And Now For Something Completely Different

Today is the start of something a little different on the blog.  This will ALWAYS be a nail art blog, but I have always tried to swatch my base color for you.  After doing my first review post, I loved it so much, I thought I would do more.  In addition, my stash has grown enough that I can do my favorite type of posts...DUPES!  So this is the beginning of some posts that have no art, just swatches and dupes.  Hope you enjoy!

I am going to start with a haul I got from The Lady Varnishes. 

First let's talk about the packaging.  Kiersten adds those adorable charms to each bottle.  You can choose a copper or silver finish.  You can leave them on the bottles or easily remove them to make your own jewelry.  If you purchase 4 or more bottles, she includes a chain in your choice of finsh to turn the charm into a necklace.  I personally used them to make earrings!

She also allows you to choose to have a fragrance added to the polish.  I had several different scents added and they were all subtle except for the rose scent.  It was the strongest of all of them and since I am a bit sensitive to some fragrances, it wasn't my favorite.  My favorite was actually peppermint...Yum!

This is three coats of the lovely Lady Varnishes Lissa Anne, along with one coat of Seche Vite.  It is a blue leaning green GELLIE filled with HOLO glitter.  The interesting thing about it is that although it is a gellie, it dries to a matte finish.  The matte finish is unique, but it hides the real beauty of Lissa Anne, the smattering of holo glitter.  See it flash in the light.

Once I got this on my nails I realized it looked a bit familiar, so I went searching for what might be a dupe.  I knew this was very possible since I have a soft spot for green polish and am a sucker for some shimmer.  I found LynBDesigns Anomalous Bloke .  Yep, knew it looked familiar :)  So on to a little comparrison.

Index and ring are LynBDesigns Anomalous Bloke.  Middle and Pinkie are The Lady Varnishes Lissa Anne.     

Nope, not dupes, but definitely close cousins.  Their base colors are very close, but LynBDesigns Anomalous Bloke has larger holo particles and is filled with a blue shimmer.  It also is not a gellie.  If I only could have one in my stash, I would pick Lissa Anne for its application and gorgeous and variable gellie finish.

One last look in the sunlight for more holo glitters!  What do you think?  Which do you like better?  Do you like the idea of dupe posts on the blog?  Let me know if you want more.

As always, thanks for looking and commenting.
 Tina 

Inspired by Picaso

Picasso....What can I say about the cubist?  Not my favorite artist.  I like his blue period, but I just don't love him.  I like abstract art, so I don't know why.....Anyway, I tried to find a piece I hadn't seen before and wouldn't you know it, someone else used the same image.  Great  minds think alike!

This was inspired by Picasso The Kitchen.

 

I started with two coats of China Glaze Concrete.  I missed getting a pic of it on it's own, but you MUST Google for some swatches.  It is a gorgeous green tinted grey.  LOVE it!

Next I sponged with Nails Inc Fouberts Place.  This is a really ugly baby poop dark greyed brown, but like most greys in my stash, I have a soft spot in my heart for it.

 Finally I stamped with Finger Paints Black Expressionism and Shany SH211, which is reminiscent of the lines on The Kitchen.  I love the full nail images on this plate, unfortunately they are square instead of rectangle.  The span the whole nail horizontally, but not vertically.  As you can see I am not that well versed on double stamping.  Oh well, it is supposed to be abstract, right?

 

Whatch ya think?  Now go check out all the other Picaso inspired manis.

 

AIS Multi Colored Inspired by SYTYCD

I had the inspiration for this pinned for SYTYCD Fashion Friday, but it fit so well with the AIS theme this week, I just had too use it.

This was inspired by Cat's dress for the top 14 episode.

 
Flashback to the 70's anyone?

This started with 3 coats of Ulta Snow White stamped with PUEEN21 dotted with the following colors:

• Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Lightening (yellow)
• Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Lickety Split Lime (green)
• Zoya Sharon (orange)  

The last time I looked for Zoya Sharon on their site, I couldn't find it.  I am pretty sure it is a discontinued color, although I did just purchase it from their site this past spring.  It's too bad because this is the BEST creme orange in my stash and works great for stamping.

One last look for comparison.  What do you think.  I think this stamp was PERFECT for this!

Thanks for looking and commenting.
Tina  

Check Out This Etsy Giveaway!

I don't usually post about giveaways, but this one is toooooo good to miss out on.

ETSY IS HAVING A GIVEAWAY FOR A $250 ETSY GIFT CARD!

There are soooo many great indie polish makers that sell on Etsy.  Think of all the polish you could add to your stash!  Use THIS LINK to enter the giveaway!

Good luck!
Tina

Another Beauty From LynBDesigns

No challenge for today's mani, just a chance to show you another beauty from LynBDesigns.

I have had this "thing" about stamping with holos recently.  It gives a gorgeous base a subtle beauty without covering it up too much.

This is the lovely LynBDesigns Oobleck from the Dr. Seuss collection.  These pictures do not do it justice.  Here it looks like a minty spring green with a bit of glitter.  In real life it is filled with a color shifting micro glitter.  I tried to capture it, but just couldn't!  It shifts from green to gold and I even thought I saw some teal in there.  The sparkle is subtle, but not so subtle that you can't see it like some polish....Yes, I am talking about YOU OPI Wooden Shoe Like to Know.  

Jenna is having a sale at her LynBDesigns store HERE until August 18th.  Just enter the code THANKYOU at checkout for 40% off everything in the store.  She also has some delicious handmade perfume oils.  Purchase a sample or two to find a frangrance you like and she can add it to her handmade cuticle oil.   

Although I hated to cover this up, the holo made it okay.  I stamped with Gals GA31 and Layla Ultra Violet.

I love this!  So springy and fresh.  Don't forget to hop over to LynBDesigns and snatch up some lovelies during the sale!

Thanks for looking and commenting!

Tina

 

Sunday on Saturday?

Just a quick post to show you my Sunday Adventures in Stamping mani.  Yes, last Sunday, not tomorrow (tee hee).  

The theme was "plate ending in 8".  

This started with three coats of LynBDesigns Sacre Blurple.  This is a gorgeous cobalt blue gellie that is much darker with a purple tinge in real life.  Love this!  You know how I am about visible nail line, but with three coats, it doesn't show in anything but the dreaded macros.  You can find this and many other lovely polishes at her Etsy store HERE.  Right now Jenna is having a SALE through August 16th!  Just use the code THANKYOU for 40% off your entire order through the 16th.

Next I stamped with PUEEN48 and Aly's Dream Polish #64 Copper.  Right now Aly's store is closed, but like her on Facebook HERE to keep up to date on her new store opening.

Simple but lovely, if I may say so myself.  Hopefully I will see you tomorrow with an on time AIS mani!

Tina

SYTYCD Fashion Friday on Saturday

With all the challenges I have this month, I have been neglecting my So You Think You Can Dance Fashion Fridays :(.  Now that the Black & White challenge is over, that is going to change!  Here is the latest.

 This was inspired by Mackenzie Dustman's elimination dress during the top 14 episode.

Per normal, it was hard to find a decent image of this dress.  The image on the right is/was more color accurate, but the quality sucks, so I added the other so you could get a closer look.  Aren't they all gorgeous!

I started with two coats of PIXI Luminous Lilac.  Please forgive the pre-clean-up pics. This is one of those colors that can't decide on what it wants to be in life...purple?....pink?  In some lighting it is definetely pink with a delicate silver twinkle.  In others it looks like a pink tinged lavender.  The formula was pleasant, self leveling and good coverage with one coat.  In fact, this might make a good stamping polish.

Next I stamped with Layla Retro Pink and PUEEN44.

 

 Next I stamped with QA46 and Finger Paints Black Expressionism for the black lace at the top.  Finally I added the flowers with MM07 and China Glaze Poetic. 

Final look for comparison?

 

What do you think?  Pink?  Purple?  Pirple?  Thanks as always for looking and commenting!
Tina

 

Trying for a Snow Leopard

The black & white challenge is almost over!  After this there is only one more.  Today's theme is faux fur.  I was going for a snow leopard look.

I went for a double gradient, base and stamping.

This started with two coats of Revlon Pure Pearl.  This was one of my first polish purchases, and I honestly didn't think I would ever use it as a base.  This is one of those polishes that show every single brush stroke, but I really like the pearl finish.

Next I did a gradient with Finger Paints Black Expressionism.  The first three fingers went really well, and the last two (ring and pinkie) not so much.  I think it was because my sponge got too saturated with the polish by the last two nails.  Next time I will try using a new sponge half way through and see if that helps.

Next I stamped with PUEEN09 and a gradient of Black Expressionism and Sally Hansen White On.  I do this by putting a stripe of one color at the top of the stamp and a stripe of a second color halfway down the stamp.  I then scrape the polish so that one polish bleeds into the other.  Does that make any sense?  You can actually do this with several different colors, if you wanted.

What do you think?  Look like a snow leopard?  Check out all the other animals.

Black & White Bling

I have been suffering with a sinus infection, so am running a bit behind.  Trying to catch up with the black and white challenge.  Here is my Bling!



The bling is the base.

 

This is three coats of Different Dimension Selene.  This one is not available at her shop right now, but you can find many other wonderful polishes at Missi's store HERE.  Selene is a clear base with a mix of white glitters, including a white pearl glitter.  So purdy!  I have used this as a glitter topper before, (especially during the holidays) but this is the first time I have used it strictly as a base.  It shows some bare nail in the macro pics, but you don't see it IRL.

Next I stamped with DRK-B and Finger Paints Black Expressionism.

 Check out all the other black & whites.