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**

Mini Christmas Haul

Hi guys! Happy Tuesday :]

Hopefully it'll be snowing when this is posted so I'll be sporting a face like this: =3 or this ^-^. Cause I love the snow, and it looks great from the floor I work on, all floatyyy and awesome. I could literally sit and watch the snow for hours.

In other news, I got my manager addicted to nails! I did some of my coworkers nails on Christmas eve, and recently Kerry asked for a list of things to buy, and she even bought a Konad starter kit! So you never know, I might even share her pretties with yous!

Today I have for you my mini Christmas present haul, just to show what I got. This is no where as crazy as last years haul, but I guess that's because Scott went crazy last year lol.

 Mini Nails Inc set (the first Nails Inc I'm gonna try!) from my manager Debbie.

W7's are from my Nan/Aunt/Uncle and LA Colors & Technic are from my mam.

Hope you're all having a good day :]

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 :]

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 :]

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

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!

My Cousin Frans Nails!

Frances and my aunt Rosie came to stay with my family over Christmas for about 5 days, in that time I did Fran's nails three times, my aunts once, and my mams once; for the first time ever. Because these were all done at night and we had stuff to do/ were sleeping during the best hours of light I only have pics of Fran's designs. Also partly because her iPhone flash doesn't bleach out your fingers like my camera flash does!

The penguin design came from a You Tube tutorial, after I spied it on Copy That, Copy Cat and fell in love with it :] Sorry for the messy clean up, I haven't found my perfect cleanup method for acrylic paint & polish just yet, not while the nails are wet yet anyways.

Base Coat: CND - Stcikey
Base Colour: Sally Hansen - White On
Acrylic Paints: Black
Other Polishes: China Glaze - Frostbite
Nail art pen: Yellow
Top Coat: China Glaze - No Chip Top Coat

Base Coat: CND - Stickey
Base Colour: Models Own - Aqua Violet
Stamp Colour: N.Y.C. - Niagra Foils
Image Plate: Konad M57
Top Coat: China Glaze - No Chip Top Coat

Base Coat: CND - Stickey
Base Colour: Models Own - Golden Green
Glitter: Rimmel - Disco Ball
Stamp Colour: BYS - Black Satin
Image Plate: Konad M85
Top Coat: China Glaze - No Chip Top Coat

Now Frances is gone I feel a little bit stuck doing just my own nails :P

Christmas Nails & Christmas Goodies

Today we have the nails I wore for Christmas Day, and the nail goodies that Santa brought me. :D Quick post today, but I should be back to the usual blogging after all my festive cheer is gone :P

Base Coat: CND - Stickey
Base Colour: China Glaze - Millennium
Nail Art Pens: Red & Green
Top Coat: China Glaze - No Chip Top Coat

 These were a bit rushed, and botched for my liking, but after doing my Cousin, my Aunt, and my Mam's nails I ran out of energy and just couldn't be bothered :/ I was going to do a different design on each nail but I kept knocking the different base colours, and then they all took different times to dry so I decided on a Chrome, just because they take no time to dry!

 Mini Haul!!! Santa was so good to me this year, especially Scotty-Santa. He went a bit crazy with it all :P But don't get me wrong, I appreciate that he likes to buy me nail stuff ^_^ He bought me the Beetle Juice collection, the Konad special polishes, the Konad plates, the Konad book of ideas, the China Glaze, the O.P.I. and a 4 set of O.P.I mini Muppets Holiday 2011 collection. Such a lucky girl ^_^ The rest of the goodies are from friends and family.

Looking forward to trying out that pink, it's more neon in real life.

Looking forward to this plate :D

I think the full size konad is a dark plum colour, but I'm not positive. Can't wait to try the white though!

Can't wait to try these beauties!!!

Snowman, Stripes & Polka Dots!

Base Coat: CND - Stickey
Base Colour: Essence - Speed Of light Blue
Glitter: Rimmel - Disco Ball
Acrylic Paints: Crimson Red, White, Black, Brown, Orange

 

I wish I'd just done polka dots!

Cracked open a walnut yesterday, and found a heart!

Hope everyone's having a good Christmas Eve, or whatever you celebrate! So excited for tomorrow ^_^ Not sure when I'll post next, maybe I'll pop on Boxing day and I'll do a mini haul with my nail goodies from Santa!


Happy Holidays =]

Gingerbread Men!

I've been meaning to try this stamp out for ages now, and it's so so cute. I love gingerbread men, I really do, and tonight I should be making some =] Nomnom.

Base Coat: CND- Stickey
Base Colour: Beauty UK - Soft Grey
Stamp Colours: W7 - Suede & George - Meteorite
Image Plate: BM222
Top Coat: China Glaze - No Chip Top Coat

The full stamp didn't totally transfer, but I like the effect that comes with it, it looks like someones taken a little nibble in places ^_^ It's times like these thought that I wish my little fingernail wasn't so tiny!

Christmas Pudding!

These are from last week, and this is the only good photo I got, before I got other nail varnish splashed on, when I was painting a set of false nails in the same design for Martine. I'm looking forward to wearing a crazy Pick 'n' Mix for my Christmas nails, as I'm definitely going to have a Christmas Pud on one of my nails! And hopefully do a much better job of the holly seeing as I've had practice now :]

Base Coat: CND - Stickey
Base Colour: W7 - Suede
Polka Dots: Black Acrylic Paint
Icing: White Arylic Paint
Berries: Rimmel - Celebrity Bash
Holly: Nail Art Pen In Green
Top Coat: China Glaze - No Chip Top Coat

This design was found at D.I.Y Nails, who I loooove.

Christmas Tartan

So I didn't have a lot of time to do these nails, Infact I only had a base colour down, so I took 10 minutes to do some quick and easy tartan. This explains why it's not the neatest design in the world, but from afar it's still super fun =D

Base Coat: CND - Stickey
Base Colour: N.Y.C. Nail Glossies - 215
Nail Art Pens: Red, Green, & Silver Glitter
Top Coat: China Glaze - No Chip Top Coat

3 Coats As It's Sheer

I originally bought this way, way back in the day, maybe about 4 years ago, when I was looking for a white as I had trouble with white drying etc. When I got home and tried this out I remember being disappointed at the fact it was so sheer, and never really gave it a chance until the other day.

This horrible overcast light does not do this polish justice though, as it has some micro shimmer to it which brightens the whole thing up. But it's actually a really nice change to stark white.

Could've done with another top coat to smooth things out even more.

Blue Gradient, Stars & Snowflakes

I said the other day in this post that I was going to use snowflake nail stickers, but couldn't find them, but then I did find them :P today is a post using those decals. Thinking about it, these decals were bought as part of a Christmas present from my mother, 4 years ago, with my first ever roll of striping tape! I got a lot of nail stickers that time, and got my gingerbread men and candy canes too, best stickers ever!! Recently that striping tape when missing, after it came off the plastic middle it was attached to.. maybe I'll find it next week hehe.

On to the nails :]

Bad photo but I felt like a bottle shot :] L-R: Nubar - 2010 G188, Mac Glitter In White (I Think), Rimmel - Disco Ball, Essence - Speed Of Light Blue

It still makes me LOL every time I read "Just stick on your nail and you will be attractive"

I started with two coats of Rimmel - French Rose, and then sponged on Essence - Speed Of Light Blue, I then added one coat of Rimmel - Disco Ball to the full nail, Nubar - 2010 to half the nail, and pressed in a little loose glitter when it was slightly tacky. When that was dry I used the 5 point single stars, and snowflakes from the pack of Tina stickers. The different types of glitter, and flakes are more noticeable in real life, the flakies give it a nice glow in certain lights ^_^ I think this is my best gradient to date :]

Almost Christmas!!! :D

Half Moon & Holly

These are actually similar to what I wore last Christmas; on the day. Although it wasn't a half moon mani, it was just Sally Hansen - White On, with Maybelline - Ice Princess, and the holly stamped, with.. who knows; cause that's a long time ago :P

Base Coat: CND - Stickey
Base Colours: Rimmel - French Rose &  Sally Hansen - White On
Glitter: Maybelline Colorama - Ice Princess
Silver Line: China Glaze - Millennium
Stamp Colours: George - Meteorite & Rimmel - Celebrity Bash
Image Plate: Bundle Monster BM14 (Original Set)
Top Coat: China Glaze - No Chip Top Coat

Just to show why I'm ever faithful to this glitter for my micro glitter needs xD

So I started with two coats of Rimmel - French Rose, and used hole reinforcement stickers to create the half moon shape when French Rose was dry. Then I painted Sally Hansen - White On, and removed the stickers while the polish was still wet. Next a coat of Maybelline Colorama - Ice Princess, and when that was dry I stamped the Holly using Bundle Monster plate BM14, and George - Meteorite, & Rimmel - Celebrity Bash. Originally I was going to paint the half moon line with my Gold Citadel Paint but now I'm glad I couldn't find it, as I think it might have looked god awful :P So I used China Glaze - Millennium, and finished with my usual top coat.

I only needed one coat of White On, with touch up to only one nail. Which is a surprise as normally I need 2-3 coats for full nail coverage. At the start of this bottle I only needed 2 coats for full opacity, but as it's getting older, and emptier it's getting a little harder to work with. Even though I've thinned it once or twice already. So having two coats of a faster drying French Rose must really help.

Gold Glitter Sponged Tips & Stars

I say stars in the title... But they're not very star like. Originally these were meant to be snowflakes, but I just couldn't achieve this. The idea came when my friend Amy posted an image on my Facebook of gold glitter fade with snowflake decals on. I thought it looked lovely, and I remembered that I had some snowflake stickers somewhere, but when I couldn't find them I settled for trying to do them free hand. Unfortunately doing them freehand meant that they weren't as delicate and perfect as I'd wanted them to be. So I settled for some "stars" made of lines... And the next day I found my Snowflake decals :P

Base Coat: CND - Stickey
Base Colour: Rimmel - French Rose
Golds: Miss Sporty - Gold Backstage & H&M - Wa Wa Woom
Acrylic White Paint
& Glitter From An Old Nail Art Set

A thank you goes to my sister-in-law Martine for lending me this french manicure colour, as I don't own one :]