Monday, March 30, 2015

Spring Plastic Wrap

Hey Y'all!  How was your weekend?  Let me live vicariously through you, cause I didn't do anything but sleep.  The weather was so messed up here, freezing cold, thunder storms, now it's sunny.  I just hibernated waiting for it to all pass.  I'm so done with the cold.  So despite the 20 degree weather, I decided to do a Spring mani for you.

Today's mani is a Spring design using plastic wrap:
I Used:
China Glaze:  Five Rules, a soft barely there gray crème
Sinful Colors: Pink Smart, a pastel pink crème
China Glaze:  My Way Or The Highway, a turquoise crème
Plastic Wrap
This is one of my favorite types of manis to do because I think you get such a great effect for such a little amount of effort.  I started with two coats of China Glaze Five Rules, a soft, light gray crème.  Once that dried completely, I put a couple of drops of China Glaze My Way Or The Highway on to a piece of paper.  Then using regular plastic wrap, scrunch the wrap up and dab into the polish.  Be sure to dab it on to a piece of paper first to get off any excess polish.  Then just dab it onto your nails.
Then I repeated the process with Sinful Colors Pink Smart, a soft pastel pink crème.  Then just top off your design with a top coat! 

I hope you enjoyed today's design!  Happy Polishing!!

Friday, March 27, 2015

Purple and Pink Glitter French Tip

Hey Y'all!!  TGIF!!  I would be excited for it being Friday, except it's really windy and cold today and it's supposed to be in the 20's tonight and tomorrow night.  What part of Spring doesn't Mother Nature understand??  I want my shorts back! 

So, for today, I have a Purple and Pink Glitter French Tip/Block Mani:
I Used:
OPI:  Lost My Bikini in Molokini, a medium purple cream
Butter London:  Rosie Lee, a bright micro pink glitter in a clear base
Salon Perfect:  Razzle Dazzle, a purple and holographic micro glitter in a purple jelly base
Scotch Tape
I started with two coats of OPI Lost My Bikini in Molokini, a pretty, highly pigmented purple crème.  Once that had dried completely, I placed scotch tape across the nail diagonally and painted the color closest to the tip.
Then I placed the tape a little further down the nail and painted the next color.  Be sure to only put tape on the outside edge, not over the glitter.  Otherwise, you will lift the glitter.  And don't worry about going over into the other glitter, it really won't show.  You just need the clean edge on the outside.

I love how this turned out.  It feels so Spring-like to me.  I hope you enjoyed it too!

Happy Polishing!!

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

The First Mani of Spring

Hey Y'all!  So, it's theoretically Spring here in the south...  This is such a "fun" time of year, lol.  Today is supposed to be a warm 73 degrees, tomorrow 79...and Saturday is supposed to be 56.  Have I mentioned how much I hate the cold recently?  So despite the overcast and rainy day today, it is supposed to be warm and it is officially Spring, so I have a Spring mani for you today:
I Used:
Sinful Colors: Yellow Out There, a bright yellow jelly with small holographic bar glitter
Finger Paints:  Aloha Lei, an orange glass fleck shimmer
Make Up Sponge
I started by using Sinful Colors Yellow Out There on my pinky and middle fingers and on my thumb.  Yellow Out There is a bright, pretty jelly polish with very small holographic bar glitter.  The pictures show three coats with top coat.  This was a pretty typical jelly polish in that even after 3 coats, there is still a very visible nail line.  I can't wait to try this in a jelly sandwich!  And why I love the holographic bar glitter, I wish there was more!

Next I painted my index and ring finger with Finger Paints Aloha Lei, a bright orange glass fleck shimmer.  I loved this color!  Pictures show two coats with top coat.  I was a bit disappointed in the wear time.  I had to wait until the next day to take the pictures in the sun and as you can see, I already have some wear.  On my middle finger, I used a make up sponge to sponge on a gradient.
While I'm not loving all the weather changes, I do love this mani!

I hope y'all are enjoying Spring where you are, without snow!  Have a fabulous day and Happy Polishing!!

Monday, March 23, 2015

An Ombre Gradient Skittle

Hey Y'all!!  Oh. My. Goodness!!  I tried to get this post up on Friday, but my computer kept updating.  Does anyone else keep putting off updating their computer until it has hours worth to do?  No?  Just me?  Oh well.  Happy Monday!  I hope y'all had a fabulous weekend.  We had a quiet one.  The teen went to a friend's house and the hubby and I went out to a nice dinner.  And slept!  This time of year wears me out.  Not only does the teen have a million things to do and a million places to be, the weather kills me.  In one week we can have 30's, 80's, sun, tropical storms, wind...all leading up to everything about to be covered in an inch of pollen.

But on to today's mani!  I have something I'm calling an Ombre Gradient Skittle:
I Used:
China Glaze: One Track Mind (a deep cobalt blue crème)
Orly- Tiara (small silver glitter in a clear base)
Finger Paints- Ho Ho Happy Holidays (micro silver and light blue glitter in a clear base)
Icing- Sapphire (a medium blue micro glitter in a clear base)
China Glaze- Feeling Twinkly (a dark blue glitter in a clear base)
Make Up Sponge
To start this mani, I painted two coats of China Glaze One Track Mind, a deep cobalt blue crème.  Then using a make up sponge, I sponged on the glitter polishes.  They are:
Pinky:  Orly Tiara, a silver glitter
Ring Finger:  Finger Paints Ho Ho Happy Holidays, a silver and light blue glitter
Middle Finger:  Icing Sapphire, a medium blue glitter
Index Finger:  China Glaze, Feeling Twinkly, a dark blue glitter
Thumb:  all the above
When sponging on the glitter, start about three quarters of the way down your nail.  Then go back and sponge on just the tip of your nail to give you a more concentrated glitter.  For the thumb, paint stripes of the polish on the make up sponge and dab on your nail.  It is really important to use a sponge at least for your thumb...the sponge will soak up the excess clear polish leaving you a more concentrated glitter.  I did two coats on my thumb.  Then just add the top coat.
I hope you have a fabulous day!  Happy Polishing!!





Wednesday, March 18, 2015

NOTD: Finger Paints Gilded Chrome

Hey Y'all!!  How are y'all doing today?  I'm exhausted.  Long, long day yesterday and up early today.  The teen has a field trip then dance class and rehearsal so let's get right to today's post.

So for today, I went gilded, Finger Paints Gilded Chrome:
I won this from Finger Paints (it was one of three polishes).  I wasn't feeling too well today and decided I wanted a lot of bang for very little effort.  Then I remembered the polishes I won from Finger Paints!  Pictures show two coats of Gilded Chrome with two coats of top coat.
Gilded Chrome is a textured, heavily glittered pack polish in a clear base.  It is PACKED with glitter!!  The glitter is multi sized, goldish silverfish colored.  It gives the look of slightly tarnished silver.  I LOVED how this looked!  Some of the glitter has a more matte effect while the bigger glitter is super reflective. 
While I loved the look, I wasn't that impressed with the polish.  First I had to use a top coat because the texture was SO rough I was scratching myself.  And it hurt.  It took two coats to get it smooth enough for me to be able to live with it.  Second, the wear was horrible.  In less than a day, I was chipping.  A lot.  Although I did get complete coverage in two coats.  I'm really on the fence about it.  I loved the way it looked on the nail, but hated the way it felt and how little wear I got from it.  I will probably wear it out for a special night, but only for that night.

I hope you enjoyed today's post!  Happy Polishing!!

Monday, March 16, 2015

St. Patrick's Day Mani

Hi Y'all!!  I'm back!  I'm so excited to be back!  And I mean it this time.  I am so sorry for being gone so long.  And so thankful to all of you who have stuck with me.  I have been posting on facebook, instagram and twitter, so if you aren't following me on them, click the buttons on the right!

So where have I been?  First, this summer I received some bad health news.  I was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease.  Right now I am in the beginning stages of it, so I am ok.  Then I lost three uncles in three weeks, found out some shocking family news, was stung by a scorpion (in my house!) and found out I am allergic to them and on Thanksgiving Day, I crushed my fingers destroying my nails.  Then I got an infection in two of my nails.  It's been a whirlwind of not such good things, lol.

But I am excited to be blogging again (and I already have a few designs ready for the rest of the week).  So, since tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day, I have a Paddy day mani for you:
I Used:
Celestial- T's In A Tizz (green linear holographic)
Sweet Heart Polish- Sands of Time (light gold metallic)
China Glaze- Dandy Lyin' Around (white with white micro glitter)
Poparazzi- Never Too Rich (multi sized green holographic glitter in a clear base)
Orly- Lavish Bash (gold micro glitter and bar holographic polish in clear base)
Liner Brush
This was an easy and fast mani design!  I started by painting my thumb and pinky with Celestial T's In A Tizz, a beautiful Kelly green linear holographic polish...thanks Gini!!  Then on my index and ring fingers, I used Sweet Heart Polish in Sands of Time, a soft gold metallic...thanks Liz!!
Then China Glaze Dandy Lyin' Around on my middle finger, it's a pretty, soft white with white glitter.  Then I topped the gold with Poparazzi Never Too Rich, a clear base with multi sized green holographic glitter.  Poparazzi is a new polish at CVS that seems to have replaced Spoiled.  While I loved how this looks, it took a lot of fishing for glitter to get that look.
Then, using a liner brush and Celestial and Orly polishes, I created a waterfall on my middle nail.  Then top coat over all my nails.

I really hope y'all like today's mani!  I think I'm ready for St. Patrick's Day!  Happy Polishing!!