Day One of 12 Days

Day One

Christmas Tree

Be forewarned!  This is going to be a LOOONG post and very pic heavy.  There are several reasons for this.  First is that I loved the way this turned out.  Second, there were several steps to this mani and I photoed each one.  Last, and most importantly, this is my first post in my first challenge!  WHOO HOO!

So, over the past few months I have spent many hours surfing the web and pinning ideas.  I don't have have a whole lot of original ideas myself :) and I believe in giving credit where credit is due.  This idea came from a lovely woman, Anutka from Wacky Laki.  You can find the inspiration HERE.

 I started with 3 coats of OPI I Don't Give a Rotterdam.  I luv this color, but it smelled like no other OPI I have tried.  Very strong chemical smell.  Worth it though!  This is a lovely grey with a blue tint and glass flakes.  It is somewhat sheer with some bald patches (maybe the operators fault :) so required at least two coats.  This is one coat.

Next I sponged Different Dimension Selene on the tips.  Before I show you what it looks like, let me tell you about Selene.  This is one of my beloved indie polishes from Missi aka Different Dimension!  You can find Missi's store HERE

Selene is a clear base filled with 2 sizes pearl and matte white hexes, 2 sizes of matte white glitter and pearl glitter.  I'm sure there is more stuffed in there, but this was what I could identify.  I love this.  It is the perfect mix, perfectly balanced and easy to apply.  It looks so much like snow!  You will probably be seeing this again in this challenge.  Here's what it looks like on my nails.

How cute is that!  Next I painted on tree trunks with brown acrylic paint.

Next I added "tree branches" with Sally Hanson Xtreme Wear White On.  I tried to just put the green glitter on, but it didn't show up very well, so I used the white underneath to make the green glitter stand out more.  I actually used an old brow brush for this, small and flat.

Finally I added China Glaze Winter Holly on the branches.  I'll show you a pic without a flash so you can see the texture of all this layering.  Click for a larger close up.

Here's how it looked after a coat of top coat.

What do you think?  I am pretty happy with it, especially since it was all freehand - not a stamp in sight!

Go check out all the other lovely trees in this challenge!