Double the Challenge Fun

Quick post.  Have to take Bria's boyfriend (wincing just thinking about it) home.  Today I have a two-fer.  Negative space for Finger Buffet and "over stripes" for Adventures in Stamping.

Mixed feelings about this one.  Like the concept.  I think the two colors are too close and I chose the wrong image to stamp.

Started with two coats of Essie Cabi-O-Lait, added striping tape and then Crows Toes Birthday Suit.  Looks like I let it dry too long.

I applied top coat, reapplied striping tape, then stamped over it with PUEEN SE03B (top left corner) and my go to black, Finger Paints Black Expressionism.

I think the image was not recognizable enough.  I should have chose an argyle pattern or something.

This turned out the opposite of what normally happens.  The DMPs don't look too bad, but IRL it just looked like a mess.

Oh well, lesson learned.  I will definitely be visiting this idea again, hopefully with better results.  Thanks for looking and commenting!

The Last Tea Party

I am sad.  Why?  Well, my vacation is almost over and this is the last tea party nail art for The Nail Challenge Collaborative.  I think I could have done another month with this prompt, but sadly, it is time to move on.  I wouldn't have felt that this theme was done justice unless I included a Yixing Zisha inspiration.  This is one of my favorite type of teapot, simple, understated but so gorgeous.  Searching through images, there were so many ideas, but I chose this for its color combination and style.

Source

I wouldn't have felt that this theme was done justice unless I included a Yixing Zisha inspiration.  This is one of my favorite type of teapot, simple, understated but so gorgeous.  Searching through images, there were so many ideas, but I chose this for its color combination and style.

I tried to do it justice, but the DMPs let me down.  It looked much better IRL.

With Flash

Artificial Light

I started with three coats of Mentality Rebel.  It could have easily been two, but I wanted the thickness, like clay.

I added leaves with Sinful Colors Calypso.

I thickened some of the Calypso and added some veins to the leaves.

Despite the sloppiness in the DMPs, I still ended up loving this!  A final pic before I go.

Thanks for looking and commenting!  There is a lot of stuff coming down the pike for me.  By stuff, I mean more challenges.  I know, I am crazy!

Is This Nail Art a Crime?

Quick post to show you my nail art for Llama Nails.  I spent nine hours walking around the State Fair today.  Not only do my legs and feet ache, my arthritis in my knees means I can barely bend them.  Not that it wasn't worth it though.  Love the fair!  Fine arts building is my favorite.  I could spend hours in there.  The pain, however, means I don't have the attention span for a long post.

The prompt for today is "crime".  Remember, this is a book/movie challenge.  Can you guess?

This is for the Millennium Series by Stieg Larsson.  The series includes The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest.  See what I did there?

This image might explain my pinkie and thumb :)

That's it.  I would expound more, but bed and an icepack is calling me.  Thanks for looking and commenting!

Golden Oldie Over Black

Quick post to catch up!  Golden Oldie Thursday's prompt is (was) over black.  I love wearing black polish, so this was right up my alley!

This is two coats of Zoya Raven stamped with Piggy Polish Make Waves and BM-312.  Not a whole lot of time right now, you just get pic spam.

 I may have to try this combo again with a more interesting stamp.  But right now, I gotta go.  Check out the other golden oldies.

Zoya Sale!

Just wanted to let you know about this Zoya sale that is going on now.  Go quick though, it is ending soon!

Blogger Bragger Dots

Blogger Braggers prompt this week is polka-dots.  Not so great at dots, but I started with a favorite polish, so how can I go wrong?

Don't know that I used the right colors for the dots, but still, its....different?

Started with two coats of Urban Lacquer One Eyed Monster.  I got more compliments on this polish than any other polish I have worn.  It is a green/teal/blue multichrome that is so gorgeous!  You can see from the flash that direct light brings out the blue.  

Here you can see the green to blue shift.  It is beautiful!

I added dots of Maybelline Bold Gold, Urban Lacquer Schlong, LynBDesigns You Are The Brute Squad and a purple that I didn't write down.  It has a Christmas look, don't you think?  Reminds me of a glass ornament.  What do you think?

You can find the other participants HERE.  As always, thanks for looking and commenting!

Barielle Free Shipping

Just a quick little post to remind you of Barielle's current special, available through 8/21/14!

PLUS

Just use the code above to receive free shipping and a free nail strengthening cream (.05 oz) with every order.  I love the strengthening cream and keep one of these small tubes in my purse.  I can suggest these products also.

I have been using the fortifying nail builder for several months now on my cinderella hand as the nails on my right hand tend to peel and chip easily.  I have seen a marked improvement, especially with my new growth.  I expect, within the next couple months, as my nails continue to grow, to have no peeling at all.  So exciting!

I use this strengthening cream before bed and not only are my hands moisturized, my nails are healthier than they have ever been, despite all that I put them through.

These polish remover pads are essential for travel.  They are effective and smell like sweet tarts!  They do leave a bit of an oiliness on your skin, but I like it because the cuticles end up so moisturized!

My picks for polish?

Hawaiian Sunset, the perfect orange for all your Halloween nail art needs.

Take Me Shopping is so much brighter than my picture shows.  It is what I would consider a neon coral.

Sexy Mood is the perfect purple, not too dark, not too light.

I Got A Headache is the perfect fall toffee brown!

You can find all this and more at the improved Barielle website HERE. 

Tea Party Number 3

Today I have the third installation of the Nail Challenge Collaborative's tea party.  This is my inspiration.

Source

Isn't it lovely?  If I was rich, I would collect tea pots, and this would be in my collection!  Here is what I came up with.

Not as lovely as the tea pot, but not too bad.

 
Started with three coats of China Glaze Keep Calm, Paint On.  Almost spot on for the color of the pot.  Then I double stamped with DRK-B, Julep Daria and Finger Paints Rockin' Gunmetal.

Next came the silver plate.  Cannibalized my jewelry supplies again!  This are some oval jump rings.  After attaching them with top coat, I filled them with Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Silver Sweep. 

It was too silver for me, so I added some Finger Paints Rockin' Gunmetal and added some swirlies around it to try and recreate the look.

It wasn't too bad, but it was hard to distinguse from the stamping, so I added more detail with Julep Daria and a tiny detail brush.

Not awesome, but not bad either.  I had fun with it!  Can't wait to show you the next one though!  I swear I could do a another whole month with this theme, but we have something different coming up in September  Thanks for looking and commenting!  Don't forget to go give the others some tea party love!