Saran Splotches

Hey everyone!!!  I received a lot of messages about last week's Splatteriffic mani, so I thought I'd do something different, but along the same lines stylistically.  

I started with three coats of Orly Pixy Stix, a fun bright pastel coral creme.  I used three coats because there was still a bit of streakiness left after two coats.  I followed with one coat of SV.

In artificial light (above) and natural light (below), this color really pops, but stays feminine and delicate at the same time!

I placed a few dots of Essie Coat Azure, a medium blue creme with a soft silver shimmer, on a flat surface, and then dabbed it with a wadded up piece of saran wrap.  Next, I dabbed it onto each of my nails.

I repeated the same step with Milani Orchidia, a medium purple creme with a soft purple shimmer.  I finished with one coat of SV.

I chose the two shimmer polishes so that the top coat would pull the shimmer effect across the entire nail to really make it shine in the sunlight.

This was fun, fast, and easy and is very similar to the splatter effect.  It can be a bit messy when you work on the edge and cuticle line of your nails, so you might want to use tape on your fingers for a faster clean up.

I hope you all enjoy this one!  

Happy Monday!

Colors: Orly Pixy Stix, Essie Coat Azure, Milani Orchidia

Andie, hun, don't waste good lip gloss.

I know this is completely out of the norm for me, but I loved Blane so much after trying it last night, that I had to check out Andie this morning.  This is another polish by Nostalgic Nail Lacquer from The Bizarre Teenage Love Triangle collection.

It is such a beautiful milky pastel pink glitter!

I started with one coat of Essie French Affair, a delicate light pink creme.

I was really curious to see how it would work over a bright pink, so I used Zoya Renee, a fun neon pink, on my right ring finger.

I used three coats of Andie, because, as I said with Blane, the formula is amazing!  Even polish distribution, and a great finish!!!

I really cannot get enough of the milky glitters!  The way the glitter appears within the layers is so beautiful!!!

The example of Andie over Renee gives you a great view of the color shift that occurs with this polish.  It gives a really nice soft pink tint that, while not opaque, gives a great change to your base polish shade!

And once again, I really didn't need to add any nail art to this one, so I finished with a coat of Cult Nails Wicked Fast!

Colors: Essie French Affair, Zoya Renee, Nostalgic Nail Lacquer Andie

Rainbow Rows

Sometimes, a picture can affect me so strongly, that it will actually inspire a new mani! -- Come on, I didn't say it had to be classy or profound!!!

You know you laughed.

I started by using my striping brush to create the rainbow stripes - yes, even indigo! - down my nails.  I followed with a quick coat of SV.

Next, I cut small strips of scotch tape, and taped off the two sections on each nail.  (I decided to make two on each nail because my husband and I seem to have a habit of always seeing double rainbows!  I know ... awww!)

After I finished the taping, I applied one generous coat of black.

I finished with one coat of Cult Nails Wicked Fast top coat.  This was my first experience using Wicked Fast.  And, I think it is safe to say that I am now addicted to it!  It has such a beautiful glass finish!  And it's definitely not just a clever name!  It dried ridiculously fast!!!  I was completely loyal to my SV top coat, but Wicked Fast just blew it out of the water!!!

I wanted to try a little something different on my right hand, so I taped off the tip only, then used black to create a fun rainbow french tip!

Colors: Essie - Ups, Nicole by OPI - Nicole's Fave, Sally Hansen - Mellow Yellow 360, Misa - The Grass is Greener on my Side, China Glaze - First Mate, Color Club - Blue-Topia, Wet n Wild - On a Trip, Wet n Wild - Ebony Hates Chris

This was a lot of fun to create, and honestly didn't really take very long at all!  I hope you enjoy it!!!!  Happy Painting ladies!

Pleasant Hooters

Colors: OPI Lincoln Park After Dark, Sally Hansen Mellow Yellow 360, Nicole by OPI Nicole's Fave, Zoya Yara, Zoya Gemma, Sally Hansen The Real Teal, OPI Mermaid's Tears, Essie Coat Azure, Ulta Mint Condition, OPI Planks a Lot, Essie Nice is Nice, China Glaze Flying Dragon, Sally Hansen Lively Lilac

I decided to try my hand at these cute little owls tonight!  They were actually very quick and easy to create!  I used a strip of scotch tape on the top to create the half moon effect, and used the darker selection from my color combinations to create the owl bodies.  Next, I took the lighter complimenting shade and created the owl tummies.  I used my larger dotting tool to create the eyes and spots on the owls.  I used the small dotting tool for their pupils and their beaks.  I finished with a coat of SV!  For my left hand, I used the same design, but reversed the color order! 

This is one of the funniest manicures I've done.  I giggle every time I look at my fingers!  The cross-eyed owls are my favorites!  I hope you enjoy this one!  I know I do!!!!  Happy Painting!!!!!!

A holiday explosion

Colors: China Glaze Ruby Pumps, Orly Meet Me Under the Mistletoe, Essence Can't Cheat on Me, Essie As Gold as it Gets

My husband wanted me to do something super festive for his office holiday party ... the boss's wife has to look nice, right!?  So, I went with both sets of traditional holiday colors: green & red and silver & gold.  I painted each nail with two coats of colors alternating between silver, red, and green.  Next, I cut long triangular pieces of scotch tape, and placed it across the center of my nail.  Once the tape was set, I painted different colors on the top and bottom sections.  Once that was complete, I used the amazing gold flakes over the entire nail.  My husband was happy, and I received a ton of compliments!!!

Frosted Snow Globes!

Colors: Maybelline Snow Bunny, OPI Crown Me Already, Confetti Tiara, Essie Matte About You

I love little snow globes, so I wanted to do a mani to reflect that!!!  I used two coats of Snow Bunny, then one coat of Crown Me Already.  Then I did another half coat of Crown Me Already on the tips only.  Add two coats of Tiara, and finish it off with Matte About You!  I really like how this turned out!  It's still shimmery, but with a frosted finish!

Holiday Sugar Cookies!!!

This is my first holiday inspired mani of the season!!  I really enjoyed doing this because it was all cookie and no calorie!!!

Colors: Orly Girly, Essie Sand Tropez, Wet n Wild Party of Five Glitters, Confetti Tiara

I applied two coats of Girly for the outside cookie ring, then only one coat of Sand Tropez for the frosting.  Two coats of Party of Five Glitters makes up the sprinkles, and then one coat of Tiara to help give it a sugary sparkle and texture.  Unfortunately, Girly doesn't show up extremely well in the photos, but looks pretty in the light.  Since it's a nice shimmery pink ... I'm doing this for Pink Wednesday!!!!  Hooray!!!!!

Diamonds are a girl's best friend!

Hello ladies!  I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!  The lovely Kristina suggested a Marilyn Monroe themed mani, so I thought I'd take a quick break from my Wizard of Oz Series for this little gem!  Marilyn loved diamonds, and so do I!!!

Colors: Essie Dive Bar & Steel-ing the Scene, OPI Crown Me Already

I applied two coats of my base colors, and then cut A LOT of very thin strips of my scotch tape.  Once I applied them, I applied two coats of Crown Me Already, remove the tape carefully, and sealed with my top coat!  I loved how my fingers sparkled with this mani!!  Happy painting!

Twas Brillig Indeed!!!

In honor of my very first "On Wednesdays We Wear Pink" post, I got the idea to do something that I knew would be super special to me.  After the nail polish collection comes The Cheshire Cat collection!!!!  It's second to the polish, I promise ... but a VERY close second!  So, I thought I'd feature my Cheshire Cat nails with some of my favorite (and hardest to aquire) Cheshire Cat collectibles!!!!  But look quickly, he's already disappering - all that you might see of him are his eyes and his grin!!!!

Vinylnation Goth Series Cheshire Cat

Walt Disney Collectors Society "'Twas Brillig" statue

These are possibly my favorites.  My first and middle initials are N and L.  The only letter pins ever created by Disney in the Cheshire Cat style ... N and L.

These pins were made specifically for Disney "Cast Members" - certain people who were at the time employed by Disney.  (I have never worked for Disney!)

Collector's Society pin packaged with the "'Twas Brillig" statue

(My husband calls this one "The Claw"!!)

See? It's pretty official!!!

Colors: Essie French Affair, Confetti Belle of the Ball, OPI Lincoln Park After Dark, Sally Hansen White On, Sally Hansen Black Out, Sally Hansen Mellow Yellow 360

I used scotch tape for the stripes, and for the Cheshire Cat's grin.  For the eyes and teeth, I needed something very small and fine, so I used a simple straight pin!!  

I guess you never have to look too far for your most grin-worthy inspirations ... and it helps if you're as mad as a hatter!!!!

A little zebra for this Libra!

Colors: Essie Lilacism w/ Sally Hansen Hi-Definition DVD

Tonight I felt a little animalistic, so I went a little scotch tape ballistic!!!  Go about doing this in the same way you would do your other scotch tape mani's!  This was my first time using the DVD shade, and it actually turned out to be much more sheer than you would expect, but I really like the way that it compliments the Lilacism without overpowering it.  I love this one and I hope you do too!  I may actually keep this one on for longer than 24 hours ... but we'll see!  The power the polish has over me can get out of control!!!!  Happy painting!

Just a little matte at you!

Colors: OPI Black Onyx w/ Essie Matte About You

I did this one a little differently than you might think.  After two coats of the main color, I put on a top coat of Essie Matte About You to achieve the matte finish.  Once that had dried completely, I scotch taped for the tips, and used a top coat only for the shiny tips.  This way, all of my nail color is protected by a top coat!