychee, and then after a shower (to avoid the tape pulling up the base) I cut triangles into the tape and placed it on the nail; painting over with W7 - Night Suede. I did this to try and establish what kind of shape I would be left with so I could then go in with striping tape and NOPI - A-Nise Treat to even out the length of the triangles, and add that loooovely matte glitter.

Here's before adding the glitter and making things much more even, and this pic shows the colours better where there's light, and my hands aren't freezing as I was waiting for a Metro for 25 minutes!

iPhone pics definitely do not do this manicure justice. I really loved wearing these as they were so bold.

Hope you've all had a good start to the year :]

Grey Cheeky Viva Mexico Stamping

Hi all,

Quicky quick post today, though i'm making this Wednesday night, i'm shattered so early night is needed!

Today I have a really short post with some stamping. Now the laptop is back up and running and I'm editing photos I've realised I should stop relying on my iphone for taking photos!

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colour: Purple - Unknown Grey

Stamping Colour: W7 - Nightsuede

Image Plate: Cheeky Viva Mexico

Top coat: Rimmel - 60 seconds

Sorry again for the poop quality, here's a swatch of the polish - I can't remember the name of it though!

That's all from me for now, hope you've all had a good week so far :]

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?

Space Invaders Cheeky Stamping

Hi all, happy Saturday, quick post today =]

A couple of weeks back I was stuck for what to do on my nails, and after a few suggestions I settled on doing Space Invader nails, as I'd been meaning to since I received my Cheeky Plates. 

This was one of the main reasons I'd bought Pop Green Special Polish, but after trying it out on my thumb I realised It wasn't as bold as I wanted it to be. So to try and get the brightness I used Pastel Green, and without picking the image up from the plate I used Pop Green and scraped again. I'm not sure what this kind of method is called, or where I read about it, but it did work to make the green stand out more, although I would have much preferred a solid colour I quite like how these turned out.

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colours - W7 Night Suede Rough Sponged with W7 - Black

Stamping colours: Konad Special - Pop Green & Pastel Green

Dotted Colours: Nails Inc - Electric Lane & NOPI - Fell From The Tree

Image Plate: Cheeky CH45

Top Coat: Advanced Hard As Nails

Without flash, in daylight you can see the flecks that Night Suede has. These look a bit busy, but I still like them.

Hope you're all having a good weekend so far :]

Barry M - Lychee - Grey and Aqua Horses & Cowboys

Hi all. Happy Monday :]

Barry M - Lychee is a polish I was lusting after for a while, but every time I'd call in to a shop to see if they had it, nowhere did. Until a few weeks ago when I called into Boots on the morning before work to pick up some lunch. Since then I must have used it about 4 times already. I love it. The formula's so so nice, and the colour (although it doesn't really look it in the pictures) is quite a nice nude for me.

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colour: Barry M - Lychee

Stamp Colours: W7 - Night Suede & Aqua Suede

Image Plate: Cheeky CH34

Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

Such a pretty nude!

When I first bought the Cheeky plate set I thought this was a really cute image, but wearing these I totally fell it love with it. From afar it looks like some sort of dog tooth pattern, and then when you stop and look you see that it's actually horses with cowboys. Well I say cowboys cause that's what I want them to be, but they're probably just jockeys.

Have a good day ^-^

Galaxies Gradients & Crosses

Hi all, happy Saturday :D

Today I have a mani I did a few weeks back now for my besties birthday night out. I absolutely loved them, and although all I can see is the flaws, They're still one of my favourite manis I've ever done. These consist of some gradient nails that have crosses on them, and some galaxy nails.

I'm a total fiend for galaxy/nebula style stuff recently, and even painted a pair of canvas shoes with acrylic paints. I've yet to wear them, but they look bloody awesome, even if I do say so myself.

Base Coat:  CND - Stickey

Other Colours: Rimmel - White, Collection 2000 - Angel Wings, W7 - Black & Night Suede

Beauty UK - Jelly Bean Clubworks - Fuchsia, Miss Sporty - Rain Drops, Gosh Holographic Hero

Acrylic Paints - Ultra Marine, White, Black, Yellow Ochre

Glitter: Rimmel - Disco Ball

Top Coat: Sally Hansen  Advanced Hard As Nails

Hope you've all had a good day so far :]

Dotting Tools - We Stamp On Sunday

Hi hi all, hope you've all had a good weekend. I have a feeling tonight is going to fly by and I'll be back at work before I know it :(

Sad times aside, yesterday when I did my nails for this Adventures in Stamping challenge it was actually sunny! So there's quite a few photos ahead, not loads, but a lot more than the couple of images I've been restricted to recently due to the use of flash only.

I also have a pretty special polish to show you (special to me) as it's gorgeous, and one of only two true matte polishes that I love the formula of. I believe to be a dupe for Orly's Iron Butterfly. This is amazing to be, cause I've wanted a polish like this for a couple of years now, and with W7's bargain price of £1.99; yes please!

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colour: W7 - Night Suede (also used for dots)

Flakies: Golden Rose Scale Effects Polish - 13

Stamp Colour: Barry M - Silver Foil

Image Plate: Bundle Monster BM224

Top Coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails

Matte coat: Rimmel - Matte Finish

Above is with flash, pretty green!

Below is before I added to extra matte coat.

And for the base and flakies only combo, which looked quite nice as flakie polishes tend to dry a little matte.

This flakie is still true love for me, in fact the four I own are. Never disappointed when I reach for them. Here's what I used for the mani, and I will show you swatches of the beautiful Night Suede after that.

Now; onto the pretty pretty Night Suede. This first picture is a rough one coat, no clean up required! The other two are two coats, totally effortless polish to use.

So W7 - Night Suede looks pretty much like dupe of Orly - Iron Butterfly, but as I own it I can't compare. It's a gorgeous dark charcoal with tiny silver flecks, and it looks great matte or glossy, but matte for the win!

If anyone owns Iron Butterfly let me know what you think.

Until next time my pretties, I'm gonna go stick on a film and order a curry =D