I Owe You

Manicures.  I have been behind on posting them, not on painting them.  So this is a combined post of my past manicure and my current.

Glitterrific!

I first painted three coats of China Glaze Solar Power.  I then painted a coat of clear polish and dipped my entire nail into LA Splash Nail Glitter in Trickery.  I used 2 coats of Seche Vite to seal the glitter and smooth out the bumps.

Greenstooth

I painted three coats of Ulta Black Diamond., then used Konad Plate m63 with Into The Limelight and finished the look with one coat of Seche Vite

Celebration Part Deux

I told you I had a wedding again last weekend and I need to post the pics of my re-designed manicure.  In preparation for the dress remix, I bought some new jewelery (although it was vintage, not new to the world--new to me) and decided to go with the theme of brushed metal.  I'm attaching a picture of the dress I had for inspiration.  I'm retiring it for next weekend, but I do have another wedding to go to...!

The Dress:

For the manicure I first painted three coats of China Glaze Liquid Leather.  Then I sponged on in layers Awaken, Millennium and Frostbite.  I striped clear polish over the center after the other polishes had dried and added the blue glitter.  I sealed that glitter with a top coat so the glitter wouldn't bleed (as much).  I used Essie Matte About You on the lower half below the glitter and added Seche Vite to shine the top half and for a final seal of the glitter.

Denim Scorpion

I bought this new China Glaze color from the Vintage Vixen collection and it immediately reminded me of denim.  So I decided I'd make pockets, and name the post after the best misquote from my sister of a local amusement park ride; it's named Steel Venom, but she calls the Denim Scorpion.  I love her misquotes mostly because they have so much conviction.

Right Hand:

Left Hand:

Three coats were used in Midnight Mission.  The colors used for the embellishments were Orly Rage, Luxe, So Easy Stripe Rite in White, Silver and Gold Metallic.  I sealed the look with one coat of Seche Vite and then matted the entire look with Essie Matte About You.  (I find that the matte finish tends to make polishes bleed--as you can see with my middle finger on my left hand where I did not seal first, so a top coat first makes a big difference.)

Close up of polish bleed and paint detail:

When Polish Isn't Enough--Fabric Manicure

I am attending a wedding this weekend (and next) and I'm wearing the same dress to both, but trying to accessorize it differently for both events--first and foremost with the manicures. I had this idea when I was looking for embellishments for today's manicure and I came across this silver lame fabric I had (not as in "that's so lame", but as in the actual fabric type). I wondered if it could be added to a manicure--and lo and behold, it could! So I cut out and sized for my different nails. I accentuated the look by making it a "Ruffian". The overall feel is pretty smooth, but the tips have some roughness because I cut the fabric at the tip of my manicure after it was applied.

I painted three coats of China Glaze Japanese Koi and let it dry completely. I then coated Seche Vite to apply the pre-cut fabric on my nails. I let it dry again, cut the tips to my nails and applied two more coats of Seche Vite on top of the fabric.

Two Sides To Every Story

Threads frayed, time to move on.  This manicure is the result of a failed design idea.  When I first looked at the finished result, I thought I hated it.  Then I woke up and looked at it in a new light--daylight, and it started to really grow on me.  The colors in the Orly Cosmic FX collection are so multifaceted, your eyes are always drawn to them because they look different all the time based on lighting and angles.  So out of failure comes something close to fabulous!  I think I finally got decent pictures of these colors and their contrasting reflections.  The last picture is in natural light and after the manicure had seen the whole day, so it's showing some tip wear.

I painted three coats of Galaxy Girl on two-thirds of my nail.  On the other third, starting from the bottom to the top I painted It's Not Rocket Science, Space Cadet, and Lunar Eclipse all from the Cosmic FX collection.  I painted one coat of Seche Vite on top.

Thread Lightly

Today's manicure is simple, but a bit tedious to create.  I bought these Metallic Threads from Sally's and wanted to try them out, but they had to be cut to size, didn't all want to stay down or stay straight.  Either way, I still like the idea and the final look isn't so bad.  This is another one of the colors in Orly's Cosmic FX collection and I think they are so pretty, but incredibly hard to photograph--so the excess pictures this time are less about showing off the design and more about trying to depict the color and sparkle.  

I painted three coats of Orly Lunar Eclipse.  I used Seche Vite to adhere the threads and to coat on top to seal them.

Groupie

This manicure is inspired by a shirt I bought to go out to a concert tonight.  The manicure is so pretty I can't stop looking at it (hence all the pictures)!  As always, if you are interested to learn how to water marble yourself, check out my tutorial video here or on the right hand embedded link on this page. 

I first painted a base with two coats of China Glaze Something Sweet.  I then marbled with Awaken, Orly Cotton Candy and OPI Sonic Bloom.  I added glitter from LA Splash Cosmetics in Onyx across the center.  I used two coats of Seche Vite to seal the glitter and enhance the shine!

Girls Night In

I had a fun girls night in with my mom and sisters last night.  My services were requested and I gladly obliged in doing some nail art on their pretty hands.  Here's what we did as well as my most recent water marble.

Too Rich For My Blood:

Snake Skin:

Sexy Leopard:

Gold Leaf:

Too Rich For My Blood:  Water marble with two coats as a base of China Glaze Classic Camel.  That color and Foxy and Ingrid were used for the marble.  I used one coat of Seche Vite.

Snake Skin: Base color of It's Not Rocket Science.  Snake design was Black It's So Easy Stripe Rite and Konad Plate m57  with White on White for the snake skin.  Finished with one coat Seche Vite.

Sexy Leopard:  Two coats as a base of White On White with two coats Twenty-Four K.  Konad plate m57 was used again and the spots were filled in with Towel Boy Toy.  One coat Seche Vite used to finish look.

Gold Leaf: Three coats Zoya Charla.  Konad plate m65 used with OPI Golden Rules!.  Seche Vite was used to seal the deal.

Green With Envy

That's what I expect you to be with this manicure.  I love it.  It's so rich and fun.  I'm trying to keep marbling on the front burner since I completed this tutorial video.

Colors used: two coats of Ulta Into The Limelight for a base.  Marble colors: Into the Limelight, Black Diamond, It's Not Rocket Science.  I coated twice with Seche Vite.

Water Marbling 101

Several months ago, my live-in, filmmaker husband wanted to test out his new camera.  I suggested he help me film a tutorial video on water marbling.  He lovingly obliged and here is the final product as well as a little pic of the final look.  I filmed some other excerpts of trouble shooting and other design techniques, but as I learned "post production is the longest part of the film making process."  So I can't tell you when you'll get access to those things, but I hope they will be finished.

Colors used were China Glaze White on White for the base coat color.  Marble colors were Zoya Jolene, Charla, Yasmeen.  Seche Vite was used for the top coat.

The Girl Who Was On Fire

I might be behind, but I am starting the book trilogy Hunger Games.  I read the first book tonight and as soon as I read that Katniss had her nails painted as fire in preparation for the games, I knew I had to recreate for the blog.  This book is amazing.  My stomach is in knots and I have been even more convinced that I would never do good as a soldier or in war.  To hunt and be hunted sounds absolutely horrible.  Either way, I am hooked.  I am on fire for these books and am excited to start the next one as soon as it lands in my hands!

I first painted my nails with two coats of China Glaze Jamaican' Out.  Then I layered the following colors for the flames: Sun Worshipper, and Solar Power.  Black accent was So Easy Stripe Rite.  Over the whole look I sponged In Awe Of Amber.  I used two coats of Seche Vite for extra shine.