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 :]

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 :]

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!

Spring Challenge - Day 10 - Rain

Todays Spring Challenge is Rain. Since the start of this challenge I knew what I wanted to do for todays and was looking forward to it.

Don't forget to check out Esme's post for today to see what she came up with :]

Base Coat: CND - Stickey
Base Colour: Beauty UK - soft grey
Large Cloud: Barry M - Grey
Rain: Bourjois 10 Day Wear - Number 18
Top Coat: Models Own - 3 In 1

These were so so fun to wear. Nothing particularly hard to do, but really fun and bold in a way :]

Spring Challenge - Day 8 - Easter Nails

Today's nails for the Spring Challenge are Easter nails. For these I had a few ideas, and knew I wanted to do a Pick 'n' Mix / Skittles mani. I got the idea for the Mini Eggs from Emily's Nail Files with this great tutorial. At first I wasn't really feeling the colour combination I had going on, but changed some things around, and after the 3 days I had them on I'd grown to love them.

Don't forget to check out Esme's Blog to see what she came up with for today!

Base Coat: Nail RX - Stuck On You
Base Colours: Models Own - Utopia & Pastel Pink
Free Hand Colours: Revlon - Minted
                                Mini M&S - Yellow
                                W7- Suede
                                Models Own - Pastel Pink
                                Sally Hansen - White On
Stamp Colour: Konad White
Image Plate: BM19
Top Coat: Models Own - 3 In 1

Then I added a matte top coat to make everything soft :]

Spring Challenge - Day 7 - Butterflies

Today's Spring challenge is butterfly nails! I was really excited about doing these, and knew what I was going to do. Last year some time (May or June I think) I started seeing these style nails all over Tumblr, and I was dying to try them. I have no idea why It's taken me til now to try these out.

Don't forget to check out Esme's Blog to see her buttflies :]

Base Coat: Nail RX - Stuck On You
Base Colour: Manhattan - Lemonade (my favourite yellow evvaaah)
Sponged colour: Deborah - Sunset cocktail
Black & White: Acrylic Paints
Top Coat: Models Own - 3 In 1

I always have isues with spacing dots and such. I just feel like I ruined the whole mani with these dots =/

Pre-dots :]

This is the picture I took last year that I was going to use as inspiration.

Next up on Friday is Easter Nails!

Spring Challenge - Day 4 - Worms

Happy Friday! Yayy!

Today the spring challenge myself and Esme of Nail Addict are doing calls for worms! This was my first idea, and I just rolled with it, so I hope everyone likes these :P

Base Coat: Nail RX - Stuck On You
Base Colour: W7 - Suede
Sponged Base: Barry M - Grey, Beauty UK - Soft Grey

Worm, Grass & Mud: Acrylic Paints
Top Coat: Models Own - 3 In 1

I love Mr Worm... These were so fun to wear; especially with the matte top coat so there was no bothersome glare.

 

I thought of Mr Worm as happy; with a little black crooked smile; but when I shown these to Scott what he originally seen was a grumpy worm! 

I love that he has a smile and a gurning face :P What do you see? 

Check out what's to come:

 

Don't forget to check out what Esme came up with :]

Minted & Skinny Silver Tip

Back to feeling wintery today colour wise! :D I still wish it would hurry up and snow here, as it looks miserable outside! Not as miserable as I feel today though, as I'm coming down with something, my back & joints ache; my eyes are bloodshot and sore, and my throat is pretty nasty feeling. I sounded like such a man when I first woke up :P

Base Coat: CND - Stickey
Base Colour: Revlon - Minted
Tip Colour: Miss Sporty - Silver (Unknown Name/Number)
Top Coat: China Glaze - No Chip Top Coat

 

I felt like something simple; and felt like a skinny french tip, as many times I do them way too large, but I think this is because I used to tape them off, but I think free-handing is the way to go now ^_^ Though I still need more practice.

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 =]

Steph's Vegas Inspired Nails

I did these a few weeks ago, inspired by a photo I seen on google while I was looking for vegas themed nails and stuff, but now I can't find the image ;(

I'm still not really gettting any better and taking photos of other peoples nails, but I think I have some ideas for the next time I do her nails.

Base Coat: CND - Stickey
Base Colour: Sally Hansen - White On
I then placed small strips of tape, and painted over them with BYS - Black Satin
For rounding off corners and lettering I used Red & Black acyrilic paint
The little red gem was from a Broadway pack of gems my friend Vicki got me :]
Top Coat: China Glaze - No Chip Top Coat

Base Coat: CND - Stickey
Base Colour: BYS - Black Satin
Nail Studs: 2mm Silver Nail Heads
Top Coat: China Glaze - No Chip Top Coat

I apparently can't draw clubs for the life of me :P Happy Bonfire/Guy Fawkes Night!

Frankenstein Mani

I'd been wanting to do these for a while, and did them a week or so back, but never got a photo, so I did them again and only got one good photo (I don't know what's going on with my lamo skills recently haha)

Base Coat: CND - Stickey
Base Colour: Collection 2000 Hot Looks - Mint Mojo
Black & White Acrylic Paint
Top Coat: China Glaze - No Chip Top Coat

I love the little Frankie on my index finger - he looks so confuused! Hehe I'm getting so excited for Halloween now :D

Wintery Pastel Aztec

These didn't really take too long to do, however I had to rush to finish them for my mate Dom coming over, and only got a chance to take a photo the next morning before rushing out to meet some friends. So one photo blog posts are back for today! Sorry for the naff photo too, but I couldn't not post these after all the effort, even though there's a lot to be improved upon!

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colour: Models Own - Utopia

First Stripe: Barry M - Grey

Second Stripe: Beauty UK - Smokey Lilac
Third Stripe: Beauty UK - Soft Grey
Nail Pens In Black & White
Top Coat: China Glaze - No Chip Top Coat

Mummy Nails

I feel like I have been lacking in the Halloween nails department, usually I jump right on it as soon as it's October but for some reason this year I haven't. I've changed my mind about my costume this year though so I'll have more free time to do my nails, rather than making a bag from scratch, or dyeing a wig with sharpies... So hopefully more Halloween goodness to come :]

Base Coat: CND - Stickey
Base Colour: Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear - White On
Black Nail Art Pen
White & Black Acrylic Paint (Eyes)
Rimmel - Pop! (Eyes)
Top Coat: China Glaze - No Chip Top Coat

I really could've done with another two topcoats, my nail art pens are starting to die and always leave a chunky texture.

Bright Aztec

A week or so back I asked my brothers girlfriend if I could do her nails, and the only thing she knew is that she wanted bright ^_^. I'm starting to really love doing other peoples nails though I'm always nervous as hell and don't wanna hurt them when pushing back cuticles and such, and I have some shake issues sometimes :P

Anyhoo I got some nail inspiration pics from google and she decided on aztec. I think I might've tried aztec on one finger on myself  a few months back, and then decided it was too much hassle to commit to a whole mani, taking my weaker hand into consideration. So doing a full mani of aztec on someone else was rather fun.

Base Coat: Total Nail RX - Stuck On You
Base Colour: P2 - Pink It Up!
Yellow: Manhattan - Lemonade - 15
Green: P2 - Artful
Black Nail Art Pen

I think If I hadn't been a little hesitant I would've paid more attention to the spacing between colours, but I still love how it turned out. It was quite hard working on small nails (she's a biter) but she's said she didn't bite her nails as much having them painted, and I'm doing her nails again tomorrow :]

So a thank you to Steph for playing model :]

Camo Leopard

My first try at free hand leopard print :] didnt go too bad. And I really loved the colour combo.

Base Coat: CND -Stickey
Colours Used: Cutex - Sweat Pea & Revlon - Peach Smoothie & Yes Love - Neon Green
Nail Art Pen: In Black
Top Coat: China Glaze - No Chip Top Coat

Strawberries

This is actually my second attempt at Strawberry nails - the first was with polish though, not acrylic, and paints are just so much easier to work with when you're first starting off. Well for me they are.

Base Coat: CND - Stickey

Base Colour: 17 Mini - Unknown Red
Acrylic Paint: - Wilko - Viridian & Lemon Yellow
Top coat: Rimmel - 10 Day Wear