#NAGGDay5 - Contrast

I keep trying to post my neon nails, because I LOVE them.  But no, today is contrast.  Neon will be coming soon!

 Orange and blue are contrasting colors...right?

I started with 3 coats of The Lady Varnishes Captain Wentworth, a gorgeous dark blue filled with orange holo hexes on my thumb and ring fingers and 2 coats of Barry M Blackberry.

Next I sponged and painted different patterns with Orly Right Amount of Evil, an orange holo glitter fest in a clear base.

I really wish I could have found a blue closer to the base of Captain Wentworth.  They looked very similar IRL, but in the photos, they showed up very different.

Somehow I didn't get any pics that showed how gorgeous Captain Wentworth is.  Just trust me, if you like dark colors filled with glitters, this must be in your collection!  Check out the other contrasting manis!

#WorldCancerDay Paint it Purple

Today is world cancer day, and several of us in the nail community are painting our nail purple for the event.  I have several friends who have battled breast cancer and an uncle who recently lost his battle with brain cancer.  I am proud to wear purple for them and all the others that have or continue to battle and their families.  Here is my mani.

I started with three coats of Zoya Adina.  This is one of my all time favorite purples and would have been on my 2013 Faves list, if not for the fact that it wasn't released in 2013!  I know I took pics of this on it's own, but I just can't find them anywhere!  Trust me when I say that it is a gorgeous purple filled to the brim with a green to gold duochrome shimmer.

Next I stamped with MJ XX and Zoya Mira, a lovely purple creme.  I chose this image because it reminded me of boobies (tee hee).

I had the hardest time capturing the green shift, although it is easy to see IRL.  This was the closest I could get.  You can just barely see it on my index.  Feel free to check the other #WorldCancerDay Manis.

NAGG Day 4 - Monochrome

Today's theme is monochrome.  I am pretty sure these colors are applicable.  Different shades of pink/red.

I guess I have been on on lateral pattern kick lately.  There is more to come in this challenge.

This started with two coats of a 2013 pink favorite, Cliquot.  

Next I used a decorative pair of scissors to create a pattern with tape.  I filled the middle with OPI I Knead Sourdough.

After that dried, I added tape to one side and sponged on OPI Hands Off My Kielbasa.

Not quite sure if I liked the way this turned out.  Maybe if I was a little neater with tape placement, I would be happier with it.  May have to visit this one again.  Don't forget to check out the other lovely ladies' manis.

NAGG Day 3 - Warm vs Cool

Gonna be quick about this.  Not feeling well.  Posting anyway.  Warm vs Cool.

Started with two reds, one warm, one cool.

2 coats China Glaze Elfin Around on thumb, middle and pinkie.  Elfin Around is a warm metallic red from the Happy Holiglaze collection.
2 coats China Glaze Santa Red My List on index and ring.  Santa Red My List is a cool metallic red, also from the Happy Holiglaze collection.

 

Stamped with opposite color and Sugar Bubbles SB 007.

Stamping ended up a bit subtle.  Liked the idea, but not the execution.  See you tomorrow, when I will hopefully feel better.

NAGG Day 2 - Jewel Tones

I have to admit that I am drawn to jewel colors.  Maybe it has to do with the fact that I am a rock hound.  Before this polish obsession came into my life, I designed jewelry made with semi-precious stone beads...and still do occasionally.  I think my polish collection has exceeded my stone collection, just barely.  One of my favorite stones to work with is garnet.  So many different shades to be found, from dark to raspberry red.  So it did not surprise me that when I received A England Briarwood, I knew I would use it for this challenge.

Nail art does not have to be complicated.  Yes, I want to go all out for this challenge, but sometimes some simple stamping is the best combo for such a gorgeous polish.

With Flash

Artificial Light

I started with two coats of A England Briarwood.  Briarwood is a perfect rich garnet base filled with a scattered gold holo.  My pics just do not do this beauty justice!  If you want to see a gif of this subtle scattered holo garnet beauty, check my top 5 reds of 2013 HERE.

I stamped with MoYou 216 and Maybelline Bold Gold.  I love this image!  It reminds me of intricate embroidery.  In the macro pics, you can see the lines across the leaves.  The etching is so complex and every detail shows up when stamped!  Can you just see this used for a french tip design?  I must try that next!  Ready for some nail spam?

I know, so many pics of such a simple mani, but I couldn't help it!  I have such wanton weakness for this one!  To me, this is the perfect valentine mani, no hearts, just dark, vampy and embroidered with a gold trim.  Do you like it as much as I do?  Time to check all the other bejeweled beauties!

 

2013 Fves - Blacks

"Black?" you say.  Yep, blacks.  How can you have five top blacks from 2013?  Well, I was devloping my collection over the last year.  And I love wearing black polish.  And the whole texture thing exploded this year, so you know I had to have some different finishes.  If you love black nail polish, like me, you are going to want these in your collection!

Just a reminder.  I always paint to opacity and then add one more coat for the macro pics.  In other words, when it says I used 3 coats, you can usually achieve "in real life opacity" at 2 coats.  In no particular order:

With Flash

Artificial Light

Julep Cleopatra - 3 coats
I fell head over tips with Cleopatra when I received it in my October Maven Box.  I gushed about it in my original post and you can check that along with some nail art HERE.  Let's just say that this rubbery finish channels my inner Irene Adler.  "I would have you, right here on this desk, until you begged for mercy....twice."

Digital Nails Pandorica - Index and middle 2 coats over black - Ring 3 coats over black - Pinkie 4 coats no undies
What is a fave black list without a holo?  Incomplete, that is what it is!  I have a couple few black holos in my stash, but this is my favorite!  It is from The Ladies Of Who collection, which also includes one of my all time favorite polishes, Run You Clever Boy, which you can find as my #1 brown of 2013 HERE.  Pandorica actually represents Rory, the only long running male companion in the new series.  The thing that makes this different from my other blacks is that the holo particles are suspended in a black GELLIE base, which leads to more depth.  It also means that it is sheer and requires layering.  My favorite combo is my ring finger, 3 coats over black.  This may seem like overkill to some, but the depth achieved with this layering is phenomenal!  You know what is coming next!

With Flash

Artificial Light

Essie Belugaria - 2 coats
Another Essie Texture!  This one caused a bit of a stir in the polish community.  Most people did not like it.  "Hard to apply." they said.  "Too lumpy." was another comment.  Yep, it is lumpy...lumpier than any texture I own...but I LIKE it that way.  Feels (and kinda looks) like I have lava rock on my tips.  As far as application, I used a light hand and had no issues at all.  Kuddos to Essie for their willingness to take a chance and come out with something totally unique!

 
NOPI Totally In the Dark - 2 coats
There were a lot of black polishes with silver glitter this year, but this one stood out for me.  The glitters are really micro flakies, which give a much more subtle silver flash.  So purdy!  You can see nail art with this HERE.

With Flash

Artificial Light

Nails Inc Noho - 2 coats
My # 1 black of 2013!  I love this shiny textured finish from Nails Inc's Leather line.  I am not going to tell you how much...I'm just gonna give you the links and I think you will get the idea.  Nail Art HERE, HERE, HERE AND HERE.  Oh, and a guest post HERE.  Do I need to say more?  I think not!

Your turn!  Do you like black on your tips.  Do you think I went over board with the blacks this year?  Which is your favorite?  Thanks for looking!
Tina

Nail-Art-A-Go-Go!

Still a couple of categories left for the faves of 2013, but today is the start of a new challenge hosted by Gnarly Gnails, Nail-Art-A-Go-Go.  Want to join?  The Facebook group is Polish Passionistas.  Here is the schedule:

I have been so excited about this challenge!  I think it is because I took such a long break from nail art with the faves.  Nice to take a break, but even better to get back to it!  Today is Achromatic, which means without color.  Technically, I guess tan is a color, but I consider it achromatic compared to the rest of the rainbow.  I'm probably wrong, but it's my blog, right?

So I thought this would look really cool, but I think it looks a little diseased (tee hee).  I still like it!

I started with a gradient of Contrary Polish Hayride, Barry M Lychee and China Glaze Dandy Lyin Around.  Lychee is so highly pigmented that it kind of took over, but I added some more Hayride after taking this pic.

Next I stamped with Konad Special White and BM-02.

Finally I added dots with Zoya Godiva.  I layered the dots a few times.

Although this kind of looks like it should be on a witch in these pics, it was very subtle IRL and I actually enjoyed it.  Like all the other textured dots I have ever done, I spent a lot of time rubbing my thumb along the bumps.  What can I say, I am a tactile person!

 
What do you think?  Glad to see nail art back on the blog?  Think this would make a good Halloween mani with some other color scheme?  Want to join us?  Check what everyone else did!