Review of Julep Natasha & 4th of July Design

Hi Y'all!!  Happy Monday and Happy July!!  Can you believe it's already July??  Time seems to be going so fast.  I hope y'all had a great weekend.  Mine was fabulous!  We didn't do a thing!  That was so nice for a change.  We cooked out, played video games with the now-a-teenager, went out to breakfast.  It was a nice relaxing time. 

And I only did my nails once all weekend.  This is what I wore the whole time, Julep Natasha:

I bought this from Julep's recent warehouse sale.  It was part of a set called Backyard BBQ, and I think it fits,  Although it's not as dark as ketchup, it is the exact red of tomatoes.  The pictures show two coats with one coat of  Seche Vite.

I really like Natasha.  It's a pretty orange leaning red crème.  It was opaque in two coats and the formula worked fabulously.  It wasn't too thin or thick, just right.  It went on smooth and even. 

LOL sorry for the doggy hair.

I then decided to add some fireworks and stars for the 4th of July (America's Independence Day) with some stamping plates from Salon Express.  Since I promised to show you the good and the bad, here ya go:

I Used:
Julep- Natasha
Salon Express Plate SE20
Salon Express Plate SE22
Konad Polish White
Konad Polish Blue Shimmer

The fireworks worked great.  I love how those came out.  The stars, not so much.  The Salon Express plates that are supposed to cover the full nail, didn't come close.  So I stamped it at an angle.  It worked ok for the pinky, just looks like I used a plate that was too small.  The middle finger however...  I don't know what happened there.  It seems to have shrunk, lol.

I hope y'all enjoyed today's post.  I will see you tomorrow.  And don't forget to check out my facebook page and twitter (links in column to the left).  Some friends are having giveaways and I've posted the links in both.  Happy Polishing!!

Summer Challenge: Life's A Beach

Hi Everybody!!!  Sorry I'm so late on today's post, but I got to go to lunch with the bestie today!  We haven't been able to do this much because we had small children, but now they are teens (barely) and we took a four hour lunch :D

So today's challenge is Life's a Beach, a beach themed manicure.  I wasn't sure what to do, so my now-a-teen daughter drew out an idea for me and this is what I did:

I Used:
Sinful Colors- Snow Me White
Sinful Colors- Dream On (neon purple crème)
Sinful Colors- Anchors Away (yellow/orange neon crème)
Spoiled- Show Me Some Skin (beige crème)
Orly- Halley's Comet (aqua with aqua shimmer)
Orly- Royal Navy (blue with light blue shimmer)
Konad- Black Polish
Konad Plate SE 18
Small Detail Brush
                      
Sorry for the messy clean up on my right hand...I did this at 2 am, and then ran out of the house this morning. 

Thank you Now-a-Teen for the fabulous idea...sunset on the beach.  I wish I was there now :(   With a pina colada. Yum.

Be sure to check out the other beach themes by the wonderful ladies in this challenge!  I really enjoyed doing it and can't wait until the next one!!  Happy Polishing!!

Day 15: Delicate Print, R31DC

Hi Everyone!!  How was your weekend?  Are you happy about the upcoming San Francisco/Baltimore Super Bowl?  My poor Tampa Buccaneers are gone, and Atlanta lost, so I don't have a favorite, but I'm looking forward to the food, the commercials and it's going to be my baby's birthday!!!  But it was a nice, relaxing (except for the yelling during the Falcons game) wedding anniversary.

Now on the challenge.  Today is Day 15, Delicate Print.  Really?  First flowers and now delicate.  I wasn't even sure what that meant.  To my southern mind, delicate is my great aunts on the front porch waving their handkerchiefs while sitting in doily covered rocking chairs, lol.  So, I went with more flowers:

I Used:
Barielle- Hidden Hideaway (dark purple with purple shimmer)
Milani- 3D (gold holographic)
Konad Plate M79

I began with two coats of Barielle Hidden Hideaway that I just bought when Barielle had their buy one get one half off....it just arrived Friday.  This polish is beautiful!  It's a deep gorgeous purple with a lighter purple shimmer.  The formula was perfect.  It went on smoothly without any streaking or dragging.

Then I decided to be brave and once again attempt stamping with the Konad plate M79 and Milani 3D.  For some reason stamping seems beyond my ability, lol.  It didn't turn out too badly.  Although the stamping being on a slant was an accident.  I'm going to keep trying, I'll get it!  Then since the stamp didn't cover my nail, I put a small French tip on the end of my nail just using the polish brush. 

Thank y'all for checking out today's challenge and be sure to check out the other fabulous ladies and their designs!  Until tomorrow (for tribal, another one I don't quite have down yet, lol), Happy Polishing!!

 

 



70's Swirls and Dots

Hi Everyone!!  I've been so excited to try my new Konad stamping kit courtesy of my friend Babs at Ezmerelda Enterprises, and I finally had the chance today.  So, this is my first attempt at stamping...not the best, but I still like how it turned out.  It reminds me so much of the 70's!

I Used:
Orly- Oh Cabana Boy
Spoiled- Designated Driver
Konad Plate m79
Konad Polish- Metallic Blue
Dotting Tools

I started with two coats of Orly's Oh Cabana Boy in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness.  I love this polish!  It's a bright pink with a royal blue shift, or shimmer.

Then using the Konad stamper, plate m79 and the Konad blue polish, I started stamping...for the first time.  I have to say using the Konad system was a breeze.  And the clean up was so easy.  I was amazed how easy I found it to use.  My only problem came in the fact that my nails were longer than the stamp...and I couldn't line it up for a second stamp.  But that's ok, that will come with practice.  I was still happy with how it turned out.  I love the loops.  Although next time I use this design, I will probably use the stamp for a french nail effect and put the dots underneath that.

Since the design reminded me so much of the 70's, I added yellow polka dots (very popular in the 70's) of two different sizes.  I really like the final look.  What do y'all think?

And don't forget to to check out my friend's website.  She is looking to reduce her inventory and y'all are getting the benefit.  You can contact her at Ezmereldaenterprises@yahoo.com or babs.parker@gmail.com.  Be sure to tell her I sent you!  Happy Polishing!!

Despite receiving the complimentary Konad system, the opinions expressed are my own and were not influenced by Ezmerelda Enterprises.