Mish Mash Challenge: Purple

I'm so excited I can barely stand it!!!  It's time for our new challenge...the wonderful bloggers from the ABC Challenge are now participating in, drumroll please, the Mish Mash Challenge!!!

(click to enlarge) 

And first up is my absolute favorite color in the world, PURPLE!!!

I Used:
Sinful Colors- Tempest (lavender crème)
Cover Girl- 300 (purple crème)
Loreal- Breaking Curfew (dark purple crelly)
Scotch Tape

It's purple!!!  So this was a fun and easy mani.  After you paint your base colors (ring finger is Loreal Breaking Curfew and Thumb is Cover Girl 300), and it has dried completely, add scotch tape diagonally on your nail:

Please tell me I'm not the only blogger with nail polish on their laptop!  And it's only 7 months old :(

When that has dried completely, add the tape in the other direction and paint that triangle.  I really like how this turned out and can see doing it with a ton of different color combinations.

Be sure to check out the wonderful ladies below and see their purple designs!!  Plus we have a couple of new members so get to know them!  Hope y'all have a fabulous day!!  Happy Polishing!!

Orly & OPI Glitter Gradient

Hi Y'all!!!  I have to tell you, it is amazing that I am even here today and not dead from fright!  As you may have read on my facebook page, I have a deep seeded, gigantic, incomprehensible fear of green hoppy things (fr*gs to everyone else who isn't scared).  So as I leave my bedroom this morning, I look down and in the hallway, there is a dead green hoppy thing!!!!  Yes I should be happy that it was dead, but you know what?  That didn't make me any less terrified!!  The horror, the horror!  Thank you to the now-a-teen for getting it out of the house.  Although she only did it after finding out I wasn't going to leave my room and take her to dance as long as it was there.  The horror, the horror!!

Anyway, somehow I did survive and I have a fabulous, easy mani for you today!  It is a glitter gradient:

I Used:
Orly- Harmonious Mess
OPI- Pink Yet Lavender

Just to let you know, pictures do not do OPI Pink Yet Lavender justice.  But let me start with Orly Harmonious Mess.  Harmonious Mess is a beautiful periwinkle blue crème that is just so pretty.  I took the now-a-teen to dance while wearing only the Harmonious Mess and received compliments everywhere I went.  The pictures show two coats, which went on perfectly.  The formula was perfect!

Then for the gradient, I used OPI Pink Yet Lavender.  Oh my goodness!!!  This is such a fabulous glitter!!!  It is a clear based polish with micro holographic glitter and medium sized hexagon pink/lavender colored glitter.  And it really is Pink yet Lavender.  I couldn't pin point which color I thought it was.  I do know that it's gorgeous and I love it!!

Start the gradient with one coat of OPI Pink Yet Lavender (or what ever color glitter you choose) over the entire nail.  For the next coat, paint only 2/3 or your nail and for the final coat, paint only 1/3.  You can start from either the tip of your nail (like I did on my ring finger), or from the cuticle (like the rest of the nails).  Finally, add one coat of top coat.  I hope you enjoy today's mani.  For me, I think it's time for wine!  Or a pina colada!  Happy Polishing!!

Purple Art Glass

Hi Everyone!! I hope y'all are having a wonderful weekend.  We are having a nice, quiet weekend at home.  But I do have a new design for you, and can I just say I am in love!!!  I was in an antique store the other day and fell in love with this art glass vase.  It was purple and sparkled!! What was there not to love?  Other than the price that is.  So since I can't buy the vase, at least I can wear the design on my nails! 

I Used:
Orly- Decoded (gray)
Wet-n-Wild- Buffy the Violet Slayer
NYC- Lavender Cupcake
Rimmel- Wild Orchid
Orly- Charged Up
Orly- Ingenue

I started with two coats of Orly's Decoded, a pretty dark gray from their Electronica collection.  When that was dry, I used a medium (about 1/2 inch) stripping brush (see my tip on brushes) for the stripes.  Just make random stripes of different lengths and widths along your nails.  Make sure you don't completely cover your base color.  If you don't want to use purple but still get the same effect, you need to use a combination of creme, shimmer and glitter polishes.  This will give your design depth and make it look more like glass.  There are endless combinations.  (They had the same vase if multiple colors!)  Don't forget your top coat.  I used two coats to help give this design a smooth, glassy appearance.

I hope y'all have fun with this design.  I would love to see some of your interpretations!   Post them in the comments below.  Happy Polishing!!

P.S.  The glitter polish is Orly's Ingenue.  It's an unbelievable color!  Purple duochrome with an extreme gold shift.  Love it!!

Left Hand:

Right Hand:

Rhinestones and Dots

Ok y'all.  Something has happened to me that I (and my family and friends) thought was impossible...I over rhinestoned something!  Almost everything I own glitters.  If I can get it to hold still long enough, it's getting bedazzled!  The words "tacky" and "understated" do not exist in my vocabulary.  Until my first attempt at this manicure.  At the end of this post I'll put this first attempt that I, the sparkle lover, didn't like.

I did however, love my finished manicure.  I hope you do too!

I used:
Sinful Colors- Heavy Metal
Orly- Charged Up
NYC- Lavender Cupcake
Wet-n-Wild- Tickled Pink
China Glaze- 108 Degrees
Pro-FX Quick Dry High Gloss Top Coat
Purple Rhinestones (3mm)
Medium Dotting Tool

Here are the supplies:

And my inspiration:

To start this manicure, paint two coats of silver (Sinful Colors Heavy Metal) polish for a base color.  Once that is completely dry, use a medium size dotter (or a toothpick) to create the lines of dots.  Start in the middle of your nail with the darkest color (Orly's Charged Up) and dot a diagonal line in the middle of your nail.  Then going out from that line, dot the colors in order of their shades, darkest to lightest. (On my nails, that is NYC Lavender Cupcake, China Glaze 108 Degrees and Wet-n-Wild Tickled Pink.)

For the accent nails, place a small dot of top coat on your nail where you want the rhinestone.  Place the rhinestones in a vertical line.  Once you've completed the rhinestone line, dot the rest of the nail to match the rest of your manicure.

Remember to put a top coat on all your nails, including over the rhinestones, and you're done!  As always, I would love to hear your comments or questions.  Happy Polishing!!

And...the first attempt, lol:

Nail of the Day

I love this design. There are countless varieties for this design.  Plus, it's quick, fun and easy to do.

Polishes Used:
City Color- Masquerade (Gray)
Finger Paints- Lavender Highlight
China Glaze- Turned Up Turquoise
Orly- Basket Case
Spoiled- Black Mamba
NYC- Extra Shiny Top Coat

Start with two coats of your base color, in this case the Masquerade polish. Once that has dried completely, place one drop of polish at the top left corner of your nail. I started in the middle of the design with Turned Up Turquoise.  Then using a dotting tool, toothpick, needle or even a pen, drag the color diagonally down towards your cuticle.  Repeat with each color and your done!  I'm sorry that I only have one picture...not sure how that happened.  I will do this design again soon and give y'all more detailed pictures. Happy Polishing!!