Shattered

I wanted to use this glitter or large confetti pieces in a manicure.  To me, it turned out looking like broken glass.   It' a bit textured because the confetti pieces aren't all flat, but I tried to press them into the polish, and I'm hoping they will stay put because it's kind of an interesting look.

The base color is China Glaze Grape Pop.  The confetti is Art Club Nail Flakes in Iced Silver.  I coated twice with Seche Vite.

April Showers

Rain has been creeping up here in MN, so this was my homage to the weather.  I have a love/hate relationship with rain, but I currently am fond of it and the fact that it is bringing spring and it washed away the snow.  Buds are on the trees again, things are sprouting in my garden and a things are starting over again.  So although rain can be dark and dreary, I wanted to think about how happy rain can be and the end result was a manicure that I LOVE!!!! 

The base color of the manicure is Essie's Chinchilly and I coated over it with OPI Sonic Bloom to get a green/gray sky effect.  I then sponged China Glaze White On White and Orly's Mirror Mirror for the clouds.  I then used a loose, oblong glitter from Cina (applied with a clear polish from Orly) and topped the manicure with a coat of Seche Vite.  

Happy Easter

I needed to re-polish, so I went the marble route trying to get a look of pastel splash, not so much swirl.  It's as Easter and spring-like as I wanted.

Left Hand:

Right Hand:

The design was marbled with China Glaze Spontaneous, Lemon Fizz, Something Sweet, Four Leaf Clover, and Peachy Keen.  One coat Seche Vite on top.

Pinwheel

This is a manicure that looked way better in my head.  Then, I started with the blue pinwheels first and it just started to clump and I couldn't get another five nails out of it.  So I switched colors.  So left hand blue, right hand purple, one hot mess.

The base color is China Glaze Paper Chasing.  Then I used So Easy Stripe Rite in Magenta and Blue.  Because of the thickness and texture of the glitter polish, I used three coats of Seche Vite to smooth out the mani.

Ode to Jasper

I have been waiting to do a Jasper post until I can really ride him.  And by Jasper, I mean my scooter.  I have taken the scooter out on some little joy rides, but with the weather shaping up this week, I thought it was time to break out a Jasper inspired manicure.  I picked the blue because it's the color of my scooter and the swirls are symbolic of the glorious feeling of air, nature and connection I feel riding it everywhere I go in the warmer months here in Minnesota.  So, ride on!!!!!!

Left hand:

Right Hand Close Up:


Artsy Shot:

Base color is China Glaze, Frostbite.  The swirls are done with another CG color in light blue Bahamian Escape.  And So Easy Stripe Rite in White and Purple Metallic.  I then coated a clear coat of polish over the center of the swirl design and sprinkled glitter from Cina from their Metallic Jewels collection.  I then coated the manicure twice with Seche Vite and I'm ready to ride!!

Girlie Girl

Pink!  Bows!  Spring!  I guess I was feeling whimisical tonight when I created this manicure.  The pink in the photos is pretty washed out, but you get the idea!




The base color is Orly Cotton Candy.  The bows are hand striped in three colors: So Easy Stripe Rite Aqua Metallic and Purple Metallic, and China Glaze Solar Power.  They are coated with Seche Vite.

Let's Get One Thing Straight!

I am the HEAD CHEF!!!!  I thought after the banter that I've been having with my friend, Kari, who I cook with every week, I should make a foodie manicure.  A little joke we have is regarding who is the head chef of our little duo and who is the sous chef.  Bottom line though, I love to cook.  I am by no means a professional, but when my mom was listing to me the 50 most common mistakes of the home chef, I knew those mistakes and since Kari and and I have been making them and learning from them and have steadily gotten better and better over the years; I feel pretty proficient in the kitchen.  And this manicure sets the record straight--I'm the head chef, Kari's the sous ;)  Click images for better view.

For the nails I base coated with a gray from Orly Mirror Mirror.  Then the details are done with various mixes of China Glaze, OPI, Sally Hansen and So Easy Stripe Rite.  The lettering is Stripe Rite Gold Metallic and Black.  For the Pictures, I did not put a top coat on so they would photograph better, but I am going to protect them with Seche Vite when this post is done.

"H"/Knife--Stripe Rite silver and black

"E"/Kitchen Timer (or) Thermometer--CG Lemon Fizz, Stripe Rite Black and Red Sparkle

"A"/Stock Pot--Sally Hansen's White On and Stripe Rite Neon Green, Black and Silver

"D"/Ladle and Spatula--Stripe Rite Silver, Black and Aqua Metallic.

"C"/Chicken--OPI Skinny Dippin' in Lake Michigan, and CG In Awe Of Amber, and Stripe Rite White

"H"/Tomato--CG Salsa, VII, Japanese Koi (Neon) and Stripe Rite Neon Green

"E"/Red Onion--CG Grape Pop, Let's Groove, Seduce Me, Solar Power Stripe Right Neon Green

"F"/Avacado--CG Entourage, Outta Bounds, In Awe Of Amber, Solar Power

Chef's Hat--Sally Hansen's White On and CG Re-Fresh Mint and Stripe Rite Silver and Aqua Metallic.

Hot Pads--CG Something Sweet, Caribbean Temptation, Shocking Pink.